Courtesan [Kindle Edition]

D.A. Boulter (Author)

Book Description

She needed a ship to escape pursuers; he a companion on a trip to the stars.  The deal seemed straight-forward, but neither told the other everything.

Jaswinder Saroya believed that her research in the area of Hyperspace Field Theory would benefit everyone: Family Traders, the InterPlanetary Corporations, Earth's Colonies and governments alike. She erred in not considering commercial and political consequences. Now, someone wants to steal or bury her research and, perhaps, her with it. With no way to fight this unknown foe, Jaswinder knows she has but one chance--complete her research and publish. To do that, she has to stay alive and stay free.

Pilot Johannes Yrden desires a courtesan, someone to keep him company on the 8 month trip to the planet Liberty and back. He wants someone not from the Yrden Family spaceship and to hell with his brother, Captain Matt Yrden, who believes the TransPlanetary Corporations will stock his line-up with spies.

Yrden's plan runs afoul of circumstance, which throws him together with one 'Jazz Saro', a woman on the run. Forced to run with her, Yrden allows her to convince him to sign her on as courtesan. He needs a companion; she needs a ship, a place to hide. It seems a simple enough arrangement.

Jaswinder thinks she's found her perfect solution: a hiding place in hyperspace, where she can complete her research using the ship as her laboratory. Unfortunately, she hasn't reckoned on the possibility of one of her pursuers booking passage, forcing her to maintain the fiction of her alias. The pilot's family, with troubles of their own, grow suspicious and it becomes apparent she cannot complete her research openly. That leaves her the choice: Do what she needs to do to in order to save Jaswinder's life or become Jazz Saro.

Product Details

• File Size: 372 KB
• Print Length: 223 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003P2VH98
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,333 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good read 4.5 stars January 20, 2011

By B. Tackitt

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Taking off half a star because the cover just doesn't do it for me. But the story? Was really good.

I really enjoyed how the author took what the essence of what a courtesan/geisha used to be, and updated her for the space age. She was a companion, meant to entertain the whole person, their mind & soul, not just the body. And, there's no sex scene in the book at all. Oh, they talk about it, but between the hero/heroine, not even that really.

I really enjoyed this book. Space travel, danger, intrigue, Yep.. I like all 3.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I want more! July 19, 2010

By Maria Hammarblad

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Jaswinder is a very devoted scientist, living her life happily engulfed in her work. So engulfed is she that she fails to pay attention to one thing; the financial interests of the powers that be. Before she knows what is happening, she has stumbled into danger's way, and finds herself on the run from people trying to capture her, or why not kill her while they're at it.

I stumbled upon "Courtesan" by accident, bought it, and started to read. As it so often is, real life got in between, and I had to put the book to the side after just a chapter or so. Then I forgot about it, until today when I found myself with time to spare and boredom creeping up. I thought, "Hey, why don't I take another look at that book I never finished." The next time I looked up, it was evening outside, and I wondered how I could have reached the last page already.

The book is excellent! The story is engaging, and has just the right balance between being cute and exciting. The characters are interesting, and feel real. I would love to know what more happens to Jaz and Johannes, and I'll keep my fingers crossed for a sequel!

I could say much more about the book, but right now, I'm going to scurry off to see if D.A. Boulter has written anything more!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent World Building March 5, 2011

By Nathan Lowell

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Boulter hooked me in the sample. His set up for the main plot, introduction of the primary characters, and clever world-building grabbed me by the brain and I punched "buy it now" as soon as I hit the link at the end of the sample.

I place this in the same camp of SciFi/Romance as Linnea Sinclair and she's one of my favorite guilty pleasures. Boulter does a masterful job of twining three plots - the "large" plot involving the greed of the corporate overlords, the main "romance" plot involving Jazz and Johannes, and an interesting subplot involving Johannes and his brother. While definitely squarely in cliche country, the three pieces kept the story unfolding at a very engaging pace and I found Boulter's treatment of them sufficiently interesting to move the cliche to trope. Well done!

As much as I liked this book, I think it had one flaw:

- All three main characters (Matt, Johannes, Jazz) stray just a bit too close to 'intentionally stupid.' You know when the plot requires the character to be just a touch too inflexible? Or do something just a bit too dumb for somebody that's supposed to be smart enough to know better? (Oooh, I wonder what's behind this door marked "do not enter" - what could go wrong?) It wasn't bad, just maybe, one beat too long. On the other hand, my reaction focused more on the characters than the author, so Boutler did a good job at keeping me in the story in spite of it.

Personally, I'd like to see Mr. Boulter upgrade this cover. I feel funny saying it, given that I used this same graphic on one of my own early works. I find the typography off-putting and somewhat illegible, and the shape of it sets it apart from other "books" because it's too square. If I hadn't been intrigued by the story because of a forum conversation with Mr. Boutler, I would have given this one a pass based on cover alone and *that* would have been a mistake on my part. I'd hate to see others miss out on a really good yarn because they couldn't get past the cover art.

If you like Linnea Sinclair or Catharine Asaro, you'll like the romance aspect. If you're a fan of Lee and Miller's Liadan Universe, the world building here will appeal to you. If you just like a good tale done very well and mixed nicely with hyperspace, romance, and intrigue, you're going to love this one. Grab a sample and see for yourself.

More About the Author

D.A. Boulter hates talking about himself in the 3rd person. Finds it annoying.

Since my early school days, Science Fiction and Fantasy have intrigued me, starting with Heinlein, whose Starship Troopers I read in the middle 60s, long before I knew about the social and political themes it carried. My seminal year, though, came in 1974 when I got my hands on a copy of Frank Herbert's "Dune", which fascinated me with its depth and breadth. At that moment I knew SF&F had hooked me.

However, it took another ten years before I seriously considered writing my own material and another ten after that before I began writing in earnest. Now, with the advent of e-readers, I find myself in the very strange position of being a published author, rather than someone who wrote for himself only. It gratifies me that many have read and enjoyed my works. Thank you.

I've worked as a cook, a first-aid attendant, weather observer, radar operator and tech. I've worked in the city, in the woods, and in the Arctic. Just now, I find myself on the West Coast of Canada, with my feline companion -- one of a line of cats who have shared my writing moments (and interrupted them as well).