I read this book the first time a good ten years ago, and still the hero stays in my mind. He is such a complex character that you can never really decide if he is good or bad.

Ms. Denys did a phenomenal job on portraying this man. I wish there were more heros like hers today.

Sadly, Teresa Denys, an editor in her non-writing life, died several years ago, so there will be no more astonishing novels like The Silver Devil or Flesh and the Devil. Dark, intense and so emotionally accurate in their depiction of the brutal underbelly of Renaissance intrigue, it is hard to describe them as historical romances. Politically incorrect it may be, but I have never read anything like the Silver Devil. The reviewer who described it as Revenge tragedy is so right - all wrapped up in an historical romance.

This book tops my list of all-time favorite romances. Simply put, there's no other book like it. Certainly there's never been another hero remotely like Domenico. The story is about a Duke (Duke = King), somewhat uneasy on his throne, who sees a peasant girl in a window, buys her from her brother and forces her to become his mistress. But that short synopsis doesn't do justice to the intensity and complexity of the story, which weaves you through the politics of Renaissance Italy through the eyes of a woman who's more used to cleaning kitchens than consorting with noblemen, or the richness of the writing and characters.

Domenico, the Duke, is a remarkably complicated man. How many heroes have there been who would have a man horribly tortured because he was afraid the man had stolen his mistress's affections, have a man's legs broken because the other man was taller than him or who is clearly bisexual? Raised from birth in an atmosphere of distrust, obsequiousness and betrayal, he comes to us a man who has had most of the worst facets of his character rewarded throughout his life. There is a decidedly cruel streak in Domenico, and yet he's amazingly attractive - to both the men and women in the story, and to the readers. One might say he exudes sex appeal.

Be warned, this is a dark story - with a happy ending, of course. It's a cult classic that deserves more readership. It breaks my heart that we'll never see another story from Denys, but I thank her for writing a book I've enjoyed reading over and over through the years.

After reading Ms. Denys's "The Silver Devil", I searched frantically for her other books. Sadly, this was the only one I know of. Ms. Denys wanted to draw the H/H as completely opposite to those of her previous book. Their plight don't move me. The story moves too slowly. The secondary charactors are far from memorable. It may not be fair, but compared with the dazzling other book (5 star plus!), I skimped through this one and could only give it 3.

Set in Spain not long after the time of the Spanish Inquisition, a young noblewoman, Juana de Arrelanos, arrives at the Castillo Benaventes to marry Eugenio de Castaneda's nephew, the Duque de Valenzuela. Disappointed by her love and angry with her father's plans for this marriage, Juana becomes even more reluctant when she discovers that the Duque is seriously flawed both physically and mentally. The Duque's keeper is the foreigner, Felipe Tristan, who carries out both Castaneda's and his own plans for Juana.

While it moves a little slower than Teresa Denys' other book, 'Silver Devil', the story is similar in style. The heroine is a stranger in a strange place full of court intrigue and plotting enemies. There is a feeling that no one can be trusted and those who appeared to be allies are often revealed to have ulterior motives. Felipe is ruthless in his pursuit of Juana and the better part of their relationship is one of bitter enmity. Juana spends most of the book alternating between desperation, anger, and despair. If you are looking for humor or gentle persuasion look elsewhere; there are none to be found in this story.

Therein, however, lies the attraction. This type of storytelling seems very rare these days. Teresa Denys is able to bring the time period alive in all it's dark, gothic glory unlike many stories where obviously 21st century thinking and speaking characters seem to have simply been stuck in costumes. Like 'Silver Devil', I didn't particularly 'like' the hero (flawed, charismatic antihero) yet it is part of what made the story so compelling which is why I rated this book so highly.