Arda - The Sailmaster's Woman (Ellora's Cave Presents) [Paperback]

Annie Windsor (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ellora's Cave Presents | Publication Date: November 10, 2003

Book One in the Arda Collection Kidnapped from Earth by sex-slavers, Elise Ashton is rescued by a space knight with midnight hair and obsidian eyes. Maddened with desire, Ki Tul'Mar puts his life on the line to win his soul's mate, even knowing he'll have to go to war to claim her from the slaver prince. A galactic battle for the freedom of one woman. An unwitting betrayal with deadly consequences. A passion so primitive it brings to life a legend that will change a world. When Ki and Elise join in a hot union beyond erotic fantasy, they make more than love, more than a couple... and more trouble than they bargained for.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...One of the best examples of the blending of romance and erotica this reviewer has seen." -- Holly Hewson for The Romance Studio

"Powerful, pulsating and perfect is this masterfully written tale...The characters...are witty, explosive, loyal and sinfully sensual." -- Tracey West for The Road to Romance

"This thrilling story is filled with passion, danger, customs and hope.--4 stars" -- Robin Taylor for Romantic Times Bookclub

"Unique, wonderful, spellbinding...5 stars!" -- Amy Turpin for Timeless Tales

About the Author

Annie Windsor is 37 years old and lives in Tennessee with her two children and nine pets (as of today's count).

Annie's a southern girl, though like most magnolias, she has steel around that soft heart. Does she have a drawl? Of course, though she'll deny it, y'all. She dreams of being a full-time writer, and looks forward to the day she can spend more time on her mountain farm. She loves animals, sunshine, and good fantasy novels.

On a perfect day, she writes, reads, spends time with her family, chats with friends, and discovers nothing torn, eaten, or trampled by her beloved puppies or crafty kitties.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Ellora's Cave (November 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843607379
• ISBN-13: 978-1843607373
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #807,009 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Author Not to Be Missed!, December 13, 2003

By 

A Bookaholic "a1chick" (Clinton, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arda - The Sailmaster's Woman (Ellora's Cave Presents) (Paperback)

'Arda: The Sailmaster's Woman' is the first in a trilogy of stories by Annie Windsor from Ellora's Cave Publishing. This author is an incredibly talented writer who should not be missed! Once tried she will be added to your automatic futuristic read list with Dara Joy and Jaid Black.

Sailmaster's Woman mainly takes place on a different planet - although the Earth scene will leave you gasping in laughter. The new world, its inhabitants with their various trials and tribulations for survival and power, and more importantly the relationship between the heroine and hero are just a few of the nuances perfected by Windsor's writers touch.

The romance is steamy, emotional and tangible allowing the reader to fall right in without a bump. Honestly, they leave you begging for the next installment - which for me places Windsor in the can't put it down until it is read through in one sitting and then searching for the next.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a book to be put aside lightly......., September 6, 2008

By 

monifa (brooklyn, new york United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Arda - The Sailmaster's Woman (Ellora's Cave Presents) (Paperback)

To paraphrase Dorothy Parker, this should be hurled with great force,I find the Author rather unoriginal even the erotic scenes have been done to death,both the hero and heroine appear to be very bland and boring,the woman is abducted, rescued by the alien man who has (yawn) found his soulmate in her, they have sex, she discovers that his brother and other close family members can 'partake in their pleasure', whilst she is having sex, she has a hissy fit and throws them out of her bedroom, two pages later ,she is inviting the same brother to join her in bed with her aforementioned soulmate. Personally I am so done with this 'debbie - does - dallas' type of soulless menage a trois coupling. I think in future I will avoid Ellora's cave authors, you can tell their books because they all seem to be written by the same person.If I read one more book where the heroine pouts and calls the hero a jerk during an abduction I will hurl,and I mean food this time.This book is going back on sale today,I will not be buying the sequel.

6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top notch sexy sci-fi., August 15, 2006

By 

L. L. Mills "Words-R-Us" (Slowdeatha, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arda - The Sailmaster's Woman (Ellora's Cave Presents) (Paperback)

Liked it better than the last three Star Wars movies. *G*

Ms. Windsor does one of the best jobs creating a believable and exotically fascinating world of any author I've read in a while (excepting Mary Wine's "Alcandian Quest" and Dara Joy's "Ritual Of Proof", which were both stellar in thier genre). There's the same kind of a realism conveyed with this book that you find in the better-written sci-fi, but it's just a whole heckuva lot sexier. *G*

As an introduction to the series, this book does a good job of acquainting us with the world of Arda, and with some of the things that lie beyond earth in the Ardanic vision (one can only wonder if the author thought of the similar feel of Edenic and Ardanic, or perhaps thought of making all the males in this series Ardan-t lovers when she chose this name). *G*

To briefly sum the storyline: our heroine, Elise Ashton, has two rules: 1-All men are boring. 2-Trust no one but Georgia (her best friend). Evidently, the second rule can be applied to E.T.'s; Elise is kidnapped from Earth by alien sex-slavers, and rescued when she somehow manages to psychically 'call' her mate, Ki Tul'Mar.

Ki rescues her, but the slaver (Lord Gith, Vice Emporer of OrTa) wants her back. So he goes to some lengths to have war declared on Ki's home planet in order to get Elise back.

I'll admit, I found the intimate family dynamics of Ardani a bit strange, and wasn't really comfortable with them. I kind of skipped those parts. *G* But the rest of the book was well worth the read; I especially liked reading about Ki's sister, a kick*ss gal who has her own story in a sequel, which I've just ordered.

The women are given a very strong sense of self in this book; no wavering Wanda's here. In fact, the heroine steals a ship and returns to earth--right in the middle of the sex slavers war on Ardani--to get her best friend (whom she wants with her and believes will be happier on Ardani). Women here have no problem being sexual, without guilt or blame. Thanks to this author for use of that long overdue concept!

As for the guys: there's a hottie scale some friends and I have. I share it here for the 'edification of all women'. *G*

4. An eats-at-the-table guy.
3. An eats-in-front-of-the-t.v. guy.
2. A can-eat-crackers-in-my-bed-anytime guy.

And in first place on our hottie scale:


1. A brings-his-own-can-of-whipped-cream-to-bed KEEPER. *G*


(So far the only non-fictional person to UNANIMOUSLY occupy the No.1 position is Hugh Jackman. Russel Crowe, sadly, has slipped to position 3--with reservations. ;-P)

The guys in this book? Pure whipped cream--with cherries on top. *S*

But I really think it's the women--especially in the 'Elise-saves-the-day' scene (you'll know it when you read it) that make this book so much fun to read. The whole interweaving of Ardani female mythology that played into this final scene was great fun, and I actually laughed when I read it. This book will leave you smiling. It's kind of like a double mocha latte, extra froth; enjoyable and stimulating. *G*