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The Blades of the Rose #1
Warrior
To most people, the realm of magic is the stuff of nursery rhymes and dusty libraries. But for Capt. Gabriel Huntley, it’s become quite real and quite dangerous…
IN HOT PURSUIT…
The vicious attack Capt. Gabriel Huntley witnesses in a dark alley sparks a chain of events that will take him to the ends of the Earth and beyond—where what is real and what is imagined become terribly confused. And frankly, Huntley couldn’t be more pleased. Intrigue, danger, and a beautiful woman in distress—just what he needs.
IN HOTTER WATER…
Raised thousands of miles from England, Thalia Burgess is no typical Victorian lady. A good thing, because a proper lady would have no hope of recovering the priceless magical artifact Thalia is after. Huntley’s assistance might come in handy, though she has to keep him in the dark. But this distractingly handsome soldier isn’t easy to deceive…
IN HOT PURSUIT…
The vicious attack Capt. Gabriel Huntley witnesses in a dark alley sparks a chain of events that will take him to the ends of the Earth and beyond—where what is real and what is imagined become terribly confused. And frankly, Huntley couldn’t be more pleased. Intrigue, danger, and a beautiful woman in distress—just what he needs.
IN HOTTER WATER…
Raised thousands of miles from England, Thalia Burgess is no typical Victorian lady. A good thing, because a proper lady would have no hope of recovering the priceless magical artifact Thalia is after. Huntley’s assistance might come in handy, though she has to keep him in the dark. But this distractingly handsome soldier isn’t easy to deceive…
370 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2010
About the author
Zoe Archer
28 books654 followersZoë Archer is a RITA award-nominated romance author whose stories are about smart, capable heroines and the heroes who love them. She is the author of the acclaimed Blades of the Rose series, as well as the Hellraiser, and Nemesis Unlimited series, among others. She also writes Regency-set romances as Eva Leigh. Visit her on the Web at http://www.zoearcherbooks.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 444 reviews
September 8, 2016
he is an EX-SOLDIER!
she belongs to a SECRET SOCIETY!
this is a ROMANCE!
but it has a lot of ADVENTURE!
and MAGIC!
in MONGOLIA!
I liked all of that MONGOLIA!
she's no prude she wants to be an ADVENTURESS!
and also his WIFE!
he's your basic decent studly alpha male STEREOTYPE!
his eyes, his skin, his hair are colored in shades of GOLD!
he apparently smells like the WIND!
she is an accomplished ARCHER!
she really knows how to use a GUN!
also, she sure knows how to ride a HORSE!
the story was like a classic fast-paced ADVENTURE MOVIE!
the feel of this book is decidedly OLD-FASHIONED!
except he frequently mentions his stiff COCK!
she belongs to a SECRET SOCIETY!
this is a ROMANCE!
but it has a lot of ADVENTURE!
and MAGIC!
in MONGOLIA!
I liked all of that MONGOLIA!
she's no prude she wants to be an ADVENTURESS!
and also his WIFE!
he's your basic decent studly alpha male STEREOTYPE!
his eyes, his skin, his hair are colored in shades of GOLD!
he apparently smells like the WIND!
she is an accomplished ARCHER!
she really knows how to use a GUN!
also, she sure knows how to ride a HORSE!
the story was like a classic fast-paced ADVENTURE MOVIE!
the feel of this book is decidedly OLD-FASHIONED!
except he frequently mentions his stiff COCK!
September 26, 2010
5+ stars – Paranormal Romance
WOW! What an extraordinary, freakin’ fun read this was! I loved it! Warrior is one of the most unique, entertaining romances that I’ve read, with an exotic setting, captivating, complex characters that you’ll love, a thrilling combination of Victorian-era historical and paranormal, and an exciting, perfect mix of action, adventure, steampunk, magic, suspense, humor, and blistering hot love scenes.
And if you’re concerned or doubtful about the level of romance, no need to worry at all because it’s more than satisfying and plenty steamy. In fact, the romance is one of the strongest, and definitely sexiest, elements of the story.
The relationship between fierce, protective, honorable, brave, gruff, loyal, hardened warrior hero, Captain Gabriel Huntley, who’s more about actions than words, and spunky, bookish, feisty, spinsterish, kick-butt heroine, Thalia Burgess, who’s all the more relatable and lovable because she’s genuine and tough yet insecure, is the best thing about this. Their attraction and chemistry is magnetic and explosive from the start, and their romance is believable, passionate, fun, emotional, volatile, touching, and intensely erotic. Gabriel and Thalia share a soulful, deep connection and become each other’s warrior, protector, and savior.
I love a good action adventure, especially with a to die for, sexy warrior hero and a strong, plucky heroine who can stand by him in a fight without being emasculating, and this more than delivered...it kicked major ass! I had an absolute blast reading it! Warrior is an amazing, highly enjoyable read worthy of big 5 stars! But if you still need some convincing, here are some of the things that make it so awesome.
A = Action, adventure, arresting artifacts, archery, and author Archer’s amazing writing.
W = Warrior hero and heroine who bravely fight together to save the world from tyranny (see evil villains below).
E = Evil, elitist villains who’s lust for greed, power, and global domination threaten all of humankind.
S = Suspense, scorching hot sex, secret societies, sandstorms, windswept steppes, severe desert landscapes, and supernatural elements.
O = Occult, occasional laugh out loud humor, and odd, fascinating characters.
M = Magic, mystery, majestic Mongolian setting, multiculturalism, and mysticism.
E = Exotic locations, cultures, languages, and customs and erotic romance.
And how about this “Warrior” to play the part of Gabriel?
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WOW! What an extraordinary, freakin’ fun read this was! I loved it! Warrior is one of the most unique, entertaining romances that I’ve read, with an exotic setting, captivating, complex characters that you’ll love, a thrilling combination of Victorian-era historical and paranormal, and an exciting, perfect mix of action, adventure, steampunk, magic, suspense, humor, and blistering hot love scenes.
And if you’re concerned or doubtful about the level of romance, no need to worry at all because it’s more than satisfying and plenty steamy. In fact, the romance is one of the strongest, and definitely sexiest, elements of the story.
The relationship between fierce, protective, honorable, brave, gruff, loyal, hardened warrior hero, Captain Gabriel Huntley, who’s more about actions than words, and spunky, bookish, feisty, spinsterish, kick-butt heroine, Thalia Burgess, who’s all the more relatable and lovable because she’s genuine and tough yet insecure, is the best thing about this. Their attraction and chemistry is magnetic and explosive from the start, and their romance is believable, passionate, fun, emotional, volatile, touching, and intensely erotic. Gabriel and Thalia share a soulful, deep connection and become each other’s warrior, protector, and savior.
I love a good action adventure, especially with a to die for, sexy warrior hero and a strong, plucky heroine who can stand by him in a fight without being emasculating, and this more than delivered...it kicked major ass! I had an absolute blast reading it! Warrior is an amazing, highly enjoyable read worthy of big 5 stars! But if you still need some convincing, here are some of the things that make it so awesome.
A = Action, adventure, arresting artifacts, archery, and author Archer’s amazing writing.
W = Warrior hero and heroine who bravely fight together to save the world from tyranny (see evil villains below).
E = Evil, elitist villains who’s lust for greed, power, and global domination threaten all of humankind.
S = Suspense, scorching hot sex, secret societies, sandstorms, windswept steppes, severe desert landscapes, and supernatural elements.
O = Occult, occasional laugh out loud humor, and odd, fascinating characters.
M = Magic, mystery, majestic Mongolian setting, multiculturalism, and mysticism.
E = Exotic locations, cultures, languages, and customs and erotic romance.
And how about this “Warrior” to play the part of Gabriel?
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December 30, 2010
It's very true that if you do something well, people will notice. That's how I feel about this book. Zoe Archer did a fine job with Warrior. If I were to imagine a dream book based on my favorite historical action/adventure movies, with the romance ramped up, then this is a very good example.
Warrior has a couple that I totally loved. Gabriel is a man's man, and I adored him for it. He's not macho and overbearing. Nope. He's just a rough and tumble guy who's spent his life as a soldier, and it's made one heck of a man of him. He worries about his lack of social polish--but his worries are groundless as far as I am concerned, and Thalia too. I adored him. I liked his confidence as a warrior, his ease with dealing with very hostile situations, his deep sense of honor. I liked how he committed himself to protecting Thalia and seeing her fulfill her mission. He was willing to stand up for a cause that didn't even make sense to him. And he showed a remarkable ability to adapt and to react to the very strange situations he found himself in. I loved how he adored Thalia for who she was, and didn't feel the need to change her into the average Englishman's ideal woman. She was his ideal, instead. Gabriel might consider himself rough and unpolished, but he definitely knew how to take care of his woman.
Thalia was an awesome heroine. I liked that she wasn't the typical English rose. She'd been raised in Outer Mongolia, and was a woman of that world. She'd yearned most of her life to take up her father's work with the Blades, and when she got her chance to prove herself, she was determined to do so. Thalia respected Gabriel for who he was, admired his strength, and the innate essence of him. She realized that he was the man she'd been waiting for, but couldn't believe that he'd want her and not a perfect English lady. Seeing their love affair unfurl like a blooming flower was such a pleasure. This book is very steamy, and wildly romantic. A perfect combination. There are many sigh-worthy scenes between Gabriel and Thalia. I was very invested in this couple, and I was cheering for their happy ending together.
On top of the great romance, this is a fantastic historical adventure. I loved the setting and the way that it was as much an integral part of this story as the romance. I think Ms. Archer did a great job of bringing this rollicking, good old-fashioned (in the vein of Indiana Jones and Stephen Sommers' the Mummy movies) story to life. Ms. Archer showed a respect for the Mongolian culture and its people. Before this book ended, it felt so familiar to me, I could have been on the Mongolian steppes myself.
The action and adventure aspects were fantastic. There is a sense of risk throughout this story, right from the beginning. I loved the fact that although Gabriel was a formidable warrior, he was not blood-thirsty. He respected life, but was more than willing to fight and kill for a worthy cause. Conversely, he went out of his way to save others. (Sigh break required) I liked the fact that Thalia could more than defend herself. I loved how things unfolded in the final confrontation in this book. Thalia didn't get shut out of the action, just because she was a woman. In fact, she plays an integral role in fighting the Heirs.
I think that Ms. Archer handled the multi-cultural aspects deftly. There is no preachiness here, but she addresses the imperialistic drives of the British Empire, using it as a backdrop in which there is a struggle between two groups who differ in their attitudes about how the British Empire will succeed. One group, The Heirs, wants to use the magical treasures of various cultures around the world to expand Britain's influence. The Blades of the Rose want to protect the cultural heirlooms and preserve the heritages of the various countries. I loved the fact that there were major players of various ethnicities in this story, and none stereotypically portrayed. I am already enamored of Catullus Graves, who is the intellectual giant of the Blades, constantly inventing nifty instruments to assist them in their endeavors. And the best part is he's black (and very British). I love to see the breaking of cultural stereotypes that portray people of color as intellecutally inferior (when the truth is that people of black heritage have been responsible for many scientific advancements in society although they typically remain unacknowledged for it). I remember talking to Ms. Archer on an Amazon forum about multicultural characters in urban fantasy. She posted about Catullus having a book of his own, and I put this series on my wish list right away, not just for that reason, but because I love historical adventure, especially with fantasy elements. She is my heroine!
The magic was very grand in this novel. There were some very novel elements, and I loved how the magic of the Sources was such an intrinsic, naturalistic force, tied to the people and their lands. It was beautiful. Ms. Archer has a great imagination, and she put it to very good use in this book.
I must say that the praise for this new series is well-earned. I had to think long and hard about what I was going to say in this review, because I hate being repetitive. I want my words to count here. A great book deserves a well-written review. It's the best tribute to an exceptional author and her work. I am a huge fan of Ms. Archer now, and I cannot wait to read more of her books.
Warrior has a couple that I totally loved. Gabriel is a man's man, and I adored him for it. He's not macho and overbearing. Nope. He's just a rough and tumble guy who's spent his life as a soldier, and it's made one heck of a man of him. He worries about his lack of social polish--but his worries are groundless as far as I am concerned, and Thalia too. I adored him. I liked his confidence as a warrior, his ease with dealing with very hostile situations, his deep sense of honor. I liked how he committed himself to protecting Thalia and seeing her fulfill her mission. He was willing to stand up for a cause that didn't even make sense to him. And he showed a remarkable ability to adapt and to react to the very strange situations he found himself in. I loved how he adored Thalia for who she was, and didn't feel the need to change her into the average Englishman's ideal woman. She was his ideal, instead. Gabriel might consider himself rough and unpolished, but he definitely knew how to take care of his woman.
Thalia was an awesome heroine. I liked that she wasn't the typical English rose. She'd been raised in Outer Mongolia, and was a woman of that world. She'd yearned most of her life to take up her father's work with the Blades, and when she got her chance to prove herself, she was determined to do so. Thalia respected Gabriel for who he was, admired his strength, and the innate essence of him. She realized that he was the man she'd been waiting for, but couldn't believe that he'd want her and not a perfect English lady. Seeing their love affair unfurl like a blooming flower was such a pleasure. This book is very steamy, and wildly romantic. A perfect combination. There are many sigh-worthy scenes between Gabriel and Thalia. I was very invested in this couple, and I was cheering for their happy ending together.
On top of the great romance, this is a fantastic historical adventure. I loved the setting and the way that it was as much an integral part of this story as the romance. I think Ms. Archer did a great job of bringing this rollicking, good old-fashioned (in the vein of Indiana Jones and Stephen Sommers' the Mummy movies) story to life. Ms. Archer showed a respect for the Mongolian culture and its people. Before this book ended, it felt so familiar to me, I could have been on the Mongolian steppes myself.
The action and adventure aspects were fantastic. There is a sense of risk throughout this story, right from the beginning. I loved the fact that although Gabriel was a formidable warrior, he was not blood-thirsty. He respected life, but was more than willing to fight and kill for a worthy cause. Conversely, he went out of his way to save others. (Sigh break required) I liked the fact that Thalia could more than defend herself. I loved how things unfolded in the final confrontation in this book. Thalia didn't get shut out of the action, just because she was a woman. In fact, she plays an integral role in fighting the Heirs.
I think that Ms. Archer handled the multi-cultural aspects deftly. There is no preachiness here, but she addresses the imperialistic drives of the British Empire, using it as a backdrop in which there is a struggle between two groups who differ in their attitudes about how the British Empire will succeed. One group, The Heirs, wants to use the magical treasures of various cultures around the world to expand Britain's influence. The Blades of the Rose want to protect the cultural heirlooms and preserve the heritages of the various countries. I loved the fact that there were major players of various ethnicities in this story, and none stereotypically portrayed. I am already enamored of Catullus Graves, who is the intellectual giant of the Blades, constantly inventing nifty instruments to assist them in their endeavors. And the best part is he's black (and very British). I love to see the breaking of cultural stereotypes that portray people of color as intellecutally inferior (when the truth is that people of black heritage have been responsible for many scientific advancements in society although they typically remain unacknowledged for it). I remember talking to Ms. Archer on an Amazon forum about multicultural characters in urban fantasy. She posted about Catullus having a book of his own, and I put this series on my wish list right away, not just for that reason, but because I love historical adventure, especially with fantasy elements. She is my heroine!
The magic was very grand in this novel. There were some very novel elements, and I loved how the magic of the Sources was such an intrinsic, naturalistic force, tied to the people and their lands. It was beautiful. Ms. Archer has a great imagination, and she put it to very good use in this book.
I must say that the praise for this new series is well-earned. I had to think long and hard about what I was going to say in this review, because I hate being repetitive. I want my words to count here. A great book deserves a well-written review. It's the best tribute to an exceptional author and her work. I am a huge fan of Ms. Archer now, and I cannot wait to read more of her books.
March 4, 2017
Set in 1874 Mongolia, Warrior is an action-packed Victorian romance with a nice dose of paranormal elements along the lines of the best Zoë Archer's trademark, starring a resourceful heroine and a rough-around-the-edges but honourable and charming hero.
When a dying man trusts him with a dangerous secret as soon as he sets foot in England after many years abroad, Captain Gabriel Huntley grasps the last opportunity to slake his thirst for adventure. The prospect of settling down in a Yorkshire town working in a factory for the rest of his life doesn't appeal at all and so sailing again toward a new destination becomes a call he can't resist.
Arrived in Urga to deliver the coded message, he meets Thalia Burgess, a young, resourceful and unconventional Englishwoman who will both engage him into an epic quest and show him the love of a lifetime.
As usual in Archer's stories, a strong sense of time and place set the mood of this atmospheric romp. The inventive way the author weaves traditional lore and mythology to create the paranormal world-building and the vivid descriptions of the Mongolian landscapes, quite an original scenario for a romance novel, were among the nicest aspects of the book, together with a couple who was quickly able to team up, respect and trust each other, a recurrent feature I've encountered and appreciated in previous books by Archer and which has kept me coming back for more. Though for all I loved the setting, the snappy dialogues and the leads' characterisations, I couldn't overlook an unsteady pace in the narration making the first half of the story stand out and the second one drag, where the interactions between the hero and the heroine and the situations started to become repetitive. Things picked up again in the very last chapters, but I would have liked to see the final showdown with the villains resolved in a slightly less "mechanical" way.
That said, I found the premise of few selected courageous people trying to save the world from greedy evil doers with the aid of magical artefacts scattered in the four corner of the earth really engrossing and the introduction of the next protagonists who sounded equally interesting will have me go on with the series for sure.
Buddy-read with Anna :)
October 12, 2010
Wow, I am so pleased that I picked this book up! It was EXCELLENT! I loved the world and the characters so much.
You know how most romances show the pov's of both the hero and heroine? But even then the focus is on the heroine's pov with the hero's pov sprinkled in occasionally? This book had the reverse and I loved it! We spent most of the book firmly in Gabriel Huntley's head. I'm so glad, because his narrative voice and the innate goodness in him made that the best seat in the house.
I loved both Thalia and Gabriel, but I have to admit that Gabriel is my favorite. Being in his head gave me an empathy and love for him that I get with very few heroes. I really wish more authors did this! I loved watching him and Thalia evolve from the people they were in the beginning. They weren't unlikeable early on by any means, but they were different.
Gabriel was a man at loose ends, unsure of his future. He found himself following a path his friend proposed for him because he didn't have anything better in mind. But he jumped at the chance to have a purpose over the one proposed for him and ended up meeting Thalia. He was unsure of himself around "ladies" and was awkward and uncomfortable until he couldn't help but be himself.
Thalia was more Mongol than Englishwoman. The people and most attitudes were so much a part of her that she was a delight to read about. In the beginning she was a woman on a mission to prove herself. She had an opportunity to possibly acquire the status she longed for and she jumped at it. Along the way she and Gabriel became a unit and were much stronger together than they ever were apart. Neither of them would have made it to the end without each other. I thought that was nicely demonstrated by the village contest for the honor of guarding their treasure.
The sense of culture in this book was FABULOUS! I seriously wanted to be there with them enjoying the feeling of being "at home" no matter what ger they were in. The details of the Mongolian people and their traditions were very appreciated. I never felt that the land was "wallpaper" or the people were "caricatures," included only to be a token nod to the land the English people were occupying. The details of their lives down to the details of their wrestling really made me impressed with the author's ability to research and include details without info dumping.
Another thing that I loved about this book was the actual relationship between Gabriel and Thalia. Too often I find the "does he/she love me?" of the main characters to be tedious and forced. I like it at times, but sometimes it's nice to meet a hero and heroine who don't fight their feelings for each other. They embrace them and count themselves lucky to have found each other. That was the case here. I never doubted their attachment to each other, and they both knew they were in love even when they didn't speak of it. The conflict came from the circumstances they were in, not internal angst. It was so refreshing.
I cannot leave this review without mentioning the world. Katyana was completely right when she spoke of her difficulty labeling this book as any one thing. It was a mishmash of things, but it worked perfectly for it. I loved all the steampunk inventions that were brought up. Catullus has a quite brilliant mind, and I cannot wait to get to his book to have a peek inside it. The Heirs were an interesting enemy. I think I liked them more because I can see how their cause can come off as understandable in the beginning. It's only when you get to the deeper motives that you really see how shady it all is.
I CANNOT wait to get my hands on the next three books.
Luckily I already own the second book, so I can jump into Bennett's mind immediately!
You know how most romances show the pov's of both the hero and heroine? But even then the focus is on the heroine's pov with the hero's pov sprinkled in occasionally? This book had the reverse and I loved it! We spent most of the book firmly in Gabriel Huntley's head. I'm so glad, because his narrative voice and the innate goodness in him made that the best seat in the house.
I loved both Thalia and Gabriel, but I have to admit that Gabriel is my favorite. Being in his head gave me an empathy and love for him that I get with very few heroes. I really wish more authors did this! I loved watching him and Thalia evolve from the people they were in the beginning. They weren't unlikeable early on by any means, but they were different.
Gabriel was a man at loose ends, unsure of his future. He found himself following a path his friend proposed for him because he didn't have anything better in mind. But he jumped at the chance to have a purpose over the one proposed for him and ended up meeting Thalia. He was unsure of himself around "ladies" and was awkward and uncomfortable until he couldn't help but be himself.
Thalia was more Mongol than Englishwoman. The people and most attitudes were so much a part of her that she was a delight to read about. In the beginning she was a woman on a mission to prove herself. She had an opportunity to possibly acquire the status she longed for and she jumped at it. Along the way she and Gabriel became a unit and were much stronger together than they ever were apart. Neither of them would have made it to the end without each other. I thought that was nicely demonstrated by the village contest for the honor of guarding their treasure.
The sense of culture in this book was FABULOUS! I seriously wanted to be there with them enjoying the feeling of being "at home" no matter what ger they were in. The details of the Mongolian people and their traditions were very appreciated. I never felt that the land was "wallpaper" or the people were "caricatures," included only to be a token nod to the land the English people were occupying. The details of their lives down to the details of their wrestling really made me impressed with the author's ability to research and include details without info dumping.
Another thing that I loved about this book was the actual relationship between Gabriel and Thalia. Too often I find the "does he/she love me?" of the main characters to be tedious and forced. I like it at times, but sometimes it's nice to meet a hero and heroine who don't fight their feelings for each other. They embrace them and count themselves lucky to have found each other. That was the case here. I never doubted their attachment to each other, and they both knew they were in love even when they didn't speak of it. The conflict came from the circumstances they were in, not internal angst. It was so refreshing.
I cannot leave this review without mentioning the world. Katyana was completely right when she spoke of her difficulty labeling this book as any one thing. It was a mishmash of things, but it worked perfectly for it. I loved all the steampunk inventions that were brought up. Catullus has a quite brilliant mind, and I cannot wait to get to his book to have a peek inside it. The Heirs were an interesting enemy. I think I liked them more because I can see how their cause can come off as understandable in the beginning. It's only when you get to the deeper motives that you really see how shady it all is.
I CANNOT wait to get my hands on the next three books.
Luckily I already own the second book, so I can jump into Bennett's mind immediately!
April 22, 2011
Before reading this book I thought the Mongolian steppes were like this:
Now I realize they can also be like this:
Animals of the Mongolian Steppe
Short legged camels.
Or a link for a closer look at camels and dogs (I love dogs!) with their owners.
Mongolian yak.
Short legged horses.
And a link entitled eagle hunter.
Another link to plain mongole and last, but not least, a good Sheppard and his angora goat.
Going through book, starting with Chapter 5.
What is a ger?
On Mongolian steppe.
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
#1
#2 Monastery Links, Links, Links.
I can't find Sha Chuan Si Monastery on the internet. Is it a real place like all Zoe Archer's other places in Warrior, or is a fictional place? Is it is only in her imagination, does anyone know of a Chinese desert monastery "perched at the summit of a broad, flat-topped rock"? Or a combination of several...
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Epilogue Picture
Now I realize they can also be like this:
Animals of the Mongolian Steppe
Short legged camels.
Or a link for a closer look at camels and dogs (I love dogs!) with their owners.
Mongolian yak.
Short legged horses.
And a link entitled eagle hunter.
Another link to plain mongole and last, but not least, a good Sheppard and his angora goat.
Going through book, starting with Chapter 5.
What is a ger?
On Mongolian steppe.
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
#1
#2 Monastery Links, Links, Links.
I can't find Sha Chuan Si Monastery on the internet. Is it a real place like all Zoe Archer's other places in Warrior, or is a fictional place? Is it is only in her imagination, does anyone know of a Chinese desert monastery "perched at the summit of a broad, flat-topped rock"? Or a combination of several...
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Epilogue Picture
November 21, 2015
“And what are these paragons called, who safeguard the world, and save England from herself?”
Before she even spoke, he knew that everything was about to change. And change forever.
“The Blades of the Rose.”
With the Blades of the Rose series, Zoe Archer has given us a fabulous new world. With characters that captivate and situations that are exciting and action packed, Warrior is a cross between Indiana Jones and The Mummy. Trying to fit this into a single genre is difficult because this story is fantasy, historical romance, action/adventure and steamy hot goodness all rolled into one.
Captain Gabriel Huntley of the Thirty-third Regiment witnessed a brutal attack, and tried to intervene. In the end the victim, Anthony Morris, died, but not before he in turn saved Gabriel’s life. Anthony’s dying request is that Gabriel deliver a compass, and a message, to his friend Franklin Burgess - in Outer Mongolia! Far away, true, but did Gabriel really have a choice, though? After all, Morris had just saved his life, but still… Outer Mongolia? But then Morris pleads, “Please. You must deliver the message to Burgess. Thousands of lives at stake. More, many more.” Gabriel knows there’s no way around it, he has to go – his honor and the debt owed to a dying man demanded it. Then, three months later when the message is delivered, he realizes that his journey hasn’t ended, it’s only just begun.
Thalia Burgess would like nothing more than to follow in her father’s footsteps and be accepted into the Blades of the Rose, a secret society whose members devote their lives to making sure that certain magical artifacts never fall into the hands of The Heirs, another secret organization who would use the powers held by the artifacts to gain control over the entire world. But she’s not so sure about this Gabriel Huntley who came all the way from England, bringing news of Anthony Morris’ death, and isn’t interested in accepting his help, in fact, she wants nothing to do with him at all.
After delivering the message to Burgess and his daughter, Thalia, Gabriel is even more curious about what it all means - the significance of the compass and the cryptic message. He’s offered his help, but it’s clear to him his help isn’t wanted. But why let a little thing like that stop him? Gabriel decides he’s going to help, whether the Burgesses want him to or not, and it’s a good thing for us he did, because the story that follows is so, so good and I would have hated to have to missed it!
Gabriel and Thalia are great together! I love strong, independent heroines, and what makes this even more appealing is that Gabriel comes to recognize her strengths and doesn’t get all alpha/caveman and refuse to let her use them to help find the priceless, magical artifact before The Heirs get to it first. The story – their journey – had me sitting on the edge of my seat, anxiously following along as they discovered more and more about The Heirs, the artifacts, and even themselves.
Warrior is a fast paced, exciting story and I’m happy I decided to give it a try. It’s not the kind genre mix that I usually find appealing, but Zoe Archer has created a world so interesting, so captivating, that I can’t wait to read the next books, Scoundrel, Rebel and Stranger, and see what lies in store for the Blades of the Rose.
4.5/5 stars.
September 6, 2010
This book kinda defied my shelving system. I felt like I needed a vaginal-paranormalish-adventure tag, but that's weird to even type, so whatever.
WARNING: THERE ARE LOTS OF GRAPHIC NAUGHTY SCENES IN THIS. So there. It's definitely a romance book, but I think the plot surpasses the "genrefication". I LOVED this book, and even without the naughty bits I would have really enjoyed it, which is how I like to judge my more "romancy" reads.
This is like a Period Indiana Jones caper set in the corset age. With magic stuff. I mean, brilliant combo on the face of it (at least there's no Vampires!!). I really really loved the two leads here, Thalia, the heroine, she was not too dumb to live, and when she lacked skills it was believable, and Gabriel, the hero, was terse and well fleshed-out leading man who was not a brutish Alpha thank goodness!
There are some paranormal/magical aspects here in the world-building that if you think about it too much it's a BIT dis-believable, but the author created a world I bought into and I really enjoyed the characters!
MOST EXCITINGLY, the three sequels are coming out ONE A MONTH for the next several months! WHAT? So...no waiting for the rest!?!? I love it!! I really am interesting in how they progress, because in one of them, there's an African American lead hero with a white female. These books are set in a late 19th century setting, so I'm really interested how the author will be able to deal with this and seem like it's based in reality at all.
WARNING: THERE ARE LOTS OF GRAPHIC NAUGHTY SCENES IN THIS. So there. It's definitely a romance book, but I think the plot surpasses the "genrefication". I LOVED this book, and even without the naughty bits I would have really enjoyed it, which is how I like to judge my more "romancy" reads.
This is like a Period Indiana Jones caper set in the corset age. With magic stuff. I mean, brilliant combo on the face of it (at least there's no Vampires!!). I really really loved the two leads here, Thalia, the heroine, she was not too dumb to live, and when she lacked skills it was believable, and Gabriel, the hero, was terse and well fleshed-out leading man who was not a brutish Alpha thank goodness!
There are some paranormal/magical aspects here in the world-building that if you think about it too much it's a BIT dis-believable, but the author created a world I bought into and I really enjoyed the characters!
MOST EXCITINGLY, the three sequels are coming out ONE A MONTH for the next several months! WHAT? So...no waiting for the rest!?!? I love it!! I really am interesting in how they progress, because in one of them, there's an African American lead hero with a white female. These books are set in a late 19th century setting, so I'm really interested how the author will be able to deal with this and seem like it's based in reality at all.
February 4, 2012
There is nothing that is BAD about this book. It has all the right elements: interesting plot, interesting story, interesting characters, likeable characters, correct ratio of character interaction/dialogue/exposition. However, I just cannot stay interested in it. The prose is bland and draggy. I keep putting it down after read only a few pages.
I need the writing to have a bit more flair. There is too much telling and not enough showing. There are spots when the characters come to some interesting conclusions but never back that up with following actions. What it comes down to is that it doesn't really matter what the story is about, a good author can pull off storylines that would normally make me scream in frustration. And if the story elements are great, bland writing will cause me never to connect with the great story at all.
It's a shame, I really WANT to like this book. Everything is present that should make me like it, I just don't.
I need the writing to have a bit more flair. There is too much telling and not enough showing. There are spots when the characters come to some interesting conclusions but never back that up with following actions. What it comes down to is that it doesn't really matter what the story is about, a good author can pull off storylines that would normally make me scream in frustration. And if the story elements are great, bland writing will cause me never to connect with the great story at all.
It's a shame, I really WANT to like this book. Everything is present that should make me like it, I just don't.
March 28, 2023
Note : Kinda look like commercial rather than review. But who's care? Ms Archer can thank me later for this free promotion ;P
Unusual Historical Romance! Victorian Era! Steampunk! An Exotic Place! Magic! Adventure! Action! Romance! And , a steamy read of course.... ;)
I want to go to Mongolia...
and meet a hero like Captain Gabriel Huntley...
Gerard Butler anyone? *wink
a steamy scene at Oasis?
Oh,yes, please!! *quiver*
A series that can't be missed!
Put The Blades of The Rose series at your wishlist :D!
Unusual Historical Romance! Victorian Era! Steampunk! An Exotic Place! Magic! Adventure! Action! Romance! And , a steamy read of course.... ;)
I want to go to Mongolia...
and meet a hero like Captain Gabriel Huntley...
Gerard Butler anyone? *wink
a steamy scene at Oasis?
Oh,yes, please!! *quiver*
A series that can't be missed!
Put The Blades of The Rose series at your wishlist :D!
April 6, 2018
Warrior by Zoë Archer
I am in love with this book.
I am so in love with this book, I want to marry it, have a honeymoon, give it a dozen roses, and buy it lingerie.
Zoë Archer has created a thing of beauty with this novel. It is the perfect balance of adventure, lush scenery, magic and sorcery, larger-than-life characters, and extraordinary acts of love and heroism. It's Indiana Jones if it were jacked up on romance steroids, and a billion times better in every way. It is full of surprises, which is so very welcome to this jaded romance reader. It has the most incredible love scenes I've read....in a long time. Possibly ever. Sexy, intense, emotional. Everything a romantic encounter should be, but rarely is.
The hero and heroine are just perfection. Huntley is Indy--strong, scrappy, capable, sexy--not as cerebral in a scholarly way, but very well experienced in strategy and war. He is a man of action, a man of honor. Not only does he risk life and limb for the woman he loves, and for her cause, he also does the "right thing" (saving a life) for a perfect stranger. I have a weakness for heroes who have a strong moral compass. For characters who see beyond their own needs, and do the right thing just because...well, because it's the right thing to do. There aren't a lot of people in the world like this, and those who are, in my mind, are truly heroes.
Thalia is his ultimate match. Beautiful, determined, strong, talented in ways that matter in Mongolia. Her loyalty to family, country (which is not England, as it turns out), and cause are undisputed. The love that blooms between these two characters is wonderful to watch....they complement each other, they fight side by side. They are both heroes.
This book magnifies the problems I just had with Naked In Death. While Eve battles the bad guys, Roarke drinks gourmet coffee. There wasn't a satisfying balance between their abilities and their actions. Huntley and Thalia make an incredible team. Huntley soon realizes that his lukewarm dream of settling down with a shy English maid pales in comparison to the reality of being with his warrior lover.
"I like this very much," he said, nibbling on the tips of her fingers. "An army of two."
"Who's in command?" she answered as she fought for breath.
What a wicked smile he had. "Let's take turns."
Archer is a very painterly writer. Some of the scenes in this book were pure magic. The unveiling of the secrets of the tea kettle, with a backward history of Genghis Khan, was just phenomenal. Absolutely spell-binding and beautifully written.
The suspenseful storyline, the gorgeous imagery, the fascinating secondary characters, and the incredibly satisfying love story between two heroic characters make Warrior one of the best books I've ever read. I can hardly wait to read the rest of the series...Scoundrel, Rebel, and Stranger.
2011 just got a whole lot more interesting.
Grade: A++++++++
Wondering if Zoë Archer is a pen-name, because it's totally kick ass,
Penelope
I am in love with this book.
I am so in love with this book, I want to marry it, have a honeymoon, give it a dozen roses, and buy it lingerie.
Zoë Archer has created a thing of beauty with this novel. It is the perfect balance of adventure, lush scenery, magic and sorcery, larger-than-life characters, and extraordinary acts of love and heroism. It's Indiana Jones if it were jacked up on romance steroids, and a billion times better in every way. It is full of surprises, which is so very welcome to this jaded romance reader. It has the most incredible love scenes I've read....in a long time. Possibly ever. Sexy, intense, emotional. Everything a romantic encounter should be, but rarely is.
The hero and heroine are just perfection. Huntley is Indy--strong, scrappy, capable, sexy--not as cerebral in a scholarly way, but very well experienced in strategy and war. He is a man of action, a man of honor. Not only does he risk life and limb for the woman he loves, and for her cause, he also does the "right thing" (saving a life) for a perfect stranger. I have a weakness for heroes who have a strong moral compass. For characters who see beyond their own needs, and do the right thing just because...well, because it's the right thing to do. There aren't a lot of people in the world like this, and those who are, in my mind, are truly heroes.
Thalia is his ultimate match. Beautiful, determined, strong, talented in ways that matter in Mongolia. Her loyalty to family, country (which is not England, as it turns out), and cause are undisputed. The love that blooms between these two characters is wonderful to watch....they complement each other, they fight side by side. They are both heroes.
This book magnifies the problems I just had with Naked In Death. While Eve battles the bad guys, Roarke drinks gourmet coffee. There wasn't a satisfying balance between their abilities and their actions. Huntley and Thalia make an incredible team. Huntley soon realizes that his lukewarm dream of settling down with a shy English maid pales in comparison to the reality of being with his warrior lover.
"I like this very much," he said, nibbling on the tips of her fingers. "An army of two."
"Who's in command?" she answered as she fought for breath.
What a wicked smile he had. "Let's take turns."
Archer is a very painterly writer. Some of the scenes in this book were pure magic. The unveiling of the secrets of the tea kettle, with a backward history of Genghis Khan, was just phenomenal. Absolutely spell-binding and beautifully written.
The suspenseful storyline, the gorgeous imagery, the fascinating secondary characters, and the incredibly satisfying love story between two heroic characters make Warrior one of the best books I've ever read. I can hardly wait to read the rest of the series...Scoundrel, Rebel, and Stranger.
2011 just got a whole lot more interesting.
Grade: A++++++++
Wondering if Zoë Archer is a pen-name, because it's totally kick ass,
Penelope
March 7, 2011
Warrior felt like one of those old adventure movies. A cross between Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and countless other Saturday afternoon movies from the days before VCRs, Warrior was full of thrills, excitement, magic, and adventure.
Warrior has a lot of things going for it: An original plot, an exotic setting, romance on the go, interesting characters, and magical contraptions.
Set in Mongolia in the 1870’s Warrior offers the rich background textures of the steppes, the desert, the Mongolian people and their culture. I was encouraged another reader (thanks, Catherine) to google Mongolian dress. They were as beautiful as I imagined.
Warrior’s main characters are brought together by the dying wish from a member of a secret society. There are two secret societies in this book – The Blades and The Heirs. The Blades’ primary function is to protect magical items. They are the good guys. I found it hard to believe that a man would travel halfway across the world to the middle of nowhere just to deliver a cryptic message. I guess that when faced with the prospect of marriage and settling down or a new adventure, the adventure would be a better choice.
I adored Gabriel Huntley. Good looking, strong, fiercely protective, and an excellent fighter, Gabriel was the ideal character to accompany Thalia on their quest through Mongolia. I didn’t know what to make of Thalia. I didn’t hate her, nor did I love her. I liked her independence and strength. I liked that she was able to make friends with all the locals. I did enjoy her sense of wit.
I enjoyed how Gabriel and Thalia’s relationship progressed. My one criticism is that I was surprised that Thalia was not pregnant by the epilogue. There was a lot of nooky during a time when birth control was not readily available.
I was surprised that some people classified this book as steampunk. The contraptions were creative, but they seemed to work more on magic rather than steam. Very clever.
I also loved all the “special effects” – storms, sandstorms interspersed with magic.
I was also surprised to see a Golem used in a novel set in Mongolia. It was totally unexpected, but interesting nonetheless.
Love this series – Can’t wait to read the next one.
Warrior has a lot of things going for it: An original plot, an exotic setting, romance on the go, interesting characters, and magical contraptions.
Set in Mongolia in the 1870’s Warrior offers the rich background textures of the steppes, the desert, the Mongolian people and their culture. I was encouraged another reader (thanks, Catherine) to google Mongolian dress. They were as beautiful as I imagined.
Warrior’s main characters are brought together by the dying wish from a member of a secret society. There are two secret societies in this book – The Blades and The Heirs. The Blades’ primary function is to protect magical items. They are the good guys. I found it hard to believe that a man would travel halfway across the world to the middle of nowhere just to deliver a cryptic message. I guess that when faced with the prospect of marriage and settling down or a new adventure, the adventure would be a better choice.
I adored Gabriel Huntley. Good looking, strong, fiercely protective, and an excellent fighter, Gabriel was the ideal character to accompany Thalia on their quest through Mongolia. I didn’t know what to make of Thalia. I didn’t hate her, nor did I love her. I liked her independence and strength. I liked that she was able to make friends with all the locals. I did enjoy her sense of wit.
I enjoyed how Gabriel and Thalia’s relationship progressed. My one criticism is that I was surprised that Thalia was not pregnant by the epilogue. There was a lot of nooky during a time when birth control was not readily available.
I was surprised that some people classified this book as steampunk. The contraptions were creative, but they seemed to work more on magic rather than steam. Very clever.
I also loved all the “special effects” – storms, sandstorms interspersed with magic.
I was also surprised to see a Golem used in a novel set in Mongolia. It was totally unexpected, but interesting nonetheless.
Love this series – Can’t wait to read the next one.
October 12, 2010
WARRIOR is the first book I've read by ZOE ARCHER and what a wonderful book it is to start with! It is Book 1 in her new BLADES OF THE ROSE series and it was a really exciting and fun romantic adventure set in a very unique location--Mongolia!
There are so many things I loved in this book:
*The sexy hero Gabriel!!
*The Magic!!(The flying eagle kite, the Golem!, the kettle)
*Thalia's and Gabriel's friends(Batu, I really loved him, Bold and Oyuun, Bennett, Cattulus)
*The romance (Alot of sexy love scenes!)
*The Humor(especially when Gabriel has to dress up to fight evil Mongolian Tsend!)
The great thing about this book is it had the perfect amount of everything. There was as much action and adventure in it as there was romance. (Some action books don't focus much on the romance but this one did.)
I'm really looking forward to reading ZOE ARCHER'S upcoming BLADES OF THE ROSE release's:
SCOUNDREL (Bennett's story!)
REBEL
STRANGER
As people here have mentioned before, if you like Indiana Jones type romance adventures then this book is definitely for you!
**I won this book in a Goodread's giveaway. A special thanks to Zoe Archer for sending me an autographed copy of the book!!
There are so many things I loved in this book:
*The sexy hero Gabriel!!
*The Magic!!(The flying eagle kite, the Golem!, the kettle)
*Thalia's and Gabriel's friends(Batu, I really loved him, Bold and Oyuun, Bennett, Cattulus)
*The romance (Alot of sexy love scenes!)
*The Humor(especially when Gabriel has to dress up to fight evil Mongolian Tsend!)
The great thing about this book is it had the perfect amount of everything. There was as much action and adventure in it as there was romance. (Some action books don't focus much on the romance but this one did.)
I'm really looking forward to reading ZOE ARCHER'S upcoming BLADES OF THE ROSE release's:
SCOUNDREL (Bennett's story!)
REBEL
STRANGER
As people here have mentioned before, if you like Indiana Jones type romance adventures then this book is definitely for you!
**I won this book in a Goodread's giveaway. A special thanks to Zoe Archer for sending me an autographed copy of the book!!
March 21, 2016
Gabriel Huntley has just resigned from the army, not quite looking forward to a tame life, but then after witnessing the brutal attack of a man in an alley, Gabriel is tasked with taking a strange message to a foreign land, which will bring him in close proximity to a woman unlike any he has ever met, and magic that he didn’t believe existed.
I enjoyed the romance in this book, although there wasn’t a lot of it. Most of the plot was about the journey Gabriel and Thalia undertook to procure and protect a Source, an item of magic/power on behalf of the Blades of the Rose, a group who is tasked with the safekeeping of these Sources and the world, before it falls in the hands of the Heirs of Albion, who wants the powers for themselves so that they can control the world.
An interesting book, with lots of adventure set in 1874. It was enjoyable, but unfortunately there was just too much travelling for me, and not a lot of action.
August 29, 2015
3.5 stars
On paper (no pun intended), Warrior had all the ingredients for a 5-star read – exotic location, action and adventure, steamy romance, appealing characters. And it did deliver in all these areas. Yet, the overall package still somehow missed its mark for me.
There was plenty to like about Warrior. For a start, I loved both Gabriel and Thalia. Thalia was a strong and capable heroine who remained realistic. Being English born but raised in Mongolia by her father, she doesn’t resemble the gently bred English Rose you will often find in Victorian romance novels, but the author also ensured she never became one of those OTT kick-ass heroines you might find in Urban Fantasy, for example, either.
Gabriel was also a very endearing character, and it was wonderful to be reading this novel primarily from his perspective. A successful and talented career soldier, Gabriel is unsophisticated and inexperienced with gentlewomen, and finds himself drawn to Thalia, who is unlike any woman he has ever known. Gabriel is able to strike that difficult balance of needing to protect Thalia while recognizing and respecting her own capability.
The attraction and sexual tension between Thalia and Gabriel was very well done, and I really believed in them as a couple.
The author also did a great job with the Mongolian setting. She provided the perfect amount of detail regarding the landscape, culture and people to give a wonderful sense of place, which I was easily able to visualize.
The action, for the most part, was also well done, particularly the battle near the end. Again, the author provided a fantastic depiction of the setting and conflict, immersing the reader into the chaos.
That all sounds good so far, and it was, but the problem I found was how all these elements were strung together. There was something about the narrative connecting each individual scene that just didn’t work as well for me. The writing was almost, well, bland and it just didn’t grab me. It took me nearly twice as long to read this book as most others, because I just wasn’t compelled to pick it up, at least until the last third when things started happening in earnest.
I also don’t think the author did a good enough job of selling the overarching plot of the Blades of the Rose, the Heirs and the Sources – critical to the story. Having seen how talented she is in providing the perfect amount of detail to satisfy the reader in other areas, I think she really missed the mark here. The information we received was basic at best, sorely lacking in history and detail. As a result, I didn’t feel invested in or connected to that part of the story. I don’t know whether this was an intentional result of having mostly used Gabriel’s POV or not, but it didn’t work for me.
I will definitely be reading more of this series, because there was great potential and characterization in this one.
On paper (no pun intended), Warrior had all the ingredients for a 5-star read – exotic location, action and adventure, steamy romance, appealing characters. And it did deliver in all these areas. Yet, the overall package still somehow missed its mark for me.
There was plenty to like about Warrior. For a start, I loved both Gabriel and Thalia. Thalia was a strong and capable heroine who remained realistic. Being English born but raised in Mongolia by her father, she doesn’t resemble the gently bred English Rose you will often find in Victorian romance novels, but the author also ensured she never became one of those OTT kick-ass heroines you might find in Urban Fantasy, for example, either.
Gabriel was also a very endearing character, and it was wonderful to be reading this novel primarily from his perspective. A successful and talented career soldier, Gabriel is unsophisticated and inexperienced with gentlewomen, and finds himself drawn to Thalia, who is unlike any woman he has ever known. Gabriel is able to strike that difficult balance of needing to protect Thalia while recognizing and respecting her own capability.
The attraction and sexual tension between Thalia and Gabriel was very well done, and I really believed in them as a couple.
The author also did a great job with the Mongolian setting. She provided the perfect amount of detail regarding the landscape, culture and people to give a wonderful sense of place, which I was easily able to visualize.
The action, for the most part, was also well done, particularly the battle near the end. Again, the author provided a fantastic depiction of the setting and conflict, immersing the reader into the chaos.
That all sounds good so far, and it was, but the problem I found was how all these elements were strung together. There was something about the narrative connecting each individual scene that just didn’t work as well for me. The writing was almost, well, bland and it just didn’t grab me. It took me nearly twice as long to read this book as most others, because I just wasn’t compelled to pick it up, at least until the last third when things started happening in earnest.
I also don’t think the author did a good enough job of selling the overarching plot of the Blades of the Rose, the Heirs and the Sources – critical to the story. Having seen how talented she is in providing the perfect amount of detail to satisfy the reader in other areas, I think she really missed the mark here. The information we received was basic at best, sorely lacking in history and detail. As a result, I didn’t feel invested in or connected to that part of the story. I don’t know whether this was an intentional result of having mostly used Gabriel’s POV or not, but it didn’t work for me.
I will definitely be reading more of this series, because there was great potential and characterization in this one.
