Warrior: The Time Hunters (Berkley Sensation) [Mass Market Paperback]

I have to be honest and say that my favourite Angela Knight books are 'Master of the Night' and (in second place) 'Jane's Warlord'. Both books combine a good plot with genuine chemistry between the two main characters. Of course, both had some steamy eroticism too, but this felt necessary to the developing relationship between the romantic couple. Later books by the same author have the same steaminess, but I felt that the plots were occasionally a bit lacklustre, and the relationships seemed a bit lacking in emotional depth.

In 'Warrior' we meet several characters from previous books/stories - or at least their offspring - and the universe created in 'Jane's Warlord' is revisited. The plot focuses around an artist - Jess Kelly - who has the unfortunate luck to be the room-mate of an alien Charlotte Holt. A Xelan (horrible, blood-thirsty alien) is after Charlotte, who infects Jess with some of her own blood before disappearing. As a result of the infection, Jess is also put on the list for destruction by the Xelan. Galar Arvid's job as a Master Enforcer is to 'rescue' those who are killed by other time-travellers, and as the Xeran is a time traveller, Galar is there at the scene of the crime to take Jess into the future as soon as the crime is committed.

The romance between Galar and Jess develops through the book: Galar has to battle against his own suspicious nature, as he was betrayed in a previous relationship by spy who pretended to love him. Jess, of course, has to cope not only with the problems of being catapulted into the future, but also with the changes brought about by the 'infection' introduced into her blood by Charlotte. Jess is also pursued by a spy in the Temporal Enforcement Agency - a spy indirectly working for the Xerans.

The overall story-arch of the nasty, violent Xerans pursuing a gentle, moral people called the Sela who have a T'lir which the Xerans want, and the Sela's testing of Charlotte Holt and Jess is what proves most interesting in this book. THe romance between Galar and Jess is predictable and while they have some good non-sex scenes, which develop some emotional realism, there just isn't enough chemistry for me. Their steamier encounters appear rather empty, and lack any sense of emotional connection. I found myself skipping the sex scenes to get on with the other story. I just didn't feel that the sex furthered their relationship in any way: I got no sense of a deepening emotional bond.

Sadly I just wasn't gripped by the romance - but I was by the SF story. Angela Knight writes a good sex scene, but somehow it all seemed a bit disconnected. You could have cut out the sex scenes completely and not missed them at all.

This could develop into a good series, the teaser for the next book - 'Enforcer' - looks promising, possibly because the romantic 'leads' have already been introduced in this, first, book.

if you like angela knights merlin series you'll like this, its futuristic with the same para romance concept. cleverly written with some good emotional scenes. good story. great writing.