The Chronicles of Ratha: Children of the Noorthi

The Chronicles of Ratha

by Erica Lawson

Jordana Laren is a hard-drinking, hard-fighting womanizer, who works as a freighter pilot in her spare time. Her latest customer drugs her, steals her ship, and abandons her on a desert hellhole called Rigeus, infamous penal planet for the worst women criminals. Her chances of survival aren't looking good. She has no food, water, or weapons, and the nearest bar is a million miles away. Just when she's ready to write her last will and testament, Jordana is rescued by a group of barely-clad women. Has she found nirvana? Her own personal harem seems like a possibility, until the intercession of their enemy, the Velkren. Their leader, Vel, remembers Jordana well, and not fondly. But why is Vel on this planet, surrounded by murderers, thieves, and bad-tempered bitches? Jordana knows Vel isn't a prisoner, so why is her nemesis on Rigeus mining mud, of all things? Jordana knows only one thing. She has to get off the planet before Vel kills her. Unfortunately, the women who saved her reveal themselves to be holy. They are the Noorthi, and Jordana's dream of endless debauchery becomes a nightmare of eternal servitude. The Noorthi make her one of them, marking her with a wrist tattoo, and leaving her no choice but to protect them with her life. The last thing Jordana wants is to become involved in galactic politics or heroic actions. But the tattoo ochre in her body is suddenly giving her morals and scruples, not to mention a better vocabulary! And she really can't pass up a chance to outwit Vel, whose megalomaniac plans are endangering not only the Noorthi, but the civilized galaxy itself. But Jordana is torn. Does she stop Vel at all costs, or does she get out from under the thumb of the Noorthi while she can? Some things were never meant to be easy...

Genres: Science Fiction, Lesbian

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 29, 2010

About the author

From the author's website: I was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1956 where I grew up and have lived all my life. I graduated high school, attended a business college and have been either a typist or secretary for all my working life, taking a seven year break 1987 to 1994 while my kids grew from babies to school kids. Venturing once again out into the workforce, I have spent the last 16 years working for a psychiatrist which, in my opinion, gave me a lot of insight into my own mental state. I hadn't really considered taking up writing until 5 years ago, when I was encouraged by friends in an online chatroom to try my hand at writing some short stories. I practiced my skills with online fan fiction, primarily Xena fan fiction, leading to an opportunity to submit a manuscript to Blue Feather Books at the end of 2007. And the rest, they say, is history.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the online version, and I can't wait for the sequel. I thought this story was very interesting.

[Deirdre S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't usually finish books I would give this few stars to, but it was the monthly selection of a book group I belong to, so I plowed on. The kindest thing I can say about it is that it would have benefited from another draft and a skilled editor. There are elements that were worthy of developing, but they mostly never got the development they needed to come to fruit.

[Genny · Rating 3 out of 5]

the ending is better than the beginning

[Jae Jae]

An entertaining read. Somehow, I couldn't get a good grasp on the supporting characters, and the ending felt as if there's more to come. There might be a sequel planned.

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's more like a three to four stars rating..... A slow start but did warmed up to the characters .... They way the story ends suggest that there may be a sequel planned.