Customer Reviews

The Flame and the Shadow

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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Denise Rossetti's The Flame and the Shadow is also an erotic romance where the shadow gets the same amount of loving just like his human counterparts. The shadow even has a name, called Shad, given to him by Grayson, the Duke of Ombra. Grayson is a very tortured hero and blames all his woes on Shad. If not for Shad, Gray would still be welcome at home, but since his shadow is thought to be a demon, and Gray possessed by it, Gray was disowned and ran away. But Shad loves Gray and shows him how much by giving Gray a helping hand when it comes to self love.

Gray thinks Shad is an abomination and finally has a way to rids himself of his shadow. All Gray has to do is kidnap Cenda, a fire witch, and bring her to the magician that can help him. Cenda is recovering from a sickness that almost killed her, but ended the life of her baby daughter, Elke. Cenda is inconsolable over the loss of her daughter, even though through this tragedy, her magic has grown, where now she can make fire at will.

Gray and Cenda meet, and Gray is able to seduce Cenda because he is quite talented in bed. At first, Gray only thinks of Cenda as a means to an end, but as he gets to know her better, he begins to feel for her pain. He helps her to feel, mainly through sex, that she is worthy of love and is beautiful. As Gray becomes more emotionally attached to Cenda, so does Shad. But instead of Cenda running away in fear from Shad, she welcomes him to join Gray and she when they have sex. Whenever Cenda is too overcome with emotion, she can't control her fire power and can burn Gray. But with Shad joining both of them while they make love, he balances the heat, since he is cool. That is where the ménage a trios comes into play. And when Shad joins in with Gray and Cenda, anything goes. Gray hates that Shad makes him feel so good, but even though his mind is saying, no, is body is telling him the opposite. Plus, Cenda becomes a bit more aggressive and open to new things with Gray if Shad plays along with them.

If you can open your mind to some interesting and out of this world sex that Denise Rossetti has come up with, than I would recommend The Flame and the Shadow. I am just wondering what else will be up for grabs in the books I read, now that a person's shadow can have some love also.

The song, Me and My Shadow now has a whole new meaning

Katiebabs

Gray believes he is damned, cursed with a shadow that has a mind of its own...Gray even gave his shadow a name, Shad. While searching for a method to rid himself of his shadowy seductive demon he finds someone willing to get rid of Shad, if Gray can capture and deliver the one and only fire witch in existence, Cenda. When Gray sees Cenda he sets out to seduce her but finds himself falling completely under her spell.
Cenda has been working on her majic skills nonstop since the death of her daughter Elke. When she is told she is a fire witch she sinks deeper into despair, feeling more alone than ever...but then Gray shows up, with his beautiful seduction, and the darkness in Cenda's soul starts to lighten...she even fully accepts and develops a deep fondness for Shad. Gray, having despised Shad for years, is astounded at her acceptance of his shadow and decides he wants to keep Cenda and Shad, but when they are captured by the very people that hired Gray and Cenda learns that Gray intended to turn her over her heart breaks and she turns to Shad, but there can be no Shad without Gray. Can Cenda overlook the past and give Gray and Shad a chance? Or will the greed of some destroy them?

***As a huge fan of GIFT OF THE GODDESS I have been highly anticipating this book. Denise paints a vivid picture with her words but this book was too sci-fi for my tastes, with witches and wizards and other planets it became hard to imagine the scene Denise is trying to create. This is a fabulous story with indepth, endearing characters that was wasted in a poor setting, even though Gray, Cenda and Shad could really steam up the pages...although I would have enjoyed this book much better if Gray and Shad had become even more intimate. I also really did not like the ending, but I will not spoil it for anyone thinking to read this book. For romance/erotica I would give this book 5 stars, but put the whole picture together and the final score is down to 3 starts. I would recommend this book to romance/erotica fans that can handle some out of this realm adventure. Side note: with a 3 way relationship you will need to expect some m/m and m/m/f relations.

Wow...This was quite a unique fantasy romance, but then again most fantasies are quite unique. Another author with an amazing way with words.

