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In the Wake of the Templars #1
The Dangerous Type
Set in the wake of a galaxy-wide war and the destruction of a human empire, The Dangerous Type follows the awakening of one of the galaxy's most dangerous assassins and her quest for vengeance. Entombed for twenty years, Raena has been found and released.
Thallian has been on the lam for the last fifteen years; a wanted war criminal whose entire family has been hunted down and murdered for their role in the galaxy-wide genocide of the Templars. His name is the first on Raena’s list, as he’s the one that enslaved her, made her his assassin, and ultimate put her in a tomb. But Thallian is willing to risk everything—including his army of cloned sons—to capture her. Now it’s a race to see who kills whom first.
Alternatively, Gaven has spent the last twenty years trying to forget about Raena, whom he once saved and then lost to the clutches of Thallian. Raena’s adopted sister, Ariel, has been running from the truth: the one about Raena, about her and Gaven, and doesn’t know if she’ll be able to face either of them.
The Dangerous Type is a mix of military science fiction and an adventurous space opera that grabs you from the first pages and doesn’t let go. Along with a supporting cast of smugglers, black market doctors, and other ne'er-do-wells sprawled across a galaxy brimming with alien life, The Dangerous Type is a fantastic beginning to Loren Rhoads’s epic trilogy.
Thallian has been on the lam for the last fifteen years; a wanted war criminal whose entire family has been hunted down and murdered for their role in the galaxy-wide genocide of the Templars. His name is the first on Raena’s list, as he’s the one that enslaved her, made her his assassin, and ultimate put her in a tomb. But Thallian is willing to risk everything—including his army of cloned sons—to capture her. Now it’s a race to see who kills whom first.
Alternatively, Gaven has spent the last twenty years trying to forget about Raena, whom he once saved and then lost to the clutches of Thallian. Raena’s adopted sister, Ariel, has been running from the truth: the one about Raena, about her and Gaven, and doesn’t know if she’ll be able to face either of them.
The Dangerous Type is a mix of military science fiction and an adventurous space opera that grabs you from the first pages and doesn’t let go. Along with a supporting cast of smugglers, black market doctors, and other ne'er-do-wells sprawled across a galaxy brimming with alien life, The Dangerous Type is a fantastic beginning to Loren Rhoads’s epic trilogy.
296 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2015
25 people are currently reading
555 people want to read
About the author
Loren Rhoads
54 books336 followersLoren Rhoads is author of 222 Cemeteries to See Before You Die, Wish You Were Here: Adventures in Cemetery Travel, and its sequel Still Wish You Were Here: More Adventures in Cemetery Travel.
Loren is also author of This Morbid Life, a morbid memoir, and Unsafe Words, the first full-length collection of her edgy, award-winning stories.
She's the co-author of Lost Angels and its sequel Angelus Rose. She's also author of the space opera In the Wake of the Templars trilogy: The Dangerous Type, Kill By Numbers, and No More Heroes.
Finally, she's editor of Tales for the Camp Fire, which raised money for survivors of 2018's devastating wildfire in Butte County, California.
Loren is also author of This Morbid Life, a morbid memoir, and Unsafe Words, the first full-length collection of her edgy, award-winning stories.
She's the co-author of Lost Angels and its sequel Angelus Rose. She's also author of the space opera In the Wake of the Templars trilogy: The Dangerous Type, Kill By Numbers, and No More Heroes.
Finally, she's editor of Tales for the Camp Fire, which raised money for survivors of 2018's devastating wildfire in Butte County, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
March 17, 2016
Everyone's getting played, and not in a good way.
So this is a odd genre amalgamation that reads more like a video game than a book. A galactic Lara Croft assassin. The scene progression and MC challenges have that format. Additionally, the hyper-sexualized presentation of Raena and her sexual exploits are detached and unerotic. Too much to be science fiction and too unengaged to be erotica.
Science fiction has ways of either breaking down contemporary social constructs or reinforcing them. The elements here definitely conform to a paternalistic and inequitable world based on gender with a very deliberate use of the Gaze and displaying the female form. And while that feels off, the world building is under developed. Intergalactic travel and refrigerators, burners and bath tubs? Cargo pants and sweater?
Structurally, there are too many points of view: Kavanaugh, Sloane, Ariel, Thallian, Jimi, Revan, Jain, Eilif, at this point I stopped keeping track. Just too many. Unless one is questioning credibility doing a Rashomon multi-perspective, which is not the case here, this comes across as messy and unexamined.
I like sociopaths and a female one doubly so. The thing is... I like my sociopaths to not be completely divorced from being able to relate, to possess a poisoned rationality. I prefer something's that bent and twisted, not completely broken. And unfortunately, that's what Raena is--broken. Fierce, capable, but so disturbed by past circumstances that she's incapable of meaningful interaction.
Raena's character is not one to relate to, which as the protagonist is problematic, and as the story progresses and the reader finally gets her POV it is even less flattering. There is some backpedalling near the end, but to me it was unsuccessful. Thallian and Raena are two sociopaths in a co-dependent relationship. Neither is healthy and they're both drawn to each other. This story is when she finally realizes what she's tied to and attempts to severe it.
The ending was going so well when there was a drastic, uncharacteristic change in behavior--and the entirety of a character's actions countered at a pivotal moment. Fail. Originally, I was floundering between 2.5-3 stars for the book, but that was the death knell.
Overall, hell bent on revenge, but lacking emotion.
Favorite quote: "The question is not why Thallian was in my life. It’s why was I in his?"
~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~
~~Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews~~
So this is a odd genre amalgamation that reads more like a video game than a book. A galactic Lara Croft assassin. The scene progression and MC challenges have that format. Additionally, the hyper-sexualized presentation of Raena and her sexual exploits are detached and unerotic. Too much to be science fiction and too unengaged to be erotica.
Science fiction has ways of either breaking down contemporary social constructs or reinforcing them. The elements here definitely conform to a paternalistic and inequitable world based on gender with a very deliberate use of the Gaze and displaying the female form. And while that feels off, the world building is under developed. Intergalactic travel and refrigerators, burners and bath tubs? Cargo pants and sweater?
Structurally, there are too many points of view: Kavanaugh, Sloane, Ariel, Thallian, Jimi, Revan, Jain, Eilif, at this point I stopped keeping track. Just too many. Unless one is questioning credibility doing a Rashomon multi-perspective, which is not the case here, this comes across as messy and unexamined.
I like sociopaths and a female one doubly so. The thing is... I like my sociopaths to not be completely divorced from being able to relate, to possess a poisoned rationality. I prefer something's that bent and twisted, not completely broken. And unfortunately, that's what Raena is--broken. Fierce, capable, but so disturbed by past circumstances that she's incapable of meaningful interaction.
Raena's character is not one to relate to, which as the protagonist is problematic, and as the story progresses and the reader finally gets her POV it is even less flattering. There is some backpedalling near the end, but to me it was unsuccessful. Thallian and Raena are two sociopaths in a co-dependent relationship. Neither is healthy and they're both drawn to each other. This story is when she finally realizes what she's tied to and attempts to severe it.
The ending was going so well when there was a drastic, uncharacteristic change in behavior--and the entirety of a character's actions countered at a pivotal moment. Fail. Originally, I was floundering between 2.5-3 stars for the book, but that was the death knell.
Overall, hell bent on revenge, but lacking emotion.
Favorite quote: "The question is not why Thallian was in my life. It’s why was I in his?"
~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~
~~Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews~~
July 26, 2015
Fantasy Review Barn
This is serious business. Sex and violence and rock and roll – John Cougar Mellencamp
Can I state something here? The Dangerous Type is pure pulp. Yes it is, but why say that like it is a bad thing? Can’t a book be pulp and still be good? And let me further break down just how pulp this book is before we come to conclusions. It is a revenge tale where a small beautiful woman, who by the way hasn’t aged at all in twenty years, goes against a villain who is galaxy destroying bad. The book contains a sexy gunrunner, zero gravity martial arts, and at least one male fantasy threesome viewed with a heavy male gaze. Pulp right?
We can zoom in on the villain a bit too because it helps make the case for this book being dismissed as pulp. The man is on the books for exterminating an entire alien race; an act that has led to humanity’s ostracization from the rest of the galaxy. He enjoys torture, going so far as to use it to toughen up his own sons for their use as his personal army. And several times he uses sexual humiliation to further mark himself as the worst humanity has to offer. Moving from pulp to bad pulp here.
And yet I will not dismiss this book, rather I will spend a bit of time praising it. Raena is a character that is hard to love but easy to follow. She feels broken, but in a very dangerous way because she remains very capable. She is not defined by the pain inflicted on her in the past but it is revenge that keeps her going. There is no heart of gold moment that sneaks in and changes her but she does show a few small acts of mercy (and some that even she knows only remain a mercy in the short term). She remains true to the character we are presented with at the beginning; a deadly enigma that has still has some humanity that people can see in her. She is as fully realized as her advisory is trite.
At first I thought it surprising how much Sloan, the male protagonist, seemed to dominate the story’s tone. Especially in the aforementioned male gaze department as he seemed be providing the visual’s the third person narrator was using throughout. But he is kept in check by the two women that slowly take over the story. He starts off all too sure of himself and willing to take control. He finishes the book firmly in the background as Raena takes back her owns story (though there are plenty of places for him to go in future books).
But toss out any deeper look at characters. That doesn’t help my case. I called this book pulp and damn it if it doesn’t work well in that category. Not the fastest read around and less action packed than its cover blurb would suggest but still fun throughout. And it is built around some galactic history that begs a deeper examination—and refuses to give the reader more than a glimpse (I smell a series!). And like any good pulp read The Dangerous Type is short enough to be enjoyed in a few sittings.
Pulp and as such not entirely memorable. But pretty good at it. That would be the overall summation of this little review.
3 stars
This is serious business. Sex and violence and rock and roll – John Cougar Mellencamp
Can I state something here? The Dangerous Type is pure pulp. Yes it is, but why say that like it is a bad thing? Can’t a book be pulp and still be good? And let me further break down just how pulp this book is before we come to conclusions. It is a revenge tale where a small beautiful woman, who by the way hasn’t aged at all in twenty years, goes against a villain who is galaxy destroying bad. The book contains a sexy gunrunner, zero gravity martial arts, and at least one male fantasy threesome viewed with a heavy male gaze. Pulp right?
We can zoom in on the villain a bit too because it helps make the case for this book being dismissed as pulp. The man is on the books for exterminating an entire alien race; an act that has led to humanity’s ostracization from the rest of the galaxy. He enjoys torture, going so far as to use it to toughen up his own sons for their use as his personal army. And several times he uses sexual humiliation to further mark himself as the worst humanity has to offer. Moving from pulp to bad pulp here.
And yet I will not dismiss this book, rather I will spend a bit of time praising it. Raena is a character that is hard to love but easy to follow. She feels broken, but in a very dangerous way because she remains very capable. She is not defined by the pain inflicted on her in the past but it is revenge that keeps her going. There is no heart of gold moment that sneaks in and changes her but she does show a few small acts of mercy (and some that even she knows only remain a mercy in the short term). She remains true to the character we are presented with at the beginning; a deadly enigma that has still has some humanity that people can see in her. She is as fully realized as her advisory is trite.
At first I thought it surprising how much Sloan, the male protagonist, seemed to dominate the story’s tone. Especially in the aforementioned male gaze department as he seemed be providing the visual’s the third person narrator was using throughout. But he is kept in check by the two women that slowly take over the story. He starts off all too sure of himself and willing to take control. He finishes the book firmly in the background as Raena takes back her owns story (though there are plenty of places for him to go in future books).
But toss out any deeper look at characters. That doesn’t help my case. I called this book pulp and damn it if it doesn’t work well in that category. Not the fastest read around and less action packed than its cover blurb would suggest but still fun throughout. And it is built around some galactic history that begs a deeper examination—and refuses to give the reader more than a glimpse (I smell a series!). And like any good pulp read The Dangerous Type is short enough to be enjoyed in a few sittings.
Pulp and as such not entirely memorable. But pretty good at it. That would be the overall summation of this little review.
3 stars
August 20, 2016
Raena is a classic Mary Sue - she scores a 61 on the Universal Mary Sue Litmus test. There is one memorable scene where she performs cartwheels while wearing high heels.
(I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Do not use near open flame. Contents may have shifted during flight. Void where prohibited. Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate. Legal tender for all debts public and private.)
(I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Do not use near open flame. Contents may have shifted during flight. Void where prohibited. Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate. Legal tender for all debts public and private.)
July 11, 2015
previously published at TheQwillery.com
The Dangerous Type is the first book in a new sexy science fiction trilogy by Loren Rhoads. We meet shady heroes attempting to find and save Reana from a long forgotten tomb in the hopes of rekindling long lost memories of the past. Somehow, after being entombed for twenty years, Reana looks as if she hasn't aged but quickly begins to fade and wither away only to find a reason to live, revenge. If it sounds a bit corny, it's because it is. From the start, this is a story that demands you suspend almost all belief.
The characters are all stereotypes without anything new to offer, and they're all sexy beyond belief. In fact, things got so steamy in this novel I began to feel dirty just from reading it. I couldn't make any connection to any of the characters, which made it hard for me to enjoy a good revenge tale.
There are some good action sequences but not enough to really make up for the shallow characters and the world building was nil to none, which made it impossible for me to get lost in the world. Rhoads mentions several times that the human race is the minority, but after reading the book I couldn't describe one of the countless aliens that supposedly inhabits her universe. There were plenty of things that could have made this a really great first book, but none of them were developed to the degree they should have been. For example, the idea of the Templars sounded cool, but she didn't explain it enough to build on it. The idea of humans being a minority could have been a cool idea, but I never felt like it was true. Even Reana, the main character who was supposed to be a deadly assassin and bodyguard that everyone was scared of, didn't really do anything to deserve all of this respect and fear until the end of the book, and by then it was too late.
The Dangerous Type is the perfect science fiction novel to give to your friend who loves to read hot and heavy romances. It could be a great gateway book to entice your friend who never thought they'd read science fiction. If you're like me and prefer your science fiction to focus on character depth and world building, I'd steer clear of this one. Due to the violence, use of adult language and holy cow amount of sexual situations, I would recommend it to adults only.
The Dangerous Type is the first book in a new sexy science fiction trilogy by Loren Rhoads. We meet shady heroes attempting to find and save Reana from a long forgotten tomb in the hopes of rekindling long lost memories of the past. Somehow, after being entombed for twenty years, Reana looks as if she hasn't aged but quickly begins to fade and wither away only to find a reason to live, revenge. If it sounds a bit corny, it's because it is. From the start, this is a story that demands you suspend almost all belief.
The characters are all stereotypes without anything new to offer, and they're all sexy beyond belief. In fact, things got so steamy in this novel I began to feel dirty just from reading it. I couldn't make any connection to any of the characters, which made it hard for me to enjoy a good revenge tale.
There are some good action sequences but not enough to really make up for the shallow characters and the world building was nil to none, which made it impossible for me to get lost in the world. Rhoads mentions several times that the human race is the minority, but after reading the book I couldn't describe one of the countless aliens that supposedly inhabits her universe. There were plenty of things that could have made this a really great first book, but none of them were developed to the degree they should have been. For example, the idea of the Templars sounded cool, but she didn't explain it enough to build on it. The idea of humans being a minority could have been a cool idea, but I never felt like it was true. Even Reana, the main character who was supposed to be a deadly assassin and bodyguard that everyone was scared of, didn't really do anything to deserve all of this respect and fear until the end of the book, and by then it was too late.
The Dangerous Type is the perfect science fiction novel to give to your friend who loves to read hot and heavy romances. It could be a great gateway book to entice your friend who never thought they'd read science fiction. If you're like me and prefer your science fiction to focus on character depth and world building, I'd steer clear of this one. Due to the violence, use of adult language and holy cow amount of sexual situations, I would recommend it to adults only.
September 21, 2015
I'll try to write a spoiler-free review with just my impressions.
Fans of a character-driven, action-oriented sci-fi story will really like this book.
It took a while for the story to build - fully the first third of the novel is table-setting for the conflict that opens in the middle third, and turns into rapid-fire action at the end.
The book's central character, Raena, serves as the pivot point for all the action, character relationships and backstory. Sometimes I felt the development of some characters, and their relationship with Raena, was a bit too intricate and distracted from the narrative. But overall the central conflict of the story was solid. The main villain was characterized just as well as the heroes in this story, which added to overall impact.
I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more books set in the Templar universe.
Fans of a character-driven, action-oriented sci-fi story will really like this book.
It took a while for the story to build - fully the first third of the novel is table-setting for the conflict that opens in the middle third, and turns into rapid-fire action at the end.
The book's central character, Raena, serves as the pivot point for all the action, character relationships and backstory. Sometimes I felt the development of some characters, and their relationship with Raena, was a bit too intricate and distracted from the narrative. But overall the central conflict of the story was solid. The main villain was characterized just as well as the heroes in this story, which added to overall impact.
I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more books set in the Templar universe.
March 12, 2016
~~~Spoilers(ish)
This was actually pretty awful. One of the most obnoxious things to me was the imagery. We hear all about these aliens, but we RARELY hear a single description of them. We got a brief description of the blue-haired alien towards the end, but really not much else. And the sex scenes aren't sexy...none of them. They all turned my stomach in a way I can't describe. Even the ones that were supposed to be of a romantic and intimate nature were awful. The threesomes felt more like rape than anything.
I listened to this on audiobook, and I have to say it was NOT a good reading. Don't bother.
This was actually pretty awful. One of the most obnoxious things to me was the imagery. We hear all about these aliens, but we RARELY hear a single description of them. We got a brief description of the blue-haired alien towards the end, but really not much else. And the sex scenes aren't sexy...none of them. They all turned my stomach in a way I can't describe. Even the ones that were supposed to be of a romantic and intimate nature were awful. The threesomes felt more like rape than anything.
I listened to this on audiobook, and I have to say it was NOT a good reading. Don't bother.
November 18, 2015
My original The Dangerous Type audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
The Dangerous Type by Loren Rhoads is the first in a series called In the Wake of the Templars. This novel is set 20 years after a war that wiped out most of humanity. Raena is a wanted criminal and has been kept captive in the magical tomb world of now extinct beings called Templars. She is finally found by Gaven, a man who has been searching for Raena from the time she was imprisoned. Now she is on the run from Thallian, her previous employer and abuser. But Raena is sick of running and instead plots her vengeance against Thallian, who is now a criminal in hiding.
I really liked the premise of this novel, but I didn’t feel like it followed through on its promise. It’s really a novel detailing how someone pursued revenge on their abuser. I did not like Raena’s character and because she’s the main character, it made it hard to appreciate the rest of the novel. While it’s made clear how the circumstances of her life lead her to become closed off, enigmatic, and vicious, I did not understand why she was put on a pedestal by the rest of the characters in this novel. Nothing in her personality made her seem endearing to me other than the fact that she was considered to be beautiful. And that wasn’t enough for me. I felt that the other characters of the novel built up the novel more than Raena in terms of information and emotion while Raena’s actions drove the major plot developments. But overall the plot of the story was good even though it occasionally stagnated. Thallian was a brutal villain and was done well, as were his different sons. The set up and the end of the novel were both good.
The narration by Liv Anderson was okay. She didn’t leave enough space between two different characters’ first person perspectives, which made listening confusing. The production quality was good. I would recommend this novel to someone who likes revenge stories set in space.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
The Dangerous Type by Loren Rhoads is the first in a series called In the Wake of the Templars. This novel is set 20 years after a war that wiped out most of humanity. Raena is a wanted criminal and has been kept captive in the magical tomb world of now extinct beings called Templars. She is finally found by Gaven, a man who has been searching for Raena from the time she was imprisoned. Now she is on the run from Thallian, her previous employer and abuser. But Raena is sick of running and instead plots her vengeance against Thallian, who is now a criminal in hiding.
I really liked the premise of this novel, but I didn’t feel like it followed through on its promise. It’s really a novel detailing how someone pursued revenge on their abuser. I did not like Raena’s character and because she’s the main character, it made it hard to appreciate the rest of the novel. While it’s made clear how the circumstances of her life lead her to become closed off, enigmatic, and vicious, I did not understand why she was put on a pedestal by the rest of the characters in this novel. Nothing in her personality made her seem endearing to me other than the fact that she was considered to be beautiful. And that wasn’t enough for me. I felt that the other characters of the novel built up the novel more than Raena in terms of information and emotion while Raena’s actions drove the major plot developments. But overall the plot of the story was good even though it occasionally stagnated. Thallian was a brutal villain and was done well, as were his different sons. The set up and the end of the novel were both good.
The narration by Liv Anderson was okay. She didn’t leave enough space between two different characters’ first person perspectives, which made listening confusing. The production quality was good. I would recommend this novel to someone who likes revenge stories set in space.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
July 31, 2015
I was a bit wary, since it sounded like the generic 'strong female character' (who happens to look awesome in a skintight catsuit). But I enjoyed the Morbid Curiosity reading I went to one World Horror Con and the Paramental Appreciation Society chapbook I got, and a post by Loren Rhoads on character had me curious.
So many things to like: non-white lead character, who's more than the sum of her relationships; women who are mothers and *gasp* older; traumatic events are referred to but not in a leering way or a 'this is the only thing defining the character' way; the set-up, in which we hear about the main character through other people's perceptions of her which are very very wrong.
It's a fast enjoyable read that's very different from how a guy would have written the same story.
So many things to like: non-white lead character, who's more than the sum of her relationships; women who are mothers and *gasp* older; traumatic events are referred to but not in a leering way or a 'this is the only thing defining the character' way; the set-up, in which we hear about the main character through other people's perceptions of her which are very very wrong.
It's a fast enjoyable read that's very different from how a guy would have written the same story.
April 27, 2016
This is a good story too bad it didn't really cover what was promised in the premise of the story. I read Templars I wanted some Space Templars. I guess I got some but not exactly what I expected. Some stories seem to leave or jump over what would really make them good meat to chew on. This is the case here. So much left behind. I am not sure it happened because its planned as a series.
I enjoyed parts but not enough to be on the recommended list.
I enjoyed parts but not enough to be on the recommended list.
August 27, 2015
Rip-roaring from the get-go, this was a trill-a-minute book. I liked it a lot.
October 6, 2015
Great space opera. Also a great universe filled with lots or rogues to make things interesting.
December 9, 2015
An enjoyable read, entertaining. Not quite what I expected from the blurb on the book. Space Opera, but on a small scale of individuals, not large ships, fleets and empires.
January 25, 2021
What an interesting story. Different than I expected but good. Now I need to read book 2.
I received this book as part of a Goodreads Giveaway.
I received this book as part of a Goodreads Giveaway.
September 3, 2022
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. While I make every attempt to avoid spoilers, please be aware that an ARC synopsis, press release, or review request may disclose details that are not revealed in the published cover blurb.
The cover blurb will tell you that The Dangerous Type is "a mix of military science fiction and an adventurous space opera" but it's probably more accurate to call it "a mix of adventurous space opera and dangerous romance." That's not a dig or a knock against the book, just an acknowledgement of what's inside. I think the term 'military science fiction' carries very specific expectations, and I'd hate to see some miss out on an exciting read because it doesn't immediately live up to that promise.
Before we get into the good stuff, let's deal talk about the novel's one glaring flaw - it's pacing. We get off to a fantastic start, with a bit of extraterrestrial tomb-raiding and a surprise inhabitant who isn't nearly as dead as she should be, but then the story falters. I fully expected Loren Rhoads to take a few chapters getting Raena up to speed on what's happened during her twenty years of imprisonment, but I didn't expect an odd, darkly perverse sort of love-triangle to consume so much of the story.
It's interesting, especially in the way the love story builds Raena's character and reveals her tragic backstory, but it does put the larger story on pause for longer than some readers may be willing to tolerate. That's a shame, because when we do finally get back to the heart of the matter - revenge! - the story really takes off and races towards one of the more satisfying conclusions I've come across in years. It's in the second half that it completely lives up to its "adventurous space opera" billing, complete with aliens, clones, double-crosses, sacrifices, daring rescues, and galaxy-spanning action. I half-expected Rhoads to pull back at some point, to offer up some redeeming element of Thallian to warrant a softer, more socially acceptable ending, but she refuses to pulls her punches.
Even though most of the world-building is off-the-page and in-the-past, Rhoads does set up an interesting future here. The dead Templars are a fascinating alien race, and the idea that humanity has become universally loathed for its genocidal victory is a nice twist. We're not the bringers of peace or voice of reason here - we're barely-tolerated scum who other races view with suspicion. Similarly, while we hop around to a few different planets, they're really just abstract set-pieces (like the generic pleasure planet) without the level of detail you'd expect out of a fully-fledged space opera. I loved some of the concepts, and would definitely be interested in seeing how they're played out in future books, but it all hinges on if/how she chooses to widen the overall scope.
As for the characters, they're a bit of a mixed-bag. Oddly enough, the three protagonists - Raena, Gaven, and Ariel - are probably the thinnest of the bunch. Don't get me wrong, they're entirely fascinating, I just didn't find any of them really evoked an emotional reaction. As for the villain, Thallian is a rapist, a spousal-abuser, and a torturer of children. He should be entirely despicable, and should evoke significant feelings of horror and disgust in the reader, but he's really just filling a role. Again, I didn't feel the emotional aspect there that would have more fully invested me in Raena's vendetta against him - but that doesn't detract from his satisfying end. The secondary characters were often the most engaging, perhaps because they were more human . . . more vulnerable . . . and (ultimately) more identifiable.
Despite the challenges with the pacing, the characters, and the romance, I will say that the action is top-notch, and the breakneck adventure of the second half really does carry the novel. It's not quite enough to fully realize the initial promise of The Dangerous Type, and it is dependent upon the reader's patience to get that far, but it does suggest some definite promise for the next installment of the trilogy.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
The cover blurb will tell you that The Dangerous Type is "a mix of military science fiction and an adventurous space opera" but it's probably more accurate to call it "a mix of adventurous space opera and dangerous romance." That's not a dig or a knock against the book, just an acknowledgement of what's inside. I think the term 'military science fiction' carries very specific expectations, and I'd hate to see some miss out on an exciting read because it doesn't immediately live up to that promise.
Before we get into the good stuff, let's deal talk about the novel's one glaring flaw - it's pacing. We get off to a fantastic start, with a bit of extraterrestrial tomb-raiding and a surprise inhabitant who isn't nearly as dead as she should be, but then the story falters. I fully expected Loren Rhoads to take a few chapters getting Raena up to speed on what's happened during her twenty years of imprisonment, but I didn't expect an odd, darkly perverse sort of love-triangle to consume so much of the story.
It's interesting, especially in the way the love story builds Raena's character and reveals her tragic backstory, but it does put the larger story on pause for longer than some readers may be willing to tolerate. That's a shame, because when we do finally get back to the heart of the matter - revenge! - the story really takes off and races towards one of the more satisfying conclusions I've come across in years. It's in the second half that it completely lives up to its "adventurous space opera" billing, complete with aliens, clones, double-crosses, sacrifices, daring rescues, and galaxy-spanning action. I half-expected Rhoads to pull back at some point, to offer up some redeeming element of Thallian to warrant a softer, more socially acceptable ending, but she refuses to pulls her punches.
Even though most of the world-building is off-the-page and in-the-past, Rhoads does set up an interesting future here. The dead Templars are a fascinating alien race, and the idea that humanity has become universally loathed for its genocidal victory is a nice twist. We're not the bringers of peace or voice of reason here - we're barely-tolerated scum who other races view with suspicion. Similarly, while we hop around to a few different planets, they're really just abstract set-pieces (like the generic pleasure planet) without the level of detail you'd expect out of a fully-fledged space opera. I loved some of the concepts, and would definitely be interested in seeing how they're played out in future books, but it all hinges on if/how she chooses to widen the overall scope.
As for the characters, they're a bit of a mixed-bag. Oddly enough, the three protagonists - Raena, Gaven, and Ariel - are probably the thinnest of the bunch. Don't get me wrong, they're entirely fascinating, I just didn't find any of them really evoked an emotional reaction. As for the villain, Thallian is a rapist, a spousal-abuser, and a torturer of children. He should be entirely despicable, and should evoke significant feelings of horror and disgust in the reader, but he's really just filling a role. Again, I didn't feel the emotional aspect there that would have more fully invested me in Raena's vendetta against him - but that doesn't detract from his satisfying end. The secondary characters were often the most engaging, perhaps because they were more human . . . more vulnerable . . . and (ultimately) more identifiable.
Despite the challenges with the pacing, the characters, and the romance, I will say that the action is top-notch, and the breakneck adventure of the second half really does carry the novel. It's not quite enough to fully realize the initial promise of The Dangerous Type, and it is dependent upon the reader's patience to get that far, but it does suggest some definite promise for the next installment of the trilogy.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
August 8, 2023
I hate it when people mention other great films books and compare it to books like this one, that has absolutely nothing to do with the other books/movies compared. No Star Wars, no Firefly, much less Guardians of the Galaxy here. It's supposed to be a Fantasy Sci-Fi novel series without Fantasy or Sci-Fi. You read into about the 10-20% mark and all the main characters do is have sex. I did not know that there was a sub-genre to the Fantasy Sci-Fi novel series that was just porn and adult situations. There are no warnings about adult content by the way. Maybe the title of the first book (THe Dangerous Type) has to do with all the unprotected sex that the main characters are having before there is even a story written, characters properly introduced, described and created, world building (the real one, explaining the reigning political systems, the geography and geopolitical, religious, economic, social etc. conditions of this other place (series of planets, solar systems, universes, etc.)
This seems a story written by the seat of the author's pants. The problem is, that dialogues and intercourses don't really lead to anything. Unless, later in the series the main characters catch STD's (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) or get pregnant, settle down and have children...
I don't like stories that start with sensual liaisons because I think they are of poor taste and really have nothing intellectually provocative in their writing or the stories they tell, that they resort to just writing about sex. The second problem with this story is that the main character suffers from deep-rooted psychopathy/sociopathy. Sex and Pathologies don't really mix well. Especially if this story is about a "deadly assassin" that after having all that sex, will eventually get revenge.
So, a complete no on this one. I do not recommend this book or its series.
This seems a story written by the seat of the author's pants. The problem is, that dialogues and intercourses don't really lead to anything. Unless, later in the series the main characters catch STD's (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) or get pregnant, settle down and have children...
I don't like stories that start with sensual liaisons because I think they are of poor taste and really have nothing intellectually provocative in their writing or the stories they tell, that they resort to just writing about sex. The second problem with this story is that the main character suffers from deep-rooted psychopathy/sociopathy. Sex and Pathologies don't really mix well. Especially if this story is about a "deadly assassin" that after having all that sex, will eventually get revenge.
So, a complete no on this one. I do not recommend this book or its series.
February 1, 2019
I listened to this one on Audible and really enjoyed the listening experience.
I thought Raena's story was interesting. I was intrigued by the idea of her surviving twenty years inside a locked tomb due to some alien technology that kept her inhumanely preserved. Of course, this premise required a great deal of suspension of belief in basic biology. For example, she didn't starve to death and apparently she suffered no atrophy inside the cavernous space as she was able to single-handedly take out the team that unknowingly rescued her from being buried alive.
So, yes, some definite suspension of belief required.
Also, if you're easily triggered by rape culture, this is not the book for you.
All that being said, I still enjoyed the revenge/vigilante adventure. Given what Raena has suffered, her desire to seek retribution is really just a product of self-preservation. I definitely wanted her to succeed.
I will also say that I enjoyed the transition from old friends to new. It gives her some agency that she lacked in the first two-thirds of the book.
I thought Raena's story was interesting. I was intrigued by the idea of her surviving twenty years inside a locked tomb due to some alien technology that kept her inhumanely preserved. Of course, this premise required a great deal of suspension of belief in basic biology. For example, she didn't starve to death and apparently she suffered no atrophy inside the cavernous space as she was able to single-handedly take out the team that unknowingly rescued her from being buried alive.
So, yes, some definite suspension of belief required.
Also, if you're easily triggered by rape culture, this is not the book for you.
All that being said, I still enjoyed the revenge/vigilante adventure. Given what Raena has suffered, her desire to seek retribution is really just a product of self-preservation. I definitely wanted her to succeed.
I will also say that I enjoyed the transition from old friends to new. It gives her some agency that she lacked in the first two-thirds of the book.
August 26, 2017
Gearing up for book 2
I love a good space opera with a strong female lead and i admit i love it more when they kick tail like a professional. It helps to have alittle romance some heartbreak a really nasty villian with his own nasty team and lots of action to focus our girl on. This is not a book about space ship drives and all the technical stuff that explains the space time continuim but about a girl with a horrible upbringing allot of training and a serious need for revenge. Loved the story gearing up to read book two.
I love a good space opera with a strong female lead and i admit i love it more when they kick tail like a professional. It helps to have alittle romance some heartbreak a really nasty villian with his own nasty team and lots of action to focus our girl on. This is not a book about space ship drives and all the technical stuff that explains the space time continuim but about a girl with a horrible upbringing allot of training and a serious need for revenge. Loved the story gearing up to read book two.
June 5, 2018
Gets three stars for the final fight. So, it says book #1, but there seems to be lots and lots of convoluted back-story. And exactly WHY is Rena so damn strong? Is she cyborg? Genetically enhanced? Why is this petite blonde in impractical high heels so invincible? I guess we need to guess. And all of a sudden, it's over and she's won. I think the author liked detective-pulp-noir and fellas saying sweetheart.
July 1, 2017
this was a bit like a way more gritty and fucked up version of Revenger by Alastair Reynolds, with sex scenes. i had a bit of a hard time connecting with any of the characters, but i kind of liked the organic way in which their various backstories were revealed.
May 10, 2021
Entombed for 20 years in an alien tomb. No one ever asked how she survived? Otherwise I enjoyed the story.
September 15, 2022
This book was..is decent. I got bored with like 3 hours left in the book.
December 31, 2022
Plot stopped on the "pleasure planet" to make way for endless bonking. Got bored and stopped, was not engaged with either the plot or the characters to be bothered finishing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2016
...and almost a week after I was supposed to finish this for my book club, I'm done! :) once again missing the half stars here cuz 3.5 is what I would give this one.
The blurb on the back cover of this book sounds, frankly, much better than what you end up reading. Yes, there will be action, but starting slowly, building up and peaking just before the book wraps up. The action itself is crafty and the best scenes from the story are action - so there should have been more of them. There is a lot of sex, although "fucking" would be a better term (or "bumping the uglies", if you are so inclined - that's how another member of my club with tons more class than me called it). The rest are a couple of spaceships, dysfunctional relationships, human-seeming technology in an alien-dominated galaxy and a couple of what I thought of as mistakes that should have been weeded out in editing.
Should you read this? Despite the previous paragraph, there is a decent chance you do. First of all, the following books in the series are supposed to get better - that's not only because of the reviews here, but an opinion of another member of my book club (a self-described "completist"), who made it all the way through. Second, after listening to the author herself (and thanks for popping by at the meeting last weekend!), she was a bit surprised how quickly this one went through the whole editing process. Details aside, she seems to have taken way more care with the following parts. Therefore, if you are a lover of pulpy space-opera, power through this one and give the story a chance!
The blurb on the back cover of this book sounds, frankly, much better than what you end up reading. Yes, there will be action, but starting slowly, building up and peaking just before the book wraps up. The action itself is crafty and the best scenes from the story are action - so there should have been more of them. There is a lot of sex, although "fucking" would be a better term (or "bumping the uglies", if you are so inclined - that's how another member of my club with tons more class than me called it). The rest are a couple of spaceships, dysfunctional relationships, human-seeming technology in an alien-dominated galaxy and a couple of what I thought of as mistakes that should have been weeded out in editing.
Should you read this? Despite the previous paragraph, there is a decent chance you do. First of all, the following books in the series are supposed to get better - that's not only because of the reviews here, but an opinion of another member of my book club (a self-described "completist"), who made it all the way through. Second, after listening to the author herself (and thanks for popping by at the meeting last weekend!), she was a bit surprised how quickly this one went through the whole editing process. Details aside, she seems to have taken way more care with the following parts. Therefore, if you are a lover of pulpy space-opera, power through this one and give the story a chance!
May 6, 2016
Errr, I'm sure there are plenty of other reviews that will justify why this book only scores 2-3 stars for them.
I mostly agree with them. And I'll simply say that it scored a whooping 1 star for me due to the fact that there's rape. I don't like rape, so I think it's good to warn people of it.
Along with rape, there's also a very strong sense of "prostitution" but in a different way. Instead of gaining money with sex, it's "paying debts" with sex.
It also totally warps and twists the meaning of love, lust and desires along with a mix of control freak-ness.
The ending is also anti-climatic. It builds and builds and builds about the protagonist and antagonist. It builds how strong and powerful the antagonist is and how the protagonist needed to run and hide from him. But, in the end, the antagonist and his empire was actually very weak. It broke down without much effort. The antagonist himself is overly boasted.
Analogy, the first half of the book makes the antagonist like the Queen of the Ants. But the second half reveals that he's only just the head worker from a group of Worker Ants.
I mostly agree with them. And I'll simply say that it scored a whooping 1 star for me due to the fact that there's rape. I don't like rape, so I think it's good to warn people of it.
Along with rape, there's also a very strong sense of "prostitution" but in a different way. Instead of gaining money with sex, it's "paying debts" with sex.
It also totally warps and twists the meaning of love, lust and desires along with a mix of control freak-ness.
The ending is also anti-climatic. It builds and builds and builds about the protagonist and antagonist. It builds how strong and powerful the antagonist is and how the protagonist needed to run and hide from him. But, in the end, the antagonist and his empire was actually very weak. It broke down without much effort. The antagonist himself is overly boasted.
Analogy, the first half of the book makes the antagonist like the Queen of the Ants. But the second half reveals that he's only just the head worker from a group of Worker Ants.
August 29, 2015
I got this book as an ARC from a giveaway here on goodreads. On to the review:
This book was alright. Not all that interesting and I felt that I had to continually force myself to go back to it. Most books can hook you in and keep you wanting more. This one just didn't do that for me. The biggest problem for me is that there really wasn't a flow to the words. It felt like the author was using a thesaurus just to change words here and there, they didn't really seem to fit the situation. That really brought me out of the book which was a shame because there were some interesting things going on; but I kept being pulled out of the moment with oddly structured sentences and words that just don't seem to belong.
This book was alright. Not all that interesting and I felt that I had to continually force myself to go back to it. Most books can hook you in and keep you wanting more. This one just didn't do that for me. The biggest problem for me is that there really wasn't a flow to the words. It felt like the author was using a thesaurus just to change words here and there, they didn't really seem to fit the situation. That really brought me out of the book which was a shame because there were some interesting things going on; but I kept being pulled out of the moment with oddly structured sentences and words that just don't seem to belong.
August 13, 2015
[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.]
The blurb had me expecting a fun and engaging science fiction action story, but I don't think that's what I got in reading this. Yes, there's a little action and the world is science fiction, but this came out as more of an oddly-formed romance novel with a fair amount of sex and some situations that were just plain awkward or uncomfortable to read. I definitely see how some people might enjoy this, especially if they know what to expect, but this missed the mark for me and didn't deliver.
The blurb had me expecting a fun and engaging science fiction action story, but I don't think that's what I got in reading this. Yes, there's a little action and the world is science fiction, but this came out as more of an oddly-formed romance novel with a fair amount of sex and some situations that were just plain awkward or uncomfortable to read. I definitely see how some people might enjoy this, especially if they know what to expect, but this missed the mark for me and didn't deliver.
March 13, 2021
Graphic sex and extreme cruelty made this titillating, I guess. It’s not really my cup of tea and I was embarrassed? Shocked? When they started making out in a public place and made it into a 3-some. I was also outside and listening without headphones.
It was an ok sci fi world development. It was free with Audible and I am not tempted to buy next in series.
It was an ok sci fi world development. It was free with Audible and I am not tempted to buy next in series.
March 1, 2016
Good action when it happened, but most of this book dabbled in uncomfortable sex scenes that transitioned abruptly into flashbacks of abuse. After the book was finished I could see (a little) what the author was trying to do with that, but I felt it was badly done and the payoff was unnecessary. There was already plenty of evidence about how bad the bad guy is without having to dip into (and then dwell) on rape. I really only liked the last fifth.
Read
September 30, 2016DNF. A hundred pages in I realized I just didn't care. Here we have a completely disgusting excuse for a romantic lead, a main character who people keep telling me is interesting all evidence to the contrary, and a legitimately interesting-sounding history that I would rather be reading. I thought to myself, "You know, I am one vaguely exploitative/sorta incestuous f-f-m threesome away from abandoning this book" and wouldn't you know it... the book obliged.
October 10, 2015
This book was absolute hell to get through. I skipped entire sections because I didn't want to read all the sexual situations and I didn't care about reading about the main character's past. absolute worst book I've read in ages.
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