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Magical British Empire #1
Heart of Light
Set in a magical Victorian British Empire that never was, this unique fantasy blends adventure, intrigue, and romance, as a newlywed couple embark on a dangerous quest—and, in the process, discover their own heart’s desires.
On a luxury magic carpetship in 1889, an English couple travel to Cairo for their honeymoon. Except for a brush with a dragon, the voyage is uneventful. But for Nigel Oldhall and his beautiful Indian-born bride, Emily, the holiday hides another purpose. Within hours of arriving in the teeming city, they are plunged into an extraordinary struggle among demons, murderers, and magic.
In Cairo, Nigel can no longer hide his secret from his he is on a mission to rescue a ruby that will ensure Queen Victoria’s hold on Africa forever. But the search has already swallowed up Nigel’s older brother—and now it has put his own Emily in mortal danger. But is she the innocent Nigel imagines? Soon, separately and apart, the two will set off for the heart of the continent among conspirators and traitors, all seeking the ruby and the gifts and curses it offers them—and all of humankind.…
On a luxury magic carpetship in 1889, an English couple travel to Cairo for their honeymoon. Except for a brush with a dragon, the voyage is uneventful. But for Nigel Oldhall and his beautiful Indian-born bride, Emily, the holiday hides another purpose. Within hours of arriving in the teeming city, they are plunged into an extraordinary struggle among demons, murderers, and magic.
In Cairo, Nigel can no longer hide his secret from his he is on a mission to rescue a ruby that will ensure Queen Victoria’s hold on Africa forever. But the search has already swallowed up Nigel’s older brother—and now it has put his own Emily in mortal danger. But is she the innocent Nigel imagines? Soon, separately and apart, the two will set off for the heart of the continent among conspirators and traitors, all seeking the ruby and the gifts and curses it offers them—and all of humankind.…
503 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 26, 2008
4 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Sarah A. Hoyt
203 books175 followersSarah A. Hoyt was born (and raised) in Portugal and now lives in Colorado with her husband, two sons, and a variable number of cats, depending on how many show up to beg on the door step.
In between lays the sort of resume that used to be de-rigueur for writers. She has never actually wrestled alligators, but she did at one point very briefly tie bows on bags of potpourri for a living. She has also washed dishes and ironed clothes for a living. Worst of all she was, for a long time, a multilingual scientific translator.
At some point, though, she got tired of making an honest living and started writing. She has over 30 published novels, in science fiction, fantasy, mystery, historical mystery, historical fantasy and historical biography. Her short stories have been published in Analog, Asimov's, Amazing Stories, Weird Tales, and a number of anthologies from DAW and Baen. Her space-opera novel Darkship Thieves was the 2011 Prometheus Award Winner, and the third novel in the series, A Few Good Men, was a finalist for the honor. She also won the Dragon Award for Uncharted (with Kevin J. Anderson.)
a.k.a. Sarah D'Almeida
a.k.a. Elise Hyatt
a.k.a. Sarah Marqués
In between lays the sort of resume that used to be de-rigueur for writers. She has never actually wrestled alligators, but she did at one point very briefly tie bows on bags of potpourri for a living. She has also washed dishes and ironed clothes for a living. Worst of all she was, for a long time, a multilingual scientific translator.
At some point, though, she got tired of making an honest living and started writing. She has over 30 published novels, in science fiction, fantasy, mystery, historical mystery, historical fantasy and historical biography. Her short stories have been published in Analog, Asimov's, Amazing Stories, Weird Tales, and a number of anthologies from DAW and Baen. Her space-opera novel Darkship Thieves was the 2011 Prometheus Award Winner, and the third novel in the series, A Few Good Men, was a finalist for the honor. She also won the Dragon Award for Uncharted (with Kevin J. Anderson.)
a.k.a. Sarah D'Almeida
a.k.a. Elise Hyatt
a.k.a. Sarah Marqués
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 1, 2009
I wanted to like this book. I really did. But I've got the same issue with it that I did with Jane Lindskold's The Buried Pyramid: i.e., loved the concept, but the execution? Not so much.
