TEST
I thought pirate romances went out some time ago, along with the clichés associated with them: forced marriages, family feuds, women who stamp their feet but are always out-maneuvered. Minus the raping hero, Night Shadow is a throwback to a time when headstrong heroines clashing with outlawed swashbucklers was a popular formula. It’s fun to revisit the excitement of the high seas (ah, those Lindsey books!), but because not much is new in Ms. Renken’s latest work, it’s easy to see why pirate romances aren’t in vogue anymore.
Wounded in battle and then sold as a slave, English pirate Marcus Drake finds an opportunity to escape when a storm claims the lives of the captain and crew of their ship. Spanish noblewoman Liandra Espinosa bargains with Marcus to bring the vessel to a safe harbor, in exchange for which she guarantees his freedom. But unbeknownst to her, Marcus has other plans.
Because of rumors that Marcus and his family had knowledge of pirate’s treasure hidden in Puerto Bello, a Caribbean island, his parents suffered and died at the hands of acquisitive Spanish officials. Marcus and his brother Talon have retaliated by raiding Spanish ships, especially those of their relentless tormentor, the high-ranking noble known as El Condor. Upon learning that Liandra is in fact El Condor’s sister, Marcus wastes no time in hatching a plan to compromise her, not expecting to fall in love with her in the process.
The chapters read as if you’re actually sailing on a ship or wandering exotic places in the Caribbean, and there isn’t one modern word or phrase in the dialogue to jar you out of the 17th century. This, and a combination of interesting action sequences and humming sexual tension attest to the author’s potential. However, Night Shadow seriously suffers in characterization, a flaw that strikes at the heart of the book. The first seven chapters are a torturous account of Liandra and Marcus’s nonstop bickering. As to be expected, she’s outraged when a pirate takes over her ship. However, her defiant reaction quickly overwhelms her whole personality. What’s more frustrating is that for all her willfulness, some man or another invariably overrules her wishes.
Meanwhile, with his careless suavity and cunning, Marcus comes across as a Rhett Butler wannabe. His frankly-my-dear-I-don’t-give-a-damn routine is frustrating in light of Liandra’s many sacrifices. And if theirs sounds like a destructive relationship, it’s because their interaction can be summed up in three cyclical stages: fight, don’t talk, fall inexorably into each other’s arms. The sheer number of unresolved issues between them makes my head spin.
The characterization problem doesn’t only affect the hero and the heroine, but almost the entire supporting cast. Characters are conveniently bumped off to suit the plot; others appear out of nowhere. We don’t get to know any of them beyond the prominent characteristics that match each stereotype (the burly but amiable sidekick, the beautiful but devious relative, the wise and loving cleric, and of course, the unequivocally evil villain). Barely any emotion or realization accompanies such events as the reappearance of Marcus’s betrothed, his reunion with long-lost relatives, and most frustrating of all, one character’s pregnancy and the fate of the baby.
Night Shadow may not exactly reinvent the pirate romance, but one thing we can be thankful for is that the raping hero is truly no more (though looking at the cover, where an embarrassingly puckered nipple peeks out of the male model’s shirt, you might want to run the other way). You might appreciate what’s inside the book if plot is more important to you than character. Otherwise, let’s cross our fingers and wait for Ms. Renken’s next book – perhaps she’ll stay clear of genre clichés.
Grade: D
Book Type: Historical Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 20/10/01
Publication Date: 2001
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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.