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Silk Dreams
by Diana Groe
A
medieval romance of loss, opulence and detours.
Silk Dreams is a historical romance
set in the time of the Byzantine Empire with glimpses of the Norse,
Greek and Arab cultures of the time through the characters. The hero
and heroine are drawn together by chance. They must fight their
backgrounds and forces separating them while political intrigue
threatens to disrupt the entire empire. The Scandanavian woman Valdis
has been banished from her homeland right before her wedding because,
being epileptic, she is considered evil and cursed when her seizures
are seen by the groom and his family. Valdis is sold to a Greek eunuch
Damian on an auction block in the Byzantine empire who teaches her in
all the arts of an Odelisque (harem) woman in order to use her to
political means within the Arab world of Constantinople. When he hires
the Nordic warrior Erik, banished also for having committed murder, to
teach Valdis Greek, will her heart and life be in danger? Will Erik
remain true to his oath to serve the emperor? Will he protect Valdis
within a world where sexual purity may be the only thing that can
protect her from a brutal culture? Will the political intrigue of her
captors interfere with Valdis and Erik's carefully laid plans?
Silk Dreams
creates a romance where suspenseful moments inspire a fast-paced read
as historical politics and cultures clash around the characters'
personal lives. The richness of the Odalisque culture combined with the
secretive romance and sexuality heighten the passion. The unfolding
politics and loyalties magnify the suspense as Valdis and Erik try
quench their passion together yet hidden from the watchful eyes of
others.
Diana Groe's skill shines in the details surrounding the main hero and
heroine romance. Chloe, who were basically prisoner even in an opulent
Odalisque world demonstrated such courage and strength despite her
punishment. Punished for impurity, Chloe tells Valdis not to look at
the world through what she has lost. The romance between Erick and
Valdis emerges more passionately because it is built on the grounds of
their losses and the detours. The character of Damian the eunuch was
superbly multi-faceted with all the many ways he dealt with love, women
and his manhood. I loved him despite his devious plots! The author
writes memorable secondary characters that intrigue as much as the hero
and heroine --- memorable long after the cover is closed.
In addition to the characters, Silk
Dreams provides a rich culture and historical background for
this romance. The scenes focused on with language learning and the use
of runes in the book ground the historicity and the suspense. The stark
contrast between the images of luxury in the harem and the brutal way
the culture treated women added both atmosphere and depth to this
romance. The glimpses at Christianity through the eyes of Valdis who
worshipped the Norse gods add a layer that intrigued me. The
understanding of one religion through the eyes of another revealed both
the strengths and weaknesses of each in new ways. In Silk Dreams the reader sees three
religions seen differently through the eye of various characters.
Publisher: Leisure (July 2007)
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Medieval Book Reviews
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