Lord of Legends

February 16, 2009
Forced to take the shape of a man, a unicorn struggles to survive in late Victorian England in this involving but overwrought paranormal romance. American heiress Mariah Marron weds the earl of Donnington after a brief courtship. Unaware that her heritage is part supernatural, she has no idea the earl selected her for nefarious magical purposes. She soon discovers a half-naked man locked in a small cell on the earl’s estate and befriends him, naming him Ash and helping him learn to speak. Ash falls in love with Mariah, but as he regains his memories of being unicorn king Arion, he decides to betray her in order to return to his magical land. The story unfolds with twist after twist until the convoluted climax descends sharply into absurd melodrama.

March 23, 2009
Verdict: Rich with myth and fairy tale lore, this haunting, intricately crafted tale-the third in the enthralling "Fane" series (The Forest Lord and Lord of the Beasts)-sparkles darkly with fey magic and simmering passion. Background: Still a virgin when her husband abruptly leaves the day after the wedding, Mariah, Countess of Donnington, escapes her mother-in-law's suspicions and vicious barbs by exploring the family's vast country estate. Shocked to discover a disoriented man who resembles her husband imprisoned in a crumbling folly, Mariah sets out to help him, never realizing that he is Arion, King of the Unicorns, cruelly trapped in human form-or that he can only save himself by ultimately betraying her. But there is more to Mariah than even she knows, and though an unwitting pawn in this otherworldly power game, she may be the one who helps save them both. Krinard (Come the Night) lives in New Mexico.-Kristin Ramsdell, California State Univ. at East Bay Lib.

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