Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Bookish Thoughts: Erased by Liz Strange

The usual miscreants filled the bar--thugs for hire, men looking for redemption in the bottom of an empty glass, and those simply on the prowl. ~ Opening of Erased


Erased by Liz Strange
Dark Continents Publishing, 2014
Science Fiction; 226 pgs
From GoodReads: 
Grey Singer doesn’t know who she is or what she’s done. All she knows is that the InterStellar Collective wants her dead. Her memories are muddled, she has no money, and no one to watch her back except a much younger bartender who claims to be her boyfriend. According to him, she’s been erased. 
But how can she trust him to help her get through this when she can’t even trust her own mind? While caught in the middle of warring factions her very life, and the lives of countless others, might depend on the answers.

I admit I am not the world's largest science fiction fan.  It is not a genre I gravitate towards generally. I am a huge fan of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series and absolutely loved the Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness.  Both tend to be series that attract readers of all genres, regardless of their science fiction tie in.

When I first heard about Liz Strange's Erased, I hesitated. It sounded different than anything else I normally read, but a quick reminder that I tend to like science fiction movies made me decide to give this book a chance.  I am glad I did.

Erased is a nonstop action, extremely intense novel, featuring a heroine that is kick-ass in every way. Grey Singer rose to her high position in the InterStellar Collective for a reason--her dedication to the cause, her tenacity, her ambition, and her skills.  She is a force to be reckoned with in a flight and quick thinking on her feet.  Let me just say, I wouldn't want to be on her bad side.

With the loss of her memory, a more vulnerable side of Singer comes through, mostly through her fear and confusion about what she is experiencing, not knowing who to trust or exactly what happened to her and why. There's also her attraction to and feelings toward Jeremy, who seems to be a stabilizing force in her life, at times her only one. It's also her only weakness.

There is space travel, fist and fire fights galore, romance, double crosses,  and quite a bit of intrigue as Singer tries to maintain her sanity and figure out exactly what kind of trouble she is in. There is one part in the beginning which I found quite jarring in which Singer is in one place one moment and a completely different place the next. This happens several more times throughout the novel, but by the second time it is much more clear what is going on. In an effort to get her memories back, Singer had taken a drug that is now affecting the way her brain works.  She goes in and out of memory loss and suffers blackouts.

What I liked best about the novel was how well the author was able to put me in the mind of Singer. At times I was just as confused as she was, just as in the dark.  I had lots of ideas about where the story might go, but I never really knew.

I have read several books by author Liz Strange: two detective novels, a fantasy novel and now this science fiction novel. She continues to entertain me and keep me guessing.  I do not know if I would have bought a copy of Erased had it not been by an author whose work I have enjoyed in the past. It would have been a mistake though.  It pays to step outside my reading comfort zone now and then.

Rating:  * (Very Good)

You can learn more about Liz Strange and her books on the author's website.

Source: I purchased an e-copy of this book for my own reading pleasure.  


© 2014, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

16 comments:

  1. I'm not a huge sci-fi fan either. However, I like watching some sci-fi movies but don't really seek out the books. I suppose the premise has to be interesting to attract me and this sounds like a good one, after reading your review.

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    1. Melody - Yes, the premise would really have to grab me--or the book would have to come highly recommended. I really enjoyed this one.

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  2. Like you I only read this genre from time to time. Loving the cover but otherwise this isn't a book that particularly appeals to me.

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    1. Tracy - Not every book appeals to everyone, of course. :-) I am glad I took a chance on this one though, even despite my initial hesitation. This was a fun read.

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  3. I need to remind myself to step outside my usual genres as well. I don't generally read sci fi but I've found that the ones I have I've really enjoyed. This sounds interesting and Singer sounds like a character I'd like to get to know.

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    1. Katherine - Yes, stepping outside our comfort zones isn't always easy given how many books are out there within the genres we favor we want to read. Then I read a book like this and am reminded why I need to try something different more often.

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  4. Sometimes when trying to approve a comment on my phone, I accidentally hit the delete key. :-( I'm sorry, Jenclair. Here is your comment:

    jenclair has left a new comment on your post "Bookish Thoughts: Erased by Liz Strange":

    I do like science fiction, and I love a kick-ass hero (especially female), and lots of action! I'm adding this to my list-- thanks, Wendy.

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    1. Jenclair - Singer is definitely an edgy character, but I did like her. It's nice to see strong women in books like this--rescuing the men more often than them rescuing the men. :-) I hope you enjoy it if you do read it!

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  5. I don't read a lot of science fiction myself either although I'm not really sure why. I would probably enjoy it....this book sounds like my kind of read! I will just add yet another one to the TBR list thanks to you :)

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    1. Samantha - I am not sure what my problem is either. I enjoy the genre when I read it. Mostly. I can think of one science fiction book I read which I hated (it was written by the husband of a friend, which made it particularly awkward--pre-blogging days, thank goodness). Anyway, Erased was very intense and I really liked it.

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  6. I rarely enjoy science fiction, especially the more modern books because of how visual this genre tends to be. I love watching science fiction movies though. I am going to look up this book, because it sounds good and very readable for someone like me.

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    1. Athira - I know what you mean. I can't resist a good science fiction film, even if the books might not appeal to me.

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    2. I came back to look at your review of this book because you loved it so much in your year end review. I have just bought it on kindle because of this review! lol I'll let you know how I like it. It certainly looks interesting, and I enjoy SF. Thanks for a good review about an e-book I'd never have heard about otherwise. Glad you read out of your comfort zone too :-)

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    3. I LOVE sci fi and will definitely be looking out for this one - many thanks:).

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    4. I am glad you will check this one out, Sarah. Liz Strange is the one who sparked my recent interest in Sci Fi with this one.

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