Customer Reviews

Shadower (Shielder Series, Book 2)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

SHADOWER Sabin Travers has seen the dregs of the universe so ending up in a hellhole on Giza is not much of a change for the bounty hunter while waiting for repairs to his ship. What is a shocker is the elegant looking woman at the other end of the bar. A planet like this dump only houses tired rejects servicing the lowlifes that frequent places like this. However, he ends up interceding when she becomes embroiled in a bar fight after she is accused of cheating during a game of chance.

Moriah needs to leave Giza in order to complete her smuggling mission. She sneaks on board his ship only to learn that her "host" is helping the Shielders stop from getting annihilated. Both have immediate needs to assist large populations that apparently place Moriah and Sabin in conflict as to time and place. Also adding to the quandary is that Moriah and Sabin are falling in love with one another.

Catherine Spangler's previous novel, SHIELDER, garnered several awards as a highly regarded futuristic romance. Ms. Spangler returns to that same setting with the exciting, tense-laden SHADOWER. The story line never eases up due to the apparent opposing objectives of the strong lead characters. However, what makes this tale a triumph similar to its predecessor is the audience can see and hear the heartbeats of these worlds like Giza, which in turn, provides an authentic feel to a wonderful science fiction romance.

Harriet Klausner

Catherine Spangler is one of today's best writers of "futuristic romance" fiction. I read "Shielder" before "Shadower," but it doesn't matter which book you read first. Both novels stand on their own as excellent examples of the genre, and both take place on the same planet, Giza, sharing some of the same characters, but the storylines are totally different. Ms. Spangler's narratives are extremely well written, her plots are fresh and original, and her characters jump right off the page, they're so realistic. They sure found a place in my heart!

Handsome, hunky, alpha-male, Sabin Travers is a Shadower, bounty hunter extraordinaire, supposedly working for "The Collectors." Collectors are the evil folks who rule this particular quadrant of the universe, brainwashing and programing most other inhabitants to do their will through telekinetic control. Those outlaws who somehow manage to escape beneath Controller radar are shadowed, found and turned-in by Sabin and others like him. "Shadower" opens on the hell-like planet Calt, the hang-out for the dregs of the universe. Anteks, Shens, Jaccians, creatures of all kinds - thieves, smugglers, murderers - come to Calt for R&R and dirty business dealings.

Sabin is having a lousy day. The person he is hunting has eluded him and he's hot, tired and frustrated. Stepping into a local dive for some Elysian liquor, he sees an absolutely beautiful woman at the end of the bar. Intrigued to find such a woman in a place like this, he offers to keep her company - for her own safety, of course. Moriah, the lovely lady, is a smuggler whose ship has been stolen, stranding her on Calt. She ignores Sabin and enters a game of chance, Fool's Quest, with an unsavory group, hoping to win the money to pay her passage off the planet. Her subsequent good luck turns into a bar brawl. Sabin joins in the fray and the two barely manage to escape alive - without Moriah's winnings.

The last thing the lady wants is a man in her life, even for a brief fling. She disengages herself from Sabin, after begrudgingly thanking him. If Sabin knew how Moriah made her living, he would probably arrest her. Wounded from the fight and desperate to leave, Moriah decides that Sabin's ship is her only way off Calt. So she stows away. Unfortunately this proves to be a poor decision, as she inadvertently learns some highly confidential information, while on the voyage, that puts her life in grave danger.

Sabin and Moriah get along like cats and dogs in the early part of their relationship. Both are strong-willed, intelligent, highly independent people, and Moriah is operating with some heavy emotional baggage from her past. However, it is obvious that sparks fly between the two from the beginning. As the plot develops, so does the relationship, but the more attached Moriah becomes to Sabin, the more complicated her life seems to become, and she begins to make mistakes and poor decisions trying to complete a dangerous job.

There is as much suspense as romance here....and the romance sizzles. Ms. Spangler has created a grim universe where technology, progress and education do not prevent evil. She peoples her story with all kinds of fascinating creatures, and fabulous secondary characters. The author won the 1998 Emily Award for "Shielder" and she certainly deserves it. "Shadower" is a wonderful read and almost as good. I am addicted to this series. Highly recommended!!
JANA

Where do you hide in a galaxy that is ruled by Controllers? Controllers are far reaching beings that can dominate your very life for their own purposes. In a time where no place is safe and no one can be trusted comes this tale of two people determined to do anything to ensure the survival of those that mean the most to them. This includes breaking all of the rules.

Sabin, introduced to us in the 1998 award-winning tale "Shielder", is a darkly dangerous, outrageously sensual, futuristic bounty hunter on a personal mission to capture the ever-elusive Moriah. She stole his ship and then his heart so tracking her down and bringing her to heel offers rewards that defy the imagination.

Moriah, a fiery beauty with a spirit to match, will do whatever it takes to survive and overcome the demons that plague her soul. This includes stealing Sabin's ship to accomplish her desperate and dangerous smuggling mission. She knows the rules and is willing to risk her life, for if she is successful, it will guarantee a easier life for the small mismatched group of women that she calls family.

Award winning author and writing sensation, Catherine Spangler fans the fire then feeds the flames of passion in "Shadower". She expertly tells a tale of a dangerous cat and mouse game full of gutsy moves, calculated risks and raw sensuality. Sabin and Moriah ignite the pages of this book with their battle of wills and ultimately, their surrender. If you love engaging Sci-fi romantic adventure, don't miss this opportunity to sample Ms. Spanglers finest work to date.

This book is one of those really great finds that don't expect, but you remember forever! It's got all the things that make a book great: a terrific, sexy, heroic man; a strong, sexy, resilient woman; a love affair that is literally out of this world. And in addition to all that, it's got whole new worlds that the author makes feel very real. And secondary characters that will make you laugh out loud! This book is a funny, sexy, romp one minute, then a deep, meaningful life lesson the next. I couldn't put it down, and recommend it to everyone, no matter what your reading tastes!

Ah, Sabin, there is no other like him. He is the stuff that dreams are made of (another heavy sigh). I am a new reader of futuristic romance novels, but after reading Shadower and Shielder, I am absolutely hooked. Ms. Spangler's writing is simply magic. She makes her characters so real that you want to reach out and touch them (in particular I would like to reach out and touch Sabin). From the very beginning of Shadower to the very end, Ms. Spangler grabs your attention and doesn't let go. Sabin and Moriah are a modern day Rhett and Scarlett, although Moriah could give Scarlett a run for her money in the femme fatale catagory. I would recommend Shadower (and Shielder) to anyone--from the "die hard" romance reader to the "action/adventure" reader. Ms. Spangler covers all the bases. Can't wait for the next book!!

Captain Moriah Cameron was trying to find her contact in the bar when all hades broke loose! The last thing she wanted was to be "rescued" by Sabin Travers! Worse, he was a Shadower, a type of bounty hunter that worked for the Controllers! Moriah had an illegal shipment of iridon to deliver, FAST! She also had to find her sister, Celie. But Moriah had to be careful or end up becoming Sabin's next captive to be turned in for bounty, and the Controllers would kill her on sight for more than one reason!

Sabin had no idea what possessed him to grab the ill tempered woman and get off world! When she stranded him and hijacked his ship, he thought he would kill her! Instead, he found himself attracted to her. But she and her sister had been given to Pax as a payment by their father long ago. After years of abuse, she was not about to trust men. He would have to treat her with kid gloves.

***** This one is an exciting romp through space with a feisty female and a hardened bounty hunter! This one will keep readers GLUED to the pages until all is over. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

this book is great, cant wate for book 3 to come out.

Everyone knows that sequels are usually not as good as the original, which is certainly the case with SHADOWER by Catherine Spangler. A sci-fi romance, SHADOWER was written after the award-winning SHIELDER to explain the history behind the beautiful merchant Moriah and her bounty-hunter husband, Sabin. So, SHADOWER (the sequel) takes place before SHIELDER (the prequel), timeline-wise. SHADOWER had also been a book I was anxious to read, simply because I thought both Moriah and Sabin were fascinating characters. Their story, however, was not as good as Chase and Nessa's in SHIELDER.

The first chapter in SHADOWER in which Moriah and Sabin meet at a seedy bar on a nasty planet was interesting. However, once Moriah stows away on his ship and they begin their cat-and-mouse game of "catch me if you can," I started to lose interest, mostly because of how the characters are portrayed. The Moriah that interested me in SHIELDER was tough yet exceptionally feminine. Here in SHADOWER, she's portrayed as a man-hating victim. The victim part bugged me the most. The last thing I wanted to read about was somebody's stark terror at being touched intimately by any man. Plus, it ruined my image of Moriah, seeing her as a cliché of victimhood. Same thing with Sabin. In SHIELDER, he was this ultra-cool bounty hunter who was rough and tough, yet was secretly protecting his people from the brink of extinction. In SHADOWER, he ends up fumbling every attempt to capture Moriah, who wrongs him in so many ways. It made him look bad - how's he supposed to be an effective bounty hunter if one woman can slip his grasp every time he meets up with her? It also becomes quite clear that he is one of the most whipped heroes that ever existed. Every bad thing Moriah does to him is justified by her victimhood status, which he decides to help her overcome. Oh come on!

There is a very similar sci-fi romance out there called THE SKYPIRATE, which was written 5 years before SHADOWER and reads so much better. Both stories are about heroes who fly around in space ships doing supposed bad deeds but are, in reality, actually supporting the existence of their persecuted peoples. Both stories also have heroines who were former sex slaves and have baggage because of it. However, SKYPIRATE is much more enjoyable because, while there is baggage, it doesn't overwhelm the story and doesn't stereotype the heroine into a victim.

Also, SKYPIRATE doesn't use a lot of American jargon or phrasing, like SHADOWER does. In SHADOWER, characters ask each other if they are "OK" or say things like "you hated my guts." This is supposed to be a sci-fi set on other planets. They shouldn't talk like Americans in the 21st century.

Anyway, while SHADOWER was disappointing, I still intend to read the next book in the series, called SHAMARA. Hopefully, it'll be on par with the first book, SHIELDER, which was such a fantastic romance.

Catherine Spangler's Shadows Fires was a RITA nominee. That didn't surprise me. She is one talented writer. What surprises me is she hasn't received this recognition before. She is without doubt one of the best Futuristic Romance writers around. I have eagerly read each of her tales, but decided to go back and "revisit" some of the first in the series.

Yes, they are a series, but you can easily read them in any order. Spangler gives you an original premise, sharp involving writing, but it's with her characters that make her standout. You become so involved with these people she conjures to life.

Sabin Travers is a Shadower, a bounty hunter. He works for The Collectors. The Collectors were the rulers in this particular quadrant of the universe. But their rule is not benevolent. They brainwash and reprogram people to do their will, controlling them with telekinetic powers. There are those who somehow manage to escape their control. For these the Collectors employ the Shadowers. The Shadowers hunt down and turn-in these rebels.

The story starts on a hellish planet Calt, which is the `Dew Drop Inn' for the dregs of the quadrant (think of the bar scene in the first Star Wars Movie), where all creatures great and small come to do business. Sabin has been tracking his latest quarry, but the target has proved elusive. He only wanted to have a drink and relax. He never expected to see the woman at the end of the bar. Women like her are prey in this dive, so he cannot help but wonder why she is there.

Moriah Cameron is a smuggler, only her ship was stolen, leaving her stranded on this hellhole. Hoping to win money to pay her passage off the planet, she enters a game. There is a brawl and Sabin manages to help Moriah escape, though her winnings are left behind.

Moriah is not too happy with Sabin's protection. If he was aware of how she was a smuggler, he would turn her in - or so she thinks. Still, she has little option but to accept Sabin's ship as her ticket off Calt. But rather than beg his help, she stows away on his vessel. This puts her life in danger as she overhears confidential information.

Sabin and Moriah are both strong-willed people, and in cases where the sexual attraction is deep, sparks fly. Only Moriah has a dark secret that makes her mistrust men. This is handled very deftly by Spangler, giving Moriah a depth, a vulnerability, a strength that goes beyond general fiction writing.

Spangler was leading the way in Futuristic romance long before it was a hot genre. She creates strong worlds in vivid details. To be a successful writer in the genre the writer has to see the world they write about in order to make the readers see it as well. Spangler dazzles with this ability.

Sabin and Moriah are memorable characters who make you care and will linger long in your mind. A brilliant job. Highly recommended.

This book is one of a trilogy that is well worth the time and money. the book was a fast paced adventure with characters you can relate to and cheer for.