Customer Reviews

Shadow Fires (Shielder Series, Book 5)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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!

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.

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.

Some authors write what's safe, Ms. Spangler elevates the bar with an innovative story! I enjoyed Shadow Fires. The Leors were incredibly unique. Jenna a well-drawn heroine. I wait (impatiently) for your next book.

Ruling Comdar of Saura Arion rejects Shielder Jarek san Ranul offer of irridon. Instead, Arion loathingly barters for a mate among the outsiders. His Leor race is in trouble due to inbreeding among the small population and biologically minuscule fertile cycles of their females that if continues unabated means extinction in the near future. Thus Arion like others seeks a non Leor bride to produce hybrid offspring. He and his clan will rescue two Shielder colonies in trouble in exchange for a wife. This upsets the Shielder who detests the concept of bartering people as goods.

Because of her gift to see into the future, Jenna knows that she is destined to be sacrificed as a mate for the barbarous Leor warlord who apparently trades in human flesh. Jenna "volunteers" to mate with the beast. As they become acquainted through squabbling, they fall in love, but Jenna and Arion respectively has prejudicial notions about their mate that could supernova their relationship unless the positive qualities that they observe overcomes their biases.

The "Shadow" novels are some of the best romantic science fiction on the market today because the varying races that make up the Spangler universe seems so real. The latest terrific tale, SHADOW FIRES, is a great novel as the lead couple is a delightful dueling duo and the support cast enables the audience to learn more about their respective races. The story line is action packed on the two levels that of a science fiction thriller and an outer space romance with both blending brilliantly together. Catherine Spangler spangles once again with this superb stellar story.

Harriet Klausner

SHADOW FIRES was the first book I've read by this author, and wow, was I sorry I'd waited so long! I read the book in one unstoppable sitting, and it stayed with me for days. In fact, I will be re-reading this keeper very soon!

The author is a master of emotional scenes and truly makes you feel the couple's alienness to each other...and then unravels their barriers with beautiful, tender lyricism. This novel is unlike any other I've read in the genre, and I can't say enough good things about it.

If you've never read this one, rush to buy it! You won't be disappointed! Highly recommended.

Having read all of the books in Ms. Spangler's Shielder series, I can honestly say that this latest book is second only to Shadow Crossing (which was one of my all-time favorite books). I have heard rumors that this is the last of the series, and I for one sincerely hope the rumors are untrue. I whole-heartedly recommend this enormously enjoyable read.

This one is a winner in its genre. I read it in one night and enjoyed it very much. Delicate Shielder Jenna must toughen up when she mates with alien warlord Arion and has to learn to live in his barbaric world. The fierce Leor leader Arion must learn compassion if his delicate bride is to survive in his world. Highly recommended.

This is the fifth book in Spangler's Futuristic Shielder series and it is another strong tale, leaving us waiting for more!

Jenna dan Aron, a Shielder seer. Worse, she is one who has envisioned her own terrible fate. In her farseeing, she saw herself mated to a Leor, a man from a cruel race of people. In a Klingon style, they suppress any emotion and they mate for life. Even knowing this ahead of time, she fears she cannot stop fate, so she embraces it. When the Comdar of Saura, Arion, comes to Shamara seeking a mate, Jenna, resigned to her destiny, volunteers.

Arion is not thrilled to be marrying outside his race, but he as no other choice. He fears Jenna will not adjust the barbarian ways of the Leor, thinks her too weak and feeble to survive. However, Jenna is stronger than even she knows, and along the way she finds Arion is not the distant man he shows the world.

Once again, Spangler builds a strong Futuristic World, that grabs the reader and pulls into the marvelous land.

Keep them coming, Catherine!

This book is set far in the future, when races are significantly more distinct than they are now. Our heroin's race (Shielders) are fighting a loosing battle with another race (Controlers), who want to take over the Universe. A third race (Leor) are trying to stay neutral. They have more advanced weaponry but a small, infertile population. To combat this infertility, Leor chief Arion bargains for a Shielder wife. (So far, so good.)

Jenna is an outcast among the Shielders due to her clairvoyant visions. She is treated so badly, that she hides her face when walking in public, hoping not to be recognized. Jenna volunteers to be the Arion's wife. This could have been a strong point of the book, with Jenna hoping to improve her life, but instead she goes only because she believes she had a clairvoyant vision. Jenna expects to be as poorly treated by the Leor as she was by the Shielders.

Unfortunately for the reader, she is correct. The Leor are barely civil to Jenna and actively prevent anyone from helping her learn the rules of their society. The Leor society is activly repulsive: totalitarian government, slavery, and childrent raised enmass by the government.

Moreover, the plot elements keep getting more and more unreasonable. Jenna welcomes her brother happily and unreservedly, despite knowing that he dislikes her and has actively avoiding seeing or talking to her for 14 years. The Leor society allegedly respects people with clairvoyant visions, but there is no evidence of that in their treatment of Jenna. Another Leor chief's inter-racial wife flaunts tribal law and customs without consequence, and convinces most people in her tribe to do likewise, also without consequence. Jenna & Arion's mystical marriage ceremony (a highlight of the book) should have helped her understand her husband and the society; despite all reason and logic dictating otherwise, it doesn't.

Overall, this is a depressing, negative, internally inconsistent book. Mrs. Spangler's other books are far supperior to this one. Buy one of them instead.