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Desert World #1
Desert World Allegiances
Being condemned to slavery is a common enough occurrence on the desert planet of Livre, but this time, priest Shan Polli is determined to prevent the corrupt, soul-eating system from destroying one more life. Temar Grazer was sentenced for what amounted to a criminal prank—but Shan soon finds that the dangers extend far beyond Temar’s crime.
Caught between guilt and hope, Shan must find his true path in either the priesthood or in a man whose strength and survival defies the odds. Can the two men unravel a plot that threatens the entire world before Temar is broken by a system of slavery that has twisted out of control?
Caught between guilt and hope, Shan must find his true path in either the priesthood or in a man whose strength and survival defies the odds. Can the two men unravel a plot that threatens the entire world before Temar is broken by a system of slavery that has twisted out of control?
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 4, 2011
About the author
Lyn Gala
50 books1,185 followersLynsey "Lyn" Gala started writing in the back of her science notebook in third grade and hasn’t stopped since. Westerns starring men with shady pasts gave way to science fiction with questionable protagonists which eventually gave in to any story with a morally ambiguous character. Even the purest heroes have pain and loss and darkness in their hearts, and that’s where she likes to find her stories. Her characters seek to better themselves and find the happy ending (or happier anyway), but it’s writing the struggle that inspires her muse. When she isn’t writing, Lyn Gala teaches in New Mexico.
She first cut her teeth on fanfic: gen, slash, het, and femslash. She prefers to focus on plot: mysteries and monsters and disasters, oh my, but sex can and does happen. Some of her stories focus on power exchange, bondage or bdsm. In her worlds, tops and bottoms are all mature, consenting adults. In fact, stories where they aren't squick her badly, so don't expect to find abuse stories in her journal.
She first cut her teeth on fanfic: gen, slash, het, and femslash. She prefers to focus on plot: mysteries and monsters and disasters, oh my, but sex can and does happen. Some of her stories focus on power exchange, bondage or bdsm. In her worlds, tops and bottoms are all mature, consenting adults. In fact, stories where they aren't squick her badly, so don't expect to find abuse stories in her journal.
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April 1, 2015STOP!! Read this first.
There is a much better blurb out there:
Livre once offered Planetary Alliance miners and workers a small fortune if they helped terraform the mineral rich planet. People flocked to the world, but then a civil war cut the desert planet off from all resources. Half-terraformed and clinging to the edge of existence, Livre devolved into a world where death was accepted as part of life, water resources were scarce and constantly dwindling, and neighbors tried to help each other hold off the inevitable as the desert fought to take back the few terraformed spaces.
Temar Gazer claims to be the victim of water theft. His claims could be a simple misdirection intended to help him escape a term of labor after his criminal prank caused irreparable damage to a watering system. However as the only member of the council arguing against a short-term slavery sentence for Temar, Shan Polli can’t escape the fear that something darker is happening. The more he investigates Temar’s story, the more he finds that his world is not as free of politics or danger as he had assumed. Together, Shan and Temar must get to the bottom of the conspiracy before time runs out for the entire planet.
You see, this is a science fiction, not a romance. Now, if you look at the first two Desert World books together, the two main characters Shan and Temar do start a romance, but that happens in book two. This is straight science fiction.
There is a much better blurb out there:
Livre once offered Planetary Alliance miners and workers a small fortune if they helped terraform the mineral rich planet. People flocked to the world, but then a civil war cut the desert planet off from all resources. Half-terraformed and clinging to the edge of existence, Livre devolved into a world where death was accepted as part of life, water resources were scarce and constantly dwindling, and neighbors tried to help each other hold off the inevitable as the desert fought to take back the few terraformed spaces.
Temar Gazer claims to be the victim of water theft. His claims could be a simple misdirection intended to help him escape a term of labor after his criminal prank caused irreparable damage to a watering system. However as the only member of the council arguing against a short-term slavery sentence for Temar, Shan Polli can’t escape the fear that something darker is happening. The more he investigates Temar’s story, the more he finds that his world is not as free of politics or danger as he had assumed. Together, Shan and Temar must get to the bottom of the conspiracy before time runs out for the entire planet.
You see, this is a science fiction, not a romance. Now, if you look at the first two Desert World books together, the two main characters Shan and Temar do start a romance, but that happens in book two. This is straight science fiction.
September 20, 2015
Temar made the classic mistake a younger sibling can make, to follow.
The council's judgement sets Cyla and Temar in their new lives, ten years of enslavement for destruction of property and squandering a precious resource.
Conspiracy and theft. Enslavement and abuse.
A system that has a correctional system of enslavement/indentured servitude, a history of recent abuse within the system, and fails to follow up on those sentenced regularly--that's a problem.
Investigation. Subterfuge.
The plot picks up pace as Shan and Temar run from danger and try and track down what is happening. There's evading bad guys and enduring the harsh environment, neither of which is an easy thing. There are parts of the story that remind me of both Dune and McCaffrey's Pern series, but without the fantasy elements.
Ends not in a cliffhanger, but certainly with unresolved issues to be answered in subsequent stories. Shan and Temar's tentative circling is adequately concluded with hopes for much more. I'm certainly interested in reading more of the series.
3.5 Stars
Favorite quote:
~A copy was provided by Netgalley and a review submitted.~
The council's judgement sets Cyla and Temar in their new lives, ten years of enslavement for destruction of property and squandering a precious resource.
Conspiracy and theft. Enslavement and abuse.
"If Young was stealing water, and Temar agreed with his sister on that one, then the man deserved slavery, but Cyla’s joy at the thought made him a little uneasy."
A system that has a correctional system of enslavement/indentured servitude, a history of recent abuse within the system, and fails to follow up on those sentenced regularly--that's a problem.
“I’m bothered by the things I see around us.”
“Oh, wait until you’re my age,” Div promised. “You’ll be absolutely terrified by them. I think God measures our lifespan in how much change we can take before our heads explode.”
Investigation. Subterfuge.
The plot picks up pace as Shan and Temar run from danger and try and track down what is happening. There's evading bad guys and enduring the harsh environment, neither of which is an easy thing. There are parts of the story that remind me of both Dune and McCaffrey's Pern series, but without the fantasy elements.
Ends not in a cliffhanger, but certainly with unresolved issues to be answered in subsequent stories. Shan and Temar's tentative circling is adequately concluded with hopes for much more. I'm certainly interested in reading more of the series.
3.5 Stars
Favorite quote:
“You’re so busy trying not to do something wrong that you didn’t do anything right."
~A copy was provided by Netgalley and a review submitted.~
October 13, 2015
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this story quite a bit. The characters were well developed, and interesting. I liked that people, for the most part, weren't simply black and white in their morality. I think the relationship between Shan and his brother was a highlight for me. Their relationship is strained, and complicated, but for very honest and very real reasons. I liked Temar, and his struggles. I appreciated that he was deeply hurt, but he never came off as weak or helpless. I think that I need a bit more to believe in their bond though. It seemed a bit quick, and some of Shan's feelings, especially in the beginning, felt a bit more like obsession than love to me. I did appreciate that Temar was able to advocate for his needs, and he never let Shan take control or do things "for his own good."
The plot was well developed, and, while it was a bit slow in the beginning, once events started unfolding things moved at a good pace. I liked the way slavery worked in this society, and I can see for people living so close to the edge, where it would seem like a better option than attempting to incinerate people, or leaving them with debts that they will never be able to pay. I'm not saying their right just that it's a complicated situation, and the author did a good job articulating that.
The ending was well done, and it fit the feeling of the story. I think the villain of the story was well done, and I liked that they had motivation beyond simply being evil. I can see where people could have been drawn into the plot, and the plans made sense in the context of the characters and the setting. A solid start to a new series, and I'm looking forward to reading more.
art credit: a cave on a desert planet by hoevelkamp
I liked this story quite a bit. The characters were well developed, and interesting. I liked that people, for the most part, weren't simply black and white in their morality. I think the relationship between Shan and his brother was a highlight for me. Their relationship is strained, and complicated, but for very honest and very real reasons. I liked Temar, and his struggles. I appreciated that he was deeply hurt, but he never came off as weak or helpless. I think that I need a bit more to believe in their bond though. It seemed a bit quick, and some of Shan's feelings, especially in the beginning, felt a bit more like obsession than love to me. I did appreciate that Temar was able to advocate for his needs, and he never let Shan take control or do things "for his own good."
The plot was well developed, and, while it was a bit slow in the beginning, once events started unfolding things moved at a good pace. I liked the way slavery worked in this society, and I can see for people living so close to the edge, where it would seem like a better option than attempting to incinerate people, or leaving them with debts that they will never be able to pay. I'm not saying their right just that it's a complicated situation, and the author did a good job articulating that.
The ending was well done, and it fit the feeling of the story. I think the villain of the story was well done, and I liked that they had motivation beyond simply being evil. I can see where people could have been drawn into the plot, and the plans made sense in the context of the characters and the setting. A solid start to a new series, and I'm looking forward to reading more.
art credit: a cave on a desert planet by hoevelkamp
September 10, 2012
Good m/m scifi romance about a guy who's put into slavery as punishment and about the priest who realizes that all is not as it seems. This reminded me a bit too much of Dune...
September 10, 2016
Desert World is a real page turner and I enjoyed the two books (Allegiances and Rebirth) which I'm reviewing jointly as they're really Part 1 and 2 of the same story.
Many of the themes and threads that began in the first book don't reach a full conclusion until the second book. (Particularly the sexual nature of their relationship) so if you were put off book one because of the lack of romance and sex, rest assured there is enough in the second to make up for it. But they aren't sex scenes just for the sake of them. Each one is different, to reflect the changing nature of their relationship and the added trust between the two men.
It probably helped that after reading reviews, I wasn't expecting a traditional mm romance and I enjoy reading scifi.
It's a pity that these sorts of stories suffer from expectations of mm romance readers. And it's a pity that they can't attract traditional NY publishers. However, depending on the success of Captive Prince, mainstream publishers may be a better match for books like this in the future.
And if the theme of slavery turned you off the first book that subject is not revisited much in the second book, however the consequences of what Temar endured and learned to endure are very important in his growth as a person in "Rebirth".
Initially I felt that there were a couple of parts in book 1 where the solution to the predicament got solved a little too neatly (eg Naite riding in to the rescue). But the fact that happened became an important plot point in book 2 so it worked well.
I saw that some reviewers dismissed it because of its similarity to "Dune" but I haven't read that for years. Apart from the dryness of the planet, which would result in a similar ecosystem with limited resources and the importance of water, I don't recall other themes and situations being similar. There were no giant worms for starters.
For me, the only scifi aspect that came across as far fetched was the way and where excess water would have been stored beforehand and how it was going to be used to launch a rocket. That science came across as a bit weird.
But the rest of the world building made up for it.
I liked the way that no characters were fully good and even the evil ones were more to be pitied than condemned.
Forgiveness was an important theme running through the story which used the concept of short term slavery (more indentured labor) and monetary gifts to redress wrongs. Almost like a confession, in that once this was done, both parties could move on. However, the story also dealt wth the difficulty people found doing this in reality. The concept of guilt was explored.
Christianity and religion featured heavily which was apt as they often have an important presence in frontier societies. Funnily enough, I had firsthand experience of this because I read the story while staying in a small Outback town. Even though there were only 2000 residents, they have churches/meeting places for Anglicans, Catholics, Lutheran, Jehovahs Witness, Seventh Day Adventists, Serbian Orthodox, Masons as well as local Aborigines.
Despite the element of religion, neither book could be described as "preachy" and one of the protagonists only went to church to get away from people. It's just an element that adds another layer to the world building and because it's not a "made up" religion, the reader's familiarity with the themes make it easier to appreciate their relevance in the story.
There was even a plausible explanation about why their society accepted homosexuality as being a natural and logical way to live at certain stages of everyone's life, particularly where unplanned pregnancies might be a serious strain on resources.
The nature of diplomacy, terrorism, alliances and trade added an interesting element in Book 2.
I loved the secondary characters who appeared enough to make it real but they didn't overbalance the protagonists. And while I don't think the series needs a book three with the same two protagonists, you still wonder whether Cyla and Naite ever got together, or what happened to the Lieutenant Commander Verly Black and the two lesbians who wanted permission to live on Livre to escape homophobia. Lyn Gala has created a world that could definitely be expanded further.
There were a few typos but not enough to make me deduct a star. We need more books like this.
Many of the themes and threads that began in the first book don't reach a full conclusion until the second book. (Particularly the sexual nature of their relationship) so if you were put off book one because of the lack of romance and sex, rest assured there is enough in the second to make up for it. But they aren't sex scenes just for the sake of them. Each one is different, to reflect the changing nature of their relationship and the added trust between the two men.
It probably helped that after reading reviews, I wasn't expecting a traditional mm romance and I enjoy reading scifi.
It's a pity that these sorts of stories suffer from expectations of mm romance readers. And it's a pity that they can't attract traditional NY publishers. However, depending on the success of Captive Prince, mainstream publishers may be a better match for books like this in the future.
And if the theme of slavery turned you off the first book that subject is not revisited much in the second book, however the consequences of what Temar endured and learned to endure are very important in his growth as a person in "Rebirth".
Initially I felt that there were a couple of parts in book 1 where the solution to the predicament got solved a little too neatly (eg Naite riding in to the rescue). But the fact that happened became an important plot point in book 2 so it worked well.
I saw that some reviewers dismissed it because of its similarity to "Dune" but I haven't read that for years. Apart from the dryness of the planet, which would result in a similar ecosystem with limited resources and the importance of water, I don't recall other themes and situations being similar. There were no giant worms for starters.
For me, the only scifi aspect that came across as far fetched was the way and where excess water would have been stored beforehand and how it was going to be used to launch a rocket. That science came across as a bit weird.
But the rest of the world building made up for it.
I liked the way that no characters were fully good and even the evil ones were more to be pitied than condemned.
Forgiveness was an important theme running through the story which used the concept of short term slavery (more indentured labor) and monetary gifts to redress wrongs. Almost like a confession, in that once this was done, both parties could move on. However, the story also dealt wth the difficulty people found doing this in reality. The concept of guilt was explored.
Christianity and religion featured heavily which was apt as they often have an important presence in frontier societies. Funnily enough, I had firsthand experience of this because I read the story while staying in a small Outback town. Even though there were only 2000 residents, they have churches/meeting places for Anglicans, Catholics, Lutheran, Jehovahs Witness, Seventh Day Adventists, Serbian Orthodox, Masons as well as local Aborigines.
Despite the element of religion, neither book could be described as "preachy" and one of the protagonists only went to church to get away from people. It's just an element that adds another layer to the world building and because it's not a "made up" religion, the reader's familiarity with the themes make it easier to appreciate their relevance in the story.
There was even a plausible explanation about why their society accepted homosexuality as being a natural and logical way to live at certain stages of everyone's life, particularly where unplanned pregnancies might be a serious strain on resources.
The nature of diplomacy, terrorism, alliances and trade added an interesting element in Book 2.
I loved the secondary characters who appeared enough to make it real but they didn't overbalance the protagonists. And while I don't think the series needs a book three with the same two protagonists, you still wonder whether Cyla and Naite ever got together, or what happened to the Lieutenant Commander Verly Black and the two lesbians who wanted permission to live on Livre to escape homophobia. Lyn Gala has created a world that could definitely be expanded further.
There were a few typos but not enough to make me deduct a star. We need more books like this.
November 16, 2011
2.5 stars
Desert World Allegiances is the first book in a two book series by Lyn Gala. The science fiction world is very well developed, even if based off a familiar premise of terraforming a new planet. The characters in this first book are pretty immature and they honestly drove me nuts. While I really quite enjoyed the writing and world building, I disliked almost every single one of the actual characters. This does give them room to change and grow but since this is just the first book, they don’t actually make that big of a change in the space provided so it’s more of an interesting idea that I’m waiting to see how it ends.
The story starts with the main protagonist Temar Grazer and his sister snooping on a neighbor’s property. Their incompentance leads to a horrific water accident on a world that needs every single drop. Due to the amount of water wasted both Temar and his sister are both sentenced to ten years of slavery in punishment for their deeds. Temar is sold to what seems like a kind neighbor but who turns out to be a nightmare. Temar’s only hope is the local priest, Shan, who is not the best priest and dealing with his own demons.
First off the world building is really stunning in this book. The desolate world where water is essential is well crafted. The sand dunes, the general low level desperation, the feeling of isolation from anything they knew or were told to expect all combine to create a complex and compelling backdrop to the story. The concept of terraforming a new planet going badly, which leads to almost colonial conditions is not a necessarily a new idea or innovative concept. It’s pretty standard for science fiction but the story is interesting anyway. It adds a few good twists such as the slavery for punishment angle. Again this isn’t very new or original but it’s not sexual and instead strictly a way to maintain civility and sharing in a cut off world.
While the writing is very good and the world building as intricate and complicated as it’s needed, the characters and plot are where the story stumbles for me. For starters the plot is very basic and doesn’t really come together until the very end. There is a complaint about stolen water, a huge thing on their planet, but this takes almost the entirety of the book to understand exactly what is going on. Instead the first part sets up Temar’s immature actions, repeatedly, and lands both him and his sister in pretty bad slavery. The rest of the plot is taken up with pretty long asides, such as Shan’s journey in the desert, their hiding, and the resolution. It’s not a bad pace but it does tend to be slightly choppy.
Additionally the characters just flat out drove me nuts. I didn’t like a single one except perhaps Naite towards the end and he’s anything but a sympathetic character. Temar and Shan are the main protagonists and the love interests but they come across as very immature, weak, and damaged. Now I do love a damaged man with some angst that finally grows up and heals but unfortunately all that happens in the first book is that we learn the pretty deep extent that both men are damaged. The real resolution and growth is lacking, supposedly to take place in the second book, so I guess I just have to be patient for the characters to redeem themselves. In the meantime they simply made me want to throw the book with their actions time and again.
So really this is a book I’m torn on. I think the writing is very good and the world building fascinating. The story managed to keep my attention for long stretches based on the writing and science fiction aspects alone. Unfortunately the characters have to act or speak sometime and that would always renew my frustrations with them and make me not really want to read the book. I think it’s a decent first book but likely needs the second book to let the characters grow and become better men to really satisfy within the story arc. I’m not sure where else this world can go, plot based that is, as the world is pretty simplistic and works that way. I’m definitely going to read the sequel so I can see where Temar and Shan go from here so I cautiously recommend this one. I like the world building a lot but the characters need the sequel to satisfy as a romance.
Desert World Allegiances is the first book in a two book series by Lyn Gala. The science fiction world is very well developed, even if based off a familiar premise of terraforming a new planet. The characters in this first book are pretty immature and they honestly drove me nuts. While I really quite enjoyed the writing and world building, I disliked almost every single one of the actual characters. This does give them room to change and grow but since this is just the first book, they don’t actually make that big of a change in the space provided so it’s more of an interesting idea that I’m waiting to see how it ends.
The story starts with the main protagonist Temar Grazer and his sister snooping on a neighbor’s property. Their incompentance leads to a horrific water accident on a world that needs every single drop. Due to the amount of water wasted both Temar and his sister are both sentenced to ten years of slavery in punishment for their deeds. Temar is sold to what seems like a kind neighbor but who turns out to be a nightmare. Temar’s only hope is the local priest, Shan, who is not the best priest and dealing with his own demons.
First off the world building is really stunning in this book. The desolate world where water is essential is well crafted. The sand dunes, the general low level desperation, the feeling of isolation from anything they knew or were told to expect all combine to create a complex and compelling backdrop to the story. The concept of terraforming a new planet going badly, which leads to almost colonial conditions is not a necessarily a new idea or innovative concept. It’s pretty standard for science fiction but the story is interesting anyway. It adds a few good twists such as the slavery for punishment angle. Again this isn’t very new or original but it’s not sexual and instead strictly a way to maintain civility and sharing in a cut off world.
While the writing is very good and the world building as intricate and complicated as it’s needed, the characters and plot are where the story stumbles for me. For starters the plot is very basic and doesn’t really come together until the very end. There is a complaint about stolen water, a huge thing on their planet, but this takes almost the entirety of the book to understand exactly what is going on. Instead the first part sets up Temar’s immature actions, repeatedly, and lands both him and his sister in pretty bad slavery. The rest of the plot is taken up with pretty long asides, such as Shan’s journey in the desert, their hiding, and the resolution. It’s not a bad pace but it does tend to be slightly choppy.
Additionally the characters just flat out drove me nuts. I didn’t like a single one except perhaps Naite towards the end and he’s anything but a sympathetic character. Temar and Shan are the main protagonists and the love interests but they come across as very immature, weak, and damaged. Now I do love a damaged man with some angst that finally grows up and heals but unfortunately all that happens in the first book is that we learn the pretty deep extent that both men are damaged. The real resolution and growth is lacking, supposedly to take place in the second book, so I guess I just have to be patient for the characters to redeem themselves. In the meantime they simply made me want to throw the book with their actions time and again.
So really this is a book I’m torn on. I think the writing is very good and the world building fascinating. The story managed to keep my attention for long stretches based on the writing and science fiction aspects alone. Unfortunately the characters have to act or speak sometime and that would always renew my frustrations with them and make me not really want to read the book. I think it’s a decent first book but likely needs the second book to let the characters grow and become better men to really satisfy within the story arc. I’m not sure where else this world can go, plot based that is, as the world is pretty simplistic and works that way. I’m definitely going to read the sequel so I can see where Temar and Shan go from here so I cautiously recommend this one. I like the world building a lot but the characters need the sequel to satisfy as a romance.
May 12, 2015
Deserts conjure up images of desolate wastelands, sparsely populated with vegetation or life. In this world, not only is this accurate, it is also a depressing place of soul destroying elements. Temar Grazer is a young man who makes a youthful mistake of trusting the wrong people one time too many. He follows his sister's foolish plan only to find himself enslaved. His proof of corruption is stricken from his hands and he is left in a world where good and bad seem to have been flipped. And there is no one who will pull him from the depths of this violent hell.
Ms. Gala is one of the authors who creates intricate characters. Few are exactly who they seem to be. The main characters are flawed. She even spends time on secondary characters to ensure they are just as complicated. From a character building perspective, this book is amazing. The way Temar and Shan have to overcome great odds and how the people they turn to are not as expected is delightful and keeps a reader on their toes. This is not to say that every character in this book is different than their initial appearance. Some are exactly as they appear to be which is what makes this story captivating. What will happen next and who will be the one to make the next move?
The villains in this story are clever for the most part and play their strategy well. It's a chess game where the loser will be wiped out of existence. This plot driven story balances out the mediocre world building. The attention is all on how Temar is treated and what he uncovers.
The sex in this book is complicated with baggage and pitfalls. It is a Ms. Gala story so there are no easy sex relationships. What a reader can depend upon is rape and conflicted desires. Ms. Gala sets it all up well and it makes a reader wince. Ms. Gala perpetrates horrible acts upon her characters. She is a sadist and seems to delight in both physical and psychological torture. The fact that her tormented characters do not commit suicide is a feat. Still, the story ends in a surprising and enjoyable happily ever after. This m/m romance is recommended for dystopia lovers who revel in angst.
September 3, 2014
This book left me in two minds once I had read it and that makes it difficult to rate.
On the one hand, the alien world the author created is credible, the descriptions are vivid, and I could really see and feel what it would be like to live on Livre, the 'desert world' of this book. The society and its focus on preserving water made sense under the circumstances, even if I found some of the more extreme measures (like slavery as a punishment for water infringements) hard to believe. They didn't make sense to me in the context of a so-called advanced society.
On the other hand, the characters were captivating. Tamar and some of his stupid actions was infuriating, but held my attention. I really wanted to know what happened to him. His sister was just an idiot for getting him into trouble. But then, he went with her, so he is to blame just as much. The villains were cruel, but so was the so-called council in many ways. Shan, the second main character, didn't start out too strong, but redeemed himself in the end.
For me, this was a very mixed bag with some really good parts, like interesting glimpses into human nature, and a plot that stretched credibility but fit the rest of the story. The alien world was cool but the inconsistencies and lack of maturity in some of the characters' actions pulled me out of the story.
If you like stories with interesting worlds other than our own, characters who aren't perfect, and a plot that largely keeps it all together, you may like this book.
On the one hand, the alien world the author created is credible, the descriptions are vivid, and I could really see and feel what it would be like to live on Livre, the 'desert world' of this book. The society and its focus on preserving water made sense under the circumstances, even if I found some of the more extreme measures (like slavery as a punishment for water infringements) hard to believe. They didn't make sense to me in the context of a so-called advanced society.
On the other hand, the characters were captivating. Tamar and some of his stupid actions was infuriating, but held my attention. I really wanted to know what happened to him. His sister was just an idiot for getting him into trouble. But then, he went with her, so he is to blame just as much. The villains were cruel, but so was the so-called council in many ways. Shan, the second main character, didn't start out too strong, but redeemed himself in the end.
For me, this was a very mixed bag with some really good parts, like interesting glimpses into human nature, and a plot that stretched credibility but fit the rest of the story. The alien world was cool but the inconsistencies and lack of maturity in some of the characters' actions pulled me out of the story.
If you like stories with interesting worlds other than our own, characters who aren't perfect, and a plot that largely keeps it all together, you may like this book.
October 14, 2011
Between 3 and 3.5. This was a good sci-fi story, with a well-built world and an interesting plot. I like the characters and how they related to each other, though Shan's self-hatred and guilt wore a little thin after a while. Oh well. I guess that's because he's a priest. He was also cool and knew how to ride motorcycles though, so he was fleshed out as a character. I wish he'd spent a little more of the book sober, but it wasn't his fault as he needed to drink whatever he could find to survive. His loooong walk through the desert was...looong. Also, the characters had cool, Star Wars-like names. Temar Gazer! Doesn't that sound like a Star Wars name?
Like I said, the world was interesting and the story and characters were solid, and with a good edit this would be a four or more star book, IMO. As it is, the plot really drags at some points and I got a little bored with Shan riding his cycle page after page. Also, the prose itself felt a little clunky, with too many unnecessary "thats" and choppy, passive sentences that confused me sometimes. Some of the descriptions and metaphors get used to death, like the glass images and the pipe trap plants. This mechanical stuff distracted me from what was happening after a while. The book has a lot of potential, and I did enjoy the story and characters, but it is in real need of some tightening up.
Like I said, the world was interesting and the story and characters were solid, and with a good edit this would be a four or more star book, IMO. As it is, the plot really drags at some points and I got a little bored with Shan riding his cycle page after page. Also, the prose itself felt a little clunky, with too many unnecessary "thats" and choppy, passive sentences that confused me sometimes. Some of the descriptions and metaphors get used to death, like the glass images and the pipe trap plants. This mechanical stuff distracted me from what was happening after a while. The book has a lot of potential, and I did enjoy the story and characters, but it is in real need of some tightening up.
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August 19, 2012This is really science fiction and not a romance. There is sexual abuse and rape, but it is of the criminal variety not of the power play, non-con or prurient kind. And there is not much of it onscreen.
August 27, 2020
I am so sorry. I have this weird mix of reactions to her books but I still respect and admire her writing skills and her books.
This one was just not the right fit for me.
This one was just not the right fit for me.
May 25, 2015
I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The world building was nicely done, the main characters were likeable and the story had some real momentum to it. The villain was suitably disgusting and genuinely frightening.
Then the story ground to a screeching halt somewhere around the 50% mark and turned into the worst kind of angsty hurt/comfort. Christ, the story just wouldn't fucking quit with the angsty wallowing, surprisingly not so much from the supposedly traumatized character, but from his "saviour" the priest (and a bunch of others). So what we get is chapter after chapter with the priest fella and other decent folks being absolutely outraged, angry and super guilty over what happened, and... it doesn't work.
If you're following GoT, you might be aware that a lot of people were mad about a certain rape scene in a recent episode. One complaint I saw was about the fact that while the rape is happening, the camera focuses on the pained face of a male spectator, thereby making the scene more about him. While I don't really agree with that particular criticism, it's what came to mind when I read the second half of this book. I couldn't fucking stand one more paragraph with the priest struggling with the fact that people had been sexually abused, how he couldn't possibly understand, how it made him want to kill things, how that probably didn't make him a good priest, ad nauseum.
I was also slightly uncomfortable with how Temar's sister was handled. The first chapter portrays a fairly realistic sibling dynamic between them, and it's obvious that they care about each other. But she's casually discarded by the plot with a few words about how she's a hothead, doesn't understand her baby brother's strength, etc. Once she's safe, Temar doesn't spare a single thought for her. This in contrast to the painstaking amount of effort the author goes to to portray the relationship between Shan and his brother.
Oh, and Temar's eyes manage to change from deep blue, to light amber, and then back to blue again over the course of the story.
I was initially going to give this three stars since I liked the beginning, but writing out my frustrations with the story rekindled my annoyance. So two stars it is.
Then the story ground to a screeching halt somewhere around the 50% mark and turned into the worst kind of angsty hurt/comfort. Christ, the story just wouldn't fucking quit with the angsty wallowing, surprisingly not so much from the supposedly traumatized character, but from his "saviour" the priest (and a bunch of others). So what we get is chapter after chapter with the priest fella and other decent folks being absolutely outraged, angry and super guilty over what happened, and... it doesn't work.
If you're following GoT, you might be aware that a lot of people were mad about a certain rape scene in a recent episode. One complaint I saw was about the fact that while the rape is happening, the camera focuses on the pained face of a male spectator, thereby making the scene more about him. While I don't really agree with that particular criticism, it's what came to mind when I read the second half of this book. I couldn't fucking stand one more paragraph with the priest struggling with the fact that people had been sexually abused, how he couldn't possibly understand, how it made him want to kill things, how that probably didn't make him a good priest, ad nauseum.
I was also slightly uncomfortable with how Temar's sister was handled. The first chapter portrays a fairly realistic sibling dynamic between them, and it's obvious that they care about each other. But she's casually discarded by the plot with a few words about how she's a hothead, doesn't understand her baby brother's strength, etc. Once she's safe, Temar doesn't spare a single thought for her. This in contrast to the painstaking amount of effort the author goes to to portray the relationship between Shan and his brother.
Oh, and Temar's eyes manage to change from deep blue, to light amber, and then back to blue again over the course of the story.
I was initially going to give this three stars since I liked the beginning, but writing out my frustrations with the story rekindled my annoyance. So two stars it is.
October 8, 2011
The author has created a complex and believable world in this book. The characters are multifaceted and the heroes are likable. The action sequences are exciting as well.
The book does have a few flaws, however. For one, it suffers somewhat from insufficient editing. This means there are a few errors in the text and several places where the prose could have been improved. More importantly, however, editing could have generally tightened the story itself as well as some of the scenes. Second, the author uses a glass metaphor throughout the book. It makes sense for a while, but it's really overused. And third, the resolutions to the conflicts at the end seem somewhat rushed.
Despite these flaws, I did enjoy the book very much, and I feel the author did a great job of making an imaginary world seem real. She also explained the technical aspects in enough detail to make sense but without getting bogged down.
The book does have a few flaws, however. For one, it suffers somewhat from insufficient editing. This means there are a few errors in the text and several places where the prose could have been improved. More importantly, however, editing could have generally tightened the story itself as well as some of the scenes. Second, the author uses a glass metaphor throughout the book. It makes sense for a while, but it's really overused. And third, the resolutions to the conflicts at the end seem somewhat rushed.
Despite these flaws, I did enjoy the book very much, and I feel the author did a great job of making an imaginary world seem real. She also explained the technical aspects in enough detail to make sense but without getting bogged down.
February 7, 2016
When I first read this story, I felt it was 'meh' because I kept waiting for the romance to happen and romance was a small part of this story.
So when this book was republished by DSP Publication, that was when I started to notice, this book would be good if not sold as romance. So I decided to reread the first two books in anticipation of the third book O purchased a while ago.
I enjoyed my second read immensely. When I let go of the notion that this book was a romance and read it as a science fiction first and foremost, I fell in love. I really hope this series gets more exposure so more people love Livre and its people.
So when this book was republished by DSP Publication, that was when I started to notice, this book would be good if not sold as romance. So I decided to reread the first two books in anticipation of the third book O purchased a while ago.
I enjoyed my second read immensely. When I let go of the notion that this book was a romance and read it as a science fiction first and foremost, I fell in love. I really hope this series gets more exposure so more people love Livre and its people.
October 2, 2015
I think this book contains too much abuse for me to recommend it on my blog, but I did enjoy reading it.
The hard-SF worldbuilding was well done. The dryness of the planet influenced the culture, education, and infrastructure of the settlements in many ways. Nothing was overlooked.
The characters were deep. The heroes had their struggles, doubts, and determination, and the villains had believable motivations.
Aside from an occasional awkward turn of phrase, the writing was smooth and effective in presenting both action and the characters' thoughts.
(review copy from Netgalley)
The hard-SF worldbuilding was well done. The dryness of the planet influenced the culture, education, and infrastructure of the settlements in many ways. Nothing was overlooked.
The characters were deep. The heroes had their struggles, doubts, and determination, and the villains had believable motivations.
Aside from an occasional awkward turn of phrase, the writing was smooth and effective in presenting both action and the characters' thoughts.
(review copy from Netgalley)
February 8, 2016
3.5 rounded up. If you are looking for a romance this isn't really the book to pick up. It's there but it vague and unformed a promise of something to come later in the series. This book is more about setting up the dynamics of a very interesting world and giving us a handle on the people that populate it. It also gives us a mystery and intrigue to figure out mixed in with some abuse and bad guys. What really makes this book for me is the detailed world and how interesting it is.
April 29, 2019
A dying desert planet, forgotten settlers from partial terraforming project, a sexually abuse slave and a man who questions his career path as a priest. I found this book more about survival, than anything else. I enjoyed the book, but at times I found the main characters immature, though I see a lot of potential for the rest of this story in the second book.
might-read-thinking-about-it
October 31, 2015tweet away DSP Publications
July 10, 2023
I love Lyn Gala Science Fiction - she has written some of my favorite but I am struggling with this one and it isn't just the lack of trigger because if your MC is there should absolutely be a trigger warning.
I'm also just not crazy about Shan as an MC and Temar is just okay for me but comes across as very immature. Shan isn't much more mature. Naite is probably my favorite and he really isn't that likeable either. I don't feel like there was enough character growth and maybe that happens in the second book but I won't be reading it. Also this is not a romance - purely sci-fi. There is a teeny tiny set-up for a future romance in book 2 but not in this one. The pacing was a bit off for me as well and the scenes where
However, the world building and details are fantastic and I can really visualize what living on this planet is like. Unfortunately that wasn't enough to balance out the cons for me and this was a 2 star read for me with no interest in reading the next. However, it won't stop me from reading any new sci-fi books by this author as she's still a favorite and since this was one of her earlier works much improvement has been made.
I'm also just not crazy about Shan as an MC and Temar is just okay for me but comes across as very immature. Shan isn't much more mature. Naite is probably my favorite and he really isn't that likeable either. I don't feel like there was enough character growth and maybe that happens in the second book but I won't be reading it. Also this is not a romance - purely sci-fi. There is a teeny tiny set-up for a future romance in book 2 but not in this one. The pacing was a bit off for me as well and the scenes where
However, the world building and details are fantastic and I can really visualize what living on this planet is like. Unfortunately that wasn't enough to balance out the cons for me and this was a 2 star read for me with no interest in reading the next. However, it won't stop me from reading any new sci-fi books by this author as she's still a favorite and since this was one of her earlier works much improvement has been made.
December 13, 2018
Well, this one is hard.
It wasn't a bad story. But it could have been so much better. While the main characters (and a lot of supporting ones) were perfectly rounded and three dimensional, I just couldn't connect with any of them. I can understand righteous anger, but not the whining that was paired with it. I can understand self sacrifice, but not the casual acceptance of fate with it. Temar said more than once in the book that he was angry, but that anger never manifested in any way. The most reasonable was the villain, who was a little bit pshycotic.
The world building was awesome, but it still couldn't balance the holes in the story. Not to mention the most obvious problem with the changing eye color, which wouldn't have been so distracting if Shan wasn't waxing poetic about its blueness at first and about its brownness later.
And the chemistry between them? Well, from Shan maybe, but it felt more like guilt driven protectiveness mixed with lust. And from Tamar it just felt like Shan was convenient and he wouldn't hurt him, and that was good enough.
So there was this detective story (I don't like detective stories), mixed in with a lot of talk of rape, that didn't really left any emotional scar on the victim except from some flinching, and with characters that tried to be so balanced to be well rounded that they ended up not being either likable or dislikable.
It wasn't bad. But it could have been so much better.
It wasn't a bad story. But it could have been so much better. While the main characters (and a lot of supporting ones) were perfectly rounded and three dimensional, I just couldn't connect with any of them. I can understand righteous anger, but not the whining that was paired with it. I can understand self sacrifice, but not the casual acceptance of fate with it. Temar said more than once in the book that he was angry, but that anger never manifested in any way. The most reasonable was the villain, who was a little bit pshycotic.
The world building was awesome, but it still couldn't balance the holes in the story. Not to mention the most obvious problem with the changing eye color, which wouldn't have been so distracting if Shan wasn't waxing poetic about its blueness at first and about its brownness later.
And the chemistry between them? Well, from Shan maybe, but it felt more like guilt driven protectiveness mixed with lust. And from Tamar it just felt like Shan was convenient and he wouldn't hurt him, and that was good enough.
So there was this detective story (I don't like detective stories), mixed in with a lot of talk of rape, that didn't really left any emotional scar on the victim except from some flinching, and with characters that tried to be so balanced to be well rounded that they ended up not being either likable or dislikable.
It wasn't bad. But it could have been so much better.
July 11, 2023
4+ stars
I've only read a couple of books from Lyn Gala, Claimings 1-2, which are brilliant, but this one also delivers some quality sci-fi. The world is pretty bleak, a forgotten planet that never was terraformed properly, struggling for water. Slavery is a part of the society that values human work hours over pretty much anything else. And this book is also very much about sexual abuse. There is no graphic onpage rape happening but it is a very prominent theme.
There are many people here saying the book isn't a romance but I kind of disagree. Definitely it's on the background, just a subplot, but it's there. I am comfortable shelving this under MM romance even without the sequels. The book works as a standalone read, no cliffhangers.
It doesn't feel as polished and perfect as Claimings does but I liked it very much and will read the sequels. I am interested both in how the society will continue after the events of this first book and how the characters will live on.
I've only read a couple of books from Lyn Gala, Claimings 1-2, which are brilliant, but this one also delivers some quality sci-fi. The world is pretty bleak, a forgotten planet that never was terraformed properly, struggling for water. Slavery is a part of the society that values human work hours over pretty much anything else. And this book is also very much about sexual abuse. There is no graphic onpage rape happening but it is a very prominent theme.
There are many people here saying the book isn't a romance but I kind of disagree. Definitely it's on the background, just a subplot, but it's there. I am comfortable shelving this under MM romance even without the sequels. The book works as a standalone read, no cliffhangers.
It doesn't feel as polished and perfect as Claimings does but I liked it very much and will read the sequels. I am interested both in how the society will continue after the events of this first book and how the characters will live on.
July 16, 2023
I'm actually glad I read this! This was a great book for a buddy read as it prompted lots of discussion. Thank you Kassu for your breakdown - it encouraged me to continue!
I like how things were ultimately handled although there are a few things in the air that I'm sure book 2 will address. However, this does work as a standalone. There is that thread of romance and a HFN but it is definitely in its infancy. Much more about the planet, Temar's journey and Shan's regret.
My thoughts on slavery in this book - I felt it was more like indentured servitude - I know there isn't much difference, but the fact that the time served is limited and that there are rules and the person still has certain rights that are (somewhat) enforced, make it different than innocent people as possessions. On a planet where everyone must contribute, the only other choices is banishment or execution - which are essentially the same thing on this world.
So this went from a potential DNF to a well liked story!
I like how things were ultimately handled although there are a few things in the air that I'm sure book 2 will address. However, this does work as a standalone. There is that thread of romance and a HFN but it is definitely in its infancy. Much more about the planet, Temar's journey and Shan's regret.
My thoughts on slavery in this book - I felt it was more like indentured servitude - I know there isn't much difference, but the fact that the time served is limited and that there are rules and the person still has certain rights that are (somewhat) enforced, make it different than innocent people as possessions. On a planet where everyone must contribute, the only other choices is banishment or execution - which are essentially the same thing on this world.
So this went from a potential DNF to a well liked story!
August 1, 2020
I like the author a great deal, so much so that I dug into her backlist to find this series. However, I don’t like the terrible childhoods (mothers dying young and alcoholic, abusive fathers) of the main characters nor the masochistic rapey part of the story. I am not interested in victims, even strong ones, especially when they are built on the backs of fridged mothers as way too many romances are.
May 23, 2019
Always love a desert planet! Good story with quite some good plots. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
December 31, 2020
Very good science fiction.
October 24, 2022
There wasn't hardly any relationship development but the plot was interesting. Very cool to see how much this author has grown.
June 11, 2022
Аннотацию давно забыла уже и когда приступила читать наивно предполагала что "Пустынный мир" в названии это аллегория опустошенности мира, а не прямое значение этого слова. В общем да, история про умирающую, высыхающую планету и её жителей.
Настроение было почитать про новую планету с необычной формой и фауной, а на деле оказалось всё куда приземленнее.
В главных ролях парниша, который по вине сестры стал рабом другого человека, и священник-сорви голова.
присутствует теги: изнасилование, принуждение.
Настроение было почитать про новую планету с необычной формой и фауной, а на деле оказалось всё куда приземленнее.
В главных ролях парниша, который по вине сестры стал рабом другого человека, и священник-сорви голова.
присутствует теги: изнасилование, принуждение.
March 30, 2015
Okay, maybe I was in the wrong mood when I read this one, especially as I love the rest of Ms Gala's stories, but I honestly didn't get any further than a couple of chapters due to the dark, depressing, and oppressed atmosphere of the story. I accept that Temar is a product of his experiences and that Shan feels trapped by what is expected and what he is able to do, but that got a little old fast when redemption and change wasn’t even a glint on the far horizon. Although I don't mind dark novels, I do like there to be some hope somewhere. Otherwise it’s just a reflection of the lack or hope I see in people in real life. I read to relax and escape the depression of the world humanity has made.
Having spoken to Ms Gala, yes, book one doesn’t offer a lot of hope, but book one and two are actually the one book, with the halves being released separately. Taking this into consideration, and the way the reader needs to fully, deeply feel how messed up the society is to understand how hard Temar and Shan have to fight to change the way things are. It’s not just a physical fight, it’s a fight to change the way people think, which is far more difficult.
I have found out that Ms Gala is re-editing the stories for Dreamspinner Press’s new, non-romance line, and since these stories were written early in her career, I think I will be getting them. A review of the new editions will probably follow.
Having spoken to Ms Gala, yes, book one doesn’t offer a lot of hope, but book one and two are actually the one book, with the halves being released separately. Taking this into consideration, and the way the reader needs to fully, deeply feel how messed up the society is to understand how hard Temar and Shan have to fight to change the way things are. It’s not just a physical fight, it’s a fight to change the way people think, which is far more difficult.
I have found out that Ms Gala is re-editing the stories for Dreamspinner Press’s new, non-romance line, and since these stories were written early in her career, I think I will be getting them. A review of the new editions will probably follow.
December 7, 2011
I wish there was a way to give a negative star. This book contains child rape scenes and child abuse. It is disgusting and the author should seriously reevaluate her ideals for writing such garbage. Adult men who sexually abuse younger men who have been punished and made slaves is simply poor writing, and shows the authors true lack of talent that she felt it necessary to resort to such inappropriate content as a means of attempting to flesh out a poorly crafted, weak story.
May 23, 2012
Firstly I must admit - I'm a fan of the author. It means that I read all her works, know what to expect and what to let pass as a small editing mistakes.
I'm reading for pleasure only, and not good at philological analysis.
But in this book I found what I expected - quality fiction, with imperfect and struggling characters, moral dylemmas and the satisfying ending. Oh, and the wryting itself was more than good. I didn't expect less.
Good work, really.
I'm reading for pleasure only, and not good at philological analysis.
But in this book I found what I expected - quality fiction, with imperfect and struggling characters, moral dylemmas and the satisfying ending. Oh, and the wryting itself was more than good. I didn't expect less.
Good work, really.
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