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Behind Blue Eyes #4
Last Stand
Don’t mess with Metatron– just don’t.
Nephilim barely survived the dramatic events of Behind Blue Eyes-War Games. Her body has been horribly damaged, yet her spirit is as unbroken as ever.
While Nephilim recovers from her injuries at Guardian Angel HQ, the High-Archangel plots revenge. Metatron takes the assault on Nephilim personally and will make those responsible pay.
If this means going against the Board of Olympias and starting a war with the elites, then so be it.
But Cillian Stavros is expecting an attack, and he isn’t the only powerful player who wants to see Metatron dead…
Meanwhile, Rosprom is preparing its biggest military offensive against Olympias with the goal of total destruction.
Only the Guardian Angels can stop the invasion. And only Nephilim can lead them into battle.
Will their desperate Last Stand be enough to avert a catastrophe?
Find out in the next chapter of Behind Blue Eyes—THE modern-day cyberpunk saga.
Nephilim barely survived the dramatic events of Behind Blue Eyes-War Games. Her body has been horribly damaged, yet her spirit is as unbroken as ever.
While Nephilim recovers from her injuries at Guardian Angel HQ, the High-Archangel plots revenge. Metatron takes the assault on Nephilim personally and will make those responsible pay.
If this means going against the Board of Olympias and starting a war with the elites, then so be it.
But Cillian Stavros is expecting an attack, and he isn’t the only powerful player who wants to see Metatron dead…
Meanwhile, Rosprom is preparing its biggest military offensive against Olympias with the goal of total destruction.
Only the Guardian Angels can stop the invasion. And only Nephilim can lead them into battle.
Will their desperate Last Stand be enough to avert a catastrophe?
Find out in the next chapter of Behind Blue Eyes—THE modern-day cyberpunk saga.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 22, 2023
20 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Anna Mocikat
57 books203 followersAnna Mocikat is a successful Cyberpunk and Space Opera author.
She was born in Warsaw, Poland, but spent most of her life in Germany where she attended film school, worked as a screenwriter and a game writer for several years.
Her "MUC" novels have been nominated for the most prestigious awards for Fantasy and science fiction in Germany.
In 2016 Anna moved to the USA where she continued her writing career.
"Shadow City" was her debut in English in 2019.
Since then she also published the "Behind Blue Eyes" series, the "Cyber Squad" series, the "Nephilim" series as well as "Space Punks" and "Neon Nights."
She was born in Warsaw, Poland, but spent most of her life in Germany where she attended film school, worked as a screenwriter and a game writer for several years.
Her "MUC" novels have been nominated for the most prestigious awards for Fantasy and science fiction in Germany.
In 2016 Anna moved to the USA where she continued her writing career.
"Shadow City" was her debut in English in 2019.
Since then she also published the "Behind Blue Eyes" series, the "Cyber Squad" series, the "Nephilim" series as well as "Space Punks" and "Neon Nights."
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 21, 2023
WOW! What a book.
What an action-packed, fast-paced, and gripping page-turner.
This is the 4th book in an incredibly exciting and suspense-packed series.
I thought the 3rd book was exciting and action-packed, but compared to this book, it was a gentle breeze 😉
I've to be honest here. I wrote some very mean things about Metatron (one of the main characters) in my previous reviews, but after this book, I'm slowly developing something like a little crush on this dominant cyborg-king.
Ok, he'll probably be very pleased with the title 😂
He's not only the High-Archangel but a very intelligent and calculated man. Yes, he's still an arrogant, alpha Archangel and the highest developed cyborg ever, but damn the author makes me like this grumpy killer.
I was not really his fan so far, but he earned more than my respect in this book.
He's, of course, not the only one who earned my respect in this book.
Nephilim is, of course, my all-time favorite badass heroine.
She's the only killer machine in this story that still has human feelings, and that makes her lovable and fascinating, despite being the most deadly weapon in the entire Angel corps.
Yeah, this book is a sci-fi thriller story, but it's also a very unique love story. I'm just not sure anymore which love story I would love it to be.
Nephilim and Metatron or Nephilim and Jake? 😬
This is a cyberpunk noir sci-fi "utopian" story, but I'm calling this series a sci-fi thriller because of the suspense-packed, scary-gripping, and sometimes creepy way the story is created.
The author created a whole new experience with this 4th book.
She catapulted you middle in a very authentic written war between machines, cyborgs, and humans.
The way this book is written, you have a feeling to be part of the story.
This series would definitely be an excellent and fascinating movie 🎥
I can't wait for the audiobook.
𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 3 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮.
What an action-packed, fast-paced, and gripping page-turner.
This is the 4th book in an incredibly exciting and suspense-packed series.
I thought the 3rd book was exciting and action-packed, but compared to this book, it was a gentle breeze 😉
I've to be honest here. I wrote some very mean things about Metatron (one of the main characters) in my previous reviews, but after this book, I'm slowly developing something like a little crush on this dominant cyborg-king.
Ok, he'll probably be very pleased with the title 😂
He's not only the High-Archangel but a very intelligent and calculated man. Yes, he's still an arrogant, alpha Archangel and the highest developed cyborg ever, but damn the author makes me like this grumpy killer.
I was not really his fan so far, but he earned more than my respect in this book.
He's, of course, not the only one who earned my respect in this book.
Nephilim is, of course, my all-time favorite badass heroine.
She's the only killer machine in this story that still has human feelings, and that makes her lovable and fascinating, despite being the most deadly weapon in the entire Angel corps.
Yeah, this book is a sci-fi thriller story, but it's also a very unique love story. I'm just not sure anymore which love story I would love it to be.
Nephilim and Metatron or Nephilim and Jake? 😬
This is a cyberpunk noir sci-fi "utopian" story, but I'm calling this series a sci-fi thriller because of the suspense-packed, scary-gripping, and sometimes creepy way the story is created.
The author created a whole new experience with this 4th book.
She catapulted you middle in a very authentic written war between machines, cyborgs, and humans.
The way this book is written, you have a feeling to be part of the story.
This series would definitely be an excellent and fascinating movie 🎥
I can't wait for the audiobook.
𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 3 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮.
March 26, 2023
The reason I read Cyberpunk
This series has jumped from strength to strength with engaging characters and a well designed world. With so much action and a great set of plots this thrives on chaos and thrills. After a long hiatus from this genre Mocikat has revived interest for me and many others.
This series has jumped from strength to strength with engaging characters and a well designed world. With so much action and a great set of plots this thrives on chaos and thrills. After a long hiatus from this genre Mocikat has revived interest for me and many others.
March 25, 2023
A Bloody, Wonderfully Crazy Love Story
About halfway through the Last Stand, Anna Mocikat’s fourth installment of her smart and fabulous Behind Blue Eyes series, a disarmingly simple characterization is presented: “They were killers. Killer cyborgs in love.” The “They” are the Guardian Angel leaders Metatron and Nephilim, but as usual with Mocikat, such an observation is both true and deliciously intricate as it operates in the shadow of so much deception.
While the novels of Behind Blue Eyes always had layers of romance, as often unrequited as it is forbidden, the Last Stand brings the intensely complex relationship between Metatron and Nephilim to new heights. True to the sensibility of the series, that rich expansion of understandings comes through actions as much as words. And don’t get me wrong, this cyberpunk triumph is no lovey-dovey Hallmark card. The Last Stand pullulates with breathtaking battles and actions scenes – Mocikat is a master of these riveting sequences. But the investment of Metatron and Nephilim in the challenges right before them and their commitment to sacrifice now reveal themselves in demonstratively thrilling ways.
The long-awaited battle between Olympias and Rosprom provides a climax that delivers not only for the Last Stand but for the delicious novels that proceed it. The strengths of Mocikat earlier novels remain, especially the penetrating psychological depictions as the author shifts perspectives from one character to another: the juxtaposition between the sly, resourceful, strangely sympathetic spy Jake and urbane, newly vulnerable Metatron gives the Last Stand additional gravity.
Mocikat has finally delivered a greater understanding of Metatron’s relationship with the Guardian Angel founder Lucifer, who, oh yeah, was Nephilim’s father. We have reached a point where the author and reader have so inhabited this world that we just want it to go on and on. Keep them coming. When the reader gets to experience an author at the height of her powers, all that’s left to do is wait to see where Mocikat will take us next.
About halfway through the Last Stand, Anna Mocikat’s fourth installment of her smart and fabulous Behind Blue Eyes series, a disarmingly simple characterization is presented: “They were killers. Killer cyborgs in love.” The “They” are the Guardian Angel leaders Metatron and Nephilim, but as usual with Mocikat, such an observation is both true and deliciously intricate as it operates in the shadow of so much deception.
While the novels of Behind Blue Eyes always had layers of romance, as often unrequited as it is forbidden, the Last Stand brings the intensely complex relationship between Metatron and Nephilim to new heights. True to the sensibility of the series, that rich expansion of understandings comes through actions as much as words. And don’t get me wrong, this cyberpunk triumph is no lovey-dovey Hallmark card. The Last Stand pullulates with breathtaking battles and actions scenes – Mocikat is a master of these riveting sequences. But the investment of Metatron and Nephilim in the challenges right before them and their commitment to sacrifice now reveal themselves in demonstratively thrilling ways.
The long-awaited battle between Olympias and Rosprom provides a climax that delivers not only for the Last Stand but for the delicious novels that proceed it. The strengths of Mocikat earlier novels remain, especially the penetrating psychological depictions as the author shifts perspectives from one character to another: the juxtaposition between the sly, resourceful, strangely sympathetic spy Jake and urbane, newly vulnerable Metatron gives the Last Stand additional gravity.
Mocikat has finally delivered a greater understanding of Metatron’s relationship with the Guardian Angel founder Lucifer, who, oh yeah, was Nephilim’s father. We have reached a point where the author and reader have so inhabited this world that we just want it to go on and on. Keep them coming. When the reader gets to experience an author at the height of her powers, all that’s left to do is wait to see where Mocikat will take us next.
April 1, 2023
Behind Blue Eyes: Last Stand is the fourth book in the Behind Blue Eyes series written by independent author Anna Mocikat. This noir cyberpunk story kicks off shortly after the events of War Games and runs head on into a high stakes mission.
Fans of the series will not be disappointed by this release. There are battles throughout, replete with the brutal violence that one can expect from cyborg soldiers. Many of the side characters’ storylines progress, giving the reader a glimpse at the lives of those not on the front line.
Overall, this book has a narrower focus. The time span from start to finish is measurable in days, focusing on the shadowy opponent of Rosprom. Not to worry, the other threats are still out there lurking in the next book in the series, The Tigress!
Last Stand is a fast-paced, high stakes read that proves Mocikat has a few surprises up her sleeve. Highly recommended!
Fans of the series will not be disappointed by this release. There are battles throughout, replete with the brutal violence that one can expect from cyborg soldiers. Many of the side characters’ storylines progress, giving the reader a glimpse at the lives of those not on the front line.
Overall, this book has a narrower focus. The time span from start to finish is measurable in days, focusing on the shadowy opponent of Rosprom. Not to worry, the other threats are still out there lurking in the next book in the series, The Tigress!
Last Stand is a fast-paced, high stakes read that proves Mocikat has a few surprises up her sleeve. Highly recommended!
April 2, 2023
Am Exciting Ride
Fans will be pleased with this great continuation of the series. There's treachery, deceit, love, loyalty and hope in a gigantic battle with an arch enemy. I'm already looking forward to the next book. 👍
Fans will be pleased with this great continuation of the series. There's treachery, deceit, love, loyalty and hope in a gigantic battle with an arch enemy. I'm already looking forward to the next book. 👍
April 21, 2023
A cyberpunk masterpiece! 🩵
War has come to Olympias City and the Guardian Angels have to step up against overwhelming odds! Book 4 was a great read, full of twists, turns and plenty of action.
War has come to Olympias City and the Guardian Angels have to step up against overwhelming odds! Book 4 was a great read, full of twists, turns and plenty of action.
August 9, 2023
BEHIND BLUE EYES is a fantastic cyberpunk series that remains one of the best indie experiences I've had the pleasure of finding. Kindle Unlimited is a feast or a famine with nine terrible books for every great one, so it's always good to find some that are worth the effort. This is the fourth book in the series and continues directly from the cliffhanger of the previous book, so if you're planning on starting the series, it's best to avoid the rest of this review. For those who read the previous volume, this is a real escalation in the series' stakes as well as a change in a lot of characters' behavior.
LAST STAND is a dark and edgy sci-fi thriller that isn't afraid to deal with dark and difficult subjects. It reminds me of the original Altered Carbon that didn't shy from social satire even as sex and violence were on full display. Anna, as a female writer, knows how to present numerous subjects in a way that focus on their victim as opposed to glorification of the abuser. Still, let the reader beware that it's a series that definitely earns its hard R status.
The series' premise is that far in the future, humanity has fallen under the sway of three separate corporate overlords. Two of them, Rosprom and Olympias, are on the verge of war with both of them waging a behind-the-scenes espionage campaign in order to prepare for their inevitable conflict. The primary protagonist, Nephilim, is a cyborg soldier for Olympias' death squad known as the Guardian Angels.
In previous volumes, Nephilim broke free from her brainwashing and sought freedom but ended up falling back into the sadistic clutches of obsessive psychopath Metatron. Metatron has been mentally preparing Nephilim to be his consort since she was thirteeen. Something detailed in the spin-off Nephilim series. He fancies himself a romantic hero but deleted Nephilim's memories of her rebellion in order to better control her.
War Games ended with Nephilim critically injured trying to deal with serial killer Cillian Stavos. Stavos is a board member of the Olympias Corporation and has voluntarily sold out his country-corporation in exchange for what he believes will be a position of increased power in the new regime. Unfortunately, for him, his latest victim not only exposed his machinations but personally infuriated powerful entities on both side: Jake and Metatron.
Metatron has deluded himself that Nephilim would love him even without his brainwashing and Jake is a Rosprom spy who is happy to let Stavros horribly mutilate Guardian Angels until it's the one he's sweet on. Nephilim, herself, is hospitalized but struggles to be ready when the Rosprom forces invade. All three characters undergo significant arcs with Metatron deciding he's willing to die for the woman he's wronged the most, Jake succumbing to insane jealousy as well as self-delusion, and Nephilim fully embracing the ideology of Olympias that she previously discarded. It's a major set of twists that turn hero to villain and villain to hero (or do they?).
We also get some good development on the side characters front as well. Finwick, Nephilim's computer hacker sidekick, has managed to change his face as well as adopt a little girl in recent times. It was his information that allowed Stavros to kill so many Guardian Angels but he has no idea that's what use it was put to. He's matured considerably from the creepy geek he was at the start and is a much more likable character. We have the police detectives investigating the murders that are now troubled by crippling debt due to the injuries sustained by one of them during the battle. No police health insurance plans in our dystopian future.
In conclusion, Last Stand is a great installment and I can't wait for the next one. These serialized adventures are fun, dark, disturbing, and sexy in equal parts. Cyberpunk is best when it's genuinely edgy versus sanitized and for everyone. This is no exception.
LAST STAND is a dark and edgy sci-fi thriller that isn't afraid to deal with dark and difficult subjects. It reminds me of the original Altered Carbon that didn't shy from social satire even as sex and violence were on full display. Anna, as a female writer, knows how to present numerous subjects in a way that focus on their victim as opposed to glorification of the abuser. Still, let the reader beware that it's a series that definitely earns its hard R status.
The series' premise is that far in the future, humanity has fallen under the sway of three separate corporate overlords. Two of them, Rosprom and Olympias, are on the verge of war with both of them waging a behind-the-scenes espionage campaign in order to prepare for their inevitable conflict. The primary protagonist, Nephilim, is a cyborg soldier for Olympias' death squad known as the Guardian Angels.
In previous volumes, Nephilim broke free from her brainwashing and sought freedom but ended up falling back into the sadistic clutches of obsessive psychopath Metatron. Metatron has been mentally preparing Nephilim to be his consort since she was thirteeen. Something detailed in the spin-off Nephilim series. He fancies himself a romantic hero but deleted Nephilim's memories of her rebellion in order to better control her.
War Games ended with Nephilim critically injured trying to deal with serial killer Cillian Stavos. Stavos is a board member of the Olympias Corporation and has voluntarily sold out his country-corporation in exchange for what he believes will be a position of increased power in the new regime. Unfortunately, for him, his latest victim not only exposed his machinations but personally infuriated powerful entities on both side: Jake and Metatron.
Metatron has deluded himself that Nephilim would love him even without his brainwashing and Jake is a Rosprom spy who is happy to let Stavros horribly mutilate Guardian Angels until it's the one he's sweet on. Nephilim, herself, is hospitalized but struggles to be ready when the Rosprom forces invade. All three characters undergo significant arcs with Metatron deciding he's willing to die for the woman he's wronged the most, Jake succumbing to insane jealousy as well as self-delusion, and Nephilim fully embracing the ideology of Olympias that she previously discarded. It's a major set of twists that turn hero to villain and villain to hero (or do they?).
We also get some good development on the side characters front as well. Finwick, Nephilim's computer hacker sidekick, has managed to change his face as well as adopt a little girl in recent times. It was his information that allowed Stavros to kill so many Guardian Angels but he has no idea that's what use it was put to. He's matured considerably from the creepy geek he was at the start and is a much more likable character. We have the police detectives investigating the murders that are now troubled by crippling debt due to the injuries sustained by one of them during the battle. No police health insurance plans in our dystopian future.
In conclusion, Last Stand is a great installment and I can't wait for the next one. These serialized adventures are fun, dark, disturbing, and sexy in equal parts. Cyberpunk is best when it's genuinely edgy versus sanitized and for everyone. This is no exception.
June 25, 2023
This review was originally posted at https://bit.ly/3Xw5wNm.
After Stavros had Nephilim tortured Metatron is out for blood. While taking his pound of flesh he finds out the delicious information that Nephilim's previous lover, Jake with Rosprom, had been working with this once seemingly powerful man. With war on the horizon every party involved, except the angels, believe Olympias will fall. Will the angels be enough to take on the biggest threat the corporation has ever faced or will the losses be too great?
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. If you've been here a while Anna is one of the authors I have done reviews with for the longest time and is also someone I consider a friend. That being said, I don't wear rose tinted glasses when reading her works. I have sent her typos and errors in her books whenever I find them in order to help her. Still, she remains my favorite indie author to receive books from and I am not ashamed to say I have absolutely read her books prior to books I received first when I get hers. Whenever I get a book from Anna it is always a treat, be it Behind Blue Eyes, Cyber Squad, Nephilim, the Dark City, or anything else she hasn't created yet.
With any of these series you are getting a new story that you can't compare to others in the same genre. They're unique and well thought out. I'll also state, with everything currently going on with AI written books, that while Anna is a big fan of cyborgs and machines her books are 100% human written. No machines involved there.
This is book 4 in the series and, no, you can't read it as a standalone. You will have absolutely no idea of what is going on when you plunge into the first pages which picks up as book three ends. You'll need to start with one and work your way through. Still, all of the books are exciting and engaging. Even though I had the pleasure of reading the books as they came out they are absolutely binge-worthy. Bonus for the fact that they are on Kindle Unlimited.
In Last Stand there are so many ways Nephilim or the war could have gone. I still love Jake. I have from the first book, but for now Neph is right where she needs to be. I want all of her memories to be unlocked so she isn't just looking at things from Metatron's perspective. But, we shall see because this is a story that isn't over. I'm not sure when we will get the next installment of Behind Blue Eyes, but I will update you when I do.
I loved the new additions in this book. While they could have easily have destroyed Nephilim as well as wiping out all of the Angel Corps they were exciting. I'd say more, but we wouldn't want to ruin the surprise. You'll just have to read it for yourself!
My favorite character, Adriel, was in this book as well. We had a few scenes with him and their interactions are as loyal as they have always been. He's saved her before and he'd do it again. He totally deserves his own book at some point. Even if it's a novella. Adriel's Arousing Adventures or something less filled with As. Join him on some conquests and jump more into that brain.
After Stavros had Nephilim tortured Metatron is out for blood. While taking his pound of flesh he finds out the delicious information that Nephilim's previous lover, Jake with Rosprom, had been working with this once seemingly powerful man. With war on the horizon every party involved, except the angels, believe Olympias will fall. Will the angels be enough to take on the biggest threat the corporation has ever faced or will the losses be too great?
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. If you've been here a while Anna is one of the authors I have done reviews with for the longest time and is also someone I consider a friend. That being said, I don't wear rose tinted glasses when reading her works. I have sent her typos and errors in her books whenever I find them in order to help her. Still, she remains my favorite indie author to receive books from and I am not ashamed to say I have absolutely read her books prior to books I received first when I get hers. Whenever I get a book from Anna it is always a treat, be it Behind Blue Eyes, Cyber Squad, Nephilim, the Dark City, or anything else she hasn't created yet.
With any of these series you are getting a new story that you can't compare to others in the same genre. They're unique and well thought out. I'll also state, with everything currently going on with AI written books, that while Anna is a big fan of cyborgs and machines her books are 100% human written. No machines involved there.
This is book 4 in the series and, no, you can't read it as a standalone. You will have absolutely no idea of what is going on when you plunge into the first pages which picks up as book three ends. You'll need to start with one and work your way through. Still, all of the books are exciting and engaging. Even though I had the pleasure of reading the books as they came out they are absolutely binge-worthy. Bonus for the fact that they are on Kindle Unlimited.
In Last Stand there are so many ways Nephilim or the war could have gone. I still love Jake. I have from the first book, but for now Neph is right where she needs to be. I want all of her memories to be unlocked so she isn't just looking at things from Metatron's perspective. But, we shall see because this is a story that isn't over. I'm not sure when we will get the next installment of Behind Blue Eyes, but I will update you when I do.
I loved the new additions in this book. While they could have easily have destroyed Nephilim as well as wiping out all of the Angel Corps they were exciting. I'd say more, but we wouldn't want to ruin the surprise. You'll just have to read it for yourself!
My favorite character, Adriel, was in this book as well. We had a few scenes with him and their interactions are as loyal as they have always been. He's saved her before and he'd do it again. He totally deserves his own book at some point. Even if it's a novella. Adriel's Arousing Adventures or something less filled with As. Join him on some conquests and jump more into that brain.
February 19, 2024
My 2 Cents
Thus far this is the best book in the series next to Book 1. The pace & intrigue were good. All the plot lines were clicking for all the characters so you were totally tuned in as a reader.
*** Spoilers ***
And everything was well executed except the Metatron, Nephilim & Jake triangle. This could’ve been so much more compelling than what it was. The whole blindly devoted love thing btwn Meta & Neph was not it. I felt the author needlessly played Jake. From jump all Metatron did was stack the deck. At no point was Neph playing w/a full deck. He stacked the deck by wiping her memories so he never had to be accountable for his crummy deeds. She was only shown memories from his perspective as opposed to her own. Of course she’s going to be like f my mommy & daddy when she has no memory of them. Same goes for Jake she had no memory of their love so no she’s not going to have any conflict w/choosing Metatron. The deck was stacked & I feel the reader was shorted because of that. She needed to have full access to all her memories so she could decide to love him because of all of his good & despite his bad.
This way you gave us a smoke job & tried to make it like Metatron was innocent personified like come on bruh did a bunch of grimy stuff. Hell he was in love w/her daddy, killed him & her momma then groomed her, killed her, resurrected her & then unintentionally fell in love w/her along the way! And Jakes the bad guy?! Until the very end Metatron had made no sacrifices for her. Jake sacrificed everything for her multiple times but with the construct of their world there was no way she could choose him because he had nothing to offer her. They’d repeat the same tragedy as her parents so that’s a no go. There needed to be some tweaks to allow for them to have a viable outcome together for it to be a compelling triangle. This way Jake was setup for failure from jump.
And she should have been conflicted w/Metatron & some of the things he did. Imagine her entering those final battle scenes w/conflict or uncertainty of her love for him. Then followed up w/ what she does in the hospital for him. How much more impactful that would have been because then you would’ve gotten her true authentic feelings because she would’ve done all that & made those decisions choosing him w/all his good, bad & ugly.
This is my first cyberpunk series & thanks so much I’ve thoroughly enjoyed BBE & look forward to more in the series as well as the author’s catalog. Highly recommend reading this series.
Thus far this is the best book in the series next to Book 1. The pace & intrigue were good. All the plot lines were clicking for all the characters so you were totally tuned in as a reader.
*** Spoilers ***
And everything was well executed except the Metatron, Nephilim & Jake triangle. This could’ve been so much more compelling than what it was. The whole blindly devoted love thing btwn Meta & Neph was not it. I felt the author needlessly played Jake. From jump all Metatron did was stack the deck. At no point was Neph playing w/a full deck. He stacked the deck by wiping her memories so he never had to be accountable for his crummy deeds. She was only shown memories from his perspective as opposed to her own. Of course she’s going to be like f my mommy & daddy when she has no memory of them. Same goes for Jake she had no memory of their love so no she’s not going to have any conflict w/choosing Metatron. The deck was stacked & I feel the reader was shorted because of that. She needed to have full access to all her memories so she could decide to love him because of all of his good & despite his bad.
This way you gave us a smoke job & tried to make it like Metatron was innocent personified like come on bruh did a bunch of grimy stuff. Hell he was in love w/her daddy, killed him & her momma then groomed her, killed her, resurrected her & then unintentionally fell in love w/her along the way! And Jakes the bad guy?! Until the very end Metatron had made no sacrifices for her. Jake sacrificed everything for her multiple times but with the construct of their world there was no way she could choose him because he had nothing to offer her. They’d repeat the same tragedy as her parents so that’s a no go. There needed to be some tweaks to allow for them to have a viable outcome together for it to be a compelling triangle. This way Jake was setup for failure from jump.
And she should have been conflicted w/Metatron & some of the things he did. Imagine her entering those final battle scenes w/conflict or uncertainty of her love for him. Then followed up w/ what she does in the hospital for him. How much more impactful that would have been because then you would’ve gotten her true authentic feelings because she would’ve done all that & made those decisions choosing him w/all his good, bad & ugly.
This is my first cyberpunk series & thanks so much I’ve thoroughly enjoyed BBE & look forward to more in the series as well as the author’s catalog. Highly recommend reading this series.
April 11, 2023
It's official: I'm no longer a Metatron hater
Behind Blue Eyes: Last Stand is -and I sound like a broken record- the standout leader of the pack in this series. With each subsequent release, Anna Mocikat continues to broaden the horizons of her intricate, brutal, and beautiful world, literally and figuratively. Her cast continues to grow more complex as they pursue their individual goals, frequently putting each other at odds, or causing them to form very tenuous alliances-of-chance.
The title: "The Last Stand" is very apt, in this case and implants the idea early on that not everyone is guaranteed a long life in the world of Olympias, and indeed that many might not make it to the end of the series. As a result, I was sweating at every altercation where these men, women, and cyborgs I've come to love might not make it to the end of the page.
Most astonishing, this book also made me legitimately curious to explore the prequel series already out, following main character Nephilim's early days. This is not to say there was a sales pitch, or even questions that were left intentionally vague, I just wanted more that badly, and was reminded that there was in fact more to be had. Bully for me!
BBE #4 is easily a 10 out of 10.
Behind Blue Eyes: Last Stand is -and I sound like a broken record- the standout leader of the pack in this series. With each subsequent release, Anna Mocikat continues to broaden the horizons of her intricate, brutal, and beautiful world, literally and figuratively. Her cast continues to grow more complex as they pursue their individual goals, frequently putting each other at odds, or causing them to form very tenuous alliances-of-chance.
The title: "The Last Stand" is very apt, in this case and implants the idea early on that not everyone is guaranteed a long life in the world of Olympias, and indeed that many might not make it to the end of the series. As a result, I was sweating at every altercation where these men, women, and cyborgs I've come to love might not make it to the end of the page.
Most astonishing, this book also made me legitimately curious to explore the prequel series already out, following main character Nephilim's early days. This is not to say there was a sales pitch, or even questions that were left intentionally vague, I just wanted more that badly, and was reminded that there was in fact more to be had. Bully for me!
BBE #4 is easily a 10 out of 10.
April 14, 2023
BBE 4, Almost Great
This series is amazing. In a sea of hopeful, pie in the sky futures Behind Blue Eyes stands out as a gritty, adult adventure through the halls of power and the dirty underbelly of a so called utopia.
The book should have been the triumph of the first (of several more, I hope) story arc. And it almost is that. But it feels a bit rushed, and the writing falls a bit short of that of the first three books, falling into “telling” rather than showing a few too many times.
I still love the world conceptualized and delivered by the author. And I will remain a fan, but can’t help but feel that this effort fell just a bit short of great…
Here’s hoping for more Nephilim!
This series is amazing. In a sea of hopeful, pie in the sky futures Behind Blue Eyes stands out as a gritty, adult adventure through the halls of power and the dirty underbelly of a so called utopia.
The book should have been the triumph of the first (of several more, I hope) story arc. And it almost is that. But it feels a bit rushed, and the writing falls a bit short of that of the first three books, falling into “telling” rather than showing a few too many times.
I still love the world conceptualized and delivered by the author. And I will remain a fan, but can’t help but feel that this effort fell just a bit short of great…
Here’s hoping for more Nephilim!
February 22, 2025
I think I have made it abundantly clear how much I love this series but in case I haven’t I LOVE THIS SERIES!
This book directly follows the events of War Games. Nephilim and Metatron grow even closer after all she has been through and he makes sure to avenge her suffering.
I think my favorite thing about this series is the blurred lines between good and evil. When I started Behind Blue Eyes, I hated Metatron, and now I am rooting for him and Nephilim, but also for Nephilim and Jake at the same time. Mocikat is so talented to dance between the lines of traditional protagonist vs. antagonists.
This book has me ready to dive in to the next one. Kudos Mocikat for your continued success with this series.
This book directly follows the events of War Games. Nephilim and Metatron grow even closer after all she has been through and he makes sure to avenge her suffering.
I think my favorite thing about this series is the blurred lines between good and evil. When I started Behind Blue Eyes, I hated Metatron, and now I am rooting for him and Nephilim, but also for Nephilim and Jake at the same time. Mocikat is so talented to dance between the lines of traditional protagonist vs. antagonists.
This book has me ready to dive in to the next one. Kudos Mocikat for your continued success with this series.
December 4, 2023
The various and tangential storylines keep you hooked through til the very end, though the ending, as usual, will leave you wanting more. Make sure to clear your schedule for at least the last 3 hours of listening as you will not be able to put it down/stop listening! David Reimer's performance, though always fantastic, was this time particularly award-worthy for an intensely dramatic scene that you've been waiting for since the last book (I won't add any spoilers). I must say that Jessica Weyman is also just getting better and better. This is my favorite of the series so far!
May 25, 2025
Book 4 - Done 👍
With no spoilers yet more close calls for the characters & still a case of what you thought were the good guys were actually the bad guys!
The authoress has a gifted talent for story telling & has developed the characters well. I like the twists & what you think will happen doesn’t. True talent.
Onto Book 5 & the last in this series.
With no spoilers yet more close calls for the characters & still a case of what you thought were the good guys were actually the bad guys!
The authoress has a gifted talent for story telling & has developed the characters well. I like the twists & what you think will happen doesn’t. True talent.
Onto Book 5 & the last in this series.
December 22, 2023
Epic battles rule the fourth installment of the BEHIND BLUE EYES series, while other lives hang in the balance. Mocikat has a knack for nail-biting fight scenes, and turning the tables when least expected. Cannot wait to see what happens next in this thrilling cyberpunk series!
April 9, 2023
So glad there will be more
I can’t get enough of this series! So exciting and so well-written! I will always look for more of Nephilim.
I can’t get enough of this series! So exciting and so well-written! I will always look for more of Nephilim.
May 5, 2023
Review coming soon.
April 30, 2024
I'm only halfway though this one but it is excellent. As I'm doing these on audiobooks I saw that BBE5 The Tigress is out but I'm going to wait for the Audible version!
May 21, 2024
Good sequel. Ends with a cliffhanger; but the next part is already available ...
October 13, 2024
Brilliant book, story is so good can't wait to read the next one
February 22, 2025
I was never the biggest fan of Metatron, but here I am, now I'm routing for him. I feel terrible for Jake though.
April 4, 2025
This is a great follow up to BBE 3 which was very much a launch pad for this story. I like the change in scale of the storyline line into Endgame type proportions with the book ending up in the titular Last Stand. It was very easy to visualise the battle and it was nicely played out.
So far in the series, Neph has been the only credible threat to Metatron and while this makes sense on one level, it did leave me feeling that Metatron will always come out on top. The Board and Rosprom all feel a bit lacking in threat to his position and I can really understand why he sneers at the lot of them. They really don’t deserve their positions of power; not that an all powerful Metatron would be a good thing.
Great performances as always on the audible version.
So far in the series, Neph has been the only credible threat to Metatron and while this makes sense on one level, it did leave me feeling that Metatron will always come out on top. The Board and Rosprom all feel a bit lacking in threat to his position and I can really understand why he sneers at the lot of them. They really don’t deserve their positions of power; not that an all powerful Metatron would be a good thing.
Great performances as always on the audible version.
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