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Strong, red-haired Jezren is a human woman deeply in love with a winged, horned demon of the Ix Chel’n race, Din’arik. The two are married in human terms, but Jezren wishes they could be bonded in the Ix Chel’n custom – their souls married for eternity, together even in death. When Ix Chel’n husbands and wives die, their souls are placed in their swords and welded together. But Din’arik is always making excuses, never committing… When tragedy strikes in a bar-room fight, however, Din’arik is forced to make the ultimate commitment to save Jezren’s life – his life for hers.
A year later, Jezren is a Night Bird warrior, a bounty hunter and mercenary. With Din’arik’s soul now in her sword, she is a fearsome warrior, and can channel his strength in battle. But for her the fights are over too quick – it’s only when she’s fighting that she can feel Din’arik’s spirit with her. One night she encounters a blue-skinned man in a bar, and a magic is unleashed… When Jezren is forced to exchange her sword with that of Din’arik’s twin brother, Lin’arik, Jezren finds a comfort and a new life she never expected.
This is a beautifully written story, with a believable romance that endures on after death. The plot and its twists are great – while I could predict what might happen, I was really taken back by the complexity of what was a relatively short novelette. If you’re looking for a classically happy ending, though – the handsome prince and princess riding off into the sunset, united again – then I’d look elsewhere. The conclusion of Discoveries isn’t sad, exactly, but you have to remember this book is about a woman dealing with her husband’s death.
What particularly stands out about this romance are the sex scenes. These come across as both sweet and rough, and manage to be very explicit without being plainly pornographic. There are a lot of emotions invested in the sex, especially in the gripping final scene, which has to be one of the sexiest and heartfelt scenes I’ve ever read. Some readers might be put off the sex by the fact the Ix Chel’n race are very unhuman-like physically, but this fact didn’t jar with me.
Din’arik is a strong lead: he acts as both Jezren’s lover and her teacher, guiding her gently but powerfully through her life, and willing to protect her with his very life. Jezren is also a sympathetic character, and the depths of her emotions are really heart-rending. I’d definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy reading fantasy. It’s only failing is that it’s poorly edited – there are some grammatical mistakes that can be a little annoying.
Reviewed by RJ Astruc
for The Road to Romance
March 31, 2007
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