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Laser Visions
Biology professor Roman Janz was walking across campus and planning his next plant-collecting trip to Brazil, when something stung him on the neck. And now… now he’s wandering in the dark, in the blue, floating, disembodied, and confused. There has to be a good explanation, if he can just find someone, anyone, he can actually talk to about it.
Xavier Faulkner is intelligent, creative, and made millions when he sold his tech-security company. But all his wealth and skills couldn’t keep his sister Tam from being poisoned by food contamination. She lived, but her health was damaged, and her job as a cop is gone. In the antebellum house he moved them to, Xavier hopes to find both a distraction and maybe a purpose for their lives. But the old house seems to come with strange noises, and odd blue lights, and maybe― if Xavier isn’t just going crazy― a naked guy, walking away into the blue…
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
Dear Author,
I just moved into this old antebellum home I bought with the intentions of restoring. I often find myself awoken in the night by strange noises I cannot identify or hear during the day. At first, I think it’s just a dream… this seemingly phantom always walking away. Who is he and how can I get him to finally turn around and see me?
Photo Description:
Light streams into a narrow, old-fashioned hallway from the open door at the end. Framed in the brightness, back-lit to blurred outlines and shadows, is the silhouette of a man, walking away. He’s tall, lean but well-built, with faint tan lines across his lower back and thighs. He’s also completely naked. His curved ass and broad shoulders are the most solid things about him. He strides off into the blue, head slightly tilted, not looking back.
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
Xavier Faulkner is intelligent, creative, and made millions when he sold his tech-security company. But all his wealth and skills couldn’t keep his sister Tam from being poisoned by food contamination. She lived, but her health was damaged, and her job as a cop is gone. In the antebellum house he moved them to, Xavier hopes to find both a distraction and maybe a purpose for their lives. But the old house seems to come with strange noises, and odd blue lights, and maybe― if Xavier isn’t just going crazy― a naked guy, walking away into the blue…
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
Dear Author,
I just moved into this old antebellum home I bought with the intentions of restoring. I often find myself awoken in the night by strange noises I cannot identify or hear during the day. At first, I think it’s just a dream… this seemingly phantom always walking away. Who is he and how can I get him to finally turn around and see me?
Photo Description:
Light streams into a narrow, old-fashioned hallway from the open door at the end. Framed in the brightness, back-lit to blurred outlines and shadows, is the silhouette of a man, walking away. He’s tall, lean but well-built, with faint tan lines across his lower back and thighs. He’s also completely naked. His curved ass and broad shoulders are the most solid things about him. He strides off into the blue, head slightly tilted, not looking back.
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
225 pages, ebook
First published July 12, 2014
11 people are currently reading
459 people want to read
About the author
Kaje Harper
92 books2,732 followersI get asked about my name a lot. It's not something exotic, though. “Kaje” is pronounced just like “cage” – it’s an old nickname, and my pronouns are she/her/hers.
I was born in Montreal but have lived for 30 years in Minnesota, where the two seasons are Snow-removal and Road-repair, where the mosquito is the state bird, and where winter can be breathtakingly beautiful. Minnesota’s a kind, quiet (if sometimes chilly) place and it’s home.
I’ve been writing far longer than I care to admit (*whispers – fifty years*), mostly for my own entertainment, usually M/M romance (with added mystery, fantasy, historical, SciFi…) I also have a few Young Adult stories (some released under the pen name Kira Harp.)
My husband finally convinced me that after all the years of writing for fun, I really should submit something, somewhere. My first professionally published book, Life Lessons, came out from MLR Press in May 2011. I have a weakness for closeted cops with honest hearts, and teachers who speak their minds, and I had fun writing four novels and three freebie short stories in that series. I was delighted and encouraged by the reception Mac and Tony received.
I now have a good-sized backlist in ebooks and print, both free and professionally published. A complete list with links can be found on my website "Books" page at https://kajeharper.com/.
You can find me and my book reviews on my author page here on Goodreads - I hang out on Goodreads a lot because I moderate the Goodreads YA LGBT Books group. I also post free short YA stories on that group, more than 50 of them so far.
You can also find me on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/KajeHarper
I was born in Montreal but have lived for 30 years in Minnesota, where the two seasons are Snow-removal and Road-repair, where the mosquito is the state bird, and where winter can be breathtakingly beautiful. Minnesota’s a kind, quiet (if sometimes chilly) place and it’s home.
I’ve been writing far longer than I care to admit (*whispers – fifty years*), mostly for my own entertainment, usually M/M romance (with added mystery, fantasy, historical, SciFi…) I also have a few Young Adult stories (some released under the pen name Kira Harp.)
My husband finally convinced me that after all the years of writing for fun, I really should submit something, somewhere. My first professionally published book, Life Lessons, came out from MLR Press in May 2011. I have a weakness for closeted cops with honest hearts, and teachers who speak their minds, and I had fun writing four novels and three freebie short stories in that series. I was delighted and encouraged by the reception Mac and Tony received.
I now have a good-sized backlist in ebooks and print, both free and professionally published. A complete list with links can be found on my website "Books" page at https://kajeharper.com/.
You can find me and my book reviews on my author page here on Goodreads - I hang out on Goodreads a lot because I moderate the Goodreads YA LGBT Books group. I also post free short YA stories on that group, more than 50 of them so far.
You can also find me on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/KajeHarper
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
July 14, 2014
Wow.
Unexpected take on this prompt in a brilliant and terrifying near future. Creepy set up because it's close enough to being reality. A warning.
I was invested in all the main characters, but especially Roman. The challenges, the fears, the sometimes crushing reality was met with both resilience and acceptance. His pragmatism appealed to me. His background and past were nicely developed and intriguing. Xavier is a tech genius--a real one, not the guys at the Genius Bar. His skill set is immediately identifiable, but I like how his moral compass was not as fully explored until he met Roman. This isn't a fast read, but at the same time, I didn't want to rush reading it.
Overall, suspenseful and emotional.
Favorite passage: This kiss was somehow recognition. Sweetly familiar. Oh, yes, there you are, where you’re supposed to be.
Unexpected take on this prompt in a brilliant and terrifying near future. Creepy set up because it's close enough to being reality. A warning.
I was invested in all the main characters, but especially Roman. The challenges, the fears, the sometimes crushing reality was met with both resilience and acceptance. His pragmatism appealed to me. His background and past were nicely developed and intriguing. Xavier is a tech genius--a real one, not the guys at the Genius Bar. His skill set is immediately identifiable, but I like how his moral compass was not as fully explored until he met Roman. This isn't a fast read, but at the same time, I didn't want to rush reading it.
Overall, suspenseful and emotional.
Favorite passage: This kiss was somehow recognition. Sweetly familiar. Oh, yes, there you are, where you’re supposed to be.
Read
July 12, 2014The free download for this story is already available in several formats from the Goodreads M/M Romance Group books site - http://www.mmromancegroup.com/laser-v...
I really appreciate how quickly they got that up and available, and all the work done to proofread and format it. This free writing event is so much fun, and there are hundreds of other stories available or coming out soon to enjoy.
I really appreciate how quickly they got that up and available, and all the work done to proofread and format it. This free writing event is so much fun, and there are hundreds of other stories available or coming out soon to enjoy.
July 13, 2014
3.5 stars
In the near future, with Earth's resources diminished and wars waged for them, Xavier, a security tech, lives a life of leisure after he sold his company for millions. He is taking care of his sister, ex-cop, who suffers from kidney failure after she and many others were poisoned by contaminated food. In spite of superb medical care, she really needs a transplantation because of potential cancer threat caused by the same poison. They are refurbishing an old house, something they both need to pass the time. When Xavier is contacted anonymously about illegal transplantation, they agree to cooperate with FBI.
Roman, former soldier in the mentioned wars, now a biology professor, finds himself kidnapped and drugged just before the planned expedition to Brazil. Unable to move or communicate, he finds that he can spirit-walk as well as the way to Xavier's and Tam's house. The three of them start solving the mystery of Roman, only to find out that their cases are connected. And, the time is running out for both Roman and Tam.
The story was exciting mixture of genres and it offered a lot of potential. Some of it was fulfilled, some of it not. The story started slow, but picked up quickly. I really liked author's sketch of the world (including environmental problems and possible and believable new technologies), I liked all three characters and I was happy the author didn't try to fast-forward the guys to HEA. What I wanted, though, is more background on both guys, Roman especially. Though this is a novel-length story, it reads like a novella. Some things took too much space (like Roman's 'swimming' in the grey or laser 'travelling') and could have, perhaps, been used to answer some of the questions about the characters. For example: Why was Roman raised by grandparents? Why was he getting into trouble as a kid? What happened to him in the war? More about spirit- walking would have been appreciated too. I wasn't 100% satisfied with the way the case was resolved either. It felt impersonal and unfinished somehow.
In the end, I enjoyed the story and author's imagination and I could live with the sequel (*hint-hint*).
In the near future, with Earth's resources diminished and wars waged for them, Xavier, a security tech, lives a life of leisure after he sold his company for millions. He is taking care of his sister, ex-cop, who suffers from kidney failure after she and many others were poisoned by contaminated food. In spite of superb medical care, she really needs a transplantation because of potential cancer threat caused by the same poison. They are refurbishing an old house, something they both need to pass the time. When Xavier is contacted anonymously about illegal transplantation, they agree to cooperate with FBI.
Roman, former soldier in the mentioned wars, now a biology professor, finds himself kidnapped and drugged just before the planned expedition to Brazil. Unable to move or communicate, he finds that he can spirit-walk as well as the way to Xavier's and Tam's house. The three of them start solving the mystery of Roman, only to find out that their cases are connected. And, the time is running out for both Roman and Tam.
The story was exciting mixture of genres and it offered a lot of potential. Some of it was fulfilled, some of it not. The story started slow, but picked up quickly. I really liked author's sketch of the world (including environmental problems and possible and believable new technologies), I liked all three characters and I was happy the author didn't try to fast-forward the guys to HEA. What I wanted, though, is more background on both guys, Roman especially. Though this is a novel-length story, it reads like a novella. Some things took too much space (like Roman's 'swimming' in the grey or laser 'travelling') and could have, perhaps, been used to answer some of the questions about the characters. For example: Why was Roman raised by grandparents? Why was he getting into trouble as a kid? What happened to him in the war? More about spirit- walking would have been appreciated too. I wasn't 100% satisfied with the way the case was resolved either. It felt impersonal and unfinished somehow.
In the end, I enjoyed the story and author's imagination and I could live with the sequel (*hint-hint*).
August 31, 2015
I don't know why...but it's been forEVER since I've read anything from Kaje.
That should not be allowed to happen again.
This was a brilliant story penned from a well-seasoned hand.
Fantastic characters, a creative twist, and a sweet love story.
The candle? Made me melt.
ohhhh, and SCORE, it's free!
That should not be allowed to happen again.
This was a brilliant story penned from a well-seasoned hand.
Fantastic characters, a creative twist, and a sweet love story.
The candle? Made me melt.
ohhhh, and SCORE, it's free!
July 18, 2014
This was a fast paced and supremely enjoyable free story written by the author for the Love's Landscapes event. I enjoyed every page of it, particularly all the little details that made this sci fi paranormal/slightly dystopian book seem like something that could very well come to pass.
I liked Roman and Xavier quite a bit, but my favorite character ended up being Xavier's sister, who turned out to be, for me, one of the few really likable female side characters in the M/M Romance genre.
Kudos to the author for all the hard work and research she put into this story, and for writing something so good and so long in such a short time.
I liked Roman and Xavier quite a bit, but my favorite character ended up being Xavier's sister, who turned out to be, for me, one of the few really likable female side characters in the M/M Romance genre.
Kudos to the author for all the hard work and research she put into this story, and for writing something so good and so long in such a short time.
December 25, 2015
Nice story, but a little too much plot and too little character for my taste.
Slow burning romance. Kissing and sex at the end. No declarations of love, only tentative talk of a future together.
There was little to no angst within the relationship. Roman and Xavier were sweet together, but I did feel like there was something missing. Could be me though..
Slow burning romance. Kissing and sex at the end. No declarations of love, only tentative talk of a future together.
There was little to no angst within the relationship. Roman and Xavier were sweet together, but I did feel like there was something missing. Could be me though..
July 28, 2014
3.5 stars
It’s the near future, Roman Michael Janz, ex-soldier and now an associate professor in biology, is drugged and kidnapped. Strangely, in his semi-consciousness, he is able to find a blue light and he spirit-walks right into the house where Xavier Faulkner and his ex-cop sister temporarily reside. Xavier, who has become a millionaire after selling his security company, sets up the house with his sister, Tam, while working with the FBI to reveal an illegal organ transplant operation. Tam is in need of a kidney transplant and with Xavier’s money they are the perfect bait. Xavier and Tam become Roman’s only connections to human world and the three of them need to unravel the mystery of what has happened to Roman before time is running out.
This story opens straight into action. I found it rather chilling…a kind of situation that can drive someone into complete helplessness. Being drugged and practically prepped as an organ donor, while still being somewhat semi-conscious (Roman could still hear people talking around him) is totally a frightening situation for me. I think for Roman being an ex-soldier helped him to never lose his cool, trying to assess things, looking for a way out. If it were me, I would probably just go straight to depression.
Personally, I think the story lacked the ‘emotional connection’ that I usually feel when it comes to Kaje Harper’s stories. While I commend the author for her innovative details on astral projection/spirit-walking, I must admit that my eyes glazed over during those explanations — all the things that Roman did to keep traveling outside his body, I mean. Those moments went straight over my head. I think it had something to do with my lack of favoritism over anything slightly sci-fi in my reading.
I also thought it reduced the opportunity to know more about Roman’s background. Throughout the book, Roman felt distant. I would love to know more about him. An ex-soldier turned associate professor in biology, that is intriguing, right? I know that Roman is trying to find out more about what is going on with him, but if only those technical aspects of spirit-walking were spent with Roman opening up himself to Xavier in a more personal way, I could feel more sympathetic towards him. The technical aspects, while good, made the story feels clinical.
In addition, the resolution of the illegal operation, after everything that Roman had been going through (as well as the other kidnapped people) was not satisfying for me.
As always, reviews are subjective and those issues I am having might not be as significant to other readers. Kaje Harper is one of my favorite MM authors because she focuses on plot and characters and relationship-building rather than smut and the erotic side of this genre. So, I would still recommend this to those who like a plot-driven story with a dash of sci-fi and mystery in their read. Besides, it is being generously free and in a good length, you have nothing to lose, right?
It’s the near future, Roman Michael Janz, ex-soldier and now an associate professor in biology, is drugged and kidnapped. Strangely, in his semi-consciousness, he is able to find a blue light and he spirit-walks right into the house where Xavier Faulkner and his ex-cop sister temporarily reside. Xavier, who has become a millionaire after selling his security company, sets up the house with his sister, Tam, while working with the FBI to reveal an illegal organ transplant operation. Tam is in need of a kidney transplant and with Xavier’s money they are the perfect bait. Xavier and Tam become Roman’s only connections to human world and the three of them need to unravel the mystery of what has happened to Roman before time is running out.
This story opens straight into action. I found it rather chilling…a kind of situation that can drive someone into complete helplessness. Being drugged and practically prepped as an organ donor, while still being somewhat semi-conscious (Roman could still hear people talking around him) is totally a frightening situation for me. I think for Roman being an ex-soldier helped him to never lose his cool, trying to assess things, looking for a way out. If it were me, I would probably just go straight to depression.
Personally, I think the story lacked the ‘emotional connection’ that I usually feel when it comes to Kaje Harper’s stories. While I commend the author for her innovative details on astral projection/spirit-walking, I must admit that my eyes glazed over during those explanations — all the things that Roman did to keep traveling outside his body, I mean. Those moments went straight over my head. I think it had something to do with my lack of favoritism over anything slightly sci-fi in my reading.
I also thought it reduced the opportunity to know more about Roman’s background. Throughout the book, Roman felt distant. I would love to know more about him. An ex-soldier turned associate professor in biology, that is intriguing, right? I know that Roman is trying to find out more about what is going on with him, but if only those technical aspects of spirit-walking were spent with Roman opening up himself to Xavier in a more personal way, I could feel more sympathetic towards him. The technical aspects, while good, made the story feels clinical.
In addition, the resolution of the illegal operation, after everything that Roman had been going through (as well as the other kidnapped people) was not satisfying for me.
As always, reviews are subjective and those issues I am having might not be as significant to other readers. Kaje Harper is one of my favorite MM authors because she focuses on plot and characters and relationship-building rather than smut and the erotic side of this genre. So, I would still recommend this to those who like a plot-driven story with a dash of sci-fi and mystery in their read. Besides, it is being generously free and in a good length, you have nothing to lose, right?
January 3, 2015
Kaje Harper does this thing where she writes ridiculously awesome novels out of tiny teeny prompts and then gives them away for free.
Simply put, this is really really cool. And I mean cool. Like, imagine me saying it with twelve Os and an awed voice, nodding my head with my eyes bugged out. The way a 12-year-old boy would do it when faced with a big-ass Harley or a super-duper-phenomenal goal or something. (Whatever, I don't know what 12-year-old boys like because I was never one, but you get my drift.)
For starters, it's set in the future, which - cool.
Secondly, there are lasers and organ harvesting operations and astral projections, which, again - cool and intelligently constructed, without ever becoming OTT or ridiculous.
Third, there are awesome - awesome (is there any way to emphasise it more? No? Bummer) - characters, including a badass redheaded lady cop with a well-rounded, brash and immediately likeable personality.
And last but not least, the romance is wonderful. Just picture it: you're scared shitless by a hot guy's ghostly ass in the middle of the night, you become friends with him because you connect on a deeper spiritual level (as in you're both into superheroes), you embark on a dangerous crime-solving, life-saving operation with him (and your sister), and then you're left to figure it all out... and you figure it out in a way that is mature and rational, but at the same time so passionate and adorable that it fully balances out the tension and fear of the previous hundred-odd pages.
Doesn't it sound cool?
Simply put, this is really really cool. And I mean cool. Like, imagine me saying it with twelve Os and an awed voice, nodding my head with my eyes bugged out. The way a 12-year-old boy would do it when faced with a big-ass Harley or a super-duper-phenomenal goal or something. (Whatever, I don't know what 12-year-old boys like because I was never one, but you get my drift.)
For starters, it's set in the future, which - cool.
Secondly, there are lasers and organ harvesting operations and astral projections, which, again - cool and intelligently constructed, without ever becoming OTT or ridiculous.
Third, there are awesome - awesome (is there any way to emphasise it more? No? Bummer) - characters, including a badass redheaded lady cop with a well-rounded, brash and immediately likeable personality.
And last but not least, the romance is wonderful. Just picture it: you're scared shitless by a hot guy's ghostly ass in the middle of the night, you become friends with him because you connect on a deeper spiritual level (as in you're both into superheroes), you embark on a dangerous crime-solving, life-saving operation with him (and your sister), and then you're left to figure it all out... and you figure it out in a way that is mature and rational, but at the same time so passionate and adorable that it fully balances out the tension and fear of the previous hundred-odd pages.
Doesn't it sound cool?
July 17, 2014
It needs to be said somewhere: I have the highest respect for Kaje Harper as an author. Every year she tackles this event, produces an amazing story and gives it away for free. And every year she tries something new....and sucessfully.
After the historical two years ago, the PNR-fantasy last year, this year we get Sci-Fi. Yes, I would say it's Science Fiction.
The whole story is thrilling, I couldn't put it down, I wanted to know what was happening next, how would they solve this problem, etc. etc.
I was captivated by the story. Additionally I also got really invested in the MCs, especially Roman. I often complain that books have measly storylines which are just alibis for a lot of schmexy - this is the opposite. It has a great storyline, unfortunately because of that really great story, the lovestory takes a bit of a backseat. But not enough to make me deduct a star or so, I can live with less sex and great story, seriously.
So - highly recommened - another great story from a insanely talented author.
After the historical two years ago, the PNR-fantasy last year, this year we get Sci-Fi. Yes, I would say it's Science Fiction.
The whole story is thrilling, I couldn't put it down, I wanted to know what was happening next, how would they solve this problem, etc. etc.
I was captivated by the story. Additionally I also got really invested in the MCs, especially Roman. I often complain that books have measly storylines which are just alibis for a lot of schmexy - this is the opposite. It has a great storyline, unfortunately because of that really great story, the lovestory takes a bit of a backseat. But not enough to make me deduct a star or so, I can live with less sex and great story, seriously.
So - highly recommened - another great story from a insanely talented author.
June 26, 2015
All good quality ingredients but ultimately the cake didn't rise.
It's an impressively long fic for a freebie event but perhaps that's where the problem lies, pushing to write down so much in a short space of time means little details are overlooked. The mystery plot is chilling but a lot of this story could have been cut to make a far sharper read, with more emphasis given to the characters who we don't really get to know much.
Roman went from soldier to professor but we only get those bare facts about him so he remains ghost-like. Xavier is very rich and retired young, which leaves him somewhat cardboard and under-developed, his sister is actually the only one who seemed to have a background of any depth.
The book is set in the near future. The differences are slight, but I got thrown by the few movie character references which seemed out of place pulling me from the verse; and the fact they're staying in an antebellum house (I admit I had to look that term up). I couldn't get a settled impression of the times.
While the plot was interesting I gave up before reading the conclusion because the lack of connection to the characters made it hard reading and I was suspecting an element of convenient timing to the rescue.
Should have been a winner, but sadly wasn't.
It's an impressively long fic for a freebie event but perhaps that's where the problem lies, pushing to write down so much in a short space of time means little details are overlooked. The mystery plot is chilling but a lot of this story could have been cut to make a far sharper read, with more emphasis given to the characters who we don't really get to know much.
Roman went from soldier to professor but we only get those bare facts about him so he remains ghost-like. Xavier is very rich and retired young, which leaves him somewhat cardboard and under-developed, his sister is actually the only one who seemed to have a background of any depth.
The book is set in the near future. The differences are slight, but I got thrown by the few movie character references which seemed out of place pulling me from the verse; and the fact they're staying in an antebellum house (I admit I had to look that term up). I couldn't get a settled impression of the times.
While the plot was interesting I gave up before reading the conclusion because the lack of connection to the characters made it hard reading and I was suspecting an element of convenient timing to the rescue.
Should have been a winner, but sadly wasn't.
June 15, 2021
Fantastic story! I love how so much of this universe is explained through tiny comments as the characters reflect instead of exposition info dumps.
July 19, 2014
I'm deeply unsettled and disturbed by the grimly dystopian yet entirely possible future Kaje Harper has imagined in this book. From the poisoned crops to publicly available genetic sequencing turned black market body farming to implanted biotrackers, it all seems so terrifyingly real in the not too distant future.
The prose has this really effective way of making the reader feel claustrophobic and uncomfortable throughout that it took until about halfway through for me to connect to the novel at all. The intense desperation that motivates the characters was almost too palpable. Yet, Roman and Xavier's connection to each other shone through beautifully by the end, thankfully ending the novel on a happy if slightly ambivalent way. And Tam and Xavier's cute banter was a sweet relief and brought comic flavour to brighten the desolate atmosphere of the book. I almost hesitate to leave my review with only four stars, but it's really a testament to how well the alienating feeling was conveyed. Given some time and distance, I might add that deserved extra star. This book is definitely unforgettable.
The prose has this really effective way of making the reader feel claustrophobic and uncomfortable throughout that it took until about halfway through for me to connect to the novel at all. The intense desperation that motivates the characters was almost too palpable. Yet, Roman and Xavier's connection to each other shone through beautifully by the end, thankfully ending the novel on a happy if slightly ambivalent way. And Tam and Xavier's cute banter was a sweet relief and brought comic flavour to brighten the desolate atmosphere of the book. I almost hesitate to leave my review with only four stars, but it's really a testament to how well the alienating feeling was conveyed. Given some time and distance, I might add that deserved extra star. This book is definitely unforgettable.
August 27, 2014
Usual quality writing. Solid plot.
But nevertheless, I felt bored throughout the whole read. I can't help it.
All these descriptions of Roman being in spirit/astral state and wandering on laser beams or being in the dark panicking... Sigh. Too much, too uninteresting after having read it 10 times before. Tedious and boring.
Furthermore I couldn't connect neither to Xavier nor Roman.
The suspense part didn't grip me. To me it was just one long wait for Roman to be found. Sorry.
But nevertheless, I felt bored throughout the whole read. I can't help it.
All these descriptions of Roman being in spirit/astral state and wandering on laser beams or being in the dark panicking... Sigh. Too much, too uninteresting after having read it 10 times before. Tedious and boring.
Furthermore I couldn't connect neither to Xavier nor Roman.
The suspense part didn't grip me. To me it was just one long wait for Roman to be found. Sorry.
December 27, 2014
Kaje Harper starts the action immediately and keeps it going non-stop. Roman, Xavier and Tam are all fun, memorable and enticing characters. As usual, Kaje makes the impossible feel real and probable. She makes the notion of astral project feel as real as I have ever seen or read about it. It is simply another Kaje Harper hit that I am happy to recommend to all my friends.
July 18, 2014
The story was mildly entertaining but I just didn't connect with it.
May 28, 2022
This was an unexpected miss for me. I'm usually a big fan of Kaje's paranormal/fantasy/scifi worlds -- and I did like a lot of those details here -- but it's a bit too insta on top of the fact that the MC’s initial physical attraction to each other felt ridiculous considering the circumstances. But, like, barely, which made it even more frustrating. I get the attraction and the fact that one dude has no choice but to walk around naked all the time makes it believable as something you'd be aware of, but it came off a little too cheesy considering the extremely dangerous situations they find themselves in. And the fact that one of the MCs is aware of this and mentions it frequently made it even worse. It's a decent, easy read, but still a definite miss for me.
March 1, 2017
An interesting story involving the spirit walking of a kidnapped donor patient, sort of...
August 5, 2017
Darum geht’s:
Einige Jahrzehnte in der Zukunft: Polizistin Tam ist krank und braucht früher oder später eine Spenderniere. Trotzdem will sie den Organhändlerring auffliegen lassen, der ihr illegal eine Niere beschaffen könnte, indem sie als Lockvogel fungiert. Ihr reicher Bruder Xavier spielt mit, und will zum Schein die horrende Summe zahlen, die für ein illegales Spenderorgan im Raum steht. Zusammen haben sie sich auf dem Land ein Haus gekauft und warten darauf, dass jemand von den Organhändlern mit ihnen Kontakt aufnimmt. Dass sich plötzlich ein Geist durch ihr renovierungsbedürftiges Häuschen bewegt, scheint die einzig sinnvolle Erklärung für die merkwürdigen Erscheinungen zu sein, denen sie nachts flüchtig begegnen. Gerade als sich die Organhändler melden, treffen Tam und Xavier endlich ihren ungewöhnlichen Hausgast Roman.
So fand ich’s:
Eine spannende Geschichte um die kranke Tam, ihren Bruder Xavier und Roman, der tot oder doch nicht tot, auf jeden Fall aber körperlos herumirrt. Tam und Xavier stoßen zufällig auf ihn, aber sie sind offen genug, um nicht schreiend davonzulaufen, sondern sich auf Roman und seine verrückte Geschichte einzulassen.
Die drei Hauptcharaktere sind so lebendig und greifbar, dass jede Seite ein Lesevergnügen war. Und obwohl sich Xavier und der „Geist“ Roman nicht berühren und oft auch nicht mal sehen können, entwickelt sich zwischen den beiden völlig körperlos doch eine Liebesgeschichte, die zu keiner Zeit langweilig ist, subtil-prickelnd und total realistisch rüberkommt.
Man darf einen interessanten Blick in eine mögliche nahe Zukunft werfen, in der die Technik sich ein bisschen fortentwickelt hat, aber vieles doch gleich geblieben ist. Und natürlich gibt es ein Happy End, das trotz der merkwürdigen Situation Romans realistisch wirkt.
Mit 225 Seiten ist das ein ausgewachsener Roman, dem man sehr gut auch zum vollen Bücher-Preis hätte verkaufen können. Das Geld wäre es mir allemal wert gewesen! Umso schöner, dass dieses tolle Buch, das ganz eindeutig auch bei meinen Favoriten bisher den vordersten Rang belegt, auf Dauer kostenlos zu haben sein wird.
Einige Jahrzehnte in der Zukunft: Polizistin Tam ist krank und braucht früher oder später eine Spenderniere. Trotzdem will sie den Organhändlerring auffliegen lassen, der ihr illegal eine Niere beschaffen könnte, indem sie als Lockvogel fungiert. Ihr reicher Bruder Xavier spielt mit, und will zum Schein die horrende Summe zahlen, die für ein illegales Spenderorgan im Raum steht. Zusammen haben sie sich auf dem Land ein Haus gekauft und warten darauf, dass jemand von den Organhändlern mit ihnen Kontakt aufnimmt. Dass sich plötzlich ein Geist durch ihr renovierungsbedürftiges Häuschen bewegt, scheint die einzig sinnvolle Erklärung für die merkwürdigen Erscheinungen zu sein, denen sie nachts flüchtig begegnen. Gerade als sich die Organhändler melden, treffen Tam und Xavier endlich ihren ungewöhnlichen Hausgast Roman.
So fand ich’s:
Eine spannende Geschichte um die kranke Tam, ihren Bruder Xavier und Roman, der tot oder doch nicht tot, auf jeden Fall aber körperlos herumirrt. Tam und Xavier stoßen zufällig auf ihn, aber sie sind offen genug, um nicht schreiend davonzulaufen, sondern sich auf Roman und seine verrückte Geschichte einzulassen.
Die drei Hauptcharaktere sind so lebendig und greifbar, dass jede Seite ein Lesevergnügen war. Und obwohl sich Xavier und der „Geist“ Roman nicht berühren und oft auch nicht mal sehen können, entwickelt sich zwischen den beiden völlig körperlos doch eine Liebesgeschichte, die zu keiner Zeit langweilig ist, subtil-prickelnd und total realistisch rüberkommt.
Man darf einen interessanten Blick in eine mögliche nahe Zukunft werfen, in der die Technik sich ein bisschen fortentwickelt hat, aber vieles doch gleich geblieben ist. Und natürlich gibt es ein Happy End, das trotz der merkwürdigen Situation Romans realistisch wirkt.
Mit 225 Seiten ist das ein ausgewachsener Roman, dem man sehr gut auch zum vollen Bücher-Preis hätte verkaufen können. Das Geld wäre es mir allemal wert gewesen! Umso schöner, dass dieses tolle Buch, das ganz eindeutig auch bei meinen Favoriten bisher den vordersten Rang belegt, auf Dauer kostenlos zu haben sein wird.
October 29, 2015
‘Laser Visions’ is an amazing novel for more than one reason. First, it is a fresh look at spirit walking, adding modern technology to the age-old spiritual practice, and making it a fascinating concept from a new and different angle. Second, it is a creepy, scary mystery involving organized crime, a courageous cop who will risk her life to discover what’s going on, and some more than evil people. And third, it is a hauntingly beautiful love story with two men who seem to be truly star-crossed lovers for the longest time. This novel has it all: action, suspense, seemingly unsurmountable odds, and a touching love story in a futuristic setting that seem scarily real, almost realistic.
Roman is a biology professor minding his own business, or rather his plants. He may have been in the military once, and he still has some of his old skills, but he no longer wants to be part of that kind of a life. Until he gets kidnapped one day, for inexplicable reasons, and ends up in mental/spiritual limbo while his body is in a coma. He has no idea where he is, or why it happened, but he is determined to figure it out and find a way to return to the living.
Xavier is a computer nerd, who made millions building a tech-security company, then sold it. He is currently trying to help his sister Tam survive, but all she wants is to capture the criminals who are selling organs that have been “harvested” from living human beings against their will. Xavier is fascinated by the naked man appearing in various rooms in his and his sister’s house, and with his intelligence and determination, he is sure he will find a solution, What he discovers instead is mind-boggling, and the longer he works with Roman, the more involved they both get – not just with the mystery, but with each other.
If you like a good mystery/thriller with villains who should be expelled from the human race for their actions, if two men who face a seemingly hopeless situation on several levels pique your interest, and if you’re looking for an amazing, well written, thoughtful love story in a futuristic setting that might blow your mind, then you will probably like this free novel as much as I do.
Roman is a biology professor minding his own business, or rather his plants. He may have been in the military once, and he still has some of his old skills, but he no longer wants to be part of that kind of a life. Until he gets kidnapped one day, for inexplicable reasons, and ends up in mental/spiritual limbo while his body is in a coma. He has no idea where he is, or why it happened, but he is determined to figure it out and find a way to return to the living.
Xavier is a computer nerd, who made millions building a tech-security company, then sold it. He is currently trying to help his sister Tam survive, but all she wants is to capture the criminals who are selling organs that have been “harvested” from living human beings against their will. Xavier is fascinated by the naked man appearing in various rooms in his and his sister’s house, and with his intelligence and determination, he is sure he will find a solution, What he discovers instead is mind-boggling, and the longer he works with Roman, the more involved they both get – not just with the mystery, but with each other.
If you like a good mystery/thriller with villains who should be expelled from the human race for their actions, if two men who face a seemingly hopeless situation on several levels pique your interest, and if you’re looking for an amazing, well written, thoughtful love story in a futuristic setting that might blow your mind, then you will probably like this free novel as much as I do.
July 21, 2014
NSFW, but really... is anyone offended by a cute 'lil butt?
Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love's Landscapes event. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!
4.5 stars I really, really enjoyed this. Who the fuck comes up with stuff?!?! Amazingly creative version of the near future. All of it was just great. I have to say I thought I'd be rounding up but the ending dragged for me a bit with Xavier's insecurities and a lot of rehashing of the same conversation. And of the course there wasn't as much resolution as I would have liked with the case, although I don't like when things have too perfect of a bow on top. One niggling inconsistency
But the journey was wonderfully done. Very suspenseful! And my heart was in it for the guys and for Tam.
Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love's Landscapes event. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!
4.5 stars I really, really enjoyed this. Who the fuck comes up with stuff?!?! Amazingly creative version of the near future. All of it was just great. I have to say I thought I'd be rounding up but the ending dragged for me a bit with Xavier's insecurities and a lot of rehashing of the same conversation. And of the course there wasn't as much resolution as I would have liked with the case, although I don't like when things have too perfect of a bow on top. One niggling inconsistency
But the journey was wonderfully done. Very suspenseful! And my heart was in it for the guys and for Tam.
October 22, 2015
3.75 stars.
As a thriller/suspense story- this was really good. I was literally glued to the pages despite it being almost morning. Well, I had to know how the heroes will manage to save Roman!
As a romance - the book lacked something for me.. Maybe because it was an insta-love story? Don't really love those. Or maybe because I liked the heroes, but didn't fall in love with them.
Overall, a nice, solid, imaginative story. Had me think for a moment of trying the meditation/astral walking thing...is it real even? seems scary. :/
As a thriller/suspense story- this was really good. I was literally glued to the pages despite it being almost morning. Well, I had to know how the heroes will manage to save Roman!
As a romance - the book lacked something for me.. Maybe because it was an insta-love story? Don't really love those. Or maybe because I liked the heroes, but didn't fall in love with them.
Overall, a nice, solid, imaginative story. Had me think for a moment of trying the meditation/astral walking thing...is it real even? seems scary. :/
December 10, 2015
4.5 Stars - I really enjoyed this story! Set in the not so distant future, just enough was changed to make the time period different from now while still being plausible. I really liked the plot and found it interesting and well thought out. Tam was a great supporting female character and I loved how Roman and Xavier connected without even touching.
July 12, 2014
This was so good! I was rooting for them the entire time. I admit to being on pins and needles until the end. That Roman and Xavier had a connection that went so far beyond the physical was what made this story for me. Thank you, Kaje, for such a wonderful story.
Want to read
July 12, 2014Woo-hoo! Harper's Love's Landscapes story is up! (All 79k of it! Yum!) You can grab the ebook here.
April 14, 2015
This was a heart stopping supernatural thriller and I loved it
September 25, 2021
I quiet enjoyed this little story about Tam, Roman, and Xavier. I thought it was an interesting take on spirit walking and a little suspenseful mystery to try and figure out. I thought the ending was a bit abrupt and it left some details unanswered. I would like to read more about Roman and Xavier and find out what happened to them next.
September 22, 2014
What can I say? Kaje Harper does it again. This is a superb paranormal adventure about Roman, a college professor who is trapped in a comatose body but who can somehow "spirit walk" as he tries to escape the trap his body is in.
In his darkness, he follows a blue light to the home of Xavier and his sister Tam. Xavier is a computer geek who sold his multi-million dollar e-security company to retire here with his sister, a former cop who is now on a kidney transplant list due to having eaten poisoned food.
The time period is mid-21st century so there are many things familiar to us, but many modern advances woven into the story as well. Among them, a national database of potential transplant matches so that if you need one, the list of potential donors is there and you just have to wait for them to be brain-dead (or vice versa, someone who is brain-dead can be easily matched to a living donor.)
The romance between Roman and Xavier develops slowly, as it should since Roman is not in a corporeal form, but the main thrust of the story is what happened to Roman and why he is being preserved in a comatose state. And it's about "organ-legging", the selling of body parts to those who need a transplant and can afford to get it ahead of others on the transplant lists.
Kaje Harper cleverly weaves intrigue, adventure, desperation, hope, fear, love, and hate into a new reality and brings us a unique and thought-provoking adventure. Of course, being an M/M romance, there is a HEA, or at least a HFN for the guys, but there's so much more along the way that I can highly recommend this one to all lovers of M/M romance. And it's free since she wrote it for the Love's Landscapes Event. How can you go wrong?
In his darkness, he follows a blue light to the home of Xavier and his sister Tam. Xavier is a computer geek who sold his multi-million dollar e-security company to retire here with his sister, a former cop who is now on a kidney transplant list due to having eaten poisoned food.
The time period is mid-21st century so there are many things familiar to us, but many modern advances woven into the story as well. Among them, a national database of potential transplant matches so that if you need one, the list of potential donors is there and you just have to wait for them to be brain-dead (or vice versa, someone who is brain-dead can be easily matched to a living donor.)
The romance between Roman and Xavier develops slowly, as it should since Roman is not in a corporeal form, but the main thrust of the story is what happened to Roman and why he is being preserved in a comatose state. And it's about "organ-legging", the selling of body parts to those who need a transplant and can afford to get it ahead of others on the transplant lists.
Kaje Harper cleverly weaves intrigue, adventure, desperation, hope, fear, love, and hate into a new reality and brings us a unique and thought-provoking adventure. Of course, being an M/M romance, there is a HEA, or at least a HFN for the guys, but there's so much more along the way that I can highly recommend this one to all lovers of M/M romance. And it's free since she wrote it for the Love's Landscapes Event. How can you go wrong?
September 15, 2014
4.5 stars
This was so good, so much more than I was expecting. I loved the suspense and couldn't put the book down until I finished. At first I was skeptical that the prompt could be turned into something that would make sense, and continued to doubt it as I began reading, but the story turned out to be so creative and was actually believable (in a paranormal way). Obviously it was very convenient for the plot that Xavier was ridiculously wealthy, as it allowed him to do whatever necessary to help Roman, but it didn't bother me because I was so desperate for it to be resolved, I needed them to spare no expense and make it happen!
My only real complaint was that the unconventional cursing was jarring and frequently pulled me out of the story. I understand that it was meant to emphasize that it occurs in the future and that people would have a different way of speaking, as language evolves over time, but I highly doubt that people are going to start cursing like Ned Flanders in a few decades.
I'm somewhat amazed that we got this full length novel from the Love's Landscapes event. Since it's not a short story, the characters had time to develop their relationship, and because they were limited physically, they truly got to know each other rather than relying solely on sexual chemistry. I liked the awkwardness that kept surfacing between them, because it made it seem so much more genuine. When everything moves along too smoothly and perfectly for a couple, it feels a little too fake, so I was glad not to see that in this book.
Anyway, this is definitely among the few best LL stories, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes futuristic suspense.
This was so good, so much more than I was expecting. I loved the suspense and couldn't put the book down until I finished. At first I was skeptical that the prompt could be turned into something that would make sense, and continued to doubt it as I began reading, but the story turned out to be so creative and was actually believable (in a paranormal way). Obviously it was very convenient for the plot that Xavier was ridiculously wealthy, as it allowed him to do whatever necessary to help Roman, but it didn't bother me because I was so desperate for it to be resolved, I needed them to spare no expense and make it happen!
My only real complaint was that the unconventional cursing was jarring and frequently pulled me out of the story. I understand that it was meant to emphasize that it occurs in the future and that people would have a different way of speaking, as language evolves over time, but I highly doubt that people are going to start cursing like Ned Flanders in a few decades.
I'm somewhat amazed that we got this full length novel from the Love's Landscapes event. Since it's not a short story, the characters had time to develop their relationship, and because they were limited physically, they truly got to know each other rather than relying solely on sexual chemistry. I liked the awkwardness that kept surfacing between them, because it made it seem so much more genuine. When everything moves along too smoothly and perfectly for a couple, it feels a little too fake, so I was glad not to see that in this book.
Anyway, this is definitely among the few best LL stories, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes futuristic suspense.
September 2, 2018
Trigger warning ableism and body horror, including:
I took a chance with this one, because it's Kaje, and I was not disappointed. I was even a little blown away.
Set in the not-so-distant future, this seems like a plausible direction for current society to end up, and actually a lot of this could have been set in modern society. The sci-fi is consistent with itself, so I had no trouble believing the scenario set up here. The world building was subtle and not lumped into info dumps, just little bits at a time as they were needed. Even what seems like a convenient plot device to get our two guys to meet ends up being a crucial plot point later on. I was stumped how this was going to resolve in the requested HEA/HFN, because even as we neared the home stretch there were still so many things that could've gone horribly wrong. We do get our HFN though, and it respects the trauma our characters went through to get there while also giving them hope for a future.
I got this when shortly after it was put on LL's and there were a couple of editing errors that made a couple of sentences hard to dissect. This could've been fixed by now though.
I took a chance with this one, because it's Kaje, and I was not disappointed. I was even a little blown away.
Set in the not-so-distant future, this seems like a plausible direction for current society to end up, and actually a lot of this could have been set in modern society. The sci-fi is consistent with itself, so I had no trouble believing the scenario set up here. The world building was subtle and not lumped into info dumps, just little bits at a time as they were needed. Even what seems like a convenient plot device to get our two guys to meet ends up being a crucial plot point later on. I was stumped how this was going to resolve in the requested HEA/HFN, because even as we neared the home stretch there were still so many things that could've gone horribly wrong. We do get our HFN though, and it respects the trauma our characters went through to get there while also giving them hope for a future.
I got this when shortly after it was put on LL's and there were a couple of editing errors that made a couple of sentences hard to dissect. This could've been fixed by now though.
July 14, 2014
4-4.5
Давно я не испытывала такого напряжения, не переживала так сильно за героев.
Я не хотела откладывать книгу ни на секунду!
Местами просходящее с Романом напоминало мне рассказ Стивена Кинга "Секционный зал номер четыре" (Autopsy Room Four), и мне было очень страшно за него. Также вспоминался фильм "Между небом и землей" (Just Like Heaven), и хотелось такого же HEA для героев.
Герои мне импонировали, причем замечу, что горячих сцен здесь почти нет, но химия между ними все равно ощущается.
Конечно, воображение у автора здесь разыгралось, но из-за временного периода событий "лет через 50 в будущем", все ее выдумки я воспринимала как данность фантастических книг. А еще всем виновникам и соучастникам хотелось бы сурового наказания. С другой стороны, наверное, авторская развязка более близка к реальности.
Жаль, что многому не было дано полноценных объяснений и обоснований. Однако, учитывая, объем и сроки написания, я преклоняюсь перед талантом К.Харпер.
Давно я не испытывала такого напряжения, не переживала так сильно за героев.
Я не хотела откладывать книгу ни на секунду!
Местами просходящее с Романом напоминало мне рассказ Стивена Кинга "Секционный зал номер четыре" (Autopsy Room Four), и мне было очень страшно за него. Также вспоминался фильм "Между небом и землей" (Just Like Heaven), и хотелось такого же HEA для героев.
Герои мне импонировали, причем замечу, что горячих сцен здесь почти нет, но химия между ними все равно ощущается.
Конечно, воображение у автора здесь разыгралось, но из-за временного периода событий "лет через 50 в будущем", все ее выдумки я воспринимала как данность фантастических книг. А еще всем виновникам и соучастникам хотелось бы сурового наказания. С другой стороны, наверное, авторская развязка более близка к реальности.
Жаль, что многому не было дано полноценных объяснений и обоснований. Однако, учитывая, объем и сроки написания, я преклоняюсь перед талантом К.Харпер.
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