Shades of Dark

When we last left Chasidah Bergren, former pride of the Sixth Fleet, and Gabriel Sullivan, a rare human Kyi-Ragkiril, in GABRIEL’S GHOST they had just destroyed an illegal jukor lab on Marker and had barely escaped with their lives, thanks largely to Chaz’s ex-husband, Admiral Philip Guthrie, and her estranged brother Thad. Both men now knew Sully’s secret, a secret that...more

When we last left Chasidah Bergren, former pride of the Sixth Fleet, and Gabriel Sullivan, a rare human Kyi-Ragkiril, in GABRIEL’S GHOST they had just destroyed an illegal jukor lab on Marker and had barely escaped with their lives, thanks largely to Chaz’s ex-husband, Admiral Philip Guthrie, and her estranged brother Thad. Both men now knew Sully’s secret, a secret that could jeopardize both of their lives. They had also learned that the political corruption went all to the top of the Imperial government, with First Barrister Darius Tage who they had trusted unquestionably with the most sensitive information pulling the strings along with Sully’s cousin, Hayden Burke, who had been endowed with the Sullivan fortune and intended to keep it. Power corrupts and it will affect the heroes as well as the villains in their next incredible adventure, SHADES OF DARK. When we pick up their story, the Boru Karn is on a mission to destroy a second, space bound, jukor lab but they are not exactly sure where to locate it. Guardian Drogue, an Englarian Monk and Sully’s former mentor, had arranged for them to meet with an informant known only as Dell on Narfial. When Chaz taps into a news beacon, her largest concern is that information regarding Sully’s feared and abhorred talents had been broadcast across the galaxy. If that were the case, their connections would rapidly dry up and Sully would face unbearable rejection from every one whose respect he had earned or whose trust he had carefully cultivated, including his crew. The news is not good. Although there is no mention of Sully’s genetic aberration, Chaz learns that her brother has been imprisoned, and knows that Tage and Burke will stop at nothing to get the information they want from him. Should Thad resist, a Stolorth Ragkiril would glean his knowledge the hard way. Either way Thad was dead man. Although Chaz is torn with the strong need to rescue her brother, her Fleet training kicks in, and she knows that the needs of the many supercedes the needs of the one. They must get to Del ASAP before the damning information is revealed. Sully agrees, but more trouble soon follows. When they are intercepted by a Farosian Infiltrator, it becomes painfully obvious that a trusted member of his own crew had betrayed their trust. Painful as it may be, Sully knows he must break his hard and fast rule about probing his friends’ minds and discovers the culprit. Sully’s fears regarding the confrontation are justifiable. Kyi-Ragkirils are highly motivated by strong emotions, both pleasure and pain. His relationship with Chaz, his bondmate, has strengthened his power radically and he doesn’t know what’s happening to him or how to control it. It frightens him. Predictably he loses control during the interrogation and Chaz is forced to take drastic action. With the conspirator confined, the Karn proceeds to the rendezvous point. Another surprise awaits them in Del, one who will test Sully beyond anything he could ever have imagined, putting both his personal ethics and his relationship with Chaz into question. The Kyi is seductive and Sully’s new mentor is not endowed with human morality. What price will these lovers pay for his assistance? I have read books that I couldn’t put down before, but nothing has compared to the experience of reading SHADES OF DARK. I found myself hurtling through space, experiencing every twist, every emotion, every betrayal and every victory. There were moments (many) in which Del made my flesh crawl, as his culture and will collided with Chaz and Sully’s. Yet in the end he was honorable in his own way. Chaz’s self control astounded me, while her compassion left me completely in awe. Sully, what can I say, this is a trial by fire for him and he emerges sadder but wiser. Granted he makes grave errors on the way to finding himself but there is nothing he will not do in order to redeem himself. The love he and Chaz share is inspirational. All I can say is wow, this book should win every literary award on the planet, and then some. If you read one SF romance this year, make it SHADES OF DARK. And if you haven’t yet read GABRIEL’S GHOST run, don’t walk, to the nearest bookstore and read it first. BTW fans of this series - get excited! Ms. Sinclair is currently working on a story for Admiral Philip Guthrie, which she is calling HOPE’S FOLLY. I personally cannot wait.    hide