Star Shadows

Oasis #3

by Colby Hodge

When Boone, the man she believes is responsible for her brother's death, is shot down over a faraway planet, Elle is determined to forget him, until a vision reveals that both her brother and Boone are alive and being held captive by Circe witches, forcing her to take action. Original.

Genres: Romance, Futuristic, Paranormal Romance, Science Fiction Romance, Science Fiction, Futuristic Romance, Fantasy

358 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2007

About the author

I've always been a writer. Ever since I could remember my biggest desire was to put words to paper. Finally my dreams of publication came true in 2002 with the release of Chase The Wind, the first book in my historical family saga. But I've also looked to the stars since I was a small girl. Which led to my writing of Futuristic Action Romance under the pen name Colby Hodge. And since I've got a knack for relating to teens, I also enjoy writing for them under the name Kassy Tayler.

And just so you know a bit about me. I've been married for several years to the man of my dreams. We've also raised two exceptional sons and enjoy life in the shadow of Pilot Mountain in NC where we share our home with a long haired dauschund and a cat who thinks she's the queen of the world.

"

Reviews

[R · Rating 1 out of 5]

**MINOR SPOILERS**
This book is third book in a trilogy. It can be read as a standalone. The book leaves open the idea that there should be a book 4, but the author does not appear to have written that story. That leaves a huge dangling thread that should have been resolved in this one.
The author also writes under Cindy Holby and Kassy Tayler.
Boone, Zander, and Elle are best friends. The book opens when Zander and Elle are about to turn 18. Zander and Elle are twins and are kept isolated by their parents and they do not know why. I thought it was unbelievable that their parents did not tell them why. Given their circumstances, it would have been better for them to know. It leads to significant events in the story, but I thought it was very unlikely. One or both of them would have been their father’s heir as a ruler and they were not trained to do that either. Boone knew why they were isolated but had promised not to tell them. I was surprised that he made that promise as he felt that they should know the truth.
Boone was sent to a military academy. He says he loves Elle but while he is at the academy he has s*x with several girls/women. When Elle discovers this, she is understandably upset as she thought they had a relationship and did not expect him to do this. He says it meant nothing and he really loves just her. He wanted to find out if he really loved her. That type of manipulation is wrong. In addition, he is 18 as well and it seems like that is a lot of experience for him to have. Not unlikely but it says something about his character.
After this revelation, he wants to have sex with Elle (perfect timing, no?) and she says no. He continues until she forces him to stop. The next day he reflects on what happens and wonders if he should have stopped his assault. Assault is the word he uses in his own mind to describe what happened. That would have been rape but he was willing to consider it. A little later in the book, Elle decides to kiss him and he wants to stop and she takes control of his body to do so. I did not like this either. Note: Elle has the ability to read minds and to control someone’s body to some extent. It is a magical ability that some people have.
On his birthday, Zander becomes angry that he still does not know why he has been isolated and he runs away. Spoiler…the situation escalates out of control, and he is taken prisoner. When this happens, Elle screams and blames Boone rather than the real people at fault. This made no sense, and I was pretty over her behavior at that point. Later in the book, she wants to quit doing something when it was hard and I lost respect for her there as well.
In general, the book was overly dramatic. There was no relationship development in the second half of the book.
I read this book more than 10 years after it was published and it immediately felt like an older style of writing romances.
Elle and Zander’s mother, Lilly, is a main character in a previous book of the series. She has the ability to read minds and freely does so when she wants to know something. Some people could rationalize it is ok to do to your own children but I did not think it was right in any case. Tess, Boone’s mother, is also a main character in an earlier book in the series. Surprisingly, after the events of that book, she does not learn to defend herself. She feels that she is protected by her husband and does not think it is necessary.
I do not recommend this book. I only finished it to write a review.

[TINNGG · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best way to describe this book is an extrapolation as to what would have happened if Anakin had a brain, didn't let himself be manipulated by Palpatine, grabbed Padme, and hid. The twins would have been smothered, because he's a control freak, Luke would have wanted off the rock and bailed at the first opportunity, and Leia would have embraced her inner Jedi to keep anyone from controlling her (or getting close. That Han would have inadvertently let Luke fall into enemy hands would have caused her to blame him, thus sending him away, etc. etc. While the middle of the book was its own story, the first and this one borrowed entirely too heavily from Mr Lucas' brainchild for my comfort.

And I guess there was a hairy sidekick - a Newf.

Now... huge complaint unrelated to the adapting of the theme. The H/h were separated for over 200 pages and 6 years - the entire middle of the book. The sex scene within the last couple of chapters could have been totally eliminated. It came across as "oh! I need to have them actually do the deed! Let me whip something up quickly and call it a day."

One last thing. There's the real sense that the author intended a 4th book.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up in a used book store. There's nothing on the cover to suggest it's part of a series, but the overly detailed backstories of every minor character clued me in quick. The author clearly tried to make it work as a standalone, but the awkward mix of infodumping to the reader while keeping secrets from the characters made for a frustrating experience.

When I'd gotten 150 pages in and the first plot point mentioned in the blurb still hadn't happened, I decided not to spend more time on this one. The whole first half feels like draggy prologue and the setting was too derivative to stir much interest. The heroine is a passive black hole of characterization, her brother inexplicably runs off in search of answers his parents just promised to give him, and the hero feels like he's mostly only around because there's got to be a love interest in there somewhere.

[Kate Cardenas · Rating 5 out of 5]

He was the only man she's ever loved. The one who'd roused her innocent girlhood passions...the one she held responsible for her brother's death. So when Boone's starship was shot down over a faraway planet, Elle resolved to forget him, to devote herself to her duty as the future ruler of Oasis. She focused her formidable mind on honing her powers, until the day she witnessed a pair of sweat-sleek, breathtaking gladiators facing each other down in the vicious fight-to-the-death of the Murlacca. Here were the two men she's thought lost to her forever, and one last chance to save them. It was up to Elle to outwit the Circe witches, who held Boone and Zander prisoner, so she could claim a love that had once seemed as elusive as ...Star Shadows.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good romance book with very little sex in it, It takes place in a futeristic place where a race of psychic women are ruling the universe. The threat of a powerful man is their greatest fear. They take him, wipe his memory and throw him into a life of one death match after another making him stronger until those that love him find and rescue him. there is a little of everything. A few good fights, and a good space ship car chase.

[Kendra · Rating 2 out of 5]

decent story line, unfortunately it's a multipart book, written in 2007 and the next book hasn't been put out. My other issue is the whiny woman. Too much build up and somewhat of a letdown.

[Bettydineo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reverting! Can't wait for the next one.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

great!

[NebulousGloom (FK) · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting story but too emotional for me.

[Red Head · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this one.