A shifter-shaman-space opera romance

I recently read Jenny Schwartz's "Space Deputy", which I thoroughly enjoyed, (here's the review) . I'd also read her "Demon Hunter", a paranormal romance, and I'd thoroughly enjoyed that, too, so I bought "Her Robot Wolf".Here's the blurb:

 Jaya Romanov is an independent star ship shaman. She studies the energy flows of the universe and—for a price—will harness them to her employer’s purpose. Wormholes are a whole lot safer to travel when a shaman guides the jump.

Vulf Trent is a bounty hunter. It was that or join the family business, piracy, and Vulf is too much the lone wolf to tolerate the demands of a large pirate crew. Where his family enjoys the bonds of pack, he prefers the freedom of ranging the universe, alone.

Seven generations ago, humanity evacuated Earth and the shifter clans’ ability to transform into their animal forms was one of the most terrible losses of that time. Now, the werewolves, werebears and other shifters are trapped in their human bodies and slowly losing the essence of their primal souls. Jaya is determined to heal their torn transformational abilities, but Vulf doesn’t believe her.

He didn’t kidnap her for her healing abilities.

***

The book has been well-received, with 110 reviews on Amazon, the vast majority 5 star.

Schwatrz is an accomplished writer, with a flowing, easy to read style. Vulf and Jaya - and the ship's AI - are well-drawn and the locations and aliens are described in sufficient detail. The plot moves at a fair pace, first introducing the main characters in a dramatic meeting on an alien beach. Family is an important element for the two protagonists, but in very different ways. Vulf prefers to be a lone wolf, while Jaya had no choice. The 'family' thread weaves through the story as a sub-plot.

In typical space opera fashion, the story hops from one location to another, be it a planet or a space station. Jaya's ability to smooth transitions through worm holes proves to be invaluable more than once. Needless to say, this is a romance. While the novel is not in any way sexually explicit, the narrative sizzles with sensuality from quite early in the piece.

Although I finished the book (which is always a vote of confidence from me - I DNF many) I wasn't entirely convinced. I'm a died-in-the-wool Star Wars fan but even in that universe, I prefer to avoid too much of the Force. I like my SF to be SCIENCE fiction. I'm also not a huge fan of shifter stories, especially the 'fated mates' trope. For me, this attempt to blend shifters, shamans, and space opera didn't quite work. Jaya's conflicted relationship with Ivan Mishkin left me unconvinced. I also felt Jaya was a bit TOO powerful given her heritage. The importance of Earth's 'sha' energy in a shifter's ability to change form was reasonable but the book's outcome challenged my suspension of disbelief, always a problem when you're reading a fantasy. The final denouement, too, left me wondering about motivations on both sides.

All in all, it's a fun read which will no doubt appeal to readers of shifter romance, as well as those who enjoy reading about wielders of 'magic' in SF. This is book one of a series and judging by the response to Her Robot Wolf, Jeny Schwartz has a winner on her hands. I wish her well.

You can buy the book at Amazon

A hootin' tootin' space adventure

Instead of finishing my fifty thousand words in NanoWriMo, I've been doing a bit of reading. Don't get me wrong. Nano was useful as a kick in the arse, so to speak, but writing a set number of words in a given time period was never the real target. Finishing a book is. And no, I haven't. Not yet. But we're getting there. Yes we are.

One of the books I read was most definitely an SFR - the type I like, where the romance is just a part of a larger story. The book was Space Deputy by Jenny Schwartz.

Newly-graduated Galactic Justice officer Thelma Bach might have graduated top of the class but that didn't mean she'd get a plum job. She's sent off to the Saloon Sector to serve time as a deputy sherrif reporting to Sheriff Max Smith. While Thelma's not happy about being posted to what she sees as a dead-end job for the seven years it will take to fulfill her obligation to the Galactic Justice Department, she resolves to give it her best - and create a career for herself as a purveyor of information.

There's a lot about this book which is just plain fun. The blurb describes the environment as "the Wild West meets the 1950s" and that's about right. We meet prospectors looking for El Dorado, a crooked religious zealot, a vindictive politician, several sentient alien species - and Sheriff Max Smith, an enigmatic ex-space marine who happens to have known Thelma's brother, Joe. Oh - and a couple of fascinating Artificial Intelligences. Did I mention an intergalactic diner in a mining area?

Thelma gets to know her new boss and his two AI sidekicks through a series of incidents that require the sheriff's intervention. Thelma is a mix of tough operator, proud of her mining sector background, a smart woman trying to make a career for herself, and someone with insecurities and problems - especially with her inscrutable boss. Max is a tough ex-marine hiding secrets.

It's lots of high-action fun, with each incident being a little story in its own right. With each new situation the odds ratchet up until Thelma and those she holds dear are in desperate danger. Yes, there's a love story. There's sexual tension but the act itself is behind closed doors.

I loved it and I'll be looking for the next instalment.

Here's the blurb:

A millennium into the future, the Saloon Sector is where the Wild West meets the 1950s, in space, with robots. It’s where careers go to die. Thelma Bach graduated top of her class after four years at the Galactic Justice academy. But she’s a Rock Sector citizen. The core worlders were never going to let her transcend her background. So she’s been assigned to serve her seven years as a deputy in the Saloon Sector.

The message for the Federation’s out-world citizens is clear: you’ll never be our equal, so don’t even try. The stuffy bureaucrats of the Galactic Justice service chose the wrong person to push around. Thelma will subvert her interstellar sheriff, charm artificial intelligences, fight bandits and hunt the legendary Eldorado Cache. But with the frontier region holding secrets of its own, she needs to choose her new allies wisely because a scary, business-suited enemy is hunting her. “Space Deputy” is a fast-paced, offbeat space adventure.

Find the book at Amazon