I did start something else, an old book by Jayne Ann Krentz, written under her Amanda Glass pseudonym. The title is Shield's Lady, and this is no reissue, it's got the old cover, with no mention of JAK on the cover... probably the reason why I could afford a copy. ;-)
Plot summary:
Born and raised in the far-off East on the Planet Windarra, Sariana Dayne's business expertise is desperately needed by the West sector's flamboyant Avylyn clan, but even her cool logic can't solve a serious business theft. Desperate, she devises a scheme to employ a member of the warrior Shield clan in the recovery operation. Unfortunately for Sariana's peace of mind, her practical plan turns shaky when she gazes into the fierce eyes of the Shield mercenary Gryph Chassyn, and realizes that she may have bitten off more than she can chew.
Gryph takes one look at Sariana and decides that she's one of the few women in the world who could become his Shield mate. Unfamiliar with the West sector's Shield society, Sariana can't even guess what mating with Gryph will do to her life--she only knows he stirs a depth of passion in her that she can't deny. Before she grasps the consequences, Sariana is allied with the powerful mercenary and they set off on a dangerous journey to recover the stolen prism cutter. Along the way, they discover unexpected possibilities in their bonding, even as their lives are threatened with deadly peril. And if they can only survive the obstacles, Gryph and Sariana just may change the future of Shield society forever.
So far, this is great. I'm loving it. This is JAK in top form, and I feel a glom coming up.
Posted later...
What fun! Shield's Lady was great, an A-! The setting was well drawn and very interesting. It was similar, but not the same as the the ones of her other Futuristics, which could have been confusing. However, she succeeded in making its rules completely clear and everything made sense to me.
The characters, Sariana and Gryph, were perfect for this. Sariana was very intelligent, and I loved the way she reacted when things didn't go the way she wanted them to. She didn't throw temper tantrums. She did what she could to resist, and if she saw there was no way to do so, she simply analyzed the best way to deal with the new circumstances. And Gryph, though a teeny bit more alpha than I usually like, was perfect for her. The thing is, JAK's heroes are always betas inside, even when they are supposed to be warriors. These 2 were great together; I enjoyed seeing how much Gryph truly needed Sariana, and how he felt helpless against his feelings. And the love scenes... I'd say Burning!
The weakest element of the book was the suspense subplot, which was much too predictable. The moment Targyn was mentioned, I was sure he was the one behind the disappearance of the prisma cutter. Still, a great book. I'll be looking for JAK's other futuristics.