Review: Into the Wind (Mermen of Ea #2) by Shira Anthony

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Taren and Ian Dunaidh have landed on the mainland Ea settlement near Raice Harbor after the tumultuous events of Stealing the Wind. Taren knows he is one of the Ea but nothing else of his heritage and he is searching for answers. Vurin, leader of the mainland Ea and governor of Callaecia, the Ea village, seems to hold the clues to Taren’s past and perhaps his future. Vurin is a powerful mage and he believes it is Taren’s fate to be the wielder of the fabled rune stone—a weapon of great power. The stone holds great significance for Taren and his past. It is also a weapon that can keep the Ea safe. But no one really knows where it is. Only that Odhrán the pirate is rumored to possess it.

Again the Goddess has some incredible twists and turns in store for Taren. On the voyage to the island where Odhran is said to reside, Ian’s ship, the Phantom, comes under attack by an old enemy and Taren is swept overboard during battle. Taren awakes on one of the Gateway Islands unsure of how he came to be there. At his side, a young boy, Brynn, who says he can lead him to Odhrán and the mysterious stone.

Taren knows he must get that stone no matter the cost. But who is he to trust? The pirate is said to make slaves of the Ea, humans like the boy consider him an enemy, and he is separated from Ian on an unknown island, unsure of Ian’s and the Phantom’s fate. Everything looks bleak and impossible. Taren’s past is the key to his present safety and the future of the Ea. And only the Goddess knows if he will prevail in his quest for the stone and a happy future with Ian.

Shira Anthony sails back into her Mermen of Ea universe with Into the Wind, the second book in the series. The first book, Stealing the Wind, revolved around Taren’s discovery of his true nature and his meeting/new relationship with Ian Dunaidh, Captain of the Phantom and a merman himself. This story ventures further into Taren’s past and his reincarnation of the Ea priest Treande. Taren is the key and locus for the tumultuous events occurring around him. The Ea people are under attack, not just from humans but from other Ea who retreated to an island and rule by a increasingly rigid Council. Taren who only recently found out that he was an Ea as well is under assault himself. Plagued by dreams and nightmares of his previous life, hunted by a dark mage of the Ea Council, and still under a pledge of one more year’s service to the pirate Rider of the Sea Witch, nothing about Taren’s life is simple or sane. Anthony lays down more and more threads to an increasingly complex plot and the complexities here are one of the real joys of this story.

Once more Shira Anthony weaves her magic with her sensual underwater imagery and complex Ea culture and physiology. The story starts off with the Phantom engaged in battle with a mysterious ship. The Phantom is under heavy fire, and both Taren and Ian are in the midst of the battle. Cannons are fired,and masts splintered as the battle is brought home for the Phantom crew and the readers. What a great fight scene!

The aftermath of the sea battle is traumatic for all characters involved and dissolves into a mystery. Then the narrative retreats in time to two week earlier in the Ea settlement of Callaecia. And once more we have a Taran whose reality is shifting between his memories of Treande who lived there centuries ago with his mate Owyn and the present, a life where Taran is visiting this place for the first time. Each step around Callaecia is overlaid with visions from an earlier time when the place was new and the temples stood instead of ruins. This could be a tricky element to pull of but Anthony does it extremely well. What happened here? Is it just time responsible for the changes or something more? Where Taren sees ruins, his memories show him houses and temples as if they had been just recently constructed. Taran is constantly pulled between the past and the present, with nightmarish results. Even his new relationship with Ian echos with layers from the past and Treande’s love for and relationship with Owyn (who has been reincarnated in Ian). Anthony shows Taren buffeted by so many winds that at times he threatens to loose any semblance of mental and emotional balance.

Vurin, a minor character in the first novel, returns to guide Taran and show him parts of his past that still remain hidden. Old temples and the rune stone that Owyn gave his life to keep safe figures in greatly here. Ea religion and history come to the fore to play major roles in Taran’s fate when a ghostly figure/priestess reappears with portents of the future. It is here the Vurin first mentions the pirate Odhrán who might possess the stone and the Gateway Islands. Shira Anthony has a large scale plan in store for this series, obviously. And all the clues and plot threads are being laid down for the stories yet to come so there are numerous ideas and elements being juggled here, sometimes simultaneously. This makes for a wonderfully rich tapestry of storytelling magic. Into the Wind glows with a richness of detail that it can lay claim to the vitality and depth of the sea itself. And at the heart of the wealth of riches is the character of Taran.

I love the duality aspect to Taran. He is two people and we are often treated to two perspectives on any given situation, whether it is the appearances of the settlement or of his relationships with others like Vurin when he was Treande. And the memories are often awful ones, as the loss of Owyn is something Treande never recovered from. Now Taran with his new relationship to Ian, has to fight with his anxiety over loosing Ian just as Treande lost Owyn so not even his present love exists without a veneer of sadness and fatality. We are privy to both his love for Ian and his love and memories of Owyn, whose sacrifice and death haunts both the story and Taran. Again, this is where Ian suffers in comparison as a character. Owyn is the more compelling persona. Ian is just not as complex a person or we don’t get to see that aspect of his character. He is supposed to be the reincarnation of Owyn, a powerful mage. But none of that is apparent as yet, and his character suffers for that deficiency. This is my only quibble here with the story.

A new fantastic character is added to the series here with the appearance of Odhrán, the pirate of unknown origins. A person of mystery, rumors and legends swirl about the man including his possession of the stone that will save the people of Ea. But nothing is as great as the truth of Odhrán himself. With his interaction with Taran and a look into his angst filled past, Odhrán will quickly become a favorite character of this series.

The story divided towards the middle into almost two separate stories. One concerned with Taran and his search forOdhrán. The other with Ian and the crew of the Phantom. Both locations and plots are hugely effective but as our concentration and empathies are with Taran, again this section with Ian seems a little diluted in emotion and conciseness. Plus Taran has Odhrán, and he is such a charismatic character that he just outshines everyone else when he is in the scene.

I loved Odhrán and the mystery that surrounds him will likely carry into the others stories as it looks like he has a huge part to play in the events to come. Other major characters from Stealing the Wind return towards the end of Into the Wind with shocking results. And no, I didn’t see that coming either.

That ending! What a bombshell the author has in store for everyone here! I will say this only once. Do not read the ending first. You know who you are! Don’t, just let that impulse pass. The stunning ending is one that needs to be savored and that will happen only if you read everything that leads up to it. I didn’t see it coming and neither will you. And that made me want to have the next book to reach for…to see what happens next.

We won’t get that story until next year. But it will probably send you back to the beginning of this story to see if there were any indications of the revelations to come. Still that astonishing ending as well as the great new characters made this my favorite story of the series to date. I loved the plot, with all the intervening flashbacks/nightmares for Taran and juggling of almost two competing sets of characters and locations. Plus there are mermen. Sexy, smexy mermen. It just doesn’t get better than that. Or does it? Hmmmm, only the next story in the series will tell us whether it is so.

If you love the idea of mermen or love found under the sea, if you love high adventures and pirates, or even a forever love that is found once more, this is the story for you. In fact this is the series for you. It sings with all the love and emotion this author clearly has for her subject matter and the waters the swirl around them and their fates. Start your journey with Stealing the Wind and then continue the voyage here with Into the Wind. Both are highly recommended reads from ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords.

