Perdition by Ann Aguirre - review

Perdition
Ann Aguirre
Dred Chronicles #1
SciFi/2013

***** (five out of six)


cover - I don't see any of the tattoos described in the book, or the braids in her hair- though I do see a few of the beads mentioned...  Still.  Let's make the cover resemble the characters please.  On the other hand, it is kind of a cool cover.  She looks badass, and she does use her chains....  


I have been in an awful reading slump, and besides the Steampunk Trails mag, haven't been able to finish a book.  The last book I did finish took me over four weeks to read.   Perdition is the first book in over two months that I've been able to read in a matter of days.  I started it two days ago, and finished reading it last night.  (Yeay!!!!!)  seriously, I thought I was never going to finish reading another book (que dramatica)

So.  Based on my absolute love for the Sirantha Jax series, I picked this up because it's set in the same universe.  I thought it was going to feature a woman that Jax had met while she was in prison, but I was wrong.  Perdition is set at least forty years (turns?) in the future, and while the woman is different from who I thought, there is a character from the past Jax years.  Jael, who I had a hard time remembering....He turned on Sirantha and co. way back on Ithiss Tor  and he's still alive because he's hard to kill, for reasons you will discover if you read this.

Basic story - Dred is the Queen Dread or Dread Queen of ....yes, Queensland.  She's been assisted to the dubious throne by Tam, a spymaster who is serving time on Perdition.  Perdition is a prison ship that is inescapable - if one is sentenced to Perdition, you're basically sentenced to life imprisonment and to die there.  She's a hard woman, who has murdered and is serving her time.

Jael is an incoming prisoner - who has abilities and issues.  He's been sentenced to Perdition to keep him out of the way and accessible - though I don't know how accessible one can be on a prison ship where prisoners and supplies are simply dropped off, seemingly automatically.  Anyway, he's recruited by Dred.  On Perdition when prisoners are dropped off they are recruited by one of many sectors of prisoners, some are way worse than others.

Perdition - while populated with crazed murderers, political prisoners and many characters - none of whom are nice people - still reads a bit like a romance story.  Two people meet, bad backgrounds, baggage and history that makes them wary of others must learn to trust each other and accept love.... sound familiar?  yes.  A romance with (thankfully) a very different background and none of those misunderstood faux-criminals.  All these people have really done bad things.  Still....Romance.  with a bit of a romance formula.  

Even so, the story was intresting, the background and setting interesting and the characters were very interesting.

So - even though I feel like I could have picked up a romance and gotten the same basic plot, the details are what made it good enough for me to end up reading this one straight through.  So, good book, even though it was basically a romance with a SciFi criminal twist.

Even though Dred is the Dread Queen of Queensland, it's a constant struggle to hold on to control - takes a lot of planning, watching and discipline.  One of the problems Dred faces is two other sectors have decided to attack her's for more territory.  So a mini war must be waged, and Dred has to decide who to trust, who to ally with and which moves to make.  This is what makes for a good story.

Dialog was good, narration was interesting - Aguirre knows how to write a story.  Only thing....(and this is a minor complaint) I was expecting a voice kind of like Jax's - present first person, but Perdition is written in regular third person - still a good book.

Endgame by Ann Aguirre - review

Endgame
Ann Aguirre
Jax #6 {final}
SciFi/2012

Cover - just like the covers of the other novels, this one looks gritty and totally appropriate for the novel.  Except that Jax's scars kind of look like artwork curlicues. 


ahhhh - sigh.  The very last novel of a series.  Always a bittersweet read, especially when the author has kept the series interesting and decides to end it while people are still enjoying...

There's no doubt that Ann Aguirre has put Sirantha Jax through the wringer in the series.  Starting with Jax being held in a hospital and being "treated" for post traumatic stress - but really being brainwashed and used as a patsy, going through a war, being an ambassador and having to help create an entire fleet to fight those pesky yet extremely dangerous Morgut - Jax has had to fight for every bit of happiness that she experiences.  Aguirre does not write Happy Ever After Endings for her characters - but she writes the possibility of a future for her characters.

In Endgame, Jax finally gets to try to fullfill a promise she made to Lorass long ago - to help free his people from being helplessly compliant slaves to their protector/oppressors.  If you've read the previous novels, then you know the history of the L'Heng planet and people.  Artificially made into compliant people, they've had their most basic rights stripped away and are at the mercy of others.  Sirantha has promised to come up with a cure, and at the end of book #5 a cure had been obtained.  It wasn't perfect, but it was the best available.  Only the keepers of the L'Heng won't let Sirantha and her allies even approach the people within legal channels to offer the cure.

