C. J. Barry

Cidra escaped the murder of her whole family, who were wrongfully blamed for a major atrocity. When her mentor and savior dies 10 years later he leaves her and the task of clearing the family name to his protege, Grey Stone. Grey is a galactic treasure hunter who at first feels tricked into helping her. Soon though the mystery and Cidra draw him in. On the surface this is an adventure and romance in space, but I had a couple of issues that kept it average. Cidra has been hidden for 10 years, but when her mentor dies and the bad guy finds out that he left a “niece” named Cidra, he remembers a daughter named that in the massacred family. He's been watching this mentor for 10 years and never heard of the niece or her name in all that time? The bad guy's second in command who begins questioning the actions of his boss and seems to have an honorable hidden soul took over 10 years of seeing bleak living conditions for the people of the nation without showing any conscience until a discrepancy in a computer file makes him question things? I just found a lot of unexplained motivation propelling this plot. It could have been a lot better.… (more)

Okay finished this one for the SFR challenge. It was okay. The sci fi element, while definitely there was not really intense enough for me. Some element of gritty realism was lacking for me. I realize that many who like sci fi romance are not as into hard sci fi as I am so there may be plenty of sci fi for them.

I also had a personal problem with the story in that it was about saving slaves. I wasn't real interested and I realize that slavery exists today so the topic is timely. I just needed more of an escapist story right now since I currently have so much stress in my life. I kept thinking, I don't want to have to think about bad stuff. Another time it may not have bothered me.

About the story itself. It was competently written, no big holes in the plot. I could have used a little more background on the characters, the hero especially. The whole thing came together nicely. There was actual thinking and deciding to be done by the characters. I did like Nod, the little light ball computer. He was cute without trying to be cute. Which shows good writing. Also while he helped the characters out, he was not all knowing or all powerful. He could do the things he could do but that was it.

The supporting characters were very well written. They all had solid motivations and were whole in themselves not cardboard cutouts. The character that gave me the most problem was the villain. His motivation was weak and his power too powerful without sufficient explanation of how he managed to know so much about the hero. He was the most cardboard cutout character.

All in all this was good enough for me to try another of this author's books.… (more)

I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but I know I did not get anything from it. It took me ages to read which is a rarity for me these days. Most books I finish within 3 days of starting, but man did Redemption never take my full attention or envelope me in the safety of a new world.

I was bored for most of the book. Bits and pieces were interesting, but those parts seemed fleeting at best. I'm honestly just disappointed this book. I really wanted to like Reya and Thane, but for the most part it all felt forced to me.

I desperately wish I had enjoyed this book more, but I can barley gather a good thought about it. I felt relieved when I'd finished it. I can't say the last time I felt that with a book.… (more)