This is the sequel to Grimspace and takes up where the first book left off.

Many worlds banded together and the Farwan corporation ruled them through economic control, a space jump monopoly, and their security apparatus. Jax and her crew were able to bring the corporation's manipulation and crimes to light, resulting in the collapse of the corporation, and with it their governmental functions. The confusing aftermath creates a power vacuum. The social power structure comes apart, and there is economic and social chaos. In space, pirates, the mafia, and aliens, the Morgut, who hunt and eat humans are trying to build their own empires and harvest snacks.

Jax and her crew are sent to an insectoid planet, to try to get them to join the other worlds, and hopefully deal with the Morgut (the are poisonous to them). Jax has befriended a bug and he has agreed to teach her the finer rules of their society. They depart New Terra for Ithiss-Tor.

The book is the story of their journey, and does not actually cover the diplomatic mission. It ends as they arrive at Ithiss-Tor. I actually hate books that do this, set up a goal and then end as it appears. However, I did enjoy the book in spite of the bait and switch of the blurb.

The same characters from the first book are included and there are 2 new ones added to the crew. All are good and fit well together. One of the old characters, March the hero and love interest goes off to do his own thing for the middle part of the book. It saves us from continuous goopy romance and allows Jax to become the leader. But the whole split and his return and condition seem contrived and annoying.

Again it is an adventure book and a quick light read. The way the book ends, it could be the finish of the series, though there is room left to continue. It appears her next book in April 2009 is with a different publisher and about a different character. ( )

http://www.bookfetish.org/bookshelves... ( )

The premise: Wanderlust picks up right where Grimspace left off: Jax and her crew are going through hearings after the fall-out of the Corp, and she's offered a job: an ambassador to the Ithiss-Tor to convince them to join the government Conglomerate. Jax doesn't understand the importance of the job, no one does, save for Vel, our trusty bounty hunter who just happens to their cultural liason. And for all their best-laid plans, nothing is easy, and Jax is learning that her ability to navigate through the grimspace is taking a bigger toll on her body than anyone realized...

My Rating

Must Have: for fans of Grimspace. Though I will point out that for those readers who liked Grimspace but weren't fond on the romantic elements, that's toned down quite a bit in this book, and this book has a different focus. For new readers, be warned, Wanderlust not a stand-alone book by any means. I've read and adored the first, and I still had trouble remembering certain details and character names. I strongly recommend this series to those readers who like that urban fantasy voice in a space opera setting, just start with Grimspace first. It's comfortable and familiar, and enjoyable to read. The only reason I nit-picked this sequel so much is because I'm so involved in the world and the characters, and I can't wait to see where the story is going.

The full review, which does include massive spoilers, may be found in my LJ. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.

REVIEW: Ann Aguirre's WANDERLUST

Happy Reading! :) ( )

Complete review:
http://fantasycafe.blogspot.com/2008/... ( )

Sirantha Jax is about to learn that breaking the Corp's hold on the world was just the beginning of her troubles. Sure she's gotten justice for the death of her lover and crew, and exposed the crash that the Corp arranged and tried to pin on her to the Conglomerate. But now a powerful piece of the world government system is missing and visionaries and bullies from all over are trying to take up the slack.
So when the Conglomerate offers to make her an ambassador, Jax finds herself not only in need of the job, but also in a unique position to be one of the first Conglomerate citizens to make it to the home world of a notorious race of insect-like beings. If only she can get past the space pirates, civil wars, the Syndicate and her own mother first.
Like Grimspace before it, Wanderlust is more than just a story about a girl who navigates space ships through the unfathomable depths of grimspace (something akin to wormholes and subspace pathways combined). This story is about Jax, shattered spirit and failing body, in the middle of a complete life upheaval trying to figure out which pieces fit, which don't and what to do with her new sense of responsibility and loyalty. It's hard not to be paranoid and hopeless when everyone seems to either want to kill you or kill for you, when even your body is betraying you and life seems unwilling to give you the time to heal. Aguirre takes readers there, to a flashy science fiction world with a dark side where even the planetary civil wars, human-eating aliens and missions to save the world fade under the compelling clutches of the small band of characters that have come together under enormous pressure and against monstrous odds just to do what they think is right.
Wanderlust is an exciting new tale in the science fiction genre which captures the humanity in even the most odd of aliens and takes the reader for a nonstop action ride that's hard to put down. ( )