What do you think?
Rate this book
Karma Family
Balancing Karma
Karma has it in for Moswen. Trouble follows him around like a demented, faithful dog. Moswen never means for things to happen the way they do. It just does. And while things may seem bad at first, everything eventually works out for the best even if the road to getting there is a less than a smooth ride.
While fleeing his sister's wrath for an accident that was almost not his fault, Moswen stumbles upon the chance to crash what promises to be a fun party.
Kijika is hopeful that the birthday bash for his grandfather, the current king, won't be the deadly boring event he's sure it will be and he'd much rather be pouring over ancient texts in his quest for knowledge. Moswen's karma swings into action and Moswen and Kijika cross paths at the party setting in motion a relationship that will give both men what they most desire.
----------
Status: COMPLETE
Approx. Word Count: 193,825
If you enjoyed Balancing Karma, be sure to read Lor-fei Mark, a one-shot story set after the events in Balancing Karma. (Approx. Word Count: 5,008)
While fleeing his sister's wrath for an accident that was almost not his fault, Moswen stumbles upon the chance to crash what promises to be a fun party.
Kijika is hopeful that the birthday bash for his grandfather, the current king, won't be the deadly boring event he's sure it will be and he'd much rather be pouring over ancient texts in his quest for knowledge. Moswen's karma swings into action and Moswen and Kijika cross paths at the party setting in motion a relationship that will give both men what they most desire.
----------
Status: COMPLETE
Approx. Word Count: 193,825
If you enjoyed Balancing Karma, be sure to read Lor-fei Mark, a one-shot story set after the events in Balancing Karma. (Approx. Word Count: 5,008)
582 pages, ebook
First published February 26, 2010
16 people are currently reading
694 people want to read
About the author
I.D. Locke
16 books115 followersFree-read stories on Ao3:
https://archiveofourown.org/users/ID_...
Free-read stories are posted to my author journal: http://id-locke.dreamwidth.org/
Personal site and fan fiction are at http://2metaldog.livejournal.com/
https://archiveofourown.org/users/ID_...
Free-read stories are posted to my author journal: http://id-locke.dreamwidth.org/
Personal site and fan fiction are at http://2metaldog.livejournal.com/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
March 14, 2012
This sounds like a fun read. I probably would get a kick out of it, it sounds like fun.
UNFORTUNATELY, I CANNOT STAND the DOLLS. And the ones on this "cover" ruin any image I might create of the characters. I always thought Asian ball joint dolls would be gorgeous; I see that some of them are quite ridiculous looking. I wish I had never seen these--I am too visual to erase them from my mind.
Yes, this is ridiculous, but then, so is putting extremely!!! silly looking dolls on a book cover--even for a book with humor.
Finally, the dark haired doll has a Michael Jackson look, and the little blond one looks like Brittney Spears with one of her bad hair weaves.
++sigh++
UNFORTUNATELY, I CANNOT STAND the DOLLS. And the ones on this "cover" ruin any image I might create of the characters. I always thought Asian ball joint dolls would be gorgeous; I see that some of them are quite ridiculous looking. I wish I had never seen these--I am too visual to erase them from my mind.
Yes, this is ridiculous, but then, so is putting extremely!!! silly looking dolls on a book cover--even for a book with humor.
Finally, the dark haired doll has a Michael Jackson look, and the little blond one looks like Brittney Spears with one of her bad hair weaves.
++sigh++
August 4, 2011
There are exactly two reasons I've put off reviewing this book. For one, I absolutely loved it and if I had written my review right after I finished the book, I would have praised and gushed about the book for so long people would have seen how long the review was and most likely wouldn't even attempt reading it. Reason number two is... well... I'm lazy. Lol.
I really did love this book. It was absolutely adorable. Moswen and Kijika make such a cute couple, especially with how different they are not only in species but personalities, and do things that are just so cute and sweet I lost count how many times I either thought or said 'awwww'. Aside from the cute factor, I adored Moswen's 'throw-back' tendencies and his easy manners. They made this long story fun and enjoyable.
I loved how devoted Moswen is to Kijika. He worshiped Kijika to a point some might think is unhealthy but I happen to find it endearing. I loved the mpreg in this book. It's explained and you actually get to see it which is more than I can say for most of the other mpreg books I've read. And it was interesting to see Kijika and Moswen mix their cultures and societies together to find a happen medium between the two.
It really was an enjoyable read. The only things I had a problem with was how much sex there was and I wished there had been more explanation of Moswen and his ability to walk 'dreams'. I got confused a time or two on how he was able to travel through dreams and what exactly 'Dream-stepping' and 'Dream-walking' was.
All in all, absolutely loved this book. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, which features Moswen's half-brother. I'll have to wait until it's finished since it's currently on-going but until then I'm looking forward to reading more from I.D. Locke. Definitely recommended.
I really did love this book. It was absolutely adorable. Moswen and Kijika make such a cute couple, especially with how different they are not only in species but personalities, and do things that are just so cute and sweet I lost count how many times I either thought or said 'awwww'. Aside from the cute factor, I adored Moswen's 'throw-back' tendencies and his easy manners. They made this long story fun and enjoyable.
I loved how devoted Moswen is to Kijika. He worshiped Kijika to a point some might think is unhealthy but I happen to find it endearing. I loved the mpreg in this book. It's explained and you actually get to see it which is more than I can say for most of the other mpreg books I've read. And it was interesting to see Kijika and Moswen mix their cultures and societies together to find a happen medium between the two.
It really was an enjoyable read. The only things I had a problem with was how much sex there was and I wished there had been more explanation of Moswen and his ability to walk 'dreams'. I got confused a time or two on how he was able to travel through dreams and what exactly 'Dream-stepping' and 'Dream-walking' was.
All in all, absolutely loved this book. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, which features Moswen's half-brother. I'll have to wait until it's finished since it's currently on-going but until then I'm looking forward to reading more from I.D. Locke. Definitely recommended.
April 22, 2011
This story is a wicked mix of different species, powers, characteristics and behavior. It really is a jumble made in probably the best possible moment of inspiration, because what I read was definitely a gorgeous combination of SF and shifters, not to mention all the other sexy things you could wish in a story.
Moswen is a wonderful character whose species is probably the kinkiest I've read about. Almost anything goes with them plus -- you have all those gorgeous shifter instincts as well as appearance thrown into the mix. Just when you think there isn't more to him, he surprises you. Smart, sexy, unusual and extremely direct -- he's basically anything you could want in a character, but then, he's also strong, exceptional and not an easy person to beat in a fight. But one thing you'll just love about Moswen; when he falls in love, it's for keeps. (Did I mention he has a tail?)
Now Kijika is a mix of two species who are almost the exact opposites. As much as Moswen is rare on his planet, that much of a surprise was Kijika for his people. With the skill to raise the dead and kick some major ass, he was also blessed with the ability to birth a child (Not something the two of them planned). Kijika is a geek basically, very skilled and good-hearted but mostly focused on knowledge and his books. (Did I mention he has wings? Jup.)
Two of them together are an interesting combination really, (Oh you'll be surprised to learn that Moswen although stronger and usually a top is shorter than Kijika). Completely different personalities and the way they were brought up make for extremely funny situations and bunch of misunderstandings.
Overall, the world is simply wonderful. The side characters seriously kick ass, and I can't say if Moswen's family is better or Kijika's. Both are harsh in their own way, very intense but above all intriguing and they don't stop surprising you even at the very end.
What made me gush over this story was the brilliant Mpreg execution. I really loved the detailed descriptions and the idea behind it. It's rarely written well, not to mention how hard it is to find a finished story with the same theme. This has jumped to the top of my list and if it's your kink, you just have to read this one.
Seriously, I'm not kidding. Go Read!!
Moswen is a wonderful character whose species is probably the kinkiest I've read about. Almost anything goes with them plus -- you have all those gorgeous shifter instincts as well as appearance thrown into the mix. Just when you think there isn't more to him, he surprises you. Smart, sexy, unusual and extremely direct -- he's basically anything you could want in a character, but then, he's also strong, exceptional and not an easy person to beat in a fight. But one thing you'll just love about Moswen; when he falls in love, it's for keeps. (Did I mention he has a tail?)
