Dara Joy has a very unique writing style and she writes very unique books. I have read all most all of her books - there is one of her first I haven't found yet and I think a short story - and I love them all. Her books are so original and unique. She has written in several different styles and even combined some. None of her books are typical. Her books are a delightful mix of romance, suspense, science fiction, and comedy. She has created new worlds and creatures in her books. When I start one of her books, I become engrossed in the worlds she created and don't want to put it down. Since her books are different, they aren't for everyone. Some people just won't like how different they are and that she combines different styles. People who generally like romance novels may not like that there is a bit of science fiction in most of her books. People who are science fiction fans may not like that there is romance, and they may find that there are holes in some of the science fiction things. Some people may find her books to unbelievable. Her books are not serious and should not be thought of that way. They are lighthearted and meant for entertainment. If you keep that in mind, you should enjoy her books.
Ritual of Proof is Dara Joy's newest book. It is her first hardback. The book has 340 pages. Ritual of Proof is similar in some ways to other books she has written, and different from them at the same time. She breaks new ground with this book. Dara Joy creates another new world in this book, full of complex and interesting characters and creatures. The world she creates for this book seems to be like Regency England at first glance - debutantes come out and try to make a good match to someone with money and a title, the society has strict rules concerning courtships that are followed - but it isn't. In the world Dara Joy creates for this book, women control everything. Women run the government, own the property, are the warriors, and make all the decisions. The men are the debutantes that can't own property and have no say in the government. The men are the ones that are to stay pure until a woman chooses him to be a name bearer. The men stay home and raise the children. The roles are completely reversed.
Before I get into the plot of the book, I want to tell a little bit about the history of the world where it takes place. The book takes place on Forus, which is a moon of Arkeus. A thousand years before the book takes place, the space ship NEOFEM arrived with an all woman crew. They settled on Forus and started a new civilization once they saw that they could survive there. In their new civilization, women had all the power. Like I mentioned before, the society resembles that of Regency England, only the roles are reversed. At the time the book takes place, very little has changed on Forus since the women started the new civilization there. Women still controlled everything. The citizens of Forus know very little about where the NEOFEM came from, they refer to that place as OrginPoint. They know nothing about OrginPoint. In some ways they seem less advanced than we are but in other ways they are more advanced - mainly in medical things. They do have technology on Forus, it is just strictly regulated because they have found that natural ways for some things are better for Forus. For example, they have no cars. They ride animals, either Kloos or Klees. The book describes both in great detail. Things about the history of Forus are mentioned throughout the book. This is a very strange and interesting world.
PLOT
The book begins with a few paragraphs describing someone practicing with a very dangerous weapon. The weapon will show up again later in the book. This section isn't part of a chapter or prologue. In fact a prologue follows this section.
The prologue lasts nine pages. It describes how Green Tamryn is getting ready to go to a party that she doesn't want to go to. She has just returned from taking care of some trouble at some properties she owns. Green suspects that Claudine D'Anbere is behind the trouble. The two women have known each other for years, since they were children. Claudine became jealous of Green because she seemed to catch on to things faster than she did. Claudine has been causing trouble for Green ever since whenever she could. Green is only going to the party so that Claudine will know she is back and that she has fixed the problems at her other properties. Green and Avatar, her woman of affairs, end up talking about Jorlan Reynard. He is a headstrong young man that speaks his mind - something men aren't supposed to do. He doesn't like that he has no say, can't own his own property, and is only expected to make a good match with a woman and provide her with heirs. Green remembers seeing him years before when he was still a child. Even then he was rebelling.
The first chapter begins at the party. Jorlan is there even though he doesn't want to be. He hates being put on display that way. He notices Green and is attracted to her. He is confused because he has never felt anything like that before. Jorlan talks with his friend Lymax about how this is his last season, and once it is over he will finally be left alone. Green notices his interest in her and goes to talk to him. They dance and have a long talk. Green is attracted to him and knows he feels the same. By the end of the evening Green decided that Jorlan would be the one she fastened (married). Since Jorlan had made no secret of the fact that he does not want to be fastened to anyone, she plans to slowly win him over so that he will be willing.
Green goes to see Duchene Anya Reynard, Jorlan's grandmother. Green and Anya have been friends for a long time. Claudine arrives not long after Green. No one is happy to see her. Claudine has set her sights on Jorlan. She doesn't say anything directly about wanting him, but it is apparent by the way she is looking at him and a few suggestive things she says. She doesn't stay long. Green and Jorlan talk a walk in the gardens and talk some more. A few days later Green takes shelter in a tavern during an arc storm - those are very dangerous storms. A few minutes later, Claudine and some friends enter the same tavern. They are all drunk and very loud. Green hears Claudine talking about how Jorlan is going to be hers the next day - she had somehow forced Anya to say she would give him to her. Green is horrified and decides she has to save Jorlan from Claudine - the last three men she fastened all died mysteriously. Green rides through the dangerous storm and arrives at the Reynard estate in the middle of the night. She and Anya talk. Anya had also recently had problems on some distant estates she owns. Claudine loaned her money she needed to take care of the problems. Now Claudine was calling in the loan and she wanted Jorlan. Green convinces Anya to giver her Jorlan instead. Green will repay Claudine triple the amount that was borrowed. Anya signs Green's family scroll, making Jorlan hers. It could not be undone. Green makes Anya promise not to tell Jorlan what Claudine was up to and why Green arrived in the middle of the night to get him. She just wants him to think that she wants him - which she does.
Claudine arrives the next morning to complete the deal. She is furious when she learns that her plans to get Jorlan have failed. After threatening both women, she storms out. Green then tells Jorlan that she bid on him and Anya accepted it. Jorlan is upset. He then hinted that he would not be able to go through the Ritual of Proof. Once a woman picked a man to be her name bearer, the Ritual of Proof takes place. During the ritual, the man must prove that he is pure - you have to read the book to find out how this works. If a man doesn't pass, he can't be a name bearer. The day of the ritual arrives and Jorlan becomes Green's name bearer - I'm not saying what happened during the ritual. The ceremony continued at Green's home, where they said their actual vows. Then there was a huge celebration dinner. Jorlan hates all of it, and is planning to runaway the first chance he gets, but he is stopped.
The next day, Green receives word that there is trouble at an estate she owns on the Southern Land. Jorlan convinces her to let him go - men usually did not travel to that area because it is so dangerous. During their journey, they become closer. Jorlan sees that life as a name bearer is not as awful as he thought it would be. After they reach the estate, Green finds out that Claudine is causing trouble again. She is questioning the validity of Green and Jorlan's union. Claudine is still trying to get Jorlan. Green decides that they should stay at the estate for a while before returning to deal with Claudine. During the time they spend on the estate, Green and Jorlan discover more about each other. They have some disagreements. Jorlan is unhappy because of a decision Green made. Green does turn to Jorlan for help during their stay, and she starts to depend on him. I'm not saying what else happens in the book, so if you want to know how everything is resolved, and what I left out of this - and I did leave stuff out - then you'll have to read the book.
This is a wonderful book that is very original. The story drew me in right from the start and kept me interested throughout. Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. I hated that the book ended. I am hoping this is the first book in a new series. I would love to read more about Forus and all the interesting people there. This book is different. You have to have an open mind to really like this book. Dara Joy has created a wondrous world with new and strange things. She again proves how imaginative she is with this book. Her writing is extremely descriptive so you picture the strange new things she is writing about. The characters are so well developed that you care about some of them and hate others. Dara Joy has invented new words for the things in the world of Forus. There is a glossary of these words at the end of the book that is very helpful.
CHARACTERS
Green Tamryn - She is one of the main characters of the book. She is a powerful woman on Forus. She is wealthy and owns a lot of property. She is a member of the House of She-Lords - the government on Forus. She is a kind, caring person. She sees just how special Jorlan really is. She risks her own standing to payoff Claudine to rescue Jorlan - she pretty much wiped out her money paying that woman off.
Jorlan Reynard - He is the other main character of the book. He was raised by his Grandmother. He hates the way men are treated on Forus. He is outspoken. He has studied things that men are not supposed to study. He doesn't want to be a name bearer. He wants his freedom. He wants to make his own decisions. He is furious when he finds out he is to be Green's name bearer. He changes some of his views during the book.
Duchene Anya Reynard - She is Jorlan's Grandmother. She has raised him since his parents were killed when he was a child. She is a kind woman who loves her grandson and wants what is best for him.
Claudine D'Anbere - She is a nasty horrible person. She doesn't care about anyone else. She becomes furious if she doesn't get what she wants. She is a warrior who leads an army. She has been jealous of Green since they were children, thinking of her as an enemy.
There are some other minor characters that are also in the book, but I'm not going to mention them now. I have rambled on about this book long enough. =)
Overall, this is a wonderful book that I love. It has elements of a historical romance in it, but it actually takes place in the future on another planet far away. Dara Joy crated a whole new world for this book. It is a very complex book. Since this book is so different, even different from other books she has written, it is not for everyone. Anyone who has enjoyed her other books, especially the Matrix of Destiny series, should really enjoy this book.
Recommended:
