One of the most notorious assassins in the galaxy, Gage accepts an assignment that begins opening old wounds and raising the past and promises he made but has yet to fulfill. When he returns home, a betrayal by an old girlfriend and a rescue by a military buddy, Kenny -- the only other man to survive the same massacre that resulted in Gage's career change from military man to killer -- sets him on the path to find the truth of what happened that night and to bring justice for the men that died that night -- men he commanded. With the help of Joanna, the sister of one of the men who died, and Jak, a street rat, Gage follows a thin, often scattered, trail of memory and information acquired through Kenny's numerous contacts and officials within the highest levels of the military and government. With security forces out to recapture him and his father and Joanna in tow, Gage unearths betrayal and manipulation and sets in motion events that will change the course of an entire planet.
Impression: I have to admit it, I love The Assassin Journals: Hunter. I was one of the early readers years ago when the author was first developing it, and fell in love with Gage even back then. A killer who has tried to turn off his sense of right and wrong, he's still at the mercy of a moral compass that will no longer allow him to ignore a promise made in a much more innocent time. He must come to terms with why he became an assassin and make the choice to regain control of his life. The only way he can do that is to find out the truth of the massacre that was the first step to becoming what he is now. It's his story, and he never let's you forget it. Some of the turns in the plot are not unexpected. Which is not to say they are foreseen, only that the story turns into them nicely...you can't see things happening any other way. And for me the ending was more sad than shocking, but it is a well-played ending none the less.
I do have some issues with the book, but they are mostly with the editing (or lack of it) and the formatting (what's with the extra spacing between paragraphs?) that are bothersome for a visual reader. If there's any issue at all with the story itself, it's that a few places in the middle seem too simplistic, but these still do not diminish my enjoyment of the book. And really, since I am not much of a SF reader, that really is high praise for me. Partington does the one thing that will keep me in a SF story: she focuses on the characters and the events and keeps the "science" in the background -- it's necessary to the story, but kept to being an important part of the setting rather than a focal point that requires a lot of scientific explanation.
While not graphic in detail, there is violence and a sex scene, so I wouldn’t recommend it for younger readers, but for younger adults on up, I find it to be an excellent read. I'm looking forward to Partington's next novel in the series. (And, yes, I know she's writing one! ;))
Colla MacDonald is a young lord who wishes to return Castle Duntrune, once the home of his ancestors and now under the rule of the Campbells, to Clan Donald, but he needs the help and blessing of his uncle to do so. His uncle refuses to give any such help without knowing what they will be up against and suggests Colla send his young piper, Duncan, to discover Campbell's strength. Duncan agrees to aid his master in this way and is soon across the water and ensconced in enemy territory under the guise of seeing and courting his lady. Duncan finds love and danger, and soon comes to realize that Campbell is gathering his forces. When he is captured, he must find a way to warn Colla even though he will never leave Duntrune alive.
Impression: One of the things that really struck me about this novella is the voice of the narrator. It's a very unique, musical voice that fits the character and the story. It's the first thing that captured me as a reader and drew me into the story. Based on the legend of the Phantom Piper of Duntrune, the story is well written and well researched. Though the plot is pretty straightforward, that works in this case, and it doesn't keep the author from throwing in a little romance or some of the unexpected.
The characters are rich and each is unique. The details used help capture the reader and make the setting, the people, and the story itself more real. The writing is well done, and the author brings quite an emotional quality to the story. You can see this being the way the story happened. I highly recommend The Piper when it comes out. It's a beautiful tale that touches the heart.
Unless otherwise noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by me.
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