| $@%&! level: Low “Bedroom” level: Low Violence level: Medium Back Cover: “England, 1805. Emperor Napoleon has kidnapped the Princess of Denmark in a plot to upset Europe's tenuous balance of power. Only Lord Wessex, Agent of King Henry IX, can recover the princess and thwart Napoleon's plans, or all of Europe could fall to France. But Wessex has an unsuspected ally in his perilous mission. Magic has replaced his fiancee Sarah, the vain and haughty Marchioness of Roxbury, with the passionate and courageous Sarah of another world, one where England's American colonies are called the 'United States.' Sarah quickly becomes the wild card in deadly game played out across Europe with players ranging from Sir John Adams to the Marquis de Sade. As Sarah and Wessex tread a path toward destiny, they discover that their mission is more important than they could imagine. For if they fail, Napoleon will control more than Europe—he'll rule the world....” |
So, the way things go, there’s a young American girl from (for lack of a better word) the “real” world, who gets magically transported into an alternate history to take the place of her dying counterpart from that world. The difference between the two worlds is caused by the succession of the Kings of England, specifically the idea that James II never became king, which apparently created a stronger, gentler monarchy and kept the American colonies from declaring independence, but didn’t stop the French Revolution. Don’t ask me how that all works--just go with it. Since our story takes place a good while later, it only has a slight amount of significance as long as you understand that this is how things are set up. Due to yet more magical interference, Sarah Cunningham forgets who she is and thinks she actually is an English noblewoman (of an extremely fast and reckless character, no less). And what all that means, ultimately, is that I spend a large portion of this story just waiting for the inevitable. You just know she’s eventually going to remember who she really is, right? And you just know that a young woman who is a skilled hunter/tracker and most comfortable with a rifle in her hands is going to turn out to be a much better match for our favorite spy the Duke of Wessex than the version he was supposed to marry, right? I suspect the original pairing would have ended in divorce, murder, or suicide. This one stands a pretty good chance of not only working out, but saving the kingdom in the process. At least once they finally start talking to each other, which really does take a ridiculously long time. Wessex is the most frustrating in that regard, with all his meaningful symbols that he uses as a substitute for actually talking to his wife, but Sarah isn’t entirely without fault either. I have to say, there’s nothing like extreme situations to help people get past that initial awkwardness.
The plot itself is a bit circuitous, especially since Wessex and Sarah spend a lot of time thinking they’re pursuing very different goals from the one they end up with. It all connects up nicely in the end, however, and once things get properly going they build up quickly. That part of the plot, the part that provides the climax, is all about abduction and rescue, although the question of exactly who is rescuing whom is a bit up in the air. Perhaps abduction and escape would be more appropriate. Either way, it’s an exciting conclusion to the long build-up of the political intrigue and the love story.
I just have to say one quick, last word about the characters. They’re all very different and very entertaining, and I do enjoy the independent American spirit Sarah shows so well, but I think my favorites are Ilya Koskiusko and the King of France, just for the sake of pure amusement.