Kindle Edition Amazon Author Page Category:  Fantasy Publisher: Amazon (2nd Edition) ISBN-10:  1977030688 Pages: 437 Copyright: August 12, 2004 ISBN-13: 9781977030689 Price: $2.99 (eBook) Matthias is master of the black fires. But Matthias is haunted by the memory of terrible conflict, and has no greater desire than personal peace. Hyrn must convince Matthias to help him stop a coming Armegeddon between bodiless Spirits and humans. Second edition. Originally published through Mundania Press. The world isnt what it once was. An uneasy balance lies between frail humanity and the bodiless powers, incorporeal spirits able to possess a man in the blink of an eye. Stability and prosperity have begun to grow in human lands protected by soulsteel barriers. In the Riverlands, the conflict has faded sufficiently to allow leisure, the accumulation of wealth, and the growth of culture.Matthias is a product of the safety of the barriers. He has seen the chaos of rampaging Powers first hand. He has turned his back on the world outside the Riverlands, and has turned his talent from war to art.Hyrn is a product of the wild country. He has walked among the powers and the communities that try to coexist with them. Able to touch the winds, Hyrn stands between both worlds. He sees the need for security, but he loves the free beauty of the powers. He sees a war of terrible destruction on the horizon, and he will do all he can to avert it. The worlds of the powers and the world of men are on the road to Armageddon, but Hyrn sees beauty in both worlds, and understands the need for balance. He will do what he must to avert the coming conflict. His answer is to build a force that can stand between humanity and the powers, and preserve a balance.The black fires of soulsteel provide a weapon against the bodiless, one which requires only discipline to wield. Matthias is master of the black fires. But Matthias is haunted by the memory of terrible conflict, and has no greater desire than personal peace. Hyrn must convince Matthias to help, and between them they will shake the foundations of more than one world.      Excerpt Chapter One A knife kissed Matthias’ throat as he lay sleeping. He opened his eyes to the darkness of his hostess’ bedroom, sensibly refraining from moving any other part of his body. Blood hammered through his veins, hot under the skin of his throat, the sharp edge of the knife cold above that. Never had Matthias been so sensitive to the life carried in the heat of his blood as when all that separated him from death was the quick twist of an unfriendly wrist. Matthias didn’t move. He didn’t see any options at that time. Sleep still fogging his senses, the moment had the unreal touch of a dream. Tiny streams of moonlight dribbled through the closed shutters, illuminating the room just enough to backlight the dark silhouette stooping over him. He heard a sharp gasp as the bed rocked to a quick movement. Loud, ragged breathing followed. Matthias understood then that his assailant had not come alone. The silhouette stooped until the slick fabric of a silk mask touched Matthias face. “Get your clothes. Dress quickly. Make no sound. The woman’s safety lies in your hands.” Lips brushed his ear through the mask as the words were hissed. The silhouette straightened, lifting the knife from his throat. The knife disappeared into a sheath. Matthias turned his head. Another dark figure stood at the other side of the bed. One gloved hand twisted in Marie’s long, dark hair. The other hand clamped over her mouth. Marie’s eyes were huge in the trickling moonlight. Mathias swung his legs carefully over the edge of the bed and sat up slowly. He stood, the coverlet dropping away, the air of the room cool against his skin. He had no thought for his nakedness as his assailant held up a cautionary finger, stooped, and threw him the shirt he had so casually discarded earlier in the night. As he dressed, each new piece of clothing came to him from the gloved hand of his attacker. As he pulled on the soft doeskin moccasins he had recently taken to wearing for comfort, his assailant produced a short length of cord and pointed at his hands. Matthias considered his opportunity for resistance, then glanced back at Marie. Tears streamed silently down her cheeks. Sighing, he held out his hands. His captor put his hands together at the palms, then bound him swiftly and efficiently at thumbs and wrists. The cord felt like silk, pulled firmly but not cruelly tight. As he was bound, Matthias stared down at the top of a bent, hooded head. His captor was small, perhaps half a foot shorter than himself and slightly built. His captor pulled him forward by his hands and stepped aside. As he continued past, he felt a hand drop lightly to one shoulder, guiding him with gentle pressure. His guide’s other hand, he felt certain, did not stray far from the hilt of the knife. Matthias allowed himself to be directed to the summer doors that led to the bedroom’s back balcony. He fumbled at the latch with his bound hands, and pushed the doors open. Bright moonlight lanced into his eyes, and he flinched. Pressure on his shoulder urged him forward. He hesitated, turned back to check on Marie. His captor’s partner was straightening, one finger pointing at Marie. She lay back against the satin pillowcase, her hand held to her mouth, weeping silently. A push came at his shoulder, and he walked out to the balcony. He heard footsteps follow after, and felt a second hand fall on his other shoulder. Together his captors guided him down the stairs leading down from the balcony and into the garden. Paths of white, black, and red stone wound through the grounds. Matthias allowed himself to be guided down the white path, cut marble gleaming in the moonlight. He heard the stamp and soft whicker of the horses even before he saw them waiting. He smiled in spite of his position at Marie’s outrage once she discovered that someone had tied horses in the midst of her formal gardens. Then he lost his smile. At least, it would have been amusing if Marie had any outrage left after dealing with the fear of having her home invaded. If she had not sent the servants home, would they have been so vulnerable? Would the servants have been able to give warning? Would their presence have frightened the kidnappers away? Another question occurred to him then, though he immediately banished it from the forefront of his awareness: had Marie set him up for abduction? The larger of his two captors helped him up on one of the horses, mounted another, took his horse’s reins, and led him out of the garden and through the open gate of the villa. Behind, he heard his other captor following on the third horse. They trotted through the sleeping streets, and cantered over the bridge that spanned the Blackwater and led to the road that ran through Drywell Pass and out into wastes. Blackstone stelae at the far side of the river marked the border of the Council’s protection against the Bodiless. Soulsteel glyphs set into the stone made the air dance with unseen fires. More stelae stretched into the distance, marking the border of the Riverlands, providing a focus for Council protection. Matthias wound his bound hands through the horse’s mane and gripped the barrel of its body with his legs. As they crossed the bridge, Matthias shivered, already feeling as if he had left the Riverlands behind and crossed into the rocky waste, even though open fields of rich grain still spread around the road. Once the road had begun to lift into the foothills, and the open fields of farmland had surrendered to tall stands of pine, his captors slowed. Both tugged off the silk hoods covering their heads and stuffed the masks into saddlebags. Matthias confirmed his guess that the shorter of his captors was a slim woman. The man was clean shaven, his hair cropped close to his skull. The woman’s hair had also been cut short. Both faces were tanned from exposure to the elements. He placed both of them in their mid to late twenties. He recognized neither face. The woman turned to face him as the man loosened a crossbow from where it had been secured on its mount and proceeded to crank the arms back and nock a bolt ostentatiously. “We’re far enough out of the city that we could catch you if you tried to run, so I’m going to untie your hands. If he has to, Remy will shoot you. He’d rather not. You’re worth nothing to us dead. But he will if you make it necessary.” She rode close and began working at Matthias’ bonds. Matthias studied her in the slanting light of the moon. “Just who do you think I am, anyway? I can’t think of anyone interested in paying any ransom for me.” She pulled the silk away from his wrists, and favored him with a quirky smile. “Who said anything about ransom?” “It’s a hell of a dinner invitation,” Matthias responded tartly. She backed her horse away as Matthias rubbed his hands and wrists. Remy watched silently, the loaded crossbow resting across his knees. “I’d already decided that you weren’t some outraged husband,” Matthias continued. “And if you’re interested in my personal fortune, we’re headed the wrong way, and it’s not all that disposable.” She laughed. “Consider this an invitation, Matthias. An invitation you don’t have the option of refusing.” Matthias felt a sudden chill. They did indeed know him. And if this kidnapping wasn’t mistaken identity, then his previous assumptions meant nothing. With the simple use of his name, his captor had invalidated all of his conclusions. And from her slight smile, she knew exactly what she had done. She nodded to Matthias. “Ride with me.” As Matthias prodded his mount up to fall in beside hers, he heard Remy take up the rear. For the next few miles, he thought of little but that crossbow, held at the ready mere feet from his back, and the simple question of who would want to kidnap an artist, no matter how successful, and hale him out into the wilds in the middle of the night. The fact that he could come up with no good answer did not make the ride any easier.

Huntress Reviews
Matthias was once a Master of the Black Fires. He forged the best weapons and armor in the magical Soulsteel, the mystical medal that could harm the Soulridden. Once Riverlands became protected by soulsteel barriers, he retired as smithy and became an artist. He ignored the world that existed outside the barriers, the place known as the Waste.

But Destiny requires Matthias's skill once again. Hyrn knows that Matthias would refuse help if simply asked. Thus the Sword Master of Stone's Rest has Matthias kidnapped so he could be shown the slaughter that the Bodiless and Edward Tobit has done ... and will continue doing. Once seen, Matthias could not bring himself to refuse helping the Brotherhood in their quest to strike a balance between the Bodiless and the human denizens of the Wastes and Outer Lands.

Nefta is demonkind. Owing Matthias a life debt, she helps him when all hope seems lost. In doing so, she makes a strong enemy, Seth. She wants to learn from Matthias to make her Realm a piece of art. Of course she is using him, but he never said he trusted her.

Everything will come together on one dark night, when the full moon is covered, and the Seat of Power is up for grabs by the most powerful. All could be lost.

**** In my opinion, this novel is the author's best work to date. Every time I believed I knew everything thoroughly, a twist would be placed in front of me and I would be forced to see it all in a totally new light. There is not a "main character" in this story. The people who are the biggest characters are listed in this synopsis. However, the story is told by following Matthias for awhile, then Hyrn, etc. Well done! I look forward to Cooper's next release. ****

Watchman Review
Called unwillingly out of retirement, Matthias joins with Hyrn to vanquish the demons ravaging their world. A would-be suicide mission, made doable with soulsteel weapons forged by Matthias, turns into a journey through time and unimaginable worlds. Along the way we are confronted with the relationship with our demons. Is it possible that we can become attached to some, maybe love them? Maybe they can become us or we can become them or both.

The author challenges our stereotypes with a thought provoking and imaginative story where power, love and honor are not always where you expect them. How does this all end? I was surprised and entertained. Good stuff!

Reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers' Favorite
In A Separate Power by Loren W Cooper, humans are not the only ones who inhabit the planet. There are the so-called 'bodiless' (basically spirits/entities that can possess a human), and as you might guess, humankind's relationship to them is not the best. Some human lands are protected from the bodiless by barriers, and it is these lands that prosper. In these lands, people feel safe. Matthias lives in one of those lands, the Riverlands. While he has seen the chaos that can be wrought by the bodiless, the war is behind him. Now an artist, he is not very interested in conflicts. It all changes when Hyrn tries to convince Matthias to help him to create a magical force that can assist with keeping humanity safe. Hyrn is sure a terrible war that will destroy everything is about to erupt, and only black fires can be used as an effective weapon against the bodiless. Matthias is a wielder of black fire. But will he give up his personal peace to fight for the peace of mankind?

I am usually not a fan of books that don't have an obvious, single main character. It's just my personal preference, because it doesn't often work out well if an author does not focus on one hero's development. Fortunately, Loren W Cooper seems to know what he's doing. The characters, the way the plot moves forward, and how things eventually interweave make sense. There were some surprises along the way, so don't ever be sure that you have figured out where the plot will lead you in the end! It took me a while to get to the end of the book because I only wanted to read it when I could pay full attention to the story. I knew from reading the author's previous book that his books deserve a reader's full attention, so I wanted to give this one what it deserved, too. For a few days, I spent time with the characters in the novel and did not regret a minute of it.

It's a well balanced plot with some characters you'll enjoy, and some maybe not so much - but that's another question of personal taste. It would be boring if we all liked the same protagonists. If you enjoy fantasy that goes beyond the usual elves and dwarves stories, this might just be the novel you are looking for! It is also a story about the choices someone makes in their life, about personal freedom, personal safety, and about risking it all for the greater good. It's not just a story of black and white, pure good and pure evil, but also shows the shades in between.