Akira’s Choice by Vijaya Schartz

Science Fiction Romance

What Goodreads says:

"When bounty hunter Akira Karyudo accepted her assignment, something didn't add up. Why would the TPP want a kidnapped orphan dead or alive? She will get to the truth once she finds the boy, and the no good SOB who snatched him from a psychiatric hospital. With her cheetah, Freckles, a genetically enhanced feline retriever, Akira sets out to flush them out of the bowels of the BOREALIS space station. But when she finds her fugitives, the kidnapper is not what she expects.

Markku, a decorated rebel soldier, stole his nephew from the authorities, who performed painful experiments on the boy. Stuck on Borealis, he protects the child, but how can he shield him from the horribly dangerous conditions in the lawless sublevels of the decrepit space station? Akira faces the worst moral dilemma of her career. Law or justice, duty or love. She can't have it both ways.

Akira faces the worst moral dilemma of her career. Law or justice, duty or love. She can't have it both ways."

This is another story set on Borealis, the space station on the edge of space where the rebellion and the TTP meet.  Akira’s Choice is a great story with wonderful characters.  Look of a lot of action and of course romance.  It can stand along but you will enjoy it more if you start from the beginning. 

Back Story:  This is a novella so there is not a lot of room for back story.  You do get a sense of the station and how it is laid out  You also meet some of the characters from previous stories but what you get are names and titles.  That does not tell you how they fit on Borealis.

Plot:  Very simple.  Akira finds that what the TTP told her does not fit what she finds.  She is torn between right and duty.

Characters:  I loved Freckles, a feline retriever and Shane, the boy who bonded with him.  Akira and Markku are both interesting and well-drawn characters.  There are also numerous side characters who play a important part in the story.  While some are just names and titles here they were developed in previous stories.

Writing:  I think this quote from early in the story shows how well Vijaya writes.  This is Akira.  She is talking to a friend when she arrives on the station and it sets the tone for the entire story.

“On my own terms.  I pick and choose my fugitives.  I only go after real scumbags:  She sighed.  “Bottom line, no one tells me what’s right or wrong.”

I think the entire Borealis series is a must read for SFR fans.  Go purchase and settle down for some great reading.

Desert Breeze published Akira’sChoice by Vijaya Schartz in 2013.