Shrouded Loyalties

by Reese Hogan

A soldier returns home with a dangerous secret from an alternate realm, unaware that she is surrounded by spies and collaborators, in this intense military science fiction novel.

Naval officer Mila Blackwood is determined to keep her country's most powerful secret - shrouding, the ability to traverse their planet in seconds through an alternate realm - out of enemy hands. But spies are everywhere: her submarine has been infiltrated by a Dhavnak agent, and her teenage brother has been seduced by an enemy soldier. When Blackwood's submarine is attacked by a monster, she and fellow sailor, Holland, are marked with special abilities, whose manifestations could end the war - but in whose favor? Forced to submit to military scientists in her paranoid and war-torn home, Blackwood soon learns that the only people she can trust might also be the enemy.

File Under Science Fiction [ Enemy Within - Periscope Down - Gods and Monsters - Lightning Strikes Twice ]

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Lovecraftian, Horror, Science Fiction Fantasy

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 13, 2019

About the author

Reese Hogan is a science fiction author who has published four novels. Though no two works are quite alike, some common themes include identity, the question of what makes us human, and the need to find happiness while the world is falling apart around us. His short fiction has been published in The Decameron Project, A Coup of Owls, and on the Tales to Terrify podcast, as well as in two anthologies. In addition to writing, Reese enjoys singing in the local gay men’s chorus and running. He lives with his two children in New Mexico.

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Lovecraft story is called "From Beyond", and features a scientist who invents a mechanism that detects an alternate dimension full of strange, monstrous beings that is overlaid with our own. The problem is, once you can see the monsters, they can see you...

Shrouded Loyalties features just such a fantastical Lovecraftian realm, which has been tapped for human convenience in true sci-fi style. By "shrouding" into another dimension, military submarines can traverse the planet in seconds, but with a few unfortunate side effects of the elder god variety.

Mira Blackwood is a kickass lady officer on just such a "shrouding" submarine, who gains a mysterious skill after a terrifying encounter within the other dimension. But the story has a very human component too, with claustrophobic human drama, double (triple?) agents who aren't what they seem, and a fabulous sibling dynamic that feels unnervingly true. The environment has a fittingly dieselpunk overlay, with familiar 1930's trappings evoking an off-kilter and uncanny alternate retro-future. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who's ever wished Das Boot had encountered Cthulu.

*note* I received an advance reader copy of this book.

[Nathan Makaryk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn, this book packs a punch!

I loved it, start to finish. It has so many constantly-competing levels of deception and espionage all juggled at once, and somehow it's simultaneously packed to the brim with non-stop action with terrifying escalations. The world building is dense and the pace never slows to hold your hand, so hold on tight to every word.

It does one of my absolute favorite things, which is to jump between POV characters on opposite sides of the main conflict: the book artfully vaults the moral line between each faction. The main setting follows a WWII-tech-level familiar-feeling war, but both sides are complex and wrought with genuine pros and cons. Neither side has the moral high ground, and the characters struggle with their decisions as they discover more and more about each other.

It does another of my absolute favorite things, which is to tear myths and prophecies apart and investigate their roots. Hogan creates a multitude of belief systems that are all unique and entwined, dismantled and put back together again, which is quite a feat while also hurling each character through increasingly unsurvivable ordeals at a breakneck pace.

Oh and it does a third of my favorite things which is to build a truly awesome "power" system, that has its own unique rules and always abides by them. The curious abilities in the book are full of heavy repercussions that make their use a dangerous gamble. A cleverer person than me might make a comparison to another awe-inspiring new technology that changed the landscape of war, but one with even larger, devastating consequences.

All-in-all, this was a brutal and bad-ass military scifi adventure, but also full of multi-layered and broken relationships and I still don't know how it was all packed into such a relatively small word count. I was lucky to read an advance copy but I'll be buying it when it is released and sure hope there's a sequel coming.

[Maria V. Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another ARC that came my way for a possible cover quote. I was intrigued about this story from the description - and one of the main protagonists is a female Chief Sea Officer (Mila Blackwood) in a submarine! How cool is that? The world is rather unique and there's a war going on between two countries. One has this new shrouding technology that allows them to travel into enemy territory without being seen. That sub is using the technology. Overall an engaging read - I'll put my quote at the bottom. One thing keeping it from 5 stars were all the names! Countries, people, religions, gods, suns....so many names to keep track of, but I pushed through because I really liked Mila.

