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On Deception's Edge #2
Heights of Green
Torrin Ivanov’s homecoming wasn’t the smooth, triumphant process she’d imagined. She almost killed her girlfriend Jak Stowell in their escape and now that they’re planetside, the intrigue of her business occupies all her time.
Jak believed the lies Torrin told her, that things would be better when she got home. Shocked and betrayed, Jak dedicates herself to training militia-women, spending her days as far away from Torrin as possible. But Jak’s new friends have their own agendas and her internal compass has gone haywire, severely compromising her safety in the field.
When a militia member dies and Jak disappears, Torrin begins a desperate race against time—this time around, Jak’s life depends on her.
Jak believed the lies Torrin told her, that things would be better when she got home. Shocked and betrayed, Jak dedicates herself to training militia-women, spending her days as far away from Torrin as possible. But Jak’s new friends have their own agendas and her internal compass has gone haywire, severely compromising her safety in the field.
When a militia member dies and Jak disappears, Torrin begins a desperate race against time—this time around, Jak’s life depends on her.
332 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 25, 2016
Book 2 of the Jak -Torrin Adventures (officially it is called the 'On Deception's Edge' series, though I have no idea why) is about as different from the first book as Jak's lush home planet is from Torrin's arid desert home.
The official blurb is a litle too revealing, imho, so here's a more spoiler-free gist: (Spoiler warnings for Book 1 though, if you haven't read that yet).
After her disastrous foray into planet Haefen for an arms deal that went completely fubar, Torrin Ivanov returns to her home planet a little worse for wear, but with some unexpected prizes--shiny new implant technology plus an amazing new girl friend, Jak. For Jak Stowell, the idea of women loving women is as alien as the alluring off-world smuggler. But her attraction to Torrin, starting with her inability to kill her as she was supposed to, up to her ultimate decision to leave her home planet for Torrin's, is as real as it gets. Jak would have loved to have Torrin help her acclimate to her strange new surroundings, but pressing matters keep Torrin occupied. Not only that, everywhere she turns she is faced with Torrin's planet-wide reputation for being a player. Did she make the biggest mistake of her life coming here?
Not wanting to sit idle and stew, Jak eventually finds her niche by turning to what she does best--sniper shooting and hunting--and trains the natives in long distance shooting. The camaraderie of military life AND the freedom to be a woman, something not possible on her home planet, gives Jak a welcome sense of purpose and calm. But a storm is brewing underneath the calm. Torrin suspects her ill-fated trip to Haefen was not an accident. And her attempts to suss out the truth may just have led the hidden enemy to up the stakes.
I loved the first book of the series, and I quite look forward to the third book. And that's probably the best I can say about this book. :) It's a good, solid bridge. But compared side by side with the emotional impact, pulse-pounding excitement, and tight plotting of the first book, this one is a bit of a letdown. First, the idea of swashbuckling, lone-wolf smuggler Torrin being very establishment back home (as in, she's one of the heads of her planet's biggest corporation!) is rather, shall we say, unromantic. :) I wouldn't go so far as to say it's unbelievable, because while she may be one of the bosses, her primary role is off-world wheeling and dealing. I can see how that works.
Apparently the implant tech she brought home is a huge deal, and bringing it to market is of utmost urgency. Torrin's in corporate business meetings all day long (somehow I find that hard to visualize--imagine Han Solo sitting in one day-in and out and you'll get what I mean). So while she doesn't ignore Jak in the bedroom, everything else takes more precedence. Now what's a girl to think? No wonder Jak felt so alone. ;) At this point, if you went into this book not knowing any better, it's like reading a typical run-of-the-mill vanilla lesbian romance--complete with the usual tropes--busy partner, neglected girlfriend, player reputation, old flames, jealousy, family conflict, and everything else is just props. You can pretty much transplant the whole story to any ole place here on earth, and it will work just as well.
I don't mind the direction of the plot but it was just so terribly unexciting. Maybe if things weren't so laid back at Nadi (Torrin's home planet)... Maybe if Jak wasn't so welcome there... Maybe if Torrin didn't have so much power and resources at her disposal (and the whole militia at her beck and call)... maybe...you get what I mean. The book needed to have more tension and conflict throughout. Okay, I probably wouldn't have minded if this part was better written. I missed the awesome writing from the first book, where, when the action lulled, the romance/tension took over. I missed the terribly-conflicted, emotionally messy, killing machine that was Jak. I missed getting into the characters' heads and hearts. There was just too much telling in this book. I missed the occasional poetic imagery from the first book. There were some extraneous descriptions, scenes that I felt over-extended their welcome and at at least one subplot (about Torrin's relationship with her mother) didn't seem to have much relevance except to extend the page count. A tighter edit would have improved the overall pacing. Fortunately, things pick up a bit in the second half of the book when we finally get some action. Not as much tension as I was hoping for though. We do see flashes of the old Jak in action. And a new Jak we've never seen--a broken and lost Jak. That, plus the epilogue, is a perfect lead-in to the third book.
Fans of the first book won't be dissuaded by this review. I certainly wouldn't. But this book felt rushed--both the writing and the editing. I know fans like me love to say 'Can't wait for the next book!', but we actually can. And for as long as it takes to give Jak and Torrin the awesome ending they deserve.
4.2 stars
P.S. Again, like the first book, the cover does not reflect either of the protagonists. The hair is the most obvious difference. Jak is blonde and Torrin is dark red. But the truly glaring difference is that neither of them ever carry pistols. Jak is married to her sniper rifle and Torrin carries a wicked vibroknife. :)
PPS. The cliffhanger ending is just a tantalizing teaser for the third book. The story arc here is complete.
The official blurb is a litle too revealing, imho, so here's a more spoiler-free gist: (Spoiler warnings for Book 1 though, if you haven't read that yet).
After her disastrous foray into planet Haefen for an arms deal that went completely fubar, Torrin Ivanov returns to her home planet a little worse for wear, but with some unexpected prizes--shiny new implant technology plus an amazing new girl friend, Jak. For Jak Stowell, the idea of women loving women is as alien as the alluring off-world smuggler. But her attraction to Torrin, starting with her inability to kill her as she was supposed to, up to her ultimate decision to leave her home planet for Torrin's, is as real as it gets. Jak would have loved to have Torrin help her acclimate to her strange new surroundings, but pressing matters keep Torrin occupied. Not only that, everywhere she turns she is faced with Torrin's planet-wide reputation for being a player. Did she make the biggest mistake of her life coming here?
Not wanting to sit idle and stew, Jak eventually finds her niche by turning to what she does best--sniper shooting and hunting--and trains the natives in long distance shooting. The camaraderie of military life AND the freedom to be a woman, something not possible on her home planet, gives Jak a welcome sense of purpose and calm. But a storm is brewing underneath the calm. Torrin suspects her ill-fated trip to Haefen was not an accident. And her attempts to suss out the truth may just have led the hidden enemy to up the stakes.
I loved the first book of the series, and I quite look forward to the third book. And that's probably the best I can say about this book. :) It's a good, solid bridge. But compared side by side with the emotional impact, pulse-pounding excitement, and tight plotting of the first book, this one is a bit of a letdown. First, the idea of swashbuckling, lone-wolf smuggler Torrin being very establishment back home (as in, she's one of the heads of her planet's biggest corporation!) is rather, shall we say, unromantic. :) I wouldn't go so far as to say it's unbelievable, because while she may be one of the bosses, her primary role is off-world wheeling and dealing. I can see how that works.
Apparently the implant tech she brought home is a huge deal, and bringing it to market is of utmost urgency. Torrin's in corporate business meetings all day long (somehow I find that hard to visualize--imagine Han Solo sitting in one day-in and out and you'll get what I mean). So while she doesn't ignore Jak in the bedroom, everything else takes more precedence. Now what's a girl to think? No wonder Jak felt so alone. ;) At this point, if you went into this book not knowing any better, it's like reading a typical run-of-the-mill vanilla lesbian romance--complete with the usual tropes--busy partner, neglected girlfriend, player reputation, old flames, jealousy, family conflict, and everything else is just props. You can pretty much transplant the whole story to any ole place here on earth, and it will work just as well.
I don't mind the direction of the plot but it was just so terribly unexciting. Maybe if things weren't so laid back at Nadi (Torrin's home planet)... Maybe if Jak wasn't so welcome there... Maybe if Torrin didn't have so much power and resources at her disposal (and the whole militia at her beck and call)... maybe...you get what I mean. The book needed to have more tension and conflict throughout. Okay, I probably wouldn't have minded if this part was better written. I missed the awesome writing from the first book, where, when the action lulled, the romance/tension took over. I missed the terribly-conflicted, emotionally messy, killing machine that was Jak. I missed getting into the characters' heads and hearts. There was just too much telling in this book. I missed the occasional poetic imagery from the first book. There were some extraneous descriptions, scenes that I felt over-extended their welcome and at at least one subplot (about Torrin's relationship with her mother) didn't seem to have much relevance except to extend the page count. A tighter edit would have improved the overall pacing. Fortunately, things pick up a bit in the second half of the book when we finally get some action. Not as much tension as I was hoping for though. We do see flashes of the old Jak in action. And a new Jak we've never seen--a broken and lost Jak. That, plus the epilogue, is a perfect lead-in to the third book.
Fans of the first book won't be dissuaded by this review. I certainly wouldn't. But this book felt rushed--both the writing and the editing. I know fans like me love to say 'Can't wait for the next book!', but we actually can. And for as long as it takes to give Jak and Torrin the awesome ending they deserve.
4.2 stars
P.S. Again, like the first book, the cover does not reflect either of the protagonists. The hair is the most obvious difference. Jak is blonde and Torrin is dark red. But the truly glaring difference is that neither of them ever carry pistols. Jak is married to her sniper rifle and Torrin carries a wicked vibroknife. :)
PPS. The cliffhanger ending is just a tantalizing teaser for the third book. The story arc here is complete.
June 22, 2021
The second in the series. Starts pretty much back after where we left off in book 1 Depths of Blue, only just after the cryosleep that see's Torrin and Jak delivered back to Torrin's homeworld, and assisting Jak with her ailments.
This installment is a lot longer than the previous, and also has a lot more dramatic tension in the relationship department. Which despite my general irritation towards angst, it actually did make sense for the most part. The two women come from such different worlds (literally), and both have reputations and pasts which combined to cause issues for the couple. So it was understandable that two wilful stubborn and independent women would struggle in their first ever real relationship. However frustrating it may be.
I was not fond of the more meddlesome characters, and their motives, I do wish that certain 'ex' trope wasn't used so much in lesfic. I feel like the drama as it stood with the women's own insecurities, miscommunication, unsurety of the relationship and their lifestyles etc, was enough without adding more convoluted BS to it. You can have realistic internal relationship drama that is interesting to read about, with two people trying to work their shit out and own their issues - without outsiders causing more conflict.
The whole 'villain' plot wasn't a favoured point with me, again it seemed stretch and too melodramatic for such an otherwise good story. The soap opera reveal didn't help matters there, either. It was so easily admitted in the end, and so it felt clumsy and unrealistic, after all the cloak and dagger stuff the villain had done thus far to get to that point. So unfortunately it loses a star for that.
There's always more going on below the surface though, and multiple plot points and characters that are evolving which make you constantly want to keep reading to discover what happens next. It seems you're always on the edge of your seat. Which I like. Overall it's an excellent story with riveting characters, but like I said there were a few hiccups I found frustrating. Though I am still immensely looking forward to book 3!
This installment is a lot longer than the previous, and also has a lot more dramatic tension in the relationship department. Which despite my general irritation towards angst, it actually did make sense for the most part. The two women come from such different worlds (literally), and both have reputations and pasts which combined to cause issues for the couple. So it was understandable that two wilful stubborn and independent women would struggle in their first ever real relationship. However frustrating it may be.
I was not fond of the more meddlesome characters, and their motives, I do wish that certain 'ex' trope wasn't used so much in lesfic. I feel like the drama as it stood with the women's own insecurities, miscommunication, unsurety of the relationship and their lifestyles etc, was enough without adding more convoluted BS to it. You can have realistic internal relationship drama that is interesting to read about, with two people trying to work their shit out and own their issues - without outsiders causing more conflict.
The whole 'villain' plot wasn't a favoured point with me, again it seemed stretch and too melodramatic for such an otherwise good story. The soap opera reveal didn't help matters there, either. It was so easily admitted in the end, and so it felt clumsy and unrealistic, after all the cloak and dagger stuff the villain had done thus far to get to that point. So unfortunately it loses a star for that.
There's always more going on below the surface though, and multiple plot points and characters that are evolving which make you constantly want to keep reading to discover what happens next. It seems you're always on the edge of your seat. Which I like. Overall it's an excellent story with riveting characters, but like I said there were a few hiccups I found frustrating. Though I am still immensely looking forward to book 3!
February 28, 2024
Better than its predecessor for attention but I unfortunately still can't allot more stars... i guess the mudane sections in both books has me unmoved.
January 11, 2017
Some great action in the last quarter of the book and leading up to it, but a lot of the first half dragged. Typical for a trilogy. How do you sustain the story in the filler, in between book?
More detailed review on my blog here.
More detailed review on my blog here.
September 7, 2022
It's not as good as Depths of Blue, that is for sure.
Also the common usage of "lovemaking" kinda makes me laugh. It is too prude to say "fucking" or "sex"? Lol. The word lovemaking fits sometimes but it's a bit overused and makes me feel like someone really old wrote the novel.
Another thing. Sometimes the sex scenes (lovemaking scenes as the author would say) have some quotes that can be like ughhh. "Damp curls" is one of them. Noooo that's a horrible way to describe it and makes me cringe lol. And the fact that every woman on Nadi is a lesbian and always flirts with Torrin and Jak. Pretty sure that's not how the real world works, unless the lesbians in this book are SUPER horny.
I'm not sure if the author hates men or something, but a lot of the guys in this series seem to be extremely sexist. I understand the planet Haefen is was a thing there but it seemed to happen on other planets too. Damn.
Also the common usage of "lovemaking" kinda makes me laugh. It is too prude to say "fucking" or "sex"? Lol. The word lovemaking fits sometimes but it's a bit overused and makes me feel like someone really old wrote the novel.
Another thing. Sometimes the sex scenes (lovemaking scenes as the author would say) have some quotes that can be like ughhh. "Damp curls" is one of them. Noooo that's a horrible way to describe it and makes me cringe lol. And the fact that every woman on Nadi is a lesbian and always flirts with Torrin and Jak. Pretty sure that's not how the real world works, unless the lesbians in this book are SUPER horny.
I'm not sure if the author hates men or something, but a lot of the guys in this series seem to be extremely sexist. I understand the planet Haefen is was a thing there but it seemed to happen on other planets too. Damn.
May 17, 2018
Book 2 of Lise MacTague's On Deception's Edge trilogy sees our wonderful Jak and Torrin out of the woods, but still not safe. A series of heartbreak events unfolds that doesn't let up beating down on you until the very end and even then you're not left unscarred as you crawl out battered and bruised. This is an amazing followup to Depth of Blue and sets the stage for what's to come in the third book leaving you wanting more, needing to know that Jak, Torrin, and their friends and loved ones will make it out fine.
June 14, 2020
Not as good as the first one. There is a really good sci-fi story at the base of this, and the idea of a planet entirely of women is amazing, but the women are all portrayed as horny as teenage boys allll the time. And the unchecked sexual harassment is as bad as Mad Men. Not enough smut to be considered a smutty book, but too much weird flirting to be a decent sci-fi book. But enjoyable none-the-less. Luckily you fell in love with the characters enough in the first book to hang in there. Yea, I will most likely read the third one. Gotta find out what happens!
October 21, 2018
Wow! New world, great characters, great tech, compelling plot.
I loved this book. The depth of the characters, the details of the world, the flow of the plot all pulled me thru this book in 2 days. Every spare moment of an otherwise busy weekend. Great writing. Very creative. Just the right amount of detail.
I loved this book. The depth of the characters, the details of the world, the flow of the plot all pulled me thru this book in 2 days. Every spare moment of an otherwise busy weekend. Great writing. Very creative. Just the right amount of detail.
September 28, 2021
A pretty solid follow up from the original, deepens the story and gives us a look at Torrin's homeworld from Jak's perspective of getting used to this all women utopia, while following on from the plot setup in the first book
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November 22, 2021Fantastic!
I've been reading SF for fifty years. Only the occasional oblique reference to women loving women have I ever seen. I'm a 63 year old lesbian who is "in the tank" for anything else you write, as it is quality writing and great, immersive story telling! 💜🙏🙏🏼🤠
I've been reading SF for fifty years. Only the occasional oblique reference to women loving women have I ever seen. I'm a 63 year old lesbian who is "in the tank" for anything else you write, as it is quality writing and great, immersive story telling! 💜🙏🙏🏼🤠
March 16, 2025
This is book 2 of the series and had less action and a lot more character development and emotional aftermath. Still a good book.
April 7, 2022
It was an okay read. I found Torrin very selfish and annoying though.
November 30, 2015
I liked it but it was a bit slow in the middle. It became somewhat boring for me, but then I don't like too much descriptions etc.
I did like it though and the book ends on a cliffhanger, so can't wait for the next one :-)
I did like it though and the book ends on a cliffhanger, so can't wait for the next one :-)
February 16, 2016
This is a pretty interesting novel. It’s different from what I normally enjoy reading, but I enjoyed it. The characters were well written. Interesting storyline. I am looking forward to read the next book.
I received a free signed copy from the Goodreads First Reads program. Thanks!
I received a free signed copy from the Goodreads First Reads program. Thanks!
March 9, 2018
This as more interesting than the first book, but the storyline was predictable with all the little hints of what's to come actuakky being massive cinder blocks thrown st your face whike you read. That being said, I am super into the characters themselves and have already purchased the third book.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews