Title: Tip of the Spear
Series: Amazon Western, Book 1
Author: Marie Harte
Genre: Dystopian, Post-Apocalypse
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy from author
Published: October 2012 by MHP
After people polluted the planet beyond recognition, the sky rocks came and reduced the world to rubble. Yet mankind refused to die, and the world was reborn. Welcome to the New West, where the Nature Laws rule.1. Procreation is necessary, not optional
2. Women are a precious commodity
3. Harm the earth, lose your life
4. If it can eat you, it willWelcome to the New West, where the Nature Laws dictate who lives and dies by the way they treat the land, carnivorous horses and blood trees are accepted mutations courtesy of the sky rocks, and the Impact Zone separates the earth-friendly territories of the West from a more sophisticated, steam-powered East. Women are rare commodities, living in extended families with more than one husband, and children are a necessity in a world where sterility is often the norm, not the exception. Life is full of challenge, romance and adventure. Something one courageous, wounded Amazon will find out first-hand.
Thais (Tay-iss) lost her mother, her queen, and most of her tribe at the hands of brutal foreigners, all while she enjoyed a respite from duty. But the young Amazon with vengeance in her heart refuses to lose anything else. She’ll bring back the queen’s stolen crown or die trying. Life in the Territories has its perils: the Nature Laws, carnivorous beasts, and treacherous men who survived the Time of Dying. One man in particular, a warrior in his own right, has an odd effect on her senses. She comes to desire him, to trust him, and she doesn’t like it. Men are good for war and breeding, neither of which Thais has time for, not when she’s so close to finding those responsible for the crown’s theft. In the course of her quest, Thais finds much more than atonement for her troubled past, but a pure and lasting love, if only she has the courage to accept it.
Reviewed By: J9
In a Nutshell: Excellent post-apocalyptic world building with an erotic romance.
The Set Up: In a world where men outnumber women, women and the future they represent are a precious commodity. Hinto isn’t looking for a permanent mate but he’s drawn to Thais, a mysterious woman who doesn’t seem to belong among the passive women he’s known. Thais is an Amazon warrior on a quest to rescue her Queen’s crown and Hinto isn’t going to stop her, no matter how much he tempts her.
Why I Read this Book: I’ve read this author’s erotic paranormal series, Circe’s Recruits , and enjoyed it so thought I’d give this new series a try.
What I Liked: Blog readers know I have a twisted obsession with post-apocalyptic stories and this one is a great example. Relics of the world we know are interspersed with fascinating additions. For instance, Hinto rides a “vore” which is a carnivorous horse with blood red eyes and human-like intelligence. Additionally, the world developed here is controlled by Nature Laws and enforced by an omniscient UTO. This world is a twisted western and I found it fascinating. It’s not so different to be inaccessible but different enough to keep me reading. I’m so pleased this will be a series since I can’t wait to read Thais’ sisters’ stories, as well as Hinto’s brothers’.
What I Also Liked: I also liked Hinto and Thais’ romance. They connect sexually early and often so fans of well written MF erotic will do well to read this story. But I also liked that the sex wasn’t the point of the story. Hinto and Thais learn from each other and grow to appreciate, trust and respect each other. I like this combination and think other readers will too. The romance is well integrated into the plot of Thais finding the Amazonian traitor and trying to get her Queen’s crown back. Hinto is a good sidekick without diluting Thais’ warrior strength.
What I Didn’t Like: This is an extremely violent world and that violence is often sexual. Women are raped and tortured and male perpetrators are summarily punished for this in force-meets-force retribution. This makes for a bloody and raw story so squeamish fans may have difficulty reading this novel.
IMO: This book sets up a great world that I look forward to revisiting.
J9’s Rating:
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