And as with The Buried Pyramid, what pulled me in was the idea of an alternate history settings where the British Empire was pretty much like we expect, only there's magic. And supernatural things. And lots of potential for the magic of Europe and the magic of Africa to clash and make things go very, very differently on the African continent than they did in real life.
But the biggest thing that stood in the way of me liking this book is this: it was a lot more "romance novel thinly disguised as alternate history fantasy" than it was "alternate history fantasy". Now, I might not have minded that--if there also hadn't been the problem that the biggest thing driving the conflict of the plot is one of the biggest things I hate about many romances, i.e., The Big Misunderstanding. In other words, we have characters here who start off making wildly unwarranted assumptions about each other, and they never once actually confront one another about them. Instead, they spend most of the book glowering silently at one another and continuing a chain of bad assumptions, each one more vexing to me than the last, because they're all issues that could have been solved with one good fight to clear the air and let everybody get on with the actual plot.
And don't get me wrong, there is plot here. Aside from The Big Misunderstanding that motivates the central characters, there's halfway decent character development otherwise. It's just marred for me as a reader because the maturation of the involved parties feels forced.
There's also the bigger picture plot of why exactly our principle characters are searching through Africa for the fabled magical gem Heart of Light. Like the character arcs in play here, the bigger plot has a few interesting things going on, but they're marred by a resolution that felt too predictable to me. Had the bigger picture plot gone in as unusual a direction as the characters' various arcs did, I would have liked it more.
I can't fault Ms. Hoyt's worldbuilding; certainly the details she's worked in of how the various nations of the world have handled magic are interesting. So's the overall perception of dragons and other were-creatures. She does more than once throughout the book have some lovely turns of phrase. But overall this wasn't enough to counteract the unsatisfying character portrayals for me. Two stars.
And as with The Buried Pyramid, what pulled me in was the idea of an alternate history settings where the British Empire was pretty much like we expect, only there's magic. And supernatural things. And lots of potential for the magic of Europe and the magic of Africa to clash and make things go very, very differently on the African continent than they did in real life.
But the biggest thing that stood in the way of me liking this book is this: it was a lot more "romance novel thinly disguised as alternate history fantasy" than it was "alternate history fantasy". Now, I might not have minded that--if there also hadn't been the problem that the biggest thing driving the conflict of the plot is one of the biggest things I hate about many romances, i.e., The Big Misunderstanding. In other words, we have characters here who start off making wildly unwarranted assumptions about each other, and they never once actually confront one another about them. Instead, they spend most of the book glowering silently at one another and continuing a chain of bad assumptions, each one more vexing to me than the last, because they're all issues that could have been solved with one good fight to clear the air and let everybody get on with the actual plot.
And don't get me wrong, there is plot here. Aside from The Big Misunderstanding that motivates the central characters, there's halfway decent character development otherwise. It's just marred for me as a reader because the maturation of the involved parties feels forced.
There's also the bigger picture plot of why exactly our principle characters are searching through Africa for the fabled magical gem Heart of Light. Like the character arcs in play here, the bigger plot has a few interesting things going on, but they're marred by a resolution that felt too predictable to me. Had the bigger picture plot gone in as unusual a direction as the characters' various arcs did, I would have liked it more.
I can't fault Ms. Hoyt's worldbuilding; certainly the details she's worked in of how the various nations of the world have handled magic are interesting. So's the overall perception of dragons and other were-creatures. She does more than once throughout the book have some lovely turns of phrase. But overall this wasn't enough to counteract the unsatisfying character portrayals for me. Two stars.
March 29, 2008
This is an enchanting alternate-historical fantasy, set in the Victorian era on an Earth where magic is an accepted fact of life and people cross the ocean not on ships but on magic carpets. Once I got past the opening scene (a wedding night that...er...isn't), I quickly got engrossed even though I anticipated pretty much all of the major twists.
It was a fun read, with only one real major drawback, but that because of a personal preference that not everyone will share--I have *major* issues with romanticizing adultery so the book lost me a little when that came into it. Nevertheless, it sucked me in enough that I absolutely intend to pick up second and third books in the trilogy--Soul of Fire, Heart and Soul--when they're released.
If you like Patricia Wrede and Carole Stevemyer's Sorcery and Cecilia series, or Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty trilogy, then this is definitely worth a read.
It was a fun read, with only one real major drawback, but that because of a personal preference that not everyone will share--I have *major* issues with romanticizing adultery so the book lost me a little when that came into it. Nevertheless, it sucked me in enough that I absolutely intend to pick up second and third books in the trilogy--Soul of Fire, Heart and Soul--when they're released.
If you like Patricia Wrede and Carole Stevemyer's Sorcery and Cecilia series, or Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty trilogy, then this is definitely worth a read.
August 4, 2008
Snatching this story up after binging deleriously on Naomi Novik's superb series, I found myself taking three weeks to finally finish reading this start to a trilogy. The characters felt flat and unsympathetic - the kind of people that I would avoid engaging in discussion. The integration of magic into the world felt hinged upon one interesting idea but with no extrapolation or exploration.
April 21, 2008
Sarah Hoyt is like the Dan Brown of fantasy. She wove a pretty interesting plot but each chapter absolutely had to end on a cliff hanger...ie: "Then there was a chilling scream" or "Then darkness closed in and they were alone in the desert." Ugh. Such un-subtle writing. But, it really was a pretty entertaining story although it certainly could have used more descriptions of Egypt. That and the over-emphasis on Victorian English values was a little odd..."he saw that she was entertaining a gentleman caller while sitting alone in the parlor!" Cue dramatic music.
October 26, 2017
A very nice book I'm rating a 4 because it was refreshing to read. It had its flaw (an occasionally naive writing and narrative being the main one), but it was heartening, and I ultimately had a great time reading it!
It's not very often you come across a book that displays a real awareness of what colonisation actually meant for people, and that was very nice to find here. The world Hoyt creates is not simply one where big empires exist next to each other, but one where cultures collide, and where everyone ends up having their say. The hero is a traditional British gentleman who will end up discovering facets of Africa he never suspected; his wife is half-Indian, another main character is a female Masai warrior... Although their interactions were sometimes slightly naive or heavy-handed (for instance, the British gentleman does take a lot of time to take his head out of his backside...), I enjoyed them, purely because you don't come across many books that are completely non-Western-centric and take time to engage with stereotypes while at the same time spinning a fast-paced, pulpy adventure yarn.
Okay, one little details that seems to have escaped the author's attention:
In spite of that one problem, I hugely enjoyed this book. I'm also aware that, if more writers actually did their job and made sure to represent the past (historical or re-imagined) in all its complexity, I wouldn't have given such a high rating to this book. But since this is not the case, and since Hoyt overall did a great job at writing a compelling fantasy where colonisation is portrayed in a more complex and interesting way than usual, here's my 4 :)
It's not very often you come across a book that displays a real awareness of what colonisation actually meant for people, and that was very nice to find here. The world Hoyt creates is not simply one where big empires exist next to each other, but one where cultures collide, and where everyone ends up having their say. The hero is a traditional British gentleman who will end up discovering facets of Africa he never suspected; his wife is half-Indian, another main character is a female Masai warrior... Although their interactions were sometimes slightly naive or heavy-handed (for instance, the British gentleman does take a lot of time to take his head out of his backside...), I enjoyed them, purely because you don't come across many books that are completely non-Western-centric and take time to engage with stereotypes while at the same time spinning a fast-paced, pulpy adventure yarn.
Okay, one little details that seems to have escaped the author's attention:
In spite of that one problem, I hugely enjoyed this book. I'm also aware that, if more writers actually did their job and made sure to represent the past (historical or re-imagined) in all its complexity, I wouldn't have given such a high rating to this book. But since this is not the case, and since Hoyt overall did a great job at writing a compelling fantasy where colonisation is portrayed in a more complex and interesting way than usual, here's my 4 :)
October 31, 2019
I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did. I loved the premise, the settings, the magic - the worldbuilding is fascinating. And, well, just look at that gorgeous cover! If only the highly annoying melodrama and stupidity surrounding the characters' romantic entanglements hadn't taken up quite so much space and made me want to hurl the book across the room on various occasions... Ah well. Maybe the soap opera to actually interesting plot ratio will improve in the next part?
September 3, 2008
Ugh. I just can't seem to get through this book. And I ALWAYS finish a book through to the end. But at 350-odd pages in, it's just so annoying. It's like bad High School with the mistaken ideas about people and the she loves him but he loves someone else junk.
Example:
Mr. thinks Mrs. is cheating. So Mr. starts fawning over an African woman. Said African woman is attracted to another African man. But the African man is drawn to the Mrs. The Mrs. thinks Mr. is cheating with the African woman and so decides to try to seduce Mr's friend. Meanwhile, nobody talks about ANY of their mistaken impressions AT ALL.
SO ANNOYING.
The book is SUPPOSED to be about a harrowing trip through Africa to find this magical gem. But the trip is the barest of window dressing for chapter after chapter of this aggravating romance tragedy.
The concept and the world is interesting but not enough to hold my interest nor keep me from rolling my eyes in sheer annoyance at the story itself.
Example:
Mr. thinks Mrs. is cheating. So Mr. starts fawning over an African woman. Said African woman is attracted to another African man. But the African man is drawn to the Mrs. The Mrs. thinks Mr. is cheating with the African woman and so decides to try to seduce Mr's friend. Meanwhile, nobody talks about ANY of their mistaken impressions AT ALL.
SO ANNOYING.
The book is SUPPOSED to be about a harrowing trip through Africa to find this magical gem. But the trip is the barest of window dressing for chapter after chapter of this aggravating romance tragedy.
The concept and the world is interesting but not enough to hold my interest nor keep me from rolling my eyes in sheer annoyance at the story itself.
October 27, 2008
I quit half-way through this book, when it became clear that the author was going to milk the relationship tension between two of the main characters all the way through and that she felt no need to base that tension on anything other than their apparent inability to communicate with each other. I gave it the two stars for decent descriptive writing and world building.
May 8, 2017
I was not a fan of this book. While it was more fantasy than romance, the romance in it was very odd. Everyone seemed to be attracted to everyone and by the time a couple was decided on, I couldn't really quite understand how they ended up together. I've never read a book quite like that and found it annoying.
September 3, 2019
I wasn't able to finish this book. I tried, but it's rough going when you don't care about any of the characters. I only made it to page 190 or so before moving to skimming, but even then, it felt like a waste of time, so I'm admitting defeat. The plot seemed to have potential, but it was so poorly executed that I have no interest in taking the time to reach the ending.
May 28, 2021
A decent start to a fairly promising read, although there were moments where I truly wanted to smack the two main characters upside the head. They managed to redeem themselves somewhat near the end, enough that I am going to keep reading the series.
April 2, 2024
The concept of this fantasy grabbed me instantly. I loved the idea of an alternate Victorian society. I also loved that there were dragons. However, I felt like I was slogging through and not engaged.
November 8, 2010
One of the most frustrating books I've read in a bit.
It's hard to review this when another reviewer (Angela Korra'ti) said exactly what I wanted to say, but I'll take a few minutes and try anyway. This book is not an alternate history or a fantasy or an adventure, at the end of the day it is 100% romance. I'd don't especially mind reading a book driven by romance considering one of the better books I read recently, Soulless, turned out to be a romance novel veiled as sci fi, and it was much more successful at blending themes/genre/plot than this book and was infinitely more enjoyable, as well. But Heart of Light bothered me because the rest of the plot - specifically the quest for the gem in the jungles of Africa - was almost completely forgotten for long stretches in favor of rather boring inner monologues by characters complaining about other characters. As I said, I don't mind the romance, but when a plot seems like it was thrown in offhandedly (not to mention haphazardly, in this case) to give the author some fodder for the 10 chapters that aren't about cheap marital spats I realize I'd rather be reading something else. ANYTHING else, really.
Yes, it's a 'big misunderstanding' book, something which drives me absolutely insane. Rather than confront one another over said misunderstandings, the characters would rather brood for hundreds of pages at a time. It's incredibly frustrating and juvenile. You get a ton of glaring and sneering from husbands at wives and vice versa because someone took an offhand comment the wrong way. Please. Aren't these characters supposed to be adults?
I'd like to try and take longer to have this review be more coherent and better organized, but I honestly don't even care that much. I stopped reading this book nearly 300 pages in (300 pages!) because I was so terribly annoyed and disappointed. Heart of Light looked so wonderfully promising. Sadly, it turned out to be a resounding flop.
It's hard to review this when another reviewer (Angela Korra'ti) said exactly what I wanted to say, but I'll take a few minutes and try anyway. This book is not an alternate history or a fantasy or an adventure, at the end of the day it is 100% romance. I'd don't especially mind reading a book driven by romance considering one of the better books I read recently, Soulless, turned out to be a romance novel veiled as sci fi, and it was much more successful at blending themes/genre/plot than this book and was infinitely more enjoyable, as well. But Heart of Light bothered me because the rest of the plot - specifically the quest for the gem in the jungles of Africa - was almost completely forgotten for long stretches in favor of rather boring inner monologues by characters complaining about other characters. As I said, I don't mind the romance, but when a plot seems like it was thrown in offhandedly (not to mention haphazardly, in this case) to give the author some fodder for the 10 chapters that aren't about cheap marital spats I realize I'd rather be reading something else. ANYTHING else, really.
Yes, it's a 'big misunderstanding' book, something which drives me absolutely insane. Rather than confront one another over said misunderstandings, the characters would rather brood for hundreds of pages at a time. It's incredibly frustrating and juvenile. You get a ton of glaring and sneering from husbands at wives and vice versa because someone took an offhand comment the wrong way. Please. Aren't these characters supposed to be adults?
I'd like to try and take longer to have this review be more coherent and better organized, but I honestly don't even care that much. I stopped reading this book nearly 300 pages in (300 pages!) because I was so terribly annoyed and disappointed. Heart of Light looked so wonderfully promising. Sadly, it turned out to be a resounding flop.
July 4, 2013
Ugh, where to start with this book. In my humble opinion, it sucks. Yes, it is a regency romance of sorts – but the main married couple aren't all that interested in each other and are both highly annoying characters.
But to continue on to other things done wrong: almost all the characters are annoying (except for the guy who can turn into a dragon, he rocks) and spend large chunks basically going "woe is me, my life sucks". The concept of using large magic carpets as commercial airlines is great, but it doesn't make up for this book. DRAGONS don't even save this book. Hell, a Victorian Africa as a setting doesn't save this book.
In fact, most of the plot didn't seem all that thought out...
Sadly disappointing for a book that seemed to promise adventure...
But to continue on to other things done wrong: almost all the characters are annoying (except for the guy who can turn into a dragon, he rocks) and spend large chunks basically going "woe is me, my life sucks". The concept of using large magic carpets as commercial airlines is great, but it doesn't make up for this book. DRAGONS don't even save this book. Hell, a Victorian Africa as a setting doesn't save this book.
In fact, most of the plot didn't seem all that thought out...
Sadly disappointing for a book that seemed to promise adventure...
April 6, 2008
The first half of this book was really different and engrossing, but it lost me about three quarters of the way in when the main characters found themselves trekking through the desserts of Africa. I did care enough to skim the rest, and probably will pick up the sequel anyhow.
In brief, this is an unusual romantic fantasy dealing with an alternate Regency era where there's magic, dragons, and the monarchs of Europe have the most magic due to a stone Charlemagne had stolen. The Queen wants its twin to ensure that Africa never rebels, and sends a newlywed man, and his bride, to Africa for this purpose. The bride doesn't know of this, and there's a secret African society who wants to stop them... Throw in newlywed misunderstandings and confusion, a dragon, dark magic, inappropriate lust, and angels and gods thrown into the mix, and you get a small sense of what to expect.
Definitely give it a try if any of the above sounds intriguing.
In brief, this is an unusual romantic fantasy dealing with an alternate Regency era where there's magic, dragons, and the monarchs of Europe have the most magic due to a stone Charlemagne had stolen. The Queen wants its twin to ensure that Africa never rebels, and sends a newlywed man, and his bride, to Africa for this purpose. The bride doesn't know of this, and there's a secret African society who wants to stop them... Throw in newlywed misunderstandings and confusion, a dragon, dark magic, inappropriate lust, and angels and gods thrown into the mix, and you get a small sense of what to expect.
Definitely give it a try if any of the above sounds intriguing.
January 1, 2015
When I saw that this was a Magical Victorian era novel and took place in Africa....I figured that this was right up my alley. I even enjoyed the writing style...at first. However, this novel contains the biggest batch of whiny, annoying characters I have ever had the mispleasure to read about. I did finish it. And once having finished it, I did realize that the author was attempting to show the characters growth. I dont think that she quite achieved it though. Instead, the characters just seemed weak and annoying. Most of the plot seemed to revolve around the insecurities of the characters. The book would have been a lot better served if it had a stronger plot and perhaps a bit more depth in the world building.
January 21, 2012
The idea of this alternate reality is good, the dialogue, characters, buildup excellent. But theres just something missing that i cant put my finger on. It feels as hollow and empty as the set of the Fantastiks, that all the players are cavorting on a thinly painted backdrop that keeps fading to 'theoretical white'. Maybe its just because its the first volume of a series, & hopefully book 2 will be better. (i also have to admit to being irritated with the romantic mishaps in the middle of the book. the plot depended on them, yes yes i understand, but it made me think less of all the characters and made me not want to finish the book... but i did and alls well that ends well sure you betcha.)
May 22, 2013
Known for her diversity, the Portugal-born Sarah A. Hoyt has written dozens of short stories and several novels including the SHAKESPEAREAN FANTASIES series, the MUSKETEER MYSTERY books, and the SHIFTERS urban fantasy series. She has also written a historical romance under the pseudonym Laurien Gardner, a collaborative novel with SF author Eric Flint, and co-edits the forthcoming anthology Something Magic This Way Comes (below).
In Ms. Hoyt’s MAGICAL BRITISH EMPIRE series, which kicks off with Heart of Light, the author introduces an alternate nineteenth century era where magic not only exists, but is an integral part of life. For instance, while the world may f... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
In Ms. Hoyt’s MAGICAL BRITISH EMPIRE series, which kicks off with Heart of Light, the author introduces an alternate nineteenth century era where magic not only exists, but is an integral part of life. For instance, while the world may f... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
February 1, 2015
After starting this book over a month ago I was so disenchanted with it I set it aside and read dozens of other books. I finally picked it up again today and skipped ahead to see if it was worth finishing. It turned out okay. Although the British "heroine" was silly and wishy washy about which guy to throw herself at at any given time. The love triangle was more of a pyramid. I had some sympathy for her troubles and she had some redeeming qualities. Still the African heroine was far more enjoyable to identify with. The three heroes actually all turned out flawed but heroic. I am looking forward to the next book. I have hopes the new heroine may be less annoying.
July 15, 2010
This was a fun read once it picked up, but it took a bit to get going. I rather liked the main characters more at the end than at the beginning, which is a good sign for character development. I'll be looking for the sequel.
Recommended for people who like Victoriana, and don't mind period characters having period attitudes towards things like race and gender (at least to start with). There is one fade-to-black sex scene, but otherwise there's nothing I wouldn't let a sensible 13+ year old read. (There's some violence, but nothing terribly gory.)
Recommended for people who like Victoriana, and don't mind period characters having period attitudes towards things like race and gender (at least to start with). There is one fade-to-black sex scene, but otherwise there's nothing I wouldn't let a sensible 13+ year old read. (There's some violence, but nothing terribly gory.)
May 18, 2016
I originally read this book in '09, but since I JUST got the rest of the trilogy, I decided to read it again. I love this book! While it is based upon 3 different love stories, I love the world that Hoyt has created. Instead of cruiseships and airplanes, there are 'carpetships' and there are 'were' people and it all takes places in Victorian times. It almost has a steampunk feel, but with magic instead of industry. This book has adventure, humor, romance, and moral reflection and I loved it. A quick and easy read. Anyone who liked the movie Romancing the Stone will enjoy this book.
December 12, 2009
This book was a wow book. I found it full of randomness and a bit patchy on characters. It seems like it should have been a larger volume because some of the plot seems rushed. I had to re-read a few sections due to the fact that the author seems to be building up to something and ends it in one sentence! I give it three stars because it definitely was inventive and was a fun read at times. I hope the next two books are better though.
January 18, 2011
This book was definitely a disappointment for me. I don't give it only 1 star because I think that at least it was well written and extremely readable as far as style is concerned. I wanted to really like it, Victorian age + magic + dragons, what's not to like...actually the book. It never really captured me and much as I dislike leaving a series unfinished, I very much doubt I'll ever buy the second installment.
July 10, 2013
I put this in "steampunk" though it's not really - it feels a bit steampunk.
I love the worldbuilding here. I find the main characters not likeable enough though - there's something lacking. I don't know if this was written as a romance; it seems marketed as one - but as a romance I was unconvinced by the "true love" proffered.
I am eager to read the sequel as the supporting characters were interesting and the story follows them.
I love the worldbuilding here. I find the main characters not likeable enough though - there's something lacking. I don't know if this was written as a romance; it seems marketed as one - but as a romance I was unconvinced by the "true love" proffered.
I am eager to read the sequel as the supporting characters were interesting and the story follows them.
August 16, 2024
I liked the idea of this book, but the main male character (husband) came across as a bit of an idiot and the way he treated his new wife (who he seemed to forget about) was ridiculous. Enter a handsome friend (frenemy?) from school who the husband is relieved to hand over his worries to (and his wife?). Combine that with a female African villain whose motivations and actions were difficult to comprehend and it just wasn't working for me.
February 4, 2013
Nice example of a Victorian-era, African-set paranormal historical romance. Heavy on the paranormal and lighter on the history, with a lot to explore regarding racism and colonialism in the late British Empire. A thoroughly enjoyable read filled with magic carpetships, Victorian drawing room manners, African safari and a nice romantic subplot. The sequel is Soul of Fire.
May 15, 2013
A decent story - who wouldn't love flying carpetships? But sometimes the characters' internal conflicts seemed a little heavy and I found myself skipping--in most cases when Emily and Nigel kept reminding themselves of society's expectations of them. I think I will still read the next one, though, because the characters just might have freed themselves enough to really be interesting.
October 12, 2008
I do like alternate magical universes!
December 3, 2008
Shape shifters in the time of Victorian England and India. The ending reminded me of the second Lara Croft movie....not a fabulous piece of fantasy, but decent.
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January 9, 2010Amazon received
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews