As the first tale I have read by Celeste Anwar, the plotline caught my attention, intriguing me enough that I wanted to read it. Not entirely what I was expecting, the first thing that caught me off guard was its abbreviated length. Expecting a longer novel, I was not put off by the shortness of the tale, but was no longer sure exactly what to expect. When I began reading, I was thrown for a loop, for this tale gets stuck straight in. There are no chapters, just continuous story for approximately thirty-six pages. Different in layout it might be, but it did not quite measure up to my expectations, though I enjoyed the author’s style of writing and will surely read more of her works in the future.

The Color of Twilight is the first in the Lords of Magic books, the only one published so far. The series is about six princes, who each have a kingdom, three of light and three of dark. Though they are powerful, their race is dying out as no child has been born in centuries. To save their race, the princes must soul share with their queen. This is known only by the synopsis, as little mention of this background information is made in the story, which in my view detracts from the overall enjoyment of The Color of Twilight.

Frost Tamann is a Dark Fey prince. Ten years ago, he married Darcioney, who was chosen for him by the elders. She vanished before the marriage was consummated, and though told she ran away he refused to believe this, preferring to think she was kidnapped. He refused to believe, that is, until he finally finds her ten years later, at a ball far away from the Fey world, where she appears to be carefree and having fun. Anger sears him, as he views the woman who destroyed his heart acting as though she hadn’t a care in the world. Having found her, he is determined to do unto her as she has done unto him. Will he keep her? Or after getting her to beg for him, will he leave her to suffer the pain he has lived with for the last ten years?

Darcy has lived in the human world since she ran out on her husband. She was chosen for him by the Fey Elders to restore his virility. Her own insecurities, mixed with the disbelief of the Fey community, caused her to leave rather than risk letting them all down and experiencing future heartache when her husband eventually turned to another. They did not believe her tainted blood would be enough to save them all, and neither did she. Believing none of the elders would leave the Fey world, she assumed she was safe – until her eyes met Frost’s across a crowded ballroom floor and she realized it was he who held her in thrall. What does she do? How does she react to his presence once again in her life? Can she express her true feelings to this once strong prince?

The Color of Twilight is a great piece of erotica. Mostly comprised of sexual events, it is both sensual and hot. The story itself takes place over a period of a few hours or less. Please be aware that there is anal play in this story. Unfortunately, the pure eroticism is pretty much as far as it goes. There is little to no character development, the reader knowing only the very basics about each one, even the lead characters. They are the only ones described in any detail. Though I was disappointed over this, I still enjoyed the erotic scenes and believe this tale has great potential to be made into a longer story if the author so desires.

Having enjoyed Ms Anwar’s style of writing, I will be reading more of her works, and hope that the rest of this series is comprised of much longer tales with superb characters who have been better developed with the reader knowing much more about them. The series shows promise, but The Color of Twilight did not entirely live up to this promise. If erotica is your forte', either with or without character development, then consider The Color of Twilight. If not, best give this a miss.

Reviewed By Elizabeth
© October 2005