© 2006 All Rights Reserved Readers & Writers Ink Reviews

THE STAR WITCH
By Linda Winstead Jones
Paranormal romance
January 2006
Berkley Sensation
ISBN: 0-425-20128-7

This is the third book of the "Sisters of the Sun" trilogy. The trilogy concerns three half-sisters (one mother, different fathers) of the Fyne family. Long before the story opens, the Fyne women had been cursed by a wizard so that any man they loved would either die or leave them by the time they reached 30.

Isadora Fyne is a guest-prisoner of the Emperor Sebastyen.  Her task is to care for his empress, Liane, who is pregnant. Unknown to Sebastyen, Liane is carrying twins. As this would confuse the succession, it is kept secret from all. Isadora is at a crossroads. Her magical talent is for both protection and destruction. She must chose which.

Lucan Hern is first captain of the Circle of Bacwyn, legendary warriors who are unbeatable in battle. He is also to be prince of swords if he can find and win the Star of Bacwyn. He has been warned to beware of witches, since one betrayed and murdered the last Prince of swords. His younger brother has gotten a girl in the emperor's palace pregnant and wishes to marry her. Lucan goes to the palace to negotiate the marriage and perhaps, an agreement that will commit the circle to the emperor's fight against his brother Aryk, a rebel.

Liane persuades Isadora to accompany her to the dinner with Sebastyen and Lucan. When Lucan sees Isadora, he is determined to have her. She is still mourning her late husband and wishes nothing to do with love, especially since the curse is operating. Lucan speaks to Sebastyen who, in turn, orders Isadora to Lucan's bed. She is further tasked with spying on Lucan. In spite of her resolve, she falls in love with him.

The revolution is growing. Many of Sebastyen's soldiers are deserting to fight for the rebel army. He grows more paranoid. When Liane's time has come, she and Isadora make plans to spirit one of the twins out of the palace and give him to a farming couple. The emperor's witch, Gahdra, informs him at the last minute. In a fury, he imprisons Liane on the concubine's level of the palace, throws Isadora into a dungeon of no return, and decides which of his sons to make his heir and which to destroy.

The first chapters of this novel are much slower than the previous books. Isadora is troubled by a non-problem since it is obvious to the reader that protection and destruction are two sides of the same coin. It also seemed that her refusal to be attracted to Lucan and her fight against her emotions was lengthy and overdone. Both of these problems failed to yield the dramatic tension that Ms. Winstead Jones looked for. However, the rest of the story was gripping. Sebastyen's love and decision-making are very real. His and Liane's doomed love is intense, even though they can not make love until after she has delivered the twins. While this is the weakest of the trilogy, it is a fine read and delivers a most satisfying ending.

      -- Reviewed by Steven Lopata

Note:  If using a quote from this or any Readers and Writers Ink Review, we ask that Books at ForumsAmerica.com or CompuServe Books Forum be attributed for the quotation. Please address any questions to Lynne Perednia, Review Coordinator. Reviews are linked from the CompuServe Books Forum and are archived at the ForumsAmerica Books Forum.