Knight of a Trillion Stars

Matrix of Destiny #1

by Dara Joy

Fired from her job, exhausted from her miserable Boston commute, the last thing Deana Jones needed when she got home was to find an alien in her living room. But how else to explain the magnificent man who claimed he was from beyond the stars? He said that his name was Lorgin and that she was part of his celestial destiny. Deana thought his reasoning was ridiculous, and she knew he was making an error of cosmic proportions. But his touch was electric and his arms strong, and when she first felt the sizzling impact of his uncontrollable desire, Deana started to wonder if maybe their passion wasn't written in the stars.

Genres: Romance, Paranormal Romance, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, Aliens, Science Fiction Romance

378 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 31, 1995

About the author

Blazing new trails in experimental fiction is a top priority for Dara Joy. Her novels break all the rules and have captured a huge audience. Her unique works have gone on to receive numerous awards.

Reviews

[MelissaB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deana was having a really bad day - she was fired from her job, she sat in something funny and her car is parked in by an accident. While she waits for her car, she goes to a nearby pawn shop and buys a random necklace that she thinks is junk. The necklace is actually a Shimalee, a magical necklace that brings Lorgan ta'al Krue across time and universes to her side. The sexy blonde alien with purple eyes shows up in Deana's living room where he proceeds to tell her that he will now protect her. She thinks he is a sci fi fan sent to her as a joke by her friends but soon realizes he really is an alien.

Lorgan sticks by her side as she goes to a sci fi convention then randomly takes her trough a travel portal to his home universe to continue his quest as a Knight of the Charl to find who or what is messing with the fabric of his home world. Lorgan recognized Deana (or Adeena as her calls her) as his fated wife since she wore the Shimalee. He married her (without her knowledge) then sets out to seduce the very reluctant Deana. Lorgan is very determined to win Deana over, so he puts his considerable focus on loving her senseless. Deana tries to resist but Lorgan is one sexy and dominant man who overwhelms her in bed.

Deana tries to adjust to the alien world she is thrust into but she stubbornly refuses to contemplate staying. Lorgan has no intention of returning her to the strange world she came from because she is the woman he has waited for, so he lets her think she is going home so she has more time to adjust. While they are dealing with Deana's stubborness, they are also trying to fulfill the quest they were sent on by Lorgin's mentor Yaniff along with Lorgin's sexy-as-hell brother Rejar. But will Deana chose a life in a new universe with Lorgin? Or will she continue being too stubborn to realize what a great man Lorgin is and that he really wants her?

Dara Joy is a good story teller. These books were written way before the current paranormal craze and are pretty imaginative. The hero Lorgan ta'al Krue is so sexy and hot plus he is a strong, dependable man with a dominant streak (yum). I am not quite sure what he saw in the cranky Deana who stubbornly refused to see how she felt about him and his depth of caring for her. I liked how he just ignored why she said and showed her how she couldn't live without him (mainly by loving her senseless time and time again). Deana did annoy me often but not enough to ruin the story. I got a kick out of how Lorgin and Rejar used her stubborness and attitude to make jokes at her expense - hey she asked for it.

Rejar is featured considerably in this book so I am excited to read his story, he is one sensuous and sexy Familiar. Traed was introduced in this one but I am annoyed because we never get to see his story because Dara Joy went a little nuts awhile ago and never wrote his story.

So overall, the story was interesting and the hero is very sexy. The heroine is annoying but I could put up with her because Lorgin was great plus he had no trouble taking on her stubborness. The humor in the book is a little too slapstick and dated for me sometimes but there were a couple funny parts. I liked Mine to Take (book 3) better than this one because it has a nice heroine but it was nice to see the background story of the characters in this book.

[Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review @ Under the Covers

2012 reread- Still just as cheesy as I remember, and still just as amazing. This is a book you read when you want to laugh and enjoy yourself with something a little bit silly...LOVE IT!


I don't know what attracted me to this book, but for some reason I really really wanted to read it and I am so glad that I caved when I saw it was only £2.00 at the Kindle shop. Three words best describe this book:

HIGHLANDERS IN SPACE

That's right alien Highlander, that is what the hero reminded me! He was possesive, domineering and arrogant, yet utterly charming. In real life I would brain him- once I had been thoroughly ravished by him ofcourse- but in the book I really liked him, so much so that he and his insatiable alien love stick (or rather trunk!) has earned its way into my harem.

The book did have a bit of a plot going on which I mostly ignored as what I really liked about this book was the two main characters Deanna and Lorgan. Deanna was a great heroine, she had been thrown from our world to a completely new galaxy with Lorgan, but being a hardy sci fi fan takes it on the chin and keeps on going. I also loved that she stuck up for herself and didn't let Lorgan steamroll over her, or atleast did her best to stop him, although she was often overcome by his masculine potency (yes that is almost a direct quote from the book!) this lead to some funny exchanges between the two of them and this is definately a book you don't read in public it had me laughing out loud several times!

So I really enjoyed this book, it was corny, it was over the top, it had sexy aliens in it and an alien yoda-like character. What more could I ask?!

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Way too easy to mock this is. This cheesy paranormal romance features an alien, a "Knight of the Charl" complete with light saber, who pops into the life of an aspiring science-fiction writer, Deana Jones. (Probably not a good sign when the book's protagonist has a name so reminiscent of the author.)

So, tell me. You find a strange man in your house and you're alone. Do you: a) Scream and run out of the house to your car. b) Grab the phone and call the police. c) Check out how hot he is with his gold hair and lavender eyes, exchange (non)witty banter, and when he insists over your objections he's going with you on your vacation for your "protection" book him a seat on the plane then take him shopping for a new wardrobe--despite the fact you were just laid off and have no new job lined up. Guess which our heroine chooses?

Given the title, that it was written a decade later, and the fish-out-of-water scenario I suspect this was a science-fiction riff off Deveraux's A Knight in Shining Armor. (And there they went shopping for his wardrobe with his money and there was a logical reason to partner up.) However, this has none of the charm with which Deveraux invested her story and hero.

Oh, and the controlling alpha-dick hero calls the heroine "Little Fire." For her red hair donchaknow. I lasted 44 pages. That's about an hour of my life I'm not getting back, and I resent every minute. A "matrix of destiny romance" so I suppose this is a series. *shudder*

Oh, and from what I gathered from other reviews, this book later involves a forced marriage and rape over the heroine's repeated nos--although she comes to like it. So quitting when I did? Good call.

[Lyndi W. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry, but I can't stand it any longer. This is like one long forced-seduction by the most overbearing, clueless alpha-male I've ever read. He's fucking terrible! I kept reading, hoping that Deanna would finally say something that would get through his thick skull. Something that would make him realize how awful his actions are. But no, we just get one scene after another where Lorgin wears Deanna down by forcing her body to react positively. He terrorizes her. Apparently "no" doesn't mean "no" on this planet. And this wise old man they're traveling with knows how terribly Lorgin is fucking things up, but he's not going to point that out to him.

And I was so determined to find the scene where Deanna finally stuck it to him and he understood how cruel his abduction and forced marriage was, I skimmed through the rest of the book. It never happens. He just keeps seducing her to quiet her refusals and she somehow decides she's suddenly happy. Fuck this book.

[Izzah ꒰紅葉を期待 ಇ Duchess of Cabria꒱ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. I do have a hard limit.

This book tanked so thoroughly I'm flabbergasted (⬅ love this word but there's never a chance to use it when you speak 🤭)


━⊹☆ﾟThe first 15%

The beginning of this book was adorably hilarious.

“You must go on a quest, Lorgin. Find out what is causing these rifts in space and time. You know the disturbances on the rim must be stopped.”

Okay, a bit cheesy too. But nothing unbearable.

The heroine is having the actual worst day of her life: fired, car blocked by parking rage morons, dirty raincoat thrown away, sudden rain and soaked through, 20 minute drive turned to 1 hour, space-time continuum traveling magic alien in her leaving room,

Cripes, an alien!

said alien laser cutting her still unpaid microwave in half because the popcorn noises scared him...

Seriously, wacky and terrible day!

The whole vibe had that skipped school-bad-funny-things-happen/experiment-gone-wrong 90's humor.

The men in suits would probably dissect him, or mate him to a gorilla.

“Are you human?” she blurted out. He turned to her. “What is human?' Good question; certainly her ex- boss wouldn't fit into that category. “Can you reproduce?” [...] “Are you a machine?” He grinned rather sexily at her, revealing perfect white teeth. “Some have said.”

“Mommy, Mommy, that man just peed in the sink!” The mother grabbed her child and quickly disappeared in the terminal.
“You said you could figure it out!” Deana hissed under her breath.
He winced. “They all look like sinks to me.”

Himbo hero is awed by the mall, scared of planes, takes the sci-fi convention too seriously... I was charmed.

The heroine also had that 'why me' Daffy Duck grumbling attitude that just kinda worked for me.

Imagine my confusion when suddenly the whole vibe does a 180 change.


━⊹☆ﾟThe 15%~, aka when they go to his dimension

The moment he kidnaps her to his own dimension, he becomes one of those subtly toxic, covertly gaslighting alphaholes of ole.

Every time she demands an explanation or refuses to do something, he turns it around and makes her look like an idiot.

I was already iffy on the fact that even though she doesn't know, they're married and her consent isn't even required. He won't tell her, nor will he tell her he's never taking her back.

As a sci-fi enthusiast, she does enjoy seeing the alien market but in general, she can't wait to go home.

She looked Lorgin straight in the eye and firmly said, “This is a stupid world and I want to go home!”

And you know what the hero does instead?

He has her hypnotized so they can perform a 'magical translation insertion' in her brain, despite her very, very adamant refusal.

Forced medical procedures are my hard limit.

I've only ever encountered this once before in Engineering Fate and just like then, it left me a bit nauseated.

Yes, I read bc tampering and no, I don't consider it the same.

The biggest difference being that bc tampering always makes a book dark, which means you know the hero is toxic and insane. Don't read toxic if you don't want it, it's that simple.

This book is selling you a perfectly knightly hero, a hero you should dreammmm of marrying. A strong masculine men that knows what's good for you. No ✋

{Why was she so opposed to it? It is but a simple method to benefit her.}
“I do not know why she behaved in this manner.” Lorgin sighed. “I only hope her anger is short-lived.”

(These {} are the brother speaking telepathically.)

Because no one told her what it entailed? The risks? The procedure? The aftermath? The real benefits besides the obvious? The potential danger of not knowing the language around her?

Fuck this guy.

Once again, Deana opened her eyes to the sight of Lorgin leaning over her, a concerned expression on his handsome face. It briefly occurred to her that he wouldn't have to wear that expression so much if he didn't cause so much trouble!

Poor girl has been gaslighted to the point she think this violation of her bodily autonomy is 'trouble'.

I'm out ✋

(Rated because it pissed me off.)

[Lisa Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: ★★★1/2☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Nicely narrated by Rebecca Cook, who delivers the tongue-in-cheek dialogue well. I haven't heard her read before, but I've already searched to see what else she has narrated.

As far as story, I have mixed feelings about this one. Some parts were fun and definitely entertaining. Also, the world building was well done, as were the secondary characters. In fact, the secondary characters were so well written, it is hard for me to pick a favorite. However, the first two or three chapters aren't well done (it's almost as if they're written by another author), and the main characters were a bit inconsistent throughout.

Written in an age when "no means no," the hero, Lorgin ta a Krul, Knight of the Charl, didn't win me over in the love scenes; I liked him better when he wasn't in bed with the heroine. Then he was thoughtful and considerate. Well, except when he lied to her about being his wife...and about going home. The heroine, Deana Jones, left me somewhat perplexed; humorous at times, and confident enough to assure me she just might not need a Chi'in t'se Leau - AKA protector. But then, at others, I was discouraged with her thinking she wasn't good enough for the hero. Huh? Still, their dialogues were often cute. Some scenes, like when she did the cheer-leading "spell," made me LOL!

I'm not big on alien books and this was on my "to-ponder" bookshelf, so consider this when looking at my rating. I'm not sure yet if I'll go on with the series; maybe, if I stumble across a library that has the next one. I'd like to know the stories of a couple of the secondary characters introduced here and wouldn't mind visiting this world again.

[Julie (jjmachshev) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books I have reread until I ended up buying another copy!
Lorgin is a Charl Knight trying to track down the source of some time stream troubles and ends up on Deanna's doorstep. She thinks he's just some wacko her friends sent as she is planning to go to a sci/fi convention. Lorgin won't let her out of his sight, so she drags the sexy alien along to the convention. Scenes from Lorgin at the convention are wet-your-pants hilarious and scenes from Lorgin and Deana making love are wet-your-pants hot! This book has humor, an interesting mystery, interesting (and way hot) characters and a good teaser for the next book in the series starring Lorgin's brother Rejar.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars. After a string of betas, Lorgin was a little much with his whole "you are mine, let me take what is mine" alpha shtick. Once I adjusted to the new norm, I grew to like him and his intensity quite a bit. He's a man of actions, not words, and he's very pro-active in seducing Deana to convince her she belongs by his side. I absolutely loved the scene towards the end when he verbalizes his feelings for her. Deana was decently likable, too, and she had fairly realistic reactions to the wild situation in which she found herself. Even so, she annoyed me at times because I thought she stubbornly held on to her "this is just a diversion from my Earth life, I'm going back soon" mentality too long, thus trivializing Lorgin's feelings, his world and lifestyle, and the dangers of his quest.

Additionally, the writing style didn't always hold my attention. Sometimes it switched into a formal tone (e.g., not using contractions when clearly people normally would use them in speech) that tugged me out of the scene.

I know this doesn't sound like a glowing endorsement, and honestly, based on JUST the romance and lead characters, this book would've been more of a 3 star read. However, the world building, adventure, and really nifty sci-fi/futuristic setting, plus the other characters (Rejar...be still my racing heart!), really pulled me in and didn't let me go. The otherworldly setting and imaginative creatures, flora and fauna were engrossing, and, when the author got into a writing groove, I could easily picture all of the fantastical things based on their vivid descriptions. That's a sign of a really good read to me, and merits a bump to 3.5-4 stars in my books.

[Lizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I love to read books that help me escape from everyday life. Not that my life isn't great, but for me fantasy or science fiction work in helping me dream, as if I was able to fly very far away. When I get back as I stop reading a great book, it’s like WOW, I almost forgot the here and now.

That’s why I loved Knight of a Trillion Stars by Dara Joy. Lorgin ta’al Krue comes to earth across time and universe in a mission to recover a Shimalle, a magical necklace that in his world has time stream powers. Deanna, after losing her job and an overall shity day, while killing some time just happened to see this dirty necklace in a pawn shop, and bought it for a dollar thinking it might clean to something. A sexy blonde alien with purple eyes, Lorgin of course, simply arrives in her living room. And so begins an hilarious and romanctic adventure.

It doen’t matter if it’s fantasy or science fiction, only that they are soon off on a road trip: Lorgin goes with Deanna to a sci-fi convention she had already paid for, in which he fits right in, and from there they transport to his world. There they go on a quest, together with his brother Rejar and Lorgin's mentor Yaniff. And finally they get back to his home, where Deanna meets his parents.

Lorgin was sexy, possessive, arrogant and yet utterly charming. Deanna was above all sturborn in her wish to return home. Great supporting characters.

Dara Joy is a creative author and great story teller. Knight of a Trillion Stars, first of the series Matrix of Destiny, can be a little silly at times, but that is part of the enjoyment. Read it if you feel like having a few hours of joy and fun!

[Kim Palinkas · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can't finish this book. It happens so rarely that I am incapable of finishing a book, but there you go. I find nothing interesting about this story.

Horrible review, I know, but basically I'm just writing this down to explain why its getting 1 star. Its getting 1 star because I want it off my 'reading now' list. I'm tired of looking at it.

Okay - to be more expansive. I read, and like, sci-fi romance. I understand it isn't sci-fi (which is great: mostly sci-fi with its emphasis on copious detail of the science and philosophy and world building can be boring to me), I understand its romance (and therefore has to hit certain 'points' that romance readers expect - allowing me to suspend my 'are you kidding' when the heroine first interacts with the hero). So, my assessment isn't based on the tired tropes this book seems determined to incorporate. My assessment is, by and large, based on my disinterest in the characters and the story. Mostly the story. It reads like a D&D adventure or one of those horrifically drawn out quests in an MMORPG where you are told 'go do this for me' and once you've done that the hook says 'Oh, I need you to do something else, in almost exactly the same place that you just came from, only just a little farther', and then you go back to them and they keep sending you out for something else just a little farther and you spend hours traipsing back and forth in a LOOOOOOOONG bout of running across terrain that you've covered before interspersed with small snippets of action.

Yep, in a few words that is how I would describe the plot of this story - a long, boring trip over familiar terrain interspersed with short bouts of action. That applies not only to the plot but also to the characters, their development, and their interactions.

I will give you that it was written in 1997. Maybe this was fresh and good in 1997, maybe in 1997 it was okay for a hero to consistently 'forcibly seduce' a heroine whose protests die away under a flurry of love vibes (as opposed to 2014 when we're likely to say that's - at best - date rape), but readers in 2014 will most likely not be engaged by the plot and might find the 'romance' fairly unbelievable and the heroine incredibly spineless.

[Meredith Galman · Rating 1 out of 5]

What is this supposed to be: science fiction, fantasy, or what? A classic example of how you can't just slap genre conventions onto a different type of narrative and expect it all to just work out (see also The Smoke Thief). Doesn't work for me as romance either; Mr. "You'll Do as I Say, Woman" and Miss "No, I Won't. Oh, OK" are not people I care about or want to hang out with.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a million reasons why I shouldn’t have liked this book but for some really weird reason I enjoyed it

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry Suz lol

[Bona Caballero · Rating 2 out of 5]

Una space opera publicada en 1995 que, en mi opinión, no ha envejecido bien. Deana ha tenido un día de perros, empiezan echándola del trabajo y acaba encontrándose a un alien cuando llega a casa. Solo que este extraterrestre es grandote, sexi y con capa tipo Flash Gordon. Ni corta ni perezosa, Deana se lo lleva a una convención a San Francisco, y la gente alucina, creen que es un actor interpretando un personaje con un disfraz genial. Pero luego, Lorgin se la lleva al espacio exterior y allí ya la trama pierde todo interés. Lo más atractivo del libro es Deana y su gran sentido del humor. El «héroe» es el típico old skool que pasa de lo que Deana quiere o dice. Ese fue mi principal problema con el libro: cuestiones de consentimiento. Ojalá Deana hubiese tenido una verdadera aventura espacial con un héroe al que pudiera amar y respetar.
Crítica amplia, en mi blog (en inglés).

[Angela]

Eh. I won't rate this, because I'm giving it a HUGE pass for being from the mid-90s. I thought that I could remind myself of that and go into this with a more forgiving mind, but it turns out that I just don't have the patience for it anymore. I think if you didn't read this - and love it - back when these sorts of tropes were ubiquitous, they're just going to infuriate you now.

To be clear - I'm not holding this against the book or author. This was incredibly typical for the 90s romance, but I just don't enjoy reading it anymore. CW: rape (forced seduction)

When the hero is:
1. My way or the highway
2. Really just my way
3. I know what's best
4. I'll withhold information because you, little woman, don't need to know
5. I'll take advantage of your ignorance of alien worlds and races
6. No means yes
7. Continuing after flat out being told it'd be rape
8. I can make you want me
9. Lying and misleading, and being SMUG about it
10. Keeping her ignorant and, thus, unsafe
11. Makes decisions for the heroine AGAINST HER EXPRESS WISHES, including a translation implant that she worries changes her fundamentally and he laughs at her about her fear and then it's all just shrugged off.

When the heroine is:
1. A doormat
2. Not asking questions and demanding answers
3. Going with the flow because *shrugs* can't do anything about it
4. Going with the flow includes allowing him to have sex with her because he wants it

And when everyone pretty much just enjoys that the heroine knows nothing, and is misled about everything and laughs it all away.

Argh. I give up. 56%. But I won't rate it, because like I said this is pretty common for the 90s.

[Daniel Roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

One might ask, why two stars? I have to be honest here. The storyline was OK. She wrote in a new twist on lightsabers so it won't be seen as a rip off of Star Wars - instead of inventing a weapon type all her own for the book. And that is not the reason for the two star rating.

It was the massive amount of sex that had little to no purpose other than to 'get some' because he is hot and she is hot. At one point he 'does it with her' on the back of a large animal for no better reason but to prove that it could be done.

For me, an intimate scene between the two lovebirds of any Romance novel should have a reason related to the story. She wrote the love scene where it's established that he did fall in love with her and that's why he wants her. But to plaster in a sex scene every other chapter is a bit much. Sorry.

To me, the most interesting character in this book wasn't Lorgin or Deanna. It was Yaniff. Too bad we didn't spend more time with that old mystic's point of view.

[Angela James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last week, I re-read all 3 of the Matrix books published by Dorchester. I haven't been able to read them for some time (I was one of those who got caught in the author's mismanagement of her self-publishing scheme years ago) but I used to love these three books. I was glad to revisit them and be reminded of how much I enjoyed the stories. They're just...fun. They have sensuality, a sense of humor and fun, and were unique in their world building (even despite some of the derivative elements). It's a major shame we'll never know the stories of other characters like Dariq or Traed, or see the resolution of Rejar's story. I know many, many readers who've long enjoyed these stories.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so frustrated and disgusted by the lack of the main character's spine I don't want to talk about his book anymore.

Here is how it is summed up

-Guy is pushy
-He has no regard for her wishes
-Thinks he knows what's best for her
-It's either his way or no way
-No means yes

-Woman does not ask IMPORTANT sane questions when confronted with something really strange and new
-She is incapable of growing a spine
-She gets distracted easily
-She is a doormat

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: Deana is having a terrible day. She got fired from her job, sat in something smelly on the train on the way home, got detained getting home due to the weather, and then found a gorgeous alien man sitting in her living room. Lorgin’s reason for being in her home is a mystery, but he refuses to leave her side. Later, while Deana and Lorgin are at a Science Fiction convention in San Francisco, Lorgin sees that Deana is wearing a torque necklace from his world. He immediately performs a brief ceremony that binds the two together in marriage for eternity. Too bad that Deana doesn’t know she just got married….

Once Lorgin has claimed his bride, he takes her back through a space portal to his world. He has a quest to perform, and his visit to Earth was only a part of the journey. Deana soon meets Lorgin’s younger brother and their wizard teacher. The four continue on to a desert planet to find another man who is also important to their quest. Along the way, Deana is forced to become accustomed to the customs, creatures, climate, and communication in this new world. At first, she is determined to eventually find her way home to Earth. She is absolutely convinced that she is not the woman Lorgin was meant to find. But over time, their relationship begins to grow into something real.

Lorgin and Deana, as well as the others they have met along the way, all have a role to play in stopping a powerful, yet crazy, wizard from destroying the passages between space and time. Can they stop this threat in time? And if so, what damage will be done to the people they love?

Review: I am making an effort in 2012 to read more in the Science Fiction genre. Because so many of the books I read are romances, I thought that SciFi Romance might be a good way for me to make this transition. This book is my third attempt at a SciFi Romance novel, written by one of the pioneers in this sub-genre. I struggled through it, and I think I may have to accept that SciFi Romance isn’t a good fit for me.

First we have a gorgeous alien man who lands on Earth accidentally. Obviously, he doesn’t understand things like microwaves, credit cards, airplanes and fast food. Therefore, he says and does a bunch of ridiculous things while trying to be a hero to the first woman he meets. For example: attacking a microwave with a light saber. I guess it is supposed to be cute, but it made me cringe – in the same way that corny lines in a B-movie make me cringe.

I was able to get more into the story after Deana and Lorgin left Earth for his planet. It was easier for me to accept Deana’s ignorance of Lorgin’s world, because Lorgin’s world was strange to me too. Some of the lands they traveled through reminded me of different planets from the Star Wars movies, which made them a little easier to picture in my mind. I thought that the author did a nice job of describing the different worlds, cultures, creatures, and people.

Some of the dialog remained a little corny throughout the book, but I did eventually get used to it (excusing it as alien.) The romance between Lorgin and Deana is definitely the bulk of this story, but it wasn’t the most interesting plotline. The romance takes the “sex-solves-everything” approach to a relationship, which gets redundant and a little boring after a while regardless of the genre. I was much more interested in the quest that Lorgin and the others were pursuing. This part of the story, and the characters involved, are what kept me engaged to the end. Unfortunately, the confrontation at the end was a little anti-climactic.

My overall rating of the novel is average. My intention was to give a rating based only on content and writing, and I do feel confident that I am being fair. However, I have to admit that it is possible that I’m being influenced by my awkwardness in this genre. I’m not giving up on Science Fiction, but my next attempt will not be a romance.

[Maura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really dislike those asshat heroes that strut about with smug sexiness and just "know" that they control the destiny of the heroine. They always come out looking good, they laugh triumphantly when the heroine has to come to grips with her submission and they get angry when the little heroine starts getting upset because her life is a train being driven by somebody else.

Basically it's like this - Alien man shows up and says, yup she's mine but doesn't know it. He marries her without telling her and then rips her from her life on Earth and takes her to his universe. Then he lies and promises to return her to her home later. She starts getting understandably upset when her new husband begins controlling her life (you will get an translation device inserted into your brain no matter how scared you are, you will sleep next to me every night even though you say you don't want to, you will have sex with me so I can bond you to me for the rest of my life - and I won't tell you what that's about either) Then of course every time she makes mention of returning to Earth he gets pissy and has to dominate her (i.e. have loads of sex with her) until she is sobbing that she belongs to him and could never leave him.

The heroine gets played, lied to, manipulated, forcibly seduced (I even think raped at one point since she's screaming No! and he keeps on giving her pleasure…) and controlled and aside from a token resistance here or there, she just takes it. I could take it if the Hero would have given her a choice at some point, but he doesn't. There's even a point when she's taking the reins in the sex department and he says that he will allow her to have her way. Then she realizes that he's just wrested the power back from her (because God forbid you submit to the woman you supposedly love). I don't like all that power play! In fact, I find it far sexier when an alpha hero can actually submit to the heroine, if only for a measly sex scene.

And even more, the hero gets a perceived victory in the end when he reaches out his hand and tells her he's taking her home. She realizes that he knew all along she wouldn't be leaving him and he has this smug look on his face and instead of smacking him and walking away she meekly puts her hand in his and they walk off to be happy forever I suppose. Oh, and Jerkwad hero wouldn't even call her by her real name for the whole book - he kept insisting her name was Adeean instead of Deana. Then there at the end, he calls her Deana just to show her he always knew. Dickhead...

[Kat Montemayor · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Trillion out of 5 Trillion stars.

Lilyn of Sci fi and Scary recommended this book to me, and I'm glad she did. First of all, as you can probably guess from the cover, this book was written in the nineties. Even if you read another edition it doesn't take long to realize that Lorgin is not a hero of the third wave feminism variety. He is refreshingly masculine, although he does get bossy pants at times. I didn't mind. I was too busy enjoying it. I couldn't help but compare this to Ruby Dixon's IPB series as I was reading. While I do like the Blue Barbarians more, Lorgin grew on me quite a bit. He started off as a pushy, ignorant alien, messing up Deanna's life. By the end I realized what a perfect match they were for each other. Great story and cool world-building. At some point I would like to read more about his Familiar brother, Rejar.

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in Dara Joy's Matrix of Destiny series. Deana Jones arrives home after a rough day and a strange man appears in her living room. Deana was scared at first then realizes that one of her friends is playing a prank on her since she is getting ready to go to a SciFi convention in San Francisco. Lorgin ta'al Krue is an alien who was on a quest to discover what was causing the rifts in space and time in his home world when he was summoned to earth to protect Deana.

I've never read this author before and had no idea what to expect. I actually liked this book. It was a fun, humorous, and steamy read and kept a good pace so I didn't get bored.

[Phair · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. A flashback to the old-fashioned 'aching loins' romances of the 70s where a resounding "No!" from the heroine just got her a " stop fighting-you're gonna love it" from the 'hero'. While I generally enjoy a fish-out-of-water type story this was just plain silly in a rather disturbing way. Great for masochists. Second Dara Joy novel that has turned me off. Not an author I will try again.

[Laksamee · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's bad good. Don't hate, but some times you gotta read the bad good romance because it is just so bad good. Overbearing hero with no respect for the crazy fact that he is taking some fated lady out of her world into a completely new one? Check. Lady completely accepting of all crazy things the man does cause he is so magically good in bed? Check. Ridiculous quest to save the world? Check.

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh boy, this was painful. The H was lost on earth where he is made to look like the class idiot, then he takes the h to another world and completely dominates her, forces his will (and other things...ahem) on her in the most brutish fashion. I love me some alpha male hotness, but if I met this guy in real life I would run screaming in the other direction.

[Kitty B · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was actually a DNF, rather than a one star.

I can't help but feel as though this as another fantasy novel masquerading as science fiction. Seems as though I've been running into those quite often lately.

Even the devices used was explained away by way of magic. If I wanted a dose of magic with my romance and sex, I would be looking for paranormal or fantasy romance.

[Jane (PS) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book - very funny in parts (I would have enjoyed more of the 'Disney world' experience). It sort of ambled along after we left Earth (hence downgraded to a 3), but it kept me entertained. After a break from Sci-Fi, I'll be back to read the next installment...

[Melanie♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars on the re-read via audiobook.

[Julianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for THC Reviews
Knight of a Trillion Stars was my second read by Dara Joy and the first in her Matrix of Destiny series. Having read and loved her stand-alone historical romance, Tonight or Never, I was really looking forward to this novel, and for the most part, I'm happy to say it lived up to my expectations. When I finished the book, I was left somewhat undecided as to how to rate it, but eventually settled on four stars. I thoroughly enjoyed most of the story, but there were a few weakness, enough that I didn't feel it was quite worthy of keeper status. However, Knight of a Trillion Stars was definitely a solid four stars, perhaps even a tad higher. Overall, a delightful read that was quite steamy for the 1990's when it was first published.

When the story opens, everything is going wrong in Deana's life. She was laid off from her job, sat in something nasty on the train, and then was trapped in a parking lot when two other vehicles were involved in an accident behind her car. While waiting for the accident to be cleared away, she goes into a junk shop to browse and ends up buying an unusual necklace. She finally arrives home to find a gorgeous stranger in her apartment who claims to be from another world and who insists on being her protector. As it happens Deana is a sci-fi geek who is on her way to a convention in San Francisco, which I think made her a lot more accepting of the idea of Lorgin being from another planet. Of course, that doesn't stop her from being frightened and stubborn when he unexpectedly takes her to his world. I could hardly blame her though, given that she was practically “kidnapped” and taken to outer space, but she does start to warm up to the idea gradually. Although Deana slowly beings to accept a relationship with Lorgin and decides to enjoy it while she can, she adamantly refuses to entertain the fact that he views her as his wife and that he intends for her to stay with him in his world. This is where I thought the author could have dug a little deeper with her characterization. I felt like Deana's reasons for not believing Lorgin truly wanted her as his mate were lacking in clarity. It took most of the story for me to figure out that part of it was rooted in self-esteem issues and part of it was that she stubbornly believed that she was not the woman destined for Lorgin (ie. He had made a mistake). This being the case, it took until the final pages of the book for her to finally embrace her destiny, and it came about without any particularly deep introspection on the matter. Deana and Lorgin also had a few too many misunderstandings based on misinterpreting each other's language and culture, which could be funny at times, but once Deana had her translator implant, it seemed to me that she shouldn't have had as much of an issue with the language barrier. Also, I felt like she should have been asking more questions. Oftentimes, she would start questioning Lorgin, but when he gave her a muddled answer, she would simply stop. If I were her, I would have asked as many questions as it took to fully understand what was happening. Overall, though, Deana was a nice heroine who was pretty relatable if a tad obtuse at times.

In the beginning, Lorgin is an arrogant alpha which isn't my favorite type of hero. In much the same way that Deana should have been asking more questions, I felt that Lorgin should have been more understanding of Deana being a “foreigner” in his strange land who wasn't familiar with the customs and culture. He should have taken the time to explain what was going on and gently coax her into accepting certain things and doing what was necessary for her safety. Instead, he basically compels her into many things, including getting the translator implant and making love the first time which made me rather uncomfortable. In particular, he should have explained the Transference ritual, which among other things, bonded her to him for life, instead of performing the ritual without her full understanding of it. However, despite being a little miffed with him about these things, I can't deny that later in the story he lightened up on the uber-alpha act and transformed into a kind, loving, gentle hero who was a seductive and sensuous lover. I adored how the men from his planet are trained from an early age to weave their wives' hair, and when he did this for Deana it was so sweet, a beautiful way of marking her as his.

The secondary characters were wonderful too. Yaniff is a wise old mystic who reminded me of Gandalf or Dumbledore with a side of Yoda thrown in for good measure. He is Lorgin's mentor and a good friend to all of them. I have to admit that I'm already half in love with Lorgin's brother, Rejar, and his childhood friend, Traed. Rejar is a shape-shifter, known in his world as a Familiar. He has an extremely sensuous nature which essentially makes him a man slut, but I loved him anyway for his charming ways. The story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger for him, but he becomes the hero of the next book in the series, Rejar. I'll be interested to see how one woman manages to tame him. Traed intrigued me almost from the moment he was introduced. He harbors a painful past with a father who abused him. He's a classic tortured hero, and I'd love to read his story. I thought perhaps his would be the third book in the series, but alas, I was wrong. Unfortunately, it also looks like I may never know what happens to him. Due to Dara Joy's hotly contested dispute with her former publisher, Traed's book was never written and sadly might not ever be. Even if it was, I'm not sure I would read it, because it appears that Ms. Joy's more recent self-published offerings are lacking in the quality of her earlier traditionally published books.

Besides the slight deficiencies in characterizations, there were two other things that bothered me a bit about Knight of a Trillion Stars. First, was the author's penchant for head-hopping which could be a little distracting but not as bad as I've read in similar novels. The other was the overall plot of Lorgin being on a quest that is typical to many fantasy-type novels. The problem wasn't so much the quest itself, but the fact that the reader isn't exactly made privy to all the reasons for his quest and how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together until very late in the story. We learn that Traed's father, a dark wizard, is causing trouble in some vague unknown location on the edge of their world and that Lorgin will presumably have to do something about it, but I felt like the author took a little too long to state what the ultimate objective was. This being the case, my interest occasionally waned slightly, but I did enjoy all the adventures the characters embarked upon while getting there. Once Lorgin got over his hot-headed alpha phase, the romance was tender and swoon-worthy with lots of steamy, sensuous love scenes. Overall, Knight of a Trillion Stars was a very enjoyable story that has left me eagerly looking forward to continuing the series soon.

[Serial Romance Librarian]

DNF 56%. This one just wasn’t for me. I got bored. While the premise is fascinating, the book was slow to me. The H keeps information from the h and basically treats her like a child. Wasn’t feeling any chemistry and there was no angst. H basically kidnaps h to another world and she has no choice. They’re on a quest and it’s boring. Not my cuppa.