Reviews

Thursday, July 3, 2008 - ENDURING ROMANCE REVIEW
THE CENTURION AND THE QUEEN by Minnette Meador
You gotta love a historical romance that not only starts with a glossary but has that glossary's first two words translations of "excrement." That let me know I'm not in Regency Romance fantasyland any longer.

This isn't a Regency Romance. Not by a long shot. The Centurion And The Queen is set in 60 AD Britannia with the Boudicca revolt as a backdrop. Yes, harsh, harsh times and author Minnette Meador refreshingly does not try to sugarcoat her novel. Our hero is the battle worn Marius, a Roman leader, with the job to squash local rebellions. Our heroine is the equally battle worn Delia, sister to an uncaring (and crazy) local King. These are two hardened warriors. They've spent a lifetime killing. Their romance is neither pretty nor nice.

It is believable though. I could understand the attraction between the two. I could see Marius, a man spending almost all of his life amongst male warriors, being attracted to and able to relate to the tough, defiant Delia. Delia is looking for strength, someone to help her with her fight, and finds it in Marius.

I also enjoyed the weaving in of different cultures. The Roman army picked up soldiers all over the world. The secondary characters reflect this diversity.

The violence is graphic (this is wartime – if you are unfamiliar with Boudicca, you can find a summary here). There is incest, rape, and quite a few deaths. The physical relationship between the hero and the heroine is also rough. Think HBO's Rome (as a starting place). Does that detract from the book? Not for me. It adds to the realism. The Centurion And The Queen is very well written and well researched (it seems, I'm no expert in the time period). I enjoyed it and am greatly looking forward to Minnette Meador's next novel.

Meador weaves a beautiful story that I could not get enough of. Her characters are so full of life and were enjoyable to read. The setting was great too…This is one author that I would love to read more. The Centurion and the Queen is a book that will please those that love steamy romance to historical nuts. I was impressed with the balance between the two and recommend this book. – Coffeetime Romance – 4 Cups

Title: The Centurion and the Queen
Author: Minnette Meador
Genre: Historical
Hearts: Four Hearts - 4/5
Reviewer: Tammie - Nightowl Romance
Date: 4/4/2008

Minnette Meador's Centurion and the Queen will transport you back to 60 AD Britain. It's not a time of comfort for either the Britons or the Romans. The Roman army has been an invader of the isle for quite some time. Through treaties with some of the kings and the strength of their army the Roman's have a lot of control over the Britons. The Romans have imposed laws on the natives and have take land for themselves. This story starts out with a bunch of Britons who are starving. They have gone back to the fields to try to find food for themselves and their families. The Roman's have made it against the law for the villagers to find food in the field. They take the Britons into custody. One of the villagers dies. At the same time a Briton Queen, Delia, is hiding in the forest. She starts tracking the Romans and along the way is captured herself. Delia is an unmarried woman and also a warrior. Soon she meets the terrifying centurion and a leader in the Roman army.

As she fights Marius the centurion she also builds an unbreakable bond of trust, love and devotion with him. Marius is within one month of his retirement from the army. After twenty-five years of service he can leave and take a wife. The life for a Briton and Roman living together will be a hard road, but both Marius and Delia have had hard lives. Will they be able to continue on with a relationship or will social pressures tear them apart?

This book was my first one by Minnette and I'm looking forward to reading more of her works. She brings you into a new time and very quickly has you integrated into the lives and settings of her characters. You feel for them like they are your friends and easily develop emotional bonds with them and their community. I encourage you to try out Minnette's work and see how enmeshed you will become in her wonderful settings. This book pulled me in and I read it in two sittings, just before bed and right when I awoke.

Tia Fanning, Author
Okay, another great read I just have to recommend to you all! (Here’s where I start gushing...) You all have to read The Centurion and the Queen by Minnette Meador. It’s awesome!!! What a thrilling story!!!

Honestly, this has to be one of the best historicals I’ve read in a long time. The story will leave you gasping, smiling, screaming at/cheering for the characters, and wishing this book would be made into a movie. The interaction between Marius and Delia is amazing and breath taking.
Congrats to Minnette for writing such a wonderful story. I can’t wait to read what this author comes out with next.

Catherine Chernow, Author

I am absolutely absorbed in the story of THE CENTURION AND THE QUEEN.

Last night, I stayed up to watch the movie Ben-Hur (in honor of Charlton Heston - one of the first of the old-time Hollywood Hunks). In Ben-Hur, you get caught up in the feel of the times - of the splendor - and the brutality - that was ancient Rome. In the CENTURION AND THE QUEEN, I get the same feeling.

But that's just the setting...the story is riveting. And so are your
characters. Marius is a mix of strength, brutality and...compassion.
Delia is absolutely fantastic - a kick-ass heroine, devoted to her
people, yet, there's a vulnerable side to her.

What I'm finding, too, is that I love the sub-plot that's going on
between your secondary characters. Aelius and Glenys are terrific!

Your love scenes are...sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...sensually erotic, laced with Marius' compassionate side, as well as the highly-charged, magnificently sexual Roman side of his personality. I'm caught up in Delia's passion and her enexpected sexual awakening in Marius' capable hands.

Now, I can't wait to see what happens next. Delia's bared all -
including her painful secret - to Marius. And her past is catching up
with her. Will Marius be able to protect her?

DEAR AUTHOR REVIEW

Dear Mrs. Meador,

When you sent DA a file of your new book “The Centurion and the Queen,” I was a happy camper. Though it’s beginning to be used more as a setting for romance books, stories set in ancient Rome and Roman Britain were once few and far between. I could never figure out why since the time offers strong warriors, strong women and lots of chances for conflict between the two. Maybe the HBO series “Rome” has opened some doors here.

The story starts off with a bang. In the aftermath of a skirmish between his well trained century and a group of the local barbarians, Centurion Marius Markus Lardanium spies Delia, Queen of the Corieltauvi lurking in the forest watching. His immediate response just seems so guy and so Roman: to get this native woman in his bed. After all, Rome has now conquered this ghastly outcrop of an island and it shouldn’t be too hard to get what he wants. He’s the conqueror and she’s one of the conquered. Or so he thinks.

Delia has other thoughts on the subject which don’t include submitting either herself or her ward Glynes to the hands of the louts who are taking over her homeland and imposing their harsh laws on the Bretons. She quickly dispatches the Roman soldier intent on raping Glynes and tells Marius a thing or two about the discipline of his men. None of it complementary. I like that Delia holds her own against Marius. Despite being unarmed and almost alone, she commands his respect and gets retribution for the crime attempted against Glynes.

Marius quickly learns there’s more to this woman than the potential of a good lay. Not only fluent in Latin, she’s also visited some of the Eastern lands held by Rome and can appreciate the culture of the Empire. And in an effort to protect her people, she’s also withstood treatment that would have brought most men to their knees. For the first time in his life, he feels something more for a woman than mere lust or scratching an itch and he’s determined to get the bottom of who’s abused her.

But just when these two are working out their potential for a relationship, fate intervenes in the form of Queen Boudiga and her army of 50,000 Bretons hell bent on revenge and freedom from Roman rule. Marius will have his hands full surviving the uprising, much less finding one woman amidst the chaos. And what future awaits them since he’s a Roman soldier and she a Breton Queen?

You’ve written a story set in what we would consider savage times. Violence is common, slavery is accepted and justice is harsh and swift. The Romans aren’t gentle about taking over something or someplace they want. They do bring a lot with them to the lands they conquer but the conquered aren’t usually initially happy with the arrangements and tend to fight back. Thank you for not tempering the realities of the times nor the people. I hate it when authors make the Romans all Care Bear / touchy feely and pull back from letting anything bad happen to their characters.

You appear to have done an excellent job with your research and what’s better, you manage to include it naturally as the story unfolds rather than forcing in facts just to show you know them or unloading a ton of information at one time. I also like that you include flaws for both sides and all characters. It makes them more real and balanced to me.

The biggest problem I have with the story is in the romance. The book is short and you have a lot of ground to cover. I think the Breton revolt is well done but between that and setting up the conflict between Marius and Delia, there just didn’t seem enough time for these two to fall in love. I’m not a fan of ‘love at first sight’ plots but this issue might not bother others. And just to be contrary, I will say that I do like the way you show Marius’ confusion and consternation as he realizes he’s falling hard and fast for Delia. However, given her history, I find it hard to believe that Delia is going to go all hawt given the way Marius treats her after his night of drinking.

I haven’t read your sequel yet but I wonder if a few issues will be resolved. Does Leonius shape up? I must admit I have major problems with this dude and what he’s done in the past and thinks is all right to do now. But he does seem realistic. Also what about Aelius and Glynes? I also noticed a few things which might have been addressed in the final version of the book such as the fact that Delia initially introduces herself to Marius yet later he makes a big production about getting her to admit her name. I also notice poor Delia seems to get hit on the head and end a lot of scenes unconscious. I hope she doesn’t suffer any permanent brain injuries.

But, for all that, the story reads very quickly and held my attention. I think I finished it in three sittings and never felt the urge to skim anything. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel and hope that it holds up to what you’ve already given us. B for this one.

~Jayne

PIERS ANTHONY
“[Starsight] is one powerful and imaginative fantasy adventure novel with many nice touches...there is magic galore, and challenge galore; nothing comes easy. It's the first of a series, and it should do well...”
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SPIDER ROBINSON, co-author with Robert A. Heinlein of VARIABLE STAR
"After millennia of discovery and exploration, and especially the last century or two of strip-mining, you’d think the fantasy genre would be wrung dry by now, leaving its writers with nothing to do but rewrite, presenting old ideas in newer clothes. Minnette Meador has begun reinventing and redefining the field by page 30 of STARSIGHT, and hasn’t stopped by the final sentence. But there’s more than just novel ideas going on, here; Meador also knows the unfakeable secret of keeping even newcomers turning the pages: care about your characters so much it becomes infectious. This is a Typhoid Mary of a book, from a writer to watch."
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"This story is stirring. It is a grand tale of unexpected heroes and psychopaths, passionate love and responsible duty, far fetched spiritual hopes and suffocating religious despair. Minnette's writing is clear and exciting, heartfelt, and often evocative. This smart page-turner will bubble your imagination and have you rooting for marvelous characters that will stay in your heart."
Peter Joseph Swanson, Author of Hollywood Sinners & Hidden River

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"I have never been attracted to this genre, as I’ve always been grounded in reality and never had time for frivolity. But STARSIGHT is not frivolous… the characters are richly human, and their struggle between good and evil ranks with the most creative in literature. I got used to idea of superpowers real quick and now have a magic wand on my wish list. Minnette’s use of singing to invoke “the power” touched my soul and added a unique component of beautiful sound to the reading. I never thought I’d feel comfortable living on a mystical planet in an indefinite time period, but her descriptions not only took me there, they kept me there… like Homer’s Sirens."
Shirley Howard, Author, Tales Out of School

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"Meador has crafted a world as expansive and imaginative as any that have graced the pages of fiction before. Her characters are embodied with real sinew, souls, and motives. They are never flat, and rise to a variety of challenges and the full spectrum of human emotions. Meador is at her best when she shows how the characters of her powerfully prodigious cast play off of one another, and how these connections and collisions help to further both the plot and the intrigue of Starsight. This novel is truly NOT to be missed!" Luke Reynolds, Author A New Man and Inside Out and Outside In

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A Fantasy Novel Worth Reading- A Review of Starsight
by A. F. Stewart

I just finished my copy of Starsight by Minnette Meador, and I absolutely loved it. I highly recommend it.

Here's my review:

Starsight is a superior, old-fashioned, epic tale of wizardry, evil and empires.

The book tells the tale of Trenara, Joshan and their allies, as they battle the Machiavellian schemes of Sirdar, and it weaves an intriguing, complex journey for the reader.

The world inside the pages comes alive fully, unfolding with a vibrant energy, and wholly realized characters. From the first page to the last word, I was captivated and entertained. The author creates an inventive outlook on the world of wizards, kings, and magic, giving us characters to care about as they slowly deal with the expanding threat, amidst their secrets, flaws and decency.

Starsight is the first volume in a series, and I can't wait until the next book. It is a remarkable fantasy novel.

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Starsight, by Minnette Meador
by Sheila Deeth

Here's a confession. I didn't like fairy tales as a child. I wasn't scared of them - they just annoyed me. Life wasn't meant to be so unpredictable and so unfair, or if was I didn't want to read about it.

I wanted to read my big brother's books - real books the same shape and size as grown-up ones, with lots of words and no pictures. But my brother said I had to prove I was serious first. He told me to read the Snow Queen, but I loathed it so much I volunteered to clean his room instead. That way, I could read chapters from his bookshelf once a week without anyone knowing.

They read Alice in Wonderland to me in grade school. I tried to cover my ears. And in junior high I had to listen to the Hobbit. I couldn't understand the attraction at all, and deduced that fantasy really wasn't my thing.

At college, the young man, who later became my husband, had a novel way of making sure I stayed in touch. He loaned me his copy of Frank Herbert's Dune. It was a thick book that took a long time to read, and when I was finished I had to give it back. My husband likes Dune because he's always loved science fiction (so have I), but it was the first book verging on fantasy that I really enjoyed. Then I bought the Narnia books, Lord of the Rings (and the Hobbit and the Silmarillion of course), the complete works of Lewis Carroll, Earthsea (back when it was only a trilogy)... I was hooked. I even started meeting with friends once a week to play a variant on Dungeons and Dragons.

Then we married and had kids.

It wasn't till I picked up my copy of Minnette Meador's Starsight, mailed freshly minted, signed and personalized by the author (a gather friend), that I realized how long it was since I'd enjoyed a long fantasy (unless Harry Potter counts). I tried George R.R. Martin's books recently, but couldn't get into them - the short reading sessions of a busy life meant the story became too disjointed for me to follow. I was actually nervous as I started Starsight, wanting so much to enjoy it, but beginning to wonder if my reading had come full circle.

I guess Minnette allayed my fears fairly quickly. Eechas instead of hairy horses disturbed me - maybe that's one of my problems, keeping the language of a fantasy world in mind. Guiders. Power (always in italics). I wasn't sure, but I kept reading; persevered into the second chapter. Then suddenly the whole of Minnette's strange world came into focus in my imagination. I was there, transported for a chapter at a time, and the names and images were ready and waiting to return as soon as I came back. With so many names - such strange names - I'm not sure how she did it. But I'd have to say, Minnette has a very deft hand at weaving enough detail into her tale to keep it all flowing smoothly in and out of memory.

Two things attracted me to the book before I read it: Piers Anthony's endorsement on the front cover, and Spider Robinson's on the back. The pictures on the cover made me think I might be in for a Lord of the Rings look-alike, but I was pleased to be wrong. Starsight is set in world of its own, with human characters, flawed and believable, stories and histories interwoven and slowly revealed, and an enjoyable premise of good misused and evil strangely attractive.

Somewhere along the way, I realized I was reading book one of a set. Now I've finished, and the world's still waiting, it's peoples poised for disaster and war, its problems and deceits only partially resolved. Please get the next one published soon Minnette.

Meanwhile, maybe it's time I tried a Song of Ice and Fire again, my fantasy taste-buds now revitalized and hungry for more. Thanks Minnette.