Voyager (Harper Collins) 2007

The Immortal Prince showcases Fallon’s talent for character portrayal once again. Strong characters and the interesting dilemma of immortality provide enough narrative drive to make one pant. Rumour has it that this book is walking out the door of bookshops in vast numbers and rightly so. It is a darned good read.

Amyrantha is a world visited by cataclysm, visited upon the inhabitants by the deeds of the immortal Tide Lords. As the tide that powers these lords ebbs, the memory of them fades in the minds of the humans who have survived. Only the cabal of the Tarot know what really happened and only they can make preparations for when the Tide Lords come again.

Fallon has built a credible world, filled with humans, immortals and the creatures of mixed species, the Crasii. Dogs, cats, amphibians—you name it—have been magically mixed with the mortal children of the Tide Lords to become their loyal slaves. Their origins have been lost in this modern age, where the world is ruled by mortal kings and the doings of the Tide Lords have sunk into myth.

Beautiful and common born Arkady is married to a duke. To all appearances, this is a good thing. He is kind, tender, rich and powerful. He is also gay. His cousin, the king, wants an heir from the duke and has no tolerance for liaisons that aren’t heterosexual. So the true nature of his relationship with Arkady must remain a secret. Into this mix comes Kyle of Lakesh, otherwise known as Cayal, the Immortal Prince. It is low tide and this prince is bored with eternal life. Depression drives him to kill so that he can be executed by decapitation. Unfortunately he doesn’t die, leading to an investigation which involves Arkady, an historian as well as duchess in a world where women do not account for much.

The web of intrigue grows as Declan Hawkes, the king’s spymaster and Arkady’s childhood friend, enters the fray. Never happy with Arkady’s loveless marriage, Declan's animosity drives a wedge between them. But Arkady is useful in drawing the Cayal out and here Fallon juxtaposes two stories: the life of Cayal and how he became immortal, and the daily life of Arkady and the power struggles of her household, including her putting up with the pretensions of her husband’s lover, Jaxyn.

Arkady is drawn to Cayal, who as handsome as he is emotionally unstable. Is he insane or is he telling the truth? This is Arkady’s dilemma. Can she acknowledge her tendresse for him or will she stand by and let him be tortured? These are interesting questions, posed by the quirky portrayal of Arkady and Cayal that Fallon does so well. Fallon has a way of hiding things in plain sight, so watch out for the clues. Some revelations may take you by surprise.

Fallon’s popularity has been growing over time. The Tide Lords looks to be the jewel in her crown – or is that the prince in her tarot? With four books in the series, it's going to be full of twists and turns!

For more information see www.jenniferfallon.com