Shadow Runners [Paperback]

The back blurb promised a helluva a ride and the author totally delivered. I will look up other books in the series, but I will most definitely search for other books by Liz Maverick.

Jenny Red instantly engages you. She grabs you by the heart and thrusts you into her world. Then when Deck hits the scene or the scene hits the Deck, all hell breaks loose. It's a wild ride from that time forward. The story gripped me by the throat and didn't let go.

I highly recommend this as the perfect book for anyone who doesn't like to be bored when they read.

I would humbly suggest that some readers may have missed a few key points of the story. For the sake of any buyers on the fence after reading those comments, I'd like to address those errors. I should know; I came up with the concept for this series and created the bible for "2176" and its 5 books. This is such a fantastic book that I'd hate for anyone to miss buying it because they were misled. It was PRINCE KYBER who sentenced Jenny Red to Newgate; HE was the ruler, not Deck. HE had the authority, not Deck, a second-born son with no true power, and now a bastard son at that. Due to the deceit of their mother, Empress Corrine, who was looking to cover her royal butt and her affair after it's discovered years later, lets Deck take the fall for her duplicity...until guilt overtakes her and she pleads with Prince Kyber to set Deck free, which Kyber ultimately does. The brothers remain bitter with each other--understandable, yes? I know I'd have been pissed.

Deck did not have the authority to sentence Jenny to anything. He was never a freedom fighting rebel until discovering the group while in prison, where he began to hate his brother, the ruler. Some men when incarcerated find God. Deck found the Shadow Runners.

Deck ASKS Jenny to go back, to help him. She has HUGE second thoughts, but she loves him. How many lovers have done things for each other that they'd rather not, but do because of the feelings in their hearts. Jenny makes a SACRIFICE for a man who means a lot to her, even at the risk of her own life.

*Sigh* don't you love that kind of tension in a book, that kind of conflict? Jenny's sacrifice for Deck, considering her dark past and trust issues, was what made this love story so gut-wrenching, so endearing and memorable. It is one of the most original and un-formulaic books I've ever read.

I heartily recommend Shadow Runners.

I hear that Liz Maverick's got a really cool paranormal action romance series starting next summer. I, for one, will be first in line to buy the books! All hail action-adventure's newest "goddess". :)

Maverick really shines with the futuristic tale, but I had a few problems with the male lead. Sort of a Anne Stuart like bad boy who would use anyone and anything to see world freedom, he is less defined character wise. And a couple of points, I got so I did not like him at all. Stuart does that with her characters, but she is able to convince her readers the heroine would overlook this. Maverick just does not flesh him out completely, so that comes off weaker hurting the book. Also, I had a few problems with her love scenes. They are fine, but choppily written, unlikes the flow of the rest of the great book. Many of the phrases were repetitious. She is a sizzling writer, just when compared to the prose of the rest of the book, this comes across jarring.

I really like this writers style and hope she smooths out the couple of sticking points for future works. I am looking forward to reading more from her.