Review- Wanderlust

Ann Aguirre
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
312 pages
Sirantha Jax Series #2
Excerpt
ACE/Penguin Usa

Synopsis:
Sirantha Jax is a "jumper" a woman who possesses the unique genetic makeup needed to navigate faster-than-light ships through grimspace.  Jax has worked for Farwan Corp her entire career.  But now word's out that the Crop deliberately crashed her passenger ship, and it's stranglehold on intergalactic commerce has crumbled-which means that Jax is out of a job.

She's also broken due to being declared dead a little prematurely. So when the government asks her to head up a vital diplomatic mission, Jax agrees to do it.  Her mandate: journey to the planet Ithiss-Tor and convince its inhabitants to join the Conglomerate.

But Jax's payday is light-years away. First she'll have to contend with Syndicate criminals, a stormy relationship with her pilot, man-eating aliens and her own grimspace-weakened body.  She'll be lucky just to make it to Ithiss-Tor alive...


Once again Aguirre's writing style takes the cake.  She writes Sirantha Jax so well, I easily slip into her world and the imagery takes off.  The book's surroundings and events become so real to the reader due to the depth in which you have submersed yourself into this new role as a space jumper. If you're a fan of sinking into someone else's skin entirely then this series is for you. 

This second installment is a little darker and grittier from the first and took sometime for me to adjust to this new Jax.  She's weaker both physically and emotionally.  The fire that I grew to love so much has been snuffed out for most of the book...and I pouted like a little kid who's favorite toy was taken away.  It's always great to watch our characters grow and change.  And it was interesting to see how situations affected them all, but I wanted my girl Jax to have a slight reprieve after her last adventures. 

This storyline was full of twists and turns and never ends up where you think it's headed.  It really comes back to the talented story-telling by Ann Aguirre.  There was one particular shocker that I didn't see coming from a mile away.... I love when that happens.  She weaves a tale so tight and well paced you'd swear you were a member of the crew.

Bottom line: The Sirantha Jax series still remains a "purchase the next book without thinking twice" kind of series. 

4 stars