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Summary: A New Age for Romance, A New Type of Hero
Review: In The Shadow Prince, Jan Zimlich has created a setting in which unearthly creatures vie for control of man (and woman) much like the gods and underworld beings of Greek mythology once did. Adrik, the dark, smoldering alpha male hero of The Shadow Prince, is a sorcerer whose life course has been determined from birth. He has been in the keeping of a demon all his life and though he possesses great power, he knows he can never defeat this demon and escape the dark fate that awaits him.Adrienne of the nomadic Arizanti tribe has been left near death on the plains near the Caspian Sea. She is to be the tribute for the safe passage of the tribe--if she lives long enough to be claimed by the Busae prince Burian, Adrik's half brother. Enter conflict. Both men are mesmerized by this lovely, pale woman of the Northern regions. Burian offers Adrienne to his half-brother as a token to ensure the support of Adrik's powerful army in the war against the Lydians. Almost as soon as the offer is made, Burian regrets having made it. Ms. Zimlich takes the reader on a journey through history and weaves a skillful path toward redemption for the ill-fated Adrik. Details are often graphic and in keeping with the historical timeframe which adds depth and substance to what would otherwise be strictly a romance. The book is well developed along both story lines--that of the conflict between Adrik and his demon, and that of the growing romance between him and his Arizanti captive. By careful layering Ms. Zimlich developes these characters and reveals their histories until the reader cannot help but care about their fate. Conflict, both internal and external, keep the reader turning the pages. One can only hope that there will be a sequel.
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Summary: Breath of fresh air
Review: Just finished this book. Loved the unique setting. Loved this author's lushious writing style. And I loved the Dark Prince! It was so unlike what I usually read, but just the thing to clear the palate. Highly recommended!
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Summary: A Keeper For Me!
Review: The Shadow Prince is well worth the read. I, too have read all Ms. Zimlich's books and am nothing but impressed by her writing ability. This book sweeps you into a fantasy past and showcases Ms. Zimlich's ability to create refreshing and innovative plots. The tension between the forces of good and evil grip you until the end of the story which Ms. Zimlich ties up quite cleverly. If you are looking for richy drawn, sympathetic characters and a fascinating read, I recommend this book.
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Summary: Could have been better
Review: This book didn't read well for me as either fantasy or romance. It starts out with a great premise, a sorceror bound by a demon is given a woman by his brother the king, and only she can redeem him. Unfortunately I think the romance took a back seat to everything else that was going on. Not only were most of the characters' thoughts and feelings not addressed, the heroine was basically a pawn who did no more than get moved about so she could be at the right place for subsequent scenes. That made the book lack depth for me. I was also disappointed by the lack of feel for time and place because I was really looking forward to a new romance setting. The book felt like could have taken place almost anywhere and any time before the Renaissance. So while the story worked OK as a romantic adventure, I didn't feel that it lived up to it's potential.
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Summary: More fantasy than romance
Review: This book reads more like a fantasy than a historical romance. The historical details are sketchy, and the tribe and geography are so foreign sounding, this could be another planet, or some fantastical world for all I could tell. The characters here were well-drawn. The plot flowed smoothly, despite its intricacy. The story was involved, but never tangled or got bogged down in its various parts. Neither the romance nor the historical distracted from the fantasy elements of the story, and visa versa. SP missed one of the classic blunders of genre-blend novels. It balanced all of its elements seamlessly. Definitely a good read.
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Summary: A great read!
Review: Though Adrik is a prince and powerful sorcer, he lives with a darkness in his soul that he has no hope of ever escaping. To satisfy his father's greed for power Adrik was pledged to a demon at birth and the time grows close when he will be compelled to trade places with that demon. When his brother gives him Lorienne, priestess of the Arizanti tribe, who has been offered as sacrifice to the king, her brightness reaches out to Adrik qand makes him crave the life he's to be cheated of. She becomes the spark that lights his way, dispelling the darkness that has cloaked his soul. Together, they might even change fate .... This well-researched tale is the most compelling book I've read in the genre of historical fantasy. It's a keeper!
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Summary: Dark and Light
Review: Though Adrik is a prince and powerful sorcer, he lives with a darkness in his soul that he has no hope of ever escaping. To satisfy his father's greed for power Adrik was pledged to a demon at birth and the time grows close when he will be compelled to trade places with that demon. When his brother gives him Lorienne, priestess of the Arizanti tribe, who has been offered as sacrifice to the king, her brightness reaches out to Adrik qand makes him crave the life he's to be cheated of. She becomes the spark that lights his way, dispelling the darkness that has cloaked his soul. Together, they might even change fate .... This well-researched tale is the most compelling book I've read in the genre of historical fantasy. It's a keeper!
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Summary: I did not like as much as her previous titles.
Review: To start, I realize that this book was written as a fantasy/sci-fi story but I had a hard time reconciling this fact when reading. There is a note from the author about being interested in a battle that took place in the 500's BC, in the region which is near present-day Afghanastan. Because of this, I was confused as to whether this story was supposed to be loosely based on fact or was pure fiction. That being said, most of the weapons and some of the clothing sounded much more Medieval than ancient and again, I had a hard time reconciling everything as I was reading. Adrik and Lorienne were interesting characters, but I never felt like I really got to know them. They rarely talked to one another, so when did their relationship grow? Time passes but not much is said and done. Many opportunities were lost to develop more engaging characters. So on the romance side, there seemed to be a lot lacking. The fantasy/sci-fi element was done fairly well and what kept this story at three stars for me. The premise of the story is very promising. Ancient curses, magic (from the Magii tribe), wickedly shallow and mean enemies and a damsel in distress. Not a bad mix. There was one surprise at the end which I did not anticipate, and enjoyed as well. This is not the best book I have read from Ms. Zimlich, but if you are looking for an OK read to pass the time, this is not a bad choice.
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Summary: I did not like as much as her previous titles.
Review: To start, I realize that this book was written as a fantasy/sci-fi story but I had a hard time reconciling this fact when reading. There is a note from the author about being interested in a battle that took place in the 500's BC, in the region which is near present-day Afghanastan. Because of this, I was confused as to whether this story was supposed to be loosely based on fact or was pure fiction. That being said, most of the weapons and some of the clothing sounded much more Medieval than ancient and again, I had a hard time reconciling everything as I was reading. Adrik and Lorienne were interesting characters, but I never felt like I really got to know them. They rarely talked to one another, so when did their relationship grow? Time passes but not much is said and done. Many opportunities were lost to develop more engaging characters. So on the romance side, there seemed to be a lot lacking. The fantasy/sci-fi element was done fairly well and what kept this story at three stars for me. The premise of the story is very promising. Ancient curses, magic (from the Magii tribe), wickedly shallow and mean enemies and a damsel in distress. Not a bad mix. There was one surprise at the end which I did not anticipate, and enjoyed as well. This is not the best book I have read from Ms. Zimlich, but if you are looking for an OK read to pass the time, this is not a bad choice.
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Summary: Wow, wow, wow!
Review: What a wonderful fictional world Jan Z. has created with her latest book, The Shadow Prince. It's filled to the brim with layers of conflict, beautifully detailed characters and a hero, Adrik--who is the ultimate hero. He is after all THE Shadow Prince. The woman who become Adrik's love, Adrienne, is a perfect match for him. You can't go wrong with The Shadow Prince. This book is going right on my keepers' shelf.
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