Customer Reviews

Crimson Rogue (Crimson City)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Liz Maverick started this series in spectacular fashion and she finishes it the same way. Cydney Brighton was present when the demons first arrived and she witnessed the deaths of all of the B-Ops team members; she survived only because the demon Griff-Vai believed she was his replacement for his soul mate. Since then, she has been held hostage in the demon world, Orcus, until the previous book when the Draig-Uisge and the Phoenix Tear attempted to close the rift between the two worlds. Cyd returns to her world by stealing an amulet from the Draig-Uisge only to find that her world has changed. Not only have the majority of her former B-Ops team members died or been turned to fang (vampire) or dog (werewolf), but she is now part demon as well. Meanwhile, Finn, the mech who escaped the Grid after killing two powerful vampires earlier in the series, is trying to rid his body of metal. Both Cyd and Finn want to prove to themselves that they are still human. Ironically, it is only by embracing who and what they are that they realize they are human regardless of the outer shell. Finn learns of a plot to kill Cyd unless she rejoins B-Ops; she does so only to be placed back in demon research- exactly where she doesn't want to be. Griff-Vai has not given up on Cyd returning to Orcus, however, and he continues to haunt Cyd. Cyd learns of a possible way to fight off the demon.... and I won't spoil the story by revealing any more details except to say that it is an action-packed story that ties up many of the loose ends of the series! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was sorry to see it end. Highly recommended!

Rumor says that this fabulous book ends the Crimson City series--say it's not so! To be able to write superior action/fight scenes so vividly that when the female leads cracks against a wall your own breath catches. Then to handle such a romance!!--between two people wounded in every way and tentatively trying to build enough trust to mend their hearts, bodies and souls. I am in awe! Because these books are created worlds with specific language, rules, etc don't just jump in. They are all worth buying as a set and would make a great gift for someone--mending anything from a broken heart to a broken leg. These books will lift you out of your own world and into the meticulously created world of Crimson City. Don't miss this series--it simply rocks!

Crimson Rogue is a very well written book, with a fascinating story, good action, and compelling characters that share a beautiful romance. As the purported last book of the Crimson City series, it does well to tie up most of the story lines from previous books and close a chapter on the species infighting. However, I had a huge problem with the fact that the romance between the secondary characters, Jill and Marius, remained completely unresolved and open-ended. Not only that, but the entire epilogue is like one big premonition of the disquiet soon to hit Crimson City again with a warning about the rogues. If you are reading this book thinking it will end the series, think again.

The lose ends that remain, purposely it seems on Ms. Maverick's part, just beg the reader to walk away unsatisifed and looking for a sequel (although one is yet to be announced in any way). If you're the type of person who can be happy with a finished story line for the main characters, and ignore lingering conflict between secondary characters, then I highly recommend this book. However, I strongly caution anyone like me, who will feel annoyed and manipulated into buying a 7th book whose story line and publish date remain a complete mystery.

Years ago, Cydney Brighton was the soul survivor of a top secret team trying to open a portal between two dimensions. It was at that point in time she caught the eye of a demon and only because of this her life was spared. Years later, Cyd is working for B-Ops dealing with vampires and were-wolves. However one night peace is broken and hell seems to have come to the surface. In actuality, demons have invaded Los Angels, (renamed Crimson City) and one night while on the job, Cyd is sucked into Orcus (see CRIMSON CITY - book one also by Liz Maverick).

Fighting her way out of Orcus, Cyd is no longer "just human". Forcibly joined with Griff-Vai, the demon who's eye she had caught, Cyd manages to only escape because a portal appears in front of her and somehow she is able to grab the amulet used to make the portal appear (the very end of SEDUCED BY CRIMSON by Jade Lee). Now she is back in Crimson City and so many things have changed that Cyd doesn't really fit in: not with her former B-Ops associates, the government that wants her to restart the demon program and not even with her old associates in the underground.

Trying to find somewhere to fit in, Cyd starts working with Finn a man who quickly becomes the only person she feels safe with and can trust. Only, Finn, as an escaped Mech unit, has his own secrets. As Crimson City falls apart around them, and Griff hot on Cyds' trail, they can count only on one another to try and stay alive.

Liz Maverick certainly made me one happy reader simply by writing Cydneys story. With everything that is taking place between the vampires, demons, were-wolves and now adding the Mechs into the series, this is a story I really wanted to read.

However there is too much happening and unfortunately, I feel the story is incomplete, especially as the last book in the series. Key parts seemed rushed, and there are quite a few loose ends that I would have liked resolved. Many of my "loose ends" come from several characters (Bridget & Jillian to name two) that have had bit parts throughout the series but are suddenly secondary characters and there is too much happening in their lives. Honestly, I don't see Cydney and Finn having their "happy ever after" ...at least not quite yet.

I wasn't lost with the chain of events transpiring in CRIMSON ROGUE as Liz is a fantastic story teller. If you haven't read any of the books in this series however, you will not want to start with this one as there is to much information that will prove overwhelming to an unsuspecting reader.

Cydney really caught my eye as a messed up "side-kick" in the first book and she really proved herself a strong and capable woman with her own story. I also really appreciated the fact that as you learn more about her, its not like she suddenly morphs into someone she isn't; she still has to deal with many of the issued brought up when you are first introduced to her.

I was really able to empathize with Finn as a hero and I have to admit I wasn't disappointed with how things ended for him as a hero. However, I would have liked a confrontation with him and Fleur of the Vampires. I also have so many unanswered questions regarding him I don't really know what to say!

I must admit that I really enjoyed the story and overall feel that ROGUE has the possibility of being an excellent conclusion to the series. However, overall, I really needed more and I really think there needs to be another story. Even though I don't feel my review is very favorable, I was glued to this book until I finished, and the action is non-stop.

As one would expect, this novel brings into focus subcharacters from the first Crimson City book, which was also written by Liz Maverick. Although these characters, Cyd Brighton-former I/B OPS/junkie and Finn- the mech with heart, have peaked up in other books in the series, they belong to Maverick. The book is well written and carries on the series well. There is not a lot of sex and ouey, gooey destined to be together stuff in this book. Actually, the one making most of the doe eyes, destiny speeches, and fast come-ons is the bad guy (demon) of the tale. Instead, there are two flawed characters, one scarred inside and the other damaged outwardly who together discover that the most human of beings isn't always fully human.

If this is the last book set in Crimson City I will be very disappointed. It just cannot end now. Liz Maverick told really good first and last stories. She also started one (Marcus and Jill) that was not finished. If an email to the publisher is what is needed, then I am doing just that. The setting of the series is just too good to stop the books. Perhaps the "conclusion" of the series was just talking about the demon gate. I would love to see another series based in Crimson City with some of the previous characters appearing.

It was appropriate that this book featured Cydney who was in the first. Finn and she discover their humanity together and will appreciate each other because of it. Humanity in this series is a very loose term however.

Crimson Rogue was a fast paced read. I'm really sad that this is the last book in the Crimson City Series. Liz Maverick managed to bring all of the characters from the previous books together in the end and it made for a great ending. My only disappointment was that Marius and Jillian didn't get together at the end. While they were rather minor characters in this story, the love between them was so strong and real that it seems wrong that they aren't together. All in all this is a fabulous series that I will read over and over.

Though everyone assumes that B-Ops Agent Cydey Brighton died when she vanished during a ferocious bloody fight, the demon Griff-Vai had actually kidnapped her and has kept her imprisoned in the underworld. However, waiting for the right moment Cydney overcomes a Druid and takes an amulet that enables her to escape through a portal back to Crimson City.

However, during the months of incarceration, the world she knew is no longer the same as the demon horde has assaulted the city abetted by rogues from the other three prime sentient species; Cydney can understand vampires and werewolves somewhat, but not Quisling humans. Readjustment proves difficult with only Finn the half human Mech machine empathizing with Cydney. They team up to try to save a city and a world, but while doing so begin to fall in love. However as each ponders whether a half machine and a no longer quite human can forge a relationship, stopping the demon minions comes first.

This is a terrific conclusion to a stunning excellent romantic fantasy saga authored by several writers including Liz Maverick who opened and closes the tales. Fans of the Crimson City novels will be elated by the fabulous last battle twist and with how well Ms. Maverick ties up the loose ends through a fascinating pairing of two protagonists who appeared in previous chronicles. Newcomers will be better suited to obtain the previous five books, but worth the effort as all are top of the line. The only down is no more Crimson City novels as these have provided much entertainment over the past year.

Harriet Klausner

I read the entire Crimson City series, even though the first book (also written by Liz Maverick) was just average. The second and third books were stronger and really pulled me in. As a whole, this series has been a bumpy ride.

It's my understanding that this is the final book in the series, and that is my main "gripe" with this particular story. It was not a satisfactory conclusion and left me feeling frustrated. Several plot lines involving secondary characters went nowhere, and the conclusion to the story was really rushed. When you read sci fi, you need to be able to suspend belief. This story just went too far for me in that respect--there were too many things pushed at me without enough information to back it up.

For those of you wanting to read a really outstanding set of books (the quality of each book--and one was written by Maverick--is very good) then I would recommend you read the Banzai Maguire 2176 series.

You gotta read the whole Crimson City series started by Maverick. Crimson Rogue is another chapter in the Crimson City saga and it does not disappoint. Read one and you will get stuck on the whole series. Maverick is my favorite writer in the series where shifters, vamps and demons along with mechanized humans live among humans. It primarily takes place in LA, aka Crimson City. A love story and a fight for survival in a world where racism or should I say speciesism runs rampant.