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8th Wing #2
Chain Reaction
Elite 8th Wing pilot Celene Jur was taken captive after a mysterious device temporarily disabled her ship's controls. Three solar months later, when Celene receives intel on the man who built the device, she's ready to get the bastard. Only problem is, the higher-ups think her mission partner should be Nils Calder, a tech-head who can understand the disabling device. The attraction between them is electric, but Celene needs a soldier who can watch her back as she exacts her revenge.
Nils knows his department is nicknamed NerdWorks. Pilots like Celene think the closest tech geeks come to combat is all-night Nifalian chess tournaments. But behind the NerdWorks insignia on his sleeve Nils is an able fighter, ready to prove himself and gain Celene's trust.
The desire between them is unexpected, but with the fate of thousands hanging in the balance, the hotshot pilot and the tech genius must succeed in their mission—no matter the cost.
Nils knows his department is nicknamed NerdWorks. Pilots like Celene think the closest tech geeks come to combat is all-night Nifalian chess tournaments. But behind the NerdWorks insignia on his sleeve Nils is an able fighter, ready to prove himself and gain Celene's trust.
The desire between them is unexpected, but with the fate of thousands hanging in the balance, the hotshot pilot and the tech genius must succeed in their mission—no matter the cost.
130 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2012
6 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Zoe Archer
22 books651 followersZoë Archer is a RITA award-nominated romance author whose stories are about smart, capable heroines and the heroes who love them. She is the author of the acclaimed Blades of the Rose series, as well as the Hellraiser, and Nemesis Unlimited series, among others. She also writes Regency-set romances as Eva Leigh. Visit her on the Web at http://www.zoearcherbooks.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
March 9, 2022
¡Me ha encantado!
Otra space opera sexi y con acción. Eso sí, tirando a corta, así que no hay espacio para mucho desarrollo de personajes.
Nils Calder es experto en temas técnicos, digitales, un ingeniero de laboratorio y taller. Lo que menos se pensaba es ir en una misión con toda una leyenda, bigger than life, la piloto Celene Jur, «Stainless Jur».
Pero los opuestos se atraen en Romancelandia, ya sabéis, y en medio de la misión, en una nave espacial o en un planeta lejano, dejan ver quienes son ellos mismos, por encima de tópicos y famas. La chispa estaba ahí, solo necesitaban un poco de intimidad forzada para dejarse llevar.
Reseña algo más extensa, en mi blog.
Otra space opera sexi y con acción. Eso sí, tirando a corta, así que no hay espacio para mucho desarrollo de personajes.
Nils Calder es experto en temas técnicos, digitales, un ingeniero de laboratorio y taller. Lo que menos se pensaba es ir en una misión con toda una leyenda, bigger than life, la piloto Celene Jur, «Stainless Jur».
Pero los opuestos se atraen en Romancelandia, ya sabéis, y en medio de la misión, en una nave espacial o en un planeta lejano, dejan ver quienes son ellos mismos, por encima de tópicos y famas. La chispa estaba ahí, solo necesitaban un poco de intimidad forzada para dejarse llevar.
Reseña algo más extensa, en mi blog.
February 21, 2012
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: January 9, 2012 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Carina Press
Author’s Website: http://www.zoearcherbooks.com
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 2, 8th Wing Series
Series Best Read In Order: Worked well as a standalone
Steam Level: Steamy
Overall, I adored this one. Full of action and chemistry, there was also quite a bit of character development for both Nils and Celene. I'm also a huge sucker for a "nerdy" hero, especially one who takes care of himself physically.
Celene's status as an incredible pilot has alienated her from anyone that she could have a true relationship with, because invariably, her lovers suffer from a bit of hero worship. When she does something "human", like just having a grumpy day, or making any sort of mistake that would be expected out of ordinary people, she quickly finds that her lovers were only with her because of her pilot status, and as such, she's very gun-shy about relationships.
Nils, on the other hand, is a valuable part of "Nerd Works", and despite his physical fitness is rather looked down on by pilots. Sure, he's got a bit of giddiness from being able to be around Celene -- the famous pilot -- but more than that, he's long been attracted to her as a woman.
With a vital mission throwing them together for a long period of time, there's plenty of actual romance in the story, despite the intensity of the action to the story.
A perfect space adventure with plenty of romance and chemistry, this one is definitely a keeper for me.
A thrillingly solid 5/5 Stars.
Expected Release Date: January 9, 2012 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Carina Press
Author’s Website: http://www.zoearcherbooks.com
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 2, 8th Wing Series
Series Best Read In Order: Worked well as a standalone
Steam Level: Steamy
Overall, I adored this one. Full of action and chemistry, there was also quite a bit of character development for both Nils and Celene. I'm also a huge sucker for a "nerdy" hero, especially one who takes care of himself physically.
Celene's status as an incredible pilot has alienated her from anyone that she could have a true relationship with, because invariably, her lovers suffer from a bit of hero worship. When she does something "human", like just having a grumpy day, or making any sort of mistake that would be expected out of ordinary people, she quickly finds that her lovers were only with her because of her pilot status, and as such, she's very gun-shy about relationships.
Nils, on the other hand, is a valuable part of "Nerd Works", and despite his physical fitness is rather looked down on by pilots. Sure, he's got a bit of giddiness from being able to be around Celene -- the famous pilot -- but more than that, he's long been attracted to her as a woman.
With a vital mission throwing them together for a long period of time, there's plenty of actual romance in the story, despite the intensity of the action to the story.
A perfect space adventure with plenty of romance and chemistry, this one is definitely a keeper for me.
A thrillingly solid 5/5 Stars.
December 11, 2013
This was great!
Two people with different personalities the heroine Celene, a pilot & fighter, & the hero Nils, a techi-engineering geek, set out on a mission to find a traitor who captured Celene & almost sold her into slavery.
This sci-fi romance was great! Extremely descriptive so you can even picture what the author is describing. This was different from other sci-fi romance books for me in that I knew what she was talking about. It wasn't like other books with the made up names that are like another language that you have to make up your own object. Some of the terms are a play on earth words, so you can figure out what it is anyway.
The romance was great, and I loved this couple together. A nerd who isn't a nerd but a hottie! Mmmm mmm! With the virility markings to be proud of as well! Ohh YA!
My only problem was that is was short & I miss them already! It was actually a perfect length to tell the story, just my attachment was cut off too soon.
I did not read the first book & it made no difference. Now I can go back and read the first!
Two people with different personalities the heroine Celene, a pilot & fighter, & the hero Nils, a techi-engineering geek, set out on a mission to find a traitor who captured Celene & almost sold her into slavery.
This sci-fi romance was great! Extremely descriptive so you can even picture what the author is describing. This was different from other sci-fi romance books for me in that I knew what she was talking about. It wasn't like other books with the made up names that are like another language that you have to make up your own object. Some of the terms are a play on earth words, so you can figure out what it is anyway.
The romance was great, and I loved this couple together. A nerd who isn't a nerd but a hottie! Mmmm mmm! With the virility markings to be proud of as well! Ohh YA!
My only problem was that is was short & I miss them already! It was actually a perfect length to tell the story, just my attachment was cut off too soon.
I did not read the first book & it made no difference. Now I can go back and read the first!
January 9, 2012
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/01/10/...
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley
After the first book in the 8th Wing series I was anxiously waiting to get the next book, especially once I realized it would feature Celene, the pilot who was taken hostage in the first book. As much as I enjoyed the story, there was something that was missing from this one that made the Collision Course so special and unique.
Celene is desperate to get revenge on the people who disabled her ship, took her hostage and tried to sell her as a sex slave. When she realizes that the only way to find the traitor is to work with Nils, the golden boy of the engineering department. Nils isn’t what Celene is used to working with for a partner, but once he proves himself, she grudgingly accepts him.
Nils has always had a crush on Celene, and now that he has the chance to prove NerdWorks can be in the field as well, he will do anything to have a successful mission. Each day he is with Celene, the two grow closer and finally the sexual tension is more than they can both take. But when the mission gets critical, they are both going to have to step up their game to make it home alive.
I had such high expectations for this story, and while it was still really good, it didn’t live up to all my hopes. Unlike Collision Course, I felt as if this story was really choppy. There were times it seemed as if scenes ended quickly, blurred together in ways that didn’t always work for me and didn’t seem to flow as seamlessly. While I liked the overall plot and story, it felt as if the journey itself from start to finish was like a really rough hike, instead of a leisurely stroll through the park. I had to work at following along and enjoying the story.
I also felt as if the romance wasn’t as believable either. I really liked the change in dynamic from the first hero and heroine to Celene and Nils. While Celene is a top ranked soldier, she is also put up on such a high pedestal that she doesn’t ever get the chance to feel like a real woman. And Nils is a complete geek, caring more about working with computers and components than people. I liked them together once they really came to care for each other, but I still don’t really see how they got there.
I am still interested in the overall world-building and hope that Archer continues to write more books in this series. I’ve been a fan of these space-opera style romances, and think that Archer can tell some incredible stories within this genre.
All in all I was a little disappointed, but also went in with some VERY lofty expectations. I think the book had a great overall story and Archer fans wont be too disappointed. However, I also didn’t think that it lived up to awesomesauce that was the first book in the series.
I give Chain Reaction a C-
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley
After the first book in the 8th Wing series I was anxiously waiting to get the next book, especially once I realized it would feature Celene, the pilot who was taken hostage in the first book. As much as I enjoyed the story, there was something that was missing from this one that made the Collision Course so special and unique.
Celene is desperate to get revenge on the people who disabled her ship, took her hostage and tried to sell her as a sex slave. When she realizes that the only way to find the traitor is to work with Nils, the golden boy of the engineering department. Nils isn’t what Celene is used to working with for a partner, but once he proves himself, she grudgingly accepts him.
Nils has always had a crush on Celene, and now that he has the chance to prove NerdWorks can be in the field as well, he will do anything to have a successful mission. Each day he is with Celene, the two grow closer and finally the sexual tension is more than they can both take. But when the mission gets critical, they are both going to have to step up their game to make it home alive.
I had such high expectations for this story, and while it was still really good, it didn’t live up to all my hopes. Unlike Collision Course, I felt as if this story was really choppy. There were times it seemed as if scenes ended quickly, blurred together in ways that didn’t always work for me and didn’t seem to flow as seamlessly. While I liked the overall plot and story, it felt as if the journey itself from start to finish was like a really rough hike, instead of a leisurely stroll through the park. I had to work at following along and enjoying the story.
