Liquid Silver Books, $5.50, ISBN 978-1-59578-640-1
Fantasy Romance, 2010
Not that I want to single out Lyncee Shillard directly, but it will be nice if authors will in the future actually show how people follow and respect a heroine that is supposed to be in a position of power. Otherwise, all claims of the heroine being a kick-ass babe will ring hollow and false.
In Treasure Hunt, our pirate leader heroine DeLaney Black Heart’s first mate Adaih spills details about her to our hero Raven Kinsley without much prompting, despite the fact that from all appearances Raven betrayed DeLaney three years ago. Perhaps the author feels that Adaih is being a cute matchmaker. I personally think he is being an untrustworthy dog.
Worse, as the story progresses, DeLaney’s crew members either openly challenge her orders or outright disobey her. Even better, Raven begins invading her mind. Poor DeLaney. She gets no respect at all. Why is Ms Shillard doing this? Maybe the definition of “bloodthirsty pirate queen” is different in her personal dictionary, sigh.
Oh yes, the story. Despite the presence of magic, erinyes, and other hodge-podge of mythological features, the setting is recognizably something that will whet your Captain Jack Sparrow fantasies. Our hero approaches our heroine despite the bad blood between them three years ago to propose that they both seek out a mythical treasure he is certain that he has located. For some reason, he is dismayed when DeLaney refuses to sleep with him again. Then again, everyone here treats DeLaney like someone to be mocked or ignored, so maybe I shouldn’t expect them to respect that poor woman. I don’t know how on earth I am going to respect the heroine when I have a hero telling the heroine things like, “We can discuss what to do with my dick later.”
The rest of the story follows the same trend. DeLaney screams and drops to her knees when she finds Raven in trouble. Villains sneer at her, calling her things like “a mere pirate”. And on and on, to the point that I am relieved for the heroine when the story is over, because her humiliation showcase is finally over.
I don’t get it. Why does the author hate her heroine that much?
