Publisher: Pulsar Books (http://www.pulsarbooks.com)
Format(s): PDF & HTML; POD pending
ISBN(s) 1-58697-250-2
Price: Download, $3.95; CD, $9.95 + $3 S&H; also listed at Amazon.com
'Dream of Darkness' by Elizabeth Burton will be enjoyed by lovers of Fantasy. It is a wonderfully well written book full of word-pictures like 'Shrieking children, most of them bare as birth and not nearly as clean…' 'She was a raisin of a woman, old as sin and twice as vicious…' 'that small worm of guilt he had buried earlier started crawling out from under its rock again…' 'a temper somewhere between fireworks and volcanic eruption.'
The reader is very soon drawn into the lives of two young people: Hellishly attractive, tough musician Randrik who has steadfastly refused to have his mighty Powers harnessed in the service of the Temple, and nineteen-year-old Perian. She is of the despised and reviled Forest Nomads. Orphaned as a small child, she has suffered fifteen years of harshness and abuse as her ignorant foster parents tried to beat her Nomad nature out of her.
There is a threat to the very existence of humankind, a darkness that has struck already. The powerful at the Temple need Perian's strange abilities, and have persuaded Randrik to do the one thing that will unlock them despite her terrible past that has taught her to suppress and hate her heritage. In order to mature to her powers, she needs to lose her virginity, and who better to help her than Randrik, every woman's delight?
Only, she is damaged, repressed and terrified. They dislike each other, and we can see why as we see each with the other's eyes. This is a match made in hell -- but Hell can be prevented only if it takes place.
We follow the likeable young couple that is anything but a couple along an exciting journey where they meet… But I don't want to tell you the story, just to share my reaction with you. This is an excellent book that leads into an exciting series you should read.