Recoil: A Ripples in the Status Quo Story

The Fate of the Fallen #3

by R. Phoenix

Over the past decade, Khaz has watched as supernatural creatures like himself have turned the world into their own personal playground. Unlike the others, he didn't benefit from the Takeover, and every time he sells himself to keep a roof over his head, he's keenly aware of that fact. His landlord, a renowned slaver, offers him the chance to catch up on his rent by breaking a human.

Groomed to fight, Noah has survived by giving himself over to his hatred of those who took everything away from humanity. When the werewolf can't break him, he's given to the vampire instead-and he's sure this will be no different. The problem is that even the harsh lessons the Rebellion taught him couldn't prepare him for someone like Khaz...who always has an ace up his sleeve.

Revised & expanded edition as of 4/1/16. Please note that content, publisher, and other aspects of the work have changed.

Recoil is approximately 28,300 words (excluding front/back matter).

###

Please note that the RISQ world has little place for humanity, and as a result, content in these works may be offensive to some readers.

Ripples in the Status Quo Books:

1. Bought. [Dark Erotica]
2. Ravel. [Romance]
3. Recoil. [Dark Erotic Romance.]
4. Owned. [Dark Erotica. Follows events in Bought and Recoil.]

Alternate cover edition of ASIN B01DUKJO5I

Genres: M M Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Vampires, Romance, Audiobook, Dystopia

96 pages, Unknown Binding

First published December 4, 2015

About the author

R. Phoenix has an unhealthy fascination with contrasts: light and dark, heroes and villains, order and chaos. She believes that love can corrupt and power can redeem. Her muse is a sadomasochistic slave driver who thinks it's terribly amusing to give her the best ideas when she just got comfortable and warm in bed, and she passes on that torture to her readers. She also tries entirely too hard to be funny, and she mercilessly inflicts her terrible sense of humor upon anyone who speaks to her. She'd love it if you'd say hello!

Reviews

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I’m getting it now - each novella is a short story about a different couple, and forms another part of the jigsaw that is the series - ‘The Fate of the Fallen’.

And presumably all their paths will cross eventually....

On to book 4 😊

[Ed Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I read the third book. I still don’t care for them. I’m not going to read any more books by R. Phoenix because I just don’t enjoy her stories.

[Trio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I waited for the release of the audiobook of Owned: A Ripples in the Status Quo Story: Book 4. I've already heard how Recoil ends, so fans of this series? Just plan to have #4 already downloaded before you start!

I love the world that R. Phoenix has created for this series. Each of the characters are fabulous, but damn Khaz yes, please! What a seduction! Noah never really stood a chance, but what happens between them? Well I loved it!

Thank goodness R. Phoenix was able to get narrator Jack Noble for the next book as well. He totally gets these characters. His cultured, sensual voice just wraps around me and the audiobook was finished before I knew it *waaaah* I need more!


an audiobook copy of Recoil was provided to me for the purpose of my review

[Ζωή Παππά · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series keeps getting better and better!!! I'm so hooked! I'm glad I have the next book because I don't think I can wait to find out what happens next! The ending killed me.

[MunWolfieSNM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me aburrio un poco el principio pero al final ya me tenía super dentro.

En está tenemos a Noah, un humano miembro de los rebeldes capturado por un hombre lobo que no ha conseguido domarlo, así que le encarga a Khaz, un vampiro, que lo rompa.

Pero Khaz ve la fuerza de Noah y no quiere quitarsela.

El final me ha sorprendido mucho y gustado igual. Que Khaz mordiera a Noah para intentar librarlo de ser un esclavo, que incluso se planteara dejarlo morir sin resucitar como vampiro porque no iba a soportar perder su luz, buah, me tenía mordiendome las uñas. Me alegro de que al final eligiera dejarlo reencarnarse, y me muero por ver como despierta y que opina Noah de lo que ha hecho Khaz.

En los siguientes ya se unen las historias de todos y aunque tengo ganas, creo que voy a cambiar de saga entre medias, en este ya me he notado un poco saturada. Pero volveré!!!

[AGandyGirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recoil is the first book I’ve read by R. Phoenix, and I loved it. :)

For such a short read the story is well developed. There is a strong focus on character development and on detailing the rocky start of the relationship between Khaz and Noah. It’s done in a very natural way, strongly introducing the main characters, while hinting at the strange world that they’re a part of. I’m intrigued by that world, and I wish it was developed a bit more. But there is enough here to keep me interested and excited about how much will be revealed in the next book.

Khaz and Noah are very relatable and interesting guys. The inner turmoil both of them are experiencing is expressed well. Although little is explained about their personal stories, I feel like their characters really shine through, and they are easy to love. And I can’t forget to mention that the sex is hot … like really hot!

There is one issue that keeps me from giving this five stars. I find some of the writing in the first chapter awkward and confusing, and that took away from my enjoyment somewhat. But things improved greatly from that point on, and I was hooked. All in all, I strongly recommend this book, and I’m looking forward to checking out the next one. :)

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This world the author created in this book was amazing!

The whole different take on vampires, I thought it was really awesome! This was a very short story so I do not want to go to much into it and accidently spoil anything.

I loved the characters in this book and the way this author wrote this story. You just start getting to know Khaz and Noah which was awesome but at the same time sad because you can not help wanting to know more about them. There was a steam in this book and what the vampires are like in this world. After reading this I can not wait to read the next book in this series!

So I will leave this review with... I loved this Novella and would definitely recommend it!

I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.

[Caia · Rating 5 out of 5]

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced
4.5

Oh the agony !!
Recoil almost broke my heart... Khaz and Noah were so interesting.
I loved the duo-pov and to follow all their thoughts.

This was so, so tragic and bittersweet!!

Author Info:
Dark erotic romance. Vampire, rebellion, enemies to lovers, first time, slave
I add:
manipulative powers, possessive, could be interpreted as dub con, 6worker, open end
--
Tags, if not stated otherwise, are based on my personal impression/opinion and don’t have a 100% reliability.
If you don’t know if a book might be something for you:
Read reviews, ask questions and be a responsible adult.
__
Fate of the Fallen Full 7book Series:
IF you want to read a dark fantasy saga-ish dystopian world which follows a multi POV, multiple pairings (which might not all get an hea!!).
It's totally worth to dive into the World of "Fate of the Fallen".
The whole Series caught me by surprise. I couldn't stop listening. I was so so so hooked! I was so enamored with the whole concept, the alliances, the connections between the different MCs and how the whole Main Plot turned out in the end.
There were bittersweet, melancholic, agonizing moments and I suffered a bit with my favorites. NGL this Saga can be disturbing, traumatizing and cause distress.
This is a dark dystopian world, with almost no humanity left. Bad things happened and bad things will happen, and our "heroes", "anti-heroes" and "villains" won't survive unscathed.
I try to find a good comparison, but I'm literally trying to write a decent review for the full 7book series since I finished it and fail.
I know that it's a 100% re-read in the foreseeable future, until then I'm still reading the spin-offs.

[Anna Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all I have to say that I loved the characters of Khaz and Noah, the way in which the author has built their characters and their inner demons that lead them to not find a suitable place for them in this world now changed forever. Khaz forced to sell not only his body to survive, but also to go against his principles, which yes, still disturb his soul, and after a long time he will find himself making a difficult decision, to ignore his feelings and continue as he has always done with his sad and empty life, or risk everything for a human he just known for a few days, but that has had such a strong impact in his life. Noah for his part has no decision-making power in this situation, but not for this he will be silent to suffer as nothing was, even coming to supplicate this creature of the night, that he should hate, but for some reason infuses a security that he had not felt for a long time.

[Teal Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recoil is the third installment in R. Phoenix's Fate of the Fallen series and I think is a great addition to the story.

Khaz is a vampire tasked with breaking a human. He is not exactly like the other Supes benefiting from The Takeover. Noah is expecting just another Supernatural creature who has made the world into their playground and have enslaved the humans. But both men find that things aren't as they assumed with the other.

The story is well told and highly intriguing, grasping your interest right from the beginning and refusing to lose you. You can feel the emotional turmoil and struggles of the characters. The connection between the characters is intense and it keeps the reader enthralled. The book leaves you with a massive cliffhanger and needing to get your hands on the next installment

[Elin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Showing not all sups liked or benefited from coming in to light, Khaz and Noah are both victims of the new world. Though Noah more expected than Khaz.

With each kindness shown to Noah, Khaz becomes softer as well. Making it impossible to ignore the loneliness he have carried for years.

It was a sweet read, seeing how the characters changed. And of course, I would have liked it longer.
And Ash always cracks me up in the middle of all the seriousness.

[Genevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Khaz & Noah

Loved the lead up to Owned. Once again, an addictive, easy read.

Khaz and Noah’s story is full of angst. The reader learns more of the history behind the fall of humanity and yet another way supes and humans alike struggle to survive. The degradation faced, and choices made.

Loved the tie in with Aston and Reese and the doubt raised in Khaz’ mind. This book leaves you on a cliffhanger.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Degradation and enticement all in one package

Noah is a human, bloody and beaten and brought to Khaz to be broken ready for sale.
What starts is a tempestuous time for both Noah and Khaz as they grapple with the way the status quo exists and how both are affected by it.
I like both MCs equally as they both are fighting to exist whilst maintaining what's left of their sanity.

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of course had a cliffhanger.. ahh now I need the next. The connection between these two is intense even with the whole touch aspect playing a part in this. All right have to read the next one.

[Catherine Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captured Love

Noah is a resistance fighter, captured by a Supe slave trader. He is given to Khaz to "break" mentally & emotionally when torture didn't work. Is their bond real or just Khaz's vampire charms?

[Ken Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vampire

More emotional than the first two books in this series, the love-hate relationship advances to a cliffhanger, presumably rolling into the following episode. Brilliantly written, Phoenix's alt-world develops as hope barely glimmers.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

** 3.5 stars **

[Kirstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievably well written. As dark and twisted as this is, it's pure prose at its finest. The narration is everything. Honestly, this was perfect.

[Georgia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tightly-packed stories with not much world-building - which is a shame, considering the world itself.

4/10

[Michi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book left me not sure about either character. No strong feelings yet. Let's see what the next installment brings.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (12/6/2021)! 🎁

[John-Torleif Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent

I loved that Noah had just as powerful an impact on Khaz as the reverse. I do wonder why the supes didn't decide to wipe out humanity through conversion rather than enslavement though. It would seem to be a much cleaner way to ensure that humanity would never bother them again.

[Perdita · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh, Khaz. One of the most annoying characters I have ever read about. His indecisiveness is incredibly frustrating, and it seems like he can't make up his mind about anything.

[Ayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Noah and Khaz's sassy spirit! I liked seeing a glimpse of Reese and Ashton and I am excited to keep reading!

[QUEERcentric Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Brandyjo Newton for QUEERcentric Books

Recoil: A Ripples in the Status Quo Story by R. Phoenix straddles a middle line between the feel of the first book and the feel of the second.

It’s got a slightly sinister vibe that carries through the whole story.

A SLIGHTLY SINISTER VIBE

Noah is a human, part of the Rebellion, who was captured. He spent a week being tortured, with his captors hoping to eventually auction off as a compliant slave. They just have to break him first. When a werewolf specializing in breaking slaves has no luck with Noah, he offers a vampire a deal to do it instead.

Vampire Khaz, a whore in this new world of the status quo, takes the offer and thinks it should be a piece of cake. Man, was he wrong. Nothing turned out the way Khaz thought it would. Struck by the beauty of the human slave, he slowly chips away at Noah’s defenses and learns more about his captive.

TRAINED IN RESISTING THE MOST GROTESQUE FORMS OF TORTURE

Noah is trained in resisting the most grotesque forms of torture, but his training didn’t cover how to resist sympathy from a supernatural. Noah spends most of his time ignoring Khaz while healing, but somehow Khaz sneaks in and lowers his defenses anyway.

THEIR CHEMISTRY WAS UNDENIABLE AND EXTREMELY PALPABLE

Noah was actually pretty annoying. He was fickle when it came to Khaz. Their chemistry was undeniable and extremely palpable in the story and the ending just about freaking killed me!

Really R. Phoenix?

A TOUCH OF SINISTER UNKNOWNS SWIRLING AROUND THE BACKGROUND

Though more of a grey area in the RISQ series, this book was full of sexual tension, secrets held by both of the MCs, and a touch of sinister unknowns swirling around the background.

This series is incredibly addicting because there is no warning as to what is coming next. Will it be another semi-sweet romantic build? Or will it be mind games and manipulations like Bought was?

I cannot give this enough stars! I’m already twitching, waiting for the release of the next book. I’m mildly worried about what it will contain, but want it anyway.

I highly recommend this series to those who have grown disenchanted by fluffy M/M romances. There is none of that in these pages.

[Ben Lilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

HUMANS HAVE become slaves in this dystopian novel set in the future. With enough money, you can buy whomever and do whatever you want–legally. Khaz has a certain skill set for breaking people, one he's used well in his line of pleasure work, and while he’s managed to keep his head above water for the most part, in order to get out clean from under his landlord he needs to do one more unsavory job, but it won’t be easy....

Noah has spent the last ten years of his life living free but on the run, until he gets caught. Now a mob boss owns him, and he wants him… broken. When Khaz is charged with conditioning him, Noah thinks he can take the vampire on. Khaz has more than vampirism on his side, but with both thinking they have the advantage, they’ll be equally blindside when the job develops complications. Complications or no, they each have a duty they cannot ignore.

This is a compelling novella: vampires and werewolves meets a bit of urban fantasy, mixed in with a dark thriller and the favorite slave-to-lover trope. The setting is grim, and takes place entirely in an apartment, with only flashbacks to bring you out of the setting now and then. The author makes you feel as trapped as Noah, waiting to see what Khaz will do. Because we have both points of view–Noah’s and Khaz’s–we know Khaz doesn’t actually need to do anything to Noah to get him to cooperate. But Noah doesn’t know that. He doesn’t know he lost the minute he was pushed through Khaz’s door.

Admittedly this is just a glimpse of a larger story line. The series, from what I gather, stretches over many different characters. I’m not certain if this is Khaz’s first book in the series, but if it is, it does a good job of setting him up. I had no problems following along, but I did get that feeling that I was looking at a very thin cross section of the world, and I’m interested in reading more.

The Ripples in the Status Quo series seems to have a heavy dark paranormal theme, with dubious consent and high erotic content, so that’s a heads up if you search for those kinds of stories.

[Daniel Mitton · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Originally reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews with a copy provided by the publisher / author for an honest review. Rated 4.5 out of 5.0 Love Bytes.)

I’m enjoying this series, or serial installments, or whatever you want to call this one, even more with each new story I read. In Recoil, we’re introduced to a vampire named Khaz. Khaz has been around for four centuries and has had a hard time ever since his sire was killed, but the last decade, since the great unveiling by the supernaturals which led to the Takeover, hasn’t been a benefit to him at all. He was formerly a consort to the extremely wealthy, but has been forced by circumstances into working as a street prostitute, selling his body to anyone with cash in order to make enough to support himself. Now he has agreed to a contract with his landlord, a werewolf slaver to break a human who was working for the Rebellion.

Noah is a twenty-four year old human. Old enough to remember the pre-Takeover days when the vampires, witches and werewolves were thought to be myths, he has been fighting alongside his father ever since the takeover. He has had it beaten into him that fighting is the only option, and told repeatedly about the evils of the supernaturals and also the evils of homosexuality. Now he is trapped. It took a bunch of werewolves to bring him down, but he has been branded a slave. The werewolf slaver that owns him tried to break him and failed. Now he has been turned over to a leech, or vampire as the creature refers to himself.

Trapped alone in a windowless apartment, the two men will battle wills. Who will win? You’ll have to read it to find out. I liked that Reese and Ashton from the second installment had a cameo in this one, and I’ve a feeling that there is more to come.

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and tragic. The world is the same as in the first part of the series, but this time the characters are Khaz, a vampire who trains human slaves, and Noah, a human who has been captured and must be prepared for his new role serving supernaturals. ThoughKhaz has trained many humans before, Noah is a fighter who is far from being submissive and Khaz tires of breaking humans, especially when he finds the fight in Noah so attractive. Khaz dreams of being able to keep the human instead of breaking his will for his supernatural masters; however, Khaz can barely afford his rent, let alone paying to house a human.

I loved this dark romantic fantasy. When Khaz and Noah come together its like magic. Khaz has the power to make any human addicted to him, but the attraction between the two is enough that he doesn’t need to use his powers. Khaz is given full control over the human and has every right to do whatever he wants to him, but the fact is that Khaz’s conscience won’t let him do it makes him very likable. Though this romance was quite dark, I want to have hope for them. I look forward to reading the upcoming installments in this series, and I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that I’ll see Noah and Khaz again. I recommend this book to anyone who loves m/m dark romance and m/m vampire fantasy.


Reviewed for The Dark Arts MM Erotica

[Delores Swallows · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story much more than I was expecting to. Being a straight male, I have to confess up front that MM romance is not my usual fayre. However, a friend recommended this book and I’m very glad I read it.

The story takes place in an alternative future where supernatural beings such as werewolves and vampires have come out of the shadows and now hold the upper hand, with humans forced to live under their rule.

Recoil tells the story of Noah – a captured human, and Malkhaz - a vampire. Each being has a long-held hatred and distrust of the other, but over the course of a couple of days we see their characters becoming less abrasive.

I thought the chemistry between the characters was very well written, from their heated early exchanges all the way to the end. The author does an excellent job of letting the reader see each of the character’s inner turmoil, and considering I’m not really into the MM genre, I found the sex scenes very sensual and well-executed.

If I had to be objective about the book, my only nit would be that I found there was a little too much introspection for my personal tastes.

The world in which they live in is only revealed in small fragments of introspection by each character, and I think the author does a very good job of dropping enough subtle hints to make readers want to learn more about her world.

This will not be the only ‘Ripples in the Status Quo’ story that I read.