Dark Enchantment, by Karen Harbaugh

[rachelmanija]

She’s an amnesiac swordfighter with stigmata! He’s a scar-faced soldier fanatically devoted to Charles II! Together, they fight an evil sorcerer and his vaguely described monstrous minions!

A sweet, likable romance, though regrettably not as half as cracktastic in the reading as a plot description makes it sound, nor is there as much action and adventure as the set-up made me anticipate. Most of the story consists of Catherine and Jack getting to know each other in a succession of inns. This is surprisingly fun reading despite the lack of obvious conflict: I cared about what happened to them, plus there’s some dueling, lots of food description, and period-accurate birth control (intercrural intercourse and withdrawal.) It also contains the only misunderstanding plot I’ve ever liked, which is that at one point Jack thinks she only had sex with him because a priest told her that her stigmata is a gift from God, so she sinned in the hope of getting rid of it.

Finally, I am pleased to report that the epilogue does not involve a baby.

Incidentally, the back cover of my edition seems to be describing an entirely different, and much more erotic, dark, and angsty story than the one between the covers. Its claims to the contrary, Jack does not have a terrible secret, Catherine is not a hunted criminal, and I have no idea what the stuff about “a place of unimaginable pleasure” where “day becomes endless night” is about. Though I’d also like to read that book!

Click here to purchase from Amazon: Dark Enchantment

Comments

[oracne.livejournal.com]

Maybe you should write that other book. I'd like to read it, too. *runs*

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

how vaguely described are the minions? Why does she have stigmata?

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Vaguely described: I have no idea what they looked like, other than monstrous, clawed, and that they dissolve into stinky puddles after death.

Stigmata: It's not really explained. Either it has to do with her psychic powers, or it was a gift from God to help her cope with evil attacks (she bleeds when evil nears.)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Whoa, she bleeds when evil is near? Wow, that's almost as useful as having an epileptic fit when evil is near. Blood loss: secret weapon of heros!!

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way about swords that glow/sing/do anything other than vibrate when evil is near. Way to alert the evil that you're hiding in the bushes!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

"We're entering an orc tunnel now--please set your swords to vibrate-only"

[estara.livejournal.com]

There's a singing sword in Kylie Chan's Dark Heavens trilogy that actually vibrates at such a rate that minor demons explode into black demon goo! That worked for me ^^ - it even vibrates differently depending on who pushes the energy into the sword. And you can shut it down if you don't direct your chi into it.