The WildCat's Victory (Kindle Edition)

by Christopher Hoare (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Join Gisel Matah as she gallops over battlefields at the head of Iskander's 3rd Cavalry in this sequel to "Deadly Enterprise". While the Iskander-Felger partnership increases in power and influence, and her lover Yohan extends their transportation network up the Lubitz River with a fleet of steam tugs, Gisel becomes involved in a bold strategy to end the Empire's siege of neighbouring Leki. Undercover intrigue opens the adventure when an agent of hers is murdered aboard one of their own vessels. Then she has to lie to friends to protect the fledgling Radical movement she hopes may one day lead their allies to more egalitarian governments. Her relationship falters when both she and Yohan keep secrets from the other because the Baron has Yohan smuggle a steam engine to the Empire. Her old enemy Zagdorf lurks in the background to harm her and Iskander, but the greatest challenge she must meet is facing down the psychopathic Crown Prince of Skathia who threatens them all with destruction. Iskander's steam engines and artillery are coveted by both enemies and friends. Some see Iskander's technology as a liberating force and some fear it as a demon. Who knows better how their hopes and fears for the future will fare than Gisel, regarded by the superstitious Prince as "daughter of the man who mates fire and water"? Her old lover, General Lord Ricart, causes her and Yohan a terriffic row when he offers her a cavalry command. Yohan strives to calm his jealousy and his fear for her as she goes to war, and even plays his own part in the action. The future of many nations hinges on her tactical and negotiating skills in a confrontation along the Makberg River, not far from the location at Abersholm that determined her fortunes in Deadly Enterprise. New friends, allies, and enemies as well as all the old ones fill the pages when Major Gisel Matah sets out to gain The WildCat's Victory.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 517 KB
• Print Length: 320 pages
• Publisher: Double Dragon eBooks (January 31, 2008)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0014062ES
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #185,669 in Kindle Store (See Bestsellers in Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gisel Matah's return definitely satisfies, April 24, 2008

By	Lisa Haselton "womanryter" (Nashua, NH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wildcat's Victory (Paperback)

Gisel Matah is back! Still in her early 20s and now a Major, she's still an Iskander operative to be reckoned with. Her hands are full with balancing a love life, dealing with an operative's murder, and preparing soldiers for battle.

The Iskanders have an alliance with the Felgers, a Gaian merchant and banker family. Yet there are still areas where the trust wanes. Gisel's engagement to Yohan Felger hasn't helped matters. Each has to balance duty to their people with their desire to be honest with each other. The challenges they face on a daily basis test their limits. How can she fully trust Yohan, when he's loyal to the Baron who has yet to accept her? What drew Yohan to Gisel is now the same thing he has the hardest time accepting, especially when her newest assignment has her directly reporting to her former lover.

Life on Gaia has improved and progress is being made, but with the murder of an undercover operative and a radical movement that needs tempering, Gisel is not bored. In addition, she is asked to command a cavalry to support the rear of a battle line which has recently lost its commander. She hesitates to accept, but is pulled into the role and quickly learns the challenges ahead of her. A sadistic Skathian prince uses the battlefield for his own enjoyment and strives to learn how to defeat both sides in order to obtain total control.

The story is engaging and intriguing. I liken it to an intense chess match. It's interesting to see how actions cause reactions and know that there is a third party lingering on the sidelines about to blow all the strategies off the board. Gisel trains her young cavalry men as best she can with the limited time they have. At the climax, their lives hang on her quick thinking, negotiating skills and ability to remain calm under pressure.

Christopher Hoare's second novel, The Wildcat's Victory, picks up eighteen months after Deadly Enterprise. The strong female protagonist, Gisel, is solid and well-crafted. The author manages to keep the character's voice true to a young female officer with a lot of responsibility in a male-dominated field. She comes off feminine yet also a strong warrior. The tight writing and focused attention to detail keeps the reader engaged.

I recommend reading The Wildcat's Victory, especially if you are a strategist, chess player, or war enthusiast. The battle scenes are succinct, yet detailed enough to appreciate a commander's skill needed for success. The pacing is quite in tune with the scenes so the reader feels part of the action, whether it's calm or full of motion.