Cover art by Anne Cain. I thought that first cover was incredible (it was). But now, take a look at how this one almost glows with a luminosity and fluidity that mimics the movement of the sea. Love, love this cover. The name of the character on the cover is something that Shira Anthony kept hidden for a while. And no, it’s not Taran or Ian.

Books in the series planned to date are in the order they were written and should be read:

Stealing the Wind (Mermen of Ea #1)
Into the Wind (Mermen of Ea #2) released May 5, 2014
Running with the Wind (Mermen of Ea #3) coming 2015

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: May 5th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press (first published May 5th 2013)
ISBN139781627988766
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4975
seriesMermen of Ea #2

Buy links Dreamspinner Press Amazon ARe

Go Into The Wind with Shira Anthony and her Mermen of Ea Book Tour (2 Contests to Enter)

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Blog Tour Giveaway Info:
Contest starts 5/5 (release day) and ends at midnight on 5/31.
Prizes include the following:

Grand Prize: Handmade Merman Tail Fluke Pendant
1st Prize: Mermen of Ea Goodie Basket (includes autographed copy of “Stealing the Wind” paperback, t-shirt, and lots of other fun stuff)
2nd Prize: $10.00 Dreamspinner Press Gift Certificate
3rd Prize: Paperback copy of “Stealing the Wind” (Mermen of Ea #1) – or for non-US winners, a $10 Dreamspinner Press Gift Certificate

Here’s the Rafflecopter link

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Shira Anthony stopping by today to talk about her inspiration for the Mermen of Ea novels and latest book, Into The Wind, the 2nd story in her Merman of Ea series.

Shira Anthony has also brought a copy of the first story, Stealing the Wind, to give away to one person who leaves a comment at the end of this post. Two contests, two ways to enter! Now enjoy a look into Shira Anthony’s inspiration for this wonderful series.

The Mermen of Ea Series: Ocean Inspiration by Shira Anthony

About two years ago, I decided to write a story about pirates and sailing ships. Captor/captive, a little sexy dubious consent. Nothing too complicated. A single novel set in the age of sail. Not a single merman in sight. That single book became a story about shapeshifting mermen than spans three novels….
I’m going to backtrack a bit here and start off by saying that I’ve been a fantasy, sci fi, and sword & sorcery reader since I was old enough to read. I grew up on the original Star Trek, read every Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov book I could get my hands on (I lived in France for a few years, and they weren’t easy to find in English!), and fell in love with the Darkover universe created by Marion Zimmer Bradley (probably my most powerful writing influence). As an adult, I read the Harry Potter books to my kids and loved them as much as my children did.

My first gay romance was an erotic fairy tale called The Dream of a Thousand Nights. But in spite of my love of fantasy, the first novel I wrote was a contemporary: Blue Notes. And I learned with Blue Notes that what I write best is what I know. In the case of the Blue Notes Series, that’s music and musicians. Makes sense, right?

Somewhere between Blue Notes books and a few joint writing projects, the idea of a story set on the water hit me squarely between the eyes. I needed a break from angsty musicians, and I started playing around with a pirate novel. That’s how Taren Laxley was born. An indentured servant (a slave, really), Taren dreams of sailing on the ocean. It calls to him. So began my adventure of writing the Mermen of Ea Series. Only there were no mermen when I wrote the first few chapters, only pirates and sailing ships.

Then I spent a weekend sailing aboard our 36’ catamaran sail boat at the North Carolina coast and saw a pod of dolphins swimming nearby. I watched them play in the water and jump into the air. They love to chase boats, and I love to watch them. A few months later, my husband and I spent a week on the Caribbean island of Grenada getting our open water scuba certification. And as we were swimming around, heavy metal tanks on our backs, fins on our feet, and regulators in our mouths, I imagined what it would be like to swim and breathe underwater without all the gear. Suddenly, Taren wasn’t just a human boy who longed to sail the high seas—he was a merman.

When I wrote Stealing the Wind, the first book in the series, my scuba experiences were fresh in my mind. The feel of the water on my skin. The tiny popping noises of tiny shrimp in my ears. The colors of the coral reefs. The overwhelming beauty of the ocean surface. The feel of the wind on my face and the sun on my back. With each scene aboard the Sea Witch and later the Phantom, I tried to recreate those sensations. I knew what Taren longed for because I longed for it myself.

There’s nothing quite like the sensation of floating on the water. Nothing like the feeling of peaceful calm when we’re on our boat. In fact, when we bought our most recent boat, I suggested we name her the Land’s Zen, because she is just that for me—a place where I can relax and forget about the million and one things I should be doing. A place where I can just be.

Into the Wind, the second book in the Mermen of Ea Series, evokes the same deep connection to the wind and the water as the first book. In it, Taren grows by leaps and bounds, fearful of what the future may bring, but knowing that he can’t fight his destiny. Raised as a human and not knowing his true nature until he meets his soul mate, Ian, Taren sees things differently from his Ea brethren. His powerful love of the ocean drives him and will chart the course his people must follow in order for their race to survive.

I hope that when you read the Mermen of Ea books you’ll feel some of my own Zen come through. Even if you’ve never tried scuba or snorkeling, I think you can imagine what it might be like to swim through the vastness of the ocean or even live under it. The appeal of mermen for me is, at its core, the appeal of the water and the peace I find on (and in) it. I think that’s why the merfolk myths still capture our collective imagination long after the age of sail has passed and we jet around the globe in airplanes that cross the oceans in hours instead of weeks.

2 Contest Info:

Would you like to win an ebook copy of Stealing the Wind, the first book in the Mermen of Ea Series? I’m giving one away to a lucky commenter on this blog post. Melanie will choose a winner from all the comments on 5/14. To enter to win, leave a comment below and an email address where you can be reached.
I’m also running a special Into the Wind Blog Tour Giveaway with some great prizes including a gorgeous unisex pendant and a Mermen of Ea goodie basket. Here’s the link to the Rafflecopter giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cf0ba93/ The blog tour giveaway ends on May 31st at midnight! –Shira

Follow Shira Anthony at:
Email shiraanthony@hotmail.com
Shira’s Website Shira’s Facebook
Twitter @WriterShira
Goodreads Author Page

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Follow Shira Anthony on each stop of her tour for more insight into the series and this story:
Blog Tour Participants:

5/5 Release Day – Smoocher’s Voice (Interview with Shira)
5/6 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
5/8 Mrs. Condits and Friends (Merman Sex 101)
5/9 Tali Spencer’s Brilliant Disguise (Series and Worldbuilding: Recreating the Merman Myth)
5/10 Prism Book Alliance (Character Interview with Ian Dunaidh)
5/13 Joyfully Jay (Character Interview with Taren Laxley)
5/15 Book Suburbia
5/16 Jase’s Atenaeum

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Book Buy Links:

Dreamspinner Press:
AllRomanceEbooks:
Amazon: AVAILABLE on 5/5/15=4
Barnes & Noble: NOT AVAILABLE YET

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Blurb: Since learning of his merman shifter heritage, Taren has begun building a life with Ian Dunaidh among the mainland Ea. But memories of his past life still haunt him, and as the threat of war with the hostile island merfolk looms ever closer, Taren fears he will lose Ian the same way he lost his beloved centuries before. Together they sail to the Gateway Islands in search of the fabled rune stone—a weapon of great power the Ea believe will protect them—and Odhrán, the pirate rumored to possess it.  After humans attack the Phantom, Taren finds himself washed up on an island, faced with a mysterious boy named Brynn who promises to lead him to Odhrán. But Taren isn’t sure if he can trust Brynn, and Odhrán is rumored to enslave Ea to protect his stronghold. Taren will have to put his life on the line to find his way back to Ian and attempt to recover the stone. Even if he does find it, his troubles are far from over: he and Ian are being stalked by an enemy who wants them dead at all costs.

There are 3 wonderful excerpts that follow, all are SFW:
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Short Slightly Sexy Excerpt:

They swam out from land as they held each other, tails beating the water in tandem as they spiraled in a dizzying dance. More than anything, Taren found the Ea mating ritual a beautiful thing. Ian’s Ea body was also beautiful. In this form, Ian’s chest was broad and the muscles of his belly and arms more powerful. As a human, Ian was strong. As an Ea, he possessed strength and surprising grace few others did. Taren loved to watch Ian swim, watch the sinews of his body ripple as he moved his tail, watch his hair twist in the current. More thrilling, perhaps, was the knowledge that Ian was his, that Ian desired him above all others, that Taren held Ian’s heart.

Ian released Taren as they glided over the sand at the bottom. Large schools of silver fish followed the contours of their bodies, calling to mind the shimmer of moon across the waves. Here, many feet below the surface, the pressure of the water created a warm cocoon around Taren and drove the warmth in his chest to his extremities, making his fingers more sensitive.

Taren flicked his tail to propel him around so that he and Ian swam toward each other, arms extended, then moved upward as they laced their fingers together and floated perpendicular to the sea floor. They kissed and their tongues entwined. Ian tasted of the ocean and of the promise of Taren’s new life. Their former incarnations, Treande and Owyn, had been equals in everything. Partners, friends, lovers. Taren both relished and feared the power of his connection to Ian and the unexpected turn of fate that had brought them together, as well as the revelations of their past.

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Medium Length Slightly Sexy Excerpt: Continue reading “Go Into The Wind with Shira Anthony and her Mermen of Ea Book Tour (2 Contests to Enter)” →

Author Spotlight on S.J. Frost On Knight of Fire (Terra #2) (contest)

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Spotlight On S.J. Frost and Knight of Fire, Book 2 of the Terra Series

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ScatteredThoughts welcomes S.J. Frost today. The next story in her Terra series has been released and she is here to talk about Knight of Fire and the Terra series.

Welcome, S.J.!

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Hello! I’m very happy to be a guest here again and I’m giving my thanks to Melanie for having me back! And I’m also thrilled to offer a free copy of my newest release, Knight of Fire, Book 2 in the Terra series, to one lucky winner. Good luck to all who enter the giveaway! To enter leave a comment below and an email address where you can be reached. Contest ends 5/12 midnight EDT.

When I was here last, I was chatting about my new vampires in Vampire Prince. This time around, I’m going to be talking a bit about my fantasy series, Terra. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved fantasy. Unicorns, dragons, fairies, elves, all things magical and wondrous. I never outgrew that love and fascination and to this day, some of my favorite movies and books are in the fantasy genre. In fact, the very first book I ever read with a gay character was fantasy; Magic’s Pawn, Book One in the Last Herald Mage Trilogy, by Mercedes Lackey. The fantasy genre had already opened up so many wonderful worlds for me and that book and series opened up even more. The first novel I’d ever written (unpublished) was also fantasy. So, the genre’s been a passion of mine for a long, long time.

When a certain character—Jesse from the Conquest series—came to me with his story, my writing took the direction of gay erotic romance. Within that genre, I’ve worked to flex my writing muscles in different themes; contemporary, paranormal, historical. But it wasn’t until last year that I blended my love for writing gay erotic romance with my love for fantasy when I wrote the first book in the Terra series, To the Other Side.

I had been away from writing fantasy for several years when I started working on that story and while with every book I’d written, world building was key, in To the Other Side it was much more intense. Since the book takes places in two worlds, not only was I juggling with working in the parameters of modern day society, but I also had to build the fantasy and medieval-based world of Terra. It was an interesting experience for me because on one hand, I felt as though I was going back to my roots with writing fantasy. On the other, I felt I was doing something entirely new because I was combining it with gay romance. And I can’t deny, I loved every minute of writing To the Other Side and later its sequel, Knight of Fire.

As I worked on building Terra, I wanted it to be the kind of world that I would want to visit. One filled with the kinds of creatures, beings, and people I would want to see and know; a black unicorn stallion, a little white dragon with a love for books and Oreo cookies, a beautiful minstrel, a gritty assassin, a kind witch, knights, elves, Dragon Speakers…the list was endless. As challenging as it was building Terra, it was also a very freeing experience because I wasn’t kept within the restrictions of this world. I could let my imagination run wild.

There was one other thing I wanted with Terra, however. I also wanted it to have ties to the world we all know and live in, to make the book not only accessible for those who might not usually enjoy fantasy, but to also make it feel more…real. As if it’s possible to stumble upon one of the Gates and on the other side, waits a whole new world. And so Terra has a shared history and connection to our world of Earth.

For me, writing these books has been the best experience, a blending of old and new, of two things I love coming together. Each time I’ve finished working on a Terra book, I’m always looking forward to going back into that world again. And I hope, as readers, when you finish the last word on the last page, you do too.

Thanks, S.J. for stopping by and bringing a copy of Knight of Fire to giveaway!

Author Bio:
S.J. Frost is a multi-published author of sweet and sexy gay erotic romance stories. Contemporary, paranormal, fantasy and historical, she likes to dabble in a little bit of everything, but her stories always contain love, passion and romance. She encourages readers to contact her, so do please feel welcome to send her an email or track her down on the Internet and say hi!

You can contact S.J. Frost at:

Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Email: s.j.frost3@gmail.com
Goodreads Author Page

Contest: To enter to win a copy of Knight of Fire, please leave a comment and an email address where you can be reached. Contest ends 5/12, EDT

Book Details:

290 pages
Published April 11th 2014 by MLR Press
original titleKnight of Fire
ISBN139781608209323
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=SJFKFIRE
seriesTerra #2

Buy ARe Amazon MLR

Your Best Books That Most Readers Never Read and the Week Ahead in Reviews

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ScatteredThoughts Call For Favorite Books Most Have Never Read!

Have you ever finished a book, loved it, and then wondered why you have never heard of it before? Or see a book released to kudos only to vanish shortly after? I have seen both happen and I bet you have too. Or perhaps it’s a book you love but somehow it never found a larger audience and you can’t figure out why? Maybe it’s the title that throws people off or even a blurb that doesn’t reflect the story within. What ever the reason…these stories never really found an audience that you hoped they would find or think they deserved. And you wish you could change that.

So I was thinking, why not add a page to the website of books you love but no one has really heard of. Give these great stories and their authors another chance with readers who might have passed them by. I have been making a short list but I know you have books to add.

So look through your libraries and books you want to rec, check them twice for stories and authors that you think others may not have heard of. And then pass them on to me. Let’s compile a list together, all genres, for others to explore and discover whether they can new stories, old stories, no matter. And perhaps include a comment or two about what makes them so special. And we will keep adding to it. So spread the word. We need those recs of little known or barely known books and authors and why you love them so. I can’t wait to see what you all send me.

Now here is the week ahead. I have two author book tours, both with sequels to their new series. S.J. Frost is here on Monday talking about Knight of Fire, her sequel to To the Other Side, her Terra series. And Shira Anthony is here on Tuesday talking about her inspiration for her Mermen of Ea series and the release of Into The Wind, sequel to Stealing the Wind. Both have brought books to giveaway and Shira Anthony has an over the top book tour mega contest as well to offer. I will be reviewing those stories as well as books by David Pratt and Kimber Vale.

It’s going to be a outstanding week in books so don’t miss a day of it. It’s the first week of May, let’s hope it’s a merry one! Have a great week and happy rreading.

Sunday, May 4: April 2014 Review Summary/Best Covers of April
Monday, May 5: Spotlight on S.J. Frost and her Knight of Fire release (contest)
Tuesday, May 6: Go Into the Wind with Shira Anthony and her Mermen of Ea’s lastest story and 2 contests to enter
Wed., May 7: Into the Wind by Shira Anthony
Thursday, May 8: Knight of Fire by SJ Frost
Friday, May 9: SE Jakes Daylight Again Book Tour
Sat., May 10: Forever Is Now by Kimber Vale
Looking After Joey by David Pratt

Review: Stealing the Wind (Mermen of Ea #1) by Shira Anthony

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Taren Laxley’s life as a slave changed for the better when a handsome pirate, Captain Rider, abducted him from the inn where he worked and took him out to sea. Life abroad the Sea Witch was incredible. Taren had been chosen to become a third in an established loving relationship between the Captain and his lover, Bastien, and soon was happily climbing the masts as a rigger as an accepted shipmate and accepted between the sheets as their lover. But fate had more in store for Taren than he could have ever imagined.

An accident at sea sent Taren into the depths of the ocean and into a new life once more. Taren was rescued by Ian Dunaidh, the enigmatic enemy Captain of the Phantom, a rival ship to the Sea Witch. Immediately, Taren feels drawn to Ian, pulled by emotions he cannot fathom. Once again the fates intervene, shifting Taren’s path forever. Shortly after his rescue the truth comes out that Captain Ian Dunaidh and his crewmen are mermen, a race called Ea, and in a truly stunning disclosure, Taren finds out he is one as well.

Taren and Ian each feel a tie to each other than neither can explain but the storm clouds of war are gathering that will impact them all. Old hatreds and suspicions, old and new alliances, between Ea and Ea, and Ea and Humans, will explode with devastating results. And Taren and Ian will be caught in the middle. Taren is going to have to learn quickly who he is and how to steal the wind if all are to survive.

I have to admit it, Shira Anthony had me at the word “merman”. With thoughts gone wild I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this story and throw myself into the characters and mermen universe that Shira Anthony had created. And it was even better than I had imagined. We first meet up with poor Taren as his world is collapsing around him. The only “family” he has ever known, a Master Rigger, is selling Taren to pay his gambling debts. This scene is almost excruciating as Taren gets ripped away from Borstan Laxley and the only home he can remember. His new destination? A inn where pirates and their crew are known to favor. Again, Taren’s fate is sealed as a certain Captain Rider makes advances that confuse Taren as much as they turn him on.

Quickly, Anthony swirls Taren off on another fated path when Rider abducts Taren and takes him out to sea. It is here that the story comes fully alive with every twist and swoop of the Sea Witch over the water. Clearly, Shira Anthony loves and is familiar with the sea and life aboard a vessel, size not withstanding. Through her almost visceral descriptions of the movements of the ship and the feeling of the waves and wind when Taren and the Sea Witch are sailing, the reader feels as though they are a part of the crews and ships found inside this story. Being near or on the ocean brings out so many deep seated emotional responses in people and those are apparent in the thoughts and feelings of Taren as he climbs the masts or looks out over the seas they are sailing through. Taren’s “gut deep” involvement with the water is both physical and emotional. He is drawn to it and it brings him peace. His stunning realization that he is a merman, an Ea, then brings a resultant joy and self knowledge that feels as natural as the next wave.

The world building here is impressive. Anthony constructs not only several cultures of Ea but histories as well, when a racial separation happened with some Ea retreating to an island nation with a resultant rise of an oppressive government and others staying on the mainland . There is the Ea Goddess based religion and Ea mages to go along with ancient temples and hidden cities. But it is with the Ea or merman form and physicality of that shape that is so enchanting and sensual that it will ignite your imaginations and passions for this race and these wonderful characters. The detailed descriptions of the glowing colors and fluid movements of their merman body is almost mesmerizing. Anthony’s underwater scenes feels so alive that one might feel as though they have their face pressed against the glass in some large city aquarium. It’s voluptuous and seductive as the sea the Ea are made to live in.

There is a duality of character here in both Taren and Ian. Both of them have memories of an intertwined past, one that is slowly revealing itself through this story and the next. But of the two of them, only Taren brings that other aspect truly alive. With Ian, it’s a little more blunt and one dimensional. We see little of the other character in him, unlike Taren whose duality is impressive as both characters have the same force of being and vitality. I am not sure if that is part of the author’s overall plan for this couple but it just seems that Taren has more depth and more secrets to him than Ian does. For me that is the only small hitch to this otherwise marvelous story. It could be that Ian is just coming into the role he will play in the rest of the series. Either way I can’t wait to go forward with this characters and the course that Fate (and a certain author) has charted for them.

Put this amazing story on your list to read and that glorious art work on your list of covers to drool over. Both are highly recommended!

Cover art by Anne Cain is just glorious. That merman and those colors are scrumptious and perfect for this story.

Books in the series planned to date are:

Stealing the Wind (Mermen of Ea #2)
Into the Wind (Mermen of Ea #2) released May 5, 2014
Running with the Wind (Mermen of Ea #3) coming 2015

Book Details:

ebook, 1st Edition, 220 pages
Published August 12th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press (first published August 11th 2013)
original titleStealing the Wind
ISBN 1627980547 (ISBN13: 9781627980548)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4101
seriesMermen of Ea #1
charactersBastian, Taren Laxley, Ian Dunaidh, Jonat Rider
literary awardsRainbow Award Honorable Menti

Review: To The Other Side (Terra #1) by S.J. Frost

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Biologist and environmentalist Garrett Evergard is hiking through the woods in the Pacific Northwest trying the find the means to save the woods from being clear cut by a developer. All Garrett needs is to find one species of plant or animal rare enough that calls these woods on the edge of the Olympic National Forest home to get them designated as a protected habitat. Little did Garrett know that he was about to stumble into the most amazing find of his life. When Garrett spies a rare spirit or Kermode bear, a white colored black bear that resides only in a specific habitat. Focused only on the spirit bear, a missed step finds Garrett falling into the ravine, an accident that will forever change his life.

Bryson Summers is a Native American, one of a long line of witches and Gatekeepers. Bryson lives a life of two worlds, one on each side of a door in his cottage that straddles the border between them. One is Earth, and on the other side, a magical place called Terra. Here unicorns, dragons of all sizes, and magical beings like brownies and elves live with humans that live and work as they did long ago. The spirit bear calls to Bryson when Garrett falls. Garrett’s injuries are severe and Bryson takes him home to heal and recover.

As Garrett recuperates, the men find their mutual attraction deepens until Bryson finds himself dreading Garrett’s departure, something that Garrett is also not looking forward to. But the forest and his job awaits. And Bryson’s attention is needed to a growing danger from a power mad duke capable of great evil. When Bryson disappears, Garrett will do anything he can to save him but what can a mere human do against such great magic? Garrett is about to find out.

In this first novel in her new series Terra, S.J. Frost takes the idea of parallel worlds and makes it fresh with her own twists and ideas. From the moment we enter the story and watch Garrett confronted with two tiny dragons zipping from flower to flower in a manner akin to hummingbirds, the reader knows they are in for a delightful time in a realm that sparkles with the strangely beautiful and abounds with fantasy creatures we will never get enough of. The Floras or flower dragons are tiny jewels and just one of the many dragon species that spill over the pages and into our hearts. I say one of many because waiting for us inside Bryson’s cabin is Wynn, a small sized white dragon with an affinity for bodice ripper romances and Oreo cookies. And more equally wondrous creations quickly follow on the heels of his appearance (although Wynnie is a heart grabber for sure). Bryson the Gatekeeper is able to talk to them all because of his deep connection to the Earth and all its animals, no matter what side they dwell on. Terra is constructed along the lines of Medieval times. It lacks any form of technology and its societal structure is along those of royalty/peasant/serf strata. In fact, all those elements and species Earth lacks can now be found on the other side. Magic, faeries, dragons, elves, brownies and more to come I expect as more stories unfold and the series expands our knowledge of Terra and its kingdoms.

In addition to the wonderful job S.J. Frost does in building her series universe, we are given an endearing and quixotical core group of characters to connect and empathize with. To The Other Side deals primarily with the meeting and romance of Garrett, the biologist and Bryson, the Gatekeeper but Frost also introduces a host of companions whose stories are sure to follow this one. There is Torren, a Dragon Speaker, who can talk to every type of dragons and mourns the fact that dragon slayers are allowed to prowl the kingdom killing dragons without cause or the slightest hesitation. Zain, the Black Fox, an assassin for hire and known thief. Zain has already found his love, Larkin, but there’s a problem there and its a deep one. Larkin, a bard, is a small, beautiful man with a gift of conversing with the dead, a problem when the man you love is a stone cold killer. And theirs is not the only untenable or hopeless love that Frost reveals in this first story. Another that will appear is an elf Aleric, who sad past and quest is surely deserving of his own story and HEA. And Boggy the brownie who loves to clean and grump about them all. Land’s End, Bryson’s home, serves as their informal headquarters and way house when they are all in the area. Each character is beautifully defined, with the depth and breadth of personality needed to bring them to life and make us care for them all.

Frost has a flask full of complications for Garrett and Bryson to overcome in their own quest for love and a future. Bryson is tied down to his Gate and is long lived due to his connection to the Gate and Earth/Terra. He is also a powerful witch whose gifts are needed in the nearby villages. Garrett too has an important job to finish, that of saving the forest where the Gate is located. He needs to find a rare species to save those woods from a developer and in finding it, it may have found true love as well. There are magical hurdles to overcome as well as realistic mundane ones and watching these two men surmount each and every one is a true joy.

S,J. Frost tells her story with a well developed sense to humor to go along with the pathos. The pace is a little slow in the beginning as Frost is laying the foundation for the story and the series, but once in place the story takes flight. And we and the characters are in for a marvelous ride.

Next up is Torren’s story and that of Sir Karrick Brenton a Knight of the Crown who enters into the story at the very end of To The Other Side. I can’t wait. Already this series has grabbed my attention and my heart. I can’t wait to see where the author takes us with this group of characters on their journeys to romance and true love.

Cover Art by Jared Rackler. A little dark but the outline of the unicorn behind that gorgeous cover model is perfect to set the tone and intrigue the reader.

Book Details:

ebook, 250 pages
Published May 31st 2013 by MLR Press (first published May 30th 2013)
ISBN 1608208680 (ISBN13: 9781608208685)
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=SJF_OTHR
seriesTerra #1
characters: Garrett Evergard, Bryson Summers

Books in the Terra series to date in the order they should be written and read:

To The Other Side (Terra #1)
Knight of Fire (Terra #2)

Review: With Pride (Princes of the Blood #2) by Megan Derr

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Kristof never expected to have to take his brother’s place as betrothed to one of the King’s Princes of the Blood. But when his older sister became ill, then the eldest son moved forward to take her place, leaving the youngest Kristoff to become the Duke of Stehlmore, and the only one left to marry a notorious Prince of the Blood. All Kristof wanted was to continue his role as a Paladin and keep the borders of his mother’s kingdom safe but fate clearly has other ideas.

On the journey to Guldbrandsen. Kristoff and his company are attacked by goblins. Overwhelmed, they are saved by the appearance of two Princes of the Blood. Kristoff had never met a Prince of the Blood before and now he had two to thank for his rescue. But the two Princes could not be more different in appearance and demeanor. One is courteous, handsome and tall. And the other? Well he is small enough to remind Kristoff of a piskie. He is also arrogant, insulting, and rude. And Kristoff can’t wait to be rid of him once they reach the castle.

Unfortunately, upon reaching castle grounds and his meeting with the King, Kristoff finds that the Prince he is to marry is none other than that tiny abomination that rescued him from the goblins. Kristoff is unprepared for his new life at Guldbrandsen or for all the magical beings and demons that walk the hallways. As a Paladin, he is overly sensitive to the presence of demons, but the pain he feels in the hallways of the castle or even standing next to his fiance is almost more than he can bear.

Then a demon plot is discovered that could destroy not only Guldbrandsen but his mother’s kingdom of Stehlmore too. Every warrior, Prince and Paladin is need to find the culprit and save the lands. Kristoff is determined to honor the contract and not to shame his heritage or mother by his cowardly fear of the Princes, especially now that he is needed for the fight. But the pain and stress is increasing daily. What is a Paladin to do?

I loved the first novel in the series, Of Last Resort. That story launched us into a dark and tortured world still trying to recover from a centuries old war that shattered kingdoms and loosed all types of evil upon the lands. Now such magical beings as giants, werewolves, trolls, goblins, necromancers, wraiths, and many other unworldly beings are assisting the humans to search out and destroy the evil remnants of that war still looking to overthrow human rule. Of Last Resort introduced us to the Princes of the Blood. Human but with the right amount of demon blood running in their veins through intermarriage, the few found that met the requirements were tested, and if successful were forever changed into Princes of the Blood, supernatural beings that feed on blood and helped protect the King and his realm. It was a powerful tale told mostly from the point of view of Raffe’ who became a Prince of the Blood and his lover Algrin. Once at the end, the reader just needed to know more. More about all the characters Megan Derr introduced us to in her story but also more of the ongoing quests to search out and destroy all the leftover demons and evil forces that still remain.

Now ordinarily we might expect the second story in the series to pick up where the first left off, but Megan Derr has something far different in mind for this series. The second story, With Pride, takes place prior to the events in Of Last Resort. In the first story, Raffe’ meets Algrin, a Dragon, and his mated ,deeply in love friends, Hakon and Kristoff, a totally unlikely couple. Hakon, a tiny, blond Prince of the Blood, couldn’t have looked any less a bloodthirsty demon if he had tried. And Kristoff, his besotted husband? A tall imposing Paladin that glowed with holy fervor! How did such an improbable pair come about? With Pride marvelously answers that question as it takes us back to their first disastrous meeting.

One of the first things that charmed me about this story is the change in perspective with regard to the Princes of the Blood. Raffe’ looked forward to becoming a Prince in lieu of his brother who disappeared prior to the testing. For Raffe, being a Prince meant a release from a life and future he never wanted. To be a Prince of the Blood if, big if, you passed the test, was the ultimate goal for Raffe, one he never felt he was good enough for. Definitely not the case for Hakon and Kristoff, a pair of reluctant and bitter participants from the beginning.

Kristoff, again the first point of view here, loves his family, home, and ruling mother. Kristoff is content with his role as a Paladin as well as that of a lessor son within his ruling family. He is so happy with his status quo that he knows nothing of his older brother’s future role as fiance to a Prince of the Blood, only that they are somewhat monstrous and drink blood to live. And as he fights demons and monsters as a Paladin, his ignorance about the Princes is not something he is curious to inspect further. Until a sister’s illness means a shuffle in the expected futures of himself and his siblings. Now he is the one to marry a Prince and he fears it like nothing else in his life. Only his honor and that of his family keeps him from fleeing back to his kingdom. Kristoff is full of complexities, including his belief that he is a coward and is in constant pain due to an allergy to demons he is not aware of.

And then there is Hakon, your second pov. Your and Kristoff’s first perception of him is that of a fierce yet supremely offensive mite. He’s white blond, delicate, and super tiny. Not one to inspire confidence on first contact. Yet his overwhelmingly obnoxious demeanor more than makes up for a lack of height. Like a noxious unassuming weed, there is much more to Hakon than is apparent. To go into Hakon’s background is to spoil some of the best elements of this story but I will say that like Kristoff, Hakon too was an unwilling participant in this marriage as well as in the choice to be a Prince of the Blood. By the time the book is halfway through, your opinion of Hakon and his of Kristoff will have done a complete changeover. Yes, he’s not thrilled about Kristoff being his fiance either. Misperceptions and misunderstandings abound throughout to our horror and delight.

A story rich in texture and with an almost encyclopedic wealth of details is a hallmark of a Megan Derr fantasy novel. With Pride is another magical addition to the great fantasy reads that has come from this author. Inside the pages we meet characters who must dig deep to find the best of themselves in order to triumph over overwhelming odds and almost certain destruction. There is an abundance of pain, deaths of innocents, and treachery. And to accompany that all, there will be glorious adventures, powerful battles, a dragon or two, dark magic, and of course, a troubled and tortured path to true love.

Ah, the romance. Well, to be truthful there isn’t as much of it as I would have loved. It takes some time for each character to overcome their assumptions and misperceptions about each other. That’s a great thing because those are some toweringly poor judgements each one of them has made of each other. And when they finally do get together it ends a little quickly without delivering a little more of a satisfying look at the future of Kristoff and Hakon.

Or least that’s what I thought at first. Then I realized we already had that. We just didn’t realize it at the time. It’s in the first story Of Last Resort! And that realization sent me running back to that novel and a fully married Hakon and Kristoff. And its that little detail that made this story and it’s ending all the more gratifying.

Now I have two stories to reread while I am waiting for the author to release the third book in the series, In Despair (Princes of the Blood #3). At the heart of this story is Prince Telmé Guldbrandsen and Korin: descendant of the Reach of the House, heir to the High Priest of the Temple of the Sacred Three. In Despair works the series backward even further to the time where Prince Telme’ and Korin detest each other even while being betrothed since birth. I can’t wait! After the scenes of them lovingly together and hauntingly apart in the first two tales, I am left deliciously in suspense as to their beginnings and romance. It should be quite a tale!

All three books can be read in any order but it is quirky and totally amazing to watch the couples, romances and events move backward. This and the first story are must reads for me. If you are a lover of fantasy and m/m romance, they will be a must read for you too. Consider With Pride one of Scattered Thoughts highly recommended stories and on our Best of 2014 lists.

Stories in the Princes of the Blood series are:

Of Last Resort (Princes of the Blood #1)
With Pride (Princes of the Blood #2)
In Despair (Princes of the Blood #3) expected release July 2014

Cover art by Aisha Akeju. It really references a major plot of the story. Dark and lovely.

Book Details:

ebook, LT3 Link
Expected publication: April 16th 2014 by Less Than Three Press LLC
original titleWith Pride
ISBN139781620043202
edition languageEnglish
seriesPrinces of Blood

Covers of the Books in the Series include:

In the Author Spotlight: Blaine D. Arden on The Forester II: Lost and Alone (Contest)

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords is happy to have Blaine D. Arden here today to talk about her inspiration for her Forester Trilogy and her latest release The Forester II: Lost and Found.

Contest: Blaine D. Arden and Storm Moon Press are giving away one copy of The Forester (The Forester I). To enter to win, leave a comment and an email address in the body of the comment where you can be contacted. Contest ends 4/18.

Where the world of the Forester came from by Blaine D. Arden

Inspiration for a story is never a straightforward with me. Often different segments of a story are inspired by different sources. I started out with my idea for the Forester itself because of a number of Christmas story/winter celebration calls and the word Solstice got stuck in my mind. But that was only the beginning. I had yet to come up with where my story would take place, and who the people were.

The magic system was something that I’d been playing with for a while. Though a big fan of fantasy, I never quite understood why magic was used so often as an elitist item. Only a few would possess it, and those often held all the power. I also wondered why magic seemed something you needed as a weapon. I liked the idea of magic as an everyday commodity, something used in everyday situations—think Mrs. Weasley doing her dishes—and not just by the elite few.

In real life the talents we were born with in combination with studying hard, dictate what we become. Some have a head for numbers, some for creating things with their hands. In more than one of my worlds, a person’s energy core dictates where their talents lie and what their profession will be. And their magic? Their magic helps them with their jobs. A smith can keep his bellows going while he works, a Truth Seeker can scan objects for traces of a killer, a Forester’s energy helps him turn trees into dwellings—with the trees’ cooperation, of course.

This last profession came to life because I wanted my elves to live in trees, which in turn was inspired by a comic series I’ve always been a big fan of Elfquest (which you can read online these days). But I didn’t just want simple hollow trees. I wanted ‘real’ houses for my elves real dwellings. And that’s where the Forester comes in. He’s someone who works with trees to create the dwellings the elves live in.

An excerpt from Oren’s Right describes a Forester’s job best.

The tree was the right age to mold into a dwelling for a soon-to-be vowed couple, but it was one of the late bloomers. I smiled. Late bloomers were very much like striplings—rebellious and single minded.

The first tree I treated when I arrived here had been a late bloomer as well. I looked around the center. Children played as parents sat at the tables chatting. It had looked so different then. This tribe had been without a Forester for over a turn, and the village had been littered with tents to house all of the elves. They must have been so cold in winter.

A soft breeze reminded me of what I was doing, and I pulled myself out of my thoughts. This late bloomer refused to let me open up its core. I wasn’t worried. I would get the permission I sought, but it would take time. Rubbing my hands together until they were warm, I could feel my energy bursting to get out. “It’s all right,” I whispered as I laid my hands on the thick bark. “I won’t do you any harm; I just want to take an image.”

It was a silly suggestion. Trees had no idea what I was talking about, but it would the moment I pushed my energy into it. I needed to get the layout. I already knew it would suit the wishes of the couple perfectly, but I needed to lay the foundations, to put my markings in the right places and show the tree what I was planning.

The tree balked. Not literally, but I could feel it trying to retreat even though that wasn’t possible. Trees could do many things. Moving was not one of them.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Oren approach, but I couldn’t remove my hands now. The tree finally gave in and let my energy soak into it. It was like drawing, this phase. I could see the lines, could see the shape it would get. The tree calmed down, and I could sense its permission. Until I suggested swelling. It balked again,
then. I’d teased the tree for long enough, and with a nod and a whispered greeting, I removed my hands. I’d be back tomorrow, and the tree would let me continue then, I hoped.

Slowly this little village in the middle of the forest took form, with tree dwellings and elves with and without wings living in harmony (well, not counting murder and kidnapping for the moment). And then the world grew in my head, and I realised this little tribe wasn’t the only one in this world. There were other tribes with, maybe, slightly different habits and different characters to write about. And I can barely wait to write the stories they want me to tell you all.

~~~

Blurb from The Forester II: Lost and Found:

“The Guide mentioned puddles, but I envisioned lakes, deep treacherous lakes, and I was drowning.”

One turn has passed, another Solstice is just around the corner, and having an illicit affair with not one but two lovers-smith Ianys and shunned Forester Taruif-is taking its toll on Truth Seeker Kelnaht. If it isn’t sneaking around to find some quality time with his lovers, it’s heavy rainfall hiding traces of a missing stripling, or waiting for the elders to decide whether or not to set Taruif free. And if that’s not enough, Kelnaht fears that in gaining one lover, he might be losing another, as Ianys seems to be pulling away from them, and it looks like someone is, once again, trying to frame Taruif.

Book Details:
ebook, 88 pages
Published December 21st 2013 by Storm Moon Press
ISBN139781627570855
edition languageEnglish
seriesThe Forester Trilogy #2, Tales of the Forest #3

Buy Links:

Storm Moon Press,
ARe
Amazon

~~~

Author’s Bio:

Blaine D. Arden is a purple haired, forty-something writer of gay and trans* romance with a love of men, music, mystery, magic, fairies, platform shoes, and a penchant for wearing mostly black and purple, who sings her way through life.

You can find Blaine at

Contest: Blaine D. Arden and Storm Moon Press are giving away one copy of The Forester (The Forester I). To enter to win, leave a comment and an email address in the body of the comment where you can be contacted. Contest ends 4/18. By leaving a comment, you are automatically agreeing you are over the age of 18.

Review: The Forester II: Lost and Found (The Forester Trilogy #2) by Blaine D. Arden

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

“The Guide mentioned puddles, but I envisioned lakes, deep treacherous lakes, and I was drowning.”

Truth Seeker Kelnaht, a cloud elf, is tired of sneaking around to see his tree elf beloveds. The Solstice is approaching and nothing feels right in Kel’s world with his Triad incomplete. His lover, a forester named Taruif, is still shunned, sentenced to 40 turns cast out for the recent horrible events (The Forester -The Forester Trilogy, #1) . Taruif now lives on the outskirts of the village and Kel must use every trick to secretly visit him without the others finding out. Kel’s other unacknowledged lover, the smith Ianys, visits him furtively,approaching Kel only when Ianys has a good excuse to use as camouflage for their assignation. Ianys is afraid to break a promise given to his deceased vowed and lose his daughter in the process. Only visiting with The Guide, their spiritual pathfinder, has Kel been able to find a measure of solace and hope.

Kel knows that the Elders are discussing reducing Taruif’s sentence, and the stress of not knowing is becoming unbearable. Ianys too is struggling with their situation and it feels like Kel is losing Ianys as well as Taruif. Then a young elf goes missing, and all the clues point to Taruif as the culprit. Kel needs to find the stripling and return him safely to his parents before the Solstice and learn who is behind the scheme to frame his lover. All before the elders announce their decision regarding Taruif. Master Kelnaht must hold on to his hope as the path to happiness turns treacherous for them all.

The Forester II: Lost and Found was my first introduction to this trilogy by Blaine D. Arden. But upon finishing this lushly spellbinding tale, I quickly returned to grab up the first story, wanting to know all about these charming characters and their complicated relationship. I did so because for the most part The Forester II: Lost and Found is not a story that can totally exist as a standalone tale. While Arden does supply a sufficient amount of backstory to these elves and their tumultuous relationships, these characters are so well created that the need to know more becomes almost compulsive by the end of the story. In fact I feel that way about almost every aspect and element that Blaine D. Arden has constructed for this Trilogy and the universe these characters inhabit.

There are the cloud elves with wings and the tree elves tied to the earth and such a combined existence can bring about much pain and longing to those who cannot fly. That is a truth that runs throughout the first two stories and its one that has haunted mankind since the first person watched a bird in flight in awe, hungering to do the same. Arden takes this undeniable longing and threads it into multiple storylines with an authenticity that most readers will understand and relate to.

I love Arden’s descriptions here, whether she is letting us feel the burden of loss that Kel is feeling or the complexities of flight under adverse conditions. And overlapping all of those elements is a layer of investigation and discovery carried out in search of the missing elf. Looking for clues while flying through the woods or over a meadow, how wonderful an idea! Kel has a cadre of elves working with him, similar to an elf forensic team. They scan the soil, search under leaves and moss, make casts of footprints as they gather evidence to the crime. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story. I found it not only fanciful but fascinating. Here is an excerpt:

We drew a rough map in the mud, indicating our discoveries and the possible directions to go next, and divided the routes amongst the three of us. After Ellon and Vroni took flight, Brem held me back, insisting I sit down and have a cup of tea to warm up first, though I suspected he only did it to give me a moment to catch my breath. Sometimes, he reminded me of my mother.

Despite the rest, my wings were more sensitive to the cold than they usually were. I shivered with every breeze, and my speed wasn’t optimal. The first place I landed held nothing of interest, and neither did the second. It took me longer to reach the third destination, with fatigue setting in, but even before I landed, I knew I’d find something. The earth was as muddy as the rest of the forest, but I still spotted footprints as I descended. Footprints of which parts seemed washed away in the rain. Well, that’s what it would look like from up close, but from here, the line seemed too clean, too sharp to be natural. I’d guess someone tried to sweep their tracks with a branch.

Studying the footprints, I found a piece of fabric next to the clearest of them, stuck in the mud, half hidden by fallen leaves. Thanking Ma’terra for the end of the rainfall and preserving this evidence, I performed a quick cleansing before digging out the fabric and wrapping it in goshe leaves.

As I examined the partial prints, the Guide’s saying came back to me. “When flood runs dry, stones stop sinking.” I shook my head. I had no idea how he did it, but he was right… again. Granted, I didn’t find stones, but the footprints and the line in the mud would have been hidden from sight had it still been raining. Unfortunately, I didn’t carry anything that would allow me to make a cast of the prints, so I secured them by covering them with goshe leaves I pinned to the ground with sticks. Not allowing myself any mistakes, I checked the fourth destination, even knowing I wouldn’t find anything there.

In Truth Seeker Kelnaht, Arden has created a sort of Master Elf Inspector and it works magically as well as realistically. And like any good Inspector, Kel has junior detectives helping in the search and providing insight along the way. Brem is one such character, strong and sure in his beliefs. Loved this character too. Brem will be leaving for his own Truth Seeker role in another village and I hope that Arden allows him his own mystery or two in another story.

And then there is the romance and Triad relationship between Kel, Taruif, and Ianys. The Forester II: Lost and Found starts with the three elves pulled apart by the painful circumstances of the first story. Told from Kel’s point of view, we are never quite sure what the other two elves are feeling or thinking which adds to our understanding of the stress that Kel is under. There are scenes that help convey the love and deep feelings that all three elves hold for each other. And while I wanted a little more romance, ultimately their need for each other came across without additional scenes required. Both Taruif and Ianys appear and disappear often from the narrative because of the need to hide their continuing relations with Kel but that also keeps both characters at an arm’s length from the reader.

I felt that of the two, Taruif was the most accessible of the lovers with Ianys pulling away from his lovers, from their standpoint, for most of the story. And while there is some resolution here for the Triad, there is clearly more to come in the final chapter. Both the first story, The Forester (50 pages) and the second, Lost and Found (88 pages) are short enough in length that they can be read in one sitting, one right after the other, which is what I recommend.

The Forester, The Forester II: Lost and Found and Oren’s Right, which can be found in Storm Moon Press’ Carved in Flesh anthology, are all a part of Blaine D. Arden’s The Tales of the Forest universe. I will eagerly await the last story in The Forester Trilogy. If you are new to this universe, start with the first Forester story and work your way forward. I think you will find this as elven world as addicting as I do.

Cover art by Nathie Block. This cover is just gorgeous. It’s lush, a visual treat and so perfect for the story within.

Book Details:

ebook, 88 pages
Published December 21st 2013 by Storm Moon Press
ISBN139781627570855
edition languageEnglish
Buy Link at Storm Moon Press

Books in The Tales of the Forest:

The Forester (The Forester #1)
The Forester II: Lost and Found (The Forester #2)
Oren’s Right

Review: The Calm Before by Neena Jaydon

Ratings: 4.5 stars out of 5

Half human, half elf, Elisedd remained behind in the elven city-state of Airgead, hoping to find a place he can finally fit in and perhaps even someone to love . But so far that hasn’t happened as trouble seems to follow Elisedd around. Only his best friend, Fife, a rent boy, offers Elisedd safety and support when he crashes from one failed romance after another. Its not just a hookup that Elisedd wants, its love like that of his parents who have fled Airgead. Elisedd had promised his parents he wouldn’t hide his mixed heritage but when neither race seems to want him what else is he to do? Then Elisedd meets full elf Riagan at a party and everything changes.

In the elven city of Airgead, there exists a rigid class system. Between different types of elves, as well as between elves and the humans that serve them.. There are the elves that rule, by rigid social caste system and a heavy fist for those that would ignore it. And there are the low caste elves that exist by the docks and the mean neighborhoods near factories and mines. Riagan is one of those. He is ruthless, single minded, and a bit of a thug. Riagen has long formulated a plan to ascend the ruling power structure, accumulating power and wealth as he goes. And a one night encounter with Elisedd is not going to get in his way of suceess or so Riagan thinks.

Elisedd is determined not to be another easy conquest for Riagan, but staying away from the dark and dangerous elf becomes harder each time they meet. Riagan too feels almost mesmerized by Elisedd’s present and not just their sexual passion they have for each other. Riagen is acquired a mine by duplicitous means and he intends to use it in a plan years in the making. The only thing that might stand in his way is Elisedd, whose mixed heritage he is hiding from Riagan. Everything is complicated between them and as the political status quo starts to get shaky, so do all the relationships around Elisedd and Riagan. The rigid boundaries erected by the high elves are starting to crack. Will the resulting chaos take Riagan and Elisedd down with it?

The Calm Before is the first book I have read by Neena Jaydon but it won’t be the last. The author’s ability to build such an intricate and believable universe for her story just amazed me. Jaydon has created a complex social structure for her characters and plot. There is a rigidly layered society within the Airgead city state that is composed of different types of elves(argent elves, gilt elves, and scorched elves). One such race aggressively entered Airgead, killing and removing all that stood in their way. Now they rule the city and are at the top of the caste system that regulates professions, holdings and even marriages. The lowest of the elves are those that would be the human equivalent of a trade level, or lower. They have their own neighborhoods and distinct regions within Airgead. Neighborhoods that are found in the worst part of the city, hard, impoverished. and ruled by gangs. They even have their own dialect that when spoken marks them as a lower caste. But the lowest of all are humans. They exist to serve the elves including labor and as prostitutes. Humans are the miners and the factory workers that resemble sweat shops. It is an existence made frail by its pain and hardships as well as lack of civil rights. Jayden has pulled from many histories to create a realistic totalitarian regime on the brink of social civil rights movement. It’s believable in the helplessness felt by those in the lower castes and in the urgency and anger that starts to shake the city state’s economic foundation.

Neena Jaydon then does justice to such astonishingly rich world with characters just as complex and compelling as the society they live in. Alisedd is a half human half elf, a rare being whose sensibilities and own passions have left him almost an outcast to both races. Alisedd is capable of “passing” as a human, lacking the pointed ears and physiology of the true elf. He longs for love and has remained behind in the city he loves, even after his parents fled. Alisedd is just that one step away from homelessness. He doesn’t want to become a prostitute like his friend Fife (a wonderful character too) but now that easy hookup looks to give him the much needed cash he requires and the connections he wants desperately to make with another. And then he meets Riagan.

Alisedd is so easy to empathize with that when Riagan comes into the picture you are more than a little afraid of the impact his arrival will have on Alisedd. And that is because Riagan is such a powerful, strong character that he exudes a sense of danger and mistrust. He is an elf fighting his way out of the gutter so to speak. And nothing is going to prevent him from achieving his goals. The attraction between the two is as combustible as the political changes that start to ignite around them.

Here the author really sinks the reader into her gritty reality. Riagan has his own agenda and is constantly fighting his attraction to Eliseed. Elisedd has his own secrets that he is keeping from Riagan. So the relationship that starts to form between them is one of stress and strain as well as one of emotion and lust. Heady stuff indeed. And Jaydon starts to amp up the societal pressures, as the streets turn ugly with racial hatred and humans start to demand their rights. The very economic foundation of Airgead threatens to crack wide open to the detriment of all who reside within its boundaries. It’s an explosive time in almost every way and Jaydon’s superb descriptions and crackling dialog serves to bring it all to life in stirring detail.

The Calm Before is told from alternating points of view, mostly Elisedd’s and Riagan’s. I found this to be absolutely necessary in order to understand all of the intricacies to the plot as well as the interwoven relationships. The author manages this change of point of views just right so that it never feels uneven or disconcerting. It did take me a few pages to get pulled into the story but once there, my attention was securely held by the drama and the unfolding love affair between two such disparate personalities. Really, I just loved this story. I found it just riveting from the world building to Jaydon’s amazing characters and their slow climb to love. Consider this highly recommended.

Cover design by Le Burden Designs. Almost a little too simple considering how lush and textured a story lies behind it.

Book Details:

ebook
Published February 5th 2014 by Less Than Three Press LLC (first published February 4th 2014)
original titleThe Calm Before
ISBN139781620043103
edition languageEnglish
The Calm Before at Less Than Three Press

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