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Ylendrian Empire #2
The Slipstream Con
"Is love the biggest con of them all? "
A Ylendrian Empire Story
For three years, Kellen Frey has led bounty hunters Tal and Vanya on a merry chase, evading capture with flair and style. Now, just when they finally have their pet project and object of their mutual fantasies cornered, the elusive con artist turns the tables and gives himself up. A sudden attack of conscience, perhaps? Tal and Vanya know better.
Their suspicions are confirmed when a crime lord comes dangerously close to killing them all, and the rapidly sickening thief is forced to confess the truth he s been accidentally dosed with a highly illegal form of nanotechnology.
If Kellen can t get his hands on another dose, he s finished. The problem is, the only thief who s ever broken in to Slipstream Labs is his ex-girlfriend, and she s allergic to bounty hunters. As he does his best to play both sides, he struggles with his growing desire to be more than a prisoner to Tal and Vanya. Without trust, they won t survive long. The clock is ticking as they race to uncover a conspiracy that spans the Ylendrian Empire.
Warning: This book contains an anti-hero with no qualms about redecorating your spaceship, a heroine capable of killing you with her hair stick, and another hero who would like nothing more than to shag them both without the inconvenience of a conscience. "
A Ylendrian Empire Story
For three years, Kellen Frey has led bounty hunters Tal and Vanya on a merry chase, evading capture with flair and style. Now, just when they finally have their pet project and object of their mutual fantasies cornered, the elusive con artist turns the tables and gives himself up. A sudden attack of conscience, perhaps? Tal and Vanya know better.
Their suspicions are confirmed when a crime lord comes dangerously close to killing them all, and the rapidly sickening thief is forced to confess the truth he s been accidentally dosed with a highly illegal form of nanotechnology.
If Kellen can t get his hands on another dose, he s finished. The problem is, the only thief who s ever broken in to Slipstream Labs is his ex-girlfriend, and she s allergic to bounty hunters. As he does his best to play both sides, he struggles with his growing desire to be more than a prisoner to Tal and Vanya. Without trust, they won t survive long. The clock is ticking as they race to uncover a conspiracy that spans the Ylendrian Empire.
Warning: This book contains an anti-hero with no qualms about redecorating your spaceship, a heroine capable of killing you with her hair stick, and another hero who would like nothing more than to shag them both without the inconvenience of a conscience. "
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 5, 2011
1 person is currently reading
148 people want to read
About the author
Reesa Herberth
6 books38 followersReesa Herberth grew up in Hawaii, tried Arizona for a few years, and eventually settled in the D.C. area, where they have things like trees and rain.
She’s held a variety of crazy writer jobs, including book and video store manager for a defunct chain of music shops, office goddess for an artisan ice cream maker, cheese-cup scrubber at an organic goat dairy, high school secretary, and dye-stained proprietress of a small yarn and fiber business.
When not writing, she can usually be found reading, gardening, cooking, or spinning yarns of another sort entirely. She often resents her need for sleep.
She welcomes your email at YlendrianEmpire@gmail.com
She’s held a variety of crazy writer jobs, including book and video store manager for a defunct chain of music shops, office goddess for an artisan ice cream maker, cheese-cup scrubber at an organic goat dairy, high school secretary, and dye-stained proprietress of a small yarn and fiber business.
When not writing, she can usually be found reading, gardening, cooking, or spinning yarns of another sort entirely. She often resents her need for sleep.
She welcomes your email at YlendrianEmpire@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 18, 2012
I am 95% sure that this is a White Collar fanfiction with the serial numbers filed off. If you want to write fanfiction, that's fine, but could my original fiction please be original?
This book suffered from a huge telling-not-showing problem, both in characterization and description. The narrative told me how the characters were feeling, but didn't really show me their thoughts. The POV wasn't close enough to really get in their heads. The problem was even worse with descriptions of places. Don't tell me that a planet or a space station is seedy and full of criminals. Show me by describing how the streets are dirty, how people look around warily as they walk, how the contours of weapons show under every jacket.
I'd also like to know the point of giving a story a sci-fi setting if it's just going to be a cardboard backdrop. The worldbuilding here was paper-thin. Things I didn't know by the end of the story: was Tal and Vanya's lifestyle poorer than average, better off than average, or typical? Are polyamorous relationships accepted everywhere or only by a few? Are bounty hunters respected in this society, or are they viewed as dangerous vigilantes? Are people enhanced with nanotechnology respected or viewed as freaks? If you don't want to take the time to think about these questions, then don't write science fiction. Work within a society that already exists.
Honestly, the only reason I didn't abandon this book early on was because someone I respect wrote a good review. By 80% through I longed to stop reading, but by that point I wanted to finish so that I could fully articulate in a review why I didn't like this book.
This book suffered from a huge telling-not-showing problem, both in characterization and description. The narrative told me how the characters were feeling, but didn't really show me their thoughts. The POV wasn't close enough to really get in their heads. The problem was even worse with descriptions of places. Don't tell me that a planet or a space station is seedy and full of criminals. Show me by describing how the streets are dirty, how people look around warily as they walk, how the contours of weapons show under every jacket.
I'd also like to know the point of giving a story a sci-fi setting if it's just going to be a cardboard backdrop. The worldbuilding here was paper-thin. Things I didn't know by the end of the story: was Tal and Vanya's lifestyle poorer than average, better off than average, or typical? Are polyamorous relationships accepted everywhere or only by a few? Are bounty hunters respected in this society, or are they viewed as dangerous vigilantes? Are people enhanced with nanotechnology respected or viewed as freaks? If you don't want to take the time to think about these questions, then don't write science fiction. Work within a society that already exists.
Honestly, the only reason I didn't abandon this book early on was because someone I respect wrote a good review. By 80% through I longed to stop reading, but by that point I wanted to finish so that I could fully articulate in a review why I didn't like this book.
December 2, 2011
This is a book I never would have picked up on my own, because I'm a science fiction nut and it's a romance--and while I certainly can read well-written romances, I almost always have something waiting that I'm more interested in. But a friend pointed it out to me, and I read the description and went, "Interstellar empire? Bounty hunters? Nanotechnology? You can't fool me, this is space opera!"
And it is. And it is awesome.
The Slipstream Con, by S. Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore, tells the story of Kellen Frey, a charming con man who may have been chasing a pair of bounty hunters just as much as they've been chasing him--if at a slightly greater distance. When he suddenly turns himself in, Vanya and Tal know something fishy has got to be going on, and they're right. The characterization is strong, the the fictional empire well-realized, and the dangerous mystery that begins on page one carries the plot clear through to the end, developing new twists and turns every time you think the protagonists have got the problem licked.
The writing is strong and the editing reasonably good. There might be a few spots where there could be just a little more foreshadowing or just a little tightening of the core plot, but they were never enough to interfere with my enjoyment of the book, and I have fairly high standards. The only thing I can really pick on is that an in-depth grasp of nanotechnology was just a little lacking, but it was such a minor detail that only geeks like me are ever going to notice. It doesn't stop me from this novel the whole five stars.
If hard science fiction is your thing, this isn't it. But if you like character-driven space opera, adventure stories that are mostly about people, or well-written romances, go read the excerpt.
As always, if you decide to buy, consider buying directly through the publisher's site. The price is only $5.50, and it's well worth it. Buying directly from the publisher puts a little more money into the pockets of the writers than if you buy it through one of the the online mega-bookstores.
For more book reviews, please visit me at Aging Backwards.
And it is. And it is awesome.
The Slipstream Con, by S. Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore, tells the story of Kellen Frey, a charming con man who may have been chasing a pair of bounty hunters just as much as they've been chasing him--if at a slightly greater distance. When he suddenly turns himself in, Vanya and Tal know something fishy has got to be going on, and they're right. The characterization is strong, the the fictional empire well-realized, and the dangerous mystery that begins on page one carries the plot clear through to the end, developing new twists and turns every time you think the protagonists have got the problem licked.
The writing is strong and the editing reasonably good. There might be a few spots where there could be just a little more foreshadowing or just a little tightening of the core plot, but they were never enough to interfere with my enjoyment of the book, and I have fairly high standards. The only thing I can really pick on is that an in-depth grasp of nanotechnology was just a little lacking, but it was such a minor detail that only geeks like me are ever going to notice. It doesn't stop me from this novel the whole five stars.
If hard science fiction is your thing, this isn't it. But if you like character-driven space opera, adventure stories that are mostly about people, or well-written romances, go read the excerpt.
As always, if you decide to buy, consider buying directly through the publisher's site. The price is only $5.50, and it's well worth it. Buying directly from the publisher puts a little more money into the pockets of the writers than if you buy it through one of the the online mega-bookstores.
For more book reviews, please visit me at Aging Backwards.
January 2, 2012
Really enjoyed this--much the same thoughts as the other Ylendrian book, The Balance of Silence, but this one was a full novel and mostly proved my criticisms of the previous one's length. The authors did a great job with the hard sci-fi and heist genres, and a fantastic job with the poly relationship. Definitely authors to keep an eye on--I hope they do more books in this 'verse.
December 27, 2013
I really liked this story of a married pair of bounty hunters who have been chasing one man for so long that they've fallen more than half in love with him. And Kellen, the thief who's found himself in enough trouble that it's safer to give himself up to the two who've beeen chasing him, is a terrific character. Damaged, a total hot mess, a claustrophobe who's likely to spend the rest of his life in a a prison cell, he's a heartbreaker. I'm developing a fondness for SF romance and this book is one of the reasons why.
May 29, 2011
Very compelling, entertaining, space opera/caper/romance. Great characters with a lot of depth and very original universe that I can't wait to experience more of. Awesome first novel by some very talented writers!
February 13, 2012
A very fast and fun read that is sexy, funny and enough butt-kickery to keep even my attention. Great second book for my friend Reesa. I can't wait to read the follow up. Get to writing.
April 19, 2020
Read because it came highly recommended, but... the ending feels very empty. Technically, the characters get what they want in a larger arc, but... to set up the fact that the characters all have intense sexual desire for each other, and never even depict a final passionate kiss? It didn’t feel like anyone got what they were shown to want from the get go.
Still, I’ll take all the Bi/Pan and Poly romance I can get!
Still, I’ll take all the Bi/Pan and Poly romance I can get!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2014
4 1/2 stars
I loved it, I just feel like a little something was missing (and no, it wasn't the lack of sex scenes, the book was just perfect like that, the sexual tension was extremely hot and the characters didn't need it to settle their relationships.)
The relationship between the three characters was well-developped and their attraction totally believable. I liked the fact was Tal and Van were already a married couple, a deadly, kick-ass and perfectly happy couple.
Kellen was a great character because, even if he's supposed to be highly likable, I could felt the same frustration as Van and wanted to slap him too at certain moments (especially his attitude toward Cassie, even if it makes him realistic, being in love with her, or the idea of being in love with her, I'm not sure, it was super frustrating to watch.)
I was a bit confused by how some of the issues were resolved in the end but the plot is still great (I'm a bit biased by my love of stories involving space-ships and bounty hunters though)
A sequel would be fantastic, I still feel like I haven't spent enough time with the characters, I want to see their next adventures and how they are going to managed to not kill each others. (Since I'm in the "I'd want to" I'd love to see more of Elain, and Tal and Van's pasts as bounty hunters, Elain and Van's relationship and Van first meeting with Tal. Actually I think I want a whole series about them, so I know Christmas is over but I can still hope.)
It was my first m/m/f story and apparently there is a lot of bad books out there involving m/m/f so I feel extremely lucky to have found a fantastic one for my first try. These two authors are definitely auto-buy for me now.
I forgot to add some of my favourite passages (because it's one of the things I love the most about the Ylendrian Empire series, the writing is really lovely.)
"I think we both know better than to believe in fairy tales. We make our own happily ever afters as best as we can, and live with the consequences." She pulled back just far enough to make his eyes. "It's just a matter of making sure that the consequences are worth it."
"The spark of hope was sudden, sharp, and not to be relied on. Hope got you nowhere, not when life was all about plans. And when those failed, contingency plans."
Honesty was the worst con ever, he decided, the ugliest parts of everything out there for the world to see, when it could have been, if not beautiful, at least passably stylish. Kellen had never imagined that the beginning of anything he wanted so badly could be executed so clumsily."
I loved it, I just feel like a little something was missing (and no, it wasn't the lack of sex scenes, the book was just perfect like that, the sexual tension was extremely hot and the characters didn't need it to settle their relationships.)
The relationship between the three characters was well-developped and their attraction totally believable. I liked the fact was Tal and Van were already a married couple, a deadly, kick-ass and perfectly happy couple.
Kellen was a great character because, even if he's supposed to be highly likable, I could felt the same frustration as Van and wanted to slap him too at certain moments (especially his attitude toward Cassie, even if it makes him realistic, being in love with her, or the idea of being in love with her, I'm not sure, it was super frustrating to watch.)
I was a bit confused by how some of the issues were resolved in the end but the plot is still great (I'm a bit biased by my love of stories involving space-ships and bounty hunters though)
A sequel would be fantastic, I still feel like I haven't spent enough time with the characters, I want to see their next adventures and how they are going to managed to not kill each others. (Since I'm in the "I'd want to" I'd love to see more of Elain, and Tal and Van's pasts as bounty hunters, Elain and Van's relationship and Van first meeting with Tal. Actually I think I want a whole series about them, so I know Christmas is over but I can still hope.)
It was my first m/m/f story and apparently there is a lot of bad books out there involving m/m/f so I feel extremely lucky to have found a fantastic one for my first try. These two authors are definitely auto-buy for me now.
I forgot to add some of my favourite passages (because it's one of the things I love the most about the Ylendrian Empire series, the writing is really lovely.)
"I think we both know better than to believe in fairy tales. We make our own happily ever afters as best as we can, and live with the consequences." She pulled back just far enough to make his eyes. "It's just a matter of making sure that the consequences are worth it."
"The spark of hope was sudden, sharp, and not to be relied on. Hope got you nowhere, not when life was all about plans. And when those failed, contingency plans."
Honesty was the worst con ever, he decided, the ugliest parts of everything out there for the world to see, when it could have been, if not beautiful, at least passably stylish. Kellen had never imagined that the beginning of anything he wanted so badly could be executed so clumsily."
June 22, 2012
Ok, I'll add the synopsis later.
Anyway, the characters are funny and Tal and Vanya's relationship is solid. Frey is quite the character, although you do wonder why anyone would put up with a liar and a thief. Not that I didn't like Frey - I do. But if you have to constantly question and filter everything the guy says, as well as watch him constantly - ok, so the ADHD liar/thief and I wouldn't make good bedfellows. It would literally exhaust me. But, again, Tal and Vanya appear to be well-equipped to deal with him, so no worries.
The story was well-paced, and kept me turning pages. I don't understand Frey's relationship with Cassie, because it just seems too obvious that the woman doesn't care for Frey that way, and he certainly can't seem to articulate his feelings for her. But he certainly seems ok contemplating a roll in the hay, if not more, with Tal and Vanya. Ack! Who knows.
The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the unconsumated menage. I mean, to end with a three-way kiss, turn the page and that's it? This IS classified as a romance, yeah? Sorry if I was expecting too much, but damn. After all that build-up, I was hoping for some hot sex, so shoot me.
Anyway, the characters are funny and Tal and Vanya's relationship is solid. Frey is quite the character, although you do wonder why anyone would put up with a liar and a thief. Not that I didn't like Frey - I do. But if you have to constantly question and filter everything the guy says, as well as watch him constantly - ok, so the ADHD liar/thief and I wouldn't make good bedfellows. It would literally exhaust me. But, again, Tal and Vanya appear to be well-equipped to deal with him, so no worries.
The story was well-paced, and kept me turning pages. I don't understand Frey's relationship with Cassie, because it just seems too obvious that the woman doesn't care for Frey that way, and he certainly can't seem to articulate his feelings for her. But he certainly seems ok contemplating a roll in the hay, if not more, with Tal and Vanya. Ack! Who knows.
The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the unconsumated menage. I mean, to end with a three-way kiss, turn the page and that's it? This IS classified as a romance, yeah? Sorry if I was expecting too much, but damn. After all that build-up, I was hoping for some hot sex, so shoot me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2013
I didn't read the first book in this series. And, I fully admit I bought it for the cover and the blurb.
This far future SFR is mostly a leisurely character study of the relationship between two bounty hunters and the very-longterm prey they both think they have fallen in love with.
The short review? If you like a sweet leisurely character development story then you'll probably like this. If you want action and lots of SF then this isn't the best fit.
The good? I really liked the premise. The tech. The SF. The characters were likable and very lovingly drawn. I liked them. The writing was excellent.
The not-as-good-as-I-wanted: The pacing. I love SF and while this story had a good SF premise, the SF wasn't the focus. The character relationship was the focus until near the end. Lots and lots of UST. The character development was really good, but I expected more action. So, for me the story was really slow. At points so slow that I'd put it down and not come back for a couple of days.
At some point I'll probably pick up the first book to read.
I gave this four stars because it was well-written, just not a great fit for me at this time.
This far future SFR is mostly a leisurely character study of the relationship between two bounty hunters and the very-longterm prey they both think they have fallen in love with.
The short review? If you like a sweet leisurely character development story then you'll probably like this. If you want action and lots of SF then this isn't the best fit.
The good? I really liked the premise. The tech. The SF. The characters were likable and very lovingly drawn. I liked them. The writing was excellent.
The not-as-good-as-I-wanted: The pacing. I love SF and while this story had a good SF premise, the SF wasn't the focus. The character relationship was the focus until near the end. Lots and lots of UST. The character development was really good, but I expected more action. So, for me the story was really slow. At points so slow that I'd put it down and not come back for a couple of days.
At some point I'll probably pick up the first book to read.
I gave this four stars because it was well-written, just not a great fit for me at this time.
January 3, 2012
I really liked this. The relationship worked well (I understate, it was simply amazing and balanced and honest), the characters were well-built, and the science was there, but it didn't get in the way.
July 3, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. Great concept. I loved the Kellen and his irreverent humor and his underlining honor. Tal and Van how could you resist. This was a fantastic space romp.
January 24, 2015
Just reread this recently, I liked it even better the 2nd time around .
August 22, 2016
Is love the biggest con of all? I don't know, but it certainly makes for good sci-fi.
probably-not-for-me
December 19, 2016based on sample. setting and characters seem flat.
April 15, 2017
I really liked this one. Too bad it's out of print now. Though I did manage to find a physical copy on ebay.
This was one of the two books in this series that I actually wish there were sequels for. Though I did like the way that each book is its own story, linked by the overall setting and a few other discrete connections such as persons or places that get briefly mentioned in other stories. It makes the 'verse seem bigger and more organically, messily real.
This was one of the two books in this series that I actually wish there were sequels for. Though I did like the way that each book is its own story, linked by the overall setting and a few other discrete connections such as persons or places that get briefly mentioned in other stories. It makes the 'verse seem bigger and more organically, messily real.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews