Book Title: Ransom by
Nicole Stuart
ISBN 9781465874030
Part of Series: Integra Series:
Integra, Run!, Tsunami, Hydrocarbon, Lost!, Population, Meteor Impact, Recovery!, Virus
Author: Nicole Stuart
Available at: Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Apple, Kobo, Diesel, Baker-Taylor
Price: $2.99
Number of words (approximately): 53 321
Star Rating (of five): 4
Summary: A young woman
is the sole survivor of a plane crash in the jungle of the Democratic Republic of the Congo . She is captured by a gang of terrorists, but
escapes, and in her walk to freedom, she must evade the men hunting her.
Extract:
- When she recovered consciousness, it was dark. Memory returned to her. She recalled the conversation with the
militia man. Panic rising in her, she
checked her body. Her hands were tied
together tightly behind her back, and her legs were tied together at the
ankles. There was a raging pain in her
head, a smaller pain in her scalp where the blow had split the skin. She checked her sensations further. She could detect no pain, no sensation that
would indicate that she had been raped or molested in any way. She breathed a silent sigh of relief at
this. She extended the range of her
sensors. Next to her, she could sense
the young woman she had seen. She was
sobbing almost silently, a monotonous, desperate sound that came from the
depths of her being. A short distance
away, the men of the band were preparing a meal. A small animal was roasting on a little fire
that cast moving light and shadows on the trees, making a scene that came
straight from Hell. They were talking
between themselves in a language that Marianne could not understand, laughing
at times, a harsh, guttural, brutal sound that sent chills down her spine. When the food was ready, they ate, chewing
and talking at the same time, by the sound of it. The meal took nearly an hour, by Marianne’s
subjective timing. When they had eaten
enough, one man threw a bone to the young woman. It had already been gnawed by the man, but
there were a few shreds of meat and sinew still adhering to it. The woman grabbed it with both hands, still
tied together, and she gnawed at it desperately to gain some small amount of
nourishment. It was clear that she was
starving.
After a further hour, the man walked over to where
Marianne lay, his gait unsteady, the fresh stink on marijuana on his
breath. Marianne thought that he was the
one who had captured her, although it was difficult to tell in the flickering
light of the fire. He saw that she had
recovered consciousness, and hauled her to his feet.
“You will tell me the name of your husband, where we
can telephone him! Do you understand?” The spittle splashed on her face.
Marianne hid her disgust. “My husband will pay only if you do not harm
me! He does not want spoiled goods!”
The man laughed, then dropped her to the ground. She fell heavily, her bindings preventing her
from falling correctly. “I will decide
if I will spoil you! There are many men
who will pay me for your services! There
are many in Uganda
who want white meat!” He laughed again,
a blood-curdling sound, and staggered back to the fire. He said something to the other men, and they
laughed uproariously. One of the other
men stood and walked over to Marianne, looking at her. He prodded her with his foot, seeming to
weigh up some options. After standing
there for a minute, he turned around and walked back to the fire, saying
something that set the other men laughing again. A whimper came from the young woman on the
ground near Marianne. She had obviously
understood what the man had said. -
Reviewer’s Comments:
Structure: This book
complies with the best standards for eBooks, and is easy to read. The grammar, syntax and use of the language
is good.
Content: The story
ranges through a meeting in Kinshasa ,
a plane crash in the jungle, capture and escape from terrorists and a walk to
freedom. Once Marianne is rescued, she
sets about establishing a school to take care of the people whose lives have
been devastated by terrorism, only to find that the terrorists have found her
again. She is forced to take violent
action to remove the threat.
Reviewer’s Comments: This is a
story of a strong woman, one who comes into danger, and uses her wits and her
abilities in a calm and logical way to save herself. It is a story of a real woman hero, not the
contrived Lara Cross type, but one who makes her own way, relying on herself, and
not knuckling under to the popular stereotype of a woman who must rely on a man
to save her. The situations are
realistic, the writing gripping, the outcomes satisfying. It is recommended for all ages and all
genders, for all who believe that anything is possible if you believe in
yourself!
Karin B
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