This book is a long journey. The couple go through many ups and downs and there are plenty of “I love you”s and “I hate you”s. It's that type of book. I personally think many rabbit trails could have been left out quite nicely to make this a 5-star read. You could not find a more unlikely couple.He had her so infatuated with him that she’d probably eat grass if he informed her she was a sheep. Olympia is a perfect idiot and so stupidly naïve. But I guess that's part of the fun – to see cynical, conniving Sheridan fall so helplessly in love with someone so guileless. Sheridan - "Must you turn me into a mindless clown?" Still, Olympia has her own brand of charm, and I came to be quite fond of her. She does have some serious character development and she comes a long way from the awkward and clueless princess. “I don't wish to offend you by not laughing,” she said hurriedly, “but I don't often understand jokes.”As a result when anything is out of her depth, she assumes it's a joke. She is ridiculously stubborn in her hero-worship of Sheridan. Sheridan Drake had the gift of smiling darkly and keeping his mouth shut. He never lied without sufficient provocation.Sheridan is disturbed at Olympia's firm belief in his goodness. He has few morals. But taking advantage of Olympia would be like kicking a puppy and even he hasn't sunk so low. He only half kicks her. Sheridan is not your usual hero. He has a flippant nature that gets on a lot of people's nerves but he gets away with it. Sheridan’s number one priority is himself. I liked that the author made him true to his character. A bad boy doesn’t reform over night no matter how much he loves his little duckling. Sheridan lies and tricks Olympia so many times, it’s difficult to keep track. Mustafa is Sheridan’s hilarious man servant who is very subservient and useful when it comes to fulfilling Sheridan’s schemes but completely useless as a valet. Mustafa is loyal to Sheridan 100% despite Sheridan’s careless treatment of him.“...Five times has Sheridan Pasha tricked me...he left me in Stamboul. He left me in Spain at Albuera. He traded me to the pirates...He sailed without me from Rangoon. He gave me to the First Admiral..but the admiral gave me back.”Sexual Content: Two or three graphic scenes.
This novel kept swinging back and forth from 1 star to 5 star territory for me, which forced a final rating smack in the middle at 3 stars. There was the good and very good: great writing, hugely interesting hero who often seems to behave unheroically, compelling depiction of military character suffering from PTSD in a time before this was a medical term, almost all the action taking place in unusual-to-me settings, shipwreck, Ottoman palaces, and a species of animal mascot that I don't think can ever be topped (come on - how could it possibly get better than a BABY PENGUIN????)Then there was the bad: I think I have permanent negative association with the word "plump" because of overuse, the heroine started out extremely naive and did not make nearly enough progress in that part of her character arc for me, there were many nteresting aspects introduced that then weren't explored at all (how did S and Mustafa get together? what was really going on with the father's tricks? what was the deal with Julia and total lack of confrontation scene between her an O? O makes it all the way to Oriens and then almost no reflection on being there/feelings etc. and promptly leaves again, no attempt at interaction with her people, even to recognize potentially life-threatening sacrifice of woman who sheltered her?) which I found frustrating. And finally, my biggest issue: I loathed the way the heroine seemed to embody the embedded, casual racism many Europeans historcially seemed to feel for everyone else. She decides it is useless to be upset with Mustafa because he "...has no more moral sense than a monkey" and can't tell right from wrong. They are beset by a group of escaped British convicts and then a group of Barbary pirates, but it is only the pirates whose "dark, wild" faces she takes special note of with their "brown stained teeth" - as if British convicts had impeccable oral hygiene. This kind of distinction and paternalistic judgment killed any sympathy for the heroine. It was only to find out how the hero achieved peace of mind after being crippled for so long with extreme survivor's guilt that I read on to the end, and ultimately wished him well.
What do You think about Seize The Fire (1989)?
I really didn't think I'd like Sheridan Drake, especially after reading the first 100 pages... He had his moments, where I could maybe understand why Olympia, naive that she was, would fall for him.. And I was still surprised when he abandoned her in Madeira, especially after that sweet "Greensleaves" moment.. Then, when they met up again, if I'd been her, I'd have killed him, no kidding! I only started falling in love with him when they were shipwrecked, and by the time they were rescued (yes,
—Melanie
This is one of the BEST historicals I have EVER read! Bravo!!!!!The second half of the book:My fav quote: "He shrugged. "I suppose I'm a fairly downy bird when it comes to hoaxing dragons. But when one of 'em ties you down and punches you in the stomach, not to mention beating you over the head and drowning you by degrees, it's high time to retire from the field with what grace you can muster." He looked at her, his dark lashes swept low over the silver firelight in his eyes. "I'm sorry you were caught out in the middle, but it's no place for princesses, you know. Dragons have a particular taste for a sweet and helpless royal highness." "I thought that was what the hero was for," she said tartly. "To rescue the princess." "Well, you're not eaten, are you? And we heroes weren't created just for the convenience of some feather-headed princess gone astray. We have lives of our own. Hopes, plans, railway stocks…" He shook his head. "But nobody ever thinks of that. It's just rescue the princess and live happily ever after. I've never heard precisely what we're supposed to do when the princess would prefer to start a revolution than marry the poor sod who risked his neck to rescue her. Or announces"—his smile held a bitter twist—"that she'd rather become a streetwalker." Olympia sat up away from him. "Steal her jewels, perhaps," she said acidly. To her astonishment and rage, he had the gall to catch her back. Olympia struggled, pushing at his hands, but in spite of her fight he held her up close to him, his arm around her chest. "You'll have your damned jewels returned," he said into her hair."I love this quote <3 And I love him! Best damn anti-hero ever written. He can't even be labeled an anti-hero, he is just a person who does what is necessary to survive. I love every scheming, lying bit of him <3
—Blacky *Romance Addict*
Ann wrote: "Very nice review Shelley!"Hey thanks! I figured it was about time I should write a review seeing as the first time I read it was around '92. ;o)
—Shelley
