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Storms and Stars
Villam has always ranked loyalty to the empire, to the Empress, and his career over everything else—even romance, and his infatuation with Kardiell, who seems disinterested in making their relationship more serious. Unfortunately, Kardiell's soft spot for Villam is well-known, and in a plot to destroy Kardiell they attempt to take Villam hostage.
Ittuluke was born on a desert colony abandoned by the empire, leaving him with nothing but contempt for imperial soldiers. He has been raised to perform any mission for the right price, and he's good at what he does. Until the imperial soldier he's supposed to kidnap crashes their ship on a desolate planet, killing all but the two of them.
Stranded together on a wild planet, the two men stubbornly concede that the only way to survive is to call a truce. And as they learn to work together, two men against an entire world, their fragile peace begins to evolve into something more.
Ittuluke was born on a desert colony abandoned by the empire, leaving him with nothing but contempt for imperial soldiers. He has been raised to perform any mission for the right price, and he's good at what he does. Until the imperial soldier he's supposed to kidnap crashes their ship on a desolate planet, killing all but the two of them.
Stranded together on a wild planet, the two men stubbornly concede that the only way to survive is to call a truce. And as they learn to work together, two men against an entire world, their fragile peace begins to evolve into something more.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 2012
5 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
About the author
Neena Jaydon
9 books37 followersNeena Jaydon teaches writing and Japanese, edits and tutors, and writes LGBTQIA2S romantic SF/F fiction. Her attempts to write are often limited by a house full of outrageously cute rabbits, an internet full of intriguing stuff, and an ongoing attempt to learn to roller skate.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
August 2, 2016
Boy, did I ever have a difficult time making up my mind. Which seems fitting enough in this case, because Storms and Stars seems to suffer from a similar problem.
There's no point in beating around the bush: this book was a bit of a challenge for me. At the same time, there was something about this science fiction meets Robinson Crusoe story that managed to capture me enough to make a mental note to keep an eye on this author's future work. But I’ll get to the good and the bad in a second.
Firstly, the story itself. Villam is a loyal servant of the empire, and works as a commander on one of the many star ships in its fleet. Then one day, he finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, in a transfer vehicle that has been taken over by rebellions who have somehow managed to penetrate the empire's security. The commander senses the danger and launches an attack, but can’t avoid getting shot with a tranquilizer gun. And the last thing you want, is ending up unconscious and injured in a craft of which you have just taken out the pilot. The space vessel spins out of control in the blackness and is then sucked into the gravitational pull of an uninhabited planet, where it crashes. Much, much later, Villam wakes up and finds that only one of the aggressors has survived: the Sigliuk monk Luke. This provides him with a shiny new mission: taking out the young man.
If any of you have seen the film Cast Away, you know that this is probably not the smartest move to make when you’re stranded on an uncolonized planet with only one other human being. Before you know it, you start talking to a volleyball...
And who to have sex with indeed?
Luckily, Villam follows a similar train of thought. Meaning that we get to read about two sworn enemies who are suddenly dependent on each other for survival. I know I was rubbing my hands in sweet anticipation, realizing that starting points seldom get much better than this!
But although you could consider this to be the main storyline of Storms and Stars and, quite frankly, the only truly interesting one, the author also has inserted numerous chapters that cover the spaceship humdrum. I was optimistic at first, thinking this parallel storyline would provide me with a good dose of political intrigue and the necessary background to Jaydon's universe. When I found that these chapters didn't offer anything in terms of worldbuilding, nifty scifi ideas or excitement, but instead introduced a ton of irrelevant POV's for side characters with funky names (Kardiell, Fulgur, Urma, Dorges, Hije, Shpate and the list goes on...)...I began to despair.
So I might as well admit what I did: skim these chapters and stick to the stranded men’s adventures instead. This turned out the be a good bet, when I discovered that this storyline wasn’t even part of an ingenious, spectacular climax. Especially since Storms and Stars is very slow paced and of considerable length, I wonder why no one thought; "Hey, all those chapters may not be working in the story’s favor!" Of course, it's a possibility that the author felt that dropping two men on an inhabited planet wouldn’t offer enough of a bite and spectacle in space to her readers?
Something else I struggled with were the peculiar style choices. The story is written in the third person perspective and focuses on one POV, but still allows the thoughts of the other characters as well. The focus switches to these other POV's all the time, in the same paragraph even. On top of that, you will also get big chunks of text in italics from the first person perspective; to make sure that the thoughts of the MC’s are constantly on display. Are you still following? Because I sort of didn’t? Let’s just say it isn’t the most clear and crisp style I have come across.
I quite enjoyed the romance though! The slow burning love was drawn out well. The progression Villam and Luke made in trying to overcome their differences was believable. Along with that the survival trope was interesting. Would they manage to survive winter? Would they be forever stuck on the little green planet? In general, I was taken with Jaydon's writing style, that was evocative at times. She took her time to introduce us to the strange planet, and incorporated the men’s surroundings nicely in their lives.
This is apparently Jaydon's debut novel. For her future books I wish her an editor who isn’t afraid to tell her to 'kill her darlings' and opt for one style choice for the sake of an enjoyable reading experience. But despite the book’s flaws, I'm impressed with her writing in general. Very promising.
There's no point in beating around the bush: this book was a bit of a challenge for me. At the same time, there was something about this science fiction meets Robinson Crusoe story that managed to capture me enough to make a mental note to keep an eye on this author's future work. But I’ll get to the good and the bad in a second.
Firstly, the story itself. Villam is a loyal servant of the empire, and works as a commander on one of the many star ships in its fleet. Then one day, he finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, in a transfer vehicle that has been taken over by rebellions who have somehow managed to penetrate the empire's security. The commander senses the danger and launches an attack, but can’t avoid getting shot with a tranquilizer gun. And the last thing you want, is ending up unconscious and injured in a craft of which you have just taken out the pilot. The space vessel spins out of control in the blackness and is then sucked into the gravitational pull of an uninhabited planet, where it crashes. Much, much later, Villam wakes up and finds that only one of the aggressors has survived: the Sigliuk monk Luke. This provides him with a shiny new mission: taking out the young man.
If any of you have seen the film Cast Away, you know that this is probably not the smartest move to make when you’re stranded on an uncolonized planet with only one other human being. Before you know it, you start talking to a volleyball...
And who to have sex with indeed?
Luckily, Villam follows a similar train of thought. Meaning that we get to read about two sworn enemies who are suddenly dependent on each other for survival. I know I was rubbing my hands in sweet anticipation, realizing that starting points seldom get much better than this!
He noticed that Luke was watching him. The young man's expression had returned to its default neutral state. He blinked slowly, his green eyes measuring something in Villam. It was a boyish face with a mature expression, built of handsomely curved cheekbones and a rounded jaw line, accented by eyebrows that moved in a firm line to a sharp turn downwards. It was the only face he would see for the rest of his life. (...)
Villam scratched at his chin, blinking. "You're not going to tell me that no one ever gets physically intimate on Siglidunn."
"To have children! Anything else is just frivolous -- wasteful." The last word was spoken like a curse.
"Luke," Villam said patiently, "it's only the two of us. There will be no children."
But although you could consider this to be the main storyline of Storms and Stars and, quite frankly, the only truly interesting one, the author also has inserted numerous chapters that cover the spaceship humdrum. I was optimistic at first, thinking this parallel storyline would provide me with a good dose of political intrigue and the necessary background to Jaydon's universe. When I found that these chapters didn't offer anything in terms of worldbuilding, nifty scifi ideas or excitement, but instead introduced a ton of irrelevant POV's for side characters with funky names (Kardiell, Fulgur, Urma, Dorges, Hije, Shpate and the list goes on...)...I began to despair.
So I might as well admit what I did: skim these chapters and stick to the stranded men’s adventures instead. This turned out the be a good bet, when I discovered that this storyline wasn’t even part of an ingenious, spectacular climax. Especially since Storms and Stars is very slow paced and of considerable length, I wonder why no one thought; "Hey, all those chapters may not be working in the story’s favor!" Of course, it's a possibility that the author felt that dropping two men on an inhabited planet wouldn’t offer enough of a bite and spectacle in space to her readers?
Something else I struggled with were the peculiar style choices. The story is written in the third person perspective and focuses on one POV, but still allows the thoughts of the other characters as well. The focus switches to these other POV's all the time, in the same paragraph even. On top of that, you will also get big chunks of text in italics from the first person perspective; to make sure that the thoughts of the MC’s are constantly on display. Are you still following? Because I sort of didn’t? Let’s just say it isn’t the most clear and crisp style I have come across.
I quite enjoyed the romance though! The slow burning love was drawn out well. The progression Villam and Luke made in trying to overcome their differences was believable. Along with that the survival trope was interesting. Would they manage to survive winter? Would they be forever stuck on the little green planet? In general, I was taken with Jaydon's writing style, that was evocative at times. She took her time to introduce us to the strange planet, and incorporated the men’s surroundings nicely in their lives.
Luke examined the moons, then knit his brows and glanced at Villam. He was bleached by the silvery light, his eyes left deeply green in contrast. Villam reached out with one hand to clasp him between neck and shoulder. Smiling, he stepped in closer and ran his other hand down Luke's warm, soft, lightly stubbled cheek. The moon prodded him not to linger, and he didn't, dipping in to touch his mouth to Luke's. Less pure urges than love of the cosmos made him grip Luke's narrow waist, tug him close, and press apart his lips with his own.
This is apparently Jaydon's debut novel. For her future books I wish her an editor who isn’t afraid to tell her to 'kill her darlings' and opt for one style choice for the sake of an enjoyable reading experience. But despite the book’s flaws, I'm impressed with her writing in general. Very promising.
January 9, 2012
4.5 stars. Really absorbing Scifi/Adventure Romance of the M/M variety! The story is about Villam, a newly promoted Commander in the Imperial Forces. Villam is strong, idealistic and very loyal to his Imperial rulers. He has lived the military lifestyle since childhood and his whole sense of self stems from his training and his responsibilities. Unbeknownst to Villam, he has an enemy who is envious of his advancement and is plotting to bring him (and his superior officer) down.
Luke has been brought up by a rebel order of monks who live an ascetic, repressed existence. They are a small group, making money through terrorist acts to support the people of their home planet, Siglidunn, which has been abandoned by the Empire. Luke is hired to kidnap Villam while he is on a transport shuttle, but the plans go awry and they end up crashing on an uninhabited planet, with no other survivors and no chance of rescue. Facing the incredible dangers and beauty of this new planet forces the two very different men to get to know each other and bonds of friendship and attraction grow.
The author has created an excellent balance between the Scifi and the Romance elements of the story. Each aspect is beautifully explored. Villam and Luke really grow and develop as characters. There's plenty of UST and resistance, especially on Luke's part, as the intimacy between them breaks every rule he formerly believed. The story is an exciting adventure, with crashing space ships, survival on hostile planets, infiltration of enemy bases, and uncovering enemy plots. There's also a side plot where Villam's colleagues and friends (believing him dead) seek to uncover and destroy the traitor who set the events in motion.
There are plenty of other things I loved about the story and which add to its depth, e.g: the lovely names of the ships (The Future of Alom and The Song of Terratsu), and also Villam's adorable habit of drifting off into philosophical and theosophical ponderings.
There is not a lot of negative. Just in the initial 10% there are a lot of military characters introduced, who were referred to by their first names, last names or rank and it took me a while to catch on. Plus the short flashbacks of Luke's should have been in italics to differentiate them from the present time. It's hard to think of negatives because I'm still in a sort of 'post-coital' book glow after finishing!
Highly recommended for fanciers of m/m Scifi Romance.
Luke has been brought up by a rebel order of monks who live an ascetic, repressed existence. They are a small group, making money through terrorist acts to support the people of their home planet, Siglidunn, which has been abandoned by the Empire. Luke is hired to kidnap Villam while he is on a transport shuttle, but the plans go awry and they end up crashing on an uninhabited planet, with no other survivors and no chance of rescue. Facing the incredible dangers and beauty of this new planet forces the two very different men to get to know each other and bonds of friendship and attraction grow.
The author has created an excellent balance between the Scifi and the Romance elements of the story. Each aspect is beautifully explored. Villam and Luke really grow and develop as characters. There's plenty of UST and resistance, especially on Luke's part, as the intimacy between them breaks every rule he formerly believed. The story is an exciting adventure, with crashing space ships, survival on hostile planets, infiltration of enemy bases, and uncovering enemy plots. There's also a side plot where Villam's colleagues and friends (believing him dead) seek to uncover and destroy the traitor who set the events in motion.
There are plenty of other things I loved about the story and which add to its depth, e.g: the lovely names of the ships (The Future of Alom and The Song of Terratsu), and also Villam's adorable habit of drifting off into philosophical and theosophical ponderings.
There is not a lot of negative. Just in the initial 10% there are a lot of military characters introduced, who were referred to by their first names, last names or rank and it took me a while to catch on. Plus the short flashbacks of Luke's should have been in italics to differentiate them from the present time. It's hard to think of negatives because I'm still in a sort of 'post-coital' book glow after finishing!
Highly recommended for fanciers of m/m Scifi Romance.
January 9, 2012
Enough stars in space so where can I get one to add a sixth star here?
Admittedly I had trouble getting into the story with all the gadgets,gizmos and many characters introduced but it turned out to be my first favorite book in 2012.
A SciFi novel of all things - this is a contradiction if there ever was one...so not my prefered genre...
Perhaps I will write a bit more about the story and the two men I fell in love with later,but for now I must come back from space and recover from the shock first....
Very good and insightful review from MandyM here
Admittedly I had trouble getting into the story with all the gadgets,gizmos and many characters introduced but it turned out to be my first favorite book in 2012.
A SciFi novel of all things - this is a contradiction if there ever was one...so not my prefered genre...
Perhaps I will write a bit more about the story and the two men I fell in love with later,but for now I must come back from space and recover from the shock first....
Very good and insightful review from MandyM here
June 16, 2018
DNF at 33%
i really need to stop DNFing netgalleys but i just - sigh
i didn't connect with the writing or characters at all, and the other POV of the soldier back at the empire or wherever he is was just distracting and off-putting and made me want to read those bits as fast as possible to get back to what was happening with ittuluke and villam. they kinda just seemed thrown in there like a spanner in machinery and it helped me lose the last thread of concentration i actually had.
i guess this just isn't for me - i didn't find this engaging at all.
i really need to stop DNFing netgalleys but i just - sigh
i didn't connect with the writing or characters at all, and the other POV of the soldier back at the empire or wherever he is was just distracting and off-putting and made me want to read those bits as fast as possible to get back to what was happening with ittuluke and villam. they kinda just seemed thrown in there like a spanner in machinery and it helped me lose the last thread of concentration i actually had.
i guess this just isn't for me - i didn't find this engaging at all.
August 23, 2015
This book is a very nice surprise. More about two men from very different backgrounds surviving the wilderness, learning to trust each other and falling in love, than anything else. Very Robinson-Crusoe like with a war going on in the background.
4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.
4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.
March 16, 2012
"The fire you kindle for your enemy often burns yourself more than him"
Chinese proverb
The plot
Two enemies, in an alien hostile planet.
Commander Seventh Rank, Villam Elding
Severe, proud of his mission in The Imperial Majesty spaceship fleet. He is a man, with no fears, no regrets and endless courage.
Ittuluke tyv scinik, a Sigliuk
a monk, a life to pray... and in a mission, to his people salvation. He despise all imperial goats (as he call them) for their blind love for the oppressive monarchy.
Can the proud imperial soldier find his weakness? Can the confused and angry assassin find peace?
That's the plot. Villam and Luke, enemies, join force to fight... but to survive from what? Fight for their lives, or fight to avoid their desires?
It's a long story and it's NOT a instant romance. Don't read it to see long and romantic scenes. Both men can't and don't want to fall in love... but their minds and hearts are not in accord.
The time in the planet almost bored me. I must be VERY honest here and say their long trip, to find a place to stay, and build their "home" were almost boring... yeah, almost but i wasn't, at all, boring. I'm saying it because there is a long part of the book describing just their walking, they discovering of what the planet their ship crash have. It's in my view s a slow-paced, but ultimately rewarding reading experience.
Can I add a quotation to show you all, how amazing this book is? I'll put it in a spoiler. No, it's not a "spoiler" (meaning it's not something that will ruin your reading)... but I think it's so amazing, and maybe you can not believe a stern man as Villam could say it.. but he did... it's the last paragraph or this book, and I love it. For its simplicity and straightforwardness.
So yes, I certainly recommend it, to all sci-fi readers, and to romantic ones too. I know I said it's not a romance, but believe me, that last paragraph phrase? It's (IMO) one of the most romantic declaration I ever read.
5 stars and I'm looking forward for more (I hope there will be more!)
September 28, 2012
A very well written sci-fi m/m romance adventure about a two enemies who crash on an uninhabited planet and have to learn to get along to survive (along with dealing with feelings of deeper intimacy), especially when they find that they are not alone as they thought.
What I liked: The world-building was really well done. Jaydon added a lot of layers to the societies that the MCs come from but did the reader the favor of not spelling everything out in big dumps of exposition. Her writing is also very clean and clear and very easy to picture, and as Villam and Luke are surviving in the wild, the setting really resonated, and you can just feel the chill of winter seep in or the brush of rain when the planet’s first storm of the season started.
This book also has a lot of nice plot and story progression. For those who complain of books with all sex and no story, this is not that book. There is intimacy, but basically there are three encounters in the whole book. The focus here is on relationship, character, and story development. If you’re looking to sink into a good sci-fi story that also has m/m romance in it, this will probably hit all your buttons.
The writing and creativity made this four stars for me even though I had some issues with the story.
- The pacing felt very slow, and the relationship building and growth is also very slowly developed. That’s fine, especially for these characters. (No insta-love here, folks. This book is a good addition to the Good Sexual Tension listopia list. I think the first encounter is around 50% in.) But the overall slowness made this a read that I had to push through, as opposed to a fevered need to find out what happens next.
- For the first 30-40% of the book, Villam and Luke’s trial of survival on the planet is interrupted with cuts to back to Villam’s ship and to some military officials trying to figure out the political conspiracy that caused the ship’s crash in the first place. I understand why these cuts are there--to fill in the mystery and that action is happening even while Villam and Luke are living in their own separate world, but it hurt the pacing for me, and every time I started to feel momentum build up with Villam and Luke’s story, it broke off to cut back to the military investigation. These cuts lowered at around the 50% mark and didn’t pop up again until much later, but I felt like it hurt the pacing for me, and made pushing through more of a drag.
- The writer has a very specific style choice that kept pushing me out. The majority of the story is told through limited 3rd perspective. Depending on the scene, you’re locked in to one character’s POV. But inside of that, you’ll also get the thoughts of that POV in first person speak. I’ve read this before, and it usually works for me, but this time, I kept getting pushed out every time the switch happened. (It happens within paragraphs too. Sentences in third person. Then some in first. Back to third. A paragraph of first person thoughts, etc.) The first few times, I kept wondering if I ran into an editing error, like some dialogue was happening but someone forgot to add the quotation marks.
I wondered if the author had used italics for these first person POV shifts, if it would have been easier. But then again, I understand why the author didn’t use italics since sometimes the first person POV shift was a whole paragraph, and whole paragraphs of italics isn’t always fun to read.
It took me a while to get used to the style, and it kicked me out over and over, which also made this more of a push to read. There was one time late in the book that I had to reread a section to better understand who the narrator was at that moment so I could better connect the sudden insertion of first person POV.
I’m not sure if it was the pacing or the style choices, but I didn’t feel as emotionally connected to the MCs as I wished. I liked the world-building, but I didn’t feel as deeply connected to their trials or outcomes. This might be linked also to Luke’s very intense societal and religious conditioning to distance himself from emotions, which meant he angsted a lot when he was feeling anything, but when the wall finally came down, I didn’t feel a lot of catharsis. I’m happy that the MCs got a nice and satisfying HEA, but didn’t have that deep feeling of satisfaction when finishing the book.
But in the end, it’s a very creative, well-written sci-fi book with a nice romance about two opposites eventually realizing their attraction and deeper love for each other. It already has a lot of good reviews, so my points above may not bother you at all. These were just the things that struck me, and your mileage may vary. If you like sci-fi in your m/m romance, this may be up your alley.
What I liked: The world-building was really well done. Jaydon added a lot of layers to the societies that the MCs come from but did the reader the favor of not spelling everything out in big dumps of exposition. Her writing is also very clean and clear and very easy to picture, and as Villam and Luke are surviving in the wild, the setting really resonated, and you can just feel the chill of winter seep in or the brush of rain when the planet’s first storm of the season started.
This book also has a lot of nice plot and story progression. For those who complain of books with all sex and no story, this is not that book. There is intimacy, but basically there are three encounters in the whole book. The focus here is on relationship, character, and story development. If you’re looking to sink into a good sci-fi story that also has m/m romance in it, this will probably hit all your buttons.
The writing and creativity made this four stars for me even though I had some issues with the story.
- The pacing felt very slow, and the relationship building and growth is also very slowly developed. That’s fine, especially for these characters. (No insta-love here, folks. This book is a good addition to the Good Sexual Tension listopia list. I think the first encounter is around 50% in.) But the overall slowness made this a read that I had to push through, as opposed to a fevered need to find out what happens next.
- For the first 30-40% of the book, Villam and Luke’s trial of survival on the planet is interrupted with cuts to back to Villam’s ship and to some military officials trying to figure out the political conspiracy that caused the ship’s crash in the first place. I understand why these cuts are there--to fill in the mystery and that action is happening even while Villam and Luke are living in their own separate world, but it hurt the pacing for me, and every time I started to feel momentum build up with Villam and Luke’s story, it broke off to cut back to the military investigation. These cuts lowered at around the 50% mark and didn’t pop up again until much later, but I felt like it hurt the pacing for me, and made pushing through more of a drag.
- The writer has a very specific style choice that kept pushing me out. The majority of the story is told through limited 3rd perspective. Depending on the scene, you’re locked in to one character’s POV. But inside of that, you’ll also get the thoughts of that POV in first person speak. I’ve read this before, and it usually works for me, but this time, I kept getting pushed out every time the switch happened. (It happens within paragraphs too. Sentences in third person. Then some in first. Back to third. A paragraph of first person thoughts, etc.) The first few times, I kept wondering if I ran into an editing error, like some dialogue was happening but someone forgot to add the quotation marks.
I wondered if the author had used italics for these first person POV shifts, if it would have been easier. But then again, I understand why the author didn’t use italics since sometimes the first person POV shift was a whole paragraph, and whole paragraphs of italics isn’t always fun to read.
It took me a while to get used to the style, and it kicked me out over and over, which also made this more of a push to read. There was one time late in the book that I had to reread a section to better understand who the narrator was at that moment so I could better connect the sudden insertion of first person POV.
I’m not sure if it was the pacing or the style choices, but I didn’t feel as emotionally connected to the MCs as I wished. I liked the world-building, but I didn’t feel as deeply connected to their trials or outcomes. This might be linked also to Luke’s very intense societal and religious conditioning to distance himself from emotions, which meant he angsted a lot when he was feeling anything, but when the wall finally came down, I didn’t feel a lot of catharsis. I’m happy that the MCs got a nice and satisfying HEA, but didn’t have that deep feeling of satisfaction when finishing the book.
But in the end, it’s a very creative, well-written sci-fi book with a nice romance about two opposites eventually realizing their attraction and deeper love for each other. It already has a lot of good reviews, so my points above may not bother you at all. These were just the things that struck me, and your mileage may vary. If you like sci-fi in your m/m romance, this may be up your alley.
January 29, 2012
I love a good claustrophobic romance, by that I mean the kind of stuck-with-you relationship that develops from the close proximity of the characters, especially when there's a good long build-up and raging sexual tension. I also love believable sci-fi. I also love all things military... Hey, would you look at that, this is book is cover-to-(virtual)-cover full of things that I love. It's a great story about a galactic military officer who ends up stranded on an uninhabited planet with his would-be kidnapper and, well, stuff happens. I found some of the side plot a bit distracting, but there isn't very much of it, so that's okay. The glimpses we get of the fictional universe are interesting and I honestly wouldn't mind reading more about it. If this is indeed the author's first novel, that's pretty impressive.
June 2, 2013
Reviewed on Hearts on Fire.. http://heartsonfirereviews.com/
Villam Elding is totally devoted to the Imperial Empress. He's following the rules and quickly climbing the chain of command. Ittuluke is a monk totally devoted to the harsh goddess Akuna. Taught that emotions are frivolous, he will take the occasional side job to send money back to his native desert world of Siglidunn. When these two very different and idealistic men come head to head on a kidnapping mission gone wrong and being deserted on an empty planet they can either kill each other or fall in love.
I enjoyed this debut novel and the huge disparity between these two powerful men so lost and alone together. Villam has never known anything but the military and never really took the time to get into a serious relationship. Luke has always relied on himself and lived under the repressive laws learned in the monastery that crippled him emotionally. I found the slow build up of first trust then friendship and finally love to be wonderfully penned. The story never lagged or got confusing and the sub-plot of Kardiell's ferreting out just who had Villam eliminated wound perfectly around the main story taking place on the planet. The only real problem that I found with this story was the total lack of passion in the sex scenes even after Luke and Villam gave everything up for each other. This may have been intentional on Ms Jaydon's part or she may just need to polish up her sex scenes. This is an author to watch for in the future as she matures as a writer. I suggest that any fan of sci-fi pick this book up and get lost in the universe.
Villam Elding is totally devoted to the Imperial Empress. He's following the rules and quickly climbing the chain of command. Ittuluke is a monk totally devoted to the harsh goddess Akuna. Taught that emotions are frivolous, he will take the occasional side job to send money back to his native desert world of Siglidunn. When these two very different and idealistic men come head to head on a kidnapping mission gone wrong and being deserted on an empty planet they can either kill each other or fall in love.
I enjoyed this debut novel and the huge disparity between these two powerful men so lost and alone together. Villam has never known anything but the military and never really took the time to get into a serious relationship. Luke has always relied on himself and lived under the repressive laws learned in the monastery that crippled him emotionally. I found the slow build up of first trust then friendship and finally love to be wonderfully penned. The story never lagged or got confusing and the sub-plot of Kardiell's ferreting out just who had Villam eliminated wound perfectly around the main story taking place on the planet. The only real problem that I found with this story was the total lack of passion in the sex scenes even after Luke and Villam gave everything up for each other. This may have been intentional on Ms Jaydon's part or she may just need to polish up her sex scenes. This is an author to watch for in the future as she matures as a writer. I suggest that any fan of sci-fi pick this book up and get lost in the universe.
July 31, 2015
DNF @ 30%.
Maybe because I've read so much science fiction in my days, but the execution of it in this novel was not very engaging.
I also really don't like how the book switches between the MCs on the planet, and the other characters back on the ship. Add that on top of the fact that I couldn't really feel drawn to Luke and Villam at all as individual characters...so I'm just going to call it quits here.
Maybe because I've read so much science fiction in my days, but the execution of it in this novel was not very engaging.
I also really don't like how the book switches between the MCs on the planet, and the other characters back on the ship. Add that on top of the fact that I couldn't really feel drawn to Luke and Villam at all as individual characters...so I'm just going to call it quits here.
June 2, 2013
The story did take quite a while to get going but overall I enjoyed this sci-fi fantasy and would love to read more about General Kardiell and his antics!
October 4, 2018
This rocked totally for me! Space, military, and MM romance, it’s got it all. I love it when an author comes up with a very creative universe. The idea and concept of a soldier’s rank with the Imperial forces is by the color of their dyed hair. So cool! Starts off with a kidnapping gone wrong, sole survivors of crash landing on non colonized planet. This is not an inta-love, but enemies to lovers and opposite attraction, how they build their relationship and trust. And for me the ending was great!
January 9, 2012
Competent Sci-fi mystery. I found Luke's easy acceptance of affection and sex in the end unbelievable, and frankly unecessary. I think it would be ok if he were a bit akward/reluctant about it given his history and it wouldn't have detracted from what he felt for Willam. I also found Willams discharge unbelievable. Other than that it was an excellent story.
February 9, 2015
Personally I really liked this. It's slow and interesting but not for everyone.
October 23, 2025
Enjoyed the silly Romance tropes and overall idea. But a little to uhhhh ‘simple’ and unrealistic for me to love the whole book. The sexual aspect is not how I would have written it 😂🤪 and the hair colors r a littttttle too goofy for me but it’s cool we found this book in a thrift store
March 7, 2012
*** See the full review, including Memorable Quotes and other book recommendations, at GraveTells.com here! ***
Villum is a student of philosophy... steady, loyal, cool under pressure, capable, and driven, this man is more than merely likeable: he commands respect, and is the kind of man I'd want by my side as a friend, lover, or colleague. Raised in a poor society that experiences such a high mortality rate that they condition their children to cut themselves off from emotion, Luke is a monk trained as an assassin, a thief, a pilot... whatever job he can get to bring income to his destitute colony. What should be a simple mission, capture the imperial officer and deliver him to the contact, becomes a battle for survival and a clash of wills as these two remarkable men realize they must work together or die.
This story slowly and meticulously pulls away layer after layer... from the characters, from the intrigues of political mechanisms, from the relationships and beliefs that make up the soul of a people... to reveal love and humanity in its basest form, without deceit or distraction, only truth and acceptance.
What starts out as a survival story slowly becomes an exploration of what makes us who we are and the boundaries we must all cross to reach unconditional self-acceptance. There is love, yes, and sex, but foremost this is a journey of the soul on a slow simmer, riding on the shoulders of two men from vastly different upbringing and mindsets. The pace is leisurely, the introspection meticulous, and the environmental detail vibrant and expressive in unique and visceral ways.
Storms and Stars is not a particularly quick read, nor is it overtly sexual. This is not one of those stories that shines a giant spotlight the sexual orientation of its characters; it doesn't focus on that aspect, giving you just enough tantalizing glimpses into relationships (current and past) to complement and support the story. Now don't get me wrong, this book has sex, and it's pretty hot, but it is neither gratuitous nor excessively explicit. These people love who they love, and all have their own unique sexual preferences, without it having any extra importance to the story. There is no discrimination, no bigotry, only camaraderie and respect. I also liked that while the main characters are in shape, largely due to the demands of their professions, there is no extra emphasis on how drop-dead sexy they are or their rampant sex appeal. Their physical appearances are described through the eyes and feelings of their contemporaries, and their personalities are as important as their looks.
This story has a whole lot of heart. It's not just another romance adventure; it's a trek through the annals of the human soul, catching up survival and all our base emotions to spin them into an unbreakable web of desire and need and companionship. This is a novel for a rainy day or a lazy afternoon. Read it slowly and enjoy Ms. Jaydon's artistry and insight into what makes us tick when we've stripped away all the polish, responsibilities, and societal expectations. Storms and Stars is a recommended read!
Original review by DaVinciKittie of GraveTells Reviews
*Review copy provided by publisher. No compensation was received for this review and all opinions expressed are the honest opinion of the reviewer, and are not influenced by outside factors.
Villum is a student of philosophy... steady, loyal, cool under pressure, capable, and driven, this man is more than merely likeable: he commands respect, and is the kind of man I'd want by my side as a friend, lover, or colleague. Raised in a poor society that experiences such a high mortality rate that they condition their children to cut themselves off from emotion, Luke is a monk trained as an assassin, a thief, a pilot... whatever job he can get to bring income to his destitute colony. What should be a simple mission, capture the imperial officer and deliver him to the contact, becomes a battle for survival and a clash of wills as these two remarkable men realize they must work together or die.
This story slowly and meticulously pulls away layer after layer... from the characters, from the intrigues of political mechanisms, from the relationships and beliefs that make up the soul of a people... to reveal love and humanity in its basest form, without deceit or distraction, only truth and acceptance.
What starts out as a survival story slowly becomes an exploration of what makes us who we are and the boundaries we must all cross to reach unconditional self-acceptance. There is love, yes, and sex, but foremost this is a journey of the soul on a slow simmer, riding on the shoulders of two men from vastly different upbringing and mindsets. The pace is leisurely, the introspection meticulous, and the environmental detail vibrant and expressive in unique and visceral ways.
Storms and Stars is not a particularly quick read, nor is it overtly sexual. This is not one of those stories that shines a giant spotlight the sexual orientation of its characters; it doesn't focus on that aspect, giving you just enough tantalizing glimpses into relationships (current and past) to complement and support the story. Now don't get me wrong, this book has sex, and it's pretty hot, but it is neither gratuitous nor excessively explicit. These people love who they love, and all have their own unique sexual preferences, without it having any extra importance to the story. There is no discrimination, no bigotry, only camaraderie and respect. I also liked that while the main characters are in shape, largely due to the demands of their professions, there is no extra emphasis on how drop-dead sexy they are or their rampant sex appeal. Their physical appearances are described through the eyes and feelings of their contemporaries, and their personalities are as important as their looks.
This story has a whole lot of heart. It's not just another romance adventure; it's a trek through the annals of the human soul, catching up survival and all our base emotions to spin them into an unbreakable web of desire and need and companionship. This is a novel for a rainy day or a lazy afternoon. Read it slowly and enjoy Ms. Jaydon's artistry and insight into what makes us tick when we've stripped away all the polish, responsibilities, and societal expectations. Storms and Stars is a recommended read!
Original review by DaVinciKittie of GraveTells Reviews
*Review copy provided by publisher. No compensation was received for this review and all opinions expressed are the honest opinion of the reviewer, and are not influenced by outside factors.
June 25, 2012
For many years, Villam Elding has worked his way up to becoming one of the youngest Commanders’ of the Imperial Empire. Villam is a philosopher at heart, but he lives and breathes the military, and by the honor of the Imperial’s code. Although he has a few friends, there are still people will do not like Villam, nor do they like that he’s been promoted to Commander, and vow to destroy Villam and everything he’s worked so hard to achieve.
Ever since Ittuluke (Luke) was sent to the monastery as a child, he’s been trained and ordered to follow the strict rules and regulations of these monks. These monks are considered renegades in many ways and are trained to do some unthinkable acts to support their monastery and the people of Luke’s home planet. When Luke is given the orders to kidnap Villam, it’s business as usual, but when things go wrong and both men are stranded on what looks like a deserted planet, they are forced to work through their differences if they want to stay alive.
It’s really hate at first sight for both men, so it’s not easy for either man to tolerate the other. Their beliefs and code of ethics are so polar opposite, they often butt heads. But, to survive they must work through and question everything they’ve ever known if they are to get along and eventually like each other. As time goes by, both of them start seeing each other for the men they are on the inside, and not what they’ve necessarily been trained to believe. Will they be able to work out their differences and trust in the feelings of love they start to have for one another?
I really loved this book! It’s a perfect mix of Sci-fi/Romance that kept me fascinated with both the heroes’ lives and the interesting and creative situation they found themselves in. Both Villain and Luke are very unique characters that do a lot of soul searching in this book. I loved watching their relationship evolving from enemies to lovers. I also appreciated that this didn’t happen overnight. There were times, both men wanted to literally strangle the other, but they somehow worked through it and ended up falling in love with each other.
The story itself moves very smoothly. I will say it was a tad slow at the beginning, but this is necessary because it gives off a wealth of much needed information. This allows us to see where each character is coming from and why they believe the way they do. But once the story picked up it really moved very fast. Ms. Jaydon has a very descriptive storytelling ability that allowed this reader to easily envision everything that happened in these characters lives.
I did hate to see Storms and Stars come to an end. I would love to see what new adventures Villam and Luke get into. But even if Ms. Jaydon never writes another book about these amazing characters, the ending of the book was extremely satisfying and left me with a huge smile on my face.
Highly Recommended!
Ever since Ittuluke (Luke) was sent to the monastery as a child, he’s been trained and ordered to follow the strict rules and regulations of these monks. These monks are considered renegades in many ways and are trained to do some unthinkable acts to support their monastery and the people of Luke’s home planet. When Luke is given the orders to kidnap Villam, it’s business as usual, but when things go wrong and both men are stranded on what looks like a deserted planet, they are forced to work through their differences if they want to stay alive.
It’s really hate at first sight for both men, so it’s not easy for either man to tolerate the other. Their beliefs and code of ethics are so polar opposite, they often butt heads. But, to survive they must work through and question everything they’ve ever known if they are to get along and eventually like each other. As time goes by, both of them start seeing each other for the men they are on the inside, and not what they’ve necessarily been trained to believe. Will they be able to work out their differences and trust in the feelings of love they start to have for one another?
I really loved this book! It’s a perfect mix of Sci-fi/Romance that kept me fascinated with both the heroes’ lives and the interesting and creative situation they found themselves in. Both Villain and Luke are very unique characters that do a lot of soul searching in this book. I loved watching their relationship evolving from enemies to lovers. I also appreciated that this didn’t happen overnight. There were times, both men wanted to literally strangle the other, but they somehow worked through it and ended up falling in love with each other.
The story itself moves very smoothly. I will say it was a tad slow at the beginning, but this is necessary because it gives off a wealth of much needed information. This allows us to see where each character is coming from and why they believe the way they do. But once the story picked up it really moved very fast. Ms. Jaydon has a very descriptive storytelling ability that allowed this reader to easily envision everything that happened in these characters lives.
I did hate to see Storms and Stars come to an end. I would love to see what new adventures Villam and Luke get into. But even if Ms. Jaydon never writes another book about these amazing characters, the ending of the book was extremely satisfying and left me with a huge smile on my face.
Highly Recommended!
June 13, 2014
MM sci-fi - enemies to lovers
It's pretty cute, though it started with a small infodump that didn't seem to actually matter very much in the story. There was a pretty complex political intrigue that didn't really seem to affect the main characters that much, considering that they were the only ones not really involved - the Commander wasn't the type to scheme and plot and Luke kinda forced by his circumstances to do questionable things...
And did I get it right? Luke worked for some rebels that were payed by someone in the army to advance in his career? The rebels were supposed to be willing to work for the enemy because they needed money. What type of rebels do that? That's totally silly. why not simply steal resources from them?
Anyway, despite that, and several other things left unexplained, the actual enemies-forced-to-work-together-that-turn-to-lovers was cute. I like the characters, their fight for survival and I would have liked more of Luke being introduced to romance :) Because of that I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 2.
It's pretty cute, though it started with a small infodump that didn't seem to actually matter very much in the story. There was a pretty complex political intrigue that didn't really seem to affect the main characters that much, considering that they were the only ones not really involved - the Commander wasn't the type to scheme and plot and Luke kinda forced by his circumstances to do questionable things...
And did I get it right? Luke worked for some rebels that were payed by someone in the army to advance in his career? The rebels were supposed to be willing to work for the enemy because they needed money. What type of rebels do that? That's totally silly. why not simply steal resources from them?
Anyway, despite that, and several other things left unexplained, the actual enemies-forced-to-work-together-that-turn-to-lovers was cute. I like the characters, their fight for survival and I would have liked more of Luke being introduced to romance :) Because of that I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 2.
February 23, 2012
All I can say is...WOW!!! This is one of those few books that gave me a good lasting aftertaste. The pacing was perfect and the characters are wonderful. Most of the authors in this genre have a hard time balancing plot/romance/sex but Neena Jaydon got it right on. I love how the definition of home changes throughout the course of the book and at last, they finally figured out where that is.
May 28, 2012
A serviceable sci-fi romance. It doesn't invent the wheel, but the writing is good and the characters are pleasant to spend a little time with. I was particularly taken by Luke, who was cute in his weirdness.
However: a lot of the science fiction aspect of it felt like shoddily-done window-dressing; everything seemed a little bland and distant to me, and when I tried to picture the universe they were existing in, I came up short. This wouldn't be such a big deal in a contemporary or historical novel, where the reader can substitute in prior knowledge to fill gaps, but in sci-fi, so much of the immersion into the book revolves around not just the characters but their world, and that was lacking here. This was Jaydon's universe, and there wasn't nearly enough to it.
However: a lot of the science fiction aspect of it felt like shoddily-done window-dressing; everything seemed a little bland and distant to me, and when I tried to picture the universe they were existing in, I came up short. This wouldn't be such a big deal in a contemporary or historical novel, where the reader can substitute in prior knowledge to fill gaps, but in sci-fi, so much of the immersion into the book revolves around not just the characters but their world, and that was lacking here. This was Jaydon's universe, and there wasn't nearly enough to it.
November 28, 2012
What struck me most about Storms and Stars was how simplistic the plot and character development were compared to how lengthy and often downright tedious the book felt. It would have been substantially improved if it had been cut down to novella length. The story was just not complex enough for a full-length novel. I was particularly frustrated by all the scenes from the perspectives of minor characters. They were boring, and most of them had nothing to do with what was happening between the main characters. Fortunately, I did enjoy the romance. I liked the gradual development of Villam's and Luke's feelings for each other. They were both interesting, likable characters and they fit together well. Still, over all, this was a slightly disappointing read.
November 12, 2012
4.5 I wasn't sure where this was going at the start but this turned out to be a very good sci fi romance. There was some confusion in the beginning due to the difficulty distinguishing names and ranks but I do prefer this style where we're shown rather than just told the story.
February 20, 2012
i rather enjoyed this book and look forward to reading future works by this author!
March 20, 2012
That book is very refreshing from the plotting view. I really had great time while reading it. Both main character are good written and you don't get bored while going along with there path.
August 13, 2017
This has to be one of the most romantic stories ever. Loved it.
October 8, 2015
Loved it! It was a fun read. ..Wish there was a second book. Can't say more because it would spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it yet. Highly recommend.
April 25, 2014
4 stars just because the Chapters with the other chars weren't interesting,i read them,but sometimes,some of them,just annoyed me,i know were usefull for the plot,but each time on those chapters i was like "give me them back,when this endsssssss".For this not 5,but i love the two main chars sooo much and are perfect together,stubborn and full of sarcasm.
Commandar Villam all his life was an imperial soldier,recruit from the age of 13 and from 19 in the academy now he's commandar at the age of 29.His life was the military,the only time he had free he spent off shore with casual encounters,or when on the imperial spaceship,with his superior Kardiell.The two of them were occasional lovers and the much older man was is instructor.All his life changes when he gets kidnapped,and with him all the small spaceship and their passengers,by a youn man some years younger.His name Is Uttuluke,but Villam will know him for Luke,and he'll change his ideals,his heart,him.They crash on inhabited planet,the only two survivors and from enemies they start to collaborate to survive,they build an hut (a refuge) where to live in the winter,they'll pass months on that planet.
The scene in the rain it's awesome.Villam sees Luke in the rain and asks him what he's doing,then comes to him and holds him,Luke then frees himself and starts going to their refuge,Villam sees him walking away and running reaches the younger man,hugs him and kisses him.Luke at start moves away,then stares at Villam,then he grips his jacket pulling him near and now is him kissing the soldier.This scene was sooooooo romantic,i loved it,bcs they always fight,are sarcastic,arrogants,in control,but now in that moment u see how much they have changed.
Their first time happens,after they see other spaceships on the planet not far from their hut,at that moment they were out and was snowing,Luke had never seen the snow.
They dont know what to think about the strangers,but both know they just cant go to them,they decide to go back to the refuge.There both of them are quiet and thinking,also if they didnt express it,both hoped one day to be saved,but at the same time they dont want to lose what they have here.Villam is the first to make a move,he goes to Luke,takes him in his arms.Luke is new to all of that,Villam is his first all,but he's not scared and the older man will guide him.Their first time is gentle and at the same time full of passion.Villam feels like he never did with his other lovers,because he never loved before.
After that,Luke gets kidnapped by the new ppl on the planet,but Villam rescues him with the help of one woman and they leave the planet with one of the strangers' spaceship.Left the woman on a colony they go away but too late see the spaceship needs fuel,they so need to make and emergency lading.Luke is the first to wake up to the sound of ome voices,a woman and a man,and sees a pool of blood under Villam who doesnt answers to him,he tries to get the strangers away from the man,to defend him,but in the end they get both of them.Luckily both are taken to an infirmary.Villam will need more cures bcs when they were on the ship he gave all his food rations to Luke who was ill from the poison his kidnappers gave him to make him tell the truth.
Luke decides to leave Villam,he cant make the man lie for him and become a traitor to defend him,bcs he's sure that's what he will happen when in a few hours,the imperial soldiers,will come to ask him about what happened to him.It hurts to leave him,but he cant risk his life,when he'll be secure to come back,he'll go to him again.
When Villam doesnt see Luke is devastated,the nurse tries to stop him,he still needs to heal,but all he can think is find Luke.In the end he's too weak.Luke abandoned him,he'll not come back.
When he arrives again on his old spaceship,he meets again Kardiell.The older man is happy to see him again and so he hugs him and starts to kiss him gently,but when the kiss becomes passionate Villam turns away.Kardiell asks him way and Villiam answers that he fell in love.Pratically his mind and body cant respond to the general like they did before,and also when the older man tells that he'll give to him a new life,and they will find happines together,he says he cant.
{..."You're choosing someone who's not even here and a life on the ground over me?i though i rated higher in your heart than that"........
....."Sir,is not fair.You had years to make pur relationship serious,and you didn't do it.I'm not telling you i don't love you,i'm saying i can't be with you."}
He now knows he loved the older man also if before he didnt understand what love was,but he cant be with him,because he cant stop thinking about the younger man,also if he abandoned him.(so he thinks)
In the last parts of the book,i think some days after Valliam and the general encounter,Luke is near the military base when a man approches him (im pretty sure is Hije,the commander ex assistant),and tells him that Villam will leave the base tomorrow and was discharged and that he can do what he wants with this information and then leaves.I've to admit that assistant was really cleaver,he understood all before them XD
The next day Villam get guided by his valet Hije towards the hangar and there is Kardeill who gives him a vehicle and tells him to go and write to him,inside he finds a pilot who has an helmet on him,and waves to site in the co-pilot seat,Villam can see the aubrun ponytail under the helmet. IS LUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AND THEY GOT THEM TOGETHER BCS THOSE ARE 2 IDIOTS XD
When they're alsmost in space,Lukes gets off the helmet and Villam punches him in the face.LOL was epic XDDD
and after he asks why he left him,and the younger man says bcs Villam had duties to do,and the older man answers that he said the lies anyway and he gave up all and for him.
{...."You had a duty,"Luke said Stiffly."I couldn't get in the way."
"You don't make my decisions for me!"Villam's voice echoed wildly in the cockpit.
"And it's done,i told the lies.Whatever bonds i had,i threw them away!"........}
{..."Why did yoi--"
" Fir you,you young fool!You're all I--"......}
{....."I don't think of myself as someone who can be owned"........."But i do love you"....}
YES FINALLLYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!
i love when Luke tells "Don't ruin the mood,imperial goat" lol omg nd after they have sex in the spaceship when Luke is still piloting it.
I almost cried when i read those phrases:
{...I couldn't.You had a duty--"............."I have a duty to you!Only you,Luke;you're all that matters to me."......................"Only you,Luke."....}
{...."we lived like the only two person on the planet because we thought we were"........."I need you to know that.."........"That you are still the only person in my world"....}
OMgG when he wants Villam knows how to sweet talk *---*
The books ends after that words,with Villam saying they need to find a planet where to land.
I love them.I'll go read other book of the author bcs is really good.
Commandar Villam all his life was an imperial soldier,recruit from the age of 13 and from 19 in the academy now he's commandar at the age of 29.His life was the military,the only time he had free he spent off shore with casual encounters,or when on the imperial spaceship,with his superior Kardiell.The two of them were occasional lovers and the much older man was is instructor.All his life changes when he gets kidnapped,and with him all the small spaceship and their passengers,by a youn man some years younger.His name Is Uttuluke,but Villam will know him for Luke,and he'll change his ideals,his heart,him.They crash on inhabited planet,the only two survivors and from enemies they start to collaborate to survive,they build an hut (a refuge) where to live in the winter,they'll pass months on that planet.
The scene in the rain it's awesome.Villam sees Luke in the rain and asks him what he's doing,then comes to him and holds him,Luke then frees himself and starts going to their refuge,Villam sees him walking away and running reaches the younger man,hugs him and kisses him.Luke at start moves away,then stares at Villam,then he grips his jacket pulling him near and now is him kissing the soldier.This scene was sooooooo romantic,i loved it,bcs they always fight,are sarcastic,arrogants,in control,but now in that moment u see how much they have changed.
Their first time happens,after they see other spaceships on the planet not far from their hut,at that moment they were out and was snowing,Luke had never seen the snow.
They dont know what to think about the strangers,but both know they just cant go to them,they decide to go back to the refuge.There both of them are quiet and thinking,also if they didnt express it,both hoped one day to be saved,but at the same time they dont want to lose what they have here.Villam is the first to make a move,he goes to Luke,takes him in his arms.Luke is new to all of that,Villam is his first all,but he's not scared and the older man will guide him.Their first time is gentle and at the same time full of passion.Villam feels like he never did with his other lovers,because he never loved before.
After that,Luke gets kidnapped by the new ppl on the planet,but Villam rescues him with the help of one woman and they leave the planet with one of the strangers' spaceship.Left the woman on a colony they go away but too late see the spaceship needs fuel,they so need to make and emergency lading.Luke is the first to wake up to the sound of ome voices,a woman and a man,and sees a pool of blood under Villam who doesnt answers to him,he tries to get the strangers away from the man,to defend him,but in the end they get both of them.Luckily both are taken to an infirmary.Villam will need more cures bcs when they were on the ship he gave all his food rations to Luke who was ill from the poison his kidnappers gave him to make him tell the truth.
Luke decides to leave Villam,he cant make the man lie for him and become a traitor to defend him,bcs he's sure that's what he will happen when in a few hours,the imperial soldiers,will come to ask him about what happened to him.It hurts to leave him,but he cant risk his life,when he'll be secure to come back,he'll go to him again.
When Villam doesnt see Luke is devastated,the nurse tries to stop him,he still needs to heal,but all he can think is find Luke.In the end he's too weak.Luke abandoned him,he'll not come back.
When he arrives again on his old spaceship,he meets again Kardiell.The older man is happy to see him again and so he hugs him and starts to kiss him gently,but when the kiss becomes passionate Villam turns away.Kardiell asks him way and Villiam answers that he fell in love.Pratically his mind and body cant respond to the general like they did before,and also when the older man tells that he'll give to him a new life,and they will find happines together,he says he cant.
{..."You're choosing someone who's not even here and a life on the ground over me?i though i rated higher in your heart than that"........
....."Sir,is not fair.You had years to make pur relationship serious,and you didn't do it.I'm not telling you i don't love you,i'm saying i can't be with you."}
He now knows he loved the older man also if before he didnt understand what love was,but he cant be with him,because he cant stop thinking about the younger man,also if he abandoned him.(so he thinks)
In the last parts of the book,i think some days after Valliam and the general encounter,Luke is near the military base when a man approches him (im pretty sure is Hije,the commander ex assistant),and tells him that Villam will leave the base tomorrow and was discharged and that he can do what he wants with this information and then leaves.I've to admit that assistant was really cleaver,he understood all before them XD
The next day Villam get guided by his valet Hije towards the hangar and there is Kardeill who gives him a vehicle and tells him to go and write to him,inside he finds a pilot who has an helmet on him,and waves to site in the co-pilot seat,Villam can see the aubrun ponytail under the helmet. IS LUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AND THEY GOT THEM TOGETHER BCS THOSE ARE 2 IDIOTS XD
When they're alsmost in space,Lukes gets off the helmet and Villam punches him in the face.LOL was epic XDDD
and after he asks why he left him,and the younger man says bcs Villam had duties to do,and the older man answers that he said the lies anyway and he gave up all and for him.
{...."You had a duty,"Luke said Stiffly."I couldn't get in the way."
"You don't make my decisions for me!"Villam's voice echoed wildly in the cockpit.
"And it's done,i told the lies.Whatever bonds i had,i threw them away!"........}
{..."Why did yoi--"
" Fir you,you young fool!You're all I--"......}
{....."I don't think of myself as someone who can be owned"........."But i do love you"....}
YES FINALLLYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!
i love when Luke tells "Don't ruin the mood,imperial goat" lol omg nd after they have sex in the spaceship when Luke is still piloting it.
I almost cried when i read those phrases:
{...I couldn't.You had a duty--"............."I have a duty to you!Only you,Luke;you're all that matters to me."......................"Only you,Luke."....}
{...."we lived like the only two person on the planet because we thought we were"........."I need you to know that.."........"That you are still the only person in my world"....}
OMgG when he wants Villam knows how to sweet talk *---*
The books ends after that words,with Villam saying they need to find a planet where to land.
I love them.I'll go read other book of the author bcs is really good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2018
Title provided via Netgalley
I like Science Fiction and MM Romance crossovers. It's hard to get a title that catches everyone's interest because some just like certain aspects to show up in the stories they read. This was one of those things for me. It was well written, and I liked the characters, but the scifi aspect was just not something I could get totally in to.
What got me through it was the enemy to lovers bit. I like that kind of romantic tension and drama because if done right it's taking two relatively opposite characters and bringing them together. I like Villum and Luke's dynamic. Overall the story was ok, I will probably have to rearead it when I'm in the mood for this kind of story, but my initial read didn't thoroughly captivate me.
I like Science Fiction and MM Romance crossovers. It's hard to get a title that catches everyone's interest because some just like certain aspects to show up in the stories they read. This was one of those things for me. It was well written, and I liked the characters, but the scifi aspect was just not something I could get totally in to.
What got me through it was the enemy to lovers bit. I like that kind of romantic tension and drama because if done right it's taking two relatively opposite characters and bringing them together. I like Villum and Luke's dynamic. Overall the story was ok, I will probably have to rearead it when I'm in the mood for this kind of story, but my initial read didn't thoroughly captivate me.
May 1, 2018
I loved this book... I loved it so much that I bought it again although I had it and had read it in 2012.
It's a great sci-fi read, enemies to lovers, with some great detail.
It's a great sci-fi read, enemies to lovers, with some great detail.
October 13, 2020
Spaceships there may be but most of this is basically a survival enemies-to-lovers romance. Not the greatest sci-fi yet pretty nice; an enjoyable read, overall.
Recommend.
Recommend.
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