Jean Johnson - Hardship

The fourth book in the Theirs Not to Reason Why series, published July 29, 2014
Genre: sci fi and a heroine with psychic abilities
Cover: strong, bold, love it.



It began with a terrible vision of the future. Compelled by her precognitive abilities, Ia must somehow save her home galaxy long after she's gone. Now Jean Johnson presents the long-awaited epic conclusion to her national bestselling military science fiction series...

Demoralized, their ship destroyed, Ia's Damned must fight their way out of a planet-bound blockade and back into space. But there is more happening here on Dabin than meets even Ia's inner eye.
Some of the Feyori, energy-based beings of vast power and arrogance, are moving to block her efforts under the direction of her counter-faction foe, Miklinn. The Terran Army Division stationed on Dabin is not cooperating with her battle plans. Events are not happening as Ia has foreseen, and too many people are now in grave danger, thanks to alien Meddling.
All these hardships are threatening to derail Ia's carefully laid plans. The Meddlers, however, have made one fatal mistake:
They're just making Bloody Mary mad.


Every year, I am eagerly awaiting the month of August. Not only because it is my birthday, but because I will be able to read the next book in the “Theirs not to reason why” series. From the first book I have fallen in love with this series, and it is still one of the best I have ever read. Originally a 4 book series, the last book was so thick, the decision was made to cut it in half, and make it a 5 book series. I am very happy with that decision, as it means one more great reading time to look forward to, and half of the story did not die on the editing table.

This book picks up exactly where book 3 ended, so you really need to start with book 1 to make any sense of the story.


After destroying her own ship (after her crew got to safety), Ia transformed herself into a Feyori, her father’s people, and went of to gain their help in her plans to save the galaxy. She managed it too, for a big part. She still has some actively opposing her. They can’t see the bigger picture, they only see a half-blood meddling in the Great Game. Ia and her Company of the Damned are sent to Dabin, Harper’s home planet. It needs to be saved from the invasion of the Salik. Dabin plays an important part in the future and it is very important to Ia’s plans to chase all the Salik off-planet before a certain time. Leading her troops, and giving Harper his own troops to command, means a lot of action and battle time.


The book is filled with action, and battle, but in my opinion, we also see some more emotion from Ia. She is still growing in power, doing things she never thought possible. It does seem a bit “deus machina” at times though, a little too convenient.
I enjoyed it all though, even though the action this time is all planet bound instead of space battles. But at the end of the book, Ia is ready to take command of her new ship, and I so look forward to the next book.

Sadly, there is no update on the battle going on on her own home planet, I would love to read more about her brothers and the Resistance, or the Fire Girl’s prophecy and what it means in the future.

10 stars.

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian