LoveSpell, $5.50, ISBN 0-505-52379-5
Fantasy Romance, 2000

A good romantic fantasy should have some logic to it. There should be a properly created world with its population. If there’s to be religion, wars, magic, and culture, all should be properly defined too. After all, as the reader, I’m supposed to be lured into the world the author creates, right?

In The Sorceress and the Savage, there is no such thing. The romance is also pretty much a confusing mess.

As far as I can tell, Shera is a healer who sees visions of cats and foresees Great Evil. What Great Evil, I have no idea since no one sees fit to tell me such trivial details. Her people is planning a long migration. Why? Again, who cares about such trivial details, eh? Then Shera meets the savage whom she sees in her visions. Just why she sees him, don’t ask, I don’t know. He kidnaps her for reasons unknown. After boinking Gar the savage whose people killed her people (don’t ask), her powers grow (I don’t know why). Turns out her people are evil (eh?) and our two lovers join forces to stop the unseen, unknown Great Evil. Does anyone know if this Great Evil exists at all?

Fine. Maybe the setting and plot completely flounder. How about the characters? Shera is so spineless to the point that I fear for her when a strong wind blows. She’s supposed to be intelligent, but she sleeps with Gar whom she witnesses killing her people effortlessly. Why? Maybe because he’s so hot-looking. Gar can’t be too smart either, because after kidnapping her, he doesn’t even bother to post guards on her. Both characters talk like cast rejects from a bad production of Tarzan and Jane; one-liners here take on an ugly meaning. Worse, Gar knows everything but won’t tell, Shera doesn’t have a clue, and I’m left ignorant for far too long about what the heck is going on.

Even Neanderthals, I’m sure, aren’t this boring.

Maybe the biggest question is why I even bothered with this book. Oh well.