Featuring SFR: Overview - Shielder Series by Catherine Spangler (Part 1)

If you visit this blog, you know I love science fiction romance. Every so often I review a book or mention a favorite author, however to date I've not gone out of my way to highlight this genre. It's about time.

A shoutout to Heather from The Galaxy Express, one of my favorite science fiction romance informational blogs. Recently, Heather put together a list of blogs that review science fiction romance books. You KNOW I'll be visiting them! Here's a link to that list in case you're interested.

I'm beginning this feature by highlighting Catherine Spangler's SHIELDER series, a classic science fiction romance favorite. Published by Love Spell beginning in 1998 and ending in 2004, the series is labeled as Futuristic Romance and consists of five titles: Shielder, Shadower, Shamara, Shadow Crosser, and Shadow Fires.

World building: The world building in this series is excellent. Catherine Spangler certainly gets high marks for creativity. The Shielders are a humanoid race who are born with a natural mental shield. The Controllers have taken over most the galaxy by using their mind control abilities and brutal violence against those who oppose them. The Shielders' natural skills makes these two races enemies. The series begins when the Shielders, who have long battled the Controllers for survival, are almost decimated. The Controllers are systematically committing genocide against their race and colonies are being erased from the galaxy by deadly chemical viruses. The series then continues with the battle for survival of the Shielder race by taking the reader through different adventures, planets and ends with Book 4. Shadow Fires, Book 5, is related and involves a Shielder but it's focused on another alien race, the Leors.

Characters: Throughout the series, Spangler doesn't restrict herself to introducing Shielder and Controller  characters. Instead, she mixes it up and the reader gets a wonderful view of the different beings and creatures that inhabit this galaxy that she created. Her male protagonists range from ship captains and doctors, to bounty hunters, leaders and aliens. The female protagonists also have different backgrounds and come from different planets, there is a brave Shielder, two smugglers, an Enhancer and a Seer.

Romance vs. Science Fiction: The romances in these books are central to the stories, more so than in most science fiction romance books today. Spangler combines all the ingredients I love in this genre and balances them quite well: the romance, science fiction details and space adventure in this series. The books are older and so is the style and some of them might feel bit dated. For example: the "absolute kick butt" space heroine is not there yet (although you'll find some of that in the books). The first book was published in 1998 and the last book in 2004, so you must take this into consideration when reading the series.

Issues: Spangler addresses different issues throughout her stories. You'll find a feminist thread as well as others through the whole series: how societies treat those who are different and the consequences of ignorance; male centered societies and how they affect females; the struggle for independence and validation, and of course there's more. She takes all of these issues, places them into a science fiction setting and weaves them into her great adventures.

There's plenty of "rescuing the female protagonist" in this series, yet... you'll find that, with the exception of one, most of the females do plenty of rescuing themselves and two of Spangler's heroines are smugglers -- not exactly the "come rescue me" type.

Conclusion: Most of the books have a great balance between the romance and adventure with excellent science fiction details. For the most part they are fast paced reads and the world building is easy to understand and follow. With the exception of one book, this is an excellent science fiction romance series -- a classic.

This is a two part post -- tomorrow's post will have pertinent information on the individual books: the series in order with covers, summaries and some quick personal notes on each book.

Review: Once a Father by Kathleen Eagle

Logan Wolf Track had horses in his blood. For this "Indian cowboy," teaming up with army sergeant Mary Tutan to enter the Double D's wild mustang training competition was a win-win proposition. This tough yet vulnerable woman was a natural with horses—and with Logan. She soon had the single father yearning for love and family, something he'd lost when his grown stepsons left home.

But as with horses, it wasn't enough for Logan to know how to ride this feeling; he had to know how to fall. And when Mary made a shocking discovery that threw their relationship into question, Logan knew he'd risk all to keep their untamable passion alive….

This is the book I was reading when I left on my brief vacation, and the one that stayed with me. It's the cowboys, the horses and the western setting. They always do it for me. In Once a Father, I really enjoyed the way Eagle's unique character combination and how she portrayed both the "Indian cowboy" hero and army sergeant heroine.

Logan Wolf Track is an expert at training wild horses -- he even wrote a book about it -- and he wants to join the Mustang Sally Training Competition. The fact that he's on the Indian Council leasing lands to Sally, however, disqualifies him to enter and win the $20,000 purse. Mary Tutan would also love to enter the competition and she does qualify, but her forte is training dogs in the army, not horses. Her friend Sally comes up with the perfect solution -- Mary will partner up with Logan and she'll enter the competition while he shares his horse training methods with Mary. If they win, they'll split the purse.

While Mary is on a 30 day leave from the army to take care of her mother who is ailing, she finds herself torn between wanting to spend her days with Logan training their their horse, and taking care of her mother. Although her mother is sweet and understanding, her father makes things difficult. There's no love lost there. Her father is a man who has emotionally and verbally scarred his entire family. He's also a rancher and has a problems with using good land to save wild mustangs.

Mary is a plain looking woman and doesn't think of herself as attractive, but what I like about her is that she doesn't really seem too concerned by it. Logan is immediately attracted to the character he sees on Mary's face and a mutual attraction and sexual pull develops pretty quickly after that. Logan is one of the nicest men I've encountered in a book -- a man with two grown up children, a giver -- and Mary is a strong woman who's still trying to find her true path in life. Together, they make a beautiful couple.

The romance itself is heart warming and although there's not a lot of external conflict, I enjoyed the characters and their internal and personal struggles. Although the sexual scenes between Mary and Logan are written in an almost mystical way and not necessarily to my taste, others might find them pleasing and I must say that there's just something about Eagle's writing that I enjoy. The title of the book fits the story, Eagle gave it a bit of a twist that gave this story and characters depth.  

Eagle's protagonists are warm and down to earth. The story is quite contemporary, and while it centers around Mary and Logan, the plight of the wild mustang in the West is also a focus. Training the chosen horse plays a big role in the story and romance that develops between Mary Tutan and Logan Wolf Track -- Eagle integrates the two in an almost mystical way. Characters from the previous two books in this series make appearances, and I'll be definitely pick up those books.

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Western
Series: Western American Series - Book #4
Released: Harlequin/Silhouette Special Edition - September 2010
Grade: B  

September 2010 Reads

Well September was busy month for me, and it went fast! I'm feeling relaxed and renewed after my week off and have energy to burn. Hopefully that will translate into a few more posts and reviews. :)

I dedicated half of September to re-reads, while I kept Mariana company during her Re-reads Month and really enjoyed reading loved/favorite books. My biggest problem was choosing them. An interesting note: I noticed that most of my comfort or favorite books are in the "B" category (B, B+) -- yes some of them are A's, but very few. Does that happen to you?

And finally I do have Challenge Updates this month. After four months of not reading or reviewing any books for the In-Death Challenge, my block was broken and I'm again on a roll again! I also finally began reading the book I chose for Orannia's BIG BOOK Challenge, Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey, and *drum roll* I finished reading and next week will be posting my last review for Anasthezea's 2010 M/M Romance Challenge. Yes!

Here are my September reads:

Total books read: 22
Re-reads: 11
New reads: 11

Favorite book AND Biggest Surprise this month?

• Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie: A

Believe it or not, this is my very first Jennifer Crusie book! This is one of those authors I kept seeing around and always decided to read later. I left a comment on Tracy's blog saying so and her answer was... "Girlfriend, what are you thinking?" So, she very generously sent me a second copy as a gift and sure enough I gobbled up that book. Tracy was right, what the heck was I thinking?! What fun! Just... what fun! So yeah [sigh] late to the party, but had a great time anyway. :D 

Biggest Disappointment

• Marrying McCabe by Fiona Brand: C

I know this is an older book, but I've been looking forward to reading it for quite while -- it took me all this time to find this old copy and purchase it. The first three books in Fiona Brand's SAS series are favorites and I just expected more from this one, and you know what those high expectations can do. Brand still weaves a good story and I enjoyed some parts of it, however in my opinion this book was definitely not in the same category as the first three in the series. You can read my thoughts here. 

Complete List of Books Read

1. Lady Sophia's Lover by Lisa Kleypas (Re-read): B
2. A Separate Peace by John Knowles (Re-read): A
3. Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger (Re-read): A
4. Cullen's Bride by Fiona Brand (Re-read): B+
5. Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb: B-
6. Vengeance in Death by J.D. Robb: B+
7. Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard (Re-read): A-
8. Up Close and Dangerous by Linda Howard: C
9. Blue Moon (Under the Boardwalk Anthology) by Linda Howard: B-
10. Overload (Summer Sensations Anthology) by Linda Howard: B
11. StarCrossed 1:Demon Tailz by McLeod & Valentine (Re-read): B+
12. StarCrossed 2:Opposite Ends of the Spectrum by McLeod & Valentine (Re-read):B+
13. Reckless Seduction by Amanda Young (Re-red): B-
14. Reckless Behavior by Amanda Young (Re-read): B
15. Tabula Rasa by Tori Temple (Re-read): B+
16. Marrying McCabe by Fiona Brand: C
17. Truly, Madly by Heather Webber (Upcoming Review)
18. Once a Father by Kathleen Eagle:  (Upcoming Review)
19. Shamara (Shielder, Book 3) by Catherine Spangler (Re-read): B-
20. In Enemy Hands by KS Augustin:  (Upcoming Review)
21. Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie: (Upcoming Review)
22. The Doctor's Wife by Cheryl St. John:  (Upcoming Review)

How was your September? What book was your favorite? I chose an "oldie, but a goodie." Was yours an "oldie," or a new release?

Two-Fer Reviews: Ceremony In Death & Vengeance In Death by J.D. Robb

In Ceremony in Death, Eve is confronted with a few personal dilemmas after the death of a fellow police officer indicates he might have been dirty. While IAD requires the investigation, Eve becomes primary on a secret investigation where she must place Eve the cop before her personal feelings or loyalties. The investigation that takes her into an underworld filled with magic, a Satanic cult and the Wiccan religion.

I had a tough time getting through this book and was "stuck" at a certain point for a few months. I finally began re-reading it (again) and finished Ceremony in Death this month.

