REVIEW: Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
Dear Ms. Aguirre:
I’m not sure why I respond so well to urban fantasy stories. I think it has to do, in part, with the escapism factor. These books are often gritty but because of the otherworldly nature, it is easy to take. Easy to lose oneself in an entire other world. While Grimspace is not an urban fantasy story (i.e., no retelling of myths and legends) but rather a space odyssey, it still works for all the same reasons.
Sirantha Jax has the J-gene, a sensory gene that allows her to be a jumper. Jumper’s are vital for interstellar travel and therefore minor gods. Only Jax made a mistake or someone made a mistake and her last jump ended with the death of her pilot and lover. Pilot and jumpers are often lovers. Its nearly impossible not to be because the pilot and the jumper become one for that infitesmal moment that the ship and its occupants are “about to slingshot through our target beacon and back out to straight space.” Some pilots can’t even get it up without being “jumped in”.
The world opens up to me, an orchid unfurling at accelerated speed. I think of it as the primeval soup from whence all life originally came, a maelstrom of chaos and energy, sights the human mind isn’t supposed to be able to parse, let alone convert into coherent images that can be used to navigate.
Because of the J-gene I can sense the beacons, feel them pulsing like sentient life, and perhaps they are, for all I know. Perhaps if we could find their frequency, we could converse with them, and discover we’ve long been diving down the gullets of cosmic dragons and shooting out their cloacae to somewhere else, and guess what, they aren’t exactly happy about it. On second thought, some mysteries simply shouldn’t be delved.
I loved that phrase “an orchid unfurling”. I could really envision the stars and the pulse of light that I imagine the ship would give off as it released into the galaxy.
Sore in heart and body, Jax is in the Corp lockup awaiting judgment for the mess she just survived. She knows that the future for her isn’t pretty. Most jumpers only have a set number of jumps inside them before they flame out. Some go crazy and some choose to retire but many know when their last jump is their last jump and refuse to go quietly into the night. That’s Jax or that’s how Jax wanted to be.
March is a man with a savior’s complex. Jumpers are virtually limited to the Corp which means the Corp has the stranglehold on interstellar travel. The Corp is the one making new discoveries, new treaties, conquering new lands. Everyone else is left in the dust. March wants to change that by finding people in remote places that might have the j-gene and turn those people into jumpers but he needs a jumper to do that and when Jax is incarcerated, he sees his opportunity.
This book is probably going to be shelved in the fantasy/science fiction aisle, but it could easily fall into the romance section because it is a romance, just not a traditional one with traditional folks playing traditional roles. Sirantha Jax is not a loveable being. She’s not even particularly honorable. She is, though, a survivor, one whose thirst for life draws you in like a beacon.
He shoves me toward the boarding ramp of a cutter that’s seen better days. From his manner and the way he’s dressed, I expected a big hauler or a sporty little cruiser, something with a high price tag and a lot of amenities. Not this junk bucket that looks like it should’ve been decommed before the Axis Wars. The gray squad closes on us with military precision; using cover and working the perimeter in a metric circle. Soon they’ll be on us, boarding the ship. A laser blast sears the metal at my feet and I fall back, further up the ramp.
Talk about ass choices. I’ve got this shit bucket and a nutcase or a bunch of Gray Men coming for me.
He reads my look and shrugs. "However she looks, this ship is sound. Can you jump, Ms. Jax? Our lives depend on it."Jump? But I don’t have a pilot.
My look or my mind? Because he adds, "Yes, you do."
My throat tightens, and I feel a fist curling around my intestines. It’s a cramp, rising nausea. It’s being told you have to remarry before your husband’s cold in the grave. Before I can say a word, he boards. No more conversation. It’s up to me now. Stay or go. Reluctantly I admire the fact that he doesn’t bullshit, doesn’t explain, doesn’t persuade. Maybe he knows I can’t resist a mystery or a challenge or both. Or maybe he just knows I’m not looking to die today, because the Gray Men are almost on me.
I follow.
March and Jax want each other but Jax’s loss is too fresh to allow herself to feel anything but lust. With her strong ties to the Corp being severed, Jax is at a loss. She doesn’t know quite who she is and what she wants to be.
The drawbacks in this story is that it is a bit plotless and episodic in nature. I know that bothers some people but I felt that the emotional development of Jax and Jax and March as a couple were enough to smooth out those issues.
While the book is set in some intergalatic future, the core of the story is about Jax’s character development and how she falls in love, again, with March. The writing is evocative and as someone who really isn’t a fan of a) space travel books and b) first person present tense, this book worked for me on nearly every level. I’m very excited about the future of space travel presented by Ann Aguirre. A-
Best regards
Jane
***
This book will go onsale on February 26, 2008.
I was chatting via email with our new reviewer, Jia, about whether she was enjoying the reviewing gig. Sure, she is getting free books, but not every book she gets is going to be one she is interested in reading. She replied in one of our various exchanges that it is the book that you receive that you wouldn’t have read but that you really enjoy that make it all worthwhile. Ann Aguirre’s book is one of those. I wouldn’t have read her if I saw it in the store because science fiction is just not my thing.
So I am glad that she opened my eyes to the fact that a good story is a good story no matter the setting. I hope I can do that for some of you. I am privileged to be able to give away 20 ARCs of Grimspace. The catch is that you must post about the book at some public place, whether it is a message board, forum or blog and you must send me the link. We’ll choose one review to repost at Dear Author on the day of the release of the book.
Ms Aguirre has a contest on her blog as well which you can check out here.
Lucky dog! I’ve been waiting for this one.
Don’t put me in the contest, but I’m jealous. Majorly jealous.
I don’t think it ever hurts to read far and wide. Sure, we all have our own preferred reading genres but something outside of your comfort zone every now and again can do no harm. You never know, you might find a new author you love!
(Psst, the link to Ann Aguirre’s blog contest leads to a 404.)
Yippee-kaya-yay!
*slapping hat against knee*
Hot damn. I loved this book. I kept picturing Nathan Fillion as March. That made it soooooooooooo much more awesome. It’s awesome on at least 10 levels.
Good on ye, Ann! Great review, Jane.
I’m so looking forward to this book. And have been for a while. I would dearly, dearly love to be entered into the contest just so I can wriggle with glee over getting to read it early.
I’d like very much to be one of the 20 lucky winners. Keeping my fingers crossed…
I know I’m bad and not worthy but I’d agree to do this. This book sounds good.
Don’t enter me in the contest, please (I’m waiting impatiently for my very own ARC *happy dance*) Boy am I excited about this book! I’ll come back here and post my thoughts once I have read it.
Dammit, I want this book. I’m in the reading slump of the century. la la la…have to promise to do a review? hmm. Okay, enter me into the contest. (and now everyone has seen the mental diarrhea of an editor on the edge)
I’ve had this book in my cart at Amazon for weeks and I keep waiting to see if it goes on sale early. Hope springs eternal.
After reading this review, I can honestly say I am excited about this book. And I am usually utterly uninterested in urban fantasy. So throw me in the contest, I am ready!!!!
I’m dancing with azteclady, waiting on my arc. . . and lemme tell ya, this review makes me even more impatient to get it. My tastes generally line up with yours Jane, though I must be softer because I’d usually grade about a letter higher. Which means if you give an A, I fall in love. ;)
(Naturally don’t sign me up for the drawing.)
This book sounds amazing. I’ve been having trouble finding books that excite me so far this year, but this sounds right up my alley. I’d love to be entered into the ARC contest, if possible!
I do my best to avoid begging… oh, hell… who am I kidding?
*falls on knees and honors the keeper of the arcs*
I’d be super excited to read this novel. I just wish there was more sci-fi romance out there in the bookverse; fantasy/paranormal has more than its fair share, so when will sci-fi get some love?
I’m with you, Jane, this isn’t a book I’d have likely picked up by myself, but with this tidbit, I’ll have to check it out. It appeals to the direction my reading habit has been headed. An arc would be grand, of course. Then I could actually say I read something before Angela James did. Bwahaha!
Wow! I would love to have an arc of Grimspace. I’ve had this on my Amazon wishlist for a while now. The book sounds awesome and I can’t wait to dive into the story myself.
Hot damn, this sounds like a great read. I’d love to be entered into the contest, assuming my LiveJournal is a public-enough forum for the review….
Wow, please put my name in the hat. I’ve been on a sci-fi, space opera kick lately and this sounds good. I’d be happy to post about it on my reading journal too.
It’s up at my Book Review/ promo site micheleleebooklove.blogspot.com
Yes, reading journals are perfectly acceptable (i love them myself and consider DA to be one, just with a few more readers ;) ).
I would love an ARC of this. To be honest, I really like reading first person/present tense and this looks like it reads extremely well.
I am terribly excited about this one – I fell in love with the cover and I can’t wait to read it!
And Bam’s comment about Nathan Fillion as the hero nearly made me weep with delight. That sounds so awesome.
Ooh, I’m in this drawing. I’m a sucker for a good space book.
Love spec romance! I’ll read this whether I win it or not :).
This looks really good. I hope it is released early.
It sounds like an interesting premise; as a sci-fi fan of many, many, many, many years, I’m looking forward to reading this even if I don’t win a free copy.
This book sounds really good! Please add my name to the contest :)
Oooh, please add my name to the contest as well! This sounds right up my alley.
Ooh, ARCs. Please add my name. It sounds great. :)
Oh, I would love to review an arc of this, I’d love to be considered for an arc if there are any more available!
Please add me to the drawing – I’d love to try this one.
Please add me to the drawing.
Will this be available as an ebook?
Thanks for reviewing Grimspace, Jane. You totally got the book, from start to finish.
I had a very emphatic “Yes, yes, yes!” sort of reaction when I read that. I appreciate Dear Author hosting the ARC giveaway as well.
Sara, I hope we’re about to see a revitalization of SF. The genre can be imbued with the same feminine magic and mystique that made urban fantasy such a hot property, but it will take the excitement of readers to power the movement.
So I truly hope all of you enjoy Grimspace, should you be so kind as to read it.
I’d love one. I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about Grimspace. Plus, I’ve never had an arc.
But I’m in the UK! Does that rule me out?
Ooo, definitely enter me into the contest. :)
Count me in if UK residents are allowed in the draw. this sounds amazing and the passages you’ve quoted are lovely
“On sale Feb 26”
I guess I should read more carefully, I was went to the bookstore on my break looking for this. Don’t bother entering me. I *will* buy it.
I have had this book on my wishlist forever it seems so yeah I would love to be in the drawing for the ARC’s!
Popping back in to answer a couple of questions:
I’m fine with international winners, and yes, it’ll come out as an ebook — at least in Kindle and Mobi formats. You can apparently pre-order the Mobipocket ebook here.
Thanks for the review, Jane, and of course Ann for writing the book! Just popping in to say I’m looking forward to this one. Susan Grant’s upcoming MOONSTRUCK looks promising, as well, so I think it’s a great time for science fiction romance.
What a great review, I would love to read this book.
Ooooh, I’d love to get an ARC of this. I hadn’t heard of it before, but SF romances are definitely my thing. Website link is to my booklog/LJ blog.
Sounds intriguing. I’d love to get a copy and review it.
Sci-fi romance is always fun to read, so this sounds great. Plus I’d love to win an arc. :P
What a cool deal! Please enter me in the contest. I love reviewing really good books.
Like my February wish list wasn’t big enough anyway. I have got to stop reading the A and B reviews.
Here’s a question for those who might not pick this up because it’s classed as SF (although I might make a case that it’s a true cross-genre book; they just had to shelve it somewhere). What if you saw it displayed with a couple of urban fantasy novels? Would you take a look then?
As it happens, Grimspace will be featured at B&N with Madhouse by Rob Thurman and Dead to Me by Anton Strout. I hope that’ll make people wonder if this book is something different, if it possess some of the traits that make UF work so well.
(As Jane notes in her review, it does.)
Usually, I only buy the crossover books on word of mouth. I can’t really tell by the back cover copy whether it will fit my tastes.
I’ve been looking forward to this book, too. Reading an ARC would be fun, but one way or another I’ll be getting this book and reading it!
I have really been looking forward to GRIMSPACE since I love sci-fi and urban fantasy! It sounds great. I’m a bookseller, and if our store doesn’t get an ARC, I’d love to win one. :-)
I’ve been hearing great things about this book. It would be awesome if I could win a copy *hint hint*
Could I please be entered into the contest too? This book sounds very interesting.
Another sucker for good sf/sf romance here! This one sounds right up my alley, especially with a heroine who isn’t exactly heroine material at first glance. Sign me up, please! (Says the gal who is nervous about the review condition but is willing to set aside her fears for a good story.)
I’d love to be entered in the contest.
I’ll read and tell evryone I know.
Thanks for the sweet contest.
Hugs, Danette
I’d love to be entered in the contest, too. The book really does sound amazing. My only qualm would be the present-tense narration, but since Jane mentions she’s not usually a fan of that…
This is something that I definitely wouldn’t normally read, but I am willing to give anything a go really! Count me in!
Please enter me into the contest.
I can’t wait to read the book.
I would dearly love to read and review this book.
Clearly it has all the elements I especially like in a story.
Regarding the use of present-tense…
I chose it because I thought it made the action seem more uncertain. Events unfold as the reader rides along with Jax, and nothing is set in stone. When an author writes in past-tense, the reader has the unconscious security of knowing that everything must’ve worked out in the end, or the narrator wouldn’t be able to relate his story.
At least, that’s how I feel when reading.
The review is extremely appealing. I know that this book would be captivating and I would love the chance to read it. Thanks.
Great review! I can’t wait to read Grimspace. Don’t enter me in the contest. My copy is on its way. :D
Sounds really interesting, I’d love to be entered in the contest :) Thanks!
Great review. I was already hyped about the book, now I really can’t wait to read it.
This book sounds interesting. Please enter me in the contest. Thanks!
Someone upthread mentioned they’d read this book and imagined Nathan Fillion as the lead :) I’d love to do the same so please enter me in the contest. Thanks!
I am also not a sci-fi reader, but I could hope to be convinced! Please enter me :)
Not a sci-fi reader but I have been wanting to try one…and Ann Aguirre is an author I’ve been following for some time. Please, pretty please, pick me!
I’ve had this one on my Amazon wish list for awhile, can’t wait to read it.
[waves] I’d already seen this one mentioned in the sf blogosphere, and thought it looked interesting. If you’re up for posting a copy to the UK, I’d like one.