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The Blackjack Trilogy #1
Torch Song
IT’S 2066 AND YOU CAN'T TRUST ANYBODY…
Rica Marin’s a mercenary—a hired gun, soldier, and spy who answers only to whoever can keep her in the meds she and her only living relative need to survive the plagues that scourge the earth after biological warfare’s wiped out pretty much everything.
It’s a strange world that’s left—composed of tiny city-states, like Redwood, Sierra, and Rocky—run with a variety of futuristic machines and broken down ones. Fancy new cars float as well as roll, but the Internet’s now so glitchy you can't even blog properly—newspapers have come back! So many machines are so broken-down that a fixer in this world isn't someone who rigs elections or cleans up after murders—it’s a person who can repair both an elevator and an ancient toilet. But roving bands of bandits, godders, causies, breeders, khakis, and toxies threaten to destroy what’s just been fixed.
A POST-APOCALYPTIC GUNSLINGER KICKS ASS
Anywhere there are people—however few—there’ll be power plays, and Rica’s current job at the Blackjack Casino is to run interference between the warring clans of Tahoe, in tiny Sierra.
But then Rocky gets ambitious. And that means war. On the one hand, Sierra’s ready; everybody’s got plenty of fancy laser weapons. On the other, the term “everybody” in this world, applies more to the kinds of numbers usually found in neighborhood gangs than opposing armies. Singer’s built an intriguing half-world resembling a medieval society equipped—and sometimes ill-equipped—with technology. In Rica she’s created a fascinating, complex character, who meets more like her in Sierra (all with the fashionable striped hair of the day).
WHO WILL LIKE IT: Fans of post-apocalyptic thrillers and dystopian fiction. Think LEGEND for adults.
Rica Marin’s a mercenary—a hired gun, soldier, and spy who answers only to whoever can keep her in the meds she and her only living relative need to survive the plagues that scourge the earth after biological warfare’s wiped out pretty much everything.
It’s a strange world that’s left—composed of tiny city-states, like Redwood, Sierra, and Rocky—run with a variety of futuristic machines and broken down ones. Fancy new cars float as well as roll, but the Internet’s now so glitchy you can't even blog properly—newspapers have come back! So many machines are so broken-down that a fixer in this world isn't someone who rigs elections or cleans up after murders—it’s a person who can repair both an elevator and an ancient toilet. But roving bands of bandits, godders, causies, breeders, khakis, and toxies threaten to destroy what’s just been fixed.
A POST-APOCALYPTIC GUNSLINGER KICKS ASS
Anywhere there are people—however few—there’ll be power plays, and Rica’s current job at the Blackjack Casino is to run interference between the warring clans of Tahoe, in tiny Sierra.
But then Rocky gets ambitious. And that means war. On the one hand, Sierra’s ready; everybody’s got plenty of fancy laser weapons. On the other, the term “everybody” in this world, applies more to the kinds of numbers usually found in neighborhood gangs than opposing armies. Singer’s built an intriguing half-world resembling a medieval society equipped—and sometimes ill-equipped—with technology. In Rica she’s created a fascinating, complex character, who meets more like her in Sierra (all with the fashionable striped hair of the day).
WHO WILL LIKE IT: Fans of post-apocalyptic thrillers and dystopian fiction. Think LEGEND for adults.
410 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 14, 2014
236 people are currently reading
522 people want to read
About the author
Shelley Singer
31 books18 followersAka Lee Singer.
Shelley Singer is the author of a dozen published novels and many short stories. One of her mysteries was nominated for the prestigious Shamus Award of the Private Eye Writers of America. She has written mysteries, science fiction, and mainstream fiction. Singer began her working life as a reporter with UPI in Chicago. During a checkered and mercifully brief journalism career, she met such luminaries as Nikita Khrushchev, Jimmy Hoffa, Xavier Cugat, Mrs. Billy Graham, Martin Luther King, Jr., and a condemned killer on death row. She never met Joseph Stalin. She teaches fiction writing classes and does manuscript consulting.
Shelley Singer is the author of a dozen published novels and many short stories. One of her mysteries was nominated for the prestigious Shamus Award of the Private Eye Writers of America. She has written mysteries, science fiction, and mainstream fiction. Singer began her working life as a reporter with UPI in Chicago. During a checkered and mercifully brief journalism career, she met such luminaries as Nikita Khrushchev, Jimmy Hoffa, Xavier Cugat, Mrs. Billy Graham, Martin Luther King, Jr., and a condemned killer on death row. She never met Joseph Stalin. She teaches fiction writing classes and does manuscript consulting.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 8, 2014
DNF at 45%.
I really liked the premise of this book. I found it both intriguing and engaging. I was also looking forward to reading a dystopian novel and thought it would be a welcome break from my current urban fantasy addiction. Why did I stop reading at 45% then? I was pretty much bored to death. As much as I wanted to know how the story ended (well this instalment anyway), the lack of action and extremely slow narrative killed it for me.
Another problem I had with this book is its heroine. I should have known something was wrong when I saw she was referred to as “kick-ass” in the blurb. Not to mention when she was compared to both Lisbeth Salander and Katniss Everdeen. Nothing less! Poor Rica, she didn’t stand a chance from the very beginning and kick-ass she definitely is not. Actually most characters in the book come across as much stronger and butt-kicking than she does (even Judith’s kids!). Rica is just… I don’t know, flat and boring really. And there is that thing with that ex-lover of hers that always gets in the way of the narrative and adds nothing to the story.
Had it not been for the poor execution Torch Song would probably have been a fairly descent dystopian read. Unfortunately it’s only a dull, tedious read. The only good thing I would have to say about this book is that it didn’t keep me up all night like most urban fantasy series I read usually do. At least I was able to catch up on sleep and I’m very grateful for that!
I really liked the premise of this book. I found it both intriguing and engaging. I was also looking forward to reading a dystopian novel and thought it would be a welcome break from my current urban fantasy addiction. Why did I stop reading at 45% then? I was pretty much bored to death. As much as I wanted to know how the story ended (well this instalment anyway), the lack of action and extremely slow narrative killed it for me.
Another problem I had with this book is its heroine. I should have known something was wrong when I saw she was referred to as “kick-ass” in the blurb. Not to mention when she was compared to both Lisbeth Salander and Katniss Everdeen. Nothing less! Poor Rica, she didn’t stand a chance from the very beginning and kick-ass she definitely is not. Actually most characters in the book come across as much stronger and butt-kicking than she does (even Judith’s kids!). Rica is just… I don’t know, flat and boring really. And there is that thing with that ex-lover of hers that always gets in the way of the narrative and adds nothing to the story.
Had it not been for the poor execution Torch Song would probably have been a fairly descent dystopian read. Unfortunately it’s only a dull, tedious read. The only good thing I would have to say about this book is that it didn’t keep me up all night like most urban fantasy series I read usually do. At least I was able to catch up on sleep and I’m very grateful for that!
September 10, 2018
Updated review 8/29/18 (as a part of Jake Sampson Mystery Series Omnibus):
Book 7: Bonus book: Torch Song (August 21-29, 2018)
In the future, after a great human loss, chiefs hire mercenaries to look into and resolve issues. Rica Marin is looking into a situation but finding herself getting closer to the people she is sent to watch. Is the chief corrupt or is there more going on?
Re-read was just as good the second time as it was the first. Five stars.
Original review 4/8/14:
Loved this book; how long to I have to wait for the sequel?
This is probably one of my favorite Dystopian-like stories of all time. The plot is really rich and well defined, and the female protagonist is a$$-kicking awesome!
The characters are well drawn and the story is tightly written. There is not a scarp of word in this one that should be left out...I really appreciate that in my readings...especially when they are longer than what I normally read. That means: my mind didn't wander, or jump ahead or zone out. It was a page-turner wild ride; one that I didn't want to put down, but keep reading.
Very enjoyable. Placed in my favorites and to re-read collections.
Five stars.
Book 7: Bonus book: Torch Song (August 21-29, 2018)
In the future, after a great human loss, chiefs hire mercenaries to look into and resolve issues. Rica Marin is looking into a situation but finding herself getting closer to the people she is sent to watch. Is the chief corrupt or is there more going on?
Re-read was just as good the second time as it was the first. Five stars.
Original review 4/8/14:
Loved this book; how long to I have to wait for the sequel?
This is probably one of my favorite Dystopian-like stories of all time. The plot is really rich and well defined, and the female protagonist is a$$-kicking awesome!
The characters are well drawn and the story is tightly written. There is not a scarp of word in this one that should be left out...I really appreciate that in my readings...especially when they are longer than what I normally read. That means: my mind didn't wander, or jump ahead or zone out. It was a page-turner wild ride; one that I didn't want to put down, but keep reading.
Very enjoyable. Placed in my favorites and to re-read collections.
Five stars.
in-collection-already
January 28, 201901/28/19 currently free in Badass Broads
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0723HRKMB
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0723HRKMB
June 28, 2018
Torch Song - Blackjack Trilogy bk 1 - Written by Shelley Singer
IT’S 2066. AND YOU CAN'T TRUST ANYBODY…
Rica Marin’s a mercenary—a hired gun, soldier, and spy who answers only to whoever can keep her in the meds she and her only living relative need to survive the plagues that scourge the earth after biological warfare’s wiped out pretty much everything. It’s a strange world that’s left—composed of tiny city-states like Redwood, Sierra, and Rocky—run with a variety of futuristic machines and broken-down ones. Fancy new cars float as well as roll, but the Internet’s now so glitchy you can't even blog properly—newspapers have come back! So many machines are in disrepair that a fixer in this world isn't someone who rigs elections or cleans up after murders—it’s a person who can repair both an elevator and an ancient toilet. But roving bands of bandits, godders, causies, breeders, khakis, and toxies threaten to destroy what’s just been fixed. Anywhere there are people—however few—there’ll be power plays, and Rica’s current job at the Blackjack Casino is to run interference between the warring clans of Tahoe, in tiny Sierra. But then the city-state of Rocky gets ambitious. And that means war.
What did I like? Mind-blowing action and an extraordinary heroine that kicks ass and asks questions later or she dies. In this post-apocalyptic thriller, there runs a beautiful love story that will have you in tears. Astonishing family loyalty, and an inconceivable that could happen under the right circumstances.
What will you like? Murder, gambling, love story, fancy cars, incredible futuristic machines, and toys, what more could you ask for in this action-packed, hired gun, spy story that just keeps going. Puts you in the mood on the first page and you are looking for book two before you finish the last page. Plus you will be rooting for the kickass mercenary, leading character that takes the story by the bullhorns and doesn’t let go. I borrowed this from Kindle Unlimited.
IT’S 2066. AND YOU CAN'T TRUST ANYBODY…
Rica Marin’s a mercenary—a hired gun, soldier, and spy who answers only to whoever can keep her in the meds she and her only living relative need to survive the plagues that scourge the earth after biological warfare’s wiped out pretty much everything. It’s a strange world that’s left—composed of tiny city-states like Redwood, Sierra, and Rocky—run with a variety of futuristic machines and broken-down ones. Fancy new cars float as well as roll, but the Internet’s now so glitchy you can't even blog properly—newspapers have come back! So many machines are in disrepair that a fixer in this world isn't someone who rigs elections or cleans up after murders—it’s a person who can repair both an elevator and an ancient toilet. But roving bands of bandits, godders, causies, breeders, khakis, and toxies threaten to destroy what’s just been fixed. Anywhere there are people—however few—there’ll be power plays, and Rica’s current job at the Blackjack Casino is to run interference between the warring clans of Tahoe, in tiny Sierra. But then the city-state of Rocky gets ambitious. And that means war.
What did I like? Mind-blowing action and an extraordinary heroine that kicks ass and asks questions later or she dies. In this post-apocalyptic thriller, there runs a beautiful love story that will have you in tears. Astonishing family loyalty, and an inconceivable that could happen under the right circumstances.
What will you like? Murder, gambling, love story, fancy cars, incredible futuristic machines, and toys, what more could you ask for in this action-packed, hired gun, spy story that just keeps going. Puts you in the mood on the first page and you are looking for book two before you finish the last page. Plus you will be rooting for the kickass mercenary, leading character that takes the story by the bullhorns and doesn’t let go. I borrowed this from Kindle Unlimited.
October 10, 2022
Great book!
This is my first time reading Shelley Singer and I really enjoyed her story. Her main character, Rica Marin, mercenary, spy, soldier, singer, actress, you name it, she’s done it.
The US, as well as the rest of the world, has been knocked to its knees. What population is left has divided the country into a conglomeration of smaller countries, each out for themselves. There are roaming crazies, religious fanatics, bandits, murderers along with everyday people trying to live their lives as normally as possible.
However, one country begins a campaign to consume neighboring countries and Rica finds she must use all of her skills to help prevent an all out war.
I’m looking forward to reading book two.
This is my first time reading Shelley Singer and I really enjoyed her story. Her main character, Rica Marin, mercenary, spy, soldier, singer, actress, you name it, she’s done it.
The US, as well as the rest of the world, has been knocked to its knees. What population is left has divided the country into a conglomeration of smaller countries, each out for themselves. There are roaming crazies, religious fanatics, bandits, murderers along with everyday people trying to live their lives as normally as possible.
However, one country begins a campaign to consume neighboring countries and Rica finds she must use all of her skills to help prevent an all out war.
I’m looking forward to reading book two.
November 26, 2018
The title is catchy. The front cover of the book is good and attention seeking. The plot overall is tight and but lacked the grip in the middle sometimes. I liked the presentation of the scenes vividly. Recommendable for an One time read.
October 15, 2018
Really enjoyed this book.liked the characters and the story.
November 5, 2018
Not really my kind of story.
April 17, 2019
Post-apocalyptic story. Very interesting world building. Enough complications to keep reading.
September 21, 2014
The words "Kickass Heroine" (which were the MAIN reason that I chose to read the book) are FAR from how I would describe the main character, who isn't all that "kickass", and spends a good deal of her time pining for a former lover. I kept thinking that she should put on her big girl panties and move on.. but whatever..
I found the Amazon reviews for this book to be a bit confusing. As a matter of fact, I WENT BACK to look at them more than once just to be sure that I hadn't read the reviews for the wrong book. Words like "thriller", and "page-turner", and phrases like "couldn't put it down" are used to describe THIS book? I put this book down SEVERAL times with the intention of finding something more interesting to read, simply because it seemed so very slow. In the end, I decided to finish it, just in case it turned out to be better than it seemed. It didn't.
I teetered between thinking that this book was OK, and outright disliking it. If you could give half stars, it would get 1.5 stars. Right or wrong, it gets a little bit of credit for having been free. So, having to choose, I grudgingly decided to rate it as "OK". If I had it to do over, I'd pass on this one. And I certainly have no desire to read the sequels.
I found the Amazon reviews for this book to be a bit confusing. As a matter of fact, I WENT BACK to look at them more than once just to be sure that I hadn't read the reviews for the wrong book. Words like "thriller", and "page-turner", and phrases like "couldn't put it down" are used to describe THIS book? I put this book down SEVERAL times with the intention of finding something more interesting to read, simply because it seemed so very slow. In the end, I decided to finish it, just in case it turned out to be better than it seemed. It didn't.
I teetered between thinking that this book was OK, and outright disliking it. If you could give half stars, it would get 1.5 stars. Right or wrong, it gets a little bit of credit for having been free. So, having to choose, I grudgingly decided to rate it as "OK". If I had it to do over, I'd pass on this one. And I certainly have no desire to read the sequels.
March 22, 2015
I read so many books that after a while they all tend to blur together, but I suspect Torch Song will stick with me for a long time. The book is different in a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Our heroine is older than average and bisexual, which makes for a deeper story (although a somewhat melancholy one). The future setting is also intriguingly unique --- a world in which the U.S. has broken apart into several nations, each with so-so relations with their neighbors. Tech still exists, but it's expensive, and diseases are rampant and hard to fend off without hard-to-find vaccinations.
Overall, if you're looking for something light and fluffy, this isn't it. But if you want a novel you can sink your teeth into, you could do much worse than to try out Shelley Singer's newest novel.
Overall, if you're looking for something light and fluffy, this isn't it. But if you want a novel you can sink your teeth into, you could do much worse than to try out Shelley Singer's newest novel.
August 18, 2014
Meh
I really wanted to love this book, but sadly I can only muster lukewarm feelings. I was left wanting more action and drama in place of the slow plodding narrative. Rica was not as kickass as the previews hail her to be. Rica spends so much of her time pining over an old lover we never see and being bested by other stronger characters that don't develop. It is frankly hard to believe she is a hardened mercenary. As well, I think this book suffers from the reality that it is the first in a predestined trilogy. So much more character development and action could have come to pass if not for the stale build up to the next book.
I really wanted to love this book, but sadly I can only muster lukewarm feelings. I was left wanting more action and drama in place of the slow plodding narrative. Rica was not as kickass as the previews hail her to be. Rica spends so much of her time pining over an old lover we never see and being bested by other stronger characters that don't develop. It is frankly hard to believe she is a hardened mercenary. As well, I think this book suffers from the reality that it is the first in a predestined trilogy. So much more character development and action could have come to pass if not for the stale build up to the next book.
October 12, 2015
I enjoyed the book. I liked that the post apocalyptic world could be easily understood and recognized. The factions were very identifiable and, while I would like to have known more details about the "poison" that killed off everyone and its dissemination, the end of the world as we know it was adequately explained for the story. I like the tension between Rica and Jo and the development of the various characters. Singer left enough material and character development to revisit these characters and this world again if she chooses. I think I would like that. I would like to see what happens with Lizzie, Judith, Drew, Gran, and of course Jo and Rica.
April 24, 2015
There were some interesting things about this book, though I found its slow pace hard to stick with. Unlike some other reviewers, I didn't mind the heroine not being "kick-ass" - I thought it gave her character more depth to be more thoughtful and sentimental than might have been expected. However I realize that that wasn't what was suggested by the title. I also found the altered future United States an interesting concept. Don't know if I'll read any more of the series or not, but it was a good plane read.
July 6, 2014
All in all, I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable, quick-because-you-don't-want-to-put-it-down-type read. It was a little bit predictable in places and somehow it left me feeling that there could have been a little more depth to it, hence only a 4 star review. It might just be me nitpicking though, because I don't usually like stories revolving around the murky waters of politics. I'm certainly looking forward to more books from this series!
September 19, 2014
I was unimpressed with this book. I thought it was going to be so much more than it was.
The supposed, "kick-ass" heroin was barely lukewarm and I had to seriously struggle to get through the book.
Once you get....oh, half way through or so, it's like someone else takes over writing, for the most part, and stops making short sentences; like there's no such thing as a comma or semicolon.
Anyway, I won't be returning for book two and I'm glad I didn't pay for book one.
The supposed, "kick-ass" heroin was barely lukewarm and I had to seriously struggle to get through the book.
Once you get....oh, half way through or so, it's like someone else takes over writing, for the most part, and stops making short sentences; like there's no such thing as a comma or semicolon.
Anyway, I won't be returning for book two and I'm glad I didn't pay for book one.
May 9, 2015
I wish there was a dash more between Rica and Jo, but the amount also left more to the "suspense" of the events! I was hooked after the first chapter - needing to know what crazy quarrels, tricks, or lies we're waiting for everyone - even though the main character lacked the amped-up,kick-ass attitude the previews told.
July 29, 2014
Good post-apocalyptic story, the beginning of a trilogy. Strong women characters, interesting new world, a believable one. Hard to out down, now have to wait for the next in the series to come out.
July 10, 2014
3.5 stars.
Would recommend to fans of intrigue and dystopian aftermath.
Would recommend to fans of intrigue and dystopian aftermath.
August 24, 2014
Didn't like this book at all. It was very difficult to get into. Not at all what I was expecting....
December 20, 2014
I'm still waiting for the ass kicking to begin. Yawn.
January 19, 2015
It was all right. Well written and an interesting plot, but something prevented me from being fully pulled into this world.
March 22, 2015
I didn't read very far simply because I literally could not follow and understand the plot and what was happening. Too confusing to start off a book.
January 1, 2016
I was surprised with how much I ended up liking this book because it had a slow pace and a lot of talking, but I was hooked the whole time.
February 24, 2016
Superb book, I can't wait for the next one in the series!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews