Lyssa Hart Reviews

Added May 8, 2005

The Forest Whispers

Author: Lyssa Hart
Publisher: New Concepts Publishing
Available At: www.newconceptspublishing.com
Publishing Date: Available Now
Genre: Romance: Futuristic
Format: Ebook disk and download in PDF/HTML
Price: $4.49 disk, $3.99 download
ISBN: 1-58608-526-3
Author Email/Website: lyssahart@yahoo.com
Reviewer: Jeanine Berry
Rating: 8 Gargoyles

Ranger Lana Elroy of the United Confederation of Planets is a woman on a mission, determined to hunt down the shapeshifting serial rapist and killer Sadin Quyz, who murdered her partner. She's traced him to the backward planet of Ata Prime. But the males of Ata Prime don't think a woman should be allowed out on her own. So, to her irritation, she's forced to accept the help of Corin Thantos, captain of the guard for the ruler of the planet, in order to continue her hunt for the killer.

Lana doesn't want Sadin to have a quick death on this backward planet; she wants to take him back to the Confederation to be executed. At first, she resents being forced into a partnership with Corin, a mountain of a man, with dark red skin, black hair and predatory eyes. But soon this barbaric male, who comes complete with war paint, body armor and a cod piece adorned with the teeth of an animal, has her hormones flowing.

Lana decides some quick and meaningless sex might be just the thing she needs to relieve her growing tensions. A woman of action, she soon seduces Corin in a hot and steamy sex scene. But as the hunt for Sadin continues and she learns to respect Corin's skills, she is surprised to find her feelings for him getting stronger each time they make love.

As they penetrate deeper into the forests of Ata Prime in search of the murderer, Lana and Corin are forced to rely on each other's abilities more and more. Respect soon deepens into trust and perhaps something more as Lana begins to dread the moment when the hunt ends and she must leave Corin behind. Aided by Corin's mystical ability to commune with the forest, she finds Sadin once but is injured and nearly killed in the ensuing battle. As they set out to track Sadin down a second time, Lana will find that her trust in Corin will be put to the ultimate test.

Author Lyssa Hart paints an intriguing picture of Ata Prime's society in this erotic novel of the future and leaves the reader wanting more. Because this is a novella instead of a full-length novel, many facets of Ata Prime's barbarian culture are just hinted at, instead of fully explained. We catch tantalizing glimpses of the society, and hints that Lana doesn't really understand their feelings toward women but are never told how the men of Ata Prime actually do feel about their women.

The title of the novella, The Forest Whispers, comes from Corin's ability to "hear" the forest tell him what's happening, yet this ability to commune with the forest or how he does it is never really explained either.

But then the focus of this erotic SF is firmly on the relationship between Lana and Corin and how their growing mutual respect enables them to overcome the barriers to understanding between them. It's fun to watch their initial distrust blossom unto wary respect and then true trust, while what started as mere lust grows into love. Lana makes a feisty and appealing heroine while Corin surprises her by turning out to be laid-back and accepting for a supposedly barbaric alpha male. In fact, he manages to save Lana's life twice while never once saying, "I told you so" -- plenty of reason for any woman to fall in love with him.

With a gung-ho ranger and a captain who talks to the forest on his trail, the shapeshifting villain is going to have to keep moving in more ways than one to avoid capture. And if Lana does catch him, her mission on Ata Prime will be over. Will she be able to leave her wild and wonderful barbarian male behind? This story sparkles with romance and suspense to the very last page, where you'll find the surprising answer.

The Forest Whispers is rated carnal by New Concepts for explicit sex, strong language and violence.

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