Shadow Fires (Shielder Series, Book 5) [Mass Market Paperback]

Catherine Spangler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2004

Think Pink and blue feathers come together as the irascible courtesan Lani returns to instruct a savage Leor warlord on how to woo his Shielder bride in SHADOW FIRES, book five in Catherine Spangler’s award-winning Shielder series. Jenna dan Aron, a Shielder with psychic abilities, finds herself reluctantly married to Arion of Saura, a Leor who seems more beast than man, and who has no place in his life for softness or emotion. She finds life in the Leor settlement barbaric and beyond her experience. Her fierce warrior husband is her only buffer and her only lifeline, yet she finds herself challenging him and the ways of the Leors. In turn, he tries to resist the unfamiliar, protective urges his soft human mate raises in him, while they're both stunned by the sensual attraction that rages between them. And in the relentless heat of the wild Sauran desert, Jenna and Arion wage a battle of wills—until they discover that the heart is mightier than any weapon, and l! ove can forge shadow and fire together.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Shielder Jenna dan Aron's visions have always been accurate, so she resigns herself to her destiny to mate with Arion of Saura, a leader of a race of people rumored to be little more than barbarians. As she tries to adjust to the strange, hostile ways of his people, she begins to wonder if, for the first time, her visions have led her astray. Arion has his own concerns about bringing a fragile human into his world. But he needs her to help his kind survive. In the dangerous days ahead, each learns there is more to the other than meets the eye, and their bond will be their greatest strength. In this twist on Beauty and the Beast, Spangler imagines a well-drawn futuristic world. Although some plot points are a bit too convenient, readers will barely notice as Jenna and Arion tug at their heartstrings. This is the fifth book in a series: Shielder (1999), Shadower (2000), Shamara (2001), and Shadow Crossing (2003). Nina Davis
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Review

****4-1/2 Stars, TOP PICK**** Highly recommended! -- Romantic Times BOOKclub Magazine

Catherine Spangler spangles once again with this superb stellar story. -- The Best Reviews

Ms. Spangler should be called the Queen of futuristic romances! Shadow Fires is heady reading. -- Reader to Reader Reviews

Shadow Fires is without a doubt Catherine Spangler's best novel yet. -- Sensual Romance Reviews

Shadow Fires will be added to my keeper shelf, right next to the other volumes of this wonderful series! -- Old Book Barn Gazette

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 326 pages
• Publisher: Love Spell; First Thus edition (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0505525259
• ISBN-13: 978-0505525253
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,467,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The books keep getting better and better!, February 24, 2004

By 

Darkcat_ak "darkcat_ak" (Alaska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow Fires (Shielder Series, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a story to reckon with. Jenna is a Shielder rescued from the Dark Galaxy who now lives on Shimera, a haven from annihilation from the Controllers. However, she is isolated from her own people by the visions she sees. So when the Leors demand a bride, or they will not provide passage (only the Leor have ships large enough for transporting a whole colony of people) for two recently discovered Shielder colonies, Jenna steps forward to marry the Leor, which she had seen in a vision. Arion is a Leor Comdar in firm control of all his emotions. The matter of taking a mate is only a necessity to propagate their species. He will not yield to anything, even his non-Leor mate. However, with the interference of Lani "the blue echo bird" and a meddlesome android, he discovers there could be more at stake than just begetting a child.

As a Shielder Jenna knows of the Leor and has heard rumors regarding their lifestyle. But nothing prepared her for her new life as the mate to a Leor male; for the actuality of trading the isolated security she had on Shimera for his way of life. Jenna has blindly agreed to live on a hot desert planet where nothing is explained to her. Life for Jenna is one hardship after the other as the Leors expect her to know their ways, while at the same time they treat her worse than a slave and with mistrust. Because of Lani, Arion is worried that stress will hinder her ability to conceive a child. Thus he finds himself getting to know and admire his tiny, fragile, human mate. Although he is clueless on practically every aspect of dealing with her, the tenderness is still there as well as the growing attraction, which leads to desire. Thus leaving the big bald guy at a loss because it is contrary to the nature of a Leor. Arion does make small concessions with Jenna and in their case this more than works. As the couple faces getting broken apart, can Jenna see her husband not for a beast, but someone she would give her life to protect?

This is a really well written novel. For starters - yippee!! Lani's back! I love her, she cracks me up and - 'see how the mighty will fall' comes to mind, with her help. SHADOW FIRES is an intense novel that is a little different. It seems most weddings are with other humans, where as now we have a human and humanoid marriage. We get to learn about the Leor, a race of reptilian humanoids that are all in 100% control of everything they do and have a very deep mistrust of outsiders.

The relationship between Jenna and Arion is tender, and I was surprised at how gentle he was with her, even though it went against his own nature. Jenna is a remarkable woman. I think if placed in her situation, most people would lack the determination, strength and desire to succeed under the conditions. At the same time this was also an intense novel. I loved the android Maxine who helped to lighten the tone almost as much as Lani. The way the aura is used is ingenious, although embarrassing, also lends moments where you can't help but laugh. If you have read the rest of Ms Spangler's books, you will get to revisit couples from previous stories, including Lani. I really enjoyed SHADOW FIRES, and couldn't put it down. I highly recommend it!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't wait for more, February 12, 2004

By 

Erica "encbks" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow Fires (Shielder Series, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

Ms. Spangler is a new author for me, and when I read a new author I usually get a book with a common storyline, so when I found out about her Shielder's series, it reminded me of Jayne Ann Krentz's Shield's Lady. But Shadow Fires is so much MORE! It was exciting and romantic and funny, I though there were just so moments whrn he was trying to relate to his wife that were sweet and funny. I have already gone out and bought the rest of the series, and I am so excited. I love it when I find a new author! You'll been done with this books in 5 hours, and that's with interupptions.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to the series -, April 9, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Shadow Fires (Shielder Series, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have read all five books in this series and loved them all, but this one was truly a great read. Love, passion, sacrifice and faith were all there. Jenna was strong, and I disagree with the reader who said she took too long to accept the Leor lifestyle. Jenna and Arion were perfect and Spangler brought them together in just the right way spending just the right amount of time or their differences and on how they come to love each other. This is one of the best series I've read. It is better enjoyed in order, but any way you read these books will prove that Spangler is a great writer. I hope she continues with this series. I can't get enough of the characters and the plot lines.