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The Captain's Witch
Times are troubled in the lands of Taratamia and Karenia (the Opal Kingdom and the Pearl Realm). Old enmities surface and mighty battles are in the offing. Brave Captain Tallis escorts a royal bride to her wedding, but will the groom be present? Will he, too, find undying love along the way? And what of the feisty tomboy Barbel, who will stop at nothing to join the army and follow her Captain? All the while lustful young men meet their fates at the hands of the evil, power-hungry Queen Malkar, their life and youth stoking the very soul of evil... something dark, shape-shifting and drawn from the depths...
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First published November 1, 2009
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About the author
Rosemary Hawley Jarman
29 books31 followersRosemary Hawley Jarman is an English novelist and writer of short stories. She was born in Worcester April 27, 1935. She was educated first at Saint Mary's Convent and then at The Alice Ottley School, leaving at eighteen to study singing in London for the next three years, having developed a fine soprano voice.
Family circumstances prevented her from continuing in this direction and she worked for a time in local government. She was married to David Jarman in 1958 and divorced amicably in 1970. She lived most of her time in Worcestershire at Callow End, between Worcester and Upton on Severn. She began to write for pleasure, and followed a very real and valid obsession with the character of King Richard III (1452-1485 - reigned 1483-85).
With no thought of publication she completed a 228,000 word novel showing the King in his true colours, away from Tudor and Shakespearian propaganda. The book was taken up almost accidentally by an agent, and within six weeks a contract for publication and four other novels was signed with William Collins Publishers, (now Harper Collins).
The author has had short stories published in many magazines in the UK and France and has been a member of the Society of Authors since 1970. She has been dubbed "A Daughter of Mark Twain" by the Samuel Clemens Society in the U.S.A. for her services to literature.
She lived with the prize-winning author R. T. Plumb for eighteen years in a West Wales cottage. They married in September 2002, but the marriage was cut short after Roy died of cancer in October 2003. Jarman (now Mrs. Plumb) is herself recovering from lung cancer, and is writing in the Fantasy genre.
Family circumstances prevented her from continuing in this direction and she worked for a time in local government. She was married to David Jarman in 1958 and divorced amicably in 1970. She lived most of her time in Worcestershire at Callow End, between Worcester and Upton on Severn. She began to write for pleasure, and followed a very real and valid obsession with the character of King Richard III (1452-1485 - reigned 1483-85).
With no thought of publication she completed a 228,000 word novel showing the King in his true colours, away from Tudor and Shakespearian propaganda. The book was taken up almost accidentally by an agent, and within six weeks a contract for publication and four other novels was signed with William Collins Publishers, (now Harper Collins).
The author has had short stories published in many magazines in the UK and France and has been a member of the Society of Authors since 1970. She has been dubbed "A Daughter of Mark Twain" by the Samuel Clemens Society in the U.S.A. for her services to literature.
She lived with the prize-winning author R. T. Plumb for eighteen years in a West Wales cottage. They married in September 2002, but the marriage was cut short after Roy died of cancer in October 2003. Jarman (now Mrs. Plumb) is herself recovering from lung cancer, and is writing in the Fantasy genre.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
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June 13, 2017I will write a full review of this in due course. At this point suffice with a warning: this book contains unnecessarily gratuitous graphic sexual violence, rape and both of the former upon child victims. I was not expecting this when I started the book - there was no indication on the cover that this was more than high fantasy. I do not recommend this book.
July 21, 2010
Here's the problem with this book... I didn't know what I was getting into. I really liked the author's historical novel about Richard the third. From the cover of this I thought it was another historical at first. It isn't. It's a fantasy, but that is okay. I like fantasy and as a historical writer, I expected RHJ to do a good job of it. In some ways she did. She is an excellent writer and I have nothing but compliments for her wordcrafting.
But more than history or fantasy this is a dark book filled with grotesque sex. Admittedly, I didn't read the entire thing, but as far as I got, the only female character whose value was not sexual was a nun.
The basic premise is standard fantasy fare: Two kingdoms on a peninsula (which is a huge phallic symbol next to a large oval of an island) are at peace after a long war. A witch has infiltrated the royal family of one of them and is intent on returning to war and ruling the world herself. However, the witch are about how she gets her power by seeking out virginal men and stealing their souls with her womb (gross!). Her power getting scenes are shown one-by-one. This isn't a spoiler - it starts up right away. The other characters are better until the orgies start and the hero (who was quite likeable otherwise) goes into long explanations on how he lost his virginity.
I should have realized right away that this book was too much for me, but I kept thinking that there would be some kind of indicator on the cover or description if it was really all about twisted sex.
There isn't. And that is really my objection. If RHJ wants to write dark - that's fine. But let me know on the cover or a description (the book had no back blurb- just quotes by people who loved it. Not helpful!) otherwise she gets what I'm doing here - a low review because I'm annoyed at wasting my time and reading about such ick.
But more than history or fantasy this is a dark book filled with grotesque sex. Admittedly, I didn't read the entire thing, but as far as I got, the only female character whose value was not sexual was a nun.
The basic premise is standard fantasy fare: Two kingdoms on a peninsula (which is a huge phallic symbol next to a large oval of an island) are at peace after a long war. A witch has infiltrated the royal family of one of them and is intent on returning to war and ruling the world herself. However, the witch are about how she gets her power by seeking out virginal men and stealing their souls with her womb (gross!). Her power getting scenes are shown one-by-one. This isn't a spoiler - it starts up right away. The other characters are better until the orgies start and the hero (who was quite likeable otherwise) goes into long explanations on how he lost his virginity.
I should have realized right away that this book was too much for me, but I kept thinking that there would be some kind of indicator on the cover or description if it was really all about twisted sex.
There isn't. And that is really my objection. If RHJ wants to write dark - that's fine. But let me know on the cover or a description (the book had no back blurb- just quotes by people who loved it. Not helpful!) otherwise she gets what I'm doing here - a low review because I'm annoyed at wasting my time and reading about such ick.
August 27, 2016
I wanted to read this book because I’d so enjoyed the author’s historical novels, especially We Speak No Treason, a book about Richard III. But I think she should have stuck with what she knew. The book is readable…just. The characters never make much of an impression. Unlike in historical novels, the reader has no preconceived ideas about the characters, so more “fill” is needed in order to make those characters come alive. That wasn’t done here. It was only toward the end of the novel that I finally started really being interested in Captain Tallis. But Lilene, the love of his life–though why she’s the love of his life is never really explained– is almost one-dimensional. Even her mother, the evil Malkar, isn’t very interesting. She constantly does terrible, wicked things, but you never get a look beneath the evil.
There’s a sequel, which appears to be only available as an ebook. But even at such a low price, I’m not sure I’ll buy it. I’d hate to be as disappointed in it as I was with this one.
There’s a sequel, which appears to be only available as an ebook. But even at such a low price, I’m not sure I’ll buy it. I’d hate to be as disappointed in it as I was with this one.
August 28, 2013
This could have been good and interesting but frankly, in the end it had too much purple prose. And not enough character depth.
September 6, 2015
I could've possibly gotten through this with more time, but... It was weird. Malkar was pretty well-outlined as a succubus, which was slightly more than I'd bargained for, but a nice plotline and strong main characters could possibly have saved the day.
...However. Readers are told time and again how wonderful and brave Captain Tallis is, but had little cause to see it, and Lilene just seemed like a Mary Sue. Their story read a bit like a bodice-ripper with fantasy thrown in.
The world-building was complicated and I literally don't think I ever grasped which country they were in, near which river, because all the names sounded alike to me (I understand this is my problem).
Everything was just overdone without actually explaining anything in depth, so I wish I could've just read the SparkNotes version to know what happened in the end.
...However. Readers are told time and again how wonderful and brave Captain Tallis is, but had little cause to see it, and Lilene just seemed like a Mary Sue. Their story read a bit like a bodice-ripper with fantasy thrown in.
The world-building was complicated and I literally don't think I ever grasped which country they were in, near which river, because all the names sounded alike to me (I understand this is my problem).
Everything was just overdone without actually explaining anything in depth, so I wish I could've just read the SparkNotes version to know what happened in the end.
July 26, 2011
There's just too much sensuality in the book. I understand that Malkar is a succubus and soul-thief but it still doesn't justify the numerous sexual encounters that are described in such details.... they overwhelm the story.
Characterizations lack depth and some plot elements are introduced for the sake of mere convenience. For instance, the departure of Pancora from Ricalpo's life seems a bit too expedient. Also, I am disappointed for Barbel. Hers is the kind of love that should have been rewarded with equal love. At the end, she's not unhappy but her sacrifice and strength diminish the union of Tallis and Lilene, to a great extent. There is fantasy enough in 'The Captain's Witch' but the story lacks power and does not instill a sense of wonder or joy.
Characterizations lack depth and some plot elements are introduced for the sake of mere convenience. For instance, the departure of Pancora from Ricalpo's life seems a bit too expedient. Also, I am disappointed for Barbel. Hers is the kind of love that should have been rewarded with equal love. At the end, she's not unhappy but her sacrifice and strength diminish the union of Tallis and Lilene, to a great extent. There is fantasy enough in 'The Captain's Witch' but the story lacks power and does not instill a sense of wonder or joy.
June 1, 2011
Completely derivative dreck dressed up as dark fantasy by including lots of OTT sex scenes and torture. The characters are paper thin and there's even, believe it or not, a six-fingered torturer who killed the hero'a father. Too bad Jarman didn't steal more from The Princess Bride, like better characters.
It's a shame because I really like the historical fiction Jarman wrote in the 1970s but this book is terrible. And I think I will avoid Tanith Lee as well if she really believes the blurb that this is "one of the greatest dark fantasies ever written - in any genre." Um, no!
It's a shame because I really like the historical fiction Jarman wrote in the 1970s but this book is terrible. And I think I will avoid Tanith Lee as well if she really believes the blurb that this is "one of the greatest dark fantasies ever written - in any genre." Um, no!
April 1, 2010
This is the edition to find and read! It is absolutely fantastic and the best fantasy I've ever read. It got rave reviews including one from Tanith Lee - the renowned SF and Fantasy author. Don't look for the Edgerton edition (in green with the gold sword) as it is out of print. You can get this edition current at Amazon.com
November 22, 2010
The back cover says Jarman has won awards for her historical novels, so I am willing to believe that she writes good historical fiction, but her first fantasy falls short. It is clearly inspired by Tanith Lee and possibly Lovecraft, but it doesn't work for me. The characters don't ring true and are stereotypical throwbacks to the 30s.
March 21, 2010
To put quite simply,this is one of the best fantasy novels I have read.LOVED IT!!!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews