Review: On a Rogue Planet by Anna Hackett

Unlucky-in-love salvage mechanic, Malin Phoenix, didn’t intend to get caught up in a coup and kidnapped by a sexy cyborg. But she finds herself swept into an adventure to help the deadly, emotionless CenSec, Xander Saros, retrieve an ancient Terran artifact and save his planet.

Soon she’s racing across uncharted space and is magnetically drawn to the cyborg whose strong arms and muscled body ignite a desire that burns brighter than a supernova. But Mal can never let herself forget that she can’t fall in love with a cyborg who can never love her back.

The crowning glory of the Centax Security program, Xander is heavily enhanced, his emotions dampened to nothing to allow him to be the most efficient, lethal killer in the galaxy. As he and Malin hunt for the remnant of the galaxy’s first computer, the Antikythera Mechanism, their quest leads them into the lair of a dangerous technomancer. But Xander can’t identify his greatest threat—the enemy or the fascinating woman who’s making him feel. 

I received a copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

On a Rogue Planet is third in The Phoenix Adventures and drops Malin Phoenix, cousin to Dathan, Zayn and Nik square in the middle of a coup on Centrix, the CenSec planet. On a Rogue Planet starts with a BOOM and charges forth from there.

At first, I assumed (silly me) this one would be about Nik and Darq and have to admit I enjoyed being teased along further with (what I hope will become) their storyline. The longer Darq gives Nik a hard time, the better =)

Malin is an overall-wearing, grease under the nails salvage mechanic more comfortable with rusty starship hulls than with men and Xander is living up to his nearly divine expectations as the number one cyberneticly enhanced man in the galaxy. What cyborg couldn't use a good mechanic? Xander has never felt love and Malin is afraid to have it taken from her again.

I loved how my mental picture of Malin was ripped out from under me. I pictured the saggy coveralls and tool belt, grease and her legs sticking out from something she's taken apart. She pulls off sleek and sexy just fine, laser cutter included.

I also really like how Hackett manages to surprise me with details. Even when you know Malin and Xander splitting up is a really bad idea, the way she makes things happen is enough off kilter to make the action pop and drive up the intensity.

On a Rogue Planet is a great blend of action, sci-fi and romance and if you're a fan of the genre this series is well worth a read.

Indie Pick: To Journey in the Year of the Tiger by H. Leighton Dickson

TO JOURNEY IN THE YEAR OF THE TIGER is the first in a Ground-Breaking Original Series by H. Leighton Dickson. This is a powerful, post-apocalyptic story of lions and tigers, wolves and dragons, embracing and blending the cultures of Dynastic China, Ancient India and Feudal Japan. Half feline, half human, this genetically altered world has evolved in the wake of the fall of human civilization. Fans of Tolkien, Game of Thrones, Redwall or Japanese anime will be entertained in these intelligent and beautifully written pages in a blend of science, fantasy and zoological speculation.

Kirin Wynegarde-Grey is a young lion with a big job – Captain of the Guard in a Kingdom that spans from the mountains of western China to the deserts of the Middle East. When an ancient threat awakens in the West and threatens to overthrow the Empire, he must lead a team that includes his enigmatic brother, a lethal swordswoman and three radically different and mysterious specialists through a world where humans are legend and animals walk like men.

This is the journey of six individuals as they travel beyond the edges of the known Empire, into lands uncharted and wild. It is a journey of magic and mystery, science and swords, romance and intrigue. It is a journey of different perspectives and unexpected kharma and love found in surprising places. It is a journey that takes place five thousand years or so in the future, naturally in the Year of the Tiger.

I finished reading To Journey in the Year of the Tiger a couple of weeks ago and found it hard to sit down and write a review. It should be easy, considering how very much I adore this book but then again, that could be what makes it such a challenge to find the right words. Now that I'm half way through the second book, To Walk in the Way of Lions, I have a good idea what to say.

I've never read anything like this. The idea of big cats living in the hierarchy and values of Imperial China caught my attention and the mystery and characters held me to the story. Each powerful character avoids stereotype. From the amazed and energetic Scholar, the dark and seductive Alchemist to the honour-first Captain each was well rounded, developed and managed to surprise me while staying in character.

The descriptions of everything from scenes to garments draws on my knowledge of Imperial China and builds on my own imagery without making me struggle to make things fit in my own mind. I could use words like vivid and stunning because they would be true but the fact that the complex settings are so digestible makes this book so very rich.

I found both books one and two in this series free and made sure I paid for book three before I found it free as well. Didn't feel right to enjoy this book so much without supporting the author with a few dollars. To Journey in the Year of the Tiger is like finding a bag of treasure and knowing you've stumbled upon something fantastic. It is definitely worth purchasing.

To Journey in the Year of the Tiger is seductive and crass, powerful and humble, wicked and pure, humorous and stoic and rich and simple. The power of this book is in the contrasts it presents.

Experience it.

Review: Skywatcher by Donna Maree Hanson

Violence and devastation spreads through Magra as the Inspector’s influence grows throughout the once peaceful lands. But Salinda, one of the Inspector’s most important weapons, has escaped. After being rescued by Nils, the last of his race, she is brought to the wondrous subterranean city of Barrahiem. With Nils’ vast store of knowledge and access to pre-Shatterwing technology, Salinda sees a way to defeat the Inspector, but only if she can convince him that humankind is worth saving.

Above ground, Brill and rebel leader, Danton, march for the observatory of Trithorn Peak, the only city yet to fall to the Inspector’s forces. With them are one of Trithorn’s Skywatchers, and a mysterious young woman whose eyes reflect a power not unlike Salinda’s. This misfit crew must work with Trithorn’s remaining Skywatchers to prepare for a desperate battle, not only for the observatory but for the future of Margra. For it is not only the Inspector that threatens their precious lands, and the Skywatchers are the only ones that can save them from the final moonfall.

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. It was available as a pre-order on Amazon but I couldn't wait.

While I found Skywatcher to be less dark than Shatterwing, book one, it was no less compelling, interesting and fantastic in fact it was even more so. Skywatcher picks up where Shatterwing left off. As I mentioned in my review of Shatterwing, all the pieces were in place and they quickly start moving.

I loved the tension as the action built and plot turns I hoped for were dangled before me, either making me wait a little longer or surprising me. Our characters face tough decisions which develop them as people and root them in the story.

The ending brought tons of action. Each player had their part and many overcame their own hurdles in order to do so.

I also loved that the resolution wasn't over done. Too many stories end wrapped up in a huge silky bow. Skywatcher didn't and it was perfect. The ending tied up the main story and gave us a good idea of where the characters will go next without smothering me. It's a dark fantasy after all and a mushy ending would be just plain wrong.

It's been a long time since a book left me pacing at the end, it was that good. I hope somewhere in Ms. Hanson's writing den she keeps a few scraps of notes for further books in the series.

Happy release day, Skywatcher!

Indie Pick: The Helavite War by Theresa Snyder

Jake is a human mercenary looking for a quiet place to rest, when his Protect Dar-dolf attacks the last living Henu, Arr. Feeling responsible, Jake stays on to care for Arr, as the alien with deep blue cat eyes and unusual abilities recovers.

Jake, who is almost twice Arr's age, takes on the role of teacher, mentor, father, and lost brother for his new alien friend. He and Arr experience adventures dealing with the Hydra, a race of lizard-like creatures who kidnap members of other species to sell on the black market as slaves; battle the Narnon on Gligula where Tuldavian Swamp Lizards lay their traps just below the surface of the slime; endure the incredible cold of the Ice Planet; dodge the Drifits of Nulian; and meet several old friends, as well as making new ones. During these travels their appreciation of each others rare abilities leads to a deep and enduring bound which will only grow stronger throughout their lifetimes.

