"Enjoyable second installment in the futuristic Star series."
Reviewed by Sue Burke
Posted November 17, 2006
Romance | Fantasy
Prince Rubikhan Benjamin, once in line to the throne of the
planet Amanor and now an outlaw, is accused of murdering
his own father, and God knows he had reason. Ruben is now
on the run, labeled a traitor. With a bounty on his head,
Ruben crash lands on a distant planet where he's rescued by
Tess and her son, Boone.
Orphaned at an early age and raised to be a rapture whore,
Tess' life has been a hard one. When her training "didn't
take," her owner sold her to a landowner on the first
planet he happened by. Although her new owner, Joah,
assures her that she was purchased to be his housekeeper,
she soon ends up in his son's bed. A few years later, with
the son dead, Tess is still in Joah's household and with
her own young son to worry about. Now Joah is giving Tess
the lecherous eye.
Although all she wants to do is grab Boone and run away
from the crash site, Tess checks for survivors and finds
Ruben in the wreckage. She takes him home with her to heal
him with disastrous results to her heart, which up to now
she's kept well-guarded. Not one to confide in strangers
himself, Ruben (Ben) finds himself drawn to this lovely but
lonely woman who's a complete cipher to him.
This is the second book by Cindy Holby, under the
pseudonym Colby Hodge, in her futuristic Star
series. Written for the romance reader and not so much for
the sci-fi/fantasy crowd, SHOOTING STAR is predictable, but
still an enjoyable read. The characters behave exactly as
you'd expect, so no surprises here. If you're looking for
something to pass a pleasant afternoon, this may be the
story for you.
SUMMARY
Fast-talking, hard-hitting, devil-may-care, Ruben can
outmaneuver anyone who seeks to attack him, charm any he
chooses to befriend. At the helm of his star ship he is
invincible; in the bedroom of a beautiful woman,
unstoppable. But the secrets of Ruben’s past are about to
catch up with him. Now his ship has crash-landed in a
primitive world, the voice of his long-lost brother
whispering in his mind is causing him to question his
sanity, and a mysterious beauty has cut through all his
defenses to the lonely man beneath. In Tess’s arms he will
find his true self, igniting a love that blazes through
the night like a…Shooting Star.
ExcerptIt was parade day. It was also his birthday. The boy,
impatient with the maid who dressed him, broke away from
her constant straightening and ran through the luxuriously
appointed apartment to his mother’s room.His little brother was there, clinging to her skirts with
his thumb stuck deep into his mouth as always. The boy’s
face brightened at the sight of his older brother. “Ben!” he said in his baby voice as he popped his thumb
out and then back in. Their mother gently touched the golden brown hair of the
boy at her side and then removed his hand so she could
kneel to welcome the older son. “Happy Birthday Ben,” she said and swept her son into a
warm hug. “Is the parade really for me mother?” Ben asked. “Yes. Your father and the people want to honor the day of
your birth,” she said. No need to tell the boy that it was just an excuse for his
father to placate the people and give them another show of
his strength. With twenty-one sons, all of which were to
be held in high esteem by the population, there was a
constant celebration and parade through the streets of the
capital. “Your father will come for you and honor you on this day,”
his mother continued as she checked to make sure that the
innocent face before her was clean and the clothing was
appropriate. His eyes, so blue, looked up at her with
childish excitement. She straightened a wayward curl over
his forehead. Not that it really mattered what the boy looked like. His
father, the esteemed leader of their world, would stop at
the appropriate place and display the boy before the
people. He would be announced as the twelfth heir to the
throne. This day only his mother would recognize the
insignificant ranking of her son’s birth. She was nothing
but a lesser wife who was gifted to the emperor by her
father as part of a peace treaty. Her youthful beauty and
grace were prominently displayed at the time. She was
welcomed into the emperor’s bed, compliantly did her duty
and then gifted him with another son. Perhaps if she had given him a daughter it would have been
a novelty and she would have earned a higher place in the
order of wives. Instead she bore another son in a long succession of
sons. He was another trophy to the never ending greatness
and sexual prowess of the emperor. And because the
emperor had noticed her son do something exceptional one
