DarkShip Thieves by Sarah A. Hoyt Book Review

DarkShip Thieves 

By:Sarah A. Hoyt






Darkship Thieves is a very good science fiction adventure that manages to pack a coming of age plot, a clash of spacefaring cultures plot, and some romance into one book.  The main character goes from being a spoiled, almost feral, rich girl to someone who values others and wants to earn her place in the world.  The book also explores the consequences, and human reaction to genetic engineering, and the mindset of the enhanced vs the originals.

The only things that threw me in this book are that much of the technology is not adequately explained, and at times the main character is almost too perfect at physical confrontations.  The lack of technical explanation is mitigated by the fact that the world this takes place in has regressed technologically from its peak.  The people in the story often don't know why something works. In addition the main characters prowess in a physical confrontation is balanced by her temper causing her many issues in the book.  Overall this is a very good book and quite fun to read.

Athena Hera Sinestra is a spoiled rich girl, who happens to have enhanced senses and fighting ability.  When she is attacked on her fathers spaceship she manages to fight her way to a lifepod and escape into the powertrees where solar energy is concentrated in powerpods that are used to power civilization.  Shortly she runs into a mysterious ship that can only be one of the DarkShip Thieves.  The DarkShip Thieves are one of her cultures biggest boogeymen, since they are rumored to serve Biolords who escaped from the riots and purges of their great war.  But when the operator of the ship saves her multiple times, and takes her home to Eden, the world the BioLord's former servants have made for themselves, when it becomes clear earth space is not savfe for her she realizes many things she was taught were a lie.  Over time Athena comes to make a life for herself on Eden and falls in love with her rescuer Kit.  When the time comes she marries him and begins to go on Powerpod runs with him.  The problem is things on earth are not as they seem, and her father will stop at nothing to get her back.  They are ambushed, and captured.  Now Athena must rescue her husband and  find out why she is so important.  What she discovers could overturn the very basis of her society, because it turns out that most of the BioLords never left earth.

This book will appeal to any science fiction space adventure fan, and the romance aspect is prominent enough to bring in that audience as well.

This book may be purchased at www.amazon.com as an e-book or in print.

Endless Blue by Wen Spencer Book Review

Endless Blue 

By: Wen Spencer






Endless Blue is a space adventure/mystery/romance from Wen Spencer. As with all her books the best part of them is the interplay of her characters, and the process of them dealing with their own issues. In many ways this book is defined by the flaws in the characters and the way their flaws mirror the flaws in the society they come from. One thing that I particularly like in this book is that in coming to grips with their own problems the main characters are able to move forward with fixing those parts of their society. As usual Wen Spencer builds a complex world you hope to continue to experience, and there is nothing about this book that I dislike. This is the only book in the series, but I continue to hope that she picks up this world and these characters again.

On the Edge by Ilona Andrews Book Review

This book is an introduction to Ilona Andrews Edge Universe, and it is a very good introduction to a rich and fascinating world.  The Edge is the borderland between the land of magic, and the land of technology.  The author does a good job of describing the problems, and the character of the people who live in this borderland.  The characters are believable, and you cannot help but be caught up in their struggles.  There is a very good balance of the mundane and the fantastic that allows you to connect even as the characters do amazing things.

The only thing I didn't like about the story is how dark it can seem at times, but borderlands are often harsh places, and it really helps you get a feel for the place.  Life may be hard for edgers at times, but their isolation also allows for the freedom to live in their own way.

In this world reality is broken into two parts The Weird and The Broken.  The Broken is our world with Wallmart, Interstate Highways, and The United States of America.  In the Broken Magic doesn't work so technology has taken its place.  The Weird on the other hand has magic and is run by a feudal system modified to be based on magical strength.  The Edge is the borderland between the two.  If you have the ability for magic you can make your way there from the broken, and if you have a low enough need for magic you can come there from the wierd,  but most inhabitants from either world cannot live long in the edge.  Rose Drayton is an edger but she has the power of a Wierd Aristocrat, and has had no end of trouble because of it.  While she has their power she does not have a title or a pedigree, and that makes her a very valuable second class citizen in the Wierd.  Several attempts have been made to kidnap her to sell to nobles whose family is waning in power that want to breed it back.  Now Rose works for minimum wage under the table in the broken so that her family can survive.  Declan Camarine is a a Wierd noble who finds himself chasing a fugitive into the Edge, and runs afoul of some less than hospitable Edgers. When he shows up on Rose's Doorstep for help he gradually falls in love with her, and her power can allow him to make a relationship work in Wierd Socieity. Rose however has been burned too many times to accept that easily. In addition to this Declan must perform his original mission before everyone runs out of time.  If the madman he is after is not stopped then both the Edge and the Wierd could be burned to the ground by an ancient evil he has awoken in the edge.

This book should appeal to several audiences.  The love interest between Rose and Declan makes this book a Fantasy Romance, but it has enough meat on it to be a great story for anyone who loves a good fantasy adventure.  The plot is also about catching a fugitive who has secret plans as well so it should also appeal to the mystery lovers out there.  So I guess Fantasy Adventure Mystery Romance?

This book can be found at www.amazon.com in e-book or print format.

A Brothers Price By Wen Spencer Book Review

To be honest I am not sure how to classify this book.  My best guess is Alternate world fantasy.  This story is about a world where men are very rare, and have very little in the way of rights because of that.  Basically think women in the middle ages, but with the suppressed gender flipped.  It is a very good story, and by flipping the gender role it allows men to identify with the traditional victims of gender discrimination better.  As with most of Wen Spencer's books I cant come up with anything about it I didn't like.

Jerin Whistler is a man just coming of age in a world where the scarcity of his gender has caused men to be very valuable, but treated like property. It is to the point that a mans sisters will literally sell him to afford to buy a husband.  Jerin is very lucky in that he is well loved by his sisters, and they think about his happiness not just his price.  When Jerin catches the eye of a princess it seems like a better match couldn't be made.  The problem is that with the attention of the royal family comes its intrigue, and Jerin's family has things to hide.  When Jerin gets kidnapped however it turns out that his price will cost in blood and loyalty as well as coin, and messing with the Whistler sisters brother is a bad plan indeed.

In my opinion this book is good for anyone.  As usual Wen Spencer's characters and worlds are so engaging that you will not want to put this book down.

This book can be purchased in print or as an e-book at www.amazon.com