But while she's been keeping busy with filing appeals and requests and more appeals, Lorass - who has taken the cure - has been busy gathering a core resistance group, starting the beginnings of a revolution.

Endgame is the story of the revolution of the L'Heng and the story of Jax and March's struggles to come to terms with their relationships, their hurts, their angers and jealousies.  Vel and Jax also have their own relationship to acknowledge; Jax has been treated for her J-gene side affects with nanobots that keep her healthy and as a result has changed her lifespan more in tune with the extremely long lifespan of Vel's people.  If you haven't read any of these novels, you're not going to know what I'm talking about.  I strongly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys SciFi with strong female characters who are a little flawed and yet keep ticking out of sheer tenacity.

Endgame seems to have an oddly fun mixture of angst, relationship issues, science, war and effects that I enjoy from Aguirre.  There are references to previous events from previous novels that I didn't quite remember, so I might eventually re-read the whole series just for fun.  Happily, there aren't long drawn out references to the past - just short quickies.  And as with the previous novels, the tone is a touch dark with threads of hopefulness weaved in.  The inner narration is pure Jax - enjoyable for me to read.  The dialogue between characters remains just as readable as ever; her characters SOUND like they should.  Vel is a bit formal, Sasha is a teen complete with perverse and changeable moods; March is jealous and martyrlike (his personality) and there's the ribbing from the soldiers Jax is fighting with that shows venting and acceptance of each other as well as anger from newly freed populace.

The novel covers a span of a few years - they're fighting a revolution after all.  And not all actions by the revolutionary freedom fighters are palatable, but as in any war the wrong people get hurt in the name of progress and change.  All in all, Endgame was a good ending, a natural ending to an interesting series with some unforgettable characters.

While I'm a little sad to see a series I love to read end, I'm happy to find out that there will be more novels in the same universe.  The Dread Queen series starts out on a prison in the universe of Jax and I'm looking forward to finding out who the main character is, and reading about new adventures.  It's bound to be interesting.

It's Monday! and so forth

I know there are many people who work the long week month after month, year after year.  I'm used to having summers off, so the beginning of the school year Mondays are a little hard for me.  The middle of the school year, Mondays are a bit harder.  By the time the end of the school year rolls around, I'm barely hanging in there, forcing myself to get up - especially on those Mondays... Which is why I usually - absolutely - hate Mondays.  No Exception....except the summer when all days roll into each other.  Soooo fine (except for the being completely broke bit, lol)

Of course, Monday also means time for It's Monday, What Are You Reading? - the always fun book blog meme hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  Full guidelines at her website - but basically it's a sharing of what we've read the past week, what we're currently reading and for some more organized folk, what is planned reading for the coming week.  My planned reading never works out, so I usually leave that part out on my own blog. :)  

I read a short story - The Moths of Miller Place last week. The Moths of Miller Place is written by J.A. Campbell and features more of Doc, The Vampire Hunting Dog.  I really love this character - if you like dogs (or animals) you'll understand when I say it's fun for me to try to picture my own dog and what he might be thinking while I'm reading about Doc - These Doc stories are from the point of view of the dog - and done very well, you can totally see how a dog might think along these lines.  Especially if you - like me - do NOT believe in the whole short memory thing with dogs.  I think there's way more to a dog's brain and thinking processes than people give them credit for - just like elephants, cats, crows.... hell, any number of animals.  Anyway- this is just one of the shorts about Doc - and there's more coming! :)

Other than the short story - the only novel I was able to finish reading this past week was Endgame by Ann Aguirre.  I have been looking forward to this novel for years!  I know that sounds very dramatic, but seriously - Aguirre has had the names of EACH book of the Sirantha Jax series listed on her site since book two (at least) and I've been waiting for each book to come out, buying them the minute I could and devouring them within two days....until this last book.  And then I fell into my last book of the series slow reading syndrome. I start the book and read some, then put it aside and do something else; then I pick it back up and read some more....repeating this.  I noticed that I do this about a year ago while reading the last Strange Angels novel; realizing more when reading Angel Town - and other final novels.  Seems like I have to drag out the reading experience on that last book, since I usually have mixed feelings about one of my favorite series coming to an end.  You know it's the smart thing for an author to do - go on while at the top type of thing (something a certain coughlkhcough author should have done about 11 books ago), keeping the series fresh and the readers not only wanting more but still enjoying the series. So I drag out the reading of that very last novel of the series.  I thoroughly enjoyed Endgame and happily - while there won't be anymore Sirantha Jax novels, there WILL be more in the universe.  That's good -because while I enjoy Aguirre's other series, I LOVE  her SciFi writing.  I'll be looking for the Dread Queen series - set on a prison ship in the Jax universe setting.  Ooh boy! Hoping it's just as good as Sirantha's stories.

Current Reading

Here is where I'm having a hard time this week - seriously - after reading such great books the past few weeks (most of the novels I've picked in the last few weeks have been so satisfyingly great reading) and finishing up with Endgame it's been hard to concentrate on the next novel.  

I started off trying to read Blades of Winter by G.T. Almasi  - but it's not holding my interest after the first two chapters.  Not a fault of the author - there's a gun fight, augmented main character, some suspense in the past of this chacter - etc....then she goes home and has a MEAL with her mother...I fell out of interest, so I put it aside to try again later.  It SEEMS like it should be interesting - perhaps I need a palate cleanser novel first.  Perhaps it's because the main character is a woman written by a man in the first person pov - which doesn't always seem to work for me. (for ME, could be wonderful for other readers).  Who knows?  I don't.  I'll just have to try again later, which I'm willing to do.

Then I grabbed up In Fury Born - a nice meaty novel by David Weber that seems to be a reworking of two novels into one=I think.  Anyway a combination of extremely small font and a little too much of backstory of a planet's war history  made me lose interest - there are times when I enjoy a bit of history, some information of what's been going on, but most of the time it just frustrates me - AUTHORS - small doses of information judiciously applied here and there - please; don't overwhelm me with too much.  I don't feel like sitting through a class.  Again, this is a main character of a female written by a man, although not in the first person.  So I also put it aside for .....possibly for some summer reading.  *g* - yeah, that's it.  Summer reading. :)

I then picked up a book I've had for over a year - it's a sequel to The Better To Hold You - a book I read a couple years ago.  Moonburn is by Alisa Sheckley aka Alisa Kwitney - (first person pov of a woman, by a woman) and interesting - but my interest wasn't catching....I can tell it's going to be an interesting book though, and I did enjoy previous novel - different from most urban fantasies.  So this proves to me that it really is time for the palate cleanser read.  A book that has nothing to do with magic, urban fantasy, weres, vampires, fey or anything but mundane humans.  The regular fiction novel.

So I searched my shelves for a regular fiction book - of which I have few.  I found a novel I had won from Sheila over a year ago - Hasta La Vista, Lola by Misa Ramirez.  It's time I read it.  I read the first couple of pages tonight and I think this is going to be the one novel I read this week.  The only thing that kept me from reading more tonight was this meme, and a couple of episodes of Leverage. :)  and of course - LOLCatz. *g*  I captioned the lolcat below - not the one above, though. :)  The plan will be reading the palate cleanser novel, Hasta La Vista, Lola! and then going back to MoonBurn by Sheckley - it's calling my name now, even.  But then, so is Lola!

No other reading plans - not committing to anything else, my commitments rarely work out with books anyway. :)

So, what's going on with y'all?

Isn't this kitty kat a creepy looking cat? 

Tuesday Teaser, some reminders....a busy Tuesday

Don't Forget ...

recent releases - the fourth Spellcrackers.com novel; The Shifting Price of Prey is now available in the UK.  The entire series is worth buying and reading, good stories, plots, dialogue and characters. By Suzanne McLeod.  For U.S. readers who don't want to wait for the U.S. release, there is always the Book Depository (my favorite way of getting books not available in the United States).


J.A. Campbell is holding a
fundraiser to help the wolves that have been affected in Colorado from fires.  She explains this much better than I do.  But basically, a  percentage of all of her Doc;Vampire Hunting Dog sales in a certain time period go towards helping the wolves.  I've bought an e-copy of the latest - The Moths of Miller Place and will soon buy  a couple print copies of the first Doc novella to add to our school library collection.  While you are at her website, learning about her fundraising efforts for the wolf sanctuary, take a few extra minutes to read about her other writing projects.  She's published a few novels and has others in the works.  This is one very busy young lady. On top of all of that, she is raising a border collie, taking her round to sheepherding lessons AND she is owned by a few cats.  

And Now - the real reasons for Tuesdays....

it's time for Teaser Tuesday!

Yes, it's that time again.  It's Tuesday, that wonderful day after Monday, the day we tease each other with teasers from our current reads.  This week, I am reading at least three novels.  One, I'll probably finish in a day, and the other two will be going back and forth between until I 'settle' on one for the finish.  (ugh - that's either vaguely dirty or sporty sounding - not sure which)  The first novel is....

Endgame 

by Ann Aguirre

sadly, the last of a wonderful SciFi series

from page 145 

'     "He seems to be laboring under the impression that he stands in the way of our grand passion."  By the rapid twitch of his mandible, Vel is hideously amused.

     "I'm going to kill him."

     "No need for violence when our passionate love has been acknowledged at last."

     "So you suffer the agonies of the damned due to our fierce, unconsummated devotion?"  I eye him, wondering how far he'll take this.  "Well, I'm in the mood for revenge sex, and I might be drunk enough to do unspeakable things to you." '

is it just me, or are a lot of these covers looking the same?

from the new Shadowstorm series comes

Blades of Winter

by G.T. Almasi

from page 77

'     I ask our host if we're being followed, and he says,  

''Mais oui! I am always followed.  With a handsome face like zis, how can it not be so?''  He laughs as he swerves onto a highway entrance ramp.

     Trick and I look at each other.  It's not the first time we've wondered if Jacques is actually a Martian.'

Now, I'm finished with the teaser bit.  I was going to include three, but changed my mind. This particular post is probably long enough, and the day begins early for me tomorrow.  Things to do, people to see, books to shelve, etc.

New Doctor Who season - the last one with Rory and Amy.  Next episode is September 8th, on BBC; for all those Doctor Who fans - you know you're out there. :)

It's Monday, and thanks for the Holiday

It's been only two full weeks of work and I'm exhausted.  Ugh.  By the end of each week so far, I'm feeling like I have a fever (I don't) and feeling so much pain and exhaustion - then again - it's kind of cool, because at least I have a job.  It's not the highest paying job, and the benefits aren't that great - but it's a job.  And because I'm working there, My grandkids get to attend if they have to.  Which is a nice perk.  We used it on Friday- my granddaughter went to Kinder care (one hour) and then to day care.  She had fun the entire time she was there.  She did art projects, played with other kids, and seemed to enjoy her self very much.  Then, when it was time to go - she saw her Papa (grandpa) pull up to pick us up.  She grabbed her backpack and cartwheeled to the door, yelling "papa!"  Her energy - we all need it. :)

So it's Sunday night - late, I'm still a little tired and very glad I don't have to work tomorrow - but still glad I have a job.

It is That Time again - It's Monday, What Are You Reading? Hosted  by Sheila of Book Journey - full guidelines are available on her website. (click on cute boy picture for link)

My reading wasn't especially inspired this week, though I did read a pretty fun short story.

Finished Reading Last Week;

The Moths of Miller Place

J.A. Campbell

e-book, short

fantasy

currently available

hell of a good short story - would love to see a full length novel sometime in the future featuring Doc - Vampire Hunting Dog.

What I'm Reading Now:

Another Kind of Dead

Kelly Meding

urban fantasy

available now

Good so far - not sure why I put off reading it so long.  I'm enjoying it, but it's going to be put aside again, because hey- Ann Aguirre just released her latest....

Endgame

Ann Aguirre

SciFi

available now

Soooo excited, and at the same time kinda of sad - because this is the final Sirantha Jax episode.  The last of a very cool SciFi series.  Well - glad is was written, glad I found it, and glad I went with the impulse to buy - cause I've enjoyed each of the novels.

No plans for next week's reading - If I happen to finish reading these current reads, I've got another SciFi book here waiting for me too open - if I'm in the mood for SciFi after Endgame.  We'll just have to see how it goes.  I do know, that the last month has been a very good month for book reading - seems most of the novels I pick are extremely enjoyable to read novels.  Only two have been bleh style for me, and I put them aside.  Not wasting time on things I don't enjoy. 

none of this week's lolcatz are my creations - All are available from ICanHasCheezburgers.com

Endgame cover (Ann Aguirre's Sirantha Jax series)

Yesterday I posted on a Waiting On Wednesday post about Ann Aguirre's final Sirantha Jax novel. When I posted, I couldn't find a cover for the book, Endgame.

Tonight I saw the cover - up on her site, in all it's glory

Nice!

waiting on wednesday

I haven't taken part in this meme in way too long, but I felt like posting about these two books. Hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine, Waiting on Wednesday is the meme where we post about books we're eagerly waiting to be published - and these two I've listed are two books I'm REALLY looking forward to reading...

Suzanne McLeod writes this great series about a half fae half vampire woman just trying to make a living in London - except the witches, vampires and other fae are always in her business, trying to claim her, murder her, or just impregnate her. LOL it's way more complex than that, I've simplified it quite a bit. The fourth book in the Spellcrackers.com series is titled The Shifting Price of Prey and will be released in the UK June 2012 {U.S. release date....oops, not sure} I live in the States, but I use The Book Depository.... :)

The other book I've looking forward to does not have a cover yet - or at least, there isn't one online yet. So we are going to pretend that this lolcat pic is the cover for...... Endgame by Ann Aguirre. Endgame is the final (sob) novel in the Sirantha Jax SciFi series. Endgame will be out in August of 2012. Can't wait - looking forward to not only reading the book, but seeing what the real cover will look like.

A trip to the bookstore with a young companion

Weekend before last, I had a serious craving to be in a bookstore. I remember mentioning it around my granddaughter - that I might go to the bookstore later that week.... She heard me and got all happy. Said 'granma! when you go, come and get me and I can get a book too!' (translated from granddaughter speak, this means I can buy her a book. *g*) So I told her sure - if I went I would stop and get her first...

Well, last week I did go to the bookstore, and when I was at the cash register I remembered I had promised to take her.

bad granma

Of course, I felt bad for not taking her. So this week, I had this mad impulse to go AGAIN to the bookstore - even though the gods and everyone else around me KNOWS I have plenty of books to last me sitting around here (not quite all getting read) and this time, I remembered to go get her. Sent a text to my daughter - have Liliana ready, I'm picking her up.

She was ready. She had dressed herself in a pair of gray leggings with small multicolored polkadots and paired this with a pink shirt with large brown polkadots. Gotta love a five year old's sense of style. To complete this outfit was her old bright pink cowgirl boots. (resembling the boots shown in this picture I lifted off the good ol' net) The girl has two very cool suede boots, one pair black, one pair brown complete with metal buckles and circles - wish I had boots like those - but her favorite pair are the old, used, pink cowgirl boots that her cousin's mommy bought her - when she got them, they were way too big for her, and she used them for play. Now they're still a wee bit big for her, but she seriously wears them the most.

girls and their shoes.

The cowgirl boots, the granddaughter, polkadots and I went to the bookstore. She was very patiently helping me look for books for me. She does this by looking for books with scary covers, or dramatically creepy covers...."granma, this will be a good book for you" she'll say. After we found my books, and looked for a book for her mom - which I didn't get because I could get a ppb version for way cheaper (Practical Magic) , we strolled to the kids section.

Let me say here, that as a granma, I do NOT like the way Barnes & Noble has their children's section laid out. It is almost like a maze, and if you have a five year old that is the size of a preschooler, and she's running ahead of you, you absolutely cannot see where she is between all the aisles - and the voices echo. At one point I had to loudly suggest that we meet at the entrance to the children's section. I know space needs to be filled, but how about two open squares, so you can SEE your kids/grandkids? (I live in fear that she's going to get stolen from me while we're shopping= which is why she has to accompany me while I'm looking for my creepy books *g*) We finally found each other and then we (or rather, SHE) found two books for her.

Liliana love Dr. Seuss books - both my grandchildren love them. And she's also recently discovered the joys of the Junie B Jones chapter books written by Barbara Park. She wanted me to read to her at the store (loves to be read to) so I promised to read one chapter of the chapter book. She worked it by waiting until I was a few pages in, then asking to switch to There's a Wocket in my Pocket. So we read that one, and then noticed a little girl who was there with her dad/grandpa (never know, nowadays, can't go by apparent age) who was listening in and getting all happy about the book. Turns out this is a book that gets read to her every single day and she knows all the words by heart. She looked like she was around two years old - very cute, social and spirited *wink, wink*
By the way - I haven't explored many children's publishing house sites - but I am impressed with the webpages that Random House has set up for Seussville and Junie B. Jones. Just click on the above author names for links - each page has activities, excerpts and fun things for kids to do. I'm saving these in a favorites folder for my grandchildren - who like to surf the internet, now that granma has started them off on it long ago. :) a few years ago, I would sit near Liliana and open pages for her, help her drag and click, and change sites for her. Now she can open the internet herself, and she has figured out which folder is the children's folder, and uses the icons to decide what site to go on. From there she just browses and plays. She's able to use my laptop and the desktop. My grandson's father (my son) now only has to set up the page for him, and Elliott can use the mouse, playing and navigating the games and videos. Pretty fun. I know many young children are exploring and learning computer skills - nowadays, but for me, someone who grew up before game systems - this is exciting stuff - to watch grandchildren learn computer skills beginning from age two on. next up - keyboard skills.

Oh - and the books I found for me?

Ann Aguirre's fourth Corinne Solomon novel, Devil's Punch - even though I still haven't finished reading Shady Lady. Started it. Got a third of the way into and kind of lost interest - hopefully temporarily. Her Sirantha Jax SciFi series is one of my favorite series. (new Jax universe series coming! woohoo! )
I also found Sarah Addison Allen's novel, The Girl Who Chased The Moon. Her novels remind me of the best of Alice Hoffman. lyrical, poetic, magical, surreal. Fun reading.
BEST OF ALL!?! The frosting on my bookstore cake, the apparent reason for my intense craving to GET TO THE BOOKSTORE TONIGHT, even though I still am feeling a bit sick.....

STACIA KANE'S fourth and long, eagerly awaited Downside novel

Sacrificial Magic. <---download 3 chapters

ooh man, I'm sure glad I went to the bookstore, and had the $$ to buy a few books.

Oh Yeah!

At the end of our bookstore event, we found the Godiva chocolate bars...my granddaughter very quietly says to me...whispers "granma, I was hoping we could get some chocolate...". Who can resist such a sweet way of asking? especially after she was so well behaved (this is not always the case, believe me, lol) and after she had worked so hard trying to help me find books for myself, not to mention the way she was sweetly waving at the little girl who was listening in on our story, and the way she sat so quietly during the story. I have to say that this was one of our best outings ever. It was short and sweet with no behavioral issues - anyone with children or grandchildren can witness to how much this is a rare and wonderful thing. Kids try, but they don't always have the greatest control. Tonight, Liliana was the best behaved child in the store, as well as being wonderful to spend time with.

So I bought her a $2.50 chocolate bar. When we got to her house, she asked her mom if she could eat it, then broke it in pieces to share with everyone in the house.

Amazing

I'm going to have to plan a trip with my grandson now - see if he would like to go to the bookstore with granma.

Aftermath by Ann Aguirre - review

Aftermath

Ann Aguirre

cover - I'm not always crazy about these covers, but they do seem to try with the scars on her arm (though the scars do seem to follow a pattern rather than a random shards of shrapnel kind of scars you'd think to find from a crash victim) and I've found that all of the covers seem dramatic and cool in their own way. To be honest though, if I weren't already on the look out for this series, I'm not sure the the covers would have pulled me in - and yet I did pick up the first in the series oh so long ago...

Ann Aguirre has done it yet again. She's managed to write another damn good book in a damned good series. I have yet to be disappointed in any Jax novel. This is no exception, although I did find myself a bit frustrated with all Jax's thoughts about not being able to be with March with the new complication in his life. I would be just a frustrated with any person who seemed to be thinking repetitively like this though, so it must be my own issue.

I don't know why, but I didn't see a trial coming at the end of the last book. In fact, I'm not sure what I was expecting when Hit and Jax went off - possibly to be lost in grimspace. Some sort of disaster, but I didn't expect what they found when they came back, or what Jax went through after being rescued.

For those who haven't read the various shorts that Aguirre makes available on her website, there's an interesting insertion of an online piece that has to do with Vel and the history that he has with an old friend of Jax's. The online piece was on Aguirre's website a while ago, but I don't think it's up anymore.

There were also some sections that were from previous novels, flashbacks of Jax's and I'm not sure how I feel about those. Whenever any author does this, it tends to pull me out of the story, and yet I can see why they do it. Better a word for word flashback than a process where a detail gets changed, or the tone is different.

All things considered, I enjoyed reading Aftermath immensely and the knowledge that there's another book to follow (Endgame) is at once good news and bittersweet because Endgame will be the last novel of the series. No telling what's going to be happen for Jax. Is she going to be alone? Have March with her? Have only Vel with her? Have both men part of her life? Both men are very important to her in different ways, yet with seemingly equal importance. Will she finally have some HAPPINESS?

Because of the focus of this novel, some of my favorite side characters have very minor roles. I missed them. There are some that leave for good. I hope to read more of my favorites in final novel - Dina and Hit. Vel has always been one of my favorite characters, I definitely got my fix of Vel, he's in a large part of this novel.

Aftermath was a great addition to the series, and of course left me wanting more the minute I finished reading it. This is a series that is definitely worth keeping on the shelf to re-read every once in a while. So now I wait with mixed feelings for the final installment of this series, hoping that Ann Aguirre will consider writing another SciFi series - I enjoyed this one so very much.

Teaser Tuesday Tuesday Teaser

LOL cats always courtesy of I Can Haz Cheeseburgers.

are you just the smallest bit nervous looking at that cat? that is one intimidating staredown being used. ugh. glad I didn't wake her up! LOL you just KNOW it's a matter of time before the disembowling commences.

when I first woke up I was feeling a bit rough. I went back to sleep (thank goodness for holidays) and tried again. the second time I woke up, I had a bit of a headache, so I decided to sleep again. third time is the charm, as they say. I felt a bit better, but not like doing anything. watched a show with my granddaughter, looked at a couple things she wanted me to see on the computer - browsing four year old style involves NickJr and Sprout online. by the way, those are just two of the many great sites online that will help a preschooler use computer skills and learn while they are having fun. Saturday I set up my grandson at the desktop and my granddaughter at the laptop, side by side so they could play the same game at the same time. They were having fun and I was able to read while they kept each other busy. She is one year older and has been helping her cousin learn how to use the mouse and click on links. children teaching children. my favorite way of keeping kids busy.
I spent time going back and forth between reading, playing citiville and zombie lane (just got a new neighbor from ITALY! not sure how he found me, but he plays both games, so I'm game. lol) and surfing the net myself. I really had no plans on posting a Teaser Tuesday, not really in the mood, don't feel like finding a teaser, but here I am. Not sleepy and now I feel like I should post a tease.

teaser tuesday is hosted by MizB of ShouldBeReading - full guidelines are available under the badge, click for link.

I'm going to post a teaser from Scardown by Elizabeth Bear - this is the second in a trilogy about a 51 year old Canadian former military woman who has cyberware in place of an arm, an eye and has been pressured into becoming a pilot for a starship. Ironically, she's been hiding out in the U.S., which is a worn down tired old country in this story. There's way more to the plot than that - there's a ganglord named Razorface, an AI that's been in hiding from a huge corporation; it's set in a future with China as a superpower (though written a few years ago, this is eerily dejavu like, or possible - shivers) a race to the stars a la the race to the moon....oh man oh man.

from page 85 & 86

' ... and comes toward not Gabriel, but me-and squeezes me into a long hug with Leah in the middle, because Leah won't let go so I can't really stiffen up and pull away. Elspeth's warm and I have to lean into the hug because she's that much shorter.

"The coffee's fresh," she says and the smell of it follows her as she steps back. She grins into my eyes.

Elspeth Dunsany. Psychiatrist. Manipulative bitch. Are those synonyms?

Thank the lord she only uses her powers for good." '

(it's very hard to stick with only two sentences)

On to Aftermath now. By Ann Aguirre, this is the fifth of the Sirantha Jax series. It's also one of the most heartbreaking of the series....and I believe that this is the second to last novel in the series. Although this is one of my most favorite of series, I think Ann Aguirre knows what she's doing (keep us wanting more, lol), keeping this at a limited number of novels. I wouldn't mind reading more - but then again, I would hate to watch a series I love get stale and repetitive. Well, enough with book writing philosophy, on to a tease - this will also be more than two sentences (I have no self control, people - none at all! wait a minute, I think I found some....nope! just some dust)

from page 222

' It's miserable down here.

The oppressive weight of stone is bad enough. I feel like I can't breath, and the sensation only intensifies as we creep through dark stone passageways filled with bones. Oh, they're carefully tended and stowed into niches cut into the wall, but that doesn't help in the least, particularly when I note the distinct lack of humanity in their physiology. They aren't Mareq. Nothing I've ever seen before. '

Oh yeah. How's THAT for a tease? For those who haven't yet read Aftermath. Those that have, know what's happening here. :) For all, I can safely say - glad I'm not there!

Jazz Hands Daddy!

sometimes you just have to DANCE!

Baile!

Okay, it's Monday.....{huge, long drawn out sigh...}what are you reading?

LOL - in this pic, he's really asking if he can have a popsicle, then he had to pose for a picture. Cause that's how granmas are. Always with the pics. Until the kids are about three. Back to the meme - It's Monday, What Are You Reading is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey. This is the one meme that I try to do every single week, only missing when I feel especially horrid. I enjoy this meme. Full guidelines are available at Book Journey.

Sigh - Mondays continue to be a little rough for me...although to be honest, Tuesdays are now my new Mondays. (I really need to retire, LOL)

I started out reading Scardown, but of course Anne Aguirre's Aftermath came out August 30, and if you've ever picked up a Sirantha Jax novel, then the chances are high that you have to buy each Sirantha Jax novel as they come out and DEVOUR them within a space of a day, or so. Raise your hands if you know what I mean. In my case, I got about halfway through within one night and then the rest of the week was taken up with activities that stopped me from reading. I have JUST finished it....wow.

Next up is going back to reading Scardown by Elizabeth Bear, and then hopefully getting right into WorldWired the final Jenny book. Great Sci Fi books.

After that? who knows. I do know that I have about 100 books that I have been slowly buying (and have been gifted with) and hoping to read. Maybe I'll get into some of them. Hopefully, I'm still interested in them, as much as when I first bought them. There are times when I'm looking forward so much to reading certain books - especially debut novels, but then I'm disappointed in the writing style or the dialogue. Then again, there have been a high number of debut novels that I've enjoyed very much in the last couple years. Of those, I have the second and third in the series to look forward to. Already here. Waiting. For me to crack them open.

Soon, Books, Soon.

Important Public Service Announcement....
What if the Zombie Apocalypse started with kittens? Not so cute then, are they?

Killbox

Killbox

********** etc
Ann Aguirre
romantic Sci-Fi
353 pages (of great reading)

Cover stuff - The main character, Sirantha (or Jax) is supposed to be covered with fine scars; I think that's what's being depicted on her arms here. I've never really been very crazy about the covers of this series. In fact - the cover is not what first drew me to Grimspace. Jax's hair is described as being coarse and unruly. The background does ring true though. It's looks dire. Jax is holding weapons, and looks ready to fight. I do like the colors on the cover, but on the whole, with the complete series, there's been other covers I like better than this style. But it's the inside of the book that counts more anyway - although, like I stated before I almost didn't buy the very first book because I thought the cover was a little...blah. I am so glad that I did try out this series though. Way back in 2008, Grimspace was a book that I ended up buying because I was at the bookstore and couldn't find ANYTHING else that caught my interest. Turned out to be one of the best book buys I've ever made.

Sometimes you read a book, and after you finish it, you want to re-read the whole series again, just to experience the world, the characters and the stories all over again.

Sometimes there is a series that just gets more intense as it continues, and each book is just as wonderful to read as the last in the series...I have, luckily a few authors that I feel this way about, and there's a couple that I just gush about, (no matter that I'm now 50 and WAY to old to be squeeing and gushing like a fangirl over authors and books...but there you go-can't help it sometimes...)

The Sirantha Jax series is one of those series for me, that just has gotten better and better with each book. I also wanted to jump right back into Grimspace (the first) as soon as I had finished Killbox. In fact, even though I am currently read a wonderful book by Brenna Yovanoff (The Replacement), I have been reading a chapter here and there from Grimspace, and that's just since Tuesday morning. I'm rationalizing this by using it as one of the 2008 books for the 2010 Countdown Challenge that I am epically failing at this year. (huge, epic, grandiose FAIL)

Killbox is the fourth book in the Sirantha Jax series. Sirantha and March continue their fight against the Morgut (you won't know what I'm talking about here, unless you've been reading this series) ....Let me back up.

The Sirantha Jax novels are about the far, far future. They are science fiction with a bit of romance built into the novels. Normally, this would totally put me off a book, but this works here. Sirantha Jax is a woman who was born with a J-Gene, making it easier for her to jump into grimspace, a method of space travel that makes it possible to travel lightyears in very little time. Remember - Science Fiction.

There are many, many species, galaxies and planets. The species mainly dealt with are the Ith iss Orr, Humanoids, and the Morgut. Humanoids, are ..well, humans. The other two are insectoid, though able to fly ships, have cultures and planets....it's all very involved and complicated, although when you read the books, it all falls into place.

Sirantha has weathered quite a few crisis, and has found some very close friends through out the books. Her main companions she's been with since the first book; Vel, Dina, Doc, March... She's become closer to all her friends, and yet in this fourth book she feels as if she's losing friends. Their lives are becoming more and more complicates. In Killbox, things have progressed to March, Sirantha and friends building a fleet of space fighters. The Morgut, a very violent Hungry species are invading the planets and solar systems that are currently being colonized and occupied by humans. Humans are an intoxicating meal to the Morgut. The new regime is trying to find solutions to all the raiding and attacks on outlying planets and colonies. Sirantha and her friends are now a part of the solution, and things are getting more and more complicated and grave.

The narrative and story line in Killbox continues to be a pleasure to read. Ann Aguirre does a wonderful job with the progression and growth of Sirantha's personality. Sirantha has gone through a lot, grown a lot and changed quite a bit. Her companions have also gone through their own changes. The series is written in first person present tense - something that you forget after a short while.

There are wonderful conversations (never lame dialogue!), a bit of relationship angst (not too much though - there's other stuff going on, and it never gets too heavy), some spectacular fighting scenes (both hand to hand and ship to ship), and a few twists and unexpected events.

I only wish that the next book was already out, but like all good things, you have to wait.

If you've been enjoying this series all along, you won't be disappointed in Killbox. If you haven't yet started this series, and enjoy sci-fi, suspense and a bit of romance you'll love this series. In fact, it's listed as Romantic Science Fiction on the website, but don't think it's going to be all "heaving bosoms, and throbbing manhoods". It's definitely NOT one of those books where every few pages the characters are thinking how Hot someone is, and how they want to be....you know where they want to be...Nope, this is a series where a couple of flawed and damaged people happen to get together, fall in love and go through some shit. It should be read from the beginning, though...

1. Grimspace - 2008
2. Wanderlust - 2008
3. Double Blind - 2009
4. Killbox - 2010 (out now)
5. Aftermath - Sept 2011
6. Endgame - Sept 2012

Ann Aguirre also writes under the name of Ava Gray (Skin Game), Ellen Connor, and has two adult series writing as Ann Aguirre (the Jax series, and the Corinne Solomon series) as well as a Young Adult series coming soon (RazorLand, Wireville).

Reading Challenge

2010 Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge