Review: The greatest H/h in literary romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 9, 2013
This is a saga, the length of five books in one, and when I turned the last page--kindle location 23044!--I cried tears of wonderment. Never have I read a story this engrossing, this thought-provoking, this emotionally potent.It conveys a similar theme to Lord of the Flies, with its marooned, violent characters, and its study of the ugly side of human nature versus the omniscient force of goodness. The symbolism is unmissable, but the events that unravel are as real as speculative fiction can get. There's no doubt human depravity sinks this low in ungoverned, distressing situations. But this tale also portrays the hero who rises from the rot of humanity, and the courage she (and he) must suffer to endure the journey. And it's a beautiful and terrible hero's journey.It'll take you about 40 hours to read. 40 hours with a dry throat, a sputtering pulse, and twisting and tumbling stomach. But the joyous moments--oh the unselfish love between the heroine and her scaly son of a b**ch lizard warrior--are the balm for a beaten-down heart. If this isn't the best book I've ever read, by God and Gann, this is the greatest H/h in literary romance.***Quote: She stared at him for a moment and then flung out her arms, shouting, "There is no baby, lizardman! There's never going to be a baby! There's no baby and no God and the only reason we have sex--you might want to write this down--is because it feels good and we like it! You can call it God or Gann or the Great Gadzooks if you want to, but it's just two people f***ing!"Amber is a positively fierce heroine, and sarcastic and stubborn to a fault. She's captured by a brutal lizard rebel and stands nose-to-snout with him, unwavering in her trash-talk, insulting him in a language he doesn't understand.***Quote: "You are such a slut," said Amber, pushing her finger in to stroke his sa'ad. "Honest to God, that's what you are. Big, tough Zhuqa. You're just a dirty girl."The sex scenes are graphic and appropriately short, some painful, some heartfelt, but all serving a purpose to the plot.RLS has a magical way of blending classic storytelling with modern sci-fi. The result is enchanting, romantic, and unparalleled. The author peels back the skin and scales, exposing not just the heart and mind, but the very fiber that connects the soul and constitutes the character. The dialogue is witty and imaginative, the humor allows you brief and blissful exhales, and the complexity of the expert writing is the touchstone by which the craft should be measured.Do you want a story created for greatness, one that will transport you without the benefit of gimmicks and gratuitous sex? Do you want to take a journey that will thrive on being tasted and shared from beginning to end? You don't need to pray on this. Meoraq's fires are burning. Any opportunity to read this book is surely proof that Sheul has will in this matter. Stand in His favor and experience Meoraq's fires for yourself. :)