Pirates and Privateers
The History of Maritime Piracy

Cindy Vallar, Editor & Reviewer
P.O. Box 425, Keller, TX  76244-0425

---

Rafe Rafton, one of King Henry VIII’s privateers, attacks ships not just of this world, but also those of the kingdoms of Naruihm on the other side of The Rift. Askana Modarin, First Queen of Morevi, despises Captain Rafton and wishes him dead, but she needs his special talents to unearth the traitor to her throne. Long-buried secrets, fierce prejudices, conniving enemies, deadly magic, and unforeseen dangers abound as the wary pair and their followers travel from Morevi to London and back again to enlist Henry VIII’s aid and to battle Morevi’s foes.

A spellbinding web of intrigue and wizardry spiced with love and hate, Morevi provides an insightful look into the world and politics of Tudor England and a world reminiscent of sixteenth-century Japan. Of particular note is the exotic mix of humans and creatures, who rely on brains, brawn, and magic, to achieve their ends. The story includes a fascinating look at the conflicts between men and women, for Tudor England is a male-dominated world, but in Morevi the women rule and men are subservient. While the book exceeds five hundred pages, it is fast-paced and addictive reading. The authors remain true to history while creating a magnetic merger between swashbuckling adventure, combustible fantasy, and enduring romance.

Learn more about the book and download a sample chapter
Read an excerpt
Listen to dramatized excerpts
Meet Tee Morris

Read my review of Book Two: The Legacy of Morevi

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

---

Legacy of Morevi

Legacy of Morevi: Book One of the Arathellean Wars
by Tee Morris
Dragon Moon Press, 2005, US $19.95 / CAN $24.95
ISBN 1-896944-29-9

Rafe Rafton, a former privateer for King Henry VIII, lives with his daughter and the love of his life, Askana Modarin, First Queen of Morevi on the other side of The Rift. Having entered his daughter’s life several years after her birth, Rafe finds that bonding with Ashtari is far more difficult than he ever dreamed. She sees him merely as her mother’s consort, not her father. All seems peaceful, but an invitation to visit the Queen and King of the Elves turns out far differently than expected, especially when Rafe and Askana meet the new queen, Askana’s first born, a daughter she’s never acknowledged. Lissellone’s invitation is but the first step in her plans for revenge and domination. To complicate matters several of Rafe’s former colleagues appear with a newly minted Spanish coin that requires Rafe and Askana to cross The Rift while sending Ashtari to a safe haven.

Enemies lurk everywhere and not all their friends in the two worlds can be trusted.  Ashtari must use the skills she’s learned, as well as the traits she’s inherited from her father, after she’s kidnapped. In spite of the passage of time everything seems the same in England, but Rafe, Askana, and their followers find themselves declared pirates and enemies of the state. Only one of Rafe’s friends in Spain, a country that also considers him a pirate, can help them to safeguard Morevi, but once they return their lives are in even more peril.

As in the first book, the enchanting characters and spellbinding storytelling of Tee Morris compel the reader to keep turning pages. I enjoyed this sequel until the end of the book, for I was left hanging. This isn’t how I like stories to end, but that’s a personal preference. It’s okay not to tie up all the loose ends, but this story fails to resolve any conflicts introduced throughout the book. Still, Legacy of Morevi is a web of intrigue and wizardry spiced with love and hate that readers of swashbuckling fantasies will enjoy.

Read a sample from Legacy of Morevi

Book Review Copyright ©2006 Cindy Vallar

Home

Pirate Articles

Pirate Links

Book Reviews

Thistles & Pirates

Click on the Cannon to Contact Me