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Sirantha Jax #1
Grimspace
As the carrier of a rare gene, Sirantha Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace-a talent which makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. Then a crash landing kills everyone on board, leaving Jax in a jail cell with no memory of the crash. But her fun's not over. A group of rogue fighters frees her...for a price: her help in overthrowing the established order.
312 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 26, 2008
295 people are currently reading
15.2k people want to read
About the author
Ann Aguirre
81books7,002followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ann Aguirre has been a clown, a clerk, a savior of stray kittens, and a voice actress, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in Mexico with her family. She writes all kinds of genre fiction, but she has an eternal soft spot for a happily ever after.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,667 reviews
May 23, 2012
I've always said that I'm a honest reviewer, so to continue being truthful it has to be said that this review is late due to me being stranded in London overnight, after spending the day getting ever so slightly drunk and then going to see The Avengers in 3D. So yeah, now we've got that out of the way, I can't see any reasons not to like . Apparently, some people found it difficult to connect with the characters, but I had no such problem. I would liken the love/hate relationships - filled with sarcasm and humour - between the crew to that of other group relationships in sci-fi. It reminded me a touch of Firefly, and even more so of Torchwood.
Sirantha Jax has all the typical elements I look for in a good heroine - she's strong, snarky, ass-kicking, she's not immune to the local hottie but she can keep her head and focus on the more important things when it matters... but at the same time Jax is different as well. She's thirty-three for a start, a fair bit older than your typical heroine, and I like the idea that women don't have to be fresh out of high school to kick ass and be awesome. More of this, please. And the author's choice to mix typical urban fantasy with science fiction works really well. Urban fantasy is a genre that constantly produces more and more of the same thing, some people will come back to it time after time because of this reason - but I prefer something a little unique, and unique is hard to come by.
I remember of and how she said that there's no point reading the synopsis of urban fantasy books anymore because they are practically all the same. is one of those rare books that does offer something different. The setting, for one thing, and the use of a team for another. I normally find the latter to be the big difference between sci-fi/fantasy in books and on tv. The majority of tv shows have a team of main characters who work together to solve the paranormal mysteries, Buffy and Angel did, Firefly and Roswell did, Torchwood, Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle... in urban fantasy books there's usually only a heroine and the occasional appearance of mr sexy.
I used to think this was because they used 1st person narrative, but Ms Aguirre has disproved that theory and successfully written a novel from Jax's POV, but with a well-developed team dynamic. I've been re-watching Torchwood recently and I couldn't help comparing Jax to Gwen Cooper - the group newbie who is at first reluctantly accepted but eventually develops a closeness with the group (still punctuated by sarcasm and jovial insults, of course). Being inside Jax's head is hilarious, she has a perfectly-timed mental comment for every situation and I found myself laughing aloud many times. I really liked this, and I really liked March.
I commented early on about the way March was introduced to the reader, the way he is described by his actions and behaviour instead of his looks. We are never told that March is beautiful or perfect or sparkly, he is enigmatic and interesting and that's a million times hotter than just being hot. However, we are told that he has a cute butt... I don't know about you, but I say YAY!!! There's some smut too, as if you needed another reason to read this.
Okay, I can't promise anyone that they'll love this, if you're not a hardcore urban fantasy lover then you're probably picky like me and a lot will depend on how well you connect with the characters. All I can say is that I found it extremely enjoyable and I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
July 28, 2017
One occasionally hears the words "space opera" tossed around the science fiction world and it is certainly been applied here. While I'm not entirely sure of my grasp of genre characteristics, it occurs to me that Grimspace is actually soap opera.
Grimspace is full of Very Serious Angst. It begins with the main character, Sirantha Jax in prison. Her unusual genetics allow her to 'jump' a ship through space and there was a disaster where she and her partner were piloting a ship that crashed and dozens of people died. Because of amnesia surrounding the event, she's been agonizing for weeks, wondering if she's falling prey to the jumpers' end-of-life mental illness. One day a new visitor arrives in her cell, a haughty and aristocratic man. They meditate, discuss, and he offers her a choice: escape to freedom or die in the Corporation prison. It is obvious to everyone but Jax that the Corp is setting her up, but she's too busy guilt-tripping herself to see it. Still, she's ornery and ragey so March is able to goad her into coming along. Of course, March is the pilot of the escape ship, which will mean he and Jax have to connect quite intimately--in their minds. March brings her to a planet where some frontier-type rebels are looking to find and train jumpers before the Corp does and so break their hold on interstellar transport. It'll lead them to a muddy planet, a space station and eventually back to Earth.
It isn't a bad book by any means and I was motivated to try it by friends' positive reviews. I enjoyed it for a while, although I felt like there was excessive self-pity (Jax) and arrogance (March) standing in for characterization and a general tendency to have climactic events every few pages (gun fights! chases! car wrecks! aliens that want to eat them! stranding! the end of a dynasty!) More importantly, it ended up unable to strike a narrative tone that was consistent with theme or action. Sarcastic distancing? Check. Emotional melodrama? Check. Noble self sacrifice? Check. Horror? Check. Apathy? Check. Lust? Yep. It attempts to be simultaneously flippant and angry, and then throws in emotional moments in intimacy and shocking plot revelations. I felt like everything should be In Capital Letters Because it Means Something Important. Surprisingly, there's a fair amount of death, which doesn't seem to play fair with the reader when one is writing pulp. The plot revelations are not really anything unexpected--to everyone but Jax-and so it ends up seeming trite.
It's hard to put my finger on exactly why the writing doesn't work for me. Perhaps because Aguirre takes aim at a moral of Individuals Versus Big Corporations as a theme and it seems so... ordinary. Perhaps its because the relationship between Jax and March was evident from within about two hours of their meeting each other (book-time, certainly not my reading time), although it had to be concealed in the adolescent style banter of "I don't want to." "You have to." "Make me." "Just do it." "No, you make me." coupled with the supposed intimacy of 'glimpsing' each other's 'secret' thoughts.
I was mildly intrigued for awhile with the thought that Jax may be on her way to burning out mentally and becoming a paranoid misanthrope. I don't normally do maudlin, but it could have gone there--Jax is clearly addicted to the process of 'jumping,' of losing herself in the Universe of the experience, and that might have been an intriguing path. Except it turns out that she has Snowflake powers, so she won't.
Honestly, about the time they are on the Macho Man's space station and Jax I was done. I basically skimmed most of the rest, and found subsequent plot points seeming even sillier. There's a horrible Predator-type alien that Comes To Know and Admire Jax, and if I hadn't rolled my eyes earlier, I did then. What it boils down to for me is that like a fifteen-year-old, it takes itself Very Very Seriously with lots of Big Meaning. It compounds emotional drama with physical drama and never explores either particularly well.
Like Jubilation Lee's review points out, it does have some similarity with Firefly, but without the compassion or charm. And that makes all the difference.
***Two And A HALF STARS!**
May 30, 2020
⚠️ Warning: I know most of you already have the popcorn handy but now would be a good time to grab a drink as well. And clear your schedule. This should take a while.
Actual rating:4.5 stars. Oh, who am I kidding?! Let's try this again shall we?
Actual rating: 5.5 stars. Now that's more like it!
First, let's get something out of the way real quick:
There. That should take care of most of the problem. Then again maybe not. Oh well. Are you ready? Let's do this.
💣 Irritating list of the Potentially Irritating Things I should have found Irritating but didn't find Irritating at all 💣
💀 Potentially Irritating fact #1: first person/present tense narrative.
Oh dear. Can't stand them. One of the last times I read one of those? Red Rising. As some of you might remember, this didn't go particularly well. I rest my case.
💀 Potentially Irritating fact #2: space setting.
Meh. I don't like space. I don't like galaxies. I don't like distant planets. I don't like moons. I don't like suns. I don't like aliens. I don't like scapeships. And I don't give a damn about the fate of the universe. You get the idea: space things are not me.
💀 Potentially EXTREMELY Irritating fact #3:luurrve insta-luurrve.
😱😱 {insert collective scream here} 😱😱
Yes. This. Let's see. Jax & March. First we have insta-hate. And we all know what usually ensues right? Right. So this is the part where I go: "Mother Mary of Anabolic Grace! Brace yourself you cold-hearted cynic, one insta-luurrve-induced sugar-shock coming right up!" So I shudder and wait for it to happen. But it doesn't. So I wait some more. Still nothing. Houston we have a problem. Oh wait. No we don't. It's all perfectly normal. It's not really insta-luurrve you see. It's pairing [Now if you expect me to explain what pairing is, think again. You'll just have to read the book to figure it out. Because YES you are going to read this book. Whether you want to or not. Because I said so. It's not like you have a choice or anything. Whoever said this was a democracy?.]
Oops, sorry about that. Where was I? Oh yes. It's not really insta-luurrve. It's pairing. BIG DIFFERENCE. Oh will you stop snickering back there. Pairing is a perfectly acceptable, scientifically proven fact. Nothing to do with that silly lovey-dovey stuff. No wonder the sugar shock never came. What? Snickering again? I don't believe this. Okay I get it. The ugly truth, that's what you want don't you? Fine. I don't think you can handle it but here goes:
YES THERE IS INSTA-LUURRVE IN THIS BOOK AND YES I LUUURVES IT ANYWAY.
OMG. Someone please call 911, I think half of my friends are hyperventilating. Come on people, breathe. You can do this. Breathing in. Breathing out. Breathing in. Breathing out. There. Feel better? Good. You scared me for a second there you know.
Still with me? Wow, I'm impressed. But I'm not finished yet. Sorry.
💕 Awesome list of the Potentially Awesome Things I should have found Awesome and did actually find Absolutely Awesome 💕
� Potentially Awesome fact #1: Awesome writing.
Okay so this should have been one of the potentially irritating facts I should have found irritating but didn't. But I'm cheating here. My review, my kingdom. I can do anything I like {this is me virtually sticking my tongue out at you}. Anyway, the writing: it seems a bit clunky and chaotic at first. The story is told from Jax' POV, with lots of short paragraphs *and* short sentences. But wait, it gets worse! Not only do we have Jax' inner dialogues here, we also have her italicized asides. Yeah I hear you, recipe for disaster and all that. Ha! You can be so naive sometimes! The writing here?It's fantastic FANTASTIC. It sucks you right into the story. Read one chapter and you're doomed. And let's not forget the twists. And the turns. And the revelations. SHOCK! DISMAY! EXCITEMENT!
� Potentially Awesome fact #2: the Awesome cast of Awesome secondary characters.
Bitch-this, bitch-that Dina, deadpan humour Doc, Loras and his attentive-slave impression, Baby Z!!!!!!!!, yummy yummy Hon, 245 the non-pedantic little fuck/AI, Velith the bounty hunter with the poisonous body chemistry� I even love the freaking aliens here! The Teras! The Morguts (hahaha the Morguts)! All of them! So awesome even grumpy cats want to go to outer space!
� Potentially Awesome fact #3: the Awesome humour.
Mother Mary of Anabolic Grace. I have a confession to make. I have more highlights for this book than for any of the Edge instalments I just read. More highlights than an IA book! I feel like an unfaithful wife who just cheated on her husband of 20 years *gasps* But the fact remains. This book has some of the funniest lines ever. Jax' inner dialogue & asides. The banter. Chapter 23 with Baby Z... It never stops. So much awesome. So much funny. Now you probably expect me to unleash some of my favourite quotes on you. Not going to happen. I assume you have a life, a family, things to do, places to be. I wouldn't want to keep you away from all that. You've been here long enough as it is. Please don't thank me. I'm thoughtful like that.
� Potentially Awesome fact #4: March *sighs*
Introducing book boyfriend #2458. He might be the latest addition to my harem but he just made it to the top10 5 list. Bam! I'm in love. Just like that. And before any of you ladies start getting weird ideas into your little heads, let me tell you something: he is mine. YES, HIM TOO. I've already jazzed up his DNA with a GPS tracker. Don't try to steal him from me. I'll know where he is at all times. But I digress. March. He might not be an aggravating asshole BUT: the infamous glare, the saturnine smile, the silent conversations. He's obnoxious, he's obstreperous and he's a reformed homicidal maniac. Hold on. I think I'm forgetting something *headslap* THE THETA WAVES. Oh my.
Oh wait. He's got THETA WAVES you silly. Anything physical is so overrated. No hands! No hands! Muahahahahaha.
� Potentially Awesome fact #5: Jax
Introducing KD's cousin from outer space. Oh yes, the girl is *that* cool. She's snarky. She's tough. She kicks butt. She's stubborn. She's got paranoid delusions. She's bad juju. She's a nutcase. She's dreadfully honest. She doesn't give shit about the greater good. She's a survivor. She's a rocket in bed. She's a model captive. She's suicidal. She's got peegasms. She never lets go. She's got the J-gene. She puts the weakness away. Sometimes. And there's a 5-year-old inside of her who wants to kick shins. Now that's my kind of girl.
Sorry, just felt like dancing around like a maniac in celebration of so much Awesomeness.
