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The Orion's crew has abandoned their ship, walked into the Caldera wilderness, and vanished. If she's lucky, Jenny Black Wolf won't die trying to find out why.
Jenny Black Wolf, a civilian scientist and tracker, and Curran TaZarin, the Defender's Deniban first officer, begin what should have been a routine mission to Caldera to find and rescue the passenger and crew of the military transport Orion.
Caldera is a barely explored, volcanically active planet located deep inside Alliance territory. The Orion is where the briefing officer said it would be, but the crew isn’t, and now there are Karghan marines on Caldera. They've torn the Orion apart, looking for what they came for, didn't find it, and have started hunting the Orion's crew.
As Jenny and Curran enter the Hell's Gate Lava Bed in search of the Orion's people, a deep but unintended psychic bond begins to form between them—a dangerous mind-link neither of them wants. Now, the secrets each of them carry could destroy the mission. The secret the Orion is carrying could destroy worlds. And the Karghans know Jenny and Curran are on Caldera.
"This book was so different and intriguing I looked forward to every page."
"Unusually deep, with strong characters and emotions."
"Remarkable world-building. Great characters!"
"I absolutely loved this book! Finally, a believable sci-fi."
"Finished this book over the weekend and I loved it. The characters are staying with me, even though the book is long finished. Clearly, they made an impression on me. Glad to have found this author and glad there are more books in this series."
Jenny Black Wolf, a civilian scientist and tracker, and Curran TaZarin, the Defender's Deniban first officer, begin what should have been a routine mission to Caldera to find and rescue the passenger and crew of the military transport Orion.
Caldera is a barely explored, volcanically active planet located deep inside Alliance territory. The Orion is where the briefing officer said it would be, but the crew isn’t, and now there are Karghan marines on Caldera. They've torn the Orion apart, looking for what they came for, didn't find it, and have started hunting the Orion's crew.
As Jenny and Curran enter the Hell's Gate Lava Bed in search of the Orion's people, a deep but unintended psychic bond begins to form between them—a dangerous mind-link neither of them wants. Now, the secrets each of them carry could destroy the mission. The secret the Orion is carrying could destroy worlds. And the Karghans know Jenny and Curran are on Caldera.
"This book was so different and intriguing I looked forward to every page."
"Unusually deep, with strong characters and emotions."
"Remarkable world-building. Great characters!"
"I absolutely loved this book! Finally, a believable sci-fi."
"Finished this book over the weekend and I loved it. The characters are staying with me, even though the book is long finished. Clearly, they made an impression on me. Glad to have found this author and glad there are more books in this series."
- GenresFantasy
233 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 4, 2020
About the author
Renee Wood
6 books6 followersRenee Wood is the author of the Jenny Black Wolf science fiction series, a series that explores the deep connections between ecology, culture, and the human heart. Renee and her protagonist Jenny Black Wolf share a fascination with the natural world and how it works, a deep curiosity about people, and a stubborn refusal to quit once a path has been chosen.
Like Jenny, Renee knows hard work first-hand. Her experience ranges from subsistence farming and construction work to tailing the edger at an old-time three-man sawmill. She's played banjo and tin whistle in bands focused on traditional Irish and American dance music and is also an accomplished jazz saxophonist.
Renee lives in a small town in the Missouri Ozarks near thousands of acres of national forest. When she is not writing, she spends as much time as possible in the woods, attentive to the living systems that shape her work and her life.
Like Jenny, Renee knows hard work first-hand. Her experience ranges from subsistence farming and construction work to tailing the edger at an old-time three-man sawmill. She's played banjo and tin whistle in bands focused on traditional Irish and American dance music and is also an accomplished jazz saxophonist.
Renee lives in a small town in the Missouri Ozarks near thousands of acres of national forest. When she is not writing, she spends as much time as possible in the woods, attentive to the living systems that shape her work and her life.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 9, 2020
I love these characters, the description of the environment, and the creative integration of input from different cultures. The tale is both down to earth and fanciful, the characters engaging, and the story suspenseful. I'm looking forward to reading book two of the series, The Sound of Heat.
October 10, 2020
A page turner, heroine action thriller and love
Wow.
I love a good action thriller where the main character is a strong, but flawed, woman. And which shares deep insights into the characters’ hidden personalities and secrets. And which is able to build a cohesive and believable new world. And flavors it with a good love story and interesting and novel creatures.
The author has done so. Highly recommended. Now I’m off to find the next book in the series.
Wow.
I love a good action thriller where the main character is a strong, but flawed, woman. And which shares deep insights into the characters’ hidden personalities and secrets. And which is able to build a cohesive and believable new world. And flavors it with a good love story and interesting and novel creatures.
The author has done so. Highly recommended. Now I’m off to find the next book in the series.
October 13, 2020
I finished this book last night. It was great. I love how the landscape became a major character. The descriptions are rich and clear. It shows an alien World, strange yet understandable.
The dialogue between the characters was clear, and I never had to wonder who was talking. The relationship between Curran and Jenny was drawn in a minimalist way that made room for the deeper aspects of what was going on in their interactions to come through. The exploration of an alien psyche was handled with a light touch and it never lost me.
Cat emerged slowly as something more than an earth bred cat. She definitely showed some very uncat-like behavior but that came through after her character was firmly established. She remained a powerful ally, never once devolving into a pet.
It’s a great piece of work well drawn and original.
The dialogue between the characters was clear, and I never had to wonder who was talking. The relationship between Curran and Jenny was drawn in a minimalist way that made room for the deeper aspects of what was going on in their interactions to come through. The exploration of an alien psyche was handled with a light touch and it never lost me.
Cat emerged slowly as something more than an earth bred cat. She definitely showed some very uncat-like behavior but that came through after her character was firmly established. She remained a powerful ally, never once devolving into a pet.
It’s a great piece of work well drawn and original.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2022
Amazing book, absolutely incredible this is the first time I have heard of this author and I am so impressed.
Her writing is so deep and compelling and intense that I was so moved by it. What got to me was the power of the descriptive narrative that resonated straight to my heart and found a place there. It is not an easy thing to describe a scene and make it seem so real and that is what the author has done. Wow! This is a must-read
Her writing is so deep and compelling and intense that I was so moved by it. What got to me was the power of the descriptive narrative that resonated straight to my heart and found a place there. It is not an easy thing to describe a scene and make it seem so real and that is what the author has done. Wow! This is a must-read
June 17, 2022
Interesting
Jenny Back Wolf is a tracker, scientist and rescuer. Her life has been chaos, wandering and loss. When she's asked t pick up some crashed survivors on a planet she knows well she doesn't think much of it. But what was supposed to be just finding and collecting survivors turns into an attack by rogue aliens, a reunion with an old friend and very confusing bond with a crew mate on the ship that's escorting her.
Spoilers ahead.
This was very interesting. And should probably have a mention of violence in it. You expect some, it's a space story with some mystery and fighting. But this is a personal attack, where someone strikes her face after things seemed to be heading in a different direction. So, it does deserve a mention for readers. The story itself was interesting. The mystery of the aliens after what seems like ordinary crash survivors, the different races mentioned, the colonization of humans on new worlds. I'd love a lot better look at the cultures of the beings mentioned. Especially with the development that happened. The cat was amazing. I'd definitely like to visit her again. I'm hoping that more information is included in the upcoming stories. I love sci-fi, but the best part is meeting new species, and learning the cultures involved.
Jenny Back Wolf is a tracker, scientist and rescuer. Her life has been chaos, wandering and loss. When she's asked t pick up some crashed survivors on a planet she knows well she doesn't think much of it. But what was supposed to be just finding and collecting survivors turns into an attack by rogue aliens, a reunion with an old friend and very confusing bond with a crew mate on the ship that's escorting her.
Spoilers ahead.
This was very interesting. And should probably have a mention of violence in it. You expect some, it's a space story with some mystery and fighting. But this is a personal attack, where someone strikes her face after things seemed to be heading in a different direction. So, it does deserve a mention for readers. The story itself was interesting. The mystery of the aliens after what seems like ordinary crash survivors, the different races mentioned, the colonization of humans on new worlds. I'd love a lot better look at the cultures of the beings mentioned. Especially with the development that happened. The cat was amazing. I'd definitely like to visit her again. I'm hoping that more information is included in the upcoming stories. I love sci-fi, but the best part is meeting new species, and learning the cultures involved.
May 23, 2021
Excellent book. I almost never give five stars, but this book was so different and intriguing, I looked forward to every page.
February 19, 2022
Loved it, a more hard science fiction than fantasy, but with a bit of mysticism, great characters and I hope they are all back for the next installment
July 3, 2022
Time and another book or two,
I didn't get involved as deeply as possible, something was not setting quite right with the characters for me. But I stayed with the book to the end. I think the overall storyline has good possibilities the author has hinted will be worth the time to read the next book or two. If I have not become more comfortable by then, I will move on without investing more time.
I didn't get involved as deeply as possible, something was not setting quite right with the characters for me. But I stayed with the book to the end. I think the overall storyline has good possibilities the author has hinted will be worth the time to read the next book or two. If I have not become more comfortable by then, I will move on without investing more time.
July 10, 2021
Interesting and entertaining
This book has a different view on telepathy and one of the main characters is a very sentient, very large cat. The story was a nice mix of physical action and mental action. I think the mental action was more important to the characters. I loved Cat. I could read many stories containing that character.
This book has a different view on telepathy and one of the main characters is a very sentient, very large cat. The story was a nice mix of physical action and mental action. I think the mental action was more important to the characters. I loved Cat. I could read many stories containing that character.
January 16, 2022
Different
Not a fan of sci fi, but I liked this book. Cat is the best character. I think more of her would be great.
Not a fan of sci fi, but I liked this book. Cat is the best character. I think more of her would be great.
April 30, 2022
A lovely story
Unusually deep with strong characters and emotions. In terms of syfy not many new ideas. Overall a good solid read.
Unusually deep with strong characters and emotions. In terms of syfy not many new ideas. Overall a good solid read.
November 28, 2022
Finally, a believable sci-fi!
I absolutely loved this book. The characters are interesting, the world is fully developed. And a psychic cat!
Will be reading the rest of this series.
I absolutely loved this book. The characters are interesting, the world is fully developed. And a psychic cat!
Will be reading the rest of this series.
January 23, 2026
good read
Well written and an entertaining story. Characters grew through the end. Looking forward to more of their story and hopefully more Cat
Well written and an entertaining story. Characters grew through the end. Looking forward to more of their story and hopefully more Cat
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews