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Cortii #2
Fighting Shadows
The Cortii are mercenaries, for hire to anyone who can afford their services. From their beginnings in humanoid pre-history, they have grown and colonised to span every galaxy. Every government uses them; no single government can destroy them.
To the Councils that rule the Cortii, eleven lives are easily replaced.
For the newest unit in their ranks, those eleven lives were half their number. To their commander, they're a marker she has every intention of making good on, and while some of her unit's wounds are less visible, it doesn't mean they can't be lethal.
To the Councils that rule the Cortii, eleven lives are easily replaced.
For the newest unit in their ranks, those eleven lives were half their number. To their commander, they're a marker she has every intention of making good on, and while some of her unit's wounds are less visible, it doesn't mean they can't be lethal.
324 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2015
6 people want to read
About the author
J.C. Steel
7 books188 followersBorn in Gibraltar and raised on a yacht around the coasts of the Atlantic, I’m an author, martial artist and introvert. In between the necessary making of money to allow the writing of more books, I can usually be found halfway to the further galaxy.
Science-fiction and urban fantasy are my favourite genres. I grew up on a rich diet of Anne McCaffrey, Tolkien, Dorothy Dunnett, and Jack Higgins; I can't point the finger at any one book or author that set me in my current direction, but I'd blame my bent for characters with an inclination to drastically practical solutions on some mix of those. If I can mess with peoples' heads by tossing in a bit of gender- and genre-bending, so much the better. Status quo is boring.
I hope you enjoy reading the books half as much as I enjoyed writing them. Grab a freebie!
Come and meet me at my other online hangouts:
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Science-fiction and urban fantasy are my favourite genres. I grew up on a rich diet of Anne McCaffrey, Tolkien, Dorothy Dunnett, and Jack Higgins; I can't point the finger at any one book or author that set me in my current direction, but I'd blame my bent for characters with an inclination to drastically practical solutions on some mix of those. If I can mess with peoples' heads by tossing in a bit of gender- and genre-bending, so much the better. Status quo is boring.
I hope you enjoy reading the books half as much as I enjoyed writing them. Grab a freebie!
Come and meet me at my other online hangouts:
Amazon Author page
Independent Author Network
iAuthor
Google+
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 13, 2017
All reviews posted originally on the blog: http://www.knockinbooks.com/reviews
I’ve already admitted to y’all that despite my love of sci fi movies, I’m not a sci fi reader. I generally find the world building in sci fi novels to be more than my short attention span can handle. I prefer more straightforward reads that don’t require 100% of my brainpower to follow. But I made an exception to my normal rules for book 1 in this series, Through the Hostage, and while it didn’t completely convert me into a sci fi reader, it certainly opened my mind to the possibility. And just like book 1, Fighting Shadows and Elemental Affinity didn’t let me down.
The writing mechanics are solid, the world-building is intricate without being overwhelming, and the plot is plenty twisty, but not SO twisty that I couldn’t keep up...blah, blah, blah. All of that is true and contributes to this being a great series, but it’s not what kept me coming back for more.
Khyria is the real star of these books. She’s endlessly fascinating, equal parts tough and vulnerable. She’s relatable, yet still manages to be a character you can look up to. It was a joy to watch her grow and change through the second and third books in the series. The fact that she’s a badass merc and never the damsel in distress just adds to her appeal.
"Modesty is like arsenic: safe only in small doses."
"Mercenaries are a danger to the established rulers. Good mercenaries are more dangerous."
Long-story-short, sequels are hard to get right. It’s even harder to keep a series going strong after the first two books. There’s TONS of proof of that available for sale on Amazon right now. (I’m looking at you, Laurell K Hamilton). But this is a series that proves it CAN be done. This is a series even non-sci-fi fans can enjoy.
Full disclosure: we received ARCs from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve already admitted to y’all that despite my love of sci fi movies, I’m not a sci fi reader. I generally find the world building in sci fi novels to be more than my short attention span can handle. I prefer more straightforward reads that don’t require 100% of my brainpower to follow. But I made an exception to my normal rules for book 1 in this series, Through the Hostage, and while it didn’t completely convert me into a sci fi reader, it certainly opened my mind to the possibility. And just like book 1, Fighting Shadows and Elemental Affinity didn’t let me down.
The writing mechanics are solid, the world-building is intricate without being overwhelming, and the plot is plenty twisty, but not SO twisty that I couldn’t keep up...blah, blah, blah. All of that is true and contributes to this being a great series, but it’s not what kept me coming back for more.
Khyria is the real star of these books. She’s endlessly fascinating, equal parts tough and vulnerable. She’s relatable, yet still manages to be a character you can look up to. It was a joy to watch her grow and change through the second and third books in the series. The fact that she’s a badass merc and never the damsel in distress just adds to her appeal.
"Modesty is like arsenic: safe only in small doses."
"Mercenaries are a danger to the established rulers. Good mercenaries are more dangerous."
Long-story-short, sequels are hard to get right. It’s even harder to keep a series going strong after the first two books. There’s TONS of proof of that available for sale on Amazon right now. (I’m looking at you, Laurell K Hamilton). But this is a series that proves it CAN be done. This is a series even non-sci-fi fans can enjoy.
Full disclosure: we received ARCs from the author in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2021
Life in the Cortii can be dangerous. Deadly to most people, especially for a Cortiora, and if there’s someone aware of the risks it’s Khyria Ilan. When after a vicious attack she’s sent on extended leave to a planet to recover from her injuries, she finds herself thrown into a peaceful and quiet country life. But of course, she has a mission to cover for her absence from Base Corina. That’s how we’re thrown into another dynamic adventure of this unconventional and mysterious woman.
I like Steel’s style, an author I discovered by chance before Christmas last year. And I took advantage of the deal on Smashwords to snatch copies of the Cortii saga because I was too much intrigued by the world she created, after reading book 1. She created this fictional world filled with violence, deceit, intrigue, and I just love it. If that’s what you’re looking for in a book, then this series is for you.
While the first novel is an introduction to the wild world of the Cortii, the second one—Fighting Shadows—takes us off the base and on another planet. Introducing other characters, it shows us a different side of Khyria, almost human.
I like Steel’s style, an author I discovered by chance before Christmas last year. And I took advantage of the deal on Smashwords to snatch copies of the Cortii saga because I was too much intrigued by the world she created, after reading book 1. She created this fictional world filled with violence, deceit, intrigue, and I just love it. If that’s what you’re looking for in a book, then this series is for you.
While the first novel is an introduction to the wild world of the Cortii, the second one—Fighting Shadows—takes us off the base and on another planet. Introducing other characters, it shows us a different side of Khyria, almost human.
October 31, 2016
Even with the unique world building, variety of characters and a protagonist with the devil-may-care attitude, this book failed to keep me captivated for more than a few pages at a time. Hence, such a gap between the prequel and this book. It took me 3 days to finally finish the book that I could have read in 3 hours if it was a little easier to comprehend. I found the story to be a little too complex and Khyria Ilan our main character, I like her, her abilities and attitude, it felt like she was the only thing that even kept me reading. And yet I saw her as two different personalities, as Khyria, the commander, the badass mercenary everyone was trying to kill and as Ilan, a little softer side of her that she only showed to a few people. I guess I missed Jack in this book. And Taiva had little role to play. I will still be finishing the last book, but it might take m a while.
ooh, I do however loved a few quotes like, "Modesty is like arsenic: safe only in small doses."
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
ooh, I do however loved a few quotes like, "Modesty is like arsenic: safe only in small doses."
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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December 15, 2018Sometimes, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And sometimes, it comes back to haunt you...
5 stars, Knockin' Books: 'Khyria is the real star of these books. She’s endlessly fascinating, equal parts tough and vulnerable. The fact that she’s a badass merc and never the damsel in distress just adds to her appeal.'
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5 stars, Knockin' Books: 'Khyria is the real star of these books. She’s endlessly fascinating, equal parts tough and vulnerable. The fact that she’s a badass merc and never the damsel in distress just adds to her appeal.'
Get yours:
Amazon
Barnes&Noble
iTunes
Kobo
August 12, 2016
Now to start I will say that I have not read the first book in the series which worried me when I started it but I was quickly able to pick up and follow the story without even reading the first book. It is well put together and the world building is wonderful. It left me with many questions but what good thriller doesn't? I think it was a great blending of scifi and thriller and gave me a lot to work with when forming the characters and stories in my mind. A must read for SciFi fans.
January 13, 2016
I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one. Khyria is a great character. I loved how she grew within this book. There were lots of twists and turns in this book. I think this book was fun for me to read. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
August 30, 2017
J.C. Steel's second novel in her Cortii series takes everything that made Through the Hostage good and improves on it: pacing, characters, everything. Through the Hostage was a good book, but Fighting Shadows shines.
The story returns to Khyria Ilan and Wildcat Cortia. Now no longer trainees, Khyria has to rebuild her depleted unit while still fending off her enemies both political and physical. The political machinations of the various Cortii and their ruling body is a little impenetrable at first, but everything starts falling into place quickly. The story itself divides into 3 points of view: Khyria and her subordinates Anst and Taiva, each with their own quirks of personality and flavor. Doing this always creates the risk that one storyline will rise above the others, but that didn't happen here. Each line is personal enough to be unique, but none outshine any of the others.
The relationships between the characters are brought into more focus with this entry. The seeds sown in Through the Hostage start bearing fruit here. We get some more glimpses into Khyria's past, her relationships with her subordinates and her rivals, and fellow POV characters Taiva and Anst get similar building. There are a few foibles: I personally found Taiva's hard-headedness more irritating than endearing (admittedly this is just my opinion and to each their own) and somewhere Khyria developed a Batman-like ability to always be standing in shadows before stepping into the light. I personally found Anst's more espionage-esque story the most engaging, but I was never bored with any of them.
Between the main story arc and the individual arcs of the characters, Fighting Shadows weaves a very good story. I heartily recommend taking a look if you're in the market for some new sci-fi.
Reviewed by Cris Meyers
The story returns to Khyria Ilan and Wildcat Cortia. Now no longer trainees, Khyria has to rebuild her depleted unit while still fending off her enemies both political and physical. The political machinations of the various Cortii and their ruling body is a little impenetrable at first, but everything starts falling into place quickly. The story itself divides into 3 points of view: Khyria and her subordinates Anst and Taiva, each with their own quirks of personality and flavor. Doing this always creates the risk that one storyline will rise above the others, but that didn't happen here. Each line is personal enough to be unique, but none outshine any of the others.
The relationships between the characters are brought into more focus with this entry. The seeds sown in Through the Hostage start bearing fruit here. We get some more glimpses into Khyria's past, her relationships with her subordinates and her rivals, and fellow POV characters Taiva and Anst get similar building. There are a few foibles: I personally found Taiva's hard-headedness more irritating than endearing (admittedly this is just my opinion and to each their own) and somewhere Khyria developed a Batman-like ability to always be standing in shadows before stepping into the light. I personally found Anst's more espionage-esque story the most engaging, but I was never bored with any of them.
Between the main story arc and the individual arcs of the characters, Fighting Shadows weaves a very good story. I heartily recommend taking a look if you're in the market for some new sci-fi.
Reviewed by Cris Meyers
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews