Unchained

As a young girl, Cidra Faulkner was the only member of her family to escape when her family was massacred. Now, many years later she has been trained in the forbidden arts of a Kin-Sha warrior and her mentor has summoned Grey Stone to help her find the truth behind her families' murder. Grey Stone is an intergalactic treasure hunter. When his old teacher and mentor sends him a cryptic message, he drops everything, only to arrive after the old mans death. While he is the best at finding lost and forgotten relics, nothing has prepared him for taking on Cidra, a woman with a death warrant attached to her name. Just as suddenly as the two are thrown together, they are sent on a mission that will either kill them or absolve Cidra's family of a crime they didn't commit as well as save a planet from a plague that is more than anyone originally thought. Hold onto your space helmet, you will need the oxygen it provides to read UNCHAINED. Cidra's story is very fast paced and the mystery had me holding my breath quite a bit as I anxiously tried to read faster to find out what would happen next. Cidras' father was in charge of delivering a shipment of a much needed vaccination that was never delivered. While many years have passed, our hero and heroine currently have a space chart, a video-copy of the shipment blowing up as well as a vial from the lost shipment. Now it is up to our couple to find out what happened to the shipment and along the way convince the "bad guys" that they have been told lies all these years. CJ Barry has done a wonderful job writing UNCHAINED. The story is fast paced, and flows from one event into the next seamlessly. While this didn't bother me in the least I thought I'd mention that the romance between our couple is secondary to the action adventure-mystery that they are trying to unravel in the story. I think it's a testament to CJ Barry's writing ability that she has also allowed Grey and Cidra the time to form any kind of attachment. Cidra and Grey are forced to rely on each other and I would say that their relationship forms out of admiration for each others abilities. Cidra had been protected by their mentor and while strong in mind and body she is unaware of the real world. Grey has acquired the cynicism of one disillusioned with life as he is betrayed by associates in his profession. So Cidra gave Grey a fresh view of life. Both are strong and determined and I liked them both. CJ Barry has become one of my favorite authors, and while UNCHAINED is not part of her "UN" series, it is not a book to be missed!

Cidra's father had been in charge of ensuring the vaccine for the cursed Ximenes Plague left Avion with the destination of Dakru, where the d'Hont live. But the shipment never arrived on Dakru. In typical Dakruian tradition, the d'Hont killed the entire Faulkner family. They never realized one child escaped. For ten years Cidra lived with Syrus, her father's old friend. In secret, Syrus taught her the ways of the Kin-sha warrior. The Kin-sha training was banned the same night the Avion government stood quietly by and let the d'Hont slaughter all the Faulkners. Other than Syrus, the only friend she has is the man called Barrios, a chef. When Syrus dies, Cidra and Barrios are the only ones at the funeral. In fact, they were still digging the grave when they are approached by Grey Stone. Grey is an intergalactic treasure hunter and had trained with Syrus before Cidra. A few days prior to Syrus's death, he contacted Grey and made him promise to take Cidra on as part of his crew. Barrios goes along as the new ship's cook. Though Grey is close to locating his next treasure, he must put it aside in order to grant Syrus's last request. Grey and Cidra are to discover the real fate of the Dakru shipment, clear her father's name, and save the Kin-sha. One major problem: Dakru has learned that Cidra lives and the entire d'Hont race wants her dead! ***** It is no wonder to me that this story was a 2002 PRISM Award finalist or that it won the RIO Award! In fact, this has got to be one of the very best Science Fiction Romances I have ever read. The story hooked me in the very first sentence, when young Cidra wakes up in the middle of her family's slaughter. The ending is just as climatic. Oh, and don't expect to breath easy anywhere in between those two areas. This tale is non-stop action and romance. If you enjoyed watching Han Solo and Princess Leia click and clash in the original Star Wars trilogy, then you are going to LOVE this one! Highly recommending! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I started out reading C.J. Barry's Un-series with Unearthed. A delightful Sci-Fi fantasy, that has the kick a** feel of a female Indiana Jones in space, yet managed to keep all the sensuality, the romance that should be typical, and so often is lost when a writer brings in a strong adventure. You noticed small things, like her chicken dance, that gave the book a more polished feel, yet sprinkling the story with enchanting humor. From that book on, I have been a Barry fan, and eagerly await her next Un-book! However, Unearthed was not the first UN-book, Unchained was. It was out in e-book form, showing once again, e-books are fostering some marvelous talent. They are now putting Unchained out in paperback, but I was not willing to wait and downloaded it on Microsoft Reader. To my surprise, not only can I read the book in print, the Microsoft Reader does just that - it reads to me. With my busy schedule, I was delighted, and will be seeking more Microsoft Reader downloads. I had been downloading in Adobe Reader, but no more. This will be my choice for my e-books. So you might want to give this experience a try and download this version. You can have your book read to you and save a few bucks, plus the added fact you get it then and there, saving postage and time waiting. Barry's first book, might show a few first time writers flaws, but frankly I tend to ignore that. What I am seeking is story. When a good story grabs me, then I could care less if there is a POV (point of view) shift or maybe it was not pristinely edited. WHO CARES! It's the story that matters and if that is not there, not matter how perfect the presentation, you won't be entertained. And Barry's tale has story in spades. The book opens with Cidra Faulkner's family home being attacked. She has been trained to use the escape tunnels, to save herself. She does. Huddled, she awaits her father, mother and brothers. Only they don't come. Cidra is rescued by Syrus, a gentle man, but also a warrior and teacher. He carries Cidra away, hides her by telling all Cidra is his niece and trains her in the way of the Kin-Sha, near mythical warriors. Now ten years later, Cidra's life is going to take another drastic turn due to Syrus' intervention, this time, nearly from beyond the grave. Just before Syrus' death, he contact his former student, Grey Stone, and traps Grey into carrying Cidra away from the planet, he fears a danger nearing. Grey arrives to find Cidra burying their mentor, and knows despite who she was - the daughter of the man he holds responsible for the death of nearly everyone on his planet - that he has to honor his vow to Syrus. Grey is an intergalactic treasure hunter. He knows he must try to hide Cidra's true identity or those who killed her family would soon be after her. After she learns information Syrus left to her, she vows to track down the people that saw her father condemned for a crime he didn't commit, and see justice done his memory