In Ceremony in Death, J.D. Robb explores the Wiccan religion, witchcraft and psychics in a futuristic world and I really enjoyed the way this particular part of the story was crafted and some of the secondary characters introduced - young Jamie, who loses his grandfather and sister to the Satanic cult, was a favorite.

The story itself takes quite a few twists and turns. Eve doesn't believe in magic or psychic powers and she is confronted with things she doesn't really want to understand. Roarke becomes her personal guard as she unknowingly places herself and others in danger while discovering the differences between white and black magic. Eve's personal loyalties are also questioned when she's asked to keep Feeney out of the investigation due to secrecy, placing her in an untenable position. This story had a few surprises for me. One of them was Eve's over-the-top treatment of a suspect while she was interviewing him. Sometimes I find that as an investigator, Eve can be purposefully blind when it suits her and the results are not always pretty.

Ceremony in Death ended up being a very good read for me, although not a favorite in the end. Although I enjoyed some of parts of the story, I was frustrated with Eve's lack of "vision" and her inability to consider other people's perspectives. J.D Robb highlighted Eve's weaknesses in this installment as an investigator: Eve's narrow views don't allow her to process facts and ideas clearly. Hopefully there will be further growth for her in future installments.

Genre: Sci-Fi Romance - Futuristic Police Procedural
Series: In-Death Series (Book #5)
Grade: B-

Vengeance in Death

In Vengeance in Death the title is perfect. Roarke's past comes roaring back with a vengeance as a killer starts by dismembering and disemboweling a man in a hotel room and calling Eve to solve a puzzle and the murder. Soon, as the bodies begin to pile up, Eve and Roarke come to the realization that all the dead are Roarke's old friends from his murky childhood in Ireland. What becomes quickly clear, as Summerset becomes the main suspect, is that Roarke is meant to be the killer's crowning glory in this game of revenge and murder.

One of the most violent and horror-filled books to this point, Vengeance in Death is also the book where Roarke's childhood and part of his past in Ireland is explored. This is a story full of tension and emotions, not only for Eve and Roarke, but also for their butler and Roarke's friend Summerset. In this story, Summerset's character is explored, as well as his relationship with Eve and Roarke.

This was an emotional read. There were moments when I didn't know who upset me more, Eve or Summerset -- they are both so stubborn, hardheaded and emotionally stunted, it's still tough to choose. Throughout this story there are times when Eve goes too far in her role as a cop, as does Summerset with his uptight prejudices. Neither gives an inch, no matter how much they hurt each other. At times, it was tough to read and to like or sympathize with either one of them. Instead, my sympathies went to Roarke who is clearly in the middle of two people he loves and who love him. That is not to say that J.D. Robb doesn't balance the scales. She does. Both Eve and Summerset work through tough issues in Vengeance in Death, as does Roarke, and all three make this an exciting read.

Great new secondary character introduced in this book? McNab, the new EDD computer geek who has the hots for Officer Peabody. I love the competitiveness between the two and McNab's easy way with both Eve and Roarke.

Vengeance in Death is my favorite book in the series so far. I really enjoyed the roller-coaster emotional ride the characters go through, while Eve and her team race to solve the mystery. The suspense in this book kept me involved throughout and the final outcome fits perfectly with the overall story. Eve and Roarke have some highly charged scenes in this book as well and those were not lost on me either. The fact that some light was finally shed into Roarke's past is a definite plus. And last, but not least, I love the way J.D. Robb continues to weave the futuristic aspects of her world into this series seamlessly, including them without overwhelming the story with too many details.

Genre: Sci-Fi Romance - Futuristic Police Procedural
Series: In-Death Series (Book #6)
Grade: B+ 

Visit J.D. Robb here.

Christine's In-Death Reading Challenge - September Reviews

Thoughts on Banned Books Week

It's National Banned Books Week (September 25 - October 2, 2010). This is a subject that resonates with me personally. I was born and until age 12 lived in a society where books were (and still are) heavily censored. So as a young adult, and to this day, having the freedom to pick up a book, any book, of my own choosing that focuses on subjects both orthodox and unorthodox, is a joy. It is a right that I value highly, treasure daily and one that I want my children and grandchildren to have in the future.

The American Library Association put together lists of the Top 100 Challenged books by decade for 1990-1999 and 2000-2009, plus the Banned Classics List. After going through all three lists, I noticed that although I haven't read many of the titles in the first two lists noted, I have read about half of the books included in the Banned Classics List, and still own most of them.

I couldn't help but notice that even in the 2000-2009 list, classics that influenced my younger years were included: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and a book that I re-read this month and discussed in one of my weekly reads posts, A Separate Peace by John Knowles. They even include some later titles that I still love and own such as The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende and Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson. Of course these stories might not be for everyone, but they are valuable to many including me.

I've had Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez on my list of books to buy and read for a while, but didn't realize it was also on a list of Banned/Challenged books. What about you? Have you read any of the books included on these lists? Do you make a point of reading banned books?

Check out posts on National Banned Books Week at Lurv a la Mode and Leslie's Psyche.