Kindle Edition Amazon KateMarie Collins Category:  Fantasy Publisher: Solstice Shadows Type: Fiction Pages: 70 Copyright: November 30, 2015 Price: $2.99 (eBook) Alaric is a man with a past...and a love for Fin.  Kai grew up in privilege as a prince, and in the shadow of his older brother. Kaerdan made sure Kai knew he’d always be second best. On the night of Kaerdan’s wedding, though, a long held family secret comes out. Kai was the son of the Island king, yes. But his mother was Amari. Fleeing for his life, he sails for the mainland. His only hope to survive is to reinvent himself. Taking on a new name, one given to him by his birth mother.  Alaric. Excerpt The crossing would take over a week, which suited Alaric fine. He needed time to himself to decide what to do next. Changing his name had been easy. Too easy. Ever since Holly whispered it in his ear, it felt right. More like who he was than Kai had ever been. That first night, he’d mourned. Said good-bye to a mother and sister he’d never really known, who were most likely dead by now. If not dead, then they prayed for it swiftly. Kaerdan would punish them first. It was his way. As to his other family, he scarcely thought on them. The feeling he’d had his entire life of being on the outside looking in made sense now. He didn’t wholly belong there. Nor was he fully Amari. The second day was harder. Alaric stared at the polished brass mirror in his cabin for an hour, trying to see if there was any of the telltale gold coloring in his eyes. He’d heard of this, yes. Half-bred Amari were common enough, but almost all had the eye color. He would be one of the very few who could pass as human. While that would make things easier, he also knew what he couldn’t do. Going to his grandfather’s palace was out of the question. Even if a messenger didn’t make it before he did, it wouldn’t be far behind. No, Kai had to die. Disappear. Never to be seen or heard from again. The crew left him alone, which suited him just fine. How Holly procured his passage he’d never know. He needed the time and solitude right now. A light knock at the door to his small cabin roused him from his thoughts. He turned his head around as the door swung open, the wood creaking slightly. Captain Ellory slipped into the room, closing the door behind him. “Pardon the intrusion, but something’s happened you need to know about.” Alaric nodded, gesturing for the Captain to sit in the only chair in the room. He settled on his bunk, waiting. Ellory sank into the chair. Alaric noticed both relief and concern on the man’s weather-beaten face. Whether or not the man’s gray hair was from age or worry he couldn’t tell. Outside of being older, there was no way to determine the Captain’s age. Though, at eighteen, there many people who fit that statement. “I know who you are, what you are. Holly and I go way back. I was the one who brought your mother, your real mother, to the Island. I’ve regretted every single trip your father took that ended with a chained Amari in the hold. Helping you escape isn’t much, but it makes me feel better. The trick will be putting you ashore without anyone being the wiser.” Alaric nodded. “I know where not to go, but that’s about it. I’ve never had to reinvent my life before.” He ran a hand through his brown hair. “I’m fair with a bow. Maybe I could make my way to another King’s holding, hide there as a hunter for his table.” Ellory shook his head. “Bad idea. Your brother won’t stop until he’s found you, made an example. You’re a direct challenge to his rule. He’d like nothing more than to see you kneeling at his feet, a chain around your neck.” Shrugging, he replied, “He can have the entire island for all I care. I won’t be going back there any time soon.” “Won’t matter. Not to the likes of him. For all his bluster, he’s an insecure brat. He knows you’re a better man than he’ll ever be. Until he can break you, he won’t stop.” Pausing, the older man picked at a callous on the palm of his hand. “I’ve got another passenger. About your height, coloring. He died in the night.” He held a hand up to stop Alaric’s shocked words before they were spoken. “No, we didn’t do anything to him. He was sick before he came on board. When we get to Lorien, we’re going to swear that the passenger that died was a man we were hired to pick up in the dead of night. Near Caer Mikkel. The news will be reported to your Grandfather, who will send the message to your father and brother. And you can live your life.” Stunned, he absorbed the news. The Captain was handing him the chance to live without looking over his shoulder. “I don’t know what to say…” he looked at the other man.

A Strong Novella
Having read Fin's Magic (the first book in this series), I was already accustomed to the characters that present themselves in Alaric's Bow. However, one need not have read the first book to find this novella entertaining, as each book can stand alone. And, if I'm being honest, I actually liked this installment better than the first.

Why?

Well, I can definitely see growth in Ms. Collins' writing. The dialogue was natural, the characters were multi-dimensional, and her overall command of the written word was stronger. The story was paced well and everything flowed together nicely, there was nothing in there that didn't need to be. Ms. Collins creates a fantasy world that is believable and interesting.

Like Fin's Magic, it was a bit short for my personal taste (I would have hung on for a full on epic novel), but in the novella genre, Ms. Collins is up there in the top tier. She can belt out a story, quick and to the point, and still leave the reader feeling like they know the world and understand the characters. From setting to plot to characterization to dialogue, Alaric's Bow pretty much nailed it.

KateMarie's books are fun to read with great storylines and interesting plot twists
KateMarie's books are fun to read with great storylines and interesting plot twists. This series, especially, has me hooked. I read the first and second books, one after the other, and couldn't put them down! I can't wait to see what will happen next to our heros!

I liked the characters
An intriguing story, full of surprises, secrets and betrayal set in an island of the ancient world.
Kai would never feel free; he was half islander, half Amari. The moment he found out the truth, he left everything behind and rushed to get off the island. Kaerdan would have him in chains the moment he saw him.
I liked the characters, the historical period, and the fact that the author focused on the value of being different.