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Juxtapose City #1
Fearless Leader
When a young, uptight police lieutenant comes up against a street-wise and sexually aggressive empath, sparks fly...
Lieutenant Black, an intense young man with a mysterious past and a hatred of the street drug Bliss, is the leader of the police team which frequently targets psypaths, those with psychic powers. When the beautiful and sexy empath Calyx Starr is pulled from the streets and forced onto his team as part of the police captain's secret agenda, Black must deal not only with Starr's relentless seductions, but also a dangerous telepath with a deadly grudge who has targeted the empath and Black's team.
Calyx Starr isn't used to being denied. Born on the streets and forced into a life of prostitution to fuel his Bliss habit, Calyx is street-wise and tough, and thinks he can use Black for his own secret plans. However the more Calyx learns about Black and his team, the more the empath begins to think Black may be more than a challenge...he may be the only man Calyx can trust with his life and his heart. Too bad Black is a man with dangerous secrets, and becoming involved with him means Calyx may wind up dead or psychically destroyed.
Lieutenant Black, an intense young man with a mysterious past and a hatred of the street drug Bliss, is the leader of the police team which frequently targets psypaths, those with psychic powers. When the beautiful and sexy empath Calyx Starr is pulled from the streets and forced onto his team as part of the police captain's secret agenda, Black must deal not only with Starr's relentless seductions, but also a dangerous telepath with a deadly grudge who has targeted the empath and Black's team.
Calyx Starr isn't used to being denied. Born on the streets and forced into a life of prostitution to fuel his Bliss habit, Calyx is street-wise and tough, and thinks he can use Black for his own secret plans. However the more Calyx learns about Black and his team, the more the empath begins to think Black may be more than a challenge...he may be the only man Calyx can trust with his life and his heart. Too bad Black is a man with dangerous secrets, and becoming involved with him means Calyx may wind up dead or psychically destroyed.
207 pages, ebook
First published January 25, 2012
280 people are currently reading
1201 people want to read
About the author
Tricia Owens
97 books540 followersI write urban fantasy, paranormal romance, m/m fiction and menage fiction, with probably more genres to come! Please visit my website and sign up for my newsletter so you'll be kept apprised of my frequent new releases:
Website: http://www.triciaowensbooks.com/
Website: http://www.triciaowensbooks.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
August 13, 2013
I am completely and utterly in love with LIEUTENANT BLACK!!!!!
I am in love with the story!
I am in love with all other characters!
I am in love with the world that is described!
I am in love with how f*cked up they all are!
I am simply in love with this book and I need to read sequel ASAP!
I am in love with the story!
I am in love with all other characters!
I am in love with the world that is described!
I am in love with how f*cked up they all are!
I am simply in love with this book and I need to read sequel ASAP!
September 25, 2013
It’s like ICoS met PsyCops they fell in love and produced a promising hot mess.
Oh the recipe is right; all the ingredients are present and correct even if they aren’t entirely fresh. It’s still enough to get me excited.
You will find a futuristic world with telepaths, sadistic manipulators, drugs, violence, men-of-mystery (note the plural), dark pasts, secrets, deceit and I could go on and on – such is the latitude of this book. There are just some things that never get stale and I’m happy with that – just spice it up with a pinch of creativity and you’ve got me hooked. I really don’t ask for much (especially with those ingredients on hand) but I do ask that it’s not overcooked.
At the starting point of a new series I really don’t need three (!!) villains OR three(!!) potential lovers vying for my MC’s attention. One vile, sadistic puppet master with the power to viciously manipulate both our MC’s to the extreme is enough (for now) thank you!
And it really irks me that the author gambles with my interest by giving weight to the possibility of a lovetriangle quadrangle when the outcome is obvious because we’ve all read the blurb.
Too many unnecessary points of view made for shallow characterisation and I felt dizzy in establishing the true elements of Lieutenant Black’s self-contradictory character.
Having to suspend my disbelief over his ever-present magnetic sexual allure was bad enough. Now Calyx Starr (empath, criminal, prostitute) is the one character that stays true to his form throughout. And because of that, I connected with him. I believed in his pain, his need and in his attraction to Black. I also want to know more about his past. Is this where I’ll find the author’s pinch of creative spice I wonder?
There is not much in terms of world building – only that they use electro/hover crafts in the future. All the men we meet are gay or that way inclined, and now that I think about it … where there any woman at all?
Fearless Leader is not a bad read - its fast paced with action, dark intrigue, suspense and at least one villain who deserves death by fire!
I found that the story really began to shine at the 70% point, so I’m going to recommend it because there are more of you out there that won’t blink at the issues I have with this book. I’m just a cynic who doesn’t like the setup and (strange) progression is all. I really wish the author hadn’t tried so hard. Angst only works when you’re emotionally invested and I wasn’t, not really.
On a more positive note I found the underlying darkness that is veiled in nightmares and secret meetings quite fascinating. The mere existence of telepaths, psypaths and empaths existing and interacting with normal folk is an interesting thread, and one I would like to see develop further. There is a lot yet to be revealed and yes I want to know; especially if it has anything to do with Calyx Starr. But do I really want to deal with the petty jealousies over Blacks affection or his self-sacrificing martyrdom for a team that’s fallen apart?
Hmm … I’ll see.
Maybe ….
Probably :/
For giveaways and fun stuff come see us at
Oh the recipe is right; all the ingredients are present and correct even if they aren’t entirely fresh. It’s still enough to get me excited.
You will find a futuristic world with telepaths, sadistic manipulators, drugs, violence, men-of-mystery (note the plural), dark pasts, secrets, deceit and I could go on and on – such is the latitude of this book. There are just some things that never get stale and I’m happy with that – just spice it up with a pinch of creativity and you’ve got me hooked. I really don’t ask for much (especially with those ingredients on hand) but I do ask that it’s not overcooked.
At the starting point of a new series I really don’t need three (!!) villains OR three(!!) potential lovers vying for my MC’s attention. One vile, sadistic puppet master with the power to viciously manipulate both our MC’s to the extreme is enough (for now) thank you!
And it really irks me that the author gambles with my interest by giving weight to the possibility of a love
Too many unnecessary points of view made for shallow characterisation and I felt dizzy in establishing the true elements of Lieutenant Black’s self-contradictory character.
Having to suspend my disbelief over his ever-present magnetic sexual allure was bad enough. Now Calyx Starr (empath, criminal, prostitute) is the one character that stays true to his form throughout. And because of that, I connected with him. I believed in his pain, his need and in his attraction to Black. I also want to know more about his past. Is this where I’ll find the author’s pinch of creative spice I wonder?
There is not much in terms of world building – only that they use electro/hover crafts in the future. All the men we meet are gay or that way inclined, and now that I think about it … where there any woman at all?
Fearless Leader is not a bad read - its fast paced with action, dark intrigue, suspense and at least one villain who deserves death by fire!
I found that the story really began to shine at the 70% point, so I’m going to recommend it because there are more of you out there that won’t blink at the issues I have with this book. I’m just a cynic who doesn’t like the setup and (strange) progression is all. I really wish the author hadn’t tried so hard. Angst only works when you’re emotionally invested and I wasn’t, not really.
On a more positive note I found the underlying darkness that is veiled in nightmares and secret meetings quite fascinating. The mere existence of telepaths, psypaths and empaths existing and interacting with normal folk is an interesting thread, and one I would like to see develop further. There is a lot yet to be revealed and yes I want to know; especially if it has anything to do with Calyx Starr. But do I really want to deal with the petty jealousies over Blacks affection or his self-sacrificing martyrdom for a team that’s fallen apart?
Hmm … I’ll see.
Maybe ….
Probably :/
For giveaways and fun stuff come see us at
January 15, 2017
Ummm. I don't know how exactly to rate this book. Did I like it? I'm not exactly sure like is the right word. You know how it is when you see a accident? You know you shouldn't look but when you do... you can't look away? I always look away. Always. But this time, I couldn't. It's like that.
There's a whole lot of bullshit to navigate and you don't know who to trust. The ones you're supposed to like are horribly flawed and the hero is broken. It's dark, gritty, morose and yet oddly compelling. The main leader Black, is probably the most messed up of all of them and I don't quite know what to make of him. Calyx, the druggie whore is more likeable in his honesty. He makes no apologies for who and what he is or what he wants. Everyone else has an agenda and are manipulating and calculating. Everyone seems to want Black but I don't get why. He's not as honorable as I thought he would be and he's got martyrdom down to an art form.
There is dub-con and non-con in this and it's not pretty. I knew that going in but it didn't make it any easier to get through. One of my resolutions this year is to challenge myself to read outside of my comfort zone and to DNF books more instead of forcing myself to read something I don't like. And yet I didn't DNF this when uncomfortable, I found myself glued to my iPad, unable to stop. I need to know how this plays out, I need to see what Black is hiding, I need to see him break the chains he's binded himself into with his hero worship and obligations. I want him to be free and I want Calyx to tap dat ass. And I want Captain Dicknose to fry in the fiery pits of hell. Just sayin.
If you like flawed, complex characters and the dark and gritty shit...this serial may be for you. I admit it caught me and I will continue. Available via KU.
There's a whole lot of bullshit to navigate and you don't know who to trust. The ones you're supposed to like are horribly flawed and the hero is broken. It's dark, gritty, morose and yet oddly compelling. The main leader Black, is probably the most messed up of all of them and I don't quite know what to make of him. Calyx, the druggie whore is more likeable in his honesty. He makes no apologies for who and what he is or what he wants. Everyone else has an agenda and are manipulating and calculating. Everyone seems to want Black but I don't get why. He's not as honorable as I thought he would be and he's got martyrdom down to an art form.
There is dub-con and non-con in this and it's not pretty. I knew that going in but it didn't make it any easier to get through. One of my resolutions this year is to challenge myself to read outside of my comfort zone and to DNF books more instead of forcing myself to read something I don't like. And yet I didn't DNF this when uncomfortable, I found myself glued to my iPad, unable to stop. I need to know how this plays out, I need to see what Black is hiding, I need to see him break the chains he's binded himself into with his hero worship and obligations. I want him to be free and I want Calyx to tap dat ass. And I want Captain Dicknose to fry in the fiery pits of hell. Just sayin.
If you like flawed, complex characters and the dark and gritty shit...this serial may be for you. I admit it caught me and I will continue. Available via KU.
March 14, 2016
Ultimately disappointing because the blurb is interesting but the execution falls flat.
I picked this book up free on Amazon, I suspect the author hopes to entice readers to buy the next five books in the series, however the method of doing so is my ultimate pet hate - no resolution - and a cliff hanger it leaves me feeling cheated, irritated and unimpressed.
Frankly I do not think I have the time to waste finding out what happens next to mediocre characters.
I could possibly be tempted if I had any investment in the protagonist team leader Black, but it takes a lot to sufficiently suspend disbelief that everyone in the team and the majority of secondary characters are gay, not to mention most of them (and it seems anyone Black comes into contact with) lust after the enigmatic team leader. There is no immediate chemistry leaping off the page and it just left me bored and frankly dubious.
The latest recruit to the team Starr also finds himself drawn to their mysterious and brooding leader. Whilst Starr is engaging his treatment within the book felt like a plot device and another victim of Black's unexplained allure.
Plus do not get me started that the only woman in the whole book is a kidnap victim with no speaking part.
Life is just too short to waste. Hugely disappointed.
I picked this book up free on Amazon, I suspect the author hopes to entice readers to buy the next five books in the series, however the method of doing so is my ultimate pet hate - no resolution - and a cliff hanger it leaves me feeling cheated, irritated and unimpressed.
Frankly I do not think I have the time to waste finding out what happens next to mediocre characters.
I could possibly be tempted if I had any investment in the protagonist team leader Black, but it takes a lot to sufficiently suspend disbelief that everyone in the team and the majority of secondary characters are gay, not to mention most of them (and it seems anyone Black comes into contact with) lust after the enigmatic team leader. There is no immediate chemistry leaping off the page and it just left me bored and frankly dubious.
The latest recruit to the team Starr also finds himself drawn to their mysterious and brooding leader. Whilst Starr is engaging his treatment within the book felt like a plot device and another victim of Black's unexplained allure.
"If I can't touch you, then that goes the same for Genesis and Captain Dick and whoever else is out there lusting after you, Darkness."
Plus do not get me started that the only woman in the whole book is a kidnap victim with no speaking part.
Life is just too short to waste. Hugely disappointed.
January 27, 2013
Lets be honest, reviews are all based on personal opinions. So what constitutes a 5 * rating? Obviously it's going to be different for everyone.
If a book or story manages to grab me from the word go, keep me totally enthralled till the bitter end and still leave me wanting more then its worth every one of those 5 stars. - OK... it does help if its written well too!
Take all the above, apply them to ' Fearless Leader ' and "voila" another 5 * review!
Tricia Owens has done a fantastic job with the world building in this novel, it put me in mind of Blade Runner - futuristic, dark and gritty. Full of elite special forces, empaths ,telepaths, designer drugs, secrets and corrupt police departments. Be warned there is mention of rape, there is also dubious consent and violence but it's integral to the plot and without it the story would lose a lot of its impact. I would say don't let it put you off if its not normally in your comfort zone, because everything else that makes up the story is awesome. It was exciting, complex, thought provoking and sexy! This has to be one of the most unusual m/m romances I've ever read, very different to what I expected but all the better for that.
Calyx Starr and Black, talk about sexual tension! Both of them alone are hot stuff but together.......... boy do those sparks fly. The relationship between them is complicated not only by their pasts but also from the interference by Captain Dickerson, Juxtapose City's police chief -one of the most obnoxious characters I've ever come across in any book, a cruel sadistic man who has hidden agendas of his own and secrets he holds over both of them. Add in professional competition between two elite groups of men and unrequited love, jealousy, deaths and dicey new recruits within Blacks group JC2 and you've got a whole fabulous package.
Cliff hanger style ending that ensures you just HAVE to get the next book. Yaaay, luckily the next in the series has just been released so no waiting! Juxtapose City 2 here I come!
If a book or story manages to grab me from the word go, keep me totally enthralled till the bitter end and still leave me wanting more then its worth every one of those 5 stars. - OK... it does help if its written well too!
Take all the above, apply them to ' Fearless Leader ' and "voila" another 5 * review!
Tricia Owens has done a fantastic job with the world building in this novel, it put me in mind of Blade Runner - futuristic, dark and gritty. Full of elite special forces, empaths ,telepaths, designer drugs, secrets and corrupt police departments. Be warned there is mention of rape, there is also dubious consent and violence but it's integral to the plot and without it the story would lose a lot of its impact. I would say don't let it put you off if its not normally in your comfort zone, because everything else that makes up the story is awesome. It was exciting, complex, thought provoking and sexy! This has to be one of the most unusual m/m romances I've ever read, very different to what I expected but all the better for that.
Calyx Starr and Black, talk about sexual tension! Both of them alone are hot stuff but together.......... boy do those sparks fly. The relationship between them is complicated not only by their pasts but also from the interference by Captain Dickerson, Juxtapose City's police chief -one of the most obnoxious characters I've ever come across in any book, a cruel sadistic man who has hidden agendas of his own and secrets he holds over both of them. Add in professional competition between two elite groups of men and unrequited love, jealousy, deaths and dicey new recruits within Blacks group JC2 and you've got a whole fabulous package.
Cliff hanger style ending that ensures you just HAVE to get the next book. Yaaay, luckily the next in the series has just been released so no waiting! Juxtapose City 2 here I come!
August 18, 2013
If you are into slightly dark m/m books this could be the book for you!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED LOVED LOVED IT!!
It was funny, dark and sexy. I loved the banter between mr Darkness himself- Black and the eccentric Calyx.
I NEED to read the next one and will do ASAP!
Thanks V for the rec mwaaaaahhhhh I love you forever hahahahaha
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED LOVED LOVED IT!!
It was funny, dark and sexy. I loved the banter between mr Darkness himself- Black and the eccentric Calyx.
I NEED to read the next one and will do ASAP!
Thanks V for the rec mwaaaaahhhhh I love you forever hahahahaha
July 3, 2013
4.5 stars - This book grabbed my interest pretty much right away. I really enjoy finding a book that doesn't fit neatly in any one category, and this is one of those stories.
In Juxtapose City, there are two elite police/DEA teams run by the Juxtapose City Police Department (JCPD), JCP1 and JCP2. Black is the mysterious young commander of JCP2. Sundhill is the leader of JC1. Both were appointed and are run by Captain Dickerson.
As the story begins, JCP2 are coming to grips with the loss of two team members. Dickerson assigns two individuals to replace the men; one is Sola, an exemplary soldier with an impeccable record, and Calyx Starr, an empath. There are also telepaths in this world.
Calyx is a sorry soul. I liked him from the start. He has had a crap life for the most part, being forced to use his body for currency for one reason or another, whether by force or by his own offering. He uses the drug Bliss to keep him sane from the overwhelming empathy senses. Others are able to dampen theirs by taking small doses of Bliss, but the empaths and telepaths are the main users of the drug. Unfortunately, Calyx is somewhat addicted. He comes across as flamboyant and nonchalant about everything, including sex, but he uses that as a cover up. He is placed into JCP2 by Dickerson, who pulls his every string and forces him to do horrible things. He makes it no secret that he wants Black. Dickerson orders this, but Calyx ends up having feelings of his own for Black.
Black is a darkhorse. He doesn't have much of a past on record, seems to harbor many secrets and looks up to Dickerson for saving him and appointing him to lead JCP2. He also looks up to Sundhill, who also shows an interest in Black, though his intentions are not clear. Black had a sexual relationship with JCP2 member Jake Cole but breaks things off not long into the story. Jake has deeper feelings for Black and has not given up hope of getting him back.
There is a lot going on in this story, between the characters and the issues themselves, such as the drug busts and the mysterious Genesis who seems to be out to take over the City and eliminate JCP2 completely. There are many questions left unanswered about Black and his past; Sundhill's motives; Dickerson's intentions; Calyx's future, etc.
I loved that this was another book that didn't fall neatly into any one category. There is a lot going on, but it is easy to follow. There is little sex, although a rape does occur. I didn't want to put this down and couldn't get enough of Calyx and Black. I went right out and bought the next two books and was thrilled I didn't have to wait to find out, as this ended with a slight cliffy. I'm looking forward to seeing these guys again and hope they can overcome their difficulties.
In Juxtapose City, there are two elite police/DEA teams run by the Juxtapose City Police Department (JCPD), JCP1 and JCP2. Black is the mysterious young commander of JCP2. Sundhill is the leader of JC1. Both were appointed and are run by Captain Dickerson.
As the story begins, JCP2 are coming to grips with the loss of two team members. Dickerson assigns two individuals to replace the men; one is Sola, an exemplary soldier with an impeccable record, and Calyx Starr, an empath. There are also telepaths in this world.
Calyx is a sorry soul. I liked him from the start. He has had a crap life for the most part, being forced to use his body for currency for one reason or another, whether by force or by his own offering. He uses the drug Bliss to keep him sane from the overwhelming empathy senses. Others are able to dampen theirs by taking small doses of Bliss, but the empaths and telepaths are the main users of the drug. Unfortunately, Calyx is somewhat addicted. He comes across as flamboyant and nonchalant about everything, including sex, but he uses that as a cover up. He is placed into JCP2 by Dickerson, who pulls his every string and forces him to do horrible things. He makes it no secret that he wants Black. Dickerson orders this, but Calyx ends up having feelings of his own for Black.
Black is a darkhorse. He doesn't have much of a past on record, seems to harbor many secrets and looks up to Dickerson for saving him and appointing him to lead JCP2. He also looks up to Sundhill, who also shows an interest in Black, though his intentions are not clear. Black had a sexual relationship with JCP2 member Jake Cole but breaks things off not long into the story. Jake has deeper feelings for Black and has not given up hope of getting him back.
There is a lot going on in this story, between the characters and the issues themselves, such as the drug busts and the mysterious Genesis who seems to be out to take over the City and eliminate JCP2 completely. There are many questions left unanswered about Black and his past; Sundhill's motives; Dickerson's intentions; Calyx's future, etc.
I loved that this was another book that didn't fall neatly into any one category. There is a lot going on, but it is easy to follow. There is little sex, although a rape does occur. I didn't want to put this down and couldn't get enough of Calyx and Black. I went right out and bought the next two books and was thrilled I didn't have to wait to find out, as this ended with a slight cliffy. I'm looking forward to seeing these guys again and hope they can overcome their difficulties.
April 3, 2015
I couldn't care for the characters, they were boring and the MC full of manpain. And what is it with these pseudo military teams where all the members are gay (leaders of rivals teams included)? Especially when they all fuck each other or think about fucking each other and then feel a tiny drop of guilt because oh no, it's against the rules.
Oh and I really didn't like the writing, I wanted the empath to die every time he used Sweeartheart or Darkness (also they narrated every little thing they felt way too much). A shame because the summary sounded really interesting. I should scream betrayal now.
Oh and I really didn't like the writing, I wanted the empath to die every time he used Sweeartheart or Darkness (also they narrated every little thing they felt way too much). A shame because the summary sounded really interesting. I should scream betrayal now.
April 7, 2016
At 20% there's nothing remotely interesting or likeable about any character and the dystopian world is poorly described. The characters who are either - not handsome, baby-faced or in one case possessing long purple tipped hair, aren't developed beyond the surface there's nothing to explain their motivation or extremes of behaviour. There's not enough information to explain the world or create an image.
The Captain is mentor one minute and tawdry despot the next. Black (no pronouns are used) is tough, young for his job, troubled by his past, fierce about his new recruit. Nothing new. What should be gritty or emotional is eye-rolling. So far there's been a current lover thrown aside because..trauma, followed by a flashback sex scene with him, then the greeting of the lover-to-be as introduced in the blurb.
It sounded promising but feels like a bad mash-up of ICOS, THIRDS, In Death and possibly Merrily Gentry considering Black is called 'Darkness' and there's already been a BJ!
No thanks, I skimmed a bit further and nothing improved for me.
The Captain is mentor one minute and tawdry despot the next. Black (no pronouns are used) is tough, young for his job, troubled by his past, fierce about his new recruit. Nothing new. What should be gritty or emotional is eye-rolling. So far there's been a current lover thrown aside because..trauma, followed by a flashback sex scene with him, then the greeting of the lover-to-be as introduced in the blurb.
It sounded promising but feels like a bad mash-up of ICOS, THIRDS, In Death and possibly Merrily Gentry considering Black is called 'Darkness' and there's already been a BJ!
No thanks, I skimmed a bit further and nothing improved for me.
May 1, 2017
Wow. I just... wow.
First off, this is not a romance. There are romantic interests, i.e., everyone wants Black and he doesn't know what he wants, but no single romance that you can root for despite what the blurb says. Everyone is flawed, severely so. No one is all good, although there are people who are all bad. In fact, I couldn't stand many of the sympathetic characters at one point or another. But the people are complex and interesting and distinct individuals. My heart breaks for Black. I just want to hold him tightly until he can let his guard down for just a minute.
There are a lot of questions left answered here. There is kind of a cliffhanger, but not exactly--more like this is an episode in a serial that doesn't necessarily have a plot. I must read the next one right now. But I think you could feel satisfied reading just this one and not feeling the need to read the second in the series immediately. Maybe.
The book was dark, and brutal, and nasty. There is intensity in everything, suspense and fear and horror on almost every page. It's not a pleasant book at all. There are some horrible things done that should make me want to hate almost all of the characters, but somehow, I forgave them because I understood them. That takes skill.
The story took me a few minutes to get into but once I had, I was hooked and couldn't put it down. I finished it at a bar between rounds of the trivia game we were competing in.
I know I'm not really telling you anything here, but I don't know what to tell without giving anything away. And really, the book was about emotion and power plays and pain, and how do I describe that?
I will say a few things that I didn't like: I hate the term "flesh-toned" since that could be anything from pale pink too extremely dark brown. It's almost always used to mean light beige, though, and that is appalling. Out of the blue, the story began same-page head jumping which I hate. I really hate love triangles and this was a quadrangle. An electric motorcycle would not have exhaust pipes to burn you, and a laser gun would not give the same results as a projectile weapon for testing purposes. Duh, recoil?
I'm off to buy the next one right now and I don't care if it fits in any challenges I'm part of. I have to read it.
First off, this is not a romance. There are romantic interests, i.e., everyone wants Black and he doesn't know what he wants, but no single romance that you can root for despite what the blurb says. Everyone is flawed, severely so. No one is all good, although there are people who are all bad. In fact, I couldn't stand many of the sympathetic characters at one point or another. But the people are complex and interesting and distinct individuals. My heart breaks for Black. I just want to hold him tightly until he can let his guard down for just a minute.
There are a lot of questions left answered here. There is kind of a cliffhanger, but not exactly--more like this is an episode in a serial that doesn't necessarily have a plot. I must read the next one right now. But I think you could feel satisfied reading just this one and not feeling the need to read the second in the series immediately. Maybe.
The book was dark, and brutal, and nasty. There is intensity in everything, suspense and fear and horror on almost every page. It's not a pleasant book at all. There are some horrible things done that should make me want to hate almost all of the characters, but somehow, I forgave them because I understood them. That takes skill.
The story took me a few minutes to get into but once I had, I was hooked and couldn't put it down. I finished it at a bar between rounds of the trivia game we were competing in.
I know I'm not really telling you anything here, but I don't know what to tell without giving anything away. And really, the book was about emotion and power plays and pain, and how do I describe that?
I will say a few things that I didn't like: I hate the term "flesh-toned" since that could be anything from pale pink too extremely dark brown. It's almost always used to mean light beige, though, and that is appalling. Out of the blue, the story began same-page head jumping which I hate. I really hate love triangles and this was a quadrangle. An electric motorcycle would not have exhaust pipes to burn you, and a laser gun would not give the same results as a projectile weapon for testing purposes. Duh, recoil?
I'm off to buy the next one right now and I don't care if it fits in any challenges I'm part of. I have to read it.
April 10, 2017
Feel free to ignore me. I am the only one that didn't like this book. Just wasn't my cuppa tea.
October 17, 2019
Damn, that was one hell of a darkly delicious disturbing dystopian story right there...
Consider me hooked.
(Late to the party, I know - it's been out for years and I'm only just now getting around to it!)
Consider me hooked.
(Late to the party, I know - it's been out for years and I'm only just now getting around to it!)
December 13, 2019
What did I just read?! I went through that in one sitting - sooo good I didn’t realise I was on the last page 😁 Starting book 2 now - I just love all these characters. Apart from the ones I totally DESPISE - Captain Dickerson I’m talking to you....🤬
October 25, 2018
Supreme mindfuckery
This book is disturbing, but in an oddly good way. It is very, very dark but occasionally, I'm grateful for that. My psyche needs a good kick in the figurative balls from time to time. A warning for other readers: cliffhanger. I generally don't like cliffhangers but if I know ahead of time, I am at least able to check and see that future installments are available. In this case they are so that wasn't a hardship.
The writing is good. I didn't notice any glaring inconsistencies or editing issues, but the world-building was a little weak. So far it seems like the whole city is a bunch of what amounts to crackhouses and back alleys with two teams of super cops running around like vigilantes under the command of a really fucked up dude. Even the futuristic element is largely lacking if that's what the author was going for. Think Gotham City on, well, Bliss. Juxtapose City is a weird combo of dark and rundown, yet technologically advanced ... at least in theory. What else to say ...?
Okay. The Captain is really and truly loathsome.
Black is broken and oh-so-hot because of it. Starr is OTT but intriguing and a little pathetic with all the masks he wears, but it makes me want to know who he really is.
Sundhill gives me the creeping creepies and Black's reaction to him so far makes me want to smack him. Then I remember how young he is and it's almost forgivable. I worry about the rest of the JC2 team ... they seem too soft. And Sola, the aptly named Wolf Sola ... I hope he either comes around or gets what's coming to him, whatever that may end up being. Call me psychic (hardy-har-har), but IMHO, it's this:
"So," you ask, "Where's the mindfuckery?" Well, the whole story so far really. The two teams don't know how screwed they are individually or overall. Everyone is being played against everyone else and against themselves. People are making bad decisions for some good reasons and whole lot of bad ones, but really they're all—ALL—being manipulated in a long, long game with multiple puppet masters. That much you can see coming.
Do we know who all the players are yet? No. But I can guess who at least one of them is besides the dear old Captain, and I think it's going to get really, really ugly—uglier than it already is—and not only will it stay that way, it's likely to get worse. Think [at least] two egomaniacs with a whole lot of control over both the pasts and futures of a bunch of weapons-carrying operatives and a few very dangerous psychics with no real external oversight of the power players. Include the fact that most of the characters of JC2 have experienced some kind of non-con or dub-con in the past or present and it's a recipe for some interesting, if heavy reading.
I can't wait to finish the rest of these!
This book is disturbing, but in an oddly good way. It is very, very dark but occasionally, I'm grateful for that. My psyche needs a good kick in the figurative balls from time to time. A warning for other readers: cliffhanger. I generally don't like cliffhangers but if I know ahead of time, I am at least able to check and see that future installments are available. In this case they are so that wasn't a hardship.
The writing is good. I didn't notice any glaring inconsistencies or editing issues, but the world-building was a little weak. So far it seems like the whole city is a bunch of what amounts to crackhouses and back alleys with two teams of super cops running around like vigilantes under the command of a really fucked up dude. Even the futuristic element is largely lacking if that's what the author was going for. Think Gotham City on, well, Bliss. Juxtapose City is a weird combo of dark and rundown, yet technologically advanced ... at least in theory. What else to say ...?
Okay. The Captain is really and truly loathsome.
Black is broken and oh-so-hot because of it. Starr is OTT but intriguing and a little pathetic with all the masks he wears, but it makes me want to know who he really is.
Sundhill gives me the creeping creepies and Black's reaction to him so far makes me want to smack him. Then I remember how young he is and it's almost forgivable. I worry about the rest of the JC2 team ... they seem too soft. And Sola, the aptly named Wolf Sola ... I hope he either comes around or gets what's coming to him, whatever that may end up being. Call me psychic (hardy-har-har), but IMHO, it's this:
"So," you ask, "Where's the mindfuckery?" Well, the whole story so far really. The two teams don't know how screwed they are individually or overall. Everyone is being played against everyone else and against themselves. People are making bad decisions for some good reasons and whole lot of bad ones, but really they're all—ALL—being manipulated in a long, long game with multiple puppet masters. That much you can see coming.
Do we know who all the players are yet? No. But I can guess who at least one of them is besides the dear old Captain, and I think it's going to get really, really ugly—uglier than it already is—and not only will it stay that way, it's likely to get worse. Think [at least] two egomaniacs with a whole lot of control over both the pasts and futures of a bunch of weapons-carrying operatives and a few very dangerous psychics with no real external oversight of the power players. Include the fact that most of the characters of JC2 have experienced some kind of non-con or dub-con in the past or present and it's a recipe for some interesting, if heavy reading.
I can't wait to finish the rest of these!
January 2, 2013
4.5 stars
This book took me by surprise, but in a very good way. I would describe it by dark themes and characters with mysterious pasts and plans. Calyx is such a wonderful protagonist, definitely not defined by an usual combination of characteristics. An empath, drug addict, occasionally a prostitute, flamboyant, provocative, mouthy, seductive, a survivor of the streets and of the gritty world of Juxtapose. Black (Darkness as Calyx calls him) on the other hand is controlled, dedicated to his team, is trying so hard to hide his emotions. These two opposites are so much fun watching them interact.
This book took me by surprise, but in a very good way. I would describe it by dark themes and characters with mysterious pasts and plans. Calyx is such a wonderful protagonist, definitely not defined by an usual combination of characteristics. An empath, drug addict, occasionally a prostitute, flamboyant, provocative, mouthy, seductive, a survivor of the streets and of the gritty world of Juxtapose. Black (Darkness as Calyx calls him) on the other hand is controlled, dedicated to his team, is trying so hard to hide his emotions. These two opposites are so much fun watching them interact.
October 4, 2013
Fearless Leader seems to be an intriguing mix of various elements from different series I've read (and not read). It's a fast paced novel and truly lives up to that, because boy did it go by fast. I don't think I've read 207 pages quicker than I did this (which does make me doubt that figure).
In starting the novel, I admit I crinkled my nose slightly. The writing was mediocre and stilted and difficult to look past, especially since I hadn't been given a chance to immerse myself into the story (and ignore the writing). The opening scene, a nightmare (which I'm sure sure have been incredibly gripping), left my eyes rolling and me sagging in the chair. Thankfully, for both you and me, the book picked up, especially in the last quarter of book.
The main characters Black and Starr were both fucked in the head and (not to be crude or anything) but in the body as well. Literally. It's curious because I find myself stumbling upon this fucked-over-by-life-and-still-gonna-be-snarky character more often now. I saw it in ICoS, in Shattered Glass and probably a few other titles that have slipped my mind. Calyx strongly resembled Sin at times. Interesting. Anyway, just to give a broad, overarching view of the characters: most of them were fucking jackasses. The only one I've consistently liked is Calyx, and even he needs a punch in the gut sometimes. Several times. Regularly. I'm not even going to talk about Black. I've already read the the sequel (one after other; read: addictive) and so things are blurring. But goddamn, the author just needs to stop piling on fucked-up-mystery after mystery and angsty past tidbits on him. Stop.
The plot was so-so but I definitely think this will pick up in the next few books. Something I find extremely distasteful is how much dub-con and non-con and everything of the ilk is thrown around. Now, like all others *snort*, I do enjoy the occasional dub-con or non-con or such, but I do dislike it when it's just littered everywhere, even if it is essential to the plot and characters. Sometimes, I think certain scenes and developments really aren't necessary, especially since it seems more forced than anything. Oh god, I should not have used the word 'forced'. Pun unintended.
Anyway.
Although I'm not exactly singing praises and skipping down the street in joy I will say this: Juxtapose City is addictive. It's hot, it's fast, and you can't help but be swept in by the gush of fuckery and jackasses and inane plots and depravity of it all.
Rating: a wishy washy 3 stars. Not more, but maybe less.
September 1, 2013
Instant reaction: What?! No! How dare you stop right there?!
And I don't use exclamation marks that much unless I mean business.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this, but it quickly sucked me in. There were some negatives, like the number of characters that were thrown the readers way immediately, and the general need for a round or two of edits, but overall this was just damn good.
The story is set in the future and follows a team of men, led by Black (no first name, but it works so whatever), who are working to rid the streets of criminals. Tragedy strikes, members of the team die, and the world goes on and the team needs new men. A wrench is thrown into everything when one of those men is empath Calyx Starr. There's instant tension among the team for multiple reasons, including a boat load of jealousy (and love triangles/squares/tangles galore) and the stigma that comes with being an empath, or more commonly called, a "freak".
Pair all of that with the use of Bliss, a drug that runs rampant in Juxtapose city and is one of the very things JC2 team is trying to put an end to, which is necessary to work with Calyx and for him to cope with the barrage of emotions that comes with being around "normals", and you get a big ole mess.
This story certainly isn't lacking in depth or plot, and I have a feeling this is just the very tip of the iceberg in what the author has in store. Where do alliances lie? Who is truly good? Can JC2 trust each other? Who the hell is their fearless leader Black really? These are just some of the questions that you will be left asking after you read this. And trust me, I have conspiracy theories left and right on this.
I would've liked to see some more world building, but when we did get a few glimpses of it, the descriptions were just plain lovely.
It's dark and twisted in a way that not everyone will be able to appreciate, and the mystery that lurks within the depths of the story and is left unresolved by the end will leave you crazy, but damn, did I enjoy it.
I know what I'll be reading tomorrow for sure.
And I don't use exclamation marks that much unless I mean business.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this, but it quickly sucked me in. There were some negatives, like the number of characters that were thrown the readers way immediately, and the general need for a round or two of edits, but overall this was just damn good.
The story is set in the future and follows a team of men, led by Black (no first name, but it works so whatever), who are working to rid the streets of criminals. Tragedy strikes, members of the team die, and the world goes on and the team needs new men. A wrench is thrown into everything when one of those men is empath Calyx Starr. There's instant tension among the team for multiple reasons, including a boat load of jealousy (and love triangles/squares/tangles galore) and the stigma that comes with being an empath, or more commonly called, a "freak".
Pair all of that with the use of Bliss, a drug that runs rampant in Juxtapose city and is one of the very things JC2 team is trying to put an end to, which is necessary to work with Calyx and for him to cope with the barrage of emotions that comes with being around "normals", and you get a big ole mess.
This story certainly isn't lacking in depth or plot, and I have a feeling this is just the very tip of the iceberg in what the author has in store. Where do alliances lie? Who is truly good? Can JC2 trust each other? Who the hell is their fearless leader Black really? These are just some of the questions that you will be left asking after you read this. And trust me, I have conspiracy theories left and right on this.
I would've liked to see some more world building, but when we did get a few glimpses of it, the descriptions were just plain lovely.
It's dark and twisted in a way that not everyone will be able to appreciate, and the mystery that lurks within the depths of the story and is left unresolved by the end will leave you crazy, but damn, did I enjoy it.
I know what I'll be reading tomorrow for sure.
did-not-finish
September 9, 2023DNF @ 22%. No rating.
I'm irritated to be DNFing this one but it's my fault because I made assumptions that I shouldn't have and I got so excited by the blurb that I didn't check reviews.
To be fair - I loved the dystopian atmosphere and how the author did the worldbuilding. I was a little confused at first because the author presented the side characters as if I was supposed to already know them so I struggled to catch up at first but it wasn't overwhelming. It was odd having nearly every cop character be gay but I could have lived with that. I also liked the MCs despite both of them having some OTT characteristics that I usually don't like (somebody who grew up being a street prostitute isn't going to have waist-length hair and having an MC be referred to by his last name (Black) even in his POV scenes was weird). They were interesting characters and in particular, I love characters like Black and I was looking forward to learning more about his history.
Then I got confused because the author focused heavily on Black's fuckbuddy relationship with a fellow officer and we also got random POV scenes from the other cop characters. This was weird so I checked the reviews and that's when I realized this book isn't for me. I hadn't realized that this book is part of a very long series (there are 13 books) and the MCs don't appear to get together until about Book 5. In fact, the majority of the book blurbs focus heavily on suspense plotlines and Black's past and there's barely any reference to his romance with Calyx.
The romance between Black and Calyx was the only thing that had attracted me to this story so having the story focus on other things means my interest plummeted to zero. But that's my own fault, which is why I'm not rating this one.
I'm irritated to be DNFing this one but it's my fault because I made assumptions that I shouldn't have and I got so excited by the blurb that I didn't check reviews.
To be fair - I loved the dystopian atmosphere and how the author did the worldbuilding. I was a little confused at first because the author presented the side characters as if I was supposed to already know them so I struggled to catch up at first but it wasn't overwhelming. It was odd having nearly every cop character be gay but I could have lived with that. I also liked the MCs despite both of them having some OTT characteristics that I usually don't like (somebody who grew up being a street prostitute isn't going to have waist-length hair and having an MC be referred to by his last name (Black) even in his POV scenes was weird). They were interesting characters and in particular, I love characters like Black and I was looking forward to learning more about his history.
Then I got confused because the author focused heavily on Black's fuckbuddy relationship with a fellow officer and we also got random POV scenes from the other cop characters. This was weird so I checked the reviews and that's when I realized this book isn't for me. I hadn't realized that this book is part of a very long series (there are 13 books) and the MCs don't appear to get together until about Book 5. In fact, the majority of the book blurbs focus heavily on suspense plotlines and Black's past and there's barely any reference to his romance with Calyx.
The romance between Black and Calyx was the only thing that had attracted me to this story so having the story focus on other things means my interest plummeted to zero. But that's my own fault, which is why I'm not rating this one.
January 12, 2013
Sorry, but this book has exceeded my suspense of disbelief threshold.
It started off quite intriguing. First off, I loved the blurb; it sounded like it had all those elements that I find interesting and whatnot.
It progressed weirdly, to say the least, and then somewhere along the way, it degenerated into complete Freudian everything. All of a sudden, it was all about sex all the time. Who's fucking who? Who wants to fuck who? Who's in denial about wanting to fuck who and who's going to ultimately end up fucking who?
Black went from being the stoic fearless leader with his crowning moments of awesome to something kind of resembling a werewolf omega. Everyone's fighting over him...OH! He must be exuding uke-pheromones or something! (I say this sardonically because what other possible explanation is there?)
I will continue reading, but this book just seems more PWP without the actual sex with some excuse plot thrown in to justify its "book"ness.
Which is a shame since the premises it brings up are quite fascinating. *sigh. I really did want to like this book...
(A Thought [capital T] occurs to me. Perhaps if this book had spent more time on the world and its implications as opposed to following every agonizing moment of character angst in excruciating detail. I also would have liked to see more of Dickerson and his Ultimate Overplot of Maybe Evil or something. That, I feel, has a greater implication. I don't mean tell us all the details. I mean throw out more scenes with hints of Dickerson's agenda so it's not all about how much Dick seems to want to fuck Calyx and Black at the same time...)
It started off quite intriguing. First off, I loved the blurb; it sounded like it had all those elements that I find interesting and whatnot.
It progressed weirdly, to say the least, and then somewhere along the way, it degenerated into complete Freudian everything. All of a sudden, it was all about sex all the time. Who's fucking who? Who wants to fuck who? Who's in denial about wanting to fuck who and who's going to ultimately end up fucking who?
Black went from being the stoic fearless leader with his crowning moments of awesome to something kind of resembling a werewolf omega. Everyone's fighting over him...OH! He must be exuding uke-pheromones or something! (I say this sardonically because what other possible explanation is there?)
I will continue reading, but this book just seems more PWP without the actual sex with some excuse plot thrown in to justify its "book"ness.
Which is a shame since the premises it brings up are quite fascinating. *sigh. I really did want to like this book...
(A Thought [capital T] occurs to me. Perhaps if this book had spent more time on the world and its implications as opposed to following every agonizing moment of character angst in excruciating detail. I also would have liked to see more of Dickerson and his Ultimate Overplot of Maybe Evil or something. That, I feel, has a greater implication. I don't mean tell us all the details. I mean throw out more scenes with hints of Dickerson's agenda so it's not all about how much Dick seems to want to fuck Calyx and Black at the same time...)
dnf
October 13, 2013DNF at 46%
I had high hopes for this one, but it's not my cuppa tea.
I had high hopes for this one, but it's not my cuppa tea.
April 2, 2016
Very enjoyable!
June 13, 2016
This was chock-full of stuff I hate. For starters, the only woman mentioned in the entire book was a kidnap victim. Yes siree, these cops are 100% grade-A manmeat and, except for one 'phobe, they're all hot for each other…..because that’s the kind of book this is.
Very little of substance actually happens. Just lots of lusting, groping, suggestive convos, sex, and pissing matches. There wasn’t a likeable character in the bunch. Calyx loves to push people’s buttons and is inappropriately sexual with everyone. His use of ‘sweetheart’ was supremely annoying.
Naturally one of the guys is raped……because that’s the kind of book this is. Then the victim decides that to really share how bad he’s feeling, he should rape his colleague. Smart, right? Then he’ll get it. But both these guys have been raped before so it’s all good. Everyone’s on the same page about the not-funness of rape.
There are lots of hints about sad backstories but you’ll have to continue on to the other books to find out anything. I wouldn’t say this had a cliffhanger, but I wouldn’t consider it a complete story either. It felt like the setup for the real story to come. But this series is up to nine books so I’m guessing that things are being doled out very slowly.
It was my mistake to try this author again after hating Angel: Reverse but it was free so I gave her another shot. I am well and truly done now.
Very little of substance actually happens. Just lots of lusting, groping, suggestive convos, sex, and pissing matches. There wasn’t a likeable character in the bunch. Calyx loves to push people’s buttons and is inappropriately sexual with everyone. His use of ‘sweetheart’ was supremely annoying.
Naturally one of the guys is raped……because that’s the kind of book this is. Then the victim decides that to really share how bad he’s feeling, he should rape his colleague. Smart, right? Then he’ll get it. But both these guys have been raped before so it’s all good. Everyone’s on the same page about the not-funness of rape.
There are lots of hints about sad backstories but you’ll have to continue on to the other books to find out anything. I wouldn’t say this had a cliffhanger, but I wouldn’t consider it a complete story either. It felt like the setup for the real story to come. But this series is up to nine books so I’m guessing that things are being doled out very slowly.
It was my mistake to try this author again after hating Angel: Reverse but it was free so I gave her another shot. I am well and truly done now.
January 4, 2015
I've been in such a book slump lately and then this book shows up and I'm in love again! This is definitely a book that knows how to add a little intrigue and mystery to an otherwise run of the mill cop book.
So many secrets! I loved Black and Starr, they were the complete opposite of each other and you know they're going to get together it's kinda inevitable. The waiting is the hard part.
The only real criticism I have about this one is just the plot itself. For a book that features a special forces police force there is absolutely no police work that actually gets done in this one. I would have like to see the team in action at some point or at least have the book work towards a real goal.
Anyway, I highly recommend this to anyone who has a thing for tormented/tortured heroes both the brooding and the flamboyant kind.
So many secrets! I loved Black and Starr, they were the complete opposite of each other and you know they're going to get together it's kinda inevitable. The waiting is the hard part.
The only real criticism I have about this one is just the plot itself. For a book that features a special forces police force there is absolutely no police work that actually gets done in this one. I would have like to see the team in action at some point or at least have the book work towards a real goal.
Anyway, I highly recommend this to anyone who has a thing for tormented/tortured heroes both the brooding and the flamboyant kind.
July 7, 2014
Synopsis:
The Special Forces team JC2 was created by the police to combat violence and drug crimes in Juxtapose City. Lieutenant Black, an intense young man with a mysterious past and a hatred of the drug Bliss, is the leader of the team which frequently targets psypaths, those with psychic powers. When the empath Calyx Starr is pulled from the streets and forced onto his team as part of the police captain's secret agenda, Black must deal not only with Starr's relentless attempts at seduction but also a dangerous telepath with a deadly grudge who has targeted the empath and JC2. This is an m/m romance.
My Thoughts:
It's insane the way that I got sucked into this story. I loved it.
The Special Forces team JC2 was created by the police to combat violence and drug crimes in Juxtapose City. Lieutenant Black, an intense young man with a mysterious past and a hatred of the drug Bliss, is the leader of the team which frequently targets psypaths, those with psychic powers. When the empath Calyx Starr is pulled from the streets and forced onto his team as part of the police captain's secret agenda, Black must deal not only with Starr's relentless attempts at seduction but also a dangerous telepath with a deadly grudge who has targeted the empath and JC2. This is an m/m romance.
My Thoughts:
It's insane the way that I got sucked into this story. I loved it.
January 3, 2016
When an author creates a society so dystopian that not a single ray of light filters through the clouds, where criminals are vile, but the police is viler and more despicable than them, s/he runs the risk of causing a saturation of evil.
As a reader I rebel to that even when facing literary masterpieces, fiction is bound to be thrown -figuratively- to the wall.
This is why, even if writing is not bad, I never suspended disbelief, I never could like the characters -any of them-, I could never get into the story.
As a reader I rebel to that even when facing literary masterpieces, fiction is bound to be thrown -figuratively- to the wall.
This is why, even if writing is not bad, I never suspended disbelief, I never could like the characters -any of them-, I could never get into the story.
October 30, 2017
4.5 stars
July 29, 2024
Not quite my cuppa.
Two violent and hateful MCs
doing rotten things.
Two violent and hateful MCs
doing rotten things.
March 14, 2016
Turns out I was wrong. This wasn't all that enjoyable after all. The only positive thing I can say about this book at this point is: it was free...
I've had no compassion for one of the MCs--Starr, the empath--at all. Like, I thought I'd warm up to his character at some point, but actually ended up being totally annoyed by him. Couldn't empathise--ha, the irony--with him at all. Didn't care about what happened to him.
Him being a manipulative, snappy, provocative bastard, who calls everybody "sweetheart" (whether the situation merits it or not) grated on my nerves like hell. Yes, I get that he's supposedly acting like this for self-defense mechansism reason, but noooope.
So, cliffhanger und unfinished first book in a series with no resolution of the plot aside, not gonna pick up book numero due.
ETA: on a side note:
"Black closed his eyes; feeling the sun upon his face as he considered the golden-haired lieutenant."
The 3rd person POV in this book switches from character to character, but nonetheless, to me it reflects the thoughts of the respective character.
So, when I read sth. like the example above all I can think about (while cringing) is: does anyone really talk/think like this, like ever?!
So, the guy is blonde. Yep, got that. What is it with authors and referring to people by their age/build/hair-/eye-colour? the golden-haired lieutenant, the older man,..... Hint: there are pronouns for a reason.
And then not stopping at blonde, no, because it's golden hair, ya know, big diff. *rolls eyes*
I've had no compassion for one of the MCs--Starr, the empath--at all. Like, I thought I'd warm up to his character at some point, but actually ended up being totally annoyed by him. Couldn't empathise--ha, the irony--with him at all. Didn't care about what happened to him.
Him being a manipulative, snappy, provocative bastard, who calls everybody "sweetheart" (whether the situation merits it or not) grated on my nerves like hell. Yes, I get that he's supposedly acting like this for self-defense mechansism reason, but noooope.
So, cliffhanger und unfinished first book in a series with no resolution of the plot aside, not gonna pick up book numero due.
ETA: on a side note:
"Black closed his eyes; feeling the sun upon his face as he considered the golden-haired lieutenant."
The 3rd person POV in this book switches from character to character, but nonetheless, to me it reflects the thoughts of the respective character.
So, when I read sth. like the example above all I can think about (while cringing) is: does anyone really talk/think like this, like ever?!
So, the guy is blonde. Yep, got that. What is it with authors and referring to people by their age/build/hair-/eye-colour? the golden-haired lieutenant, the older man,..... Hint: there are pronouns for a reason.
And then not stopping at blonde, no, because it's golden hair, ya know, big diff. *rolls eyes*
August 31, 2013
The story started out pretty good.
Plenty of action and brooding heroes that collide in personalities. But then, halfway through the story, it kind of veered from what I was expecting. Black went from being calculated and in control to second guessing himself, unsure and needy. I expected him to be strong. Yes, give in when things became too hard and have his weak moments, but know to pick himself up and build his walls again and stride forward with confidence.
The only one that stayed faithful to the image I was expecting was Calyx Starr. He was indeed the addict, whoring himself to get out of a hellish life. But he became more complex throughout the story, showing us that he made a deal with Dickerson in the hopes of reaching Silent City, becoming attached to Black, even coming to understand Jake.
What I disliked about the story were some inconsistencies (or what I perceived them to be as such). For all that Black demanded respect from his team, he had no problem belittling Calyx and calling him all kind of names. And I hated how some activities were kept in secret, like Black and Dickerson's secret meetings and Genesis, etc.
I was really excited when I started the series but it petered out towards the end. I couldn't grow attached to Black so there was no drive to keep me hooked. I'll read the next installment but doubt the rating will increase.
Plenty of action and brooding heroes that collide in personalities. But then, halfway through the story, it kind of veered from what I was expecting. Black went from being calculated and in control to second guessing himself, unsure and needy. I expected him to be strong. Yes, give in when things became too hard and have his weak moments, but know to pick himself up and build his walls again and stride forward with confidence.
The only one that stayed faithful to the image I was expecting was Calyx Starr. He was indeed the addict, whoring himself to get out of a hellish life. But he became more complex throughout the story, showing us that he made a deal with Dickerson in the hopes of reaching Silent City, becoming attached to Black, even coming to understand Jake.
What I disliked about the story were some inconsistencies (or what I perceived them to be as such). For all that Black demanded respect from his team, he had no problem belittling Calyx and calling him all kind of names. And I hated how some activities were kept in secret, like Black and Dickerson's secret meetings and Genesis, etc.
I was really excited when I started the series but it petered out towards the end. I couldn't grow attached to Black so there was no drive to keep me hooked. I'll read the next installment but doubt the rating will increase.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2016
I'm not really totally sure what I think of this story. I'm not sure how quickly I would jump to reading the next book in the series. See this butts up against a couple of my pet peeves, but the world was intriguing. I HATE love triangles, especially when they're love triangles that are complicated just for the sake of being complicated. There's a lot of that going around in this story.
This is a dark world with a lot of secrets, everybody here seems to have them. Nothing is as it seems and you're never 100% certain who the good guys are. Everyone has a little bit of shady about them. I kept flip flopping on whether I liked characters or not. Black himself is a conundrum as well. There are times he seems totally competent and right for his post and other times he seems way to vulnerable to be leading that group of men.
Ultimately I'm not really sure how I feel about it all. I want to like it, the darker elements don't bother me. Sometimes these dark and twisty worlds walking the fine line of crime can be really great. But I can't get past the love triangle/quadrangle here. I like to know that things are going to work out between my leads. Too many people vying for one man's attention here for me to really love it.
This is a dark world with a lot of secrets, everybody here seems to have them. Nothing is as it seems and you're never 100% certain who the good guys are. Everyone has a little bit of shady about them. I kept flip flopping on whether I liked characters or not. Black himself is a conundrum as well. There are times he seems totally competent and right for his post and other times he seems way to vulnerable to be leading that group of men.
Ultimately I'm not really sure how I feel about it all. I want to like it, the darker elements don't bother me. Sometimes these dark and twisty worlds walking the fine line of crime can be really great. But I can't get past the love triangle/quadrangle here. I like to know that things are going to work out between my leads. Too many people vying for one man's attention here for me to really love it.
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