WARLORD

Author: Elizabeth Vaughn ISBN: 0765352664 3/2007 PARANORMAL Publisher: TOR

Lara of Xy and her Warlord, Keir of the Cat, have been through much together. Lara abandoned her lands and people for love of him.  She adopted his ways and learned of his tribe. Together they have faced plague and insurgency—and despite these struggles, they have known happiness and joy.   Now they face their most arduous task: Keir must take Lara into the Heart of the Plains, and introduce her as the Warprize to the warrior-priests.  She must be tested—questioned, examined, watched—and must find favor with the warrior-priests and the tribe’s elders before they will confirm her as a true Warprize.   But in Lara's heart there are doubts—for what if she is found wanting? Will Keir give up everything he knows to be with his Warprize?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

WARLORD is the last of Elizabeth Vaughan's barbarian romance trilogy. Keir and Lara have come through hard times before, but now is the time of their greatest challenge. They go to the Heart of the Plains, where Lara must be confirmed as Warprize and chose her Warlord.

Keir's people do not all embrace the change that the Warprize signifies, and there are others who would like to have Lara for themselves. Lara and Keir's love is strong, so this is less of a romance novel than an adventure tale.

It's very well-written and as always, Vaughn has a gift for creating the culture of these peoples. She also fully-fleshes out a number of characters and really makes you care about them, different though they are from us. If you like a novel where you really feel like you're entering another world, WARLORD is a great choice!

Heather Hiestand