Anny One: a sexy sci-fi thingy 1

Anna and the Alien

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Onto the next book! Mia has just what it takes to soothe the savage Beast within! Who would think that this vicious fighter could be such a romantic fellow? Trekking across dangerous territory to rescue Dayna and Ryan is perilous, but they have no choice. I love me my Gladiators, each and every one of them, but Vek captured my heart from the beginning, boy howdy does he know how to love, without ever knowing it.

He is one brave, protective, loyal Alien with a huge heart, once he is free and at House Of Galen. Mia is fierce as all get out, faithful, strong, stubborn, beautiful yet fragile all at the same time. Beast is a page turning, stay up all night kind of book, as is all of them, it also has all the characters you have come to know and love from the previous books in this series.

Anna Hackett has an incredible talent and fantastic imagination, and you'll just want to keep reading. I highly recommend this series and all of her books, you will not be disappointed. This can be read as a stand-alone, but it is best enjoyed when the series is read in order. This story has all the things I love, steamy romance, exciting action, edge of your seat suspense, shocking twists, and all in a sci-fi setting. The secondary characters enhance the story. There are twists and surprises that add excitement to the major story arc. If you like an exciting sci-fi romance with lots of action, I highly recommend the Galactic Gladiator series and this book is one of the best!

Mia was enslaved by the Thraxians when they raided the space station taking many of the humans captive. She was saved whilst in the illegal fight ring by a big blue alien, when she was rescued by the House of Galen she insisted that Vek'ker be rescued as well. Vek knows nothing but how to fight and kill in the ring until he sees Mia a small woman from another world. He protects Mia and is taken to the House of Galen where because of his inability to control his temper he is put into a cell.

Mia and Vek must learn to adjust to and live on the desert planet Carthago. See all reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway. Set up a giveaway. What other items do customers buy after viewing this item? Customers who viewed this item also viewed.

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ComiXology Thousands of Digital Comics. Alyssa pays half a million credits for Jax, her new pet. Jax is the name she gave the human-alien hydrid fighting his captors when she went to look. But Jax is not a pet, nor the sex toy Alyssa wants him for. He will, however, play nicely to get what he wants, his freedom.

Will Alyssa let him go?? At first, I didn't like this book. Mainly because of Alyssa herself. She is a spoilt brat, who thinks it's perfectly acceptable to keep a man in a cage, to walk him on a leash. But Alyssa is a product o Alyssa pays half a million credits for Jax, her new pet. But Alyssa is a product of her upbringing, her culture. And as she gets to know Jax, she also gets to know a bit more about her people, and their opinion of and the way they treat their "pets" She begins to see that maybe, just maybe, this is not the way they should treat people.

And she does redeem herself beautifully!! Oh it takes her time to do that and she does use Jax in many ways, not that he really objected to having Alyssa touch him the way she does but he has to show some objection, right?? It's very well written, with all the technology of the time and place fairly easy to understand and picture, lots of common words are used for various things so it wasn't taxing on the brain.

It's sexy in places, a bit heart stopping in others. I really really enjoyed it. Only Alyssa has her say. And I so desperately wanted to hear from Jax! Like, I'm reading along, waiting, waiting, preying, begging and pleading that we'd hear from Jax and we don't. And when I realised I wouldn't get to hear from him, I spat my dummy out, threw my toys out the pram and had a full on hissy fit!!

Because I have no doubt at all, had Jax been given a proper voice, I would have enjoyed this immensely more, even with my dislike of Alyssa in the beginning, and this would have been a five star review. I loved the Adler tells her tale, and I would like to read more by this author. This is the first of her work I've read.

Jun 03, Anna Kaling rated it it was amazing Shelves: On paper, this seems like a book I wouldn't like at all: Any book with non-consensual sex dressed up as romance would be a DNF and in the bin for me. But, as evidenced by the five stars, this wasn't a problem. The book was really all about consent rather than consent issues being glos On paper, this seems like a book I wouldn't like at all: The book was really all about consent rather than consent issues being glossed over and Anna Adler handled it brilliantly.

The writing is clean and uncomplicated, which I LOVE, and Alyssa's voice was utterly charming - happy and innocent and straightforward without being childlike or one dimensional. That was a stoke of genius from the author, because it made it impossible not to like Alyssa even with the problematic power imbalance that exists at first. I felt very much for Jax being a prisoner, but I also felt for Alyssa who wasn't doing anything wrong according to the society she grew up in, and who only wanted to make him and herself happy.

