TEST
This book explores one of my favorite themes – that of a formerly lovely man, scarred by past events into becoming a selfish, amoral piece of work, who finds reluctant redemption through love. That the hero and heroine are characters who met as children in a previous book in the series, and that the setting is post-apocalyptic, are elements that simply add spice to this great big meal of a book. Throw in shapeshifters and war…mmm, delicious!
Pen and Tru were children when the magical apocalypse changed the world, and they were both saved by Jenna and Mason in the first book in the series. Pen idolized Tru, until one day he just left their small group, never to be heard from again. When they meet again as adults, their lives have taken very different directions. Pen is known far and wide as The Orchid, revered for her kindness and use of her magical powers for good, considered by some to be a goddess on earth, while Tru lives alone in the Florida swamps, staying in his lion form for much of the time and interacting with humans only on rare occasions – mainly to get laid.
Twelve years after the apocalypse, slave trade is thriving, perpetuated mainly by a large group of shifter and magic haters run by General O’Malley. O’Malley’s organization has stretched all across what used to be the U.S., proving themselves a danger to any new settlements, stealing supplies, and kidnapping and murdering humans and shifters alike. Pen has allowed herself to be captured by slavers in order to infiltrate O’Malley’s organization, and in the opening of the book is being transported with a group of other captured women and children, on their way to O’Malley’s stronghold to be sold into sexual servitude. Their journey is interrupted by a lion shifter who heroically ambushes the truck and kills the guards. Pen’s emotions are at first frustration that her plan went awry, then joy that their savior is her old friend, and then deep disappointment that he is only interested in rescuing the most attractive captive in order to win her gratitude and later sexual favor.
Pen and Tru end up traveling alone together with an adolescent boy, who, despite Tru’s best efforts to avoid it, develops a serious case of hero worship. Planning on dumping his charges as soon as possible, Tru is nonetheless persuaded to help Pen with the second part of her quest – when Pen promises to sleep with him in payment for getting her and the boy to a peaceful stronghold run by a man named Arturi. Pen believes that Arturi and his people will help her war against O’Malley, in order to preserve their own work in maintaining civilization, if for nothing else. But Arturi’s settlement is hidden, and Pen can’t get there by herself, especially when traveling with a child. Tru tries to remain aloof while fulfilling his side of the bargain, but soon finds himself admitting to more than just attraction to Pen and responsibility for the boy.
Tru’s character goes through a metamorphosis in the course of this book. His thought processes in the first couple of chapters are completely selfish and frankly, somewhat irritating. For example, when thinking to himself that Pen must never have been properly awakened sexually, he tells himself that he would “stake her life on it”. Her life, instead of his own, which is how that saying is normally used, in my experience. He also constantly twits Pen about being a “goddess,” as if she thinks she is better than he. His thoughts all seem to revolve around what Pen will think if he does what suits him, as opposed to what she’d think if his actions suited her more. If he has to perform in a way outside his preferences, perhaps she’ll sleep with him sooner or more gladly. I found him exhausting at first. But then we find out what happened to make him so selfish and shallow and his character becomes much more sympathetic. Tru also lets Pen and the boy chase away some of his demons and in the process Tru learns to love again.
This series continues to fascinate me with the authors’ take on the rebuilding of society after an earth-shattering event. In the case of society’s downfall there probably would be natural leaders to arise and be joined by other survivors. War between the criminal element and bands of more gentle people who are sick of being prey would seem to be inevitable. In the first book, a few people band together to become a family, in the second a small village is formed in an old ghost town, and in this, the third book, a large group bands together to form a city with a church and a school, and a fighting force to defeat their aggressors. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
There were a few aspects of the book that didn’t work as well. Pen bargained her body a little too quickly for my taste, and as I mentioned, Tru was annoying at first. Also, later, Tru says to himself on more than one occasion that Pen is going to kill herself for her cause, something he repeats much too often. The writing also seemed uneven in the first few chapters, so this book isn’t perfect. But the series is getting better and better with each installment, providing a high level of entertainment. You can’t put these books down!
The previous two books were reviewed here and both received a B. I heartily concur.
Grade: B
Book Type: Alternate Reality
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 21/11/11
Publication Date: 2011/12
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.