Customer Reviews

The Amtrak Wars: Cloud Warrior Bk.1

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Cynbay49 says the author has a tiny output - yet indeed it is quite small, but if you search under her other names Stella Riley and Anna Marsh - you will find other books! In particular a sequel to Parfit Knight called Mesalliance.

I really liked Lucifer's Champion - good characters, humour and a serious side. Well worth going to find and read.

It appears that Juliet Blyth had a very tiny output. After reading The Parfait Knight, I spent a lot of time (and a silly amount of money) finding a copy of Lucifer's Champion. Yes, it was worth it. The "Georgian" novel tends to move at a lanquid, stately pace and, if well written, ought to contain witty and sparkling dialogue. This work fitted the bill exactly.

Briefly, "Lucifer" is Francis Courtenay, 5th Duke of Lyndhurst, a reprobate who, as he says himself, has made his reputation fit only to spit on. A highly educated man, a surprisingly moral man despite his history, he is also a loyal friend. He has, nonetheless, made a mess of his life and, looking 40 in the face, finds his life empty of any significant meaning.

Vanessa Tremaine, young, orphaned, alone and escaping the obligatory evil cousin, flees her home in Cornwall and becomes, through circumstances, Lyndhurst's ward.

We are then treated to a stately gavotte of a London season in mid-18th century London. There are excellent descriptions of clothing (how much like peacocks men were then!), social occasions, a memorable evocation of a game of piquet, dueling and so forth. But the hub of the story is the unfolding relationship between "Lucifer" Lyndhurst and his ward. There is verbal sparring, high emotion, interferring relations, kidnappings and frissons of deep sexual tension in this novel. All of the action seems credible and both the H/H do suffer before each can see truly what is in their own hearts.

A shame this author appears to have had an output of only two books. She writes beautifully, uses the occasional archaic but contemporary word to evoke the flavour of Georgian ton life and brings her characters to resounding life.

I recommend it highly if you can find a copy.