I also felt as if the romance wasn’t as believable either. I really liked the change in dynamic from the first hero and heroine to Celene and Nils. While Celene is a top ranked soldier, she is also put up on such a high pedestal that she doesn’t ever get the chance to feel like a real woman. And Nils is a complete geek, caring more about working with computers and components than people. I liked them together once they really came to care for each other, but I still don’t really see how they got there.
I am still interested in the overall world-building and hope that Archer continues to write more books in this series. I’ve been a fan of these space-opera style romances, and think that Archer can tell some incredible stories within this genre.
All in all I was a little disappointed, but also went in with some VERY lofty expectations. I think the book had a great overall story and Archer fans wont be too disappointed. However, I also didn’t think that it lived up to awesomesauce that was the first book in the series.
I give Chain Reaction a C-
March 13, 2013
3 1/2 stars
December 29, 2016
Bad science fiction, mediocre romance. I finished it, but I had a headache from all of the eye-rolling when I was done. It's too bad, because I love science fiction & I love romance.
January 7, 2021
Title: Chain Reaction
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: January 9, 2012
ISBN: 9781426893032
Length: 43,000 words
Science-Fiction Romance
Blurb:
Elite 8th Wing pilot Celene Jur was taken captive after a mysterious device temporarily disabled her ship's controls. Three solar months later, when Celene receives intel on the man who built the device, she's ready to get the bastard. Only problem is, the higher-ups think her mission partner should be Nils Calder, a tech-head who can understand the disabling device. The attraction between them is electric, but Celene needs a soldier who can watch her back as she exacts her revenge.
Nils knows his department is nicknamed NerdWorks. Pilots like Celene think the closest tech geeks come to combat is all-night Nifalian chess tournaments. But behind the NerdWorks insignia on his sleeve Nils is an able fighter, ready to prove himself and gain Celene's trust.
The desire between them is unexpected, but with the fate of thousands hanging in the balance, the hotshot pilot and the tech genius must succeed in their mission-no matter the cost.
Thanks to Carina Press and NetGalley.com I had the opportunity to review this novella. I had picked it because I am a fan of Zoe Archer's Blades of the Rose series and thought it might be interesting to try a different book by the author. I am very glad I did. Chain Reaction is book 2 in Zoe Archer's 8th Wing series, and I'm definitely going to grab myself a copy of book 1 and look forward to the release of book 3.
Zoe Archer writes with a talent for grabbing your attention and not letting you stop until the story is finished. The story was fast paced, adventurous, and all around exciting. I especially liked the world building. The author did a great job in that aspect, she created a world that I truly believed, while reading it, could exist. The only down side to this I thought was that because she delved so deep into the world, the names of plants and animals etc were stated, but I had nothing to compare a description to so I had no idea what things really looked like and was left to my own imagination there. Overall, not too bad of a complaint and it was easy to over look for the most part and allow myself to enjoy the story. A glossary of terms either before or after the story would have been helpful.
The characters are very strong, I love myself a strong, kick-ass heroine, and generally I do prefer the hero to still be stronger if not her equal. In this novella, Celene was definitely and extremely strong heroine and the hero, Nils, acknowledged and accepted the fact that she in fact, is stronger than him. I think this is one of the reasons I didn't mind the hero being a tad under the heroine and in fact, they did treat each other as equals despite the knowledge that Celene is the stronger of the two and this really worked for me. The hero accepted the heroine for who she was, which in was extremely important in the relationship arc of this story. And though Nils is the Beta to Celene's Alpha, he is still strong in his own right (and yummy to boot) the two of them meshed extremely well together in my opinion.
Together, they helped to make a big dent in taking down a corporate giant set on universal domination and they didn't let their relationship get in the way when it came to their job duties, this shows the strength of their character, at least to me.
Overall this was a great read and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys science fiction/futuristic romance.
4/5 lattes
All My Best,
Kayla
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: January 9, 2012
ISBN: 9781426893032
Length: 43,000 words
Science-Fiction Romance
Blurb:
Elite 8th Wing pilot Celene Jur was taken captive after a mysterious device temporarily disabled her ship's controls. Three solar months later, when Celene receives intel on the man who built the device, she's ready to get the bastard. Only problem is, the higher-ups think her mission partner should be Nils Calder, a tech-head who can understand the disabling device. The attraction between them is electric, but Celene needs a soldier who can watch her back as she exacts her revenge.
Nils knows his department is nicknamed NerdWorks. Pilots like Celene think the closest tech geeks come to combat is all-night Nifalian chess tournaments. But behind the NerdWorks insignia on his sleeve Nils is an able fighter, ready to prove himself and gain Celene's trust.
The desire between them is unexpected, but with the fate of thousands hanging in the balance, the hotshot pilot and the tech genius must succeed in their mission-no matter the cost.
Thanks to Carina Press and NetGalley.com I had the opportunity to review this novella. I had picked it because I am a fan of Zoe Archer's Blades of the Rose series and thought it might be interesting to try a different book by the author. I am very glad I did. Chain Reaction is book 2 in Zoe Archer's 8th Wing series, and I'm definitely going to grab myself a copy of book 1 and look forward to the release of book 3.
Zoe Archer writes with a talent for grabbing your attention and not letting you stop until the story is finished. The story was fast paced, adventurous, and all around exciting. I especially liked the world building. The author did a great job in that aspect, she created a world that I truly believed, while reading it, could exist. The only down side to this I thought was that because she delved so deep into the world, the names of plants and animals etc were stated, but I had nothing to compare a description to so I had no idea what things really looked like and was left to my own imagination there. Overall, not too bad of a complaint and it was easy to over look for the most part and allow myself to enjoy the story. A glossary of terms either before or after the story would have been helpful.
The characters are very strong, I love myself a strong, kick-ass heroine, and generally I do prefer the hero to still be stronger if not her equal. In this novella, Celene was definitely and extremely strong heroine and the hero, Nils, acknowledged and accepted the fact that she in fact, is stronger than him. I think this is one of the reasons I didn't mind the hero being a tad under the heroine and in fact, they did treat each other as equals despite the knowledge that Celene is the stronger of the two and this really worked for me. The hero accepted the heroine for who she was, which in was extremely important in the relationship arc of this story. And though Nils is the Beta to Celene's Alpha, he is still strong in his own right (and yummy to boot) the two of them meshed extremely well together in my opinion.
Together, they helped to make a big dent in taking down a corporate giant set on universal domination and they didn't let their relationship get in the way when it came to their job duties, this shows the strength of their character, at least to me.
Overall this was a great read and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys science fiction/futuristic romance.
4/5 lattes
All My Best,
Kayla
June 3, 2017
After months and months of searching for something in the vein of "military sf romance," I finally hit closer to the target than ever...but still not exactly what I'm looking for.
So let's start with this. I found this via the SBTB sales page and bought it immediately because I had a long weekend vacation during which I would be mostly holed up in a hotel room. It's a romance between a male tech and a female pilot. In space. It sounded like exactly what I was looking for!
I really liked this book. Tentatively will give it 3.5 stars. It was sweet and funny and the romance felt believable. I liked both of the main characters and liked their (eventual) frank acknowledgment of the attraction between them. I hate it when characters try to ignore their feelings, both to each other and themselves.
Most of the problems I had with this book were differences between my expectations and how the book actually turned out, which I don't hold against the book itself. I sort of wanted the hero to be more of a beta hero and was disappointed that he was still buff, "masculine," a little on the protective side, and good in a fight. They have a couple of sexy interactions but only actually have sex once. (This was true of the other military sf romance I read by Linnea Sinclair. Why are there multiple sex scenes in historicals and contemporaries but not sf?) The hero had been carrying on a crush on the heroine from afar for (two?) years for what seemed to me like vague reasons.
Despite all of that, I liked it a lot, and would read more by the author, and/or more in this series. I've skipped the first book, but I'm hoping she writes more. Definitely liked it better than the Linnea Sinclair I read last year; this one had a really good balance between plot and romance.
So let's start with this. I found this via the SBTB sales page and bought it immediately because I had a long weekend vacation during which I would be mostly holed up in a hotel room. It's a romance between a male tech and a female pilot. In space. It sounded like exactly what I was looking for!
I really liked this book. Tentatively will give it 3.5 stars. It was sweet and funny and the romance felt believable. I liked both of the main characters and liked their (eventual) frank acknowledgment of the attraction between them. I hate it when characters try to ignore their feelings, both to each other and themselves.
Most of the problems I had with this book were differences between my expectations and how the book actually turned out, which I don't hold against the book itself. I sort of wanted the hero to be more of a beta hero and was disappointed that he was still buff, "masculine," a little on the protective side, and good in a fight. They have a couple of sexy interactions but only actually have sex once. (This was true of the other military sf romance I read by Linnea Sinclair. Why are there multiple sex scenes in historicals and contemporaries but not sf?) The hero had been carrying on a crush on the heroine from afar for (two?) years for what seemed to me like vague reasons.
Despite all of that, I liked it a lot, and would read more by the author, and/or more in this series. I've skipped the first book, but I'm hoping she writes more. Definitely liked it better than the Linnea Sinclair I read last year; this one had a really good balance between plot and romance.
March 12, 2021
Chain Reaction is a fun, fast paced science fiction adventure, with a nice romance thrown in too. It reads pretty quickly, mostly because you just can't wait to see what Celene and Nils will get themselves into next. Of the two, Nils is clearly my favorite. For all her superior airs, I found Celene doubting herself too much at critical moments. Nils, on the other had, despite being portrayed as a geek, seems to be much more in control of any situation.
I had two main concerns with this book, hence the 4 stars rating instead of five.
First, when the book starts it seems we are thrown into the middle of a story instead of at its beginning. And we are. Apparently there's a previous book (Collision Course), with different main characters but where it seems the story of Celene's abduction is told in more detail. I haven't read Collision Course (yet) and I honestly thought Chain Reaction was book one instead. If there's a note somewhere on Amazon about this, it's not immediately visible. It's not like Chain Reaction cannot be read as a stand alone once you past those initial pages, but it still feels like we are missing something.
And second, ninety per cent of the book is just Nils and Celene together. There are very few secondary characters, which kind of limits their interactions a bit and after a while even their dialogues become a bit repetitive.
But overall, if science fiction romance is your thing Chain Reaction may be a good fit.
I had two main concerns with this book, hence the 4 stars rating instead of five.
First, when the book starts it seems we are thrown into the middle of a story instead of at its beginning. And we are. Apparently there's a previous book (Collision Course), with different main characters but where it seems the story of Celene's abduction is told in more detail. I haven't read Collision Course (yet) and I honestly thought Chain Reaction was book one instead. If there's a note somewhere on Amazon about this, it's not immediately visible. It's not like Chain Reaction cannot be read as a stand alone once you past those initial pages, but it still feels like we are missing something.
And second, ninety per cent of the book is just Nils and Celene together. There are very few secondary characters, which kind of limits their interactions a bit and after a while even their dialogues become a bit repetitive.
But overall, if science fiction romance is your thing Chain Reaction may be a good fit.
September 27, 2020
I've had much more difficulty connecting with characters than in the first book. Granted, that one lacked some depth as well but this just seems even more thrown together without much logic. The SF elements have potential but are so weakly developed they just bother me. It's like the author had random ideas she randomly, and sometimes too conveniently implemented.
It's the unreached potential that is the biggest dissapointment.
It's the unreached potential that is the biggest dissapointment.
September 27, 2021
Cute short read of opposites-attract.
January 17, 2012
Celene Jur is a Black Wraith pilot for the 8th Wing and considered a legend among her comrades. However, even with her flying talent, she’s unable to keep her ship from being disabled by an unknown device, letting both her Black Wraith and herself be captured by the enemy. Fortunately, she was rescued before she could be sold into slavery. Once she returns to 8th Wing, intel comes in on the identity of the man that created the device. She’s sent on a mission to stop the sale of the device and to bring the man back to 8th Wing for trial. One catch, though; her companion for this mission is Nils Calder, engineer. Though Celene makes it abundantly clear that she’d rather have one of her fellow pilots as her partner, she’s stuck with “Nerdworks.” Celene is in for a surprise, though, once she discovers there’s more to Nils than just his intelligence.
Chain Reaction is the second novella in the 8th Wing series by Zoe Archer. While the events of Celene’s kidnapping took place in the first book, the details are fleshed out enough in the beginning of the second novella that the reader doesn’t feel they’re lost if they haven’t read “Collision Course.”
The main plot of the book is interesting; we discover that one of 8th Wing’s own engineers has turned against them, making a device that can disable the one advantage they have over their enemies. The world itself is rather rich and full of opportunity, which hopefully Ms. Archer will expand upon in the future.
I did have a couple issues with this book, the first of which was I never truly felt any connection to the characters. Celene laments that nobody ever sees her more than “Stainless Jur” the fighter pilot. Honestly, Ms. Archer doesn’t give the reader much chance to see more than that, either. When we’re in Celene’s point-of-view, her thoughts are consistently focused on the fact that people only see her as “Stainless Jur.” That’s it. And Nils’ cute butt. When we’re in Nils’ POV, his thoughts about Celene mostly consist of all the stories he’s heard about her, admiring her fighting/piloting ability, and lusting after her. In my opinion, this doesn’t give much depth to a character and, also, doesn’t give the reader much opportunity to build their own relationship and understanding of Celene.
The subject of Celene’s reputation as “Stainless Jur” is another one of the issues that annoyed me. When the reader is in her POV, we are consistently told how she is unable to maintain a relationship with any man.
Notice how I said “told.” We never see any example of this in the novel, though one could argue make the argument that Nils only really knows her as the fighter pilot, not the person. He doesn’t reject her for it, though. Normally, this wouldn’t bother me much since the story is a novella but Celene’s insecurity in regards to her reputation is one of the main components to the romance plotline. As a result, we’re told this, never shown, at least once every chapter whenever she has an encounter with Nils.
My last issue with this novella was that it felt as if Ms. Archer was simply going by the outline of every romance/action novel. You have your kiss that could potentially lead to more, only to be interrupted by big event. You have your gratuitous sex scene plopped in between two action events, the characters high on an adrenaline rush. You have your big showy kiss at the end in front of everyone as the announcement of your relationship. A relationship that, by the way, unites the jocks and the geeks. Sorry, the pilots and the engineers. The high school feel of the character designations was another small irk for me. Granted, a lot of novels feature these events. What made it stand out in such stark contrast for me in this novella was that the plot line failed to engage me enough to distract me from the formulaic feel of the events.
I’ve heard several wonderful things about Ms. Archer and her books so I’ll definitely give her another shot in the future. For me, this book held a certain amount of entertainment while I was reading it, but my frustration won out at the end.
Chain Reaction is the second novella in the 8th Wing series by Zoe Archer. While the events of Celene’s kidnapping took place in the first book, the details are fleshed out enough in the beginning of the second novella that the reader doesn’t feel they’re lost if they haven’t read “Collision Course.”
The main plot of the book is interesting; we discover that one of 8th Wing’s own engineers has turned against them, making a device that can disable the one advantage they have over their enemies. The world itself is rather rich and full of opportunity, which hopefully Ms. Archer will expand upon in the future.
I did have a couple issues with this book, the first of which was I never truly felt any connection to the characters. Celene laments that nobody ever sees her more than “Stainless Jur” the fighter pilot. Honestly, Ms. Archer doesn’t give the reader much chance to see more than that, either. When we’re in Celene’s point-of-view, her thoughts are consistently focused on the fact that people only see her as “Stainless Jur.” That’s it. And Nils’ cute butt. When we’re in Nils’ POV, his thoughts about Celene mostly consist of all the stories he’s heard about her, admiring her fighting/piloting ability, and lusting after her. In my opinion, this doesn’t give much depth to a character and, also, doesn’t give the reader much opportunity to build their own relationship and understanding of Celene.
The subject of Celene’s reputation as “Stainless Jur” is another one of the issues that annoyed me. When the reader is in her POV, we are consistently told how she is unable to maintain a relationship with any man.
And as for having a romantic relationship…by becoming one of the best pilots, she’d inadvertently consigned herself to celibacy. She could never be the flawless paragon her lovers wanted. Stainless Jur—that’s who they desired. Tough experience had taught her that it was better to be alone than see the disappointment in her lovers’ eyes when they learned she wasn’t a goddess, only a woman.
Notice how I said “told.” We never see any example of this in the novel, though one could argue make the argument that Nils only really knows her as the fighter pilot, not the person. He doesn’t reject her for it, though. Normally, this wouldn’t bother me much since the story is a novella but Celene’s insecurity in regards to her reputation is one of the main components to the romance plotline. As a result, we’re told this, never shown, at least once every chapter whenever she has an encounter with Nils.
My last issue with this novella was that it felt as if Ms. Archer was simply going by the outline of every romance/action novel. You have your kiss that could potentially lead to more, only to be interrupted by big event. You have your gratuitous sex scene plopped in between two action events, the characters high on an adrenaline rush. You have your big showy kiss at the end in front of everyone as the announcement of your relationship. A relationship that, by the way, unites the jocks and the geeks. Sorry, the pilots and the engineers. The high school feel of the character designations was another small irk for me. Granted, a lot of novels feature these events. What made it stand out in such stark contrast for me in this novella was that the plot line failed to engage me enough to distract me from the formulaic feel of the events.
I’ve heard several wonderful things about Ms. Archer and her books so I’ll definitely give her another shot in the future. For me, this book held a certain amount of entertainment while I was reading it, but my frustration won out at the end.
January 16, 2012
You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance
I admit it. I’m a sucker for nerdy heroes. Just look at my husband! Pretty darn nerdy! So when I saw that Zoë Archer’s latest book, Chain Reaction, featured a hero who forms part of “NerdWorks,” I knew this was going to be a winner. At approximately 43,000 words Chain Reaction is fairly short, but there is a lot to love in this book. I’ve read all of Ms. Archer’s paranormal historical novels in the Blades of the Rose series, and highly recommend them, but the 8th Wing series is firmly in the Sci-Fi camp, a departure from her earlier books.
In Chain Reaction, Lieutenant Celene “Stainless” Jur is the 8th Wing’s ace pilot. She flies the stealthy Black Wraith ships, and only a few months ago was captured and nearly sold when an enemy used a disrupter to immobilize her ship. The creator of the disrupter has finally been discovered, and Celene wants to be the one bringing him in.
Engineer Nils Calder is proud of his role in the 8th Wing’s “NerdWorks” (think GeekSquad in space), and he’s managed to find a way to locate the disrupter and lead them to its creator, a disgruntled former NerdWorks engineer. But Nils has had little field experience, and Celene doesn’t want anyone getting in her way on this mission. Unfortunately, her commanding officer insists that Nils is the best man for the job.
Nils has long had a crush on the stunning pilot, and when they’re forced to work on the recovery mission together, he decides to seize his chance and woo Celene, setting off sparks. In the past Celene has felt isolated as a woman among all the other pilots. Her reputation as a pilot is such that others speak of her with awe, and men are inevitably disappointed when they discover the real woman behind the legend. Nils seems to see past that to the real Celene, but can a hotshot pilot and a NerdWorks engineer find common ground when the mission ends?
This was a fast, action-packed read filled with steamy romance. I really enjoyed reading about a beta hero who trusts in his abilities and those of his female companion rather than trying to take over the entire mission. I was surprised that Nils and Celene didn’t set off any supernovas in space, their chemistry was so sizzling. It also helps that the “nerdy” Nils has a tone,d athletic bod and plenty of self-confidence.
Celene is an appealing character as well. It’s always fun to read about competent female characters who really don’t NEED someone to hold their hands but are looking for companionship. Celene is a believable mix of strength and vulnerability, and frankly I enjoyed her kick-ass status among the other pilots. My one criticism would be the choice of her nickname, “Stainless.” That had me cringing throughout the entire book. It just struck me as very awkward.
Chain Reaction is the second book in the 8th Wing series, and the hero and heroine from the first book, Collision Course, appear in the second book, but you can easily read Chain Reaction as a stand alone novel. That said, Collision Course is currently on sale for only $1.99 at Amazon, so catching up on the series won’t break the bank.
I do wish Chain Reaction were a bit longer, because I would have liked to see more of Nils and Celene together and learn more about their enemy, the Praxis. However, given the length, I felt the romance was well developed. I definitely recommend this one if you’re interested in space opera or sci-fi romance.
I received a copy for review from the publisher through NetGalley.
I admit it. I’m a sucker for nerdy heroes. Just look at my husband! Pretty darn nerdy! So when I saw that Zoë Archer’s latest book, Chain Reaction, featured a hero who forms part of “NerdWorks,” I knew this was going to be a winner. At approximately 43,000 words Chain Reaction is fairly short, but there is a lot to love in this book. I’ve read all of Ms. Archer’s paranormal historical novels in the Blades of the Rose series, and highly recommend them, but the 8th Wing series is firmly in the Sci-Fi camp, a departure from her earlier books.
In Chain Reaction, Lieutenant Celene “Stainless” Jur is the 8th Wing’s ace pilot. She flies the stealthy Black Wraith ships, and only a few months ago was captured and nearly sold when an enemy used a disrupter to immobilize her ship. The creator of the disrupter has finally been discovered, and Celene wants to be the one bringing him in.
Engineer Nils Calder is proud of his role in the 8th Wing’s “NerdWorks” (think GeekSquad in space), and he’s managed to find a way to locate the disrupter and lead them to its creator, a disgruntled former NerdWorks engineer. But Nils has had little field experience, and Celene doesn’t want anyone getting in her way on this mission. Unfortunately, her commanding officer insists that Nils is the best man for the job.
Nils has long had a crush on the stunning pilot, and when they’re forced to work on the recovery mission together, he decides to seize his chance and woo Celene, setting off sparks. In the past Celene has felt isolated as a woman among all the other pilots. Her reputation as a pilot is such that others speak of her with awe, and men are inevitably disappointed when they discover the real woman behind the legend. Nils seems to see past that to the real Celene, but can a hotshot pilot and a NerdWorks engineer find common ground when the mission ends?
This was a fast, action-packed read filled with steamy romance. I really enjoyed reading about a beta hero who trusts in his abilities and those of his female companion rather than trying to take over the entire mission. I was surprised that Nils and Celene didn’t set off any supernovas in space, their chemistry was so sizzling. It also helps that the “nerdy” Nils has a tone,d athletic bod and plenty of self-confidence.
Celene is an appealing character as well. It’s always fun to read about competent female characters who really don’t NEED someone to hold their hands but are looking for companionship. Celene is a believable mix of strength and vulnerability, and frankly I enjoyed her kick-ass status among the other pilots. My one criticism would be the choice of her nickname, “Stainless.” That had me cringing throughout the entire book. It just struck me as very awkward.
Chain Reaction is the second book in the 8th Wing series, and the hero and heroine from the first book, Collision Course, appear in the second book, but you can easily read Chain Reaction as a stand alone novel. That said, Collision Course is currently on sale for only $1.99 at Amazon, so catching up on the series won’t break the bank.
I do wish Chain Reaction were a bit longer, because I would have liked to see more of Nils and Celene together and learn more about their enemy, the Praxis. However, given the length, I felt the romance was well developed. I definitely recommend this one if you’re interested in space opera or sci-fi romance.
I received a copy for review from the publisher through NetGalley.
January 12, 2012
Celine Jur or “Stainless Jur” as she is called because she has an impeccable flying record, is ready to take out the person that sabotaged her ship. As an elite 8th Wing Pilot, Celine was kidnapped after her Black Wraith ship was disabled.The Black Wraith ships are a key weapon to fight against the evil PRAXIS who want to copy and design their own model. With this disabling device though, PRAXIS a much closer to their evil goal. Now that she has been rescued and her commander has intel as to who was involved in her capture, Celine is ready to fly out and take care of business.
Her commander wants her partner on this mission to be Nils Calder, or “NerdWorks” as he is called. Nils is a brilliant engineer, but Celine wants someone to go with him who can help with physical combat if the mission heads that way. Nils is the best at being able to track to the person who they think is responsible for capturing Celine. After he impresses her in his skills in a simulated fighting situation, she reluctantly agrees that he can be her partner in this mission. Once they are in close quarters, it’s hard to deny their attraction to each other.
Chain Reaction is the second book in Zoe Archer’s 8th Wing Sci-Fi series. I didn’t like this one as much as the first book. Individually I liked both Celine and Nils. Celine is a very headstrong, confident pilot that zeroes in on her goals and doesn’t like to be distracted. Nils has won the last three chess tournaments he has been in. Hooray for a nerdy hero! And even though we don’t get a huge picture of what this world it, I enjoy the sci-fi aspect of these books.
My problem with this book is how the romance unfolds. As I said, at the beginning of the book we learn that Celine is a very devoted, serious pilot. She is alone in life, but that is okay because she thinks everything of her career. She now has this very dangerous mission to go on. And Nils is just as smart and devoted to his engineering career as Celine is to her piloting career.
So just a short time on the ship together as they fly out to start their mission, they both start acting so unprofessional. First of all they mention that they have to keep quiet for security purposes:
A Wraith usually held a lone pilot, but it could also be configured to accommodate a gunner. Even when her ship contained herself and another, they talked infrequently, for security purposes.
Although Celine and Nils start out by obeying this rule it doesn’t last long and I wondered why they felt they could chat without causing danger.
And then soon, after they stop to help another ship get a repair, they work up a sweat and start taking off parts of their hot uniform. Which gets them to notice each other’s bodies. So she lets him “inspect” her as she stands there in her tight tank top and pants. And then it is his turn as he slowly removes her shirt as she stands there and watches him. Aren’t they on this important mission? And currently trying to fix a ship for someone else who barely had any power or air just a little while ago? What happened to their utter sense of professionalism? I always have an issue when characters can’t control their lusty advances and yet have an important goal to achieve. I understand maybe they might have the mind set that they won’t make it out alive, so let’s go have sex. But I still think this just feels off.
So the romance didn’t do it for me in this one. But otherwise, it was an okay read. I don’t read a lot of sci-fi but this is one series I’ll continue to follow.
Rating: C+
Her commander wants her partner on this mission to be Nils Calder, or “NerdWorks” as he is called. Nils is a brilliant engineer, but Celine wants someone to go with him who can help with physical combat if the mission heads that way. Nils is the best at being able to track to the person who they think is responsible for capturing Celine. After he impresses her in his skills in a simulated fighting situation, she reluctantly agrees that he can be her partner in this mission. Once they are in close quarters, it’s hard to deny their attraction to each other.
Chain Reaction is the second book in Zoe Archer’s 8th Wing Sci-Fi series. I didn’t like this one as much as the first book. Individually I liked both Celine and Nils. Celine is a very headstrong, confident pilot that zeroes in on her goals and doesn’t like to be distracted. Nils has won the last three chess tournaments he has been in. Hooray for a nerdy hero! And even though we don’t get a huge picture of what this world it, I enjoy the sci-fi aspect of these books.
My problem with this book is how the romance unfolds. As I said, at the beginning of the book we learn that Celine is a very devoted, serious pilot. She is alone in life, but that is okay because she thinks everything of her career. She now has this very dangerous mission to go on. And Nils is just as smart and devoted to his engineering career as Celine is to her piloting career.
So just a short time on the ship together as they fly out to start their mission, they both start acting so unprofessional. First of all they mention that they have to keep quiet for security purposes:
A Wraith usually held a lone pilot, but it could also be configured to accommodate a gunner. Even when her ship contained herself and another, they talked infrequently, for security purposes.
Although Celine and Nils start out by obeying this rule it doesn’t last long and I wondered why they felt they could chat without causing danger.
And then soon, after they stop to help another ship get a repair, they work up a sweat and start taking off parts of their hot uniform. Which gets them to notice each other’s bodies. So she lets him “inspect” her as she stands there in her tight tank top and pants. And then it is his turn as he slowly removes her shirt as she stands there and watches him. Aren’t they on this important mission? And currently trying to fix a ship for someone else who barely had any power or air just a little while ago? What happened to their utter sense of professionalism? I always have an issue when characters can’t control their lusty advances and yet have an important goal to achieve. I understand maybe they might have the mind set that they won’t make it out alive, so let’s go have sex. But I still think this just feels off.
So the romance didn’t do it for me in this one. But otherwise, it was an okay read. I don’t read a lot of sci-fi but this is one series I’ll continue to follow.
Rating: C+
January 6, 2012
Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks
A little while back, after finishing the first book in this 8th Wing series, I asked Zoe Archer about the next book in the series. She told me that it was going to be called Chain Reaction and that the hero was going to be a sexy geek. Oh my word…I like those. I love my heroes to be clever and smart good with their hands as well as ‘good with their hands��. *wiggles eyebrows* Add that to the fact that I really enjoyed the first book, Collision Course, and for sure I was going to be reading book two.
I liked Chain Reaction exactly the same amount as I liked book one. (That would explain why I rated it exactly the same). We meet Captain Celene Jur in the first book. The mission that the two main characters were assigned was to save Jur. This time around, Celene wants revenge on the person who is ultimately responsible for her capture, but she can’t go alone. Because of the complexity of the weapon and what she needs to do while on this mission, she is teamed up with a member of NerdWorks. No, that is not what that division is actually called, but that is what they are called behind their backs. Needless to say, Celene is not impressed with this decision. She feels she needs someone who can kick ass like her. But really she has little choice. So Nils Calder it is.
Once again, Zoe has written a great lead heroine. Strong and independent, Celene is a superstar with 8 th Wing, but she holds a sadness she won’t let anyone else see. It’s a weakness after all and fighter pilots can’t show weakness. I really liked seeing how her walls slowly come down for Nils.
Nils was awesome! If I were Celene, I may have been a little intimidated (or freaked out) by his ‘confessions’ but coming from Nils, they didn’t go into creepy territory. I actually swooned a little. And he’s brilliant yet can still kick butt. And yummy. And thoughtful. And just… swell. *dreamy sigh*
*shakes head*
I really liked Nils and I found he was a great match for Celene. I didn’t find the heat to be a strong in this instalment, but it was still there. Celene and Nils are different from the H/h from book one and it shows in their physical interactions. That’s not saying the chemistry wasn’t there – it was. There is one steamy scene where ‘boots’ were discussed and I found that to be one my favorite scenes in the book. Not only did it make you smile, but it also reminded you of the truth of the situation this couple is in. It was very well done.
Zoe’s voice lends itself very well to the sci-fi genre. She writes in such vivid detail, her scenes just jump off the page. She makes this crazy ‘other planet’ stuff seem real.
If you are into UF and PNR and contemporary romance and are looking for something a little different but not too daunting, I would give this series a try. I don’t usually pick up sci-fi books but I really enjoyed the time I spent with Collision Course and Chain Reaction. They are quick reads yet have wonderful characters and interesting imagery. You don’t feel like you are missing out on any details even with the lower word count.
Chain Reaction just reminded me why I enjoyed the first book so much. I will definitely be picking it up again someday when I need a rocket-ship fix.
4.5 stars
A little while back, after finishing the first book in this 8th Wing series, I asked Zoe Archer about the next book in the series. She told me that it was going to be called Chain Reaction and that the hero was going to be a sexy geek. Oh my word…I like those. I love my heroes to be clever and smart good with their hands as well as ‘good with their hands��. *wiggles eyebrows* Add that to the fact that I really enjoyed the first book, Collision Course, and for sure I was going to be reading book two.
I liked Chain Reaction exactly the same amount as I liked book one. (That would explain why I rated it exactly the same). We meet Captain Celene Jur in the first book. The mission that the two main characters were assigned was to save Jur. This time around, Celene wants revenge on the person who is ultimately responsible for her capture, but she can’t go alone. Because of the complexity of the weapon and what she needs to do while on this mission, she is teamed up with a member of NerdWorks. No, that is not what that division is actually called, but that is what they are called behind their backs. Needless to say, Celene is not impressed with this decision. She feels she needs someone who can kick ass like her. But really she has little choice. So Nils Calder it is.
Once again, Zoe has written a great lead heroine. Strong and independent, Celene is a superstar with 8 th Wing, but she holds a sadness she won’t let anyone else see. It’s a weakness after all and fighter pilots can’t show weakness. I really liked seeing how her walls slowly come down for Nils.
Nils was awesome! If I were Celene, I may have been a little intimidated (or freaked out) by his ‘confessions’ but coming from Nils, they didn’t go into creepy territory. I actually swooned a little. And he’s brilliant yet can still kick butt. And yummy. And thoughtful. And just… swell. *dreamy sigh*
*shakes head*
I really liked Nils and I found he was a great match for Celene. I didn’t find the heat to be a strong in this instalment, but it was still there. Celene and Nils are different from the H/h from book one and it shows in their physical interactions. That’s not saying the chemistry wasn’t there – it was. There is one steamy scene where ‘boots’ were discussed and I found that to be one my favorite scenes in the book. Not only did it make you smile, but it also reminded you of the truth of the situation this couple is in. It was very well done.
Zoe’s voice lends itself very well to the sci-fi genre. She writes in such vivid detail, her scenes just jump off the page. She makes this crazy ‘other planet’ stuff seem real.
If you are into UF and PNR and contemporary romance and are looking for something a little different but not too daunting, I would give this series a try. I don’t usually pick up sci-fi books but I really enjoyed the time I spent with Collision Course and Chain Reaction. They are quick reads yet have wonderful characters and interesting imagery. You don’t feel like you are missing out on any details even with the lower word count.
Chain Reaction just reminded me why I enjoyed the first book so much. I will definitely be picking it up again someday when I need a rocket-ship fix.
4.5 stars
January 8, 2012
Read all my reviews at www.readingreality.net
Chain Reaction by Zoë Archer is a combination of space opera and science fiction romance. And it's a combination that blasts some serious fun, especially for those who enjoy love stories of the hotshot vs. nerd persuasion.
"Stainless" Celene Jur is the hotshot pilot. She's not just a member of the elite 8th Wing, she's the stainless steel legend that everyone looks up to. But legends aren't ever allowed a moment to cut loose and be human, not even while recovering from being captured and nearly sold into slavery.
Nils Calder is not just a geek, he is proud to be the best engineer in the division proudly known as NerdWorks. Nils has reverse engineered the device that disabled Celene's Black Wraith ship's previously unhackable controls and caused her capture. The secret of the Black Wraith controls is the only thing keeping the 8th Wing alive in its fight against PRAXIS.
Nils has also discovered who developed that device: a former NerdWorks engineer who went, not just rogue, but crazy and mercenary into the bargain.
The device hasn't been sold to PRAXIS. Not yet. There's still time for 8th Wing to track down the designer and remove the threat.
Celene Jur needs to lead this mission. She has to erase that feeling of powerlessness that overcame her when the device was activated. Wiping the designer off the face of the cosmos is the only way she can accomplish that. The threat to 8th Wing must be eliminated. And "Stainless" Jur is the best.
Nils Calder is the only engineer who can track the device. The rogue was damn good, but not quite good enough to beat him. But Nils needs to be on the mission. The rogue's base signal is constantly changing. And his security will be a very tough engineering puzzle. Jur needs to take an engineer. She needs to take him.
But this is a stealth mission, not a raid. The Phantom ship they are taking only holds a crew of two. Jur wants to take another soldier, not a nerd. But when Nils passes all of her tests, Celene discovers that geeks can be soldiers every bit as much as pilots can. Maybe more.
But can she go back to being "Stainless" Jur after she gets used to being just human?
Escape Rating B+: If science fiction romance blasts your jets, you'll enjoy this. Chain Reaction is set in the same universe as Archer's Collision Course, and I would recommend reading that first to get more of the world-building, but the story of Chain Reaction does stand on its own.
Chain Reaction is about the partnership that develops between Celene and Nils. Each of them has to step out of their comfort zone to become true partners to each other, and watching them do that is a terrific rocketship ride.
Celene is afraid that Nils is interested in the legend and not the woman. It's happened to her too many times before. Nils is worried that if they do manage to have a relationship during the mission, as bad an idea as that is, as soon as the mission is over, she'll go back to not noticing he exists. Pilots and Nerds do not mix in 8th Wing. Both their fears are realistic, and it takes work, as it should, for them to get past them. I love it when a happy ending is earned. And so richly deserved.
Chain Reaction by Zoë Archer is a combination of space opera and science fiction romance. And it's a combination that blasts some serious fun, especially for those who enjoy love stories of the hotshot vs. nerd persuasion.
"Stainless" Celene Jur is the hotshot pilot. She's not just a member of the elite 8th Wing, she's the stainless steel legend that everyone looks up to. But legends aren't ever allowed a moment to cut loose and be human, not even while recovering from being captured and nearly sold into slavery.
Nils Calder is not just a geek, he is proud to be the best engineer in the division proudly known as NerdWorks. Nils has reverse engineered the device that disabled Celene's Black Wraith ship's previously unhackable controls and caused her capture. The secret of the Black Wraith controls is the only thing keeping the 8th Wing alive in its fight against PRAXIS.
Nils has also discovered who developed that device: a former NerdWorks engineer who went, not just rogue, but crazy and mercenary into the bargain.
The device hasn't been sold to PRAXIS. Not yet. There's still time for 8th Wing to track down the designer and remove the threat.
Celene Jur needs to lead this mission. She has to erase that feeling of powerlessness that overcame her when the device was activated. Wiping the designer off the face of the cosmos is the only way she can accomplish that. The threat to 8th Wing must be eliminated. And "Stainless" Jur is the best.
Nils Calder is the only engineer who can track the device. The rogue was damn good, but not quite good enough to beat him. But Nils needs to be on the mission. The rogue's base signal is constantly changing. And his security will be a very tough engineering puzzle. Jur needs to take an engineer. She needs to take him.
But this is a stealth mission, not a raid. The Phantom ship they are taking only holds a crew of two. Jur wants to take another soldier, not a nerd. But when Nils passes all of her tests, Celene discovers that geeks can be soldiers every bit as much as pilots can. Maybe more.
But can she go back to being "Stainless" Jur after she gets used to being just human?
Escape Rating B+: If science fiction romance blasts your jets, you'll enjoy this. Chain Reaction is set in the same universe as Archer's Collision Course, and I would recommend reading that first to get more of the world-building, but the story of Chain Reaction does stand on its own.
Chain Reaction is about the partnership that develops between Celene and Nils. Each of them has to step out of their comfort zone to become true partners to each other, and watching them do that is a terrific rocketship ride.
Celene is afraid that Nils is interested in the legend and not the woman. It's happened to her too many times before. Nils is worried that if they do manage to have a relationship during the mission, as bad an idea as that is, as soon as the mission is over, she'll go back to not noticing he exists. Pilots and Nerds do not mix in 8th Wing. Both their fears are realistic, and it takes work, as it should, for them to get past them. I love it when a happy ending is earned. And so richly deserved.
April 11, 2012
I was excited for this book since I enjoyed the first one, Collision Course, quite a bit. While I think this had a strong romance, I was a bit disappointed in the lack of additional world-building. The world is one of the things I loved most about the first book.
We first met Celene in Collision Course. She was captured when the enemy developed a new weapon that rendered her ship useless. Now she wants revenge. Nils has been working on figuring out where the weapon was developed. When he gets a target on the enemy, he knows he has to accompany Celene on the mission to destroy it since no one else would be able to break the code. Celene has serious reservations about taking someone from NerdWorks along, but reluctantly agrees after Nils proves himself capable of handling a weapon.
This story takes place almost exclusively in a ship as Celene and Nils travel to face down their enemy. While that made for a great romance, it didn't do much for the world. Since they were the only two on the ship, they were forced to talk to each other and learn about one another. Celene is reluctant to open herself up to anyone, since she's been burned quite a bit in the past. Most people don't see Celene the woman when they look at her, but Captain Jur, the fearless - and mostly flawless - pilot. She can never live up to those kind of expectations, so she's given up trying.
Nils has had a crush on Celene forever. He knew she'd never see him as anything but NerdWorks, but that didn't stop him from hoping he'd be able to impress her. When things heat up between them, he has to convince her he sees all of her - and wants her, flaws and all.
I liked that Nils was a nerd. Let's face it, nerds are sexy. Especially smart nerds with hot bodies. I understood Celene's reasons for holding back with him, as well as his own insecurities where she was concerned. A fighter pilot and a computer geek isn't the most natural pairing. Celene and Nils made it work, however. Although he's a tech geek, he isn't a wimp. Celene needed someone who was compassionate but strong enough for her to lean on. Nils was willing to take care of Celene the woman, so that Captain Jur could be strong the rest of the time. I love it when that happens. She also gave back to Nils, boosting his confidence and doing her best to take care of him as well. It was a solid partnership.
There were a few things that bothered me. The first time they started getting naked with each other seemed didn't make sense. It was a very inappropriate time for sexy-times, which I think they both knew but neither addressed. I also missed being immersed in the world Archer created. This could have been set on any ship in any world, which bummed me out.
Even so, this was a solid read. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Holly.
We first met Celene in Collision Course. She was captured when the enemy developed a new weapon that rendered her ship useless. Now she wants revenge. Nils has been working on figuring out where the weapon was developed. When he gets a target on the enemy, he knows he has to accompany Celene on the mission to destroy it since no one else would be able to break the code. Celene has serious reservations about taking someone from NerdWorks along, but reluctantly agrees after Nils proves himself capable of handling a weapon.
This story takes place almost exclusively in a ship as Celene and Nils travel to face down their enemy. While that made for a great romance, it didn't do much for the world. Since they were the only two on the ship, they were forced to talk to each other and learn about one another. Celene is reluctant to open herself up to anyone, since she's been burned quite a bit in the past. Most people don't see Celene the woman when they look at her, but Captain Jur, the fearless - and mostly flawless - pilot. She can never live up to those kind of expectations, so she's given up trying.
Nils has had a crush on Celene forever. He knew she'd never see him as anything but NerdWorks, but that didn't stop him from hoping he'd be able to impress her. When things heat up between them, he has to convince her he sees all of her - and wants her, flaws and all.
I liked that Nils was a nerd. Let's face it, nerds are sexy. Especially smart nerds with hot bodies. I understood Celene's reasons for holding back with him, as well as his own insecurities where she was concerned. A fighter pilot and a computer geek isn't the most natural pairing. Celene and Nils made it work, however. Although he's a tech geek, he isn't a wimp. Celene needed someone who was compassionate but strong enough for her to lean on. Nils was willing to take care of Celene the woman, so that Captain Jur could be strong the rest of the time. I love it when that happens. She also gave back to Nils, boosting his confidence and doing her best to take care of him as well. It was a solid partnership.
There were a few things that bothered me. The first time they started getting naked with each other seemed didn't make sense. It was a very inappropriate time for sexy-times, which I think they both knew but neither addressed. I also missed being immersed in the world Archer created. This could have been set on any ship in any world, which bummed me out.
Even so, this was a solid read. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Holly.
May 9, 2012
Review originally posted on Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2012/05...
Lieutenant Celine Jur is a legend even among her fellow Black Wraith pilots. But even legends can be captured and Celine was only recently rescued from captivity after a device disabled her ship. Now the man who created the device has been located and Celine is ready for revenge. The only problem? Command wants her to take engineer Nils Calder along on the mission. Celine has no desire to bring a guy from NerdWorks with her. If she needs a partner, she’ll take one trained for combat. But tech geek Nils has a few surprises in store for Celine. He isn’t just a brain and he’s ready to prove to Celine he’s more than capable of being her partner…in more ways than one.
Zoë Archer’s second 8th Wing story is even better than the first! CHAIN REACTION is a sexy, fun, clever story that’ll keep you entertained from the first page to the last. I love how Celine’s strength was complimented by her femininity. So often when we see tough heroines, the authors have them act masculine as a way to prove their strength – something I find unnecessary. Ms. Archer excels at creating a strong female protagonist who is relatable as well. I adored Celine and wanted her to find happiness with someone who sees her as more than a famous pilot. Nils is exactly the right man for her. He’s a total geek (which I love), but he’s also a skilled fighter. I admit, I was slightly envious of Celine because I’d love to have Nils show up on my doorstep ;) Still, Nils and Celine complement one another perfectly, which is what makes CHAIN REACTION such an excellent story.
I’m very picky about science fiction stories and I’m not too keen on a lot of the sci-fi romances out there. However, since I enjoy Ms. Archer’s work I decided to give her 8th Wing series a try. I’m so glad I did. No matter the genre, Ms. Archer delivers a great story with excellent world building and characters readers are sure to become invested in. If you haven’t read the first 8th Wing book, Collision Course, you can read CHAIN REACTION as a standalone. However, fans of Collision Course will undoubtedly be delighted that Kell and Mara play strong supporting roles in CHAIN REACTION.
Whether you like sci-fi, romance, nerdy heroes, strong heroines, or all of the above, CHAIN REACTION is a solidly entertaining read you’ll no doubt enjoy. I finished Nils and Celine’s story a well-satisfied reader and I can’t wait to read Ms. Archer’s next book!
*Review copy provided by Carina Press and NetGalley
Lieutenant Celine Jur is a legend even among her fellow Black Wraith pilots. But even legends can be captured and Celine was only recently rescued from captivity after a device disabled her ship. Now the man who created the device has been located and Celine is ready for revenge. The only problem? Command wants her to take engineer Nils Calder along on the mission. Celine has no desire to bring a guy from NerdWorks with her. If she needs a partner, she’ll take one trained for combat. But tech geek Nils has a few surprises in store for Celine. He isn’t just a brain and he’s ready to prove to Celine he’s more than capable of being her partner…in more ways than one.
Zoë Archer’s second 8th Wing story is even better than the first! CHAIN REACTION is a sexy, fun, clever story that’ll keep you entertained from the first page to the last. I love how Celine’s strength was complimented by her femininity. So often when we see tough heroines, the authors have them act masculine as a way to prove their strength – something I find unnecessary. Ms. Archer excels at creating a strong female protagonist who is relatable as well. I adored Celine and wanted her to find happiness with someone who sees her as more than a famous pilot. Nils is exactly the right man for her. He’s a total geek (which I love), but he’s also a skilled fighter. I admit, I was slightly envious of Celine because I’d love to have Nils show up on my doorstep ;) Still, Nils and Celine complement one another perfectly, which is what makes CHAIN REACTION such an excellent story.
I’m very picky about science fiction stories and I’m not too keen on a lot of the sci-fi romances out there. However, since I enjoy Ms. Archer’s work I decided to give her 8th Wing series a try. I’m so glad I did. No matter the genre, Ms. Archer delivers a great story with excellent world building and characters readers are sure to become invested in. If you haven’t read the first 8th Wing book, Collision Course, you can read CHAIN REACTION as a standalone. However, fans of Collision Course will undoubtedly be delighted that Kell and Mara play strong supporting roles in CHAIN REACTION.
Whether you like sci-fi, romance, nerdy heroes, strong heroines, or all of the above, CHAIN REACTION is a solidly entertaining read you’ll no doubt enjoy. I finished Nils and Celine’s story a well-satisfied reader and I can’t wait to read Ms. Archer’s next book!
*Review copy provided by Carina Press and NetGalley
February 16, 2012
(This review was originally published on Book Lovers Inc)
Chain Reaction is the second novella in the 8th Wing series. We met pilot Celene Jur in the previous book, where she had been tricked and kidnapped and was about to be sold to the ennemy. Now that she’s back on top she’s determined to find out who was responsible for the attack. There is a traitor in her ranks and she won’t stop until he’s stopped.
Celene is nicknamed ‘Stainless Jur’ by everyone on base, she has a reputation for being cold and tough but no one knows that she doesn’t feel like she deserves how people think so much of her. They put her on a pedestal and she’s convinced they will all be disappointed to realize she’s normal. Most of all Celene is lonely.
Now enters Nils…ah Nils. He’s the sexy geeky hero. When Nils learned that the traitor was one of his old colleagues he swore to get revenge. He’s been secretly pining for Celene for years and he wants this revenge for her. I’ll go back to this later. Nils is not your typical hero, he’s a tech and his magic operates with technologies but he’s not defenseless when it comes to real combat. He has a funny sense of humor and he’s not as shy as he appears at first. Nils and Celene will have to work together to get to the traitor.
I really like Celene, at first she did appear a bit cold but she grew on me. She’s not shy about her sexuality and I did like how she reacted to Nils. Now my only complaint is Nils’ obsession with her. I mean he’s been pining for her for a LONG time and he’s been observing her a lot. He’s pretty much worshiping the ground she walks on. See, in the book it can be very endearing and sexy. In real life it would be borderline creepy and stalker-y. I had to remind myself a few times that it was fiction. When I got past my uneasiness at Nils’ obsession I did enjoy their interactions a lot. I can’t deny it Zoe Archer writes very sexy smex scenes. There is real chemistry between the 2 of them. I was shouting at the book when something happened and stopped the characters from doing what they’d just started! Frustration was not just for them! *wink*
Chain Reaction is a quick read that will leave you smiling and wishing for your own spaceship (why yes don’t you want one?). I really enjoyed this geeky hero who doesn’t let the heroine’s cold appearance push him away. Sexy and funny it’s a nice addition to the series.
I give Chain Reaction 4 stars
Chain Reaction is the second novella in the 8th Wing series. We met pilot Celene Jur in the previous book, where she had been tricked and kidnapped and was about to be sold to the ennemy. Now that she’s back on top she’s determined to find out who was responsible for the attack. There is a traitor in her ranks and she won’t stop until he’s stopped.
Celene is nicknamed ‘Stainless Jur’ by everyone on base, she has a reputation for being cold and tough but no one knows that she doesn’t feel like she deserves how people think so much of her. They put her on a pedestal and she’s convinced they will all be disappointed to realize she’s normal. Most of all Celene is lonely.
Now enters Nils…ah Nils. He’s the sexy geeky hero. When Nils learned that the traitor was one of his old colleagues he swore to get revenge. He’s been secretly pining for Celene for years and he wants this revenge for her. I’ll go back to this later. Nils is not your typical hero, he’s a tech and his magic operates with technologies but he’s not defenseless when it comes to real combat. He has a funny sense of humor and he’s not as shy as he appears at first. Nils and Celene will have to work together to get to the traitor.
I really like Celene, at first she did appear a bit cold but she grew on me. She’s not shy about her sexuality and I did like how she reacted to Nils. Now my only complaint is Nils’ obsession with her. I mean he’s been pining for her for a LONG time and he’s been observing her a lot. He’s pretty much worshiping the ground she walks on. See, in the book it can be very endearing and sexy. In real life it would be borderline creepy and stalker-y. I had to remind myself a few times that it was fiction. When I got past my uneasiness at Nils’ obsession I did enjoy their interactions a lot. I can’t deny it Zoe Archer writes very sexy smex scenes. There is real chemistry between the 2 of them. I was shouting at the book when something happened and stopped the characters from doing what they’d just started! Frustration was not just for them! *wink*
Chain Reaction is a quick read that will leave you smiling and wishing for your own spaceship (why yes don’t you want one?). I really enjoyed this geeky hero who doesn’t let the heroine’s cold appearance push him away. Sexy and funny it’s a nice addition to the series.
I give Chain Reaction 4 stars
February 5, 2012
Spread the geek-love!
A legendary pilot rescued from a fate as a slave when her ship was disabled by a mysterious device. An engineer from the aptly nicknamed 'NerdWorks' with the skill to aid her in her mission to destroy the device. Both with something to prove and a need to get revenge against the man behind the 8th Wing's greatest threat. But Celene Jur, with her stainless reputation, doesn't want a tech geek weighing her mission down and Nils Calder is the best man for the job. Sparks fly and not all of them good as the pair fight the sensual tension building between them and their mutual sense of duty.
CHAIN REACTION flew by fast, even for a novella. I have a serious weakness for geek heroes and Nils is a smolderingly well-built example of the hawt-geek. He's almost too darned perfect. Handsome, intelligent and romantic. Blah, watch me melt into an oozy little puddle of reader goo. It's pathetic. Meanwhile, Celene is maddeningly bad-ass in all the right ways. Is she a little too cool? Yep, she just pushes over the line between being awesome and too cool. Her redeeming quality is that being a legend has kind of made having a relationship impossible. Men are either intimidated by her or they want to hook-up with her for the status, finding a guy who likes her for her isn't easy until Nils comes along.
The actual plot is a little shaky. It's dull during the traveling bits but when action happens it's pretty fun. Once they reach the villain it hits a bit of a hurdle. I felt like them getting to him was too easily resolved considering all the preparation but this is a romance so I shouldn't have expected the 'boss fight' to be the highlight of the story. The conclusion was well done, I didn't want the characters to not stay true to their 'duty first' personalities. Once they return from the mission the actual ending made me grin. It's a romance and I wanted the geek to get the girl so I loved it.
While not without a few areas that didn't fully sell me I think the only big issue I had was that I had somehow not read COLLISION COURSE beforehand so I was confused at the beginning. I could have sworn I had read it already but I guess not. I think this can stand alone really but readers would benefir greatly from reading this second. Overall, I loved the sexy geeky spacey romance of CHAIN REACTION and can't wait to read more from Archer!
**ARC received via NetGalley
A legendary pilot rescued from a fate as a slave when her ship was disabled by a mysterious device. An engineer from the aptly nicknamed 'NerdWorks' with the skill to aid her in her mission to destroy the device. Both with something to prove and a need to get revenge against the man behind the 8th Wing's greatest threat. But Celene Jur, with her stainless reputation, doesn't want a tech geek weighing her mission down and Nils Calder is the best man for the job. Sparks fly and not all of them good as the pair fight the sensual tension building between them and their mutual sense of duty.
CHAIN REACTION flew by fast, even for a novella. I have a serious weakness for geek heroes and Nils is a smolderingly well-built example of the hawt-geek. He's almost too darned perfect. Handsome, intelligent and romantic. Blah, watch me melt into an oozy little puddle of reader goo. It's pathetic. Meanwhile, Celene is maddeningly bad-ass in all the right ways. Is she a little too cool? Yep, she just pushes over the line between being awesome and too cool. Her redeeming quality is that being a legend has kind of made having a relationship impossible. Men are either intimidated by her or they want to hook-up with her for the status, finding a guy who likes her for her isn't easy until Nils comes along.
The actual plot is a little shaky. It's dull during the traveling bits but when action happens it's pretty fun. Once they reach the villain it hits a bit of a hurdle. I felt like them getting to him was too easily resolved considering all the preparation but this is a romance so I shouldn't have expected the 'boss fight' to be the highlight of the story. The conclusion was well done, I didn't want the characters to not stay true to their 'duty first' personalities. Once they return from the mission the actual ending made me grin. It's a romance and I wanted the geek to get the girl so I loved it.
While not without a few areas that didn't fully sell me I think the only big issue I had was that I had somehow not read COLLISION COURSE beforehand so I was confused at the beginning. I could have sworn I had read it already but I guess not. I think this can stand alone really but readers would benefir greatly from reading this second. Overall, I loved the sexy geeky spacey romance of CHAIN REACTION and can't wait to read more from Archer!
**ARC received via NetGalley
January 9, 2012
In book 1 of the series Collision Course, Celene Jur was kidnapped and put at auction along with her Black Wraith ship to be sold to the highest bidder. She was rescued by her fellow pilots and wants to get revenge at the person who responsible for her capture. She finally gets her chance in Chain Reaction when intel is received about who that person is. She's not happy when she is told that she must partner up with Nils Calder a tech-head from the technology department of the 8th Wing. She feels as if he's not capable enough since he hasn't had much experience going out on missions. But the higher ups feel as if he is capable because of he's the best at what he does and is the only one that is able to track down who they are looking for. She doesn't like this decision but has to deal with it. Celene is a legend in the 8th Wing and Nils feels honored to get the opportunity to work with her. After spending some time with him, Celene develops an attraction to him and begins to really appreciate him because he truly knows his stuff. Together they develop a plan to try to stop the enemies of the 8th Wing from acquiring information that could put them ahead in the war.
I liked the pairing of Celene and Nils together because they are complete opposites. Together they are capable of doing so much more than what they would be able to achieve individually. Nils has so much to prove to show that he and his fellow tech-heads are a very important part of 8th Wing. I enjoyed the scenes in which they finally started to see each other differently. Especially Celene as she begins to realize just how smart and attractive Nils is. It's their interaction with each other that makes this story enjoyable for me. I have to say that I enjoyed book 1 in the series a little bit more because it had much more action and the characters interacted with more people. I do like the direction the series is headed and am looking forward to reading what happens next.
I liked the pairing of Celene and Nils together because they are complete opposites. Together they are capable of doing so much more than what they would be able to achieve individually. Nils has so much to prove to show that he and his fellow tech-heads are a very important part of 8th Wing. I enjoyed the scenes in which they finally started to see each other differently. Especially Celene as she begins to realize just how smart and attractive Nils is. It's their interaction with each other that makes this story enjoyable for me. I have to say that I enjoyed book 1 in the series a little bit more because it had much more action and the characters interacted with more people. I do like the direction the series is headed and am looking forward to reading what happens next.
January 6, 2012
2.5 Stars
Celene Jur is a Black Wraith pilot, and is considered a legend among the 8th Wing. Even with her awesome flying skills, she can't stop her ship from being disabled by a new mysterious device and herself captured by the enemy. She was rescued before she was sold into slavery by the main character in the previous book. Now she is out for revenge against the traitor who crippled her ship. She is sent on a mission to stop this man from selling that device to their enemy. Nils Calder, an engineer is sent with her to help. Celene doesn't want someone from "NerdWorks" to hinder her mission. Soon, though, Celene finds there is more to Nils than just his engineering smarts, and their feelings and attraction grow as they fight to complete the mission.
This is a novella, but I thought Archer did a good job spacing plot, action, and romance. Though the story was enjoyable enough, there was really nothing that got me very excited about it. Nothing really surprised me. I've read 4 books by Archer, all historical paranormals. One of the things I absolutely loved about those books were her characters. They had personality. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the characters in this book. They aren't terrible characters or necessarily one-dimensional. Maybe it was the dialog that colored my opinion of the characters; I found it extremely cheesy. I guess, too, I never found an emotional attachment to either character. But maybe I can blame the book's length on that.
I think I will stick with Archer's historicals.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
Celene Jur is a Black Wraith pilot, and is considered a legend among the 8th Wing. Even with her awesome flying skills, she can't stop her ship from being disabled by a new mysterious device and herself captured by the enemy. She was rescued before she was sold into slavery by the main character in the previous book. Now she is out for revenge against the traitor who crippled her ship. She is sent on a mission to stop this man from selling that device to their enemy. Nils Calder, an engineer is sent with her to help. Celene doesn't want someone from "NerdWorks" to hinder her mission. Soon, though, Celene finds there is more to Nils than just his engineering smarts, and their feelings and attraction grow as they fight to complete the mission.
This is a novella, but I thought Archer did a good job spacing plot, action, and romance. Though the story was enjoyable enough, there was really nothing that got me very excited about it. Nothing really surprised me. I've read 4 books by Archer, all historical paranormals. One of the things I absolutely loved about those books were her characters. They had personality. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the characters in this book. They aren't terrible characters or necessarily one-dimensional. Maybe it was the dialog that colored my opinion of the characters; I found it extremely cheesy. I guess, too, I never found an emotional attachment to either character. But maybe I can blame the book's length on that.
I think I will stick with Archer's historicals.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
March 15, 2016
What I liked:
Some great sensual descriptions, as well as great snark. Beautifully paced tension, especially on the sexual side, and the actions scenes were full of energy. I really liked the character of Nils and how he broke the nerd cliche. There was also nothing heavy about the story.
What I didn't like:
I didn't really connect/empathize with Celene, although perhaps that's because I hadn't read the previous book. There weren't any scenes to emphasize how the whole hero worship thing was actually crippling her love life other than being told backstory. The pace was good until it dropped and became a bit fragmented midway and never quite picked back up for me, especially at the finale. There also wasn't anything ground-breakingly new or different about the story overall.
In conclusion:
This was a quick, light, and fun military SFR story that can be read as a standalone despite being book two of a series. On the downside, it was lacking on the emotional intensity side of the romance for me and missing an explosive final confrontation. If I'm honest I was left a bit disappointed by it. For fans of military scifi romance who aren't into a lot of emotional angst as part of the build up or lots of techy descriptions, and along the lines of a lighter Battlestar Galactica (reboot)/newer Star Trek.
Some great sensual descriptions, as well as great snark. Beautifully paced tension, especially on the sexual side, and the actions scenes were full of energy. I really liked the character of Nils and how he broke the nerd cliche. There was also nothing heavy about the story.
What I didn't like:
I didn't really connect/empathize with Celene, although perhaps that's because I hadn't read the previous book. There weren't any scenes to emphasize how the whole hero worship thing was actually crippling her love life other than being told backstory. The pace was good until it dropped and became a bit fragmented midway and never quite picked back up for me, especially at the finale. There also wasn't anything ground-breakingly new or different about the story overall.
In conclusion:
This was a quick, light, and fun military SFR story that can be read as a standalone despite being book two of a series. On the downside, it was lacking on the emotional intensity side of the romance for me and missing an explosive final confrontation. If I'm honest I was left a bit disappointed by it. For fans of military scifi romance who aren't into a lot of emotional angst as part of the build up or lots of techy descriptions, and along the lines of a lighter Battlestar Galactica (reboot)/newer Star Trek.
January 16, 2012
I'm going to preface this by saying that Zoe Archer is one of my favorite authors. I loved Collision Course, the first book of this 8th Wing series. I think she has a really unique and fresh approach to romance, both in her scifi stories and her historical paranormals.
So, that said, it pains me to give Chain Reaction three stars. I think I understand what she was trying to do with this book - the nerdy hero and the badass, untouchable heroine, the sort of high-school-crush dynamic that turns into a real relationship, etc. But it just... didn't work for me. I really got the feeling that the whole book was rushed and/or crammed into too small of a space. Which resulted in WAY too much telling and backstory. End result - it felt like it was phoned in. I really think that if she'd been given a canvas of, say 300 pages in which to develop the characters and unfold their personalities for us firsthand, rather than telling us about their histories, the story would have been great.
If you're new to Zoe Archer, I recommend starting with something *other* than Chain Reaction.
C-. Sorry, Ms. Archer. Really looking forward to the next Hellions book, though!
So, that said, it pains me to give Chain Reaction three stars. I think I understand what she was trying to do with this book - the nerdy hero and the badass, untouchable heroine, the sort of high-school-crush dynamic that turns into a real relationship, etc. But it just... didn't work for me. I really got the feeling that the whole book was rushed and/or crammed into too small of a space. Which resulted in WAY too much telling and backstory. End result - it felt like it was phoned in. I really think that if she'd been given a canvas of, say 300 pages in which to develop the characters and unfold their personalities for us firsthand, rather than telling us about their histories, the story would have been great.
If you're new to Zoe Archer, I recommend starting with something *other* than Chain Reaction.
C-. Sorry, Ms. Archer. Really looking forward to the next Hellions book, though!
January 30, 2012
Science Fiction Romance
Chain Reaction is set in the same universe as Collision Course and contains some of the same characters. There is some world building in Chain Reaction and what there is does the job. If you want to know more about this universe you need to read both books.
This is pretty standard fair. Celene Jur is the top pilot in the elite 8th Wing. Nils Calder is a tech-head in 8th Wing engineering. Their paths would seldom cross but as fate has it both are needed to find and destroy a weapon that could spell the end of the 8th Wing. There is danger, there is attraction, and there is action. I liked the story but I could have done with a little more action and a little less attraction. I know SFR needs romance and I like romance but I prefer it sprinkled into the action not the action sprinkled into the romance. But for all of that it is a good story with two very likeable main characters.
This universe has a lot to offer so I would guess we will see more stories about the 8th Wing.
Carina Press published Chain Reaction by Zoe Archer in 2012.
I received a free copy of Chain Reaction from NetGalley.
Chain Reaction is set in the same universe as Collision Course and contains some of the same characters. There is some world building in Chain Reaction and what there is does the job. If you want to know more about this universe you need to read both books.
This is pretty standard fair. Celene Jur is the top pilot in the elite 8th Wing. Nils Calder is a tech-head in 8th Wing engineering. Their paths would seldom cross but as fate has it both are needed to find and destroy a weapon that could spell the end of the 8th Wing. There is danger, there is attraction, and there is action. I liked the story but I could have done with a little more action and a little less attraction. I know SFR needs romance and I like romance but I prefer it sprinkled into the action not the action sprinkled into the romance. But for all of that it is a good story with two very likeable main characters.
This universe has a lot to offer so I would guess we will see more stories about the 8th Wing.
Carina Press published Chain Reaction by Zoe Archer in 2012.
I received a free copy of Chain Reaction from NetGalley.
February 25, 2012
I liked the romance between hot pilot Celene "Stainless" Jur and NerdWorks/engineer Nils Calder. This is the second novella in a science fiction romance series, the first was Collision Course which I also enjoyed, but...
I'm left with a few nagging questions about the science end of things like 1/ FTL travel is never mentioned, we just seem to arrive at different solar systems (which have not only planets with life but moons too) after a few days travel 2/ the plot revolves around tracing down a device which can disable military ships, which seems to have been used only once, but which our engineer can trace back to its source presumably lightyears away (even though its not powered up) Really? In one hundred years, human radio waves have travelled only 200 lightyears. 3/ the villain is a former NerdWorks engineer who quit because he wasn't being paid enough and who is in the process of marketing his disabling device, so how did he afford his military compound complete with robot sentries?
On the other hand, I did like the world-building thought that went into the jungle-and-bugs scenes.
I'm left with a few nagging questions about the science end of things like 1/ FTL travel is never mentioned, we just seem to arrive at different solar systems (which have not only planets with life but moons too) after a few days travel 2/ the plot revolves around tracing down a device which can disable military ships, which seems to have been used only once, but which our engineer can trace back to its source presumably lightyears away (even though its not powered up) Really? In one hundred years, human radio waves have travelled only 200 lightyears. 3/ the villain is a former NerdWorks engineer who quit because he wasn't being paid enough and who is in the process of marketing his disabling device, so how did he afford his military compound complete with robot sentries?
On the other hand, I did like the world-building thought that went into the jungle-and-bugs scenes.
December 16, 2011
A Netgalley read
This was my first foray into Zoe Archer (needing to wait until I get my Christmas AMZ cash to buy the Blades of the Rose series). I've never read sci-fi romance, never had the inclination to read sci-fi romance (robots? not really my thing). But I didn't hate it. Chain Reaction is a tiny little novella, but the characters were pretty well-fleshed out and the romance element was complete and original. I loved how Nils was a bit of a fruitcake (nervous blusher alert). So cute, but he got it together in the middle and went for it with Celene. I thought Celene's relationship hangups were realistic (being considered a legend would be isolating), and Archer dealt with the conflicts wonderfully.
The b-plot about a traitor was just so much white noise, it didn't even matter. That's not why you read this book. You read it for the relationship between Nils and Celene.
Like I said, I haven't read the rest of this series, but I think it'd be a good addition for fans. Quick and easy and satisfying read.
This was my first foray into Zoe Archer (needing to wait until I get my Christmas AMZ cash to buy the Blades of the Rose series). I've never read sci-fi romance, never had the inclination to read sci-fi romance (robots? not really my thing). But I didn't hate it. Chain Reaction is a tiny little novella, but the characters were pretty well-fleshed out and the romance element was complete and original. I loved how Nils was a bit of a fruitcake (nervous blusher alert). So cute, but he got it together in the middle and went for it with Celene. I thought Celene's relationship hangups were realistic (being considered a legend would be isolating), and Archer dealt with the conflicts wonderfully.
The b-plot about a traitor was just so much white noise, it didn't even matter. That's not why you read this book. You read it for the relationship between Nils and Celene.
Like I said, I haven't read the rest of this series, but I think it'd be a good addition for fans. Quick and easy and satisfying read.
July 27, 2016
Chain Reaction by Zoe Archer is the second book in her 8th Wings series. It features Celene and Nils as they head out on a mission to capture a traitor and destroy a device that threatens the 8th Wings. It is a Sci-Fi Romance the takes you through outer space to a foreign world that is as dangerous as it is fascinating.
This novella is a quick and entertaining read. And though it is a novella, it still manages to feel complete. Zoe Archer has a talent for writing stories that you can easily sink into as you become a passenger on a grand adventure. Her descriptions are vivid and her characters have depth. The romance between Celene and Nils is well paced with plenty of chemistry. The plot is exciting and flows smoothly. It is a great addition to the 8th Wings series and I look forward to more by this talented author.
Chain Reaction is recommended for fans of Sci-Fi Romance.
This novella is a quick and entertaining read. And though it is a novella, it still manages to feel complete. Zoe Archer has a talent for writing stories that you can easily sink into as you become a passenger on a grand adventure. Her descriptions are vivid and her characters have depth. The romance between Celene and Nils is well paced with plenty of chemistry. The plot is exciting and flows smoothly. It is a great addition to the 8th Wings series and I look forward to more by this talented author.
Chain Reaction is recommended for fans of Sci-Fi Romance.
April 9, 2014
The second book in her "8th Wing" scifi romances, I think I may have enjoyed this one moreso than the first (Collision Course). Celene (the Black Wraith pilot) and Nils (the 'NerdWorks' engineer) made for a pretty stimulating duo. Archer ratcheted up the sexual tension between them quite a few times, but I think I enjoyed how much the two of them were just...discomfited by the other. For different reasons and that they were had the same fears, confidence and conceit at times. Celene was briefly mentioned in the first book, as the pilot that Mara and Kell ended up helping to rescue from being sold off.
February 20, 2016
Read in about an hour because I had a migraine and couldn't do anything other than read (I had to be somewhere). It's a pretty solid, enjoyable, non-infuriating het romance with good chemistry and a compelling plot.
I could have done with a bit less physical perfection from the male lead (it walked a narrow line between "avoiding stereotypes" and "must be able to save the heroine in physical combat like a Real Man" and I'm not sure it stayed balanced), but it was still refreshing to see their interactions so determined by the female lead's blinding reputation (as a skilled pilot and warrior). Negotiating that relationship can be hard when dealing with conventional gender norms.
I could have done with a bit less physical perfection from the male lead (it walked a narrow line between "avoiding stereotypes" and "must be able to save the heroine in physical combat like a Real Man" and I'm not sure it stayed balanced), but it was still refreshing to see their interactions so determined by the female lead's blinding reputation (as a skilled pilot and warrior). Negotiating that relationship can be hard when dealing with conventional gender norms.
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