And the sex scenes were hot! I usually avoid paranormal romance because I can't find non-human sex sexy I am, on the other hand, a sci-fi fan, and I liked the sci-fi elements here. It's not hard sci-fi by any means but the sci-fi elements are realistic and well-integrated.

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No info dumps or ridiculous science. One of my markers of a good romance is that the 'black moment' is convincing. We all know romances end in a happily-ever-after, but the best ones have me worried that the author has committed that most heinous sin and not given us a HEA. This was a very, very smooth read and I loved every second of it. Alyssa and Jax feel entirely like real people to me, and I would love to be friends with them both. I can't really think of any negatives except that it's over, and I want more!

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May 10, Amy rated it it was amazing. I received an ARC from the author and voluntarily decided to review. Alyssa is finally ready to purchase a pet. Not just any pet, a pet for pleasure. No cat or dog will do. She wants more, she wants a companion, a lover. While browsing for her pet, she comes across an untamed. He is what she wants. Exotic, dangerous, sexy, and a hybrid - half human and half alien. Alyssa is warned that he isn't trained, she wants him anyhow and within days he is installed at her apartment.

Jax is confused by Alyssa. She treats him well, but he is her sexual pet. He doesn't understand why she can't see how wrong this is.

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She cares for him, treats him well, but won't let him touch her or out of his damn cage! Jax wants to get his hands on Alyssa in more ways than one. If only Jax would cooperate with Alyssa, she could give him more freedom. Freedom to roam the apartment, take walks, touch her. But he can't reign in his aggression and temper. They both know that first chance Jax gets he is gone. He is not broken like the other pets. He still has a will to live and escape.

Can this ever work? Can Alyssa see Jax as more than a pet? Could she ever love him? To say I enjoyed this book is an understatement. I started this book at noon, by 5 pm I was done. I needed to know what was going to happen between Jax and Alyssa. The steamy sex scenes really added to the store and made it more enjoyable. Adler created a realistic world and characters.

I fell in love with Jax from the moment Alyssa met him. And from the moment Alyssa met Jax she was slowly changing. She went from owner to being owned. I was freaked out and hoping it was just a dream. Then the book ended and I was heart broke all over again. No more Alyssa and Jax! Jun 13, Shaly rated it really liked it Shelves: This had to have been one of the strangest books I've ever read.. The synopsis of the book totally caught my interest, but the actual storyline The whole idea of people owning other people was not a new concept, but treating them like glorified dogs Seeing an alpha male like Jax caged up and being subjected to baths and leashes, that shit was not attractive at all, though I will admit his was an entertaining plight.

His This had to have been one of the strangest books I've ever read..

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His escape attempts, his seduction attempts.. He was a man on a mission and was determined to have his freedom. Loved his character, personality and best of all his dirty mouth!

Dude cussed worse than a fucking sailor!!! Alyssa was actually really sweet, though sadly misguided. It felt like she had blinders on when it came to her society, she thought her world was perfect and I guess in a sense for her it was. It took meeting and falling in love with her 'pet' for her to realize there was so much more to life than blindly following some stupid ass rules. Hers was a character you truly love to hate but end up thawing towards her as she really wasn't a bad person.

Overall it was a very interesting read with wickedly hot but kinky sex, it was well written with little to no grammatical errors.

The author kept me interested enough to finish this strange book, my first time read by AA and I will admit to looking forward to reading more of her work. Jul 26, Mandy rated it liked it Shelves: A fascinating read where humans keep aliens and hybrids as pets. At the start of the book Alyssa comes across as a conceited, rich, spoilt brat. She lives on Silenia, and as with most of its locals, she wants a pet that she can use to stroll through the streets while others admire her.

Alyssa decides on a hybrid, a newly a A fascinating read where humans keep aliens and hybrids as pets. Alyssa decides on a hybrid, a newly acquired untrained pet at Interstellar Pet Training Inc. The love story is equally disappointing. First because March is taken straight from the pages of paranormal romance. He's big, strong, and emotionally stunted. But not in a witty, heart-of-gold way like Captain Malcolm Reynolds. No, he's just a big blob of mind-reading angry. Did I mention he can read Sirantha's thoughts? Yeah, that's so not sexy.

I've been married long enough to know that while honesty is essential in a relationship, there are things that are best left unsaid in each partner's mind. My husband is my hero, but I don't want in his mind and I definitely don't want him in mine. Sirantha and March's love is essentially "fated" a trope that rarely works , because the bond forged between navigators and pilots in grimspace is so tight that it almost always leads to sexing.

