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War-Torn
Evil has triumphed. The Eternal War rages, devouring the lives and passions and dreams of everyone it touches.
Society is corrupted after centuries of carnage. The rebels take action, but after a botched assassination attempt, even more than their lives are at risk.
Yet even in the darkest of places, and the most hopeless of times, there's a spark. A chance for love to bloom, for hope to be renewed. The rebels will take a stand, will unite against the forces that control them.
Only history can say if they will triumph.
A dark steampunk fantasy novel for adults.
Society is corrupted after centuries of carnage. The rebels take action, but after a botched assassination attempt, even more than their lives are at risk.
Yet even in the darkest of places, and the most hopeless of times, there's a spark. A chance for love to bloom, for hope to be renewed. The rebels will take a stand, will unite against the forces that control them.
Only history can say if they will triumph.
A dark steampunk fantasy novel for adults.
- GenresSteampunk
456 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 21, 2015
4 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Keep
100 books35 followersJ.M. Keep is the penname of a husband and wife who are already living their happily-ever-after.
Maybe because their real life is so sunny, they love to write dark and twisted tales with morally challenged characters. Most of their stories are dark fantasies where horror and romance are intertwined.
Maybe because their real life is so sunny, they love to write dark and twisted tales with morally challenged characters. Most of their stories are dark fantasies where horror and romance are intertwined.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 18, 2016
Where is the steampunk aspect to this story? Is this part of a larger series? Where is the rest of this story? War Torn is a dark look into a world ravaged by war. It seems the only ones untouched by the desolation are the greedy nobility who hide in their city, protected by guards and frivolously spend their money on parties. This story takes on several different views which can be disorienting. The concepts and the characters are all intriguing. I feel as though there are five books sliced and then combined into one tale.
First we come across the soldiers on the front. This is a terrible place where humans and elves fight the "others". Not sure who these "others" are and why the war is still going on, a Sergeant and a fresh recruit cross paths. This is a place where there is no humanity. Males on both sides rape women regardless of which side the women reside. The fresh recruit is a female medic who is preyed upon by her own soldiers. I wished these males who violated her are hurt and end up under her care. This part of the book is filled with broken dreams.
The elite group of soldiers hunt for deserter and enemies of the crown. This pair is another couple where the Lieutenant is a sadistic bastard. He gets off on torture of prisoners whilst his female half breed elf subordinate is horrified yet aroused. This couple is interesting as they remind me of the movie, Inglorious Bastards. The sex in here is rough and dominating.
The nobles is the most disgusting set in the five and not because of the taboo sex. This is where one can see how loathsome these over privileged aristocrats isolate themselves from the common people. Instead of being stewards of the land and protecting their people, they are the abusive wastrels, squeezing the last drops of blood from everyone they consider beneath them. This part of the world is filled with intrigue and power struggles. The sex in here is taboo. The incestuous affair between father and daughter is disturbingly erotic.
The rebels are a faction who wish to overthrow the monarchy. There is little shared other than their loose alliance with the outcasts. The outcasts is run by one of the most desired elven harlots. This story just gets weirder and weirder. This set loosely ties in with the nobles and are hunted by the elite group of soldiers. There is more to this story and none of it is revealed.
The final set of characters in this story falls under The Matron. Now this is the story I want to read. A pair of Kron males with a white female elven witch, what more can I ask for? In their story, there is betrayal, a lost tribe found and totally smoking hawt sex. Did I mention the sex? It is erotic between these three. It isn't just because their pairing is taboo in this world, it is because their ménage is raw lust come to life. Love it. I also very much like The Matron. She is sex on a stick and intelligent.
The five different groups cross paths near the end and then the story is over. I rip my hair out trying to figure out what just happened. This lengthy book is all world building and set up. What happens next? Inquiring minds want to know. What started this war and who is really pulling all the strings? I expect a follow up book to this one and I would like to see more steampunk incorporated into the tale. So far, I only feel an epic fantasy with little understand of why this war started and who exactly are the enemy sides. Recommended for fantasy lovers who enjoy multiple threads going on at the same time.
*I received this book as a review copy in return for an honest review
First we come across the soldiers on the front. This is a terrible place where humans and elves fight the "others". Not sure who these "others" are and why the war is still going on, a Sergeant and a fresh recruit cross paths. This is a place where there is no humanity. Males on both sides rape women regardless of which side the women reside. The fresh recruit is a female medic who is preyed upon by her own soldiers. I wished these males who violated her are hurt and end up under her care. This part of the book is filled with broken dreams.
The elite group of soldiers hunt for deserter and enemies of the crown. This pair is another couple where the Lieutenant is a sadistic bastard. He gets off on torture of prisoners whilst his female half breed elf subordinate is horrified yet aroused. This couple is interesting as they remind me of the movie, Inglorious Bastards. The sex in here is rough and dominating.
The nobles is the most disgusting set in the five and not because of the taboo sex. This is where one can see how loathsome these over privileged aristocrats isolate themselves from the common people. Instead of being stewards of the land and protecting their people, they are the abusive wastrels, squeezing the last drops of blood from everyone they consider beneath them. This part of the world is filled with intrigue and power struggles. The sex in here is taboo. The incestuous affair between father and daughter is disturbingly erotic.
The rebels are a faction who wish to overthrow the monarchy. There is little shared other than their loose alliance with the outcasts. The outcasts is run by one of the most desired elven harlots. This story just gets weirder and weirder. This set loosely ties in with the nobles and are hunted by the elite group of soldiers. There is more to this story and none of it is revealed.
The final set of characters in this story falls under The Matron. Now this is the story I want to read. A pair of Kron males with a white female elven witch, what more can I ask for? In their story, there is betrayal, a lost tribe found and totally smoking hawt sex. Did I mention the sex? It is erotic between these three. It isn't just because their pairing is taboo in this world, it is because their ménage is raw lust come to life. Love it. I also very much like The Matron. She is sex on a stick and intelligent.
The five different groups cross paths near the end and then the story is over. I rip my hair out trying to figure out what just happened. This lengthy book is all world building and set up. What happens next? Inquiring minds want to know. What started this war and who is really pulling all the strings? I expect a follow up book to this one and I would like to see more steampunk incorporated into the tale. So far, I only feel an epic fantasy with little understand of why this war started and who exactly are the enemy sides. Recommended for fantasy lovers who enjoy multiple threads going on at the same time.
*I received this book as a review copy in return for an honest review
January 18, 2016
I ended up being very pleasantly surprised by this book, and I do not mean surprised that I enjoyed a book by these authors. Every book I have read by them I have enjoyed. I was surprised because I do not usually like this kind of book, but I enjoyed this one. It took a little while for me to get into it, but once I did, it had me. I really like how it kept changing from group to group giving us different parts of the war with just the right amount of erotic relationships. I received this book from the author in retu1rn for an honest review. I ended up not wanting to put it down.
January 1, 2016
War has ravaged the world all over. Not even the nobles are immune to the ravages of war. In this book you will come across four teams trying to make the best of what they have to work with. A sergeant in the front, whose only life line at a chance of life, may have just walked in with her innocent looks. A noble on the run from something she attempted to stop the war, which didn't pan out. A half elf and her two bodyguards find out the differences between their two people and how to evade the enemy. Another noble with a daddy complex just may have bit off more than she can chew.
January 15, 2016
Whew, I loved this book! Plots within plots, a centuries long war with no end in sight. Every one seeking sactuary may find that there is no longer a place that can offer what they dream of finding. Even with an end to this war, can there possibly be a winner? This book has sizzling hot sex, love and betrayal, fantastic book!
I received this ARC from the authors in exchange for an honest review.
I received this ARC from the authors in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2020
I chose to read and review this book. I enjoyed reading this one. It is filled with twists and turns. It has lots of plots mystery action suspense thrill betrayal everything that has kept me reading till the end.
January 17, 2016
The characters of War-torn battle enemies, face danger and deceit, and build complicated relationships among the backdrop of a global war that has stretched on for an unknown length of time, so long that most people don't bother keeping track anymore. At the beginning, we are introduced to many varied characters who all have their own story line in a fantasy world that contains humans, elves, and other races of beings. The book jumps from storyline to storyline throughout the book. The beginning is a bit confusing, but once you are familiar with the characters and their own sub-plots, the story is easy to follow. Each of the storylines contain plenty of action and interesting characters, so I was never bored while reading. Throughout the book, it was difficult to see how each group of characters and their actions would fit into the overall plot and resolution of the book. I realized at three quarters of the way through when new characters were still being introduced that the plot was not going to be resolved by the end of the book. A sequel or series will be on the horizon.
This book contains plenty of sex, much of it graphic, and it is certainly not a traditional sweet romance. In most of the relationships, one partners holds and wields more power of the other (or others). There is only one pair who are slowly building a relationship through mutual affection, but the poor girl is raped before they even get a chance to be together. The violence, sex, and sexual violence is not gratuitous, nor holds any shock value. It all simply fits in well into a story about war, its effects on beings who are desperate to simply survive, win their individual battle at any cost at any cost, or who have given up hope of a peaceful society and embraced the darker sides of their being. I love the cover, by the way. The grittiness of the cover exemplifies the grittiness of the story.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to the reading the next one.
This book contains plenty of sex, much of it graphic, and it is certainly not a traditional sweet romance. In most of the relationships, one partners holds and wields more power of the other (or others). There is only one pair who are slowly building a relationship through mutual affection, but the poor girl is raped before they even get a chance to be together. The violence, sex, and sexual violence is not gratuitous, nor holds any shock value. It all simply fits in well into a story about war, its effects on beings who are desperate to simply survive, win their individual battle at any cost at any cost, or who have given up hope of a peaceful society and embraced the darker sides of their being. I love the cover, by the way. The grittiness of the cover exemplifies the grittiness of the story.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to the reading the next one.
January 17, 2016
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
***Please note, ARC provided via the author in exchange for an honest review.***
This will be one of my worst reviews to date. I really don't know how to review this one. First, let me say, I have fully accepted the fact that yes, I DO judge a book by its cover. Right or wrong, I am guilty and I am totally obsessed with this one. Love, love, LOVE IT!
Now, back to the contents inside ;-). On one hand, I love this writing duo, they never shy away from pushing the envelope and they always seem to write in 'living color'. I enjoyed being introduced to the various characters in this steampunk fantasy but I think it was the pacing that kept me from truly enjoying this one.
I don't mind the alternating of point of views but in this case, it was a bit much. I felt like I was late night channel surfing and never staying in one place long enough to fully invest. I was so intrigued with all the different story lines (with the exception of maybe one) but it wasn't until around the 88th percent mark did the story lines really start to fuse together, to make any sense at all as far how it what all connected. What happened at that point was what I needed to start to take shape much earlier in the story. So for most of the book, I felt lost then all of a sudden it was one light bulb moment after another only to conclude with a cliff hanger. I'm both frustrated with book one yet oddly curious about what happens next!
Originally reviewed at http://prufreads.blogspot.com/
***Please note, ARC provided via the author in exchange for an honest review.***
This will be one of my worst reviews to date. I really don't know how to review this one. First, let me say, I have fully accepted the fact that yes, I DO judge a book by its cover. Right or wrong, I am guilty and I am totally obsessed with this one. Love, love, LOVE IT!
Now, back to the contents inside ;-). On one hand, I love this writing duo, they never shy away from pushing the envelope and they always seem to write in 'living color'. I enjoyed being introduced to the various characters in this steampunk fantasy but I think it was the pacing that kept me from truly enjoying this one.
I don't mind the alternating of point of views but in this case, it was a bit much. I felt like I was late night channel surfing and never staying in one place long enough to fully invest. I was so intrigued with all the different story lines (with the exception of maybe one) but it wasn't until around the 88th percent mark did the story lines really start to fuse together, to make any sense at all as far how it what all connected. What happened at that point was what I needed to start to take shape much earlier in the story. So for most of the book, I felt lost then all of a sudden it was one light bulb moment after another only to conclude with a cliff hanger. I'm both frustrated with book one yet oddly curious about what happens next!
Originally reviewed at http://prufreads.blogspot.com/
January 4, 2016
I enjoy steampunk romances. This story is not your usual tale and this book ends on a real cliff-hanger. There is war and many people are suffering. Some are rebelling and trying to change things.
The first few chapters confused me. They moved from one situation to another and I really wasn't following along that well. It comes together later in the story and you see how the stories intertwine. I wish the author had taken more time with each group in the beginning instead of alternating with each chapter. It would have gelled better for me.
There are some very interesting relationships going on and lots of sexual activity. Some of the activity is forced and includes rape. There is also an incestuous relationship. This may not be comfortable reading. If you handle those challenges and read on, it becomes a very interesting tale and I am eager to see where it all goes.
I received a copy in return for a honest review.
The first few chapters confused me. They moved from one situation to another and I really wasn't following along that well. It comes together later in the story and you see how the stories intertwine. I wish the author had taken more time with each group in the beginning instead of alternating with each chapter. It would have gelled better for me.
There are some very interesting relationships going on and lots of sexual activity. Some of the activity is forced and includes rape. There is also an incestuous relationship. This may not be comfortable reading. If you handle those challenges and read on, it becomes a very interesting tale and I am eager to see where it all goes.
I received a copy in return for a honest review.
January 19, 2016
First, let me say that I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Second, I don't know why they use steampunk in the title as there is no steampunk involved. This is a 18+ book and not something I normally read but it is very well written in regards to the characters and their development. It is a fantasy involving a war that brings man and elves against 'monstrous hordes from the east'. In addition, we have nobility killing to further their lives, a elf witch working with members of the 'horde' for some unknown reason, a weary soldier on the front who meets a new female recruit who revives him, a failed assassin on the run and elf major and lieutenant on the hunt for her. It leaves an opening for a sequel.
January 2, 2016
This is not my normal type of read, but I have to say that I enjoyed it. Initially it was hard to follow, but as I got further into the story, I could understand what was going on.
War had all beings looking for their futures. From the fighting at the front lines, to the woods and not so human beings, to the nobles, they all were trying to make it in the world. They wanted to find some type of happiness out there while fighting to survive.
War had all beings looking for their futures. From the fighting at the front lines, to the woods and not so human beings, to the nobles, they all were trying to make it in the world. They wanted to find some type of happiness out there while fighting to survive.
January 14, 2016
i'm a person who gives 4/5 easily so giving this one "only" a three is a bit harder. the story on it's own is well build, well written and all the parts were and are there. but i didn't get sucked into the story from the get go, i don't mind switching POV's but in this one it just couldn't captivate me as it should. steampunk stories are a genre on they own and i like them just as much as any other genre. those parts are nicely woven into it all.
February 15, 2016
It was very well written, the only I had a hard time was going from on couple to the next, So I read only chapter on the front line. Then the next couples story. Very graphic on the surroundings and there lives. Of coarse with any of J.E. & M Keep this was dark erotic, make your toes curl. I was given this story for a honest review
February 8, 2016
Wow
So many angles, yet so much can go wrong. A circle slowly coming back on itself from Aristocrats to the rabble. The only thing you can truly say at the end of this book is " oh no" as in a very bad thing. Reading it as it unfolded was quite devastating.
So many angles, yet so much can go wrong. A circle slowly coming back on itself from Aristocrats to the rabble. The only thing you can truly say at the end of this book is " oh no" as in a very bad thing. Reading it as it unfolded was quite devastating.
January 23, 2016
An awesome story with many awesome characters. I truly enjoyed this book. It is crammed full of adventure, drama and some pretty steamy sex. It kept me up at night because I couldn't put it down. I am eagerly waiting for the next book. And I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.
January 19, 2016
Very unique
I received this book for an honest review.
This book was very interesting, but a lot to follow.
Favorite is the nobles and the front
I received this book for an honest review.
This book was very interesting, but a lot to follow.
Favorite is the nobles and the front
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews