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Realms Beyond #1
Beyond the Rain
In a universe torn apart by civil war, a warrior and a slave must fight for their lives and a love that may destroy them both.
After five years behind enemy lines, Captain Cyani has to complete one final mission before she can return to Azra-a planet ruled by a sisterhood of celibate warriors. Along the way she finds a prisoner, chained and beaten-but radiating feral power and an unbroken spirit.
For years Soren has endured torture as his captors leeched his very essence, a unique hormone then sold as a sexual narcotic in the shadow trade. Now he has been freed from slavery by a beautiful warrior woman with radiant blue eyes.
After years in bondage, Soren's hormones are so unbalanced that he will die if he does not mate with a woman. Can Cyani be the woman he needs to survive, or will this forbidden bond destroy them?
After five years behind enemy lines, Captain Cyani has to complete one final mission before she can return to Azra-a planet ruled by a sisterhood of celibate warriors. Along the way she finds a prisoner, chained and beaten-but radiating feral power and an unbroken spirit.
For years Soren has endured torture as his captors leeched his very essence, a unique hormone then sold as a sexual narcotic in the shadow trade. Now he has been freed from slavery by a beautiful warrior woman with radiant blue eyes.
After years in bondage, Soren's hormones are so unbalanced that he will die if he does not mate with a woman. Can Cyani be the woman he needs to survive, or will this forbidden bond destroy them?
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2009
14 people are currently reading
1259 people want to read
About the author
Jess Granger
6 books45 followersI grew up in a small town in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley in California. As a kid, I spent most of my time reading, swimming, fostering my obsession with horses, and annoying my two brothers. I loved to write, though I’m pretty sure the only “book” I wrote as a child had something to do with a princess hiding behind a tapestry so she could sneak out of her castle because her brother was being mean and she wanted an adventure. I don’t think I ever finished that one, which is a shame.
My imaginative childhood grew into a thirst for knowledge and adventure that I’ve kept to this day. I love to travel and try new things. I worked as a balloon artist in restaurants, rehabilitated injured hawks and owls as a volunteer at a raptor management center, traveled all over the country during my trumpet playing days with the Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh, managed to wander to Europe to explore Germany, France, and Spain, and finally settled down with my wonderful husband to raise a couple of kids, a couple of cats and one fantastic All-American mutt.
Now my hobbies include making beer, birdwatching, and trying to tame my massive butterfly garden. I hope to bring you stories of love and adventure that entertain you as much as they have captivated me.
My imaginative childhood grew into a thirst for knowledge and adventure that I’ve kept to this day. I love to travel and try new things. I worked as a balloon artist in restaurants, rehabilitated injured hawks and owls as a volunteer at a raptor management center, traveled all over the country during my trumpet playing days with the Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh, managed to wander to Europe to explore Germany, France, and Spain, and finally settled down with my wonderful husband to raise a couple of kids, a couple of cats and one fantastic All-American mutt.
Now my hobbies include making beer, birdwatching, and trying to tame my massive butterfly garden. I hope to bring you stories of love and adventure that entertain you as much as they have captivated me.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
September 6, 2009
In the baseball vernacular, I love, just love when a new author hits the ball right out of the ballpark in her first at bat and to my way of thinking, Jess Granger has done this with Beyond the Rain. This debut book is Very Good – Very Good Indeed! And how so you ask?
First of all, the world building is excellent. I always admire authors who write SciFi Romance/Futuristics because to me they start from scratch more then any other genre. Whereas a medieval or a historical or RS already has a basis on which to start a story, a good Futuristic starts from nothing. The author literally has to create a whole new world. And I believed the world that Ms. Granger created.
And what is a Very Good - Very Good Indeed book without a heroine and hero you can grab hold of? Cyani is an excellent heroine. Trapped in a destitute environment, she is taken away from it and trained at great cost and pain, to be a warrior without feeling. The only reason she can justify for going through what she has had to is the knowledge that she is saving the life of her twin brother and parents. She has one last mission to accomplish before she heads back to her home world for a life of solitude and silence. But on her last mission, just as she is ready to head back with a group of prisoners she has rescued, she discovers there is one more. When she sees him, chained and masked so he can’t see, with all the damage done to his body, she sends her crew away rather then risking their lives and stays and rescues this mysterious man. She is a woman of strength and honour, compassion and loyalty.
And Soren, the hero – WoWzErS – what a hero he is! He is one of those tortured heroes I love so well. While not an alpha in the traditional sense, neither is he a beta hero. He combines the best of both and is a hero onto himself. He is willing to risk his life over and over in order to give Cyani her choices. He respects and admires her, not just for rescuing him from a life of hell, but because he understands her. He is one of the most noble heroes I’ve read in a very long time. And not only that – he is one of those yummy virgin heroes. But since he comes from a very sensual race, he makes for a very good partner. I can’t say enough good things about him.
In addition, the secondary cast of characters are equally well done. There is one in particular who just screams out for his own story. I don’t see any mention of it on Ms. Grangers web site – but I hope she has something in the works for him. I’m not always like this with secondary characters, I can be just as happy with stand alone books, but this is a real exception.
Now I better warn you because I know this theme isn’t for everyone, but I really enjoy it, this is one of those bonded mate stories.
When I close the cover and want to go back and read it all over again, I know I’ve found me a good one! I hope the buzz on this one continues to be good; Dear Author has this as one of their recommended reads for August, as I think there are many readers who will think this one Very Good, Very Good indeed.
First of all, the world building is excellent. I always admire authors who write SciFi Romance/Futuristics because to me they start from scratch more then any other genre. Whereas a medieval or a historical or RS already has a basis on which to start a story, a good Futuristic starts from nothing. The author literally has to create a whole new world. And I believed the world that Ms. Granger created.
And what is a Very Good - Very Good Indeed book without a heroine and hero you can grab hold of? Cyani is an excellent heroine. Trapped in a destitute environment, she is taken away from it and trained at great cost and pain, to be a warrior without feeling. The only reason she can justify for going through what she has had to is the knowledge that she is saving the life of her twin brother and parents. She has one last mission to accomplish before she heads back to her home world for a life of solitude and silence. But on her last mission, just as she is ready to head back with a group of prisoners she has rescued, she discovers there is one more. When she sees him, chained and masked so he can’t see, with all the damage done to his body, she sends her crew away rather then risking their lives and stays and rescues this mysterious man. She is a woman of strength and honour, compassion and loyalty.
And Soren, the hero – WoWzErS – what a hero he is! He is one of those tortured heroes I love so well. While not an alpha in the traditional sense, neither is he a beta hero. He combines the best of both and is a hero onto himself. He is willing to risk his life over and over in order to give Cyani her choices. He respects and admires her, not just for rescuing him from a life of hell, but because he understands her. He is one of the most noble heroes I’ve read in a very long time. And not only that – he is one of those yummy virgin heroes. But since he comes from a very sensual race, he makes for a very good partner. I can’t say enough good things about him.
In addition, the secondary cast of characters are equally well done. There is one in particular who just screams out for his own story. I don’t see any mention of it on Ms. Grangers web site – but I hope she has something in the works for him. I’m not always like this with secondary characters, I can be just as happy with stand alone books, but this is a real exception.
Now I better warn you because I know this theme isn’t for everyone, but I really enjoy it, this is one of those bonded mate stories.
When I close the cover and want to go back and read it all over again, I know I’ve found me a good one! I hope the buzz on this one continues to be good; Dear Author has this as one of their recommended reads for August, as I think there are many readers who will think this one Very Good, Very Good indeed.
July 11, 2016
++Spoilers++
Pretty good.
Not quite a 5 star read, soley because I felt the world build lacking. It was good, but I think there should have been more descriptions, especially in the beginning. I was lost as to where they were. Inside? Outside? Maybe it's just me but I had a hard time visualizing the surroundings.. mostly in the beginning but everything after was better.
The story was pretty complex, unique and imaginative. Some things were predictable, but not overly so. The pace was steady and kept my interest. The characters were well developed, but my complaint is that it took too long to "know" them. Thr characters past is revealed in such small bits and pieces that I was almost wondering if the author forgot to elaborate. No worries, we do eventually get the whole picture so stay with it.
I really loved the hero, wh0 was perfect, and the heroine was likable for the most part, but slighly annoying with her resistance of her feelings with him. I wish it were explained earlier on about her reasons for not wanting to be touched. To be honest I'm still not real clear about it. We know she is forbidden romantic contact because she is an Elite, but her trauma at being almost raped wasn't mentioned until later on.
What REALLY pissed me off about the heroine was her putting her duty above Soren in the end.
I was sooo glad when her brother Cyn finally yelled at her and made her see the light.
The last thing that annoyed me is the whole lack of communication thing near the end. Oh how I hate that. If only she told him... and why the hell didn't she? What the hell was the big deal in saying she had to lead her people and couldn't go with him? And why not ask him to stay with HER? At least for awhile anyway.
Overall I really like the story and was happy it all worked out in the end.
I would definately recommend this to friends, but I'm not yet convinced to read the second in the series.
Safety
Hero - virgin
Heroine- Unsure if experienced. No mention of her past, and no pain or blood with her first time with hero. But! She was an Elite at a young age, so I would think she was a virgin.
OW-No
Cheating-No
Violence- mild
Cursing- Damn was the worst of it
Adultry-No
Lovng-yes, mild some details nothing erotic
HEA-yes
Marriage-not mentioned, assumed so
Pregnancy-yes
Pretty good.
Not quite a 5 star read, soley because I felt the world build lacking. It was good, but I think there should have been more descriptions, especially in the beginning. I was lost as to where they were. Inside? Outside? Maybe it's just me but I had a hard time visualizing the surroundings.. mostly in the beginning but everything after was better.
The story was pretty complex, unique and imaginative. Some things were predictable, but not overly so. The pace was steady and kept my interest. The characters were well developed, but my complaint is that it took too long to "know" them. Thr characters past is revealed in such small bits and pieces that I was almost wondering if the author forgot to elaborate. No worries, we do eventually get the whole picture so stay with it.
I really loved the hero, wh0 was perfect, and the heroine was likable for the most part, but slighly annoying with her resistance of her feelings with him. I wish it were explained earlier on about her reasons for not wanting to be touched. To be honest I'm still not real clear about it. We know she is forbidden romantic contact because she is an Elite, but her trauma at being almost raped wasn't mentioned until later on.
What REALLY pissed me off about the heroine was her putting her duty above Soren in the end.
I was sooo glad when her brother Cyn finally yelled at her and made her see the light.
The last thing that annoyed me is the whole lack of communication thing near the end. Oh how I hate that. If only she told him... and why the hell didn't she? What the hell was the big deal in saying she had to lead her people and couldn't go with him? And why not ask him to stay with HER? At least for awhile anyway.
Overall I really like the story and was happy it all worked out in the end.
I would definately recommend this to friends, but I'm not yet convinced to read the second in the series.
Safety
Hero - virgin
Heroine- Unsure if experienced. No mention of her past, and no pain or blood with her first time with hero. But! She was an Elite at a young age, so I would think she was a virgin.
OW-No
Cheating-No
Violence- mild
Cursing- Damn was the worst of it
Adultry-No
Lovng-yes, mild some details nothing erotic
HEA-yes
Marriage-not mentioned, assumed so
Pregnancy-yes
October 14, 2021
This is my third read of this story. It has an old-school/sci-fi romance feel to it. I LOVE the hero, Soren. I LOVE the slow world building (no info dumps!). And I LOVE the kick-butt heroine, however, she still takes WAY too long to choose Soren.
*****
Captian Cyani is a warrior, she’s spent 14 years fighting for the Union. While she’s fierce, there is a sweet underlying venerability about her that I really like. She sacrifices for what she believes in. Her only friend is a fox-like creature. She is very lonely.
Soren has been a captive of cruel slavers for years. He is tortured for his essence that produces a highly sought over, drug-like substance. They meet when Cyani risks her life to rescues Soren from his captors and they crash land on a foreign planet.
Soren is a sensitive alpha. He will do anything for Cyani, protect her from enemies and even himself, if that is her choice. I believe they are both virgins, however only Soren specifically says he is. Their friendship and romance was a slow burn, but it’s intense. Soren’s species NEEDS a mate for survival, and will bond quickly. I love how his eye’s change color depending on his moods and this helps Cyani know what he’s feeling.
I wish that Jess Granger was still writing this genre, as she was wonderful in creating this world and the slow burn romance of these two original characters.
I love the correlation of the flowers from Cyani’s world (and her tattoos) to the flowering vicious weeds from Soren’s world, they both describe Cyani to perfection.
*****
Captian Cyani is a warrior, she’s spent 14 years fighting for the Union. While she’s fierce, there is a sweet underlying venerability about her that I really like. She sacrifices for what she believes in. Her only friend is a fox-like creature. She is very lonely.
Soren has been a captive of cruel slavers for years. He is tortured for his essence that produces a highly sought over, drug-like substance. They meet when Cyani risks her life to rescues Soren from his captors and they crash land on a foreign planet.
Soren is a sensitive alpha. He will do anything for Cyani, protect her from enemies and even himself, if that is her choice. I believe they are both virgins, however only Soren specifically says he is. Their friendship and romance was a slow burn, but it’s intense. Soren’s species NEEDS a mate for survival, and will bond quickly. I love how his eye’s change color depending on his moods and this helps Cyani know what he’s feeling.
I wish that Jess Granger was still writing this genre, as she was wonderful in creating this world and the slow burn romance of these two original characters.
I love the correlation of the flowers from Cyani’s world (and her tattoos) to the flowering vicious weeds from Soren’s world, they both describe Cyani to perfection.
“Pakka vines, like your tattoos,” he explained.
She lifted her wrist. “These are Ciera blossoms,” she chuckled. Then she sobered as she thought about the meaning of her tattoos. “They start their lives on the ground of Azra. They grow for decades, reaching through the darkness until they finally climb into the canopy. When they see the light for the first time, they bloom.....what did you think they were?”
“Pakka vines,” he admitted. “They are a stubborn weed with nasty thorns that make you break out in an irritating rash....but when they bloom, their beauty is beyond belief.”
December 1, 2016
This book was okay. The ending was a little too HEA (happy ever after) and everything before was a lot of half-truths that if spoken could have saved a lot of angst.
March 5, 2017
I really liked this story. The world building could have been better but overall it kept my intertest. So much that I am looking foward to the brother's story.
September 21, 2014
Wow what a wonderful futuristic world JG created. This was such a wonderful book. I had a hard time putting it down. The whole futuristic thing isn't always something that I can get into. This was so not the case here. Soren and Cyani were so wonderfully sweet together that I hated for this to end. I really hope that in the next book I can get a little bit more of them. The H/H each have their own physical and emotional scars and yet they find a way to help each other and fall in love. This not one of those books where they fall in love right away.
Captain Cyani is ready to retire to her home world. But she had one last mission , to rescue her fellow Union Soldiers . She find something just before she leaves... another prisoner, chained and beaten - but he has power and doesn't seem to have been broken yet.
Soren is a Byralen who possesses a unique hormone so that can bond with their mates. That hormone is sold as a sexual narcotic in the shadow trade. Poor guy has suffered for years as a prisoner with torture from his capture as they try and take his essence.
Cyani risks everything to help save Soren. She will not leave him behind. They have a lot to overcome. There are moments where Soren is overwhelmed with his anger over what happened to him and lashes out at Cyani. But Cyani understands. She too has has to horrible things happens to her. Together they fight their way through the baddies to try and get Soren safely home. There is so much more going on here. Pain, sickness, shipcrash, finding a new tribe on a unfamiliar planet, reuniting with lost loved ones. It was a wonderful and emotional book. The love and sacrifices that one gives to another.
On a side note Cyani has a (pet) named Vicca. I want one. Like a little fox... I fell in love with her right away. She was so damn cute.
Captain Cyani is ready to retire to her home world. But she had one last mission , to rescue her fellow Union Soldiers . She find something just before she leaves... another prisoner, chained and beaten - but he has power and doesn't seem to have been broken yet.
Soren is a Byralen who possesses a unique hormone so that can bond with their mates. That hormone is sold as a sexual narcotic in the shadow trade. Poor guy has suffered for years as a prisoner with torture from his capture as they try and take his essence.
Cyani risks everything to help save Soren. She will not leave him behind. They have a lot to overcome. There are moments where Soren is overwhelmed with his anger over what happened to him and lashes out at Cyani. But Cyani understands. She too has has to horrible things happens to her. Together they fight their way through the baddies to try and get Soren safely home. There is so much more going on here. Pain, sickness, shipcrash, finding a new tribe on a unfamiliar planet, reuniting with lost loved ones. It was a wonderful and emotional book. The love and sacrifices that one gives to another.
On a side note Cyani has a (pet) named Vicca. I want one. Like a little fox... I fell in love with her right away. She was so damn cute.
August 11, 2009
The premise behind the book gets three stars. The whole sex-bonding sub-plot is too contrived for my tastes. However, the book gets four stars for not only being well-written, but for taking the contrived "bonding" sub-plot in a new direction. Soren doesn't end up a knuckle-dragging alpha male. He's a hero with honor and compassion, and self-control. Cyani is also a character worth caring about, loyal and courageous. Since Ms. Granger has managed to take a cliched plot line and leave out the cliches, I give this book four stars, and plan to read the next book set in this universe...and I hope there is a next one!
August 27, 2009
Cyani is an intergalactic captain from the planet Azra that is controlled by a group of virgin warrior women who rule with an iron fist. Because Cyani was defending herself from being raped by a group of men when she was a young girl, she was arrested and was sentenced to death. In order to save her life, she was given probation instead. If she puts in her time working in the Union Army and is successful on her missions, she will be able to return to Azra and live a life of isolation. She will finally be filled with peace and serenity where she won’t have to deal with death and destruction. Cyani has been programmed to show no emotion or any feelings. This was beaten out of her. Cyani doesn’t trust anyone and hates being touched. She feels if she missteps or does something wrong, not only will she suffer, but also her family who may be still alive and in hiding. Cyani is very much alone in the world, with only Vicca, a cat like fox who is her scout and back up in case of an emergency.
This latest mission has Cyani and her men rescuing a group of Union soldiers that have been taken captive by the Garulens. Cyani finds a Byralen prisoner. Byralen males have a hormone that is an aphrodisiac and a much wanted commodity on the black market. This prisoner has been given poisons to keep him submissive and has been beaten and abused. Cyani will rescue him even though she places herself in extreme danger if she does. Byralens are very aggressive, strong and fast. They also have the ability to hypnotize their victims and there is a chance that Cyani will become very aroused by being in his presence.
The prisoner is Soren of Eln and was captured in a raid many years before on his planet. He has been tortured for years so he will produce the much desired aphrodisiac. When Soren is finally freed by Cyani, he is very grateful but not too optimistic. Soren expects to die because without the technology used on him by his captors, his body will shut down. The only way he can stop from dying is to form a bond with his mate. He must return to his planet and find a mate before it is too late. As he and Cyani try to find a way off the planet, they begin to form a friendship, which confounds both of them.
Cyani is able to commander a ship and promises Soren she will deliver him home. But things don’t go as planned and they crash land on a primitive planet where Cyani has been hurt and needs time to heal. Soren wants Cyani to live because every time he touches her, much to her dismay, he becomes more possessive and protective. And because the Makkolen people have special powers, they are able to keep Soren alive. Soren longs for home but he likes the Makkolen people because they have a calming way about them. This will give him time to figure out why Cyani is still uncomfortable around him and why he longs to be close to her. Cyani is very much out of her element because she is so used to be buttoned up all the time. Now she is vulnerable and Soren can see this. Cyani can’t help but enjoy the way Soren makes her feel and blames the chemicals he produces for making her feel this way.
The Makkolen expect Soren and Cyani to participate in their mating ceremony and both have no choice but to accept. Soren couldn’t be happier because he has decided what Cyani means to him. He just has to convince her that she is very special to him, and not because she saved him from such unspeakable horrors.
Jess Granger is a welcomed author to the science fiction romance world. Fans of Lauren Dane’s sci-fi books will also enjoy Jess’s storytelling with her first book Beyond the Rain, even though this one is very toned down in the erotic sense. When I first heard about Beyond the Rain I thought it would be heavy on the sex and erotic tension that I have found in such books that are under the Berkley Sensation Sci-Fi Romance line. I was surprised because even though there is sexual tension between Soren and Cyani it has just the right amount where you can enjoy their chemistry and growing feelings for one another without being overwhelmed with too much purple prose like sex descriptions and acts. In some cases that can go a bit too far and too much where the reader may be turned off, rather than turned on.
I enjoyed reading the way Soren and Cyani learn about one another. Soren has a need for closeness, a man who values touch and pleasure. Cyani’s desire for Soren comes from her belief that it is the pheromones Soren gives off that make her respond. Because these two have been denied, you can see that they have not been involved in any intimacies most have experienced. The key word here is: virginity.
Watching Soren and Cyani re-learn these basic necessities, such as want, lust and love we all take for granted was nice to read. I found the love making between these two to be a merging of their souls, even though I would have like a few more of these intimacies before they are forced back into the action and drama that may separate them.
Some readers may be disappointed in the ending because Cyani must sacrifice herself to make certain that the ones she loved are safe. I feel this was an unneeded plot device, one where the couple is separated. This technique has been used so many times in the past. There is really no plausible reason for this. I think Jess wanted to add one more emotional response from the reader before Soren and Cyani have their HEA.
I did enjoy Beyond the Rain and Soren has many of the attributes I like in a romantic hero. Cyani is a bit pricklier, but that is understandable because of what she has gone through in her life. They do have nice chemistry and my favorite parts of the story were when they enjoyed one another with their dialogue and the bond they have built upon.
Beyond the Rain is one book that I recommend for those readers who have been on the fence about whether they should give Sci-Fi Romance a go. There is just a perfect amount of sexual tension and release that does not become too outlandish or implausible.
This latest mission has Cyani and her men rescuing a group of Union soldiers that have been taken captive by the Garulens. Cyani finds a Byralen prisoner. Byralen males have a hormone that is an aphrodisiac and a much wanted commodity on the black market. This prisoner has been given poisons to keep him submissive and has been beaten and abused. Cyani will rescue him even though she places herself in extreme danger if she does. Byralens are very aggressive, strong and fast. They also have the ability to hypnotize their victims and there is a chance that Cyani will become very aroused by being in his presence.
The prisoner is Soren of Eln and was captured in a raid many years before on his planet. He has been tortured for years so he will produce the much desired aphrodisiac. When Soren is finally freed by Cyani, he is very grateful but not too optimistic. Soren expects to die because without the technology used on him by his captors, his body will shut down. The only way he can stop from dying is to form a bond with his mate. He must return to his planet and find a mate before it is too late. As he and Cyani try to find a way off the planet, they begin to form a friendship, which confounds both of them.
Cyani is able to commander a ship and promises Soren she will deliver him home. But things don’t go as planned and they crash land on a primitive planet where Cyani has been hurt and needs time to heal. Soren wants Cyani to live because every time he touches her, much to her dismay, he becomes more possessive and protective. And because the Makkolen people have special powers, they are able to keep Soren alive. Soren longs for home but he likes the Makkolen people because they have a calming way about them. This will give him time to figure out why Cyani is still uncomfortable around him and why he longs to be close to her. Cyani is very much out of her element because she is so used to be buttoned up all the time. Now she is vulnerable and Soren can see this. Cyani can’t help but enjoy the way Soren makes her feel and blames the chemicals he produces for making her feel this way.
The Makkolen expect Soren and Cyani to participate in their mating ceremony and both have no choice but to accept. Soren couldn’t be happier because he has decided what Cyani means to him. He just has to convince her that she is very special to him, and not because she saved him from such unspeakable horrors.
Jess Granger is a welcomed author to the science fiction romance world. Fans of Lauren Dane’s sci-fi books will also enjoy Jess’s storytelling with her first book Beyond the Rain, even though this one is very toned down in the erotic sense. When I first heard about Beyond the Rain I thought it would be heavy on the sex and erotic tension that I have found in such books that are under the Berkley Sensation Sci-Fi Romance line. I was surprised because even though there is sexual tension between Soren and Cyani it has just the right amount where you can enjoy their chemistry and growing feelings for one another without being overwhelmed with too much purple prose like sex descriptions and acts. In some cases that can go a bit too far and too much where the reader may be turned off, rather than turned on.
I enjoyed reading the way Soren and Cyani learn about one another. Soren has a need for closeness, a man who values touch and pleasure. Cyani’s desire for Soren comes from her belief that it is the pheromones Soren gives off that make her respond. Because these two have been denied, you can see that they have not been involved in any intimacies most have experienced. The key word here is: virginity.
Watching Soren and Cyani re-learn these basic necessities, such as want, lust and love we all take for granted was nice to read. I found the love making between these two to be a merging of their souls, even though I would have like a few more of these intimacies before they are forced back into the action and drama that may separate them.
Some readers may be disappointed in the ending because Cyani must sacrifice herself to make certain that the ones she loved are safe. I feel this was an unneeded plot device, one where the couple is separated. This technique has been used so many times in the past. There is really no plausible reason for this. I think Jess wanted to add one more emotional response from the reader before Soren and Cyani have their HEA.
I did enjoy Beyond the Rain and Soren has many of the attributes I like in a romantic hero. Cyani is a bit pricklier, but that is understandable because of what she has gone through in her life. They do have nice chemistry and my favorite parts of the story were when they enjoyed one another with their dialogue and the bond they have built upon.
Beyond the Rain is one book that I recommend for those readers who have been on the fence about whether they should give Sci-Fi Romance a go. There is just a perfect amount of sexual tension and release that does not become too outlandish or implausible.
May 1, 2021
Eh. This was an ok read for me with a set-up that should've been my catnip.
Space romance? Check.
Tortured hero? Check.
Kickass heroine? Check.
VIRGIN hero? All the checks.
And yet, the best I could say is... meh.
Maybe it's because this is an older book and the touchpoints in how it's written feel a little trite. Maybe it's because there is a lot of telling about how these characters feel and very little showing. There should be a wealth of angst to mine with their backstories, yet I didn't feel very invested. This set up should've made me burn for them to be together, but I didn't.
The concept was good. The plot was ok. And the heroine's scout fox was a scene-stealer. But some of the developments were...convenient. And the ending/resolution was abrupt. There is also probably a lot of problems that could've been avoided with some honest conversation.
Not a bad read, but I doubt I'll remember it long.
Space romance? Check.
Tortured hero? Check.
Kickass heroine? Check.
VIRGIN hero? All the checks.
And yet, the best I could say is... meh.
Maybe it's because this is an older book and the touchpoints in how it's written feel a little trite. Maybe it's because there is a lot of telling about how these characters feel and very little showing. There should be a wealth of angst to mine with their backstories, yet I didn't feel very invested. This set up should've made me burn for them to be together, but I didn't.
The concept was good. The plot was ok. And the heroine's scout fox was a scene-stealer. But some of the developments were...convenient. And the ending/resolution was abrupt. There is also probably a lot of problems that could've been avoided with some honest conversation.
Not a bad read, but I doubt I'll remember it long.
February 22, 2010
Very good SF read. Great action, complex world building and memorable characters you would like to know. The plot was intense and page turning, the romance was enduring and touching.
On Cyani's last mission she is caught behind enemy lines while trying to free a very special prisoner from the slave pens. She and the rescued slave first hide together and then steal a ship and escape together only to land on a relatively primitive planet. The pasts and futures of Cyani and Soren are slowly exposed. Her culture's requirements clash with his biological necessities...
This is a first novel with a sequel [BEYOND THE SHADOWS:] due out in May 2010... It ends with the setup for book 2 - which I have already on pre-order!
On Cyani's last mission she is caught behind enemy lines while trying to free a very special prisoner from the slave pens. She and the rescued slave first hide together and then steal a ship and escape together only to land on a relatively primitive planet. The pasts and futures of Cyani and Soren are slowly exposed. Her culture's requirements clash with his biological necessities...
This is a first novel with a sequel [BEYOND THE SHADOWS:] due out in May 2010... It ends with the setup for book 2 - which I have already on pre-order!
May 29, 2011
Loved it. Very well done. The author has created an awesome universe full of interesting peoples and planets - the good guys and the bad guys are not clearly defined, although you think they are. And our hero, Soren, is not a militaristic alpha male, but a striped sex machine whose multihued eyes show his emotions and whose life goals is to grow a lifegarden for his mate. Sign me up - where's my watering can? There's cool technology, interesting sidekicks, and a title that actually matches the story - the rain scenes are great. I can't wait to read the second book!
August 13, 2009
I don't often like futuristic stories, but this one was very engaging. It dragged a bit toward the beginning (I'd say after the first few chapters) but then it picked up again and I was totally sucked in.
Toward the end I started to get frustrated with the heroine and her overblown sense of duty, but Granger really turned it around for me. Overall I was very impressed with the characters and the world-building.
Toward the end I started to get frustrated with the heroine and her overblown sense of duty, but Granger really turned it around for me. Overall I was very impressed with the characters and the world-building.
September 26, 2010
Enjoyable. I liked it. Above average futuristic scifi romance. Interesting characters and events.
STORY BRIEF:
Celibate women warriors rule the planet Azra. They are beaten and trained to avoid touching and loving others. Cyani is one of them, a captain in the Union Army. She is on a mission to rescue slaves held by the Garulens on an asteroid. For their safety she orders her crew to leave the planet while she stays behind to free one last slave, Soren. Soren has been held prisoner for many years. His captors kept him alive with special injections so they could extract and sell his hormones which are used as a sexual narcotic in the shadow trade. Without these injections his hormones are so imbalanced that he will die if he does not bond with a woman. Sex with Cyani can provide what he needs. Although she has been trained to avoid physical touch, she’s having a hard time resisting Soren’s hormones and touch. Love develops between them as they fight and flee from the Garulens. Cyani is torn between loving and living with Soren and her duty as an Azralen warrior. The Grand Sister (ruler of Azralen) has threatened to kill Cyani’s family members if she does not return to her Azralen duties.
REVIEWER’S OPINION – CAUTION SPOILERS:
I don’t want to limit an author’s choices and creativity, but something bothered me and stayed in my mind after reading the book. Two men close to Cyani withheld information from her. As a result she made a poor decision which almost killed Soren. I was uncomfortable with Soren being too much of a martyr. He was willing to die without letting her know she was causing it. Also, Cyn delayed telling her something until it was almost too late. He should have told her sooner. When I finish a book I want to think wow what a good story, but when I finished this one, I kept thinking I didn’t like these two guys withholding information which caused a crisis.
I found it interesting that another reviewer had a problem with the same part of the book I did, but she saw it differently. C. Garrabrant Katiebabs wrote “I feel this was an unneeded plot device, one where the couple is separated. This technique has been used so many times in the past. There is really no plausible reason for this. I think Jess wanted to add one more emotional response from the reader before Soren and Cyani have their HEA.” Good point Katiebabs.
DATA:
Story length: 327 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 5. Total number of sex scene pages: 12. Setting: in the future on different planets. Copyright: 2009. Genre: futuristic romance and science fiction romance.
STORY BRIEF:
Celibate women warriors rule the planet Azra. They are beaten and trained to avoid touching and loving others. Cyani is one of them, a captain in the Union Army. She is on a mission to rescue slaves held by the Garulens on an asteroid. For their safety she orders her crew to leave the planet while she stays behind to free one last slave, Soren. Soren has been held prisoner for many years. His captors kept him alive with special injections so they could extract and sell his hormones which are used as a sexual narcotic in the shadow trade. Without these injections his hormones are so imbalanced that he will die if he does not bond with a woman. Sex with Cyani can provide what he needs. Although she has been trained to avoid physical touch, she’s having a hard time resisting Soren’s hormones and touch. Love develops between them as they fight and flee from the Garulens. Cyani is torn between loving and living with Soren and her duty as an Azralen warrior. The Grand Sister (ruler of Azralen) has threatened to kill Cyani’s family members if she does not return to her Azralen duties.
REVIEWER’S OPINION – CAUTION SPOILERS:
I don’t want to limit an author’s choices and creativity, but something bothered me and stayed in my mind after reading the book. Two men close to Cyani withheld information from her. As a result she made a poor decision which almost killed Soren. I was uncomfortable with Soren being too much of a martyr. He was willing to die without letting her know she was causing it. Also, Cyn delayed telling her something until it was almost too late. He should have told her sooner. When I finish a book I want to think wow what a good story, but when I finished this one, I kept thinking I didn’t like these two guys withholding information which caused a crisis.
I found it interesting that another reviewer had a problem with the same part of the book I did, but she saw it differently. C. Garrabrant Katiebabs wrote “I feel this was an unneeded plot device, one where the couple is separated. This technique has been used so many times in the past. There is really no plausible reason for this. I think Jess wanted to add one more emotional response from the reader before Soren and Cyani have their HEA.” Good point Katiebabs.
DATA:
Story length: 327 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 5. Total number of sex scene pages: 12. Setting: in the future on different planets. Copyright: 2009. Genre: futuristic romance and science fiction romance.
September 7, 2009
Captain Cyani has been fighting for five long years and she's ready to retire to her home world, Azra, as one of the Elite, a sisterhood of celibate warriors whom rule that planet. But before she can do that, she needs to complete one more mission, to rescue fellow Union soldiers. What she didn't expect was to find a slave chained to a wall and severely beaten. Cyani can't just leave him and frees him, only to find a being who radiates sexual power and unbending will to live.
Soren, the slave, is one of the Byralen, a group of people who possess hormones that are used to bond with their mates. Unfortunately, those hormones sell for a pretty penny as a sexual narcotic in the underworld and because of that, he's had to endured torture for years as his captors leeched these stuff from him. As a result, when he's rescued by Cyani, his hormones are all out of whack. And the fact that he certainly didn't expect to be freed by a beautiful soldier.
All Cyani wants is to go back home, and retire but seeing Soren in such a state, she can't help but to stop and help him. Due to being a slave for so many years Soren's hormones are severely unbalanced and if he doesn't bond with a woman, quick, he will die. Is Cyani the woman he needs to survive?
I had a very hard time reading this book. I just couldn't relate to the main characters, Cyani and Soren, at all. These are two very scarred people and seeing them try to deal with each other's problems didn't faze me at all. I was expecting to at least be made to care about what happened to them, but I honestly didn't. I didn't care about what happened to them and that really affected my feelings towards this book. I really didn't hate Beyond the Rain, I thought the fight actions were great and there was something that kept me reading. Because while I didn't much care about the characters, I did wanted to know what would happen next.
About a quarter left of the book was when I felt really invested in the story and that was just not good enough. There were certain parts I did enjoy, but they weren't enough. The writing was okay, there didn't seem to be much character development, which is my main problem.
While I'm sure other readers will enjoy Beyond the Rain, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
Soren, the slave, is one of the Byralen, a group of people who possess hormones that are used to bond with their mates. Unfortunately, those hormones sell for a pretty penny as a sexual narcotic in the underworld and because of that, he's had to endured torture for years as his captors leeched these stuff from him. As a result, when he's rescued by Cyani, his hormones are all out of whack. And the fact that he certainly didn't expect to be freed by a beautiful soldier.
All Cyani wants is to go back home, and retire but seeing Soren in such a state, she can't help but to stop and help him. Due to being a slave for so many years Soren's hormones are severely unbalanced and if he doesn't bond with a woman, quick, he will die. Is Cyani the woman he needs to survive?
I had a very hard time reading this book. I just couldn't relate to the main characters, Cyani and Soren, at all. These are two very scarred people and seeing them try to deal with each other's problems didn't faze me at all. I was expecting to at least be made to care about what happened to them, but I honestly didn't. I didn't care about what happened to them and that really affected my feelings towards this book. I really didn't hate Beyond the Rain, I thought the fight actions were great and there was something that kept me reading. Because while I didn't much care about the characters, I did wanted to know what would happen next.
About a quarter left of the book was when I felt really invested in the story and that was just not good enough. There were certain parts I did enjoy, but they weren't enough. The writing was okay, there didn't seem to be much character development, which is my main problem.
While I'm sure other readers will enjoy Beyond the Rain, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
August 11, 2016
Cyani and Soren. Cyani is Azralen, trained as an emotionless and celibate warrior. While on loan working for the Union forces on a mission to rescue captured Union soldiers, she and her trained fox, Vicca find Soren. He has been a prisoner of the Garulen for over a decade as they torture him for his phermones. Soren is a Byralen and can emit sexual phermones that can become addictive. He can also communicate by changing the colour of his eyes. The whole sexual phermone thing had me expecting the story to be pretty naughty, and it is in one scene, but that's not what drives the story. Basically it's a kind of Romeo and Juliette tale of people whose cultural and physical constraints make their love neigh on impossible. Soren is doomed to die if he doesn't mate soon, and finds himself bonding to Cyani. But Cyani has all kinds of issues from the way she was basically a slave of the Azralen Elite. She has to see beyond her horribly manipulated training to embrace love with Soren before it is too late.
I did get a bit tired of Cyani's constantly keeping Soren at bay and pushing him away. She doesn't cave at all til about 2/3 into the tale. The story though was interesting enough with all the alien characters and how they interact and then in the last third it really takes off. Unlike Romeo and Juliette, there is a truly lovely HEA.
I liked that the author never compromises on Cyani's 'warriorness' and that Soren isn't emasculated or threatened by her strength. He sees her more truly than she sees herself. If only she would listen to him sooner!
I am not sure if I will read the next book of her brother Cyn. I loved his character so I am tempted ; )
I did get a bit tired of Cyani's constantly keeping Soren at bay and pushing him away. She doesn't cave at all til about 2/3 into the tale. The story though was interesting enough with all the alien characters and how they interact and then in the last third it really takes off. Unlike Romeo and Juliette, there is a truly lovely HEA.
I liked that the author never compromises on Cyani's 'warriorness' and that Soren isn't emasculated or threatened by her strength. He sees her more truly than she sees herself. If only she would listen to him sooner!
I am not sure if I will read the next book of her brother Cyn. I loved his character so I am tempted ; )
January 18, 2012
I was disappointed!...i was bored the whole way through...but it did have promise just didn't deliver. I couldn't relate to any of the characters! The Hero was a Sap the heroine was a cross between a wanna be bad-ass and a confused idiot! I gave the book two stars because I loved the wolf Vicca best character in the whole book, and because the premise of the book had potential.The beginning of the book that introduces the tortured hero and the determine heroine was pretty much the best part from that point on the novel was just a jumbled mess of too many mystery's, left out sexual tension,misplaced emotions,lost plot, and minimal descriptions of the worlds and hierarchy. Plus the relationship between the main character was not believable and that is one of my biggest pet peeves! Towards the end of the book there where so many loose ends and (yawn worthy) "twists" that it's almost sad that I can honestly say I don't care and I won't be reading another novel from this series again! Big Thumbs Down for this one
August 16, 2010
Don't let the corny blurb put you off this book. It's a suprisingly poignant entry into the SFR field. Cyani is a seemingly cold-hearted ship's captain who is stranded on a hostile planet after risking her life to save the mysterious and alluring Soren. Soren has been held captive and abused for years and has lost hope in his own survival. Soren's character is beautifully drawn. The author is blunt in showing us his grief and weakness and I liked him better for it. This story is sort of a mix between SFR and Futuristic Romance. The whole plot revolves around the H/h's building attraction which is romantic and full of angst. There is only just enough science and techno speak (could have been a bit more for my liking) and Cyani's inability to see the "bond" between herself and Soren became a little unbelievable towards the end. There is an appealing animal sidekick (Vicca) and an intriguing segue into the second novel in the series. I will definitely read the sequel.
March 10, 2011
Alright, aside from the Sci-Fi angle, this was what I would call a typical romance - not normally my thing, though I seem to be reading more and more of them lately. A lot of work went into the developement of the different worlds though and that shown through nicely. I liked the characters and their relationship too but the hero's abilities stretched things for me. His race produces a hormone used in mating, which is sold as a 'sexual narcotic' ... ahem ... even more implausable is his NEED to mate with the heroine - if he doesn't, he dies. Yeah, that's stretching it awefully thin in my eyes.
All in all though, I confess, I did enjoy the quick read. Maybe it was Granger's writing, or the way she handled her characters ... not sure. She left the ending with a nice hook too - to be continued with another character?
All in all though, I confess, I did enjoy the quick read. Maybe it was Granger's writing, or the way she handled her characters ... not sure. She left the ending with a nice hook too - to be continued with another character?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2011
Very cute and fun romance sci fi:
Basically you have a gorgeous female warrior I-Don’t-Need-Anyone type, Cyani, who falls for a strong yet sensitive and gorgeous man, Soren.
The sex angle is clever. As it happens, Soren is a member of the Byra race, called Byralen. This race emits sexual pheromones so potent that other races try to capture Byralen, chain them up, and extract their sexual fluids to use as aphrodisiacs. But these chemical compounds are also what keep the Byralen alive. And once they bond with another, their pheromone production gets particularized, so that they will die if the object of their love is removed. Thus, the Byralen are programmed not only to be hot, hot, hot, but to be loving as well … obviously a combo only possible in an alien race.
Rating: 3.5/5
Basically you have a gorgeous female warrior I-Don’t-Need-Anyone type, Cyani, who falls for a strong yet sensitive and gorgeous man, Soren.
The sex angle is clever. As it happens, Soren is a member of the Byra race, called Byralen. This race emits sexual pheromones so potent that other races try to capture Byralen, chain them up, and extract their sexual fluids to use as aphrodisiacs. But these chemical compounds are also what keep the Byralen alive. And once they bond with another, their pheromone production gets particularized, so that they will die if the object of their love is removed. Thus, the Byralen are programmed not only to be hot, hot, hot, but to be loving as well … obviously a combo only possible in an alien race.
Rating: 3.5/5
December 30, 2009
I picked this one up for a friend who had it listed on her Amazon Wish List. It never made it to my friend.
Shameless curiosity made me crack it open and obsession demanded I never let it go. It’s imaginative, with a well rounded cast of clever characters including a fox that acts like anything but a fox, a warrior woman who will risk it all to do what’s right, and a brave and selfless leading male any woman could love. I couldn’t get enough of Soren.
Shameless curiosity made me crack it open and obsession demanded I never let it go. It’s imaginative, with a well rounded cast of clever characters including a fox that acts like anything but a fox, a warrior woman who will risk it all to do what’s right, and a brave and selfless leading male any woman could love. I couldn’t get enough of Soren.
June 27, 2010
I was really pleasantly surprised by this book. I'd read some of the reviews and was hoping it would be decent. This book was so much more than I expected-the main characters were very well rounded, the plot moved quick and there was a very nice blend of sci-fi, action and romance. I read the whole thing in one sitting, it was that good. I'm so pleased this is part of a series, I'm really looking forward to reading the next one.
May 14, 2013
3.5/5; 4 stars; B+
Jess Granger is a new author for me. I heard about this book on one of the sci-fi/romance groups here on GR. I enjoyed the science fiction aspect of the book very much, as well as the characters. The only things that took away some of the enjoyment for me was Cyani's over the top self torture for the sake of duty. I liked the character of her brother and am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Jess Granger is a new author for me. I heard about this book on one of the sci-fi/romance groups here on GR. I enjoyed the science fiction aspect of the book very much, as well as the characters. The only things that took away some of the enjoyment for me was Cyani's over the top self torture for the sake of duty. I liked the character of her brother and am looking forward to the next book in the series.
December 27, 2011
Interesting concept but the story tried to do too much without building it up. It was rushed and there was a lot of "telling" instead of "showing." The characters took too many leaps of logic and the author kept introducing new plot points and characters like she was totally winging it. But even still, it was a coherent and interesting story, if barely.
October 31, 2009
The writing was a bit awkward at times, but the book sucked me in nonetheless. A perfectly enjoyable way to spend the afternoon.
April 4, 2011
2.5 I should've really loved this one; it has so many elements that appeal to me. But somehow, it never really engaged me ...
August 5, 2025
**MINOR SPOILERS**
This book is the first book in the Realms Beyond duology. It is the first book that I have read by this author.
One of the themes the book explored was the issue of choice. One of the main characters, Soren, has the ability to affect the emotions and behavior of others. He can put someone to sleep and can calm someone who is frightened or agitated. He also says that sometimes he can hold people in thrall, though it was not clear about the extent to which he could do this. They also meet another humanoid species called Makkolen who have the ability to manipulate emotions. I thought it raised some good questions about whether if you have the right to exercise these abilities without someone’s consent. This was particularly important given what happened to both Soren and Cyani, the other main character. I thought the author could have brought out these issues even more. In an incident about half way through the book, two Makkolen men try to use their abilities to force sex on Cyani. The author uses the term seduction to describe this, but I think it was attempted rape.
Soren was kidnapped from his home planet when he was 17 or 18 and his essence was harvested as a pleasure drug. It was not completely clear what it meant but it was a horrible violation. He was kept calm by a Makkolen who was also imprisoned. They became friends, but later the Makkolen was killed in an escape attempt. Despite being imprisoned for 14 years, Soren is remarkably able to adapt to the world when they escape. He suffers from some PTSD during the book but also kept his kindness and humanity.
Cyani, comes from a terrible childhood. She was nearly raped when she was 13 and forced to join an order of female warriors. However, she was abused by them and scorned. While outwardly confident, she inwardly has low self esteem. She is a fighter and leader when you first meet her in the story, and I thought the author should have brought out these characteristics more. There was an opportunity to show her overcoming her childhood and her time with the female warriors. Later, you meet her brother who creates a contrast for her choices. He did not have the oppression that she did, so it is not a completely fair comparison, but I still thought that her years with the military could have helped her grow. She is an accepted leader with a loyal crew. I was not sure she would be in the place where she is when we meet her. It felt more like this is how she would be if she had just left the warrior training.
I thought that Soren and Cyani’s relationship made sense. Given the terrible things they have gone through, they were both able to understand each other. I did think, however, that the author could have had them share a little more either about their past or about their current situation to develop more commonalities or complements to move their relationship along.
Spoiler…I am not sure how I feel about the way the book ends. Soren needed peace and time to recover and so did Cyani. However, there was an opportunity to help with the rebellion and I thought perhaps Cyani could have played a role in that, at least in a minor way.
I plan to read the second book in the series as I got them at the same time. This book had potential but could have had a good beta reader or two give some constructive feedback. I do not recommend this book. It seemed did not have enough emotional depth.
This book is the first book in the Realms Beyond duology. It is the first book that I have read by this author.
One of the themes the book explored was the issue of choice. One of the main characters, Soren, has the ability to affect the emotions and behavior of others. He can put someone to sleep and can calm someone who is frightened or agitated. He also says that sometimes he can hold people in thrall, though it was not clear about the extent to which he could do this. They also meet another humanoid species called Makkolen who have the ability to manipulate emotions. I thought it raised some good questions about whether if you have the right to exercise these abilities without someone’s consent. This was particularly important given what happened to both Soren and Cyani, the other main character. I thought the author could have brought out these issues even more. In an incident about half way through the book, two Makkolen men try to use their abilities to force sex on Cyani. The author uses the term seduction to describe this, but I think it was attempted rape.
Soren was kidnapped from his home planet when he was 17 or 18 and his essence was harvested as a pleasure drug. It was not completely clear what it meant but it was a horrible violation. He was kept calm by a Makkolen who was also imprisoned. They became friends, but later the Makkolen was killed in an escape attempt. Despite being imprisoned for 14 years, Soren is remarkably able to adapt to the world when they escape. He suffers from some PTSD during the book but also kept his kindness and humanity.
Cyani, comes from a terrible childhood. She was nearly raped when she was 13 and forced to join an order of female warriors. However, she was abused by them and scorned. While outwardly confident, she inwardly has low self esteem. She is a fighter and leader when you first meet her in the story, and I thought the author should have brought out these characteristics more. There was an opportunity to show her overcoming her childhood and her time with the female warriors. Later, you meet her brother who creates a contrast for her choices. He did not have the oppression that she did, so it is not a completely fair comparison, but I still thought that her years with the military could have helped her grow. She is an accepted leader with a loyal crew. I was not sure she would be in the place where she is when we meet her. It felt more like this is how she would be if she had just left the warrior training.
I thought that Soren and Cyani’s relationship made sense. Given the terrible things they have gone through, they were both able to understand each other. I did think, however, that the author could have had them share a little more either about their past or about their current situation to develop more commonalities or complements to move their relationship along.
Spoiler…I am not sure how I feel about the way the book ends. Soren needed peace and time to recover and so did Cyani. However, there was an opportunity to help with the rebellion and I thought perhaps Cyani could have played a role in that, at least in a minor way.
I plan to read the second book in the series as I got them at the same time. This book had potential but could have had a good beta reader or two give some constructive feedback. I do not recommend this book. It seemed did not have enough emotional depth.
December 19, 2009
For an indeterminate amount of years, Soren has suffered brutal enslavement at the hands of his captors, the barbaric Garulen. What was once a pure and life-giving biological trait of his people now has been tarnished and sullied into the conduit for a sickening drug trade. When he's rescued by the beautiful Azra warrior, Cyani, and her fox-like scout, Soren swears that he'll do everything in his power to keep his drug induced body from harming her despite the fact that her lushness has his hormones screaming for release. But when rescuing him prevents them both from making it to the transport ship and home, Soren and Cyani must find another way to escape the retched asteroid of Soren's enslavement. Death would be a salvation compared to the torture that most certainly will be inflicted upon a celibate Azralen warrior and a sexual narcotic producing Bryalen if caught since both are priceless on the human trafficking market.
After leading a lonely existence where touch, friendship and family are forbidden, Cyani's only friend has been her scout, Vicca. For five years she's been fighting for the Union and she's tired, tired of seeing death and bringing death. Freeing the prisoners from the Garulen is Cyani's last mission and she's more than ready to leave the world of war but she also despairs of the world that awaits her. Years of endless isolation, white marble and the cunning silence of the sisterhood on Azra will soon be home. But however desolate the future may seem, she must return for the Grand Sister promised that her twin brother, Cyn, would be raised above from the darkness below the canopy of Azra and killed if she doesn't. For her brother, Cyani will do whatever it takes to save him even if it means sacrificing her own life's happiness.
After releasing Soren from his painful bonds, Cyani is wary and very much on her guard. Next to nothing is known about the Byralen other than that their hormones produce a highly prized sexual narcotic and that their eyes can hypnotize. The males of their species are also highly aggressive when cornered and with Soren having recently been released from his torturous prison; Cyani is a little more than scared for her life in the face of his understandable rage. Unfortunately it will soon be Cyani's heart that she's in the most danger of losing.
In the midst of life-or-death circumstances, Soren is touching Cyani as no other being has ever done before. Learning painfully what it takes to be one of the Elite on Azra, Cyani recalls with brutal clarity that she must shun all touch, emotion and claim but no matter how often she voices her discomfort with Soren's closeness, he has an incredibly easy way of reaching out and charming her. It's not long before Soren wiggles his way quickly through to Cyani's shielded heart but she still manages to put up a stubborn fight much to Soren's chagrin.
Having lost so many years of his life, Soren knows that his chances of attracting a mate on his own planet are next to nil. Byra males create beautiful and elaborate gardens to catch a mate after years of cultivating their land both physically and magically. However, by this time, Soren's own land would be overrun by weeds and desolation. But beyond that, Soren also needs a mate fast in order to stop the deterioration of his body from the withdrawals of the hormone simulator that the Garulen pumped into him to extract the sexual narcotic. For years the Garulen have tricked his body into believing it was mated and now without the drugs, Soren can feel himself growing weaker by the hour. He sees his one chance at a peaceful life with a mate through Cyani. He knows that her tough warrior exterior shields a ripe heart that's practically bursting to love someone and it takes little for Soren to plan a seduction of his beautiful Union Captain for in the end, he has absolutely nothing to lose.
BEYOND THE RAIN is action-packed fun with a love story that is very much the core of this futuristic thrill ride. I specifically enjoyed the fact the fantasy elements weren't jarring but instead retained an easy and understandable flow, helping me as a reader to connect with the characters and their plight. However, I did feel that there were some elements in the story that left me with questions especially with regards to the character's appearance.
Cyani's colored hair, flowery tattoos and bluish skin were never explained nor were Soren's black stripes on his back. I suppose that the reader is just meant to accept these traits as their own specific planetary and civilization characteristics but I was still curious for something more definite. In addition, the Union and its mission nor why Cyani was fighting with them was ever explained. While the worldbuilding is subtle and gradual, allowing the author to focus more on the love between Soren and Cyani, I think this method might have allowed some gaps in the delivery of necessary information.
Soren was an amazing and patient hero. Both he and Cyani are incredibly self-sacrificing individuals and that's truly where their core dilemma arises. Soren is unwilling to tie Cyani to him as his mate without giving her a choice that could possibly mean his death. Conversely, Cyani is fighting for the life of her brother and the safety of her family by condemning herself willingly to a life of isolation and loneliness. Both must survive somehow while protecting the life of another.
I was a little disappointed that BTR wasn't as erotic as I was hoping for. It's possible that I'm becoming horribly desensitized but I was looking forward to some hot Bryalen lovin' from Soren and while there are moments that he delivers my reader demand, I just wanted something more explicit. Alright! So I'm a total hussy whore but what can I say? I wanted more.
After leading a lonely existence where touch, friendship and family are forbidden, Cyani's only friend has been her scout, Vicca. For five years she's been fighting for the Union and she's tired, tired of seeing death and bringing death. Freeing the prisoners from the Garulen is Cyani's last mission and she's more than ready to leave the world of war but she also despairs of the world that awaits her. Years of endless isolation, white marble and the cunning silence of the sisterhood on Azra will soon be home. But however desolate the future may seem, she must return for the Grand Sister promised that her twin brother, Cyn, would be raised above from the darkness below the canopy of Azra and killed if she doesn't. For her brother, Cyani will do whatever it takes to save him even if it means sacrificing her own life's happiness.
After releasing Soren from his painful bonds, Cyani is wary and very much on her guard. Next to nothing is known about the Byralen other than that their hormones produce a highly prized sexual narcotic and that their eyes can hypnotize. The males of their species are also highly aggressive when cornered and with Soren having recently been released from his torturous prison; Cyani is a little more than scared for her life in the face of his understandable rage. Unfortunately it will soon be Cyani's heart that she's in the most danger of losing.
In the midst of life-or-death circumstances, Soren is touching Cyani as no other being has ever done before. Learning painfully what it takes to be one of the Elite on Azra, Cyani recalls with brutal clarity that she must shun all touch, emotion and claim but no matter how often she voices her discomfort with Soren's closeness, he has an incredibly easy way of reaching out and charming her. It's not long before Soren wiggles his way quickly through to Cyani's shielded heart but she still manages to put up a stubborn fight much to Soren's chagrin.
Having lost so many years of his life, Soren knows that his chances of attracting a mate on his own planet are next to nil. Byra males create beautiful and elaborate gardens to catch a mate after years of cultivating their land both physically and magically. However, by this time, Soren's own land would be overrun by weeds and desolation. But beyond that, Soren also needs a mate fast in order to stop the deterioration of his body from the withdrawals of the hormone simulator that the Garulen pumped into him to extract the sexual narcotic. For years the Garulen have tricked his body into believing it was mated and now without the drugs, Soren can feel himself growing weaker by the hour. He sees his one chance at a peaceful life with a mate through Cyani. He knows that her tough warrior exterior shields a ripe heart that's practically bursting to love someone and it takes little for Soren to plan a seduction of his beautiful Union Captain for in the end, he has absolutely nothing to lose.
BEYOND THE RAIN is action-packed fun with a love story that is very much the core of this futuristic thrill ride. I specifically enjoyed the fact the fantasy elements weren't jarring but instead retained an easy and understandable flow, helping me as a reader to connect with the characters and their plight. However, I did feel that there were some elements in the story that left me with questions especially with regards to the character's appearance.
Cyani's colored hair, flowery tattoos and bluish skin were never explained nor were Soren's black stripes on his back. I suppose that the reader is just meant to accept these traits as their own specific planetary and civilization characteristics but I was still curious for something more definite. In addition, the Union and its mission nor why Cyani was fighting with them was ever explained. While the worldbuilding is subtle and gradual, allowing the author to focus more on the love between Soren and Cyani, I think this method might have allowed some gaps in the delivery of necessary information.
Soren was an amazing and patient hero. Both he and Cyani are incredibly self-sacrificing individuals and that's truly where their core dilemma arises. Soren is unwilling to tie Cyani to him as his mate without giving her a choice that could possibly mean his death. Conversely, Cyani is fighting for the life of her brother and the safety of her family by condemning herself willingly to a life of isolation and loneliness. Both must survive somehow while protecting the life of another.
I was a little disappointed that BTR wasn't as erotic as I was hoping for. It's possible that I'm becoming horribly desensitized but I was looking forward to some hot Bryalen lovin' from Soren and while there are moments that he delivers my reader demand, I just wanted something more explicit. Alright! So I'm a total hussy whore but what can I say? I wanted more.
July 2, 2019
DNF AT 70%.
I KNOW IT IS CRAZY OF ME TO DROP THIS WHEN I WAS TOWARDS THE END BUT WITH THE HEROINE BEING ANNOYINGLY STUBBORN ABOUT NOT WANTING TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THE HEROINE WHO IN TURN IS CRAZY ABOUT HER.
I KNOW IT IS CRAZY OF ME TO DROP THIS WHEN I WAS TOWARDS THE END BUT WITH THE HEROINE BEING ANNOYINGLY STUBBORN ABOUT NOT WANTING TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THE HEROINE WHO IN TURN IS CRAZY ABOUT HER.
November 5, 2011
Originally posted on A Bookalicious Story.
The thing about Sci-fi is, once you've read one of them, you've probably already read them all. Not to say that I don't like them, it's just that it gets old. But Granger is a fantastic author, for that I do commend her.
I've actually took 5 months to read this book. I got bored in the middle portion and chucked it aside for 4.5 months, so I can't give an accurate synopsis, and I think the one above pretty much summarises the whole thing. Cyani's an Elite officer for the cold, established planet of Azra, and she is on a mission on this other planet. Over there, her scout (Vicca, the mini fox - or something else that's small) and her discovered a tortured and chained Byralen. The Elite was formed to uphold justice, and being a true blue Elite, she frees him and tries to sneak him off the planet.
Byralens are a race who cannot survive long without their mates - something to do with their hormones and stuff? I don't know, it wasn't explained, but it seemed like a sort of sexual stimulation that they'd die without. Lol. Anyway, so Cyani's secret mission? To get Soren, said captured Byralen, back to his home planet fast for him to find a mate. Or somewhere along those lines. All I can remember is that she has to get him home, fast, but he doesn't have a mate at home yet, so I don't know why Cyani's gotta rush him home. Along the way multiple problems arise; For one, the current matriach of Azra wants Soren for her own psychotic reason, so she has to steer clear of the Elites (problem 1). Two, there's the problem of transport, no ship = trapped on some godforsaken planet. Three, Cyani's starting to fall for Soren, but when she gets Soren back, her mission's complete and she has to return to Azra. It's her duty, but can she leave Soren for good when the time comes for them to say goodbye?
Lol, ok, that was pretty obvious, but oh well. I'm not a big fan of the ferrying by space ships from planet to planet. I don't know why, but the setting just doesn't appeal to me. And the challenges faced by the protagonists are not what I'd consider original, so I gave it a meager 3 stars. But, I did enjoy the ending and the constant action and a sorta suspense hanging around in the periphery. Just when I thought it will be a happy ending already, something happens and I would be so shocked and curious I'd tear thru the pages to read what happens. And I was already at the last few pages!
I loved the whole cast. Cyani, who was brave, sweet, and just so lovable; Soren who was protective and so romantic. Even Cyani's brother who appeared around the three-quarters mark. He is such an enigma, in a good way. He is super smart, super badass, and super infuriating! He could fight better than anyone, he could be so sarcastic (and witty), but he does care about Cyani's welfare and happiness. I know he's going to find his happiness in the next book, BEYOND THE SHADOWS, because I'm reading this series/duology backwards. Haha, the second book's synopsis appealed more, so I went ahead with it first.
But anyway, the entire cast in BEYOND THE RAIN was superb, and I rooted for them all the way. The plot was cool, but as I've said, is still a very typical sci-fi one. So if you're a fan of Sci-fi-plus-a-little-heartwrenching-romance (lol, I realised that "little" and "heartwrenching" are contradictory, but really, Granger only focused on the romance at the end, but it was very well done, and very, very heartwarming), you might want to try this one out.
The thing about Sci-fi is, once you've read one of them, you've probably already read them all. Not to say that I don't like them, it's just that it gets old. But Granger is a fantastic author, for that I do commend her.
I've actually took 5 months to read this book. I got bored in the middle portion and chucked it aside for 4.5 months, so I can't give an accurate synopsis, and I think the one above pretty much summarises the whole thing. Cyani's an Elite officer for the cold, established planet of Azra, and she is on a mission on this other planet. Over there, her scout (Vicca, the mini fox - or something else that's small) and her discovered a tortured and chained Byralen. The Elite was formed to uphold justice, and being a true blue Elite, she frees him and tries to sneak him off the planet.
Byralens are a race who cannot survive long without their mates - something to do with their hormones and stuff? I don't know, it wasn't explained, but it seemed like a sort of sexual stimulation that they'd die without. Lol. Anyway, so Cyani's secret mission? To get Soren, said captured Byralen, back to his home planet fast for him to find a mate. Or somewhere along those lines. All I can remember is that she has to get him home, fast, but he doesn't have a mate at home yet, so I don't know why Cyani's gotta rush him home. Along the way multiple problems arise; For one, the current matriach of Azra wants Soren for her own psychotic reason, so she has to steer clear of the Elites (problem 1). Two, there's the problem of transport, no ship = trapped on some godforsaken planet. Three, Cyani's starting to fall for Soren, but when she gets Soren back, her mission's complete and she has to return to Azra. It's her duty, but can she leave Soren for good when the time comes for them to say goodbye?
Lol, ok, that was pretty obvious, but oh well. I'm not a big fan of the ferrying by space ships from planet to planet. I don't know why, but the setting just doesn't appeal to me. And the challenges faced by the protagonists are not what I'd consider original, so I gave it a meager 3 stars. But, I did enjoy the ending and the constant action and a sorta suspense hanging around in the periphery. Just when I thought it will be a happy ending already, something happens and I would be so shocked and curious I'd tear thru the pages to read what happens. And I was already at the last few pages!
I loved the whole cast. Cyani, who was brave, sweet, and just so lovable; Soren who was protective and so romantic. Even Cyani's brother who appeared around the three-quarters mark. He is such an enigma, in a good way. He is super smart, super badass, and super infuriating! He could fight better than anyone, he could be so sarcastic (and witty), but he does care about Cyani's welfare and happiness. I know he's going to find his happiness in the next book, BEYOND THE SHADOWS, because I'm reading this series/duology backwards. Haha, the second book's synopsis appealed more, so I went ahead with it first.
But anyway, the entire cast in BEYOND THE RAIN was superb, and I rooted for them all the way. The plot was cool, but as I've said, is still a very typical sci-fi one. So if you're a fan of Sci-fi-plus-a-little-heartwrenching-romance (lol, I realised that "little" and "heartwrenching" are contradictory, but really, Granger only focused on the romance at the end, but it was very well done, and very, very heartwarming), you might want to try this one out.
July 27, 2011
I’ve never been one to read a lot of futuristic romance. The biggest reason I don’t care to is really a lame one. I hate all the weird, unpronounceable names that authors come up with for their characters, planets, swear words, whatever. See, told you it was lame. But it’s something that always makes me cringe and then I end up irritated after a couple of pages of this kind of thing. I am so glad this author kept it simple when it came to the names she chose to use in BtR.
Because this is a very good read. My irritation level was at an all-time low, only coming to the fore a couple of times when one character was calling another some type of insulting name, but it’s done in a way that made it quite easy to figure out what they’re saying. I found, once I started this review, that Ms. Granger does have an intergalactic dictionary on her website, but that’s like having a glossary in a book that takes up 12 pages before the story starts. Just not something I like going through. And who can remember all of them if you do read through them first? So thank you, Ms. Granger, for keeping it fairly easy from the beginning.
What I like most about this book is how the hero’s emotions are reflected in his eyes. They turn different colors depending on his moods and emotions. This is done especially well when Cyani, our heroine, tells him what color she sees and he’s surprised by that a couple of times. Soren has been a slave half of his life, chained down to extract hormones from him that the enemy uses for their own purposes, and he’s just shy of madness when Cyani and her team come across him during a rescue. It’s her fox scout who finds Soren and won’t leave without him. Furry Vicca is another favorite piece of the book for me. Though she’s a military weapon, she’s also a pet/friend to Cyani and eventually Soren, and Ms. Granger uses her throughout the story quite effectively.
Soren needs to return to his home planet to find a mate. The hormones in his system require bonding, and once bonded he cannot be without his mate or death ensues. Getting to know Soren, knowing that he went through such a horrific time as she once did, Cyani is determined to escrot him home herself. She is due to become one of the Elite of her people, to live in peace and solitude after serving the last five years in a war to save her twin brother from the ruler of their planet. But the more time this couple spends together, the more their lives become intertwined.
Cyani must return to her people, despite her growing feelings for Soren. He wants her to stay with him, especially since he’s begun to bond with her. They both have a past to keep at bay and having each other helps them do that. They both have an uncertain future, wanting something they simply can’t have from the other. They go through quite a bit before they find what lies ahead. The action goes from escaping the planet where Soren has been held to crashing landing on another alien but beautiful world to rescuing children from the same fate Cyani endured, all the while giving us some sizzling sexual tension and some wonderful love scenes when these two finally come together.
There is another book in the works, I’m assuming, if the ending of this book is anything to go by. However, there is currently nothing on the author’s website to find out anything further on that score. It will feature Cyani’s twin, Cyn, and for one who doesn’t read much futuristic romance, I’m actually looking forward to it.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
Because this is a very good read. My irritation level was at an all-time low, only coming to the fore a couple of times when one character was calling another some type of insulting name, but it’s done in a way that made it quite easy to figure out what they’re saying. I found, once I started this review, that Ms. Granger does have an intergalactic dictionary on her website, but that’s like having a glossary in a book that takes up 12 pages before the story starts. Just not something I like going through. And who can remember all of them if you do read through them first? So thank you, Ms. Granger, for keeping it fairly easy from the beginning.
What I like most about this book is how the hero’s emotions are reflected in his eyes. They turn different colors depending on his moods and emotions. This is done especially well when Cyani, our heroine, tells him what color she sees and he’s surprised by that a couple of times. Soren has been a slave half of his life, chained down to extract hormones from him that the enemy uses for their own purposes, and he’s just shy of madness when Cyani and her team come across him during a rescue. It’s her fox scout who finds Soren and won’t leave without him. Furry Vicca is another favorite piece of the book for me. Though she’s a military weapon, she’s also a pet/friend to Cyani and eventually Soren, and Ms. Granger uses her throughout the story quite effectively.
Soren needs to return to his home planet to find a mate. The hormones in his system require bonding, and once bonded he cannot be without his mate or death ensues. Getting to know Soren, knowing that he went through such a horrific time as she once did, Cyani is determined to escrot him home herself. She is due to become one of the Elite of her people, to live in peace and solitude after serving the last five years in a war to save her twin brother from the ruler of their planet. But the more time this couple spends together, the more their lives become intertwined.
Cyani must return to her people, despite her growing feelings for Soren. He wants her to stay with him, especially since he’s begun to bond with her. They both have a past to keep at bay and having each other helps them do that. They both have an uncertain future, wanting something they simply can’t have from the other. They go through quite a bit before they find what lies ahead. The action goes from escaping the planet where Soren has been held to crashing landing on another alien but beautiful world to rescuing children from the same fate Cyani endured, all the while giving us some sizzling sexual tension and some wonderful love scenes when these two finally come together.
There is another book in the works, I’m assuming, if the ending of this book is anything to go by. However, there is currently nothing on the author’s website to find out anything further on that score. It will feature Cyani’s twin, Cyn, and for one who doesn’t read much futuristic romance, I’m actually looking forward to it.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
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