The Mod War has ended, leaving veterans with no place to call home. Cast aside by the people they protected, cybernetically enhanced sailors turn to a life of piracy.
When Orinthia Anton loses her job as a Marauder Hunter, she’s left with no money and is about to be thrown on the streets. Fed up with the life she’s lived so far, she signs on with the notorious marauder crew of the Fera. Yet, being a space pirate is a whirlwind of danger and betrayal. Her first mission forces her to hunt down the creator of the Fera's captain - a ruthless AI war machine in human form. As she delves deeper, Orinthia uncovers truths that threaten not only her life but the fragile bonds she’s beginning to form with her new crew.
Feel the pulse-pounding tension and raw emotion as Orinthia battles her past and navigates a treacherous future. In a world where trust is a luxury, and every ally is a potential enemy, will she find the family she never had, or will her secret tear them apart?
Lorena Para (1990-present) was born in Southern California. Her parents moved to The Land of Enchantment (New Mexico, USA) in 1993, where she lived until high school graduation in 2008. She moved back to California and attended college. While working on her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, she met her husband. They live together in a small mountain town tucked away between Los Angeles and Fresno, along with their two children, dogs, chickens, ducks, and hobby farm. Lorena is a fan of writing science fiction, dystopian, and post-apocalyptic genres. She finished her first self-published series in 2020 and is currently working on an expansive space pirate series. When she isn’t writing, she is running a small handmade sticker business, homeschooling, her daughter, playing video games, and consuming all Star Wars media.
The worldbuilding is interesting but dark for the war veterans. Thia was not a character easy for me to like; I wanted to shake some sense into her several times. But she has issues, as I discovered, and I tried to judge her less harshly. I liked Thrutt, Kos, and Uri. The story is a fast read and well-written.
At first, I really couldn’t stand the main character, Orinthia. And by that, I mean I hated her. She came off as a spoiled brat who never took responsibility for her own mistakes. But by the end, she’s completely transformed into a much better version of herself. The story follows Orinthia as she ditches her job as a pirate hunter to actually become a pirate. This decision throws her into all kinds of unexpected situations that push her in ways she never saw coming. The world-building in The Fera is super cool. It’s got this mix of cyberpunk and space opera vibes that make for a really unique setting. The book keeps things moving at a fast pace, giving just enough detail to build the world without slowing things down. One small thing that bugged me was Orinthia’s use of swords in a futuristic setting. But I get that this is a common trope in sci-fi, so it’s more of a personal nitpick. That aside, the story kept me hooked, and I’m definitely interested in picking up the next book in the series. Overall, The Fera by Lorena Para is a fun, fast-paced read with great character growth, an awesome setting, and plenty of action. I’m excited to see where Orinthia’s journey goes next!
The Fera by Lorena Para is an exciting blend of high-stakes adventure, sci-fi modifications, and deep character connections. With a vibe that feels like The Clone Wars meets Pirates of the Caribbean, it delivers an action-packed, emotionally driven story that keeps you hooked.
One of the book’s biggest strengths is its characters. Orinthia is a fierce and capable protagonist, carrying the story with her strength and determination. Thrutt serves as a compelling father figure, adding warmth and depth, while Kos brings a gruff, brooding presence that plays into the book’s strong found family dynamic. While there is a romance element, it’s very subtle—what stands out more is the bond between Orinthia, Kos, and Thrutt, which adds emotional weight to the story.
If there’s one thing I wish the book had more of, it’s worldbuilding—especially when it comes to the Mod War. A deeper dive into this conflict would make the stakes feel even stronger.
Overall, The Fera is a compelling read with strong characters, an exciting premise, and an engaging found family dynamic. I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the series!
Brash and fierce, Orinthia aspires to become a Captain in the Galactic Marauder Hunter division, seeking purpose and belonging. However, her family views her as a disappointment, merely a tool to be controlled. Made to feel worthless and isolated, she accepts a position on the Fera, plunging into the darkness of space. Can she prove herself as a marauder and become what she has long hunted? Orinthia seizes her chance to escape her family’s shadow and embark on a stellar adventure. This thrilling space opera is fast-paced and action-packed, blending the nostalgia of *Firefly* with the epic scope of *Star Wars*, all while adding a unique cyberpunk twist. I’m captivated by Orinthia’s struggle against her own traumas and her fight against corrupt authority. I’m eagerly anticipating the next installment in this exciting series!
Very fun read! The pacing does feel a little rushed to me, as there is some suspension of disbelief required for the characters to make certain decisions to get things going as fast as possible, but it is a short book, and I have mostly been reading 600-1000 page epic fantasy lately so it may just stand out by contrast.
I love the world building and the cyborg mod tech and am looking forward to reading book 2 when it comes out!
I enjoyed the different characters with their mods. Their interactions and the conflicts that resulted made the story. Any fan of space operas should enjoy reading this book. I rated it as 5 stars even with a couple minor editing errors because it was fun to read.
I enjoyed this first book of the series. It's good, clean, Sci-Fi fun with some good world building and a variety of interesting characters, each with their own back story and reasons for their choices in the universe. It's well written and easy to follow. Impressive writing for a first full length novel.
I was initially put off by the oppositional nature of the main character. As I learned more of her story I began to understand why she behaved the way she did. The story drew me in and I look forward to more adventures from the three friends.
Won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. What a fun read. Sucked me in and couldn't put it down. Now just have to wait to see what happens to all the characters. It does seem that many choices are made in a hurry, but sometimes that's what you have to do to keep going.
The storyline and the character development were okay to good. However, this was by no means a “hard sci-fi” novel. I found the lack of scientific plausibility distracting.
If you're looking for a fun, fast paced scifi novel, look no further! Lorena Para has it all in this short novel. It's a wild ride from beginning to end, with plenty of action scenes, twists, and well planned characters. I'm excited to see where this series goes.
The Fera, Book 1 of the Space Maurader Chronicles by Lorena Para. Well written Space Opera. Everything is going wrong for Orinthia. Family is a mess, lost her job, kicked out of her apartment. She takes a last chance job with a Space Maurader company. Will read book 2 The Gravity of Elendoras.
Won in a Goodreads giveaway. It’s a good Sci-Fi adventure that gave me some Treasure Planet vibes (remember that move?!). Throughly enjoyed it and will be looking for book 2 :)
I won a kindle copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. This book isn’t my usual genre, but I enjoyed the characters and look forward to the next book in the series.