Moira J. Moore - Heroes Adrift

How fast I am reading at the minute has slowed down because it's getting busy at work but I couldn't help but read the third Hero book as I love this series because the characters fascinate me.

Heroes Adrift is the third novel in Moira J. Moore's Hero series which focusses on Dunleavy "Lee" Mallorough and Shintaro "Taro" Karish and is told from Lee's point of view.  Lee and Taro work together as a Shield and a Source (respectively); Sources and Shields are gifted individuals who are born with special abilities and are trained at an early age at the Academy to work together so to prevent natural disasters from destroying the world they live in.  Once their training at the Academy is completed, they go through a ceremony where the two groups meet for the first time to see if any of them bond.  If two do bond, they become partners and are sent on assignments to do their work.  While reluctant at first, Lee and Taro become a powerful pair over the course of the first two books, having stopped another Shield from destroying the bonds between all Sources and Shields and bringing down the Academy and those in charge and then surviving ritualistic maniacs who think sacrificing High Landers (aristocrats) will stop the crazy weather affecting a particular town which puts Taro in danger due to his family being High Landers.

Rating: 9

Recommended To: Those that like fantasy books; more female orientated audience in my opinion

Favourite Characters: Taro - he's grown which is lovely

Favourite Part: [Then] Ayrne appeared by my side.  "Are we going or what?"  she asked, giving me an unconvincing innocent look when I glared at her.
I slapped her up the back of the head.
She returned my glare as she rubbed the afflicted area.  "Don't need to get all maternal."
"Get on the boat," I snapped at her.
"It's a ship," said Taro.
I gritted my teeth, and told myself the island was entirely to blame for my poor humor. - Page 300

Good Points: Stories are always different; continues to develop Lee and Taro's relationship; new part of the world is explored

Bad Points: Ending seems rushed again

After the disastrous weather that took place in The Hero Strikes Back, Lee and Taro and the other Pairs are not popular in High Scrape, making it difficult for them all to live there and it has been difficult for them over the past few months when we return to Heroes Adrift.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, for Lee and Taro, they are summoned to the Empress's side and she asks Taro to go to Flatwell, the Southern Islands, where the Empress's illegitimate sister was exiled to so that can investigate and see if she's had any descendants.  Though unimpressed with this order, Lee and Taro agree even though it's not their job and take a ship out to the Southern Islands; once they arrive, they are faced with hardships as the citizens of Flatwell don't acknowledge the work Shields and Sources do so Lee and Taro are forced to earn money so to make their way from Flatwell to find any possible relatives of the Empress and the only way they can do that is by having Lee perform bench dancing with a group of travelling performers, leaving Taro redundant though he does find himself useful doing odd jobs for others as well as helping Lee out.  With the other performers, Lee and Taro travel across Flatwell, searching for relatives of the Empress, meeting hardships they have never encountered before - moving constantly and living off their own money to name a couple.

Every time I've picked up a Hero book, the main story has always been different while there is always a continuation of the story behind the series - Lee and Taro's relationship and their pasts.  It's almost possible to read each book as a standalone book instead of part of a series even though you may not understand some details because you are still able to understand most of the story as some previous events are explained just to remind the reader of these events.

Over the course of the Hero series, Lee and Taro's relationship has continued to develop as they get closer and closer each time the read meets them; it's been alluded to since the beginning of the series that their relationship could become more than friends but it wasn't forced, it has progressed naturally in this situation, though it may have been spurred on by Lee's vulnerability around certain types of music due to her being a Shield.  Unlike in the last two books, there isn't really anyone that is interfering with their relationship - family and prospective lovers for example - because they are in a new place where they only know each other so they've become more reliant on one another and intimate because of this which made the relationship even more interesting.  I have a feeling that they are going to become more entangled as the series goes along but I hope Moore hasn't rushed it.

A new aspect is explored in each of the books; first it was the Source and Shield relationship then it was how this affects the families of the pairs and their relationships (due to their children being taken away at an early age) and now Lee and Taro are being thrown into a new land, the Southern Isles AKA Flatwell - where there are no Sources or Shields as far as they know.  It's wonderful to see this new place because it brought a new culture to the series and expanded the world that Moore has created.  I loved how it was different to the places Lee and Taro have been before; they don't recognise the Empress as their leader so they don't recognise Sources and Shields which throws the two of them off because they are forced to earn money and spend it like normal people and in this land, the Stallion of the Triple S is considered unattractive which seems to horrify Lee and upset Taro which brought more humour to the book.

I was intrigued throughout this book because Taro is an unusual situation for him this time around; Lee is able to contribute in this new place because of her talent for bench dancing but Taro has very little skill due to being raised as an aristocrat and a Source so he finds it hard to fit into this new place and though he struggles, he is eventually able to overcome this adversity.  It goes against everyone's expectations in a way as well: Lee and others expect him to sleep with anyone and everyone due to his brother's reputation; aristocrats in the north expect him to take his title back; and the southerners expect him to be useless.  However, he proves himself helpful as he assists the other performers; he point blank refuses to be a lord; and falls in love with Lee.  Lee expects him to move on because he's beautiful and she's not in her opinion so she could become boring to Taro but he constantly tries to convince her otherwise as he wants more than a meaningless thing.  These parts of his character that Moore explored make him an interesting character yet again for me as it makes me curious to see new aspects of him which could lead to new aspects of Lee that haven't been explored fully and I can't wait to see more of Taro next time around.

Once again, coming to the end of a Hero book felt rushed as Moore tried to cram in a resolution to the story and get Taro and Lee back home before their next adventure.  Time is skipped once they reach the palace as Lee and Taro recover from their trip to the Southern Isles.  What could have made the end better would have been to explore palace life and describe it in more detail a bit more rather than skipping it in parts.

[Then] Ayrne appeared by my side.  "Are we going or what?"  she asked, giving me an unconvincing innocent look when I glared at her.
I slapped her up the back of the head.
She returned my glare as she rubbed the afflicted area.  "Don't need to get all maternal."
"Get on the boat," I snapped at her.
"It's a ship," said Taro.
I gritted my teeth, and told myself the island was entirely to blame for my poor humor. - Page 300

The way Taro says his line can be interpreted a couple of ways - teasing or as a matter of fact - but I like to think he's just teasing Lee because that's the way he is which is something I like about him.  You can see from this part that Lee has well and truly become fed up with the Flatwell because this isn't her job and sums her up as well as she is the more irritable one out of the Pair but it is rarely seen as she controls her emotions and Flatwell has allowed her to open up more because she doesn't feel pressured to behave a certain way.  I hope this more open version of Lee stays around, especially because it fits better with her relationship with Taro.

Once again, the story of Heroes Adrift was different from the previous two so it doesn't feel repetitive which could possibly happen given the situation that the characters are in, working as a Pair and the natural disasters they have to prevent; however, yet again, the ending seems rushed as Moore tries to wrap it up quickly though this is only a slight negative for me as I felt forced to go to the end rather than ponder on Lee and Taro's adventure as it was enjoyable.  Heroes Adrift allowed Lee and Taro's relationship even further as they were completely alone in this new land with only each other so they were bound to come together again but more permanently than before despite Lee's reluctance; I do hope they stay in this stage of their relationship because I like them as a couple, both socially as lovers and officially as a Pair.  Now that Moore has established the world in which Lee and Taro lives in and the characters in it, she is able to expand on it so to give the characters new experiences and new people to interact with, something some authors don't do as their books progress through their respective series which is why the Hero series is one of my favourites and one I have recommended to a number of different people I know who would enjoy fantasy book.  I am enthralled by this series and can't wait to read the next one, though I do have others that I plan to read before that but hopefully it won't take me too long.

Predictions

1. Taro convinces Lee that he does want her and only her and Lee finally accepts this

2. Taro eventually gets away from those that want him to take up the Dukedom, including the Empress
3. The Flatwell characters and Aryne return

Other Books by Moira J. Moore