Welcome! Read my review and an excerpt, and enter the tour giveaway below...
Shadow of Honor
(The Droseran Saga #3)
By Ronie Kendig
Adult Science Fiction, Space Opera
Hardcover & ebook, 505 Pages
June 14, 2022 by Enclave Publishing
Summary
The war he fears may be the very one he’s been called to start.
Held captive, tortured by monsters of a nightmarish alien race, Marco Dusan clings to a final goal: keep these beasts from the Quadrants, even if it means orchestrating his own death. But his dreams betray that singular design. In them his bonded calls to him across lightyears. Does he leave her to fight Symmachia alone, or risk bringing an unwinnable war to every planet in the Quadrants?
On board the alien dreadnought, Eija Zacdari flounders, torn amidst military machinations, prophecies, and an inexplicable bond with one of the fearsome creatures who have imprisoned her friends. Only by uncovering the truth about an ancient conflict now shrouded in deception will she find her place.
Faced with her true identity, Eija sees her purpose snap into focus, and she realizes the war Marco fears may be the very one he has been called to start.
My Review
SHADOW OF HONOR is another edge-of-your-seat book in this series. Full of complex characters and an ongoing battle on multiple fronts between different people on multiple planets keeps the pages turning from beginning to end. A series that is highly recommended for sci-fi and space opera fans!
Even though this book is around 500 pages it reads faster than that as there are no slow, dragging sections. There is a constant sense of suspense, mystery or danger (and sometimes all three). The characters are constantly facing challenges and adapting as they go, which also provides the reader with a lot of character insight and development. There are new peoples and planets explored in this third installment with things constantly shifting. The author keeps readers guessing as to who to trust and what will happen next. There are plenty of surprises and an ever evolving plot leading to a bit of a cliffhanger ending.
I loved reading this! I have learned to love these characters and enjoyed cheering them on as they faced even harder challenges, risks and dangers. There were also some really cool characters and places that were new in this third book. The world-building was excellent as well. The author always does an amazing job in writing the action scenes and those won't disappoint in this book. I'm literally dying to read the next installment.
My only criticism would be that I would have appreciated more of a recap woven through at the beginning since it took me a bit to remember what had happened in the last book and who everyone was.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was a fast-paced read full of wonderful characters, an amazing world and an intriguing plot. Definitely a series to pick up and one I'll be continuing. Book four can't come soon enough!
Content: Some innuendo, violence, references to marital relations.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from through Celebrate Lit (but also bought my own copy), which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Excerpt from Shadow of Honor
Shaken, Eija touched her temple, head still pounding from the oxygen deprivation she’d suffered beneath the beast’s attempt to crush the life from her—that and the minutes stuck in an oxygen-deprived pod. Until she figured out what had prompted the creature to release her and crouch before her, she didn’t dare move.
Insane! The docuvids of the Lavabeasts had not exaggerated. These monsters were fast, lethal, vicious. Yet . . . twice she’d been in its grip, and it’d held back from actually turning her into a dusty pile. Why?
Yeah, maybe don’t ask. Just . . .
What? What could she do against beasts that reduced people to ash with their arms?
Keening filled the ship. With bewildering speed, the other three Draegis bolted out of the bay, their thudding steps fading down the passage as they headed to the aft port, where their ship clung to the Prevenire like a remora on a shark.
Nerves thrumming, Eija glanced at Marco, whose chin was tucked to his chest again. Unconscious? Twitches of his head and hands alleviated that fear. Probably super focused on piloting the ship to the Sentinel.
So we can all die.
Right. So much for the relief she’d felt. Her gaze slid down to the immobilized Lavabeast at her feet. What was wrong with it—him? Was he more AI than biological? Had he powered down or something? Fried his neural net? What was she supposed to do?
She discarded each question as it arose. Assessed her precarious situation. The crackling and swelling of his strange skin said he was still breathing. So alive, not dead.
I can help with that.
He was also awake—glowing eye slits proved that.
Reef shifted on the deck where he’d landed after being tossed by one of the monsters, his arm hanging at an odd angle. Gray eyes came to hers, asking what neither of them could actually voice—What just happened? Why had the other Lavabeasts fled? Why had this one not killed her or left?
“Why isn’t it moving?” Reef hissed as he slowly climbed to his feet.
She shook her head, still terrified of arousing the beast’s anger.
Locked on the Draegis, Reef inched closer and angled toward her.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Sure.” Again, she again checked on Marco, who still had his head down. Maybe the other Draegis had done something to him. “Marco?” she called quietly at the same time she heard Reef suck in a breath.
In front of her, the mountain of lava erupted with a piercing howl, terrorizing her as it lunged. Like a lightning strike—a very large, fat, black bolt—it shot forward.
Other Books in the Series
(Linked to my reviews.)
About the Author
Ronie Kendig is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty books. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband have returned to their beloved Texas after a ten-year stint in the Northeast. They survive on Sonic & Starbucks runs, barbecue, and peach cobbler that they share–sometimes–with Benning the Stealth Golden. Ronie’s degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.
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Tour Schedule
Texas Book-aholic, June 30
Beauty in the Binding, July 1 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 1
Inklings and notions, July 2
deb’s Book Review, July 3
Worthy2Read, July 4
Locks, Hooks and Books, July 5
For Him and My Family, July 6
Wishful Endings, July 7
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 8
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 9
Blogging With Carol, July 10
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 11
The Book Club Network, July 11
Christina’s Corner, July 12
Through the Fire blogs, July 13
Tour-Wide Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Ronie is giving away the grand prize package of an Exclusive Signed, Sprayed-edge Edition of SHADOW OF HONOR, a candle with a custom fragrance connected to Shadow of Honor, a gaming mat with a custom Laura Hollingsworth Illustration of Kardia, and a three-pack character card set for SHADOW OF HONOR!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
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