Free Fall

Free Fall
Laura Anne Gilman

The Cosa Nostradamus is in disarray; the Truce holding violence in check has been broken.Magical Manhattan is at war, and Wren Valere is left without her partner/lover Sergei, whose past loyalties keep him from her side just when she needs him the most. Hoping to keep herself occupied, Wren takes a job–but what should have been an ordinary Retrieval instead forces her to realize that it is time to do more.It is time for the Cosa to take the battle to the enemy. But she'll do it her way. The Retrievers' way. Sneaky, smart–and with maximum damage possible. What was lost will be found, what was stolen will be Retrieved. And this war will be ended, once and for all. Wren Valere always finishes the job. Always.

Praise for the Retrievers novels of

laura anne gilman

Staying Dead

“An entertaining, fast-paced thriller set in a world where cell phones and computers exist uneasily with magic, and a couple of engaging and highly talented rogues solve crimes while trying not to commit too many of their own.”

—Locus

“Gilman delivers an exciting, fast-paced, unpredictable story that never lets up until the very end…I highly recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy, especially [the works of] Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, or Laurell K. Hamilton. This is an extremely strong start, and I hope Gilman keeps it up.”

—SF Site

“What’s a girl to do now that Buffy’s been canceled? Read Laura Anne Gilman, of course!…If Nick and Nora Charles were investigating X-Files, the result would be Staying Dead. These ‘Retrievers’ are golden.”

—Rosemary Edghill, author of Met by Moonlight

Curse the Dark

“Gilman has managed the nearly impossible here: a cleverly written and well-balanced fantasy with a strong romantic element that doesn’t overpower the main plot.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews [4 1/2 stars]

“Fans of Tanya Huff will cherish Curse the Dark, a fabulous romantic fantasy that showcases how talented Laura Anne Gilman is.”

—Affaire de Coeur

“With an atmosphere reminiscent of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose by way of Sam Spade, Gilman’s second Wren Valere adventure (after Staying Dead) features fast-paced action, wisecracking dialogue, and a pair of strong, appealing heroes.”

—Library Journal

Bring It On

“Fans of Charlaine Harris, Kelley Armstrong and Kim Harrison will find Bring It On a very special treat. The author is an expert worldbuilder and creates characters that are easy to care about.”

—Affaire de Coeur [5 stars]

“Gilman has outdone herself…. The revelations are moving, the action is fantastic, and the ending is something that makes you wonder what will happen next.”

—In the Library Reviews

“Ripping good urban fantasy, fast-paced and filled with an exciting blend of mystery and magic…Gilman continues to explore a world where magic runs like electricity…where demons and other non-human breeds walk the streets in plain sight…this is a paranormal romance for those who normally avoid romance, and the entire series is worth checking out.”

—SF Site

Burning Bridges

“This fourth book in Gilman’s engaging series delivers…Wren and Sergei’s relationship, as usual, is wonderfully written. As their relationship moves in an unexpected direction, it makes perfect sense—and leaves the reader on the edge of her seat for the next book.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews [4 stars]

“Wren’s can-do magic is highly appealing.”

—Publishers Weekly

“I’ve been saying it all along, and I’ll say it again, this is an excellent series, well worth picking up, and I haven’t been let down yet.”

—Green Man Review

“Valere is a tough, resourceful heroine, a would-be loner who cares too much to truly walk alone. A strong addition to urban fantasy collections.”

—Library Journal

Laura Anne Gilman

Free Fall

AUTHOR NOTE

When I wrote the first book of the Retrievers series, Staying Dead, I was in love with the characters, the world, the magic system and pretty much everything about it. What I didn’t know was how everyone else would react. After all, I was coming in as a fantasy/horror writer, and LUNA was all about romantic fantasy. I wasn’t writing anything romantic, was I?

Wren and Sergei—and yes, P.B.—taught me differently. Because romance isn’t just about sexual love. It’s about the emotional attachments that form between people—no matter their gender, their background or, in fact, their species. Over the past four books we have seen that attachment grow, be tested and evolve into something quite, well…magical.

And it was in writing Free Fall that I realized how very magical love can be. Because when the weight of the past few years finally takes its toll on Wren, it’s not spells or weapons or her famed Talent that might save her. It’s love.

Oh dear. I’m a romantic after all.

I won’t tell anyone if you won’t.

Laura Anne Gilman

May 2008

For ChristineH. Because every Calvin needs her Hobbes…

“…And if we ever leave a legacy

It’s that we loved each other well.”

—“Power of Two”

Indigo Girls

Contents