The Mystery of the Solar Wind – Lit World Interviews

#BOOK REVIEW BY @COLLEENCHESEBRO OF “Freedom Fighter, Solar Wind 3,” BY AUTHOR @LYZRUSSO

Title: Freedom Fighter, Solar Wind 3
Author: Lyz Russo
File Size: 1324 KB
Print Length: 556 pages
Publisher: P’kaboo Publishers
Publication Date: October 10, 2012
Sold by Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B00ELJ4OYY
ISBN-10:
ISBN-13:
Formats: Paperback and Kindle
Goodreads
Genres: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction, Fantasy

From the Author:

“Keep an eye on them, Federi!”

Captain Rushka Donegal on the bridge! But the young girl doesn’t feel up to running a ship full of unruly young crew. And then they come across disaster…

So it falls to Federi to pick up the pieces while his Captain is not aboard. And while he rolls his dramatic eyes and gets things done, Paean Donegal arms up and signs on for the Fight for Freedom.

Recommendation:

*The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review which follows*

“Freedom Fighter,” is the third installment in the intriguing Solar Wind series. To read my review of the first book, The Mystery of the Solar Wind, click here. To read my review of the second book, The Assassin, click here.

I have to tell you all, I am hopelessly in love with this series. The characters have found their way into my heart. I feel pained every time I come to the end of another exciting installment because I want to know more! I think I must have some gypsy blood running through my veins!

What happens next? I’m dying to find out!

Freedom Fighter finds Captain Radomir Lascek up to his neck in negotiations with the Unicate and other warring factions as he tries to carve out a peaceful treaty to the new world order that has taken over the earth. So much so, that he has no choice but to make his daughter, Rushka Donegal, the captain of the Solar Wind.

Rushka, married to Paean Donegal’s brother, finds herself in quite the predicament. Pregnant with twins and suffering from horrible bouts of morning sickness, Rushka is forced to count on the experience and expertise from Federi, the gypsy, when it comes to the obstacles the Solar Wind is forced to endure. This causes a rift between Rushka and her husband, as he is the second mate on the ship, even though he does not possess the experience needed to man the craft alone.

Meanwhile, Paean has her own problems dealing with her gypsy husband. Still a teenager, she grapples with the feelings of love she has for Federi. She knows there is a physical part of loving her gypsy but understands that she is not ready for that step. Federi pulls away from Paean trying to respect her age. He is willing to wait until she is older to consummate their marriage. Paean believes the gypsy is reconsidering his marriage to her. A genius at manipulating cells, Paean brews a love potion sure to win over Federi’s heart, with disastrous results!

Nevertheless, their bond is strong as Paean becomes Federi’s backup in the war against the Unicate. In no time, Paean proves to be quite the pugilist and earns the recognition from the captain as “The Captain’s Little Freedom Fighter.” Federi is consumed with jealousy and reminds Paean that she belongs only to him.

This novel takes on a more mysterious and sinister air than the previous two installments. Something is happening to the sea life in the oceans. It is up to Federi and Paean to solve this mystery.

However, I find there are still many unanswered questions. Why is the Unicate hunting down the Donegal Troubles? Why did the Unicate want the Donegal’s mother dead? Lyz Russo skillfully drops hints that Paean is the key to the whole mystery…

Now, I can’t wait to read Solar Wind Book 4, Raiders! If you love science fiction with a pirate twist you will love the Solar Wind series. Freedom Fighter deals with the theme of relationships. Love, lust, desire, and greed! Throw in some gypsy magic to keep things real and you are ready for another great adventure.

Yarrr! What are you waiting for me maties?

My Rating:

Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 4
Reader Engagement: 5
Reader Enrichment: 4
Reader Enjoyment: 5
Overall Rate: 4.5 out of 5 stars

About Lyz Russo:

I’m a South African writer and musician. Between running a violin studio and raising 3 beautiful children, and writing through nights, I also run a maverick indie publishing house in South Africa called P’kaboo Publishers.

Have a look: www.pkaboo.net.

You can catch me on my blogs: The Red Ant atskrikvirniks.wordpress.com and Violin Tricks atviolintrix.wordpress.com. On WordPress, I’m “gipsika”.

You can find me on Twitter @lyzrusso and also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Lyz-Russo
and www.facebook.com/pkaboo.net

Book Review by @ColleenChesebro of silverthreading.com

#BOOK REVIEW BY @COLLEENCHESEBRO OF “THE ASSASSIN,” BY AUTHOR @LYZRUSSO

Title: The Assassin – (The Solar Wind Book 2)
Author: Lyz Russo
File Size: 1322 KB
Print Length: 556 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN:
Publisher: P’kaboo Publishers (E Rossouw Trading As)
Publication Date: February 19, 2011
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B009H42UWG
Formats: Paperback and Kindle
Goodreads
Smashwords
Genres: Fiction, Action, Adventure, Thriller, Suspense, Science Fiction, Romance

*The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review which follows*

In the Author’s own words:

“Remember who you are!”

“His sister died with those words on her lips. Something sinister lurks in his psyche. Something that loves killing. Can he complete his mission without selling out to this entity? The voyage of the Solar Wind continues… Two data capsules tell an evil story. Both the Unicate and the Rebellion want those capsules – but they are in the possession of Radomir Lascek of the Solar Wind. Hunted by both these forces, Lascek scrambles to keep his Solar Wind alive. But things explode in his face, and he is forced to move. Shattered, Lascek launches his own Master Plan – too early.”

My Recommendation:

“The Assassin,” is the second installment in the suspenseful Solar Wind series. To read my review of the first book, The Mystery of the Solar Wind, click here.

Captain Radomir Lascek and his band of unruly pirates, sailing upon his ship, the Solar Wind, continue to hide from the Unicate and their evil associates. However, there is more at stake now. Two data capsules in the Captain’s possession explain that the Rebellion is on a similar path as the Unicate, and both forces could spell the end of the world if the Captain doesn’t act soon.

When the Captain’s secret station in Antarctica is attacked, he is forced to take matters into his own hands. He employs Federi, the part-time gypsy chef/master assassin and Paean, a ship’s musician and budding genetic scientist to embark on a mission to assassinate as many of the top Unicate Officials as they can. Reluctantly, Federi teaches Paean the art of killing, something the fifteen-year-old finds to be a necessary evil in this futuristic world they are forced to survive in.

Struggling to deal with the burgeoning feelings he has for Paean, Federi confronts the “killing animal” that dwells within his heart. He knows he has the soul of an assassin. His greatest fear is that he will lose the love and admiration from the young girl, a certain loss he knows he could not endure.

As the story unfolds the reader discovers Federi and Paean share a type of gypsy intuition, a mystical connection that belongs only to them. This psychic ability blossoms into a deep love between the two, even though Federi is much older than Paean. This is gypsy love at its finest, and I was bewitched by the touching love story that drew me deeper into the adventure.

The book is long but filled with so much intrigue and suspense you gladly read on to unravel the various mysteries that are part of the whole adventure aboard the Solar Wind. For me, this book delves deeper into the characters and gives you a glimpse into the mechanics of their personalities. I like these pirates. Their humanity speaks to me. I can’t wait to dive into the third book in the series, Freedom Fighter. Stay tuned…

My Rating:

Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 4
Reader Engagement: 5
Reader Enrichment: 4
Reader Enjoyment: 5
Overall Rate: 4.5 out of 5 stars

About Lyz Russo:

You can catch me on my blogs: The Red Ant at skrikvirniks.wordpress.com and Violin Tricks at violintrix.wordpress.com. On WordPress, I’m “gipsika”.

You can find me on Twitter @lyzrusso and also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Lyz-Russo and www.facebook.com/pkaboo.net

Book Review by @ColleenChesebro of silverthreading.com

#BOOK REVIEW BY @COLLEENCHESEBRO OF “THE MYSTERY OF THE SOLAR WIND” BY AUTHOR @LYZRUSSO

Title: The Mystery of the Solar Wind
Author: Lyz Russo
File Size: 1570 KB
Print Length: 430 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 062046593X
Publisher: P’kaboo Publishing (Owned by the author)
Publication Date: August 18, 2015
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B0145T724I
Formats: Paperback and Kindle
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Futuristic Fiction, Mystery,

In the year 2116 the Unicate, a conglomerate formed from all the governments in the world, have stopped the wars that ravaged the earth. Peace now reigns supreme – except on the oceans, where Captain Radomiur Lascek and his band of pirates sail upon his ship, the Solar Wind. This unruly band of misfits travel the high seas, seeking out outlaws and fugitives, all the while steering clear of the Unicate and their associates.

On a routine stop in Dublin, the Gypsy chef, Federi takes a chance and hires three teenage Irish musicians, “The Donegal Troubles,” Paean, her older brother Ronan, and her younger brother, Shawn to entertain the crew. The young trio had been searching for work and a safe place to hide from their past and the Unicate, who are hunting for them in connection with a mysterious death that still haunts Paean and her brothers.

Mystery and adventure surround the Donegal’s as they sail aboard the Solar Wind. When the Unicate gained power they outlawed all knowledge and culture that dated back more than thirty years. This is the war the pirates wage against the Unicate. Using current technology and the old ways of sailing, knowledge now forbidden, Captain Lascek and the crew capture and sell enemy craft to the rebellion.

However, all is not what it seems aboard the Solar Wind. The Unicate and bounty hunters are closing in on Captain Lascek and the crew. Time is running out! The only answer must be sabotage from within!

Recommendation:

Do you love pirates? Young adult adventure and mysteries, too? How about if you throw in some gypsy magic and a romance or two? The Mystery of the Solar Wind is all that and then some.

The cast of characters is a motley crew with two things in common, their love of the sea and their hatred for the Unicate. Add in the young Donegal kids who knew nothing of living upon a sea vessel and you learn about life aboard the Solar Wind through their eyes. If you ever wondered what it was like to sail a ship, you will learn all there is to know within these pages.

I was intrigued with the in-depth personality of Paean, a real tom-boy who stuck me as a level headed teenager faced with the difficulties of living under a corrupt world government. The choices she was faced with really made me think about the way our world is today and what our future might hold for all of us. The future presented within these pages might not be too far off in our own future.

Although, for me the real stand out in the novel was Federi, the Gypsy chef, who bewitches you with his smooth talking ways and his undying loyalty to the captain and the crew. The Romany Federi carries dark secrets from his past that seem to surface at exactly the right time, moving the story along in exciting new paths.

There is a great deal of detail presented within the pages of this book. At times, I had to backtrack to make all the connections, even though I was always glad I did. Lyz Russo is a master story weaver and I was drawn into the community of pirates who seemed to be the real good guys in this futuristic world.

I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I have to know what happens next!

“The Mystery of the Solar Wind,” is Book 1 in the Solar Wind series. “The Assassin,” is Book 2, “Freedom Fighter,” is Book 3, and “Raider!” is Book 4, all part of the Solar Wind Series.