Now Kijika is a mix of two species who are almost the exact opposites. As much as Moswen is rare on his planet, that much of a surprise was Kijika for his people. With the skill to raise the dead and kick some major ass, he was also blessed with the ability to birth a child (Not something the two of them planned). Kijika is a geek basically, very skilled and good-hearted but mostly focused on knowledge and his books. (Did I mention he has wings? Jup.)
Two of them together are an interesting combination really, (Oh you'll be surprised to learn that Moswen although stronger and usually a top is shorter than Kijika). Completely different personalities and the way they were brought up make for extremely funny situations and bunch of misunderstandings.
Overall, the world is simply wonderful. The side characters seriously kick ass, and I can't say if Moswen's family is better or Kijika's. Both are harsh in their own way, very intense but above all intriguing and they don't stop surprising you even at the very end.
What made me gush over this story was the brilliant Mpreg execution. I really loved the detailed descriptions and the idea behind it. It's rarely written well, not to mention how hard it is to find a finished story with the same theme. This has jumped to the top of my list and if it's your kink, you just have to read this one.
Seriously, I'm not kidding. Go Read!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2015
This was a very fun read. Moswen is hilarious and intense. Kijika is kinda aloof until Moswen comes along. Kijika is a nerd. There is no other way to describe the man. Moswen is a smart guy but man is he hyper, especially about sex. The little guy is all about getting some in the beginning but the two click and off the story goes. It is a sneaky story that just draws you in and next thing you know it's two in the morning and you still have 15 chapters to go;) Totally enjoyed it!
Read
December 21, 2016No I have not read this book, I'm just so tickled by this cover. That is hilarious!!!!
June 5, 2012
4.5 stars
This is a great story. Unpublished, but still entertaining and well worth the time. This would be a 5 star read with editing, primarily for some repetitive elements. The protagonists' struggle to understand each other due to cultural differences is so relevant that you can't help but laugh and cringe at the same time. That said, M-Preg may not be every reader's cup of tea--I loved it.
The worldbuilding was great. Three distinct species were introduced and the differences were apparent and influenced how they interacted. A blend of humor, violence, and magic make this a good fantasy read for sexually open-minded individuals.
This is a great story. Unpublished, but still entertaining and well worth the time. This would be a 5 star read with editing, primarily for some repetitive elements. The protagonists' struggle to understand each other due to cultural differences is so relevant that you can't help but laugh and cringe at the same time. That said, M-Preg may not be every reader's cup of tea--I loved it.
The worldbuilding was great. Three distinct species were introduced and the differences were apparent and influenced how they interacted. A blend of humor, violence, and magic make this a good fantasy read for sexually open-minded individuals.
February 10, 2013
I adored this book. It was so so so enjoyable despite the fact I had to read it online. I don't know how fair my rating is, as I might unconsciously have a different rating system because it doesn't seem to be a published book.
Oh well. Either way I loved the book. My only complaint -and it isn't even a complaint really- is that if the author is thinking about publishing this, I think she needs to cut down the happy chappy periods of time and put my action and problems and shit. I love happy scenes that make me giggle and all, but they have a bigger impact if they come after some huge colossal shit fest. LOL.
This book was wonderful. Seeing the doll pornography was a strange. . . bonus. If you could call it that. . . HAHA
And Moswen was the most adorable messed up character I've seen in a long while. I thoroughly enjoyed him and the shit that hit the fan whenever he was around. If I didn't know better, the way he was going, I wouldn't be surprised if he was up there all along sprinkling the shit on the fans. It would've at least explained how he attracted problems in epic proportions.
Anyway as I said, this book was wonderful and I definitely recommend it to all those who enjoy this genre.
Oh well. Either way I loved the book. My only complaint -and it isn't even a complaint really- is that if the author is thinking about publishing this, I think she needs to cut down the happy chappy periods of time and put my action and problems and shit. I love happy scenes that make me giggle and all, but they have a bigger impact if they come after some huge colossal shit fest. LOL.
This book was wonderful. Seeing the doll pornography was a strange. . . bonus. If you could call it that. . . HAHA
And Moswen was the most adorable messed up character I've seen in a long while. I thoroughly enjoyed him and the shit that hit the fan whenever he was around. If I didn't know better, the way he was going, I wouldn't be surprised if he was up there all along sprinkling the shit on the fans. It would've at least explained how he attracted problems in epic proportions.
Anyway as I said, this book was wonderful and I definitely recommend it to all those who enjoy this genre.
October 1, 2012
A fabulous free read that kept me enthralled from start to finish. There is some really interesting world building, humor under the guise of cultural and species differences, touching loyalty, a bit of despair, voyeurism and some hot sex scenes. All up, a winning combination!
October 31, 2011
This was great! And I won't even say it was great "for a free ebook". It was great, period.
I adored both of the two main characters, who are of different species from different planets. I loved the way that both of their worlds had been so well thought out, the cultural differences and the misunderstandings that arose from them, and the way that Moswen could dream-step so that you get interplanetary travel without a lot of geeky spaceships :-)
It has to be said, some aspects of this story could strike some people as a little weird. But this may be true of most SF M/M. And I like weird.
Only one thing disappointed me, and it's not even the writer's fault, but just an expectation that I had. I grabbed this because I thought it was going to be an MPreg story, and I never read one of those so I was curious. But Kijika, like some other 'males' of his species, has the ability to conceive and carry babies naturally in a pouch-like womb. So it seems to me that he's not biologically male, but hermaphrodite - even if he identifies as male psychologically. So I'm still on a mission to find a top-class genuine MPreg...
I adored both of the two main characters, who are of different species from different planets. I loved the way that both of their worlds had been so well thought out, the cultural differences and the misunderstandings that arose from them, and the way that Moswen could dream-step so that you get interplanetary travel without a lot of geeky spaceships :-)
It has to be said, some aspects of this story could strike some people as a little weird. But this may be true of most SF M/M. And I like weird.
Only one thing disappointed me, and it's not even the writer's fault, but just an expectation that I had. I grabbed this because I thought it was going to be an MPreg story, and I never read one of those so I was curious. But Kijika, like some other 'males' of his species, has the ability to conceive and carry babies naturally in a pouch-like womb. So it seems to me that he's not biologically male, but hermaphrodite - even if he identifies as male psychologically. So I'm still on a mission to find a top-class genuine MPreg...
June 4, 2016
Yay, finished at last, hard reading this all on-line.. Sweet tale of interplanetary m/m romance. Could have done without the dolls and cartoons, I would rather imagine more hunky characters in my head..
"You are the air I breathe, the food I eat and the water I drink. You are my world and my heart and soul rests with you." - Moswen to Kijika
"You are the air I breathe, the food I eat and the water I drink. You are my world and my heart and soul rests with you." - Moswen to Kijika
July 6, 2011
Everything I love in a mpreg story :O)
October 10, 2011
romance - 5 stars
chacters - 5 stars
m-preg - 5+ stars
enjoyment - 4 stars
Now if only it had a plot...
3.5 stars
chacters - 5 stars
m-preg - 5+ stars
enjoyment - 4 stars
Now if only it had a plot...
3.5 stars
July 31, 2011
I loved this story. I don't remember HOW I ever found it. Heaven knows I wasn't looking for an mpreg. However, once I found it and began reading, I. Couldn't. Stop.
This mpreg isn't a hard limit for me because neither of the main characters, and especially the impregnated male, is human.
I've noticed a couple of other reviews say that one of the characters is a shifter. I'm not really sure who they mean because neither main character ever shifts his physical appearance.
Kijika is a tall (seven feet), thin hybrid (both non-human species) with black hair and aqua eyes. He has necromancy-esque abilities and other magic-like powers.
Moswen is tall (about six feet) but much shorter than his mate. He has long blond hair, purple eyes, stripes sort of like a tiger, a prehensile tail, and retractable talons. He doesn't change shape and his tail is always a part of him. Moswen has special abilities the likes I've never heard of.
It's an epic story for which you should leave plenty of time to finish because you won't be able to stop reading it once it gets started.
This mpreg isn't a hard limit for me because neither of the main characters, and especially the impregnated male, is human.
I've noticed a couple of other reviews say that one of the characters is a shifter. I'm not really sure who they mean because neither main character ever shifts his physical appearance.
Kijika is a tall (seven feet), thin hybrid (both non-human species) with black hair and aqua eyes. He has necromancy-esque abilities and other magic-like powers.
Moswen is tall (about six feet) but much shorter than his mate. He has long blond hair, purple eyes, stripes sort of like a tiger, a prehensile tail, and retractable talons. He doesn't change shape and his tail is always a part of him. Moswen has special abilities the likes I've never heard of.
It's an epic story for which you should leave plenty of time to finish because you won't be able to stop reading it once it gets started.
October 6, 2014
4.5 Stars - This was a vast and wonderful story that may well be 5 stars once it is edited and condensed a bit. I loved the characters and the world building with all the loving details put in. It was a huge read though, and a lot to read all at once, though if I had done it a week at a time as it was originally released, some of the chapter endings would have drove me crazy waiting for the next installment!
My biggest complaint is Chapter 52 - it contained a hard limit for me that was completely unnecessary to the story.
Otherwise, I loved this story!
My biggest complaint is Chapter 52 - it contained a hard limit for me that was completely unnecessary to the story.
Otherwise, I loved this story!
May 9, 2013
The "cover image" is really damn weird and a large part of why it took me so long to get to this one.
3.5/5
Uhh...
I actually quite liked it. The mpreg elements had me looking askance at this a lot, but ignoring that, the cultures Locke creates are quite good. I like that there's actual character evolution, too.
Parts of it are a bit awk and there are some grammatical issues floating around, but, hey. It's free online lit.
I actually rather disliked it when it went into other POVs - as in, other than the two MCs. I don't like the way the characters were written. They all seemed like rehashes of one of the two MCs when we "looked through their eyes."
^reason why I rounded down.
Yeah. It wasn't bad. I kind of liked it.
3.5/5
Uhh...
I actually quite liked it. The mpreg elements had me looking askance at this a lot, but ignoring that, the cultures Locke creates are quite good. I like that there's actual character evolution, too.
Parts of it are a bit awk and there are some grammatical issues floating around, but, hey. It's free online lit.
I actually rather disliked it when it went into other POVs - as in, other than the two MCs. I don't like the way the characters were written. They all seemed like rehashes of one of the two MCs when we "looked through their eyes."
^reason why I rounded down.
Yeah. It wasn't bad. I kind of liked it.
January 15, 2012
Balancing Karma by I.D. Locke is a heart warmingly sweet book. I enjoyed every page of this book. The characters were funny and well developed and the plot was unique and interesting. this book really did capture my attention and not let it go until the very last word. Kijika and Moswen are sweet enough together that it could just give you a tooth ache. This book is different from anything I have read and I liked the ideas that the author introduced. Very original m/m. Totally a fun book and worthy of reading (:
September 4, 2013
Balancing Karma is a wild ride through the universe where all laws including gender seem to be bendable. The fantasy world and plot have a few holes, but Balancing Karma is addictive like crack. Moswen is completely insane but is balanced out by Kijika. Both their families are wonderfully crazy supporting characters, and I desperately want to go to a party where all the people wear see through clothing and have wings.
This is a free read which is well worth your time. Beware, people will look at you like you're crazy when you laugh out loud.
This is a free read which is well worth your time. Beware, people will look at you like you're crazy when you laugh out loud.
June 17, 2011
I'm on Chapter 36 and could not stop reading last night until I had to force myself to go to bed. I really enjoy the story. The writing is light and easy to understand. Even when trying to explain several different life forms and their unique attributes it doesn't get confusing or boring.
I can't wait to finish the story and hope I.D. Locke is writing a lot more!!!
Done and it was GREAT!!!!
I can't wait to finish the story and hope I.D. Locke is writing a lot more!!!
Done and it was GREAT!!!!
April 1, 2014
Wow.. I really loved this. Loved the characters, the world building, the yaoi like elements.. And really everything. Well paced, no serious gut-wrenching, no emotional baggages involved, just easy and one hot ride! I want to see thier building family together, want to see how Jaiseki growing up and Tyh and Dak's fate.. I just want mo more!
October 21, 2011
Reading, in progress:
Beginning. Writing seems great, words flows neatly. Moswen seems very silly character, but in a good way. Kijika more composed, less experienced, more adult.
I'm a little disappointed in this book. Characters and the world are interesting, but I find the plot lacking. I feel like I could rate writing, characters and world 5 stars and plot only 2 stars. Plot is too easy, nothing really happens. It took a lot of chapters for some tension to actually appear. The relationship is too smooth for a couple of different species.
Plot holes and not, observations:
Beginning. Writing seems great, words flows neatly. Moswen seems very silly character, but in a good way. Kijika more composed, less experienced, more adult.
I'm a little disappointed in this book. Characters and the world are interesting, but I find the plot lacking. I feel like I could rate writing, characters and world 5 stars and plot only 2 stars. Plot is too easy, nothing really happens. It took a lot of chapters for some tension to actually appear. The relationship is too smooth for a couple of different species.
Plot holes and not, observations:
March 6, 2013
I loved everything about this book. I adored Kijika and Moswen and their story is engaging, entertaining, sweet, super hot and with just the right amount of humor in the mix as well. The world building was really well-done and I was completely immersed in these two very different worlds/cultures. Did I mention I love these two guys? I hope one day Ms. Locke revisits them again.
August 1, 2011
This was wonderfully entertaining. I read it on LiveJournal and the author refers often to the sequel, Enchanted Shadows which haven't been able to find. Does anyone know if this is posted or published anywhere?
June 20, 2013
I absolutely adored the characters in this story and love the mpreg aspect. I think this would make a fabulous series as I'd love to read about them raising Jaiseki and having more children. Also I'd like an update on Dak and Thy.
October 5, 2011
Вот подсократить бы ну чуть-чуть, и такая изумительная книга бы вышла. А так - недотянули.
January 9, 2018
I'm leaving a rating of 3 stars because even though I stopped reading it, I did enjoy some of the story. Careful attention was given to worldbuilding, especially when it comes to the different cultures appearing in the book. I got about halfway before deciding there really wasn't enough plot to keep going.
I did not personally like the first person point of view with two protagonists in the story. All the head hopping back and forth from one chapter to the next was confusing. I kept asking "Who am I?", which, in this case, was not an existential question, but rather one I had to ask everytime I was distracted for a minute and came back to read.
The characters were well thought out, and believable. In the half I read, there was already character development in place, and I expect that continued to the end of the novel.
The dolls are cute.
It had a few grammar/spelling/typos, but it wasn't too bad for a free book. A stronger plotline would have kept me interested until the end.
I did not personally like the first person point of view with two protagonists in the story. All the head hopping back and forth from one chapter to the next was confusing. I kept asking "Who am I?", which, in this case, was not an existential question, but rather one I had to ask everytime I was distracted for a minute and came back to read.
The characters were well thought out, and believable. In the half I read, there was already character development in place, and I expect that continued to the end of the novel.
The dolls are cute.
It had a few grammar/spelling/typos, but it wasn't too bad for a free book. A stronger plotline would have kept me interested until the end.
July 27, 2020
-Immature writing
-Writing has lots of repetitions that is VERY annoying, too many “I” ...
-DNF at 3% because I couldn’t read anymore so bad ..
-Writing has lots of repetitions that is VERY annoying, too many “I” ...
-DNF at 3% because I couldn’t read anymore so bad ..
February 19, 2021
2.5 stars
August 10, 2014
A very inventive and good, entertaining story. It has so much in it: love, lust, a lot of sex, alien species, insanity, family ties, a huge amount of violence, many different cultures. It is a fascinating read, and ties everything up nicely. It is full of humor (Moswen!), "Having him take my ass was even better than I'd imagined and I had a fantastic imagination." And, I never knew what was coming next.
My issues were with the repetition of the same ideas (and sometimes exact phrases), the lack of editing (I know it's unpublished, but still, it had Beta readers and the author had the internet), and the level of saccharine sweetness. The book is told from multiple POVs, but mostly from Moswen's and Kijika's eyes, and most often alternating between those two with each chapter. With that style of narration, ideas or phrases would very often get repeated, first told in explanation to the reader (in one character's thoughts), and then repeated in the next chapter out loud to explain it to the other MC. So too many things were repeated way too often, to the point where I got a bit exasperated with the story. And there were so, so many editing mistakes throughout. If the work isn't going to be edited, and the Beta readers aren't going to pick up on the constant grammatical issues, then the author should use the greatest tool we have, the internet, and look up proper grammar rules. I'm not trying to be a snob, but these were simple and repeated mistakes, like the misuse of apostrophes, the lack of commas to have a sentence easily make sense to a reader, and word misuse and misspelling. It was distracting, especially with the length of the story. Lastly--and now, this is just my preferences speaking--but the repetition of the saccharine sweet phrases and emotions were cute for a while, but made me weary of reading after so many chapters. Anything is fine in moderation, but beating the concept to a bloody pulp, while possibly fun and arousing for the Awh'anise :D, is eventually off-putting.
Oh, quick side note: it might be just because I read this right after Bloodraven (which is a f*cking AMAZING book, btw), but the writing in this one seemed kind of simplistic and juvenile. *shrugs* Might just be the comparison.
Regardless of the proportionally longer time I spent talking about its faults, I really did enjoy this read. The characters and cultural differences were fascinating; it was an absorbing and enjoyable read that I spent a few days reading though. I recommend this if you like aliens, mpreg, sweet love stories, violence, new cultures, and fantasy stories. There are many other short stories that Locke has written set in and out of this fantasy "world" that I will read sometime soon.
P.S. My favorite quote:
"That exceptionally fine ass of his swayed back and forth again and I growled low. 'Tease'
'Everybody needs a hobby,' Kijika laughed as his cock twitched against the grip of my tail."
I really want to say that to somebody. *high fives Kijika*
My issues were with the repetition of the same ideas (and sometimes exact phrases), the lack of editing (I know it's unpublished, but still, it had Beta readers and the author had the internet), and the level of saccharine sweetness. The book is told from multiple POVs, but mostly from Moswen's and Kijika's eyes, and most often alternating between those two with each chapter. With that style of narration, ideas or phrases would very often get repeated, first told in explanation to the reader (in one character's thoughts), and then repeated in the next chapter out loud to explain it to the other MC. So too many things were repeated way too often, to the point where I got a bit exasperated with the story. And there were so, so many editing mistakes throughout. If the work isn't going to be edited, and the Beta readers aren't going to pick up on the constant grammatical issues, then the author should use the greatest tool we have, the internet, and look up proper grammar rules. I'm not trying to be a snob, but these were simple and repeated mistakes, like the misuse of apostrophes, the lack of commas to have a sentence easily make sense to a reader, and word misuse and misspelling. It was distracting, especially with the length of the story. Lastly--and now, this is just my preferences speaking--but the repetition of the saccharine sweet phrases and emotions were cute for a while, but made me weary of reading after so many chapters. Anything is fine in moderation, but beating the concept to a bloody pulp, while possibly fun and arousing for the Awh'anise :D, is eventually off-putting.
Oh, quick side note: it might be just because I read this right after Bloodraven (which is a f*cking AMAZING book, btw), but the writing in this one seemed kind of simplistic and juvenile. *shrugs* Might just be the comparison.
Regardless of the proportionally longer time I spent talking about its faults, I really did enjoy this read. The characters and cultural differences were fascinating; it was an absorbing and enjoyable read that I spent a few days reading though. I recommend this if you like aliens, mpreg, sweet love stories, violence, new cultures, and fantasy stories. There are many other short stories that Locke has written set in and out of this fantasy "world" that I will read sometime soon.
P.S. My favorite quote:
"That exceptionally fine ass of his swayed back and forth again and I growled low. 'Tease'
'Everybody needs a hobby,' Kijika laughed as his cock twitched against the grip of my tail."
I really want to say that to somebody. *high fives Kijika*
October 2, 2017
★★★★ = I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would re-read every now and then.
Balancing Karma was an interesting ride, to say at the least. If you have the kinks for male pregnancy, alien-animal characteristics, tail sex, BDSM, weird alien customs and mannerisms, raising the dead fantasy mixed with aliens who can walk through people's dreams, and, loads of sex....then this is right up your alley.
Even though this pushed all the boundaries of weirdness it had a calmness to the whole story that was a pleasure to read. At times, there were some tense moments but most of the drama was centred around the main two and their relationship. It's a long story and I swear there is a sex scene in every chapter. After a while I got a little tired of the smut. There were some juicy moments that stood out from the rest but our two MC's were going at it like rabbits so often that I eventually tuned out and focused on the story at hand.
If you stripped away all the fantasy and sci-fi it would really be a story about how two lovers from different backgrounds came together and fell in-love. Sure, we have male pregnancy and aliens but the basics of a Male x Male romance is there.
The writing was also so easy to follow. The context was well worded and paced. I never felt lost with the plot or terminologies. I really enjoyed the writing style and how clever the whole story is. No plot holes. No mishaps. Very well thought-out and even though it's a sic-fi, it all made sense and clicked.
This is a free-to-read novel that I read from ID_Locke's Live Journal and she has other little side-stories based around the characters there, as well.
In the end, for the genre it was a great story and I really enjoyed this. It was long but I was happy with all that was ironed out and the pace of the whole romance and plot.
Balancing Karma was an interesting ride, to say at the least. If you have the kinks for male pregnancy, alien-animal characteristics, tail sex, BDSM, weird alien customs and mannerisms, raising the dead fantasy mixed with aliens who can walk through people's dreams, and, loads of sex....then this is right up your alley.
Even though this pushed all the boundaries of weirdness it had a calmness to the whole story that was a pleasure to read. At times, there were some tense moments but most of the drama was centred around the main two and their relationship. It's a long story and I swear there is a sex scene in every chapter. After a while I got a little tired of the smut. There were some juicy moments that stood out from the rest but our two MC's were going at it like rabbits so often that I eventually tuned out and focused on the story at hand.
If you stripped away all the fantasy and sci-fi it would really be a story about how two lovers from different backgrounds came together and fell in-love. Sure, we have male pregnancy and aliens but the basics of a Male x Male romance is there.
The writing was also so easy to follow. The context was well worded and paced. I never felt lost with the plot or terminologies. I really enjoyed the writing style and how clever the whole story is. No plot holes. No mishaps. Very well thought-out and even though it's a sic-fi, it all made sense and clicked.
This is a free-to-read novel that I read from ID_Locke's Live Journal and she has other little side-stories based around the characters there, as well.
In the end, for the genre it was a great story and I really enjoyed this. It was long but I was happy with all that was ironed out and the pace of the whole romance and plot.
April 30, 2015
I can't help but praise this book. It was definitely a long one and I was completely immersed in it the entire time.
Kijika is half Vylfian and half Naemo. Not only a prince, but also a necromancer. Moswen is from the planet Awh’an. He is a Shal-hazal spirit, an ambassador and a dream walker and thus can physically move from one place to another.
This story is purely about Kijika and Moswen and how Moswen's unpredictable karma seems to pull everyone around him in. This story is fun, light hearted, humorous, and there's drama to keep you entertained. The world building is beautifully done. The author intertwined the three unique species,
culture, and magic wonderfully.
I do have to say that Moswen's ability to dream walk was never really explained, as well as the other Awh'anise abilities. I didn't understand how he was able to dream walk to Kijika's world. It was all ambiguous.
There are also other side stories and other Awh'anise pairings that can be checked out on id_locke's livejournal. These stories do have to be read online, but it was definitely worth the read. Highly recommended.
Kijika is half Vylfian and half Naemo. Not only a prince, but also a necromancer. Moswen is from the planet Awh’an. He is a Shal-hazal spirit, an ambassador and a dream walker and thus can physically move from one place to another.
This story is purely about Kijika and Moswen and how Moswen's unpredictable karma seems to pull everyone around him in. This story is fun, light hearted, humorous, and there's drama to keep you entertained. The world building is beautifully done. The author intertwined the three unique species,
culture, and magic wonderfully.
I do have to say that Moswen's ability to dream walk was never really explained, as well as the other Awh'anise abilities. I didn't understand how he was able to dream walk to Kijika's world. It was all ambiguous.
There are also other side stories and other Awh'anise pairings that can be checked out on id_locke's livejournal. These stories do have to be read online, but it was definitely worth the read. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews