"Spirit, Drama, Humor, and Passion - A Must Read!"
Anyone who says, "You can't please everyone," has yet to
read SHAMARA, by award winning author Catherine
Spangler. Fantastic! A futuristic romance that will make
the reader, laugh, cry, and sigh, SHAMARA has all the ear
markings of a keeper. The story takes place six years after SHADOWER. Shamara, the Shen word for sanctuary - Eirene Kane and
Jarek san Ranul both sought it, for different reasons. Eirene needed to lose her virginity fast! Her fate had
been decided by her avaricious uncle, Vaden. He was within
his rights to trade her to the Leor commander, a virgin
bride for a trade route. The women of Travan had no rights.
They served two purposes, breeding or to be traded for
goods and services. Yet she had hoped that her healing
skills would prove more valuable. Unbeknownst to her uncle, Eirene possessed powers that
would make her more valuable still. The Leor's ability to
probe minds would soon reveal that she was an Enhancer, a
race thought to be extinct for 200 seasons. Discovery would
make her life a living hell. Using her gift on her uncle to cause a momentary
distraction, Eirene grabs two jeweled daggers and flees to
the women's compound. Panic fills her when she hears a ship
landing, but relief replaces it when she notices the woman
captain. She had found her way off the planet. She would
eventually make her way to Elysia to pursue her dream of
becoming a healer, but she would take the earliest
opportunity to lose her virginity, and negate her uncle's
agreement with the Leors. The weight of the world, the fate of his people, rested on
the shoulders of Jarek san Ranul. For the past fourteen
seasons, the Shielder reconnaissance scout had watched the
Shielders be decimated by the Controllers, for the crime of
being genetically resistant to their mind control
techniques. With his father's passing Jarek had become next in line to
become the head Council for the Liron colony, but to what
purpose? The Shielders were on the brink of extinction. He
had conceived a desperate plan. Some instinct, and the
tales he had heard of the Enhancers, had convinced him that
within the black hole in the twelfth sector might lay a
wormhole that would serve as a hyperspace portal to another
galaxy. Shamara would lie on the other side. His plan was
dependant on finding rare special equipment, which could
analyze electromagnetic distortions. It would be costly. To
top it off the controllers had put a price on his head,
alive or
dead! A lonely evening of despair stretched ahead for the grief
stricken commander. For this reason he had decided, just
once, to seek solace in the arms of a courtesan. He had
nothing to offer a woman in terms of a commitment, so he
had allowed his friend to steer him to the Pleasure Dome, a
first for Jarek. Within the Pleasure Dome on Saron, an extremely tense
Eirene is being prepped for her first customer by Lani, a
flighty blue haired and feathered professional. She awaits
her first customer, a humanoid named Jarek, who has paid
for the entire night. Although she had hoped she would be able to enhance the
man's lust, in order to rid herself of her troublesome
virginity quickly, she is unable to read him at all. In
fact he is nervous himself, apparently able to sense the
energy she is projecting. There is nothing for it but to
suffer through. Jarek is unexpectedly courteous and gentle toward her,
still her nature magnifies her pain to become excruciating.
Jarek recoils in shock. Before he can deal with the
situation a masked intruder bursts in and gravely wounds
Jarek. Jarek gets off a fatal shot before succumbing to his
injuries. Not knowing whether the intruder was after her or
him, Eirene refuses to let the heroic Jarek die. Unsure
whether her unruly powers will heal or kill him, she
decides to take a risk, an act that seals her fate. Finding himself alive, and miraculously healed as well,
Jarek is convinced that Eirene must be an Enhancer. As luck
would have it, his smuggler friend has also informed him
that the equipment he seeks is in the hands of the Shens,
and is reported to have been owned and operated by
Enhancers. Jarek believes fate has brought him and Eirene
together. He believes she is necessary to the implementing
of his plan. They meet again on Elysia. Eirene is seeking an audience
with Darya the healer. Her dream is not to be. Jarek
regrets taking her against her will, but despite her
protests he believes she is the only person who can help
him find the vortex through which he could lead his people
to freedom. The pair are pursued by an irate uncle, a jilted
bridegroom, and a greedy bounty hunter with revenge on his
mind, but in spite of the fact that Jarek realizes that a
relationship in not in the cards for him, he is willing to
sacrifice his life to save Eirene. Assailed by doubts
about her power, about the captor she is coming to love,
can Eirene overcome them in time to save the Shielders? At
what cost? Those familiar with Ms. Spangler's previous novels,
SHIELDER, and SHADOWER, will be delighted with the latest
installment in the Shielder saga. Those who are new to
their world will no doubt be scrambling to read them. Alternately dramatic, humorous, spiritual, and passionate,
SHAMARA has it all: a desperate cause, a strong,
honorable hero and a compassionate, and powerful heroine, a
cast of side characters which range from wicked to
hilarious, even a baby and a furry, four-eyed pet. What
more could you ask for? Ms. Spangler's writing touches the
soul, and makes the readers care about the fate of her
characters. Speaking of which, what happened to the jilted bridegroom?
Lets just say that he got waylaid . The battle of wits
between the stern, strapping, and celibate Leor, and a
certain feisty, blue haired and feathered, courtesan
absolutely tickled my funny bone. It was almost story in
itself! Hoping for more? You're in luck! I have it on good
authority that a story for the smuggler commander, Celie
Cameron, is currently on the drawing board. This reader is
hoping for many, many more. Catherine Spangler's star is
definitely on the rise! I cannnot recommend SHAMARA
highly enough. A Read you mustn't miss! Wondering about SHAMARA's shocking pink cover text? Learn
the Significance of Pink in:
THE SHIELDERS .... LEGEND OF DESTINY
a
gift to readers from Catherine. Copyright 2001
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Posted August 21, 2001
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