BEYOND THE RAIN - Jess Granger
Berkley Sensation (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-22926-2
August 2009
Science Fiction Romance

Hanno, Makko, Azra and Byra - The Future

Captain Cyani of Azra, a soon-to-be member of the Elite (a group of virgin warrior women who control the planet) is in the process of completing her last mission, rescuing a group of Union soldiers, when her scout, Vicca (a cat-like fox) finds one last prisoner. He’s a complication Cyani doesn’t need, as rescuing him could put her whole team in jeopardy. However, she’s not one to leave an innocent behind, so Cyani sends her team to safety and heads for Vicca and the man who will, though she doesn’t know it yet, change her life forever.

Soren of Eln is a member of a race most of the Union knows little about, the Byralen. Their hormones are a potent aphrodisiac on the black market, and Soren, captured years before during a raid on his planet, has spent the time since being systematically tortured and bled to produce it. When rescue comes in the form of a fiery warrior woman, Soren is grateful, but he also knows that his life expectancy isn’t high. You see, without the technology his captors used on him, Soren’s system will shut down, and the only way to stop it is to form a mate bond. He doesn’t know if Cyani’s race is even compatible with his, and even if it is, the chance that she would agree to form a life-long bond with a man she’s just met is unlikely.

Can a woman whose culture says touch is evil save a man whose very survival depends on it? Avoiding the Garulen who’ve been keeping Soren prisoner and getting off Hanno just may be the easy part of this tale.

Cyani and Soren have both led difficult lives, and if they can survive the storm, they may just find that BEYOND THE RAIN lies a universe where harmony, peace, and most of all, love, reign supreme. That would be a blessing indeed and what they both truly deserve. You see, Cyani and Soren have much in common, though it doesn’t appear so at first glance. Soren’s slavery has made him into a man who values every small pleasure, touch from someone other than his captors being a particular prize. Unfortunately, though, with his hormones off balance, this strong, brave man with a beautiful soul is prone to being possessive, violent, and perhaps even deadly. What Cyani doesn’t realize (though Soren soon understands it) is that she too is a victim of slavery. Elevated from the dredges of Azralen society, her obedience to the Grand sister (leader of the Elite) is all that stands between her and a death sentence for an act she committed as a child. So, this honorable and fierce fighter, who came from a family who loved her, denies her attraction to Soren and clings to her training, as harsh as it’s been. Can Soren convince Cyani to let go of the past and look towards a future with him, or will he go down in flames without ever telling her that she’s the only one for him?

Hatch (an Earthlen) and Lt. Tola (Cyani’s second in command) aren’t seen much in this book; however, their presence in Cyani’s life has helped make her the woman she is. Stubborn, intelligent, and beautiful are good words to describe Vicca, Cyani’s fox scout. She may be an animal, but she’s undeniably vital to both Cyani and Soren. King Lirkam and Queen Lai of Makko, along with their son, Kaln (members of a psychic race who live a somewhat primitive lifestyle), become friends to Soren and Cyani. Cyrus Smith, a Union cultural liaison and linguist is a bit of a mystery. He’ll play an important role in Cyani and Soren’s lives. Asara is a brave Azralen woman who wasn’t lucky enough to be born into the upper echelon of society. The Grand sister is positively ruthless. One could overlook such a trait as sometimes leadership demands it, but she takes it far past the boundaries of acceptability and, in the process, becomes an evil old woman.

I love a really great science fiction romance, one filled with worlds where anything can happen and people who are as unlike us as possible (and yet in so many ways are similar). Both of those things combine to form a magical, positively irresistible place that I want to visit time and again. Jess Granger has definitely made such a place in this book, and she’s populated it with well-developed characters full of rich emotion who could easily sustain a series. Luckily for me (and you!), the sequel to this story, BEYOND THE SHADOWS, is due out sometime in early to mid 2010. If you’re looking for a rich, satisfying read that will leave you begging for more, get a copy of BEYOND THE RAIN.

Lori Ann