AFTERMATH by Ann Aguirre

A Sirantha Jax Novel, Book 5

Publisher: ACE

Date published: August 30^th, 2011

ISBN: 978-0-441-02078-2

Science Fiction

Mass Market Paperback

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Publisher

Sirantha Jax can jump into the grimspace and she has been able to get in and out of hot water too many times to count. Now, though, her one action-good intentions or not-has cost her big time. For when she went against the flesh eating aliens, she did something that has cost her dearly. For not only has she destroyed interstellar travel but also cost the lives of over six hundred soldiers. Now on trial for high treason among other charges, Sirantha is facing not only being jailed but also losing her life. Is Sirantha Jax the woman who saved her home world or the one who destroyed it?

I love Ann Aguirre’s books but I haven’t read any of this series before. So AFTERMATH was a challenge, considering it is the fifth book in the series but I plugged onward and fell in love with Sirantha Jax. She is a heroine that is gutsy, fearless and absolutely determined to do the right thing even if it costs her dearly. AFTERMATH is a story about the costs of one’s actions-even if you felt it was the right thing to do at the time; your actions can cause serious consequences. Ann Aguirre delivers a story that is engaging, thrilling and very action-packed. I loved the way this author kept me on the edge of my seat till the very end. This picks up right after the end of KILLBOX and the reader is enthralled till the very end. The writing was tight, storyline moved swiftly and the twists abound in this one, even till the very last page. I got to hand it to this author-she really knows how to create a character that is so enjoyable, entertaining and wonderful that the reader roots for them regardless of their actions.

Jax as Sirantha is called in the book is dealing with a ton of things. From guilt over the soldiers deaths to worrying about March who she has no idea is alive or dead and on top of all this, a trial that may have her life ended. What I love about this world of Jax’s is that it’s so wondrous. The world building alone leaves me speechless. Ms. Aguirre delivers some amazing characters in this series and I cannot pick my favorite one. I enjoyed them all-good, the bad and the oh so deliciously evil ones. Each character is so well written, showing the readers nuances of their personality we haven’t glimpsed before that for me, the fact that I enjoyed them all equally tells me of this author’s storytelling. These are flawed characters, who make bad decisions for the good of something; the consequences of those decisions are spelled out over time. This is a master storyteller at work and she does it brilliantly too.

AFTERMATH delivers one of those spellbinding stories that leave you gasping and eager for more. I am enthralled with this world of Jax’s and am eager to check out the entire series. Ann Aguirre is a premier storyteller and one I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a really great science fiction story with amazing characters and a world building that leaves you breathless. There is one more book in this series coming and I, for one, cannot wait to see what Sirantha Jax’s last showdown will be.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

ENCLAVE by Ann Aguirre

A Razorland Series book 1
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends/Macmillian
Date published: April 12th, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-312-65008-7
Dystopian YA
Hardcopy
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Library


A plague has wiped out humanity and now freaks, mindless animals bent on finding meat, be it human or otherwise, are getting smarter, more organized. Girl15 finally moves from the ranks of being a brat and is now ready to be one of the three groups (Breeders, Hunters or Builders). Life is different once you get your marks and job. Soon Girl15 is now known as Deuce and is a hunter. Partnered with another hunter named Fade, they find life in the enclave is not all that it seems. Soon Deuce find herself questioning the world she lives in. Sent to find out why the Freaks are wreaking havoc, Fade and Deuce find that though they warned the elders, a darkness is rising and it is about to sweep Deuce away from all she knows. Can she find a way to survive with Fade?

ENCLAVE is Ms. Aguirre’s first young adult story and one that had me glued to the pages for three hours. It was lyrical, action packed and very well written. This is an author who deviates from the usual apocalyptic stories and delivers a story that will thrill and chill the reader. I have read a few of this author’s adult books and found them highly entertaining. Her newest release and debut into the young adult genre is pure perfection. The world building alone is quite complex and very intriguing. You can see how much work this author did in creating the world that encompasses ENCLAVE.

The characters are very well written. Deuce or formerly Girl15, is a person who grew on me. She believes in her enclave until she starts to question the world she lives in. The secondary characters kept the story flowing nicely and a few twists tossed in had me gasping in disbelief. I do have to warn that if you are looking for a hearts and roses kind of story this is not it. It’s dark, gritty and can be quite heart pounding. Nothing is sugarcoated in ENCLAVE. Ms. Aguirre delivers a stellar introduction into her new young adult series, Razorland, and I cannot wait to see what happens next for Deuce. I have got to warn you that you will not be able to put ENCLAVE down. It is a thrilling roller coaster of a ride that leaves you breathless in the end. If you are looking for a new kick on dystopian young adult, then I recommend ENCLAVE. Ms. Aguirre is a breath of fresh air in this genre and one I am adding to my auto-buy list. I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for the characters of Razorland. I just hope it won’t be too long of a wait.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

GRIMSPACE by Ann Aguirre

Publisher Ace
Date published February 2008
ISBN 978-0441015993
Sci fi/action adventure/romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Lil



Sirantha Jax is a Jumper, one of those rare people who have the J-gene and have passed the rigorous training to navigate Grimspace. As such she is highly prized and treated with the deference and admiration of a celebrity. This glorified lifestyle comes crashing to an end…literally. In a highly publicized accident she loses her pilot lover and her reputation.

Incarceration in a Psych Unit, hellish dream therapy, and suspicions regarding the people in charge of her care ensue. This gives her little option but to follow March, a mysterious stranger who breaks in ostensibly to spring her from the sparse cell. Relief of success in escape gives way to feelings of jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Her rescuers are part of a group intending to break the monopoly on interstellar travel and for that they need Jax.

Readers are taken on an incredibly wild ride. GRIMSPACE, the method and procedure of travel and the world building are described in a gritty eloquence one doesn’t often run across. The first person point of view is employed with a deft touch and the present tense gives a great sense of immediacy that combined places us firmly in the heroine’s shoes.

The heroine is a flawed character, one who is as much selfish and self-centered in the beginning as she is honest and has an inconvenient conscience. It gives us much satisfaction to learn about her character, view her abrasive survivor-like attitude, and watch her growth throughout the book.

March is equally flawed and a tortured hero to match the prickly Jumper. Needing to atone for his past doesn’t stop him from being generally brusque and contrary to those around him and to Jax most of all.

The relationship of the hero and heroine progresses with a natural and leisurely breaking down of barriers. The romance is persuasive though it is not the only focus to the tale.

Ms Aguirre has given her characters a depth to complement the fascinating worlds and intricate plot of a well rendered story. She grabs ahold of her readers from the first page of GRIMSPACE and doesn’t let go.