"Erotic fantasy with great worldbuilding"

It has taken Noa a long time before she finally came to this point. She was long past the age that the other maidens had taken their ahavatara, or first lover. Now she waited the required seven days after her first monthly flow and is more than ready to give her maidenhead to the man she has loved from afar ever since she came to Somnus Keep. Naturally, she has not picked just any magicreator to be her ahavatara, she has chosen Riordan de Cimmerian, Instructor Primus of Magical Theory and Practice. The most powerful magicreator at Somnus Keep. The relationship with her ahavatara will be a most special one. Maidens do not have full access to their magic until after their maidenhead has been breached. Noa will be linked to her ahavatara forever after. She must pay a tithe to her ahavatara, the tithe being her soul will become linked with his. He will also gain a portion of her magic by breaching her maidenhead.

Noa is standing outside Riordan's door. She has seen this many times in her dreams. The door opens and Noa enters Riordan's chambers. Riordan is a harsh man. He has had no bed partners since Noa came to Somnus Keep. She is terrified that he will send her away. Noa puts her request to Riordan. He turns her down. Noa is determined and will not take no for an answer. Riordan again turns her down. Now she is forced to play her trump card and invokes Shalhevet's Mercy.

Riordan proceeds to totally humiliate Noa. Just when she is at the point of leaving his chambers, he calls her back.

I loved this erotic fantasy! The world building is just perfect, there's enough to understand what's going on without being bogged down. I really liked the reversal in this one as well. In most fantasies, a woman loses magic when she loses her maidenhead. In this one, she gains her magic by losing her maidenhead. I was afraid my Sony Clie was going to start steaming from all the passion in this one. Megan Hart is a very talented and gifted author. I have had the pleasure of reading some of her Science Fiction, contemporary and now one of her fantasy works and have loved them all. This is definitely an author worth reading and I highly recommend any and all of her works.

Reviewed by Chere Gruver
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted September 21, 2003

Summary

Noa has carefully chosen her first lover, her ahavatara, from among the many at Somnus Keep who vie for the honor. Riordan de Cimmerian is the most powerful magicreator at the Keep and in the land, and joining with him will do more than release her innate magic powers. It will also tithe her soul to his. Riordan is not a kind man, nor a gentle one, but he is the man Noa has dreamed about for years. Now, she intends to turn those dreams into reality. Tonight, Noa will do more than reach her full magical strength. She will make Riordan hers...

Short Fantasy Erotica. Rating: Hard-R.(Some Graphic Sexual Content/Language)