December 20, 2011
I must have started and stopped this book at least twenty times or so in the past few months, always putting it aside for something more pressing. I chalked it up to being over-extended but when I finally had a day to lounge around and do nothing but read I still had a heck of a time getting through it. And because I can’t pinpoint anything in particular that was wrong with the story, I am completely frustrated. The premise sounded good enough adventure, lust, and magic and all of my friends loved it to pieces (and shoved it upon me) but I just can’t share their enthusiasm for it. It dragged on for chapters at a time, hooking me for a moment and then losing me again. I really had to struggle to stick with it so for that I can only give it three stars.
Gabriel is a newly retired soldier who stumbles upon a fight, jumps in to help and is asked to deliver a message from the dying man. Gabriel, having nothing much better to do than find a dull wife and start making babies, doesn’t refuse and travels to Mongolia. This is how he meets Thalia and how he gets involved in a mysterious world of secret hidden magic after joining her on an action packed mission to find and protect a valuable “Source” (of magic). She is unlike any woman he has met but, as even he admits, he hasn’t met many women other than the working kind while he’s been in the military. Still, he deems her much more attractive than the delicate, boring ladies of England. She resists the temptation that is Gabriel for 100 or so pages which felt more like 1000 because she was burned in the past by some other guy. But, hot damn, he’s physically gorgeous and perfection personified so you all know how this ends, right?
Sadly, as much as I tried, I never shared in the chemistry between Gabriel and Thalia. Sure I was told they exchanged lots of lusty thoughts and smoldering looks in between trying to save the world from evil-doers but I wasn’t feeling it like I should have. I did enjoy the unique Mongolia setting and appreciated all of the research the author clearly put in to bring the place to vivid life. And though Warrior had a good solid story with non-annoying characters it didn’t resonate with me in any way. There was a lot of action and adventure as well as plenty of one on one time with the characters so I can’t say it was boring but I too often found it difficult to stay interested even during the spicier scenes (true story I’m afraid to admit). Right now I am annoyed at myself for buying the rest of the books in this series brand new before even reading this one and seeing if I liked the style of the author. Ah well, lesson learned.
If there is anyone out there who had a similar experience and then went on to read book 2 can you tell me if it’s more of the same?
Gabriel is a newly retired soldier who stumbles upon a fight, jumps in to help and is asked to deliver a message from the dying man. Gabriel, having nothing much better to do than find a dull wife and start making babies, doesn’t refuse and travels to Mongolia. This is how he meets Thalia and how he gets involved in a mysterious world of secret hidden magic after joining her on an action packed mission to find and protect a valuable “Source” (of magic). She is unlike any woman he has met but, as even he admits, he hasn’t met many women other than the working kind while he’s been in the military. Still, he deems her much more attractive than the delicate, boring ladies of England. She resists the temptation that is Gabriel for 100 or so pages which felt more like 1000 because she was burned in the past by some other guy. But, hot damn, he’s physically gorgeous and perfection personified so you all know how this ends, right?
Sadly, as much as I tried, I never shared in the chemistry between Gabriel and Thalia. Sure I was told they exchanged lots of lusty thoughts and smoldering looks in between trying to save the world from evil-doers but I wasn’t feeling it like I should have. I did enjoy the unique Mongolia setting and appreciated all of the research the author clearly put in to bring the place to vivid life. And though Warrior had a good solid story with non-annoying characters it didn’t resonate with me in any way. There was a lot of action and adventure as well as plenty of one on one time with the characters so I can’t say it was boring but I too often found it difficult to stay interested even during the spicier scenes (true story I’m afraid to admit). Right now I am annoyed at myself for buying the rest of the books in this series brand new before even reading this one and seeing if I liked the style of the author. Ah well, lesson learned.
If there is anyone out there who had a similar experience and then went on to read book 2 can you tell me if it’s more of the same?
December 10, 2010
Another author found through Goodreads. This place is going to break me.
This book starts out in the thick of an action scene. A fight that our hero, Captain Gabriel Huntly, as jumped into. He doesn't like an unfair fight, you see.
That one heroic action leads him to Outer Mongolia, of all places, to deliver an important message and fulfill a duty to the man who saved his life. Gabriel's like that. Honorable to the end.
Thalia Burgess lives with her father in Outer Mongolia and longs to join the ranks of the Blades of the Rose. They protect the powerful magical artifacts around the world from various entities that want to possess and use them to control the world's population.
Exciting, right? Yes. There's plenty of action in this book. Scene after scene of struggle against human and natural elements. But, for some reason, it wasn't a can't-put-it-down book until at least halfway through. It's an odd thing. The writing is excellent, the situations are new and interesting and the action is well described. I just couldn't get into it right away.
I started to get into the story when the romance finally happened. Archer showed me a couple that was deeply in love and also deeply logical and pragmatic. No misunderstandings, just concern that their respective duties might keep them from their future.
Gabriel and Thalia make a great team. They're unlike most heroes/heroines you find in romance, but they compliment each other very well. I felt as if, even amidst all that action, I was in a holding pattern waiting for them to hook up and stay hooked up. Once that happens it's like all the necessary parts have come together and we can go along for the ride.
Don't know if that makes sense. I guess my point really is that this is a good book and I'm planning to read the rest of the series, but I warn that you might not feel connected until you get past the half way mark. Then I think you'll really enjoy the ride. :)
This book starts out in the thick of an action scene. A fight that our hero, Captain Gabriel Huntly, as jumped into. He doesn't like an unfair fight, you see.
That one heroic action leads him to Outer Mongolia, of all places, to deliver an important message and fulfill a duty to the man who saved his life. Gabriel's like that. Honorable to the end.
Thalia Burgess lives with her father in Outer Mongolia and longs to join the ranks of the Blades of the Rose. They protect the powerful magical artifacts around the world from various entities that want to possess and use them to control the world's population.
Exciting, right? Yes. There's plenty of action in this book. Scene after scene of struggle against human and natural elements. But, for some reason, it wasn't a can't-put-it-down book until at least halfway through. It's an odd thing. The writing is excellent, the situations are new and interesting and the action is well described. I just couldn't get into it right away.
I started to get into the story when the romance finally happened. Archer showed me a couple that was deeply in love and also deeply logical and pragmatic. No misunderstandings, just concern that their respective duties might keep them from their future.
Gabriel and Thalia make a great team. They're unlike most heroes/heroines you find in romance, but they compliment each other very well. I felt as if, even amidst all that action, I was in a holding pattern waiting for them to hook up and stay hooked up. Once that happens it's like all the necessary parts have come together and we can go along for the ride.
Don't know if that makes sense. I guess my point really is that this is a good book and I'm planning to read the rest of the series, but I warn that you might not feel connected until you get past the half way mark. Then I think you'll really enjoy the ride. :)
June 28, 2011
AMAZING! The whole book was this historical, adventure, romance with magical elements ride that kept me satisfied all the way through. I'm going to say it has a bit of steampunk elements in it, though I'm sure many people would flip out for classifying this masterpiece as that. Yes, I understand, it's not exactly steampunk. It has steampunk elements.
Our hero is Gabriel, a returning English Captain, who thought that he wanted a normal life with a normal job and family and all. Of course, just as he steps onto his motherland, he comes across a scene that changes his life. Relunctant to actually live a normal life, Gabriel embarks on an journey that takes him into Mongolia, where he meets the lovely, vibrant, and kickass heroine, Thalia. Thalia is ethnically English, so is her father. But they have been living so long away from English society, they have become hybirds, white Mongols. Here, begins the real adventure, when the hero and heroine have to team up to defend the world against a Nazi-like society called the Heirs of some mumbo-jumbo, who are bent on the domination of the British Empire. This means, they have to find and protect a 'source' which contains magical properties that could enable this British Domination.
Ms. Archer takes us through this foreign historical landscape of the East, during a time period I've only experienced through the lenses of English society in HR. It was fascinating to see something different, with cultures that HR never does justice to (or in most cases, never mentions). The Mongol culture isn't exoticized, instead, we learn about the culture through clothes and thoughts and actions, our characters have.
We are also introduced to new characters who will be leading in their own Blades book. I can't wait to read more. I highly recommend this.
Our hero is Gabriel, a returning English Captain, who thought that he wanted a normal life with a normal job and family and all. Of course, just as he steps onto his motherland, he comes across a scene that changes his life. Relunctant to actually live a normal life, Gabriel embarks on an journey that takes him into Mongolia, where he meets the lovely, vibrant, and kickass heroine, Thalia. Thalia is ethnically English, so is her father. But they have been living so long away from English society, they have become hybirds, white Mongols. Here, begins the real adventure, when the hero and heroine have to team up to defend the world against a Nazi-like society called the Heirs of some mumbo-jumbo, who are bent on the domination of the British Empire. This means, they have to find and protect a 'source' which contains magical properties that could enable this British Domination.
Ms. Archer takes us through this foreign historical landscape of the East, during a time period I've only experienced through the lenses of English society in HR. It was fascinating to see something different, with cultures that HR never does justice to (or in most cases, never mentions). The Mongol culture isn't exoticized, instead, we learn about the culture through clothes and thoughts and actions, our characters have.
We are also introduced to new characters who will be leading in their own Blades book. I can't wait to read more. I highly recommend this.
October 2, 2010
If I had to pick one word to describe this book it would be FANTASTIC! All except one small part in the book that was kinda slow for me I can't think of a thing that I did not love.
The hero and heroine where both wonderful characters. I could feel the love that they felt for each other jumping off of the pages and the love scenes where very well done.
The action was almost non stop which kept the pages turning.
The end battle was out of this world. The use of imagination was fa nominal in this book. How in the world did Zoe Archer come up with this stuff?
You can be sure that I will be reading the next book in this series, Scoundrel coming out 10-5-10. I can hardly wait to read Bennets story and how a woman will finally tame him. Of course I want to read what else Zoe can cook up in that wonderful imaginative mind of hers.
The hero and heroine where both wonderful characters. I could feel the love that they felt for each other jumping off of the pages and the love scenes where very well done.
The action was almost non stop which kept the pages turning.
The end battle was out of this world. The use of imagination was fa nominal in this book. How in the world did Zoe Archer come up with this stuff?
You can be sure that I will be reading the next book in this series, Scoundrel coming out 10-5-10. I can hardly wait to read Bennets story and how a woman will finally tame him. Of course I want to read what else Zoe can cook up in that wonderful imaginative mind of hers.
December 8, 2010
Zoe Archer is a NTM author and I went out and bought the 2nd book in the series before I finished this one. This was such a freaking great book. I won't get into details about the book as so many of our friends have done such a good job with that. To me this book was unique in the fact that we have a man and woman who are ideally suited for one another. The are both warriors in their own right and once they meet they see their better half.
When she needed to, Thalia stepped aside when it was more appropriate for Gabriel to do a job and he did the same. They didn't have the arguments or do stupid things to endanger themselves. They teased each other about who was going to be the boss for the day, but knew the other's strengths.
They also didn't waste anytime and dance around the fact that they were hot for each other and it showed. Their passion for one another just leaped off the pages. It is refreshing to read a book where you genuinely like both the hero and heroine.
Also Ms. Archer did an awesome job of describing the people, the land, the inventions and the magic that I could see it in my head and it became really vivid. I never felt lost or like I didn't get it. So to my friends, if this is on your TBR, go dig it out and gurl get busy, cause you are missing out on an awesome read. You know who you are! ;0)
When she needed to, Thalia stepped aside when it was more appropriate for Gabriel to do a job and he did the same. They didn't have the arguments or do stupid things to endanger themselves. They teased each other about who was going to be the boss for the day, but knew the other's strengths.
They also didn't waste anytime and dance around the fact that they were hot for each other and it showed. Their passion for one another just leaped off the pages. It is refreshing to read a book where you genuinely like both the hero and heroine.
Also Ms. Archer did an awesome job of describing the people, the land, the inventions and the magic that I could see it in my head and it became really vivid. I never felt lost or like I didn't get it. So to my friends, if this is on your TBR, go dig it out and gurl get busy, cause you are missing out on an awesome read. You know who you are! ;0)
October 20, 2010
Excellent historical set in 1874ish, Mongolia--mostly--with two likable characters that held their own throughout the book. I had more than a few chuckles as I read, some grins and giggles, too. Some terrific one-liners.
Thalia was a delight to read about. She was strong, but not overly aggressive, and she had a good heart. Gabriel was a heartthrob. (sigh) When they met, it was instant fireworks. When they followed their attraction, it was HOT. My only minor gripe with this book is there weren't enough "intimate" scenes with the H/h. A few hot ones, then mentions. Awe! I'm an admitted vicarious reader here. :-)
Neat suspense, drama, magical "things" happen as the story unfolded. Felt like a cross between Indiana Jones and Lara Croft with a lot more romance thrown in. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading the next in this series, which I already picked up. :-) Scoundrel
4 1/2 Stars
Thalia was a delight to read about. She was strong, but not overly aggressive, and she had a good heart. Gabriel was a heartthrob. (sigh) When they met, it was instant fireworks. When they followed their attraction, it was HOT. My only minor gripe with this book is there weren't enough "intimate" scenes with the H/h. A few hot ones, then mentions. Awe! I'm an admitted vicarious reader here. :-)
Neat suspense, drama, magical "things" happen as the story unfolded. Felt like a cross between Indiana Jones and Lara Croft with a lot more romance thrown in. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading the next in this series, which I already picked up. :-) Scoundrel
4 1/2 Stars
September 7, 2010
When I was growing up, I was absolutely mad for awesome coming-of-age stories. The kind that stayed with me–the ones that I still have not forgotten, even today–are adventure stories. You know the sort. There’s an ordinary girl who lives what is otherwise an ordinary life, up until the point when she is snatched away by (take your pick) a trio of old women/a man in a desert cloak/an apparition from a dream. Thereupon she proceeds to kick ass and save her little brother/her country/the entire world. I’m sure many of you were right there with me, reading those books. Robin McKinley’s The Blue Sword comes to mind, as do Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time or Jane Yolen’s Dragon’s Blood. I grew up on those stories. I read them over and over and over and over, until the spines of the books cracked and entire pages fell out, not that it mattered, because I had those pages memorized anyway.
Warrior by Zoe Archer
And so if you want to understand why everyone seems to be buzzing about Zoe Archer’s upcoming Blades of the Rose series, it is because the books capture that same sense of magic and discovery in the books I adored as a young adult–except this time around, they’re for adults. They’re not coming of age stories, of course; they’re much deeper, with emotions that resonate with the person that I am now, instead of the thirteen-year-old I once was. But there’s still that same sense of magical discovery inherent in them, that feeling that at any time in my normal life, I might meet someone who will slip me a compass, and the next thing I know, I might be the person who runs off on a voyage of discovery.
So let me tell you about Warrior, which is the first book in the back-to-back-to-back-to-back series filled with awesomeness. It starts when Captain Gabriel Huntley, newly returned from Crimea, happens upon a group of men beating up another man in Southampton, England. Huntley isn’t sure what is going on or why–all he knows is that the odds don’t look good for the loner. And besides, he’s not ready to settle down on English soil, not after all those years of adventure.
So he intervenes, and gets more than he bargained for. Over the course of the fight, he sees things that aren’t possible. And at the end, when the person he has helped has no other choice, he’s given a mission: to deliver a message and a stylized compass to Mongolia.
No, not even inner Mongolia; that would be too easy. Outer Mongolia. And Gabriel, who is deeply restless and unready to simply marry a fine English woman and spend the rest of his life getting fat over pints of beer, decides to go. And that is where the story, so far mostly familiar, begins to weave its threads of adventure.
The magic of this story is that it takes you to the windswept steppes of Outer Mongolia, delivers on that same sense of breathless discovery that I remember and love, while still rendering everything accessible. I thought about this for a long time, trying to decipher what it was that made the story seem so different, and yet so instantly recognizable all at the same time. And what I decided was that while the setting is rare and the world that Zoe Archer builds is unique, there’s a real sense of universality to the story. When Gabriel meets Thalia, she’s used to wearing a native dress called a del–but because Gabriel is English, she dons a regular English costume…to hilarious effect. And most of all, it is her emotions that are achingly familiar.
For instance, when she first encounters him, she’s wearing an ill-fitting, ugly gown. When her father sees her, dressed as an Englishwoman for the first time in years, they have the following exchange:
“You look…”
“Hilarious,” Thalia supplied.
“Well, yes,” her father agreed. “But I was also going to say: lovely.”
And in that instant, it doesn’t matter that Thalia is something of an assistant Blade of the Rose living in Outer Mongolia, that her father knows secrets about magical things called Sources. Instantly, I understand the love and affection between them. Thalia’s the tomboy forced to play at dress-up. Without being told, I know that she’s going to ride fast, fight fiercely, and love with intensity. You know that she will lead you into adventure. It’s that same thread of human emotion that we recognize again and again in Thalia and Gabriel. Even though the book proceeds at breakneck speed across scenery that is larger than life, chasing prophecies, fighting off bands of mercenaries, running from with the villainous Heirs casting magic about that threatens their lives–throughout it all, Thalia and Gabriel remain people who we can identify with.
Near the end of the book, there’s a moment when Gabriel refuses to kiss Thalia. The scenery is new, but I still found myself getting just a little choked up right then.
Ultimately, that’s what makes this book so memorable. It’s not just that the scope of the story is sweeping. At the same time that Warrior takes you past monasteries and through magical outpourings of bright red flowers, it also tiptoes through territory that is both human and accessible. It precisely captures that feeling of magic that I remember so vividly from my childhood reading. And yet at the same time, it makes me feel so comfortable in Outer Mongolia that when the book ends, I’m surprised to lift my head up and discover that I’m still in my house, in the United States. For the space of a book, Zoe Archer makes Outer Mongolia feel as if it is truly my home. And that is dark magic indeed.
Warrior by Zoe Archer
And so if you want to understand why everyone seems to be buzzing about Zoe Archer’s upcoming Blades of the Rose series, it is because the books capture that same sense of magic and discovery in the books I adored as a young adult–except this time around, they’re for adults. They’re not coming of age stories, of course; they’re much deeper, with emotions that resonate with the person that I am now, instead of the thirteen-year-old I once was. But there’s still that same sense of magical discovery inherent in them, that feeling that at any time in my normal life, I might meet someone who will slip me a compass, and the next thing I know, I might be the person who runs off on a voyage of discovery.
So let me tell you about Warrior, which is the first book in the back-to-back-to-back-to-back series filled with awesomeness. It starts when Captain Gabriel Huntley, newly returned from Crimea, happens upon a group of men beating up another man in Southampton, England. Huntley isn’t sure what is going on or why–all he knows is that the odds don’t look good for the loner. And besides, he’s not ready to settle down on English soil, not after all those years of adventure.
So he intervenes, and gets more than he bargained for. Over the course of the fight, he sees things that aren’t possible. And at the end, when the person he has helped has no other choice, he’s given a mission: to deliver a message and a stylized compass to Mongolia.
No, not even inner Mongolia; that would be too easy. Outer Mongolia. And Gabriel, who is deeply restless and unready to simply marry a fine English woman and spend the rest of his life getting fat over pints of beer, decides to go. And that is where the story, so far mostly familiar, begins to weave its threads of adventure.
The magic of this story is that it takes you to the windswept steppes of Outer Mongolia, delivers on that same sense of breathless discovery that I remember and love, while still rendering everything accessible. I thought about this for a long time, trying to decipher what it was that made the story seem so different, and yet so instantly recognizable all at the same time. And what I decided was that while the setting is rare and the world that Zoe Archer builds is unique, there’s a real sense of universality to the story. When Gabriel meets Thalia, she’s used to wearing a native dress called a del–but because Gabriel is English, she dons a regular English costume…to hilarious effect. And most of all, it is her emotions that are achingly familiar.
For instance, when she first encounters him, she’s wearing an ill-fitting, ugly gown. When her father sees her, dressed as an Englishwoman for the first time in years, they have the following exchange:
“You look…”
“Hilarious,” Thalia supplied.
“Well, yes,” her father agreed. “But I was also going to say: lovely.”
And in that instant, it doesn’t matter that Thalia is something of an assistant Blade of the Rose living in Outer Mongolia, that her father knows secrets about magical things called Sources. Instantly, I understand the love and affection between them. Thalia’s the tomboy forced to play at dress-up. Without being told, I know that she’s going to ride fast, fight fiercely, and love with intensity. You know that she will lead you into adventure. It’s that same thread of human emotion that we recognize again and again in Thalia and Gabriel. Even though the book proceeds at breakneck speed across scenery that is larger than life, chasing prophecies, fighting off bands of mercenaries, running from with the villainous Heirs casting magic about that threatens their lives–throughout it all, Thalia and Gabriel remain people who we can identify with.
Near the end of the book, there’s a moment when Gabriel refuses to kiss Thalia. The scenery is new, but I still found myself getting just a little choked up right then.
Ultimately, that’s what makes this book so memorable. It’s not just that the scope of the story is sweeping. At the same time that Warrior takes you past monasteries and through magical outpourings of bright red flowers, it also tiptoes through territory that is both human and accessible. It precisely captures that feeling of magic that I remember so vividly from my childhood reading. And yet at the same time, it makes me feel so comfortable in Outer Mongolia that when the book ends, I’m surprised to lift my head up and discover that I’m still in my house, in the United States. For the space of a book, Zoe Archer makes Outer Mongolia feel as if it is truly my home. And that is dark magic indeed.
January 1, 2012
Mixed feelings on this one. In a few words, characters were mostly yay, but the plot/adventure/mission was ho-hum.
Characters
Captain Gabriel Huntley, late of Her Majesty's Thirty-Third of foot, gets a fat, juicy 5+ star thumbs up. Gruff, unpolished, unrefined, he speaks bluntly, fights passionately, makes love wholeheartedly, and loves with his whole self. I loved his honesty and commitment. His lack of pretty words simply meant I knew he would always be a straight shooter and tell the truth of how he was feeling. This bluntness also makes for pretty hilarious observations and narrative from his POV.
Thalia Burgess...maybe 3-3.5 stars. I did like her and thought she showed courage and a unique spunk unlikely to be found in a Victorian era lady. I'm guessing her upbringing in Mongolia contributed to that uniqueness. I could see Gabriel falling for her. Her POV was fine and didn't grate...except that she "grew damp" more times than I could count. Seriously, woman? It got to the point that she felt herself "growing damp" when they were talking battle strategies, at which point I became a little concerned for her health "down there." Otherwise, though, an acceptable, courageous, and mostly likable heroine.
Secondary characters were fine, too. While I didn't really like the way this story unfolded and the plot/adventure/mission itself, I'm curious enough about one of the secondary characters, the fellow Blade Bennett Day, that I think I'll probably read his story, too.
Plot/Adventure/Story/Mission
Meh. Meh meh meh. 2-2.5 stars-ish? I know paranormally stuff usually has a lot of worldbuilding in the first book and already sort of expected that. This book, however, felt like an odd blend of not enough information and then TOO much detail. I grew bored with the first 20% or so of the book when the mission was cloaked in so much mystery that I didn't know why they needed to protect this elusive thing-they-must-protect, and I quite honestly didn't care. The worldbuilding is provided very piecemeal, so we get a little background at a time, until it's around Chapter 18 or so that we finally understand the power behind the thing-they-must-protect. My patience only lasts so long, to be frank. Then there was a lot of detailed description that, while building a lovely picture of their setting and the exotic location, sometimes felt a little too detailed. I found my interest once again wandering.
Maybe I just wasn't in the right "mood" for this book, but I just found myself not interested in the story when Gabriel - and Thalia, I suppose - weren't on screen. To that end, I also didn't like the way some of the POV came from secondary characters - most notably, the villains' POV. I mean, I don't really care what the bad guys are thinking. JRW's lessers did nothing for me. On top of that, sometimes there was shifting POV within a single section, and that also took me a bit out of the story.
Overall
I think the premise is promising, and I like the idea of this circle of protectors called the "Blades of the Rose" that protects these magical objects around the world. I just didn't really think the execution was all that great. The characters held my interest, even if the story didn't. Oh, and Gabriel Huntley...? *le sigh* Where can I find one of him for myself?
Characters
Captain Gabriel Huntley, late of Her Majesty's Thirty-Third of foot, gets a fat, juicy 5+ star thumbs up. Gruff, unpolished, unrefined, he speaks bluntly, fights passionately, makes love wholeheartedly, and loves with his whole self. I loved his honesty and commitment. His lack of pretty words simply meant I knew he would always be a straight shooter and tell the truth of how he was feeling. This bluntness also makes for pretty hilarious observations and narrative from his POV.
Thalia Burgess...maybe 3-3.5 stars. I did like her and thought she showed courage and a unique spunk unlikely to be found in a Victorian era lady. I'm guessing her upbringing in Mongolia contributed to that uniqueness. I could see Gabriel falling for her. Her POV was fine and didn't grate...except that she "grew damp" more times than I could count. Seriously, woman? It got to the point that she felt herself "growing damp" when they were talking battle strategies, at which point I became a little concerned for her health "down there." Otherwise, though, an acceptable, courageous, and mostly likable heroine.
Secondary characters were fine, too. While I didn't really like the way this story unfolded and the plot/adventure/mission itself, I'm curious enough about one of the secondary characters, the fellow Blade Bennett Day, that I think I'll probably read his story, too.
Plot/Adventure/Story/Mission
Meh. Meh meh meh. 2-2.5 stars-ish? I know paranormally stuff usually has a lot of worldbuilding in the first book and already sort of expected that. This book, however, felt like an odd blend of not enough information and then TOO much detail. I grew bored with the first 20% or so of the book when the mission was cloaked in so much mystery that I didn't know why they needed to protect this elusive thing-they-must-protect, and I quite honestly didn't care. The worldbuilding is provided very piecemeal, so we get a little background at a time, until it's around Chapter 18 or so that we finally understand the power behind the thing-they-must-protect. My patience only lasts so long, to be frank. Then there was a lot of detailed description that, while building a lovely picture of their setting and the exotic location, sometimes felt a little too detailed. I found my interest once again wandering.
Maybe I just wasn't in the right "mood" for this book, but I just found myself not interested in the story when Gabriel - and Thalia, I suppose - weren't on screen. To that end, I also didn't like the way some of the POV came from secondary characters - most notably, the villains' POV. I mean, I don't really care what the bad guys are thinking. JRW's lessers did nothing for me. On top of that, sometimes there was shifting POV within a single section, and that also took me a bit out of the story.
Overall
I think the premise is promising, and I like the idea of this circle of protectors called the "Blades of the Rose" that protects these magical objects around the world. I just didn't really think the execution was all that great. The characters held my interest, even if the story didn't. Oh, and Gabriel Huntley...? *le sigh* Where can I find one of him for myself?
September 19, 2010
I think if this had been advertised as historical romance instead of PNR, I wouldn't be sitting here wishing vainly for my $8 back. (Oh, and for those looking for steampunk romance, I'd highly recommend looking elsewhere unless all you're interested in are the occasional gadgets.)
The opening is strong--fun, adventurous, imaginative. The descriptions of Mongolia are well done, they seem well researched and visually striking. The storyline is pretty standard cross-country adventure to stop the villains and save the world, which I'm totally ok with. The characters are where it all fell apart for me.
The heroine is described as being spunky, intelligent and strong-willed, but she's... I don't know. She meets the hero and there are sparks, longing glances, etc., which is fine. She finds out he's an ex-army captain (and is it me or were the descriptions of his military service kind of weird?) and pronounces him a hero for the work he did helping England colonize India. (Ok, fine, I'm not pro-colonialism myself, but I can understand why a character of her background and in her time would be.) But then, enter the villain... whose villainy is that he wants to colonize the world in the name of England. Um, what?
There's also the part where the hero, the heroine, and her Mongol servant enter a Mongol community seeking shelter. They have to pretend that the hero and heroine are related so as to avoid offending their Mongol hosts about their unmarried status; an unrelated man and woman traveling alone is not ok. But, it's not a man and woman traveling together. It's two men and a women traveling together. Apparently the Mongol servant doesn't count as a man for some reason.
What finally made me put this down in defeat is when the hero and heroine make love. She's all angsty about sharing her heart with another man, but decides that she can trust him and... I'm sorry. She's been in a dither for over 100 pages about the risk to her heart, but has not a single qualm about the chance of getting pregnant?
These were just some of the things that made me put the book down in disgust. I tried reading this for a week, but every time I'd get 20 pages I'd find another thing like this. I'm only halfway done at this point, but I have so many other books to read that I'm quite positive are much better than I'm giving up and getting rid of it. I can't get my $8 back, but at least I'm not wasting any more of my time.
The opening is strong--fun, adventurous, imaginative. The descriptions of Mongolia are well done, they seem well researched and visually striking. The storyline is pretty standard cross-country adventure to stop the villains and save the world, which I'm totally ok with. The characters are where it all fell apart for me.
The heroine is described as being spunky, intelligent and strong-willed, but she's... I don't know. She meets the hero and there are sparks, longing glances, etc., which is fine. She finds out he's an ex-army captain (and is it me or were the descriptions of his military service kind of weird?) and pronounces him a hero for the work he did helping England colonize India. (Ok, fine, I'm not pro-colonialism myself, but I can understand why a character of her background and in her time would be.) But then, enter the villain... whose villainy is that he wants to colonize the world in the name of England. Um, what?
There's also the part where the hero, the heroine, and her Mongol servant enter a Mongol community seeking shelter. They have to pretend that the hero and heroine are related so as to avoid offending their Mongol hosts about their unmarried status; an unrelated man and woman traveling alone is not ok. But, it's not a man and woman traveling together. It's two men and a women traveling together. Apparently the Mongol servant doesn't count as a man for some reason.
What finally made me put this down in defeat is when the hero and heroine make love. She's all angsty about sharing her heart with another man, but decides that she can trust him and... I'm sorry. She's been in a dither for over 100 pages about the risk to her heart, but has not a single qualm about the chance of getting pregnant?
These were just some of the things that made me put the book down in disgust. I tried reading this for a week, but every time I'd get 20 pages I'd find another thing like this. I'm only halfway done at this point, but I have so many other books to read that I'm quite positive are much better than I'm giving up and getting rid of it. I can't get my $8 back, but at least I'm not wasting any more of my time.
September 29, 2010
This book really defies my labeling system. It is... a historical adventure fantasy occasionally-steampunk-ish romance. And it is a lot of fun. Honestly, think Raiders of the Lost Ark and you won't be far off. With steaming tension between the leads and more naughty parts to the story.
The sections from Huntley's POV were hilarious. He is a real guy's guy - blunt, forthright, curses a lot. He also manages to be one of the most noble characters I can recall coming across, without being cheesy or annoying. He is a compassionate man, who doesn't hesitate to wade into a mess if someone needs help. He's also whip-smart, and a lot of people underestimate him on that front. He's a great character.
Thalia is also a fun heroine, and it is really awesome to see a badass in a historical. It was fantastic to not have to pray for her to be rescued - Thalia is clever and knows how to handle herself.
The only criticism I'd give to the book is that it is pretty straightforward. And honestly, that's not a huge deal - it wasn't like I was bored at all. But there aren't any big reveals, no shocking turns, nothing like that. It is more like... a race to the finish line across Mongolia. Still a lot of fun, and I definitely recommend it. Next one up is Bennett Day's book. Given that he comes across as a bit of a classic rake in this book, it should be a fun one. Looking forward to it!
The sections from Huntley's POV were hilarious. He is a real guy's guy - blunt, forthright, curses a lot. He also manages to be one of the most noble characters I can recall coming across, without being cheesy or annoying. He is a compassionate man, who doesn't hesitate to wade into a mess if someone needs help. He's also whip-smart, and a lot of people underestimate him on that front. He's a great character.
Thalia is also a fun heroine, and it is really awesome to see a badass in a historical. It was fantastic to not have to pray for her to be rescued - Thalia is clever and knows how to handle herself.
The only criticism I'd give to the book is that it is pretty straightforward. And honestly, that's not a huge deal - it wasn't like I was bored at all. But there aren't any big reveals, no shocking turns, nothing like that. It is more like... a race to the finish line across Mongolia. Still a lot of fun, and I definitely recommend it. Next one up is Bennett Day's book. Given that he comes across as a bit of a classic rake in this book, it should be a fun one. Looking forward to it!
August 9, 2010
(This was originally posted on a Book Lovers,Inc)
I will admit that what first caught my eyes was the cover of this book. I find it gorgeous. (Indiana Jones anyone? lol) I remember seeing it on someone’s sidebar and I had to know more about this book. (see? it sometimes pay to be a cover whore *wink*). I loved the cover but that would not have been enough alone to win me over. The book synopsis promised a mix of adventure and historical romance. I was sold! I can’t thank Zoe Archer enough for sending me an ARC.
I loved Warrior. I’m still in a Historical phase (And I needed my fix!) but Warrior is that and so much more. The story takes place in the 1870s, but not in your usual England setting…no it is set in Mongolia! I never thought I would love reading about Mongolia this much. To be truthful the book was a bit slow to start. Well not that nothing happens in the beginning, quite the contrary, so MANY things happened that it made it a bit difficult to ‘know’ the characters and to like them. But since the moment the characters are introduced to the tribe I couldn’t put this book down.
It was a real pleasure to learn more about Mongolian culture and the life in the tribe. I was really fascinated (I even googled ‘Mongolian Clothing’ to picture it better). Zoe Archer transport us to an exotic country and show us the beauty of it. We get to really know the characters in the second half of the book and I started loving them. The relationship between Thalia and Gabriel became very interesting and we have some very hot scenes. I laughed quite a few times too, Gabriel is sexy AND funny.
Thalia our heroine, is not your typical English Lady. Thalia loves to ride, she knows how to use a crossbow and she wears practical clothes. Most of all she doesn’t mind Gabriel swearing and she is not waiting for someone else to save her. She is a strong woman who wants to do something with her life. She believes in the cause she is defending. *pats Thalia’s head*. Gabriel is…*drools* …sorry I mean Gabriel is fantastic. He was in the army and the prospect of living a ‘normal’ life is just not for him. He didn’t think twice before launching himself in this adventure. I really like this hero, his sense of humor and all his swearing are a big part of his charm.
The story is original and it really felt like an adventure. We discover a side of the world we didn’t know, a world full of Magic. The story kept on surprising me and I wanted more! We are introduced to some characters that will be the heroes of the following books. And I can’t wait! I’m pretty sure I will LOVE Bennett *drools* (Hero of Scoundrel).
I give Warrior 4 1/2 Bookies
I will admit that what first caught my eyes was the cover of this book. I find it gorgeous. (Indiana Jones anyone? lol) I remember seeing it on someone’s sidebar and I had to know more about this book. (see? it sometimes pay to be a cover whore *wink*). I loved the cover but that would not have been enough alone to win me over. The book synopsis promised a mix of adventure and historical romance. I was sold! I can’t thank Zoe Archer enough for sending me an ARC.
I loved Warrior. I’m still in a Historical phase (And I needed my fix!) but Warrior is that and so much more. The story takes place in the 1870s, but not in your usual England setting…no it is set in Mongolia! I never thought I would love reading about Mongolia this much. To be truthful the book was a bit slow to start. Well not that nothing happens in the beginning, quite the contrary, so MANY things happened that it made it a bit difficult to ‘know’ the characters and to like them. But since the moment the characters are introduced to the tribe I couldn’t put this book down.
It was a real pleasure to learn more about Mongolian culture and the life in the tribe. I was really fascinated (I even googled ‘Mongolian Clothing’ to picture it better). Zoe Archer transport us to an exotic country and show us the beauty of it. We get to really know the characters in the second half of the book and I started loving them. The relationship between Thalia and Gabriel became very interesting and we have some very hot scenes. I laughed quite a few times too, Gabriel is sexy AND funny.
Thalia our heroine, is not your typical English Lady. Thalia loves to ride, she knows how to use a crossbow and she wears practical clothes. Most of all she doesn’t mind Gabriel swearing and she is not waiting for someone else to save her. She is a strong woman who wants to do something with her life. She believes in the cause she is defending. *pats Thalia’s head*. Gabriel is…*drools* …sorry I mean Gabriel is fantastic. He was in the army and the prospect of living a ‘normal’ life is just not for him. He didn’t think twice before launching himself in this adventure. I really like this hero, his sense of humor and all his swearing are a big part of his charm.
The story is original and it really felt like an adventure. We discover a side of the world we didn’t know, a world full of Magic. The story kept on surprising me and I wanted more! We are introduced to some characters that will be the heroes of the following books. And I can’t wait! I’m pretty sure I will LOVE Bennett *drools* (Hero of Scoundrel).
I give Warrior 4 1/2 Bookies
March 20, 2011
When Captain Gabriel Huntley comes to a lone mans defense when he discovers him being beaten in a dark alley, he doesn't realize that this one selfless act would set in motion a set of events that takes him from England to Outer Mongolia seeing things he never before imagined could be real. He certainly didn't see Thalia Burgess on the horizon, the strong, beautiful and unconventonal woman he soon realizes he would give his life to defend.
I love this book, right from the start it drew me in with its beautiful cover, which has a both a very handsome man on the front and a beautiful and alien looking landscape; however, the cover is not what kept me reading and thoroughly enthralled, the adventure, romance and characters are what had me reading at every oppotunity I could.
What pulled me in to the stroy intially was Zoe Archer's writing style, it manages to be desciptive without being too excessive, describing people and places beautifully. The characters she has created are very memorable; Gabriel was earthy and handsome, and I think the best way to describe him was manly, he was a mixture of Indianna Jones and Sharpe. Thalia was another great character, she was sensible and strong, as well as funny and unusual, and I think that together Thalia and Gabriel made a great couple, there were no TSTL moments on both thier parts, they both knew when to listen to one another and went to act. They were also a very hot couple, this book wasn't overloaded with erotic love scenes, but the ones that were there were delicious, and Zoe Archer kept the sexual tension between them high, you could feel their desire and attraction to each other through out the book.
I also liked that the story although heay on romance, had a great adventure plotline, and I loved the concept of the sources and the Blades of the Rose idea, a group of people that have banded together to keep magical artefacts (sources) out of the wrong hands, and in this case the Heirs of Albion, who seek a source in Mongolia so that the British Empire can conquer the world.
If the next book is as good as this one, it is definately going to be one of my favourite series as it had the perfect blend of action, romance and humour.
Quote that made me laugh out loud on the bus:
If he wasn't careful, he'd pop right out the damned trunks and give every one of the tribesman an eyeful of genuine English sausage.
This is my Captain Gabriel Huntley, the very hot and golden Simon Baker:
Thalis Burgess as Rachel Weisz:
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I love this book, right from the start it drew me in with its beautiful cover, which has a both a very handsome man on the front and a beautiful and alien looking landscape; however, the cover is not what kept me reading and thoroughly enthralled, the adventure, romance and characters are what had me reading at every oppotunity I could.
What pulled me in to the stroy intially was Zoe Archer's writing style, it manages to be desciptive without being too excessive, describing people and places beautifully. The characters she has created are very memorable; Gabriel was earthy and handsome, and I think the best way to describe him was manly, he was a mixture of Indianna Jones and Sharpe. Thalia was another great character, she was sensible and strong, as well as funny and unusual, and I think that together Thalia and Gabriel made a great couple, there were no TSTL moments on both thier parts, they both knew when to listen to one another and went to act. They were also a very hot couple, this book wasn't overloaded with erotic love scenes, but the ones that were there were delicious, and Zoe Archer kept the sexual tension between them high, you could feel their desire and attraction to each other through out the book.
I also liked that the story although heay on romance, had a great adventure plotline, and I loved the concept of the sources and the Blades of the Rose idea, a group of people that have banded together to keep magical artefacts (sources) out of the wrong hands, and in this case the Heirs of Albion, who seek a source in Mongolia so that the British Empire can conquer the world.
If the next book is as good as this one, it is definately going to be one of my favourite series as it had the perfect blend of action, romance and humour.
Quote that made me laugh out loud on the bus:
If he wasn't careful, he'd pop right out the damned trunks and give every one of the tribesman an eyeful of genuine English sausage.
This is my Captain Gabriel Huntley, the very hot and golden Simon Baker:
Thalis Burgess as Rachel Weisz:
[image error]
March 16, 2015
I’m very torn about this book. On one hand, it had a really interesting setting but the central theme was a bit silly and the relationship between the hero and heroine was full of clichés. They were more original themselves but how they got together was very predictable and boring.
Things I liked:
• I’ve never read a book set in Mongolia so I was enthralled by the descriptions of the people and the places. The author really took some time to get the feeling for the land and their inhabitants and this definitely added to the magical feeling of the book.
• The hero was a really believable soldier. He thought like a soldier and was always on the lookout for trouble. He was prepared and always ready for action.
Things I didn’t like:
• There have always been progressive people in this world but when you have a whole group of people professing beliefs that are rare for their time but normal for ours, I start rolling my eyes. I’m sorry, but I can’t believe that a group of English people would be fighting so everybody would have the right to their culture. Give me a break.
• I firmly believe that clubs with silly monikers belong to teenagehood so I kept thinking of the Blades and the Heirs as the Jets and the Sharks and expected them to break into dance at any moment.
• The romance was so clichéd! They are attracted in an instant, private parts started clenching and lengthening even in the direst of circumstances, they do it, fall in love and the end. I really don’t know why they fell in love and what was so great about the heroine – yes, she was different than any other woman he’s ever met, blah, blah, blah but she seemed the same to me as every other heroine.
At this point, I don’t know if I’ll continue reading the series but if you’d looking for some adventure and don’t mind some silliness, then this book might be for you.
Things I liked:
• I’ve never read a book set in Mongolia so I was enthralled by the descriptions of the people and the places. The author really took some time to get the feeling for the land and their inhabitants and this definitely added to the magical feeling of the book.
• The hero was a really believable soldier. He thought like a soldier and was always on the lookout for trouble. He was prepared and always ready for action.
Things I didn’t like:
• There have always been progressive people in this world but when you have a whole group of people professing beliefs that are rare for their time but normal for ours, I start rolling my eyes. I’m sorry, but I can’t believe that a group of English people would be fighting so everybody would have the right to their culture. Give me a break.
• I firmly believe that clubs with silly monikers belong to teenagehood so I kept thinking of the Blades and the Heirs as the Jets and the Sharks and expected them to break into dance at any moment.
• The romance was so clichéd! They are attracted in an instant, private parts started clenching and lengthening even in the direst of circumstances, they do it, fall in love and the end. I really don’t know why they fell in love and what was so great about the heroine – yes, she was different than any other woman he’s ever met, blah, blah, blah but she seemed the same to me as every other heroine.
At this point, I don’t know if I’ll continue reading the series but if you’d looking for some adventure and don’t mind some silliness, then this book might be for you.
April 7, 2011
WOW! This was such a good story and a wonderful surprise. There was magic, adventure, history and or course Romance!
The story features one Captain Gabriel Huntley who has just retired from the military after 15 years in His Majesties service. Capt. Huntley is returning home with the intention of finding a job and settling down with a wife and children...but fate had other plans for Mr. Huntley. Upon arriving in England, Mr. Huntley stumbles upon a man being beaten by a gang of men. Mr. Huntley takes it upon himself to even the odds by helping the poor fellow out. But no matter Mr. Huntley's good intentions, the man who was attacked ends up being stabbed, but before He dies he asks Mr. Huntley to deliver a message for him...in Mongolia.
Mr. Huntley not being too thrilled about settling for a mundane life after all, and made the dying man a promise that he would deliver the message, he takes the dead fellows ship papers and boards a ship for Mongolia that evening.
From there the adventure begins... it is an amazing roller-coaster ride that takes place throughout Mongolia and into China.
Mr. Huntley is amazing! While reading the story he reminded me of Indian Jones's character, but sexier! ....(not a big fan of Harrison Ford)
The Heroine in this story Thalia Burgess is absolutely brilliant! She is strong, intelligent, loyal, versatile, and when she loves....she loves completely!
I highly recommend this story, and can't wait to read the next!
The story features one Captain Gabriel Huntley who has just retired from the military after 15 years in His Majesties service. Capt. Huntley is returning home with the intention of finding a job and settling down with a wife and children...but fate had other plans for Mr. Huntley. Upon arriving in England, Mr. Huntley stumbles upon a man being beaten by a gang of men. Mr. Huntley takes it upon himself to even the odds by helping the poor fellow out. But no matter Mr. Huntley's good intentions, the man who was attacked ends up being stabbed, but before He dies he asks Mr. Huntley to deliver a message for him...in Mongolia.
Mr. Huntley not being too thrilled about settling for a mundane life after all, and made the dying man a promise that he would deliver the message, he takes the dead fellows ship papers and boards a ship for Mongolia that evening.
From there the adventure begins... it is an amazing roller-coaster ride that takes place throughout Mongolia and into China.
Mr. Huntley is amazing! While reading the story he reminded me of Indian Jones's character, but sexier! ....(not a big fan of Harrison Ford)
The Heroine in this story Thalia Burgess is absolutely brilliant! She is strong, intelligent, loyal, versatile, and when she loves....she loves completely!
I highly recommend this story, and can't wait to read the next!
December 12, 2020
Trigger warnings: violence, death, explosions, assault, racism, attempted rape.
12/12/2020
I've been hunting for DIFFERENT things to reread this year rather than just reading the same stuff over and over again. And I suddenly realised that Zoe Archer also writes as Eva Leigh, and therefore wrote My Fake Rake, one of my favourite books of this year. So I figured I would reread this one. And it was pretty stinking fun. I love the world. I love the secret society elements. I love the magic. I love that it's set in Mongolia and that Mongolian culture is at the core of the story. The romance is pretty cheesy but it's also pretty delightful so who caaaaaaaaaaaaaaares. Basically? This was hella fun.
20/5/2017
I picked this one up for the AroundtheWorldAThon solely because it was set in Mongolia. Also because it's mostly been shelved as a steampunk book, and a steampunk book set in Mongolia? YES PLEASE.
In reality, I have no idea what genre this book is. It's not really steampunk. It's not really fantasy. It's more like an urban fantasy that's set in the middle of nowhere?? Or something???
Aaaaanywho.
Was this totally ridiculous? Definitely. Did it feature a ridiculously over the top romance? Yup. Was the magic coming from historical artefacts from mythologies all over the world super cool? Totally.
In short: it's fun, it's action-packed, and I'm definitely going to read the remaining three books in the series.
12/12/2020
I've been hunting for DIFFERENT things to reread this year rather than just reading the same stuff over and over again. And I suddenly realised that Zoe Archer also writes as Eva Leigh, and therefore wrote My Fake Rake, one of my favourite books of this year. So I figured I would reread this one. And it was pretty stinking fun. I love the world. I love the secret society elements. I love the magic. I love that it's set in Mongolia and that Mongolian culture is at the core of the story. The romance is pretty cheesy but it's also pretty delightful so who caaaaaaaaaaaaaaares. Basically? This was hella fun.
20/5/2017
I picked this one up for the AroundtheWorldAThon solely because it was set in Mongolia. Also because it's mostly been shelved as a steampunk book, and a steampunk book set in Mongolia? YES PLEASE.
In reality, I have no idea what genre this book is. It's not really steampunk. It's not really fantasy. It's more like an urban fantasy that's set in the middle of nowhere?? Or something???
Aaaaanywho.
Was this totally ridiculous? Definitely. Did it feature a ridiculously over the top romance? Yup. Was the magic coming from historical artefacts from mythologies all over the world super cool? Totally.
In short: it's fun, it's action-packed, and I'm definitely going to read the remaining three books in the series.
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