THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW

Author: Denise Rossetti ISBN: 9780441016341 11/2008 SCI-FI Publisher: ACE BOOKS/BERKLEY

Some are drawn to the light. Some are drawn to the dark. Some desire both... Grayson of Concordia, known on countless worlds as the Duke of Ombra, is a mercenary, a sorcerer of shadows—a man whose soul is consumed by darkness. For Gray, the bleak savagery in his heart is manifest in an entity he calls Shad. He has long resisted Shad's enticements, but when he is hired to kidnap a fire witch, he seizes the chance to restore his soul—no matter the cost. Cenda's heart is ash. Since the death of her precious baby daughter, life has lost all meaning for the fire witch. Slowly, she has worked to master her powers and go on living. But when she encounters Gray, her will is no match for her desire. But her love may not survive the terrible discovery of Gray's betrayal...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Denise Rossetti transports readers of her romantic science fiction novel, THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW, to the five-mooned planet called Sybaris where an almost past-her-prime, seriously clumsy and not what anyone would call beautiful witch grieves the death of her only child. Maybe as recompense for the death, maybe something more sinister, The Lord and Lady of the afterlife endowed her with a new gift as they took Cenda's daughter during last winter's ague—the power of fire. She's the only fire witch and she's still very inept and naïve to think that it is just a run-of-the-mill ability. There are those who want her and her power and they are willing to pay. As well, there are those who will do anything to betray Cenda for their own ambition, money, power, greed, or well-being. She has no idea that she can trust nobody, least of all Grayson, Duke of Ombra, a troubadour harpist with a shadowy secret that he has come to hate. A secret shadow, that is. A shadow that has cool substance when necessary, and though still anchored to Gray like most people's shadows, Shad is capable of some independent movement. Will Shad be able to keep Cenda from burning Gray to a pile of ash? Will Gray realize love before he sells his soul and Cenda?

Rossetti creates such lovably flawed characters in Cenda and Gray that it is hard not to laugh (and cry) at their expense. She drops the reader into the midst of Cenda's life on a pleasure planet populated by the native Sybarites, a wizarding community, and Technomages who moved in to build their science facilities and a tourist industry (ruining the planet's beauty in the process). I found it delightful that everybody swears differently based on the group they belong to—wizards and witches start their imprecations with "Lady" or "by the Lady," while the technomages all start their epithets with "science." Gray, coming from an entirely different world that seems like an early American Pilgrim society, swears by "The Judger." Maybe that's why he's so ashamed of his early childhood friend, (and erstwhile f*ck buddy) Shad.

Nearly everybody conspires to help Gray seduce Cenda so that he can deliver her to them. Nobody counts on the player getting played. Cenda has had few opportunities of the sexual sort and is amazed that Gray would even glance her way, much less truly be interested, and she's not going to waste the ten days he and the troupe he travels with will be on her planet. Her only concern is that now she's a fire witch, she gets hot and she's afraid of physically hurting Gray as they get down to the nitty gritty. Thankfully, Shad is the perfect threesome partner, keeping the flames to an enjoyable level.

THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW is exceedingly hot! Explicitly hot! Beware to keep a glass of ice water or a cool shower handy so that you can maintain your own cool while the sparks fly. THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW is the perfect blend of science fiction and erotic fantasy romance. I can't wait to read about the water, air, and earth witches, as well as the mystery fifth element belonging to this pentagramic group.

Susan Barton