Laine is a Reeka warrior who was captured at age seven and then imprisoned at age nine.  For some unknown reason, when her people were all given a trial for their deeds done after being declared outlaws and then pardoned, no one brought her to the attention of the officials.  Now it’s eleven years later, and Laine is taken away from the prison by Daamen traders to be brought home – finally.

Borga feels something for Laine the first time he sees her in the prison yard.  The more time he spends with Laine, the more protective and possessive he becomes.  When Borga must explain to Laine that she has spent eleven years in prison after her race was pardoned, because it appears she was forgotten, it breaks his heart.  Borga is determined that no one will ever forget Laine or hurt her again.

Laine is rediscovering all the small things that are taken for granted with the wonder of a small child.  Borga is behind or beside her along the way, and he experiences each of her discoveries with Laine.  When it is revealed that someone has remembered about Laine but is determined to kill her, Borga learns just want protective and possessive really mean.  Laine is a warrior and has been since birth – she does not take this threat to her life lightly, especially since she is just rediscovering it.  Borga and Laine have to figure out a way to follow the clues in Laine’s past to discover who is trying to kill her and why, with a little help from her warrior sisters and the Daamen traders.

Discovery and those that are forgotten in the vastness of war are the themes of Soul of the Forgotten, and it is done in a simple but wondrous way.  Laine has spent her entire life fighting to survive and the last eleven years have been hell while in a prison with guards who make misery a life’s achievement.  Borga is a laid back trader on a ship with a crew he enjoys. However, he does not realize the drastic changes his life will take when the ship is asked to pick up a forgotten prisoner from prison planet Cardrak.  Watching Laine discover an entire lifetime of things both large and small with wonder, and watching Borga trying to give her space while protecting her, took me on a wonderful roller coaster ride.  I simply loved watching both Borga and Laine learn together and then realize their love was the best discovery of all.  The suspense and danger added to the plot and storyline in a way that only a very good storyteller can do.  I ended my roller coaster ride with a well-earned sigh after experiencing laughs, disgust, eye rolling and yes, even some tears in a couple of very special passages.  I have enjoyed several of Ms. Verdenius’ books before, but Soul of the Forgotten had it all.  I can’t recommend this highly enough and know it will be reread several times over.  For all of these reasons, I have made Soul of the Forgotten one of my Joyfully Reviewed Recommended Reads.