The Price of Paradise

The Divine Space Pirates #3

by C.S. Johnson

Facing the future meant facing the end  ... until it became a new beginning.

Aerie and Exton are still at war with the Revolutionary States, but there is much to celebrate. Now that they are together again, Aerie finally has what she's always wanted: A loving home. But her past, and her parents, are far from letting her move on with her new life. When Merra further escalates the war with her treachery, Aerie is faced with an impossible choice: Save her mother, or betray Exton. 

Years after his father's murder, Exton finally has the killer at his mercy. But General St. Cloud has a surprise for him—the truth about Silas's death. While Exton struggles with the ghosts of his past, his allies face dire threats at Panama, where a battle has ensued over a shipment of weapons. The stakes are raised even higher as the dictator of the fair world himself, Grant Osgood, launches the GPI, his Global Planethood Initiative, in hopes of finishing off the Perdition and demolishing the defectors' hopes for liberty. 

With the fate of the planet on the line, Aerie and Exton know each of their decisions could mean the difference between victory and defeat. Can they pay the price that war—and true love—demands?

FROM THE AUTHOR: 

Enjoy the pleasure of finishing the Divine Space Pirates trilogy, a science fiction romance series for teen and young adults, as Aerie and Exton's love faces off against the pressure of a world at war.

FROM THE BOOK: 

“Loving you is something that might bring me trouble,” Exton said, interrupting Aerie as she silently listed her family’s sins. “But it is also one of the only reasons I work to find solutions.”

“So the world is better off because you love me?” Aerie asked.

“My world certainly is.” His icy blue eyes softened as they looked into hers. In their half-lit room, as they faced each other, Aerie felt as though they were surrounded by a cloud of invisible fire and softness, almost as if their love was made manifest between them. The extra-sensory sensation spirited around them, and she felt it bond them together all over again.  

Aerie’s heart swelled. The uncertainty she’d felt earlier faded as a rush of hope and determination rekindled inside of her.   

WHAT REVIEWERS ARE SAYING: 

5 STARS! ~ Reader's Favorite

Genres: Romance, Science Fiction

384 pages, ebook

Published May 31, 2017

About the author

C. S. Johnson is the award-winning, genre-hopping author of several novels, including sci-fi and fantasy adventures such as the Starlight Chronicles series, the Once Upon a Princess saga, the Divine Space Pirates trilogy, and more. With a gift for sarcasm and an apologetic heart, she currently lives in Atlanta with her family. Find out more at http://www.csjohnson.me.

Reviews

[Sherry Fundin]

The end is near and when the final sentence was read, I was content with the ending of The Divine Space Pirates in The Price of Paradise by C S Johnson.

The clash of family and characters with strong personalities flare and the final battle of the war will be set in motion. I can guess at a lot of what is to come, but the most important thing has me stumped…how will they save Earth from themselves?

Hope. Man’s eternal optimism. Life will go on. And then I thought of a line from Jurassic Park, “Life will find a way,” says Jeff Goldblum. In reality, as in fiction, it reeks of truth.

Can your biggest enemy become your friend? Can hatred be overcome?

The national narrative had focused so much on surviving that it forgot about living. This is one of those stories that give rise to what ifs. So many realistic scenarios spun from our past history that carry a ring of truth, with plenty of fiction so things work out like I want them too.

All the characters grow and develop through each book and many become warm loving people who will stand strong with guns and fists to fight for their freedom. I loved the world created. It is books like The Divine Space Pirates that makes me wonder what the future holds for us. Ecologically, suffering the politicians, big business corruption, greed…I could go on, but you know what I’m talking about.

I am very satisfied with the ending.and love that C S Johnson included an epilogue. Puts the cherry on top.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Price of Paradise by C S Johnson

See more at fundinmental

[C.O. Bonham]

So often the YA Dystopia genre makes the relationship everything. Like once the two love interests are together everything falls into place.

Not so here. For Emery and Exton getting together was just the beginning of their problems.

C.S. Johnson does a fantastic job of portraying the struggles that come with relationships and warfare. When your significant other is your commanding officer, what will that dynamic do to your marriage?

Complicate it.

I can't be mad at either of them as they are both right. (Which is another complicated thing about relationships.)

I enjoyed every book in this series, but I enjoyed this one most because it made the two leads work for their happily ever after.

As with the first two books, the duel narrator's really being the world to life. Not just because the women sound like a woman and the men sound like a man, but they go the extra step to add sound effects to their performance, making it sound more like an audio drama than a narrative.

*I received a free code of this audiobook for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own and are provided honestly.*

[Marlene]

Good ending to the trilogy. Lots of surprises along the way through the entire story line. Strong characters and interesting family dynamics. It also was an interesting look at the extent people would go for those they love and for family members, even if they don't always agree with everything the person they're helping does.

[Christina Morley]

Each book in The Divine Space Pirates trilogy gets more exciting and the final book, The Price of Paradise, is my favorite. All the characters have important parts to play. There is more scheming and danger, some deaths, truths are uncovered, trusting people is tricky, and more! Sometimes I wondered how C.S. Johnson would bring it all together and wrap things up, but she does a fabulous job, making the final scenes satisfying for the reader.

This is a Christian romantic science-fiction series. I own all three eBooks (verified purchases on Amazon Kindle). I also received copies of the audiobooks from the author and I have been slowly reviewing those. I enjoyed listening to this series, and it made boring tasks like folding laundry so much better. Scott and Andrea Senff make a great narrating team! I did notice a few glitches, but they were small hiccups. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Dee/ bookworm]

Absolute worth reading! Great ending! Lots of sad, lots of loss, lots of growing, but lots of love too. One of my absolute parts of the book was "... there's no hope left if all you have is despair." So true and profound. It made me love the series even more. Another thing at the end that really resonated with me was in the authors notes at the end. Johnson said "... true love will give you a taste of Heaven, even if it takes you through Hell, that the things of the past still have a place in shaping the future, and that we struggle with gaining the knowledge of our self and the truth of this life because they are, ultimately, woven together inside of us, changing and non changing at the same time." Johnson is fantastic story teller. Her stories are clean, beautifully woven and have the ability to be read again and again either with the gaining of possible new information each time, or simply just to curl up with an old friend.

[Jessica Jesinghaus]

C.S. Johnson has done it again! Her third and final installment of The Divine Space Pirates series "The Price of Paradise" had me on pins and needles, holding my breath in anticipation. After books one and two, The Price of Paradise finds our main characters and their allies engaged in all-out war against the URS and her dictatorial ruler Director Osgood. What is the price of paradise? What personal costs would you be willing to pay for the benefit and freedom of your fellow man?

After their unexpected reunion in book two, Exton convinces Aerie to marry him. But their marriage is off to a rocky start, what with Exton's commitment to the war effort and overthrowing the URS and Aerie's limited knowledge of how an actual marriage is supposed to work, but when St. Cloud reveals to Exton the real reasons behind his father's assassination things get even harder. Exton begins to question everything. What is the truth? And, if what the General has said is true, what impact does that have on Exton and his life's mission over the last decade? Aerie knows something is bothering Exton and when he refuses to confide in her she is left questioning their bond. If he cannot trust her, where does that leave them? Things get even more strained when a routine rescue mission, led by Aerie's mother Merra, leads to disaster. Characters we know and love are lost, leading Exton, Aerie and others to take drastic measures.

The allegories laid out by C.S. Johnson throughout this series, but especially here in The Price of Paradise, are thought provoking. Lessons of the past... the idea of children repeating the mistakes of their parents... friends lost or sacrificed... blind love, faith and trust... betrayal and redemption... personal sacrifice for the greater good... These are all lessons we can relate to and learn from, regardless of the fantastical war-torn reality our beloved space pirates inhabit. To say The Price of Paradise is a satisfying conclusion to the series is and understatement. It is, ultimately, a treatise on the importance of love, honesty, and faith in a higher power coupled with hard work and determination to question the status quo.


**Reviewed for Readers' Favorite**

[Rebecca Evans]

What a great way to end the series and it was a mostly happy ever after for most of the characters in the story. I don't really want to give anything away, but it I was hooked on the series right from the beginning. I love the interaction between the characters, how they grew and bounced of each other and the humor between them.
This story is more about the love and trust we have for a special other/family and how to overcome other problems that we face in the world or with ourselves.

Thanks for the journey C.S. Johnson....would recommend any of your stories to anyone.

[Katie]

Wow! C.S. Johnson has bowled me over with this book. I have enjoyed other books by her, but this one is better than the rest! It caught and held my attention immediately, couldn't put it down! I love finding great books like this, they seem to be few and far between.

[K]

A great ending to a beautiful trilogy. I Will miss Space Pirates because it was one of my favorite trilogy 's!

[Anne-Marie]

In this third and final book of this series all the questions are answered. Love concours all in the end. Aerie and Exton realize that in love there is strength and peace, trust and forgiveness as well as frustration and reward. A great ending to this trilogy.

[Barbara]

The third and last book in the Divine Space Pirates trilogy series a well written story with a very good ending to this series. Aerie and Exton are still at war with the Revolutionary States. There is suspense, lies, drama, danger, secrets told, and romance.I am sad to see this series end, but liked the way it did.

[Elizabeth McDaniel]

In this interesting and exciting conclusion to this trilogy Exton and Aerie bring to their marriage a little more than most families bring to a marriage; especially during this time of war, greed, political corruption and a father like General St Cloud making this a very well written and intriguing book with some unexpected twists thrown in.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Terri Rand]

I really could not wait for this book. Aerie and Exton are my favorite characters to date in any of C.S. Johnson's books. I could relate to Aerie and her relationship with Exton. I have never read two characters that were so similar to myself and my husband. The final book is full of action, adventure, love, family, loss, and hope. It was with a heavy heart that I came to the end of my adventures with Exton and Aerie and their friends and family. I was very conflicted, couldn't wait to see how it ended, but didn't want it to end. The Price of Paradise was a very satisfying ending to a terrific trilogy. C.S. Johnson has done it again!!

[Gay Deputee]

Wonderful series. Great characters, very lovable. Story moves along at a great pace.

[Pat]

It has taken me a while to finish up this series. I think this is a great wrap-up to the series I enjoyed. There are many secrets that Aerie learns about her parent's actions. Exton learns secrets about his father. But do these truths drive them apart or allow them to put the past behind & develop their own relationship? I received a free copy from the author. This is my voluntary review.

[Darla]

Love this series. In fact, I love every book that I've read that was written by this author. If you like fantasy books, you will love them, too. Give her books a try. You won't be sorry.