Reviewed by Sarina
TITLE: Warrior and Priest
AUTHOR: Katie Howe
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 200 pages
BLURB:
On an earthlike planet ruled by the Elite, a rite called “the Gleaning” is used to select suitable spouses for those of merit. Nico Stamford is a member of the Geisha class. Though he has been trained for marriage all his life, becoming a healer and a priest in the process, all he wants is to cook and open a restaurant. Instead he becomes a candidate for the ritual. He hopes the Goddess will look kindly on him and eliminate him before the final choices are made. Alex DeVrie is a member of the Warrior class who has recently returned triumphant from a clash with an alien enemy. Made a duke of the Sixth Land as a reward, all Alex needs now is a husband. As soon as Alex sets eyes on Nico, he refuses to settle for anyone else.
Tradition says they can part ways after a year and a day. But love begins to grow as they unravel the mystery behind tragic events in the Sixth Land, and they uncover a conspiracy that could change their society.
REVIEW:
Nico has been trained from a young age to take part in The Gleaning, a kind of rite of passage that could either see him on his own with a substantial dowry to live on or see him picked to be someone’s husband for at least a year and a day. Only problem? Nico doesn’t want to go through The Gleaning, he just wants to open a restaurant and feed people and he can’t understand why he hasn’t been eliminated yet. Goddess knows he can’t dance, or sing, or play any instruments and don’t get him started on talking to members of the Elite…he’d pretty much just rather bang his head against a wall.
Alex is recently back from the war and with his success came a title and the decision to find himself a husband. Rather than pursue someone from his own warrior class, however, he wants what most think of as a ‘pretty boy’, someone softer than he is and trained in things like diplomacy that he sorely lacks experience in. Signing up to participate as a suitor in this year’s Gleaning is seen as a mistake by some but Alex disagrees; there’s also the matter of this blond that he saw at the market place and can’t get off of his mind.
This book took me completely by surprise; it was a blending of fantasy and sci-fi and seemed to mix the old with the new. It was great! While the structure of the society fits in with quite a few fantasies I’ve read, there was technology present as well; there were comm units and people used the world’s version of the internet for shopping and social sites. The best part about this was that it just worked; I never once believed that it didn’t fit into the world the author had created. The first 40% or so of the book deals with The Gleaning, which kind of made me think of a beauty pageant with all the costume changes and talent shows only with the goal of being chosen as someone’s spouse. Nico wants none of it, however, and is doing everything he possibly can to not be picked. I find I probably would’ve done the same in his position and his thoughts on one of the other boys was spot on with what I’ve thought about similar people in the past.
Things begin moving rapidly after that portion of the book, however, and you get to see that there are some real problems that need to be addressed in the Sixth Land, Alex’s new holdings. There’s a great deal more going on behind the scenes and things there are bad with no clear answers as to why. I found this gave the book an unexpected depth to it and I was excited to keep reading. The relationship between Alex and Nico also progressed nicely; I never really felt that anything was rushed and the sex scenes were well done and varied. The story was the focus, however…the rest was just the icing. Delicious, delicious icing. I was honestly disappointed to have the book end as I just wanted to keep reading more about this world and its people and while there is no series listed (yet) I have to believe there will be at least a sequel since there were so many things left unanswered at the end. The book left off at a good point though and I know I’ll be re-reading this one again quickly while keeping my eye out for news of more to come.
RATING: 
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