Customer Reviews

Darkscape: Redemption

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Declan de Douglas has been given a second chance at life; he has been reborn with the Matrix incorporated into his body and he has family members. However, he is not happy; he feels he needs to earn their forgiveness because of his involvement in what almost destroyed the de Douglas clan. Choosing to help solidify trade agreements with the other clans, he has also become the protector of his brothers family. Always living on the outskirts of his life, never fully excepting the second chance he has been given.

Princess Fallon had a chance encounter with Declan that awoke her desires to be more than an object to adorn the arm of a fat dignitary from another clan. Blessed or cursed with telekinesis and pre-cognitive abilities, she has always kept to the shadows, but now she wants a life. When the opportunity presents itself to cause her own ruin, thus nullifying her unwanted marriage contract, Fallon goes to the brothel claiming to have a man who looks like the man of her fantasy, Declan. Only Fallon discovers the man isn't a double, but Declan himself, without his memory and wearing a control collar of a slave.

Brought together by another chance meeting, Declan and Fallon find themselves in the middle of an intergalactic disaster. One step ahead of war, they flee from her jilted fiance, the owner of the brothel and something more omnipotent than either could even begin to understand.

R Garland Gray has written another exceptional novel. She continuously amazes me with how imaginative her stories are. While I can honestly say I liked THE REBEL LORD more than REDEMPTION, overall, there are several qualities about Fallon I really admired and therefore she is more memorable to me. I really admire her for being able to look at what she has: opulence, wealth and everything that comes with this status and yet she is able to recognize she has wants that are not being met. Granted this isn't an unusual situation for a heroine, but I really like how everything was written out.

Declan spends a large part of the story without his memory and I truly sympathize with his situation. He is rejecting his new body because he feels unworthy and only through the discovery of true love with Fallon can he finally accept both the actions of his father and himself.

Who the villain is, is fairly easy to figure out. However between dealing with escaping from the brothel and figuring out what the enemy is trying to do, R Garland Gray has written an action oriented story. Combining this with her ability to write romantic and sexual tension, REDEMPTION is a very enjoyable story that I highly recommend.

R. Garland Gray weaves a wonderful tale of love's salvation in a war-filled future world. This the much anticipated sequel to Darkscape: The Rebel Lord.

In 3211 after serving as a Commander in a clan war, trader Declan de Douglas travels to Planet Forest from his home Braemar Keep on Planet Mars to negotiate a textile agreement between his clan and that of MacKendrick. Although filled with rage due in part to a DNA synthesis, the savage beast is calm every time he meets Fallon MacKendrick. Her father warns her to stay away from the savage as he is too dangerous, his clan deceitful, and besides her dad has completed a betrothal contract for her.

However, she is attracted to "Douglas the Savage", who reciprocate although he remains filled with guilt over the war and fury re his brother's DNA infused in him. When Fallon learns Declan has been kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery, she vows to rescue her beloved even as clan warfare seems ready to ignite again. However, in spite of the belief in knowledge is power by both clans, neither realize the real threat comes from a devious third party at a time when the solar system peace is fragile.

The premise behind the Darkscape tales is simply placing pre-Culloden Scotland in outer space; thus clan wars are all over the solar system and where they are not, hostilities are one incident away from exploding. Redemption adds a Romeo and Juliet twist to the mix. Although it helps to read the previous Darkscape science fiction romance (see The Rebel Lord) to better understand the dysfunctional relationships between the feuding clans and the story line is somewhat expected, R. Garland Gray provides readers with a super outer space opera.

Harriet Klausner

The heroine seemed strong when the story started but her lack of experience and naivete became obvious as the story went on. I understand why she's inexperienced and naive because she's sheltered, however this doesn't make her expectations or her actions any less annoying. From the book cover I expected a strong capable heroine but I rarely got it. She supposedly powerful but when she's put on the spot she can't use any of these powers, the hero has to come and save her again. The hero and heroine's actions were sometimes so sophomoric...I mean yes let's tie up the bad guys and leave them in the room, they're totally NOT going to come after us after that. That kind of plot device is so exasperating because we all know the the pursuers are just going to keep on coming until the heroes eventually kill them in the end, which they just should have done in the first place. And the heroine's whining about not hurting anyone, I mean they are trying to get away from her fiance who wants to hurt her and imprison him but yet she's saying please don't hurt any of the crew on board his ship..i mean did she really think those crew members wouldn't hesitate to hurt her. It seems that she thinks nothing bad would happen if you just ask really really nicely for something...please bad guy don't hurt him...pleasssse.Its like reading about a 14 year old girl and her much older boyfriend who to be honest left me feeling neither here or there about him. If you want an intelligent book with an intelligent heroine go somewhere else, don't be fooled by the cover I know I was and I'm regretting it now.

Declan de Douglas is a man with a past (and aren't they always more intriguing that way?). He is determined to protect the interests of Clan Douglas and atone for his past. Others may have forgiven him, but he may never forgive himself, which causes conflict with his physical body that was re-made using forbidden technology. This, aside from his past, makes him also feel like one apart, or more specifically, someone no longer human. So when he meets Princess Fallon MacKendrick, he's unwilling to act on any attraction he might feel.

Fallon, however, is undeterred. She is definitely intrigued by Declan, and when she discovers that he's been kidnapped and enslaved, she just has to see for herself. Despite being sheltered and privileged, she will follow her heart and will try to do what is right, no matter what. She will do so even if Declan is too caught up in the past to admit love.

I admittedly have pretty low standards when it comes to romances. This one was intriguing, but missed really living up to its potential in parts. However, it was still an enjoyable read, with two characters that were pretty easy to sympathize with, so it was OK by me. Not the best, but definitely OK. I am even interested in seeing more by this author, so it definitely was worth the read.

Though "The Rebel Lord" is the first in R. Garland Gray's Darkscape series, "Redemption" arrived first and I tore into it before I realized it was a sequel. Sometimes, that's problematic, but not with this series.
Ms. Gray's world building in this story is brilliant. She has created a science fiction world based on old Scottish clans. I loved her rich, historical feel added to the modern science fiction flavors. She doesn't skimp on the sci fi either. Her biological and scientific imagination is fascinating without being dry and boring.
The story is complex and multi layered with lush emotion and heart wrenching conflict. Ms. Gray held back nothing with her two characters and I fell in love with Declan almost as fast as Princess Fallon. Right at the beginning of the story, with Declan's visit to Fallon's father and their immediate connection, I felt the ties between these two people. The villainy that drives them together, also drives them apart but ultimately, it's Declan's inability to accept what he is that keeps them separated.
Princess Fallon is a brave, strong heroine who makes choices and accepts the consequences of those choices. Though she leaps before she looks, I never see her shift blame to her father, her culture or even fate. Her complete acceptance of Declan without reservation is beautiful and his eventual declaration of his feelings made my heart clench and I wanted to cheer.
The driving force in "Redemption" is the characters. Fallon and Declan are rich, wonderful people. They made this story. I had glimpses of Lord Lachlan (apparently the hero in "The Rebel Lord") and I'm looking forward to diving into this story as well.
It's not easy to find good Science Fiction Romance. I hope Ms. Gray continues to provide some of the best. Her next book comes out in December and I'll be preordering it.