Cenda, the leading female protagonist finds herself mourning the loss of her baby, but with that loss she was given a most unique "gift"...the gift of fire. Once a witch who possessed nothing but a tall skinny form, a plain and forgettable woman, now she finds herself fleeing from people who want her so they can control her gift of fire, an extremely rare talent among witches.

Grayson, also known as the Duke of Ombra, has a secret. His shadow, otherwise known as Shad, is alive and of a separate mind from him. Once a mercenary, Gray is now a musician with the Unearthly Oprah. He sings most seductively, entrancing his audience. Hired by a technomage, his mission is to abduct Cenda and hand her over to her. But a wizard promises Gray that if he brings the fire witch to him he can restore his soul, relieving him of Shad, his once best friend, now his most hated, disgusting secret. Gray will do anything to eliminate the abomination that is Shad. His plan...seduce Cenda, hopefully to cause her to willingly accompany him to the wizard.

But what Gray does not realize is that Cenda holds the power to heal him in a way none other ever could. As his seduction of her intensifies he realizes that she is more to him than he ever bargained for.

Gray is a most complex character. His past, his relationship with Shad and the heartache and shame it has caused him, is gripping and engrossing. Denise Rossetti put together a fascinating story, rich with detail and well developed, multifaceted characters.

Speaking of characters. There is a boy, Slop is his name. He's maybe ten. Dirty, a beggar. His favorite thing to say is, "Fookin' 'ell". It's rather comical. Cenda asks him to come and stay with her. He asks if he would have to stay clean. She says yes and of course his reply is "Fookin' 'ell". It was a nice little touch of lightness to mix in with all the darkness of Cenda's and Gray's past.

The scenes were incredibly well written between Cenda and Gray. The role that Shad plays was an added bonus to the uniqueness of this story. The world had kind of a futuristic feel with mentions of otherworldly traveling but also had a historical feel as well. The two blended together, creating a fresh new world.

I really enjoyed this book and will definitely keep my eye on the lookout for the next books to follow. An intense and well satisfying read! A for sure keeper.

Denise Rossetti's The Flame and the Shadow both enthralled and annoyed me. The depiction of fire magic and of Gray's shadow-self were intriguing. The action-packed scenes were well-paced, and I definitely wanted to know what happened next. The world was visually interesting and fun to read about. However, these things couldn't overcome the negatives.

The sex has a few kinks to it that not everyone will be comfortable with. Gray's shadow-self, Shad, gets involved. Because Shad occasionally comes across as very childlike in his needs, wants and actions, I sometimes found the suggestion of his involvement in sex to be... disconcerting. Also, since he's a dark twin to Gray in more than just form, any direct interaction between the two of them held definite overtones of incest.

Some of the character depictions annoyed me. The main characters have several "too stupid to live" moments where I just couldn't believe they didn't pick up on the obvious.

As for the science: In terms of characters, the "technomage" bad guys are monolithic and stereotypically cold and evil. They're physically unfit, of course, and go by number rather than name. But that isn't even the part that annoys me the most. The idea that science and scientists are inherently evil is laughable, ridiculous, and utterly out-of-date in today's world. The technomages of course refuse to believe in magic--despite the fact that they're freaking called technomages. In The Flame and the Shadow "science" is referred to almost as a religion by the technomages, i.e. they say "Science!" as an exclamation where others might make some sort of religious exclamation. Yet this is so simplistically depicted that where the other characters have a wide variety of sayings at their disposal, apparently the scientists are so uncreative that "Science!" is as far as they got.

It's too bad that the author decided to build such a one-dimensional, stereotyped set of bad guys for her world. It would have been so much better without them. Once they took the spotlight I grew progressively more annoyed with what I was reading.

Grayson of Concordia, the Duke of Ombra, is a man driven by pain and self-hatred. A sorcerer of shadows, Gray was condemned by his once loving family as an abomination. He escaped their cruel betrayal only to have his innocence torn brutally from him soon after. Now years later, Gray has developed into a man of pure distrust of all others, even of himself. Despising what he must do, Gray has stooped to the promise of delivering an innocent to her doom in order to gain the chance to rid himself of the evil within his soul. But anything is better than the life he's living. To have peace within his mind and his heart is a dream that's a bare inch from reality. All he must do is procure and deliver a fire witch and his shadow, the evil abomination that haunts his every step, will be eradicated.