Oh dear. I haven't said a thing about the story have I? Oh well. Here's a crash summary for you:
� This book is cool.
� This book is awesome.
� You need this book in your life.
Oh I know exactly what you're thinking at this point. Sarah LOVED this so I'll probably hate it. Because ☍☍ twisted Sarah logic☍☍ and all that. Ha! You fools. Every single one of the MacHalo Freaks who read Grimspace LOVED it too. Just ask them, you'll see. Now I'll let that sink in for a while.
· Book 2: Wanderlust ★★★★�
· Book 3: Doubleblind ★★★★�
· Book 4:Killbox ★★★★�
· Book 5: Aftermath �
· Book 6: Endgame � (DNF at 20%)
Actual rating:
Actual rating: 5.5 stars. Now that's more like it!
First, let's get something out of the way real quick:
There. That should take care of most of the problem. Then again maybe not. Oh well. Are you ready? Let's do this.
💣 Irritating list of the Potentially Irritating Things I should have found Irritating but didn't find Irritating at all 💣
💀 Potentially Irritating fact #1: first person/present tense narrative.
Oh dear. Can't stand them. One of the last times I read one of those? Red Rising. As some of you might remember, this didn't go particularly well. I rest my case.
💀 Potentially Irritating fact #2: space setting.
Meh. I don't like space. I don't like galaxies. I don't like distant planets. I don't like moons. I don't like suns. I don't like aliens. I don't like scapeships. And I don't give a damn about the fate of the universe. You get the idea: space things are not me.
💀 Potentially EXTREMELY Irritating fact #3:
😱😱 {insert collective scream here} 😱😱
Yes. This. Let's see. Jax & March. First we have insta-hate. And we all know what usually ensues right? Right. So this is the part where I go: "Mother Mary of Anabolic Grace! Brace yourself you cold-hearted cynic, one insta-luurrve-induced sugar-shock coming right up!" So I shudder and wait for it to happen. But it doesn't. So I wait some more. Still nothing. Houston we have a problem. Oh wait. No we don't. It's all perfectly normal. It's not really insta-luurrve you see. It's pairing [Now if you expect me to explain what pairing is, think again. You'll just have to read the book to figure it out. Because YES you are going to read this book. Whether you want to or not. Because I said so. It's not like you have a choice or anything. Whoever said this was a democracy?.]
Oops, sorry about that. Where was I? Oh yes. It's not really insta-luurrve. It's pairing. BIG DIFFERENCE. Oh will you stop snickering back there. Pairing is a perfectly acceptable, scientifically proven fact. Nothing to do with that silly lovey-dovey stuff. No wonder the sugar shock never came. What? Snickering again? I don't believe this. Okay I get it. The ugly truth, that's what you want don't you? Fine. I don't think you can handle it but here goes:
YES THERE IS INSTA-LUURRVE IN THIS BOOK AND YES I LUUURVES IT ANYWAY.
OMG. Someone please call 911, I think half of my friends are hyperventilating. Come on people, breathe. You can do this. Breathing in. Breathing out. Breathing in. Breathing out. There. Feel better? Good. You scared me for a second there you know.
Still with me? Wow, I'm impressed. But I'm not finished yet. Sorry.
💕 Awesome list of the Potentially Awesome Things I should have found Awesome and did actually find Absolutely Awesome 💕
� Potentially Awesome fact #1: Awesome writing.
Okay so this should have been one of the potentially irritating facts I should have found irritating but didn't. But I'm cheating here. My review, my kingdom. I can do anything I like {this is me virtually sticking my tongue out at you}. Anyway, the writing: it seems a bit clunky and chaotic at first. The story is told from Jax' POV, with lots of short paragraphs *and* short sentences. But wait, it gets worse! Not only do we have Jax' inner dialogues here, we also have her italicized asides. Yeah I hear you, recipe for disaster and all that. Ha! You can be so naive sometimes! The writing here?
� Potentially Awesome fact #2: the Awesome cast of Awesome secondary characters.
Bitch-this, bitch-that Dina, deadpan humour Doc, Loras and his attentive-slave impression, Baby Z!!!!!!!!, yummy yummy Hon, 245 the non-pedantic little fuck/AI, Velith the bounty hunter with the poisonous body chemistry� I even love the freaking aliens here! The Teras! The Morguts (hahaha the Morguts)! All of them! So awesome even grumpy cats want to go to outer space!
� Potentially Awesome fact #3: the Awesome humour.
Mother Mary of Anabolic Grace. I have a confession to make. I have more highlights for this book than for any of the Edge instalments I just read. More highlights than an IA book! I feel like an unfaithful wife who just cheated on her husband of 20 years *gasps* But the fact remains. This book has some of the funniest lines ever. Jax' inner dialogue & asides. The banter. Chapter 23 with Baby Z... It never stops. So much awesome. So much funny. Now you probably expect me to unleash some of my favourite quotes on you. Not going to happen. I assume you have a life, a family, things to do, places to be. I wouldn't want to keep you away from all that. You've been here long enough as it is. Please don't thank me. I'm thoughtful like that.
� Potentially Awesome fact #4: March *sighs*
Introducing book boyfriend #2458. He might be the latest addition to my harem but he just made it to the top
Oh wait. He's got THETA WAVES you silly. Anything physical is so overrated. No hands! No hands! Muahahahahaha.
� Potentially Awesome fact #5: Jax
Introducing KD's cousin from outer space. Oh yes, the girl is *that* cool. She's snarky. She's tough. She kicks butt. She's stubborn. She's got paranoid delusions. She's bad juju. She's a nutcase. She's dreadfully honest. She doesn't give shit about the greater good. She's a survivor. She's a rocket in bed. She's a model captive. She's suicidal. She's got peegasms. She never lets go. She's got the J-gene. She puts the weakness away. Sometimes. And there's a 5-year-old inside of her who wants to kick shins. Now that's my kind of girl.
Sorry, just felt like dancing around like a maniac in celebration of so much Awesomeness.
Oh dear. I haven't said a thing about the story have I? Oh well. Here's a crash summary for you:
� This book is cool.
� This book is awesome.
� You need this book in your life.
Oh I know exactly what you're thinking at this point. Sarah LOVED this so I'll probably hate it. Because ☍☍ twisted Sarah logic☍☍ and all that. Ha! You fools. Every single one of the MacHalo Freaks who read Grimspace LOVED it too. Just ask them, you'll see. Now I'll let that sink in for a while.
· Book 2: Wanderlust ★★★★�
· Book 3: Doubleblind ★★★★�
· Book 4:Killbox ★★★★�
· Book 5: Aftermath �
· Book 6: Endgame � (DNF at 20%)
March 24, 2021
3.5 stars
The beginning and the first half of the book felt very anti climatic. I mean, sure, I was a little interested in seeing what was going to happen to her post escape (which was right at the start of the book) but it was more of a �hmm, let’s see where this goes� rather than �can’t wait to follow this storyline and I’m so excited to read every word�.
I tried hard to gather the smallest amount of interest but I found myself constantly checking the page count. Until about 60% into the book where it picked up a bit but even that was not enough to make me excited to read it. It was one of those weird books which is not bad enough to DNF but also not good enough to be exciting.
I Dz’t think this is a badly written story. And the characters would probably be interesting - to someone else- the world building was unique. Although, I have to mention- maybe it was just me but at times some characters would use these “smart� words in normal conversation or internal musing and it just felt off. There’s also a lot of the technical sci-fi stuff explained in here and not all of it was interesting enough for me to follow or to bother to understand really.
Also, I just couldn’t connect with the characters at all. And I’m sure that’s more of a me issue than a book issue, but I tried really, really hard to gather up the least bit of .. - any kind of feeling - towards anyone.. but I was absolutely empty of any kind of reaction or emotion when it came to any of them. Usually it’s either like, dislike or the in -between. Here it was a void.
There were points in the story where I did want to know how a certain “mystery� would play out or find out what next, but mostly I just wanted to get on with it so I can start a new book.
Needless to say I will not continue on with the series. But I do have to say, that I Dz’t think the book/story/characters were bad. They just weren’t for me.
The beginning and the first half of the book felt very anti climatic. I mean, sure, I was a little interested in seeing what was going to happen to her post escape (which was right at the start of the book) but it was more of a �hmm, let’s see where this goes� rather than �can’t wait to follow this storyline and I’m so excited to read every word�.
I tried hard to gather the smallest amount of interest but I found myself constantly checking the page count. Until about 60% into the book where it picked up a bit but even that was not enough to make me excited to read it. It was one of those weird books which is not bad enough to DNF but also not good enough to be exciting.
I Dz’t think this is a badly written story. And the characters would probably be interesting - to someone else- the world building was unique. Although, I have to mention- maybe it was just me but at times some characters would use these “smart� words in normal conversation or internal musing and it just felt off. There’s also a lot of the technical sci-fi stuff explained in here and not all of it was interesting enough for me to follow or to bother to understand really.
Also, I just couldn’t connect with the characters at all. And I’m sure that’s more of a me issue than a book issue, but I tried really, really hard to gather up the least bit of .. - any kind of feeling - towards anyone.. but I was absolutely empty of any kind of reaction or emotion when it came to any of them. Usually it’s either like, dislike or the in -between. Here it was a void.
There were points in the story where I did want to know how a certain “mystery� would play out or find out what next, but mostly I just wanted to get on with it so I can start a new book.
Needless to say I will not continue on with the series. But I do have to say, that I Dz’t think the book/story/characters were bad. They just weren’t for me.
June 25, 2013
2.5 stars.
Sirantha is "kick-ass?" Really? I have bunny slippers that are more fearsome.
Ahem, the review...
Sirantha Jax is a navigator, a human with a particular genome that gives her the ability to navigate the space in-between-space known as grimspace. Typically, the lifespan of navigators is short, since all that time in the nether reaches of space turns a person's mind to moosh. But Sirantha, now in her thirties, is a veritable ancient in her profession.
The novel begins with Sirantha in a holding cell following the fatal crash of the spaceship that she and her partner/lover Kai were piloting. She can't remember anything about the crash except that everyone else, including Kai, is now dead. Her employers, the Farwan Corporation, have been providing her counseling, which bears the suspicious taint of interrogation with intent to pin responsibility for the crash on her. Oh, and drive her bonkers. (Though, it seems it will be a short drive.)
Then out of the blue, a stranger arrives in her cell. Enter the hero, March, a pilot and a player in a kind of rebellion against the evil Farwan Corporation. Farwan controls grimspace by being the sole purveyor of navigators like Sirantha. March and his cohorts plan to change that, but first they need a navigator, and soon-to-be disgraced Sirantha Jax fits the bill.
March helps Sirantha escape custody and space hijinks ensue.
Some reviews draw a comparison, for better or worse, to Firefly/Serenity.
This Browncoat says, "No." March is no Captain Mal, and Sirantha isn't any of the plucky and wonderful ladies of Firefly. (Hell, I like Mal's crazy, not-wife, Saffron, a damn side more than Sirantha.)
As I read the positive reviews of Grimspace, I came to a conclusion. The brains of both the author and fans of this book work in ways that are alien to mine. I don't mean that as a put-down. But rather, I felt like the story was talking at me, rather than to me.
Por ejemplo...There's a bit of inner dialogue, in the first or second chapter, where Sirantha looks at March and thinks that she "can't remember a time when she didn't hate him."
And I'm like, "Whuh-huh? Lady, you've only known him, what? Twenty-four hours? A bit premature for such a big, melodramatic statement."
Then there's the way the March's crew treats Sirantha. Keep in mind that while they "rescued" her from the Corp's custody, it wasn't out of altruism, but because they need her for their big plan to free up grimspace. The instant Sirantha sets foot on the ship, nearly everyone is nasty to her. No one, with the possible exception of March (we learn his reason later, although it feels like an afterthought), has any reason to be such a shithead.
On their first stop, a frontier town, everyone there is also nasty to her. Even though, wait for it...they need her. As they travel across the landscape to some outpost, everyone is clearly afraid of something, but no one will take the ten seconds required to explain to Sirantha that the planet is infested with the ravenous flying things from the movie Pitch Black. So when a tussle between rival frontier gangs breaks out, Sirantha defends herself and wounds her attacker, which summons the hungry, flying raptor things. And everyone is mad at Sirantha, blaming her for the attack.
Even though NO ONE FUCKING TOLD HER THAT THERE WERE BLOOD-SEEKING MONSTERS ON THE PLANET! I don't know about you, folks, but when someone gets up in my face, there's a chance blood will exit new holes in my attacker's body. So unless told otherwise, if my life's in danger, extreme violence will happen.
Okay, so it gets worse. Rather than telling everyone to go fuck themselves with something rusty and sharp, Sirantha agrees, because, yes, Everything Is Her Fault. Everything. For the next couple hundred pages. If there were bugs in grimspace, she'd have blamed herself for their demise on the spaceship's windshield. "If only I hadn't put us in grimspace, the cute little space bees would still be alive."
*Head desk.* It's Martyr In Space!
The love story is equally disappointing. First because March is taken straight from the pages of paranormal romance. He's big, strong, and emotionally stunted. And an asshole. But not in a witty, heart-of-gold way like Captain Malcolm Reynolds. No, he's just a big blob of mind-reading angry.
Did I mention he can read Sirantha's thoughts? Yeah, that's so not sexy. I've been married long enough to know that while honesty is essential in a relationship, there are things that are best left unsaid in each partner's mind. My husband is my hero, but I don't want in his mind and I definitely don't want him in mine.
Sirantha and March's love is essentially "fated" (a trope that rarely works), because the bond forged between navigators and pilots in grimspace is so tight that it almost always leads to sexing.
So fated love plus boring, unsexy hero and martyred heroine.
The plot? Maybe my eyesight is getting crappy with age, but I couldn't find it. Sirantha and company set off to find recruits for their navigator school (technically abduct entire communities, which seems just as bad as what the Corps does, but who needs internal logic?). They stop at the frontier town so Sirantha can be bullied and get her ass kicked by a younger woman. Next they go to a planet where they accidentally hatch a cute lizard alien baby. Spoilers ahead...
...
...
...
...cute alien baby who meets a sad end, but no one really cares, including Sirantha. There's some sexy times in a pirate's hideout, then Sirantha jumps ship and works in child care (seriously) on another planet, before being guilt-tripped into returning to the crew. Then she's kidnapped by a tall, skinny, insectoid bounty hunter, who decides she's innocent of her crimes and helps her expose the evils of the Farwan Corporation. Tah-dah, the end.
Grimspace, for all its faults, is an easy read, so three stars rather than two (kind of like a pity fuck, I guess).
Sirantha is "kick-ass?" Really? I have bunny slippers that are more fearsome.
Ahem, the review...
Sirantha Jax is a navigator, a human with a particular genome that gives her the ability to navigate the space in-between-space known as grimspace. Typically, the lifespan of navigators is short, since all that time in the nether reaches of space turns a person's mind to moosh. But Sirantha, now in her thirties, is a veritable ancient in her profession.
The novel begins with Sirantha in a holding cell following the fatal crash of the spaceship that she and her partner/lover Kai were piloting. She can't remember anything about the crash except that everyone else, including Kai, is now dead. Her employers, the Farwan Corporation, have been providing her counseling, which bears the suspicious taint of interrogation with intent to pin responsibility for the crash on her. Oh, and drive her bonkers. (Though, it seems it will be a short drive.)
Then out of the blue, a stranger arrives in her cell. Enter the hero, March, a pilot and a player in a kind of rebellion against the evil Farwan Corporation. Farwan controls grimspace by being the sole purveyor of navigators like Sirantha. March and his cohorts plan to change that, but first they need a navigator, and soon-to-be disgraced Sirantha Jax fits the bill.
March helps Sirantha escape custody and space hijinks ensue.
Some reviews draw a comparison, for better or worse, to Firefly/Serenity.
This Browncoat says, "No." March is no Captain Mal, and Sirantha isn't any of the plucky and wonderful ladies of Firefly. (Hell, I like Mal's crazy, not-wife, Saffron, a damn side more than Sirantha.)
As I read the positive reviews of Grimspace, I came to a conclusion. The brains of both the author and fans of this book work in ways that are alien to mine. I don't mean that as a put-down. But rather, I felt like the story was talking at me, rather than to me.
Por ejemplo...There's a bit of inner dialogue, in the first or second chapter, where Sirantha looks at March and thinks that she "can't remember a time when she didn't hate him."
And I'm like, "Whuh-huh? Lady, you've only known him, what? Twenty-four hours? A bit premature for such a big, melodramatic statement."
Then there's the way the March's crew treats Sirantha. Keep in mind that while they "rescued" her from the Corp's custody, it wasn't out of altruism, but because they need her for their big plan to free up grimspace. The instant Sirantha sets foot on the ship, nearly everyone is nasty to her. No one, with the possible exception of March (we learn his reason later, although it feels like an afterthought), has any reason to be such a shithead.
On their first stop, a frontier town, everyone there is also nasty to her. Even though, wait for it...they need her. As they travel across the landscape to some outpost, everyone is clearly afraid of something, but no one will take the ten seconds required to explain to Sirantha that the planet is infested with the ravenous flying things from the movie Pitch Black. So when a tussle between rival frontier gangs breaks out, Sirantha defends herself and wounds her attacker, which summons the hungry, flying raptor things. And everyone is mad at Sirantha, blaming her for the attack.
Even though NO ONE FUCKING TOLD HER THAT THERE WERE BLOOD-SEEKING MONSTERS ON THE PLANET! I don't know about you, folks, but when someone gets up in my face, there's a chance blood will exit new holes in my attacker's body. So unless told otherwise, if my life's in danger, extreme violence will happen.
Okay, so it gets worse. Rather than telling everyone to go fuck themselves with something rusty and sharp, Sirantha agrees, because, yes, Everything Is Her Fault. Everything. For the next couple hundred pages. If there were bugs in grimspace, she'd have blamed herself for their demise on the spaceship's windshield. "If only I hadn't put us in grimspace, the cute little space bees would still be alive."
*Head desk.* It's Martyr In Space!
The love story is equally disappointing. First because March is taken straight from the pages of paranormal romance. He's big, strong, and emotionally stunted. And an asshole. But not in a witty, heart-of-gold way like Captain Malcolm Reynolds. No, he's just a big blob of mind-reading angry.
Did I mention he can read Sirantha's thoughts? Yeah, that's so not sexy. I've been married long enough to know that while honesty is essential in a relationship, there are things that are best left unsaid in each partner's mind. My husband is my hero, but I don't want in his mind and I definitely don't want him in mine.
Sirantha and March's love is essentially "fated" (a trope that rarely works), because the bond forged between navigators and pilots in grimspace is so tight that it almost always leads to sexing.
So fated love plus boring, unsexy hero and martyred heroine.
The plot? Maybe my eyesight is getting crappy with age, but I couldn't find it. Sirantha and company set off to find recruits for their navigator school (technically abduct entire communities, which seems just as bad as what the Corps does, but who needs internal logic?). They stop at the frontier town so Sirantha can be bullied and get her ass kicked by a younger woman. Next they go to a planet where they accidentally hatch a cute lizard alien baby. Spoilers ahead...
...
...
...
...cute alien baby who meets a sad end, but no one really cares, including Sirantha. There's some sexy times in a pirate's hideout, then Sirantha jumps ship and works in child care (seriously) on another planet, before being guilt-tripped into returning to the crew. Then she's kidnapped by a tall, skinny, insectoid bounty hunter, who decides she's innocent of her crimes and helps her expose the evils of the Farwan Corporation. Tah-dah, the end.
Grimspace, for all its faults, is an easy read, so three stars rather than two (kind of like a pity fuck, I guess).
January 18, 2019
Grimspace is what this novel calls the hyperspace dimension used for FTL (faster than light) travel between star systems. Ominous, no? Certain humans, like our main character, Sirantha Jax, carry a gene that enables them to guide space ships through grimspace. But Sirantha has been involved in a tragic and mysterious crash that killed everyone aboard her ship except her, and now she's in custody and being blamed for the crash, and is undergoing psychological torture treatment. When a tough-looking stranger shows up and offers to break her out if she helps his cause, Jax decides she has nothing to lose. And so begin her wild adventures across space with an unusual set of crew mates.
This is a fun science fiction space opera type of story, but truthfully? What it felt like was an urban fantasy, even though there's no magical fantasy element and very little urban about it. But there's a smart-mouthed kickass heroine, lots of humor and sarcasm, non-stop action and adventure, and a strong romantic component to the story. Which isn't a bad thing, if that's the kind of book you're looking for. I liked the older main characters who are both damaged in their different ways, but good people at their core. Bonus points for being the first book in a series, but not having any cliffhangers at the end.
It was an exciting roller coaster ride and I had a lot of fun reading it. This one goes in the "not deep but fun" category. Even though it's written in first person present tense, which is a narrative style that always annoys me, the plot was gripping enough that I didn't even realize it until I read a friend's GR review that mentioned it. I had to go open the book up again to see if it was really true. It just goes to show if the story is compelling enough, normal rules may not apply.
Content note: violence and death, scattered F-bombs and a mildly explicit sex scene.
This is a fun science fiction space opera type of story, but truthfully? What it felt like was an urban fantasy, even though there's no magical fantasy element and very little urban about it. But there's a smart-mouthed kickass heroine, lots of humor and sarcasm, non-stop action and adventure, and a strong romantic component to the story. Which isn't a bad thing, if that's the kind of book you're looking for. I liked the older main characters who are both damaged in their different ways, but good people at their core. Bonus points for being the first book in a series, but not having any cliffhangers at the end.
It was an exciting roller coaster ride and I had a lot of fun reading it. This one goes in the "not deep but fun" category. Even though it's written in first person present tense, which is a narrative style that always annoys me, the plot was gripping enough that I didn't even realize it until I read a friend's GR review that mentioned it. I had to go open the book up again to see if it was really true. It just goes to show if the story is compelling enough, normal rules may not apply.
Content note: violence and death, scattered F-bombs and a mildly explicit sex scene.
March 13, 2015
Buddy read with the wonderful MacHalo Group.
5 Stars!
This book is cover to cover awesomeness. I actually need to recover from the awesomeness that is this book before I could sit down and actually write a coherent review. Simply put - I fell completely in love with this book. When I first heard about the buddy read planned by one of my ŷ groups, I almost didn't join in. I am so far behind in my reading that I wasn't sure I had the time not to mention the fact that I had not heard of this series before. At the last minute, I found a copy of this book at my local library and decided to join in on the fun. I am so glad that I made that last minute decision.
I really love so many things about this book but the main character, Sirantha Jax, really was one of the best female leads that I have come across in a long time. She's in her 30s and she has done a lot in her life so far. I cannot tell you how nice it was to find a main character that is over the age of 25. Jax is tough and she adapts to situations as needed. She is willing to do what needs to be done but still takes the time to think about the people around her.
I really like the male lead in the book almost as much as I liked Jax. March is fantastic. He is one of those people who seems to know how to handle almost any situation. He is a natural leader. He is a protector and is more than willing to risk himself for others when necessary. I will admit that I really hoped that romance wouldn't play a part in this book but then something happened and I started falling for March. I understand why Jax was drawn to him because I was under his spell by the end of the book myself.
It's no secret that I love it when a book is able to make me laugh. I don't need to laugh constantly but a little bit of humor really adds to a story in most cases. This book was funny. It's not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination but the characters just have such a great sense of humor. The way that they talked with each other and their thoughts were just so entertaining. I really must applaud Ann Aguirre for her skill in incorporating such a wonderful sense of humor into these character so flawlessly.
The world building in this book was not only solid it didn't bog the story down in any way. One of the reasons that I almost backed out of the buddy read was because sometimes a first novel in a series can get really heavy with information and are often not as exciting as later books. Somehow, this book made me fall in the love not only with the characters but with the world that they live in incredibly fast. I will admit that I was quite confused about how Jax's ability worked at first but I decided to just go with it.
I thought the romance in this story was fantastic. If you had told me that there was a little case of insta-love in this book before I started it, I may have skipped reading it. I am glad that nobody told me. For some reason, the insta-love in this story works for me. March and Jax are real with each other and can see parts of each other that nobody else can see. I really had my own case of insta-love for March happening so I really can't blame Jax for it anyway.
I would highly recommend this book to anybody that enjoys urban fantasy. The characters are wonderfully done including all of the secondary characters. The concept is unique. The pacing is fantastic. This book is simply hard to put down. I cannot wait to start reading the next book in this series.
Initial Thoughts
I am going to need a moment to recover from the awesomeness that is this book. Cover to cover awesomeness.
5 Stars!
This book is cover to cover awesomeness. I actually need to recover from the awesomeness that is this book before I could sit down and actually write a coherent review. Simply put - I fell completely in love with this book. When I first heard about the buddy read planned by one of my ŷ groups, I almost didn't join in. I am so far behind in my reading that I wasn't sure I had the time not to mention the fact that I had not heard of this series before. At the last minute, I found a copy of this book at my local library and decided to join in on the fun. I am so glad that I made that last minute decision.
When did I become someone worth dying for?
I really love so many things about this book but the main character, Sirantha Jax, really was one of the best female leads that I have come across in a long time. She's in her 30s and she has done a lot in her life so far. I cannot tell you how nice it was to find a main character that is over the age of 25. Jax is tough and she adapts to situations as needed. She is willing to do what needs to be done but still takes the time to think about the people around her.
I'm Sirantha Jax, and I have had enough.
I really like the male lead in the book almost as much as I liked Jax. March is fantastic. He is one of those people who seems to know how to handle almost any situation. He is a natural leader. He is a protector and is more than willing to risk himself for others when necessary. I will admit that I really hoped that romance wouldn't play a part in this book but then something happened and I started falling for March. I understand why Jax was drawn to him because I was under his spell by the end of the book myself.
Call me cynical, but anything that makes March happy cannot be good for me.
It's no secret that I love it when a book is able to make me laugh. I don't need to laugh constantly but a little bit of humor really adds to a story in most cases. This book was funny. It's not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination but the characters just have such a great sense of humor. The way that they talked with each other and their thoughts were just so entertaining. I really must applaud Ann Aguirre for her skill in incorporating such a wonderful sense of humor into these character so flawlessly.
Nodding, I fall in behind March, not because I acknowledge his authority in any fashion but because if by some chance we were wrong, and there's something big and ugly left in these wetlands, I really prefer it eats him first. Give me a chance to run.
The world building in this book was not only solid it didn't bog the story down in any way. One of the reasons that I almost backed out of the buddy read was because sometimes a first novel in a series can get really heavy with information and are often not as exciting as later books. Somehow, this book made me fall in the love not only with the characters but with the world that they live in incredibly fast. I will admit that I was quite confused about how Jax's ability worked at first but I decided to just go with it.
I will always come for you, Jax.
I thought the romance in this story was fantastic. If you had told me that there was a little case of insta-love in this book before I started it, I may have skipped reading it. I am glad that nobody told me. For some reason, the insta-love in this story works for me. March and Jax are real with each other and can see parts of each other that nobody else can see. I really had my own case of insta-love for March happening so I really can't blame Jax for it anyway.
For the first time I grasp that bending doesn't necessarily mean weakness. Defiance doesn't always equate to strength.
I would highly recommend this book to anybody that enjoys urban fantasy. The characters are wonderfully done including all of the secondary characters. The concept is unique. The pacing is fantastic. This book is simply hard to put down. I cannot wait to start reading the next book in this series.
Initial Thoughts
I am going to need a moment to recover from the awesomeness that is this book. Cover to cover awesomeness.
April 17, 2009
Oooh, I created another category on my shelf for this book: Vaginal Sci-Fi! Yum!
I liked this book. I really liked the way it was written. There were some pacing problems though, especially towards the end, but it was a really interesting book that avoided a lot of cliches I've been reading lately, had a nice romance that didn't take over the whole book. I really liked it and just got the sequel, so yay! Urban-fantasy fans might want to check it out.
I liked this book. I really liked the way it was written. There were some pacing problems though, especially towards the end, but it was a really interesting book that avoided a lot of cliches I've been reading lately, had a nice romance that didn't take over the whole book. I really liked it and just got the sequel, so yay! Urban-fantasy fans might want to check it out.
March 13, 2015
4.5 Fragging Stars
MacHalo Girls (Some really cool chicks to read a book with) + Sirithura Jax (Anti-Heroinesk which is not the same thing as a bitch) + Oh Captain My Captain March (Theta Wave orgasm inducing OMG I want to try that semi asshole hero Um yes please, I think I love you) + Space Jumping (somewhat confusing but just go with it) + Off world clans and mad scientists
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Let’s just say that Sirantha Jax is my kind of heroine. She doesn’t really whine or complain, she has compartments to shove all that useless crap in to deal with later. And she isn’t ready to save the world. Nope she is far more practical and self-serving than that. She talks shit, but she backs it up as well and what you see with her is what you get. Plus she isn’t some 20 year old twit, she is actually a woman in her thirties it was bound to be love at first snark. She was SO MUCH FUN.
Just a few examples of why I enjoyed Jax:
Sirantha Jax lost everything when her ship crashed and she was the only one to walk away. Sure that she will be found responsible and executed everything look bleak. That is when March walked through her cell door and rescued her. Jax is a hot commodity and worth a lot to the right people as she is one of the oldest Jumpers around. She also seems to bring on trouble and disaster every time she turns around and a series of unfortunate events big on either hilarity or calamity.
This was just a fun ride full of action/adventure/space/romance (just enough but not too much)/science fiction and quirky crazy characters. I loved the shop full of misfits that reminded me slightly of the t.v. series Firefly. March definitely gave me a Malcolm Reynolds vibe and I totally loved it.
I was so happy with the relationship/romance build between March and Jax that I’m completely fine with the explanations of why they were able to become pretty in sync with each other quickly.
I also LOVE that there are other strong and snarky women in this story. Dina was so much fun, I loved her hard humor and how she is completely comfortable with who she is. The friendship that developed between her and Jax was so much fun and not your typical girlfriends type relationship, but it totally fit who the two characters were.
I’d recommend this for anyone who enjoyed Firefly, The Kate Daniels Series or just wants a fun story set in space.
This is just because I like to look and Nathan Fillion as Captain Malcolm Reynolds�.Don’t judge me.
Initial Thoughts 3/11/15:
Finished and it was so much fun that I'm as happy as a hedgehog.
Full nonsensical review to come.
MacHalo Girls (Some really cool chicks to read a book with) + Sirithura Jax (Anti-Heroinesk which is not the same thing as a bitch) + Oh Captain My Captain March (Theta Wave orgasm inducing OMG I want to try that semi asshole hero Um yes please, I think I love you) + Space Jumping (somewhat confusing but just go with it) + Off world clans and mad scientists
[image error]
Let’s just say that Sirantha Jax is my kind of heroine. She doesn’t really whine or complain, she has compartments to shove all that useless crap in to deal with later. And she isn’t ready to save the world. Nope she is far more practical and self-serving than that. She talks shit, but she backs it up as well and what you see with her is what you get. Plus she isn’t some 20 year old twit, she is actually a woman in her thirties it was bound to be love at first snark. She was SO MUCH FUN.
Just a few examples of why I enjoyed Jax:
I fall in behind March, not because I acknowledge his authority in any fashion but because if by some chance we were wrong, and there’s something big and ugly left in these wetlands, I really prefer it eats him first. Give me a chance to run.
From the first moment he entered my cell and caught me on the verge of tears, he’s seen more of that than probably any other living soul. It occurs to me that, for the sake of symmetry, I should probably kill him.
“You’re a hex, lady, dark luck, powerful bad juju, ken?�
“Only to people who try to kidnap me,� I tell him sweetly, and March snorts, so I feel obliged to add, “Or rescue me…� And then Dina makes a pfft sound. “Or who travel with me…� My gaze sweeps around the darkened interior, trying to find an ally, but nobody will hold my eyes more than two seconds, it seems. “Fine, frag you all, I’m dark juju, bad luck, and you’re all doomed.�
Sirantha Jax lost everything when her ship crashed and she was the only one to walk away. Sure that she will be found responsible and executed everything look bleak. That is when March walked through her cell door and rescued her. Jax is a hot commodity and worth a lot to the right people as she is one of the oldest Jumpers around. She also seems to bring on trouble and disaster every time she turns around and a series of unfortunate events big on either hilarity or calamity.
This was just a fun ride full of action/adventure/space/romance (just enough but not too much)/science fiction and quirky crazy characters. I loved the shop full of misfits that reminded me slightly of the t.v. series Firefly. March definitely gave me a Malcolm Reynolds vibe and I totally loved it.
I have to wonder what March said that garnered safe temporary passage. Knowing March, it may have been something like: Don’t you want to see my face when you kill me?
I was so happy with the relationship/romance build between March and Jax that I’m completely fine with the explanations of why they were able to become pretty in sync with each other quickly.
I also LOVE that there are other strong and snarky women in this story. Dina was so much fun, I loved her hard humor and how she is completely comfortable with who she is. The friendship that developed between her and Jax was so much fun and not your typical girlfriends type relationship, but it totally fit who the two characters were.
I’d recommend this for anyone who enjoyed Firefly, The Kate Daniels Series or just wants a fun story set in space.
This is just because I like to look and Nathan Fillion as Captain Malcolm Reynolds�.Don’t judge me.
Initial Thoughts 3/11/15:
Finished and it was so much fun that I'm as happy as a hedgehog.
Full nonsensical review to come.
March 18, 2015
Warning: I've finished this book about four days ago but I'm still freaking out a little. Bear with me.
Buddy Read with the dysfunctional MacHalo Family.
So, I'm not gonna write a review today because I've received a big number of messages these days asking me about Grimspace. If you don't believe me, ask my unicorn. So, I'll be answering the most interesting ones:
Q: Liz, what did you hate about this book?
A: Your question is stupid, I hate you.Q: Dear Liz, love your hair. Can you tell me why are you freaking out over a book with just a 3.77 average rating?
A: That's exactly what I'd like to know, actually. How come this amazing gem is almost unknown, it's still a mystery to me. But I'm on a mission to reveal the world its awesomeness. So spread the word, we've got an amazing author here, writing a kickass series (I've seen five stars by friends in next installments). Space jumping, kickass heroine, amazing secondary characters and heartbreaking ending. What are you waiting for?? Go, read it!
And thanks, my secret is to use conditioner BEFORE the shampoo.Q: Hi there, Liz! Is it true you snore?
A: Yes, it is. Women snore too. Moving on.Q: Give me five reasons why Jax is amazing.
A: Just five?
Main Character is no Mary Sue. This girl kicks butts, saves the guy and has a sick sense of humor without losing her diplomatic finesse (the last thing is not true).
Age factor. She's in her thirties, bitches! How awesome is that? Grown up, mature women have fun too! And there's no danger of whining or childish decisions here! (unless her inner five year old tries to kick people).
Rare genes have given her the ability to jump ships through grimspace which allows us to meet different planets and crazy people. It kind of feels like Star Trek, BSG and Firefly, all in one.
Contrary of what you'll think, this MC is not right in the head. With every jump, she edges closer to dying and after the initial incident, she fights PTSD all the time. So you'll see her struggling, weak and angry. Somehow refreshing, isn't it?
Humor. You haven't read anything like it. Minor spoiler: Jax and March (I SAID MINOR SPOILER, STOP READING) have this mental connection and they can read each other thoughts in a completely scientifically proved way (I think?) like Barrons and Mac! And the banter between them is askdjnalsjknaskfnkfjn and every time he glares at her askdjaslkdjlks!!<--- this is me fangirling again. Man, I just can't fight these feelings anymooooore ♪♪ I'm a mess, I know.
Q: I've heard rumors of insta-love. What can you tell us about it?
A: People are jealous and you should hate them too. Okay, no. Actually, we've had an interesting conversation with the MacHalo freaks about it but I'm not sure this was actual love at first sight. I think there was the little detail of having to share their mind and most intimate thoughts with each other every time they were jumping so that's an advantage you won't see every day. I do think there's a lot of attraction and loneliness but it's near the end of the book that I see real feelings. Also, Tetha Waves? yes, please.
Q: How come you're so pretty and intelligent?
A: Well, I think it's important to love yourse-MOM, I'M TALKING WITH MY FRIENDS!Q: I'm sure you'll review will be awesome. Any final words?
A: One more thing you really need to know about this book: the relationship between Jax and Dina is something we need to see more often. Women trusting each other, supporting each other, that's just fucking real, guys. Also: Baby-Z, Adult Sleepover, Loras , Vel -hands down- and March *swoon* are enough reasons to stop wasting your time with other books.
That's it. Thank you guys for your questions. I love you all, bla bla bla, GO READ THE BOOK and stay classy, San Diego.
____________________
UNICORNS ARE NOT HAPPY
After reading it I must say it: I was wrong, MacHalo freaks were right. This was the right choice. Even Unicorns approve it.
September 8, 2011
If you're looking for a science fiction yarn that will suck you right in, and keep your interest engaged at max warp speed, then this should work. Grimspace takes the concept of interplanetary travel, and integrates the idea that specific people have a gene that allows them to navigate the points within space to decrease the travel time and go to places previously impossible to travel in a reasonable distance. Sort of like a wormhole, but not really. This inner space is called Grimspace, and Sirantha Jax is such a person.
This book was just what I've been wanting to read. I love science fiction with a heavy dose of adventure, and that doesn't dwell too heavily on the tech and science explanations. It's not that I don't like science (I love it in fact), but I don't want a story bogged down with that. I want a character-driven, action-oriented, tightly written story in a science fiction universe, and that's what Ann Aguirre delivers.
The weary, scarred, nearly broken character archtype never fails to appeal to me, and such is Jax. She lost her lover and was accused of killing him and 79 souls on their last flight together. Her future is looking decidedly bleak, since the corporation she works for (think Umbrella Corporation in space, or somewhat like the Alliance for Firefly fans) has taken her into custody and are submitting her to psychological manipulation that is sure to turn her into a walking zombie. A mysterious man shows up in her room and breaks her out, and she's off on a trip across the known and unknown galaxy.
This is one of those stories where the author doesn't give you much time to start feeling comfortable and safe about any character or scenario as you read. She lulls you into a sense that things are starting to make sense, and then she pulls the rug out from under you. This was smart although not always comforting storytelling, because it puts you very much into Sirantha's shaky boots. It felt her confusion, her fear, and her almost consuming sense of loss at the terrible choices she had to make, what she had lost and could lose, and that feeling of constantly having one's back against the wall, surrounded by enemies.
Sirantha is a tough, prickly, not terribly friendly woman, but somehow she is lovable for all those traits. Her heart is deeply human and capable of unfathomable depths of feeling. She knows what needs to be done, and might inwardly balk, but goes ahead and does it, and counts the cost later. March, the man who breaks her out, turns out to be an interesting counterpart, first uneasy ally, and sometimes verbal opponent, but the person with whom Jax finds a kinship and a deep level of communication she's never known.
This is and isn't a love story. I think that those that enjoy romance will like Jax's relationship with March, but you don't have to be a romance fan to enjoy this book. Aguirre has the elements that make for a riveting love story, but she can also be ruthlessly unsentimental, and unfraid to play around with the usual romantic conventions. This adds to that uneasy feeling I got when I read this story, because I didn't really trust that anything was safe, even supposed fated love.
As far as science fiction, I like the sparse but effective scene-setting that Aguirre has done here. She has enough tech for me to buy in, but not excessive amounts that would make my eyes start rolling trying to visualize it all. This aspect again brings to mind Firefly, which is a very good association for this devoted fan of that short-lived but briliant series. The rustic elements of the space that Jax explores, the interesting characters, and juxtaposition of cynical and homespun values, not to mention the philosophical/spiritual questions that its inhabitants face, reminded me strongly of the show. However, Ms. Aguirre effectively builds her own sci-fi universe here with some unique and characteristic elements that stake her claim in the niche of space opera/sci-fi adventure.
If I had any complaint, I just wish the action sequences were more effectively paced and more expansively described. They seemed to go by way too quickly, with lost opportunity to establish themselves with memorable panache in this highly visual reader's mind. I think for a space adventure, this element really needs to shout out to the reader, but it doesn't. Don't mistake that I am implying that the action elements are poorly written (not at all), they just could have used a little more. That was really the only reason I couldn't give this five stars. On all other levels, Grimspace comes in first place. The characterization is poignant and fierce, and I deeply empathized with everything that Jax, March and crew struggled against, inner demons and outer enemies alike. I experienced this book as if I was in this corner of space, eking out my existence, and staying one step ahead of the gray men, bounty hunter, Corp bullies, and opportunists. And that made for one fantastic read. Highly recommended.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
This book was just what I've been wanting to read. I love science fiction with a heavy dose of adventure, and that doesn't dwell too heavily on the tech and science explanations. It's not that I don't like science (I love it in fact), but I don't want a story bogged down with that. I want a character-driven, action-oriented, tightly written story in a science fiction universe, and that's what Ann Aguirre delivers.
The weary, scarred, nearly broken character archtype never fails to appeal to me, and such is Jax. She lost her lover and was accused of killing him and 79 souls on their last flight together. Her future is looking decidedly bleak, since the corporation she works for (think Umbrella Corporation in space, or somewhat like the Alliance for Firefly fans) has taken her into custody and are submitting her to psychological manipulation that is sure to turn her into a walking zombie. A mysterious man shows up in her room and breaks her out, and she's off on a trip across the known and unknown galaxy.
This is one of those stories where the author doesn't give you much time to start feeling comfortable and safe about any character or scenario as you read. She lulls you into a sense that things are starting to make sense, and then she pulls the rug out from under you. This was smart although not always comforting storytelling, because it puts you very much into Sirantha's shaky boots. It felt her confusion, her fear, and her almost consuming sense of loss at the terrible choices she had to make, what she had lost and could lose, and that feeling of constantly having one's back against the wall, surrounded by enemies.
Sirantha is a tough, prickly, not terribly friendly woman, but somehow she is lovable for all those traits. Her heart is deeply human and capable of unfathomable depths of feeling. She knows what needs to be done, and might inwardly balk, but goes ahead and does it, and counts the cost later. March, the man who breaks her out, turns out to be an interesting counterpart, first uneasy ally, and sometimes verbal opponent, but the person with whom Jax finds a kinship and a deep level of communication she's never known.
This is and isn't a love story. I think that those that enjoy romance will like Jax's relationship with March, but you don't have to be a romance fan to enjoy this book. Aguirre has the elements that make for a riveting love story, but she can also be ruthlessly unsentimental, and unfraid to play around with the usual romantic conventions. This adds to that uneasy feeling I got when I read this story, because I didn't really trust that anything was safe, even supposed fated love.
As far as science fiction, I like the sparse but effective scene-setting that Aguirre has done here. She has enough tech for me to buy in, but not excessive amounts that would make my eyes start rolling trying to visualize it all. This aspect again brings to mind Firefly, which is a very good association for this devoted fan of that short-lived but briliant series. The rustic elements of the space that Jax explores, the interesting characters, and juxtaposition of cynical and homespun values, not to mention the philosophical/spiritual questions that its inhabitants face, reminded me strongly of the show. However, Ms. Aguirre effectively builds her own sci-fi universe here with some unique and characteristic elements that stake her claim in the niche of space opera/sci-fi adventure.
If I had any complaint, I just wish the action sequences were more effectively paced and more expansively described. They seemed to go by way too quickly, with lost opportunity to establish themselves with memorable panache in this highly visual reader's mind. I think for a space adventure, this element really needs to shout out to the reader, but it doesn't. Don't mistake that I am implying that the action elements are poorly written (not at all), they just could have used a little more. That was really the only reason I couldn't give this five stars. On all other levels, Grimspace comes in first place. The characterization is poignant and fierce, and I deeply empathized with everything that Jax, March and crew struggled against, inner demons and outer enemies alike. I experienced this book as if I was in this corner of space, eking out my existence, and staying one step ahead of the gray men, bounty hunter, Corp bullies, and opportunists. And that made for one fantastic read. Highly recommended.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
April 13, 2010
Everyone's already said everything better in their reviews, so I will just say give a few brief points.
Her brilliance unfurls like... uh, like, a flower. Yes. Read to the end. (Many things make more sense later.)
The relationships cement too quickly, but everything else is legit.
This would appeal to urban fantasy fans more than scifi fans. That is, do you like action, first person and a dark, gritty tone? We have the girl for you.
Sirantha's conflicts are actually pretty unique. Paranoia, corporate conspiracy (props, Aguirre), self agency and ownership, trust. She's frank but non-aggressive and allows herself to be vulnerable-- or should I say, she has no choice in the matter because she's got issues. Both of them do. Both are also morally ambiguous. Seriously. She takes some questionable actions (and not accidentally, as in a bad novel; author and character recognize them as such). 1000 points.
Also, characters die and get hurt. Waaaaai.
Style. Dark, rhythmic, and stark. Pretty much what the doctor ordered.
Shannon said it, and she's right. Stick with it. Grimspace starts with a few clichés, but she approaches them differently. Stuff blew up. I'm happy. I must read the next one.
Her brilliance unfurls like... uh, like, a flower. Yes. Read to the end. (Many things make more sense later.)
The relationships cement too quickly, but everything else is legit.
This would appeal to urban fantasy fans more than scifi fans. That is, do you like action, first person and a dark, gritty tone? We have the girl for you.
Sirantha's conflicts are actually pretty unique. Paranoia, corporate conspiracy (props, Aguirre), self agency and ownership, trust. She's frank but non-aggressive and allows herself to be vulnerable-- or should I say, she has no choice in the matter because she's got issues. Both of them do. Both are also morally ambiguous. Seriously. She takes some questionable actions (and not accidentally, as in a bad novel; author and character recognize them as such). 1000 points.
Also, characters die and get hurt. Waaaaai.
Style. Dark, rhythmic, and stark. Pretty much what the doctor ordered.
Shannon said it, and she's right. Stick with it. Grimspace starts with a few clichés, but she approaches them differently. Stuff blew up. I'm happy. I must read the next one.
April 27, 2012
What an awesome book! I was reminded of all of my favorite science fiction shows, the ones with the “rag tag� crews, the beat up spaceships, and the insectoid alien creatures. A little Star Trek, a little Andromeda, a little Battlestar Galactica. is all of that and more. More - because of the fascinating worlds that we get to visit and because it is great science fiction.
Grimspace is an exciting book. There is a lot of action and adventure. There is a lot of running away from scary space creatures, bounty hunters, and the “gray men.� The book begins with our heroine Sirantha Jax languishing in a psych ward. She is there because she is the sole survivor of a crash. Sirantha is rescued from the psych ward by Captain March and his crew.
The story is told entirely from Sirantha’s point of view. We see her world through her eyes. She is an intriguing character, probably one of the more interesting female characters I have read this year. Sirantha is brash and brave, a little cocky, and she has a kick ass attitude about her. At the same time, there is a vulnerability to her, and this makes her very likable. Sirantha is gifted with the J-gene, which allows her to serve as a jumper (or navigator) through grimspace. Jumpers are very rare and they burn out very young. Sirantha is nearing her 500th jump and she is still going strong, yet she fears that each jump will be her last.
I enjoyed seeing Sirantha’s world through her eyes. Sirantha’s relationship with the crew of the ship was very interesting, especially her relationship with March. I loved watching that relationship blossom, sputter, tank, and blossom again. Truly a well matched couple.
I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Sirantha and her crewmates. I’ll be looking for the next book in the series �
.
Review posted on .
Grimspace is an exciting book. There is a lot of action and adventure. There is a lot of running away from scary space creatures, bounty hunters, and the “gray men.� The book begins with our heroine Sirantha Jax languishing in a psych ward. She is there because she is the sole survivor of a crash. Sirantha is rescued from the psych ward by Captain March and his crew.
The story is told entirely from Sirantha’s point of view. We see her world through her eyes. She is an intriguing character, probably one of the more interesting female characters I have read this year. Sirantha is brash and brave, a little cocky, and she has a kick ass attitude about her. At the same time, there is a vulnerability to her, and this makes her very likable. Sirantha is gifted with the J-gene, which allows her to serve as a jumper (or navigator) through grimspace. Jumpers are very rare and they burn out very young. Sirantha is nearing her 500th jump and she is still going strong, yet she fears that each jump will be her last.
I enjoyed seeing Sirantha’s world through her eyes. Sirantha’s relationship with the crew of the ship was very interesting, especially her relationship with March. I loved watching that relationship blossom, sputter, tank, and blossom again. Truly a well matched couple.
I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Sirantha and her crewmates. I’ll be looking for the next book in the series �
.
Review posted on .
March 13, 2015
10 Fucking(because freakin' doesn't begin to so the level) AWESOME Stars
This book... WOW!
Review to come...
This book... WOW!
Review to come...
October 11, 2016
Fantastic fast paced light-on-the-sci-Fi with great characters and lots of action. The rest of the series has mixed reviews so I don't know whether I'd want to read on and spoil this first in the series which was an absolute corker!
December 9, 2011
Sirantha Jax is one cool name.
She's a jumper. Jumpers are people gifted with a special J-gene who can take entire spaceships from one place in space to another through Grimspace, something similar to the hyperspace in Star Wars et al., a dimension which allows you to travel light years in no time. When we meet Sirantha, she's in a really bad shape. Locked up in a cell, she's the sole survivor of the Sargasso shipwreck, a spaceship which carried a whole congregate of diplomats and which was piloted by the love of her life, Kai. They're all dead now and apparently, she is responsible for that. If only she could remember. On the verge of having her mind broken by Psychs, Sirantha gets rescued by March, a mercenary working for a clan on planet Lachion, whose agenda is to use Sirantha to recruit and train potential jumpers to overrule the Corp's monopoly on this privileged profession. All kinds of trouble ensues.
I'm going to stop here with the synopsis because it is extremely complicated to condensate in a few sentences and I'm sure your eyes already glazed over.
When you start Grimspace, Aguirre mercilessly dumps you in the middle of a universe (literal and physical) with no background information whatsoever, nonchalantly assuming you were there before she started narrating and you knew everything about the conformation of the universe, about the planets or the infamous Axis Wars, etc.
There's quite a lot of infodump to digest at the beginning, the world building is complex and dense but believe me, by the end of this first book, you will have all your facts straight and you'll be sucked so deep in the Sirantha-verse, it'll be impossible to stop reading.
Science fiction isn't my genre really, of course I watched Star Wars and Dune and a few others but, as you can deduce from my "and a few others" remark, I'm far from being an expert. If you're like me, you will love Sirantha, I think.
She is such a witty, strong yet flawed heroine. She's both smart and a bad-ass and very unapologetically unafraid to show us her worse side of selfish, uncaring bitch. I'm starting book 3 as I am writing this and I can tell you there's a lot of character development to come and Aguirre masterfully manages to make the reader very attached to all the characters she introduces. They are all so cool, unique and alive, there isn't really one that left me indifferent.
Another good reason why you should read this series is that - and I have it on good authority - there is no love triangle throughout the whole series. So far, as long as romance is concerned, I've witnessed quite a lot of indecisiveness, angst and miscommunication but no table tennis effect, which is really refreshing. So no eye-rolling impulse... but a lot of head-smacking, yes. And smut too, and in the right amount!
The story is fast-paced, with a lot of good action, amazing fight scenes and cool gadgets typical of science-fiction, so there is no way you will find this book boring and I assure you it gets even more interesting in the sequels.
So far, there are 5 books out and the final one is coming out in September, which is another reason to pick up this series, if you needed more.
For this review and more, follow .
She's a jumper. Jumpers are people gifted with a special J-gene who can take entire spaceships from one place in space to another through Grimspace, something similar to the hyperspace in Star Wars et al., a dimension which allows you to travel light years in no time. When we meet Sirantha, she's in a really bad shape. Locked up in a cell, she's the sole survivor of the Sargasso shipwreck, a spaceship which carried a whole congregate of diplomats and which was piloted by the love of her life, Kai. They're all dead now and apparently, she is responsible for that. If only she could remember. On the verge of having her mind broken by Psychs, Sirantha gets rescued by March, a mercenary working for a clan on planet Lachion, whose agenda is to use Sirantha to recruit and train potential jumpers to overrule the Corp's monopoly on this privileged profession. All kinds of trouble ensues.
I'm going to stop here with the synopsis because it is extremely complicated to condensate in a few sentences and I'm sure your eyes already glazed over.
When you start Grimspace, Aguirre mercilessly dumps you in the middle of a universe (literal and physical) with no background information whatsoever, nonchalantly assuming you were there before she started narrating and you knew everything about the conformation of the universe, about the planets or the infamous Axis Wars, etc.
There's quite a lot of infodump to digest at the beginning, the world building is complex and dense but believe me, by the end of this first book, you will have all your facts straight and you'll be sucked so deep in the Sirantha-verse, it'll be impossible to stop reading.
Science fiction isn't my genre really, of course I watched Star Wars and Dune and a few others but, as you can deduce from my "and a few others" remark, I'm far from being an expert. If you're like me, you will love Sirantha, I think.
She is such a witty, strong yet flawed heroine. She's both smart and a bad-ass and very unapologetically unafraid to show us her worse side of selfish, uncaring bitch. I'm starting book 3 as I am writing this and I can tell you there's a lot of character development to come and Aguirre masterfully manages to make the reader very attached to all the characters she introduces. They are all so cool, unique and alive, there isn't really one that left me indifferent.
Another good reason why you should read this series is that - and I have it on good authority - there is no love triangle throughout the whole series. So far, as long as romance is concerned, I've witnessed quite a lot of indecisiveness, angst and miscommunication but no table tennis effect, which is really refreshing. So no eye-rolling impulse... but a lot of head-smacking, yes. And smut too, and in the right amount!
The story is fast-paced, with a lot of good action, amazing fight scenes and cool gadgets typical of science-fiction, so there is no way you will find this book boring and I assure you it gets even more interesting in the sequels.
So far, there are 5 books out and the final one is coming out in September, which is another reason to pick up this series, if you needed more.
For this review and more, follow .
February 16, 2011
4.25 stars. This is a new favorite series of mine. What I loved about this book (and the series so far), is that it is creative in terms of the struggle the characters are facing and how they resolve it. Aguirre introduces a cast of characters who are written with depth. The heroine -- Jax is a complex person. She has flaws (personality wise, emotionally and physically) and her flaws create problems throughout the storyline. But to me, she is written as a real person -- not perfect, not exceptionally beautiful but just struggling through life. I love her introspection, her questioning and critiquing of herself. The other members of her crew are likeable -- and likeable despite the fact that they do not all get along. I really liked the character of Dina. She is not like many characters written in UF/PNR/Fantasy or Sci Fi books that I have read before. Dina's interactions with Jax are funny, Aguirre writes them well. This story is truly creative, beautifully written and just plain funny at parts.
November 20, 2017
(From second read-through, August 14-17, 2011)
Still a favorite. What a magnificent book.
(From first read-through, Jan 4-6, 2011)
Rating: 4.5
Quick Take: Yessir, now THIS is what I call a supremely entertaining SF/F romp. The story is intimate character-wise, yet epic plot-wise. The relatively unusual 1st-person-present was used to excellent effect, and resulted in a close connection with the protagonist. An excellent series start.
I've got to make a confession. Though historically science fiction has been one of my favorite genres (and my longtime is evidence of that), I've read embarassingly few (read: next to zero) such books in the last few years. I can't even begin to fathom why. But this first installment in the Sirantha Jax series is quickly reminding me what I loved so much about the limitless--and imminently enjoyable--possibilities that sci-fi can offer.
I'm not going to lie; I was a bit hesitant about reading this book when I realized that the narration is carried out in first-person-present. There's nothing inherently bad about that particular narrative mode, but it's just so rare (in the UF/SF/F books I read, anyway) as to feel…weird. Indeed, it took some getting used to but eventually melted into the background, especially after the first few scenes; after a while I honestly didn't think about it.
…but whilst on the subject of "those first few scenes" (the first 15%, I'd say): they were fast and furious. Really frenetic. There was a lot of specialized jargon thrown in (though most was easy enough to deduce); characters or themes introduced without explanation. It took a little while for me to not feel lost in the world created. Of course, that could have been the intention, given the random and confusing predicament the protagonist Sirantha Jax finds her self in at book's beginning...so who knows.
The overall story is exceedingly episodic. This lends well to putting the book down at appropriate "breaks" in storytelling; that is, if you manage to put it down at all! I supremely enjoyed this aspect of the book; the tone, pace and circumstance all fluctuate throughout but masterfully, avoiding tediousness.
Finally, I've got to give props to Ms. Aguirre's excellent balance of character development and epic storytelling. A lot happens in this book, yet it's not overwhelming. Likewise, the characters' growth is real and believable, and treated with such care that I fell in love with the entire cast…bit players and main characters alike.
I thank the stars--but mostly Ann Aguirre--that there remain three more published books to read, with two additional ones to follow over the next year or so. An imaginative, wild and special series has been created here, and I'd recommend it to any UF-diehards looking to explore "the other half" of the SF/F classification. ^_^
Still a favorite. What a magnificent book.
(From first read-through, Jan 4-6, 2011)
Rating: 4.5
Quick Take: Yessir, now THIS is what I call a supremely entertaining SF/F romp. The story is intimate character-wise, yet epic plot-wise. The relatively unusual 1st-person-present was used to excellent effect, and resulted in a close connection with the protagonist. An excellent series start.
I've got to make a confession. Though historically science fiction has been one of my favorite genres (and my longtime is evidence of that), I've read embarassingly few (read: next to zero) such books in the last few years. I can't even begin to fathom why. But this first installment in the Sirantha Jax series is quickly reminding me what I loved so much about the limitless--and imminently enjoyable--possibilities that sci-fi can offer.
I'm not going to lie; I was a bit hesitant about reading this book when I realized that the narration is carried out in first-person-present. There's nothing inherently bad about that particular narrative mode, but it's just so rare (in the UF/SF/F books I read, anyway) as to feel…weird. Indeed, it took some getting used to but eventually melted into the background, especially after the first few scenes; after a while I honestly didn't think about it.
…but whilst on the subject of "those first few scenes" (the first 15%, I'd say): they were fast and furious. Really frenetic. There was a lot of specialized jargon thrown in (though most was easy enough to deduce); characters or themes introduced without explanation. It took a little while for me to not feel lost in the world created. Of course, that could have been the intention, given the random and confusing predicament the protagonist Sirantha Jax finds her self in at book's beginning...so who knows.
The overall story is exceedingly episodic. This lends well to putting the book down at appropriate "breaks" in storytelling; that is, if you manage to put it down at all! I supremely enjoyed this aspect of the book; the tone, pace and circumstance all fluctuate throughout but masterfully, avoiding tediousness.
Finally, I've got to give props to Ms. Aguirre's excellent balance of character development and epic storytelling. A lot happens in this book, yet it's not overwhelming. Likewise, the characters' growth is real and believable, and treated with such care that I fell in love with the entire cast…bit players and main characters alike.
I thank the stars--but mostly Ann Aguirre--that there remain three more published books to read, with two additional ones to follow over the next year or so. An imaginative, wild and special series has been created here, and I'd recommend it to any UF-diehards looking to explore "the other half" of the SF/F classification. ^_^
November 22, 2021
Takes deep breath and prepares to duck thrown objects
Look...I know many, many of you love this/these books. I must have had at least a dozen recommendations from friends who loved/love this book. I wanted to. I mean after all no wants to read a book they don't care for.
But I must say that for the first 7/8 of this book I was bored completely out of my "metaphorical skull". Our hero/heroine spend soooo much time agonizing over past events...dealing with angst and reasoning about why she does this "wonderful thing" that will (of course) eventually kill her, there's really (apparently) no room for an actual plot.
We do begin to "slide" into some detail about the universe we're in but it seems to bother MS. Aguirre to have to include it...at least till (as I said the last 1/8 or so of the book).
Now, the book does get 2 stars from me instead of 1 because "at the end" it does sort of shape up and relate an adventurous climax.
So...will I follow this one up? I don't know. It's in doubt. I looked at the next and like this one it has an interesting synopsis, but that doesn't mean the book itself will "draw me in". Maybe, later, I'll find myself curious...we'll see. For now, I am (sadly) relieved to have finished this book.
Look...I know many, many of you love this/these books. I must have had at least a dozen recommendations from friends who loved/love this book. I wanted to. I mean after all no wants to read a book they don't care for.
But I must say that for the first 7/8 of this book I was bored completely out of my "metaphorical skull". Our hero/heroine spend soooo much time agonizing over past events...dealing with angst and reasoning about why she does this "wonderful thing" that will (of course) eventually kill her, there's really (apparently) no room for an actual plot.
We do begin to "slide" into some detail about the universe we're in but it seems to bother MS. Aguirre to have to include it...at least till (as I said the last 1/8 or so of the book).
Now, the book does get 2 stars from me instead of 1 because "at the end" it does sort of shape up and relate an adventurous climax.
So...will I follow this one up? I don't know. It's in doubt. I looked at the next and like this one it has an interesting synopsis, but that doesn't mean the book itself will "draw me in". Maybe, later, I'll find myself curious...we'll see. For now, I am (sadly) relieved to have finished this book.
February 6, 2016
3.5 stars, rounded up for the rich world--nay--universe building. I was not expecting that at all. I was actually expecting something light and fluffy, you know, "sci-fi romance" like the description said.
Anyhow, this is pretty solid for a rollicking adventure in deep space and just the thing I was looking for. It's fast-paced and full of intrigue with fun characters and an intense plot to boot. I really like what I'm seeing so far and can't wait to read the rest of the series.
My only gripe, though a very minor one, is the first-person, present-tense narration. It jumped around a bit and was somewhat difficult to follow at times, especially during some of the more action-filled scenes. Otherwise, I like this book and where the story is heading. Hopefully the other books are just as fun, if not better.
Anyhow, this is pretty solid for a rollicking adventure in deep space and just the thing I was looking for. It's fast-paced and full of intrigue with fun characters and an intense plot to boot. I really like what I'm seeing so far and can't wait to read the rest of the series.
My only gripe, though a very minor one, is the first-person, present-tense narration. It jumped around a bit and was somewhat difficult to follow at times, especially during some of the more action-filled scenes. Otherwise, I like this book and where the story is heading. Hopefully the other books are just as fun, if not better.
April 17, 2010
*4.5*
The short of it?
It's gritty, unapologetic, and fast-paced. Jax and her shipmates are thoroughly unhinged, but mostly pragmatic, with a biting humor that gets them through the dark. Worthwhile introduction to the series. Can also be read as a stand-alone.
_______
The meandering version?
Not too long ago, I read a book where a character claimed he wasn't a good man. He was just a man, doing the best he could do with whatever life threw at him: trying to make a difference in those moments he could; doing unsavory things in those moments he had to.
It's an incredibly apropos concept when considering Grimspace. In this twisted piece of science-fiction, most of the characters fall into the grey zone. Their overall goals might be characterised as good, but their actions on the way to achieving them are often harsh and cold-blooded.
It made me like them all the more.
Sirantha Jax falls in with a ragtag group who are just as broken as she is. They're fighting against impossible odds, making their determination seem reckless and ludicrous. I questioned their sanity throughout the whole of the piece.
But they question it too, giving their personalities greater depth and making it easy to relate to a bunch of people with whom I superficially share very little.
We're sharing Sirantha's headspace in this book, and it's not always a comfortable place to be. She's frequently on the brink of losing it, but even in her paranoia, I understand her.
She's obsessed with how she'll die, mostly envisioning it coming mid-jump, but sometimes hoping it comes when she's old and grey, keeling over into her tea while she oogles fine, golden young men. This obsession doesn't depress me though, because death is something she's resigned to. She's pragmatic. She knows navigating through Grimspace gradually grinds away at her mind, steals slivers of her soul, but the exhilaration she experiences while doing it seems worth the wear and tear. Death is just a logical conclusion. It's the thrill that's important.
And yet, despite the inevitable death by burn-out, when Sirantha's life is threatened outside the nav chair, she's a classic study in fight or flight. Her adrenaline rushes often lead to selfish behaviour, but that's okay. Because in the chaos she describes, would you or I behave any better?
Aguirre doesn't pull any punches. There are character deaths when you least expect it. They'll upset you. But with the passing of each life into the void, Aguirre assures us that the losses were unavoidable...senseless and tragic, yet heroic. She gives the lost ones their own piece of valour and their own purpose in the greater scheme.
The romantic pairing? It's not the focus. It's more of a byproduct. I like them. They fit. But I find myself wishing we'd had a little more time to examine them individually. It was haunting and fascinating to follow them before their symbiosis and synergy were firmly established. The constant bickering was a source of amusement. Now they're something...different. Perhaps that's just as well, since, in Sirantha Jax's world–where the next jump could be the last, and everything is so fragging intense–you have to grab life as it comes. Different might be better. We'll have to wait and see.
As for the setting, well, I don't read much sci-fi. I do watch a lot of it. Aguirre doesn't waste time trying to acclimate us to Sirantha's universe. But if you've spent some time traveling with space cowboys, can conjure a kaleidoscopic image of nebulous slipstream, and are comfortable in dark, hulking space stations floating lonely in the back of beyond, you'll comprehend it just fine. You'll also recognise that ever-vigilant, supposedly beneficial ruling body–the one that governs planets, spews propaganda, and sees Sirantha Jax as a perfect scapegoat. Problem is, this jumper's not the kind to cooperate, and as we all learned from my favourite sci-fi flick, you just can't stop the signal.
P.S. Aguirre's website includes two related shorts, best read after Grimspace.
March's story fills in some blanks and gives us a peek at the fractured animal he used to be. Vel's story is bittersweet and touching, demonstrating his depth of character. Both made for great reading.
The short of it?
It's gritty, unapologetic, and fast-paced. Jax and her shipmates are thoroughly unhinged, but mostly pragmatic, with a biting humor that gets them through the dark. Worthwhile introduction to the series. Can also be read as a stand-alone.
_______
The meandering version?
Not too long ago, I read a book where a character claimed he wasn't a good man. He was just a man, doing the best he could do with whatever life threw at him: trying to make a difference in those moments he could; doing unsavory things in those moments he had to.
It's an incredibly apropos concept when considering Grimspace. In this twisted piece of science-fiction, most of the characters fall into the grey zone. Their overall goals might be characterised as good, but their actions on the way to achieving them are often harsh and cold-blooded.
It made me like them all the more.
Sirantha Jax falls in with a ragtag group who are just as broken as she is. They're fighting against impossible odds, making their determination seem reckless and ludicrous. I questioned their sanity throughout the whole of the piece.
But they question it too, giving their personalities greater depth and making it easy to relate to a bunch of people with whom I superficially share very little.
We're sharing Sirantha's headspace in this book, and it's not always a comfortable place to be. She's frequently on the brink of losing it, but even in her paranoia, I understand her.
She's obsessed with how she'll die, mostly envisioning it coming mid-jump, but sometimes hoping it comes when she's old and grey, keeling over into her tea while she oogles fine, golden young men. This obsession doesn't depress me though, because death is something she's resigned to. She's pragmatic. She knows navigating through Grimspace gradually grinds away at her mind, steals slivers of her soul, but the exhilaration she experiences while doing it seems worth the wear and tear. Death is just a logical conclusion. It's the thrill that's important.
And yet, despite the inevitable death by burn-out, when Sirantha's life is threatened outside the nav chair, she's a classic study in fight or flight. Her adrenaline rushes often lead to selfish behaviour, but that's okay. Because in the chaos she describes, would you or I behave any better?
Aguirre doesn't pull any punches. There are character deaths when you least expect it. They'll upset you. But with the passing of each life into the void, Aguirre assures us that the losses were unavoidable...senseless and tragic, yet heroic. She gives the lost ones their own piece of valour and their own purpose in the greater scheme.
The romantic pairing? It's not the focus. It's more of a byproduct. I like them. They fit. But I find myself wishing we'd had a little more time to examine them individually. It was haunting and fascinating to follow them before their symbiosis and synergy were firmly established. The constant bickering was a source of amusement. Now they're something...different. Perhaps that's just as well, since, in Sirantha Jax's world–where the next jump could be the last, and everything is so fragging intense–you have to grab life as it comes. Different might be better. We'll have to wait and see.
As for the setting, well, I don't read much sci-fi. I do watch a lot of it. Aguirre doesn't waste time trying to acclimate us to Sirantha's universe. But if you've spent some time traveling with space cowboys, can conjure a kaleidoscopic image of nebulous slipstream, and are comfortable in dark, hulking space stations floating lonely in the back of beyond, you'll comprehend it just fine. You'll also recognise that ever-vigilant, supposedly beneficial ruling body–the one that governs planets, spews propaganda, and sees Sirantha Jax as a perfect scapegoat. Problem is, this jumper's not the kind to cooperate, and as we all learned from my favourite sci-fi flick, you just can't stop the signal.
P.S. Aguirre's website includes two related shorts, best read after Grimspace.
March's story fills in some blanks and gives us a peek at the fractured animal he used to be. Vel's story is bittersweet and touching, demonstrating his depth of character. Both made for great reading.
November 19, 2015
'The name’s misleading. Grimspace means inexorable, implacable. Not to be appeased. You see, grimspace will have its due from all who traverse it. But it’s beautiful there or we wouldn’t be drawn back, time and again, driven on by a jones stronger than anything mankind could devise. Jumpers burn out smiling for a reason.
My pretty poisonous mistress, I’m coming back.'
Grimspace is the first book of the Sirantha Jax series and, as is often the case with a new series, there’s a whole lot of world building and character introduction taking place, but that never felt forced, nor did it bog the story down. Ann Aguirre did a fantastic job of creating people who I quickly and easily became invested in, and a story line compelling and exiting enough to grab me from the first page, and hold on tight all the way through the last.
Wow! I can’t even begin to tell you what an awesome book this is, and that’s coming from someone who usually avoids not only science fiction, but any books written in the first person point of view. Grimspace is both, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I. Loved. It! And okay, maybe I can believe I’m saying that because to be honest, I figured I’d enjoy it well enough since it’s written by Ms. Aguirre, who also writes as Ava Gray, the author of one of my other favorite series, the Skin series. But what really surprised me about Grimspace is that I couldn’t put it down! I even put off reading a book I’ve been waiting almost a year for, because I simply had to find out what was going to happen next to Sirantha Jax, March, Dina, Doc, Loras, and Baby � Z! And what’s even more astounding (because this is science fiction and first person, after all) is that I went out today, before I even finished this book, and bought the next two! Sirantha Jax is a woman who’s all kinds of amazing! She's strong, determined, and not afraid to fight, as this quote proves -
The Gunnars look like killers, all of them. Big men, hard eyed, well geared, and ready to throw down. That’s fine.Anyway, I could go on and on, but I won’t. I’ll only say that if you’re like me and find that science fiction is usually too ‘technesque� and dry, or that you feel like you need a degree in rocket science to follow along, stop worrying! The story is easy to read and follow, and not at all nerdy or geekified. And for those who are wondering, while not as heavy as it is in some books, there is romance and passion and even some sex in Grimspace! The way the relationship and the intimacy progressed was perfect! Slowly and honestly and reminding me of the way Urban Fantasy relationships are written. I loved it!
So am I.
I’m Sirantha Jax and I have had enough.
Ms. Aguirre, your evil plan worked! You gave away copies of this book in hopes of drawing new readers to the series. Yes, it worked indeed! You gave me characters to care about, a story that had me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. I’m hooked, my daughter is hooked and we can’t wait to read more of Sirantha Jax.
4.5/5
Edited to add - Because Science Fiction can be hit or miss, I'm listing a couple other books in this genre that worked for me -
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon
August 4, 2011
I would like to thank everyone who recommended or enticed me with tidbits of this book because it one of the most worthwhile books I've ever read. This is a nice mix of urban fantasy, space opera, and futuristic romance. It's really an urban fantasy set in the future with space travel. It kinda reminds me of Firefly - except with an actual relationship between the lead characters.
The main character is Sirantha Jax, stuck in a facility being mentally tortured for supposedly killing an entire ship and her pilot. She is freed by March and his rag-time group for some project to use her talents to overthrow the current galactic government. After her treatment in her jail along with her natural propensity as a J-gene carrier, Jax is a little wacked. Paranoia, guilt-induced suicidal thoughts, hysteria (when given the right stimulus) - its all there. March is a real piece of work. He's a psi and becomes Jax's pilot (a supposedly very intimate connection), but they are not exactly on the best of terms; a mutual dislike seems to cover. But I love their interaction when they thought that they hated each other. March is the ultimate tortured soul, bad-boy hero. But mind you, it reads like an urban fantasy, so he's not rescuing her right and left, just at the very beginning. Together, along with random people they seemed to meet, they try to survive long enough to create a revolution - or at least in Jax's case, stay alive away from the government.
I love the secondary characters too. Dina, the lesbian mechanic is hilarious and the Doc and Loras are great buffers between the moments of tension between Jax and March. Let's not forget Baby Z, the frog baby alien thing.
I would recommend this to everyone. It is fantastic and hilarious and the adventure I was looking for. Jax starts of a little messed up and originally quite selfish, and she grows and deals with it. Bad luck seems to follow her, so I'm excited to see what kind of trouble she gets into in the next book. There is no cliffhanger in the end, but it is nicely concluded. It is only our fascination with Jax that makes us want more.
The main character is Sirantha Jax, stuck in a facility being mentally tortured for supposedly killing an entire ship and her pilot. She is freed by March and his rag-time group for some project to use her talents to overthrow the current galactic government. After her treatment in her jail along with her natural propensity as a J-gene carrier, Jax is a little wacked. Paranoia, guilt-induced suicidal thoughts, hysteria (when given the right stimulus) - its all there. March is a real piece of work. He's a psi and becomes Jax's pilot (a supposedly very intimate connection), but they are not exactly on the best of terms; a mutual dislike seems to cover. But I love their interaction when they thought that they hated each other. March is the ultimate tortured soul, bad-boy hero. But mind you, it reads like an urban fantasy, so he's not rescuing her right and left, just at the very beginning. Together, along with random people they seemed to meet, they try to survive long enough to create a revolution - or at least in Jax's case, stay alive away from the government.
I love the secondary characters too. Dina, the lesbian mechanic is hilarious and the Doc and Loras are great buffers between the moments of tension between Jax and March. Let's not forget Baby Z, the frog baby alien thing.
I would recommend this to everyone. It is fantastic and hilarious and the adventure I was looking for. Jax starts of a little messed up and originally quite selfish, and she grows and deals with it. Bad luck seems to follow her, so I'm excited to see what kind of trouble she gets into in the next book. There is no cliffhanger in the end, but it is nicely concluded. It is only our fascination with Jax that makes us want more.
July 1, 2023
Overall the story was very interesting. A sh*tload of action, a bunch of remarkable characters and some well-placed drama. I just mostly care about the action. And March. Mmmmmmmm�. I immediately got attached to the book.
Jax is so damn cool, really loved her. She’s amazing! I loved the tenseness and "hatred" going on between Jax and March. Actually, I’ve always wanted to witness one of these relationships. I thought it would be fun and I’m happy to see that I wasn’t wrong.
Oh dear Grimspace where have you been hiding all this time? Why hasn’t anyone told me about this? Oh yeah. Because most of the popular books nowadays are idiotic, that’s why.
Get the book. ASAP!
Jax is so damn cool, really loved her. She’s amazing! I loved the tenseness and "hatred" going on between Jax and March. Actually, I’ve always wanted to witness one of these relationships. I thought it would be fun and I’m happy to see that I wasn’t wrong.
Oh dear Grimspace where have you been hiding all this time? Why hasn’t anyone told me about this? Oh yeah. Because most of the popular books nowadays are idiotic, that’s why.
Get the book. ASAP!
March 31, 2016
“Sirantha Jax doesn't just leap off the page—she storms out, kicking, cursing, and mouthing off.�
Sharon Shinn
Yep, that’s about right. :)
Intense and fast paced action-adventure sci-fi with mystery and romance. Although there is plenty of space travel, aliens, events on board of the spaceship and landing on various planets � this is not a hard sci-fi � and some readers may be disappointed with a lack of science or explanation of how the things work. I was happy to sacrifice it for the immersion and intensity of the story. It is very much action focused and would be acceptable for most urban fantasy readers due to delicious blend of mystery, romance and adventure and kick-ass foul-mouthed female lead. It is more sexed up than your usual sci-fi but romantic storyline doesn’t take over the plot. I had my doubts and there were few moments when I was worried it will turn out too romantic or melodramatic for my taste, but both times story took the right turn just in time. In the end I felt it was quite well balanced and entertaining read.
Death toll is fairly high in this story and no one is truly safe � not even cute purring aliens I’m afraid, but there is plenty of humour and sarcasm to outweigh the dark moments and along with the ending it has a generally positive vibe.
Highly recommended for the adventure sci-fi readers who Dz’t mind some romance in their story, people who like strong female characters, urban fantasy readers.
