Restoration of Honor Twilight of the Godchosen Book #4
A Space Opera, Science Fiction, Aliens, Space Marine
Aethon Books
Feb 15, 2022
Kindle
595
Amazon
Aric kan Ingan is heading for a rendezvous with Death, with a detour to Terra at pal Miles Sheffield’s insistence, in an attempt to take his mind off his upcoming obituary.
Old prejudices long-buried and culture clashes aside, the planet offers a few things to test his newly-restored integrity, as well as his fidelity to Susan…such as the attention paid to a certain alien by Miles’ foster mother, an attractive but neglected wife.
Leaving for Arcanis offers an escape, even if his arrival begins with his arrest and the quickest trial imaginable.
The verdict? His former sentence is to be carried out.
Immediately.
A great deal has changed on Arcanis in the past fifteen years, however.
Former best friend Eby now heads the Peace Force and is the True Arcanian Society’s right-hand man. Pallas, the baby-bride Aric left behind, is no longer a child. Inheriting her mother’s beauty as well as a touch of her deviousness, the Princess Royal has the power to save her cousin’s life, for which she expects a great deal more than his mere gratitude.
Marrying Pallas means giving up hope of a future with Susan, but it will regain Aric the Throne of Arcanis and revenge against The True Arcanian Society, while freeing Pallas from Eby’s domination.
Whatever the choice, someone will win and someone will lose, and the entire galaxy will be affected…but will it be worth it?
Review by S.C. Principal
Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team
Aric kan Ingan, noble exile, has a date with death. At least, that’s what he assumes will happen when he returns to Arcanis to seek formal pardon and reinstatement as a citizen. But, after years of the harsh life of an exile, Aric has finally met Dr. Susan Moran, a woman who makes him willing to face the throne and seek out a restoration of his stolen honor. His unlikely companion, Miles, is the brother of the woman who betrayed Aric originally. However, after their five years together on a Terra-affiliated mining enterprise, the two men have become best friends. Maybe Miles can shed light on the true situation and help Aric’s uncle see fit to pardon him? That’s the plan. But first the best friends have some adventures on Terra, what we used to call Earth.
Terra is very different from Arcanis, and although there are many struggles and temptations for Aric, his overall view of the land and Terrans is favorable. Miles (and perhaps the readers) wonder why Aric doesn’t simply bring Susan (a Terran) back to this land to settled down and raise a family? Maybe they won’t be legally wed, but would it be so bad? The short answer is yes. If an Exile breaks the law forbidding him to marry and have children, his sentence, death, can be passed down to his children. Exiles do not technically exist, so if Aric or his children are killed, they cannot even have justice. No one can be tried for the crime. It is this that pushes Aric to confront his uncle and clear his name.
Aric runs into his old friend, Eby, on Arcanis, but they are sadly on opposite sides of the law since Aric is an exile. Miles, as the Margravine Elizabeth’s brother, is able to use his influence to get Aric a speedy interview with the margave—or so he thinks. Elizabeth and the margave, Aric’s uncle, are both dead. Aric cannot face his accuser, and the law states a previous sentence cannot be overturned by the new ruler. Aric’s sentence of death must be carried out. There’s only one thing that can save him— the pardon of a noble.
Princess Pallas, Elizabeth’s daughter and Miles’ niece, is now the ruler, but she is a mere figurehead, controlled by a council of elders—and Eby! Eby is desperate to marry the girl, and assume control over the planet. Eby is in league with the council of elders, a loathsome bunch who force Aric into a mockery of a re-trial, torture, and execution. Snow does NOT treat Aric or her readers kindly right now. Bring tissues.
But an eleventh hour amendment allows Princess Pallas to save Aric and reinstate his titles, lands, and rights. Sadly, he’s almost dead before the slow execution by exsanguination can be stopped. When Aric is healed, it is revealed that Pallas has had a crush on him since childhood, a longing she’s blown into quite the obsession. When Aric comes back, she assumes it is because he’s willing to face death to be her husband. Now that she has made sure he will stay alive, she won’t take no for an answer.
At this point, I imagine many readers were fuming. Susan had really bought out the sweeter qualities of Aric in the previous book. Aric had wasted years in Exile, endlessly enslaved to rules or whoever would take on a non-person as an employee. Finally, he has freedom… but he can’t go to the woman he loves, Susan. However, Pallas soon explains that she will be forced to marry the treacherous Eby or another man the odious council approves, robbing her of any power she has. Aric, who she can appoint to the highest office in the kingdom, would be higher than all the power-hungry schemers. Their marriage would save any honor or nobility the planet has left as well as prevent a civil war. Hopefully.
Overall, this was an excellent continuation of Aric’s saga, full of pain, adventure, political intrigue, and even some romance. In my opinion, the book was a bit long-winded, especially in the first 200-some pages while Miles and Aric are on Terra. The book ends as Aric resigns himself to the fact that he may indeed have feelings for Pallas, who is unsure of how genuine their love could ever be. Miles has found his heart swept away by a courtesan from the Pleasure Dome, and the planet of Arcanis teeters between old and new powers. This is not the final installment of the series, so if some of you are wondering what marriage holds and if battles await… you’ll have another book to look forward to.
GHOSTS/HORROR/PARANORMAL/URBAN FANTASY/DARK FANTASY/OCCULT/GOTHIC/SCI-FI
GHOSTS/HORROR/PARANORMAL/URBAN FANTASY/DARK FANTASY/OCCULT/GOTHIC/SCI-FI – SERIES