For Melody, marriage is not a celebration of love. As princess of Harsdown, she has an obligation to her country to make a marriage of alliance as her parents see fit. Mel's call to duty comes when Harsdown is faced with threat of invasion unless Mel is married to Cobalt the Dark, a Warlord of a neighboring kingdom. With the marriage comes a treaty between Harsdown and the Misted Cliffs. This treaty will keep Harsdown safe from invasion and subjection by Cobalt and his kin. Melody begins her marriage with some trepidation, but not outright fear, of her new husband. She soon sees that he's a man of many facets. Beneath his stern exterior and warlike manor is a good man, not always sure of himself, who wants to be accepted and loved beyond all things.

Separated from his father, Cobalt has been raised by his mother and her abusive father. Cobalt's grandfather, Stonebreaker, is well-named. Until Cobalt grew strong enough to defend himself, he was subject to beatings on a regular basis. As a young man and adult, the abuse turned verbal when Stonebreaker realized he could no longer use his fists on the boy. Cobalt's dream throughout his life is to be reunited with his father, a man who might accept and love him. The marriage to Mel happens almost by accident, a situation that spiraled out of control. But much good could come from this new relationship. Cobalt now has his father and Melody, who both give him love and acceptance. Cobalt is still haunted by the demons of his youth, and they drive him to conquer and invade until it appears his hunger will demand the ultimate sacrifice before it can be sated.

Catherine Asaro is one of my favorite authors. Her science- fiction writing, though, is much stronger than her fantasy writing. She really understands science and is always good at strong relationships. It's her voice; it's where she lives. Her space-opera and her AI novels all feature complicated and intriguing relationships, both romantic and familial. Her fantasy is good, but it's more generic and doesn't have the same distinct voice. Still, I don't want to complain about THE MISTED CLIFFS. I did enjoy it, and it will appeal to Luna readers who are interested in romance novels with a fantasy setting. Asaro is one of the best sci- fi authors around, and I'd encourage anyone who hasn't read her to start picking up her backlist.