So fated love plus boring, unsexy hero and martyred heroine. Maybe my eyesight is getting crappy with age, but I couldn't find it. Sirantha and company set off to find recruits for their navigator school technically abduct entire communities, which seems just as bad as what the Corps does, but who needs internal logic? They stop at the frontier town so Sirantha can be bullied and get her ass kicked by a younger woman. Next they go to a planet where they accidentally hatch a cute lizard alien baby. There's some sexy times in a pirate's hideout, then Sirantha jumps ship and works in child care seriously on another planet, before being guilt-tripped into returning to the crew.

Then she's kidnapped by a tall, skinny, insectoid bounty hunter, who decides she's innocent of her crimes and helps her expose the evils of the Farwan Corporation. Grimspace , for all its faults, is an easy read, so three stars rather than two kind of like a pity fuck, I guess. View all 9 comments. The Flooze Michelle M. Everyone's already said everything better in their reviews, so I will just say give a few brief points. Her brilliance unfurls like Read to the end. Many things make more sense later.

The relationships cement too quickly, but everything else is legit. This would appeal to urban fantasy fans more than scifi fans. That is, do you like action, first person and a dark, gritty tone? We have the girl for you. Sirantha's conflicts are actually pretty unique.

Paranoia, corpora Everyone's already said everything better in their reviews, so I will just say give a few brief points. Paranoia, corporate conspiracy props, Aguirre , self agency and ownership, trust. She's frank but non-aggressive and allows herself to be vulnerable-- or should I say, she has no choice in the matter because she's got issues. Both of them do. Both are also morally ambiguous. She takes some questionable actions and not accidentally, as in a bad novel; author and character recognize them as such.

Also, characters die and get hurt. Dark, rhythmic, and stark. Pretty much what the doctor ordered. Shannon said it, and she's right. I must read the next one. View all comments. Apr 16, Felicia rated it really liked it Shelves: Oooh, I created another category on my shelf for this book: I liked this book. I really liked the way it was written. There were some pacing problems though, especially towards the end, but it was a really interesting book that avoided a lot of cliches I've been reading lately, had a nice romance that didn't take over the whole book.

I really liked it and just got the sequel, so yay! Urban-fantasy fans might want to check it out. View all 8 comments. Apr 17, AH rated it it was amazing Shelves: What an awesome book! Grimspace is all of that and more. More - because of the fascinating worlds that we get to visit and because it is great science fiction.

Grimspace is an exciting book. There is a lot of action and adventure. There is a lot of running away from scary spac What an awesome book! She is there because she is the sole survivor of a crash. Sirantha is rescued from the psych ward by Captain March and his crew. We see her world through her eyes. She is an intriguing character, probably one of the more interesting female characters I have read this year.

Sirantha is brash and brave, a little cocky, and she has a kick ass attitude about her. At the same time, there is a vulnerability to her, and this makes her very likable. Sirantha is gifted with the J-gene, which allows her to serve as a jumper or navigator through grimspace. Jumpers are very rare and they burn out very young. Sirantha is nearing her th jump and she is still going strong, yet she fears that each jump will be her last. I loved watching that relationship blossom, sputter, tank, and blossom again. Truly a well matched couple. Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.

View all 42 comments. Jan 23, Sh3lly grumpybookgrrrl rated it it was amazing Shelves: Buddy read with my MacHalo girls. I'm fangirling like a mo-fo. Sirantha Jax is a Jumper. She has the J-gene, which means she can take a ship through grimspace. Grimspace is the "secondary space that bends distance beneath, between, two points in straight space.

It's sort of sci-fi mixed with a psi-like ability. Jax is falsely accused of a crime and ends up with a rag-tag space crew on a rebel mission that sort of reminds me of this: Grimspace has all the hearts: In case that wasn't clear. I might add more later if I can stop the fangirling. I might be too busy reading the other books! View all 10 comments. Fans of the tv show Firefly rustic Science Fiction. If you're looking for a science fiction yarn that will suck you right in, and keep your interest engaged at max warp speed, then this should work. Grimspace takes the concept of interplanetary travel, and integrates the idea that specific people have a gene that allows them to navigate the points within space to decrease the travel time and go to places previously impossible to travel in a reasonable distance.

Sort of like a wormhole, but not really. This inner space is called Grimspace, and Sir If you're looking for a science fiction yarn that will suck you right in, and keep your interest engaged at max warp speed, then this should work. This inner space is called Grimspace, and Sirantha Jax is such a person. This book was just what I've been wanting to read.

I love science fiction with a heavy dose of adventure, and that doesn't dwell too heavily on the tech and science explanations. It's not that I don't like science I love it in fact , but I don't want a story bogged down with that. I want a character-driven, action-oriented, tightly written story in a science fiction universe, and that's what Ann Aguirre delivers. The weary, scarred, nearly broken character archtype never fails to appeal to me, and such is Jax.

She lost her lover and was accused of killing him and 79 souls on their last flight together. Her future is looking decidedly bleak, since the corporation she works for think Umbrella Corporation in space, or somewhat like the Alliance for Firefly fans has taken her into custody and are submitting her to psychological manipulation that is sure to turn her into a walking zombie. A mysterious man shows up in her room and breaks her out, and she's off on a trip across the known and unknown galaxy. This is one of those stories where the author doesn't give you much time to start feeling comfortable and safe about any character or scenario as you read.

She lulls you into a sense that things are starting to make sense, and then she pulls the rug out from under you. This was smart although not always comforting storytelling, because it puts you very much into Sirantha's shaky boots. It felt her confusion, her fear, and her almost consuming sense of loss at the terrible choices she had to make, what she had lost and could lose, and that feeling of constantly having one's back against the wall, surrounded by enemies.

Sirantha is a tough, prickly, not terribly friendly woman, but somehow she is lovable for all those traits. Her heart is deeply human and capable of unfathomable depths of feeling. She knows what needs to be done, and might inwardly balk, but goes ahead and does it, and counts the cost later. March, the man who breaks her out, turns out to be an interesting counterpart, first uneasy ally, and sometimes verbal opponent, but the person with whom Jax finds a kinship and a deep level of communication she's never known. This is and isn't a love story. I think that those that enjoy romance will like Jax's relationship with March, but you don't have to be a romance fan to enjoy this book.

Aguirre has the elements that make for a riveting love story, but she can also be ruthlessly unsentimental, and unfraid to play around with the usual romantic conventions. This adds to that uneasy feeling I got when I read this story, because I didn't really trust that anything was safe, even supposed fated love. As far as science fiction, I like the sparse but effective scene-setting that Aguirre has done here. She has enough tech for me to buy in, but not excessive amounts that would make my eyes start rolling trying to visualize it all.

This aspect again brings to mind Firefly, which is a very good association for this devoted fan of that short-lived but briliant series. If I had any complaint, I just wish the action sequences were more effectively paced and more expansively described. They seemed to go by way too quickly, with lost opportunity to establish themselves with memorable panache in this highly visual reader's mind. I think for a space adventure, this element really needs to shout out to the reader, but it doesn't. Don't mistake that I am implying that the action elements are poorly written not at all , they just could have used a little more.

That was really the only reason I couldn't give this five stars. On all other levels, Grimspace comes in first place. The characterization is poignant and fierce, and I deeply empathized with everything that Jax, March and crew struggled against, inner demons and outer enemies alike.

I experienced this book as if I was in this corner of space, eking out my existence, and staying one step ahead of the gray men, bounty hunter, Corp bullies, and opportunists. And that made for one fantastic read. View all 27 comments. Oct 10, Emma rated it it was amazing. Fantastic fast paced light-on-the-sci-Fi with great characters and lots of action. The rest of the series has mixed reviews so I don't know whether I'd want to read on and spoil this first in the series which was an absolute corker!

Nov 14, Limonessa rated it really liked it Shelves: Sirantha Jax is one cool name. D hide spoiler ] She's a jumper. Jumpers are people gifted with a special J-gene who can take entire spaceships from one place in space to another through Grimspace, something similar to the hyperspace in Star Wars et al. When we meet Sirantha, she's in a really bad shape. Locked up in a cell, she's the sole survivor of the Sargasso shipwreck, a spaceship wh Sirantha Jax is one cool name. Locked up in a cell, she's the sole survivor of the Sargasso shipwreck, a spaceship which carried a whole congregate of diplomats and which was piloted by the love of her life, Kai.

They're all dead now and apparently, she is responsible for that. If only she could remember. On the verge of having her mind broken by Psychs, Sirantha gets rescued by March, a mercenary working for a clan on planet Lachion, whose agenda is to use Sirantha to recruit and train potential jumpers to overrule the Corp's monopoly on this privileged profession. All kinds of trouble ensues. I'm going to stop here with the synopsis because it is extremely complicated to condensate in a few sentences and I'm sure your eyes already glazed over.

