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Aneka Jansen #1
Steel Beneath the Skin
The idea was simple enough for the alien race who took Aneka Jansen from Earth in 2011. Take a human, make her into a perfect tool to observe humanity from the inside, and so determine how best to advance this young race into their future. Unfortunately for them, and her, their plans went awry, and Aneka became the only survivor on a dead ship marooned in deep space.
Only by chance was the derelict discovered and Aneka revived to discover that the world she knew is long gone and she must learn to live on a New Earth, in a body which is not her own. Aneka died a thousand years ago, and all that is left of her is a computer emulation of her mind running on a quantum computer inside a body of steel, plastic, and synthetic skin.
Is she really still the woman she thinks she is?
(Contains adult scenes. Not suitable for younger readers.)
Only by chance was the derelict discovered and Aneka revived to discover that the world she knew is long gone and she must learn to live on a New Earth, in a body which is not her own. Aneka died a thousand years ago, and all that is left of her is a computer emulation of her mind running on a quantum computer inside a body of steel, plastic, and synthetic skin.
Is she really still the woman she thinks she is?
(Contains adult scenes. Not suitable for younger readers.)
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2013
109 people are currently reading
486 people want to read
About the author
Niall Teasdale
74 books294 followersI was born in the vicinity of Hadrian's Wall so perhaps a bit of history rubbed off. Ancient history obviously, and border history, right on the edge of the Empire. I always preferred the Dark Ages anyway; there’s so much more room for imagination when people aren’t writing down every last detail. So my idea of a good fantasy novel involved dirt and leather, not shining plate armour and Hollywood-medieval manners. The same applies to my sci-fi, really; I prefer gritty over shiny.
Oddly, then, one of the first fantasy novels I remember reading was The Dark Is Rising, by Susan Cooper (later made into a terrible juvenile movie). These days we would call Cooper’s series Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and looking back on it, it influenced me a lot. It has that mix of modern day life, hidden history, and magic which failed to hit popular culture until the early days of Buffy and Anne Rice. Of course, Cooper’s characters spend their time around places I could actually visit in Cornwall, and South East England, and mid-Wales. In fact, when I went to university in Aberystwyth, it was partially because some of Cooper’s books were set a few miles to the north around Tywyn.
I got into writing through roleplaying, however, so my early work was related to the kind of roleplaying game I was interested in. I wrote “high fantasy” when I was playing Dungeons & Dragons. I wrote a lot of superhero fiction when I was playing City of Heroes. I still loved the idea of a modern world with magic in it and I’ve been trying to write a novel based on this for a long time. As with any form of expression, practice is the key and I can look back on all the aborted attempts at books, and the more successful short stories, as steps along the path to the Thaumatology Series.
As of 2015, I have thrown in my lot with writing. After thirty years of being a computer programmer I am making enough money to quit the day job and write full time. Dreams, occasionally, come true. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, and (recently) Kim Harrison. Kim’s Hollows books were what finally spurred me to publish something, even if the trail to here came by way of Susan, back in school, several decades ago.
Oddly, then, one of the first fantasy novels I remember reading was The Dark Is Rising, by Susan Cooper (later made into a terrible juvenile movie). These days we would call Cooper’s series Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and looking back on it, it influenced me a lot. It has that mix of modern day life, hidden history, and magic which failed to hit popular culture until the early days of Buffy and Anne Rice. Of course, Cooper’s characters spend their time around places I could actually visit in Cornwall, and South East England, and mid-Wales. In fact, when I went to university in Aberystwyth, it was partially because some of Cooper’s books were set a few miles to the north around Tywyn.
I got into writing through roleplaying, however, so my early work was related to the kind of roleplaying game I was interested in. I wrote “high fantasy” when I was playing Dungeons & Dragons. I wrote a lot of superhero fiction when I was playing City of Heroes. I still loved the idea of a modern world with magic in it and I’ve been trying to write a novel based on this for a long time. As with any form of expression, practice is the key and I can look back on all the aborted attempts at books, and the more successful short stories, as steps along the path to the Thaumatology Series.
As of 2015, I have thrown in my lot with writing. After thirty years of being a computer programmer I am making enough money to quit the day job and write full time. Dreams, occasionally, come true. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, and (recently) Kim Harrison. Kim’s Hollows books were what finally spurred me to publish something, even if the trail to here came by way of Susan, back in school, several decades ago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
July 1, 2013
Wanted something fairly light and campy. This works. Plot could have been less cliched in some parts, but I think what gave me the most joy was the realization that all the less than favorable Amazon reviews I'd read prior to taking a chance on this novel typically focused on all the "gratuitous" sex. I think it was homophobia that really did them in. One reviewer even went so far as to suggest this is purely a work of erotica and not Sci-Fi. Silly, silly puritans. Actually, the amount of sex in this novel was no worse than what you might find in Octavia Butler's "Fledgling." Same said if you compared it to the first book of John Scalzi's "Old Man's War" series. The latter being a better example of comparison given the body mods and lax attitudes. Soooooooo I think the real hang up of those Amazon reviewers might been related to the predominate amount of lesbianism/the occasional 3-4 some, because gratuitous and graphic, meh. I honestly thought it was more comical than anything else. It seemed like there was some cheeky humor right before, right after, or throughout these occasional space sex romps.
Overall, it's not a bad read, it's more like pulpy Sci-Fi, so it's not the best Sci-Fi ever. For me when it came to the various intrigues and the story as whole, a lot of it felt like author's convenience. Plus the true big bad took forever to appear, and the antagonist was a weak force when all was said and done. So pair that with a lead character who's about as indestructible as the T1000 from Terminator, and there's just not a lot of suspense to be had. There are enough unresolved mysteries left for a second book, but I would hope the writing evolves a bit more if a second one comes out.
Overall, it's not a bad read, it's more like pulpy Sci-Fi, so it's not the best Sci-Fi ever. For me when it came to the various intrigues and the story as whole, a lot of it felt like author's convenience. Plus the true big bad took forever to appear, and the antagonist was a weak force when all was said and done. So pair that with a lead character who's about as indestructible as the T1000 from Terminator, and there's just not a lot of suspense to be had. There are enough unresolved mysteries left for a second book, but I would hope the writing evolves a bit more if a second one comes out.
August 20, 2015
This book seems to have been written by a man who dreams of women having quickies with each other at all times of the day. Most used line in the book: "Want to have a quickie?" This could have been so much better. Good sexy times will sometimes make up for a lacking/nonexistent plot. This didn't offer either. :D The female cyborg was interesting so I kept reading.
October 6, 2020
How can one not like a heroine (or an author) with lines / double entendres such as this "Dillon's been pumping iron, and me."
Or makes a references to the cult movie "Confessions of the Window Cleaner." I suspect that the 1974 movie is a lot more fun in my imagination than it was back when films were still banned in Boston.
This is a good book for people who lament that vanilla genre books aren't a bit more real or at least risque.
The author needs some proofing and grammar help. You know: where to place semi-colons, how to use a comma or why a conjunction isn't the answer for every two clause thought.
Or makes a references to the cult movie "Confessions of the Window Cleaner." I suspect that the 1974 movie is a lot more fun in my imagination than it was back when films were still banned in Boston.
This is a good book for people who lament that vanilla genre books aren't a bit more real or at least risque.
The author needs some proofing and grammar help. You know: where to place semi-colons, how to use a comma or why a conjunction isn't the answer for every two clause thought.
October 12, 2013
Aneka Jansen, kidnapped by aliens in 2011, is reborn as a cyborg a thousand years in the future, in an omnisexual utopian society where everyone seems to be having sex with each other...
A lot of reviewers complain about the amount of sex. Now, I'm hardly in a position to do so, but I would say that the problem is not the amount of sex so much as the amount of sex that doesn't really advance the plot or character development in any useful way, so it ends up reading like sex-story-sex-story-sex, a bit like watching TV and having the scheduled programme interrupted every fifteen minutes for five minutes of random sex. As a result, you end up wishing you could buy the DVD and watch it without the adverts...
It's fun rather than serious sci-fi; the tag-line could almost be:
Sex and the City - on a spaceship! Uncut and explicit!
On the other hand: Girls having sex! With each other! Sometimes more than two at a time!
On the other other hand: Cyborgs, like vampires, can wear stilettos with ease.
So, basically, Aneka Jansen is a seriously hot bisexy cyborg in stilettos having lots and lots of sex.
Anyway, Steel Beneath the Skin is - for the most part - a fun read which does get serious and dark in places, and there is a proper sci-fi story above and beyond all the sex. And while I feel the sex could have been dialled back without adversely affecting the story, it plays a key role in establishing a future, peaceful, utopian society of sexual freedom and gender equality, and thus defines the antithesis, an alternative society that is aggressive both politically and sexually.
A lot of reviewers complain about the amount of sex. Now, I'm hardly in a position to do so, but I would say that the problem is not the amount of sex so much as the amount of sex that doesn't really advance the plot or character development in any useful way, so it ends up reading like sex-story-sex-story-sex, a bit like watching TV and having the scheduled programme interrupted every fifteen minutes for five minutes of random sex. As a result, you end up wishing you could buy the DVD and watch it without the adverts...
It's fun rather than serious sci-fi; the tag-line could almost be:
Sex and the City - on a spaceship! Uncut and explicit!
On the other hand: Girls having sex! With each other! Sometimes more than two at a time!
On the other other hand: Cyborgs, like vampires, can wear stilettos with ease.
So, basically, Aneka Jansen is a seriously hot bisexy cyborg in stilettos having lots and lots of sex.
Anyway, Steel Beneath the Skin is - for the most part - a fun read which does get serious and dark in places, and there is a proper sci-fi story above and beyond all the sex. And while I feel the sex could have been dialled back without adversely affecting the story, it plays a key role in establishing a future, peaceful, utopian society of sexual freedom and gender equality, and thus defines the antithesis, an alternative society that is aggressive both politically and sexually.
October 20, 2013
This book is a collection of sequential vignettes that includes sci-fi themes, political analysis, and some sex. Each of these were handled well, but the whole was not better than the parts. It lacked a cohesive plot, and there was little attention paid to the emotional connections between the characters.
Still, nice to read about a future that is mostly nicer than our present. The fight scenes were well structured, the dialog was entertaining, and the characters were uniformly nice and pretty. Perhaps they were a bit boring?
I think this might have been stronger if the bad-guy plot had been more central, and the emotional content been stronger. I never felt that Aneka got angry when her friends were being threatened.
Still, nice to read about a future that is mostly nicer than our present. The fight scenes were well structured, the dialog was entertaining, and the characters were uniformly nice and pretty. Perhaps they were a bit boring?
I think this might have been stronger if the bad-guy plot had been more central, and the emotional content been stronger. I never felt that Aneka got angry when her friends were being threatened.
March 3, 2020
Pulpy Sci-fy with a female lead.
Kidnaped a 1000 years ago, Aneka wakes up after being rescued from a derelict spaceship. Now a near indestructible cyborg, she must learn her way into a whole new future where things have changed as much as they have stayed the same.
Overall the novel has a campy, lighthearted feel to it with a few bits of erotic content thrown in. The latter wasn't really clear from the blurb but didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. Regardless of what the sourpouse review would have you believe, this is a perfectly enjoyable novel if you're looking for something light and undemanding.
Re-Read: 3-3-2020
Kidnaped a 1000 years ago, Aneka wakes up after being rescued from a derelict spaceship. Now a near indestructible cyborg, she must learn her way into a whole new future where things have changed as much as they have stayed the same.
Overall the novel has a campy, lighthearted feel to it with a few bits of erotic content thrown in. The latter wasn't really clear from the blurb but didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. Regardless of what the sourpouse review would have you believe, this is a perfectly enjoyable novel if you're looking for something light and undemanding.
Re-Read: 3-3-2020
March 29, 2020
Sorry. Bad joke about the amount of sex in the novel. You've probably read it in other reviews and it does have a lot of skin on skin(?). But it's not written ham-handedly and my only real complaint is that the main character didn't have any wacky robo-sex apps to lay on her partners. But that's just me.
It's a pretty good book. We have the aforementioned hot pseudo-robo sex, the hero out of time premise, social commentary without being melodramatic and preachy, and some earthy humor. It’s not hard sci-fi like you get from Asimov or the mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson but all in all I liked it and look forward to another. Its fun, it's breezy, it's got a hero with a steel polychrome ...Mulva
It's a pretty good book. We have the aforementioned hot pseudo-robo sex, the hero out of time premise, social commentary without being melodramatic and preachy, and some earthy humor. It’s not hard sci-fi like you get from Asimov or the mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson but all in all I liked it and look forward to another. Its fun, it's breezy, it's got a hero with a steel polychrome ...Mulva
May 9, 2017
Pulpy Sci-fy with a female lead.
Kidnaped a 1000 years ago, Aneka wakes up after being rescued from a derelict spaceship. Now a near indestructible cyborg, she must learn her way into a whole new future where things have changed as much as they have stayed the same.
Overall the novel has a campy, lighthearted feel to it with a few bits of erotic content thrown in. The latter wasn't really clear from the blurb but didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. Regardless of what the sourpouse review would have you believe, this is a perfectly enjoyable novel if you're looking for something light and undemanding.
Kidnaped a 1000 years ago, Aneka wakes up after being rescued from a derelict spaceship. Now a near indestructible cyborg, she must learn her way into a whole new future where things have changed as much as they have stayed the same.
Overall the novel has a campy, lighthearted feel to it with a few bits of erotic content thrown in. The latter wasn't really clear from the blurb but didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. Regardless of what the sourpouse review would have you believe, this is a perfectly enjoyable novel if you're looking for something light and undemanding.
September 10, 2013
This book has a good plot lnie, and some interesting twists. I like the characters. What takes away from it is the large amount of time spent on sex. Ok, I get that in the future, sex has become recreational, without hangups. That message could have been made with far less time spent on detailing the various liasons going on. Most of the action is woman on woman, so for those of you with a penchant for that, have at it. That said, the writer has talent, and I will read them again.
October 23, 2014
Impressive, I was a little skeptical and kept the book around after it was recommendet to me because I just didn't read much sci-fi before but its great.
January 2, 2021
I quite enjoyed it until . There didn’t seem to be any good plot reason for this, so it felt entirely gratuitous. I guess they wanted to show off what she could do when she was real cross? But why . Like I said, the whole thing feels clumsy and unnecessary. Two stars because it was fine, if lightweight, stuff up to that point.
January 5, 2022
I very much enjoyed the core story, a tale of transhumanism, alien abduction and sci-fi futurism.
For me the problems arose from being ambushed by seemingly random but repeated out of the blue sex scenes getting in the way of the story. Nothing wrong with sex scenes in moderation, but this felt like a softcore fanfic written by someone with a PVC/Vinyl kink 50% interested in story progression, 50% in getting to the next sex scene. Also, very badly handled scenes involving systemic rape culture cult of baddies, and the aftermath thereof. Even in the supposedly "free sexual utopia" future depicted, it felt written in crayon.
I otherwise enjoyed the central tale, and would like to see where it goes next.
For me the problems arose from being ambushed by seemingly random but repeated out of the blue sex scenes getting in the way of the story. Nothing wrong with sex scenes in moderation, but this felt like a softcore fanfic written by someone with a PVC/Vinyl kink 50% interested in story progression, 50% in getting to the next sex scene. Also, very badly handled scenes involving systemic rape culture cult of baddies, and the aftermath thereof. Even in the supposedly "free sexual utopia" future depicted, it felt written in crayon.
I otherwise enjoyed the central tale, and would like to see where it goes next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2017
Pulpy Sci-fy with a female lead. 3.5 stars
Kidnaped a 1000 years ago, Aneka wakes up after being rescued from a derelict spaceship. Now a near indestructible cyborg, she must learn her way into a whole new future where things have changed as much as they have stayed the same.
Overall the novel has a campy, lighthearted feel to it with a few bits of erotic content thrown in. The latter wasn't really clear from the blurb but didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. Regardless of what the sourpouse review would have you believe, this is a perfectly enjoyable novel if you're looking for something light and undemanding.
Kidnaped a 1000 years ago, Aneka wakes up after being rescued from a derelict spaceship. Now a near indestructible cyborg, she must learn her way into a whole new future where things have changed as much as they have stayed the same.
Overall the novel has a campy, lighthearted feel to it with a few bits of erotic content thrown in. The latter wasn't really clear from the blurb but didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. Regardless of what the sourpouse review would have you believe, this is a perfectly enjoyable novel if you're looking for something light and undemanding.
March 26, 2019
2.5 stars, I liked some things and hated others so this one is a mixed bag for me. I am not sure If I will continue the series so that in itself is a bad review. I would have been able to given this a solid 3 stars but the adult side of this story also falls short for me and was not enjoyable (for me anyway).
December 13, 2023
Enough with the sex! Would not be a promo story!
I love sci-fi and some sex but chapters and chapters devoted to girl on girl on girl or threesome mixed couple detailed sex rather than a story line is too much. It could be an interesting story and would be worth reading.
I love sci-fi and some sex but chapters and chapters devoted to girl on girl on girl or threesome mixed couple detailed sex rather than a story line is too much. It could be an interesting story and would be worth reading.
August 16, 2021
4.25 Good
November 30, 2022
I though this was GREAT. The storyline was awesome! I can't wait to read the rest.
July 24, 2023
I really liked it.
October 11, 2023
Fabulous work! This book was my very first of this writers it was my introduction into this writers taste in entertainment!
I was so captivated by her storytelling. That once I completed the1st book I immediately started the next.
KUDOS . keep'em coming❗
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹❗ 🔥
I was so captivated by her storytelling. That once I completed the1st book I immediately started the next.
KUDOS . keep'em coming❗
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹❗ 🔥
June 21, 2015
In this fun book, Aneka Jansen is the steel and the skin. She is a soldier in Iraq (or somewhere), just minding her own business, when she is abducted by aliens (the Xinti). She wakes up about 1,000 years later slightly altered.
QOTD
None of this is a spoiler alert because it's all in the first 3% (Kindle, sigh) of the book. After they tell Aneka that she's a robot, she is so upset that her emulation software crashes. Good one!
So, Aneka the human being is really dead, and she's just a program running in an android body. That's the bad news. The good news is that she's a very dangerous warrior robot chockful 'o Xinti military technology... AND she's extremely hot. (he he) The distant future includes a lot of hot chicks, skimpy outfits, and sex sex sex. (huzzah to that) Steel is a fun, light book.
QOTD2
LOL. "Engorged nub". Jillikers... too funny. In the second half of the book, there's more of a focus on some of the old ultra-violence. And that's fun too.
The weakness of Steel is that we never really escape the 21st century here on Earth because the perspective of our omniscient narrator is definitely male and still has our sensibilities. This isn't an especially smart book. It feels more like a 21st century Earth observer reporting on all that's going on.
Ya know, it's a privilege to read these tiny books from tiny, independent authors. It's one of the great things about our technology and the future. I thank the re-educated neo-socialists over at The Morning News for recommending this book. I smiled reading this blurb from the author, Niall Teasdale, after the story: "Writing, sadly, is not my main source of income. I'm a computer programmer. I work for a telecommunications company in Manchester, England." Here's his blog for the Aneka series: steelbeneaththeskin.wordpress.com/.
Well, huzzah to you Niall. I think I'll give Aneka Jansen #2 a try very soon.
A good read!
QOTD
You're basically... um, a robot. A synthetic organism anyway. There's a cybernetic chassis with a semi-organic body hung around it. The skin, definitely. Most of it is mechanical. Your mind is running as a program on the computer that controls it all. An emulation.
- Steel Beneath the Skin, Aneka being told she's an android
None of this is a spoiler alert because it's all in the first 3% (Kindle, sigh) of the book. After they tell Aneka that she's a robot, she is so upset that her emulation software crashes. Good one!
So, Aneka the human being is really dead, and she's just a program running in an android body. That's the bad news. The good news is that she's a very dangerous warrior robot chockful 'o Xinti military technology... AND she's extremely hot. (he he) The distant future includes a lot of hot chicks, skimpy outfits, and sex sex sex. (huzzah to that) Steel is a fun, light book.
QOTD2
"I'd say you're fully functional," Ella whispered, "but we should test your systems thoroughly." Aneka let out a gasp as she felt Ella's lips close around her left nipple, the pressure as Ella sucked sent a tingle through her. A small pointy tongue toyed with the engorged nub. If anything, Aneka's new flesh was more sensitive that her old skin had been.
- Steel sex scene
LOL. "Engorged nub". Jillikers... too funny. In the second half of the book, there's more of a focus on some of the old ultra-violence. And that's fun too.
The weakness of Steel is that we never really escape the 21st century here on Earth because the perspective of our omniscient narrator is definitely male and still has our sensibilities. This isn't an especially smart book. It feels more like a 21st century Earth observer reporting on all that's going on.
Ya know, it's a privilege to read these tiny books from tiny, independent authors. It's one of the great things about our technology and the future. I thank the re-educated neo-socialists over at The Morning News for recommending this book. I smiled reading this blurb from the author, Niall Teasdale, after the story: "Writing, sadly, is not my main source of income. I'm a computer programmer. I work for a telecommunications company in Manchester, England." Here's his blog for the Aneka series: steelbeneaththeskin.wordpress.com/.
Well, huzzah to you Niall. I think I'll give Aneka Jansen #2 a try very soon.
A good read!
August 1, 2013
Set in a post-apocalyptic reconstruction era where the history of Earth has been lost, Aneka Jensen is awoken from a long hibernation on a derelict ship to find that all she has known has been wiped away by war and over a thousand years. She finds herself in a culture of neo-humans, known as the jenlay, who have been genetically and socially engineered to eliminate most of the problems found in her own 21st century origin. Part of this includes STIs and taboos regarding the human form...and sexuality.
In an oddly engrossing and reasonably fast paced story, Niall Teasdale draws us into this new world through Aneka's eyes and shows how a 21st century soldier adapts to a culture that is so different from her own in many ways, but yet so similar. The story is intriguing and engaging, and the science portion of the fiction is engaging without being burdensome.
Highly recommended for those who are fans of time-shifted characters, historical reconstructionism, and alien cultures within humanity.
Plus, the erotica - while prevalent - is remarkably well written without overpowering the story. Always a bonus.
I am thoroughly looking forward to a sequel, as the book exceeded my expectations and the characters are charming and inviting for another visit.
In an oddly engrossing and reasonably fast paced story, Niall Teasdale draws us into this new world through Aneka's eyes and shows how a 21st century soldier adapts to a culture that is so different from her own in many ways, but yet so similar. The story is intriguing and engaging, and the science portion of the fiction is engaging without being burdensome.
Highly recommended for those who are fans of time-shifted characters, historical reconstructionism, and alien cultures within humanity.
Plus, the erotica - while prevalent - is remarkably well written without overpowering the story. Always a bonus.
I am thoroughly looking forward to a sequel, as the book exceeded my expectations and the characters are charming and inviting for another visit.
February 26, 2014
Overall I would award Steel Beneath Skin with a 2.5 but I'm upping it to 3 based on the first half, or maybe actually first quarter that started out fairly well.
I really didn't buy into the whole approach to sex in the whatever century, I had no issues with the concept and attitudes towards sex in the future but the whole lackadaisical attitude towards relationships I just didn't buy. It's human nature to want to bond with someone yet somehow we've evolved into a bunch of people who had no qualms with either themselves or their partners putting it about, yeah I'm not buying what you're selling.
I also had trouble buying into the whole we lost most of history when Earth was obliterated, you're seriously telling me not one survivor could clarify the names of some of the major cities or that Elvis was the King of Rock!? -that was funny though
Also if we were busy exploring the galaxy and settling colonies on other world's at this time did no one think to take any databases with, I mean a tablet would have been enough of a good start, my Kindle comes with a dictionary which would cover a lot of the basics at least.
I enjoyed the start but found I started skimming towards the end just wanting to put the whole thing behind me.
I really didn't buy into the whole approach to sex in the whatever century, I had no issues with the concept and attitudes towards sex in the future but the whole lackadaisical attitude towards relationships I just didn't buy. It's human nature to want to bond with someone yet somehow we've evolved into a bunch of people who had no qualms with either themselves or their partners putting it about, yeah I'm not buying what you're selling.
I also had trouble buying into the whole we lost most of history when Earth was obliterated, you're seriously telling me not one survivor could clarify the names of some of the major cities or that Elvis was the King of Rock!? -that was funny though
Also if we were busy exploring the galaxy and settling colonies on other world's at this time did no one think to take any databases with, I mean a tablet would have been enough of a good start, my Kindle comes with a dictionary which would cover a lot of the basics at least.
I enjoyed the start but found I started skimming towards the end just wanting to put the whole thing behind me.
June 15, 2015
If there's one things Niall Teasdale does well, it's build deep, interesting worlds. This book goes in a new direction, with space opera instead of contemporary fantasy, but many of the characteristics that mark his writing previous to now remain present—and that is not a complaint.
The majority of the book is the journey of a woman who comes into enormous power, and attempts to re-establish herself amoungst a multitude of outside influences. Just like in the Thaumatology series, the protagonist's companion is a omnisexual bon vivant and there are three to four major powers engaging in politics behind the scenes.
Fair warning for puritanical American readers: this is a fairly libertine fiction, and there is a fair amount of non-explicit sexual action. Think something like Hamilton's Merry Gentry series—or anything by Shirow Masamune.
Strongly recommended for transhumanists or fans of SFCs.
This review has been cross-posted.
The majority of the book is the journey of a woman who comes into enormous power, and attempts to re-establish herself amoungst a multitude of outside influences. Just like in the Thaumatology series, the protagonist's companion is a omnisexual bon vivant and there are three to four major powers engaging in politics behind the scenes.
Fair warning for puritanical American readers: this is a fairly libertine fiction, and there is a fair amount of non-explicit sexual action. Think something like Hamilton's Merry Gentry series—or anything by Shirow Masamune.
Strongly recommended for transhumanists or fans of SFCs.
This review has been cross-posted.
August 19, 2014
The first in a series of erotic sci-fi novels featuring a cyborg character named Aneka Jansen.
This introductory novel was quite lightweight, but still contained some exhilarating action sequences. (It's really good to see a super-powered character who totally decimated the villains for a change, instead of having to be pitted against someone of equal power to provide a challenge. Sometimes you just want to cheer the heroine on while she punches seven bells out of the bad guy.)
I liked the characters and the situations and the way the world(s) built up as the story progressed. Looking forward eagerly to the second volume.
This introductory novel was quite lightweight, but still contained some exhilarating action sequences. (It's really good to see a super-powered character who totally decimated the villains for a change, instead of having to be pitted against someone of equal power to provide a challenge. Sometimes you just want to cheer the heroine on while she punches seven bells out of the bad guy.)
I liked the characters and the situations and the way the world(s) built up as the story progressed. Looking forward eagerly to the second volume.
October 8, 2015
I am afraid that basic premise of this book was much more interesting than the end result. No spoilers, but the development of a sci-fi concept, combined with sci-fi's ability to explore deep philosophical questions on personhood etc, and a half decent plot could (and should) have made for an excellent read.
The author is, alas, far too fond of describing explicit sexual encounters to make this novel a winner. Not that I am opposed to a well placed encounter that somehow develops the story. I certainly hope the author is better with his partner than he is at writing about it, because Teasdale's sex is just boring. Worse, it disrupts the flow of a half decent story.
The author is, alas, far too fond of describing explicit sexual encounters to make this novel a winner. Not that I am opposed to a well placed encounter that somehow develops the story. I certainly hope the author is better with his partner than he is at writing about it, because Teasdale's sex is just boring. Worse, it disrupts the flow of a half decent story.
February 14, 2014
This is quite an embarrassing book to admit that I has read. The story and characters are flat and not very engaging. I did like the premise of the book (which is why it isn't getting 1 star).
The embarrassment really comes with the sex. And there is a lot of it. It is obviously written by someone who never have actually had any sex, but based only on observation of the act in those educational sex videos found on the internet (i.e. porn).
The embarrassment really comes with the sex. And there is a lot of it. It is obviously written by someone who never have actually had any sex, but based only on observation of the act in those educational sex videos found on the internet (i.e. porn).
April 21, 2014
I've finished the whole series now and i must say they were very fun. Most of the situations were inventive, with some homage to classics. But what did it for me was the characters, they were just fun to read. As some of the reviews noted there is a lot Sex, but its different from just about every other book, its not romance as it is sex, and usually a paragraph or maybe a page.
I hope the adventures continue, now om off to read the authors first series :)
I hope the adventures continue, now om off to read the authors first series :)
June 4, 2015
I am not sure what some of the reviewers are complaining about. Yes, there is a lot of "adults" passages in the book. But it doesn't really take away from the story at all. Society evolved and that's one of the byproducts... No big deal! In the meantime, this first book is not super captivating, but the story moves along nicely and I am willing to give the series a chance. The main character is a mean killing machine so it's still entertaining.
August 3, 2016
This was a good and easy sci fi read with a ton of sex in it. Aneka Jansen was an interesting character she is still a human or is she something else. Overall a worth reading and a nice change of pact, while i would not recommend this to a young kid there is a solid story and i cant wait to see what happens next. I do like that with the discovery of Aneka people are thinking that not everything they thought they knew was true and KING ELVIS!
September 15, 2013
Fast-paced. Tons of somewhat gratuitous sex, but it didn't detract from the story too much. Love the concept of contemporary human forced to interact with humanity 1000 years in the future. While being a perfect android copy of herself. Just read it...it will all make sense then. Can't wait for another book in this universe.
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