Cenda, having lost her heart with the death of her young daughter, has ceased to truly live. Locking herself away with her desolation and grief, Cenda finds eventual solace with the never-ending burn of the fire in her hut. Thinking herself mad when tiny salamanders come crawling tentatively from the glowing embers to scramble up her body to curl about her wrists and perch in her hair, Cenda discovers a new gift. Somehow the burning fever that had raged through her and ultimately killed her baby, gifted Cenda with the element of fire. The writhing flames don't burn her and her new found fiery friends offer her much needed comfort and strength. Now, where she'd once been clumsy and the controller of minute Magick, Cenda has the potential to exert immeasurable power. If she can learn to control it.

Traveling with the Unearthly Opera from Concordia, Grayson arrives at Sybaris the Pleasure Planet, nick-named after its gaming hells and brothels, with every intention of seducing the fire witch and taking her forcefully, if necessary, back to Concordia and to his promise of salvation. But from the first glance, he's in an agonizing war over his decision and his all consuming need to finally be free.

Cenda isn't necessarily beautiful. Her tall body is gaunt, flesh stretched tight over bones, hollowed cheeks with dark smudges beneath her golden brown eyes but her graceful movements and waist-length ebony hair are hypnotizing. Soon the seducer is seduced when shy kisses turn to raging lust. Cenda's obvious innocence entrances Gray's soul while her pain filled eyes cry out to the primitive part of him that recognizes the need to protect and cherish making his eventual betrayal all the more agonizing.

Cenda was enthralled the moment she spotted the Duke of Ombra hidden within the shadows of the stage at The Treasure. His haunting talent with the harp and heartbreaking tenor awakens her soul, stripping free her self imposed incarceration and filling her with life and hunger. When he comes to her after his performance, she has much to be suspicious of for she's not beautiful and the gorgeous man before her can obviously have his pick but his skilled kisses has lust surging to the surface and all she can think about is easing the painful ache of need and desire that has culminated alarmingly within her. Wary of the Duke's attention, but in desperate need of what his body promises, Cenda rationalizes that he'll be leaving soon with his troupe and dives head first into a night of unrestrained passion. Gray's insistence that she see him again is met in the affirmative but what Cenda is hoping is merely a fling, turns into uncontrolled love and a race to stay alive.

To Gray's horror, he's not the only one looking to capture the fire witch. The Technomage, a group of scientists that selfishly horde their knowledge from the peoples of Magick, have dispatched, in addition to Gray, a man of indescribable evil to capture Cenda. Apparently the Technomage Primus believed a back up plan was in order. Gray can only cringe at the thought of the horrible experiments that will undoubtedly be inflicted upon her and the man that he has made delivery arrangements with will surely lead Cenda down the same path, but Gray is much more merciful than the horror that tracks her now. Convincing himself that he's the lesser of two evils, Gray continues on with his plan of seduction and extraction.

When events and circumstances force Cenda to use her fire Magick, the once clumsy witch learns great control over the infinite power within her grasp. But with that power comes a price, one that Cenda despairs having paid for. With each new use discovered, Cenda begins to understand the desire of the factions scrambling to capture her for she can easily be molded into a weapon of untold destruction.

To Gray's eternal amazement, once Cenda discovers that his shadow is separate from him, but also intrinsically a part of him, she's not scared but rather entranced. Before his stunned eyes, she embraces that terrible side of him, holds him close and gives herself up at the same time. No one has ever embraced Gray so fully, so wondrously and without reservations or judgement. While his mind is still jealous and abhorred by the abomination of his shadow, he's slowly coming to accept that maybe he can be complete with Cenda and his shadow. But before he can make a decision on what do with his fire witch and his delivery promise they are suddenly betrayed and Cenda and Gray are captured by the Technomages.

The sterility of the labs and the twisted fascination of the scientists is nauseating. They want to learn about Cenda's power, how its triggered and if its reproducible. But worst of all, Gray's plan of betrayal is unveiled. Helpless and knowing that mere words won't make right his once plan to betray Cenda, Gray decides that the least he can do is bust them both from their sterile prison and take his fire witch, the woman he has come to love, some where safe even if it costs him his life.

THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW is an intense and epic journey of two people learning about themselves and bridging the canyons of despair that have been dug ruthlessly over time. Whether those canyons were created by self-loathing or the agonizing pain of loss, Gray and Cenda both come to terms with who they are and how to once again be free to love. Its a story filled with betrayal, flaring passion, corroding deceit with the end of the day being saved by the truest form of love.

Cenda, although a woman of forty-one years, really undergoes a coming of age journey in THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW. She's lived a life of carefree innocence. Even the loss of her child couldn't shake her naivete. She's the perfect inhabitant for the gift of fire for no amount of evil stains her soul, nor will it ever. Cenda also embodies the unfailing ability of acceptance and this is especially significant in Gray's case. He's a man that has been rejected so horribly by the ones he loved that his self worth is less than zero. To have Cenda accept all the crevices of his soul allowed him to open his heart for the first time since childhood.

Gray encompasses nearly all my favorite hero attributes. He's dark and dangerous. Skillful and passionate and when the right woman finally comes along, he'll risk his very life to see her happy. Sigh... His story is more than tragic and my heart wept when his past is fully uncovered. They way Rossetti wrote the unveiling of his dark past was incredible. She instilled excruciating build up and dropped the axe quickly with an echoing finality that leaves you breathless. I even had to walk away from the story for the evening after that.

The worldbuilding isn't anywhere near overwhelming. Instead of a monologue of the world and its inhabitants (which is so common and tedious), the elements of Rossetti's Four-Sided Pentacle universe are conveyed mostly via language. Within the opening chapter, Cenda's thoughts and expressions whisk you immediately to another world without question. Then slowly, as circumstances permit, you become immersed in an incredibly beautiful and fascinating land. In my mind's eye, I saw a colorful world of rainbow lakes offset by stark sterility that is then breached by raging volcanoes and feather forests. Rossetti also shed light on the fact that no environment is safe from the presence of mankind whether they be founded in Magick or science.

Despite all my love for THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW, there was one scene that made me sneer a bit at the heroine. Although her anger over Gray's revealed betrayal was justified, I thought she stooped a bit low with one cutting remark that I can't forget. I would have been fine with her anger, but I couldn't forget what she said to Gray and I thought he deserved a better apology given what she knew of him and his self-loathing. I never thought her cruel until that moment and it made me hesitate, enough so that I couldn't give the book an A grade. It might sound silly, but that was just my feeling. But otherwise it was an exhilarating and passionate read, one that I most definitely recommend especially if you like your romance on the steamy side.

Plot Summary: After the death of her baby, Cenda isn't interested in exploring her newfound affinity for fire magic. A friend drags her to a show, where she is mesmerized by the shadowy Duke of Ombra's music. Gray approaches her after the show, but his intentions are far from honorable. He's agreed to bring the fire witch to a powerful wizard in exchange for freedom from his own shadow, named Shad. Gray is drawn to Cenda, and the idea of kidnaping her becomes more and more distasteful, but before he can make up his mind, a multitude of badies try to snatch Cenda for themselves.

The weather has turned cold around here, but this novel practically sizzles with sensuality. I'm not quite sure how to describe it actually. It's part fantasy, part futuristic romance, and a whole lot of erotica. My library stuck this over in the Science Fiction section, but they're only partially correct. For my money, this could easily be shelved with the romance novels, so perhaps I should just settle and call this a perfect blend of the two. It's a futuristic erotic romantic fantasy. What a mouthful.

Did you ever read a romance and think, I want MORE when it comes to the love scenes? This book will satisfy those wicked wishes, and furthermore, it delivers a well-rounded story that could survive and thrive without the awesome bedroom scenes. I'm giving a standing O to Denise Rossetti for combing the two without sacrificing on the quality of either. It's rare.

Both Cenda and Gray had tragic pasts. Gray has sealed his pain away and focuses with single-minded determination on his goal of ridding himself of Shad. Cenda is barely going through the motions of living, and Gray's attention snaps her out of her grief. I'm assuming this series will have at least five books, if we go by the pentagram theme, and the next book, Thief of Light, will be released on November 3, 2009. Oh, I should mention that each novel focuses on a different couple, but given the back story, they should probably be read in order.

Cenda is feeling lost and alone as she mourns the death of her young daughter. Awkward and lacking mastery of even the simplest Magick, Cenda barely qualified as a witch. But on the day that her daughter died, her life changed dramatically. In the wake of her grief, Cenda has discovered her gift of Fire Magick - a rare and powerful elemental ability. Believed to be the only fire witch in the known worlds, Cenda has suddenly become a valuable possession and there are those who would stop at nothing to use her for personal gain. As Cenda struggles to accept her newfound talent, danger and deception lurk in the shadows. The fire witch has enemies who seek to capture her and a handsome traveling musician will set the perfect trap.

Grayson, Duke of Ombra knows it's a dirty job; however he intends to follow through. Both the Technomage Primus and the old wizard Deiter want the fire witch, but the wizard's offer is more tempting. A double cross would do the trick if Gray could pull it off. The plan is to seduce and kidnap Cenda in exchange for his sanity and the reclaiming of his soul. Gray is disgusted by the thought of it, but the end will justify the means. For his trouble, Gray will finally be rid of the dark physical presence that has attached itself to his very being. To be free of the evil and filth in his life, Gray would do anything...he would even bring devastation to the life of an unsuspecting fire witch.

When Cenda meets Gray he awakens a passion in her that she has never known. Gray's desire for her is an unexpected thrill and Cenda's Fire Magick thrives as her affection grows. Gray in turn is disarmed by Cenda's innocence and inner strength. In Cenda's arms he finds peace and acceptance, thus complicating Gray's deceitful plans. Suddenly Cenda's life seems too steep a price to pay for the salvation of his corrupted soul, but keeping her safe could prove to be an impossible task. In the end, Cenda may be strong enough to face her enemies, but can she survive the cruel betrayals of the heart?

THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW is a dark erotic tale that is satisfying on many levels. Readers will enjoy the rich development of this fantastic world and its characters, sharing their amusement and passion while squirming at the chilling horrors they face. Cenda is endearing as the unlikely heroine and Gray is deliciously wicked as the antihero with a mysterious dark side. Additionally, there are many interesting themes and symbolism aplenty in THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW for those willing to explore some of the deeper layers of the book. Religious fundamentalism, ethics in science, what it means to love and accept oneself are just a few of the subjects that are touched upon in this book of light, dark, and shades of gray. From the mythical salamanders to the clever names of the main characters, there is much to ponder and discuss long after the last page has been read. Rossetti's first installment of The Four-Sided Pentacle series is exciting and full of passion and intrigue. I will be anxiously awaiting the second book which is due out FALL 2009.

Highly recommended!

~*Courtesy of ParaNormal Romance Reviews*~

**4 1/2 Bookmarks, courtesy of Wild on Books**

The death of her only daughter left Cenda a broken shell of a woman. Her heart was torn apart when that precious toddler was ripped from her life. But the illness that killed her baby left the fledgling witch with a new ability - the power to call and master fire. It is something she never wanted, certainly not at the expense of losing her child, but now Cenda must learn to master this power before it destroys her.

There are those who seek the power of the Fire Witch for their own questionable purposes. To this end, they have sent bounty hunters after Cenda to kidnap her. But one is more insidious than the rest - Grayson of Concordia, aka The Duke of Ombra. With his seductive ways and disarming charm, he proves more dangerous than the most heinous of henchman, for he steals her heart effortlessly.

Grayson's last hope to rid himself of the demon who has plagued him his entire life rests in this one mission. Yet when he meets Cenda, things don't seem quite so cut and dry any longer. He may have stolen her heart, but the Fire Witch causes emotions to flare inside this lonely man as surely as she can set any blaze. Can Grayson really betray her for his own needs?

If you are looking for a gritty, dark paranormal romance, then look no further. THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW by Denise Rossetti fits that bill perfectly. Both Gray and Cenda are two damaged people. Gray has sustained a lifetime of trauma, and Cenda has suffered more recently, but with no less pain than Gray.