"Loyalty, honor, and a dangerous new technology all come together in this unique world filled with intrigue and action."

[Dan Hanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

My journey into reading through as many Angry Robot stories as I can continues with Shrouded Loyalties and WHY AREN'T MORE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK!? It's stunning, from the detailed world building, to the flawed (but great) characters, to the concept at the heart of the adventure. There is so much going on here, I absolutely loved it and can only hope one day we get a sequel because there is so much more of this epic story to explore.

[Chris Berko · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great idea and a cool story but this was hard to get into due of lack of characterization. For the first seventy five percent of the book I had a hard time telling who was who and which characters were on which side and up from down sideways from left, it was difficult. The names were the only thing distinguishing one from the other because everyone was pretty blended together in terms of how they talked and acted. I am glad I finished it though and the ending made up for the non-connection. Once the action started, everything clicked, and the characters became individuals. There's a lot of potential here and there were enough intriguing questions left unanswered for a good book two but I hope the author spends a little more time letting us get to know everyone because if I'm going to fully engage and connect with a book I HAVE to care about the characters and not just the cool shit going on.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novel featuring a battle between two warring civilizations, an inter dimensional pathway called shrouding through a realm inhabited by strange creatures, secret powers tattooed on survivors, military secrets, sibling rivalry, and family secrets. The best parts were the submarine action scenes especially the shrouding. Despite that, much of the novel failed to cross The believability threshold and fell flat.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review

Military science fiction is one of my favourite genres to lose myself within. It’s tough to write because not only do you need to have plausible world building, but you need to have scenes that are action packed and engaging. It’s not always easy to pull off, but Shrouded Loyalties has managed to do so within a well written and totally unique package.

I couldn’t get enough of everything to do with “shrouding,” especially the mysterious Lovecraftian monsters within the realm that shrouding took our soldiers through. I wish we could have spent more of the book shrouding, especially in the first half, but what we did get was amazing.

One interesting aspect of this story is that we have the points of view of characters from both sides of the war. We get to see inside the minds of soldiers on either side of the battle lines, making it hard for the reader to know who is actually “the bad guy.” These grey areas were fascinating and even though the reader starts out thinking we’re meant to be rooting for one team, after awhile you start to wonder if maybe you should be rooting for the other one.

As for the characters, Blackwood was a tough one to like because she was quite reactionary and petulant. We spent most our time with her watching her lose her cool and trying to recover it. Her relationship with her equally petulant brother really put my patience to the test, too. Almost every Belzene we meet is difficult to like for that matter. For the good guys, none of them sure acted like it.

Despite the Dhanvaks being portrayed as the enemy, the Dhanvak characters we meet are much more relatable and sympathetic, even if they come from a country that actively oppresses women. Can I also say how refreshing it is to see the lighter skinned race being portrayed as the more tribal, patriarchal society?

Holland, our main Dhanvak character, was truly compelling and I ended up really feeling sympathy for her. Born to a society where women can never be anything more than wives and mothers, she has disguised herself as a man to serve in her country’s army. She not only has to keep her gender a secret during her missions, but also has to hide the fact she’s an enemy spy when she’s assigned to Blackwood’s submarine. Talk about a double agent!

Other than the bickering, the only other thing I feel I need to point out is the novel’s appeal to non-military sci-fi enthusiasts. While the world building was impressive, the reader is immediately dropped into this universe without much explanation. This is usual in this type of fiction, but if you aren’t used to it then it can be a little jarring. More gets explained as the book goes on, but at first you’re essentially a tourist dropped in the middle of an unknown world halfway through a raging war. I can see this turning off some readers, but for me I’m glad I stuck with it because it eventually fell into place and made for a cracking good story.

Final Thoughts

Military science fiction is my ultimate guilty pleasure because it not only takes you away to another place entirely different from your own, but you get non-stop action with it too. When it’s done right, it’s a spectacular literary experience. Despite a few character issues, Shrouded Loyalties has pulled this off with an exciting and creative take on the genre. It also incorporated some truly terrifying horror scenes that creeped me out to my core.

Additionally, the book continually puts the reader to the test as we try to figure out who we should be rooting for and why. I started out Team Belzene but kept switching to Team Dhanvak before finally realizing that in war, there really are no good guys- especially when there’s so much more going on below the surface than you thought.

Read my full review on my blog!

Thank you to Angry Robot and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my review

[Dexter Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shrouded Loyalties is a fast-paced Military ScFi adventure set on a secondary diesel punk world. I absolutely loved the setting! I am really fascinated by the second world war and the world building in this book did a really good job of giving you that feel of the second world war but in a fresh and interesting direction. Another bright spot in the novel are the characters. My favorite is Mila Blackwood one of the protagonists. She is a strong willful headstrong lead with some faults that make her feel very human. Also, the character interactions are beautifully flawed with a mix of emotions, and human mistakes that make the main characters feel human. On occasion you will be given new terms and words specific to the world it can be a lot to take in, but I do feel the author explains these in an interesting and immersive way. Overall, I really enjoyed Shrouded Loyalties, I would suggest this book to anyone who enjoys military fiction, or the second world war but does enjoy a bit of ScFi/fantasy.

*I received an ARC for this book.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prose fiction can explore the inner life and mental contradictions of characters in a way that other formats can’t touch. Reese Hogan’s SHROUDED LOYALTIES is a perfect example of this kind of deep dive into character and inner turmoil.

On its surface, this is a novel about a military conflict and the secretive process of “shrouding” or passing between worlds. But beneath that, it’s a thoughtful study of the layers of deceit and delusion that each of the main characters have wrapped around their loyalties to nation, family, and even themselves. And that level of examination lets the characters shine.

These are characters who struggle with rage and fear and self-loathing, who justify the crimes of their own nations and loved ones while vilifying those of outsiders. These characters hide their true feelings so deep that they can become obscured even to themselves. These are characters, in other words, who are just as complex and contradictory as ourselves.

Hogan dives deep into her character’s motivations, fears, and blind spots. She forces the reader to ask hard questions about each character, and as a result their triumphs and failures are all the more powerful.

This is an excellent novel, delivered by a talented writer. Don't miss out on this amazing world and its cast of characters!

[Vigasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd rate this book somewhere between 3 and 4, but I decided to round it up, because it has some very interesting themes. I think a little more exploration of worldbuilding and a little more complex characterization would make it a real masterpiece. Anyway, I liked the conflict between two cultures and though at first I couldn't connet to any of the protagonist, they grew on to me at the end. I think it is good work, worth a read in some spare time.

[AnnaReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
I really wanted to like this book because I loved the premise but I couldn’t. Most of the time I felt like I missed a prequel in which the basics of the world are explained.
But what bothered me more than that was that I just couldn’t relate to any of the charcters.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an action-packed book with an exciting and imaginative plot. The settings were well-described without being cumbersome. The pacing was perfect. It had a lot of complicated details, and I can’t say I understood all of them, especially as they pertained to the gods of Belzen and Dhavnakir, but that did not keep me from getting sucked into the storyline. The end was satisfying without being overly tied up in a pretty bow. The one thing I will say is that I felt like I was on 21st Century earth sometimes, with the description of the house, the yard, and the truck, for instance. All in all, though, I enjoyed the book and hope there will be a sequel.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is chock full of metal, monsters, and heart, and it pulls you into a world torn apart by a war. Despite the militaristic setting, this book works on a personal level as it focuses on characters who find their allegiances shifting as they discover more about each other and recognize the shorts in their own wiring. Add in the imperfect science of shrouding into dangerous and unfamiliar places and a background of mythology that may be more real than even its followers know, and you're left with a thoroughly engrossing read that works on many levels.

Shrouded Loyalties is an intense read that strings you along and stays in your mind long after you set it down. The layers at work reflect our own world: individual motivations driven by hurt and a need for acceptance, the goals, injustices, and secrets of governments, the deities worshiped and questioned, and global workings that dwarf everything else.

I normally read more on the magical spectrum of SFF, but I jumped at the chance to read an arc of this one, and I'm so glad I did. I'm now questioning everything I thought I knew about my own tastes. I can't wait to see more of the world that Hogan has expertly crafted.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Reese Hogan excels at writing about broken characters, and in SHROUDED LOYALTIES, she leaves you wondering who to trust. Which is exactly what you want from a spy-fi novel. As a fan of her work, I was thrilled to see her strengths at play above and below the surface--complex characters, terrifying monsters, thrilling action scenes, and fantastic worldbuilding. The tech is freaking cool, too.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting novel, concerned with who is a hero? After all, the winning side always rewrites history - we know this. Especially in any military engagement, it's all about the propaganda. And this is no exception, as barriers blur between different sides of a combat, and opposite sides work together.

Blurb:
It's not who you suspect of betrayal, it's who you never consider at all.
A solider returns home with a dangerous secret from an alternate realm, unaware that she is surrounded by spies and collaborators, in this intense military science fiction novel.
Naval officer Mila Blackwood is determined to keep her country's most powerful secret - shrouding, the ability to traverse their planet in seconds through an alternate realm - out of enemy hands. But spies are everywhere: her submarine has been infiltrated by a Dhavnak agent, and her teenage brother has been seduced by an enemy soldier.
When Blackwood's submarine is attacked by a monster, she and her fellow sailor, Holland, are marked with special abilities, whose manifestations could end the war - but in whose favour? Forced to submit to military scientists in her paranoid and war-torn home, Blackwood soon learns that the only people she can trust might also be the enemy.

I did enjoy this, and felt that it had been left open for a second volume, but reads equally well as a stand alone. Good characters, detailed plot, and a comprehensive world building. But... I didn't love it. And can't quite put my finger on why. I think it would have made a great little film: one of those ones you stumble across on a streaming channel, and think, "Why haven't I even heard of this?", and rave about it to your friends. But it just didn't quite work as the written word for me, at any rate.

An aside: I do like the effort that the publisher, Angry Robot, put into their designs. There is always a sort of subject heading taxonomy on the back, and this one says:
File under: Enemy within / Periscope down / Gods and monsters / Lightning strikes twice.
Doesn't that whet the appetite?

Another from my recent A Box of Stories #ABoS, I do appreciate the opportunity to read materials I probably wouldn't do otherwise, but this one is going to be passed on.

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is centered around a positive sibling relationship - or rather, a relationship that becomes positive as the story progresses - where neither of the siblings die throughout the story. It takes place on a weird world that is very decidedly non-Earth in its features. The story is rooted around very non-Earthern mythology that actually covers something more. It also challenges our notions on gender, has a gay subplot, is all about different cultures clashing, and also challenges the boundaries between sci-fi and fantasy
In other words, Reese, did you actually write this book for me?
Normally this is a fun poke at an author who I know will never actually read the review in question, but since we're connected through the Writing Excuses cruises, and they've been liking my Goodreads reviews, there's a rather substantial chance they're actually reading this review. They probably didn't write this story with me in mind, but I like to believe, because it has absolutely everything I love in a book.
So, Reese, if I have your attention anyway - when's the next installment coming out? ;)

[Amy Mills · Rating 2 out of 5]

See below for some in-progress thoughts. Overall? Good ideas, good plotting, but lousy writing, and every character behaves like a teenager. Basically, this is ready for beta-readers and a serious round of editing, not publication. And I would really, really hope that one of the beta-readers has armed forces experience, because career soldiers, particularly ones in positions of command, do NOT behave the way Blackwood and the Luft-colonel do (guessing at spelling, as I listened on audio). So, yeah. As much as I'd like to know what happens next, I'm not being paid as a beta-reader to go through minimally edited prose to pick out the good bits.

If I see that his has a re-edited version at some point, I may give it another look. Until then, I'm out. Yikes. On the plus side, the audibook narrator is quite good.

___________________________________________________________
I'm about three hours in, still planning to finish, but I had to blow off some steam about this one.
(1) Said Bookisms (tv tropes warning), repeatedly, to the point that I'm laughing at them.
(2) Cartoon caricature of an antagonist (possibly the eventual villain? Unclear at this point) who slaps one of his spies for daring to look at his wife (who, it must be said, was in a military briefing room despite not being military, so, yeah, anyone would look at her in surprise under the circumstances), and has a reputation for murdering his wives, and who nearly throttles said spy for no good reason. See You Have Failed Me (tv tropes warning).
(3) For a military outfit, Blackwood's submarine crew sure acts like a bunch of hotheaded high-schoolers. Possibly believable for the rawest recruits, but not for someone in service for 2 years. No wonder they're losing the war... See Mildly Military (tv tropes warning)

I'm mostly continuing to read because the shrouding idea is fascinating and has Lovecraftian overtones, but, yeah.

With 3 hours left, a few more things to kvetch about:
(4) Blackwood's utter refusal to actually listen to her brother. Fine, there are religious issues, but she's not even pretending to humor him in order to get information.
(5) The "there was a flashing light like a signal mirror in the hills in [location]! It must be the people we're looking for! One of them has a metal tin that could make such a signal!" bit. Um. Really? This leap of illogic isn't even necessary. What would have made sense is: "We investigated a possible signal light in [location], and found the people you were looking for."
(6) Constantly telling, not showing. Character X "felt pain" "felt fear"; "fear increased"; "pain increased". A little bit of that is fine, but indicating bodily cues would be better for most of it.

Still planning to finish, but the ending is going to have to wow me to convince me to buy a sequel, if one exists.

And, finished. Thank the gods. There were parts of the ending with enough promise that I'm interested in the sequel, but then it went all smarmy nonsensical revelation and ruined it.

[Suanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting combination of old gods blended with new-age technology in a fantasy world. Great shifting of people's motives and loyalties. Stayed up late to finish reading it.

[Christina McMullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic sci-fi spy thriller. Each character was incredibly well written and had a depth that is rarely seen with multiple perspectives. Interestingly, this made me unsympathetic to a fair number of them because we could see their inner thoughts as they justified beliefs/behaviors for their own greater good. But where this would normally be a turn off, I was genuinely curious to see the story through and find out whose character arcs would develop in a positive or negative way. Without giving anything away, I'll just say I wasn't disappointed. Highly recommended.

[Sara T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inevitably, war is based on deception. No matter how justified the cause for sending soldiers, no matter how righteous the fight, deception underlies nearly every course of action in war. Leaders lie about the costs that will be incurred, both in lives lost, funds squandered, and potential economic progress missed. Commanders lie about tactics, about risks. And soldiers absolutely must lie, at least to themselves, about the humanity and value of the lives of their enemies, about whether they can shoulder the burden and cost of taking lives, about the risks they face, and about the likelihood that they will all come home whole.

Military science fiction often fails to neglect this fundamental (un)truth about war. It is so frequently devoted to tactics, to action, to the relentless messy facts about war that it fails to grapple with the deception that undercuts it. Reese Hogan cuts to the heart of it, though, with a brilliant military sci-fi, Lovecraftian spy thriller. With SHROUDED LOYALTIES, Hogan has laid bare the tolls of deception, all while crafting a darkly enjoyable action story.

The brief summary: As it travels through an alternate realm, a submarine is attacked by unseen monsters, leaving an officer and one of her sailors marked with metal embedded in their skin. As they attempt to get to the bottom of what happened in the depths, they are together forced to reckon with the lies they have told and been told. When these mysterious marks begin to manifest new powers, these two soldiers find themselves at the center of a conflict that extends beyond their world: there are monsters in the deep, yes, but there may be more in their own ranks.

The main characters are Chief Sea Officer Mila Blackwood, her brilliant but hesitant brother Andrew, and the spy in their midst. It’s hard to say which viewpoint character lies more. Blackwood lies to herself and those around her about the culture she wants to protect as well as her own reasons for joining the war effort. To preserve order, she lies to her subordinates about her own confidence, she lies to her brother about her ability to protect him and her willingness to even do so, and as the novel progresses, she finds more secrets she must keep and lie to protect. Mila’s brother Andrew engages in his own deceptions, about his clandestine relationship with an enemy civilian, about his secret research into the deaths of his parents and their discoveries into an emerging technology and the mythos surrounding it, and about his own ability to cope with his world as its ripped apart.

And then there’s the spy, who I can’t even go into without revealing any number of secrets they are hiding from their superior officers, their compatriots, and the Blackwoods. The spy, too, may be the character most invested in self-deception, from the truths about their country and culture, their devotion to the cause they serve, and the reason they got involved in this war in the first place.

SHROUDED LOYALTIES does not shy away from the hard truths, but it never once preaches or strays into moralism. Hogan does a generous job of showing opposing cultures at their best and their worst, giving each a chance to defend their goals, and showing the difficulties of awarding the roles of good guys and bad guys in any honest accounting of war. This is partly done by exceptional world-building and painfully realistic characters, but it mostly to the credit of Hogan’s allowing the story to evolve organically and honestly.

This is not a feel-good novel, but SHROUDED LOYALTIES offers an immersive escape. It introduces a diesel/steampunk vibe, with unique technologies, while also giving us monsters that would not be out of place in a horror novel. The alternate realms and monsters of the book have shadows of Lovecraft, but the assertive viewpoint and direct narrative of action and character are all the author’s own.

At times, SHROUDED LOYALTIES is a hard read. It’s not an easy weekend jaunt through space with the occasional laser battle. It is gritty, dark, and even claustrophobic. But it is also a brilliant and thought-provoking book that grabs you by the throat and demands that you think, by refusing to give easy answers. I look forward to more challenging reads from Hogan in the future. Maybe even a sequel?

TLDR: SHROUDED LOYALTIES is a dark accounting of war and deception, with submarines, Lovecraftian monsters, and characters who are honestly rendered, even as they lie to each other and themselves.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review originally published in Looking For a Good book. Rated 2.5 of 5

Mila Blackwood is a Naval officer with a secret ... she, and others of her country, know how to 'shroud.' Shrouding is the ability to travel around the planet in a matter of seconds by using alternate realities. This is useful because Mila and her countrymen are currently at war and there are enemies everywhere.

Mila captains a submarine which has been infiltrated by an enemy ('Dhavnak') agent. And when she and another sailor are identified as having unique abilities that could alter the outcome of the war, they become specific targets.

When the knowledge of her unique ability comes to light, scientists on her own side require Mila to submit to a battery of tests, some which have her recognizing that her own side doesn't trust her. Where should she direct her loyalty? Her younger brother has already switched loyalties. For the moment, the only one she trusts is herself.

This book was incredibly .... eh.

There is a promise of military science fiction, some temporal/alternate reality shifting fantasy, and some solid action/adventure. But there is no follow-through on any of these promises. The biggest problem, though, is the lack of distinguishing characters.

Mila is clearly our protagonist and she's about as bland as a protagonist can be and still carry a story. There are moments when she shines and we almost like her, but she quickly closes up and we never really get to know her enough to care about her success or failure.

The other characters in the book...? They could be one person for all we get from them.

The book redeems itself (slightly) in the last portion (not quite a quarter) of the book as author Reese Hogan pulls the story together. It's a bit too little and too late to make this a recommended read, but it does pull this up from a 2-star review to a 2.5-star review (which is then rounded up on sites like Goodreads). I will not be looking to read any other books by Hogan, based on this.

Looking for a good book? If you can get to the end of Shrouded Loyalties by Reese Hogan you might find some enjoyment in the book, but a lack of characterization will make the going tough.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[John Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Reese Hogan (http://www.reesehogan.com) published the novel “Shrouded Loyalties” in 2019. Mr. Hogan has published three novels. 
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review.

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in a different Universe set on the world of Mirrix. The primary character is Naval officer Mila Blackwood.
Blackwood's country, Belzen, is at war with Dhavnakir. She is serving aboard a submarine equipped with the super-secret 'shrouding' technology. The 'shrouding' lets a vessel or vehicle pass through the solid ground of planet Mirrix. Dhavnakir spies are everywhere searching for the 'shrouding' tech.

While shrouded, unknown creatures attack Blackwood's submarine. The damaged submarine manages to limp home. Injuries result to both Blackwood and Deckman Holland during the attack. Their commander orders them back to the city of Ellemko. The scientists there will attempt to learn more about the attack. They also hope to understand the marks left on both Blackwood and Holland from the attack.

Holland is a Dhavnakir spy under deep cover. She is trying to get the information she has learned about shrouding to her superiors. Blackwood's weak, 17-year-old brother, Andrew, gets drawn into the spy intrigue. A childhood friend from Dhavnakir approaches and seduces him. Holland and Blackwood are troubled by what they learn about their respective governments. Simpy surviving turns out to be a challenge.

I enjoyed the 9.5+ hours I spent reading this 313-page science fiction novel. I liked the general plot, but the story is on the dark side. The selected cover art is OK but rather plain. I give this novel a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/. 

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a science fiction fan, and love to see it tossed with spy thriller action/adventures. If that’s what you’re looking for, then Shrouded Loyalties fits the bill. The title of the book is perfect, blending the shrouding technology – a central driver of the plot of this novel – with questions of loyalty to, and trust of, family, friends, and the government you serve.

Holland is my favorite character in this tale. Working undercover – in more ways than one – the character is driven by a desire to free a close relative who is a political prisoner.

Holland reports to Chief Sea Officer Mila Blackwood on a Belzene submarine. Through these main characters and Blackwood’s younger brother Andrew, we see war, politics, and social structure in the author’s richly-built worlds. The characters are believable, and far from perfect – so real that there are times, if you’re like me, you’ll want to throttle them.

Technical details – of the submarine, the shrouding – and the worldbuilding and other-worldly aspects – are woven through the narrative, and often build the tension within a scene. The reader feels like they are there, part of the crew.

The pacing keeps you turning pages, and the author writes some great action scenes. I really enjoyed this novel and highly recommend you check it out, too.

[Chris Panatier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a tightly woven tale with three POVs who may all be very close to killing each other. This tension is expertly maintained throughout the book as the incredible world that the author created presses in upon them. This is military sci-fi, yes, I suppose because it is set during a war and involves those who are fighting it, but it didn't feel like I was reading your typical book that carries that tag. This is a very intimately focused story about assumed identities (in more than one way), and the shifting of loyalties as the world changes. And boy does it. Hogan slowly brings to boil a very original mythos as the main story unfolds, and soon it is on a collision course with our main three characters. There are fantasy elements here that will surprise you and only have you turning pages more quickly.

Lots of action, lots of incredible and original world building, and three main characters that are very real. I very much enjoyed this book--the only thing I've ever read like it.

[Halla Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trust, faith and duty are challenged in this unputdownable thriller.

Mila Blackwood is a naval officer with plenty of drive and a keen sense of duty. Early in the novel, her command abilities and her relationship with last-minute replacement deckman, Holland, are put to the test in a gripping emergency situation that leaves them both changed.

The nature of this change and the effect it has on them is the mystery that keeps you reading as Hogan explores the bonds of duty, family and faith through some exceptional characters that you quickly come to feel for.

The two sides in the war are broadly familiar, despite the secondary world trappings (and some twists on expected tropes), but the sci-fi aspects are fresh and intriguing and repeated action beats leave you gasping. Don’t be put off by the submarine door cover: there is plenty of beauty here as well as taut military grounding. This is a brilliant read and I can’t wait for the sequel.

[Leigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

The majority of the book is a trudging, confusing slog where somehow characters are either betraying each other or being paranoid about being betrayed.

Despite all this introspection, characters remain paper-thin due to constantly obsessing over the same basic things instead of having inner monologues that might actually round out their characters a little.

When characters begin to jump between locations, it's handled clumsily, often leaving the reader briefly untethered as to what location the action is currently taking place in.

Added to the already confusing shifting of origins/loyalties, it's a tough ride until you reach the last 20% or so when the action kicks off and things get good.

This seems like it needed a lot more editing and maybe a better ending before it was published.

[Robin Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes a story comes along at just the right time, and it hits the spot, dead on. I think that is what happened here. This novel is packed full of duplicity, loaded with action, topped up with twists and turns that just keep coming at the reader chapter after chapter. The setting is complex, weaving mythology and religion with a natural world the laws of which appear to be in flux. But the story never loses sight of the very personal conflicts at its heart. Four very strong, very conflicted main (point of view) characters propel the action forward, and to say that their loyalties are tested to the limit is an understatement and a half. Each damaged in their own way, each searching for something missing in their lives, and all this against a background of war between nations in a world that no one entirely understands. Great stuff, I'll be seeking out the author's other work.

[Shaun · Rating 2 out of 5]

Strong female character and a Lovecraftian aspect didn’t quite carry the story. There’s no real backstory up front so the context comes out in dribs and drabs: The protagonist serves on a…submarine?...that can “shroud”, a way of quickly traversing long distances across a war-torn world. But there are a couple of catches, including the presence of a mysterious alloy or metal which attracts attacks from mysterious monster-like creatures. The enemy is omni-present.

Despite some promising elements, there wasn’t an immediately evident hook to make me want to power through the confusion. I'm surprised to see this is from Angry Robot, as I had it mentally pegged as self-published. DNF.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shrouded Loyalties is about Mila, a naval officer who is set on keeping her country's secret.


In the story, her submarine is attacked by a monster. She and fellow sailor, Holland, are marked with special abilities, whose manifestations could end the war – but in whose favor?

Forced to submit to military scientists in her paranoid and war-torn home, Blackwood soon learns that the only people she can trust might also be the enemy.

Interesting characters and quite an enjoyable read.

[Spartacus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting ideas, but this one didn't work for me. The characters are wildly unlikeable and dysfunctional. Dialogue is a notable weakness in this book, and consists mostly of the characters alternating between asking questions and shouting at each other. (And once you notice the the dialogue has more ??? and !!! per page than you've ever seen before, you can't go back.)