The new instalment in the award-winning Class 5 series.DARK MATTERS . . . taking matters into her own handsA time bomb, waiting to go off . . . Lucy Harris is on the run, not sure where she can turn to for help, or if help is even available. But even as her abductors chase her down, she realizes they don’t just want to recapture her, they want to erase her.When your very existence puts a planet … her.
When your very existence puts a planet at the risk of war, there’s no choice but to do everything in your power to stay out of your enemies hands.
A predator . . . waiting for the chance to pounce
The powerful AI battleship, Bane, is accompanying the United Council envoy to Tecra to mete out the punishment the Tecrans have earned for breaking UC law. He revels in the power he’s about to have over his old masters. But his mission isn’t only to rain down retribution on the people who kept him chained for years, he’s also looking for a human woman his fellow Class 5 thinking system mentioned in the final seconds of his life. Paxe admitted to taking Lucy Harris from Earth, and Bane has been looking for her ever since.
A warrior conflicted . . .
Commander Dray Helvan thinks the Grih made a mistake in not pushing for war with the Tecran, but he’s had to accept the compromise, that he and the other envoys from the United Council will go to Tecra and dismantle its military from the top down. His mission is not one of his choosing, but when he and his team arrive, he’s handed a very different job. While he distrusts Bane on principle, when the thinking system tells him there’s a woman running for her life on the planet below, he will do whatever he has to to see her safe. And if that means war for Tecra, well, then it means war.
Note: Dark Matters can be read as a standalone novel but is part of a larger story arc which was started with Dark Horse, the first book in the Class 5 series.
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A balls to the wall action adventure with a touch of romance thrown in. A real page turner,
This is my favorite series by this author. I was so happy to find out that we would get another book.
I liked Lucy. I also liked Dray but was pleased that Lucy didn’t need him to save her. Bane, like all of the AI’s is terrific.
Maybe there will be another book? It would be great to have all of the Thinking Machines together with their Earth women to round up the remaining trouble makers?
A worthy addition to my favorite space opera series!
This book is so freaking good! It is a smart, action-packed thriller on a far-off planet with a touch of romance. This series really should be read in order because of wonderful story arcs and because this novel contains spoilers for previous books. In addition, we first met Bane in Book 1 (“Dark Horse”), and I am so glad that he is in this new novel. You definitely need to read about Bane first in “Dark Horse”.
The third person perspective alternates among Lucy, Dray, and Bane. I adored all three primary characters. Lucy is an intelligent, strong-willed woman who faces her fears. She doesn’t give up, even when she is on the run in an alien city with unknown people after her. Dray is an honorable, open-minded military man with a strong core of morality. He is smart, honest, and great under pressure. Bane is an artificial intelligence situated in a large spaceship. He impressed me with his thoughtfulness and sense of humor.
I loved this novel so much that when I finished, I immediately wanted to start re-reading the entire 4-book series. It is a high quality, suspenseful space opera with complexity and a little humor. I highly recommend the entire series to everyone who loves space operas, smart adventure books, or books with strong female characters.
Such a great story, feel like bursting into song.
Hoped for a story with Bane and a human and here it is. Opened the first page and I was back in the land of Grih, Tecran, Fitali, Bukaria, Gramman, abducted humans and class 5 ships. Action, suspense, drama then the last page came, which was way too soon and the story was over. Sad. But a fantastic conclusion to the whole series.
The world building continued to be consistent throughout the book and series. Lucy the heroine and Dray the hero were great together and separately. Lucy seriously ran mental circles around everyone else, although Dray did catch some of what she was doing. Someone clue me in on her earth profession, I suspect psychologist but wasn’t quite sure from her description to Dray.
And did anyone really think the Tecran military was going to surrender easily, their crazy just rose a few notches and the straight shooters in the UC weren’t crazy enough to foresee their end game.
I’m sad that the current series has ended but the ships figuring out their lives and the girls adapting to their chosen new homes, interacting with other societies, trying to have mixed species children are totally different types of stories. I’m happy to stop here where everyone is in a happy for now.
I highly recommend this book and the 3 previous stories. This book can stand alone but if you like it please go back and read the other three. These books and others are why this author is on by auto-buy list.
Off to reread the whole series back to back, Dark Horse, Dark Deeds, Dark Minds and now Dark Matters. Then the Verdant String, another fantastic space opera, loosely connected series by the author.
Possible spoiler –
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Though an opening has been left for the ships to get to earth, probably years or decades after the girls have passed on. I imagine they or their heirs would want one of the ships to check out the state of earth society before first contact is made.
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Well it looks like the Tecram are really in a pickle now as the United Council have realised just how insidious their actions have been. Stealing alien technology and even humans is something that cannot go unpunished. Lucy has been a prisoner of the Tecrans for months, treated with contempt by many and suspicion by others yet as those in power seek to eliminate the threat her existence poses she takes the chance to escape.
Dray hadn’t really trusted the Tecram yet finds himself part of the diplomatic mission to their home planet. What he hadn’t expected was for Bane the powerful Class 5 battleship to contact him. Finding out that Lucy really does exist means Dray is desperate to find and free her but with warmongers determined to kill Lucy can Dray really get her out of there ?
I love this series and in this book we really got to know the AI Bane. I freely admit he’s my favourite character here as he’s given a presence throughout this story that felt real. Yes I know AI means artificial intelligence but honestly it should be angry intelligence because Bane is no passive pushover but a true war machine. Although I will say there’s humour written into him as well and at times he reminded me of a curious child.
This author seems to excel at giving us heroines that are bright and brave and Lucy is no exception. Sadly for this reader Dray just didn’t quite hit the mark but I could understand the attraction because from his description I was picturing Channing Tatum in Jupiter Ascending with his cute ears ! Yes there’s romance that is probably too quick for many but I could understand that Lucy is unlike any female Dray has seen and for Lucy to finally have an ally would be pure heaven. Possibly more lust than love but I believe the couple could develop love between them given the mutual attraction and respect. It doesn’t look as if there are any more books in this series planned but it certainly has been interesting, inventive and fun !
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair.
This is part of a series, but can be enjoyed as a stand-alone. There is a lot going on in this story, but the author seamlessly gives you the background you need so you don’t feel lost in the Class 5 world. This is light on romance and the sex takes place “off camera”, but because of the fast pace natural of the story and the danger the hero and heroine are in, there really isn’t time for a lot of romancing going on. The heroine is strong and while appreciates help, she doesn’t sit around waiting to be rescued. The hero is determined and quick thinking and soon falls for the heroine. This ends with a HEA for the main couple, even if not everything is explained in detail.