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Rain #1
Rainscape
Outlaw telepath Rayn DeStar has discovered the perfect hiding place…a home in the wasteland of Exodus. But his peaceful anonymity comes to an abrupt end when murder brings interplanetary investigators to the desert. Rayn has little interest in the crime, but a great deal in the female telepath providence has sent him. Dina's strength awakens in him the lust for power and dominance he's fought against his entire life.
Rookie agent Dina Marlijn arrives on Exodus carrying as many secrets as she hopes to unravel. She hides the fact that she’s a telepath from everyone but her partner, for her abilities are close to those of the Dark Star dens, a race so hated they're banned from Synergy Worlds. But there's one secret Dina keeps even from her partner. No one hates the dens more than she does.
When her prime suspect, a dens calling himself Rayn DeStar, saves her life, Dina pursues him for answers. With her investigative and telepathic skills, she believes she can manipulate him into helping her. When Rayn counters with lies, she expects nothing less, but when their telepathic "bond" leads her down a path of both physical and mental seduction, she's unprepared for the consequences. Trapped in a web of desire, mistrust, and betrayal, Dina crosses all the lines she never thought she would...
Rookie agent Dina Marlijn arrives on Exodus carrying as many secrets as she hopes to unravel. She hides the fact that she’s a telepath from everyone but her partner, for her abilities are close to those of the Dark Star dens, a race so hated they're banned from Synergy Worlds. But there's one secret Dina keeps even from her partner. No one hates the dens more than she does.
When her prime suspect, a dens calling himself Rayn DeStar, saves her life, Dina pursues him for answers. With her investigative and telepathic skills, she believes she can manipulate him into helping her. When Rayn counters with lies, she expects nothing less, but when their telepathic "bond" leads her down a path of both physical and mental seduction, she's unprepared for the consequences. Trapped in a web of desire, mistrust, and betrayal, Dina crosses all the lines she never thought she would...
- GenresScience Fiction
260 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 29, 2013
It's strange how we manage to overlook some authors and their books. Or how we suddenly stumble upon them by serendipity alone. A week ago I was surfing NetGalley looking for something that could catch my attention. I found a book titled Crimson Rain, "cheap-looking" cover but interesting blurb. After downloading it, I realized that the publisher, ImajiinBooks, was willing to let me have the first book, too.
So I started my adventure on a desert mining planet (which is as much a character as the miners, the detectives and the corporation people..)
The plot revolves around two mysteries: a string of killings and the male lead ("hero" can be a strong word for him).
As readers we are sleuthing along the heroine to understand who's the killer and what's going on planetwise. But we are also trying to understand what game is Rayn playing. In fact, until the very end, I wasn't sure whether he was the killer or not. He lies and manipulates so easily that you're always on the edge regarding him.
This is the main reason I'm leery to call this book a full romance. It constantly juggles between detective- and love story on a full sci-fi background.
And as I said the planet, beautifully written, is a character worth of its time.
The book is not free of problems. I found the pace too slow for my tastes at time. I wouldn't have minded some more action. I admit that given the plot (a few of the leading characters are telepaths), it was obvious from the beginning that much of that action would have to be mind-games. And so it was.
More difficult to explain was my inability to recall who was who outside the main characters. There are many executive/officers form the two main corporations who are important for the story. But every time they got book space, I couldn't remember their roles. Some of it is due to the difficult surnames, some of it to the amount of people. Still..
I'm not sure I (want to) buy the ending, yes, she is a rookie in this profession. But she is still throwing away her career to pursue a killer her way (rather than with official means). Given that for much of the book Rayn has controlled her choices, I'm not sure she doesn't need to fight him :D
After the Steelflower fiasco (author Lilith Saintcrow has decided not to write the sequel due to "piracy reason", and thank you to all of us who actually bought not one but two copies...), I wasn't happy when I read the closing lines. Luckily for the readers the sequel is already out.
DRC courtesy of ImaJiinBooks and the author.
So I started my adventure on a desert mining planet (which is as much a character as the miners, the detectives and the corporation people..)
The plot revolves around two mysteries: a string of killings and the male lead ("hero" can be a strong word for him).
As readers we are sleuthing along the heroine to understand who's the killer and what's going on planetwise. But we are also trying to understand what game is Rayn playing. In fact, until the very end, I wasn't sure whether he was the killer or not. He lies and manipulates so easily that you're always on the edge regarding him.
This is the main reason I'm leery to call this book a full romance. It constantly juggles between detective- and love story on a full sci-fi background.
And as I said the planet, beautifully written, is a character worth of its time.
The book is not free of problems. I found the pace too slow for my tastes at time. I wouldn't have minded some more action. I admit that given the plot (a few of the leading characters are telepaths), it was obvious from the beginning that much of that action would have to be mind-games. And so it was.
More difficult to explain was my inability to recall who was who outside the main characters. There are many executive/officers form the two main corporations who are important for the story. But every time they got book space, I couldn't remember their roles. Some of it is due to the difficult surnames, some of it to the amount of people. Still..
I'm not sure I (want to) buy the ending, yes, she is a rookie in this profession. But she is still throwing away her career to pursue a killer her way (rather than with official means). Given that for much of the book Rayn has controlled her choices, I'm not sure she doesn't need to fight him :D
After the Steelflower fiasco (author Lilith Saintcrow has decided not to write the sequel due to "piracy reason", and thank you to all of us who actually bought not one but two copies...), I wasn't happy when I read the closing lines. Luckily for the readers the sequel is already out.
DRC courtesy of ImaJiinBooks and the author.
Displaying 1 of 1 review