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Expanding Horizon #1
Oops, Caught
Mark Noland can’t figure out how he got into such a fix. How does an ex-mercenary (okay, an almost-reformed mercenary) get himself caught, stuck in a holding cell, on a hostile alien planet? Held captive by strange bug-like creatures who’d just as soon eat him as look at him. How can a simple mission go so awry? To make matters worse, Noland’s not alone. His fellow prisoner, a certain high-ranking, elite Stella officer holds him responsible for their failed plan. Yeah, it was supposed to be a quick in and quick out sort of mission. But no… Officer Gavnson just can’t let it go.
It’s not so easy trying to plan an escape when Noland keeps getting distracted by how his mission partner so very nicely fills out his uniform. And he suspects Gavnson is hiding something, too. As tensions run high, secrets are revealed that will change the both of them. There’s nothing like gunfights and running for your life to make that special bond.
It’s not so easy trying to plan an escape when Noland keeps getting distracted by how his mission partner so very nicely fills out his uniform. And he suspects Gavnson is hiding something, too. As tensions run high, secrets are revealed that will change the both of them. There’s nothing like gunfights and running for your life to make that special bond.
34 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 2, 2017
49 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 8, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley
This was an okay story, but overall I feel like it was really just too short and the characters would have felt more real if there was some extra page time devoted to fleshing them out [I mean there is a bit at the end I guess but I would have preferred it more towards the beginning]. Still it was a fun story and I can only really handle sci-fi in short bursts usually anyway.
This was an okay story, but overall I feel like it was really just too short and the characters would have felt more real if there was some extra page time devoted to fleshing them out [I mean there is a bit at the end I guess but I would have preferred it more towards the beginning]. Still it was a fun story and I can only really handle sci-fi in short bursts usually anyway.
January 3, 2017
It's a wonderful story. It starts off right away, throwing you in mid-scene, almost, and yet you never really feel lost thanks to the way that Alli Reshi weaves the story. The characters are believable and fun, and I enjoy the first person POV. My biggest complaint with the story is why did it end so fast?! I want to see more of the universe, more of the story, and really hope that Alli Reshi's next release is a longer one that I can really sink my eyes into!
April 3, 2020
very rushed book, this is not the story for me.
March 25, 2018
Book – Oops, Caught (Expanding Horizon, 1)
Author – Alli Reshi
Star rating - ★★★★☆
No. of Pages – 50
Cover – Perfect!
POV – 1st person, one character
Would I read it again – Yes
Genre – LGBT, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Triggers – suicidal thoughts/actions, threat of cross-species alien cannibalism, PTSD
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
The book started with the main characters already captured and in prison, which wasn't what I was expecting, but once I got reading it, made for a good impact start to the story. It certainly kicked the action off, right from page one, with Noland admiring his captain, Gavnson, for the strong man he is, and introducing us to the fact that they're not exactly the same species, nor the same level of authority. Noland is bisexual, and smart enough to know that he shouldn't make the moves on someone like Gavnson, especially considering how tightly wound he is. But, when threatened by their captors – who are likely to eat them! – he convinces the aliens race of Awoknain that he and Gavnson are mates, something highly prized and revered. It buys them some time.
And, thus, the shenanigans begin.
I love that, despite Gavnson being reluctantly willing to see through the ruse to get them out of prison, Noland makes it quite clear that he considers coerced sex as rape and won't go along with it. I really want to thank the author for that, because too often the 'plot point' of “we must have sex to save the planet/species” is used and the whole aspect of being forced into that situation for the sake of the end goal if never acknowledged. So thanks for making Noland smart enough to say no, to vocalise how wrong it would be, and to find another way. I really appreciated it.
When it comes to the writing, I liked the style, but there were a few too many instances of dialogue slang slipping into the main text, e.g. 'gonna' etc. It would have been fine if it was consistent, but I think it was just a slip up with editing, because it only happened maybe one or two times. There were a few more editing issues, such as capital letters in the wrong places, an extra letter here or there, that was left over from previous changes. Since this is an ARC, I assume that these will be changed or fixed by publication, but I do have to mention them because they were present in my copy.
There was great world building, some strong characterisation, especially for only 50 pages, and a really solid plot that allowed for adventure, action, back story, and even some romance. The sci-fi elements were well done and, if you'll excuse the pun, nothing was too alien to be understood.
The story dealt with some serious issues: suicidal thoughts/actions, military PTSD, battle scars and burns, self-loathing, confused sexuality, and the emotional and mention turmoil left over from a war that someone thought they shouldn't have survived, as well as the idea that men have to be strong, that wounds/scars make a man weak. They were so delicately handled, but well written. As someone who has plenty of scars myself, I loved the authentic and sensitive way the issues were handled, both by Gavnson who hadn't had time to mentally recover before putting himself into another mission, and Noland who manned up and was there when Gavnson needed him.
I loved the chemistry and the couple, so I'm thrilled to see this is part of a series. I just hope it will center around the same people. If not, I'm sure I'll enjoy it anyway.
In the end, I had to give the story a 4 rating, because of the issues with editing, and because there was just an indefinable something missing. I'm not sure if it was the ending, or that I was looking for something that wasn't there, I can't tell. There's this niggle sticking with me, reminding me that it just didn't have that 'something' that would take it up to a 5 star. But still a great read, very enjoyable, and a lot of fun. I'll be reading the next installment, for sure.
~
Favourite Quote
“What exactly do you do for a person who hates himself for liking you?”
Author – Alli Reshi
Star rating - ★★★★☆
No. of Pages – 50
Cover – Perfect!
POV – 1st person, one character
Would I read it again – Yes
Genre – LGBT, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Triggers – suicidal thoughts/actions, threat of cross-species alien cannibalism, PTSD
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
The book started with the main characters already captured and in prison, which wasn't what I was expecting, but once I got reading it, made for a good impact start to the story. It certainly kicked the action off, right from page one, with Noland admiring his captain, Gavnson, for the strong man he is, and introducing us to the fact that they're not exactly the same species, nor the same level of authority. Noland is bisexual, and smart enough to know that he shouldn't make the moves on someone like Gavnson, especially considering how tightly wound he is. But, when threatened by their captors – who are likely to eat them! – he convinces the aliens race of Awoknain that he and Gavnson are mates, something highly prized and revered. It buys them some time.
And, thus, the shenanigans begin.
I love that, despite Gavnson being reluctantly willing to see through the ruse to get them out of prison, Noland makes it quite clear that he considers coerced sex as rape and won't go along with it. I really want to thank the author for that, because too often the 'plot point' of “we must have sex to save the planet/species” is used and the whole aspect of being forced into that situation for the sake of the end goal if never acknowledged. So thanks for making Noland smart enough to say no, to vocalise how wrong it would be, and to find another way. I really appreciated it.
When it comes to the writing, I liked the style, but there were a few too many instances of dialogue slang slipping into the main text, e.g. 'gonna' etc. It would have been fine if it was consistent, but I think it was just a slip up with editing, because it only happened maybe one or two times. There were a few more editing issues, such as capital letters in the wrong places, an extra letter here or there, that was left over from previous changes. Since this is an ARC, I assume that these will be changed or fixed by publication, but I do have to mention them because they were present in my copy.
There was great world building, some strong characterisation, especially for only 50 pages, and a really solid plot that allowed for adventure, action, back story, and even some romance. The sci-fi elements were well done and, if you'll excuse the pun, nothing was too alien to be understood.
The story dealt with some serious issues: suicidal thoughts/actions, military PTSD, battle scars and burns, self-loathing, confused sexuality, and the emotional and mention turmoil left over from a war that someone thought they shouldn't have survived, as well as the idea that men have to be strong, that wounds/scars make a man weak. They were so delicately handled, but well written. As someone who has plenty of scars myself, I loved the authentic and sensitive way the issues were handled, both by Gavnson who hadn't had time to mentally recover before putting himself into another mission, and Noland who manned up and was there when Gavnson needed him.
I loved the chemistry and the couple, so I'm thrilled to see this is part of a series. I just hope it will center around the same people. If not, I'm sure I'll enjoy it anyway.
In the end, I had to give the story a 4 rating, because of the issues with editing, and because there was just an indefinable something missing. I'm not sure if it was the ending, or that I was looking for something that wasn't there, I can't tell. There's this niggle sticking with me, reminding me that it just didn't have that 'something' that would take it up to a 5 star. But still a great read, very enjoyable, and a lot of fun. I'll be reading the next installment, for sure.
~
Favourite Quote
“What exactly do you do for a person who hates himself for liking you?”
March 28, 2018
This book was provided to me via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
My rating: 2.5/5 stars.
To be fair, this is not actually a bad read. I was mostly just distracted by how much I felt like I was reading a Guardians of the Galaxy fanfic where the names and some details were changed.
Ex-criminal with a heart of gold who was raised by a crew of mercenaries? Check.
Team member who has the appearance of (what I assume) an Earth animal? Check. (Ken is a Nanaska fox.)
Badass lady on the team who may or may not be aggressively violent? Check? (Tamaroa is only mentioned once, but it's in, "[I] ain't messing with Tamaroa. That woman would have my pelt as a new rug if I left without giving you a chance to get back." That gave me major Gamora vibes, for some reason.)
Big battle on a planet where the ex-criminal's crew decided to say goodbye to their criminal ways and helped save the day? Check.
In a short book like this, the similarities were enough to have me majorly distracted.
Besides that, I found the dialogues to be stilted at various points throughout the book, which was disappointing. Additionally, the last third of the book was somehow unsatisfactory. I can't say what exactly it was, but I feel like the conclusion of the story was too fast, and the sudden feelings at the end just appeared out of nowhere, which is probably a common problem with short books like this.
All in all, it was okay, and at the length it is, I certainly don't regret reading it. Do I think you need to run and buy it? Probably not. You may enjoy it a lot more than me if you haven't seen Guardians of the Galaxy, though.
My rating: 2.5/5 stars.
To be fair, this is not actually a bad read. I was mostly just distracted by how much I felt like I was reading a Guardians of the Galaxy fanfic where the names and some details were changed.
Ex-criminal with a heart of gold who was raised by a crew of mercenaries? Check.
Team member who has the appearance of (what I assume) an Earth animal? Check. (Ken is a Nanaska fox.)
Badass lady on the team who may or may not be aggressively violent? Check? (Tamaroa is only mentioned once, but it's in, "[I] ain't messing with Tamaroa. That woman would have my pelt as a new rug if I left without giving you a chance to get back." That gave me major Gamora vibes, for some reason.)
Big battle on a planet where the ex-criminal's crew decided to say goodbye to their criminal ways and helped save the day? Check.
In a short book like this, the similarities were enough to have me majorly distracted.
Besides that, I found the dialogues to be stilted at various points throughout the book, which was disappointing. Additionally, the last third of the book was somehow unsatisfactory. I can't say what exactly it was, but I feel like the conclusion of the story was too fast, and the sudden feelings at the end just appeared out of nowhere, which is probably a common problem with short books like this.
All in all, it was okay, and at the length it is, I certainly don't regret reading it. Do I think you need to run and buy it? Probably not. You may enjoy it a lot more than me if you haven't seen Guardians of the Galaxy, though.
January 25, 2017
2.5 stars - can't decide whether to round up or down. On the one hand I liked quite a bit of this, but then the ending was a little disappointing.
This was actually pretty good for the most part but then towards the end there was a lot of dialogue between Noland and Gavnson that just seemed forced/stilted and not natural at all. It ruined it a bit for me so I can't really rate it any higher. Quite a short read too at around 50pp.
This was actually pretty good for the most part but then towards the end there was a lot of dialogue between Noland and Gavnson that just seemed forced/stilted and not natural at all. It ruined it a bit for me so I can't really rate it any higher. Quite a short read too at around 50pp.
March 22, 2018
*I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinion stated are solely my own and no one elses*
2- 2.5 stars
The beginning was intense and action packed but that’s pretty much all I liked about it.
The book itself was short, rushed and underdeveloped. Nolan and Gavnson’s interaction towards the end, felt forced. Gavnson’s issues were merely touched upon which was disappointing.
This book was ok but wasn’t to my taste.
July 5, 2024
This book was so much fun. The characters were great and had fantastic chemistry. The only reason I wasn't a big fan was because the romance came out the blue. The story was beautifully written. The theme really spoke to me. All in all, it gave me hope.
September 5, 2022
This unconventional escape novella delivers a quick read with two engaging characters.
March 25, 2018
This review was originally posted on my blog, Paradise Found
I received a free ebook copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I would give the first half of this novella a higher rating than I'd give the second half. I rarely come across a situation like this but here it is. The first part deserved three stars (pineapples) in my book, the second, one. The overall result: a sad two-star rating.
Noland and Officer Gavnson are shut up in a cell together. A mission went wrong and they both got caught by the Awoknain, nasty bug-like creatures who aren't famous for their hosptality. They have to plan their escape and define a not-so-clear relationship between the two of them.
The beginning was so much fun! What I expected. I liked Noland, he had a few tricks up his sleeve and he had an entertaining personlaity. He bought time for them coming up with an insane idea, they were also able to escape the cell because of his heroism.
The way out was exciting too: first they hid, then they fought their way through the bugs; at this point the book had all the potential to turn into a very decent Firefly-esque story. However, once they reached a spaceship that was fit to escape in, this sci-fi tale started to bleed from many wounds.
It was obvious while they were at the bug-base that something was not right with Gavnson. He wanted to sacrifice himself all the time, it seemed like he was eager to die. Noland started to ask him about the war they fought on the same side and what happened since, but Gavnson didn't open up easily.
He was also very willing (almost pushy) to engage in sexual activity with Noland who kept turning him away (even though he wanted him too... the bugs told them they have to mate and Noland thought Gavnson was only willing because he didn't want to be tortured, but it was so clear it wasn't the only reason).
The second half of the novella was a huge disappointment. Stuck on a spaceship with hours to spare Noland finally prodded Gavnson into telling him about his past and why he chose to come on the mission with Noland and his group.
The story we get is confusing and incoherent. Noland's fleeting presence in it doesn't really explain Gavnson's infatuation with him since they'd never actually talked or at least it is not clear if they've talked since the war or not. I found this part a bit muddy, past happenings were too vaguely described to give us a full explanation regarding Gavnson's motivations or his behaviour.
The writing takes a turn for the worse here too. It is repetitive and preachy. The subject they talk about is important but the converation is full of clichés, not to mention a talk like this is unlikely to occur between two persons who have started to get truly close to one another only a few hours ago.
Yet another unfavorable review from me, I know. At least I liked the beginning this time...
I received a free ebook copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I would give the first half of this novella a higher rating than I'd give the second half. I rarely come across a situation like this but here it is. The first part deserved three stars (pineapples) in my book, the second, one. The overall result: a sad two-star rating.
Noland and Officer Gavnson are shut up in a cell together. A mission went wrong and they both got caught by the Awoknain, nasty bug-like creatures who aren't famous for their hosptality. They have to plan their escape and define a not-so-clear relationship between the two of them.
The beginning was so much fun! What I expected. I liked Noland, he had a few tricks up his sleeve and he had an entertaining personlaity. He bought time for them coming up with an insane idea, they were also able to escape the cell because of his heroism.
The way out was exciting too: first they hid, then they fought their way through the bugs; at this point the book had all the potential to turn into a very decent Firefly-esque story. However, once they reached a spaceship that was fit to escape in, this sci-fi tale started to bleed from many wounds.
It was obvious while they were at the bug-base that something was not right with Gavnson. He wanted to sacrifice himself all the time, it seemed like he was eager to die. Noland started to ask him about the war they fought on the same side and what happened since, but Gavnson didn't open up easily.
He was also very willing (almost pushy) to engage in sexual activity with Noland who kept turning him away (even though he wanted him too... the bugs told them they have to mate and Noland thought Gavnson was only willing because he didn't want to be tortured, but it was so clear it wasn't the only reason).
The second half of the novella was a huge disappointment. Stuck on a spaceship with hours to spare Noland finally prodded Gavnson into telling him about his past and why he chose to come on the mission with Noland and his group.
The story we get is confusing and incoherent. Noland's fleeting presence in it doesn't really explain Gavnson's infatuation with him since they'd never actually talked or at least it is not clear if they've talked since the war or not. I found this part a bit muddy, past happenings were too vaguely described to give us a full explanation regarding Gavnson's motivations or his behaviour.
The writing takes a turn for the worse here too. It is repetitive and preachy. The subject they talk about is important but the converation is full of clichés, not to mention a talk like this is unlikely to occur between two persons who have started to get truly close to one another only a few hours ago.
Yet another unfavorable review from me, I know. At least I liked the beginning this time...
December 29, 2016
This was a delightful and fun space romp, that really, had no actual romping.
Premise of the book is Noland and Gavnson find themselves behind bars after a covert option goes bad. Noland is a mercenary; Everien Gavnson is an officer in the Stella Corp. The two share a rocky history, but Noland is determined that no man will be left behind to get eaten by the bugs, and that includes the prickly officer. But what Gavnson eventually reveals startles even the Mercenary.
This was so much fun! I’m usually not a fan of first person, but I enjoyed the cadence and watching events unfold from Mark’s point of view. I enjoyed how this did NOT end up being a damsel in distress situation – both men were on equal terms, they have a past/shared history, and both danced around the elephant in the room: the mutual attraction.
The strength in this book was in the simplicity – one alien species, two main characters, one off-screen character. What could have been a short story bogged down with talking about emotions, was spent on the move and once the situation warranted, then we got to the root of the matter. Noland’s and Gavnson’s heart to heart was well executed – it was brought into the story at just the right time, it exposed the men’s vulnerabilities, feelings for each other, and where they hoped to take the relationship.
And that was my one tiny point of contention with the book – the “I want to have a relationship with you” talk was a tich long and drawn out. People don’t communicate like that in real life – we wish we did – but we don’t, and when that shows up in stories it always feels off.
I’m really on the fence about the length of this book – on one hand, I want MORE! On the other hand, this was really a very well executed short story and more could have been detraction.
Ultimately, this is something I would read again – dynamic characters, interesting world building, and a solid plot.
I would also like to add a shout-out for the cover artist – love it! I'm such a geek when it comes to cool space pics...
Review is cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews
A copy of the book was provided by the author/publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you!
Premise of the book is Noland and Gavnson find themselves behind bars after a covert option goes bad. Noland is a mercenary; Everien Gavnson is an officer in the Stella Corp. The two share a rocky history, but Noland is determined that no man will be left behind to get eaten by the bugs, and that includes the prickly officer. But what Gavnson eventually reveals startles even the Mercenary.
This was so much fun! I’m usually not a fan of first person, but I enjoyed the cadence and watching events unfold from Mark’s point of view. I enjoyed how this did NOT end up being a damsel in distress situation – both men were on equal terms, they have a past/shared history, and both danced around the elephant in the room: the mutual attraction.
The strength in this book was in the simplicity – one alien species, two main characters, one off-screen character. What could have been a short story bogged down with talking about emotions, was spent on the move and once the situation warranted, then we got to the root of the matter. Noland’s and Gavnson’s heart to heart was well executed – it was brought into the story at just the right time, it exposed the men’s vulnerabilities, feelings for each other, and where they hoped to take the relationship.
And that was my one tiny point of contention with the book – the “I want to have a relationship with you” talk was a tich long and drawn out. People don’t communicate like that in real life – we wish we did – but we don’t, and when that shows up in stories it always feels off.
I’m really on the fence about the length of this book – on one hand, I want MORE! On the other hand, this was really a very well executed short story and more could have been detraction.
Ultimately, this is something I would read again – dynamic characters, interesting world building, and a solid plot.
I would also like to add a shout-out for the cover artist – love it! I'm such a geek when it comes to cool space pics...
Review is cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews
A copy of the book was provided by the author/publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you!
September 2, 2019
With such a simple premise (two people captured together who have to escape, secretive pasts, sexual tension, etc), how good this book was truly depended on the execution. Unfortunately, I don't feel like it was executed very well, and I ended up quitting the book at about 50% (and based on the other reviews, it doesn't sound like I missed much).
I think one of the issues is that this book is so short. This isn't a problem in of itself, but if a book is that short, it has to really pack a punch to move things along, both plot and character/relationship-wise. This can be done, and done really well, but in Oops, Caught, both plot and relationship development seemed rather clunky and forced. Rather than giving me any reason why these two would be attracted to each other, the author simply stated over and over how the one character (I honestly don't remember which was which, because in half the book they had no distinguishing characteristics that stand out to me) was very attracted to the other, plus an averted "aliens made us fuck" trope.
I would have slogged on if either the plot or the relationship showed promise, but unfortunately, neither was something that I hadn't seen before, and as a result I was completely uninvested. I think another review mentioned that it read like fanfiction, and I would agree with that. The interesting thing about fanfiction is that since the characters and universe are already developed in the source work, the fanfiction author doesn't have to do as much legwork in developing the characters or the world because readers are all already at least a little familiar. This isn't the case with original fiction, which is why characterization is so important. This book read as if we were already supposed to know about these characters and be invested in them, but since we (or at least I) were not, it just ended up flat.
That is not to say that some people wouldn't enjoy it. If all you want is a simple m/m story set in space, then this does fulfill that brief. However, it doesn't do much more, and at this point, there are so many sci-fi stories featuring LGBTQ characters that I no longer feel compelled to settle for whatever I can find.
I think one of the issues is that this book is so short. This isn't a problem in of itself, but if a book is that short, it has to really pack a punch to move things along, both plot and character/relationship-wise. This can be done, and done really well, but in Oops, Caught, both plot and relationship development seemed rather clunky and forced. Rather than giving me any reason why these two would be attracted to each other, the author simply stated over and over how the one character (I honestly don't remember which was which, because in half the book they had no distinguishing characteristics that stand out to me) was very attracted to the other, plus an averted "aliens made us fuck" trope.
I would have slogged on if either the plot or the relationship showed promise, but unfortunately, neither was something that I hadn't seen before, and as a result I was completely uninvested. I think another review mentioned that it read like fanfiction, and I would agree with that. The interesting thing about fanfiction is that since the characters and universe are already developed in the source work, the fanfiction author doesn't have to do as much legwork in developing the characters or the world because readers are all already at least a little familiar. This isn't the case with original fiction, which is why characterization is so important. This book read as if we were already supposed to know about these characters and be invested in them, but since we (or at least I) were not, it just ended up flat.
That is not to say that some people wouldn't enjoy it. If all you want is a simple m/m story set in space, then this does fulfill that brief. However, it doesn't do much more, and at this point, there are so many sci-fi stories featuring LGBTQ characters that I no longer feel compelled to settle for whatever I can find.
January 2, 2017
Review for Boy Meets Boy Reviews by Shee Reader
Rating 3.5 Hearts
Oops, Caught opens in a prison cell on a far off planet inhabited my giant horned insects that eat humanoids who have annoyed them! What an opening! I was dropped right into the story from the outset. The pair of prisoners are our main characters: Noland a mostly reformed mercenary, and Gavnson an Everian, and Stellar Corps officer. They are quite the unlikely couple and the bickering from the outset reminded me of growing up with siblings!
As we get to know our guys better, their heroic characters emerge. Noland is likeable from the outset, and Gavnson’s prickly, stoic service-man nature grew on me as his vulnerabilities unfolded. The escape bid is as brave as it is dangerous and the fact that the sniping between the two men persisted was entertaining. The waspishness quickly turned in to sexual tension, no where near as one sided as it appeared at first. The story culminates with the pair traveling in a stolen ship to rendezvous with their teams, in a distinct HFN situation.
The world building was concise and clear. In such a short novel there is no time for a more detailed reveal, but it works well. The enemy were descriptively painted and were quite disgusting!
I enjoyed Alli’s writing style, but I felt the book could easily have been longer. I would have enjoyed more insight into the development of both characters, their life changing experiences and how they met. Lots of these details were tied up as loose ends at the emotional final scene of the story, but more would have been great. Gavnson particularly seemed to do a full and abrupt about-face at the culmination of the tale. in all, this is a very readable MM short sci-fi book.
A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Rating 3.5 Hearts
Oops, Caught opens in a prison cell on a far off planet inhabited my giant horned insects that eat humanoids who have annoyed them! What an opening! I was dropped right into the story from the outset. The pair of prisoners are our main characters: Noland a mostly reformed mercenary, and Gavnson an Everian, and Stellar Corps officer. They are quite the unlikely couple and the bickering from the outset reminded me of growing up with siblings!
As we get to know our guys better, their heroic characters emerge. Noland is likeable from the outset, and Gavnson’s prickly, stoic service-man nature grew on me as his vulnerabilities unfolded. The escape bid is as brave as it is dangerous and the fact that the sniping between the two men persisted was entertaining. The waspishness quickly turned in to sexual tension, no where near as one sided as it appeared at first. The story culminates with the pair traveling in a stolen ship to rendezvous with their teams, in a distinct HFN situation.
The world building was concise and clear. In such a short novel there is no time for a more detailed reveal, but it works well. The enemy were descriptively painted and were quite disgusting!
I enjoyed Alli’s writing style, but I felt the book could easily have been longer. I would have enjoyed more insight into the development of both characters, their life changing experiences and how they met. Lots of these details were tied up as loose ends at the emotional final scene of the story, but more would have been great. Gavnson particularly seemed to do a full and abrupt about-face at the culmination of the tale. in all, this is a very readable MM short sci-fi book.
A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2016
This was a short story that I would describe as finding a reason to hope again.
What do you do when you are caught and captured with the one person that you do not particularly care for, or at least on the outside appearance would say that you didn't? You try your hardest to not kill each other, try to find your way out, and hope your true feelings do not come out along the way.
Mark is an ex mercenary turned good guy theif. Him and Gavnson was captured on what was supposed to be an easy mission to retrieve stolen data from another species. Once captured these two men had to learn to work together to free themselves and to not act on the pull they both felt for the other along the way.
After some very intense moments during their escape, both men made it to safety by having one another's back. But he danger had not completely passed because the feelings that was eating Gavnson could prove to be very dangerous to not only himself but to Mark also. So can the resentment that Gavnson feels towards Mark too. Especially since Mark was not aware of the reasons that Gavnson had for resenting him in the first place.
Can these two men get past all of he emotional stuff to find something more in each other or are they both doomed by Gavnson's feelings?
This was a decent read but I felt there could have been so much more to this story. Everything that was happening and the reason behind Gavnson's feeling was quickly brushed over in this book. I felt that things could have had more in depth writing on what was happening or what was beginning to develop between these two men. I felt like this book was rushed so therefore was a good read but not an excellent one.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
What do you do when you are caught and captured with the one person that you do not particularly care for, or at least on the outside appearance would say that you didn't? You try your hardest to not kill each other, try to find your way out, and hope your true feelings do not come out along the way.
Mark is an ex mercenary turned good guy theif. Him and Gavnson was captured on what was supposed to be an easy mission to retrieve stolen data from another species. Once captured these two men had to learn to work together to free themselves and to not act on the pull they both felt for the other along the way.
After some very intense moments during their escape, both men made it to safety by having one another's back. But he danger had not completely passed because the feelings that was eating Gavnson could prove to be very dangerous to not only himself but to Mark also. So can the resentment that Gavnson feels towards Mark too. Especially since Mark was not aware of the reasons that Gavnson had for resenting him in the first place.
Can these two men get past all of he emotional stuff to find something more in each other or are they both doomed by Gavnson's feelings?
This was a decent read but I felt there could have been so much more to this story. Everything that was happening and the reason behind Gavnson's feeling was quickly brushed over in this book. I felt that things could have had more in depth writing on what was happening or what was beginning to develop between these two men. I felt like this book was rushed so therefore was a good read but not an excellent one.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
June 9, 2018
More like 3.4, but at the same time I hate giving it 3 stars. Will elaborate later.
Darn it. Forgot to update. But as far as I recall, it's the same old "short story" problem where it feels more like a digest, than the whole thing.
Darn it. Forgot to update. But as far as I recall, it's the same old "short story" problem where it feels more like a digest, than the whole thing.
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