Excerpt
Raden
passed a hand over his eyes. Curiously, it was the first time he had felt like
weeping. Always before the hurt had been a numb pain in his gut. Keahla drew her
feet from the stream and spun to face him. She encircled his neck with her arms
and held his face to her chest. But he would have none of it and pulled from her
embrace.
“Leave me. I need
not your pity.”
“It is not pity I
offer.”
“Then what?”
She reached out
and threaded her hand through his hair, drawing him near.
The scent of her body intoxicated him, surrounded him. His head swam,
and a dreamlike sensation swept over him. She was so like Marrion, so like his
woman. She swayed toward him, and their lips touched. Tentative at first. Hers
were closed like a maiden's. He coaxed them apart, and his tongue entered
cautiously, seeking, finding the response he sought. They collapsed back onto
the grass, her hands going to his shoulders, drawing him to her. He ran his
hands down slowly over the curve of her spine, feeling the flesh beneath her
shirt. He was torn between tearing off her clothes and savoring the moment. His
mouth moved over hers almost savagely, and he heard her groan.
She pulled away, and he watched as she removed her shirt and leggings.
Her skin glowed alabaster in the sunlight; her nipples touched rose pink.
Stripping naked, he hesitated to pull her into his arms, his eyes partaking of
her beauty. His hands trembled as he reached out and began a lust-arousing
exploration of her soft body. Flesh against flesh, man against woman. Their
movements became rushed, there was urgency now that neither could explain.
Touching, stroking, exploring. Finally the blood pounding in his temples, Raden
rose above her. Her legs snaked around his hips, and he entered her. Thoughts
and sensations whirled in his mind, and he was surprised to find regret swimming
amidst them. He had taken Keahla, thinking in some way their love making could
recapture the oneness he had felt with Marrion. Instead, he had been ensnared in
a trap of his own making. She was more like Marrion than he could have imagined.
Her movements were hers. Her voice, her soft scent invading his senses.
Her eyes opened,
and she smiled up at him. Taking his face between her hands, she kissed him with
a hunger that made him forget all thought. He began to move within her in a
slow, steady rhythm, building the tempo, finding a passion which ignited to
ecstasy, their bodies bound together, soaring higher, the world spinning and
careening on its axis. Raden's body convulsed on a soaring sea of pleasure that
bordered on pain. He felt her flesh give and contract.
He followed her,
and in his rapture cried, “Marrion!”
Keahla exploded
into a million brilliant pieces, but as she did so, she heard that name, and
knew she had made a horrible mistake in giving her self to him. For how could
she compete with a memory? She lay for a moment, staring at the cloudless sky,
then without speaking rolled to her side and began to dress.
“What are you
doing,” he asked, pushing onto his elbow, a bewildered expression on his face.
“I am dressing.
Does it not look like it?”
He reached forward
and grasped her wrists. “I thought we would talk about what just happened.”
She shoved him
back and stood above him. “Nothing happened. You called me your dead wife's
name, but other than that, nothing happened.” Her tone was bitter. “ This does
not change anything. Understand? It was lust, pure and simple. You were not my
first lover. You will not be my last.”
Raden frowned.
Called her Marrion's name. Never! But as he took in the look of hurt and
confusion on her face, he realized he must have done so without realizing it. He
looked away, cursing himself for a thousand fools. If he could take back his
words, he surely would. He glanced back at her as she moved.
Bending, Keahla
tossed Raden his breeches, and began pulling on her boots. “I swore to myself I
would never fall in love. It comes with too high a price. My mother died
birthing Alarin. My father was poisoned by the hand of love. It is just as well
I feel for you nothing but loathing. Had I loved you,” she said, an invisible
hand clutching at her insides, “I may have been driven to put a dagger through
your deceiving heart, for what you have done this day. I know now I shall never
marry. No man is to be trusted.”
“You sell yourself
too high, princess. Did I say anything of marriage?”
Keahla closed the gap between them and landed a resounding slap to his face.
“And your price, my prince, could never be low enough.”
“Do you say that to all your men?” he retaliated, nursing his scorched cheek.
Straightening her back, Keahla reined in her anger. She refused to show this cad
how much he had hurt her. Mustering her dignity, she swung on her heel and
marched up the hill leading to the forest.
As she entered the trees, Raden’s laughter followed her, and she wanted to
scream.
Coming
soon in ebook and Trade Paperback
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Quote
"Julie D'Arcy brings a fresh, lively voice to fantasy. Time of the Wolf is
a
blast -- time travel, brave heroes, a sharp-edged romance -- I say go for it
and read this book!"
Susan Sizemore
Author of Laws of the Blood: The Hunt (Ace Science Fiction)
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Reviews
Review of 'Time of the Wolf ' by Multi-Published Australian Author, Sally Odgers.
TIMELESS HEROIC FANTASY
Time of the Wolf is a heroic fantasy that never
runs out of steam. It's ever inventive, ever changing,
ever carrying the reader forward in a breathless rush towards the resolution.
TIME OF THE WOLF has everything! A stalwart hero and heroine, a villain
whose stature matches theirs, an intricate plot and enough action to keep
me breathlessly anticipating the next twist. Author Julie D'Arcy writes
such good prose that, despite the convolutions of the plot, I always
understood what was going on. There's one particular scene so powerful I
will remember it for a long time. The sorceress queen is transformed into a
black death-rose, to be accepted by and adored by and then to betray the
vines which guard an ancient and magical book. There is so much ugliness
and perverse beauty in this scene that it called me back to read it
again...
-
TIME OF THE WOLF is a wonderful journey for any lover of high-couraged
heroic fantasy.
-
5 STARS
Time Of The Wolf
by Julie D’Arcy
Readers who enjoy books by such fantasy writers as Piers Anthony and Ann
McCaffrey, along with fantasy romance writers such as Marsha Canham are sure
to fall in love with this vibrant and captivating tale. Although the
romance is somewhat secondary in its role to the fantasy elements, the lead
protagonists are engaging enough in their attraction and relationship to
pull readers through and into their blossoming romance. Julie D’Arcy’s
talent for scribing magical tales of new worlds, with her in-depth
characters and strong storylines is overwhelmingly apparent with her first
tale for ImaJinn Books. Time Of The Wolf is a brilliantly written fantasy
that stays with the reader long after the final page has been turned
and the book closed.
Reviewed by New Age Book Shelf
SCI FI SITE
Time of the Wolf reminded me in some ways of Robin Wayne Bailey's critically acclaimed Shadowdance, which placed on the Nebula preliminary ballot a few years ago. Both novels rely on the portrayal of a sorceress queen who requires the death of humans to keep her power. In Time of the Wolf, Anayha is a vampire; she must drink the blood of her lovers to maintain her youth and abilities. Rather than biting them, she cuts their throats. I have to confess, those scenes disturbed me. I didn't want to see such appealing characters come to such harm! Of course, that shows that D'Arcy did a good job in drawing me into the characters and their situation. The plot line of the evil sorceress/mother also bothered the feminist in me. However, such tropes are part of the dark fantasy genre, D'Arcy knows how to use them well, and she doesn't dwell on the violence.
The relationship between Keahla and Radin works well. The novel combines two genres often considered disparate: romance and dark fantasy. In D'Arcy's capable hands, the blend succeeds, with the romantic elements balancing the darker aspects.
Time of the Wolf offers an absorbing read to fans of dark fantasy blended with other genres. D'Arcy is a strong new voice with a great deal of promise.
Copyright © 1999 by Catherine Asaro
Catherine Asaro writes hard SF space adventure and near future romantic thrillers.
http://sfsite.com/12b/time71.htm
4 crescents:
(highest recommendation)
If you seek a fresh, original story, packed with thrills, action, chills and evil, look no further than Julie D'Arcy's
Time of the Wolf.
Even by the standards of D'Arcy's wonderfully well-developed and internally consistent world of Tarlis, Princess Keahla doesn't behave like an ordinary princess. She certainly doesn't act like the wimpy kind who wring their hands and sit around waiting for the hero to coming charging in on a white horse and carry them away. No, Keahla goes forward in time to find her hero, brings him back and makes sure her father's murder does not go unavenged. Of course, even for strong-minded princesses, things seldom proceed as planned.
In addition to her likable hero and heroine, D'Arcy graces her pages with well-drawn secondary characters (most notably Mace, Radin's man-at-arms) and a truly despicable evil queen. Lost sons, elves, druids, slavers, fell beasts, victims, blood magic, danger, myth and history combine in a totally awesome plot that should come equipped with signs reading "Beware: Dangerous Curves."
Although it boasts a warm love story, Time of the Wolf is first and foremost a fantasy -- one that marks ImaJinn's first foray into true speculative fiction. Although heretofore primarily known for romance, this strong fantasy debut leads me to hope ImaJinn will publish much more in this genre and many more books by the talented Julie D'Arcy.
Patricia White is the Sapphire Award-winning author of A Wizard Scorned
and now writes for Luna Books.
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Quote Fantasy readers will fall in love with Time of the Wolf. It's a brilliant masterpiece
that held me spellbound from page one to the end, and I know I'll read it again and
again. Do yourself a favour. Don't miss this book!
--Carin Rafferty, award winning, bestselling author of
Touch of Night, Touch of Magic and Touch of Lightning
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This is Quite a lengthy Page so you might want to return another day? Or Read on.
: Review from Scribes World
REVIEWERS CHOICE 5 stars
TIME OF THE WOLF is an epic fantasy that shifts through the portals of
time to right an ancient wrong. Who is the hero? He may be The Wolf
reincarnated. Or perhaps he is the Druid who, cursed to live for centuries,
has finally brought the Four Tribes together in a dangerous occult ceremony
to change what has been. He may be the Elf whose wife was so cruelly changed
into the most evil and powerful sorceress of all time, unmatched as a
villainess.
And the heroine? A female warrior with courage and heart to match that
of The Wolf, her true mate, even though she's vowed never to allow herself
to love.
Every character in this well-plotted, gripping epic is one the reader
will remember. Don't miss TIME OF THE WOLF.
Reviewed by Jane Toombs
Scribes World.
Review from Crescent Blues
-
4 crescents: (highest recommendation)
-
A fantasy set in the author-created, wonderfully consistent world of Tarlis, Time of the Wolf is fresh, original, and packed full of thrills, action, chills, and evil. The secondary characters...are well drawn, believable, and incredibly diverse. The hero and heroine are likable, and the protagonist, the evil queen, is despicable--an arch villain if there ever was one. There are lost sons, Elves, Druids, slavers, fell beasts, victims, blood magic, danger, myths, history, and a plot that is totally awesome (and is so twisty it should be labelled: Beware Dangerous Curves).
-
- --Author--Patricia White
Affaire de
Coeur.
4 1/2 Stars
Julie D'Arcy's world includes people, elves, demons, and other
fanciful creatures. She wields her pen mightily, creating
characters that seem larger than the pages in which they dwell. Ms.
D'Arcy is a formidable new name in fantasy romance.
Paintedrock Review
In a world rife with magic, in a time before a normal man's imaginings, forces are at work to destroy and conquer. Demons exist at will and take over the bodies and minds of good folk, and a young woman goes beyond her time to search for a hero. It is the time of the wolf, when Keahla finds Radin Hawk, the warrior known as the wolf.
As a clever demoness plots to raise the Blood King from his ensorcelled sleep, other plots and plans are carried out. Keahla finds out she is the reincarnation of Radin's dead wife, and as such is a pawn in a much larger game with repercussions that extend far into time.
Julie D'Arcy has created a lush world, peopled with men, women, elves, and demons. Her characters live within the pages, delivering their stories with passion and love. Ms. D'Arcy just may be destined for greatness in the world of high fantasy
coupled with romance.
Rickey R. Mallory
Review from Bookaholics.com
Highly Recommend
This book was difficult to summarize because it truly has it all;
Time-travel, elves, sorcery, good vs. evil, a quest, and love with a Scottish flavour.
I
think it contains enough romance that most romance readers will love it. Julie
D'Arcy has penned a memorable, wondrous tale that will have you sighing with
pleasure to the end. This is definitely an author to watch.
----------------
Reviewed by Susan Caraballo
being
re-released soon
This work is not available to copy in any shape or form as whole
or part
Copyright remains the soul property of the author Julie D'Arcy.
TIME
OF THE WOLF