Unmasked

CJ Barry is a master at world-building. No one does it better. In UNMASKED, she brings Torie Masters into Qaade Deter's life, and together they bust a child slavery ring. Emotional, fast-paced, poignant, Barry writes a wonderful story. I've read every one of her 'UN' series...UNMASKED is my favorite.

Torrie Masters is the only sister in the Masters Shipping family. She has 6 brothers including Zain from UNLEASHED. She has finally convinced her family to let her captain one of their cargo ships. She is a determined gutsy lady who doesn't take kindly to having her cargo stolen. When pirates capture her ship through trickery she decides to go and get it back. Following a secret tracking device she had implanted, she falls into the hands of Quade Deter, the leader of the pirates. Quade was a slave who was rescued by pirates. He has dedicated his life to setting up a pipeline to rescue and rehabilitate slaves. It seems the Patrol is not doing anything about the kidnapping and selling of slaves. For the last 15 yrs he has worked to save and reunite families, always hoping to find his lost sister and mother. Known only as Laghato, a word meaning freedom, he is worshiped by slaves and hated by slave traders. At first Torrie only has contempt for this man who hides behind a mask in order to steal from others. But after seeing the horror and misery of slavery first hand, against her will, she begins to understand and care for this strong willed man. When the safe communities and ships come under attack by a vicious slaver she finds herself caught up in his schemes. And when it looks like only Quade's life will stop the killing and protect the freed slaves, She is determined to save him. Very well written and plotted, I enjoyed this one very much. Fast paced with a wonderful cast of characters. Don't miss her other books UNEARTHED, UNLEASHED, and UNRAVELED.

Masters Shipping is the wealthiest shipping company in the galaxy. The main headquarters is on the planet called Dun Gali. Torie Masters is the youngest member of the family and the only daughter. She has grown up with more than half a dozen older brothers. As the story opens, Torrie is on her maiden voyage as captain of the ship Ventura2. The crew is evacuating. Core melt down is due shortly. Torrie stays behind, sure she can save the ship. She is wrong. However, the ship was never in danger. Pirates board. Qaade Deter lets Torie live. He is known as the Ghost Rider of the Dead Zone. All he steals from Torrie's ship are some special medical supplies. InterGlax, the law enforcement, may call him and his crew pirates, but to the slaves he rescues he is called a savior. If Torrie had not found a way to track her stolen shipment, she and Qaade would probably have never met again. But, of course, she did. Qaade and Torrie must come to an understanding and learn to trust each other ... and FAST! Qaade has a traitor somewhere in his crew. Someone Qaade trusts has given all information on the "Slipstream" operation (the name for his operation of freeing slaves) to a dangerous man named Chauvet. Chauvet knows every single thing about the operation and even has detailed maps on each ship, port of calls, and people. Chauvet has created a cold game in the name of vengeance. ***** Both genders will enjoy this sci-fi flick. It is like watching Han Solo and Princess Leia go head-to-head. Both stubborn, both used to leadership, and both filled with honor. I read the entire book in a single sitting, unable to stop. To be honest, I did not even try to resist. I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. And what a ride this one is! There are a few hot scenes, but not like a "romance" book where it begins toward the beginning and steams all the way through the book. No, most of the time is spent on the plot. Again, think Han and Leia. The attraction and passion is between them, but the Rebellion is first and foremost. Author C.J. Barry has a best seller here. No doubt! I can't wait to see what Barry releases next. ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

She knows she earned this first run as a freight captain when she helped rescue her brother Zain from slavery (see UNLEASHED), but Torrie Masters is nervous yet confident. However, when the computer reports the engine is melting down, Torrie sends her crew away hoping to save the day and not go down with the ship. Instead of dying, the meltdown proves false, but the Dead Zone Ghost Rider pirates led by Qaade Deter capture her ship. Surprisingly, Qaade sets Torrie free returning her vessel to her, but keeping her cargo. Later when he learns that slavers have kidnapped her, he comes to rescue her, but at the cost of his precious hijacked cargo. Once he frees her Qaade demands she help him recover the cargo he stole from her because his piracy assists the Slipstream rescue people from slavery although he wonders who will save his heart enslaved to the feisty captain. The fourth "Un...ed" science fiction romance is a terrific outer space action thriller that stands alone even with a Masters as a protagonist as in previous tales. The story line feels somewhat like swashbucklers in outer space, but with the test that the pirates, believing slavery is an abomination, free the slaves at every opportunity. C.J. Barry provides a fast-paced action-packed thriller starring two wonderful characters that make believers of the audience that piracy in space exist. Fans of speculative fictions will appreciate Ms. Barry's latest stellar story and seek the previous three "Un" novels that are well worth reading Harriet Klausner

C.J. Barry blasted on the scene with Unearthed. In the short time she has been published, her talent has catapulted her to the top. She is a beautiful writer, that excels on so many levels. Her Sci-Fi romances play on par with Indiana Jones in space. She gives you cultures that are rich in lore and history, full of perils and monsters, and with strong female heroines who can stand toe-to-toe with their men and fight without flinching. Sprinkled amongst these heart stopping, edge-of-seat adventures is a delicious humor that really sets her above the pack. Unchained, her first book has been re-released, joining her Unearthed, Unleashed, Unraveled and now her newest, and likely strongest tale, Unmasked.Quade's name was whispered through out the quadrant, they called him Laghato - the liberator. For the past decade Quade has lived the life of a space pirate, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. A true Robin Hood, he is working in a desperate race to fight slavery. He uses the money he gets from his robbing to pay for medication used to reclaim the memories of the slave zombies - people stolen against their will, their brain's fried so they obey their masters. Underneath this valiant crusade is a fight to find his mother and sister who were taken years ago. He will not give up until he finds them. When he seizes the ship of Torrie Masters, the youngest child of the rich Masters shipping family, he gets more than he bargained for.Torrie Masters is a beautiful redhead with a spirit to match. The instant she looks into Quade's masked face, she knows she will not let him best her. But he does - temporarily - seizing her shipment. Torrie gives her word she won't send the galactic police on his trail in return for him not killing her. Only she didn't promise not to track him down herself. She does, and with her tiny light-beam computer NOD, she traces him to a warehouse. However, she is caught by the black-marketers, and they plan on sending her to the slave auctions. Quade uses her shipment of illegal meds to buy her from them. Torrie is not happy, for she doesn't really comprehend the danger that Quade saved her from. Quade insists he has to go back to steal the meds, since they are needed to save the slaves he sends through Slipstream. He insists Torrie go with him, since she, and only she, can track the shipment through Nod.She and Quade do just that. Only as they are racing toward the ship, under fire, Quade is stopped by a sad woman calling Laghato. She gives him her two tiny daughters to save. Torrie is almost ready to leave Quade behind, believing him a pirate and a slaver. Only the look in his eyes as he holds the two children stops her from leaving him. Soon Torrie learns there is a lot more to the mysterious pirate, learns how her family is involved with the problem of illegal shipments connected to the slavery. Thus she begins a taught fight on the side of people who cannot defend themselves, at the side of