Gabriel’s Ghost

The Dock Five Universe Series, Book 1

By: Linnea Sinclair

Narrated by: Dina Pearlman

Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Award-winning author Linnea Sinclair brings her special sizzle to science fiction with this action-packed blend of otherworldly adventure and sexy stellar romance.

After a decade of piloting interstellar patrol ships, former captain Chasidah Bergren, onetime pride of the Sixth Fleet, finds herself court-martialed for a crime she didn't commit and shipped off to a remote prison planet from which no one ever escapes. But when she kills a brutal guard in an act of self-defense, someone even more dangerous emerges from the shadows. Gabriel Sullivan alpha mercenary, smuggler, and rogue is supposed to be dead. Yet now this seductive ghost from Chazs past is offering her a ticket to freedom for a price. Someone in the Empire is secretly breeding jukors: vicious and uncontrollable killing machines that have long been outlawed. Gabriel needs Chaz to help him stop the practice before it decimates Imperial space. The mission means putting their lives on the line but the tensions that heat up between them may be the riskiest part of all.

©2005 Linnea Sinclair (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Gray Fuzzy Soft Laser Pulse Rifle

Sinclair's style could be compared to what sort of novel might turn out if David Weber married Amanda Quick. Though Sinclair's writing is not nearly as erotic and Quick's. The story is written in first person. The first person character being a court marshaled starship captain imprisoned on an inhospitable planet, who happens to be a total cougar babe with hair too long to imagine, rescued by a roguish pirate who is more than he claims to be. Hair and mugs of tea are the big past time.... Everyone (guys and girls) brushes and braids each other's hair numerous times in this book. Though there's plenty of intrigue and action to keep anyone interested, the romance scenes could have been a little less "fuzzy soft fluffy pillow talk" and a little more action (Linnea, read more Amanda Quick). But this is a guy writing this. The ships and equipment could use a little more description (Linnea, read more David Weber). But then again, this is a guy reading this.

On the whole. It was an enjoyable story and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Narrator trouble

Loved the book. The narrator doesn't do such a great job though. The male voices are very unconvincing and Sully's accent and intonation are grating. Still, enjoyed it.

I liked this.

This started out slow but it got much better as it went. Sci-fi isn't one of my usual haunts but this was suggested by a friend so I gave it a try. I don't think I'll listen to the next ones but I will read them. I like the characters and the plot lines.

Harlequin Romance Novel

What disappointed you about Gabriel’s Ghost?

Storyline had promise. Author chose to write a romance novel, based almost entirely on sensuality. Plot is inane, drags. Have listened to 6 hours and thought it would be a good novel from the way it started. Now, 6 hours in, I don't know the details of why the "heroine" was imprisoned. I don't know why the "hunk" is drawn to her. The greatest thought process that I can imagine is: why is he drawn to her? One meeting in a bar years ago - it's all sensual, no depth, they're already "melded spirits", if I hear "he brushed her (lips, skin, neck) and said 'hush' ", one more time, I think I'll commit suicide.

Has Gabriel’s Ghost turned you off from other books in this genre?

I am a sci-fi, fantasy addict - have over 1600 books, read well over 3000 in my lifetime. If you mean harlequin novels, yes. sci-fi/fantasy - never.

What does Dina Pearlman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Good narration

What character would you cut from Gabriel’s Ghost?

None - just story development with "real" people - not caricatures.

God-awful

I didn't realize this was a romance novel; I thought it was a scifi book. The title of the book could have been "his obsidian eyes" which was the most commonly use phrase in the whole book, and possibly the high point of the verbiage offered. At one point she wanted to rip his clothes off "with her teeth." I simply couldn't listen to the whole book. I'm glad I bought it as a "special" deal for 4.95. I guess that Audible was desperate to sell it. God-awful. I deleted it half-way through, something I never do.

Horrible Little Girl Voice

What would have made Gabriel’s Ghost better?

Changing Narrator. I don't know if something is wrong with recording or narrator.

If you’ve listened to books by Linnea Sinclair before, how does this one compare?

The story line is OK. Fairly enjoyable.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator went from a normal voice to a high pitched one as if she forgot what the female character sounded like. I still don't know if it was part of the recording itself or if the narrator forgot what the character was supposed to sound like. It may have been the download because I had to download several times.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Linnea Sinclair books have a good storyline but the sound recording itself was bad.

some potential

The world building had interesting aspects. Sully seemed manipulative and emotionally abusive. I liked Chaz better in the beginning. I really liked Ren and Chaz's friendship with Ren. All the rainbows and cheesy metaphors made me gag.

Elevator music and rainbows

There is just not one thing I could pin point about this book that made me bored with it.
Story was okay, but not very descriptive. Not really fleshing out the world the story was based in. Characters had substance, but not enough to make me want to find out what happens to them next. The detail the writer gave when explaining any type of "love scene" was vague and filled with "clouds" and "rainbows". Speaking of rainbows, a third into the book and I was getting quite annoyed about the repetitive "rainbow" sayings ("sending rainbows", "my rainbow", "his rainbow"). The Narrator did a good job with differing the voices of the different characters, but her voice was so calm and soothing through the rest of it that it started to become monotone. Because the story never seemed to have any true action or drama and the lack of emotion in the narrator's voice, the book reminded me of elevator music.

Barbera Cartland in space - me in hell

This is a "Barbera Cartland" story packed in scifi, and it fails miserably.

The language used quickly becomes annoying with tons of repetition. She keeps repeating his full name, his obisidian eyes, and the Words hush and angel become so aggrevating that I zoned out. They are used repeatedly, along with other words.

The way the author uses one Word form to describe a situation, i.e. "Warmth. Hope. Relief." just does not work. Instead the situation becomes shallow.

The way they keep Falling in love, and split up is like an old Barbera Cartland novel. Some like it I know - I do not.

I really liked Dina Perlman narrating Jane Carver, but here she ends up making the male hero sound condescending towards the lead person. But I do not think that anyone can do it better, as there is nothing to work with.

The story is so black and white that it becomes ridiculous. It is a story best suited in a weekly magazine as a novel.

I will not be listening to book 2.