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The Black Wing Chronicles #2
Hero's End
Given the choice between Love and Duty, which does one sacrifice for the other?
When a former lover with a score to settle nearly brings Blade Devon’s charmed life to an end, he seeks refuge and some time to lick his wounds with an old friend…leaving the woman he loves behind.
Bo Barron is no frail flower, despite her masquerade as Blade’s Joy Babe Mistress. She straps on her sidearm and goes off alone to track her missing father, kicking off a search that stretches across the galaxy – from the lair of the gruesome Rex, a clone with a taste for sentient biomatter, to Rogue’s Cross, the most dangerous space station in the outer Commonwealth.
Someone close to her doesn’t want Bo’s father found. To make matters worse, the First Sector Overlord orders Blade’s holofeature career over and Bo out of his life for good.
Surrounded by betrayal, Bo and Blade turn to each other…but the secrets he protects threaten to tear them apart.
One way or another, returning Bo’s father to his rightful place and following their hearts will mean HERO’S END.
When a former lover with a score to settle nearly brings Blade Devon’s charmed life to an end, he seeks refuge and some time to lick his wounds with an old friend…leaving the woman he loves behind.
Bo Barron is no frail flower, despite her masquerade as Blade’s Joy Babe Mistress. She straps on her sidearm and goes off alone to track her missing father, kicking off a search that stretches across the galaxy – from the lair of the gruesome Rex, a clone with a taste for sentient biomatter, to Rogue’s Cross, the most dangerous space station in the outer Commonwealth.
Someone close to her doesn’t want Bo’s father found. To make matters worse, the First Sector Overlord orders Blade’s holofeature career over and Bo out of his life for good.
Surrounded by betrayal, Bo and Blade turn to each other…but the secrets he protects threaten to tear them apart.
One way or another, returning Bo’s father to his rightful place and following their hearts will mean HERO’S END.
463 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2013
1 person is currently reading
185 people want to read
About the author
J.C. Cassels
9 books54 followersJC Cassels, a native of Tampa, Florida, traces her lifelong fascination with SF/Adventure to watching Star Trek on a tiny black and white portable television aboard the family boat as a child. The Space Opera trend that followed the release of Star Wars fed an obsessive need for swashbuckling adventure set in deep space. Today, JC feeds that need by writing her own adventures, heavily inspired by 1960's television adventure shows like Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, and Wild Wild West and fueled by Firefly reruns.
When not writing in her haunted hospital, JC lives with her husband, three children, five dogs, four chickens and a horse in a century-old house in a tiny rural community, and enjoys spending her free time sewing, camping, and heckling theoretical physicists on the Science Channel.
When not writing in her haunted hospital, JC lives with her husband, three children, five dogs, four chickens and a horse in a century-old house in a tiny rural community, and enjoys spending her free time sewing, camping, and heckling theoretical physicists on the Science Channel.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 4, 2016
The Blackwing Chronicles began with Sovran's Pawn, an engaging introduction to Bo Barron and Blade Devon. Bo is the fugitive daughter and heir-in-waiting to her missing father, the Barron. And despite her fugitive status Bo has assumed the role of Barron in the still-unexplained absence of her father. Blade is...well...one can never be quite sure what - or who - Blade Devon is at any given time. Is he the handsome holovid actor whom the ladies drool over, an IC Predator agent and one of the most deadly men in the universe, or something else entirely? Whoever he is, someone wants Blade Devon dead.
Hero's End, the second book in The Blackwing Chronicles series, opens with a hit being put out on Devon. I'll tell you right up front that in JC Cassels' universe, sex and violence are almost the coin of the realm. That's not to say that Hero's End is some smutty space opera; far from it. The author has simply taken a couple of humanity's worst - or best, depending on your definition - traits and magnified them. Skyhoppers and Joy Babes abound, as do assassins and other dangerous folk. However, Cassels does an outstanding job of writing about the seedy underbelly of society without wallowing in bad language or needlessly graphic situations. And don't for one minute think that the seediness is limited to those who inhabit the less fortunate strata of Cassels' universe. Just like in our own world, the predilection to sin is no respecter of bank balance or position, and is one of the many factors that keeps readers guessing. I'll tell you right from the launchpad: nothing - and no one - in Hero's End is what - or who - it seems.
Getting down to the nitty-gritty, I have to say that Hero's End was both an easier and a tougher read than Sovran's Pawn. It was easier because I was familiar with the universe that Cassels has deftly imagineered. Also, the author has populated The Blackwing Chronicles with a cast of characters that is easy to care for and become invested in. The tough part, for me, is staying the course through Bo Barron's emotional journey. I'm a guy, and I've been married for almost a quarter of a century, but I still don't handle intense emotional turmoil very well. Maybe I'm just shallow; I don't know. Without providing any spoilers it's difficult for me to give specific examples of what I mean. In general, although there was plenty of emotional upheaval for Bo in Sovran's Pawn, we see a whole other level of that in Hero's End. Blade goes through his own emotional crises as well, but maybe it is because I'm a guy that Blade's torments seem to make more sense to me.
From a characterization standpoint, I'd say Cassels gets full marks. Although I don't personally care for some of the deeper exploration of Bo's innermost psyche, I can appreciate the craft with which it is written. Lest I leave out the character and bit players, it is hard to find fault with any of them. I've read several books in which the main characters, fully realized and fleshed out in living color, move around in a cardboard, two-dimensional world of almost cartoonish and clichéd secondary characters. That is absolutely not the case in Hero's End. I found each one intrinsic to the tale and employed in fitting and useful ways.
The plot of Hero's End continues apace from where we left off with Sovran's Pawn despite the passage of time between the two volumes. The intrigue, mystery, adventure, action and yes - the romance - are all ratcheted up several notches. I grew more appreciative of Cassels' writing ability the farther I read.
The scourge of everyone's Seventh Sector - grammar and usage - is very well done in Hero's End. I've included notes in other reviews indicating the downfall of many independent novels is poor diction, if not just downright messy grammar. Hero's End was a very clean read. There has obviously been a lot of love and care taken with this novel and as a reader I appreciate that very much!
Overall, I would recommend Hero's End to anyone who enjoys a good spacer. As the author personally noted, for some there is not enough romance and too much space and for others too much romance and not enough space. Personally, I found the characters, plot, descriptiveness, and tech to be spot on. My only gripe is the quantity of romance - yes, I'm one of the too much romance guys.
For my Christian readers, Hero's End is a bit stronger in some areas than its predecessor and might bring you a little pause as you make a reading decision. I will leave it up to you, but provide these guidelines: If John Boy yelling, "Darn!" on The Waltons gets the fan going, Hero's End is not for you. If you are an avid fan of science fiction, adventure and romance and you are not shocked or deterred by the programming content of network television after 8 p.m. then you'll probably be fine with the content of this novel. Anything in between is going to be a case-by-case, personal decision.
From a purely creative point of view, Hero's End is an excellent, well-written novel. It is likely one I would never have read due to that pesky romance stuff so I am thankful to have had the opportunity to read and review it.
X
Hero's End, the second book in The Blackwing Chronicles series, opens with a hit being put out on Devon. I'll tell you right up front that in JC Cassels' universe, sex and violence are almost the coin of the realm. That's not to say that Hero's End is some smutty space opera; far from it. The author has simply taken a couple of humanity's worst - or best, depending on your definition - traits and magnified them. Skyhoppers and Joy Babes abound, as do assassins and other dangerous folk. However, Cassels does an outstanding job of writing about the seedy underbelly of society without wallowing in bad language or needlessly graphic situations. And don't for one minute think that the seediness is limited to those who inhabit the less fortunate strata of Cassels' universe. Just like in our own world, the predilection to sin is no respecter of bank balance or position, and is one of the many factors that keeps readers guessing. I'll tell you right from the launchpad: nothing - and no one - in Hero's End is what - or who - it seems.
Getting down to the nitty-gritty, I have to say that Hero's End was both an easier and a tougher read than Sovran's Pawn. It was easier because I was familiar with the universe that Cassels has deftly imagineered. Also, the author has populated The Blackwing Chronicles with a cast of characters that is easy to care for and become invested in. The tough part, for me, is staying the course through Bo Barron's emotional journey. I'm a guy, and I've been married for almost a quarter of a century, but I still don't handle intense emotional turmoil very well. Maybe I'm just shallow; I don't know. Without providing any spoilers it's difficult for me to give specific examples of what I mean. In general, although there was plenty of emotional upheaval for Bo in Sovran's Pawn, we see a whole other level of that in Hero's End. Blade goes through his own emotional crises as well, but maybe it is because I'm a guy that Blade's torments seem to make more sense to me.
From a characterization standpoint, I'd say Cassels gets full marks. Although I don't personally care for some of the deeper exploration of Bo's innermost psyche, I can appreciate the craft with which it is written. Lest I leave out the character and bit players, it is hard to find fault with any of them. I've read several books in which the main characters, fully realized and fleshed out in living color, move around in a cardboard, two-dimensional world of almost cartoonish and clichéd secondary characters. That is absolutely not the case in Hero's End. I found each one intrinsic to the tale and employed in fitting and useful ways.
The plot of Hero's End continues apace from where we left off with Sovran's Pawn despite the passage of time between the two volumes. The intrigue, mystery, adventure, action and yes - the romance - are all ratcheted up several notches. I grew more appreciative of Cassels' writing ability the farther I read.
The scourge of everyone's Seventh Sector - grammar and usage - is very well done in Hero's End. I've included notes in other reviews indicating the downfall of many independent novels is poor diction, if not just downright messy grammar. Hero's End was a very clean read. There has obviously been a lot of love and care taken with this novel and as a reader I appreciate that very much!
Overall, I would recommend Hero's End to anyone who enjoys a good spacer. As the author personally noted, for some there is not enough romance and too much space and for others too much romance and not enough space. Personally, I found the characters, plot, descriptiveness, and tech to be spot on. My only gripe is the quantity of romance - yes, I'm one of the too much romance guys.
For my Christian readers, Hero's End is a bit stronger in some areas than its predecessor and might bring you a little pause as you make a reading decision. I will leave it up to you, but provide these guidelines: If John Boy yelling, "Darn!" on The Waltons gets the fan going, Hero's End is not for you. If you are an avid fan of science fiction, adventure and romance and you are not shocked or deterred by the programming content of network television after 8 p.m. then you'll probably be fine with the content of this novel. Anything in between is going to be a case-by-case, personal decision.
From a purely creative point of view, Hero's End is an excellent, well-written novel. It is likely one I would never have read due to that pesky romance stuff so I am thankful to have had the opportunity to read and review it.
X
September 30, 2013
Wow! Did not see that coming.
At first, I thought I was getting a mushy romance. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself knee deep in political intrigue and mystery. There were pars where I laughed so hard I had snot flying out my ears. The author skillfully wove humor throughout the book at just the right times.
I love the character of Tahar, the wise old shaman who works with Blade, the hero. With a twinkle in his eye, he takes Blade under his wing and teaches him. To what end the author is taking this, I can't wait to see.
If Sovran's Pawn was good, Hero's End is awesome. I can't wait for the next installment in the Black Wing Chronicles.
At first, I thought I was getting a mushy romance. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself knee deep in political intrigue and mystery. There were pars where I laughed so hard I had snot flying out my ears. The author skillfully wove humor throughout the book at just the right times.
I love the character of Tahar, the wise old shaman who works with Blade, the hero. With a twinkle in his eye, he takes Blade under his wing and teaches him. To what end the author is taking this, I can't wait to see.
If Sovran's Pawn was good, Hero's End is awesome. I can't wait for the next installment in the Black Wing Chronicles.
October 15, 2013
Over-all rating: 4 stars
"Hero's End" is a better book, both stylistically and story-wise, than "Sovran's Pawn". The characters are alive with rich background details. Scenery is described in dramatic fashion but not to the point that a reader becomes bored with every descriptive nuance. The story is well paced with a good blend of action and exposition. If you love the lush settings, blood-curdling action, and cliffhangers of George RR Martin's "Game of Thrones" series, you will like this book.
Read more at: http://cassandradavis-author.blogspot...
"Hero's End" is a better book, both stylistically and story-wise, than "Sovran's Pawn". The characters are alive with rich background details. Scenery is described in dramatic fashion but not to the point that a reader becomes bored with every descriptive nuance. The story is well paced with a good blend of action and exposition. If you love the lush settings, blood-curdling action, and cliffhangers of George RR Martin's "Game of Thrones" series, you will like this book.
Read more at: http://cassandradavis-author.blogspot...
June 27, 2016
As editor, I clearly have special privileges! Let me tell you, people, this book is top notch. For those wanting to get to know our dear main characters better, you will definitely be getting to know Blade in this book. With political intrigue, suspense and romance, your teeth will grind, your toes will curl and your heart will be aflutter (for the ladies, that is) as you read through this book. Wow, what a roller coaster ride.
Right, now that I have you all jealous, go and buy a copy so that you can get one as soon as it is published. It's well worth it!
Right, now that I have you all jealous, go and buy a copy so that you can get one as soon as it is published. It's well worth it!
January 5, 2015
Excellent series so far, loved both books!!
An action packed series full of wonderful characters, romance, betrayal and intrigue. I do hope that this series doesn't finish with Blade and Bo's story, some of the secondary characters are proving memorable.
It's left me with a lot of questions and I'm going crazy trying to guess what happens next .... but with all the twist and turns in this series I bet it's something I wont see coming lol!!
Now please can I have book 3 as soon as possible!! I need to know what happens next :)
September 3, 2013
My favorite comments on HERO'S END so far~
"This one doesn't suck either!"
(This from the friend who said about SOVRAN'S PAWN, "I'm so glad your book doesn't suck so I don't have to lie when I tell you I liked it!")
"Just read p.447. I guffawed loudly. I can't wait for the next one...or the movie. Fantastic tale, oh my Maker!"
"Your fans will love it!"
"Absolutely brilliant!! When's the next one coming out?"
"This one doesn't suck either!"
(This from the friend who said about SOVRAN'S PAWN, "I'm so glad your book doesn't suck so I don't have to lie when I tell you I liked it!")
"Just read p.447. I guffawed loudly. I can't wait for the next one...or the movie. Fantastic tale, oh my Maker!"
"Your fans will love it!"
"Absolutely brilliant!! When's the next one coming out?"
November 12, 2013
A tremendous second installment in the continuing adventures of Bo and Blade...enjoyed every minute of it. The romantic aspects of this novel were a bit more prevalent (in my opinion) than in the first, but overall, it didn't detract from the story itself. And of course, as always, I'm looking forward to reading the next novel in the series...especially given the various open threads at the end of this one.
November 2, 2015
4,5 stars because..... THE END. I LOVED THE END. great book, I need the 3rd book asap
September 18, 2017
The jerkish behaviour of the 'hero' spoilt my enjoyment of this otherwise well written action adventure. I also felt his acquisition of psychic abilities was glossed over/left out.
February 4, 2014
Hero's End is the 2nd in the Black Wing Chronicles. This series has reopened my eyes to the wonders and adventures of the printed word. JC Cassels has a wonderful way of creating a "tv series" in my mind that takes me to worlds of beauty and danger.
The main characters, Bo and Blade, are complex and honor bound by their duty and love.
This is one of the best series I have read in a long time.
Thank you JC Cassels for your imagination but mostly thank you for my minds new "tv series".
The main characters, Bo and Blade, are complex and honor bound by their duty and love.
This is one of the best series I have read in a long time.
Thank you JC Cassels for your imagination but mostly thank you for my minds new "tv series".
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews