Article first published as Book Review: Fealty: Book Six of the Spirian Saga by Rowena Portch on Blogcritics.
January 23, 2013
Fealty: Book 6 of the Spirian Saga
Rowena Portch
Aeon Enterprises (2012)
ISBN: 9780988627505
Newest Spirian Novel Tells Tale of Forbidden Love
Fealty is the sixth book in Rowena Portch’s Spirian Saga, which tells the story of beings on this earth who live among humans but are more like angels. There are good Spirians—the Protected—and evil Spirians—the Shadows. Needless to say, the Protected and the Shadows do not get along.
Fealty is specifically the story of Rae, a new character in the series. Rae is a young female and the daughter of a powerful Shadow leader named Drake. Rae’s mother is dead, or so Rae believes, because she displeased Rae’s father. Rae and her brother have become allies against their father, and Nico has used his powers to “shield” Rae, meaning he prevents her father from using his own powers to know more about Rae than she wants, including that she has the powers of a healer.
Rae has long been attracted to another Spirian, Seth, a member of the Protected, but she does not think Seth is interested in her; nor does she think she’ll ever have a chance with him because her father intends to marry her to another powerful Shadow, Bennet, a man she finds repulsive. And so will the reader—my skin crawled the minute Bennet showed up in the novel, intent on courting Rae and personally feeding her, a Spirian female act of submission toward the man who will be her mate.
However, a turn of events brings Seth and Rae together—and it is revealed that he has always been interested in her. When Seth realizes Rae will be forced into a marriage she does not desire, he decides to risk his life and the lives of his own clan to rescue her. The result is several surprises and suspenseful moments for the reader, and for Rae, new discoveries about her past.
Don’t dismiss this series as just another battle between good and evil. Portch has added her own unique touches to this fictional world of her own creation. The characters’ supernatural powers and the story’s spiritual elements allow these Spirians to transcend the ordinary world of humans. The Spirians have enhanced powers because they are closer than humans to the Source of the universe, and their powers include healing, communicating telepathically with one another, and even physically hurting one another by willing it with their minds, depending on just how powerful they are. Portch’s Spirian world takes what would be normal or realistic stories and practically puts them on steroids through the supernatural elements she adds. Her books read as if the Twilight series’ supernatural elements were woven together with the spirituality of The Celestine Prophecy series, only Portch writes far better than Stephenie Meyer or James Redfield. Seth, Rae, Khalen, Skye, Nate, and all of Portch’s Spirian characters are distinct and memorable. Her words flow smoothly and effortlessly, making the story fast-paced, easy to read, and always entertaining while still asking readers to look a little deeper into their own souls.
I would recommend reading the first five books in the series first, but if Fealty is the first book read, Portch’s world is still explained in a manner that no reader will feel lost. Nevertheless, the reappearance of characters from previous books will mean more to readers of the entire series.
Anyone who enjoys a spiritual-based supernatural tale will find Fealty and the entire Spirian series to his or her liking. The books read so fast that it will be hard to do anything other than read the entire series from cover to cover until reaching the last page.
For more information about Rowena Portch,Fealty, and the Spirian series, visit www.Rowena-Portch.com.
— Tyler R. Tichelaar, Ph.D. and author of Spirit of the North: a paranormal romance
