Master of Surrender 

                          Karin Tabke

                          Pocket Books, 2008

Here at Heroes, I have started something new. A Featured Read of a new release. Right now I don’t have a schedule, it depends on how fast I can read them! But look for it on a regular bases. For my first selection, I’m happy to present the first featured book, Master of Surrender, by Karin Tabke.  

I’m a lover of anything that involves Medieval history, although, admittedly, I sometimes have difficulty with historical romance. What bothers me, as a student of medieval studies, is the often shabby research. Not so with Karin  Tabke’s  most recent release, Master of Surrender, which is her first historical.

An author, who loves the early medieval period, expertly and lovingly researched this book. Karin brought to life on every page the main hero, Norman Black Knight, Rohan de Luc. Who often appears like a giant of a brute with a deeply damaged, but gentle heart, especially when it comes to heroine and Saxon beauty, Lady Isabel. Whose spunk and intelligence is apparent in every page she occupies. And she does occupy the page.

This is a lusty fun read. Rohan, jumps off the pages with his band of heroes, including a giant of a Moor, Manhku.  I was struck by the compassion Karin had for her characters, when one of Rohan’s men asked him to spare the Lady Isabel her dignity, by not taking her to his bed. It was a heartfelt plea from a warrior who knew his captain well, and also knew what such an action would mean for the young woman, proclaimed to have the best bloodline in Britain. As I read the scene that included the group of Black Knights, I had my favorites and developed a few crushes, one especially on Thorin. They had their dark side along with being veracious.

Sparks fly off the pages in the form of the passion that grows between Rohan and Isabel. This was a great read, and one I highly recommend. If you want to chase a great hero, than pick up Master of Surrender, by Karin Tabke, you won’t be disappointed.

Personally I can’t wait for the next installment to this trilogy, Master of Torment, where the story continues.

Question of the Day:Have you read this book? And what do you love about the romantic historical?

CONNAL MACNEIL

Charm Stone by Donna Kauffman (Bantam 2002)

If you’re a fan of Karen Marie Moning, consider reading this one!

Connal MacNeil’s spirit has been waiting for his betrothed to show up on Scotland’s roaring shores.  When she does, she’s modern-day surfer Josie Griffin, who, after a tumultuous wipeout, found his clan’s stone and put it on.  Only, she doesn’t know the significance of that act, and even when she does, she’s not willing to accept it. 

STATS: 

Connal has bargained his soul for one last chance to save his clan.  When Josie shows up, his first words are, “I believe you have something that belongs to me.”  When he finds out she’s worn the stone, he informs her she is his, as well.  And when she says she’s not a fan of Fate or Destiny, Connal calmly tells her “I’ll convince ye otherwise.” 

THE LOOK:

“He was tall, ruggedly built, his dark hair pulled back from his face.  Unlike most of the men she’d seen in Scotland, he actually wore a kilt, with the excess tartan tossed over his shoulder like a cloak.  The fabric was worn, the colors faded, like a favorite pair of jeans.  And he looked just as natural in it.  Beneath the plaid was a shirt that might have been linen, but in the growing dusk it was hard to tell.  The shirt wasn’t new and neither were the leather boots laced up his thick calves….Imposing didn’t begin to describe the man.” 

LEADING LADY: 

When she puts a necklace with a huge stone around her neck, the last thing Josie  is expecting is a little kilted man to appear and tell her it is her fate to marry Connal MacNeil and bear him children.  Josie doesn’t quite agree.  She doesn’t like being told she’s a victim of Destiny, or as Connal puts it, that she has “no say in the matter.”   

A lot to learn

Connal has a lot to learn about his modern bride, including that she’s not in danger when she’s surfing and won’t take kindly to being “rescued.”  He thinks her “wave hunting” is ludicrous, and she refuses to believe he’s a ghost.  

BOTTOM LINE:

Josie and Connal have wonderful, spirited banter on the way to some magnificent love scenes.  Connal’s swoon-worthy, because he both appreciates Josie’s spirited nature….

“His jaw chenched.  ‘Dinna test me, lassie.’

‘Dinna test me either…whatever it is you call boys,’ she finished on a lesss-than-authoritative note. 

A jagged bolt of lightning lit up the sky, illuminating his face.  In that split second she swore she saw his expression falter, a brief twitch curve his lips. 

‘Lads,’ he said sternly, making her wonder I fit had been a trick of the light.”

…And knows how to make her knees wobble with unrelentless passion:

“’Now,’” he told her, “’you’d best dispatch of your guests or they’ll be treated to the screams I’ll elicit from you when I make you come apart for me again.’  He stepped closer. ‘And again.’” 

Swooning yet?

Be ready to cry too.  When Bagan, Connal’s short sidekick, tosses the stone into the sea (thinking Josie is not the one for  Connal), angering the gods so they call Connal home, you’ll feel Josie’s pain.  And even when she thinks he’s gone forever, she takes it upon herself to do—in the present day—what Connal had always wanted.  Save his clan’s future.  And that’s what saves Connal and their love.

QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Have you ever felt like you’ve fought Destiny, only to have to accept it in the end and been thankful that you have? 

Syndication, SciFi channel 3p.m  

STATS:  Jack O’Neil (In the film version, played by Kirk Russell, in the series played by Richard Dean Anderson) is a United States Air Force Colonel with experience in Special Ops. Col. O’Neil lead the first team through the Stargate to Abydos on a reconnaissance mission. He had been recalled to duty after retiring when his young son accidentally killed himself with his Barretta 92FS. O’Neil considered it a suicide mission. Surviving the mission, and with the creation of Stargate Command (SGC), he was given command of the primary SG team, SG-1. At which time, he had many adventures on other planets through the Stargate for 8 seasons.

THE LOOK:  Slender built, with an athletic edge, 6′2″ tall, sandy blond hair and soft brown eyes. Often complains about his bum knee.

LEADING LADY: Throughout the series, O’Neil’s relationship with Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) has been subjected to a great deal of interest and speculation. On two separate occasions, he came in contact with alternate realities in which O’Neill and Carter were either engaged or married. In another episode, both O’Neil and Carter had to officially admit their feelings for each other during a intense investigation of a incident. There are several events throughout the series, that suggest their close emotional association interrupted any opportunity for either of them to settle into any outside relationships. What kept them from consummating their relationship, was their devotion to the mission of SG-1. O’Neil was Carter’s superior, and for either of them to act on their feelings would mean, transfer from the unit and loss of their command. In order to stay together, they stayed apart.

BOTTOM LINE:  In many ways O’Neil was a typical hero, self-sacrificing, caring about the innocent, with a dark past that haunts him throughout the series. His wise cracking comments were always entertaining. But his arrogance tends to get him in trouble. He has a very strong attitude towards his own moral superiority, and will force his own beliefs upon alien cultures discovered by SG-1. His behaviour often produced serious consequences. What it comes down to, O’Neil does what he believes is the right thing to do, but if he’s wrong, he’ll admit it, grudgingly.

Question of the Day:  I love this type of hero. Strong, self-sacrificing even in love. He is a “Warrior” in every sense of the word. What is your favorite hero? Is he a charmer, the boy next door, warrior, etc. Lets take a poll. What is the best loved hero archetype?

Dr. Daniel Jackson.

Stargate, SG-1

(Professor, Warrior, Best Friend, Lost Soul)

First episode premiered on US TV: July, 1997 

Ran 10 Years Last episode shown on US TV: June 2007

The Look:  6’, lean, muscular, sky blue eyes, glasses.Portrayed by actor Michael Shanks, who has a talent for voice characterization, languages and accents; which is a good thing because Daniel supposedly speaks 23 Earth languages and 4 alien ones.Mr. Shanks was cast as Daniel for the TV show as a result of his spot-on imitation of and sometimes uncanny resemblance to the Daniel Jackson created by James Spader for the original Stargate movie.

The Layers:

Professor: Holder of  PhD’s in Archeology, Anthropology and Linguistics, this archeologist is not a Swashbuckler.  A thirst for knowledge is his raison d’etre, not a thirst for adventure.

Warrior: Forced into this role at first to save his wife and later to save himself, his teammates, the planet and the galaxy.  He has evolved into a competent soldier able to hold his own in a fire fight although hand-to-hand is not a strength and the military attitude of ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ is never his first choice.

Best Friend: Trustworthy, he is a compassionate, caring and peaceful man. He is often the diplomat, brokering alliances between Earth and alien races. He will do anything for the sake and safety of his teammates, planet and galaxy…including self-sacrifice.

Lost Soul: The only child of American archeologists living and working in Egypt, he is a misfit to American society almost from the day he is born.  A child prodigy of languages; he speaks three by the time he is age five  Orphaned at the age of eight by a freak archeological accident, he witnessed, that killed both parents.  He is put into foster care because his only relative, his maternal grandfather will not adopt him.  He bounces through the foster care system, isolated, unwanted and unadopted until he is able to on his own at 16 when he enters college at least two years younger than his classmates. This early life creates a man reticent, and self-protective. Very few people are allowed inside his personal space.  Yet because he lacked positive adult approval as he grew up he has no real sense of self-worth as evidenced by his all-too willingness to sacrifice himself for the greater good.  

Leading Lady(ies):

“Stargate”, the original movie ended with Daniel(James Spader) staying on the planet that most of the movie took place on because he found himself married to the village princess who was offered to him as thanks for his role in destroying the parasitic creature that terrorized the planet.

In the first episode of the TV series, Daniel(Michael Shanks) returns to Earth having lost his wife, whom he had fallen deeply in love with, to another of the same parasitic race of creatures.  His background goal for the first 3 seasons is to save her.  During one episode during this time he must help her deliver a child the parasite’s mate had impregnated her with.  During the third season one of his teammates must kill her before she kills Daniel. For the next four seasons he remains in deep mourning for her.

Halfway thru season 8, the Earth space-battlecruiser he is aboard is commandeered by a seemingly dangerous enemy.  He manages to escape the en masse removal of the rest of the crew; in effect making himself a hostage.  He is stunned when the enemy is revealed to be a beautiful, smart, tough, sexy space pirate by the name of Vala (Claudia Black). In her past she was also a victim of the same race of parasites as his wife, but managed to survive, although she had to resort to a life of crime to do so.  Vala’s surface persona of seductress, thief and con artist is Daniel’s complete antithesis.  In their first encounter she physically beats him up, lies to him, tries to seduce him and almost gets him killed.  In their second encounter she again takes him hostage to help her find treasure, by means of an alien device that it turns out will kill them both should they get too far apart or one of them die.  The necessity to stay in close proximity to each other to keep themselves alive creates a bond that is strengthened when another alien device puts the two of them in a life threatening situation where they must depend solely on each other. The first device is eventually removed but the bond created has penetrated their myriad self-defense mechanisms.  Time and circumstances inevitably bring them back together. By the end of the final season(Season 10) they have forged a friendship that allows them to work together, trusting each other with their lives and may lead to them accepting that what they are to each other is more than friends.

Favourite Quotes:

First encounter, mid season 8: she has just punched him, after a moments hesitation he punches her back

Vala(indignant, holding her nose in pain) “You hit me.”

Daniel(exasperated): “You hit me!”

Vala: “You know we could just have sex instead.”

Second encounter, beginning of season 9: in the base infirmary after it has been discovered what the true effects of the alien bracelets are

Daniel(in an aside to one of his teammates): “Just to clarify. When I kill her…I die too?” 

Mid season 10: after circumstances have brought them back together, she has settled on Earth and is working on his team; she is abducted. When the team finally finds her, she has no memory of herself or of them.  Terrified and trying to escape she threatens to shoot Daniel.

Vala: “Now get out of my way or I will shoot you.”

Daniel: “If I let you go, you’ll just disappear.  You’ve been running so long it’s almost second nature to you. You don’t remember, but I do.  You made a decision to stop running. It’s over. It’s time to come home.”

Bottom Line:   A complicated, wounded man who deserves a “happily ever after”.

Guest Columnist June Collins: 

I am a not-yet-seeking-publication novice writer.  I began writing as a teenage…the usual teenage stuff.  Thankfully most of it has been lost to the mists of time.  I put pen to paper again in the late 90s, once it was no longer necessary for me to use all my brain for the care of my children. 

I have two or three original WIPs in various stages, but have become distracted by the complex, complicated relationship between the hero I’ve just described and his leading lady.  I’m now playing in the genre of  “fan fiction”.  Here you will  find the postings of the ‘opus’ that I’m currently working on, plus two other pieces I have written in this ‘fandom’. The other multi-chapter one has been nominated for two separate ‘fan’ awards. 

Perhaps when I’ve completed  the WIP I have in this ‘fandom’ I’ll go back to my original pieces….if I can create characters that capture my imagination like these two do. 

If any of the writers here that are way more accomplished than I, actually read any of my work I’d love to hear privately anything you’d like to say – good and bad.