After a decade of cruising interstellar patrol ships, former Captain Chasidah Bergren, onetime Pride of the Sixth Fleet, finds herself court-martialed for a crime she didn’t commit—and shipped off to a remote prison planet from which no one ever escapes. But when she kills a brutal guard in an act of self-defense, someone even more dangerous emerges from the shadows.
Gabriel Sullivan—alpha mercenary, smuggler, and rogue—is supposed to be dead. Yet now this seductive ghost from Chaz’s past is offering her a ticket to freedom—for a price. Someone in the Empire is secretly breeding jukors: vicious and uncontrollable killing machines that have long been outlawed. Gabriel needs Chaz to help him stop the practice before it decimates imperial space. For Chaz, it’s a matter of survival. For Sully it means facing the truth about who—and what—he really is. The mission means putting their lives on the line—but the tensions that heat up between them may be the riskiest part of all.
Dislikes/likes (finishing on a high note):
Dislike~ I much prefer watching science fiction to reading it. I picked up this book because I’d heard great things about the author and the series, but because of my inclinations it did take me a while to get into. I think this was exacerbated by what seemed to me, after the action-packed first scene, to be a looong lead up to the meat of the story.
Like~ This author has a beautifully tight writing style that was a sheer pleasure to read. The world building was spot on and the characterisation terrific. Just plain goodness all round.
Dislike~ The main premise of the story – ‘breeding killers who are a danger to innocents everywhere’ – is certainly not a new one. However this didn’t bother me so much – I LIKE this storyline *g*. Instead, I found predictable a few of the mini conflicts/resolutions in the later stages of the book. A tad annoying for me because they occurred during the BIG climax.
As for the hero…. what’s not to like. Not only is he saving the world, he’s deeply in love and dedicated to the heroine. *sigh*
So, what I think:
If you like science fiction romance than this author is definitely worth a try.
I’ll be adding the next book in the series, Shades of Dark, to my TBB list.
‘Tasting’ is my version of a mini-review where I talk a (very) little about what I liked and disliked about a book as well as who I think the story will appeal to.
Kris + Books = Good. *Sometimes*. 
Yet another author I haven’t read.Too many books, too little time.:(
Was he really a ghost or just pretending to be dead hence a figurative ghost? I always have a bit of trouble wrapping my head around the real ghost getting together with a living creature.
What, Jen, you can’t read with a book in one hand AND look after your house, hubby and four kids as well as work and keep up a blog for which you do numerous reviews – not to mention whatever else is going on in your life??You disappoint me.
This is such a cool question, Tam!I think the ‘ghost’ thing is more metaphorical, relating to a secret the hero hides from the world.I’ve noticed a few living/ghost r/ships when reading blurbs recently and tend to stay clear of them. Like you, it just seems friggin weird to me. For some reason it always reminds me of that scene from Ghostbusters when Dan Ackroyd’s character is sleeping in bed and dreams that some floating chick comes to seduce him.Here’s a thought – if they are a ghost, does that mean they still ejaculate? If they do, is it green, slimy ectoplasm?? Cos that’s just eeew!
Oh yeah, Dan Acroyd and the ghost. Hmmmm. I don’t think you could get pregnant though, unless they’d be little ghost babies. Green slimy ejaculate? Get some penicillin buddy.
*ponders* I wonder what a human/ghost hybrid would be like?? Would they be scary mutant-like or would they just be extremely pale with super powers??
I stay away from ghost heroes/heroines too. There was that Kresley Cole book that everyone raved on about but I haven’t read ‘cos I didn’t like the fact that the heroine was a ghost.And don’t get me started about Jane…
Jenre: In the Kresley Cole book (at the risk of giving a spoiler) she does find a way to have a real body so they can “do it”. I enjoyed the book. There was no “ghost sex” but it as a bit odd to start.
Jen: JANE! I’m so with you. Forever known as ‘that ghost chick who kept V and Butch apart’ – you know, besides the whole cop out thing.Tam: So she possessed someone else’s body?? Or did she find a way to make her own form… less cerebal?? Cos the first concept would be a little odd. I once read a Kay Hooper which had this as a basis and it totally freaked me out; the idea of someone taking over your body, etc, etc. Ick!
I read one of her books last year for the first time and really enjoyed it. I’m just not a huge fan of sci-fi romance.
I hear ya, Tracy. I enjoyed it and will prob’ly read the rest of the series, but it’s not a ‘must-go-get-now-cos-won’t-survive-without’ because it’s sci fi.