All of us snap, sooner or later—you can’t spend so much time jacked into grimspace without losing part of yourself. Jumpers know the risks and yet the drive toward exploration, the need to be the first to see a new rim world, make first planetfall with our pilots, these things fire us along an ultimately self-destructive course.
The Psychs Dz’t realize the reason I’m not completely nuts, since I’ve been running a lot longer than most, is that my early life granted me the ability to compartmentalize. Just shut stuff off, lock it away. In a room inside my head part of me may, in fact, already be gibbering mad, but I Dz’t let that one out to howl.
Gravitational pull. My mind’s wide-open, full of flares, sheer artistry that even the best pilot cannot comprehend. At its most basic level, the universe is beautiful. We’re about to slingshot through our target beacon and back out to straight space. I’ve done it.
When I come into the central hub, though, conversation dies as if I’ve lobbed a grenade. I drop down in one of the empty places and fold my ankle up on my knee. Wait. It doesn’t take too long. Most people can’t stomach silence; it provides too much opportunity to think about things they prefer to avoid.
So I guess I can understand why someone is interested in finding out what makes me tick. Unlock my secrets, and maybe he could improve productivity for other jumpers. That’d be a good thing, overall. However, the critter that winds up dissected for the greater good…well, I’m guessing it probably doesn’t feel too pleased about the contribution.
His sincerity gets to me. It’s easy to be tough when everyone around you is bristling with rancor and suspicion, but let someone show you some genuine kindness, and you find yourself on the verge of breaking down.
“You’re a hex, lady, dark luck, powerful bad juju, ken?� “Only to people who try to kidnap me,� I tell him sweetly, and March snorts, so I feel obliged to add, “Or rescue me…� And then Dina makes a pfft sound. “Or who travel with me…� My gaze sweeps around the darkened interior, trying to find an ally, but nobody will hold my eyes more than two seconds, it seems. “Fine, frag you all, I’m dark juju, bad luck, and you’re all doomed.�
You’re a fucking coward, Jax, and you’re running because you’re scared you found something worth dying for, something more important than you.� I grit my teeth. “You know what I see? Someone afraid of finding something worth living for. Everyone you love dies, so you decided it’s better to be a doomed hero, and you Dz’t care who you drag down with you.
But he’s not content just to slice it short. I start when I feel the blade scraping across my skull. “What the frag—� “It’ll help you pass for a boy,� Dina explains. She takes a closer look then and gives me a roguish grin. “Or a really cute butch. Rawr. Er, anyway, try to keep your head down until we can do something about those eyes.� “What’s wrong with my eyes?!� “They’re memorable,�
Yeah, they proved there’s nothing spiritual, no such thing as a soul, but I’m not sure I can wholly put my faith in science anymore. Miracles are possible. I believe.
Sharon Shinn
Yep, that’s about right. :)
Intense and fast paced action-adventure sci-fi with mystery and romance. Although there is plenty of space travel, aliens, events on board of the spaceship and landing on various planets � this is not a hard sci-fi � and some readers may be disappointed with a lack of science or explanation of how the things work. I was happy to sacrifice it for the immersion and intensity of the story. It is very much action focused and would be acceptable for most urban fantasy readers due to delicious blend of mystery, romance and adventure and kick-ass foul-mouthed female lead. It is more sexed up than your usual sci-fi but romantic storyline doesn’t take over the plot. I had my doubts and there were few moments when I was worried it will turn out too romantic or melodramatic for my taste, but both times story took the right turn just in time. In the end I felt it was quite well balanced and entertaining read.
Death toll is fairly high in this story and no one is truly safe � not even cute purring aliens I’m afraid, but there is plenty of humour and sarcasm to outweigh the dark moments and along with the ending it has a generally positive vibe.
Highly recommended for the adventure sci-fi readers who Dz’t mind some romance in their story, people who like strong female characters, urban fantasy readers.
All of us snap, sooner or later—you can’t spend so much time jacked into grimspace without losing part of yourself. Jumpers know the risks and yet the drive toward exploration, the need to be the first to see a new rim world, make first planetfall with our pilots, these things fire us along an ultimately self-destructive course.
The Psychs Dz’t realize the reason I’m not completely nuts, since I’ve been running a lot longer than most, is that my early life granted me the ability to compartmentalize. Just shut stuff off, lock it away. In a room inside my head part of me may, in fact, already be gibbering mad, but I Dz’t let that one out to howl.
Gravitational pull. My mind’s wide-open, full of flares, sheer artistry that even the best pilot cannot comprehend. At its most basic level, the universe is beautiful. We’re about to slingshot through our target beacon and back out to straight space. I’ve done it.
When I come into the central hub, though, conversation dies as if I’ve lobbed a grenade. I drop down in one of the empty places and fold my ankle up on my knee. Wait. It doesn’t take too long. Most people can’t stomach silence; it provides too much opportunity to think about things they prefer to avoid.
So I guess I can understand why someone is interested in finding out what makes me tick. Unlock my secrets, and maybe he could improve productivity for other jumpers. That’d be a good thing, overall. However, the critter that winds up dissected for the greater good…well, I’m guessing it probably doesn’t feel too pleased about the contribution.
His sincerity gets to me. It’s easy to be tough when everyone around you is bristling with rancor and suspicion, but let someone show you some genuine kindness, and you find yourself on the verge of breaking down.
“You’re a hex, lady, dark luck, powerful bad juju, ken?� “Only to people who try to kidnap me,� I tell him sweetly, and March snorts, so I feel obliged to add, “Or rescue me…� And then Dina makes a pfft sound. “Or who travel with me…� My gaze sweeps around the darkened interior, trying to find an ally, but nobody will hold my eyes more than two seconds, it seems. “Fine, frag you all, I’m dark juju, bad luck, and you’re all doomed.�
You’re a fucking coward, Jax, and you’re running because you’re scared you found something worth dying for, something more important than you.� I grit my teeth. “You know what I see? Someone afraid of finding something worth living for. Everyone you love dies, so you decided it’s better to be a doomed hero, and you Dz’t care who you drag down with you.
But he’s not content just to slice it short. I start when I feel the blade scraping across my skull. “What the frag—� “It’ll help you pass for a boy,� Dina explains. She takes a closer look then and gives me a roguish grin. “Or a really cute butch. Rawr. Er, anyway, try to keep your head down until we can do something about those eyes.� “What’s wrong with my eyes?!� “They’re memorable,�
Yeah, they proved there’s nothing spiritual, no such thing as a soul, but I’m not sure I can wholly put my faith in science anymore. Miracles are possible. I believe.
June 4, 2010
I felt kind of like I was reading portions of Battlestar Galactica (maybe mixing in a little ST, The Matrix and Stargate) as a book--and I mean that as a total compliment. I enjoyed the space drama and the descriptions of the universe and the ships they flew, as well as the descriptions of jacking in to grimspace and sharing experiences.
My one major gripe was with the description of the main characters. Obviously every character has flaws--I get it--but if you keep trying to make a character sound like she is hideous (old, skinny, covered in burn scars, crazy hair, etc.) why the heck would I want to read about her getting it on? I had a hard time picturing what basically all of characters looked like.
However, the story, sense of humor and dialogue were great. I am definitely going to keep reading this series.
My one major gripe was with the description of the main characters. Obviously every character has flaws--I get it--but if you keep trying to make a character sound like she is hideous (old, skinny, covered in burn scars, crazy hair, etc.) why the heck would I want to read about her getting it on? I had a hard time picturing what basically all of characters looked like.
However, the story, sense of humor and dialogue were great. I am definitely going to keep reading this series.
March 17, 2015
That. Was. Awesome.
RTC - Because, Book II
RTC - Because, Book II
March 17, 2015
I do not normally read any sort of sci-fi book. I'm just not a fan of the futuristic/space travel sort of books. I was urged to try this one by a good friend who said it was phenomenal.
It took me a little bit to get into the book. Jax has a very different voice than I'm used to reading, and it took me a while to tune into how she thought and talked. But it's that very uniqueness of voice that makes me really enjoy the character later.
The storyline is new, to me, interesting, and fast paced. I really enjoyed seeing the growth of Jax throughout it.
Sometimes in a first person POV novel it's hard to get to know any of the other characters, but I thought Ann Aguirre did a really good job of making sure they were very clear as well.
I read this book in one sitting, unable to put it down until I'd finished it - late in the night. And now I'm looking forward to picking up the next one.
It took me a little bit to get into the book. Jax has a very different voice than I'm used to reading, and it took me a while to tune into how she thought and talked. But it's that very uniqueness of voice that makes me really enjoy the character later.
The storyline is new, to me, interesting, and fast paced. I really enjoyed seeing the growth of Jax throughout it.
Sometimes in a first person POV novel it's hard to get to know any of the other characters, but I thought Ann Aguirre did a really good job of making sure they were very clear as well.
I read this book in one sitting, unable to put it down until I'd finished it - late in the night. And now I'm looking forward to picking up the next one.
March 18, 2017
Sirantha Jax has a rare genetic ability to navigate through Grimspace, her talent is highly sought after and she's always been considered a bit of a celebrity because of that. It all goes horribly wrong when a ship she is navigating crashes killing over 80 people, Jax is the only survivor but she has no memory of how the crash happened. The Corporation she works for seem to believe it was her fault though and she has been a prisoner ever since undergoing psych-evaluations and constant questioning. When a mysterious man breaks into her cell and offers her the chance at freedom it's a chance she has to take, even if it does come with a very high price and leave her with a price on her head.
It's been a long time since the first book in a series grabbed me quite as hard as Grimspace did. I was totally hooked from the very first page and if I'd had more time on my hands I could easily have devoured this in a day. As it was I was irritated that real life got in the way of my reading time and when I was busy doing other things I was constantly trying to find time to squeeze in just a couple more pages. The book wasn't quite perfect and there were a few points where I was a little confused but it gets the full five star rating for its pure addictiveness!
There is just so much to love about this world and particularly the characters. Jax is a mess, she's paranoid, suicidal and only one step away from a full on psychotic break but she's also a tough as nails survivor with a snarky sense of humour and a tendency to act before she thinks. She doesn't let people close easily but once she does she will fight to protect them and she's definitely the kind of person you want to have your back in a tough spot. Then we have Marsh (oh hello new book boyfriend!) who is just as as much of a smartarse as Jax and twice as messed up, he has a homicidal streak a mile wide but he has mad mind reading skills and the boy knows how to use his Theta waves! I love that he's not manipulative, he's pretty much a what you see is what you get kind of guy which means he'll tell you the truth even when you don't want to hear it. The romance between these two was pretty spot on, yes it starts happening very quickly but it never felt rushed and I loved every minute of it.
They're not the only great characters though and I also loved Dina for her sarcastic sense of humour, Doc for always being the peacemaker, Loras for his incredible act of bravery, Baby-Z for all round adorableness and adding so much humour to the story and Velith for being such a surprise. There are so many things to love about this story and the clever dialogue and interesting world building is only part of it. Grimspace has all the humour and action of Firefly, Jax is a space travelling, equally kickass version of Kate Daniels and the story will keep you gripped from beginning to end. I'm so glad I'm late discovering this series because that means I can devour all six books (and the spin off trilogy!) without having to wait between releases. Now I'm off to make a start on Wanderlust!
It's been a long time since the first book in a series grabbed me quite as hard as Grimspace did. I was totally hooked from the very first page and if I'd had more time on my hands I could easily have devoured this in a day. As it was I was irritated that real life got in the way of my reading time and when I was busy doing other things I was constantly trying to find time to squeeze in just a couple more pages. The book wasn't quite perfect and there were a few points where I was a little confused but it gets the full five star rating for its pure addictiveness!
There is just so much to love about this world and particularly the characters. Jax is a mess, she's paranoid, suicidal and only one step away from a full on psychotic break but she's also a tough as nails survivor with a snarky sense of humour and a tendency to act before she thinks. She doesn't let people close easily but once she does she will fight to protect them and she's definitely the kind of person you want to have your back in a tough spot. Then we have Marsh (oh hello new book boyfriend!) who is just as as much of a smartarse as Jax and twice as messed up, he has a homicidal streak a mile wide but he has mad mind reading skills and the boy knows how to use his Theta waves! I love that he's not manipulative, he's pretty much a what you see is what you get kind of guy which means he'll tell you the truth even when you don't want to hear it. The romance between these two was pretty spot on, yes it starts happening very quickly but it never felt rushed and I loved every minute of it.
They're not the only great characters though and I also loved Dina for her sarcastic sense of humour, Doc for always being the peacemaker, Loras for his incredible act of bravery, Baby-Z for all round adorableness and adding so much humour to the story and Velith for being such a surprise. There are so many things to love about this story and the clever dialogue and interesting world building is only part of it. Grimspace has all the humour and action of Firefly, Jax is a space travelling, equally kickass version of Kate Daniels and the story will keep you gripped from beginning to end. I'm so glad I'm late discovering this series because that means I can devour all six books (and the spin off trilogy!) without having to wait between releases. Now I'm off to make a start on Wanderlust!
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