"Book 3 of the StarQuest Series -- the best yet!"

Sheyna, half-sister to Garan, is heading for Earth. The Rebellion hopes that her healing skills will be able to release six young men, victims of a terrifying weapon, from their self-constructed mental prisons. Upon landing she meets Malachi, a fellow healer, and a man she finds herself intensely attracted to. Though it is difficult, she proves to have the ability and strength necessary to help the victims she has come to save, but before she has a chance to rouse more than one of the unfortunate boys, she is taken by a madman. Battalion Commander White is cruel and calculating. His goal is to break Sheyna, a Miratan female that he believes is a military replacement sent to aid the Rebels, and he humiliates her sexually and mentally to do so. Even Malachi, who has been captured with Sheyna, doesn't know what demons have been unleashed in the heart and mind of the brave lioness. When rescue comes, the damage is done. Commander White has escaped, and now the whole future of the Rebellion and their tentative peace with the World Federation is threatened by one man's rabid fears.

A moving and deeply erotic romance novel, PRIDE OF IMAR is more than just an escape-from-captivity book. Like all the other in Ms. Douglas' StarQuest series it's also about accepting and loving a creature radically different, and about a future world where humans are hunted and destroyed for their naturally evolving talents. This volume brings some much-anticipated resolution to the stormy war between the Rebels and the World Federation government that denies them their rights. Douglas also manages to weave in a very well-handled sexual abuse plotline. Besides all of those excellent points -- oh, and the fact the book is not solely set in a grim medical setting -- Sheyna and Malachi are hot, hot, hot together! The romance is tempestuous, but perfectly orchestrated. As a healer (and with his mental gifts) Malachi is the perfect hero for the hurt yet spunky Sheyna, and from their first sighting of each other you know all the way that their romance is *right*!

Those who have read books one and two in the StarQuest series may well find this volume, the most politically focused yet, bringing the future Earth that Douglas' characters live on into focus. Readers who haven't yet sampled the delights of the StarQuest series should feel comfortable beginning their adventure with this volume, though after meeting all the strange and wonderful characters they will no doubt find themselves searching out the first two books. PRIDE OF IMAR is another triumphant offering by the very talented Ms. Douglas.

Sensuality Level: Hot. Contains oral sex, anal play, almost- bondage. Sensitive readers should be aware that there are also scenes of sexual torment and abuse of a main character (though it is essential to the plot and very well-handled) and that the nature of the characters themselves (Sheyna is a fur-covered, cat-like alien) may be offensive to some.

Reviewed by Ann Leveille
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted October 26, 2002

Summary

Sheyna of Pride Imar makes the journey to earth because she knows she can help the rebels. She immediately goes to work with Malachi Franklin, the Rebellion's healer, but their work is interrupted when both of them are captured by the leader of the World Federation.

Sheyna and Malachi discover that a powerful bond exists between them during these trying times. However, once they are freed by Rebellion forces, they must determine whether the bond they feel is one borne of love or necessity.