Nora Roberts, Valley of Silence

Valley of Silence

Nora Roberts

Jove, Nov 2006, $7.99, 352 pp.

ISBN 0515141674

The Goddess Morrigan tasked the sorcerer with traveling through space and time to gather together the people who would fight for the life of humanity. Hoyt gathered Cian the vampire, the shifter Larkin, Blair the demon hunter, Glena the witch, and Moira the Scholar princess. Through the dance of the gods they travel to Moira's homeworld of Geall, a medieval like pastoral place that has never known war to make humanity's last stand against Lilith, the vampire queen. If the circle of six and the people of Geall lose, all humanity in all the worlds will be destroyed.

The final battle will take place in the Valley of Silence and Moira, who pulled the sword out of the stone that rests upon a fairy mound, is now the queen whom will lead her people. Cian, who was turned against his will by Lilith, sides with the humans even though most fear him. Moira sees him for what he is and loves what she sees; so when she goes to Cian he is helpless to fight his feelings as well as hers. Both know that there is no future in their relationship but for a little while, both will know a love so powerful that it is beautiful to behold. As the battle looms, the circle of six uses innovative battle methods since the vampire horde out numbers them four to one.

This concludes The Circle Trilogy and it is by far the best series Nora Roberts has ever written as the author addresses the themes of free will, good vs. evil and the power of love to sustain and strengthen people so they make ethical choices. The tale concentrates on the characters of Cian and Moira, two star-crossed lovers who find solace in each others arms for the present. She is a magnificent warrior queen in the tradition of Boudica and he is the dark gothic hero who puts his lover's needs before his own. Valley Of Silence is a fantastic work of romantic dark fantasy.

Harriet Klausner