From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Thea Harrison comes the final story in her spellbinding Moonshadow trilogy…
King Oberon reigned over his Dark Court in Lyonesse for centuries, until an assassination attempt laid him low. Now he lies unconscious in his snow-bound palace, while his Power battles the enchantment that threatens to end his life.
A skilled trauma surgeon and magic-user, Dr. Kathryn Shaw reigns at the top of her profession in New York. Then comes a challenge she can’t resist—she is asked to cure the uncureable. Just getting close enough to try healing Oberon is a dangerous proposition. When she does reach him, he awakens too soon.
Roused from darkness by Kathryn’s presence, Oberon confronts the beautiful stranger who claims she wants to save his life. But the enchantment has frozen his emotions. How can he learn to trust her when he can’t feel anything?
Oberon’s desire is icy, devoid of all tenderness. Not only must Kathryn match wits with him, she must also fight her reaction to his touch, because there is so much more at stake than her own endangered heart.
For the Dark Court faces its most deadly peril yet. Its ancient enemy Isabeau, Queen of the Light Court, is obsessed with its annihilation, and Oberon must be brought to remember his loyalty and affection for his people.
Because if he won’t fight for them, Lyonesse itself may very well be destroyed…
Review
Overall grade: A+
Predictability: 1 out of 5 where 5 is I might as well have written the book I can lay it out so well
I would say it’s pretty hard to use a common concept and flush out the story without being predictable, but Thea Harrison has done that in this book. As I made my way thru the book, I quickly noticed that I had no idea whatsoever of where the author was going with the story. And I loved it! So periodically, I found myself stopping in different areas of the book and wondering if I could predict what was going to happen. This was so refreshing and I enjoyed that aspect of this reading experience the most.
Best part(s) of the book:
Imagery. I immediately fell in love with the imagery the author presented in the capital of Lyonesse. So devastating in its beauty. First of all, the city had been completely destroyed under the onslaught of Oberon’s unchecked power and I could only imagine how heartbreaking and eerie the deserted city was. Aqueducts partly submerged by water and palatial columns encased in solid pieces of ice. WHOA! I was taken aback and actually had to reread the scene where Dr. Kathryn entered the city and its palace multiple times. I was so enraptured by the imagery I am wondering if the author had an image she referred to as she wrote it.
Another favorite part of the book was the internal struggle and the overall personality of Oberon. I thought it extremely interesting to compare the two personalities of Oberon vs Dragos. I understand that they are two separate characters and their similarities in no way shape or form equal their differences, but the dynamic was amazing. Two strong monarchs and to see how Oberon dealt with his impending downfall in comparison to how Dragos handled his memory loss and close call with death – night and day. Oberon, in his cursed state, in no shape or form is a likeable character. He is pushy, dangerous and outright scary. I, myself, almost had a heart attack when he shifted into a gigantic white lion.
There is so much to love and appreciate in this book. Imagery. Tension. Personal struggle. Personality clashes. Heartache. Emotional agony. Recovery. War. Violence. Dedication. Suffice to say this book is the best, in my opinion, of this series so far. We’re all on pins and needles hoping against hope that Dr.Kathryn can save Oberon – if she doesn’t kill him herself because of his inflexibility.
*thanks to the Author for granting me this ARC
