Kindle Edition Amazon Jai Amazon Category:  Fantasy Publisher: Archway Publishing ISBN-10:  1480832588 Type: Fiction Pages: 400 Copyright: July 27, 2016 ISBN-13: 9781480832589 Price: $3.99 (eBook) Readers will follow Jai through a fantastical journey filled with adventure, discovery and passion. In her short Life, Jai has already survived an abusive childhood at the hands of her tyrannical stepfather, after a bizarre, and nearly lethal sexual experience Jai is finally able to find meaning in her life after a young man comes to her rescue and becomes not just her mentor but also her lover. Soon Jinhai begins training Jai in martial arts and forbidden occult practices at a secret temple deep in the Himalayas. But when an invading Chinese army leaves Jai as the only survivor, she seeks to find her way back to civilization. Following a secret path out of the mountains, she must battle strange unearthly creatures to reach a beautiful mystical land where she learns her true identity, receives guidance from a supernatural creature to develop her innate paranormal abilities that include energy-driven sexual practices, finds an unusual lover, and discovers her destiny: to defend against those intent on destroying Earth and enslaving its population-all in the name of greed and power. Excerpt Standing naked in the snow and ice-covered mountains of the Tibetan Himalayas, Jai is in a state of shock. Her face was covered with ice-crystal teardrops as she over-looked the charred bodies of those she had come to love and respect during her training these past two and a half years. But it was the man who'd brought her to this place she most feared lay among the dead. Now, just three days after having her clothes taken away in order to enter the temple's meditation sweat lodge, Jai calls upon the discipline hammered into her during her training in order to focus her mind on her present situation. Marshalling all the mental energy she could raise, she dispersed it across the temple grounds, but she could sense only a wisp of her teacher's precious energy among those who lay before her. Though she realized that a person's energy source could linger after death, she held but a modicum of hope that she could find him alive.

All elements I look for in a great book!
Stitz opens his novel with a very powerful and tragic scene, which drew me into the world of Jai. Following her evolution into a strong, fearless heroine, I got to know her, and I wanted so badly for her to succeed! Her back story is seriously tough but necessary and realistic as her sorrow and desperation fuel the search for her beloved teacher. As the story progresses, it becomes an unpredictable adventure with all the elements I enjoy in a great book.

I could not put it down!

Jai's closest supporting characters are diverse, and their relationships are not that of typical social mores or cultures. Their interaction gives the story a contemporary appeal and something to think about; because they are honest, have great purpose, and they work!

The smooth intertwining of so-called reality versus fantasy and higher planes of consciousness make me wonder, "is it all possible?"

Will Jai and her team continue their quest to save the earth from its human inhabitants?....SEQUEL, PLEASE!

Jai’s magical and exciting adventure is a tale for believers and those who question.


Great Read!
Jai begins with a scene both powerful and compelling. Your made to understand right away that young Jai is a complex, multi-faceted character, and you keep reading to discover how she came to be a woman with unique abilities and, where her quest will take her.
This is a great book and a great character! I read all of the time, Jai is, by far, the most interesting female character in any novel. She is strong and beautiful with abilities reaching beyond human capacity.
I loved reading about her struggles along her path and the obstacles she overcame. The mystical land she arrives at is beautiful and dreamlike. In the future, I would like to spend additional time in this land of fantasy and learn more about the creatures who inhabit it.
Jai is a master in the various martial arts. The scenes where these abilities come into play are so well written I feel like I am there watching it unfold. It would not be surprising to learn the author is also a master.
Jai is brought to her full potential through mystical sexual practices only a few humans on earth ever experienced. One man in particular, was trained to became an adept with the sole responsibility of unlocking the secrets of Jai. Furthermore, one woman holds the key to unlocking Jai's heart, together they take the reader on an incredible journey!
With the ultimate purpose of Jai's life and her supernatural abilities, her adventures would make a wonderful series for TV or a movie. In the meantime, I'll hope for another book about Jai.

Kirkus
An otherworldly woman discovers her unique destiny in this novel.

Deep within the Tibetan Himalayas, a young woman named Jai stands naked, cold, and very afraid. A skilled student in a remote Himalayan monastery, she is a survivor of a brutal attack that left the temple in ruins and everyone else dead, including her beloved teacher Jinhai. Weakened by illness, Jai barely withstands the ordeal. Rescued by a wise and mysterious woman, Jai is taken to a mystical land, where she meets the A Ma, who facilitates her recovery. The A Ma also reveals that they are part of a species of aliens. Jai’s mother was an alien sent to Earth to mate with a human. Now, Jai’s people face serious threats to their existence, and she has been chosen to find and eliminate those dangers. She is aided in her quest by several key assistants, including Makeen, a handsome karate teacher, and Amira Moreau, a gifted scientist. Together, they cross the globe, encountering sinister enemies and discovering helpful allies. Meanwhile, Jai finds herself drawn to both Makeen and Amira, setting the stage for powerful and erotic relationships. Stitz’s (Capturing the Moments of a Contemplative Life, 2011) tale is a genre-bending pastiche of sci-fi, paranormal action adventure, and erotic romance. The strongest elements are its heroine and the vivid depictions of her homeland and her globe-trotting task. Jai is a singular and memorable character. Half alien, half human, part Chinese, part Japanese, she was left to fend for herself on the streets of Macao after her stepfather sent her away to be sold on the open market. Rescued from a brothel and taken to a Tibetan monastery, she quickly becomes a top student thanks to her skills in martial arts and lung-gom. Stitz skillfully introduces Jai’s back story through a series of flashbacks that offer additional details and context to her trajectory without detracting from the primary narrative. The tale moves at a brisk pace, aided by bracing and suspenseful sequences as her mission grows more menacing.

An audacious adventure anchored by a memorable half-alien heroine and a healthy dose of action.