J. Ray (1)

Salt in the Water is one of the best dark Science Fiction books I've read in some years. Kaitar Besh is an Enforcer, one of the few who roam the desert trying to keep the peace in a world full of violence and cruelty. When he and Leigh Endari, a rookie Enforcer, are sent on a mission to find a missing fellow Enforcer, everything goes wrong that could go wrong. It doesn't help that the two mistrust each other from longstanding ethnic hatreds or there are multiple dangers in the desert show more threatening them at any moment.
The story progresses through the happenstances of various characters, both back at the town and those who the Enforcers encounter on the mission. There are some truly evil people, others who are just trying to get by, some who've been trodden upon, and pretty much the span of human existence. Yet the authors have finely drawn each personality. Even those you end up hating are indelibly etched upon your mind and I found myself reliving the story over and over.
Kaitar is a mystery that you want to solve. Hints of his prior existence are woven in throughout the book, each piece adding to the puzzle of the man and leaving you, the reader, wanting more.
The worldbuilding is just excellent. As you read, you can feel the grit in your mouth from blowing sand, or the fear engendered by the threks tracking across the desert. (Not telling what a threk is as I don't want to spoil it).
I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy of Salt in the Water in exchange for an honest review. I begged and got an ARC copy of Ghost in the Glass, the next book, because this series is sooooo good. show less

So many good things to say about this book that I’m not sure where to begin. I’ll make it simple—the beginning? An excellent hook. We’re introduced to a completely new world with the abduction of a girl though we’re not given details as to who she is or why she’s been abducted. Of course, I was immediately drawn to keep reading right here. Shortly after, we’re introduced to Kaitar, the main character. He’s grouchy and has a no bullshit attitude which is just awesome.

I think show more all the characters have their quirks which makes me like them all in a different way. I liked Leigh because of her bossy manager like attitude during the mission with Kaitar. Another favorite of mine was Senqua. I’m not sure why on that one. I think because I sympathized a lot with her!

Anyway, Salt in the Water introduces you to a desert world full of danger, action, and suspense! There were all kinds of creatures native to this world that made each and every page fascinating. I think my favorites were the threk even though I shouldn’t like them. They reminded me of velociraptors and once my mind made that connection, there was no hating them.

If you’re a fan of science fiction, suspense, and westerns, this book is perfect for you! I would highly recommend it! show less

Science-Fantasy, Shadowrun X Mad Max, on another planet.

A very coveted resource can be found when and where some celestial bodies make landfall, but those have also had strange effects on the flora, fauna and sometime people nearby, similar to Shadowrun's Awakening. While cushy high-tech cyberpunk enclaves exist and not too subtly pull the strings in their areas of influence, the book is concerned with the dusty and thirsty struggles of characters who can only dream of ever accessing show more them.

The main character is a nearly legendary scout, who has been able to carve out a place of more respect than granted most other meta-humans (he's an elf) in human desert settlements, but the mission he's sent on this time might prove his match. show less