When you start Grimspace , Aguirre mercilessly dumps you in the middle of a universe literal and physical with no background information whatsoever, nonchalantly assuming you were there before she started narrating and you knew everything about the conformation of the universe, about the planets or the infamous Axis Wars, etc. There's quite a lot of infodump to digest at the beginning, the world building is complex and dense but believe me, by the end of this first book, you will have all your facts straight and you'll be sucked so deep in the Sirantha-verse, it'll be impossible to stop reading.

Science fiction isn't my genre really, of course I watched Star Wars and Dune and a few others but, as you can deduce from my "and a few others" remark, I'm far from being an expert. If you're like me, you will love Sirantha, I think. She is such a witty, strong yet flawed heroine. She's both smart and a bad-ass and very unapologetically unafraid to show us her worse side of selfish, uncaring bitch. I'm starting book 3 as I am writing this and I can tell you there's a lot of character development to come and Aguirre masterfully manages to make the reader very attached to all the characters she introduces.

They are all so cool, unique and alive , there isn't really one that left me indifferent. Another good reason why you should read this series is that - and I have it on good authority - there is no love triangle throughout the whole series. So far, as long as romance is concerned, I've witnessed quite a lot of indecisiveness, angst and miscommunication but no table tennis effect, which is really refreshing. So no eye-rolling impulse And smut too, and in the right amount! So far, there are 5 books out and the final one is coming out in September, which is another reason to pick up this series, if you needed more.

For this review and more, follow The Nocturnal Library. I can't believe it--I just finished reading a book written in first person present tense , which is a narrative style that always annoys me, and I didn't even realize it until I read a friend's GR review that mentioned it. I had to go open the book up again to see if it was really true. It just goes to show if the story is compelling enough, normal rules may not apply. Grimspace is this novel's name for the hyperspace dimension used for FTL faster than light travel between star systems.

Certain I can't believe it--I just finished reading a book written in first person present tense , which is a narrative style that always annoys me, and I didn't even realize it until I read a friend's GR review that mentioned it. Certain humans, like our main character, Sirantha Jax, carry a gene that enables them to guide space ships through grimspace. But Sirantha has been involved in a tragic and mysterious crash that killed everyone aboard her ship except her, and now she's in custody and being blamed for the crash, and is undergoing psychological torture treatment.

When a tough-looking stranger shows up and offers to break her out if she helps his cause, Jax decides she has nothing to lose. And so begin her wild adventures across space with an unusual set of crew mates. This is a fun science fiction space opera type of story, but truthfully?

What it felt like was an urban fantasy, even though there's no magical fantasy element and very little urban about it. But there's a smart-mouthed kickass heroine, lots of humor and sarcasm, non-stop action and adventure, and a strong romantic component to the story. Which isn't a bad thing, if that's the kind of book you're looking for. I liked the older main characters who are both damaged in their different ways, but good people at their core. Bonus points for being the first book in a series, but not having any cliffhangers at the end.

It was an exciting roller coaster ride and I had a lot of fun reading it. This one goes in the "not deep but fun" category.

Gladiator (Galactic Gladiators, #1) by Anna Hackett

Hmm--maybe I need to add a GR bookshelf with that name. View all 5 comments. May 20, Catie rated it really liked it Recommended to Catie by: So, what is this, like urban sci-fi? How did I not know that this type of thing exists until now?! This book takes so many of my favorite urban fantasy elements: In my humble opinion, this is right up there with the greatest marriages of all time: People suck at marriage. All the best marriages are obviously food-related. I really needed this book and this heroine.

Let me just start with the best thing about Sirantha Jax: Her pilot Kai, who she shared a near symbiotic relationship with, is gone and a part of Sirantha is grieving. Another part of her is going insane, and another part is pragmatically planning her escape. This book is mainly a fast paced adventure, but it actually hit a few of my emotional buttons.

What the hell was that? I think that it just took me by surprise, and not in a good way. I think that I pretty much disliked everything about the ending: Jax, but after the ending I just had to pick Jupiter Crash. This song, to me, is all about heightened expectation for something amazing, ending in underwhelmed confusion. Also, whoever decided to pair this video with a final fantasy montage? Thanks a million to Flannery at www. View all 19 comments. May 12, Regina rated it really liked it Recommended to Regina by: This is a new favorite series of mine.

What I loved about this book and the series so far , is that it is creative in terms of the struggle the characters are facing and how they resolve it. Aguirre introduces a cast of characters who are written with depth. The heroine -- Jax is a complex person. She has flaws personality wise, emotionally and physically and her flaws create problems throughout the storyline. But to me, she is written as a real person -- not perfect, not exceptio 4.

But to me, she is written as a real person -- not perfect, not exceptionally beautiful but just struggling through life. I love her introspection, her questioning and critiquing of herself. The other members of her crew are likeable -- and likeable despite the fact that they do not all get along. I really liked the character of Dina. Dina's interactions with Jax are funny, Aguirre writes them well. This story is truly creative, beautifully written and just plain funny at parts.

View all 37 comments. Jun 01, Alisha rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: UF fans who are looking to delve into sci-fi. From second read-through, August , Still a favorite. What a magnificent book. From first read-through, Jan , Rating: The story is intimate character-wise, yet epic plot-wise.

The relatively unusual 1st-person-present was used to excellent effect, and resulted in a close connection with the protagonist.

An excellent series start. I've got to make a confession. Though historically science fiction h From second read-through, August , Still a favorite. Though historically science fiction has been one of my favorite genres and my longtime co-favorite book is evidence of that , I've read embarassingly few read: I can't even begin to fathom why.

But this first installment in the Sirantha Jax series is quickly reminding me what I loved so much about the limitless--and imminently enjoyable--possibilities that sci-fi can offer. I'm not going to lie; I was a bit hesitant about reading this book when I realized that the narration is carried out in first-person-present. Indeed, it took some getting used to but eventually melted into the background, especially after the first few scenes; after a while I honestly didn't think about it.

There was a lot of specialized jargon thrown in though most was easy enough to deduce ; characters or themes introduced without explanation. It took a little while for me to not feel lost in the world created. Of course, that could have been the intention, given the random and confusing predicament the protagonist Sirantha Jax finds her self in at book's beginning The overall story is exceedingly episodic. This lends well to putting the book down at appropriate "breaks" in storytelling; that is, if you manage to put it down at all! I supremely enjoyed this aspect of the book; the tone, pace and circumstance all fluctuate throughout but masterfully, avoiding tediousness.

Finally, I've got to give props to Ms. Aguirre's excellent balance of character development and epic storytelling. A lot happens in this book, yet it's not overwhelming. Likewise, the characters' growth is real and believable, and treated with such care that I fell in love with the entire cast…bit players and main characters alike. I thank the stars--but mostly Ann Aguirre--that there remain three more published books to read, with two additional ones to follow over the next year or so.

Jan 14, The Flooze rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Those who champion the underdog. It's gritty, unapologetic, and fast-paced. Jax and her shipmates are thoroughly unhinged, but mostly pragmatic, with a biting humor that gets them through the dark. Worthwhile introduction to the series. Can also be read as a stand-alone.

Not too long ago, I read a book where a character claimed he wasn't a good man. He was just a man, doing the best he could do with whatever life threw at him: It's an incredibly apropos concept when considering Grimspace. In this twisted piece of science-fiction, most of the characters fall into the grey zone. Their overall goals might be characterised as good, but their actions on the way to achieving them are often harsh and cold-blooded.

It made me like them all the more. Sirantha Jax falls in with a ragtag group who are just as broken as she is. They're fighting against impossible odds, making their determination seem reckless and ludicrous. I questioned their sanity throughout the whole of the piece. But they question it too, giving their personalities greater depth and making it easy to relate to a bunch of people with whom I superficially share very little.

We're sharing Sirantha's headspace in this book, and it's not always a comfortable place to be. She's frequently on the brink of losing it, but even in her paranoia, I understand her. She's obsessed with how she'll die, mostly envisioning it coming mid-jump, but sometimes hoping it comes when she's old and grey, keeling over into her tea while she oogles fine, golden young men. This obsession doesn't depress me though, because death is something she's resigned to. She knows navigating through Grimspace gradually grinds away at her mind, steals slivers of her soul, but the exhilaration she experiences while doing it seems worth the wear and tear.

Death is just a logical conclusion. It's the thrill that's important. And yet, despite the inevitable death by burn-out, when Sirantha's life is threatened outside the nav chair, she's a classic study in fight or flight. Her adrenaline rushes often lead to selfish behaviour, but that's okay. Because in the chaos she describes, would you or I behave any better? Aguirre doesn't pull any punches. There are character deaths when you least expect it.

But with the passing of each life into the void, Aguirre assures us that the losses were unavoidable She gives the lost ones their own piece of valour and their own purpose in the greater scheme.

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