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Black Ocean: Mercy for Hire #8
Eye of the Pharaoh
"We’re going to find someone with a nice ship. Someone who doesn’t deserve one. And we’re going to steal it."
Esper made that promise. Now it's time to make good. The Cult of Ra has a flagship, and thanks to a turncoat in their ranks, Esper and her friends know where it's going to be. Better yet, they know that Pharaoh Ramesses XIII will be aboard. It's time to cut the head off the cult.
One problem...
The cult knows they're coming.
Two problems, actually...
The Poet Fleet knows where they are, too, and have sent a team to make Esper pay for humiliating their admiral.
What comes next is a battle of trap and counter-trap, deception and betrayal. Who is worthy of trust? Redemption? And will our heroes be able to win the day without crossing the gooey red line into villainy themselves?
It's a thrilling showdown between the forces of evil and the forces of fed up with evil.
Eye of the Pharaoh is the eighth mission of Black Ocean: Mercy for Hire. It follows the exploits of a pair of do-gooder bounty hunters who care more about saving the day than getting a payday. Mercy for Hire builds on the rich Black Ocean universe and introduces a colorful cast for new and returning readers alike. Fans of vigilante justice and heroes who exemplify the word will love this series.
Your copy awaits if you have the will to seize it!
Esper made that promise. Now it's time to make good. The Cult of Ra has a flagship, and thanks to a turncoat in their ranks, Esper and her friends know where it's going to be. Better yet, they know that Pharaoh Ramesses XIII will be aboard. It's time to cut the head off the cult.
One problem...
The cult knows they're coming.
Two problems, actually...
The Poet Fleet knows where they are, too, and have sent a team to make Esper pay for humiliating their admiral.
What comes next is a battle of trap and counter-trap, deception and betrayal. Who is worthy of trust? Redemption? And will our heroes be able to win the day without crossing the gooey red line into villainy themselves?
It's a thrilling showdown between the forces of evil and the forces of fed up with evil.
Eye of the Pharaoh is the eighth mission of Black Ocean: Mercy for Hire. It follows the exploits of a pair of do-gooder bounty hunters who care more about saving the day than getting a payday. Mercy for Hire builds on the rich Black Ocean universe and introduces a colorful cast for new and returning readers alike. Fans of vigilante justice and heroes who exemplify the word will love this series.
Your copy awaits if you have the will to seize it!
185 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2019
About the author
J.S. Morin
199 books626 followersI am a creator of worlds and a destroyer of words. As a fantasy writer, my works range from traditional epics to futuristic fantasy with starships. I have worked as an unpaid Little League pitcher, a cashier, a student library aide, a factory grunt, a cubicle drone, and an engineer--there is some overlap in the last two.
Through it all, though, I was always a storyteller. Eventually I started writing books based on the stray stories in my head, and people kept telling me to write more of them. Now, that's all I do for a living.
I enjoy strategy, worldbuilding, and the fantasy author's privilege to make up words. I am a gamer, a joker, and a thinker of sideways thoughts. But I don't dance, can't sing, and my best artistic efforts fall short of your average notebook doodle. When you read my books, you are seeing me at my best.
My ultimate goal is to be both clever and right at the same time. I have it on good authority that I have yet to achieve it.
Through it all, though, I was always a storyteller. Eventually I started writing books based on the stray stories in my head, and people kept telling me to write more of them. Now, that's all I do for a living.
I enjoy strategy, worldbuilding, and the fantasy author's privilege to make up words. I am a gamer, a joker, and a thinker of sideways thoughts. But I don't dance, can't sing, and my best artistic efforts fall short of your average notebook doodle. When you read my books, you are seeing me at my best.
My ultimate goal is to be both clever and right at the same time. I have it on good authority that I have yet to achieve it.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 24, 2019
Two thumbs skyward
I'm not sure why, but it took me a little longer to get into this mission, but the payoff was so worth it. Our beloved band of misfits and vigilantes really comes into their own on this one, and they are a force with which to be reckoned. A satisfying conclusion to a very fun arc, with some appearances of old favorites too.
I'm not sure why, but it took me a little longer to get into this mission, but the payoff was so worth it. Our beloved band of misfits and vigilantes really comes into their own on this one, and they are a force with which to be reckoned. A satisfying conclusion to a very fun arc, with some appearances of old favorites too.
March 2, 2021
After the events on the resort world of Caledonia, the Mercy for Hire team have set their sites on taking the war against the CULT OF RA directly to its source---Pharaoh Ramsesses XIII, Ra's worldly messenger. And, if they happen to be able to find themselves in the possession of a new starship that they can call their own, so much the better. But, as with most things that revolve around MFH, what starts out as a straight forward "Snatch, Grab, and turn 'em over to the Convocation!" quickly goes awry as new friends disappear, and OLD "friends" send their pirate lackeys to apprehend and bring you back to be taught a lesson. Luckily, the team always seems to have a hidden ace up their sleeve and in this case its a wizard's sleeve.
And...old friends come to visit.
Once author Jeff Morin hits his stride, he is able to turn out amazing stories at a prodigious rate. EYE OF THE PHARAOH is the mid point for the current Mercy for Hire series and this is no exception. This book, the 8th wraps up the major current story line of MFH's mission to take down the Cult of Ra. Now Jeff will be moving on to a new adventure. The exciting thing about his stories is that while continually building upon the already established universe he has created by growing his characters, adding new players, and giving them new missions and definitely new troubles, he always has a moment when he brings in a piece of the foundation of the past books and series. In this case there is a brief cameo by the crew and ship that began the entire BLACK OCEAN saga. It's during that visit that Jeff does what he has shown he is that master of time and time again as in just 5 short paragraphs, he plants an entire new seed of a background that opens up the opportunity for more stories and crazy adventures. But...you'll have to read the story to find that little Easter egg.
Next is a brief little interlude as Jeff gives his readers a small insight into the past with mission 8.5 titled CIRRICULUM VITAE. One of the short stories that he has provided to his readers and fans that acts as flashback to the past and a foreshadowing of the future.
Fun...Fun...
And...old friends come to visit.
Once author Jeff Morin hits his stride, he is able to turn out amazing stories at a prodigious rate. EYE OF THE PHARAOH is the mid point for the current Mercy for Hire series and this is no exception. This book, the 8th wraps up the major current story line of MFH's mission to take down the Cult of Ra. Now Jeff will be moving on to a new adventure. The exciting thing about his stories is that while continually building upon the already established universe he has created by growing his characters, adding new players, and giving them new missions and definitely new troubles, he always has a moment when he brings in a piece of the foundation of the past books and series. In this case there is a brief cameo by the crew and ship that began the entire BLACK OCEAN saga. It's during that visit that Jeff does what he has shown he is that master of time and time again as in just 5 short paragraphs, he plants an entire new seed of a background that opens up the opportunity for more stories and crazy adventures. But...you'll have to read the story to find that little Easter egg.
Next is a brief little interlude as Jeff gives his readers a small insight into the past with mission 8.5 titled CIRRICULUM VITAE. One of the short stories that he has provided to his readers and fans that acts as flashback to the past and a foreshadowing of the future.
Fun...Fun...
April 29, 2019
This has been up there with some of my favorites of Esper's adventures. Wrapping up a storyline is tricky and once again Mr. Morin has hit it out of the park!
All sorts of threads from across his books are all tightening, leading back to this final point.
There were so many things I liked about this book, but I have to focus on something I've mentioned in other reviews; how very much I've loved the character growth we've seen in Tiffany's arc. Since we met her in the first pages of book one, we had no idea what she was capable of. And through watching her grow, how we see Esper reflected in the choices she makes, the things she does and more importantly, doesn't do. I don't think I've even seen a main character shown so clearly through the growth and evolution of a second character.
Kubu and Wesley kill it, of course. Though I did like the moment we got with each other them individual, that made us realize that they are more than they appear, even when they are already so much.
I wasn't sure what I thought of Ilsa though. She's a complete character, so my uncertainty of her isn't a reflecting of how well she's written, more that I haven't grasped her quite yet. I want to like her because Tiffany likes her, but I'm just not sure if I do. I feel like there's something about her that I don't know yet, and once that piece is reveled, I'll know what to think. But till then, I'll just have to wait!
Thank you to the author for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
All sorts of threads from across his books are all tightening, leading back to this final point.
There were so many things I liked about this book, but I have to focus on something I've mentioned in other reviews; how very much I've loved the character growth we've seen in Tiffany's arc. Since we met her in the first pages of book one, we had no idea what she was capable of. And through watching her grow, how we see Esper reflected in the choices she makes, the things she does and more importantly, doesn't do. I don't think I've even seen a main character shown so clearly through the growth and evolution of a second character.
Kubu and Wesley kill it, of course. Though I did like the moment we got with each other them individual, that made us realize that they are more than they appear, even when they are already so much.
I wasn't sure what I thought of Ilsa though. She's a complete character, so my uncertainty of her isn't a reflecting of how well she's written, more that I haven't grasped her quite yet. I want to like her because Tiffany likes her, but I'm just not sure if I do. I feel like there's something about her that I don't know yet, and once that piece is reveled, I'll know what to think. But till then, I'll just have to wait!
Thank you to the author for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2019
The confrontation finally comes. Esper and her crew have hunted the Cult of Ra, looking for justice--or vengeance, depending on who you ask--and have at last tracked the Pharaoh to his lair. They prepare, they plan, they initiate an operation ... and as usual, things don't go as expected.
I liked the development of both Tiffany's and Wesley's characters in this one. Tiffany's powers begin to blossom, marking her as an apt apprentice to someone of Esper's considerable skill, and she shows remarkable restraint as she tries to adhere to Esper's moral standards--mostly. Wesley brings out some old skills, balancing his own views with Esper's need to not give in to darker impulses--unless no one's watching.
An enjoyable conclusion to this chapter of the Mercy for Hire series.
I liked the development of both Tiffany's and Wesley's characters in this one. Tiffany's powers begin to blossom, marking her as an apt apprentice to someone of Esper's considerable skill, and she shows remarkable restraint as she tries to adhere to Esper's moral standards--mostly. Wesley brings out some old skills, balancing his own views with Esper's need to not give in to darker impulses--unless no one's watching.
An enjoyable conclusion to this chapter of the Mercy for Hire series.
June 16, 2019
“[A] thrilling showdown between the forces of evil and the forces of fed up with evil.” That’s it, right there, the essence of the snarky bit wonderful character at the heart of J.S. Morin’s wonderful Black Ocean: Mercy for Hire series. I totally adore Mercy and her gang of amazing misfit mercenaries. Over the course of seven books they’ve gone through truly crazy, but wonderful, adventures and developed in ways often unforeseen but always great. Now things are coming to a head (again) in Eye of the Pharaoh: Mission 8. Read the publisher’s blurb. It tells you what you need. The only thing it doesn’t do well enough is tell you how exciting and utterly fantastic this story is. For newcomers, you can sorta start here, though it’s best to start with Mission 1 in the Black Ocean: Mercy for Hire series (even better to start with the “parent” Black Ocean series, though the Mercy books do stand up perfectly by themselves). For fellow avid followers? This is just the book you wanted, and needed. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises. The book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend.
July 13, 2019
Eye of the Pharaoh is the eighth adventure for Esper and crew. They’ve determined that the Cult of Ra has a flagship and Pharaoh Ramesses XIII will be on it, so they’re taking the fight to him, to put an end to the cult once and for all. Unfortunately, the cult knows about their plans and so does the Poet Fleet, whose admiral is after Esper too. Leaving Ilsa and Kubu behind in relative safety, Esper, Tiffany and Wesley head off to take out the pharaoh. In the meantime, Ilsa and Kubu do not stay put, and danger finds them. All these strings will pull together to weave an exciting and fun resolution to the Cult of Ra story. Esper had put together a great crew and I think Ilsa is a great addition, I like that she adds her techie expertise to the group. I love this series and look forward to seeing what trouble Esper and crew will get up to next.
April 26, 2019
By this point, Esper has made too many enemies to continue posing as a security consultant and saving the galaxy one person at a time. It's time for her to bring the fight to one of her big nemeses. But of course nothing can be simple. An old adversary shows up at the worst possible time to complicate things!
When Esper and friends are not kicking cultist booty, we get to see how Ilsa, the newest member of the gang, fits in (or doesn't). It's a nice character study. And who IS this Wesley guy, anyway?
And of course, this issue has all the snappy dialogue, high action, and occasional comedic moments that you expect in the Black Ocean universe. Recommended for fans of smokey bars, hard vacuum, and elegant space pirates!
When Esper and friends are not kicking cultist booty, we get to see how Ilsa, the newest member of the gang, fits in (or doesn't). It's a nice character study. And who IS this Wesley guy, anyway?
And of course, this issue has all the snappy dialogue, high action, and occasional comedic moments that you expect in the Black Ocean universe. Recommended for fans of smokey bars, hard vacuum, and elegant space pirates!
February 22, 2020
**** SPOILER ALERT ****
"Eye Of The Pharaoh: Mission 8 ( Black Ocean: Mercy For Hire )" is a wild, fun roller coaster of a tale.
Cults, and Pirates, And Wizards OH MYYYY!! In this latest mission Morin continues their superlative world building and character development as Esper and krew embark on the mission to put down the cult of Ra. We get to see Ilsa, Tiffany, and Wesley each strut their stuff.
I highly recommend this entertaining page turner of a book.
Q: Who will take down Ramses XIII?
Q: How will Esper evade capture by the Fleet Of Poets ops team?
A: Grab this book, read it and enjoy Morin's answers!!
In the interest of transparency: I was given a review copy of this book and I am voluntarily sharing this review.
It is my own honest opinion.
"Eye Of The Pharaoh: Mission 8 ( Black Ocean: Mercy For Hire )" is a wild, fun roller coaster of a tale.
Cults, and Pirates, And Wizards OH MYYYY!! In this latest mission Morin continues their superlative world building and character development as Esper and krew embark on the mission to put down the cult of Ra. We get to see Ilsa, Tiffany, and Wesley each strut their stuff.
I highly recommend this entertaining page turner of a book.
Q: Who will take down Ramses XIII?
Q: How will Esper evade capture by the Fleet Of Poets ops team?
A: Grab this book, read it and enjoy Morin's answers!!
In the interest of transparency: I was given a review copy of this book and I am voluntarily sharing this review.
It is my own honest opinion.
April 12, 2019
The cult of Ra is finally getting Esper after their top folks. This story was a bit dull at the start, but it seriously picks up in the middle. I was not really expecting things to quite go the way it went in some ways, but others I guessed from the start. I found Iisa's character to be a bit hard to follow and get a firm grip on. I'm not exactly sure where she really "sits' in all this and I don't know if that is because of writing being off for her, or if there is something nefarious with her in the backdrop.
June 3, 2019
This book is a fiting conclusion to the 'Cult of Ra' story arc, and I especially enjoyed seeing Tiffany kick some cult-a$$ and get her revenge.
Also, two thumbs skyward for Wesley, who was one of my favorite characters anyway, but now really has me curious to find out more about his life before he became a some-letter-in-the-alphabet-list action holo star.
4.5 / 5
Also, two thumbs skyward for Wesley, who was one of my favorite characters anyway, but now really has me curious to find out more about his life before he became a some-letter-in-the-alphabet-list action holo star.
4.5 / 5
May 8, 2019
Brilliant
An absolutely cracking story and excellent ending. Getting even with a cult has never been more enthralling. Every twist and turn has been polished to perfection.
An absolutely cracking story and excellent ending. Getting even with a cult has never been more enthralling. Every twist and turn has been polished to perfection.
August 29, 2019
Esper crushes the cult of Ra and get's a sweet new ride. Also Blackjack Ramsey makes a cameo.
October 22, 2019
Morin never fails to entertain.
Same great narration.
Same great narration.
February 20, 2024
3.75 stars.
April 24, 2024
Generic action fun.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews