FIERCE EDEN

by Jennifer Blake ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 1985

Romantic twaddle, served up in chunks of slow tease until finally there's that roll in the leaves on a 1729 bayou bank, by a young French widow and a ""half-breed"" aristocrat stud (a French Comte father and a Natchez mother). The first time Elise Laffont sees Reynaud Chevalier at a Fort Rosalie, Louisiana Territory, soiree, he's an eye-bender, ""magnificent in his sculptured barbarian grace, infinitely savage!"" And after the massacre by the Natchez of the French at Fort Rosalie (the half-breed had warned them but they wouldn't listen), Reynaud takes Elise as a virtual prisoner in exchange for guiding four Fort survivors to safety. There's a trek through the woods, a stay at Reynaud's bayou mansion, where the French half of Reynaud is decked out in knee breeches and powdered wig. But soon it's back to breech clout and swan feathers--and trouble. Is Reynaud a traitor to the Natchez? Violence, last-minute rescues, warfare, and finally Elise will serve as spokesperson to negotiate with the French. In spite of all the flying breech clouts, the author does let slip a real interest in the culture and plight of the vanished tribe, but it's more or less drowned out by all the heavy breathing.

Pub Date: July 1, 1985

ISBN: 1585860972

Page Count: -

Publisher: Ballantine

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1985

Categories: FICTION