The Devil You Know (Mercenary Librarians, #2) by Kit Rocha – Review

Tags

5 stars, Atlanta, Book Review, Kit Rocha, librarian, Post Apocalyptic, scifi, scifi romance, series, supersoldiers

About The Devil You Know by Kit Rocha

Maya has had a price on her head from the day she escaped the TechCorps. Genetically engineered for genius and trained for revolution, there’s only one thing she can’t do―forget.

Gray has finally broken free of the Protectorate, but he can’t escape the time bomb in his head. His body is rejecting his modifications, and his months are numbered.

When Maya’s team uncovers an operation trading in genetically enhanced children, she’ll do anything to stop them. Even risk falling back into the hands of the TechCorps.

And Gray has found a purpose for his final days: keeping Maya safe.

**********************

Review of The Devil You Know

In The Devil You Know, the Mercenary Librarians continue with their mission in a post-apocalyptic Atlanta.  A mission to make the world a better place for everyone, not just the elite in power.   Working in secret and against a powerful force, they will come up against one of the most powerful villains they can face. 

This story centers on Maya and Gray.  Maya is the one among the gang that does not have any enhanced physical abilities.  But what she does have is an eidetic memory.  Which can be a superpower.   It can also be a source of sensory overload.  Her former job as a data courier put her in a very dangerous and in demand position. 

Gray’s sniper background is not filled in as well as Maya, but he is one of the more interesting characters.  His extremely cool façade and nerves of steel may lead some to think he is sociopathic.  But Maya gets to know him and finds he is a quiet loner and much more.  His impending death due to the failure of his super soldier implant adds an emotional charge to the relationship.

Each chapter begins with a memo, log entry or part of a memoir.  They can be difficult to decipher since subjects are coded and names are left out.  I could do without them.

The ensemble is increased with the addition of outsider rebels who are going to stir things up.  Also, children who have been genetically-manipulated.  It is always hard for me not to adore cute kids, especially those that have had a tough time.

I thought book 2 was even better than the first book.  The first book was mostly action while the second book had a little more focus on character development.  The result is a story equally balanced between exciting missions, compelling characters and passionate romance.  There are also hints at things to come in a series that must be continued.  The Devil You Know can be read as a standalone but is part of a great series.

**********************

Links

Add The Devil You Know to your Goodreads shelf:

Pre-order The Devil You Know:

**********************

You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo – Review

Tags

4 stars, Adventure, AI ship, Book Review, Cat Rambo, scifi

About You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo

TwiceFar station is at the edge of the known universe, and that’s just how Niko Larson, former Admiral in the Grand Military of the Hive Mind, likes it.

Retired and finally free of the continual war of conquest, Niko and the remnants of her former unit are content to spend the rest of their days working at the restaurant they built together, The Last Chance.

But, some wars can’t ever be escaped, and unlike the Hive Mind, some enemies aren’t content to let old soldiers go. Niko and her crew are forced onto a sentient ship convinced that it is being stolen and must survive the machinations of a sadistic pirate king if they even hope to keep the dream of The Last Chance alive.

**********************

Review of You Sexy Thing

I’ve read that his books is ‘Farscape meets The Great British Bake-Off’.  I don’t watch Bake-Off, but before I even read the official book blurb, Farscape often came to mind while I was reading this book. 

There is a live ship, and a diverse crew that includes a plant-based sentient being.  While there are no peacekeepers, there is despicable pirate gang.  The element of prophecy steers the plot away from Farscape and onto its own path.

There is some humor, but the gang seems to be in such trouble all the time that it is hard to laugh.  First, going to a prison planet.  Then, prisoners of a pirate that hates Niko.  The pirates were more violent that I wanted them to be considering that the rest of the story was less intense and flowed a little better. 

The beginning of the book felt a little jumpy to me.  Humor, prophecy, danger, and dining all seemed to be in conflict. It was as if the author was trying to figure out what kind of story this will be.  In it, we meet the members of a former military unit who are now trying to establish themselves as restaurateurs.  I’m sure there is much more to the story, and while you do learn a little of it, the backstory is thin.

The best part of this book is the very diverse cast of characters.  Various non-human species, each with their own charms, bond as members of the crew that just want to create great food and make a name for themselves.  And I always appreciate a sentient ship with an attitude.  You Sexy Thing, is the name of the ship that a) likes having people travelling on it and b) is on its way to becoming one of the restaurant crew.

While there is a complete story, the ending indicates that the story may continue.  More prophecy, bad guys and great meals are indicated.

Thanks to the publisher who provided a copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

**********************

Links

Add You Sexy Thing to your Goodreads shelf:

Purchase You Sexy Thing:

**********************

Truth of the Divine (Noumena, #2) by Lindsay Ellis – Review

Tags

4 stars, aliens, Book Review, conspiracy, first contact, humanity, Lindsay Ellis, scifi

About Truth of the Divine by Lindsay Ellis

The human race is at a crossroads; we know that we are not alone, but details about the alien presence on Earth are still being withheld from the public. As the political climate grows more unstable, the world is forced to consider the ramifications of granting human rights to nonhuman persons. How do you define “person” in the first place?

Cora Sabino not only serves as the full-time communication intermediary between the alien entity Ampersand and his government chaperones but also shares a mysterious bond with him that is both painful and intimate in ways neither of them could have anticipated. Despite this, Ampersand is still keen on keeping secrets, even from Cora, which backfires on them both when investigative journalist Kaveh Mazandarani, a close colleague of Cora’s unscrupulous estranged father, witnesses far more of Ampersand’s machinations than anyone was meant to see.

Since Cora has no choice but to trust Kaveh, the two must work together to prove to a fearful world that intelligent, conscious beings should be considered persons, no matter how horrifying, powerful, or malicious they may seem. Making this case is hard enough when the public doesn’t know what it’s dealing with―and it will only become harder when a mysterious flash illuminates the sky, marking the arrival of an agent of chaos that will light an already-unstable world on fire.

With a voice completely her own and more than a million YouTube subscribers, Lindsay Ellis deepens her realistic exploration of the reality of a planet faced with the presence of extraterrestrial intelligence, probing the essential questions of humanity and decency, and the boundaries of the human mind.

While asking the question of what constitutes a “person,” Ellis also examines what makes a monster.

**********************

Review of Truth of the Divine

I read this book because I liked the first one, Axiom’s End.  It had lots of heart and even ended hopefully.  Truth of the Divine starts with a trigger warning about suicide.  Which was not at all what I was expecting.  For anyone that might want to know, discussion of suicide is in the book but it is not the biggest part of the story.

Truth of the Divine continues the story of first contact with a species that is technologically advanced and also very different from humans.  Physically, emotionally and philosophically different.   First contact issues common in fiction and movies are present in this book. Many fear the aliens.  The military want to control/study them.  Many view the aliens as possible allies.  But there is an overall sense of wariness. 

The biggest question is about how the aliens can fit into human society.  The book takes a deep dive into social politics and never comes up for air.  Equating biases against the aliens to biases against humans that are different from those in power is a common theme.  And a relevant one.

Kaveh is a new character in this book.  He is a Pulitzer prize winning writer who’s Persian family is now firmly ensconced in American society – economically if not socially.  He brings his own experience to the alien question.

Cora, the main human character from Axiom’s End, becomes a stronger character in this book, while having her weaknesses.  Her relationship with the aliens makes her a key person in the political debate. 

The alien characters were not well developed except in their role in upsetting the status quo of the United States and the world.  And I’m not sure we needed to know more about them.  After all, Truth of the Divine is ultimately about the human response to the aliens.

I felt like the entire story was all a setup for Kaveh’s essay that is presented at the end of the book.  The essay, which seems to be a platform for the writer’s views, reiterates the socio-political themes throughout the book.  The essay is a bit much after reading the whole book. 

Set in the context of first alien contact, Truth of the Divine as well as its predecessor, Axiom’s End, gives the reader a fascinating, if sometimes less than flattering, look at humanity.

Thanks to the publisher who provided a copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

**********************

Links

Add Truth of the Divine to your Goodreads shelf:

Purchase Truth of the Divine:

**********************