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The year is 2006. Air Force pilot Bree
'Banzai' Maguire on a routine
reconnaissance mission over North Korea. Things quickly go awry,
however,
when she and her wingman, Cam Tucker, are shot down in enemy territory.
They
are soon captured and taken to a secret underground facility, where a
mad
scientist places them in cryo-freeze.
Fast forward 170 years. Bree awakens to a world she barely recognizes.
Korea
no longer exists. In its place stands the Kingdom of Asia, ruled by the
despotic (yet charming) Prince Khyber. Khyber is thrilled to have a
living
legend in his court, and showers Bree with expensive gifts and clothing.
It soon becomes clear, however, that Bree is little more than a trophy
to
Khyber. Though he does seem to harbor some affection for her, he is far
more<
interested in what her recovery can do for him politically.
Bree escapes the palace grounds with the help of Tyler Armstrong, a
fellow
prisoner and Navy SEAL. Like Korea, the United States has vanished, to
be
replaced by the United Colonies of Earth, a conglomeration of countries
in
North America. However, similarities remain, and Bree is drawn to Ty as
a
representation of all that she has lost.
But Ty has his own agenda, one that may be no better than Prince
Khyber's.
Who does Bree trust?
The Legend of Banzai Maguire is an ambitious
novel. The premise is
fascinating, and quite daring for a mass-market paperback. The world
Susan
Grant creates is dangerous and unpredictable. There is real uncertainty
in
the plot, and the tension builds throughout the story. The political
aspect
of the of the novel may be off-putting to some, but I found it
intriguing,
and especially relevant to current events.
The romantic aspects of the plot do suffer, however. Prince Khyber is
indeed
handsome and magnetic, but his attractiveness is tainted once the reader
realizes that he views Bree as a favored concubine. Ty Armstrong's
attitude
is a little better but he, too, sees Bree as a political conquest. There
is
some indication that his feelings begin to change, but the novel ends
before
this can be fully explored.
To be fair, The Legend of Banzai Maguire is the first in a five
book series,
and thus much of the book is dedicated to setting up the conflicts which
will carry the story to its conclusion. Looking at it in that manner,
the
novel was a success. However, I do caution readers that, as it stands,
Bree's story is incomplete. It is something to consider when picking up
this
title.
Despite that, I found The Legend of Banzai Maguire to be an
engaging and
fascinating look at a probable future, and the people who inhabit it.
Reviewed by Erika
Sevea for The Road to Romance
September 20th, 2004
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