Even the Score

Knight Errant #3

by K.D. Sarge

One, two, three,how many will my victims be?One, two, three, four,how many more to even the score?When Taro Hibiki leads a survival class into the backwoods, he has two to prove himself as an instructor, and to propose to his beloved Rafe before he loses his nerve completely. In the wilds might seem a strange place for that, but it's where Taro feels most at home--and the only place the couple can escape all their other responsibilities.On BFR, proud colonists say the name stands for "Big Effing Rock," and brag about their planet's dangers. More treacherous than bomb bugs or sight scamps, though, is a human seeking vengeance. Soon Taro's students are dropping one by one, and no matter what Taro does, the killer stays a step ahead. Worst of all, Taro comes to suspect that the students are targets of opportunity--that the ultimate goal is Rafe.Taro would die for Rafe in a heartbeat, but who's going to protect Rafe if he does?As it happens, the killer has a plan for that too.

Genres: M M Romance, Science Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy, LGBT

243 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2014

About the author

KD Sarge writes for joy and hope, and works for a living. She has tried her hand at many endeavors, including Governess of the Children, Grand Director of the Drive-Through, and Dispatcher of the Tow Trucks. Currently KD labors appreciated but underpaid in the public school system.

Past accomplishments include surviving eight one-year-olds for eight hours alone (she lasted about ten months), driving a twenty-foot truck from Ohio to Arizona by way of *shudder* Oklahoma, and making a six-pack of tacos in twenty-three seconds.

Writing achievements include the Weightiest First Draft Ever (this title is in contention), as well as nine other, much lighter, completed novels. She has five universes under construction, writes science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, smut (in many genres), and means to one day undertake a cosy mystery. She is an active participant on two writing forums. KD has won NaNoWriMo five times and NaNoEdMo once. A widow, KD lives in Arizona with three children, two of them furred and all of them demanding.

Reviews

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taro and Rafe are one of my favorite couples. Their stories are lightweight SciFi, where the characters are the main focus of the story, and the futuristic world-building is not elaborate or highly vital to the plot. In this one, Taro and Rafe have settled down, sort of. They've bought a restaurant, which Rafe runs and cooks for. Meanwhile, Taro hasn't found a job yet where he won't get bored, overachieve to the point of disaster, or cause a fight. His current job involves leading a wilderness survival course, and he gets the idea of bringing Rafe along to play the hapless victim for his students. It should be fun, right?

Taro is confident he can keep Rafe safe, enjoy some camping time, and chivvy his students through their test. But plans go haywire when two students die in quick succession, and communications with home base are lost. There's a killer out in the wilderness with them, and survival will be far more difficult than a simple exercise of skills.

I enjoyed this - Taro and Rafe are a ton of fun together. I had a few quibbles, and Taro seemed a bit less competent than I expected at times (Like Taro, after becoming suspicious that one of his group was involved in the deaths, sending out just two people together to gather wood. In that situation, you would always send three, so a guilty party is far less likely to be able to get the drop on someone else. ) Rafe gets to shine a bit here, which was good, and there are some fun moments. Not my favorite of the series, but I do really enjoy these two guys. A view of Joss Ravid meeting Taro, events that precede "Queen's Man", are a little bonus.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Taro and Rafe! And while I might miss the rest of the Marconi clan and ship in this story, the heart of Rafe and Taro was still there so I enjoyed every minute of it. This story has more suspense than the last one since even Taro couldn't have predicted how badly things were going to go.

Of course Rafe and Taro couldn't have landed anywhere safe and simple. No they're on a planet determined to kill everyone and Taro's decided playing chicken with the planet training people how to survive on it is a fun time to be had by all. Of course his normal lack of patience is always in evidence. Rafe coming along on a training session should be a fun time for them, semi-vacation even. A killer on the loose with a grudge is not in the plans.

This was a fun, adventure romp with a fair bit of danger thrown in. I really enjoyed watching Rafe and Taro figure out how to get themselves home safely.

[AliciaJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series, and hopefully not the last. Taro and Rafe are just as much fun and as captivating as they were in the first two books. In this installment, they have finally settled on a planet and are working somewhat steady jobs, although Taro is still causing trouble, enough that his nickname has become Major Trouble. He is still trying to find out how to keep Rafe happy and safe, without sacrificing his own need for hellraising. After a hair raising adventure in the wilds of their new planet BFR (Big Fucking Rock), Taro finally figures it out and their epic love story continues on to the next phase, happily engaged after he gets himself fired again.

Awesome book! These characters just worm their way into your heart and don't let go. I truly hope KD Sarge plans more adventures for Rafe and Taro.

[Kit Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've been reading through the adventures of Taro and Rafe (this is the third book with these characters, taking place after Knight Errant and His Faithful Squire), personally, I think this is the best of the bunch. That may be because KD mixes in some excellent mystery elements, and I do love a good mystery.

The pacing is good, Taro continues to be Taro (though I didn't want to hit him quite so much this time through), Rafe's personal growth continues and is excellent, and there's tiny!Joss which was unexpected and exciting. I love it when KD pulls characters through the books. It's a good reminder that this is all one universe.

Anyway, I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes some mystery mixed in with their scifi/romance.

[Tina Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best book yet

Loved the action. The mystery was really good and the ending unexpected. I liked how this one did not focus on how Taro and Rafe were trying to be perfect for one another. The happy ending was lovely.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good series - enjoyed.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Taro and Rafe every time they’re together. It just gets better when working out how to live together goes hand in hand with defeating whatever trouble finds them.

[Erin Bethea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not nearly as good as the first two. But important to the series and I do love the series

[Julesmarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the 5 stars might be nostalgia. It was just so fun to see Taro and Rafe back in the same sort of environment where they first got together. It just was a beautiful bringing-together of bits from the first two books. And the way we see how much their relationship has progressed was spectacularly well done.

Some Favorite Quotes:
while Rafe worked his real magic, making everything better.

How could he not see that making everyone around him happy was a much better and more honorable skill than my ability to beat the hell out of anyone who pissed me off?
Eve felt the same way about Ben, I knew. Ben was a healer of bodies and minds, and Eve was in awe of that. Eve and I knew how to break things. Thoroughly, permanently, gleefully. Fixing things, we knew, was a far more difficult task.

"Is this being grown up? I don't like it. We should stop."

"Because I finally got it through my damn head that I don't have to be perfect to take care of you--we're perfect together. We're fucking unbeatable together. Because I am the luckiest man in the galaxy, Rafe."

[Beccaie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Rafe and Taro. They are easily in my top 10 of all fictional characters. KD Sarge has published her fifth book in the Dream'verse, and this is the third one that features Rafe and Taro as the central characters. Now that they're settled on BFR and settled in their relationship, it seems like things should be a bit easier, but a mysterious someone who's bent on revenge can complicate the most conventional relationship. And Rafe and Taro don't have one of those.

I've read and reread all four of the previous Dream'verse books, as well as KD's short stories--some available at Turtleduck Press and some through the M/M Romance group on Goodreads. (You must be a member, but that's free and so are the stories.) I've spent decades reading murder mysteries written by a wide variety of authors. You'd think, after all that, that it would be tricky to completely flabbergast me, but KD managed it. Even when I had a Very Bad Feeling™ about Taro going off on his own, I was utterly surprised by what actually happened. I love a mystery that can fool me. :D

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, thank yo Alicia for lendning me this book.

I absolute love this series. It just keeps getting better. An absolute must read.

[Trace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this couple so I enjoyed the book, but despite the action and mystery, it felt a little thin.

[Strina K · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. Filled with rage at dumb plot contrivances.