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UN-Forgettable #4
Unmasked
To the merchants he plunders, he’s the Ghost Rider of the Dead Zone. To sector law enforcement, he’s a wanted pirate. To the slaves he rescues, he’s the savior, laghato. To one determined female, Qaade Deter is serious trouble.
Torrie Masters had heard of the legendary raider, but she’d never expected to encounter him. Nor would she have expected that beneath his black mask lurked an enticing man destined to challenge her in ways she couldn’t shoot her way out of.
But a great threat has emerged—one that’s left no choice but for them to join forces. Entrusted with the fate of thousands, Torrie has discovered Qaade’s impossible dream. Only she has the power to help him. Only she has the power to see him…UNMASKED.
Torrie Masters had heard of the legendary raider, but she’d never expected to encounter him. Nor would she have expected that beneath his black mask lurked an enticing man destined to challenge her in ways she couldn’t shoot her way out of.
But a great threat has emerged—one that’s left no choice but for them to join forces. Entrusted with the fate of thousands, Torrie has discovered Qaade’s impossible dream. Only she has the power to help him. Only she has the power to see him…UNMASKED.
341 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2005
3 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Barry
16 books54 followersC.J. grew up reading science fiction novels, comic books, and her brother's Cracked magazines. In high school, a creative writing teacher told her she should be a writer, but she decided to go to college instead. In college, a writing professor told her she should be a writer, but she decided to be a computer programmer instead. A husband, a cat and two kids later, an adult education teacher told her she should be a writer. She finally gave in, and after selling the first novel she ever wrote, decided that all those teachers were right. Seven novels later, she continues to bring her unique blend of high adventure and sizzling romance to her novels.
C.J has won numerous awards for her novels, and is a member of the Romance Writers of America.
By day, she works as a web manager. By night, she co-hosts a writing podcast, dreams up adventures, and pens the books she was destined to write.
Per the author's website, this person also writes under the pen name "Samantha Graves."
Go to: http://www.cjbarry.com/
Click on Romantic Suspense and it takes you to "Samantha Graves."
http://www.samanthagraves.com/
C.J has won numerous awards for her novels, and is a member of the Romance Writers of America.
By day, she works as a web manager. By night, she co-hosts a writing podcast, dreams up adventures, and pens the books she was destined to write.
Per the author's website, this person also writes under the pen name "Samantha Graves."
Go to: http://www.cjbarry.com/
Click on Romantic Suspense and it takes you to "Samantha Graves."
http://www.samanthagraves.com/
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 14, 2023
On her very first mission, the heroine is out to prove to her family that she can take care of herself and that she can successfully captain her ship.... That very first voyage sees her ship being commandeered by pirates and a portion of her cargo taken. Though they left her alive, she vows to see them come to regret that decision. With only herself and her ship she tracks her cargo to a seedy port and there, she comes face to face with a man who both aggravates her and compels her.
The hero has escaped his childhood as a slave as has dedicated his life to saving others from that fate. He's built a very large and very special organization who has successfully managed to steal and free hundreds of thousands of slaves. But it seems that no matter how many he saves, countless more are created with the illegal drug the police either are ignorant about or are corrupted enough to let pass. Either way, the hero and his men are the only ones helping these people and if that makes him an outlaw then so be it. To fund his mission, he steals from other ships.... but he got more than he bargained for when he took over the heroine's vessel and the consequences are both dire to his mission as well as to his heart.
Kidnapping her, pretending to be her master, the hero tries to figure out what to do with her. She is ignorant of what is truly going on in the universe and her tenacity and strong will are both admirable but frustrating as he can't know if he can trust or not. She feels that same way. No way could this handsome pirate be the one responsible for so much good.... But then she sees it for herself and her whole world is shattered. No longer is she comfortable in ignorance. She is determined to do her part to help, to redeem herself for whatever she'd did that aided the enemy. And she comes to care very deeply for this man who feels so much burden and guilt over everyone he couldn't help. She cries for him when an evil man begins to target his people and those who he thinks of as his family are killed. Together they must find a way to stop this enemy and if it means her disobeying him and turning to her family and the police to do so then she will.... She can only hope that he can forgive her.
In the time it spent to read this book, I have been in quite a lot of pain. My mind tended to wander and my eyes tended to droop but I still liked this book a great deal. Despite my discomfort, I can say that this was an enjoyable read and a very well written book. I admired the heroine because of her strength and her ability to recognize her wrongs and work towards fixing them. Even before she came to love the hero, his mission became hers as she saw the pain and suffering of slavery and knew that she could help end it. Sure, she was an arrogant woman but she could handle herself and that fire helped the hero in his quest in so many ways. It not only helped his mission but it helped him as a man. When he was brought low by the death of his people it was the heroine who comforted him and pushed him to keep faith. If I liked the heroine than I loved the hero. He was a very special man. A very stubborn man in his own right, what with his refusal to relinquish control, fearing that without him his mission would fail. But what he failed to realize was that he saved these people so that they could take that gift and that fire and carry on the message. It took him some time to see that he was no alone and it took the heroine to show it to him. I mourned when he mourned because he felt so damn much. Both love and pain. Together they made a great pair. Both were stubborn but both were dedicated to helping people other than themselves. Both lost themselves in each other’s arms and felt safe and warm for the first time in a very long time. They learned to trust, though it was a long journey, and came to rely on one another. Again, I will say I was distracted while reading this book but the heartfelt story and message of hope resonated with me.
The hero has escaped his childhood as a slave as has dedicated his life to saving others from that fate. He's built a very large and very special organization who has successfully managed to steal and free hundreds of thousands of slaves. But it seems that no matter how many he saves, countless more are created with the illegal drug the police either are ignorant about or are corrupted enough to let pass. Either way, the hero and his men are the only ones helping these people and if that makes him an outlaw then so be it. To fund his mission, he steals from other ships.... but he got more than he bargained for when he took over the heroine's vessel and the consequences are both dire to his mission as well as to his heart.
Kidnapping her, pretending to be her master, the hero tries to figure out what to do with her. She is ignorant of what is truly going on in the universe and her tenacity and strong will are both admirable but frustrating as he can't know if he can trust or not. She feels that same way. No way could this handsome pirate be the one responsible for so much good.... But then she sees it for herself and her whole world is shattered. No longer is she comfortable in ignorance. She is determined to do her part to help, to redeem herself for whatever she'd did that aided the enemy. And she comes to care very deeply for this man who feels so much burden and guilt over everyone he couldn't help. She cries for him when an evil man begins to target his people and those who he thinks of as his family are killed. Together they must find a way to stop this enemy and if it means her disobeying him and turning to her family and the police to do so then she will.... She can only hope that he can forgive her.
In the time it spent to read this book, I have been in quite a lot of pain. My mind tended to wander and my eyes tended to droop but I still liked this book a great deal. Despite my discomfort, I can say that this was an enjoyable read and a very well written book. I admired the heroine because of her strength and her ability to recognize her wrongs and work towards fixing them. Even before she came to love the hero, his mission became hers as she saw the pain and suffering of slavery and knew that she could help end it. Sure, she was an arrogant woman but she could handle herself and that fire helped the hero in his quest in so many ways. It not only helped his mission but it helped him as a man. When he was brought low by the death of his people it was the heroine who comforted him and pushed him to keep faith. If I liked the heroine than I loved the hero. He was a very special man. A very stubborn man in his own right, what with his refusal to relinquish control, fearing that without him his mission would fail. But what he failed to realize was that he saved these people so that they could take that gift and that fire and carry on the message. It took him some time to see that he was no alone and it took the heroine to show it to him. I mourned when he mourned because he felt so damn much. Both love and pain. Together they made a great pair. Both were stubborn but both were dedicated to helping people other than themselves. Both lost themselves in each other’s arms and felt safe and warm for the first time in a very long time. They learned to trust, though it was a long journey, and came to rely on one another. Again, I will say I was distracted while reading this book but the heartfelt story and message of hope resonated with me.
November 5, 2012
The Unforgettable Series by C.J. Barry began with UNEARTHED, followed in short order by UNRAVELED and UNLEASHED. With UNMASKED, the author has brought us the most delectable hero of all-Qaade Deter. A man of many faces, he's at once a plunderer known only as the Ghost Rider of the Dead Zone. To law enforcement officials on a number of planets, he's a pirate wanted dead or alive. For the men and women forced into slavery and set free by an unknown hero, he's laghato, the savior. To Torrie Masters, a freight captain on a maiden voyage for her family's business, the man in the mask is nothing but trouble with a capital T.
When the Ghost Rider and his gang of roughshod, yet lovable pirates capture the Ventura2, Torrie refuses to bail. This is her ship, by God, and if the engine core is going to melt down, it will just have to take her with it. Fortunately-or not, depending on your point of view-the inevitable breakdown doesn't happen. Instead, her ship is overrun by pirates, and Torrie is taken captive.
In what could have been the end of a very short-lived life as a Captain, the leader of the Ghost Riders sets her free-then turns around and demands her help in return. The pirates are intent on setting free those in slavery, and Qaade expects a grateful Torrie to assist him. Torrie, who had a hand in the rescue of her brother Zain from just such a fate, admires Qaade and his gangly band of merry men in their endeavors. But Torrie isn't sure that joining forces with a man both feared and admired the solar system over is someone to go into league with.
As passions ignite, tempers flare, and forces unite in a bid to save the universe, both Torrie and Qaade are thrown into more and more desperate-and dangerous-circumstances. They'll have to trust each other to survive, and dealing with the emotions of their hearts seems to be the least of their worries.
UNMASKED, although the fourth in the series, is a stand-alone book that lovers of action-adventure, science fiction, and futuristic romances can all enjoy. The story is almost like a ragtag Robin Hood, with the bad guys as good guys in disguise, and a heroine that makes Maid Marian look like a wimp. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and happily anticipate the next book in the series.
When the Ghost Rider and his gang of roughshod, yet lovable pirates capture the Ventura2, Torrie refuses to bail. This is her ship, by God, and if the engine core is going to melt down, it will just have to take her with it. Fortunately-or not, depending on your point of view-the inevitable breakdown doesn't happen. Instead, her ship is overrun by pirates, and Torrie is taken captive.
In what could have been the end of a very short-lived life as a Captain, the leader of the Ghost Riders sets her free-then turns around and demands her help in return. The pirates are intent on setting free those in slavery, and Qaade expects a grateful Torrie to assist him. Torrie, who had a hand in the rescue of her brother Zain from just such a fate, admires Qaade and his gangly band of merry men in their endeavors. But Torrie isn't sure that joining forces with a man both feared and admired the solar system over is someone to go into league with.
As passions ignite, tempers flare, and forces unite in a bid to save the universe, both Torrie and Qaade are thrown into more and more desperate-and dangerous-circumstances. They'll have to trust each other to survive, and dealing with the emotions of their hearts seems to be the least of their worries.
UNMASKED, although the fourth in the series, is a stand-alone book that lovers of action-adventure, science fiction, and futuristic romances can all enjoy. The story is almost like a ragtag Robin Hood, with the bad guys as good guys in disguise, and a heroine that makes Maid Marian look like a wimp. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and happily anticipate the next book in the series.
August 4, 2010
Okay finished this one for the SFR challenge. It was okay. The sci fi element, while definitely there was not really intense enough for me. Some element of gritty realism was lacking for me. I realize that many who like sci fi romance are not as into hard sci fi as I am so there may be plenty of sci fi for them.
I also had a personal problem with the story in that it was about saving slaves. I wasn't real interested and I realize that slavery exists today so the topic is timely. I just needed more of an escapist story right now since I currently have so much stress in my life. I kept thinking, I don't want to have to think about bad stuff. Another time it may not have bothered me.
About the story itself. It was competently written, no big holes in the plot. I could have used a little more background on the characters, the hero especially. The whole thing came together nicely. There was actual thinking and deciding to be done by the characters. I did like Nod, the little light ball computer. He was cute without trying to be cute. Which shows good writing. Also while he helped the characters out, he was not all knowing or all powerful. He could do the things he could do but that was it.
The supporting characters were very well written. They all had solid motivations and were whole in themselves not cardboard cutouts. The character that gave me the most problem was the villain. His motivation was weak and his power too powerful without sufficient explanation of how he managed to know so much about the hero. He was the most cardboard cutout character.
All in all this was good enough for me to try another of this author's books.
I also had a personal problem with the story in that it was about saving slaves. I wasn't real interested and I realize that slavery exists today so the topic is timely. I just needed more of an escapist story right now since I currently have so much stress in my life. I kept thinking, I don't want to have to think about bad stuff. Another time it may not have bothered me.
About the story itself. It was competently written, no big holes in the plot. I could have used a little more background on the characters, the hero especially. The whole thing came together nicely. There was actual thinking and deciding to be done by the characters. I did like Nod, the little light ball computer. He was cute without trying to be cute. Which shows good writing. Also while he helped the characters out, he was not all knowing or all powerful. He could do the things he could do but that was it.
The supporting characters were very well written. They all had solid motivations and were whole in themselves not cardboard cutouts. The character that gave me the most problem was the villain. His motivation was weak and his power too powerful without sufficient explanation of how he managed to know so much about the hero. He was the most cardboard cutout character.
All in all this was good enough for me to try another of this author's books.
May 3, 2012
~* 4.5 Stars *~
Unmasked is Definitely Unforgettable
Torrie Masters fought long and hard for her own shipping run in the family business, Masters Shipping. She is captaining her freighter on her first run when her ship is wrenched from her control and boarded by pirates. Her crew is safe, and the pirates leave her alive, but there is no way that Torrie is going to let them get away with her cargo, nor allow any black marks to sully Masters Shipping's stellar reputation.
Not to mention, her family won't let her anywhere near her own run again if they find out what happened, and that's just not acceptable to her. Once the pirates have absconded with her cargo and left her ship, she does what any self-respecting, obstinate, righteous younger sister...and professional shipping captain would do. Race after them, determined to get it back.
Space pirate Qaade Deter and his crew steal. They even kill. For a legion of serious crimes, he's a wanted man across the galaxy. Still, he left the pretty, fiesty captain from that last ship alive. He should have known that was going to come back and bite him.
When she turns up on the shady, dangerous planet where he sells his ill-gotten gains, in the custody of a truly horrifying person, he buys her to save her from a far crueler fate. Again, he should have known his moment of insanity is going to come back and bite him. Or that she would. But he couldn't let her become what he once was, what he's spent all his adult life fighting, stealing, even killing if necessary, to prevent.
He's a wanted man and has more enemies than he can count who would happily make him dead, but to the slaves he rescues, then offers a new life, he is hope. A savior. To Torrie, he's just the sexiest and most singularly infuriating beast she's ever had the misfortune to meet. And she doesn't care what he's up to, she'll be damned before she lets him get away with her cargo. Or her heart.
~*~
I've enjoyed this series very much and I was thrilled to have it end on such a high note. Unmasked is my favorite book of the four, with a solid and well-defined plot and an impressive cast of characters. It's the most serious in theme of the four, with less levity than its predecessors, but it's still quirky and fun in places, even as it handles some significantly weighty issues.
I liked Torrie a lot as a character, even when some of her characteristics were less than pleasant. I could say the same about Qaade, though he didn't frustrate me like Torrie did. It was Torrie's character traits that I found the most compelling, though, even when they were annoying me spitless. Fiesty and fierce, I admired her passion for her job, her crew, and her ship, but she was also headstrong and obstinate, and close-minded with it. The tight grip she had on those blinders over her eyes spoke to her immaturity.
That's exactly what I found so compelling, though. She comes from a privileged and successful family, raised on a planet where slavery is allowed...even if her own family didn't own slaves. That still colored her personality and facilitated a willful obliviousness to her surroundings and situation. I couldn't help but equate her character to Southern gentry who may have been Union sympathizers but wouldn't dream of lifting a finger to assist the Underground Railroad. It was a surprisingly poignant and realistic, if not necessarily always pleasant, sense of character.
As the story progresses and she grows up a little and widens her worldview (or galaxy-view in this case, I suppose), she struggles to balance her personal values and goals against the good of the many. It wasn't always easy, it wasn't always pleasant to read because there were moments when I didn't like her choices, but it felt very organic to who she was and how she was raised. By far Torrie was the most layered, complex, and fully defined heroine of the series.
And Qaade holds that spot for the male main characters. He's certainly the darkest of the four, and he doesn't have a personal history that inspires a lot of humor and jokes, or lends to a lot of raucous good times. Barry did a nice job with his character. He's a bit of a tortured soul, heavily burdened by his commitment to the cause he started and the lives for which he's responsible, driven by his own past and memories of a family long ago torn asunder. The weight of the burden and the price of that drive - perhaps misplaced to some degree - is slowly crushing him.
Broody and intense, street smart and daring, and yes, sexy, his character has the sort of depth and dimension that really appealed to me.
Not to be outdone by the characters, the storyline is also the most layered and meaty of the series. Barry wove together plot threads of slavery, mass murder, pirating, family obligation, loss, and more, then cozied that all up to a satisfying romance with two impressively well-rounded characters that sparked off each other with heat and intensity. That's a lot of story to tell and it took a deft hand to do it as well as it was done here. Barry starts fast with a one-two punch of a potential space disaster and the pirating, then races along to the final page without letting readers have much time to rest or get distracted along the way.
Unmasked wasn't as lighthearted or carelessly fun as the first three books in the series, and it didn't have as many quirky characters or comedic moments. It exchanges that for a story with more gravitas and characters who were more realistic and three dimensional, flaws and all. There were a few moments throughout the story that I felt were just a touch implausible (relatively speaking), and there were times when I could have cheerily bopped Torrie over the head, but the cummulation of all the pieces and elements made for a totally entertaining book with a lot of heart. I'll miss this series now that it's done, but I'll definitely look for more from Barry.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
Unmasked is Definitely Unforgettable
Torrie Masters fought long and hard for her own shipping run in the family business, Masters Shipping. She is captaining her freighter on her first run when her ship is wrenched from her control and boarded by pirates. Her crew is safe, and the pirates leave her alive, but there is no way that Torrie is going to let them get away with her cargo, nor allow any black marks to sully Masters Shipping's stellar reputation.
Not to mention, her family won't let her anywhere near her own run again if they find out what happened, and that's just not acceptable to her. Once the pirates have absconded with her cargo and left her ship, she does what any self-respecting, obstinate, righteous younger sister...and professional shipping captain would do. Race after them, determined to get it back.
Space pirate Qaade Deter and his crew steal. They even kill. For a legion of serious crimes, he's a wanted man across the galaxy. Still, he left the pretty, fiesty captain from that last ship alive. He should have known that was going to come back and bite him.
When she turns up on the shady, dangerous planet where he sells his ill-gotten gains, in the custody of a truly horrifying person, he buys her to save her from a far crueler fate. Again, he should have known his moment of insanity is going to come back and bite him. Or that she would. But he couldn't let her become what he once was, what he's spent all his adult life fighting, stealing, even killing if necessary, to prevent.
He's a wanted man and has more enemies than he can count who would happily make him dead, but to the slaves he rescues, then offers a new life, he is hope. A savior. To Torrie, he's just the sexiest and most singularly infuriating beast she's ever had the misfortune to meet. And she doesn't care what he's up to, she'll be damned before she lets him get away with her cargo. Or her heart.
~*~
I've enjoyed this series very much and I was thrilled to have it end on such a high note. Unmasked is my favorite book of the four, with a solid and well-defined plot and an impressive cast of characters. It's the most serious in theme of the four, with less levity than its predecessors, but it's still quirky and fun in places, even as it handles some significantly weighty issues.
I liked Torrie a lot as a character, even when some of her characteristics were less than pleasant. I could say the same about Qaade, though he didn't frustrate me like Torrie did. It was Torrie's character traits that I found the most compelling, though, even when they were annoying me spitless. Fiesty and fierce, I admired her passion for her job, her crew, and her ship, but she was also headstrong and obstinate, and close-minded with it. The tight grip she had on those blinders over her eyes spoke to her immaturity.
That's exactly what I found so compelling, though. She comes from a privileged and successful family, raised on a planet where slavery is allowed...even if her own family didn't own slaves. That still colored her personality and facilitated a willful obliviousness to her surroundings and situation. I couldn't help but equate her character to Southern gentry who may have been Union sympathizers but wouldn't dream of lifting a finger to assist the Underground Railroad. It was a surprisingly poignant and realistic, if not necessarily always pleasant, sense of character.
As the story progresses and she grows up a little and widens her worldview (or galaxy-view in this case, I suppose), she struggles to balance her personal values and goals against the good of the many. It wasn't always easy, it wasn't always pleasant to read because there were moments when I didn't like her choices, but it felt very organic to who she was and how she was raised. By far Torrie was the most layered, complex, and fully defined heroine of the series.
And Qaade holds that spot for the male main characters. He's certainly the darkest of the four, and he doesn't have a personal history that inspires a lot of humor and jokes, or lends to a lot of raucous good times. Barry did a nice job with his character. He's a bit of a tortured soul, heavily burdened by his commitment to the cause he started and the lives for which he's responsible, driven by his own past and memories of a family long ago torn asunder. The weight of the burden and the price of that drive - perhaps misplaced to some degree - is slowly crushing him.
Broody and intense, street smart and daring, and yes, sexy, his character has the sort of depth and dimension that really appealed to me.
Not to be outdone by the characters, the storyline is also the most layered and meaty of the series. Barry wove together plot threads of slavery, mass murder, pirating, family obligation, loss, and more, then cozied that all up to a satisfying romance with two impressively well-rounded characters that sparked off each other with heat and intensity. That's a lot of story to tell and it took a deft hand to do it as well as it was done here. Barry starts fast with a one-two punch of a potential space disaster and the pirating, then races along to the final page without letting readers have much time to rest or get distracted along the way.
Unmasked wasn't as lighthearted or carelessly fun as the first three books in the series, and it didn't have as many quirky characters or comedic moments. It exchanges that for a story with more gravitas and characters who were more realistic and three dimensional, flaws and all. There were a few moments throughout the story that I felt were just a touch implausible (relatively speaking), and there were times when I could have cheerily bopped Torrie over the head, but the cummulation of all the pieces and elements made for a totally entertaining book with a lot of heart. I'll miss this series now that it's done, but I'll definitely look for more from Barry.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
June 17, 2020
Torrie Masters is captain for her family's business. She's tough, muscled, a good fighter, and knows how to wield a gun. Qaade Deter, former slave turned pirate, runs an operation to help rescue slaves. While there are some trust issues, the two join forces to take down the leader of the slave ring and fall in love along the way.
The story is very surface level... nothing too deep, no angst, only a little sex.. but still has it's moments of charm. I really enjoyed the gym scene, when Torrie is showing off her mad fighting skills. Recommend for anyone looking for a light space-themed read with a strong heroine and good-guy hero.
The story is very surface level... nothing too deep, no angst, only a little sex.. but still has it's moments of charm. I really enjoyed the gym scene, when Torrie is showing off her mad fighting skills. Recommend for anyone looking for a light space-themed read with a strong heroine and good-guy hero.
April 12, 2020
Excellent read!
March 11, 2022
Very good book, fast-paced actio, well thought out plot!
October 20, 2011
The overall rating for the series is 4 butterflies. I had a great time reading these books, I had fun, I got a healthy dose of smutty galore, and I was very, very glad I got a chance to read them.
If I were to say what genre they’d go in, since people are always big on tags and stuff like that, I’d think these are romance with a sci-fi-ish twist, and not the other way around. There is a lot going on in each book, and there’s a whole universe weaved for them, but I feel the main element is the romance. So I’d disagree with some reviews I read up on Goodreads, that slightly bash them for not being solidly sci-fi. I don’t think they were meant to be; and I don’t think I would have liked them more if they would have been, honestly. Buuut then again I’m not a sci-fi buff, I just like the occasional sci-fi because the book was very well written and the writer is very talented, not because of that genre. Anyways…
Unmasked (UN-Forgettable #4)
Aaaand my least favorite one – this one was a 3 butterflies. As I’ve mentioned before, a part of it may very well be the fact that I’d sort of started to detach from the series, knowing full well this one was the last book. And because they’re ‘related’, one character being introduced by the previous book, but they can very well stand on their own, separately, without any issue really, there wasn’t a bunch of tension carrying over from the previous twists and turns in the series. Plus it came after a book I had a lot of fun reading, so without my intending to, it surely got compared and lost some points that way.
I attribute my slightly less enthusiastic reaction to this read to Torrie, really. I mean, Qaade didn’t exactly outshine the other male characters of the series, in my opinion, but Torrie was decidedly less fun then she seemed to be when she was introduced in book #3. I mean, I thought she’d be more fun, and for some reason, she wasn’t quite as much as I thought.
Of course, another factor is all the slaves thing, and the tone of the book in general is more sober, the characters deal with some disturbing issues. I dunno. But I still enjoyed reading it, and if we’re talking series, I say read all the books.
There are some patterns, like the uber-hot-stud male character, and the perky female character, and the outrageous attraction between then, you know, the smutty ingredients for an awesome read.
If I were to say what genre they’d go in, since people are always big on tags and stuff like that, I’d think these are romance with a sci-fi-ish twist, and not the other way around. There is a lot going on in each book, and there’s a whole universe weaved for them, but I feel the main element is the romance. So I’d disagree with some reviews I read up on Goodreads, that slightly bash them for not being solidly sci-fi. I don’t think they were meant to be; and I don’t think I would have liked them more if they would have been, honestly. Buuut then again I’m not a sci-fi buff, I just like the occasional sci-fi because the book was very well written and the writer is very talented, not because of that genre. Anyways…
Unmasked (UN-Forgettable #4)
Aaaand my least favorite one – this one was a 3 butterflies. As I’ve mentioned before, a part of it may very well be the fact that I’d sort of started to detach from the series, knowing full well this one was the last book. And because they’re ‘related’, one character being introduced by the previous book, but they can very well stand on their own, separately, without any issue really, there wasn’t a bunch of tension carrying over from the previous twists and turns in the series. Plus it came after a book I had a lot of fun reading, so without my intending to, it surely got compared and lost some points that way.
I attribute my slightly less enthusiastic reaction to this read to Torrie, really. I mean, Qaade didn’t exactly outshine the other male characters of the series, in my opinion, but Torrie was decidedly less fun then she seemed to be when she was introduced in book #3. I mean, I thought she’d be more fun, and for some reason, she wasn’t quite as much as I thought.
Of course, another factor is all the slaves thing, and the tone of the book in general is more sober, the characters deal with some disturbing issues. I dunno. But I still enjoyed reading it, and if we’re talking series, I say read all the books.
There are some patterns, like the uber-hot-stud male character, and the perky female character, and the outrageous attraction between then, you know, the smutty ingredients for an awesome read.
March 4, 2017
Qaade is a space pirate with a larger mission - he's trying to rescue slaves and restore them - in this story, their memories are wiped and they are chipped to be obedient and stripped of free will. He'll do anything he has to to keep his operation in place...even steal from Torrie Masters. She's just trying to prove herself to her family, doing her first shipping run on her own ship. So when Qaade makes off with her cargo, she goes after it...and him. But she's captured and Qaade has to come to her rescue. She's introduced to his operation and it awakens her social consciousness. Suddenly, she'll do anything she has to - not just to help Qaade, whom she is falling in love with, but to stop the evils of slavery and eradicate its existence. She'll even go to the authories that Qaade doesn't trust. Even though she knows he'll see it as a betrayal.
Not a light and fluffy romance. It's pretty great - suspenseful, adventurous and sad at the same time. Qaade is a tortured soul, a former slave, who carries the weight of all the slaves he isn't able to rescue and who takes the burdens of his operation on to his own shoulders. He's also fairly narrow minded and quick to jump to conclusions about people...including Torrie. And while it's true that Torrie was a rather naive, it was kind of harsh that Qaade came at her with all those accusations about condoning slavery, especially when she didn't truly understand it. One unfortunate thing about the topic matter was that, in its seriousness, it sort of masked Torrie's own personal struggles, which were still very real to her, and made it less possible to sympathize with them (and Qaade seemed to have a similar problem). I enjoyed this series quite a bit. I wish the author had written more.
Not a light and fluffy romance. It's pretty great - suspenseful, adventurous and sad at the same time. Qaade is a tortured soul, a former slave, who carries the weight of all the slaves he isn't able to rescue and who takes the burdens of his operation on to his own shoulders. He's also fairly narrow minded and quick to jump to conclusions about people...including Torrie. And while it's true that Torrie was a rather naive, it was kind of harsh that Qaade came at her with all those accusations about condoning slavery, especially when she didn't truly understand it. One unfortunate thing about the topic matter was that, in its seriousness, it sort of masked Torrie's own personal struggles, which were still very real to her, and made it less possible to sympathize with them (and Qaade seemed to have a similar problem). I enjoyed this series quite a bit. I wish the author had written more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2012
This book really surprised me. I was looking for a cool science fiction romance -not one of those "we're-star-crossed-lovers/it's-us-against-the-universe/now-let's-have-sex-for-living" kind of romance-, and I totally found it. The writing style was very fast-paced -a little too rushed, sometimes-, and the main plot was really interesting, though it could've been more developed. But the book's all about its characters, which is what I look for whenever I pick a book. Their personality traits were remarkable, and you were immediately immersed in their feelings and thoughts. Their backgrounds and history weren't deep enough as they could've been... but the chemistry between the two main characters, Qaade and Torrie, was amazing (though I really wish the author could've picked less corny names. I couldn't help but roll my eyes every time I read Torrie calling the guy "Qaade". Sheesh!). Like someone said before me, their relationship was pretty much like that of Star Wars' Han and Leia, and that was a total bonus, to me, at least; I love strong-willed characters.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. Give it a shot! You definitely won't regret it.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. Give it a shot! You definitely won't regret it.
March 31, 2012
For some reason I am not a fan of these series.
Maybe there was some bad weather when I read this and the previouse books, because other readers seem to like the feel of the blended sci fi and romance.
I was not a hater, but at times the romance seemed detached from the whole futuristic aspect.
Also,even thou the characters were by no means one dimensional, I was unmoved and unable to like them. Or even hate them.
The only character that did bring forward a reaction from me was the villain-and that was because he was very very VERY bedly written. Especially compared to the main characters.
I feel like somebody made me write this review and I had to literary pry words out of myself. Nothing came to mind when I finished this book.
It was like it was already stored in to the back of my mind never to see the light of day again.
So it would seem that the biggest problem of this read was that it did not motivate me to get involved. It never made me get invested in to the plot line and it ultimately bored me.
Would I recommend it to others?
Not really. But that is just me.
This book was given to me via NetGalley.
Maybe there was some bad weather when I read this and the previouse books, because other readers seem to like the feel of the blended sci fi and romance.
I was not a hater, but at times the romance seemed detached from the whole futuristic aspect.
Also,even thou the characters were by no means one dimensional, I was unmoved and unable to like them. Or even hate them.
The only character that did bring forward a reaction from me was the villain-and that was because he was very very VERY bedly written. Especially compared to the main characters.
I feel like somebody made me write this review and I had to literary pry words out of myself. Nothing came to mind when I finished this book.
It was like it was already stored in to the back of my mind never to see the light of day again.
So it would seem that the biggest problem of this read was that it did not motivate me to get involved. It never made me get invested in to the plot line and it ultimately bored me.
Would I recommend it to others?
Not really. But that is just me.
This book was given to me via NetGalley.
January 5, 2008
I thought this book was good overall. It deals with slavery, both legal and illegal, and a pirate who's made it his life's mission to free and help as many slaves recover as he can. The main character is the youngest child and only daughter in a family that runs a huge shipping business, and she gets involved with the pirate after he raids her ship. The romance didn't seem forced or rushed; the characters had great chemistry, and I believed that they'd fall for each other quickly. The villain was a bit of a caricature; his motive could have been believable, but instead it was turned into his being completely batshit insane, which weakened his motive, IMO.
But I enjoyed it. Barry created an interesting science fiction setting with some fun variations on familiar themes, such as Nod, the overly helpful lightball robot. The smut wasn't too shabby, either. ;)
But I enjoyed it. Barry created an interesting science fiction setting with some fun variations on familiar themes, such as Nod, the overly helpful lightball robot. The smut wasn't too shabby, either. ;)
December 16, 2009
This book was pretty good, though it was a departure from the first three books. I thought the others were light and fluffy reads. This one was a lot darker. I thought Torrie and Qaade made a great team, but were not convincing as lovers. That sexual spark was missing in their relationship. Torrie was a bit of a spoiled princess, but boy did she get an eye opening experience with the life Qaade led. His mission was to rescue slaves from their slavers. Qaade wanted to be the one in control of everything, but he had to learn the hard way that it was okay to have help from others. There were a few times I got teary-eyed and I was really rooting for Torrie and Qaade to come through to save the day. I'm a bit disappointed that there are no others in this series.
September 23, 2010
In my giant science fiction romance binge (yes, I found out there are trashy books IN SPACE and thus have finally moved on from this summer's Regency binge), this was probably one of the better books I've read recently. My rating would really be 3.5. The slave ring plot didn't feel shoehorned in alongside the romantic elements, and I appreciated that the hero & heroine weren't stuck on the ship together the whole time and did other things.
May 26, 2013
I quite liked this book. Especially Nod who was cute the way he kept conking out when he ran out of energy / memory!
I know this is a short review, but I don't have much to say because, very simply, the characters were perfectly fine and the writing good and I can't think of anything that bothered me about it, nor anything to gush about (Nod for me really was the best part about it!). It's an easy read :o)
Oh, yeah, the cover still makes me crack up!
I know this is a short review, but I don't have much to say because, very simply, the characters were perfectly fine and the writing good and I can't think of anything that bothered me about it, nor anything to gush about (Nod for me really was the best part about it!). It's an easy read :o)
Oh, yeah, the cover still makes me crack up!
July 5, 2016
I am going to be blunt here. Fuck this book. Fuck this book and all that it stand for: Stockhole syndrome, plagiarism, a waste of my three dollars and six hours I spent on this trash. What do I mean by plagiarism? Think of an actualy legit romance author. I will say Sherrilyn Kenyon. If you take away all the skills she has, you have C.J. Barry folks. Cut done and print. Excuse me while I pray for the trees that suffered death twice for this shit.
October 3, 2009
Good book - not too much sex (which was welcome) - it was more about the interaction, than descriptive sex which I find (more and more) I am skipping over. Will definitely read another - starting at the beginning with 'Unearthed'.
June 13, 2011
Not bad but slightly disappointed.
For a book about slavery I expected a bigger emotional punch. Good and strong characters though, and I quite liked how the romance evolved, even though it developed a bit fast.
For a book about slavery I expected a bigger emotional punch. Good and strong characters though, and I quite liked how the romance evolved, even though it developed a bit fast.
November 25, 2011
This was absolutely the best of this sci-fi series fo four books. I liked the history and there weren't any plot problems, but the villain was not so bad and the future stuff was not so sci-fi. Anyway a good story for a nice time.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND CARINA PRESS FOR THE PREVIEW
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND CARINA PRESS FOR THE PREVIEW
March 17, 2008
I read this series several years ago and I remember this being one of my favorites. Nice romantic sci-fi! Great characters.
August 5, 2011
Cool story. Was just what I needed to help me feel better after several rotten days. Don't miss this one! You'll really enjoy it.
June 24, 2013
I do believe this is my favorite book in the series. Adventurous, exciting and important. I really liked it.
November 6, 2011
Really liked this one-plenty of action, romance and space pirates. Page turner.
March 7, 2013
I almost didn't read this one after the disappointment that was book 3. This was so much better, I think this is the best one in the 4 book series. I loved Torrie and Qaade.
July 21, 2014
3 stars
June 7, 2014
Four stars for all the books. I really enjoyed this entire series.
August 24, 2008
Good, but melodramatic, like Exodus in space
July 30, 2014
Very similar to SK ... or is SK similar to her ????
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