The Nymph King

Valerian, the king of the Nymphs, finds himself in a quandary. His warriors require sexual satiation in order to fight effectively and their strength has been drained in long battles with the vampires and the dragons for control of Atlantis. Their own women are missing, and in desperation, despite his deep reservations, he decides to take the portal to Earth and capture some women. He knows that the women will not be able to resist the Nymphs and he salves his conscience with the thought that they will be pampered and satisfied for the rest of their lives. Shaye Holling, while attending yet another wedding for her mother, longs to be anywhere else besides where she is. After watching her mother’s many failures at love, Shaye is determined that she will never give her heart to any man and holds herself aloof from any relationships. What follows is a battle of wills between the ultimate sex god Valerian and the ice queen Shaye. Will Valerian be able to pierce through Shaye’s shields or is THE NYMPH KING to suffer his first ever defeat in battle?

THE NYMPH KING is Ms. Showalter’s latest entry in her Atlantis series, but is easily enjoyed as a stand-alone novel if this is the reader’s first introduction. While plot lines of previous books are hinted at, enough back story is given that the reader is able to follow along nicely. Ms. Showalter has written an Atlantis that is very different from many other depictions but it has enchantment in its own right, filled with magic, dragons, vampires, nymphs and other creatures straight from mythology. This reviewer found it interesting that the vampires were presented in such a positive light and as allies, as they are usually written as a race unto themselves who avoid alliances outside of their own. The strength of this story is the compelling tension between Shaye and Valerian as well as the secondary love story. While this reviewer did not always agree with Valerian’s methods and reasons, he is hot and an alpha male with a sensitive side. Repeat visitors to Ms. Showalter’s Atlantis will love this tale and new ones will find themselves looking for the other books in the series. Fans of paranormal romance who really enjoy fantasy elements will appreciate this tale most.

March 2007