Review of KINDLE Ebook Pirate Nemesis – Book 1 of the Telepathic Space Pirates series by Carysa Locke #Brainfluffbookreview #PirateNemesisbookreview

I got hold of this one on the recommendation of Lola at Lola’s Reviews – and I’m very glad I did.

Killers. Thieves. Pirates. Family. Mercy Kincaid is a fugitive from her own family. Her dangerous telepathic gifts make her a target. So is anyone she gets close to. When her best friend is captured and tortured, Mercy’s only hope is to reunite with the family that tried to murder her as a child. She trusts few among her blood relatives, but finds herself intrigued by an enigmatic and dangerous killer.

Reaper has spent a lifetime watching his people die. He’s vowed to kill anyone who jeopardizes their survival. Mercy’s gifts are the biggest threat they’ve faced in eleven years, since a biological weapon nearly annihilated the pirate colonies. But Reaper realizes her talents can either destroy them, or save them. He must decide if he’s fallen victim to her power, or if he can truly trust the beautiful woman and her compelling abilities. If he makes the wrong choice, everyone dies.

This one starts with a wallop. I love the fact that we are quickly on Mercy’s side as we watch her struggling against a thoroughly unpleasant antagonist. She is brave, twitchy and ultra-suspicious – and quite right too. She has spent her life on the run from her own family and when she finally is confronted by the whole clan, it’s small wonder that she’s overwhelmed.

I liked the fact that despite what Mercy is and represents, she doesn’t turn into a Mary Sue, where all goes before her. That there is damage and mayhem on the way. I also like the fact that we learn the bloodsoaked history of Mercy’s family and why she was being hunted from the time she was a tiny child throughout the book, instead of a large info-dump.

Reaper is the other main character and again, his personality is skilfully handled as his prime instincts to seek out the weakness in everyone he meets – just in case he has to kill them – is convincingly portrayed.
The story moves along at a fair clip towards a chilling climax. I really liked the denouement and am delighted that Himself has got the next book in the series – I’ll definitely be reading it!

Recommended for fans of character-led space opera adventure, with a side order of romance.
8/10