Shades of Dark [Mass Market Paperback]

 

 

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Captain Chasidah "Chaz" Bergren is no longer the pride of the Sixth Fleet. Now she is a fugitive from the corrupted Empire. She is captain of the Boru Karn, the ghost ship belonging to Gabriel Ross Sullivan "Sully". Sullivan, the man, is the most confusing being Chaz has ever met. He is one of the extremely rare human Kyi-Ragkiril. It is as though he is two men in one and sharing a mind link with Chaz, his wife. Chaz loves the entire package of Sully/Gabriel and has learned to call him by the name of whatever aura (for lack of a better word) he has around him. "Sully" is the warm human man, often cocky, and always available to help with the needs and concerns of Chaz and the crew. "Gabriel" is the wild human, domineering most times, hardly in control, and possessive of his wife. As one entire package, Sullivan is a mercenary who is slowly learning to control his Kyi-Ragkiril powers. Fleet and normal humans hate/fear the six-fingered, blue-skinned Stolorths who are Ragkiril. The instant they learn what Sullivan is, they cast him into the same hate filled category, a Soul-stealer.

Chaz and Sully are hunting a ship breeding monsters before those monsters are released and started hunting them, so their hands are already kept busy. But when Chaz hacks into an Imperial drone for news, she learns that her brother, Thad, has been stripped of command and is being held for questioning (about her and Sullivan) before he is executed for treason. They know it is a ploy, by Sully's cousin Hayden Burke, to draw them out of hiding, but it still works.

They must locate and join forces with Admiral Philip Guthrie (Chaz's ex-husband) and Del (a full powered Kyi-Ragkiril too attracted to Chaz) if the fractured Empire is to have any chance of surviving.

***** This story has long been in the making and I had high expectations of it. I am happy to say that am not disappointed in the least. There are a few times the story got slow, but these sections are filled with much needed information. Such as in life, not everything is nice and tidy. The author can decide to end the tale right here, right now, or publish another novel and continue this amazing adventure. I sincerely hope to see these characters again.

The character of Sully/Gabriel can sound confusing while reading the synopsis; however, readers need not fear becoming confused. The story is crystal clear and flows smoother than silk. Author Linnea Sinclair is a natural when it comes to giving her characters multiple major problems while keeping her story easy to understand and hard to pull away from. Fantastic! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

**Spoiler Warning - This review will contain spoilers**

Not long after Chaz and Sully escaped Marker with the help of her brother and her ex-husband, Chaz receives news that her brother, Thad, had been arrested for treason. From there, things quickly escalate from bad to worse. Hayden Burke and First Barrister Darius Tage are in cahoots together, wanting the Empire for themselves, and are planning on taking it any way they know how. They're sure that Burke is behind the jukor gen labs, and Chaz and Sully intend to shut them down, no matter the cost. With the help of an informant, Del, they find the lab, but the cost is greater than anyone would even begin to believe, for Del is Stolorth, and a Kyi-Radkiril, and has taken Sully on as a student, helping him harness and use his power. But Del is hiding something from both Sully and Chaz, and it's not good.

And now a war is starting, and no one is sure how it will turn out. Those who don't swear allegiance to Tage are hunted, some killed. Being hunted is her ex-husband, Admiral Philip Guthrie, and Chaz and Sully save him just in time. And just when we think that everything will finally work out - the gen lab found, the crew out of the way, and Hayden Burke walking aboard to deal with the lab - more betrayal hits too close to home.

The story begins right at the start, when Chaz finds out her brother has been arrested. She he be questioned by a Radkiril, their enemies will learn what Sully truly is, and nothing could be worse for them right now.

I didn't like Del right from the start, and I was right not to like him. Just when you want a good guy to help, the bad comes along with dark intentions, and that pissed me off. Yes, the story needed him, but I think I'd have liked to see this come about in a different fashion. I'm glad that we got to see more of Philip Guthrie - we needed more between him, Chaz and Sully. Finally, you really understand where Philip and Chaz stand with each other, and while is makes the reader sad that their relationship turned the way it had, it's understandable, and not unlike those in higher social standing that we're used to reading.

And now, the ending. Oh, was I mad! With all the action, you're adrenaline pumps up as you're following the story. You want so badly that Sully wins against Del, that Chaz and Philip manage to help him, but I felt let down. Sure, Del is beaten, but the price that Chaz and Sully pay is over the top, leaving several questions unanswered; questions that need answers. We understand how it happens and why (from earlier explanations about cultures, customs and such), but it wasn't fair for that to happen. And what was between Sully and Chaz will never be the same. Then I'm told that there will be a Book #3, Hope's Folly, but after reading the description, the book is about Philip, not Chaz and Sully. Please, Ms. Sinclair, we need more on Chaz and Sully. It's not just because I like them very much, but to leave them hanging like that, as well as the reader, isn't fair.

*If you're reading this before Gabriel's Ghost, stop, turn around and go get Gabriel's Ghost first. Then come back and read this one. Seriously, folks.

In retrospect, after everything Sully and Chaz go through, Shades of Dark is the perfect descriptor for the evolution their relationship endures. It's been three months since they infiltrated the jukor-breeding lab on the Marker space station. Now it's time to go after the big guns, the brains and monetary brawn behind it all and the mobile ship lab coasting across the universe, breeding even more jukors. The continued kidnapping of Takan females to use as breeding machines is quickly escalating a desperate situation towards open war.

Sully and Chaz are adamant as ever in their resolve to stop the bloodthirsty creatures from getting loose as well as annihilating those behind it. Their mission has never been in question. What is though is their relationship. Sully's powers grow stronger everyday, yet do not become easier to bear. Chaz is his firm support, however he needs it, but when a new crew member comes aboard, another with powers like Sully's, their love will undergo the ultimate test of wills and survival. No one ever said saving the universe was easy, but no one ever warned them it would demand - and take - so much of them personally either.

Sully and Chaz are one of the most passionate couples I've ever had the pleasure of reading - and this isn't even a romance! We learn a lot more about the two in terms of how they came to be a couple. I thought I was already as invested in their relationship as I could get. Wrong, I was so wrong in that regard. This may not be a romance, but a lot of other romance couples could learn a thing or two from Chaz and Sully. The conflict between these two was HUGE! Again, Sully's powers are a major contender for foremost villain. But it was stepped up quite a few notches in this sequel to Gabriel's Ghost, where it seemed as though they'd at least come to an understanding, a compromise in terms of Sully's powers effecting them as a couple. Wrong again - at least somewhat. Sully, despite a willing and wonderful partner, still feels very much alone as he struggles to control the darker instincts of his Kyi-Ragkiril nature. He's not had the benefit of growing up learning and adapting to his skills and therefore perfecting them into something usable and at his whim rather than him at the power's whim. It was heart wrenching at times to read, the uncertainty and self-doubt he goes through.

The third that steps in, takes the scales that are trying to balance and throws them into the outer reaches of space is another Kyi-Ragkiril, one Cordell Delkavra, Captain Regarth - or Del, as he is preferably called. it is hard to talk too much about him without giving everything away. He is the core of it all, the igniter to not only Sully and Chaz's relationship, but the main plot as well. At first, it's very hard to ascertain his motives and I wanted to know them right away, very much. Something about him fascinated me from the get go, but also a thread of unease crept in and refused to go away. He definitely makes the book more interesting. It had lagged a bit in pace till he shows up. But when he does show up, hold on to whatever you can because he is the engine, the creator behind the roller coaster that engages the moment he steps into the picture.

And then we have Admiral Phillip Guthrie, who will be getting his own book in the future, titled Hope's Folly (Feb.24, 2009). He becomes a valuable asset, as well as a solid friend, to Chaz. There were moments where I had to chuckle or sigh, when he and Chaz clearly show they've come to an understanding and forgiven where they ended up with each other. Phillip's sporting major whispers of hero duds and I can't wait to see how he handles his own full length story.

This book had me by the throat and more times than I could count, my heart leaped up there too to join in. I really needed time after finishing to come down from the cliff it put me on. A somewhat sad thing for me is I still feel like I'm on that cliff, hoping, heart pounding and dread escalating. But to me, this also speaks powerfully of how well the story engaged me. With Gabriel's Ghost, I became so enamored of Chaz and Sully and their slightly awkward, painfully wonderful love story and in Shades, I'm so torn for them, literally aching at some points and in tears others. But there were also truly beautiful moments, flickers of romance and passion that could make any reader feel their connection. I was reserved by the ending and wished for a bit longer resolution, but not sad in the least for having read the book. I enjoyed it, I was moved by it and I feel as if I have read something realistic in terms of the situations, complications and the hopes, needs and longings of these characters. Ms. Sinclair definitely gives them their due in a powerful way and I came, ultimately, to respect how far she is willing to take her characters. Four and a half stars, almost a perfect read. Based on an Advanced Review Copy.

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