Guardians of Paradise

by Jaine Fenn

Overview

Most people believe the Sidhe are long dead, exterminated centuries ago when the males of the race rose up and fought alongside the humans subjugated and enslaved by the female Sidhe. But Jarek Reen knows better: he's discovered, the painful way, that the Sidhe are alive and well, and still screwing over humanity. They've already killed his sister, so he's not surprised when he discovers an old friend and her partner are next on the Sidhe's hitlist. He helps not only to foil the assassination attempt, but also to muddy the scene of the crime, leaving the Angels Nual and Taro sanMalia presumed dead - and free to join his crusade to expose the insidious influence of the Sidhe, and their evil plans to enslave the human race again.

Their mission takes them across human-space, from utilitarian hub-points to rich, exotic planets - where they discover that a brilliant vacation spot hides some of the darkest secrets of all. And that's when they discover how easy it is for the hunters to become the hunted ...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780575089051
Publisher:	Orion
Publication date:	10/14/2010
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	879,581
File size:	454 KB

About the Author

Jaine Fenn studied Linguistics and Astronomy at university before embarking on a career as an IT consultant. She is the author of the Hidden Empire books PRINCIPLES OF ANGELS, CONSORTS OF HEAVEN, GUARDIANS OF PARADISE, BRINGER OF LIGHT and QUEEN OF NOWHERE. She lives with her husband in Hampshire.

You can learn more at www.jainefenn.co.uk, or by following @jainefenn on twitter.

Editorial Reviews

Fenn's third Hidden Empire fantasy-influenced space opera episode (after Consorts of Heaven) cycles through the points of view of three characters: Nual, a renegade Sidhe; Taro, her youthful companion; and Jarek, a human who meets up with them following his sister's death. In this universe the Sidhe are humanoid aliens with psychic abilities. Most humans think the Sidhe have been exterminated, but Jarek knows they're responsible for killing his sister, and he's determined to stop their efforts to enslave or destroy humankind. The plot takes a while to get started, but the world-building keeps things interesting. As the Sidhe's origins come to light, so do the related disquieting secrets behind the mechanism for interstellar travel. The fascinating setting almost makes up for the characters, whose inability to confront each other becomes tedious very quickly. Readers should be familiar with the first two installments before broaching this one. Agent: Ian Drury, Sheil Land Associates. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"A fabulous setting for a sprawling series of old-fashioned adventure novels. There is a similarity here to the oeuvre of Neal Asher. . . . Good light entertainment, which continues to build a platform on which Jaine Fenn can grow her empire and her audience."  —Strange Horizons

From the Publisher

Jarek Reen knows that the Sidhe, a race of beautiful creatures thought to have been wiped out hundreds of years ago, still exist. Able to enslave humans by bending them to their will, the Sidhe continue to exert an insidious influence on space-faring humanity. Together with Nual, a rogue Sidhe, and Taro, a former street kid now an elite assassin, Jarek seeks to fathom the secret behind the "shift" technology that enables practical space flight and that is somehow linked to the Sidhe's behind-the-scenes machinations. The third installment in Fenn's series (Principles of Angels; Consorts of Heaven) reunites the main characters from the previous books and sends them on a journey that tests their mettle and principles. VERDICT Fenn has a way with characters that makes them utterly believable, both flawed and fortunate. This strong series should appeal to readers of Sharon Shinn's "Samaria" novels and fans of far future sf.

Library Journal