Customer Reviews

Death Row: The Fugitive

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

 

 

Death Row: The Fugitive begins the saga of a futuristic earth where science and bio-engineered humans are in the forefront and sub-humans run wild in the jungles, killing as monstrous animals to survive.

Kerick Riley has served over 15 years in a prison where he is slated to be executed. A prison that no one has ever escaped from before. But Kerick and fellow Death Row inmates Elijah and Xavier do escape and vow to finish their mission to assassinate those in the Hierarchy for their crimes against humanity.
Nellie Kan is a bio-engineered female scientist in a world where women are for pleasure and few are privileged enough to be allowed a career. Her life's work is perfecting a serum that will keep those humans infected from turning into sub-humans. This serum was began by Margaret Riley, Kerick's mother who succumbed to the infection herself.
Now Nellie faces danger from all directions. Many would kill for the serum yet Nellie must continue her work on it. She is abducted by Kerick who wants her for a mate and will stop at nothing to master her and claim her as his own. She must convince Kerick for the greater good of humanity that it is imperative she be allowed to finish the serum.
Faced with no choice Nellie escapes Kerick and must journey to the Underworld as Margaret Riley's journal leads her to either salvation or doom.

I am not a big fan of serials that do not tie the ends up in each volume and require the reader to wait for subsequent volumes to find out the answers. But Jaid Black has written the exception. This dark, satirical tale has subtle humor and fast-paced action in every chapter. The world of the future is male dominated and highly sexual with good versus evil blurring the lines and the consequences of man manipulating nature will hold readers in its grip till they read the sequels.

The only complaint I have is that it's too short and too expensive (hence my rating of 3 out of 5). I love the story about Kerick and Nellie but when I visited Ms. Black's web page, I found out that in the near future you can buy all three stories in one book...meaning one price. Bummer for all the Jaid Black fans who bought all three at an outragious price (me included):( Buyer beware, if you want to read this series (very good I might add) PLEASE WAIT UNTIL "THE DEATH ROW" 3-IN-1 BOOK.

I own the MS reader version, which I bought for [money] or something. The story is usual JB, and it definitely steams, but there is no way I am going to pay [money] for the book. I would have given the book 4 stars, because although it's good it isn't the best JB I have read (I own all her books), but the price is way too much. If you can still purchase this book in eformat do it. The entire book is is probably less then 120 pages. Ask yourself if you want to spend [money] on that!?

As steamy as all Jaid Black's other books, "The Fugitive" propels us into the future Earth, which is following major genetic manipulation of the human race, is not exactly a desirable place to live in, particularly for women. Nellie Kan is a scientist, attempting to discover a serum to cure a hideous disease. Kerick Riley is an escaped convict. The common links are his obsession for her and, unbeknowest to them both, his mother (also a scientist). There is also the fact that both their mothers died fo the same disease. The premiss is good, the book is hot and erotic (and definitely not for those who do not appreciate erotica). However, it is very obviously the first in a series and the story is nowhere near over. To tell the truth, I would have preferred the author to come to some sort of "end" before publishing. As it is, I get the feeling that the entire trilogy will be concentrating on Nellie and Kerrick (truly Part I, II and III of the same book).

By TT reviewer Brenda Edde

Altun Ha, former Belize 2249 AD
Kong Penal Colony

Kerick Riley, the infamous Dr. Margaret Riley's son, has been in prison at the Kong Penal colony for 15 years, 7 months, 3 weeks and 5 days. Today was to be his execution day. His mother, however, taught him to control his mind and his body, and he learned his lessons well. He's been planning his escape for a long time and he won't be dying today. Kerik and his fellow prisoners and assassins, Elija and Xavier, will be escaping the mighty Kong prison instead of dying. Then they'll find out who really killed his mother and justice will be done.

Dr. Nellie Kan is a rarity in these times, an unclaimed female. Nellie is a scientist working to find a serum that will reverse the infection that has caused the mutation of humans into violent and deadly sub-human beings. Unbeknownst to anyone, she has a copy of Dr. Margaret Riley's journal, the famed scientist who had almost completed the serum when she died. Keeping her freedom to work on the serum is a daily battle in this world, where men outnumber the women because of a genetic manipulation started two hundred years ago. Now there are so few women that men have the right to claim any woman they can find, while women are forced to submit to and service any man who can keep her. Nellie plans on being the one to find the serum, help save the sub-humans and, in doing so, insuring her future freedom.

Is it irony or fate that leads Kerick to the same biosphere where Nellie works to look for information about his mother's killers? The lack of a woman's touch for 15 years and seeing the luscious Nellie fondled by her former mentor definitely leads to his kidnapping Nellie.

The first story in the Death Row trilogy is a fast paced trip through the year 2249, where genetic manipulation has caused major problems for both men and women. The questions regarding the doomed sub-humans and the dangers of living outside the biosphere in the jungle are riveting and bewildering. I was enthralled thru the whole story, trying desperately to figure out when the revelation would be made that both Nellie and Kerick were working towards the same goal. Alas, how that will be worked out has to wait for the sequel, Death Row: The Hunter.

As usual with Jaid's work, this is sizzling. Definitely erotica. The reader should be prepared though, this is a serial.

If you've never read a Jaid Black book you have no idea what you've been missing. Her stories are original, erotic with a capital E, and full of surprises. Her heroes are to die for, her heroines are strong and a far cry from the usual insipid young ladies you're used to finding in romances. If you're faint of heart or used to recyled romantic mush this book is not for you. However if you're looking for a great way to spend an evening with some chocolates and cooling fan you have to read Ms. Black's work. This book is one of her best, but be prepared for a cliff-hanger ending!