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Barbarossa's Bitch
Dylan Taggert was one of the few people lucky enough to wake up the morning after the world ended. But as humanity picks up the pieces, he quickly learns that there is no place for a gay computer programmer in a subsistence farming community. Hounded out of one settlement and harried out of another, Dylan keeps his wagon packed and his walking boots ready.
All that changes when he is captured on the road by a wildpack. The ferociously masked leader, Lord Barbarossa, sees something in Dylan that he wants and he keeps the programmer as the pack makes its round of the settlements. The wildpack serves as defenders, trade caravan, circuit riding judge and priest, and mail carrier for the settlements. And Dylan, now called Kane, serves Lord Barbarossa.
But Kane wants to be more than just a warlord's toy and sets about making himself a useful part of the pack. Over the years, he earns himself a place, clothing and his membership marks. But the wheel keeps turning and once again things are changing for the wildpack. The settlements are stronger. The trade routes are secure again. And they are growing older with every winter. They have lived through the end of the old world. Now, they face living through the end of their new world as well.
All that changes when he is captured on the road by a wildpack. The ferociously masked leader, Lord Barbarossa, sees something in Dylan that he wants and he keeps the programmer as the pack makes its round of the settlements. The wildpack serves as defenders, trade caravan, circuit riding judge and priest, and mail carrier for the settlements. And Dylan, now called Kane, serves Lord Barbarossa.
But Kane wants to be more than just a warlord's toy and sets about making himself a useful part of the pack. Over the years, he earns himself a place, clothing and his membership marks. But the wheel keeps turning and once again things are changing for the wildpack. The settlements are stronger. The trade routes are secure again. And they are growing older with every winter. They have lived through the end of the old world. Now, they face living through the end of their new world as well.
156 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 22, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 16, 2018
When the first line of a book is...
When the settlement delegation entered the encampment, Kane was being fucked. Lord Barbarossa hammered away at his ass, growling obscenities.
And with the title Barbarossa’s Bitch, I was pretty much expecting a dark slave novel, raw, gritty and full of sex in a post-apocalyptic setting… but what I got was completely unexpected, very different and I have to say quite surreal in parts!
It is also very difficult to review this story as the narrative is not set out in chronological order, it spans fourteen years from the day before the apocalypse to the books present day, but it flip flops backwards and forwards randomly along the timeline so the middle is at the beginning the beginning at the end and so on, you have answers before questions and vice versa… it all sounds incredibly confusing and I did have to think WTF on more than one occasion but strangely enough it worked, how on earth the authors put it together so as not to confuse us as readers and still keeping us engrossed, I can only attribute to their talent, and it certainly kept me turning the pages.
A note from Dylan Taggert:
These are scenes from a life, my life, both as myself and as Kane. They can be read in any order. Cut this apart and shuffle them like cards. It will make as much or as little sense as the reader likes. Much like my world where there are only two real times: Before and After.
The world building was excellent the authors did a great job, and you get a real feel for the despair and uncertainty, how the weak were manipulated through loss of hope and need for guidance… they ranged from people working together as a community to settlements where women were slaves, settlements of only women, religious sects and of course the Wildpacks who were only men… outcasts from those communities, as everything is a commodity and has a value, with procreation being a must… so if you were gay, as a human being you were worthless and a drain on the society. But with trade being the only way forward the Wildpacks were now the Marshalls and enforcers, and the only thing tying it all together.
Dylan is picked up in a slave raid and is immediately drawn to Barbarossa, he is naturally subservient with a sincere and honest disposition.. he is actually too nice as he holds no malice or anger towards Barbarossa despite his treatment, he just accepts and I would have expected some resentment and more profanities at least from him.
Barbarossa wears leathers and a mask… it is his persona and he is definitely one badass dangerous and powerful man and his shows of dominance and humiliation towards Dylan only confirm that… although for Barbarossa it was also to protect Dylan and at the same time send a message to the pack of his authority, he cannot be undermined in anyway as it would not only be Dylan but also himself that would fall victim to the savagery of the pack at any sign of weakness … especially if they perceive that weakness to be Dylan.
Even though I enjoyed this, I was expecting a dark novel, something to get my teeth into and my blood boiling and we did touch on that occasionally but for the most part it was nice, with some of the dialog actually formal and polite which at times was disconcerting for me, and didn’t quite fit with the characters. At one point I did feel as though I had been dropped into the middle of a surreal dream and taken back to the times of knights and lords in a very bizarre ménage scene. Having said that I read this book a few weeks ago and I have to say that even now I can still recall the book, I can’t say that I connected on an emotional level with the characters, but as a whole the book was intriguing and I was engrossed in their journey which was a long and arduous one but full of hope and in the end love, it was a fitting end to the book and I would certainly recommend it.
For more reviews, please check out Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews and you can also find us on Facebook
When the settlement delegation entered the encampment, Kane was being fucked. Lord Barbarossa hammered away at his ass, growling obscenities.
And with the title Barbarossa’s Bitch, I was pretty much expecting a dark slave novel, raw, gritty and full of sex in a post-apocalyptic setting… but what I got was completely unexpected, very different and I have to say quite surreal in parts!
It is also very difficult to review this story as the narrative is not set out in chronological order, it spans fourteen years from the day before the apocalypse to the books present day, but it flip flops backwards and forwards randomly along the timeline so the middle is at the beginning the beginning at the end and so on, you have answers before questions and vice versa… it all sounds incredibly confusing and I did have to think WTF on more than one occasion but strangely enough it worked, how on earth the authors put it together so as not to confuse us as readers and still keeping us engrossed, I can only attribute to their talent, and it certainly kept me turning the pages.
A note from Dylan Taggert:
These are scenes from a life, my life, both as myself and as Kane. They can be read in any order. Cut this apart and shuffle them like cards. It will make as much or as little sense as the reader likes. Much like my world where there are only two real times: Before and After.
The world building was excellent the authors did a great job, and you get a real feel for the despair and uncertainty, how the weak were manipulated through loss of hope and need for guidance… they ranged from people working together as a community to settlements where women were slaves, settlements of only women, religious sects and of course the Wildpacks who were only men… outcasts from those communities, as everything is a commodity and has a value, with procreation being a must… so if you were gay, as a human being you were worthless and a drain on the society. But with trade being the only way forward the Wildpacks were now the Marshalls and enforcers, and the only thing tying it all together.
Dylan is picked up in a slave raid and is immediately drawn to Barbarossa, he is naturally subservient with a sincere and honest disposition.. he is actually too nice as he holds no malice or anger towards Barbarossa despite his treatment, he just accepts and I would have expected some resentment and more profanities at least from him.
Barbarossa wears leathers and a mask… it is his persona and he is definitely one badass dangerous and powerful man and his shows of dominance and humiliation towards Dylan only confirm that… although for Barbarossa it was also to protect Dylan and at the same time send a message to the pack of his authority, he cannot be undermined in anyway as it would not only be Dylan but also himself that would fall victim to the savagery of the pack at any sign of weakness … especially if they perceive that weakness to be Dylan.
Even though I enjoyed this, I was expecting a dark novel, something to get my teeth into and my blood boiling and we did touch on that occasionally but for the most part it was nice, with some of the dialog actually formal and polite which at times was disconcerting for me, and didn’t quite fit with the characters. At one point I did feel as though I had been dropped into the middle of a surreal dream and taken back to the times of knights and lords in a very bizarre ménage scene. Having said that I read this book a few weeks ago and I have to say that even now I can still recall the book, I can’t say that I connected on an emotional level with the characters, but as a whole the book was intriguing and I was engrossed in their journey which was a long and arduous one but full of hope and in the end love, it was a fitting end to the book and I would certainly recommend it.
For more reviews, please check out Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews and you can also find us on Facebook
March 22, 2013
3.75 stars. Unique post-apocalyptic tale with a D/s bent. One morning most of the people in the world just didn't wake up. The survivors are left to recreate society in the vacuum and things get quite vicious. Dylan, a skinny gay computer programmer wanders from settlement to settlement looking for a place to feel safe. But the need to repopulate and the rise of fundamentalism means gay men are being kicked out of these communities on a regular basis. Finally he sets off for the wild places in the hope of finding acceptance. There he is taken prisoner by one of the wildpacks, a collective of outcast men (often gay) who deal in enforcement and trade within their territories. Their leader, Barbarossa, takes Dylan as a slave.
The writing set-up. The story is told in a series of vignettes that occur over the 10 years or so that Dylan rides with the pack. In the foreword the authors imply that these scenes are random but I suspect that they were very carefully chosen because I had no problem following the action. Within the first few scenes we know exactly what happened, how Dylan was taken, and how things are for him as Barbarossa's bitch. I really enjoyed the out of sequence style. It was satisfyingly challenging plus it gave a realistic feel to the tale. Almost like a photo-journalistic essay.
The world-building set-up. For much of the story the wildpack is on the road, journeying their territories, putting down rebellions and threats to their people, and trading goods. There is a lot of bonding between the men. I found it interesting to read about the different settlements and how they evolved to survive. Some were good, some not so good. But the wildpack members never seemed to take much of a moral stance against wrongdoing in their domain even though most of the members of the pack are surprisingly kind and ethical. Almost to an unbelievable extent which is one of my gripes. The guys didn't feel that tough to me and the way they act, and the overall tone of the novel is quite... 'sedate' is the word that comes to my mind.
The slave set-up. Dylan is one of those slaves who revels in his submission. From the first second he meets Barbarossa he forms an unquestioning devotion to his Lord. Barbarossa uses Dylan to demonstrate his dominance by keeping him naked except for a cock cage and having rough sexual displays in front of his men and the people of the settlement. That was the thing that bugged me the most. Just having hard gay sex didn't really make Barbarossa seem tough to me. If I was one of the settlement people I would have been rolling my eyes rather than being afraid by one of those displays. But of course this is an erotica novel and these scenes are meant more for titillation and in that respect they worked. But I needed more evidence that Barbarossa was mean enough to control the savages. In one scene where Dylan is taken hostage by a rival pack, I would have preferred Barbarossa to have rescued him and laid waste to the interlopers in some big fight scenes. But in fact he is rescued by a child.
Dylan gets passed around to the other members of the pack for companionship and sexual favours when Barbarossa feels like it. But they're all down with this and know each other well so it never feels that humiliating although for me personally, not being a fan of polyamory, it dilutes the romance between Barbarossa and Dylan. I wasn't blown away by the relationship but I had fun reading about these characters. Dylan does grow over time. The security that Barbarossa gives him allows him to start finding his place and his beliefs in this new world. Although there is one opportunity that was lost I feel, when Dylan imagines poisoning the men of a particularly bad settlement where the women are horribly treated. I think he should have gone back and done that. It would have made him a more heroic figure to me.
This book is only 150 pages but it feels much longer. If you're a fan of post-apocalyptic novels I wouldn't let the slave angle or the random sequencing put you off. Neither aspect is as big of an issue as you might think. In terms of post apocalyptic stories I think the book needed more general violence, more of a sense of danger. Everything was just a little too easy and soft and loving for a world gone mad. I'll be interested to see how fans of slave fic receive the story.
The writing set-up. The story is told in a series of vignettes that occur over the 10 years or so that Dylan rides with the pack. In the foreword the authors imply that these scenes are random but I suspect that they were very carefully chosen because I had no problem following the action. Within the first few scenes we know exactly what happened, how Dylan was taken, and how things are for him as Barbarossa's bitch. I really enjoyed the out of sequence style. It was satisfyingly challenging plus it gave a realistic feel to the tale. Almost like a photo-journalistic essay.
The world-building set-up. For much of the story the wildpack is on the road, journeying their territories, putting down rebellions and threats to their people, and trading goods. There is a lot of bonding between the men. I found it interesting to read about the different settlements and how they evolved to survive. Some were good, some not so good. But the wildpack members never seemed to take much of a moral stance against wrongdoing in their domain even though most of the members of the pack are surprisingly kind and ethical. Almost to an unbelievable extent which is one of my gripes. The guys didn't feel that tough to me and the way they act, and the overall tone of the novel is quite... 'sedate' is the word that comes to my mind.
The slave set-up. Dylan is one of those slaves who revels in his submission. From the first second he meets Barbarossa he forms an unquestioning devotion to his Lord. Barbarossa uses Dylan to demonstrate his dominance by keeping him naked except for a cock cage and having rough sexual displays in front of his men and the people of the settlement. That was the thing that bugged me the most. Just having hard gay sex didn't really make Barbarossa seem tough to me. If I was one of the settlement people I would have been rolling my eyes rather than being afraid by one of those displays. But of course this is an erotica novel and these scenes are meant more for titillation and in that respect they worked. But I needed more evidence that Barbarossa was mean enough to control the savages. In one scene where Dylan is taken hostage by a rival pack, I would have preferred Barbarossa to have rescued him and laid waste to the interlopers in some big fight scenes. But in fact he is rescued by a child.
Dylan gets passed around to the other members of the pack for companionship and sexual favours when Barbarossa feels like it. But they're all down with this and know each other well so it never feels that humiliating although for me personally, not being a fan of polyamory, it dilutes the romance between Barbarossa and Dylan. I wasn't blown away by the relationship but I had fun reading about these characters. Dylan does grow over time. The security that Barbarossa gives him allows him to start finding his place and his beliefs in this new world. Although there is one opportunity that was lost I feel, when Dylan imagines poisoning the men of a particularly bad settlement where the women are horribly treated. I think he should have gone back and done that. It would have made him a more heroic figure to me.
This book is only 150 pages but it feels much longer. If you're a fan of post-apocalyptic novels I wouldn't let the slave angle or the random sequencing put you off. Neither aspect is as big of an issue as you might think. In terms of post apocalyptic stories I think the book needed more general violence, more of a sense of danger. Everything was just a little too easy and soft and loving for a world gone mad. I'll be interested to see how fans of slave fic receive the story.
March 3, 2013
Surviving the best he can in a post-apocalytic world is one man who serves as a pet to his lord, Barbarossa.
Well that's one deceptive blurb; the story was significanty different than I expected. So, my depraved non-con friends this story isn't the terror you're hoping for and everyone else who read that blurb thinking, "Holy cow--No!" you may be pleasantly surprised. Now that isn't to say that there aren't exotic elements to the story: knife play and M/s, but the telling is more action/adventure than erotic. Nonetheless, even with the skimpy time given the knives and torment I was invested in reading it and wondering which direction it was going to head since I got my original markers so wrong from the blurb.
There are plenty of surprises in the characters which are well wrought. Dylan aka Kane is the narrator and his journey to find a place in the After is interesting and the reasoning for the existence of the wildpacks are valid. The play between Kane and Barbarossa, who has a few surprises, as well as the rest of the pack is intriguing and definitely kept the plot moving. It's not easy to cover over a decade in a story at this length and provide enough detail to span the years, but it succeeds.
Personally, I really like stories that delve into societal hierarchies and how power is grasped, maintained and/or subverted. BARBAROSSA'S BITCH really is quite a thoughtful gem in that respect with the realistic portrayal of governance in the After. The one gripe, the thing that drove me nuts is the seemingly random pattern for ordering the scenes. Honestly, I thought about graphing them to see if there was a logic to it, but resisted as that seemed a little OCD and I was enjoying it if aggravated. All it did, beside confuse the heck out of the reader, was slow the pace of the story down which in the beginning wasn't so bad, but as we approached the climatic scene got frustrating since it all but hobbled it.
Anyway this was a fun motorcycle gang read that has more heart and brains that I was expecting. It should appeal to UF fans and readers who enjoy a good dystopian tale with some kink tossed in.
Favorite quote: "Love is the spark of God in each one of us."
~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review.~
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
Well that's one deceptive blurb; the story was significanty different than I expected. So, my depraved non-con friends this story isn't the terror you're hoping for and everyone else who read that blurb thinking, "Holy cow--No!" you may be pleasantly surprised. Now that isn't to say that there aren't exotic elements to the story: knife play and M/s, but the telling is more action/adventure than erotic. Nonetheless, even with the skimpy time given the knives and torment I was invested in reading it and wondering which direction it was going to head since I got my original markers so wrong from the blurb.
There are plenty of surprises in the characters which are well wrought. Dylan aka Kane is the narrator and his journey to find a place in the After is interesting and the reasoning for the existence of the wildpacks are valid. The play between Kane and Barbarossa, who has a few surprises, as well as the rest of the pack is intriguing and definitely kept the plot moving. It's not easy to cover over a decade in a story at this length and provide enough detail to span the years, but it succeeds.
Personally, I really like stories that delve into societal hierarchies and how power is grasped, maintained and/or subverted. BARBAROSSA'S BITCH really is quite a thoughtful gem in that respect with the realistic portrayal of governance in the After. The one gripe, the thing that drove me nuts is the seemingly random pattern for ordering the scenes. Honestly, I thought about graphing them to see if there was a logic to it, but resisted as that seemed a little OCD and I was enjoying it if aggravated. All it did, beside confuse the heck out of the reader, was slow the pace of the story down which in the beginning wasn't so bad, but as we approached the climatic scene got frustrating since it all but hobbled it.
Anyway this was a fun motorcycle gang read that has more heart and brains that I was expecting. It should appeal to UF fans and readers who enjoy a good dystopian tale with some kink tossed in.
Favorite quote: "Love is the spark of God in each one of us."
~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review.~
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
March 25, 2013
An enoyable, light read. I expected more of a dark-fic, but, yet again, the cruel toppy Master teaches his cum-sucking slave humility and personal abasement by loving him a whole heap and making him 2IC.
My favourite part was the narrative structure: the story is chopped up into little segments, and the reader has to work out where in the narrative the bits fit. This might drive some readers bananas but I love it.
I found the post-apocalyptic society was structured interestingly, and this showed some careful thought from the authors. I'm not sure I agree with everything Sparrow and Brooks came up with, but I enjoyed the ideas they presented.
Not a scary fic, and one which offers a loving cuddly menage and some mild partner sharing. Recommended.
My favourite part was the narrative structure: the story is chopped up into little segments, and the reader has to work out where in the narrative the bits fit. This might drive some readers bananas but I love it.
I found the post-apocalyptic society was structured interestingly, and this showed some careful thought from the authors. I'm not sure I agree with everything Sparrow and Brooks came up with, but I enjoyed the ideas they presented.
Not a scary fic, and one which offers a loving cuddly menage and some mild partner sharing. Recommended.
Want to Read
February 25, 2013Tell me why I just glanced the title and author's last name and I thought "Barbossa? Sparrow? Jack Sparrow finally gets his? Cool MM Pirate Romance!"
*sigh* A girl can dream.
*sigh* A girl can dream.
March 25, 2013
This story didn't speak to me. I couldn't really enjoy this post-apocalyptic world settings. Somehow this violence, raping and killing didn't ring of a true chosen love. Anyway, every story tells a story and this one is unique. Mostly I didn't like the writing style.
October 28, 2023
One of the best books I've ever read, even though I can barely remember the plot beyond the basics. The anacronic order makes me just go with the flow, and every scene is just something I felt, deep in my soul. I should read it again but I'm afraid of reliving that emotional rollercoaster.
December 29, 2014
A tale told in three ways : diary entry by Kane, narrative by Kane and narrative by Dylan. It's not as confusing as it sounds as its clear when each piece starts, which one it is and they each tell a different part of the tale. Dylan's narrative is about the early days of After, Kane's narrative is the story of the wild pack and the diary is a history of what has happened really.
Post apocalyptic stories are not normally a choice genre for me, but I won this from the author on Jessewave's last BAHAG.
Literally from the opening section I was thinking I was not going to like this, as I dont like humiliation/abuse but this didn't really set a tone and I was soon engrossed in the story. I found it quite a compelling about how society resets itself after a major extermination event. In the early years it really is survival of the fittest, looking out for self, gathering in likeminded communes, even if they are founded on corrupt morals. The 'law' kept by a band of outcasts, as gay men are seen as non productive in perpetuating the species sense. As the years pass, Barbarossa and Kanes relationship becomes more intense but Kane is still Barbarossas slave.
Eventually the settlements stabilise and start to not need the protection of the wildpacks. An interesting read, fast paced and kept me interested.
Post apocalyptic stories are not normally a choice genre for me, but I won this from the author on Jessewave's last BAHAG.
Literally from the opening section I was thinking I was not going to like this, as I dont like humiliation/abuse but this didn't really set a tone and I was soon engrossed in the story. I found it quite a compelling about how society resets itself after a major extermination event. In the early years it really is survival of the fittest, looking out for self, gathering in likeminded communes, even if they are founded on corrupt morals. The 'law' kept by a band of outcasts, as gay men are seen as non productive in perpetuating the species sense. As the years pass, Barbarossa and Kanes relationship becomes more intense but Kane is still Barbarossas slave.
Eventually the settlements stabilise and start to not need the protection of the wildpacks. An interesting read, fast paced and kept me interested.
June 12, 2013
A great read. The story is told from Dylan's POV and he narrates via his diary entries (which aren't dated and are random) and events he has endured. There isn't any chronological order to them but if you're like me and you have a tendency of wanting the story told in certain order than your out of luck. The best solution I found was try not to think to hard and just read the story to the end since it all makes sense (although it seems like there are some contradictions here and there). The world development was fantastic and the author did a wonderful job painting a picture of how badly the world became after the Apocalypse and how it all came back. The treatment of Dylan aka Kane by Barbarossa seemed a bit rough but Kane never complained and the way the author voiced his love for Barbarossa kind of eased the cruelty of it all for me. I did have a difficult time in imagining Kane actually going up against Ryder. It just seemed out of character for him since it was stated several times that he wasn't a fighter. Even so I found the story riveting and I didn't want to put it down.
June 12, 2015
At first, after reading a couple of scenes, I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue because the main characters came across as mean and lacking backbone. Then, as I read on, I realized this was a deliberate contrast to the life we live now and meant to shock, a harsh situation for a bad time. The cruelty of people in power is softened by the signs of people who are not only trying to survive, but keep their humanity too.
Even though the scenes jump all over the timeline, I actually think that in this case, it is necessary because the brutality of the early years is balanced by the place Kane carves for himself and the relationship that forms between him and Lord Barbarossa. Throughout this story, we wate society crumble and reform, hopefully for the better, and the role the wildpacks play in the solution.
I would definitely recommend this book as it is a great example of what could be, how people react to power and that what seems to be isn't always the truth. I'm not sure if I would read this book again, but am glad I had the chance to read it. Well worth the read.
Even though the scenes jump all over the timeline, I actually think that in this case, it is necessary because the brutality of the early years is balanced by the place Kane carves for himself and the relationship that forms between him and Lord Barbarossa. Throughout this story, we wate society crumble and reform, hopefully for the better, and the role the wildpacks play in the solution.
I would definitely recommend this book as it is a great example of what could be, how people react to power and that what seems to be isn't always the truth. I'm not sure if I would read this book again, but am glad I had the chance to read it. Well worth the read.
March 4, 2013
Definitely an interesting book, different from what we're used to in the m/m genre. I have to admit I'm still not entirely convinced about the 'Hopscotch'-like structure, but on the other hand, after I got used to the the "randomness" of the fragments and got into the story, it didn't bother me all that much. It was refreshing to read something this raw, something that wasn't following the typical romantic story line. I liked how the authors described the world After, the variety of the settlements and how the new situation influenced those who remained. There are some elements I am slightly skeptical about, but overall, I am very happy with this read; it was something different, interesting and fresh.
July 5, 2013
When I first started reading, I cut my teeth on post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction ... this book was beautifully written from this perspective ... the hellish existence was very believable in a Mad Max kinda way ... I did find the sexual degradation of Dylan hard to read about but it pushed the story along well & wasn't gratuitous ... this is a dark book with an ending that showed hope for mankind rather than a Utopian HEA ... well worth reading but perhaps not for those who prefer their M/M to be strictly romance.
May 26, 2018
3.5 stars
I would not have generally read a book with this title or blurb. Surprisingly, for a post-apocalyptic world, where the survivors have set up themselves into settlements and there are slaves, this was a wonderful read. Our MC Dylan, a computer professional pre-apocalypse, decides to become Barbarossa's boy. Barbarossa heads the motorbike pack that goes around offering protection, carrying mail and religious services in return for tribute.
The narrative goes back and forth and covers more than a decade. For all the dominance/submissive elements, and the background rape and pillage, the book is not dark at all.
I would not have generally read a book with this title or blurb. Surprisingly, for a post-apocalyptic world, where the survivors have set up themselves into settlements and there are slaves, this was a wonderful read. Our MC Dylan, a computer professional pre-apocalypse, decides to become Barbarossa's boy. Barbarossa heads the motorbike pack that goes around offering protection, carrying mail and religious services in return for tribute.
The narrative goes back and forth and covers more than a decade. For all the dominance/submissive elements, and the background rape and pillage, the book is not dark at all.
March 1, 2013
3.5 stars
It wasnt sort of an original story plot but I enjoy the story buildup and I shudder the thought if this aftermath Apocalypse becomes a reality. *_*
The mess up of this Barbarossa is the time frame of the story goes forth between the past and present that at times I get dizzy.
Fortunately, the end gives it the extra 1/2 star.
It wasnt sort of an original story plot but I enjoy the story buildup and I shudder the thought if this aftermath Apocalypse becomes a reality. *_*
The mess up of this Barbarossa is the time frame of the story goes forth between the past and present that at times I get dizzy.
Fortunately, the end gives it the extra 1/2 star.
September 13, 2013
It was good world-building in this post-apocalyptic novel.
The main problem I had with it was I didn't feel that connected to the MCs. They were okay, but there was something about them that didn't really grab me.
So I'd give it 3.75 stars, not quite 4. But we can't do that, so up it goes.
The main problem I had with it was I didn't feel that connected to the MCs. They were okay, but there was something about them that didn't really grab me.
So I'd give it 3.75 stars, not quite 4. But we can't do that, so up it goes.
May 3, 2016
I think I would have given this 4 stars if the story had followed a linear timeline my squirrel like nibbles of reading time just didn't mesh with the nonlinear timeline. Overall good plot and interesting MCs.
February 22, 2015
WOW! What a world! I really enjoyed the idea that the "outcasts" are the evil motorcycle gang. Interesting and makes you think...
July 27, 2013
A little extreme in the dominance and humiliation. Didn't drew me in much - scanned the ending.
November 29, 2015
2013 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
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