Kris Longknife: Tenacious (Kris Longknife #12) by Mike Shepherd

Science Fiction/Space Opera

From Goodreads:

There’s no rest for a Longknife—even if you’re a newlywed. Vice Admiral Kris Longknife’s honeymoon gets cancelled when she hears that the space raider’s home world may have been discovered. Finding where the raiders came from could be the key to saving humanity. If only uncovering their secrets was that easy…

As Kris returns home, she ends up tangling with a mutinous crew determined to take off on their own. The dissident group leads Kris straight into a new mess—a system filled with strange, deadly enemies poised to wipe another sentient civilization out of existence. Kris and her squadron are ready to prevent total annihilation, but the mutineers have other plans.

Once again Shepherd has put Kris in more than one dangerous situation.  You would think this would get old but each time there is a new twist and Kris and crew have to find a way to keep everyone alive and ready for the next challenge.

I love the characters in the Longknife series.  Nelly the computer keeps everyone in line even as she develops a more human personality.  Kris and Jack are very much newlyweds.  Their sex life is portrayed the old fashion way.  You know it is going to happen and then you know it has happened but you don’t have to witness the event.  Thank you Mike Shepherd.  There is a new alien race and this is one I really love.  They are descended from felines and women rule the world.  For cat lovers like me they are a big hit.

Some things are solved; some things are still hanging so there will be more of Kris and her crew.  According to the note at the end of the book Kris Longknife: Relentless is already being written.

I love the series the next book will go on pre-0rder as have all the rest.

ACE published Kris Longknife:Tenacious by Mike Shepherd in 2014.

All Men of Genius by Lev AC Rosen

Steampunk Audio Book

Goodreads Summary:

"Inspired by two of the most beloved works by literary masters, "All Men of Genius "takes place in an alternate Steampunk Victorian London, where science makes the impossible possible.
Violet Adams wants to attend Illyria College, a widely renowned school for the most brilliant up-and-coming scientific minds, founded by the late Duke Illyria, the greatest scientist of the Victorian Age. The school is run by his son, Ernest, who has held to his father's policy that the small, exclusive college remain male-only. Violet sees her opportunity when her father departs for America. She disguises herself as her twin brother, Ashton, and gains entry.
But keeping the secret of her sex won't be easy, not with her friend Jack's constant habit of pulling pranks, and especially not when the duke's young ward, Cecily, starts to develop feelings for Violet's alter ego, "Ashton." Not to mention blackmail, mysterious killer automata, and the way Violet's pulse quickens whenever the young duke, Ernest (who has a secret past of his own), speaks to her. She soon realizes that it's not just keeping her secret until the end of the year faire she has to worry about: it's surviving that long."

I picked this up off of the new audio books shelf at my local library. I got a recommendation as I was checking it out.  “You will love the humor” was the comment.  They were right.  As I listened to the book I had many laugh out loud moments.  Violet, Ashton, Jack Cecily, Miriam, Drew, Toby, The Duke, and Fiona along with all of the other side characters were wonderful.

I did have to suspend disbelief when reading that Violet managed to pass as a man for an entire school year but that was part of the fun of the book.  I enjoyed the world building.  The inventions were really unique.  Look for the one that the housekeeper came up with.

In the middle of a lighthearted tale the book did deal with some serious issues in a way that did not detract from the story.  I had a lot of fun listening to All Men of Genius and was sorry when the story was over.

All Men of Genius is Lev AC Rosen’s first published book.  I hope to see more about this Victorian Steampunk world he has created.

Recorded Book published All Men of Genius by Lev AC Rosen in 2012.

Wildcat by Cheryl Brooks

-->

Science Fiction

Wildcat is book 9 in the Cat Star Chronicles and the story is still going strong.  Here is the Goodreads summary:

ONLY ONE WOMAN CAN TAME HIM
When horse breeder Sara Shield encounters Jerden Morokovitz riding bareback and naked, she's stunned by the magnificence of both man and stallion. But Sara came to Terra Minor to get away from men.

IF SHE CAN GIVE UP HER FEAR...
The murder of Jerden's lover by a deranged woman has left this former star attraction of the Zetithian Palace brothel shattered in mind and body. Jerden is sure Sara can heal his anguish—but not unless he can find the key to her heart.

I loved both of the main characters in Wildcat.  Sara Shield is so independent and does not think she needs a man, especially one like Jerden.  Jerden, on the other hand, is thought to be dangerous and a little insane.  Living like a hermit he does not think he will ever respond to any woman again.  When Sara shows no reaction to him as a man it really catches his attention  The more they are together the bigger their attraction to each other grown.

This is a good story line.  The opening scene with Jerden riding Sara’s missing stallion, Danuban, bareback and nude is priceless.  The addition of the black leopard running at Jerden’s side makes it perfect. The way Sara just ignores the lack of dress and the leopard gives a good insight into her character.  I just knew with that beginning that I was going to love the story.

Nathan Wolmack makes a good bad guy.  It takes awhile to find out what he wants from Sara but I knew from the beginning he was up to no good.

Most of the characters from the previous books make an appearance in Wildcat.  It was great to see Jack and Cat again.  I loved how the beginning of the first book was worked into the story.  It was great to also see all the rest of them again.  I think I saw the star of the next book.  Look and see if you agree that there is a new main character making an appearance.

On a recent trip to another blog there was a question about what male character I would like to see come to life.  My Answer:  Any one of the Zethithian’s in Cheryl’s books but preferably one I could call my own.

Wildcat is another book that will not be released until February of 2013.  Put Wildcat on your wish list or go ahead and pre-order.  I received Wildcat as an ARC from Netgalley.

Sourcebooks will publish Wildcat by Cheryl Brooks in 2013.

Kris Longknife: Daring by Mike Shepherd

Military Science Fiction

Kris Longknife: Daring is the 7^th book in this series.  I was attending a panel where Mike Shepherd was talking about the Kris Longknife series.  He said that he decided to write a series with a female protagonist after his granddaughter was born.  He wanted her to have books with main characters she could identify with. 

The Kris Longknife series certainly meets the requirement for a strong female main character.  In Daring Kris is sent off to try to find the aliens that are destroying the Iteeche scouts.  She wants to go with a small swift scouting group; one that can look, run and report back.  What she gets is a mix of vessels from different groups.  When they meet up with an alien starship that fires without warning Kris must fight to have any chance of returning. 

Look for non-stop action, unexpected consequences and a cliffhanger ending.  Kris Longknife: Daring is a good addition to the series.  This is another one where it would be better to start at the beginning.  While there is some back-story in Daring Kris has some issues that can only be explained and understood if you read the books in the following order:

Kris Longknife: Mutineer

Kris Longknife: Deserter

Kris Longknife: Defiant

Kris Longknife: Resolute

Kris Longknife: Audacious

Kris Longknife: Intrepid

Kris Longknife: Undaunted

Kris Longknife: Redoubtable

Kris Longknife: Furious is in the works and is the next book in the series.

ACE published Kris Longknife: Daring by Mike Shepherd in 2011.