Heart of the Forsaken

This Daamen Trading Captain is willing to lose his cargo, his pride and his love to a ruthless Pirate outlaw, in exchange for her heart… but her heart is adrift, lost… because she has the heart of one who has been forsaken.

Angela Verdenius’ latest instalment in the futuristic world of bounty hunters, peacekeepers, the Reeka Warrior Women, and the Daamen will take her readers trekking through the ups and downs of newfound love and into the mind space of a maniacal control freak. Deeds of the past catch up with the lives and existences of many tortured souls.

Sonja and her deadly band of female pirates are determined to steal the energizer. It is a compact electricity generator, worth a fortune on the black market. They watch the Daamen crew deliver the precious cargo to the merchant and depart to the closest tavern. When darkness falls the pirates take the prize, ignoring the many dead and wounded left in their wake. They have sealed their own fate and will be hanged if caught alive. Sonja appears unfazed when she learns that soldiers have discovered their getaway ship. The pirates cleverly stow away in the Daamen cargo and are soon loaded onto the trading vessel. They take the brawny Daamen off guard and assume control of the ship as the men sleep.

The Daamen are renown for their love of life; frequent wenching and drinking strengthen their bonds of camaraderie. They have a soft spot for women, even smart female pirates. Red, the Daamen Captain is eager to punish the she-devil who has hijacked his vessel. The raven-haired lass has caught his eye and he believes that he can win her over with his charm and wit. Red slowly realises that he has underestimated Sonja; her ability to outwit and out manoeuvre him is impressive. She has no obvious weaknesses; Red believes that Sonja would dispassionately sacrifice herself or any member of her band for the goals of the rest. He has also noticed her unique eyes, which are usually grey edged with crimson but, at times, the crimson covers the grey. Red’s attraction to Sonja is growing. Not only does he admire and respect her loyalty and leadership skills, he is beginning to lust for her from afar. Red suspects that Sonja has hidden qualities that will only be revealed to the right man.

Sonja is taken aback by the way the tall redheaded Daamen looks at her. She is unable to intimidate him, and as her prisoner, he should not be coming on to her. Other members of her band may well desire the muscular studs, but Sonja has no need for relationships. She is self-sufficient, so is uneasy with new feelings that Red is rousing deep in her psyche. During a stop in the Outlaw Sector, her band is attacked by an unknown entity; mutilated giants. Somehow they are familiar to Sonja, they know her name and eerily, she sensed their coming. The pirates are lucky to escape alive. Back on the ship, her frequent headaches are draining and she now must find a place to leave the troublesome Daamen, and then sell the energizer.

Once again, Angela Verdenius has woven an intricate plot, drawing in her readers with many unexpected twists and intensely real action sequences. When the reader is comfortable with the characters, Ms. Verdenius depicts a softer, tender vision. The coming together of Red and Sonja is one of the most mind-blowing and powerful love scenes that you are ever likely to read. It is humorous and very emotional, graphic but not excessively so. I read this scene twice to get the full impact of the beautifully sensual flowing prose. (Red is amazing!!!) Although Heart of the Forsaken is part of Ms. Verdenius’ Heart and Soul series, this is a book that is easily enjoyed and understood without any prior knowledge of the author’s futuristic vision. Be warned – once you’ve been to Angela Verdenius’ world, you will want to return!

Reviewed by: Naomi