day during his warrior training the emperor was pleased
and graced the almost forgotten wife with a visit and as a
resul,t another son, Stefan Andreas, was borne and
declared the twentieth heir to the throne. And another
wife had given him number twenty one. There would
probably be more. Why even bother to count them after the
heir and the spare both born to the same wife. The first
wife. The honored wife. “Did you have your breakfast?” she asked. It would be a
long day for the boy. An exciting day. “Yes mother. “Good.” She smiled at him. His face held the promise of
masculine good looks. The softness of childhood was
giving way to the angles and planes of manhood. He had
the same look as her brother, dead these many years, with
his hair of golden brown and his bright blue eyes. And
young Stefan looked just like him also. How dear her brother, Stefan’s, memory was to her after
his death so many years ago in the planetary wars. His
loss had devastated her father and the result was the
treaty and her life as a gift to the conqueror of their
planet. “It’s time to go,” the mother said. She took Ben’s hand
into hers and with the other took the hand of his brother
and led them to the balcony that over looked the main
thoroughfare of the capital city. In the distance the shield wall that protected the capital
could be seen. It shimmered beneath the assault of the
two suns that were at their zenith in the bright yellow
sky. The people were grateful for the shield wall; it
protected them from their enemies. They were also
grateful for the strength of their emperor and his
armies. After all, without him they would be at the mercy
of the universe. Or so the emperor told them. All the wives gathered on the common balcony that faced
the street. Their apartments were all linked together by
the balcony on one side and a private courtyard on the
other. They all came forth, dressed in their best, with
their children at their sides. All came forth to
celebrate the birthday of son number twelve, Rubikhan
Benjamin, born to the mighty emperor and his fourth wife,
the Princess Rowena of the Planet Kalember. The banners proclaimed it. The heralds proclaimed it.
The broadcasters proclaimed it, placing the proper spin on
all of it for those who were unfortunate enough to have to
watch from their homes. The emperor is great. The
emperor is strong. Long live the emperor. “Doesn’t the emperor look great?” “Isn’t the Princess Rowena beautiful, even if she is
getting on in years?” “How handsome the young Prince is growing.” The very
image of his father. Or so they were told to report. All
of the young princes were the image of their father. Thus
his difficulty in telling them apart the broadcaster
thought to herself. No room for such rebellion. Not if
she wanted to succeed. She read the script as it ran
across the screen before her. “The young Prince is now twelve years old. It is reported
by his tutors that the Prince Rubikhan Benjamin is
exceptional in all of his classes, especially his weapons
training. He has a natural ability that astounds those
that watch him.” The broadcaster checked her screen as
the last sentence that she read seemed different than the
usual rote that she was required to repeat at each
birthday. Yes, she had read correctly. A sentence had
been added. The young prince must be exceptional to have
something different added to his publicity release. “We look forward to seeing him lead our warriors someday,”
she went off the routine script with a genuine smile. The camera focused on the balcony and the women and
children gathered there. Seven wives and twenty sons all
lined up. They were all there but the eldest. He had
moved on to be with his father a long time ago. Rowena and her sons occupied the second apartment. She
was second in political ranking only to the first wife.
The first wife had given the emperor his heir and three
other sons. Her fourth son was only a few weeks younger
than Ben. The boy looked at Ben with his pale, sour
face. Could he be jealous? He had his own honors coming
in just a few weeks after all. Rowena took a half step
forward to shelter her son from the vicious looks coming
his way while she tried to remember the boy’s name. Dyson. His name was Dyson. Chubby cheeks, weak blue eyes
and white blonde hair. How could she forget his name?
Was it because he looked so much like his mother? “Look Mother,” Ben said. The heralds were passing, carrying banners with her son’s
name. Next there was a hover pod with a soldier on
board. He was being honored for some great
accomplishment. Rowena stole a look at the great monitor
hanging on the side of one of the buildings. It showed a
close up of the soldier with the subtitles of his feats.
The soldier seemed bored as he slowly drove the small
hover craft down the street lined with wildly cheering
patrons. But he did wave to the crowd, which drove the
gathered mob into frenzied screams of celebration. Next there were the various officers and the current top
celebrities. It was getting close to the arts awards
day. The top runners were all on open hover pods, wearing
their best smiles as they blew kisses to the crowd. One
especially handsome actor flashed his famous smile and the
women gathered along the street below screamed in
appreciation at the treat. “Where’s my father?” Ben asked. Impatient as always, he
stepped closer to the balcony’s edge and looked towards
his father’s residence, ignoring the honorees that were
lined up right below his nose. Dyson stepped forward
also, blocking Ben’s view. Rowena’s face remained composed. She would not show her
aggravation with the child. Since they were close in age
he shared a tutor with Ben and it had become a competition
instead of a class. Rowena had advised Ben to let it be. It would pass. The
boy’s dishonesty would show itself, just as his mother’s
had, at least to the other wives. She had born the heir.
Why did she always feel the need to remind them of it? “He’ll be here,” Rowena assured him. How many times had Ben actually seen his father? Twenty,
maybe that she could remember. There was never a time
when the boy had been with him, one on one. It had always
been in passing. There would be a comment on his growth,
a question about his studies and the typical urging to
keep the boy’s focus where it should be. Today would be different however. Today Ben was twelve
and he would get to go with his father to the governmental
palaces and share dinner with him while his father told
him his plans for the future. He would be introduced to
the powerful on the planet. He would be honored by all
who came into his presence. Today would be different. Her son was special. Rowena
knew it. She had watched him, taught him, and he would
excel. He would be noticed. He would earn his place by
his father’s side. He would accomplish great things. He
would see the things that needed to be changed and he
would change them. After today, things would be different. Rowena bent over Ben’s shoulder and inconspicuously
pointed towards the east. “There he is,” she said into his ear. Ben’s hands
tightened on the balcony rail, his knuckles white with the
strength of his grip. How could the emperor be missed? His hover pod was, of
course, riding higher than the rest. It was bigger, as
expected; it needed to be because of the body guards, the
huge black newfs that never left the emperor’s presence
and the personal driver. The sides of the hover pod were
covered with clear plexi to protect the esteemed leader of
the people and the top was covered with an ornate crown
like molding, indicative of the high position of its
passenger. It was hard to see exactly who was inside but
Rowena knew who it was. Who else could it be? The heralds stopped below the balcony. Soldiers and
security officers lined up. The stairs were cleared. The
hover pod stopped and the emperor stepped out onto the
platform that had been placed there, just for that purpose. He waved to the cheering crowd and proceeded up the steps
with the two huge newfs following. An assistant brought up
the rear. Under his arm he carried a large clear celpad
and stylus, which was no doubt the only way he could keep
track of all the details of the day. The emperor looked dashing yet elegant in his uniform. A
man for the people. The protector of the planet. A
loving father intent on visiting his son. Rowena placed her hands on Ben’s shoulders and without a
word he stepped back, holding himself at attention as he’d
been taught. They waited for his father. The emperor waved to the crowd once more as he found the
summit of the stairs. He took a few steps and then
stopped. The newfs quickly sat down behind their master,
patiently waiting for the next subtle command. Ben’s father stopped in front of Dyson. “So you are turning twelve?” he said. “Yes sir,” Dyson responded with a bright smile. It wasn’t
a lie. He was turning twelve. In just a few days. Ben’s shoulders tensed under her hands. Rowena squeezed
her fingers over the tense muscles. Patience my son…
Rowena’s eyes darted towards the assistant who stood at
attention behind the emperor and implored him with her
lovely blue eyes. The man shrugged his shoulders after he checked his
celpad. Dyson’s mother’s face held a self satisfied smile. He has the wrong child… Who would dare to point that out? Who among them was
brave enough to risk their lives to tell the emperor that
he had made a mistake in front of the entire population? Surely he would realize his mistake? If Dyson had any
honor he would tell it himself. If Dyson’s mother was the
woman she pretended to be, she would and could smooth it
over and turn it into a victory for the emperor. Not only
did he care for Rubikhan Benjamin but he cared for Dyson,
whatever his other name was, also. It would and could
endear him to the people. Why didn’t she see it? Because it was her son being noticed. Not Rowena’s. Why
was she so vindictive? It wasn’t as if Rowena got any of
his attention. She was long forgotten, as she had hoped
to be. She couldn’t stand the man. The thought of him
sickened her. Yes he was handsome, yes he was strong, and
yes he was seductive. But he was also a shallow pool,
without even so much as a ripple given out towards those
who should be close to him. Rowena didn’t dare make a sound lest she seem jealous, or
weak. She had to remain strong and without emotion. It
was the only way they would survive the day. It was the
only way they could survive the rest of their lives. They
could not show emotion. Doing so would only weaken their
position and their position was tenuous at best. Did not
the man even know who had mothered which child? Could he
not recognize the mother at least and then conclude the
son? Politics ran deep in the colony of wives, just as it did
everywhere else in the universe. “Then let us go and celebrate,” the emperor said. He took
Dyson’s hand and led him to the rail. He lifted their
joint hands together in a signal of victory. The crowd
seemed confused but cheered as they always did. They had no choice in that. Hand and hand the two went down the steps to the hover pod
with the canines and the assistant following, as they
always did. Rowena felt the trembling of Ben’s muscles beneath her
hands. It didn’t show. His posture remained impassive and his
gaze focused on the crowd below. Be strong my son… They remained so, all of them on the balcony until the
hover pod disappeared from sight in its continuation of
the parade. There were looks of sympathy from the lesser wives. There
was a smile of victory on the first wife’s face. They all
moved inside until all that remained on the balcony was
Rowena, Ben and Stefan. A servant, quietly sympathetic, took Stefan inside. “I don’t understand,” Ben said finally as the first sun
dipped behind their building, creating long shadows that
contrasted greatly against the orange hue of the
sky. “It’s my birthday,” he continued with a sigh. “He made a mistake,” Rowena said. The all powerful, all
knowing, had made a mistake. “Doesn’t he know me? Doesn’t he know who I am?” How could she explain it? How do you tell a boy that his
father doesn’t really care? That it’s all for show, and
pageantry and pomp. There was only one son that concerned
him. The heir, which even now had his own room close to
his father so that he may learn best how to rule. “You and Dyson are close in age. Perhaps he got the dates
confused.” “But my name is everywhere,” Ben pointed out. “He would
have to know it is my birthday, not Dyson’s.” Not if he didn’t know the difference between them. And
not only did he not know who was who, but his assistant
didn’t know either. After all, he had been the one
whispering in the emperor’s ear. Justifying it didn’t excuse it. A father should know his
sons. He should know all of them. Rowena didn’t know what to say. “Why didn’t you tell him it was me?” Ben asked. He took a
step forward, removing himself from contact with his
mother. Her hands reached for him, then dropped as Ben
stepped to the balcony rail and gripped it once more. A gentle breeze, herald of the coming sunset ruffled the
banners that proclaimed his name. Even now they were
being removed from the parade route, the workers busily
efficient so that nothing of this day would remain. After
all, they had to prepare for the next one. They had to
get ready for Dyson’s. “You didn’t tell him,” Ben said. His voice cracked on the
words. Whether from emotion, or just the fact that he had
begun the change into manhood, Rowena couldn’t tell. The
shoulders remained straight and the spine rigid as the boy
looked out over the street. I didn’t tell him…
What do you think about this review?
Comments
No comments posted.
Registered users may leave comments.
Log in or register now!
|
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy