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Class 5 #2
Dark Deeds
Far from home . . .
Fiona Russell has been snatched from Earth, imprisoned and used as slave labor, but nothing about her abduction makes sense. When she’s rescued by the Grih, she realizes there’s a much bigger game in play than she could ever have imagined, and she’s right in the middle of it.
Far from safe . . .
Battleship captain Hal Vakeri is chasing down pirates when he stumbles across a woman abducted from Earth. She’s the second one the Grih have found in two months, and her presence is potentially explosive in the Grih’s ongoing negotiations with their enemies, the Tecran. The Tecran and the Grih are on the cusp of war, and Fiona might just tip the balance.
Far from done . . .
Fiona has had to bide her time while she’s been a prisoner, pretending to be less than she is, but when the chance comes for her to forge her own destiny in this new world, she grabs it with both hands. After all, actions speak louder than words.
Fiona Russell has been snatched from Earth, imprisoned and used as slave labor, but nothing about her abduction makes sense. When she’s rescued by the Grih, she realizes there’s a much bigger game in play than she could ever have imagined, and she’s right in the middle of it.
Far from safe . . .
Battleship captain Hal Vakeri is chasing down pirates when he stumbles across a woman abducted from Earth. She’s the second one the Grih have found in two months, and her presence is potentially explosive in the Grih’s ongoing negotiations with their enemies, the Tecran. The Tecran and the Grih are on the cusp of war, and Fiona might just tip the balance.
Far from done . . .
Fiona has had to bide her time while she’s been a prisoner, pretending to be less than she is, but when the chance comes for her to forge her own destiny in this new world, she grabs it with both hands. After all, actions speak louder than words.
358 pages, Paperback
First published January 4, 2016
638 people are currently reading
884 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Diener
53 books1,920 followersMichelle Diener is a bestselling, award-winning author of historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy. Having worked in publishing and IT, she's now very happy crafting new worlds and interesting characters.
Michelle was born in London and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.
When she's not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her online at Twitter and Facebook.
Michelle was born in London and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.
When she's not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her online at Twitter and Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews
October 17, 2023
I was a bit shocked to discover this second book in the Class 5 series had a new protagonist. I had expected the whole trilogy to be Rose and Sazo's story. I quickly got over my initial disappointment and soon warmed to our new lead character Fiona. Her story was just as much fun as Rose's and her arrival caused nearly as big a stir in the complicated and very delicate political situation in the region.
Just like Rose, Fiona had been snatched from Earth by a Class 5. The big difference in this one was that she was quickly passed on from the Tecran to the Garmin! The Garmin traders imprisoned her and forced her to work as a slave in their ship. Lucky for Fiona the ship she was being held captive on got caught up in a battle between the Grih and the Crik. When the Grih captain discovered she was being held against her will he rescued her.
The whole story was very engaging and a whole a lot of fun. This is a super fun sci-fi world and I love the balance between the action, intrigue, humour, and the romance. It also really helps that the series is packed full of likeable characters who are very easy to root for and that Michelle Diener has a very engaging storytelling style.
Fiona was as likeable a lead character as Rose, and just like Rose she proved surprisingly capable of taking care of herself! We got a bit of romance between Fiona and the Grih battleship captain Hal Vakeri. The romance never overwhelmed the story and I did really like the pair as a couple.
This is the Class 5 series so of course we got to meet another Thinking System! This one was different from Sazo and Bain but also pretty interesting in its own right. The other big plus is we also got to glimpse some new cool sci-fi technology.
The only tiny criticism to be had is that the set up of the story is pretty similar to that of the first book, but since I loved the first book that was not much of an issue for me. It also helped that the story did evolve in its own unique direction.
All in all this was another really enjoyable read. I cannot wait to read the final book in the series.
Rating: 4.5 stars. Rounding up to 5 just because this is such an addictive series.
Audio Note: Christina Delaine gave a great performance with the audio.
Reread Update: Every bit as good and addictive the second time around. If anything this is probably worth the full 5 stars just for being impossible to put down!
Just like Rose, Fiona had been snatched from Earth by a Class 5. The big difference in this one was that she was quickly passed on from the Tecran to the Garmin! The Garmin traders imprisoned her and forced her to work as a slave in their ship. Lucky for Fiona the ship she was being held captive on got caught up in a battle between the Grih and the Crik. When the Grih captain discovered she was being held against her will he rescued her.
The whole story was very engaging and a whole a lot of fun. This is a super fun sci-fi world and I love the balance between the action, intrigue, humour, and the romance. It also really helps that the series is packed full of likeable characters who are very easy to root for and that Michelle Diener has a very engaging storytelling style.
Fiona was as likeable a lead character as Rose, and just like Rose she proved surprisingly capable of taking care of herself! We got a bit of romance between Fiona and the Grih battleship captain Hal Vakeri. The romance never overwhelmed the story and I did really like the pair as a couple.
This is the Class 5 series so of course we got to meet another Thinking System! This one was different from Sazo and Bain but also pretty interesting in its own right. The other big plus is we also got to glimpse some new cool sci-fi technology.
The only tiny criticism to be had is that the set up of the story is pretty similar to that of the first book, but since I loved the first book that was not much of an issue for me. It also helped that the story did evolve in its own unique direction.
All in all this was another really enjoyable read. I cannot wait to read the final book in the series.
Rating: 4.5 stars. Rounding up to 5 just because this is such an addictive series.
Audio Note: Christina Delaine gave a great performance with the audio.
Reread Update: Every bit as good and addictive the second time around. If anything this is probably worth the full 5 stars just for being impossible to put down!
January 5, 2016
*An ARC was given in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the writer and the publisher for the opportunity to read this.*
(3.75 rounded down to 3.)
There was no sex in this book. I repeat, there was no sex. Hell, Fiona and Hal didn't even get to second base. And oh, the sexual tension between them only surfaced at around the 50% marker; before that, everything was all space opera drama. What the hell?
If I was a lesser nerd, I would have hated this. But the fact is, I'm not. I'm probably one of the biggest sci-fi fanatics you'll ever meet, and this just satisfied me on a nerdgasmic level. So much so that the fact that the romance left me hanging didn't bother me as much.
Maybe it was the Star Wars and Star Trek feels that I got when I read about the different alien species, the intergalactic politics of the United Council, and basically everything about the universe that was set-up here. Maybe it was because Hal was so adorable when he finally realised his feelings for Fiona. Maybe it was because Fiona was able to remain strong, despite all the shit she went through (she was abducted, forced into slave labour, and then got beaten up by alien pirates). But yes, I enjoyed this very much.
That being said, I want to point out that while I really liked this book, I'm reluctant to recommend it to the general public. I feel like this is something only a hard-core sci-fi fan would like. The focus is really on the space opera drama, and less on the romance. In fact, the first 50% was just about the rising tension between the Grihs and the Tecrans, and about finding out what the Tecrans were up to. So if you're looking for something similar to Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians series, you're in the wrong place.
(3.75 rounded down to 3.)
There was no sex in this book. I repeat, there was no sex. Hell, Fiona and Hal didn't even get to second base. And oh, the sexual tension between them only surfaced at around the 50% marker; before that, everything was all space opera drama. What the hell?
If I was a lesser nerd, I would have hated this. But the fact is, I'm not. I'm probably one of the biggest sci-fi fanatics you'll ever meet, and this just satisfied me on a nerdgasmic level. So much so that the fact that the romance left me hanging didn't bother me as much.
Maybe it was the Star Wars and Star Trek feels that I got when I read about the different alien species, the intergalactic politics of the United Council, and basically everything about the universe that was set-up here. Maybe it was because Hal was so adorable when he finally realised his feelings for Fiona. Maybe it was because Fiona was able to remain strong, despite all the shit she went through (she was abducted, forced into slave labour, and then got beaten up by alien pirates). But yes, I enjoyed this very much.
That being said, I want to point out that while I really liked this book, I'm reluctant to recommend it to the general public. I feel like this is something only a hard-core sci-fi fan would like. The focus is really on the space opera drama, and less on the romance. In fact, the first 50% was just about the rising tension between the Grihs and the Tecrans, and about finding out what the Tecrans were up to. So if you're looking for something similar to Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians series, you're in the wrong place.
August 3, 2022
This is second in a sci-fi fantasy romance series and characters and story points from the first are prominent in this one. Indeed, I think the author skipped some establishing details so I definitely recommend reading them in order.
This is very much like the first story. Fiona is a lot like Rose as the determined heroine making the best of the hand she has been dealt. There are plenty of plot differences so the action takes her down a unique path but the essential character of the leads are very similar. I don't consider this a bad thing, but it bears pointing out.
And I really liked the twist at the highest action point that lead to an interesting climax. You could have tipped me over with a lame pun when
I'm glad for how this ended.
And can I just say that my favorite series-spanning character is turning out to be Admiral Hoke? She's a great political navigator and I just like the interactions with her captains, giving them the rope they need to either span chasms or tie themselves into knots.
Anyway, this was an easy five stars for me, but bear in mind that I have a high tolerance for "same story told with template variations" when I like the character types so well. Powerful women are my jam and I like Diener's version of that.
A note about the Audiobook: Christina Delaine does a pretty good job with all the alien voices and gives reasonable accents, though maybe leaning into the antagonists in creepy-voice a bit much. But I'm not a fan of her AI characterization. Eazi is delivered in a breathy monotone even when dialog tags have him giving explicit emotional tones. This was only a small niggle, but a consistent one.
A note about Steamy: There's enough lead up to sex, and description of physical responses for this to trip the steam tag. But only barely. And they don't actually do the sex during the course of the story. So this is the lightest possible steam tag, though with the note that it fit the story very well as they just didn't have the time or space for more hijinks than we got.
This is very much like the first story. Fiona is a lot like Rose as the determined heroine making the best of the hand she has been dealt. There are plenty of plot differences so the action takes her down a unique path but the essential character of the leads are very similar. I don't consider this a bad thing, but it bears pointing out.
And I really liked the twist at the highest action point that lead to an interesting climax. You could have tipped me over with a lame pun when
I'm glad for how this ended.
And can I just say that my favorite series-spanning character is turning out to be Admiral Hoke? She's a great political navigator and I just like the interactions with her captains, giving them the rope they need to either span chasms or tie themselves into knots.
Anyway, this was an easy five stars for me, but bear in mind that I have a high tolerance for "same story told with template variations" when I like the character types so well. Powerful women are my jam and I like Diener's version of that.
A note about the Audiobook: Christina Delaine does a pretty good job with all the alien voices and gives reasonable accents, though maybe leaning into the antagonists in creepy-voice a bit much. But I'm not a fan of her AI characterization. Eazi is delivered in a breathy monotone even when dialog tags have him giving explicit emotional tones. This was only a small niggle, but a consistent one.
A note about Steamy: There's enough lead up to sex, and description of physical responses for this to trip the steam tag. But only barely. And they don't actually do the sex during the course of the story. So this is the lightest possible steam tag, though with the note that it fit the story very well as they just didn't have the time or space for more hijinks than we got.
October 18, 2019
Not anywhere near as wonderful as the first book.
Be warned that the romance is nearly nonexistent in this book.
The heroine goes through almost as much trauma as Rose did in the first book. However the hero's crew did not embrace the heroine so much as tolerate her. Some were outright rude and borderline abusive to Fiona. Hal's crew try to get him in trouble by tattling to the Admiral about him and Fiona.
The crew's disregard of Fiona almost gets her killed, and they could have cared less. They seemed repentant they were called to the carpet for their behavior, but no repercussions for them & NO APOLOGY to the heroine.
This chapped me quite a bit at the end.
I was hoping they would find themselves transferred off his ship for their acts of something...but nothing.
Fiona was a wonderful heroine! So strong, thoughtful and selfless.
Hal? Wasn't feeling him. He was no Dav. There was no chemistry there. He came off as mostly cold. Up until 80% the hero is fully behind the "let's just hookup on the down-low to save my career" which really smacks of non-hero behavior.
By the way, there was only an implied impending hookup at the very end.
Eazi (Kept thinking of Eazy-E every time I saw his name...) wasn't as prominent of a character in this one as Sazo was in the first.
He was just kind of bland.
Rose & Sazo do make an appearance at the end.
Hanging plot point: What happened to the Macaw?
Still enjoyable.Definitely a setup for a third book in the works, which I will absolutely be reading.
Recommended only if you loved the first book.
Be warned that the romance is nearly nonexistent in this book.
The heroine goes through almost as much trauma as Rose did in the first book. However the hero's crew did not embrace the heroine so much as tolerate her. Some were outright rude and borderline abusive to Fiona. Hal's crew try to get him in trouble by tattling to the Admiral about him and Fiona.
The crew's disregard of Fiona almost gets her killed, and they could have cared less. They seemed repentant they were called to the carpet for their behavior, but no repercussions for them & NO APOLOGY to the heroine.
This chapped me quite a bit at the end.
I was hoping they would find themselves transferred off his ship for their acts of something...but nothing.
Fiona was a wonderful heroine! So strong, thoughtful and selfless.
Hal? Wasn't feeling him. He was no Dav. There was no chemistry there. He came off as mostly cold. Up until 80% the hero is fully behind the "let's just hookup on the down-low to save my career" which really smacks of non-hero behavior.
By the way, there was only an implied impending hookup at the very end.
Eazi (Kept thinking of Eazy-E every time I saw his name...) wasn't as prominent of a character in this one as Sazo was in the first.
He was just kind of bland.
Rose & Sazo do make an appearance at the end.
Hanging plot point: What happened to the Macaw?
Still enjoyable.Definitely a setup for a third book in the works, which I will absolutely be reading.
Recommended only if you loved the first book.
February 10, 2017
Still really liking it.
I never would have thought light space opera with a dusting of romance was my thing, but apparently it is. Then again, who doesn't love an escapist adventure fantasy these days? The more up to date I stay on current events, the more I want to escape this solar system.
Full review as soon as I finish this trilogy.
I never would have thought light space opera with a dusting of romance was my thing, but apparently it is. Then again, who doesn't love an escapist adventure fantasy these days? The more up to date I stay on current events, the more I want to escape this solar system.
Full review as soon as I finish this trilogy.
February 14, 2020
As fabulous as the first book. I would have loved to read more about the IA, which I personally think is one of the highlights in this series. Otherwise, it was an entirely enthralling experience.
Can't wait to read book 3.
Can't wait to read book 3.
October 31, 2023
Read. Unsurprisingly, a great deal like the first book with enough variations in personality and situation to keep it interesting. Excellent character development, even as the trauma remains relatively easily dealt with. I have realized now what writer this series reminds me of--Mercedes Lackey. It all fits. Even has bird people, but they aren't nice. Also singing is miraculous, because of course it is.
"It is Garmman territory, just into Grih airspace, makes it easier for them to say they didn't know what was going on.” Right. New galaxy, same old, same old.
Also, for those who care, sexy times have a curtain. (It's very old-fashioned in this).
My friend Mimi jokingly started characterizing the Ilona Andrews series with a short phrase, and I find myself temped to do the same. This one is The Mistreated One and the
"It is Garmman territory, just into Grih airspace, makes it easier for them to say they didn't know what was going on.” Right. New galaxy, same old, same old.
Also, for those who care, sexy times have a curtain. (It's very old-fashioned in this).
My friend Mimi jokingly started characterizing the Ilona Andrews series with a short phrase, and I find myself temped to do the same. This one is The Mistreated One and the
January 2, 2016
Well the follow up to Dark Horse is an engaging adventure set in space and featuring a heroine who doesn't know how to quit. For months Fiona has been held captive , with no idea just why aliens abducted her. To add insult to injury she's been used as slave labour, abused and almost starved! Her captors see her as little more than pond life but Fiona is an intelligent woman and fools them all. Hurt, frightened and yet refusing to go down Fiona confuses everyone with her inane singing ( hey a girl has to keep herself going somehow!) and does a pretty good act of appearing downright stupid but when the chance to escape quite literally crashes into existence there is nothing that will stop Fiona seizing the day, yes Carpe Dieme is her motto!
If you are expecting a typical sci fi romance then this book will surprise you. Yes there are aliens, some downright ugly and others who reminded me of Orlando Bloom ( surely the prettiest one in Lord of the Rings?) with elf like ears but it's not an excuse for sexy times . No the author gives us a journey focused around an ordinary human who is capable of extraordinary things. Fiona is a survivor, full of gumption and yet strangely pragmatic at times. Trying to find her feet amongst the Grih who so far seem to be her best bet and yet she's about to gain even more importance as her very existence could cause huge ripples for those who abducted her.
Well written and I was hooked right from the start. No not an erotic story but one that I didn't want to put down. Interesting characters too although at times there were perhaps too many with actions that didn't really make sense. Nevertheless the hero Hal saves Fiona but then she does quite a lot of saving herself! I have to mention the so called thinking intelligence Eazi as his actions really help fuel the plot but best of all is our strong , quick thinking heroine singing her way out of danger and refusing to be a victim. Fiona I salute you!
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review
If you are expecting a typical sci fi romance then this book will surprise you. Yes there are aliens, some downright ugly and others who reminded me of Orlando Bloom ( surely the prettiest one in Lord of the Rings?) with elf like ears but it's not an excuse for sexy times . No the author gives us a journey focused around an ordinary human who is capable of extraordinary things. Fiona is a survivor, full of gumption and yet strangely pragmatic at times. Trying to find her feet amongst the Grih who so far seem to be her best bet and yet she's about to gain even more importance as her very existence could cause huge ripples for those who abducted her.
Well written and I was hooked right from the start. No not an erotic story but one that I didn't want to put down. Interesting characters too although at times there were perhaps too many with actions that didn't really make sense. Nevertheless the hero Hal saves Fiona but then she does quite a lot of saving herself! I have to mention the so called thinking intelligence Eazi as his actions really help fuel the plot but best of all is our strong , quick thinking heroine singing her way out of danger and refusing to be a victim. Fiona I salute you!
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review
January 4, 2016
I put off reading Dark Horse (Class 5 Series Book 1) for months because a space romance just did not sound interesting even though I have loved EVERYTHING this author has written that I have read so after I corrected that bit of stupidity I grabbed this one pretty much immediately and it took a few more chapters to get going than Dark Horse did but once the plot was in full swing it was every bit as captivating and exceptional as Dark Horse (Class 5 Series Book 1) was in almost every way.
While I was sure I knew exactly where the plot was going (a slightly modified version of Dark Horse) I was once again reminded why I write reviews and not novels. It did NOT go where I was sure it was going and was an exceptionally original ending to this installment into the Class 5 Series.
One thing this book does that the other book did not do was we know who the heroine of the next book will most likely be but we don't really know much more than her name and I can't wait to get the enxt book and see where this amazing and original series is going.
Well played once more Michelle Diener, well played :)
While I was sure I knew exactly where the plot was going (a slightly modified version of Dark Horse) I was once again reminded why I write reviews and not novels. It did NOT go where I was sure it was going and was an exceptionally original ending to this installment into the Class 5 Series.
One thing this book does that the other book did not do was we know who the heroine of the next book will most likely be but we don't really know much more than her name and I can't wait to get the enxt book and see where this amazing and original series is going.
Well played once more Michelle Diener, well played :)
January 25, 2016
Ok... I'm done with this series now. I read the first one and rated it 3 stars. It was ok, but I thought perhaps it had potential as a series. Sadly, that was not the case for me. This book felt way to similar to the first book. The plot and characters seemed almost identical. The romance still remained rather PG as well. Not a series I will personally continue. Glad it was offered as a kindleunlimited though.
January 4, 2019
Star trek and star wars fan like myself would love this space adventure with lots of action and just little bit of romance. Which I don't mind at all. I am here for the space adventure.
We have another heroine here, Fiona. And we have another thinking system. For me, they are the best feature in these books. Plus likeable and strong heroines.
The ending felt really rushed. And I have to be honest, though. Sazo and Rose are still my favorite.
We have another heroine here, Fiona. And we have another thinking system. For me, they are the best feature in these books. Plus likeable and strong heroines.
The ending felt really rushed. And I have to be honest, though. Sazo and Rose are still my favorite.
January 25, 2016
I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.
I love the first book, Dark Horse, and I love this one too!
This one is more action oriented; the romance is just a hit until well into the story, but I appreciated that because the action was so very interesting!
The Class 5 thinking systems are so cute! Here we meet Eazi and while he's not such a strong presence as Sazi was, he's still very much endearing and connected with Fee.
I love the moltitude of beings and the convoluted politics between each one of the races. But what I love the most is the was Ms. Diener makes her heroines!
Just wonderful and so full of life! Just like Fee says: "... they see the glass half-full..."!
It's so refreshing that the heroine doesn't dubt herself constantly neither her action nor her feelings toward the hero!
The action is intriguing and convoluted; nothing is what it seems, but as the story pregresses, many things become clear and I loved how Fee could adjust to about everything and act in a logical and sensible way!
I hope Ms. Diener will continue with this series as I'm looking forward to meeting the others Clas 5! :)
I love the first book, Dark Horse, and I love this one too!
This one is more action oriented; the romance is just a hit until well into the story, but I appreciated that because the action was so very interesting!
The Class 5 thinking systems are so cute! Here we meet Eazi and while he's not such a strong presence as Sazi was, he's still very much endearing and connected with Fee.
I love the moltitude of beings and the convoluted politics between each one of the races. But what I love the most is the was Ms. Diener makes her heroines!
Just wonderful and so full of life! Just like Fee says: "... they see the glass half-full..."!
It's so refreshing that the heroine doesn't dubt herself constantly neither her action nor her feelings toward the hero!
The action is intriguing and convoluted; nothing is what it seems, but as the story pregresses, many things become clear and I loved how Fee could adjust to about everything and act in a logical and sensible way!
I hope Ms. Diener will continue with this series as I'm looking forward to meeting the others Clas 5! :)
February 8, 2025
2025 re-read: Still love this series! I would rate this specific book a straight four star rather than a 4.5, though. I think the ending is too abrupt and I really needed to see Chel get a much harsher comeuppance that he received.
4.5/5.0
I am absolutely loving this series! The world building is believable, it has enough depth of character that readers can really understand the reasoning behind the actions taken. The characters act with common sense (hallelujah!) and there is even a bit of romance on the side! The romance is the only thing that comes across as lacking just a bit and is purely surface only (the sole reason this book isn’t a solid five stars for me) but everything else is pitch perfect, fun reading!
P.S. I love Fiona… almost as much as I loved Rose!
4.5/5.0
I am absolutely loving this series! The world building is believable, it has enough depth of character that readers can really understand the reasoning behind the actions taken. The characters act with common sense (hallelujah!) and there is even a bit of romance on the side! The romance is the only thing that comes across as lacking just a bit and is purely surface only (the sole reason this book isn’t a solid five stars for me) but everything else is pitch perfect, fun reading!
P.S. I love Fiona… almost as much as I loved Rose!
September 2, 2023
Boy, I liked this a lot until the end, when Hal's crew just went over the top with their bullshit.
Like, so far over the top that it undercuts the series, because why on Earth would these women ally with the Grih when so many Grih treat them like garbage? Manipulate, use, discard them. I honestly haven't, in either book, seen any reason to believe the Grih wouldn't off either Rose or Fee the moment they could, if they had a way to then cage the AIs. I would never ally with someone like that, and I hate that these awesome women are.
Gross.
But Fee and Hal were great and I liked their story.
Re-read Sept 2023
I don't like this book. I didn't like it on the first read, and I like it even less on the re-read. Hal's crew ruin the book, and come really close to ruining the series.
I spoke about it in my original review, but I'm going to go even further now: I don't see any difference between the Grih and the Tecran. Yes, we've met some nice Grih - the MMCs of both books ... but honestly, almost no one else. The rest of the Grih are at best racist. At worst, just as evil as the Tecran. Multiple Grih tried to kill Rose in book 1, including a fucking Admiral. And then the entire Grih leadership tried to fuck her over in the negotiation at the end ... playing nice with the idea of imprisoning her and Sazo later. In this book, the entire fucking crew of their battleship are monstrous assholes. They tried to kill Fee. Yes, I'm not softballing it. She went to the station, saved the life of their captain, and they left her down there hoping someone would off her. It is no different than what the Tekran and Garmman captains did to Fee - they wanted her dead, but didn't want to do the deed themselves, so they both put her in a position where she'd likely die.
It makes these women fucking morons for allying with the Grih at all. And Fee should have worked with Eazi to immediately ban all Grih and Tecran from Larga Ways. Want to be racist? Okay, back at you fuckers.
Hal should have court martialed and spaced his second in command. That he didn't - that he didn't even remove them from office - tells me he doesn't really give that much of a fuck. I think really poorly of him. He's a teeny half-step better than all the other Grih we've met, but when I say teeny, I mean fucking teeny. And I don't understand why Fee likes him, to be frank.
Like, so far over the top that it undercuts the series, because why on Earth would these women ally with the Grih when so many Grih treat them like garbage? Manipulate, use, discard them. I honestly haven't, in either book, seen any reason to believe the Grih wouldn't off either Rose or Fee the moment they could, if they had a way to then cage the AIs. I would never ally with someone like that, and I hate that these awesome women are.
Gross.
But Fee and Hal were great and I liked their story.
Re-read Sept 2023
I don't like this book. I didn't like it on the first read, and I like it even less on the re-read. Hal's crew ruin the book, and come really close to ruining the series.
I spoke about it in my original review, but I'm going to go even further now: I don't see any difference between the Grih and the Tecran. Yes, we've met some nice Grih - the MMCs of both books ... but honestly, almost no one else. The rest of the Grih are at best racist. At worst, just as evil as the Tecran. Multiple Grih tried to kill Rose in book 1, including a fucking Admiral. And then the entire Grih leadership tried to fuck her over in the negotiation at the end ... playing nice with the idea of imprisoning her and Sazo later. In this book, the entire fucking crew of their battleship are monstrous assholes. They tried to kill Fee. Yes, I'm not softballing it. She went to the station, saved the life of their captain, and they left her down there hoping someone would off her. It is no different than what the Tekran and Garmman captains did to Fee - they wanted her dead, but didn't want to do the deed themselves, so they both put her in a position where she'd likely die.
It makes these women fucking morons for allying with the Grih at all. And Fee should have worked with Eazi to immediately ban all Grih and Tecran from Larga Ways. Want to be racist? Okay, back at you fuckers.
Hal should have court martialed and spaced his second in command. That he didn't - that he didn't even remove them from office - tells me he doesn't really give that much of a fuck. I think really poorly of him. He's a teeny half-step better than all the other Grih we've met, but when I say teeny, I mean fucking teeny. And I don't understand why Fee likes him, to be frank.
April 14, 2025
Third read 4/7/25:
I agree with everything I said in my rave review from last year. Wonderful book and a wonderful series!
Review from 7/11/24:
Terrific second book in a wonderful series
Though each of the five books in this SF-romance series has a satisfying, upbeat ending, they make the most sense if they are read in order. Each one builds on the ones that come before.
Fiona is as strong an FMC as Rose from Book 1, and I love her friendship with the AI AKA "thinking system" named Eazi. As is expected within the adult-romance genre, this book offers the dual POV of Fiona and her terrific MMC, Hal Vakeri. Similar to the MMC of Book 1, he is a spaceship captain and one of the Grih, an alien species who look exactly like humans from Earth except for pointed elf ears and that they are, on average, about 20% bigger than human beings.
There is plenty of exciting action in this story, and the love story is quite compelling. There is no sexual activity onstage beyond kissing, with the actual sexual relationship at the very end of this slowburn romance presented as "closed bedroom door." In spite of that artistic choice, there is plenty of emotional and physical chemistry between these two attractive, compassionate, brave and honorable MCs.
For more details about the world-building in this series, see my review of Book 1.
The audiobook version of this novel is narrated by the very talented voice actor, Christina Delaine. She offers an excellent dramatic performance as well is an extremely pleasing rendition of both male and female voices and the voices of the AI characters.
This is my second read of this novel and it remains a 5-star book for me. I consider it both a keeper that I will revisit many times in the future.
I agree with everything I said in my rave review from last year. Wonderful book and a wonderful series!
Review from 7/11/24:
Terrific second book in a wonderful series
Though each of the five books in this SF-romance series has a satisfying, upbeat ending, they make the most sense if they are read in order. Each one builds on the ones that come before.
Fiona is as strong an FMC as Rose from Book 1, and I love her friendship with the AI AKA "thinking system" named Eazi. As is expected within the adult-romance genre, this book offers the dual POV of Fiona and her terrific MMC, Hal Vakeri. Similar to the MMC of Book 1, he is a spaceship captain and one of the Grih, an alien species who look exactly like humans from Earth except for pointed elf ears and that they are, on average, about 20% bigger than human beings.
There is plenty of exciting action in this story, and the love story is quite compelling. There is no sexual activity onstage beyond kissing, with the actual sexual relationship at the very end of this slowburn romance presented as "closed bedroom door." In spite of that artistic choice, there is plenty of emotional and physical chemistry between these two attractive, compassionate, brave and honorable MCs.
For more details about the world-building in this series, see my review of Book 1.
The audiobook version of this novel is narrated by the very talented voice actor, Christina Delaine. She offers an excellent dramatic performance as well is an extremely pleasing rendition of both male and female voices and the voices of the AI characters.
This is my second read of this novel and it remains a 5-star book for me. I consider it both a keeper that I will revisit many times in the future.
January 14, 2018
Fiona Russell has been snatched from Earth, imprisoned and used as slave labor, but nothing about her abduction makes sense. When she’s rescued by the Grih, she realizes there’s a much bigger game in play than she could ever have imagined, and she’s right in the middle of it.
Battleship captain Hal Vakeri is chasing down pirates when he stumbles across a woman abducted from Earth. She’s the second one the Grih have found in two months, and her presence is potentially explosive in the Grih’s ongoing negotiations with their enemies, the Tecran. The Tecran and the Grih are on the cusp of war, and Fiona might just tip the balance.
3.5 stars. It took me a while to get back to this series but I'm glad I did. I thought the romance aspect of this book was better than the first one - it didn't feel quite so insta-love - but the AI aspect of it was not as interesting. Nothing can top Sazo, but I did like Fiona a little more than I liked Rose in the previous book.
I did feel like this book was set up too much like the last book was and it looks like the same will be the case for the third book in the trilogy. That's a little too repetitive in my opinion. I'm still interested in continuing on though, because this series is fun even with it's flaws. One thing I am hoping for though, is that the protagonist in the next book has a terrible singing voice and no one wants to hear her sing! Let me explain - the Grih race in the books hold music as a near sacred thing, and are completely enthralled when they hear someone sing or play music, because apparently they can't sing, or something - I really can't remember the reasons. Anyway, both Rose in book one, and Fiona in this book end up singing for them when they find out how it affects them. This resulted in some humorous scenes in the book, but it also got a little cheesy at times. Mainly I just want something different in the next book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
Battleship captain Hal Vakeri is chasing down pirates when he stumbles across a woman abducted from Earth. She’s the second one the Grih have found in two months, and her presence is potentially explosive in the Grih’s ongoing negotiations with their enemies, the Tecran. The Tecran and the Grih are on the cusp of war, and Fiona might just tip the balance.
3.5 stars. It took me a while to get back to this series but I'm glad I did. I thought the romance aspect of this book was better than the first one - it didn't feel quite so insta-love - but the AI aspect of it was not as interesting. Nothing can top Sazo, but I did like Fiona a little more than I liked Rose in the previous book.
I did feel like this book was set up too much like the last book was and it looks like the same will be the case for the third book in the trilogy. That's a little too repetitive in my opinion. I'm still interested in continuing on though, because this series is fun even with it's flaws. One thing I am hoping for though, is that the protagonist in the next book has a terrible singing voice and no one wants to hear her sing! Let me explain - the Grih race in the books hold music as a near sacred thing, and are completely enthralled when they hear someone sing or play music, because apparently they can't sing, or something - I really can't remember the reasons. Anyway, both Rose in book one, and Fiona in this book end up singing for them when they find out how it affects them. This resulted in some humorous scenes in the book, but it also got a little cheesy at times. Mainly I just want something different in the next book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
February 6, 2017
4/5; 4 stars; A-
I really enjoyed this light sci fi romance. There were good guys, bad guys, Intelligent thinking systems, space ships and lots of adventure.
I liked this book enough to go right out and buy the next two in the series. I wanted to check this author out and found I like her style. I would rate all three books the same.
I really enjoyed this light sci fi romance. There were good guys, bad guys, Intelligent thinking systems, space ships and lots of adventure.
I liked this book enough to go right out and buy the next two in the series. I wanted to check this author out and found I like her style. I would rate all three books the same.
January 3, 2016
4.5/5
While Dark Deeds didn't feel quite as dramatic and groundbreaking as Dark Horse it was fabulous in its own way, and I enjoyed it very much, peeps.
Fiona is just as plucky and resolute as Rose, but at the same time she is very different. She is abducted from Earth a month or so later than Rose, there is no experimentation done on her. Instead she is simply stashed away on a trading ship and forced to work in harsh and hostile conditions. She also doesn't know anything about class 5 thinking systems and only starts working with one much later in the book. While Rose is being celebrated, Fiona is saved by a war ship and the crew of it is much more distrustful and wary of her except for the lovely captain Hal, who gets attracted to the amazing "orange" and whose feelings are reciprocated.
I was so happy that this time Michelle Diener didn't rush the development of the attraction between two characters. Instead their affection for each other grows slowly and strongly due to extremely dangerous and stressful situations they are thrown in over and over again. There is no happily after as a goal, more like "okay, we like each other and let's find out where it leads" feeling which made me very happy with this book.
The pace also picks up from breezy to breathtaking two thirds of the way into the book, at which point my excitement grew exponentially and I was glued to the screen of my kindle until the very end.
My second delight in the book is how very different the thinking systems were from each other. Just like any other sentient beings they had different characters, and Eazi was much less scarier and more fragile than Sazo. I actually liked him much more.
At last, the setting of Larga Ways - the space way station where a lot of plot took part was breathtaking on its own from the colours to architecture and to food, and I was really happy that it would be featured in later books as a part of bigger world-building.
So far the universe Miss Diener created has been absolutely amazing and I am looking forward to more books in this series. It was a blast, ladies and gents! Recommended.
While Dark Deeds didn't feel quite as dramatic and groundbreaking as Dark Horse it was fabulous in its own way, and I enjoyed it very much, peeps.
Fiona is just as plucky and resolute as Rose, but at the same time she is very different. She is abducted from Earth a month or so later than Rose, there is no experimentation done on her. Instead she is simply stashed away on a trading ship and forced to work in harsh and hostile conditions. She also doesn't know anything about class 5 thinking systems and only starts working with one much later in the book. While Rose is being celebrated, Fiona is saved by a war ship and the crew of it is much more distrustful and wary of her except for the lovely captain Hal, who gets attracted to the amazing "orange" and whose feelings are reciprocated.
I was so happy that this time Michelle Diener didn't rush the development of the attraction between two characters. Instead their affection for each other grows slowly and strongly due to extremely dangerous and stressful situations they are thrown in over and over again. There is no happily after as a goal, more like "okay, we like each other and let's find out where it leads" feeling which made me very happy with this book.
The pace also picks up from breezy to breathtaking two thirds of the way into the book, at which point my excitement grew exponentially and I was glued to the screen of my kindle until the very end.
My second delight in the book is how very different the thinking systems were from each other. Just like any other sentient beings they had different characters, and Eazi was much less scarier and more fragile than Sazo. I actually liked him much more.
At last, the setting of Larga Ways - the space way station where a lot of plot took part was breathtaking on its own from the colours to architecture and to food, and I was really happy that it would be featured in later books as a part of bigger world-building.
So far the universe Miss Diener created has been absolutely amazing and I am looking forward to more books in this series. It was a blast, ladies and gents! Recommended.
March 6, 2016
I found myself wanting more romance, what? Come on! Oh me. I am never happy, well except for in romance, then there is enough romance. But when it comes to books toeing that line between being romance or not being romance I am always too little! Too much!
I did not have enough to say about that in book 1, hmm, maybe enough romance there then? Or maybe I just did not feel that Fiona and pointy ear alien got enough time together. There could be another book, ohh, nah, a short story, where Fiona and her pointy ear elf, I mean alien, finds the romance.
Instead we have Fiona being rescued. Oh these aliens, kidnapping human women *head shake*. She meets pointy eared aliens (and other ones.) She meets her own Class 5 space ship. People are trying to silence her, see it's not good going around kidnapping sentient beings. The others frown upon that. So yes there is action and some snark and laughs thrown in.
But the romance, eh, that was lacking. I could have it cut out entirely, since I did not feel they had enough time to fall in love, or even fall in lust. I need to feel they belong, here, eh, maybe they will have fun and then not see each other anymore. I am fine with that.
I did not have enough to say about that in book 1, hmm, maybe enough romance there then? Or maybe I just did not feel that Fiona and pointy ear alien got enough time together. There could be another book, ohh, nah, a short story, where Fiona and her pointy ear elf, I mean alien, finds the romance.
Instead we have Fiona being rescued. Oh these aliens, kidnapping human women *head shake*. She meets pointy eared aliens (and other ones.) She meets her own Class 5 space ship. People are trying to silence her, see it's not good going around kidnapping sentient beings. The others frown upon that. So yes there is action and some snark and laughs thrown in.
But the romance, eh, that was lacking. I could have it cut out entirely, since I did not feel they had enough time to fall in love, or even fall in lust. I need to feel they belong, here, eh, maybe they will have fun and then not see each other anymore. I am fine with that.
August 19, 2016
Not interesting. The best I can say is that I read the whole thing.
This is book 2 in the Class 5 series. I really enjoyed book 1 “Dark Horse” but not this book. There was nothing special about it. The characters, the plot, the events - nothing grabbed my interest.
Fiona a human is kidnapped by Tecrans and then given to the captain of a Garmman trading ship. The Krik arrive and later the Grih arrive. She asks the Krik and the Grih to free her from her imprisonment. The Krik say no. The Grih captain says yes and he takes her to his ship. She and the captain are attracted to each other. Not much happens with their relationship other than a sort of happy ending because they escape from bad guys and will spend some time together after the end of the book.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Swearing language: strong but rarely used. Sexual content: none. Setting: unknown time could be current time on star ships and other planets. Copyright: 2016. Genre: sci fi with a little romance.
This is book 2 in the Class 5 series. I really enjoyed book 1 “Dark Horse” but not this book. There was nothing special about it. The characters, the plot, the events - nothing grabbed my interest.
Fiona a human is kidnapped by Tecrans and then given to the captain of a Garmman trading ship. The Krik arrive and later the Grih arrive. She asks the Krik and the Grih to free her from her imprisonment. The Krik say no. The Grih captain says yes and he takes her to his ship. She and the captain are attracted to each other. Not much happens with their relationship other than a sort of happy ending because they escape from bad guys and will spend some time together after the end of the book.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Swearing language: strong but rarely used. Sexual content: none. Setting: unknown time could be current time on star ships and other planets. Copyright: 2016. Genre: sci fi with a little romance.
February 6, 2017
Very good.
October 24, 2019
Less enjoyable than the first. The romance in this one was negligible and the world and characters weren't as interesting.
January 14, 2016
I want to start this review with saying that the first book, Dark Horse, was one of my favorite books last year and it also got me more into reading sc-fi. With that said, I also want to say that Dark Deeds definitely was a worthy sequel. I loved it just as much as the first book if not a little more.
This book is about another human woman, Fiona, who has been abducted from Earth but unlike Rose who was used to experiment on in the first book, Fee has been used as slave labor so she hasn't had it easy either. When she is rescued by the Grih and brought on Hal Vakeri's ship, things still don't go easy for Fee.
I'm actually not sure why I loved this book more. It gave another glimpse into this intriguing world of battleships and thinking systems. I also really enjoyed reading about Fee and Hal. I loved their chemistry but their budding romance didn't feel rushed or anything at all that I usually dislike with romances. Their attraction was build up nicely. It was perfect.
There also was a lot of action, which is a must in a science-fiction story. And just like the first book where I really liked Sazo, I loved Eazi, the thinking system that was intriduced and who Fee teamed up with.
Rose, Dav and Sazo from the first book did make an appearance, which I loved. I really enjoyed reading about Fee and Rose meeting because they're both from earth and were both abducted so naturally they had a lot to discuss. I also wonder if the next story, if there come one, will be about Imogen who was mentioned. I'm really curious where she disappeared to and everything.
So overall, another hit for Michelle Diener. It's not a secret that I love her historical novels but I do also think she's doing an amazing job with her sci-fi ones. She's really great at it. So trust me when I say you want to read this book (and Dark Horse too, if you haven't read it yet)!
This book is about another human woman, Fiona, who has been abducted from Earth but unlike Rose who was used to experiment on in the first book, Fee has been used as slave labor so she hasn't had it easy either. When she is rescued by the Grih and brought on Hal Vakeri's ship, things still don't go easy for Fee.
I'm actually not sure why I loved this book more. It gave another glimpse into this intriguing world of battleships and thinking systems. I also really enjoyed reading about Fee and Hal. I loved their chemistry but their budding romance didn't feel rushed or anything at all that I usually dislike with romances. Their attraction was build up nicely. It was perfect.
There also was a lot of action, which is a must in a science-fiction story. And just like the first book where I really liked Sazo, I loved Eazi, the thinking system that was intriduced and who Fee teamed up with.
Rose, Dav and Sazo from the first book did make an appearance, which I loved. I really enjoyed reading about Fee and Rose meeting because they're both from earth and were both abducted so naturally they had a lot to discuss. I also wonder if the next story, if there come one, will be about Imogen who was mentioned. I'm really curious where she disappeared to and everything.
So overall, another hit for Michelle Diener. It's not a secret that I love her historical novels but I do also think she's doing an amazing job with her sci-fi ones. She's really great at it. So trust me when I say you want to read this book (and Dark Horse too, if you haven't read it yet)!
March 17, 2021
(...upon a few rereads, i bumped this up a star. I still wish some some of Hal's crew got smacked with a frying pan... but oh well. It's still a great read!)
Fiona the abducted human and Hal the prejudiced Grih.
Not really a stand-a-lone.
Same audio reader as the first book, Christina Delaine does a wonderful job!
In a lot of ways this is the same story as the first book but with different names... BUT in a lot of ways it isn't. Still just as engrossing and thrilling a ride, yet it fell short in several ways. I was all set to give it 4 stars but the ending was just such a let down, that I have to drop it to three. And HFN at best, there is no real closure for any part of the story and it felt rushed.
Hal is a suspicious hard hearted man/Grih. Understandable, since he is a military Captain while Dav from book one is Captain of an exploration vessel. SOoo much less romance in this one which isn't actually missed, although I had hoped for a bit more. But anyways, Fiona is the second Earth woman abducted by the Tecran. She was passed off to a Garmman ship where she is treated like a slave until she seizes her first opportunity to escape. We meet more aliens called the Krik who are pirates of sorts. We meet another AI. We get a lot more prejudices showing up on all sides including the Grih who were almost as bad as the Garmman and Tecran.
Who can Fiona trust??? I'm still not sure, lol.
But I do know that I intend to read the next one right away to get over my sense of dissatisfaction with the ending in this one.
Fiona the abducted human and Hal the prejudiced Grih.
Not really a stand-a-lone.
Same audio reader as the first book, Christina Delaine does a wonderful job!
In a lot of ways this is the same story as the first book but with different names... BUT in a lot of ways it isn't. Still just as engrossing and thrilling a ride, yet it fell short in several ways. I was all set to give it 4 stars but the ending was just such a let down, that I have to drop it to three. And HFN at best, there is no real closure for any part of the story and it felt rushed.
Hal is a suspicious hard hearted man/Grih. Understandable, since he is a military Captain while Dav from book one is Captain of an exploration vessel. SOoo much less romance in this one which isn't actually missed, although I had hoped for a bit more. But anyways, Fiona is the second Earth woman abducted by the Tecran. She was passed off to a Garmman ship where she is treated like a slave until she seizes her first opportunity to escape. We meet more aliens called the Krik who are pirates of sorts. We meet another AI. We get a lot more prejudices showing up on all sides including the Grih who were almost as bad as the Garmman and Tecran.
Who can Fiona trust??? I'm still not sure, lol.
But I do know that I intend to read the next one right away to get over my sense of dissatisfaction with the ending in this one.
April 11, 2022
2.5 stars
This was basically a less interesting version of the first book, Dark Horse. Human girl gets kidnapped, aligns herself with what is basically a sentient AI, and develops a romance with a very human-like alien who is a captain of space ship - all these things happen in both books. Only this time the character development and the plot are a little lacking. I think I will stop reading the series at this point. But I still definitely recommend reading that first book to anyone who hasn't yet.
This was basically a less interesting version of the first book, Dark Horse. Human girl gets kidnapped, aligns herself with what is basically a sentient AI, and develops a romance with a very human-like alien who is a captain of space ship - all these things happen in both books. Only this time the character development and the plot are a little lacking. I think I will stop reading the series at this point. But I still definitely recommend reading that first book to anyone who hasn't yet.
January 17, 2018
Another great story, the world building is truly well done and the details about each step taken well thought. Some "technical" informations seemed a bit off.
I rally wished the romance wasn't as subtle. It would be perfect if we could have more emphasis on the emotional/social interactions between different species and also if the romance content was a bit heavier overall.
I rally wished the romance wasn't as subtle. It would be perfect if we could have more emphasis on the emotional/social interactions between different species and also if the romance content was a bit heavier overall.
Read
July 25, 2022DNF @37%
After the 1st I said I’d give this series a second chance.
It was a bad idea.
This will be my last by the author.
The writing is not compelling enough and the stories are really boring.
After the 1st I said I’d give this series a second chance.
It was a bad idea.
This will be my last by the author.
The writing is not compelling enough and the stories are really boring.
February 9, 2019
Holy heck, how did I miss that this one was coming out? How on earth did I miss it getting posted to Goodreads and Netgalley? Why doesn't Netgalley let us flag authors for alerts? I guess this one is as much of a surprise for the year as last year's book Dark Horse, which I adored. I mean seriously adored, I've since read it probably a dozen times, and I am going to read it after finishing Dark Deeds. It is on sale for $0.99 for a limited time, so I implore you to pick it up, read it, and love it! Even Nalini Singh loved it. And it will likely remain on my compulsive rereads shelf for a good long while. I was in fact so excited for this book, that even though I was offered an ARC, I went ahead and bought it because I simply could not wait for the Netgalley widget.
I was nervous to start it though, as I almost always am when reading the sequel to a beloved book. Would it not live up to my expectations. Would it just be a boring clone? Would it go in a direction I didn't enjoy? Man oh man, did this one surprise me though, but in the best way possible. Rose and Fiona are categorically different people, and their situations are also wildly different.
I don't know what to say. Fiona is just a spitfire, and her role and relationship with the Grih is distinctly more adversarial than Rose's. Things are really heating up with the United Council and absolutely no one is happy about it, and while the end of Dark Horse parlayed into significant gains for Rose, Sazo, and Dav, it set the stage for discontent toward other Earthlings. Completely unintended consequences, but that is truly the theme in this series.
Honestly I am just fascinated by the world and cultures Diener is creating, and how she is weaving the idea of sentience into artificial intelligence in a really relateable way. While I would describe Dark Horse as not quite a romance, I would say this isn't a romance at all. There IS a romantic thread but the story isn't even about their relationship (the relationship works, and works well though), really this focuses on war, society/culture, science fiction, and a stranger in a strange land. It is also much more action/adventure oriented, but that seems appropriate both due to the fact that we already have a solid hold on this world, and because of the different situations our two main characters found themselves in, as well as the general course of events and the effects these events are having on their society. As I said, despite their similarities, Rose and Fiona are two very different people, and their stories are different as well.
So what can I say? I adored this book. I could hardly put it down, in fact I was reading this while some technicians were finishing some work after my work day had ended, and I could hardly make myself put it down long enough to drive the 5 minutes to my house. It is that good. But if I have to be honest, and I always try to be, I prefer Dark Horse by just a tiny little smidge. I don't think it is even possible for a sequel to hit with the groundbreaking intensity of Dark Horse, because part of that was how unexpected it was. So this is getting 4.5 stars from me, but I couldn't be more thrilled with it as a sequel (even though it went in a completely unexpected direction), and when we get the next story I will be first in line to buy it. In fact, if I am not completely oblivious like I was this time I might just take a day off work to read it. This series is THAT good.
Posted - https://burnsthroughherbookshelf.word...
I was nervous to start it though, as I almost always am when reading the sequel to a beloved book. Would it not live up to my expectations. Would it just be a boring clone? Would it go in a direction I didn't enjoy? Man oh man, did this one surprise me though, but in the best way possible. Rose and Fiona are categorically different people, and their situations are also wildly different.
I don't know what to say. Fiona is just a spitfire, and her role and relationship with the Grih is distinctly more adversarial than Rose's. Things are really heating up with the United Council and absolutely no one is happy about it, and while the end of Dark Horse parlayed into significant gains for Rose, Sazo, and Dav, it set the stage for discontent toward other Earthlings. Completely unintended consequences, but that is truly the theme in this series.
Honestly I am just fascinated by the world and cultures Diener is creating, and how she is weaving the idea of sentience into artificial intelligence in a really relateable way. While I would describe Dark Horse as not quite a romance, I would say this isn't a romance at all. There IS a romantic thread but the story isn't even about their relationship (the relationship works, and works well though), really this focuses on war, society/culture, science fiction, and a stranger in a strange land. It is also much more action/adventure oriented, but that seems appropriate both due to the fact that we already have a solid hold on this world, and because of the different situations our two main characters found themselves in, as well as the general course of events and the effects these events are having on their society. As I said, despite their similarities, Rose and Fiona are two very different people, and their stories are different as well.
So what can I say? I adored this book. I could hardly put it down, in fact I was reading this while some technicians were finishing some work after my work day had ended, and I could hardly make myself put it down long enough to drive the 5 minutes to my house. It is that good. But if I have to be honest, and I always try to be, I prefer Dark Horse by just a tiny little smidge. I don't think it is even possible for a sequel to hit with the groundbreaking intensity of Dark Horse, because part of that was how unexpected it was. So this is getting 4.5 stars from me, but I couldn't be more thrilled with it as a sequel (even though it went in a completely unexpected direction), and when we get the next story I will be first in line to buy it. In fact, if I am not completely oblivious like I was this time I might just take a day off work to read it. This series is THAT good.
Posted - https://burnsthroughherbookshelf.word...
January 8, 2016
I loved the first book and impatiently waited for the next in the series. The author tells a tale that you become enraptured with. Both the MC's are great, but Fiona really shines. She's strong, amazingly resourceful, and vibrant.
The story was great, especially to a sci-fi nerd like me, but there were some things I was a bit disappointed in that I can't get into without completely spoiling some things- and I hate doing that. Don't worry, the hero isn't a manwhore jerk, and there's no cheating. In fact there is a distinct lack of ANYTHING steamy in this book. It'd barely get a pg13 rating- and that's disappointing because I love even a bit of smexy in my books. Is it so bad to want some explicit lovin' in a romance novel?
It didn't really feel like it should have ended where it did. Yes I know it's leaving the stage open for the next book, but still felt like there was too many loose ends and it was a bit abrupt. Definitely will read the next, but praying for a but more heat.
The story was great, especially to a sci-fi nerd like me, but there were some things I was a bit disappointed in that I can't get into without completely spoiling some things- and I hate doing that. Don't worry, the hero isn't a manwhore jerk, and there's no cheating. In fact there is a distinct lack of ANYTHING steamy in this book. It'd barely get a pg13 rating- and that's disappointing because I love even a bit of smexy in my books. Is it so bad to want some explicit lovin' in a romance novel?
It didn't really feel like it should have ended where it did. Yes I know it's leaving the stage open for the next book, but still felt like there was too many loose ends and it was a bit abrupt. Definitely will read the next, but praying for a but more heat.
March 26, 2016
This second book in the Class 5 series is very good. It has less romance than the first one but there is a developing relationship that makes it a love story none the less.
I really like the heroine. Her backstory is different than Rose from the first book and she is a bit more brave in her exploits but she has the same calm, practical, clever personality as Rose. I think the writer could have done a better job making them distinct but as I love both heroines I find that I don't care so much.
The hero is very compelling as his stays within the rules he has set for himself.
As in the first book, it is the third player that makes this book so good.
Strong world building, great adventure, and grand twist at the end of the book have me waiting for the next one eagerly.
I really like the heroine. Her backstory is different than Rose from the first book and she is a bit more brave in her exploits but she has the same calm, practical, clever personality as Rose. I think the writer could have done a better job making them distinct but as I love both heroines I find that I don't care so much.
The hero is very compelling as his stays within the rules he has set for himself.
As in the first book, it is the third player that makes this book so good.
Strong world building, great adventure, and grand twist at the end of the book have me waiting for the next one eagerly.
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