Tag: galactic empire science fiction novels

Review: A House By Any Other Name by Jenny Schwartz 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

The second of author Jenny Schwartz’ Hidden Sanctuary series, A House By Any Other Name is my favorite of the two novels. 

Both tales take place in the fabulous Uncertain Sanctuary universe but only this story is directly related to the characters in that series. And that immediately gives A House By Any Other Name added depth and detail missing from Any House in a Storm.

This story is filled with engaging,intriguing characters, some of which we’ve met before. Like Hector who is the disgraced brother of Evander, cyborg Elf and partner to Sorcerer Kira (Uncertain Sanctuary trilogy). 

But Schwartz has also created a great character in Raisa, who’s fully grounded in a wealth of other characters and rich in her own history. She’s a strong personality, certain of her own abilities and her goals. 

The revelation of the fact she’s a sorcerer isn’t much of a surprise, but the real joy is her sentient house. As each is created by the sorcerer themselves, they spring from an emotional source of that sorcerer. Raisa’s house is totally unique and unexpected. A aspect of this story I didn’t expect and loved. 

And it happily is part of a successful twist at the end of the story. Another element that just made this story even more special for me. 

The plot and storylines are ones that keep one absolutely invested in the characters journey and outcome. The romance is slow and credible between these two intelligent powerful people. 

I just wish Schwartz would have more than one story to explore their journey going forward. They are that interesting. 

I’m highly recommending this story and the Uncertain Sanctuary trilogy it’s related to. 

Hidden Sanctuary series:

Any House in a Storm #1

A House By Any Other Name #2

Buy link

 Book 2 of 2: Hidden Sanctuary 

Blurb 

Reality is a complicated multiverse of many species and rare magic. Diplomats are the official envoys and investigators who hold the Union of Worlds together.

Raisa never intended to be a diplomat. Like so many things in her life, it was her stepmother’s idea.

Hector is an elf in disgrace. He chose his cyborged brother over his lying, abusive family. Elves revile augmented people. They leave such despicable technology to their ancient enemies, the goblins.

When a diplomatic mission strands the two elves on a goblin world they find themselves the target of a legendary killer. If they die, so will the emergent species they were sent to save.

***

A House By Any Other Name is a stand alone novel in the Hidden Sanctuary series. It includes characters from the Uncertain Sanctuary trilogy. No previous knowledge of Reality is necessary to enjoy the adventure.

June 12, 2024

Language

‎English

Print length

255 pages

Review:  Rogues Lie (Caldryn Parliament Book 3) by Jenny Schwartz 

Rating: 5 ⭐️✨

Jenny Schwartz’s Caldryn Parliament series is one of those series where the books just get more brilliant and more highly complex as the series progresses.  The writing, the incredible characters, and this labyrinthine storytelling is beyond amazing. 

The formidable character of Vanda Kavanagh, Warden of Caldryn Parliament, is one of the most compelling, powerful portraits of a woman who is secure with herself, her intelligence, integrity and her ability to navigate the intricacies of intergalactic politics, hundreds of years of internalized/weaponized familial legacies and the current cultural environment.  All to further the ideals and hidden plans she’s been formulating all along. 

Vanda isn’t flashy or dramatic. She’s controlled, a knife of a woman, in flawless grey colors, forming alliances and brilliantly devising scenarios to forward her ideas and plans for progress and protection of the Realm. Schwartz , with incredible craft,builds this magnificent character and then allows the reader to watch , in intriguing detail, as she continues her labyrinthine path towards her goals and own individual development. It’s a journey that is impossible to begin and then stop without seeing it through. The twists and unexpected changes in plot are fabulous. And  continue to the end. 

What a character and series!

There’s a no spice romance that’s evolving from friendship into a something more. Just a fantastic science fiction thriller, multiple magical mysteries, a cast of incredibly powerful multidimensional characters, and enough hidden political agents and agendas for a number of galaxies. 

Vanda Kavanagh, the Warden of Caldryn Parliament, has fast become one of my all time favorite characters. 

There’s no way to go about describing the complexities and depths of world politics here that Schwartz has and continues to craft. Utterly brilliant. Contains science fiction, magical systems, mythology and more. And it all works perfectly alongside political and military power dynamics. 

To follow this character of Vanda in her increasingly complex journey, the reader must absolutely start with the first book and continue reading forward. But the path is full of action, mental agility, politics and scheming but never at the expense of forgetting about the human factor. A fantastic series on every level. 

The only drawback? Waiting until the next book is released. 

  

Cover by Jenny Schwartz . I adore these covers!

Caldryn Parliament:

Stars Die #1

Hexes Fly #2

Rogues Lie #3 

Ghosts Cry #4 – June 30,2026

Buy link

 Book 3 of 4: Caldryn Parliament 

Blurb 

A whisper campaign threatens Vanda Kavanagh’s hard-won position as Warden of Caldryn Parliament, but are the malicious rumors a personal attack or do they mask an uglier plot?

As Vanda investigates, long-hidden truths are revealed leading her to question everything she believed about herself.

In a city steeped in magic and political intrigue who can Vanda trust?

November 29, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

318 pages

Book 3 of 4

Caldryn Parliament

Review:  Cosmic Catalyst (Shamans & Shifters Space Opera Book 2) by Jenny Schwartz 

Rating: 4.5✨

Cosmic Catalyst is an excellent sequel to Her Robot Wolf, picking up after the highly dramatic events in that story that saw Jaya saving the galactic empire, along with her mate Vulf and companions. 

Cosmic Catalyst deals with the ramifications from that event, the reveal of previously unknown powers that Jaya has and the hope that Vulf’s robot wolf represents for the shifter worlds. 

As they say no good deed goes unpunished. And so those who want to profit from this event and her powers circle around them. 

It’s an exceedingly wild, exciting, and amazing read. It moves all the relationships and overall dynamics forward and develops the world building even better by giving the reader more information about the Meitj, the other races, and the processes behind what drove saving certain species. 

And the romance between Jaya and Vulf enables the author to explore the shifter society and interlock it into an expanded family for Jaya.

Another fabulous story and it’s onto the next!

Loving the covers.  Highly recommended. 

Shamans & Shifters Space Opera series: 

Her Robot Wolf 

Cosmic Catalyst 

Shattered Earth 

Jingle Stars 

The Ceph Sector 

Buy link 

        Cosmic Catalyst (Shamans & Shifters Space Opera Book 2)

    

Blurb 

When starship shaman Jaya Romanov and her new mate partner, galactic bounty hunter and robot wolf shifter, Vulf Trent, saved the galaxy from the deadly actions of a determined geriatric terrorist, they forgot that old Earth truism: no good deed goes unpunished.

Now, the galaxy is exploding with unexpected aliens, greedy politicians—well, that’s normal enough, it’s what the politicians will attempt that is worrying—and a radically new aspect to sha energy that has the potential to change everything.

And then there’s the mystery of Jaya’s father…who is he?

Some big secrets are lurking in Jaya’s past, and to save those she loves, she’ll be forced to risk the galaxy in a shoot ’em up, take-no-prisoners rescue because sometimes there’s no fighting your destiny. Fortunately, Vulf is always ready for a fight!

  • Publication date: October 22, 2017
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 229 pages

Review:  Her Robot Wolf (Shamans & Shifters Space Opera Book 1) by Jenny Schwartz

Rating:  4.5⭐️

Well here’s another series I’m totally addicted to and binging right through. After finding author Jenny Schwartz through her Stars Die novel, I started diving into her other books and found this series. 

Shamans and Shifters is such an unusual and amazing series. A complete science fiction adventure series that deals with scientific based magic, paranormal creatures, fated mates, fantastical alien worlds and societies, found families and galactic political intrigue. And romance. 

It’s well written, highly imaginative, fast paced, and has a character that has grabbed at  my heart and mind is the ship Orion’s IA Ahab. The ship belongs to a bounty hunter wolf shifter Vulf Trent who’s on a collision course with Jaya Romanov, a star ship shaman.

The storyline, which revolves around the hunt for a man named Evan, introduces the universe of the series, the background of the races and the science behind the magic involved. Or the beginning of the science.  More will be explored as the series expands into deeper details and greater understanding of the political landscape and mysteries happening.

It’s a fast paced , exciting story and leaves you immediately gravitating towards the next book. Which I did. 

Loved everything about this. 

Including the covers.  Highly recommended. 

Shamans & Shifters Space Opera series: 

Her Robot Wolf 

Cosmic Catalyst 

Shattered Earth 

Jingle Stars 

The Ceph Sector 

Buy link 

        Her Robot Wolf (Shamans & Shifters Space Opera Book 1)

    

Blurb 

Jaya Romanov is an independent star ship shaman. She studies the energy flows of the universe and—for a price—will harness them to her employer’s purpose. Wormholes are a whole lot safer to travel when a shaman guides the jump.

Vulf Trent is a bounty hunter. It was that or join the family business, piracy, and Vulf is too much the lone wolf to tolerate the demands of a large pirate crew. Where his family enjoys the bonds of pack, he prefers the freedom of ranging the universe, alone. Seven generations ago, humanity evacuated Earth and the shifter clans’ ability to transform into their animal forms was one of the most terrible losses of that time. Now, the werewolves, werebears and other shifters are trapped in their human bodies and slowly losing the essence of their primal souls.

Jaya is determined to heal their torn transformational abilities, but Vulf doesn’t believe her. He didn’t kidnap her for her healing abilities.

Her Robot Wolf is a fabulous adventure in which rare, mystical science replaces magic, pirates are taught to respect lone women, the galaxy is imperiled —and perhaps, rescued—and a fated mate pair contemplate kicking Fate in the teeth. Have fun! Don’t forget to buy Galactic Insurance before leaving Earth! Space opera, paranormal romance and a galactic array of aliens, mysteries, startling revelations and breath-taking heroics.

  • Publication date: May 30, 2017
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 212 pages