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Shayla's World #1
Ghosts of Innocence
Master assassin Shayla Carver has killed many times. That's what assassins do, nothing to lose sleep over, but this mission is different. She's never killed a whole planet before. In a time when Earth is little more than a legend, life is dangerous for wayward colonies. Everyone fears the Emperor's power to order a Cleansing, the burning of all traces of civilization from the face of a planet. Shayla's own home world was Cleansed, and now, years later, she's ready to exact payment in kind. But her meticulous planning didn't prepare her for living undercover amongst some of the two billion people she's about to slaughter. Ordinary people. Not the strutting Imperials readily dismissed as legitimate targets or collateral damage. Then there's the Emperor himself. An ordinary man with troubles and dreams of his own. Did this man really order the slaughter of innocents? Can she? Now she's starting to lose sleep.
- GenresScience FictionAction
312 pages, Paperback
First published May 22, 2014
3 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
Ian S. Bott
8 books20 followersI am a public servant by day, and a science fiction author by night when my dark side emerges to wreak murder and mayhem on unsuspecting imaginary worlds.
I use my lifelong love of both science and art to bring new worlds to life for readers to escape to. Back in the real world, I escaped from Britain in 2004 but still miss proper pubs, pork pies, and real bacon.
I now live in beautiful British Columbia with my wife, two children, and assorted pets.
My website contains information on published books, works in progress, and an insider's view into the various story worlds.
You can also connect with me on my blog, Views From the Bald Patch, where I post about Life, Writing, and Random Thoughts That Enter My Mind.
I use my lifelong love of both science and art to bring new worlds to life for readers to escape to. Back in the real world, I escaped from Britain in 2004 but still miss proper pubs, pork pies, and real bacon.
I now live in beautiful British Columbia with my wife, two children, and assorted pets.
My website contains information on published books, works in progress, and an insider's view into the various story worlds.
You can also connect with me on my blog, Views From the Bald Patch, where I post about Life, Writing, and Random Thoughts That Enter My Mind.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 22, 2014
I won this through goodreads first reads! :)
This book had the kind of beginning I love, it was full of so much action I couldn't help being sucked in.
The setting was really attractive to me, it's interesting how it feels like the future because of space travel and a multiple planet empire but also like the past due to the natural tribal feeling you get from the people.
I enjoyed how even the little things that happened were often shocking.
The main character is a tough, feisty female, and who doesn't love that? She was strong enough to be independent and fierce but not so strong as to forfeit her more sensitive emotions, which made her more realistic in my opinion.
This book kept me guessing, and almost all my guesses were wrong. There were only a couple of things I saw coming, but they happened in such an unexpected way that it was still fresh and exciting.
And to top it off, it had a great dramatic ending packed full of many surprises. I would definitely recommend this book :)
Although....
SPOILER ALERT
I wish Brandt didn't have to die (even if that was a surprise that helped make the ending so good) :(
This book had the kind of beginning I love, it was full of so much action I couldn't help being sucked in.
The setting was really attractive to me, it's interesting how it feels like the future because of space travel and a multiple planet empire but also like the past due to the natural tribal feeling you get from the people.
I enjoyed how even the little things that happened were often shocking.
The main character is a tough, feisty female, and who doesn't love that? She was strong enough to be independent and fierce but not so strong as to forfeit her more sensitive emotions, which made her more realistic in my opinion.
This book kept me guessing, and almost all my guesses were wrong. There were only a couple of things I saw coming, but they happened in such an unexpected way that it was still fresh and exciting.
And to top it off, it had a great dramatic ending packed full of many surprises. I would definitely recommend this book :)
Although....
SPOILER ALERT
I wish Brandt didn't have to die (even if that was a surprise that helped make the ending so good) :(
August 21, 2014
Thoroughly enjoyable book. Ian Bott got everything right in this, his debut novel. The characters are well drawn. The world building is excellent. The pacing is good--the pages all but turn by themselves.The devices used to tell the story never feel contrived. It's obvious that the plot was well thought out, yet written with an edge that keeps the action fresh.
Shayla Carver is an assassin. She's driven by a traumatic incident in her childhood--compelling her to go deep undercover to do what she does best, assassinate someone. But this mark's death will do more than push a subversive political agenda.It will get her the revenge she's waited her whole life to get.
Bott introduces conflict into his MC's world, twisting her and filling her with doubt about her actions. And then he adds a good spin--things aren't as they seem.
I'm going to stop here so I don't have to issue spoiler alerts.
The book is good. Lots of action. Dystopian/scifi. I'd read more of Bott's stories. Oh, as a bonus--the author also did the fantastic artwork on the cover.I gave it five stars.
Shayla Carver is an assassin. She's driven by a traumatic incident in her childhood--compelling her to go deep undercover to do what she does best, assassinate someone. But this mark's death will do more than push a subversive political agenda.It will get her the revenge she's waited her whole life to get.
Bott introduces conflict into his MC's world, twisting her and filling her with doubt about her actions. And then he adds a good spin--things aren't as they seem.
I'm going to stop here so I don't have to issue spoiler alerts.
The book is good. Lots of action. Dystopian/scifi. I'd read more of Bott's stories. Oh, as a bonus--the author also did the fantastic artwork on the cover.I gave it five stars.
September 23, 2014
Can I say how much I loved this book? Nope. Truly, I was surprised and happily engaged. From the very first chapter, I found myself engrossed in the story, rooting for the characters, and on edge as to how it would all play out.
Summary (may contain slight spoilers): Shayla has dedicated twenty years of her life to a single purpose: the assassination of the intergalactic emperor who is responsible for the death of her father and destruction of her home world. Bent on paying him back and watching him suffer as she did, she's made alliances with deadly conspirators and twisted them all to her advantage. She's become a weapon the empire doesn't see coming until much too late. Especially for her to have a change of heart.
What starts out as a travel story turns into a political subterfuge, followed by a moral dilemma, and twisted into an epic conglomeration in a world so dense and complete, you'll swear it really exists.
To call this book mere sci-fi is an insult. It incorporates the world building and pace of Eragon (minus the magic and dragons), the political intrigue of Shadow and Bone (minus the magic), and the unexpected twists of a Cassandra Claire novel. (Forgive my references to YA.) It was one of those books I didn't rush to finish. I wanted to stay in the story world, and although there was a satisfying end to the tale, I wouldn't mind spending a few more days with the characters. Not at all. It's a book I can safely say I would reread, and I NEVER reread books.
For those who follow my reviews on "adult" content, there is some (but minimal) language, and gruesome circumstances (expectant of a domineering and oppressive government).
This is a book I recommend without hesitation, especially to lovers of epic fantasy, sci-fi, or assassination stories. This one goes on my top recommends and favorites list.
Summary (may contain slight spoilers): Shayla has dedicated twenty years of her life to a single purpose: the assassination of the intergalactic emperor who is responsible for the death of her father and destruction of her home world. Bent on paying him back and watching him suffer as she did, she's made alliances with deadly conspirators and twisted them all to her advantage. She's become a weapon the empire doesn't see coming until much too late. Especially for her to have a change of heart.
What starts out as a travel story turns into a political subterfuge, followed by a moral dilemma, and twisted into an epic conglomeration in a world so dense and complete, you'll swear it really exists.
To call this book mere sci-fi is an insult. It incorporates the world building and pace of Eragon (minus the magic and dragons), the political intrigue of Shadow and Bone (minus the magic), and the unexpected twists of a Cassandra Claire novel. (Forgive my references to YA.) It was one of those books I didn't rush to finish. I wanted to stay in the story world, and although there was a satisfying end to the tale, I wouldn't mind spending a few more days with the characters. Not at all. It's a book I can safely say I would reread, and I NEVER reread books.
For those who follow my reviews on "adult" content, there is some (but minimal) language, and gruesome circumstances (expectant of a domineering and oppressive government).
This is a book I recommend without hesitation, especially to lovers of epic fantasy, sci-fi, or assassination stories. This one goes on my top recommends and favorites list.
December 5, 2018
Ghosts of Innocence by Ian Bott was a wonderful blend of both classic and modern sci fi. At some points it had the depth of the Golden Age of sci fi in the same vein as Heinlein or Asimov. At other times it had the action and feel of Star Wars. All around it was a great balance of both and I thoroughly enjoyed this actiony struggle against a tyrannical empire!
October 8, 2014
If you want to take revenge, really take revenge in a way that means something to you and to the one who deserves to suffer for what they have done, you have to meticulously plan. Revenge is not for the impetuous, is not for the rash, is not for the hot-headed. Revenge, as the saying goes, is a dish best eaten cold.
Shayla plans her revenge from an early age. Whilst still a young child she saw her home, and her father, destroyed by the Empire. The image returns to her constantly. The only way to purge this nightmare is to destroy those who had destroyed her life.
She trains, she becomes an assassin, she works with those who will help her to achieve her ends even though their ends are different. She doesn't really care who gets hurt in the process. But then she starts to think. Is the destruction of her enemy at all costs, the costs of millions of innocent lives, lives just like hers, really justified?
To get close she has to take on the role, the look, of her enemies. She has to become one of them so that she can get close enough to kill the one person who has appeared in her nightmares for most of her life. But then she has doubts. Is the object of her hatred really guilty? Has she got it wrong. She hesitates, evidence is produced that convinces her she must change her focus. She achieves her goal with much less loss of life and in the process gets to go back home, but not as she expected.
There are plenty of twists and turns in this story based around a common theme, placed in a universe where it's not countries that are conquered but whole worlds, whole galaxies. Betrayal is everywhere, there are too many competing interests and they all are prepared to use whoever and whatever to get what they want.
Sometimes Shayla's obsession blinds her to what is going on around her and she falls into traps set by enemies who DO think coldly. Passion goads her on but also becomes her weakness.
In science fiction everything is up for grabs and Bott uses his imagination to create a world that is both fantastical and believable. In the process he produces a story that's credible in an incredible way, just what good science fiction should be.
Goodreads First Reads winner.
Shayla plans her revenge from an early age. Whilst still a young child she saw her home, and her father, destroyed by the Empire. The image returns to her constantly. The only way to purge this nightmare is to destroy those who had destroyed her life.
She trains, she becomes an assassin, she works with those who will help her to achieve her ends even though their ends are different. She doesn't really care who gets hurt in the process. But then she starts to think. Is the destruction of her enemy at all costs, the costs of millions of innocent lives, lives just like hers, really justified?
To get close she has to take on the role, the look, of her enemies. She has to become one of them so that she can get close enough to kill the one person who has appeared in her nightmares for most of her life. But then she has doubts. Is the object of her hatred really guilty? Has she got it wrong. She hesitates, evidence is produced that convinces her she must change her focus. She achieves her goal with much less loss of life and in the process gets to go back home, but not as she expected.
There are plenty of twists and turns in this story based around a common theme, placed in a universe where it's not countries that are conquered but whole worlds, whole galaxies. Betrayal is everywhere, there are too many competing interests and they all are prepared to use whoever and whatever to get what they want.
Sometimes Shayla's obsession blinds her to what is going on around her and she falls into traps set by enemies who DO think coldly. Passion goads her on but also becomes her weakness.
In science fiction everything is up for grabs and Bott uses his imagination to create a world that is both fantastical and believable. In the process he produces a story that's credible in an incredible way, just what good science fiction should be.
Goodreads First Reads winner.
December 15, 2017
I've gotta stop doing this. I read a sci-fi book, and then in the review, I always say I don't ordinarily read science fiction. Well, evi-doggone-dently, I DO read sci-fi, because here I am again, reviewing yet another one.
And I really liked it!
With great imagination, the author has created fascinating worlds, and he's populated them with memorable characters carrying out an action-packed story. I never thought I'd find myself rooting for an assassin, nor did I think it was possible for an assassin to become a savior of sorts. Now I know differently. After all, almost anything goes in science fiction, and guess what? Evidently, I like science fiction...
Four and a half stars.
And I really liked it!
With great imagination, the author has created fascinating worlds, and he's populated them with memorable characters carrying out an action-packed story. I never thought I'd find myself rooting for an assassin, nor did I think it was possible for an assassin to become a savior of sorts. Now I know differently. After all, almost anything goes in science fiction, and guess what? Evidently, I like science fiction...
Four and a half stars.
January 14, 2016
In Ghosts of Innocence, Ian S. Bott brings us aboard Imperial starhopper Chantry Bay, inbound to the Imperial seat of government, moments before its unscheduled, flaming entry into planetary atmosphere draws all eyes away from the covert insertion through the defenses of Shayla Carver, an assassin aimed at the best-protected target of all: Emperor Julian Flavio Skamensis. Sent off-course with a damaged suit, Shayla has an unenviable slog through jungle, under the watchful eyes of a security force on full alert, to reach her rendezvous with the local Insurrection and hit the fast-closing time-window that offers her only hope of infiltrating the Emperor’s heavily fortressed compound.
Ghosts of Innocence opens with a deadly starship crash, and the heavy menace of Imperial security hemming the storyline on all sides. The world-building is detailed and intricate, with fascinating threads drawn from many cultures to draw you in. The tension is a constant through the book, expertly evoked by small touches in every scene, and spiked by Shayla’s flashbacks and gut-wrenching nightmares. Ian S. Bott has done a great job of creating a character who is impossible not to relate to, and whose self-doubt will strike resonances in everyone. Shayla makes a strong protagonist, and even if her streak of luck seems incredible at times, you’ll forget it at the next page and the next challenge.
Ghosts of Innocence opens with a deadly starship crash, and the heavy menace of Imperial security hemming the storyline on all sides. The world-building is detailed and intricate, with fascinating threads drawn from many cultures to draw you in. The tension is a constant through the book, expertly evoked by small touches in every scene, and spiked by Shayla’s flashbacks and gut-wrenching nightmares. Ian S. Bott has done a great job of creating a character who is impossible not to relate to, and whose self-doubt will strike resonances in everyone. Shayla makes a strong protagonist, and even if her streak of luck seems incredible at times, you’ll forget it at the next page and the next challenge.
May 29, 2018
I really don't want to give too much away about this book. There are so many twists and turns, intrigues, plots and counter plots it almost leaves the reader brethless. The charcters are diverse and well drawn - and it's not always easy to know who is on which side, or indeed how many sides there actually are! Shayla must be the ultimate anti-heroine - a deadly assassin with a conscience who does not hesitate to kill but has her own agenda that even the faction she is working with don't know about. The climax is very powerful and quite moving.
This is a real page turner. The science is imaginative and seems perfectly feasible, the author doesn't blind the reader with science, but some of the futuristic items in an assassin's 'toolbox' in this book are pretty mindblowing. Altogether a very enjoyable read!
This is a real page turner. The science is imaginative and seems perfectly feasible, the author doesn't blind the reader with science, but some of the futuristic items in an assassin's 'toolbox' in this book are pretty mindblowing. Altogether a very enjoyable read!
January 20, 2019
Excellent space opera. A revenge mission with surprises. The world building is superb and characters are multi-dimensional. Ghosts had me reading long into the night. Anxious to read the next book in this series.
April 20, 2016
As the saying goes, before setting out on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. Or, in the case of this book's protagonist, a lot of them. There is a lot of death in this tale of revenge, set in an 87 world galactic empire. Shayla is a trained assassin on a mission to infiltrate said empire, though there are missions within missions, goals that are in conflict, and no one, including the reader, has any idea of where things are going, particularly after the quest for revenge seems to be coming to a head with half the book remaining. If I had a quibble with this book, it would be that, while it was presented as a work of Space Opera, it's more of a military SF or Spy-Fi genre for the majority of it.
Overall, an engaging and pleasant read for this first novel by Ian S. Bott.
(Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for this unbiased review.)
Overall, an engaging and pleasant read for this first novel by Ian S. Bott.
(Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for this unbiased review.)
June 20, 2020
The story of Shayla Carver, assassin extraordinaire, as she seeks revenge on the empire that murdered her father and literally wiped out life & civilization on her home planet, Eloon. She is able to insert herself onto the Emperor's own planet, into his court. But, things are not what they appear to be on the surface, and the plot moves forward at an increasing pace with surprising turns. The ending has overtones of Greek Tragedy. Oh, and the author's website says he has a sequel in progress.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews