The Russian Cage - Charlaine Harris Kartoniert (TB)

Note: this is an alternate historical UF series with a rather complex world building and an overall story arc. Therefore jumping in here, with book 3, is not recommendable. I’d start with “An easy Death” and read the books in the intended order.ReviewI liked Lizbeth Rose, the young gunnie [aka gun for hire] in her alternate US with the western touch from the get-go. What I was [mildly] complaining about with book one was the relatively long introduction of the world and the slow pacing at the beginning. Both sequels didn’t suffer from that – and “The Russian Cage” is actually without any lulls, fast-paced from beginning to end. It was excellent entertainment and I liked every page of it.Lizbeth is between jobs when she gets the information that her friend/part-time lover Eli was imprisoned in his home country, the Holy Russian Empire [that is now occupying the former state of California], for unknown, but surely political reasons. Lizzy immediately gets moving [and I loved how C. Harris managed to make me feel, how long and uncomfortable the journey from Texoma to HRE is] and makes it her mission to free Eli. So Lizzy’s quest is about getting around in a huge town [San Diego] in a country with a volatile political situation and produce a sound plan to get Eli out without endangering his mother and sisters.And Lizzy is doing great – I love her deadpan comments on everything [especially what women can and can’t do in the HRE] and how she just does what has to be done without making a fuss. And she [and the reader] don’t only get to know Eli’s family [that is growing on me during the story], but also her own sister Felicia. Whom I did not expect to like so much – Felicia is awesome, I hope there’s going to be more about her.The book isn’t as dark as the prequel was, plot wise, although it’s gory in a fun way [sounds strange, but if you know the series, you know what I mean]. Overall: great entertainment, I couldn’t lay it down.