Ultimately, they must face their toughest foe, the Helavites, a species which has been preying on the weaker beings in the universe for generations. In the underground catacombs of these beetle-like creatures a mystery is solved and the grounds for the resurrection of an old world are laid.

At the beginning of month, I put a request out on my Facebook author page for an Indie book to feature on this blog for September. The only stipulations were it be Science Fiction or Fantasy, be Indie and the author provide the Amazon.ca link. In the end my daughter picked one to read with me and I used random.org to pick one for West Coast Book Reviews.

That's how I found Theresa Snyder and The Helavite War.

I liked the old-school video game look of the cover. I remember pushing quarters into arcade games with the same feel, picturing myself in space and doing good for the galaxy. To me, each sun on the blue background promises an adventure and I'm pleased I got exactly that.

The Helavite War is the first in a series of six young adult Sci-Fi novels, the Star Traveler Series, which starts with the destruction of the Henu at the hands of the Others. Arr, a child at the time, and his brother were the only survivors. When Arr's brother dies, he's left alone. The only surviving Henu.

That is, until Jake and his dar-dolf arrive looking for a little peace and quiet.

I loved how the relationship between Jake and Arr grows and takes shape. Both are honest, good men who each find something they need in the other. Both make mistakes, both learn and they become inseparable friends. It's an amazing buddy story like Buzz and Woody from Toy Story and Steve and Sarah in Jeffery M. Poole's The Prophecy. They are great companions first and foremost and I really felt the strain when they weren't together.

This book also has plenty of action. As a mercenary, Jake takes on jobs for pay from routing invaders to babysitting industrial operations and recovering kidnapping victims. Each little adventure they take builds on the whole and gives us hints of the Helavites, who take what they want from planets and destroy everything in their way. We get to see different planets and peoples to get a good feel for the galaxy Snyder builds.

If you're looking for some great space adventure, unique characters and to find out who loves the Raspberry Goo Chews more than anyone, strap in and take The Helavite War for a ride.

Review: Yours to Desire by Denise Rossetti

A man more potent than any drug.

It's 2202 and on board ES Siren, the brilliant Doctor Lily Kwan has worked in secret to develop an antidote for the aphrodisiac rape drug, sexmeth.

She'd be overjoyed if it wasn't for an embarrassing problem: the antidote has no effect on her extraordinary reaction to Connor Madison, the Siren's tough quartermaster. Scientifically, it should be impossible, but the man's a raging fever in her blood. If a single dark glance sets Lily on fire, a kiss might kill her dead – but what a way to go!

A former gang rat from the slums of a dying world, Con came up the hard way, so when geeky Doctor Kwan tops his hit list of possible drug runners, nothing's going to save her—not her family's money, nor her clever mind.

Not even the smile in her eyes.

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third in the ES Siren series which also includes Yours to Uncover by Mel Teshco and Yours to Command by Shona Husk.

This one is a little different in that the hero, Connor Maddison, isn't a prisoner set to serve out his sentence doing hard labour on Solitaire, their destination. He's the quartermaster. He's also rough where the heroes in the first two seemed to be regular guys who were either coerced or chose to be prisoners.

This one turned into a very sweet love story and if anyone is wondering (since I've been clear how much I dislike Zane Andrews) I couldn't have imagined a better ending for him.

There is still six months to go before they reach Solitaire so I hope there are more to the series. I'll stay tuned...

Review: Timefall by James Kahn

It has been years since Joshua the Scribe, Lon the Vampire, Jasmine the Neuroman, and Beauty the Centaur journeyed to save their lost families from the strange Queen in the City With No Name. And as time went on, they were visited by ghosts of themselves, sometimes aiding in their quest and sometimes just a haunting presence. But were they really ghosts? Or were they simply incarnations of their own souls, visiting from another time to learn from them as well as to teach and to save their own world from the imminent destruction of the Timefall? In this climactic denouement to the dystopian future envisioned in World Enough, and Time and Time's Dark Laughter, the first two books in this trilogy, a new Joshua and friends fall through a complex weave of time tunnels, landing in the terrain of the first adventures. But to their dismay, they discover that the fates of both times are interdependent, and the new world's Joshua must enlist forces from the old to save the whole tipping universe from extinction.

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

After requesting Timefall from Netgalley, I bought and read the first two in the series; World Enough, and Time and Time's Dark Laughter. With the exception of the last two pages which threw me into something unexpected, I thoroughly enjoyed both.

I wasn't disappointed with Timefall. It starts with the discovery of a very ancient skull and an expedition to learn more about its origins. Joshua and his friends find hidden civilizations and fight to prevent the end of everything by the end of time itself. Lots of action and so many themes from the first two books echo through this one.

I also enjoy Kahn's prose. As I found in Incarnate his pacing and choice of words lure you in so when the action comes, it feels like you've passed through something solid. Even in contemporary settings, there is a sense of the fantasy. I was concerned that since Timefall is set in the current day there would be a big sense of disconnect from the previous novels. For me, there wasn't. I loved the moments of recognition of characters and events echoed from the previous books.

I'm not certain of the science of time as presented in Timefall, it's not my specialty, but since the characters believed it and it was presented so simply and plausibly, I was able to follow.

Had I read this series when it was first printed, I would have been glad to pick it up as a re-read as I have with so many other great science fiction and fantasy series from my past, rediscovering it. The experience would have been very different for me then, than it is now. Joshua, Lon and Jasmine would be understood differently and for me they would have been different people then. Much like the Joshua, Lon and Jasmine in Timefall are fundamentally similar to their doppelgängers in World Enough, and Time and Time's Dark Laughter.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dover Publications for the opportunity to read this book.

Review: Yours to Command by Shona Husk

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

He would do anything to protect her, if only she'd let him. 

Corporal Sienna Jade wasn't given a choice about joining the mission to Unity. Seen as a troublemaker after reporting an assault by a senior officer, the army wanted her gone. Sienna resents the army for assigning her to Earth Ship Siren, and suspects the fleet's Unity mission will fail. But others would do anything to escape Earth ...

Alex Tariel knew his only chance to get a place on ES Siren was as a prisoner, so he stole water rations. As a former construction foreman, his skills make him a valuable prisoner on board, but still a prisoner unable to control his own life. Instead of keeping his head down, he gets involved in the fights set up for gambling privilege tokens, the only currency aboard ship among the prisoners. 

Getting patched up by Corporal Jade might be the best thing that's happened to Alex on the trip so far, but becoming her ship husband puts him between her and the lieutenant who tried to kill her for kicks on Earth. While Sienna tries to keep control of her feelings for Alex, Alex would do anything to protect her, if only she'd let him. 

As ES Siren faces its first crisis, a little trust and love goes a long way.

This is the second in the ES Siren Series which also includes Yours to Uncover by Mel Teshco and Yours to Desire by Denise Rossetti. All three authors, including Husk have a long list of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Romance to their credits.

I've also found their writing in this series felt very similar and I didn't get the sense I was introducing myself to three new authors. I'm very glad I met them and will read more from all three.

Since these are all novella's, in the first book the world building was sufficient for the length but in reading Yours to Commandthere was not only more time for the world to grow on me but for it to build. I liked experience life on the ship through other sets of eyes and also got a better sense of life back on Earth for the same reason.

My main irk with Yours to Uncover was Zane Andrews, the bad lieutenant and he is certainly present though he doesn't bother me as much as he did. He bothered me in the first book because he was well done, creepy and very deserving of my dislike. As an antagonist, he's second to none.

Andrews is back in this one, up to his usual and yes, please keep hating him =)

I recommend this series.