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The Chronicles of Kassouk #2
Red Leopard
In charge of the fortress of Kassouk in the King's absence, what is Terek to do when a Goddian spacecraft lands in his medieval backyard, and the striking woman leading the galactic party insists on colonization?
Galya, the Goddian Princess commanding the geological vessel, is bent on finding a crystal with unusual hyper-conductor properties. And the futile resistance of the local population isn’t going to stop her. Not even that defiant tribal chief nicknamed Red Leopard, like the infernal feline that follows him everywhere.
Terek and his band of swordsmen and felines must defend their people’s freedom, no matter the cost. But with this unexpected arrival, an old prophecy surfaces, taking new meaning and carrying a new threat...
When political intrigues, greed, murder and betrayal tip the scales, whom can Galya really trust? Her fellow Goddians? the Mutants bred to serve her race? or her primitive Human enemy?
Galya, the Goddian Princess commanding the geological vessel, is bent on finding a crystal with unusual hyper-conductor properties. And the futile resistance of the local population isn’t going to stop her. Not even that defiant tribal chief nicknamed Red Leopard, like the infernal feline that follows him everywhere.
Terek and his band of swordsmen and felines must defend their people’s freedom, no matter the cost. But with this unexpected arrival, an old prophecy surfaces, taking new meaning and carrying a new threat...
When political intrigues, greed, murder and betrayal tip the scales, whom can Galya really trust? Her fellow Goddians? the Mutants bred to serve her race? or her primitive Human enemy?
179 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2010
25 people want to read
About the author
Vijaya Schartz
54 books91 followersAward-winning author Vijaya Schartz never conformed to anything and could never refuse a challenge. She likes action and exotic settings, in life and on the page. She traveled the world and claims she comes from the future. Her books collected many five-star reviews and literary awards. She makes you believe you actually lived these extraordinary adventures among her characters. So, go ahead, dare to experience the magic, and she will keep you entranced, turning the pages until the last line.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 5, 2010
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Vijaya Schartz recently sent me an ARC copy of Red Leopard, the latest book in The Chronicles of Kassouk that was just released this month (April 2010). The story picks up eighty years after the end of White Tiger, the first book of the series. Throughout this time, peace has reigned on New Earth, but things get shaken up when a Goddian ship visits the planet on a geological mission. Their leader, the Goddian princess, Galya, is there to search for a rare red crystal which has prime hyper-conductor properties, but her mutinous crew has other ideas. They temporarily join forces with another vile betrayer on the planet who is a former member of the Mutant Princes Council. With the King and Queen off-planet on a diplomatic mission, the human, Terek, aka Red Leopard, is left in charge of the council, and in the process of fending off the invasion, he discovers his ultimate destiny as a legendary prophecy regarding his people begins to unfold. It all made for another good read in this fantasy romance series that is packed with action and adventure.
Terek and Galya were really two peas in a pod. Both are highly educated and trained as warriors for their respective races, but neither feels like they truly belong. Terek is the only human on the Princes Council and as such is resented by some Mutant members of the council who still believe themselves superior to humans. Because he was a rare human who was educated and allowed access to Mutant technology, Terek doesn't really fit in among his own people either. Little does he know that his future lies in an ancient prophecy surrounding Yalta, the land of his birth, deep in Zerker territory. I like that Terek is humble and doesn't take the prophecy nor his heritage lightly. He has worked hard to become the man he is and to temper his baser nature through meditation which keeps his genetic temperament in check. Galya is a Godd by birth but considered defective by her race, because she looks human and has a much shorter human life-span. She only received command of her ship because her father is a high-ranking Godd, and she is regarded as unfit for reproduction. Due to her perceived imperfections and the highly paternal culture of the Godds, most of her Goddian crew members don't think very highly of her, and her second in command actually resents her being in charge. To add fuel to the fire, once on New Earth, Galya exhibits an “abnormal” fascination with all things human and an empathy for their cause. I initially wasn't quite sure how the author would make a Godd character sympathetic, because they had, for the most part, been portrayed as oppressors in the first book. Galya's status as a misfit among her own people and her concern for humans which the other Godds didn't exhibit, left me having no trouble at all warming up to her. The only thing that gave me pause is that at one point she thinks of seducing Terek to get control of the red crystal mine, but at least she came to her senses pretty quickly and realized she loved him too much to take unfair advantage. Galya was also another one of Vijaya Schartz's heroines who is a tough warrior but has a sweetness about her that makes her easy to like.
Red Leopard has an extensive cast of secondary characters. King Dragomir and Queen Tora, the hero and heroine of White Tiger make an appearance and are mentioned throughout the story as still being the benevolent and respected rulers of Kassouk after all these years. Lady Leah, the Mutant healer who was also introduced in book #1 plays a fairly significant role in Red Leopard, but I did find myself wondering where her mate was as he didn't appear in this book. I couldn't help but like the straight-talking Zerker, Brock. Once he comes around to Terek's cause, he becomes his best friend and most ardent supporter which is something I thought Terek really needed. Then there are the evil baddies, General Kyril, the Godd who betrays Galya, and Yaman, the former Mutant Prince who has gone rogue. Both of them keep everyone one their toes. Last but not least was Terek's feline friend, Rascal, a red leopard of course. Once again, I loved the use of big cats who act as brave warriors alongside their human handlers. Unlike Dragomir and Tora in the first book, Terek doesn't have a psychic connection to Rascal, but the cat does have a very high level of intelligence and understanding. I loved how Rascal was Terek's faithful companion and defender throughout nearly the entire story.
I really like how Vijaya Schartz has taken all the different races and cultures in this series and mingled them together with each one playing an important role in the ultimate destiny of New Earth. Although some of the races (or at least certain individuals) try to subjugate others, she makes it clear that all of the people are important. At the end of White Tiger, she even foreshadowed a future for the formerly barbaric Zerkers which played out in Red Leopard. I've read enough of Ms. Schartz's work now to know that her writing style tends to focus more on the fantasy and action/adventure elements with the romance playing a role but not necessarily being front and center. That said, I thought that the romance was perhaps a little stronger in Red Leopard than it was in the first book. This time, the hero and heroine were in each others' company for most of the story which gave them more opportunity for their chemistry to develop, although their burgeoning love does still come about fairly quickly.
Overall, I really liked Red Leopard, but there were a few things that I thought could have been a little better. Although a lot of events take place within the narrative, the pacing of Red Leopard just didn't seem quite as tight and snappy as it was in White Tiger, and I thought the plot was a bit more predictable too. I didn't find myself sucked into the story quite as thoroughly or as eager to get back to it when I had to put it down as I was with the first one. It was also quite a bit longer as well, and I found myself loosing track of some of the finer plot points as the story progressed. I'm willing to admit though that it might have been my issue more than the book's, as I was pretty tired while reading certain parts of it and may not have been as focused as I could have been. There were a few minor areas where I thought that transitions could have been smoother and/or things explained better, such as where Galya's Goddian crew in the final chapters came from. I could surmise in context that they simply weren't all killed in battle like I initially thought and had resumed their positions, but that wasn't entirely clear to me. Since I was reading an unedited ARC, it's possible that some of these little things might have been cleaned up before the final copy was released. Overall, Red Leopard was another entertaining read in The Chronicles of Kassouk which I am enjoying so far. I'll be interested to see if the author gives readers any more clues about the ancient race that preceded both humans and Godds on New Earth, and I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing more of my favorite characters from the series when it continues in November 2010 with the release of Black Jaguar.
Vijaya Schartz recently sent me an ARC copy of Red Leopard, the latest book in The Chronicles of Kassouk that was just released this month (April 2010). The story picks up eighty years after the end of White Tiger, the first book of the series. Throughout this time, peace has reigned on New Earth, but things get shaken up when a Goddian ship visits the planet on a geological mission. Their leader, the Goddian princess, Galya, is there to search for a rare red crystal which has prime hyper-conductor properties, but her mutinous crew has other ideas. They temporarily join forces with another vile betrayer on the planet who is a former member of the Mutant Princes Council. With the King and Queen off-planet on a diplomatic mission, the human, Terek, aka Red Leopard, is left in charge of the council, and in the process of fending off the invasion, he discovers his ultimate destiny as a legendary prophecy regarding his people begins to unfold. It all made for another good read in this fantasy romance series that is packed with action and adventure.
Terek and Galya were really two peas in a pod. Both are highly educated and trained as warriors for their respective races, but neither feels like they truly belong. Terek is the only human on the Princes Council and as such is resented by some Mutant members of the council who still believe themselves superior to humans. Because he was a rare human who was educated and allowed access to Mutant technology, Terek doesn't really fit in among his own people either. Little does he know that his future lies in an ancient prophecy surrounding Yalta, the land of his birth, deep in Zerker territory. I like that Terek is humble and doesn't take the prophecy nor his heritage lightly. He has worked hard to become the man he is and to temper his baser nature through meditation which keeps his genetic temperament in check. Galya is a Godd by birth but considered defective by her race, because she looks human and has a much shorter human life-span. She only received command of her ship because her father is a high-ranking Godd, and she is regarded as unfit for reproduction. Due to her perceived imperfections and the highly paternal culture of the Godds, most of her Goddian crew members don't think very highly of her, and her second in command actually resents her being in charge. To add fuel to the fire, once on New Earth, Galya exhibits an “abnormal” fascination with all things human and an empathy for their cause. I initially wasn't quite sure how the author would make a Godd character sympathetic, because they had, for the most part, been portrayed as oppressors in the first book. Galya's status as a misfit among her own people and her concern for humans which the other Godds didn't exhibit, left me having no trouble at all warming up to her. The only thing that gave me pause is that at one point she thinks of seducing Terek to get control of the red crystal mine, but at least she came to her senses pretty quickly and realized she loved him too much to take unfair advantage. Galya was also another one of Vijaya Schartz's heroines who is a tough warrior but has a sweetness about her that makes her easy to like.
Red Leopard has an extensive cast of secondary characters. King Dragomir and Queen Tora, the hero and heroine of White Tiger make an appearance and are mentioned throughout the story as still being the benevolent and respected rulers of Kassouk after all these years. Lady Leah, the Mutant healer who was also introduced in book #1 plays a fairly significant role in Red Leopard, but I did find myself wondering where her mate was as he didn't appear in this book. I couldn't help but like the straight-talking Zerker, Brock. Once he comes around to Terek's cause, he becomes his best friend and most ardent supporter which is something I thought Terek really needed. Then there are the evil baddies, General Kyril, the Godd who betrays Galya, and Yaman, the former Mutant Prince who has gone rogue. Both of them keep everyone one their toes. Last but not least was Terek's feline friend, Rascal, a red leopard of course. Once again, I loved the use of big cats who act as brave warriors alongside their human handlers. Unlike Dragomir and Tora in the first book, Terek doesn't have a psychic connection to Rascal, but the cat does have a very high level of intelligence and understanding. I loved how Rascal was Terek's faithful companion and defender throughout nearly the entire story.
I really like how Vijaya Schartz has taken all the different races and cultures in this series and mingled them together with each one playing an important role in the ultimate destiny of New Earth. Although some of the races (or at least certain individuals) try to subjugate others, she makes it clear that all of the people are important. At the end of White Tiger, she even foreshadowed a future for the formerly barbaric Zerkers which played out in Red Leopard. I've read enough of Ms. Schartz's work now to know that her writing style tends to focus more on the fantasy and action/adventure elements with the romance playing a role but not necessarily being front and center. That said, I thought that the romance was perhaps a little stronger in Red Leopard than it was in the first book. This time, the hero and heroine were in each others' company for most of the story which gave them more opportunity for their chemistry to develop, although their burgeoning love does still come about fairly quickly.
Overall, I really liked Red Leopard, but there were a few things that I thought could have been a little better. Although a lot of events take place within the narrative, the pacing of Red Leopard just didn't seem quite as tight and snappy as it was in White Tiger, and I thought the plot was a bit more predictable too. I didn't find myself sucked into the story quite as thoroughly or as eager to get back to it when I had to put it down as I was with the first one. It was also quite a bit longer as well, and I found myself loosing track of some of the finer plot points as the story progressed. I'm willing to admit though that it might have been my issue more than the book's, as I was pretty tired while reading certain parts of it and may not have been as focused as I could have been. There were a few minor areas where I thought that transitions could have been smoother and/or things explained better, such as where Galya's Goddian crew in the final chapters came from. I could surmise in context that they simply weren't all killed in battle like I initially thought and had resumed their positions, but that wasn't entirely clear to me. Since I was reading an unedited ARC, it's possible that some of these little things might have been cleaned up before the final copy was released. Overall, Red Leopard was another entertaining read in The Chronicles of Kassouk which I am enjoying so far. I'll be interested to see if the author gives readers any more clues about the ancient race that preceded both humans and Godds on New Earth, and I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing more of my favorite characters from the series when it continues in November 2010 with the release of Black Jaguar.
December 28, 2010
Another great book in the series. She sets this one further in the evolution timeline for this new world, which gives it a distinction from the first but with the loyalty and continuity to the first. These characters have a new and different drive than in the first book and are really living within the results of the first books actions...both good and bad.
This is one of those series that you just fall in love with and hope never ends.
This is one of those series that you just fall in love with and hope never ends.
April 17, 2021
Red Leopard review
This science fiction/romance novel gripped me from the first page to the last. I admire Ms Schartz ability to create aliens, culture, mythology, and passionate relationships. After Earth was destroyed, humans settled on an alien planet, Kassouk, aka New Earth. Many years later, during King Dragomir’s absence, Terek, a human, is the chairman of the Council of mutant princes fathered by alien Godds. Unable to reproduce the Godds mate with human females. They demand their progeny, mutants, for whom the penalty for having a sexual relationship is death, give them total obedience. When Gayla, a Godd is sent to Kasouk on a scientific mission she meets Terek. From the moment they meet they are attracted to each other and fight against it. Not only do they fight against it they battle against traitors to survive on New Earth with its variety of natural landmarks and ecosystems. “Polar ice and snow-capped mountains, grassy plains, dark green jungles, tan deserts, icy blue lakes as well as mighty rivers and swamps. Two moons, one much larger, kept the planet stable its orb in its around its binary star.” Red Leopard is packed with adventure, a strong hero and heroine as well as Terek’s loyal leopard, Rascal, one of the big cats humans train to kill.
This science fiction/romance novel gripped me from the first page to the last. I admire Ms Schartz ability to create aliens, culture, mythology, and passionate relationships. After Earth was destroyed, humans settled on an alien planet, Kassouk, aka New Earth. Many years later, during King Dragomir’s absence, Terek, a human, is the chairman of the Council of mutant princes fathered by alien Godds. Unable to reproduce the Godds mate with human females. They demand their progeny, mutants, for whom the penalty for having a sexual relationship is death, give them total obedience. When Gayla, a Godd is sent to Kasouk on a scientific mission she meets Terek. From the moment they meet they are attracted to each other and fight against it. Not only do they fight against it they battle against traitors to survive on New Earth with its variety of natural landmarks and ecosystems. “Polar ice and snow-capped mountains, grassy plains, dark green jungles, tan deserts, icy blue lakes as well as mighty rivers and swamps. Two moons, one much larger, kept the planet stable its orb in its around its binary star.” Red Leopard is packed with adventure, a strong hero and heroine as well as Terek’s loyal leopard, Rascal, one of the big cats humans train to kill.
October 8, 2010
Schartz pens an exciting futuristic tale with Red Leopard, Book Two, in the Chronicles of Kassouk. Terek, a human, leads the mutant council of Princes while King Dragomir is off planet. Yaman is a traitor to the council, secretly contacting a Godd named Gayla. When Gayla and Terek meet, a powerful attraction is forged, but then they're thrown into a deadly game for control of the planet. Will their differences keep them apart?
After the citizens of Earth destroyed their planet, what was left ventured out and settled on New Earth. (Kassouk) The Godds are an alien race, which lost their ability to reproduce. They came to Kassouk and mated with human females, making the mutants. The Godds left eighty years ago, but still patrol the quadrant. Gayla, a Godd, is sent on a scientific mission to look for a red crystal, which is a powerful hyper-conductor.
Yaman, a mutant, left the council and went to Yalta, which is rich in the red crystal. He intends to rebuild the old Zerker fortress and take over the planet. He reaches out to Gayla with the crystal.
Terek and the mutants suspect Yaman is up to something. Terek goes to investigate and is taken hostage. While meeting with Yaman, Gayla's crew under General Kyril stages a mutiny. Gayla along with Terek are forced to mine the red crystal. Terek and Gayla work together to free themselves from their confinement as they struggle to tame their attraction to one another. Both realize that Yaman and Kyril have to be defeated. Will their attraction help or hinder their important missions?
Schartz gives a crisp account in "Red Leopard." There's plenty of action and adventure. Even the cats get in on the action, including Terek's leopard, Rascal. The plot is tight, slowing down in the just the right places for the reader to catch a breath.
Schartz's imagination and creativity continue to shine in this, the second book of the Chronicles of Kassouk.
Red Leopard has an exciting cast of characters. Terek was raised in Kassouk, but has a Zerker background. He's firm in his beliefs and convictions, and he's not afraid to fight for them. His attraction to Gayla is dangerous and forbidden, yet there's no fighting it.
Gayla is different for a Godd, smaller, less pigmentation, and deemed unworthy to procreate. Yet Gayla is fearless in the face of adversity. She's strong, emotionally and physically, yet Terek stirs feelings in her she's never known. Giving into the passion between them means forsaking her world. Her choices are not easy.
The novel is sophisticated for romance readers. Schartz's love scenes are intense and tasteful. Red Leopard offers plenty of excitement, adventure, and love from the first page to the last.
May 25, 2010
This is the second book in The Chronicles of Kassouk series, but it was the first I read, and as soon as I finished I rushed to get White Tiger, the first book in the series. Even though Red Leopard is the second, Vijaya Schartz did an excellent job of filling in the history and I never felt lost -- not for a second.
This book was so good. The plot, characters, setting, everything was laid out in detail; vivid and believable. I was completely lost in the world Vijaya created and loving every second of it. I can see this book -- series for that matter -- as movies.
This book was so good. The plot, characters, setting, everything was laid out in detail; vivid and believable. I was completely lost in the world Vijaya created and loving every second of it. I can see this book -- series for that matter -- as movies.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews