Dominique Tomas Reviews

Added February 3, 2004

Seven Swanns

14 Days of Fairytale Romance

Author: Dominique Tomas
Publisher: New Concepts Publishing
Available At: www.newconceptspublishing.com
Publishing Date: February 1, 2004
Genre: Romance: Science Fiction/Futuristic
Format: Ebook download in PDF/HTML
Price: $2.99
Author Email/Website: http://members.aol.com/DminiqueT/
Reviewer: Sharyn McGinty

The first child born to a group of settlers on a new world, Aileen was the oldest of eight children and the only girl. And she was the only one left alive. Everyone else in the colony had fallen prey to a genetic virus, which caused him or her to mutate and die. When her brothers became ill, she had believed they would die like the others and as a scientist was given a unique opportunity. To her surprise, her brothers mutated into swanns, beautiful white birds with long necks. Was there still a chance to save them? If there was, she would have to hurry, because even she had started to mutate. Her long hair has become white and feathery and her menses have stopped, even worse, she has lost the ability to speak.

Days pass and Aileen grows no closer to finding a cure. As her hope dims, she decides to work in the garden to make it nice for whoever finds her colony. She pulls up the nettles, getting pierced by their thorns and enduring hives. The next morning, she awakes to find her hair returned to its normal texture, but still white. She has found the cure! Nettles. Unfortunately, she had burned all of nettles in fit of pique. As much as she hates to, she will have to leave her home and search the entire planet for nettles.

Many weeks pass and still she searches for nettles. Thanks to her mutation her senses have become acute and she is able to avoid unfriendly beasts. One day, while bathing in a stream she senses the presence of another, a human. She saw his hunting gear and for a moment was afraid he would shoot, then he lowered the weapon and just stared. It was wrong of her, but she enjoyed being looked at, enjoyed knowing she wasn't the only human left on this world.

Rey had thought the flash of white was a wild animal and was about to shoot it when he really noticed it. It was woman, a beautiful woman with white hair. He had to have her, had to possess her. A true hunter, he decides to learn all about her so he will have no problem catching her. His only concern is how his people will accept her. Will they see her as a curse because she communes with their spirit birds, the swanns? Or will the other men want to possess her?

Aileen didn't understand why she wanted this man to look at her. Why sensing him had her feeling all flustered. She had to help her brothers, her people, but what was the point of living alone day after day with no indication she would ever succeed in her mission? When Rey rescues her from a group of hunters and makes her his own, she is pleased beyond all measure. Granted, they don't speak the same language, but the pleasure he brings her in bed is beyond words and he has huge garden filled with nettles.

As time passes, Aileen is torn between her love for Rey and her desire to help her brothers. Rey wants to control her, to make her forget about the swanns. Will she be able to find the cure before its too late? And what of her love for Rey? Can this man ever truly love her or will he just want to possess her?

Seven Swanns is the most remarkable retelling of a fairy-tale that I have ever read. Ms. Tomas stays true to the original story, while adding her own unique twist. Aileen is so unlike the original heroine who willingly gives up everything to save her brothers without a thought to herself; she's completely human. She wants to speak, to feel, to be loved, but she's also dedicated to helping her brothers. Every moment, she's torn between her desire for love and companionship and her fierce need to help her family. While I enjoyed Seven Swanns immensely, I detested the hero for most of the story. He never took into consideration Aileen's feelings, just his own. Granted, his entire civilization acted that way, but it still irritated me. It was only at the end of the story he realized he had been wrong. This minor irritation aside, Seven Swanns is a beautiful story and one I will still be rereading years from now.

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Added November 20, 2003

Some Assembly Required

novella in Alien Encounters

Author: Dominiqe Tomas
Publisher: New Concepts Publishing
Available At: www.newconceptspublishing.com
Publishing Date: Available Now
Genre: Romance: Paranormal
Format: Trade Paperback and Ebook disk & download in PDF/HTML/RTF
Price: $7.99 paperback, $6.50 disk, $5.99 download
ISBN: 1-58608-752-5
Author Email/Website: members.aol.com/DminiqueT/001.html
Reviewer: Robin Taylor

Will Rahzel's dream lover ever become a reality? Rahzel is very busy as a Mind-Driver at Link Station Beta-Ten Zeta. Rahzel's life is rather mundane, but she's held onto as much variety as she could. Though her life is privileged, her sense of loneliness haunts her. It is discovered that there appears to be hallucinations affecting some of the Mind-Drivers. Rahzel has been affected differently than others, but she doesn't let on. She requests permission to investigate the strange goings-on. From time to time Rahzel will request of "The Voice" what is it he/it wants. When she begins conversing with "The Voice" she wonders of her sanity. What is going on? This ultra-intelligent story by Tomas will catch your attention. When this entity reveals who he is and what his purpose is, Rahzel's titillating reaction will thrill you.

Each story in Alien Encounters provides a woman with a man who will love them like no other. Some other-worldly experiences are here to tantalize the reader. You won't want to put this exciting anthology down. For one thing, the world-building in these stories is excellent, along with incredible steam in each well-written story. Be sure to pick up Alien Encounters for your keeper shelf.

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