"Owens scores big with sequel to HeartMate!"

HEART THIEF is Owen's second tale in the "Heart" series (HEART DUEL upcoming third). HEARTMATE was just so original, so special it was hard to envision that a writer could pull off a second tour de force and make it as outstanding. Most sequels rarely match the freshness, the spark of originality of the first. That is NOT the case with HEART THIEF. If anything, it's even better!

HEART THIEF takes up shortly after the end of HEARTMATE. It stands alone, but one gets the purest enjoyment reading them in order. Owens took Celtic pagan lore and projected it on her imaginary planet of Celta. Earth travelers left centuries ago on three ships and finally stumbled onto a world that could accept them. People of Celta arrived with "Flair", magick or witchcraft, and over the centuries these powers have been refined, amplified. Each person is born with talents that 'specialize' their abilities, setting them on their course in life, careers, and if lucky, it reveals their HeartMate. Born of 13 royal houses, people with Flair rule Celta.

But what happens to ones born lacking any powers? They are rare, but they do happen. They are called Nulls; the "Nullness" generally drives them insane. This alone would cause them to be shunned, but their 'apartness' from Celta is amplified because when a Null is around, those with powers are neutralized. No spells, no magick can occur while they are present. For a society that has lost all technology and uses spells for everything - to protecting their homes, healing, even down to cleaning their rugs - this is a frightening situation.

In HEARTMATE, Ruis Elder was the thief who first stole, and then returned, the HeartGift T'Ash had made for his HeartMate. Ruis Elder is arrested for this and other thefts, but he was only using the gems he stole to repair machines the original settlers brought with them from earth. Ruis finds solace and sanity in repairing these long-neglected devices. He tries to pretend he does not care; he is a Null and knows his arrest could end with his death.

Ruis has been hunted by his Uncle Bucus T'Elder. Ruis was the Heir to the House of Elder, but after the death of his father and mother, it is discovered he is a Null. Bucus uses this to rob Ruis of his birthright. Bucus is a villain of the first class. He tortured Ruis as a child and has murdered to secure his rise to Captain of the FirstFamilies. And he wants Ruis dead, for only then will he rest secure in his hold on the House of Elder.

Ailim D'SilverFir is a Judge of Celta. She assumed the head of her house upon her mother's death. She is a Telempath who uses her ability to read others' thoughts to judge those brought before her. But she has to go before the FirstFamily Council, to beg for a loan because her house is in peril. She is so tired for it's hard to always hear the thoughts of others, to know their innermost feelings. Especially when her family is so selfish, greedy and fights her in everything.

So while she waits to be called concerning the status on her loan request to save her House, she is surprised the man awaiting sentencing, Ruis Elder, brings her peace. She recognizes he is a Null, but instead of being fearful or repulsed, she finds his Nullness brings her tranquility. With him, she does not have to expend the vast Flair energy just to protect herself from the constant intrusion of everyone's thoughts. Since his Null void stops the powers of everyone around him, she finds a haven of peace when she is with Ruis.

Ruis is banished instead of sentenced to death. But before leaving, Danith D'ash gives him a Familiar kitty, Samba, daughter-kitten to T'ash's Familiar Zanth. This kitty leads him to the old Earthship Nuada's Sword. The spaceship welcomes him as the descendent of the first Elder Captain. Here he can repair the technology that keeps him calm. But he finds Samba, the Ship (who has a strong sentient personality and becomes quite defensive about her new Captain), and his love for Ailim are changing him. Despite the danger of being killed for breaking his banishment, he cannot stay away from Ailim and she, despite her oath to uphold the law, cannot turn him in or reject being with him, for only with him and his Nullness can she be herself.

With FamKitty flying around on mini saucer, a spaceship to make HAL jealous, characters from the first novel, and a potent, sexy, forbidden romance between Ruis and Ailim, Owen scores BIG with another Winner!!

Reviewed by DeborahAnne MacGillivray
Posted May 8, 2003

Author Interview

Winner of 2003 PEARL Award
- Best Fantasy/Magical Paranormal Romance

Honorable Mention for 2003 PEARL Award
- Best FUTURISTIC Paranormal Romance

Returning to the planet Celta, the world of psychically gifted people first introduced in the RITA Award-winning HeartMate, Owens spins an entrancing tale...

Summary

Ruis Elder never asked for his unusual trait - the ability to neutalize other's psychic talents. Because of it, he has always been hated in his own homeland, destined to roam the harsh planet alone. But trouble finds him in front of the ruling Council - and face-to-face with the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. There's only one problem: Ailim is on the opposite side of the bench...

Ailim has never before felt such passion coursing through her as she feels in Ruis's presence. And she never thought she would - at least not with a man so far beneath her station, a man who does not even have psychic powers. But even on the planet Celta, love is blind to such details. Separately, Ailim and Ruis must forgo their old lives. But together the can take on the world...