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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
The plot with March having gone cold and hard since the war on Lachion is hard to read, because Jax loves him so much that his distance is painful. It’s worth sticking with the plot, however. She figures out a very novel approach to trying to help him, and it’s fascinating. One worry Jax has is that March always loved her inability to lie to him since he’s a psi and used to feeling people’s deception; but in the name of politics she’s learning to dissemble, and she’s afraid she won’t appeal to him as much that way. It should be noted that things are set up such that there’s a lot riding on Jax’s ability to form an alliance: enough to keep her staying there and working hard no matter how bad things get. The Morgut, the Syndicate, Farwan loyalists, and raiders are wreaking havoc, and having such a strong race for allies–particularly since the Ithtorians are pretty much the only race the Morgut respect as hunters rather than prey–would be invaluable.
There are plenty of sub-plots to make everyone else’s lives interesting too. Dina and Hit seem to be getting closer. Jael seems to waver oddly between being super-intense about bodyguarding Jax, yet going off on his own whenever he gets bored or wants to gamble. Doc is trying to find a way to help the poisoned Ithtorian. Constance is being invaluable as an assistant, but when she disappears no one knows if she’s off researching or what. Jax gets to learn a lot more about Vel now that she’s seeing him in his native surrounds. And there’s plenty of action and adventure to keep things exciting.
There was one thread where I just wanted to shake Jax for not noticing a repeated clue, and not finally putting two and two together when given additional clues.
We really go through the emotional wringer in this installment of the series. Content note for a brief and not-too-detailed sex scene. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/12/review-doubleblind-ann-aguirre/
There are plenty of sub-plots to make everyone else’s lives interesting too. Dina and Hit seem to be getting closer. Jael seems to waver oddly between being super-intense about bodyguarding Jax, yet going off on his own whenever he gets bored or wants to gamble. Doc is trying to find a way to help the poisoned Ithtorian. Constance is being invaluable as an assistant, but when she disappears no one knows if she’s off researching or what. Jax gets to learn a lot more about Vel now that she’s seeing him in his native surrounds. And there’s plenty of action and adventure to keep things exciting.
There was one thread where I just wanted to shake Jax for not noticing a repeated clue, and not finally putting two and two together when given additional clues.
We really go through the emotional wringer in this installment of the series. Content note for a brief and not-too-detailed sex scene. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/12/review-doubleblind-ann-aguirre/
This book centred on Jax and Vel, the Bug bounty hunter.
And despite how much I liked March in books 1 and 2, I shipped VEL and JAX so much!! He’s so intelligent and courteous and helpful. His backstory is tragic—exiled from his planet for being different. And he’s had human lovers?!?!
I know we’re supposed to see that Jax can’t live without March, but I honestly I think the author herself was torn. This whole book seems to be an argument as to why Jax should be with Vel. There’s no doubt in my mind he loves her and would do anything for her.
I guess his personality lacks the passion and thrill-seeking that Jax craves. Sigh. But Vel is a bounty hunter and with the war starting, I’m sure she’ll get lots of near death experiences in the fourth book.
I hope there’s more of the rest of the crew in book 4. They were rather incidental in this book.
Also I suspect Jax will keep the tattoo Vel made for her. She respects him too much to get rid of it.
March is not going to like that lol.
And despite how much I liked March in books 1 and 2, I shipped VEL and JAX so much!! He’s so intelligent and courteous and helpful. His backstory is tragic—exiled from his planet for being different. And he’s had human lovers?!?!
I know we’re supposed to see that Jax can’t live without March, but I honestly I think the author herself was torn. This whole book seems to be an argument as to why Jax should be with Vel. There’s no doubt in my mind he loves her and would do anything for her.
I guess his personality lacks the passion and thrill-seeking that Jax craves. Sigh. But Vel is a bounty hunter and with the war starting, I’m sure she’ll get lots of near death experiences in the fourth book.
I hope there’s more of the rest of the crew in book 4. They were rather incidental in this book.
Also I suspect Jax will keep the tattoo Vel made for her. She respects him too much to get rid of it.
March is not going to like that lol.
I did not enjoy this as much as the last two, because there was less action, but there were aspects that I did enjoy. I liked learning about Vel's race, and thought the world building was very unique. I was a little taken aback by what seemed to me to be an abrupt shift in Jael's character from the way he was presented in the previous book. I know it fit the plot of this story, but it was almost like the author didn't remember how she'd presented him previously, which annoyed me!
I love this series! As ambassador to the planet of bug-like Ithtorians, Sirantha Jax must forge an alliance with this skeptical and ruthless race of aliens while humanity lives under threat of war both within and from the cannibal Morgut aliens. Also she must solve a mystery and attempt to heal her war-damaged lover March. Lots of adventure here, and an interesting alien world and engaging characters also.
The sci-fi world Aguirre has created is getting more vivid and thorough as the series progresses. Despite there being depth to the series, I believe it is character-driven all the way, at least for me. This installment centers around Jax having to be a very important ambassador, a role one would never peg Jax for. In order to help diminish the likelihood of war and countless deaths, Jax is attempting to get the Ithtorians to agree to an alliance. However, the Ithtorians think oh so very little of humans (can't say as I blame them).
Jax matured greatly into the role of ambassador and while I admire her ability to do so, I rather miss the old Jax. The Jax that would say what was on her mind and do what she felt was right for her, I loved that Jax. Instead this Jax has to continually have an inner battle for doing what is better for the "many" and ends up kissing ass more than I can generally tolerate reading (and don't even think I could actually do it). Despite this, the Jax I prefer still lurks within and that makes me hopeful that the "ambassador" Jax may be done away with when enough is enough.
Vel, oh Vel. What a great character! He is strong but vulnerable, living with a duality--the culture/race he was born into (Ithtorians) and the world he feels more a part of (which is in conflict with said culture). He is a great friend to Jax and more than any other character I think she needs Vel. March may be her lover but Vel is there like no one else. I believe I'd be somewhat braced for March's death but I think Vel's would hit harder.
March is now essentially a killing machine after the events in book two and is cold emotionally and any little trigger could send him over the edge. He was like this once before (prior to Jax) and "fixed" by somone no longer living with abilities Jax does not possess. How can she "fix" him? This aspect of the story really takes an emotional toll on the characters and readers. Will March rebound?
I rather liked the character of Jael and was disappointed that he was the bad guy in this one. It was very disappointing that he would sell out for money despite what seemed like genuine care for Jax and her safety. Despite what he did and the danger it would cause, I secretly hope he somehow escapes from the mines. Of course I view this from a perspective that he will amend his ways and not kill anyone important. So I guess he is probably stuck there!
There was a lot of politics in the book, which I have never been a fan of. However, I did enjoy the extra level of meaning of the Syndicate (aka private corprorations doing things for the government) and their part in Jax's world. The events, corruptions, deaths etc. that take place in Jax's world are not foreign to ours.
I look forward to the next books in the series and know it will be a dramatic wild ride from here on out.
Jax matured greatly into the role of ambassador and while I admire her ability to do so, I rather miss the old Jax. The Jax that would say what was on her mind and do what she felt was right for her, I loved that Jax. Instead this Jax has to continually have an inner battle for doing what is better for the "many" and ends up kissing ass more than I can generally tolerate reading (and don't even think I could actually do it). Despite this, the Jax I prefer still lurks within and that makes me hopeful that the "ambassador" Jax may be done away with when enough is enough.
Vel, oh Vel. What a great character! He is strong but vulnerable, living with a duality--the culture/race he was born into (Ithtorians) and the world he feels more a part of (which is in conflict with said culture). He is a great friend to Jax and more than any other character I think she needs Vel. March may be her lover but Vel is there like no one else. I believe I'd be somewhat braced for March's death but I think Vel's would hit harder.
March is now essentially a killing machine after the events in book two and is cold emotionally and any little trigger could send him over the edge. He was like this once before (prior to Jax) and "fixed" by somone no longer living with abilities Jax does not possess. How can she "fix" him? This aspect of the story really takes an emotional toll on the characters and readers. Will March rebound?
There was a lot of politics in the book, which I have never been a fan of. However, I did enjoy the extra level of meaning of the Syndicate (aka private corprorations doing things for the government) and their part in Jax's world. The events, corruptions, deaths etc. that take place in Jax's world are not foreign to ours.
I look forward to the next books in the series and know it will be a dramatic wild ride from here on out.
Sirantha Jax is a crackerjack navigator of grimspace, the place where spaceships travel to get from one place to another without taking years of light speed. But she has been recruited to travel to a far planet as an ambassador to negotiate an alliance with an alien race in order to protect the known universe from a very alien threat, the Morgut. Arriving on Ithissi-Tor, she works with a member of the alien "bug" race, who has been exiled from his home world because of his wanderlust. Jax is hindered by several obstacles, the most important of which is her lover's withdrawal due to his PTSD. Jax has to figure out a way to get March back into the game. Then she has to figure out who the traitor is on her team. Lots of action and enjoyable romance. Jax is a great character.
Jax takes on a new role as Ambassador to Ithis-Tor, where her pal Velith is from. This has a lot of first-contact themes to it, which I enjoy. The March drama is a little overdone, but I guess you have to have romantic tension. I enjoy this series, can't wait for the next one.
Who knew that keeping Sirantha out of grimspace would create the best story of the series so far? She travels to Ithiss-Tor as a goodwill ambassador, to open the doors for an alliance that may prevent the previously unstoppable Morgut from destroying all of humanity. The only species they respect and fear are the Ithtorians, so it'd be pretty great if Vel's homeworld could jump on board. Unfortunately, the Ithtorians have deliberately kept to themselves because humans are little more than filthy animals, and Sirantha basically has her work cut out for her. Throw in a little intrigue, a few assassination attempts, betrayal, and thrilling heroics, and you've got yourself an entertaining installment of the Grimspace series, without the actual grimspace.
Sirantha is one of my favorite characters, yeah, because she can kick ass, but also because she learns, she grows, she adapts. She reminds me of Maxine from Marjorie Liu's "Hunter Kiss" series, but with more space and fewer demons. She surprises me sometimes, and that's what I need if I'm going to follow someone's story through to the end. In this book, it's the turning away from grimspace and focusing on the cultural details that keep things new and interesting. And, I'm pretty sure Aguirre meant for this to happen, but I have a major crush on Vel. If anything ever happens to March, I'm totally Team Vel. Three books left in the series, and I'll be rationing them so it's not over too quickly.
Sirantha is one of my favorite characters, yeah, because she can kick ass, but also because she learns, she grows, she adapts. She reminds me of Maxine from Marjorie Liu's "Hunter Kiss" series, but with more space and fewer demons. She surprises me sometimes, and that's what I need if I'm going to follow someone's story through to the end. In this book, it's the turning away from grimspace and focusing on the cultural details that keep things new and interesting. And, I'm pretty sure Aguirre meant for this to happen, but I have a major crush on Vel. If anything ever happens to March, I'm totally Team Vel. Three books left in the series, and I'll be rationing them so it's not over too quickly.
Really loving the character development in this one. I enjoyed seeing Sirantha "growing up" and learning to be more responsible and considerate of other people. I also liked the way March's issues were handled. But most of all still crushing on Velith and enjoying his story and learning more about his people. Can't wait to read the next one!
I don’t know. I really like a lot of these characters, and I was intrigued by the new planet, but overall it left me feeling sad and tired. I’ll keep reading the series, though, because I do like the characters so much. I’m hoping for spin off series for some of them.