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Morgan #2
Running Toward Home
They escaped a murderous plot with their lives, but the danger surrounding former Special Operative Shaine Wendt and long-lost heiress Morgan Rahn is only beginning.
At first the worst of their problems seems to be the endless media curiosity that follows them from Earth to Moon Base and back again. An assignment to Mars allows them to hide, but a mining accident leaves Morgan injured and Shaine convinced it’s sabotage. Her prime suspects are from the colony of religious extremists not far from the site.
Shaine’s investigation uncovers the seething malice that she expected—and then something far worse. All they both want is a place to call home, but if they turn their backs will anyone be safe?
At first the worst of their problems seems to be the endless media curiosity that follows them from Earth to Moon Base and back again. An assignment to Mars allows them to hide, but a mining accident leaves Morgan injured and Shaine convinced it’s sabotage. Her prime suspects are from the colony of religious extremists not far from the site.
Shaine’s investigation uncovers the seething malice that she expected—and then something far worse. All they both want is a place to call home, but if they turn their backs will anyone be safe?
- GenresScience FictionLGBT
232 pages, Paperback
First published May 12, 2014
About the author
M.B. Panichi
6 books16 followersA hard-rock girl at heart, MB Panichi is a software developer by day and a drummer and storyteller by night. An obsessive science-fiction fan, she loves placing human stories in worlds that don’t exist, but she would really love it if they did. Saving Morgan is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 20, 2016
It's Christmas day and we're about out the door to go do Christmas-like things (robbing banks, overthrowing governments, kidnapping puppies-- the usual), so this won't be a long review.
This novel had a much slower pace than the first in the series and, for the most part, I preferred the extra time it allowed for characterization. Unfortunately, I still found Morgan to be a little uneven. In the first book, she was introduced as a rough-and-tumble mechanic who played contact sports and got into fistfights, and yet she was also feminine and unafraid to express emotions. That's awesome! Or it was, until she was cast in the role of damsel-in-distress for what seemed to be most of the book. This story does something similar, just to a lesser degree.
I want to be clear: Morgan is definitely more competent this time around. She has a lot more agency and she contributes in multiple ways. That said, she still spends a fair amount of time getting shot, lying in hospital beds, and feeling emotionally unsettled. Shaine, on the other hand, is basically still the big action hero she was in the first book-- a little more of an administrator here, but still the one everybody looks to.
Edit: I had a big paragraph here about gender expression and categorization, but I cut it. It ended up feeling too personal and yet still failed to capture what it was I was trying to express.
Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled programming. The plot. The plot seemed a little unfocused. The first third of the book was spent dealing with a situation that had no apparent relevance to the rest of the story. I thought it was going to tie in to the larger plot, but it never did. The story also ended somewhat abruptly, leaving the overall conflict unresolved. Maybe there's a sequel on the way that ties everything together, but it didn't happen in this book.
The romance worked a bit better this time around. With the first novel, there really wasn't a lot of time to develop anything; it was always: run-run-run, shoot-shoot-shoot. There's considerably more downtime here, which allowed for more conversations and intimacy. Contrary to the action sequences, the romance was fairly well-balanced between the two leads.
As with the first novel, the author's technical ability is still rather good. She describes her settings well, is capable of keeping the sentences varied and interesting, and manages to prevent the exposition from slowing the story down. There were very few proofreading errors, either, which is always a nice bonus.
And, now the review is over. We're out the door to hijack tricycles and blackmail nail artists in a celebration of Christmas miracles. Ho Ho Hold your hands above your head, Mindy! That tricycle's mine!
This novel had a much slower pace than the first in the series and, for the most part, I preferred the extra time it allowed for characterization. Unfortunately, I still found Morgan to be a little uneven. In the first book, she was introduced as a rough-and-tumble mechanic who played contact sports and got into fistfights, and yet she was also feminine and unafraid to express emotions. That's awesome! Or it was, until she was cast in the role of damsel-in-distress for what seemed to be most of the book. This story does something similar, just to a lesser degree.
I want to be clear: Morgan is definitely more competent this time around. She has a lot more agency and she contributes in multiple ways. That said, she still spends a fair amount of time getting shot, lying in hospital beds, and feeling emotionally unsettled. Shaine, on the other hand, is basically still the big action hero she was in the first book-- a little more of an administrator here, but still the one everybody looks to.
Edit: I had a big paragraph here about gender expression and categorization, but I cut it. It ended up feeling too personal and yet still failed to capture what it was I was trying to express.
Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled programming. The plot. The plot seemed a little unfocused. The first third of the book was spent dealing with a situation that had no apparent relevance to the rest of the story. I thought it was going to tie in to the larger plot, but it never did. The story also ended somewhat abruptly, leaving the overall conflict unresolved. Maybe there's a sequel on the way that ties everything together, but it didn't happen in this book.
The romance worked a bit better this time around. With the first novel, there really wasn't a lot of time to develop anything; it was always: run-run-run, shoot-shoot-shoot. There's considerably more downtime here, which allowed for more conversations and intimacy. Contrary to the action sequences, the romance was fairly well-balanced between the two leads.
As with the first novel, the author's technical ability is still rather good. She describes her settings well, is capable of keeping the sentences varied and interesting, and manages to prevent the exposition from slowing the story down. There were very few proofreading errors, either, which is always a nice bonus.
And, now the review is over. We're out the door to hijack tricycles and blackmail nail artists in a celebration of Christmas miracles. Ho Ho Hold your hands above your head, Mindy! That tricycle's mine!
April 11, 2021
I recommend this book
Very enjoyable series. The main characters are well written and very likable. Science fiction with action mystery and romance. What more could you ask for. Wish there was a book three. Thanks for another winner.
Very enjoyable series. The main characters are well written and very likable. Science fiction with action mystery and romance. What more could you ask for. Wish there was a book three. Thanks for another winner.
October 15, 2014
I loved this book!
Running Toward Home is a sequel to Saving Morgan but it is a wonderful stand alone as well. I read this book first but I am going to get Saving Morgan tonight and I KNOW it will be even more intense! I can not wait to read it!
This story was so good! There was a great balance of tension and drama along with happy, loving peaceful times. More than once I found myself nervously fidgeting on the edge of the couch wondering what was going to happen next, will these women be alright as they find themselves in precarious situations again and again...
I was so totally drawn into the story. I hated to put the book down even for a minute. I was just so caught up in this wonderfully written book. Ms. Panichi really knows how to write!
I loved these characters so much. I like how Ms. Panichi takes the story to different settings in the galaxy. We get to see how life for these fasinating women changes with each new setting. There was a lot of detail that drew me deeper into this tale making it more real and exciting.
I would LOVE to see a follow up book including more of Friday's growth as she finds her place in the world with her new family.
Running Toward Home is a sequel to Saving Morgan but it is a wonderful stand alone as well. I read this book first but I am going to get Saving Morgan tonight and I KNOW it will be even more intense! I can not wait to read it!
This story was so good! There was a great balance of tension and drama along with happy, loving peaceful times. More than once I found myself nervously fidgeting on the edge of the couch wondering what was going to happen next, will these women be alright as they find themselves in precarious situations again and again...
I was so totally drawn into the story. I hated to put the book down even for a minute. I was just so caught up in this wonderfully written book. Ms. Panichi really knows how to write!
I loved these characters so much. I like how Ms. Panichi takes the story to different settings in the galaxy. We get to see how life for these fasinating women changes with each new setting. There was a lot of detail that drew me deeper into this tale making it more real and exciting.
I would LOVE to see a follow up book including more of Friday's growth as she finds her place in the world with her new family.
August 1, 2016
I was so incredibly disappointed in this story after reading Saving Morgan. The cover states that it is "The page-turning sequel to Saving Morgan" and I kept waiting for that page-turning momentum to happen. Instead the first half of the book dragged on as Shaine and Morgan hang out at the Wendt estate on Earth where cars still seem to be polluting the air with fossil fuels even though they fly and women still have the household chores and responsibilities while the men tend to the field. I kept going though as they got caught up in a local protest thinking that it was going to have some impact on the second half of the story. It didn't. The second half was a little more fast paced but incorporated some really dark themes between two of the primary characters. It just seemed like this story had so much potential but it feel far short of Saving Morgan.
July 8, 2017
3 1/2 Stars. Not quite as good as the first book, but a nice Sci-Fi ride. I like Shaine and Morgan quite a bit, both characters are extremely likeable, and they make a great couple. It was really nice to have more adventures with them. This book was not quite the page-turner as the first, and it starts of a bit slow. But, once the story gets to Mars, the action picks up.
If you enjoyed the first book, don't hesitate to read this. If you have not read the first book, Saving Morgan, go and read that first. These are not really suitable as standalones, plus the first book is great and you won't want to miss it.
I hope Panichi writes more Shaine/Morgan books. If she does, I will definitely be reading them!
If you enjoyed the first book, don't hesitate to read this. If you have not read the first book, Saving Morgan, go and read that first. These are not really suitable as standalones, plus the first book is great and you won't want to miss it.
I hope Panichi writes more Shaine/Morgan books. If she does, I will definitely be reading them!
June 25, 2014
In this sequel to Saving Morgan, the tone is a little different. Even though there is still plenty of action, it seems to take a backseat to the growing relationship between Morgan and Shaine. At first I wasn't sure if I was happy with the direction of the book compared to the first one, but is enjoyed it nonetheless. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of Mars and the mining facility being built there.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews