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Blowback
Humans have an uneasy relationship with the aliens in their part of space, and Tom hopes that his ship never sees another war. Other than that, he has few ambitions. He’s given up on finding a strong woman who will indulge his need to be dominated, especially since he tends to intimidate everyone. That’s part of his job as a security officer.
However one of his crew is alien, and Da’shay’s seems intent on pursuing Tom. She’s aggressive, which Tom appreciates in a woman, but he doesn’t know if he can trust her. When an undercover operation sends them deep into slavery territory, Tom is captured and he must trust Da’shay or lose his life.
As the danger deepens, Tom begins to realize that Da’shay is more than just their eccentric pilot. He fears his lust is leading him astray, but he can’t help but wonder if Da’shay is the Dominant he’s been seeking—someone who will trust him to shoot the enemy during the day and tie him to a bunk at night.
Note:This book was previously released by another publishing company. It's been substantially revised and re-edited for this releases.
However one of his crew is alien, and Da’shay’s seems intent on pursuing Tom. She’s aggressive, which Tom appreciates in a woman, but he doesn’t know if he can trust her. When an undercover operation sends them deep into slavery territory, Tom is captured and he must trust Da’shay or lose his life.
As the danger deepens, Tom begins to realize that Da’shay is more than just their eccentric pilot. He fears his lust is leading him astray, but he can’t help but wonder if Da’shay is the Dominant he’s been seeking—someone who will trust him to shoot the enemy during the day and tie him to a bunk at night.
Note:This book was previously released by another publishing company. It's been substantially revised and re-edited for this releases.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2011
8 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
Lyn Gala
48 books1,167 followersLynsey "Lyn" Gala started writing in the back of her science notebook in third grade and hasn’t stopped since. Westerns starring men with shady pasts gave way to science fiction with questionable protagonists which eventually gave in to any story with a morally ambiguous character. Even the purest heroes have pain and loss and darkness in their hearts, and that’s where she likes to find her stories. Her characters seek to better themselves and find the happy ending (or happier anyway), but it’s writing the struggle that inspires her muse. When she isn’t writing, Lyn Gala teaches in New Mexico.
She first cut her teeth on fanfic: gen, slash, het, and femslash. She prefers to focus on plot: mysteries and monsters and disasters, oh my, but sex can and does happen. Some of her stories focus on power exchange, bondage or bdsm. In her worlds, tops and bottoms are all mature, consenting adults. In fact, stories where they aren't squick her badly, so don't expect to find abuse stories in her journal.
She first cut her teeth on fanfic: gen, slash, het, and femslash. She prefers to focus on plot: mysteries and monsters and disasters, oh my, but sex can and does happen. Some of her stories focus on power exchange, bondage or bdsm. In her worlds, tops and bottoms are all mature, consenting adults. In fact, stories where they aren't squick her badly, so don't expect to find abuse stories in her journal.
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June 2, 2018This title is no longer available from Ellora's Cave.
Instead, Loose Id has picked up the title and helped me do some substantial edits. And this is OUT now! if you have questions ask, and I'll be happy to answer them.
And yes, I rated my own book. I have four of my books rated to show new readers where my favorites are and which books I would recommend they start with. This is definitely one of my favorites. I do love an alpha male submissive.
Instead, Loose Id has picked up the title and helped me do some substantial edits. And this is OUT now! if you have questions ask, and I'll be happy to answer them.
And yes, I rated my own book. I have four of my books rated to show new readers where my favorites are and which books I would recommend they start with. This is definitely one of my favorites. I do love an alpha male submissive.
December 16, 2015
So, I'm in a femdom state of mind and this book was recommended as such.
Sigh, what it is in fact is a whole lot of sci-fi stuff that is at times interesting but is mostly confusing, tiring, or too much-y.
What's more, Tom reads like Gala's other grumpy/simple and single-minded/coarsely charming protagonist from her Firefly-esque fic The Only Way Out Is In. Thus, it's a bit redundant for me.
As to the femdom, Gala should stick to writing m/m. She writes m/f awkwardly. She's also very hands-off-ish about m/f sex. It was tacked on toward the end and suffers from a lot of telling, no showing, little detail, poor intimacy and no FEEL for the femdom-ness. Tying a man up doesn't quite cut it. I'd suggest the author try reading Charlotte Stein and Cara McKenna for character sketching and a sense for the mental aspect of d/s. Or she should, as I said, stick to writing m/m, which she does well.
PS: since I can't lend this book on Lendle because they have the Ellora copy listed, I'm willing to lend it here through GR if anyone's interested.
Sigh, what it is in fact is a whole lot of sci-fi stuff that is at times interesting but is mostly confusing, tiring, or too much-y.
What's more, Tom reads like Gala's other grumpy/simple and single-minded/coarsely charming protagonist from her Firefly-esque fic The Only Way Out Is In. Thus, it's a bit redundant for me.
As to the femdom, Gala should stick to writing m/m. She writes m/f awkwardly. She's also very hands-off-ish about m/f sex. It was tacked on toward the end and suffers from a lot of telling, no showing, little detail, poor intimacy and no FEEL for the femdom-ness. Tying a man up doesn't quite cut it. I'd suggest the author try reading Charlotte Stein and Cara McKenna for character sketching and a sense for the mental aspect of d/s. Or she should, as I said, stick to writing m/m, which she does well.
PS: since I can't lend this book on Lendle because they have the Ellora copy listed, I'm willing to lend it here through GR if anyone's interested.
May 29, 2015
3.5 stars
Da’shay and Tom chained together, each at an end of the chain, connected. Strength, weakness, needs, desires, love, flow both ways. I found Da’shay’s words strangely poetic and moving. Tom desire to understand her won the day and the battle.
I’m glad I read this and that I can think of them there somewhere in time, in an alternate universe or not.
I could see Ms Gala’s love for Serenity through influences in this story. Yes this story can totally be read and enjoyed by non-Serenity fans, it’s complete on its own. But for Serenity fans like me, the references are an additional bonus.
Da’shay and Tom chained together, each at an end of the chain, connected. Strength, weakness, needs, desires, love, flow both ways. I found Da’shay’s words strangely poetic and moving. Tom desire to understand her won the day and the battle.
I’m glad I read this and that I can think of them there somewhere in time, in an alternate universe or not.
I could see Ms Gala’s love for Serenity through influences in this story. Yes this story can totally be read and enjoyed by non-Serenity fans, it’s complete on its own. But for Serenity fans like me, the references are an additional bonus.
December 15, 2012
“Others don’t listen. Only Tom hears my music,” she whispered, and she sounded almost sad about that.
Stepping forward, Tom caught her hand without the scarf and pulled it to his heart in a mirror of the gesture she’d used with him. “Don’t give a shit about others. I’m listening. I ain’t going to promise to always understand, but I’m listening,” he vowed.
Sigh. Can I give this more than 5 stars? What a delightful, delightful book. This is scifi romance done so well. We are treated to a book where the H and h not only don't speak to each other at the beginning of the story, the H would just as soon her half-genta (alien) behind be put off the ship, and says so several times. There's no endearments like babe, sweetheart, lover. Nope! For a long time, he calls her pea brain. That's because she speaks in metaphors that no one can decipher or understand, uses alien logic, 'sees' in colors, and frequently spaces out, sometimes while on duty. So while the H is trying to figure her out, because he has to, so are we, and it's not an easy task. But to see the beginning of their relationship and how it develops, and how strong it becomes, as seen in the snippet above - smile-inducing.
And, believe me, this story is not even primarily romance. It has a very well-developed plot, and action. You'll be immersed trying to figure out who's blowing up who and why. But, I have to admit, the H had my heart. Tom was real - not rich, not (book) smart, had a couple of things going for him and stuck with his strengths. To see him stumble all over the place throughout the book (open mouth, insert foot) was hilarious. And it was his strengths, his loyalty and stubborness (not to mention his ability with a gun), that enabled the h to crawl, just a bit, out of the dark trap that was her mind.
Finally, if you loved Firefly, read this book. You'll be back in the old SciFi West, complete with spaceships, aliens, dasterdly plots, a crew who has each other's backs, and a love that makes you get up for tomorrow.
Stepping forward, Tom caught her hand without the scarf and pulled it to his heart in a mirror of the gesture she’d used with him. “Don’t give a shit about others. I’m listening. I ain’t going to promise to always understand, but I’m listening,” he vowed.
Sigh. Can I give this more than 5 stars? What a delightful, delightful book. This is scifi romance done so well. We are treated to a book where the H and h not only don't speak to each other at the beginning of the story, the H would just as soon her half-genta (alien) behind be put off the ship, and says so several times. There's no endearments like babe, sweetheart, lover. Nope! For a long time, he calls her pea brain. That's because she speaks in metaphors that no one can decipher or understand, uses alien logic, 'sees' in colors, and frequently spaces out, sometimes while on duty. So while the H is trying to figure her out, because he has to, so are we, and it's not an easy task. But to see the beginning of their relationship and how it develops, and how strong it becomes, as seen in the snippet above - smile-inducing.
And, believe me, this story is not even primarily romance. It has a very well-developed plot, and action. You'll be immersed trying to figure out who's blowing up who and why. But, I have to admit, the H had my heart. Tom was real - not rich, not (book) smart, had a couple of things going for him and stuck with his strengths. To see him stumble all over the place throughout the book (open mouth, insert foot) was hilarious. And it was his strengths, his loyalty and stubborness (not to mention his ability with a gun), that enabled the h to crawl, just a bit, out of the dark trap that was her mind.
Finally, if you loved Firefly, read this book. You'll be back in the old SciFi West, complete with spaceships, aliens, dasterdly plots, a crew who has each other's backs, and a love that makes you get up for tomorrow.
July 21, 2017
Da’shay is alien/human hybrid, on an all human spaceship. Tom is the plain spoken, security officer. I was expecting something from the story but got something else and it just made the story endless. Having read the author previously and knowing this was published by an erotic publisher, I was expecting erotica not a space odyssey. Told from Tom's perspective only, the story winds and meanders through space and a mystery of newly engineered aliens. The romance was slow to build. Tom ends up being Da’shay's slave, but that dynamic is not explored. What annoyed me the most was Da’shay's speech. She spoke in circle and used words to represent other words, no one in the book understood what she was saying and neither did I.
December 31, 2015
I’ve mainly read Gala’s M/M sci-fi romances, with Turbulence being the only M/F romance of hers that I’ve read prior to Blowback. So I was excited to read this book. In fact, I was anticipating reading it so much that I waited until the review was due to read it because I wanted it to last as long as possible because once I finished it, I had no idea how long I would have to wait for another of Gala’s sci-fi romances. I am both kicking my own metaphorical arse for not enjoying Blowback sooner, while at the same time, basking in the afterglow of a story that was so worth the wait that the anticipation was worth it.
This is not your typical romance and not because there are aliens involved. The animosity and distrust Tom has for Da’shay is so strong, you feel it through the pages. When a mission goes bad and a “concerned” party approaches Tom with information about Da’shay that reinforces his ill-feelings toward her, he does the wrong thing for the right reason and ends up having to choose between charges of treason or death. Once he makes peace with his choice, Da’shay steps in and prevents his death, leaving Tom bewildered as he’s made no secret of his feelings toward her. After a series of events ends up with Tom being relegated to slave status with Da’shay claiming ownership of him, Tom’s dislike ratchets up to hate as he tries to figure out whether to kill Da’shay or himself. But when Tom is forced to listen to Da’shay and really hear what it is she is trying to say, his opinion of her takes a 180 and the woman he would have taken pleasure in killing, is now the woman he wants to make happy. But with war looming and Tom, Da’shay and the crew of the Kratos finding themselves smack dab in the middle of it and a possible conspiracy, can Tom trust his newfound faith in Da’shay and his need to protect her outside of the ship, while submitting to her in the bedroom?
I loved this book. Not to spoil the story, but due to a procedure that was performed on Da’shay, her pattern of speech is not normal – not even for a genta. The way she talks in riddles reminded me of the Firefly character, River Tam. As Firefly was one of my favorite television shows, I loved how Da’shay’s character was reminiscent of River – although as the book was written before the television show was aired, it should be the other way around, but I “knew” River first. Once I learned to speak Da’shay’s language, it was much easier to understand what she was trying to communicate. Even though Tom was basically forced to listen to Da’shay, I liked that once she finally got through to him, he was willing to reassess the situation and his feelings toward her changed – for the better. I’m sure that the fact the sex between the two of them was scorchingly hot did not hurt his position one bit. I’m not big on the whole submissive male storyline, but I loved it in Blowback and felt like Gala did an excellent job of balancing Tom’s alpha male tendencies outside of the bedroom, with his willingness to submit to Da’shay inside the bedroom. Blowback was an excellent sci-fi romance with just the right amount of action, intrigue, and erotica that kept me glued to my Kindle.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
This is not your typical romance and not because there are aliens involved. The animosity and distrust Tom has for Da’shay is so strong, you feel it through the pages. When a mission goes bad and a “concerned” party approaches Tom with information about Da’shay that reinforces his ill-feelings toward her, he does the wrong thing for the right reason and ends up having to choose between charges of treason or death. Once he makes peace with his choice, Da’shay steps in and prevents his death, leaving Tom bewildered as he’s made no secret of his feelings toward her. After a series of events ends up with Tom being relegated to slave status with Da’shay claiming ownership of him, Tom’s dislike ratchets up to hate as he tries to figure out whether to kill Da’shay or himself. But when Tom is forced to listen to Da’shay and really hear what it is she is trying to say, his opinion of her takes a 180 and the woman he would have taken pleasure in killing, is now the woman he wants to make happy. But with war looming and Tom, Da’shay and the crew of the Kratos finding themselves smack dab in the middle of it and a possible conspiracy, can Tom trust his newfound faith in Da’shay and his need to protect her outside of the ship, while submitting to her in the bedroom?
I loved this book. Not to spoil the story, but due to a procedure that was performed on Da’shay, her pattern of speech is not normal – not even for a genta. The way she talks in riddles reminded me of the Firefly character, River Tam. As Firefly was one of my favorite television shows, I loved how Da’shay’s character was reminiscent of River – although as the book was written before the television show was aired, it should be the other way around, but I “knew” River first. Once I learned to speak Da’shay’s language, it was much easier to understand what she was trying to communicate. Even though Tom was basically forced to listen to Da’shay, I liked that once she finally got through to him, he was willing to reassess the situation and his feelings toward her changed – for the better. I’m sure that the fact the sex between the two of them was scorchingly hot did not hurt his position one bit. I’m not big on the whole submissive male storyline, but I loved it in Blowback and felt like Gala did an excellent job of balancing Tom’s alpha male tendencies outside of the bedroom, with his willingness to submit to Da’shay inside the bedroom. Blowback was an excellent sci-fi romance with just the right amount of action, intrigue, and erotica that kept me glued to my Kindle.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
November 1, 2015
Oh my goodness! Jane from Serenity has his own book. Well, okay, the main character Tom in this book seems to be just like Jane from the movie Serenity (aka TV show Firefly). Tom is similar to Jane in that he is a shoot first and ask questions later kind of guy. Tom is a simple man. Anything too complicated isn't his cup of tea. He is a man who will follow orders only if he agrees with the one giving orders. What he doesn't like is a half breed alien who makes no sense and he figures she's a danger to his entire crew, especially his captain. This blue skin beyotch is Da'shay. Da'shay is unable to communicate effectively. In some ways, she talks like River in Serenity. Except Da'shay is a better written character.
The characters in this book are really well done. I liked them, even anti-hero Tom. What I also enjoyed is the sexual slavery undertones and the Femdom. This is very nice as somehow, Tom ends up as Da'shay's slave. This is why the book is not rated higher--jarring transitions. There are some pieces to this story that are not well connected. Some of the scenes, specifically when Tom gets into trouble that make absolutely no sense to me. It is frustrating because this world is kept tantalizingly vague.
I understand the point is that we are as lost and clueless as Da'shay is in her mind. At one point, one would think some of the unanswered questions would finally be resolved. This is not the case. With no sequel apparently on the horizon, readers will feel frustration, similar to those who liked Firefly when the show ended prematurely. I do not like premature action. Hopefully Ms. Gala will return to this world and give us more. For example, what is a Diamond? I am dying to know.
There is so much mystery surrounding Da'shay which is hinted at but never fully confirmed. With the ending to this story rushed to a closure, I'm left hanging. It is like a strong building climax that is suddenly ruined right as I'm about to go over the edge. Hopefully Ms. Gala will provide a satisfying sequel or a tasty trilogy. This space opera is recommended to sci-fi fans who also enjoy a bit of female domination.
October 2, 2015
I absolutely loved this story. Definitely one I will read again. It vaguely reminded me of the tv series Firefly so I was in love right off the bat. It was interesting to read a romance from the male point of view. I do agree with one of the reviewers who made a comment about wanting to know more of the female alien's backstory. I am pretty sure the author doesn't plan on continuing this story but I can always hope because I would definitely like to read more about Tom and his crew's adventures.
August 24, 2017
Wow!! Talk about unique characters! Da'shay is a beautifully dominant and kick ass woman who always tries to do the right thing. Tom is a soldier who is good with a gun and better at following orders. The two of them start off really rough, but when Da'shay rescues Tom from being sold as a slave, their antagonistic relationship transforms into reluctant trust and then full blown romance. Da'shay is the kind of female protagonist I want to read more of!
November 20, 2015
I read most of this book and then skipped to the end and started reading backwards. I liked the femdom aspect in a way. It was different. However, I wanted it to be private, not on display for everyone. Something about it was missing for me as well. Also Da'shay communicated like she was brain-damaged or something, imo, and it made for a frustrating read.
August 31, 2016
fun, light. I liked the femdomme, and I usually don't. I'll look for more of hers.
July 19, 2016
4.5 stars (rounded up to five because I can't resist a strong man able to slip into submission)
Tagline: Tough alpha male soldier submits to the crazy, strong, and blue alien woman
An amazing tale from one of my favorite authors, some of the writing was more difficult and slow than typically found in light romances, but the payoff in the end was absolutely worth it for me. Lyn Gala writes a wide range of stories, including one of my absolute favorite m/m romances, Claimings Tails and Other Alien Artifacts, a gently firm and a bit erotic exploration of a strong but submissive human man submitting to powerful alien. Blowback is an earlier work by this author (although recently revised) with similar themes, except in this case the outwardly buff human man with a submissive side is submitting to a powerful female alien.
Reading this work reminded me of the writing progression of another of my favorite m/m romance authors, Amy Lane. Her early Little Goddess series, a paranormal erotic series (with a female protagonist) had a rough-edged but wild prose style that was engaging but perhaps a bit undisciplined, as well as highlighting some of the strengths we see in Ms. Lane's later works. I find a similar progression in Ms. Gala's writing - her early work Blowback is a bit rough to get through at times but it showcases the author's love of linguistics and cross-cultural communication issues that are so brilliantly built into her later Claimings series. In short, I find in both of these authors' early works plenty of genius a somewhat "rough around the edges" but still extremely engaging writing styles that are clearly honed to great effect in very enticing later works.
I read this genre primarily for escapist reads, so the alien (and traumatic) confusion of the main character wasn't as easy to navigate as I usually expect in romances, but in the end any struggle through the sieve of an injured alien mind was well worth the eventual payoff for me. Of course, I greatly enjoy stories where strong men are able to find comfort and joy in submission to another, especially when the relationship focuses on the mental and emotional side of Domination and submission. For this reader, Blowback was an absolutely enchanting tale and the wonderful jumble of the blue woman's crazily enticing vocabulary was an extremely enjoyable escape that paid off handsomely in the end.
Heat: 4.5 stars (just a few scenes, but I found them to be very smoking for my tastes)
Relationship Chemistry: 4.5 stars (slow boil of enemy to prisoner to lover)
Characters: 4.5 stars (tough, alpha male who secretly wants to submit and an uber-strong, apparently crazy, and wonderfully blue alien woman)
Setting: 4 stars (military operatives undercover as smugglers caught on a slaving planet)
Plot: 4 stars (caught in a web of deceit among slavers, aliens, the military, and the government)
Writing: 3.5 stars (excellent hints of the author's future xenolinguistic exploits, but sometimes dragged a bit much in the crazy alien woman's mind)
Themes: Aliens, Slavery, Enemies to Lovers, BDSM (submission, control, light bondage)
Tagline: Tough alpha male soldier submits to the crazy, strong, and blue alien woman
An amazing tale from one of my favorite authors, some of the writing was more difficult and slow than typically found in light romances, but the payoff in the end was absolutely worth it for me. Lyn Gala writes a wide range of stories, including one of my absolute favorite m/m romances, Claimings Tails and Other Alien Artifacts, a gently firm and a bit erotic exploration of a strong but submissive human man submitting to powerful alien. Blowback is an earlier work by this author (although recently revised) with similar themes, except in this case the outwardly buff human man with a submissive side is submitting to a powerful female alien.
Reading this work reminded me of the writing progression of another of my favorite m/m romance authors, Amy Lane. Her early Little Goddess series, a paranormal erotic series (with a female protagonist) had a rough-edged but wild prose style that was engaging but perhaps a bit undisciplined, as well as highlighting some of the strengths we see in Ms. Lane's later works. I find a similar progression in Ms. Gala's writing - her early work Blowback is a bit rough to get through at times but it showcases the author's love of linguistics and cross-cultural communication issues that are so brilliantly built into her later Claimings series. In short, I find in both of these authors' early works plenty of genius a somewhat "rough around the edges" but still extremely engaging writing styles that are clearly honed to great effect in very enticing later works.
I read this genre primarily for escapist reads, so the alien (and traumatic) confusion of the main character wasn't as easy to navigate as I usually expect in romances, but in the end any struggle through the sieve of an injured alien mind was well worth the eventual payoff for me. Of course, I greatly enjoy stories where strong men are able to find comfort and joy in submission to another, especially when the relationship focuses on the mental and emotional side of Domination and submission. For this reader, Blowback was an absolutely enchanting tale and the wonderful jumble of the blue woman's crazily enticing vocabulary was an extremely enjoyable escape that paid off handsomely in the end.
Heat: 4.5 stars (just a few scenes, but I found them to be very smoking for my tastes)
Relationship Chemistry: 4.5 stars (slow boil of enemy to prisoner to lover)
Characters: 4.5 stars (tough, alpha male who secretly wants to submit and an uber-strong, apparently crazy, and wonderfully blue alien woman)
Setting: 4 stars (military operatives undercover as smugglers caught on a slaving planet)
Plot: 4 stars (caught in a web of deceit among slavers, aliens, the military, and the government)
Writing: 3.5 stars (excellent hints of the author's future xenolinguistic exploits, but sometimes dragged a bit much in the crazy alien woman's mind)
Themes: Aliens, Slavery, Enemies to Lovers, BDSM (submission, control, light bondage)
August 25, 2015
Review can be read at It's About The Book
I had a really hard time getting into this book. I started reading several times and just couldn’t find the hook that keeps me focused on a story. Then one day I just started from the beginning and kept reading…and there it was, the hook. It wasn’t the world or the male protagonist, it was the female protagonist, Da’shay that finally hooked me. She’s an alien, mostly Genta with some human in the mix, her skin is blue-ish, she has long black hair is stronger than a human and very beautiful…but something is wrong with her. She has a great deal of trouble communicating with her human crew mates on the Kratos, tending to talk about colors, using metaphors that no one understands.
And we have our male MC, Tom. Tom isn’t the smartest main character you will ever encounter, in fact, he is pretty uneducated, stating at one point that there were only about three schools on his home planet. But, he’s a weapons expert, the Gunnery Sergeant for the Kratos, and totally loyal to his captain and crew mates, with one exception…Da’shay. He doesn’t like her and thinks she’s up to something.
That changes when he and Captain Ramsay are captured on a slave planet controlled mostly by Genta and slave traders. Captain Ramsay manages to escape with Da’shay’s help, but the only way Da’shay can save Tom is by claiming him as a slave. And this is where the book gets really interesting and where I need to stop talking about the story before I start giving up too many spoilers.
I came very close to giving this book 5 stars, but didn’t because I wanted a lot more backstory from Da’shay. There were many unanswered questions about her past that seemed to leave the story a little incomplete. And I wished that Tom or one of thee other characters had deciphered more of her metaphors and color references. Da’shay was an intriguing character, and I just wanted to know more and never did. The beginning of the book was a little slow and fairly hard to follow for a while. But once I found the rhythm of the story, it was a great read. The sex is fun and interesting. The BDSM elements of the story fit so well with the characters that it was actually kind of sweet.
The blurb is pretty misleading…Tom wasn’t “seeking” a dominant. He had a little bedroom kink, but he wasn’t looking for any sort of permanent connection, another reason why I stayed with 4 stars. Overall. A good read if you like strange and interesting worlds, blue skinned aliens and fun sex.
Enjoy
I had a really hard time getting into this book. I started reading several times and just couldn’t find the hook that keeps me focused on a story. Then one day I just started from the beginning and kept reading…and there it was, the hook. It wasn’t the world or the male protagonist, it was the female protagonist, Da’shay that finally hooked me. She’s an alien, mostly Genta with some human in the mix, her skin is blue-ish, she has long black hair is stronger than a human and very beautiful…but something is wrong with her. She has a great deal of trouble communicating with her human crew mates on the Kratos, tending to talk about colors, using metaphors that no one understands.
And we have our male MC, Tom. Tom isn’t the smartest main character you will ever encounter, in fact, he is pretty uneducated, stating at one point that there were only about three schools on his home planet. But, he’s a weapons expert, the Gunnery Sergeant for the Kratos, and totally loyal to his captain and crew mates, with one exception…Da’shay. He doesn’t like her and thinks she’s up to something.
That changes when he and Captain Ramsay are captured on a slave planet controlled mostly by Genta and slave traders. Captain Ramsay manages to escape with Da’shay’s help, but the only way Da’shay can save Tom is by claiming him as a slave. And this is where the book gets really interesting and where I need to stop talking about the story before I start giving up too many spoilers.
I came very close to giving this book 5 stars, but didn’t because I wanted a lot more backstory from Da’shay. There were many unanswered questions about her past that seemed to leave the story a little incomplete. And I wished that Tom or one of thee other characters had deciphered more of her metaphors and color references. Da’shay was an intriguing character, and I just wanted to know more and never did. The beginning of the book was a little slow and fairly hard to follow for a while. But once I found the rhythm of the story, it was a great read. The sex is fun and interesting. The BDSM elements of the story fit so well with the characters that it was actually kind of sweet.
The blurb is pretty misleading…Tom wasn’t “seeking” a dominant. He had a little bedroom kink, but he wasn’t looking for any sort of permanent connection, another reason why I stayed with 4 stars. Overall. A good read if you like strange and interesting worlds, blue skinned aliens and fun sex.
Enjoy
June 26, 2015
Note, review of Original Ellora's Cave Edition no longer available. Loose ID version may be different.
4 -4.5 stars. Wow, Lyn Gala is one of my favorite sci/fi writers in both m/f and m/m. Tom's a soldier who doesn't play well with others and is assigned to his Captain because no one else will take him. An undercover job goes wrong and things go downhill from there especially when he meets someone who convinces him Da'shay is a problem. Da'shay is half genta, an alien race noted for their blue skin and hair and their literal yet odd way of thought and speech. They are also ridiculously strong and hard to kill. Da'shay for her part does not make much sense. Her word choices are metaphoric and tough to understand. Tom doesn't like her but he and Da'shay are drawn into a dangerous world where Tom is forced to become Da'shay's slave and Da'shay reveals secrets that affect everything.
The book is told in Tom's POV and he is fascinating. Street smart, he knows what he wants and is good at following orders. One of the odd scenes for me was a full on several page sex scene between Tom and a prostitute. I didn't understand why Gala would put that in the story, who wants to read the MC having sex with someone else, but later I understood the purpose was to show his sexual preferences, that he's submissive in the bedroom and this becomes his saving grace when he is enslaved to Da'shay.
I loved seeing Tom's strength and courage in his new role. He's happy with it and no one can shame him or tell him otherwise.
There were a few niggles. I don't think I've ever said this before in a review, but I would have loved more sex scenes between Da'shay and Tom. Each one was emotional as well as hot and there was more I would have liked to have seen explored. I also became weary of the bickering between Tom and his Captain about Da'shay. The Captain does an about face, first coming down hard on Tom for doubting her, then coming down hard on him for trusting her. They argue about it so often it pulled me out of the story a couple times. Finally, I'm not convinced I understand what happened to Da'shay exactly and why. Perhaps it's more evident in a re-read but I would have liked that explained a little more clearly.
Nonetheless, I loved the story and I loved Da'shay and Tom. This is a book I know I'll re-read many times.
4 -4.5 stars. Wow, Lyn Gala is one of my favorite sci/fi writers in both m/f and m/m. Tom's a soldier who doesn't play well with others and is assigned to his Captain because no one else will take him. An undercover job goes wrong and things go downhill from there especially when he meets someone who convinces him Da'shay is a problem. Da'shay is half genta, an alien race noted for their blue skin and hair and their literal yet odd way of thought and speech. They are also ridiculously strong and hard to kill. Da'shay for her part does not make much sense. Her word choices are metaphoric and tough to understand. Tom doesn't like her but he and Da'shay are drawn into a dangerous world where Tom is forced to become Da'shay's slave and Da'shay reveals secrets that affect everything.
The book is told in Tom's POV and he is fascinating. Street smart, he knows what he wants and is good at following orders. One of the odd scenes for me was a full on several page sex scene between Tom and a prostitute. I didn't understand why Gala would put that in the story, who wants to read the MC having sex with someone else, but later I understood the purpose was to show his sexual preferences, that he's submissive in the bedroom and this becomes his saving grace when he is enslaved to Da'shay.
I loved seeing Tom's strength and courage in his new role. He's happy with it and no one can shame him or tell him otherwise.
There were a few niggles. I don't think I've ever said this before in a review, but I would have loved more sex scenes between Da'shay and Tom. Each one was emotional as well as hot and there was more I would have liked to have seen explored. I also became weary of the bickering between Tom and his Captain about Da'shay. The Captain does an about face, first coming down hard on Tom for doubting her, then coming down hard on him for trusting her. They argue about it so often it pulled me out of the story a couple times. Finally, I'm not convinced I understand what happened to Da'shay exactly and why. Perhaps it's more evident in a re-read but I would have liked that explained a little more clearly.
Nonetheless, I loved the story and I loved Da'shay and Tom. This is a book I know I'll re-read many times.
July 31, 2015
I liked this book. Great world-building, fascinating and dynamic characters, and there were some truly interesting races. This is technically MF Romance, so I can't review it on my blog (which only reviews LGBTQ+ works), but I wanted people to know that I enjoyed it, and that female dominance is definitely hot.
This isn't a typical BDSM. The rules are foreign because our Domme is an alien, but in ways that made it easier to understand. I loved Tom. He's pretty much a meat-head, but he has a delicious submissive side. I want to tie him up, and I'm certain you will to!
This isn't a typical BDSM. The rules are foreign because our Domme is an alien, but in ways that made it easier to understand. I loved Tom. He's pretty much a meat-head, but he has a delicious submissive side. I want to tie him up, and I'm certain you will to!
April 17, 2011
...but Blowback is a great action-packed and well-developed sci-fi romance with all the trimmings: kick ass heroine who’s also fragile, badass hero with temper issues, one well-written and hot common kink between the two, and an actual plot. For the remainder of this review, please visit http://www.blackravensreviews.com/?p=...
no-dnf-zzz-avoid
September 4, 2015Couldn't get past sample
April 12, 2022
There was a lot I liked with this, but in some ways I also felt I lacked more heart-to-hearts and emotions.
🔷 Tom's journey from giant jerk (and honestly kinda ableist) to
From:
To:
Generally I found Tom to be a very compelling character. He has the social sense of a rock, but clearly means well even if his foot ends up in his mouth 9 out of 10 times.
🔷 The first sex scene in the book is not between the MC, it's Tom and . I didn't mind too much as it gave some insight into his character, but I know some readers would hate that.
But hey, my man belives in sex work as legitimate. That's plus points for sure.
🔷 The story is very plot heavy in many ways, but also... it also was a little confusing and limp? Tom isn't the smartest guy and he isn't the one with the inside info. And Da'shay is cryptic, though, following what she's saying does get easier. It left my dumbass a little confused and unconnected from the plot at times, though.
🔷 Da'shay was a cool divergence from the "standard" sci-fi FMC. She's an alien. She's stronger, faster, and smarter than the MMC. I could also totally see why she'd go for Tom, once we got further into the story.
It was also fun how direct she was in her attraction.
🔷 Of course, I loved that there was femdom. It was nice. Mostly bondage and control (lots of leash-collar play).
Final thoughts
A lot of potential and delivered on some of it (which I really did like!), but it didn't quite flow well for me either. So 3,5 stars rounded down.
🔷 Tom's journey from giant jerk (and honestly kinda ableist) to
From:
"You want me to go get Pea-brain?"
"Don't call her that," Ramsay snapped, and immediately the easy camaraderie was gone.
To:
Generally I found Tom to be a very compelling character. He has the social sense of a rock, but clearly means well even if his foot ends up in his mouth 9 out of 10 times.
🔷 The first sex scene in the book is not between the MC, it's Tom and . I didn't mind too much as it gave some insight into his character, but I know some readers would hate that.
But hey, my man belives in sex work as legitimate. That's plus points for sure.
"If you don't have anything against prostitution, I know a few women who would enjoy your special services." She placed at kiss on Tom's elbow.
"Ain't got nothing against playing doxy. It's legal work and more honest than most. I'm just not sure I'm ready to jump ship yet."
🔷 The story is very plot heavy in many ways, but also... it also was a little confusing and limp? Tom isn't the smartest guy and he isn't the one with the inside info. And Da'shay is cryptic, though, following what she's saying does get easier. It left my dumbass a little confused and unconnected from the plot at times, though.
🔷 Da'shay was a cool divergence from the "standard" sci-fi FMC. She's an alien. She's stronger, faster, and smarter than the MMC. I could also totally see why she'd go for Tom, once we got further into the story.
It was also fun how direct she was in her attraction.
After a second, Da'shay took the pebble from Tom's quarters and moved it to the VIP quarters with her pebble.
"Princess, you are about as subtle as a dog with explosive diarrhea."
🔷 Of course, I loved that there was femdom. It was nice. Mostly bondage and control (lots of leash-collar play).
Final thoughts
A lot of potential and delivered on some of it (which I really did like!), but it didn't quite flow well for me either. So 3,5 stars rounded down.
September 1, 2025
It seems I accidentally marked this as read at some point. I actually finished it around 2am yesterday, so I’ll have to adjust the dates. This made me wonder if it had its origins in Firefly fanfic, or at least in Firefly fanning. It’s definitely original. The worlds and characters and the situation they find themselves in. But it’s close enough that I kept comparing, especially at the beginning, both the characters and the universe they inhabit. As the story got further along and Gala was deeper into exploring the issues of interest and importance to her, I suppose, I spent far less time comparing or even thinking of Firefly, and began thinking more about Gala’s own Claimings series. If I could see the influence of Firefly on this story, I could see the origins of the palteia concept, the leash and notion that someone committed to serving would retain loyalty to the former “chilta” even when given or transferred to a new/better one, and a comment Liam makes about being submissive 100% of the time in this book. It was interesting to see and speculate about the origin and development of ideas. This story felt more intense or extreme to me in some ways than the Claimings series, though the relationships between the two main characters in each are very similar. This story is more overtly sexual, I think, so maybe that’s some of it. There is a story here. It’s not straight sex with nothing else. There’s a mystery and politics and machinations going on that the characters have to sort out and resolve. I enjoyed it. I definitely wanted to know what was coming next. I have mixed feelings about the romance in this story. It’s not a relationship that has any appeal to me even though it seems to suit Tom and Da’Shay just fine. And it’s interesting because Liam and Ondry’s relationship in the Claimings series is very similar, but feels quite different.
February 17, 2021
Firefly spy adventure
Although at least one character is unmistakably inspired by a character from Joss Whedon's Firefly (or the movie Serenity) this is not a badly written fanfic. Bondage and explicit scenes do feature, and a fair bit of language, you have been warned. Equal parts RomCom and Sci Fi spy thriller. Fairly short but dense storytelling, perhaps somewhat predictable, but that doesn't worry me. I did enjoy Avatar by James Cameron, so take this review with that in mind.
Although at least one character is unmistakably inspired by a character from Joss Whedon's Firefly (or the movie Serenity) this is not a badly written fanfic. Bondage and explicit scenes do feature, and a fair bit of language, you have been warned. Equal parts RomCom and Sci Fi spy thriller. Fairly short but dense storytelling, perhaps somewhat predictable, but that doesn't worry me. I did enjoy Avatar by James Cameron, so take this review with that in mind.
August 3, 2020
Despite the cover, this is a space opera-style SF adventure with a secondary story that’s a romance of sorts. I enjoyed it because this author’s world building is less predictable than most writers. It’s also fun as a fan reading one of her earliest books and seeing themes she’d pick up again in future books in different series.
June 11, 2024
2.5 stars rounded up
This was a very confusing and at times frustrating story.
Honestly, I would have DNF'ed early on if it wasn't for the promise of femdom and even that, when it did come, left me yearning for more.
This was a very confusing and at times frustrating story.
Honestly, I would have DNF'ed early on if it wasn't for the promise of femdom and even that, when it did come, left me yearning for more.
July 3, 2018
The sex was really bad. The D/s wasn't fully explored. Tom was likable. Da’shay was too brain damaged.
March 18, 2024
dnf at 55%… HATED the MMC and some scenes felt like it was dragging on for no reason. Again i hated the MMC’s personality like bro shut up. And the FMC was so hard to understand at times
November 30, 2018
Rating: 4 stars.
April 17, 2017
Fantastic, really enjoyed the world building, story line is amazing, the characters had me from the very beginning. Couldn't get enough, trying to decide what book to read next from this author.
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