Linnea Sinclair

This is tied in with Gabriel's Ghost and Shades of Dark (collectively known as the 'Dock 5' novels), so spoilers abound for many events and character relationships, but a brief recounting of the major plot points occurs to keep potentially new readers out of confusion. The book is also populated with characters that readers will know from the two previous novels (not just Sully and Chaz) so old faces are a friendly sight occasionally.

It was different to read a Linnea book where the romantic show more leads pretty much are on equal footing in most aspects (power, race, motivation), but I have to say I enjoyed it a great deal. It was nice to see both Rya (I love this name now) and Philip struggle with their attraction and respective feelings towards it. Rya was, with good reason it would seem, in serious hero worship of Philip for about two decades and was having trouble reconciling her Heroic Vision of the Man vs. the mundane reality. Philip meanwhile was struggling with not only his guilt over her father's death, but their age differences and I think the awkwardness of Rya's hero worship.

Some people just don't like pedestals.

Time of course is the great equalizer and by the time their romance really begins their main problem was how little time they had left to express those feelings. Imminent death from all sides does that. I will say, for a little while near the end, their relationship hit a common historical romance trope that is sometimes annoying as sin, but by the end of the book Linnea manages to finagle it into a workable solution to their romantic woes.

Rya's fascination with weaponry was amusing and entertaining (I wonder at the fact that Philip didn't think to question if her feelings were for him or his guns), especially the first few scenes that Philip and Rya re-connect (albeit unknowingly). Rya's ex-lover (can't really be considered a boyfriend) was an aggrevation, but not really anything to be concerned over.

Since the major arc of the Dock 5 books hasn't been concluded I sincerely hope for more exploration into the aftermath of the Alliance's reformation in any future books that come out! show less

For the record I think the Trilby on the new cover (green) looks more like the one described in the book. Rhis on the green cover however, doesn't have a mustache like he should. So you know whatever.

I remembered what I liked best about this book is that Trilby obviously had a learning curve to figuring out how to speak Rhis' native tongue, Zafharin. Some of the words could easily be understood, if not fully translated, in context, but after the second half of the book Trilby makes a show more dedicated effort to learn Zafharin and the reader, in turn, learns with her. Which was nice to see--even nicer was the stilted dialouge that some of the other Zafharin Imperials and Fleet members had in Standard (what Trilby speaks). Not just the normal faults of a foreigner speaking what amounts to English, but stylistic changes. Turns of phrases or flow of words.

Trilby is utterly charming and funny and tough. She is also the furthest sort I could imagine being a freight runner. Outside of some of her cant and cursing, she doesn't come off as being mercenary, which from what I gathered about her past and life, she should have been much harder. Sinclair though seems to purposely do that with her heroines--even Chaz (from Gabriel's Ghost, etc) is tough, but not hard and I would argue she's the toughest of Sinclair's heroines.

I thought it was amusing to watch Rhis go from this demanding jerk to barely constrained sweetheart back to jerk of the year (but secretly so in love he can't think straight) and finally a healthy mix of the two. Well still rather arrogant, but Trilby was there to help keep that in check. The assorted secondary characters were pretty well-rounded as well. Even Jagan, who I assumed to be nothing more a petty playboy womanizer was less shallow then I thought at first. We're still talking kiddie-pool depths here, but not ankle level at least.

A good way to start the week (even if its a little later then I anticipated)! Monday is Games of Command! show less

What a fabulous read. "Gabriel's Ghost" by Linnea Sinclair is an amazing blend of romance, science fiction, fantasy, and suspense that kept me turning the pages as fast as I could. I broke down and picked up this book because its sequel "Shades of Dark" will hit the shelves on July 29, 2008 and I was curious as to whether or not to put it on my shopping list. I'm so glad I read this book and I already put the new one on my 'must buy' list!

Chaz is suspicious when she's 'rescued' from her show more unjust sentence on the prison planet by an old foe and almost lover. Gabriel was supposed to be dead, and Chaz had secretly mourned him...so what was he doing rescuing her? If they're caught, they'll both die. What's in it for him?

The emotions between these two jump off the page. Neither trusts the other at first, and both have old scars that need to be exposed and healed. As they work together to smoke out a group using kidnapped women to breed deadly animals, they gradually learn each others secrets and learn how to open themselves up to love.

The universe Sinclair creates is peopled with a plethora of fascinating aliens and interesting new worlds yet still struggles with prejudice, fear, love, forgiveness, religious fanaticism, greed, kindness, and betrayal. It's one hell of a story regardless of the setting. The heat between the lead characters is WWAAAYYYYY hot and very moving. To be accepted with all our differences and flaws is, to me, the essence of love and that's what this book is all about. show less

Stripped of her command, ex-Fleet Captain Chasidah Bergren is left to molder on the inhospitable, lawless planet of Moabar for a crime she didn't commit. So when her sometimes-nemesis, the presumed dead Gabriel Sullivan, turns up offering to stage a prison break if she'll help him track down who's responsible for breeding long-outlawed killing beasts called jukors, she quickly finds herself on board. Because whoever is responsible for the project is just as monstrous as the jukors show more themselves.

But that doesn't really do it justice. The real joy in Linnea Sinclair's Gabriel's Ghost are the characters. The story is told in first person, by the fantastic Chaz Bergren. She's Fleet all the way down to her toes and her training shows - she's calm in a crisis, thinks through her options and can take care of her own self, if you please. But at the same time, she's not the kind of girl to turn down a little rescuing from her friends. No running headlong into Dire Peril to prove a point for Chaz.

And then there's Sully - he's the best kind of scoundrel from his wicked grin, his quick endearments and his playful gambling streak to his secretly playing Robin Hood. It's obvious why he has the undying loyalty of his crew (who are also great) and it's equally obvious that he has a Gigantic Crush on Chaz and has for a long time. Which is why he used to hang around and taunt her and figuratively pull her pigtails back when they were on opposite sides of the law. And he definitely kept me giggling, which is really important if you're going to pull out a brooding tortured hero.

Because there is darkness to the story. The people Chaz and Sully are up against are some genuinely nasty folks doing genuinely nasty things. And Sully is harboring a dark secret - one that he can't always control and one that makes him an outsider from those he loves the most (see Tortured Alpha Hero). There's a lot going on for the characters - secrets, coming to grips with their relationship, finding the scourge of the galaxy, and plenty of explosions and blaster battles.

So, in short? This reminded me of the space opera I used to love to read and watch (and clearly still do). It's fast-paced and funny, and I've GOT to get hold of the sequel since the darned thing ends not quite on a cliff-hanger, but precariously close to the edge

More posted at A Hoyden's Look at Literature. show less