I usually try to avoid joining a series of books in the middle. I’ve done it, and I’ve enjoyed the books I’ve read enough to decide to read the other books that led up to that point in the series since I enjoyed it so much. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case with North Country. When I first saw it available, it indicated that it was not part of a series. However, Sarah Branson penned four books in her Pirates of New Earth collection which is a precursor to this book, and sets up the background of the setting as well as several of the main characters.

It is the year 2372. The Earth was ravaged by climate change and the ensuing violence. Kat Wallace is the Master Commander of the Bosch Pirate Nation which uses the drug Glitter as an energy source, as well as trafficking it to collect markers – the newest form of currency in the world. Having risen from Thrall (slave) to Master Commander, Kat has made it the mission of Bosch to stop the trafficking of thralls. When two of her troopers approach her about an extraction mission in North Country, where Kat is originally from, she can’t resist the temptation to settle a few old scores.

Her closest friend in Bosch, Carisa, has a degenerative illness of her nerves which promises to cripple her in the future. Carisa is hungry for one last adventure and forces Kat to take her along. Carisa also has some ghosts in her past that she would like to confront while she is still able. Flossie Porter, one of the troopers involved in the extraction mission, is still trying to prove herself as she attempts to rise out of the shadow of her late father who was a wealthy thrall trafficker. She’s taken on a new identity, but Kat and Carisa know who she is. Finally, there is Diamond Miata. Diamond is dreaming of power and riches but is being dragged down by her family who expect her to continually bail them out of trouble.

The four women and a flight engineer set off for North Country. Kat knows the culture, even though she hasn’t been there in more than twenty years. It’s quite patriarchal and misogynistic. Unlike more developed areas of the planet, residents of North Country live a backward existence of sorts. There’s not much in terms of education or medical care to be had, especially for women.

The story was a good one as each of the women is confronting a ghost of their past. The problem was so much of the story relied on information in previous books. The author did a significant number of information dumps about the background of each character, but it still felt incomplete. If I had read those earlier books, I likely would have rated this four stars.

As it is, with what the story is here, I found many of the women’s actions to be superficial and unbelievable at times. They are here on a mission and yet Kat spends half a day cleaning up the cluttered home that used to be hers. Carisa goes back to wait with the flight engineer, only to have to make a tough decision to save the engineer’s life. It’s the kind of book that’s good for people who are invested in the characters as they confront the ghosts of their past and mostly achieve resolutions.

I didn’t hate North Country and gave it three stars. If you’ve read the other books in the series, you could probably add another one to it. If this type of dystopian fiction appeals to you, I’d recommend starting with the original Pirates of New Earth series before grabbing this one. While intriguing, I can’t say it motivated me to do so.

North Country was fantastic! An excellent addition to the Pirates of New Earth series. As with the other books, Sarah's writing just pulled me in and wouldn't let go. It was exciting to get to know more about Kat's past as well as getting to see her get some much needed closure. I also really liked getting to know Flossie and Carissa better. Diamond had her time in the spotlight, as well. Learned so much about themselves and each other through their journey in North Country and I really hope we'll get to know even more about what they get up to in the future. I'm particularly curious about Flossie's future. I did not expect her to make the decision she did.

If you've read Pirates of New Earth, you will not be disappointed with this continuation. If this is your first introduction to Kat Wallace and the pirates of Bosch, you can definitely still start with this one and then go back to the beginning with A Merry Life.

This is the first book in a sequel series following Branson's PIRATES OF NEW EARTH series. It is easily read as a stand alone but you'd miss some important build up to this point in time. The year 2372 sees this community of women settled and protecting the citizens of Bosch. They make the decision to free the slaves in the neighboring North Country. The rescue and recovery team is four women who each bring a stelly resolve to the task. Their journey to Bosch and the difficulties each faces will make their team stronger. This book sets the path for the series while bringing the characters to life. It is not a light read, but definitely worth the investment of your reading time. Recommended to a cross genre mix of women's fiction and scifi.

Each woman faces their past and decides who they really want to be in the present as they brave the North Country. For Kat and Carisa, it is closure. Facing their demons as they take back some power from those who sold them as thralls. For Flossie, it is growth. She really comes out of her shell and is no longer hiding behind who she was but growing into the woman she wishes to be. Diamond on the other hand, her story is a little different. She goes into the mission for money to help her family but has a dream of being rich and powerful that she will likely never accomplish. Her relationship with Flossie seems to grow to be genuine, but too little too late and maybe her story is further explored in a future book.

Overall, well written with thoughtful references to the more triggering topics in the book.

This was a really well done adventure novel, it had that element that I was looking for from the description. It had that feel that I was looking for and enjoyed the way this was written. Sarah Branson was able to write a strong story and was able to make a unique concept and characters that I enjoyed getting to read.

North Country is an excellent addition to the Pirates of New Earth saga. The adventure we follow is full of twists and turns with some very unexpected surprises. Each of the four female characters has her own story to tell and it's impossible to not get invested. Kat needs to go back home to confront the ghosts of her past. Carisa needs to do the same while proving to herself thats she is more than what the world sees. Flossie simply wants to be seen. Diamond wants all that she feels she is owed. The stories ebb and flow in such a way that they combine in a can't put it down, action packed read that keeps you glued to the pages. You should never underestimate Kat Wallace and those she travels with. They will never disappoint.