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Cyborg Shifters #5
Ashes and Metal
No one messed with Gunner. No one.
He was the Jackal, living chaos, the infamous Cyborg banned from civilized society. He was also the only Monster Hunter for the EPED who took the hard jobs, the under-the-table work. Jobs that often left a trail of blood and bones in their wake. When a pirate commandeers his ship, Gunner takes it upon himself to exact a revenge that will ignite a wildfire of rage, death, and torment upon those who made the mistake of taking what was rightfully his.
Elodie has spent most of her life pretending to be a boy to remain alongside her father in space. He’s the only family she has left. When the ship they worked on is attacked, she’s taken prisoner. Every day, she feared that her secret would be discovered—that she’s a woman alone amongst men. When a strange man is dragged into the cell next to hers, she realizes she was living on borrowed time.
He stared at her as if he knew her secret…
---
Warning: Ashes and Metal is a prison horror romance with explicit violence, strong language, and diabiolically heated scenes. Mature readers only.
Book five of Cyborg Shifters, same universe as Stranded in the Stars, every book is a standalone that only subtly builds off of the others.
Book one, Wild Blood (Dommik and Katalina)
Book two, Storm Surge (Stryker and Norah)
Book three, Shark Bite (Netto and Rylie)
Book four, Mutt (Reid and Clara)
Book five, Ashes and Metal (Gunner and Elodie)
Book six, coming soon!
He was the Jackal, living chaos, the infamous Cyborg banned from civilized society. He was also the only Monster Hunter for the EPED who took the hard jobs, the under-the-table work. Jobs that often left a trail of blood and bones in their wake. When a pirate commandeers his ship, Gunner takes it upon himself to exact a revenge that will ignite a wildfire of rage, death, and torment upon those who made the mistake of taking what was rightfully his.
Elodie has spent most of her life pretending to be a boy to remain alongside her father in space. He’s the only family she has left. When the ship they worked on is attacked, she’s taken prisoner. Every day, she feared that her secret would be discovered—that she’s a woman alone amongst men. When a strange man is dragged into the cell next to hers, she realizes she was living on borrowed time.
He stared at her as if he knew her secret…
---
Warning: Ashes and Metal is a prison horror romance with explicit violence, strong language, and diabiolically heated scenes. Mature readers only.
Book five of Cyborg Shifters, same universe as Stranded in the Stars, every book is a standalone that only subtly builds off of the others.
Book one, Wild Blood (Dommik and Katalina)
Book two, Storm Surge (Stryker and Norah)
Book three, Shark Bite (Netto and Rylie)
Book four, Mutt (Reid and Clara)
Book five, Ashes and Metal (Gunner and Elodie)
Book six, coming soon!
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2018
484 people are currently reading
905 people want to read
About the author
Naomi Lucas
42 books1,625 followersNaomi Lucas is an indie author. She loves being creative whether it’s with painting, writing, or making little jingles about her dog, Barracuda, or her cat, Daliah, in the car.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
September 17, 2018
Gunner is half cyborg- half jackal shifter. He happily works for Earthian Planetary Exploration Division collecting monsters from several planets of the universe. He also has a great ship and a few great female sexbots who satisfy his needs and help him operate his ship.
When Gunner is attacked by pirates, his ship is stolen by them and he ends up as a prisoner of them; he can think only of revenge and how he can get his property back. Because nobody NOBODY is allowed to touch what belongs to Gunner.
At the next cell, a young man is also held prisoner. He is lonely and he never talks to anybody. Something is strange about him. He looks like a man, he behaves like a man, but Gunner's inner jackal insists that he is a woman. Unfortunately he is so dirty and Gunner can not have a good snif of him/her in order to decide what he/she is.
Space is not a safe place for women. Thus, Elodie has spent most of her life pretending that she is a man. Her father convinced her that this was the best thing if she wanted to stay and work with him in space.
Now her father and her are prisoners of the pirates. And there is this strange, huge man at the next cell with the gun tattoos on his face that keeps talking to her and never leaves her alone. Obviously everybody have been sure that Elodie is a guy...then why Gunner treat her like a girl sometimes?
This is my favourite book of the series so far! I think it is the longest and the most complete story. And I am sure it can be read as a standalone if you want to try the series. It has everything: space, pirates, cyborgs, shifters, sexy times, bloody times, humour, fake ids (by the way I love stories when a person pretends to be a different gender) and of course space battles!
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August 14, 2021Naomi Lucas does action-y SFR really well. I loved how INTO the heroine Gunner was. His intensity was really cute. However, this had some gun play in it? And I have learned I am not into gun play. Lol. MINOTAURS YES, GUN PLAY NO.
Still motoring through this series! Up next is the bear one. Hopefully this series will tide me over until the next naga book. I SAID WHAT I SAID.
Still motoring through this series! Up next is the bear one. Hopefully this series will tide me over until the next naga book. I SAID WHAT I SAID.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2018
This was probably one of my favorites out of the entire series. Gunner was freaking adorable and so was Ely! HOWEVER, I hated how her dad called her boy throughout the entire fucking book. WE ALL KNEW SHE WAS A GOD DAMN GIRL!
Ashes and Metal is the fifth installment of the Cyborg Shifters series. I don't believe it's going to be the last since that damn cliffhanger and now I'm super stoked for that book. I'm hooked guys. Okay, so this book follows Gunner and Elodie. Gunner is a jackal shifter Cyborg who get's captured while in space. His ship and his sexbot army get taken as well. Low and behold, is day got a little better with his cell mate.
In enters Ely, who is a girl disguised as a boy to survive in this weird ass world. Her dad used to a prisoner as well until the day he went rogue and volunteered to be a recruitment for the pirate ship. Of course the other guys in cells give her shit because she doesn't talk. She's smart because she doesn't want anyone to know her big secret - because everything would change. Well, Gunner figures it out and things do start to change.. between them.
The romance was so good! It was a slow burn one and when we got the smutty goodness, it was on fire! I also really liked how this book had an actual story to it. This wasn't just about sex or some weird cyborg shifting kind of sex either. I enjoyed the whole thing and now I can't wait to dive into Seph's story - whenever that comes out!
Overall, I'm really glad that I stuck with this series. It just keeps getting better and better.
Ashes and Metal is the fifth installment of the Cyborg Shifters series. I don't believe it's going to be the last since that damn cliffhanger and now I'm super stoked for that book. I'm hooked guys. Okay, so this book follows Gunner and Elodie. Gunner is a jackal shifter Cyborg who get's captured while in space. His ship and his sexbot army get taken as well. Low and behold, is day got a little better with his cell mate.
In enters Ely, who is a girl disguised as a boy to survive in this weird ass world. Her dad used to a prisoner as well until the day he went rogue and volunteered to be a recruitment for the pirate ship. Of course the other guys in cells give her shit because she doesn't talk. She's smart because she doesn't want anyone to know her big secret - because everything would change. Well, Gunner figures it out and things do start to change.. between them.
The romance was so good! It was a slow burn one and when we got the smutty goodness, it was on fire! I also really liked how this book had an actual story to it. This wasn't just about sex or some weird cyborg shifting kind of sex either. I enjoyed the whole thing and now I can't wait to dive into Seph's story - whenever that comes out!
Overall, I'm really glad that I stuck with this series. It just keeps getting better and better.
February 8, 2019
WOW!!! Once again, I am blown away by Naomi's writing. Not only did the incredible imagery put me in the story, but I loved that this book wasn't one where the two main characters meet and immediately have sex. The future world was clearly visible in my mind's eye.
On how I wish for a Gunner! The characters were amazing and well developed.
No one messed with Gunner. No one.
He was the Jackal, living chaos, the infamous Cyborg banned from civilized society. He was also the only Monster Hunter for the EPED who took the hard jobs, the under-the-table work.
Elodie has spent most of her life pretending to be a boy to remain alongside her father in space. He’s the only family she has left. When the ship they worked on is attacked, she’s taken prisoner. Every day, she feared that her secret would be discovered—that she’s a woman alone amongst men. When a strange man is dragged into the cell next to hers, she realizes she was living on borrowed time.
He stared at her as if he knew her secret…
Warning: Ashes and Metal is a prison horror romance with explicit violence, strong language, and diabiolically heated scenes. Mature readers only.
“You like this?” Snarl and shove. “My gun inside you?” Flickering eyes and straining muscles. “It doesn’t get tired.” He leaned into her and nipped her ear. “It only gets used.”
“I like you,”
“Even if I fuck you with every weapon in my arsenal?”
Thrust, probe, vibrate. So close.
“Yes!” she shouted, rising up to finally capture his open mouth to stop him from talking. The moment their lips touched, the gun clattered to the floor.
OHHH Gunner!
December 1, 2024
“A pretty boy…or a beautiful girl.”
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🩵🖤❤️💜💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: ☺️😍🥰😁😋
The heroine: Elodie - she was raised by her father in space, he traveled from place to place taking jobs that were too dangerous for a woman, so she had been disguising herself as a boy from a young age. She is now tall and thin with very small breasts so that helps, but some of the men get an inkling at times, or they just like boys. However, after their last stint on a mining platform, they were captured by pirates and her dad tries to protect her by joining up with the cruel pirates.
The Hero: Gunner - he is a cyborg shifter. His other form is a jackal. He works as a monster hunter for the EPED (Earthian Planetary Exploration Division), and he is sent after the worst of the monsters in the Galaxy, many of which are human. The EPED gives him those jobs because he can handle them better than anyone else and because they don’t care if he comes back. He has been banned from everywhere around Earth and hangs out alone, with his droids on his ship in the far reaches of space.
The Story: After Elodie’s dad joins the ranks of the pirates, she is left in her own little cell in the brig. Surrounded by men in the other cells. She is starved much of the time, and she has to keep her secret no matter what. When the pirates find Gunner, he is knocked unconscious, and his ship is taken. Then he is put in the cell next to Elodie.
I really liked this book. It had a good premise, a great story and some very steamy scenes. I liked the fact that they were prisoners for so long and though Gunner knew he would be able to escape, he had to stay long enough to find out where the pirates took his ship.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🩵🖤❤️💜💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: ☺️😍🥰😁😋
The heroine: Elodie - she was raised by her father in space, he traveled from place to place taking jobs that were too dangerous for a woman, so she had been disguising herself as a boy from a young age. She is now tall and thin with very small breasts so that helps, but some of the men get an inkling at times, or they just like boys. However, after their last stint on a mining platform, they were captured by pirates and her dad tries to protect her by joining up with the cruel pirates.
The Hero: Gunner - he is a cyborg shifter. His other form is a jackal. He works as a monster hunter for the EPED (Earthian Planetary Exploration Division), and he is sent after the worst of the monsters in the Galaxy, many of which are human. The EPED gives him those jobs because he can handle them better than anyone else and because they don’t care if he comes back. He has been banned from everywhere around Earth and hangs out alone, with his droids on his ship in the far reaches of space.
The Story: After Elodie’s dad joins the ranks of the pirates, she is left in her own little cell in the brig. Surrounded by men in the other cells. She is starved much of the time, and she has to keep her secret no matter what. When the pirates find Gunner, he is knocked unconscious, and his ship is taken. Then he is put in the cell next to Elodie.
“It was a game of Russian roulette with his employers. It was easy for the EPED to put him on missions that were more likely to cause his death than not. He was expendable and always would be. But he was also an asset because he never. Fucking. Died.”.
“No. No way. Cyborgs were a creation of the past, for a war that had ended before she was born. She knew about them, not as a reality, but as a legend. They went down in history like gladiators, cowboys, medieval knights. Existed once but no longer.”
I really liked this book. It had a good premise, a great story and some very steamy scenes. I liked the fact that they were prisoners for so long and though Gunner knew he would be able to escape, he had to stay long enough to find out where the pirates took his ship.
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July 25, 2018
3.5 (conflicted) stars.
Well.
I think a cyborg is a man/machine, like the Terminator? Let's not leave at that- let's add a shapeshifter element through the use of jackal DNA. OK. I think I got that. So what are we left with?
A computer that has the shape of a man, with emotions, a mind-numbingingly powerful sex-drive (coupled with mega-penis and all the requisite bodily fluids) and the capacity to turn into a metal-based jackal that has a need to eat dead people. Who said romance was dead?
Well. Again. I admit this is the 5th in the series but I read it first anyway, because the reviews implied the books got progressively better. Still, my imagination was working over-time trying to grasp all the details, and I have to say I loved that about this book. I was totally immersed in the story, which is a good thing.
The characters were interesting, especially Gunner, our mutant cyborg. He was also extremely disturbing. He had this thing for guns, even had 'em tattooed on his cheeks... lovely. And this obsession with weapons and what he wanted to do with them in regards to our heroine, Elodie, not to mention what he actually did do with his gun was.....hmmm....frankly, I was so horrified I felt a bit ill. I could go on about his weird predilection for marking territory like a dog- yes, really- and rubbing his semen all over Elodie's body (more scent marking) but I will leave it there. The sex is gritty and fairly explicit, but actually gets better in the course of the book. That first shocking encounter (for me) is not repeated, thank God!
And yet, there were aspects of his character that I really loved. There was even a tenderness and desperate need to be loved, along with his clear acknowledgement to himself that he loved and needed her.
Elodie was a tough cookie who could handle what he dished out and I admired her courage and loyalty. They were a good pair and complemented each other. The relationship she had with her father was problematic for me, and his action on the pirate ship never really made sense to me. He should have explained his plan to her. He was just a strange dad.
All in all, quite a fascinating book in many ways, also a tad off-putting and weird. But I think that goes with the territory, and I have to say the author did a bang-up job of building her world and bringing her characters to life. Cool concepts and lots of action (and gore, if you like that, too.) I am going to try another one in the series- I think book 3 sounds interesting- and I am actually pretty excited to have found this series through my GR friends newsfeeds.
Let's hope we don't have any more of this "gun-play", though.
Well.
I think a cyborg is a man/machine, like the Terminator? Let's not leave at that- let's add a shapeshifter element through the use of jackal DNA. OK. I think I got that. So what are we left with?
A computer that has the shape of a man, with emotions, a mind-numbingingly powerful sex-drive (coupled with mega-penis and all the requisite bodily fluids) and the capacity to turn into a metal-based jackal that has a need to eat dead people. Who said romance was dead?
Well. Again. I admit this is the 5th in the series but I read it first anyway, because the reviews implied the books got progressively better. Still, my imagination was working over-time trying to grasp all the details, and I have to say I loved that about this book. I was totally immersed in the story, which is a good thing.
The characters were interesting, especially Gunner, our mutant cyborg. He was also extremely disturbing. He had this thing for guns, even had 'em tattooed on his cheeks... lovely. And this obsession with weapons and what he wanted to do with them in regards to our heroine, Elodie, not to mention what he actually did do with his gun was.....hmmm....frankly, I was so horrified I felt a bit ill. I could go on about his weird predilection for marking territory like a dog- yes, really- and rubbing his semen all over Elodie's body (more scent marking) but I will leave it there. The sex is gritty and fairly explicit, but actually gets better in the course of the book. That first shocking encounter (for me) is not repeated, thank God!
And yet, there were aspects of his character that I really loved. There was even a tenderness and desperate need to be loved, along with his clear acknowledgement to himself that he loved and needed her.
Elodie was a tough cookie who could handle what he dished out and I admired her courage and loyalty. They were a good pair and complemented each other. The relationship she had with her father was problematic for me, and his action on the pirate ship never really made sense to me. He should have explained his plan to her. He was just a strange dad.
All in all, quite a fascinating book in many ways, also a tad off-putting and weird. But I think that goes with the territory, and I have to say the author did a bang-up job of building her world and bringing her characters to life. Cool concepts and lots of action (and gore, if you like that, too.) I am going to try another one in the series- I think book 3 sounds interesting- and I am actually pretty excited to have found this series through my GR friends newsfeeds.
Let's hope we don't have any more of this "gun-play", though.
May 4, 2024
3.5 stars 𓏲࣪ ˖࣪ ✶
this was so so good !! i absolutely loved the dynamic between elodie and gunner, and my man is so cute <3 although i do wish there was more characterization / personality for elodie as i felt she was a bit….bland? and the book could have maybe delved deeper in their feelings, but honestly i enjoyed this book a lot !! def reccomend if you’re looking for some action / sci-fi romance with a good amount of spice 🦋
this was so so good !! i absolutely loved the dynamic between elodie and gunner, and my man is so cute <3 although i do wish there was more characterization / personality for elodie as i felt she was a bit….bland? and the book could have maybe delved deeper in their feelings, but honestly i enjoyed this book a lot !! def reccomend if you’re looking for some action / sci-fi romance with a good amount of spice 🦋
May 5, 2018
Absolutely love this series! I've anticipated Gunner's book since he was first mentioned and I was not disappointed!
February 9, 2019
In a far distant future when science pushes the realm of possibles, hybrid cyborgs were created. Part man, part machine, part animal, these individuals were created as military weapons though no one could have foreseen how this fusion could go wrong until it does.
Gunner, fused with a jackal, is one of those experiments gone wrong. Though tolerated, it's not safe to allow him to interact with mainstream humanity which is why he's regularly assigned to the farthest regions of the universe as a seeker/retriever for EPED (Earthian Planetary Exploration Division). Not a problem as Gunner's good with a solitary lifestyle in his own claimed territory in a ship surrounded by his own non-human crew who attends to his every needs.
When a good deed goes wrong, Gunner lands up as a prisoner in the clutches of space pirates. While his animal wants to punish, his human side wants to gather intel, and his cyborg side just wants to survive, all three agree on one thing, a fellow prisoner is tempting Guner as no one else ever has. What is it about Ely that has him so obsessed.
* * * *
In this the fifth installment in the "Cyborg Shifter" series, the author has featured a character that I've been a fan of early on. Able to be read as a stand alone, this story provided me with endless joy and happiness.
Truth. I've been a fan of this series since the first installment but honestly didn't think it was going to be a viable series on the whole as the male leads were not popular/mainstream individuals. I mean seriously, spiders, snakes and sharks, oh my. Yet, the author is staying with it and gaining fans for which I'm thrilled to see. Seriously, potential readers, 'icky' animals need love too and can be deliciously cute and cuddly.
Gunner & Ely (Elodie). Put together by chance, these two needed to be saved little realizing the actual saving was multi-faceted. Caged prisoners, they needed the obvious saving from that, then needed to be saved from their baggage, finally being saved by each other. For those who are on a need to know, adult content scenes do happen but are not a focal aspect of the story, and, Gunner uses his namesake (think Gunner in a literal sense) in a sex toy sort of way. 😉
Secondary characters. There are cameo appearances from previous characters in the series and introduce others who will probably be featured in future ones. Other secondary characters are those who are fellow prisoner and crew of the pirated ship that support the world building and serve as foils for the main characters. Ely's father Chesnik. Not going to share my opinion on him as daddy dearest is a character readers will either love or not.
My only issue is that the author left certain scenes/characters in the story open and/or unresolved i.e. Nickel Smith & person "in the cell across from you". It's not just the obvious characters who need closure in my mind.
I am a fan of the series as the author has a refreshing voice and writing style. She provides a mystery-suspense story that gives a reader much to ponder along with an emotional experience that premises a romance element for characters who seem unloveable. That because of their mere appearance and attributes they are unworthy. Thanks Ms. Author for making the impossible possible and keep on keeping on. Next up should be Zeph. Can't wait.
Gunner, fused with a jackal, is one of those experiments gone wrong. Though tolerated, it's not safe to allow him to interact with mainstream humanity which is why he's regularly assigned to the farthest regions of the universe as a seeker/retriever for EPED (Earthian Planetary Exploration Division). Not a problem as Gunner's good with a solitary lifestyle in his own claimed territory in a ship surrounded by his own non-human crew who attends to his every needs.
When a good deed goes wrong, Gunner lands up as a prisoner in the clutches of space pirates. While his animal wants to punish, his human side wants to gather intel, and his cyborg side just wants to survive, all three agree on one thing, a fellow prisoner is tempting Guner as no one else ever has. What is it about Ely that has him so obsessed.
* * * *
In this the fifth installment in the "Cyborg Shifter" series, the author has featured a character that I've been a fan of early on. Able to be read as a stand alone, this story provided me with endless joy and happiness.
Truth. I've been a fan of this series since the first installment but honestly didn't think it was going to be a viable series on the whole as the male leads were not popular/mainstream individuals. I mean seriously, spiders, snakes and sharks, oh my. Yet, the author is staying with it and gaining fans for which I'm thrilled to see. Seriously, potential readers, 'icky' animals need love too and can be deliciously cute and cuddly.
Gunner & Ely (Elodie). Put together by chance, these two needed to be saved little realizing the actual saving was multi-faceted. Caged prisoners, they needed the obvious saving from that, then needed to be saved from their baggage, finally being saved by each other. For those who are on a need to know, adult content scenes do happen but are not a focal aspect of the story, and, Gunner uses his namesake (think Gunner in a literal sense) in a sex toy sort of way. 😉
Secondary characters. There are cameo appearances from previous characters in the series and introduce others who will probably be featured in future ones. Other secondary characters are those who are fellow prisoner and crew of the pirated ship that support the world building and serve as foils for the main characters. Ely's father Chesnik. Not going to share my opinion on him as daddy dearest is a character readers will either love or not.
My only issue is that the author left certain scenes/characters in the story open and/or unresolved i.e. Nickel Smith & person "in the cell across from you". It's not just the obvious characters who need closure in my mind.
I am a fan of the series as the author has a refreshing voice and writing style. She provides a mystery-suspense story that gives a reader much to ponder along with an emotional experience that premises a romance element for characters who seem unloveable. That because of their mere appearance and attributes they are unworthy. Thanks Ms. Author for making the impossible possible and keep on keeping on. Next up should be Zeph. Can't wait.
February 26, 2024
3.5 Stars
This is my kind of sci-fi romance. An alien looking alien with questionable morals paired with a mentally tough human… danger, a developed relationship, violence, action. YUM Not to mention, an independent plot that has minimal mention of previous characters and can easily be read as a standalone. There was just one problem… the middle dragged so hard.
The blurb sets this up, Elodie has been posing as a boy (Ely) for years working with her father when they’re captured by pirates. She’s desperate to keep up the charade because things would go from bad to unbearable if the crew learned her secret. Things are looking bleak when she gets a new cell neighbor, Gunner. The blurb is misleading because Gunner suspects Ely might be be a female, but he isn’t sure and waivers for a huge hunk of the book.
The Good
🟩 I loved both mc’s. Gunner was badass and Elodie was tough. They both were loyal to each other.
🟩 The action parts were awesome… violent, bloody, and dangerous.
🟩 The last 40% was great.
The not-so Good
❌ The is he a she went on for too long. Ely wouldn’t speak for fear of giving herself away, so things got very boring for a while.
❌ The friendship attraction took A LONG time to get going. They meet around 16% and she doesn’t really start having conversations until around 37%. It’s a lot of pages.
❌ The epilogue sets up the next book instead of giving us a future with the H and h.
Bottom Line- The older cover was much cooler than this cringe jackal robot one, but if you can look past it (and have patience) this has potential to be a good read. I loved the premise, but IMO it was about 140 pages too long. I was super disappointed that the 2 epilogues didn’t give us an in the distant future update. I do think this could easily be a 4-5 star read for more patient readers.
This is my kind of sci-fi romance. An alien looking alien with questionable morals paired with a mentally tough human… danger, a developed relationship, violence, action. YUM Not to mention, an independent plot that has minimal mention of previous characters and can easily be read as a standalone. There was just one problem… the middle dragged so hard.
The blurb sets this up, Elodie has been posing as a boy (Ely) for years working with her father when they’re captured by pirates. She’s desperate to keep up the charade because things would go from bad to unbearable if the crew learned her secret. Things are looking bleak when she gets a new cell neighbor, Gunner. The blurb is misleading because Gunner suspects Ely might be be a female, but he isn’t sure and waivers for a huge hunk of the book.
The Good
🟩 I loved both mc’s. Gunner was badass and Elodie was tough. They both were loyal to each other.
🟩 The action parts were awesome… violent, bloody, and dangerous.
🟩 The last 40% was great.
The not-so Good
❌ The is he a she went on for too long. Ely wouldn’t speak for fear of giving herself away, so things got very boring for a while.
❌ The friendship attraction took A LONG time to get going. They meet around 16% and she doesn’t really start having conversations until around 37%. It’s a lot of pages.
❌ The epilogue sets up the next book instead of giving us a future with the H and h.
Bottom Line- The older cover was much cooler than this cringe jackal robot one, but if you can look past it (and have patience) this has potential to be a good read. I loved the premise, but IMO it was about 140 pages too long. I was super disappointed that the 2 epilogues didn’t give us an in the distant future update. I do think this could easily be a 4-5 star read for more patient readers.
May 13, 2018
I loved this slow burn story as much as the first one in the series, and for 60% of the book taking place as captives in the brig of a pirate vessel, it is quite engaging. It’s obviously very character driven, but what interesting characters they are. And once Gunner and Elodie get together, the heat is pretty amazing, too—Gunner being all growly and saying “mine” all the time. I highly recommend this book, especially if you’re already a fan of the series!
May 8, 2022
I love a good alien romance and when I get started I tend to binge them. Which this book did for me. I’m not a huge fan of intergalactic freighter travelling so I was hesitant to pick this up. Which is why I read Mutt in July but didn’t continue until now. Ashes and Metal is the fifth installment of the Cyborg Shifters series of what is currently 8 books. I am not sure how a cyborg jackal shifter's best description is adorable but that is Gunner even if he has face tattoos . Ely or Elodie was decent which is a high mark of praise in a space Sci-fi romance.
Elodie having to cross dress for her own safety was a concern for me but it was handled decently. Though her dad pissed me off and always called her boy. That would piss me off if she was a boy. Come up with a nice nickname or call her/him her/his name.
The romance was a SLOW burn which I loved. I like some hot smuttiness but let’s be real if you are a abducted/enslaved woman consensually having sex with the hero within the first third of the book, you need to evaluate that character. This was not the case. Though I did have some problems with her bartering Also, the use of guns as sex toys is a turn off but I skimmed those parts. Even if the safety is on, that is just asking to get shot by lazer.
To conclude, I’m glad I hoped back in after seven months and maybe I’ll binge to get caught up with Book 9 - Wings and Teeth that comes out in March 2022. I’m glad I didn’t write off this series.
Elodie having to cross dress for her own safety was a concern for me but it was handled decently. Though her dad pissed me off and always called her boy. That would piss me off if she was a boy. Come up with a nice nickname or call her/him her/his name.
The romance was a SLOW burn which I loved. I like some hot smuttiness but let’s be real if you are a abducted/enslaved woman consensually having sex with the hero within the first third of the book, you need to evaluate that character. This was not the case. Though I did have some problems with her bartering Also, the use of guns as sex toys is a turn off but I skimmed those parts. Even if the safety is on, that is just asking to get shot by lazer.
To conclude, I’m glad I hoped back in after seven months and maybe I’ll binge to get caught up with Book 9 - Wings and Teeth that comes out in March 2022. I’m glad I didn’t write off this series.
August 18, 2018
have you got your tickets?
to the gunner show
this book is awesome! Loved every last second of it.
And it was the Gunner show, who cares about the Heroine when you've got an alpha male like this.
Gunner you are getting a full 21 gun salute for your egotistical, panty melting, beastly ways
I have never read any of the other books in this cyborg shifter series, that didn't make a lick of difference its very standalone Naomi makes it easy to pick up whats happening.
So what the hell is a cyborg shifter you ask?
Its an Alien cyborg who can transform into an animal ....of course
So why did I read this one and not any of the other 4 in the series? the blurb in this completely drew in me, its at least 4 of my favourite things wrapped in one wonderfully written book
✔Alien
✔2 people in prison in the cells beside each other
✔1 a girl pretending to be a boy for her own safety
✔1 a lunatic Alien cyborg who think he owns everything he see's
Gunner is one of the most conceited, possessive, animalistic characters I have read, and he was amazing. A cyborg so obsessed with guns he has 2 tattooed on his face and an army of sexbots named after Firearms genius
from peeing on his territory to claiming Elodie's words, he was a narcissistic joy
“Everything I touch is mine. For as long as I want it to be,” he stated.
“Elodie.” “What?” She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “My name’s Elodie.” “Elodie,” he repeated. “I like it. It’s mine now.”
The things he does with his auto-mag is probably illegal somewhere in the world....but daum it was HAWT
do you love Alien romance hot and smutty with a delicious build-up
If you do this is a must read
to the gunner show
this book is awesome! Loved every last second of it.
And it was the Gunner show, who cares about the Heroine when you've got an alpha male like this.
Gunner you are getting a full 21 gun salute for your egotistical, panty melting, beastly ways
I have never read any of the other books in this cyborg shifter series, that didn't make a lick of difference its very standalone Naomi makes it easy to pick up whats happening.
So what the hell is a cyborg shifter you ask?
Its an Alien cyborg who can transform into an animal ....of course
So why did I read this one and not any of the other 4 in the series? the blurb in this completely drew in me, its at least 4 of my favourite things wrapped in one wonderfully written book
✔Alien
✔2 people in prison in the cells beside each other
✔1 a girl pretending to be a boy for her own safety
✔1 a lunatic Alien cyborg who think he owns everything he see's
Gunner is one of the most conceited, possessive, animalistic characters I have read, and he was amazing. A cyborg so obsessed with guns he has 2 tattooed on his face and an army of sexbots named after Firearms genius
from peeing on his territory to claiming Elodie's words, he was a narcissistic joy
“Everything I touch is mine. For as long as I want it to be,” he stated.
“Elodie.” “What?” She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “My name’s Elodie.” “Elodie,” he repeated. “I like it. It’s mine now.”
The things he does with his auto-mag is probably illegal somewhere in the world....but daum it was HAWT
do you love Alien romance hot and smutty with a delicious build-up
If you do this is a must read
October 26, 2023
THIS is what I’ve been wanting from this series
Gunner was a good psycho MMC, although he could have used just a little more psycho energy towards the end. Elodie was a good FMC, and I liked that she was tall and able to blend as a boy/man because of it. I HATED her dad, but I’m pretty sure we are supposed to. He just sucked.
This was a good new environment for the book series, dealing with human monsters rather than monstrous monsters.
Spice: 3.5/5
Triggers: dubcon/Quid pro Quo-ish, captivity, severe malnutrition, violence, gore, murder, child endangerment and neglect (off page), sexual harrassment
Gunner was a good psycho MMC, although he could have used just a little more psycho energy towards the end. Elodie was a good FMC, and I liked that she was tall and able to blend as a boy/man because of it. I HATED her dad, but I’m pretty sure we are supposed to. He just sucked.
This was a good new environment for the book series, dealing with human monsters rather than monstrous monsters.
Spice: 3.5/5
Triggers: dubcon/Quid pro Quo-ish, captivity, severe malnutrition, violence, gore, murder, child endangerment and neglect (off page), sexual harrassment
May 18, 2018
I was really anticipating Gunner's book, he has guns tattooed on his face.
The first half of the book they're both locked up in the pirates' jail. She talks a lot about how dirty she is and hasn't had a bath in weeks.
Right before they have sex for the first time, her father is there and tells her not to. Not very sexy. And Gunner likes to use his guns on her during sex. I stopped reading the book at that point.
Earlier books in the series were much better.
The first half of the book they're both locked up in the pirates' jail. She talks a lot about how dirty she is and hasn't had a bath in weeks.
Right before they have sex for the first time, her father is there and tells her not to. Not very sexy. And Gunner likes to use his guns on her during sex. I stopped reading the book at that point.
Earlier books in the series were much better.
December 22, 2020
What I admire about Naomi Lucas is that she seems to write what she wants to write without worrying about putting off the fans. Sometimes it works for me, sometimes it doesn't.
In this case it really worked and all her creativity pays off in a very satisfying way.
In this case it really worked and all her creativity pays off in a very satisfying way.
June 21, 2021
Cover is quite beautiful! Content is not.
Gunner is interesting character.
Gunner is interesting character.
June 2, 2018
5++ stars! I loved this book. It kept me reading into the night.
Engaging, hot, great character development...
what more do you need?
Definite keeper!
Engaging, hot, great character development...
what more do you need?
Definite keeper!
May 13, 2018
B o r I n g .......
Ok,not trying to spoil but I really did not like this book.....
Over for over 12 chapters out 24 soo at least 1/2 the book is mostly Ely/Elodie Thinking in her head trying to stay calm and invisible and basically saying the say poo ( not the word I want) over and over and over, not wanting to trust wanting to be overly careful,yada,yada,yada....
Yeah, ok, in her situation that’s makes perfect sense, only woman trying hide and survive on a ship fully of mostly evil and vile men,sure but after 7 chapters that felt like twice as many I was ready to scream...
This book moved at a snails 🐌 pace,Gunner who’s supposed to be such big bad evil shifter cyborg, get caught stupidly easy and then takes forever to get where he finally wants to make his move after playing “look who’s superior “ cat and mouse games with the crew.....
Picking and choosing his time to slip in and out of his cell to go on little killing sprees, all the while trying to patiently out wait Ely and get her to talk. And open up to him.....
While I tried in vain not to die of boredom !
This was soo not fun,rinse and repeat it seem to be,another day where the guards come and threatened them, Ely tried to be stoic and Gunner was cocky and almost seemed to beg for even a grain of Ely’s attention.....
Ely, while understanding her predicament,was about as interesting as a bag of sand in the desert 🌵 and while Gunner was a happy lil psychopath I couldn’t connect with him or find either fun or interesting....
Some * rolls my eyes* reviewer liked them to joker and Harley Quinn because of lame @#$ gun play Gunner w/Ely sexually , nods yep, real gun and privates places, while personally I find it kinda sick as well ( and I know ppl who do some wild @#$& who are into BDSM) ( for real) I’d disconnected from the story soo much at that point I didn’t really care...
Personally it felt like a bunch of @#$& just thrown in for shock value...
You know Gunner is soo crazed and psycho, what when his woman is missing, in order to come down from his killing spree he needs to use more than the weapon between his legs on what he considers his woman...
But you know, like I said that long s l o w build up, in the cells didn’t build a relationship between me and the characters it tore it down ...
If these two had had chemistry and Gunner had sparked something between them from the get go, and they had true chemistry you could feel that fed off of each other where your feeling the slow burn,and by the time it gets there your like
‘Yeah,baby! Pllllleeeaaassseee!
But this was a rabid dog and timid mouse for over 1/2 the story drowning us in monotony and then by the time it decided to take off ,I no longer cared ....
And all that gun garbage might have been at least a little hot, maybe if it was a shared fantasy or something but to got from *cold* scared mouse,to from him leaving a trail of bodies ,ordering her father to leave the room if he doesn’t want to a) be killed or b) be killed and watch his daughter have said with said psychopath ....
O and this is after father and daughter have been eluding to a time when father and daughter got drunk together on say her 18th or something and dad passes out and she leaves their quarters to use a toilet and you get the idea she was raped or close to it... and in comes our psycho to use a gun on her sexually ...
I know Ms.Lucas’s books are supposed to be dark and edgy but this just felt weird , a lil sick and in poor taste...
Personally I’d like to think Harley and Joker would be more fun or at least the set up to it would make more sense...
I loved Dommik and Kat❣️❣️❣️❣️
I couldn’t stand Stryker and Norah, one) Norah was such a pill,I can take care of myself one minute and clingy the next and two) I’ve loved water 💦 my whole life,nothing soothes me like water but between the evil in it trying to drown them and kill them and taking almost 75% of the book at least just get off that stupid planet , I wanted to go spend a week in the desert 🌵 by the time it as over there soo much damn water...
I skipped the last two and while I love the idea of cyborg shifters after this I don’t think I’ll, be back....
Ms. Lucas I think your a very talented writer but this book was honestly painful for me to read, and this why I wrote this long review soo I could get my pain out and move on...
I doubt my review will matter in the scheme of things but it’s helping me feel better...
All the best...
Ok,not trying to spoil but I really did not like this book.....
Over for over 12 chapters out 24 soo at least 1/2 the book is mostly Ely/Elodie Thinking in her head trying to stay calm and invisible and basically saying the say poo ( not the word I want) over and over and over, not wanting to trust wanting to be overly careful,yada,yada,yada....
Yeah, ok, in her situation that’s makes perfect sense, only woman trying hide and survive on a ship fully of mostly evil and vile men,sure but after 7 chapters that felt like twice as many I was ready to scream...
This book moved at a snails 🐌 pace,Gunner who’s supposed to be such big bad evil shifter cyborg, get caught stupidly easy and then takes forever to get where he finally wants to make his move after playing “look who’s superior “ cat and mouse games with the crew.....
Picking and choosing his time to slip in and out of his cell to go on little killing sprees, all the while trying to patiently out wait Ely and get her to talk. And open up to him.....
While I tried in vain not to die of boredom !
This was soo not fun,rinse and repeat it seem to be,another day where the guards come and threatened them, Ely tried to be stoic and Gunner was cocky and almost seemed to beg for even a grain of Ely’s attention.....
Ely, while understanding her predicament,was about as interesting as a bag of sand in the desert 🌵 and while Gunner was a happy lil psychopath I couldn’t connect with him or find either fun or interesting....
Some * rolls my eyes* reviewer liked them to joker and Harley Quinn because of lame @#$ gun play Gunner w/Ely sexually , nods yep, real gun and privates places, while personally I find it kinda sick as well ( and I know ppl who do some wild @#$& who are into BDSM) ( for real) I’d disconnected from the story soo much at that point I didn’t really care...
Personally it felt like a bunch of @#$& just thrown in for shock value...
You know Gunner is soo crazed and psycho, what when his woman is missing, in order to come down from his killing spree he needs to use more than the weapon between his legs on what he considers his woman...
But you know, like I said that long s l o w build up, in the cells didn’t build a relationship between me and the characters it tore it down ...
If these two had had chemistry and Gunner had sparked something between them from the get go, and they had true chemistry you could feel that fed off of each other where your feeling the slow burn,and by the time it gets there your like
‘Yeah,baby! Pllllleeeaaassseee!
But this was a rabid dog and timid mouse for over 1/2 the story drowning us in monotony and then by the time it decided to take off ,I no longer cared ....
And all that gun garbage might have been at least a little hot, maybe if it was a shared fantasy or something but to got from *cold* scared mouse,to from him leaving a trail of bodies ,ordering her father to leave the room if he doesn’t want to a) be killed or b) be killed and watch his daughter have said with said psychopath ....
O and this is after father and daughter have been eluding to a time when father and daughter got drunk together on say her 18th or something and dad passes out and she leaves their quarters to use a toilet and you get the idea she was raped or close to it... and in comes our psycho to use a gun on her sexually ...
I know Ms.Lucas’s books are supposed to be dark and edgy but this just felt weird , a lil sick and in poor taste...
Personally I’d like to think Harley and Joker would be more fun or at least the set up to it would make more sense...
I loved Dommik and Kat❣️❣️❣️❣️
I couldn’t stand Stryker and Norah, one) Norah was such a pill,I can take care of myself one minute and clingy the next and two) I’ve loved water 💦 my whole life,nothing soothes me like water but between the evil in it trying to drown them and kill them and taking almost 75% of the book at least just get off that stupid planet , I wanted to go spend a week in the desert 🌵 by the time it as over there soo much damn water...
I skipped the last two and while I love the idea of cyborg shifters after this I don’t think I’ll, be back....
Ms. Lucas I think your a very talented writer but this book was honestly painful for me to read, and this why I wrote this long review soo I could get my pain out and move on...
I doubt my review will matter in the scheme of things but it’s helping me feel better...
All the best...
May 7, 2018
I loved this one. Yes it is a little darker but it just makes it so much more exciting. Gunner was a darkish character who has no problem with death but I was rooting for him to get his mate. Elodie was a strong character who had been living a lie most of her life. I enjoyed the scenes where she finally comes to trust Gunner a little more each time. Two lonely characters who finally get their happiness. I highly recommend this book!
May 11, 2019
Ely has been masquerading as a man all her life. We find her at her lowest ebb, locked in the cell of a pirate ship. Cyborg jackel Gunner is put in the cell next to her and an unlikely alliance begins.
I loved this book. I loved the dark cell setting and the slowburn build up. You really got Ely’s fear and saw how Gunner chipped away at her protective layers.
Ely was strong yet vulnerable. I liked her bravery. Gunner was all kinds of hot even with his facial tattoos and monster side.
I just enjoyed the whole thing! It kept me up late at night!
I loved this book. I loved the dark cell setting and the slowburn build up. You really got Ely’s fear and saw how Gunner chipped away at her protective layers.
Ely was strong yet vulnerable. I liked her bravery. Gunner was all kinds of hot even with his facial tattoos and monster side.
I just enjoyed the whole thing! It kept me up late at night!
May 6, 2022
I can't get enough
I can never get enough of Naomi Lucas' cyborgs. They are pretty hot and very alpha. Gunner is crazy, but he's my mind if crazy.
I hated Elodie's father through. He was a jerk.
I can never get enough of Naomi Lucas' cyborgs. They are pretty hot and very alpha. Gunner is crazy, but he's my mind if crazy.
I hated Elodie's father through. He was a jerk.
May 24, 2018
HOLI COW!!
This was great, I’m having a huge book hangover right now. I knew Gunner was going to steal my heart from the start. I just have this thing for antiheros finding their true love and risking their heart. He’s such a bad a**.
This book has it all, great sex, action, adventure, Gunner… can’t wait for Zeph.
This was great, I’m having a huge book hangover right now. I knew Gunner was going to steal my heart from the start. I just have this thing for antiheros finding their true love and risking their heart. He’s such a bad a**.
This book has it all, great sex, action, adventure, Gunner… can’t wait for Zeph.
Read
May 28, 2023DNF. I don't know what happened, just couldn't be bothered getting back to it for now.
June 17, 2018
That cover. Guilty as charged. I hadn't even read the blurb before I was adding it to my Kindle.
And then I did get to the blurb and I kid you fucking not, the first thing out of my mouth was, "more shit I live for." Followed by a very perplexed facial expression from my husband.
Also, Naomi Lucas can have all my money. Cause you can bet your tushies I've already gone ahead and added the other books to this series onto my Kindle.
Because if this book was any indication for the cleverness and the intrigue that is Noami's writing, I'm in for a real treat.
Gunner.
As would his name would imply, he is a total badass.
And a total babe.
And I loved every fucking second of being in his head.
And the cyborg/human smut?
Actually, don't. It was FUCKING HOT. LIke those scenes. Steamy as balls on a hot summer day.
Can you tell I don't even know what to say? Like I can't even write an insightful, coherent review because I just feel so happy to have read something as good as this book today.
And that's all I can think to say. So if you're into the kinky alien smut-variety, as am I, you'll like this. I insist.
April 22, 2021
I...didn't expect to like Gunner as much as I did. I mean, he's brutal, dangerous and he's walking the edge of...something with the way he has to fight to rein in his beast's desires.
Okay, wait. Actually, now it kind of makes sense. I like all those things in my literary characters and Gunner's immediate obsession with Elodie--even when he wasn't sure if she was male or female--kinda, sorta worked for me. And by "kinda, sorta," I mean TOTALLY.
Elodie/Ely has been pretending to be something she's not for so long it takes a while for her to be able to drop her shields around Gunner. Considering the situation they're in with the pirates, it makes sense that she's cautious. Throw in the whole female thing and it adds another level of uh-oh. Eventually, she does trust him and that's when things really heat up.
Because when a cyborg with a healthy dose of jackal DNA locks onto something, he sees it through. And he's TOTALLY locked onto Elodie.
Random aside: Even though I like these cyborgs, they're kind of jerks to one another when they get together. I don't know why that amuses me, but it does. Growly, surly cyborgs are my thing, apparently.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Okay, wait. Actually, now it kind of makes sense. I like all those things in my literary characters and Gunner's immediate obsession with Elodie--even when he wasn't sure if she was male or female--kinda, sorta worked for me. And by "kinda, sorta," I mean TOTALLY.
Elodie/Ely has been pretending to be something she's not for so long it takes a while for her to be able to drop her shields around Gunner. Considering the situation they're in with the pirates, it makes sense that she's cautious. Throw in the whole female thing and it adds another level of uh-oh. Eventually, she does trust him and that's when things really heat up.
Because when a cyborg with a healthy dose of jackal DNA locks onto something, he sees it through. And he's TOTALLY locked onto Elodie.
Random aside: Even though I like these cyborgs, they're kind of jerks to one another when they get together. I don't know why that amuses me, but it does. Growly, surly cyborgs are my thing, apparently.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
September 7, 2018
Boring with a capital B!
Initially I was very drawn into the story, a cyborg that was exiled and could shift into a jackal - wow how interestingly sci-fi. Then it dragged on and on and on. I gave up at around 45%, with our 'hero' and 'heroine' still sat in the pirate brig.
This could have been set anywhere. He could have been a highly trained agent with some hidden tech and she could have been the same bland heroine sat thinking about how dirty she was and how much she didn't like the guy in the next cell along.
In the (almost) half a book I read the science fiction part, as in a lot of sci-fi romance sadly, was more window dressing than anything else. I read 'straight' science fiction and fantasy very widely in my teens and twenties, so find I am constantly disappointed by the lack of world building and depth in this and so many others of its ilk. I'm sure for a reader with more of a romance background this isn't a problem but if you're looking for an interesting new world you won't find it here.
Technically very good, decent characters, good plot but the pace let this down, as did the fact that it could have been set 'anywhere'.
Initially I was very drawn into the story, a cyborg that was exiled and could shift into a jackal - wow how interestingly sci-fi. Then it dragged on and on and on. I gave up at around 45%, with our 'hero' and 'heroine' still sat in the pirate brig.
This could have been set anywhere. He could have been a highly trained agent with some hidden tech and she could have been the same bland heroine sat thinking about how dirty she was and how much she didn't like the guy in the next cell along.
In the (almost) half a book I read the science fiction part, as in a lot of sci-fi romance sadly, was more window dressing than anything else. I read 'straight' science fiction and fantasy very widely in my teens and twenties, so find I am constantly disappointed by the lack of world building and depth in this and so many others of its ilk. I'm sure for a reader with more of a romance background this isn't a problem but if you're looking for an interesting new world you won't find it here.
Technically very good, decent characters, good plot but the pace let this down, as did the fact that it could have been set 'anywhere'.
May 11, 2018
I have been waiting a long time to find out what happened to some of the characters from earlier books and I was soooo not disappointed. This was a fantastic story. This book contains a strong female who come into her own after living as a man most of her life and an alpha cyborg shifters with a hunger for passion and insatiable desires. It is so different and unique that it just draws you in. The world Naomi Lucas invents always lets me wanting more and more of her stories. I’m left wondering what she will come out for the next book, because I never expect the twists and turns her stories take. And the characters are so unique and extremely well developed and have amazing personalities and chemistry with each other that is impossible not to connect with them. Even the steamy scenes are unconventional and a little dark, yet so hot that everything seems to fit the characters perfectly. I highly recommend Naomi’s books to anyone who likes to read.
April 5, 2025
Reread
The first introduction into this series which had me going back to check out the other stories here. This was definitely a fun read and the H was just my kind of disfuctional alpha male who could shift into a jackal of all things. The h is disguised as a man on a labor ship with her father, but you can guess what happens. These two were quite hot together and the story was fast paced and held my attention until the end. The guns tattooed on his face as well. This man was feral and wild. Loved it!
The first introduction into this series which had me going back to check out the other stories here. This was definitely a fun read and the H was just my kind of disfuctional alpha male who could shift into a jackal of all things. The h is disguised as a man on a labor ship with her father, but you can guess what happens. These two were quite hot together and the story was fast paced and held my attention until the end. The guns tattooed on his face as well. This man was feral and wild. Loved it!
May 9, 2019
Sweet recovery for the series
Last book was a dud but this one reclaimed the intensity of the cyborgs and their harsh interstellar world. This book revolved around pirates, bots, prisoners and escape plans. Throw in a woman who is pretending to be a man for her own protection and you can feel the sweat, the grime and the adrenaline rushing through your veins. Liked it very much.
Last book was a dud but this one reclaimed the intensity of the cyborgs and their harsh interstellar world. This book revolved around pirates, bots, prisoners and escape plans. Throw in a woman who is pretending to be a man for her own protection and you can feel the sweat, the grime and the adrenaline rushing through your veins. Liked it very much.
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