"Enemy Mine with spice"
Rulagh Lugraarown is an exo-biologist, a reptilian/mammal
from Zaamezz, on a mission to earth. He has ten years to
find and destroy feral chupacabras, known by his people as
Shrennan, the alien pets left on earth by wealthy
tourists. His task is sidetracked, however, when he is
discovered and befriended by Roberto Rodriguez, a wealthy
businessman dealing in security systems development.
Rodriguez is terminally ill with cancer. Though Rodriguez
is beyond even the advanced technology of Rulagh's people,
Rulagh stays with the older man during his last hours,
making him as comfortable as possible until his last
breath. Secluded and alienated because of his appearance and the
secret nature of his assignment, Rulagh's job has just
become more difficult. Until he meets Rodriguez's young
daughter, Sonia. Sonia Rodriguez is a smart and spirited website designer
who enjoys competing and winning jousting matches at
renaissance fairs in her spare time. Motherless at an
early age and raised by an aunt and uncle, Sonia misses
her father desperately, and would rather have had his
presence in her life growing up than the loads of money he
has provided for her through his manifold business
concerns. Recently dumped by a drug addicted pretty boy, Sonia is
just beginning to get her personal life back together when
she receives word of her father's death. Regrettably,
Rodriguez died without his daughter ever having known of
his illness. But he has provided as well for her in death
as he did in life with his last will and testament. The
only catch: Sonia must relocate to her father's estate in
Cabo Rojo Puerto Rico and stay for one year. Sonia readily
agrees, but would rather have been with her father the
last year of his life than become a wealthy heiress and
major shareholder of Rodriguez ltd. More than wanting to take care of his daughter for the
rest of her life, Rodriguez's other motive is to have
Sonia help Rulagh eradicate the chupacabra infestation on
earth. What her father could never have predicted was how
well his daughter and his alien friend would get along. Tough, capable and an avid science fiction fan, Sonia is,
however, still thrown for a loop when she first encounters
Rulagh, especially since their first meeting occurs on the
heels of Sonia running for her life from two ferocious
chupacabras. She defends herself with a can of pepper
spray and incapacitates the two beasts before they can
tear her to pieces. A hooded and machete-wielding Rulagh
comes to her rescue and finishes the job, but Sonia has a
hard time figuring out who and what is more dangerous to
her: the, up until that moment, wild beasts of many an
urban legend, or the mysterious red-eyed man who destroys
them. Ms. Karmazin has a deft hand when it comes to description
and world building, each of which lends itself to a rich
skillfully crafted plot. The story is fast-paced and
peopled with engaging and well-delineated characters.
Sonia and Rulagh have instant sizzling chemistry sustained
in tasteful, sensually graphic love scenes dispersed
throughout the book, and that never grow stale. Enemy Mine with spice, and an excellent read. I highly
recommend "The Huntress!"
Reviewed by Gracie McKeever
Posted June 9, 2004
|
