Erased

by Liz Strange

Grey Singer doesn’t know who she is or what she’s done. All she knows is that the InterStellar Collective wants her dead. Her memories are muddled, she has no money, and no one to watch her back except a much younger bartender who claims to be her boyfriend. According to him, she’s been erased.

But how can she trust him to help her get through this when she can’t even trust her own mind? While caught in the middle of warring factions her very life, and the lives of countless others, might depend on the answers.
“With her latest release, Liz Strange has burst into exciting new territory. ERASED has everything you want: a kick-ass heroine, a shadowy government agency, and a futuristic plot so gripping that the pages practically turn themselves. What’s not to like?”
David McAfee, author of 33 A.D., 61 A.D., and OLD SINS

“Liz Strange weaves intrigue, violence, sex, double- and triple-crosses, and blazing laser-pistol action in a space opera that hits the ground running and never stops.”
Matthew Hughes, author of the Archonate series

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 15, 2014

About the author

An author of fantasy, horror and mystery fiction.

Reviews

[Michael Fierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erased is an energetic, Planetary Romance / Space Opera with Cyberpunk leanings.

Though having an original storyline it reminded me most of Total Recall and the Firefly TV series, with a touch of Blade Runner.

Our main character is kick-butt heroine, Grey Singer, once a high-ranking officer of the Collective, the dominant galactic faction of the space regions.

She, along with her bf Jimmy and a few other Sedition rebels, unite to unravel the mystery of Singer's painful memory loss, to track down who is responsible and why, following a path of breadcrumbs leading to further complications, conflicts, and deeper mysteries, before she and the Sedition movement get blown out of the universe.

Her adversaries are not always who you think they are, or, who they think they are.

Strange, you say? Well, yeah. Liz Strange :]

And speaking of, I've never read anything by her before bUT, I believe this is a departure from most if not all of her other works.

Which is great for me bcoz I understand many of them are erotic in nature -WHICH IS JUST TOTALLY ICKY FOR ME TO EVER READ(!)- and for my tastes, very glad to see she has moved into new territory.

Things you may want to know before you think of reading this:

1. This is character-driven Sci-fi with a story that takes you from one action-oriented scene to another.

2. Though Grey Singer suffers from major headtrips this aint no head head-trippy William Gibson Neuromancer-type fare and is much easier to understand than anything definitively Cyberpunk, and for that matter, would probably not be considered Hard SF either, though it does play with some scientific descriptions here and there.

3. Though there is some romance, for those familiar with her other writings, you may want to know that this is PG-13 type romance, though the violence is happily more R-rated!

4. Because of the type of ink they used on the cover, and if you like to keep your books looking nearly as nice as when you bought it (like I normally do!), I would suggest reading it with very dry hands or maybe handle it with a cloth or just try to not touch the cover at all when turning the pages. I inconsistently made the mistake of reading it on a hot day and very disappointingly F'd up both the front and back cover just from the oil or sweat on my fingers even though I wash my hands enough to make Howard Hughes pump his dead fist in the air! And because of that - yes I'm insane about my books! - I guess I will have to purchase another copy for my collection at some point when my broke ass can afford it...especially since I love the cover art very much by Milan Colovic. *Don't get me wrong, it's not like the cover melted off. As far as book-grading goes, it went from a MINT/NEW/FINE copy to a VERY GOOD maybe VERY GOOD+ condition. But still. It bothers me so beware you careful bookreaders you.

I had fun reading this and found it hard to put down.

I dislike a lot of endings to the SF books I read, as most of them are either intentionally downbeat, or purposefully fatalistic. I liked the ending to this one.

I hope she continues writing SF and further, hope she writes more stories in this universe.

Also, not that the story had any similarities to Star Wars, really - and I have no idea if she is a fan - but I believe Liz could write a very good Star Wars novel -and I should know, I've read over 35 of them!

For those who like this and want to find more Blade Runner / Total Recall-type Sci-fi books check out my shelf, he-say-you-bwade-wunnah.

[Nerine Dorman]

Another one of my puppies that I edited, soon to be unleashed on the world. A heady SF mix of Blade Runner meets Firefly. Liz writes with her hallmarks of strong female leads who don't go down without a fight.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit I am not the world's largest science fiction fan. It is not a genre I gravitate towards generally. I am a huge fan of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series and absolutely loved the Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness. Both tend to be series that attract readers of all genres, regardless of their science fiction tie in.

When I first heard about Liz Strange's Erased, I hesitated. It sounded different than anything else I normally read, but a quick reminder that I tend to like science fiction movies made me decide to give this book a chance. I am glad I did.

Erased is a nonstop action, extremely intense novel, featuring a heroine that is kick-ass in every way. Grey Singer rose to her high position in the InterStellar Collective for a reason--her dedication to the cause, her tenacity, her ambition, and her skills. She is a force to be reckoned with in a flight and quick thinking on her feet. Let me just say, I wouldn't want to be on her bad side.

With the loss of her memory, a more vulnerable side of Singer comes through, mostly through her fear and confusion about what she is experiencing, not knowing who to trust or exactly what happened to her and why. There's also her attraction to and feelings toward Jeremy, who seems to be a stabilizing force in her life, at times her only one. It's also her only weakness.

There is space travel, fist and fire fights galore, romance, double crosses, and quite a bit of intrigue as Singer tries to maintain her sanity and figure out exactly what kind of trouble she is in. There is one part in the beginning which I found quite jarring in which Singer is in one place one moment and a completely different place the next. This happens several more times throughout the novel, but by the second time it is much more clear what is going on. In an effort to get her memories back, Singer had taken a drug that is now affecting the way her brain works. She goes in and out of memory loss and suffers blackouts.

What I liked best about the novel was how well the author was able to put me in the mind of Singer. At times I was just as confused as she was, just as in the dark. I had lots of ideas about where the story might go, but I never really knew.

I have read several books by author Liz Strange: two detective novels, a fantasy novel and now this science fiction novel. She continues to entertain me and keep me guessing. I do not know if I would have bought a copy of Erased had it not been by an author whose work I have enjoyed in the past. It would have been a mistake though. It pays to step outside my reading comfort zone now and then.

[Derek Newman-Stille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz Strange’s “Erased” is an intersection of stories of loss and secrecy. Set in the future in a world with the capacity to erase a person’s memory with one needle stroke, “Erased” opens with character Grey Singer who has woken uncertain of her identity, her selfhood, or any markers of the person she once was. She finds identification hidden in the seams of her clothing, but it is the identification of several different people, all with her face, further complicating the question of her identity.

To read a longer version of this review, visit my website at http://speculatingcanada.ca/2015/02/1...

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erased follows the journey of Grey Singer. She has been an elite officer of the Collective and worked very hard to attain her position when one day she awakens in a familiar, yet unknown, place and on a planet with no memory of how she got there or what transpired to bring about these events. We then follow her on her journey to find out exactly what happened that resulted in her being erased.

The world building is very well done and unfolds as Grey seeks out the truth of what is going on. There are a host of intriguing characters and even a little love interest thrown in the mix. Grey's journey is a race from beginning to end with some great battles, feats of escape, surprises, and some really fun gadgets.

The story is complete with a very satisfying ending and was a unique read for me that played out like an action film in my mind at times keeping me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to be revealed next. I will admit to not always liking Grey, but hey her brain has been erased so there is a learning curve with her likability here and by the end I was on her team.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy reading action with a bit of mystery and a syfy bent. I received this book with a request for my honest review without any compensation whatsoever, other than the joy of reading a new book.

[LisaMarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erased by Liz Strange was a complete surprise. The action started from the very beginning and was pretty much non-stop. The way that Liz went about introducing the characters and allowing them to develop slowly on their own was masterful. They bloomed right before my eyes as the story grew more complex and intriguing. There's espionage, betrayal, deception, intrigue, mystery and a little romance.
Everything is complicated by the fact that Liz has been erased.She moves in and out of flashbacks/memories and real time. She has blackouts and memory loss. Strap in for a thrill ride as you ride along as Liz tries to figure out who to trust and in her quest to retrieve her memories.
This really is a great read! I would recommend it to any mystery/fantasy/sci-fi lovers.

I received a copy of this story from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Maranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz Strange has created a very interesting read. Bit of mystery, intrigue, science fiction; flow through this story along with the reality of what Alzheimer slash amnesia could mean. Captain Grey Singer experiences the reality of loosing herself along with memories. Action was a bit slow to start but picked up and Strange weaved an adventure that is not to be missed. Like any spy knows is not knowing who to turn to or who to trust. This review is given honesty with this gifted from author.

[Linda Dossett · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this story, I found it disjointed and too many jumps and starts. It was a good read, I had trouble following in spots. Worth the time spent.