S.A. Martin Reviews

Added March 29, 2005

Night Secrets

Author: S.A. Martin
Publisher: New Concepts Publishing
Available At: www.newconceptspublishing.com
Publishing Date: December 2004
Genre: Romance: Fantasy
Format: Ebook disk and download in PDF/HTML
Price: $5.99 disk and $5.50 ebook
ISBN: 1-58608-316-3
Author Email/Website: www.shirleymartin.net
Reviewer: Jeanine Berry
Rating: 7 Gargoyles

Princess Keriam of Avador has more than one secret. For one thing, she possesses the ability to leave her body and float throughout the kingdom in her spirit form. For another, she's used this ability to uncover a terrible plot to assassinate her father, King Tencein. But she fears her supernatural ability would be branded "magical" by the druids who hold the kingdom in their religious grip. Since the druids have forbidden the use of magic by anyone on pain of death, she dares not reveal her knowledge. She can only warn her father of her "fears" and hope for the best.

King Tencein refuses to heed her warnings without proof. Meanwhile, Keriam is torn by her attraction to the handsome royal courier Roric Gamal. In her night journeys, she's seen Roric plotting with those who plan to kill the king. Can she believe him when he tells her he is loyal to her father and is only trying to infiltrate the plotters' organization?

Roric has his own questions about the beautiful princess. Although drawn to her, he's caught a glimpse of her returning to the palace in her spirit form and he wonders if she is practicing the forbidden art of magic. His wife and son died years ago as a result of magic and he has nothing but hatred for any who would use magic for whatever reason.

Together, Keriam and Roric fight to keep her father safe from the evil schemes of Midac Balor, a general in the army who wants to usurp the throne. Balor finds a sorceress and shapeshifter by the name of Aradia to help him murder the king, and together they succeed. Taking charge when the king dies, he denies Keriam the throne and turns her into a servant in her castle. Keriam feels even more betrayed when Roric appears to support Balor while he continues the search for proof that the general killed the king.

A wicked man, Balor soon plunges the kingdom into darkness under his rule. He plans to attack neighboring lands, and he doesn't hesitate to kill or torture anyone who stands in his way. Suspicious of Roric's loyalty, he sends him to torture an old comrade, while the princess must flee the castle in the hopes of stirring her people into revolt. The plot twists continue as Keriam faces death when her magic is discovered, and only Roric can save her. The story culminates with an epic battle that pits good against evil to decide the fate of a kingdom.

Night Secrets is set in a pseudo-medieval realm where some of the people have magical abilities and you find the occasional fairy hiding in a flower. While there's nothing unusual about the setting or the magic, the characters are appealing. Princess Keriam shows a good deal more intelligence than her father, as well as admirable independence and bravery. Roric has had a tragic life with the loss of his wife and son, but it looks as if he's also headed for heartbreak in his royal romance. At times the story drags slightly as Keriam agonizes at length about her father or Roric, but then another plot twist comes along and gets things moving again. The book also has a somewhat unusual ending. Without giving it away, it may not be quite what you expect in a fantasy romance.

Rated Sensual, Night Secrets contains a couple of sex scenes as well as some violence.

If you like an enjoyable fantasy with a medieval setting and two lovers who must fight to overcome nearly insurmountable odds, Night Secrets will be a welcome addition to your library.

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