In each other, they find the means to heal themselves, through love and understanding. Oh, they may not realize at first it is love, but the passion is undeniable from the moment they meet. Neither Gray nor Cenda has ever really experienced true love before, so the emotion is at first hard to recognize.

I was gratified to find that although they are slow to realize they are in love, they are certainly quick to recognize how much they genuinely like each other. That instant connection makes it easy to understand why Cenda would fall into the arms of a literal stranger so quickly. Then again, her deep despair and the need to feel something, some kind of human comfort helps with that as well.

Cenda goes through quite a few trials during this book, from the ache she feels from missing her daughter, to the frightening run for her life when she learns she has become a target of some nasty people, and finally to learning of Gray's intent to betray her. Beginning the story somewhat meek and unassuming, these trials build her character into a true heroine, resourceful and strong, determined to protect those she cares about while doing no harm.

Gray's hurdles are huge - he has to overcome both the external protagonists in the story and his own internal demons. Not only that, he must also win Cenda's trust not once, but twice. Through it all, Gray proves himself a hero worthy of Cenda, and is an inspiration to all as he finds a way to resolve his personal issues, which are undoubtedly even harder for him to overcome than their foes.

THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW is a story that is simultaneously heart-breaking and heart-warming. With people who inspire through their own growth a compelling plot, and passion as incendiary as the Fire Witch's power, Denise Rossetti offers readers a novel that is hard to put down until the last page.

Sometimes, expectations are a b#^%*. I had high hopes for The Flame and the Shadow, but sadly, Denise Rossetti did not fulfill them. It's an interesting enough story, but the tortured hero lacked zest, the sad-sack heroine depressed me, and the chemistry....just wasn't there. Yet the novel is well-written and easy to read. The world-building is exceptionally good. There's an unusual twist with the Shad character-person-soul-thing. But the story never took off. I never found myself anxiously wondering what would happen next, was never desperate to discover the source of the characters' misery, never felt that tug at my heartstrings that lets me know I'm reading something great.
Grayson fell flat. He's mopey and mean to Shad, but we never find out the source of the cool nickname "Duke of Ombra." His shadow has more vivacity than him.
Cenda `s feelings of loss are expressed believably, but her unhappiness made me unhappy. Ms. Rossetti clearly wants to explore the grieving mother scenario, but perhaps if the grief wasn't still so fresh....
(In the interest of full disclosure, I admit that I'm a Big Fan of the angst-ridden hero. The tortured heroine not so much.)
The physical relationship between Cenda and Grayson is strange but not particularly convincing. They're both so darn mopey and immediately enthralled with each other that it was a bit, dare I say it...boring. In fact, now that I think about it, toward the end I was eager to finish the book just to be done with it.

He is Grayson of Concordia also called the Duke of Ombra; he has a problem he would like to get rid of as soon as possible. His shadow is an independent sentient entity yet it is also a part of the mercenary sorcerer. It even has his own name Shad and he loves Gray, who repels him because the sorcerer believes the shadow is the darkness manifested from his soul. He made a deal with the wizard Deiter that he would kidnap the grieving fire witch Cenda in exchange for the destruction of Shad.

Gray travels to the planet Sybaris where Cenda lives grieving the death of her child that has turned her once fiery heart to ash with a desire to die. She is the first fire witch to be found in centuries and has enemies who want to abduct her to use as a weapon. Gray tries to get her off planet to his client as soon as possible. However, she discovers the secret of Shad and accepts both as one who cherish her. Stunned by her reaction, he realizes he cares for her. Once she learns what his plans for her were she is hurt and angry. He proves he cares for her by saving her from the find the technomage scientist who kidnaps her and wants to experiment on her to see if she can duplicate Cenda's powers.

THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW is an erotic evocative fantasy in which science and magic coexist but practitioners fight for supremacy. Gray is a conflicted person; hating Shad for something that occurred on his home planet; he wears the scars of that incidents and wants Shad to suffer though he understands the shadow is him. Cenda is a strong willed individual who falls for all manifestations of Gray. Her acceptance brings healing and redemption to she Shadow sorcerer, but does not abate the danger to either of them or her. If this thriller is any indication, Denise Rossetti is a welcomed newcomer to the fantasy genre.

Harriet Klausner