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In Enemy Hands
Two very different civilizations—one bathed in bright sunlight and the other veiled in shadow.
Bad decisions, declining resources, and a king on the brink of madness force Prince Varo Kutchif, third son of the royal family and a starship captain, to attempt the impossible: barter for Black Phospolrock, an energy source the mysterious Helkan Kingdom has in abundance. Varo opens a line of communication with Adlar, an intriguing Helkan who seems to reciprocate Varo’s interest. He hopes so, because if negotiations collapse, Varo has orders to attack.
The Helkans preside over a planet shrouded in perpetual darkness. Several species have tried to exploit its natural resources through trade with them, but all have failed. Adlar Mondur is the older brother to the Helkan ruler. An assassin of the highest order, he’ll do anything to protect his king and his people—including tracking down the Yesri prince who crash-lands on their planet, leaving an ugly scar across its untouched beauty.
Thus begins a journey where two men from disparate civilizations grow from enemies to lovers.
**Second Edition, Previously Published**
This book has been previously published. The cover may have changed, but the title, author, and story content have not changed from the first version originally published in (year). If you have that version in your library, please do not purchase again.
**Content Warning**
This book may contain some scenes with content that may be disturbing to some readers including: violence, assault, kidnapping, and potential dubious consent. Do not read further if this bothers you.
Bad decisions, declining resources, and a king on the brink of madness force Prince Varo Kutchif, third son of the royal family and a starship captain, to attempt the impossible: barter for Black Phospolrock, an energy source the mysterious Helkan Kingdom has in abundance. Varo opens a line of communication with Adlar, an intriguing Helkan who seems to reciprocate Varo’s interest. He hopes so, because if negotiations collapse, Varo has orders to attack.
The Helkans preside over a planet shrouded in perpetual darkness. Several species have tried to exploit its natural resources through trade with them, but all have failed. Adlar Mondur is the older brother to the Helkan ruler. An assassin of the highest order, he’ll do anything to protect his king and his people—including tracking down the Yesri prince who crash-lands on their planet, leaving an ugly scar across its untouched beauty.
Thus begins a journey where two men from disparate civilizations grow from enemies to lovers.
**Second Edition, Previously Published**
This book has been previously published. The cover may have changed, but the title, author, and story content have not changed from the first version originally published in (year). If you have that version in your library, please do not purchase again.
**Content Warning**
This book may contain some scenes with content that may be disturbing to some readers including: violence, assault, kidnapping, and potential dubious consent. Do not read further if this bothers you.
261 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 30, 2016
83 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
M.A. Church
61 books678 followers M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles. It’s a full time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!
When not writing, she’s on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two grown children.
Member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
My Facebook: MA churh http://www.facebook.com/pages/MA-Chur...
When not writing, she’s on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two grown children.
Member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
My Facebook: MA churh http://www.facebook.com/pages/MA-Chur...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
July 5, 2018
Is it me? Is it the book? In this case I pick the book. 2.5 Stars.
I was sooo ready and wanting to like this story! Sci-fi, prisoner/captive, alien race, blood drinkers, assassins, royalty, a planet blanketed in darkness, a mad king. Come on...it should have worked.
Instead, I got simplistic writing and often overly dramatic dialogue. It was so frustrating! The story was there, but the author couldn’t bring it to light...at least not enough for me.
Sure, there were some hot sex scenes, but we are dealing with aliens humanoid species here (who all seems to have a prostate, by the way). Why not give them something more interesting than fangs and eye color? There was a lot of missed opportunity here, my friends, and that makes me sad.
I simply wanted more than this book delivered.
This is only my second read by MA Church, and I enjoyed her first one quite a bit. Now I’m not so willing to pick up any more bearing her name.
My recommendation: read at your own risk.
I was sooo ready and wanting to like this story! Sci-fi, prisoner/captive, alien race, blood drinkers, assassins, royalty, a planet blanketed in darkness, a mad king. Come on...it should have worked.
Instead, I got simplistic writing and often overly dramatic dialogue. It was so frustrating! The story was there, but the author couldn’t bring it to light...at least not enough for me.
Sure, there were some hot sex scenes, but we are dealing with aliens humanoid species here (who all seems to have a prostate, by the way). Why not give them something more interesting than fangs and eye color? There was a lot of missed opportunity here, my friends, and that makes me sad.
I simply wanted more than this book delivered.
This is only my second read by MA Church, and I enjoyed her first one quite a bit. Now I’m not so willing to pick up any more bearing her name.
My recommendation: read at your own risk.
August 14, 2019
A classic M.A. Church story with “Avartar-ish” aliens. 😁 Not the freshest of the plot with enemies to lovers trope and insta-love/lust plot but I really enjoyed Varo and Adlar’s love story. 😍 I think the world building is interesting and beautiful with its native flora and fauna. And I also wish I got a bit more of “Dar” the Jaguar-ish feline because I thought he was adorable. Deadly but definitely adorable. 😅 The angst and twist part there in the end could be a bit more furnished because I think Maylar is a bit of a loose end here since we are not sure what happened to him in the end. 🙂 Regardless, I enjoyed the whole story with all the sexy, erotic bits and a romantic love story. ❤️🔥 And Varo certainly got a fairytale ending he deserved with his own Prince Charming Adlar. A prince for a prince. How charming is that! 🥰 I wish we get the story of the Helkan King, Adlar’s brother. Hopefully M.A. Churcu will write it one day. 😉
3.75 I fell in love with you since the moment I laid eyes on you stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
3.75 I fell in love with you since the moment I laid eyes on you stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
April 11, 2023
Seriously missing the mpreg element, what with nesting and googly eyes and the whole nine yards. It should be there, but - no.
February 15, 2017
This book was gripping and very easily held my attention in its grasp. While the book and I didn’t get off on the right foot because of a spelling mistake on the first page which jumpstarted the editor within me (honestly, it’s lucky it was an ARC otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to move past it - also please don’t get your character names wrong… please), it was still able to reclaim my attention by getting me invested in both Varo and Adlar. Their worlds, their relationship.
Both Varo and Adlar come from two very different worlds (quite literally). Their planet, their culture, their language, even the way they look… In every regard, these two are opposites - except for their attraction for one another which neither can explain. Varo comes from a planet that is on the brink of civil war, economic collapse and rampant with poverty. A prince that is expendable to his own family and sent on a suicide mission to “negotiate” a deal with the Helkans.
Adlar is the older brother to the King of the Helkans. An assassin, you quickly realise how dangerous he can truly be.
Varo is thrust in a world that challenged his worldview every step of the way. He’s confronted with the reality that his prejudices were wrong. That what he believed, as many others, about this race that refuses to interact with the rest of universe was wrong. He moves past that though, and that development of his character was great to see.
I liked how the way they got together was clearly built up, except when you think of the actual time it took between Varo crashing in his shuttle on enemy territory, being captured by Adlar and becoming his prisoner to when they end up doing it.
Varo clearly isn’t thinking clearly, and frankly throughout I felt as though his “captain” status wasn’t really used adequately as a plot device. Varo gave up a bit too quickly. It’s understandable, and if more time had passed it would make more sense, but it hadn’t and it didn’t. He fell into the flow of things very quickly, as he did in Adlar’s bed. They’re kind of awesome together, but that doesn’t mean the mental anguish that situation calls for couldn’t have been delved into (more).
Another thought that I kept thinking was that when this relationship started out it was a lot like ’stockholm syndrome’.
Okay, it was basically stockholm syndrome. Except, somehow it’s okay because in the end they really fell in love, Adlar kept asking Varo for his permission and didn’t do anything against his wishes and there was a cross planetary rescue mission.
Yes, there’s attraction between the two before they even truly meet. Yes, they’re totally hot for one another - instalust, clear as day. But, this all started with Varo being captured by Adlar. He’s described himself as prey, and Adlar as a predator. One that even the jungle around him recognised Adlar as.
Except he does a complete 180° the more he gets to know Varo and falls for him. Well… 150°, because he’s never felt this way before.
The possessiveness throughout was animalistic, and objectifying Varo - but frankly, Varo didn’t mind and I wasn’t complaining either.
Some of the text was a bit on the ridiculous side.
I’m really not a fan of exclamation marks as well.
In the end, this was more about Varo and Adlar getting together. I would have love to get to know their worlds better though. The whole concept sounds fascinating, and would have been even better if it'd been worked out a bit more. The whole "vampire" thing was a nice touch, and the fear it caused very real within Varo. Moving past that, and giving us a scientific explanation (or as good as it could possibly get to explain why you need to suck blood) for having fangs and drinking blood helped the reader as well navigate this world unknown to them.
I feel I have to say this, if it isn't already clear - this book is about 70% Varo & Adlar being hard for the other because of something they did. That's okay though, because M.A. Church was able to keep the book interesting.
Some points I missed having a clear resolution to (and feel could be expanded upon) were: the rest of Varo’s crew, Varo’s father, Lars, more on Wierif, Omori, how the Helkans would accept Varo and their life After.
Overall, there’s a lot to this book. The development of Varo and Adlar’s relationship will keep you hooked until you finish it, the spike of danger and “will everything be okay? Who am I kidding, of course everything will be okay” at the end was great. If anything I want to read more, because that epilogue was not enough.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Reviewed by Kudrat from Alpha Book Club
Both Varo and Adlar come from two very different worlds (quite literally). Their planet, their culture, their language, even the way they look… In every regard, these two are opposites - except for their attraction for one another which neither can explain. Varo comes from a planet that is on the brink of civil war, economic collapse and rampant with poverty. A prince that is expendable to his own family and sent on a suicide mission to “negotiate” a deal with the Helkans.
Adlar is the older brother to the King of the Helkans. An assassin, you quickly realise how dangerous he can truly be.
Assumptions were dangerous, and as he kept finding with Adlar, often wrong.
Varo is thrust in a world that challenged his worldview every step of the way. He’s confronted with the reality that his prejudices were wrong. That what he believed, as many others, about this race that refuses to interact with the rest of universe was wrong. He moves past that though, and that development of his character was great to see.
I liked how the way they got together was clearly built up, except when you think of the actual time it took between Varo crashing in his shuttle on enemy territory, being captured by Adlar and becoming his prisoner to when they end up doing it.
Varo clearly isn’t thinking clearly, and frankly throughout I felt as though his “captain” status wasn’t really used adequately as a plot device. Varo gave up a bit too quickly. It’s understandable, and if more time had passed it would make more sense, but it hadn’t and it didn’t. He fell into the flow of things very quickly, as he did in Adlar’s bed. They’re kind of awesome together, but that doesn’t mean the mental anguish that situation calls for couldn’t have been delved into (more).
Another thought that I kept thinking was that when this relationship started out it was a lot like ’stockholm syndrome’.
There were times he wished the Helkans had just blown him out of the sky. A split unit second of pain and it would have all been over. He wouldn’t be here possibly falling in love with his captor. Could he? Or was this more of a captor-bonding type deal? How could he possibly tell?
Okay, it was basically stockholm syndrome. Except, somehow it’s okay because in the end they really fell in love, Adlar kept asking Varo for his permission and didn’t do anything against his wishes and there was a cross planetary rescue mission.
Yes, there’s attraction between the two before they even truly meet. Yes, they’re totally hot for one another - instalust, clear as day. But, this all started with Varo being captured by Adlar. He’s described himself as prey, and Adlar as a predator. One that even the jungle around him recognised Adlar as.
Except he does a complete 180° the more he gets to know Varo and falls for him. Well… 150°, because he’s never felt this way before.
The need to claim Varo rode him hard. Varo was his!
The possessiveness throughout was animalistic, and objectifying Varo - but frankly, Varo didn’t mind and I wasn’t complaining either.
Some of the text was a bit on the ridiculous side.
Is it getting darker in here, or am I about to pass out from lack of oxygen?
I’m really not a fan of exclamation marks as well.
In the end, this was more about Varo and Adlar getting together. I would have love to get to know their worlds better though. The whole concept sounds fascinating, and would have been even better if it'd been worked out a bit more. The whole "vampire" thing was a nice touch, and the fear it caused very real within Varo. Moving past that, and giving us a scientific explanation (or as good as it could possibly get to explain why you need to suck blood) for having fangs and drinking blood helped the reader as well navigate this world unknown to them.
I feel I have to say this, if it isn't already clear - this book is about 70% Varo & Adlar being hard for the other because of something they did. That's okay though, because M.A. Church was able to keep the book interesting.
Some points I missed having a clear resolution to (and feel could be expanded upon) were: the rest of Varo’s crew, Varo’s father, Lars, more on Wierif, Omori, how the Helkans would accept Varo and their life After.
Overall, there’s a lot to this book. The development of Varo and Adlar’s relationship will keep you hooked until you finish it, the spike of danger and “will everything be okay? Who am I kidding, of course everything will be okay” at the end was great. If anything I want to read more, because that epilogue was not enough.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Reviewed by Kudrat from Alpha Book Club
dnf
April 10, 2017DNF'ed @ 26%
When someone is made a "prisoner" against their will and fitted with a shock collar, there is no "seduction" immediately after capture, only "coercion." Frankly, this premise offends me. I'm done.
When someone is made a "prisoner" against their will and fitted with a shock collar, there is no "seduction" immediately after capture, only "coercion." Frankly, this premise offends me. I'm done.
February 18, 2017
DNF at 63%...just can't go any further. I love a good enemies-to-lovers story, but you have to have some actual, y'know, enemy-like behavior.
After Varo crash-lands on Helkan, Adlar basically just takes him home and proceeds to carry out what I can only refer to as an extended date. Is that really appropriate behavior for the king's older brother and the head of the king's assassins when dealing with the prince of an enemy planet? Varo puts up so little resistance to Adlar's almost immediate sexual advances there was pretty much no point (at the level of, "No I don't want to...well, okay.").
I had to bail when Adlar took Varo to meet his brother, Omori; the tone of the scene was that of a college student introducing his boyfriend to his big bro and not the political/diplomatic quagmire it ought to have been.
After Varo crash-lands on Helkan, Adlar basically just takes him home and proceeds to carry out what I can only refer to as an extended date. Is that really appropriate behavior for the king's older brother and the head of the king's assassins when dealing with the prince of an enemy planet? Varo puts up so little resistance to Adlar's almost immediate sexual advances there was pretty much no point (at the level of, "No I don't want to...well, okay.").
I had to bail when Adlar took Varo to meet his brother, Omori; the tone of the scene was that of a college student introducing his boyfriend to his big bro and not the political/diplomatic quagmire it ought to have been.
March 17, 2017
3.5
I'm pretty fond of this set-up and M/M sci-fi in general, and found this fun and quite readable, with special praise for how Church evokes the dynamic between Adlar and Varo, which I found addictively hot. I'd also point out here that Church did an unusually good job (from my point of view) incorporating explicit consent into her story without totally sacrificing the power dynamic that makes captive stories erotic for many readers. There was also some nice world-building, especially of the nocturnal environment, but the wider cultures were left a bit vague, especially how Adlar came to have a prisoner living with him--like was that usual?--because no one else seemed to notice that Varo was sharing his bed.
I also had some bigger problems with the antagonists.
These problems aside, this was a light, enjoyable read with some very hot scenes and an erotic power dynamic that managed to completely avoid rape despite the captive/captor set-up.
I'm pretty fond of this set-up and M/M sci-fi in general, and found this fun and quite readable, with special praise for how Church evokes the dynamic between Adlar and Varo, which I found addictively hot. I'd also point out here that Church did an unusually good job (from my point of view) incorporating explicit consent into her story without totally sacrificing the power dynamic that makes captive stories erotic for many readers. There was also some nice world-building, especially of the nocturnal environment, but the wider cultures were left a bit vague, especially how Adlar came to have a prisoner living with him--like was that usual?--because no one else seemed to notice that Varo was sharing his bed.
I also had some bigger problems with the antagonists.
These problems aside, this was a light, enjoyable read with some very hot scenes and an erotic power dynamic that managed to completely avoid rape despite the captive/captor set-up.
January 23, 2020
‘In Enemy Hands’ is a variation on the enemies-to-lovers trope, with a strong element of prisoner-falls-for-his-captor, wrapped up in a science fiction setting. This is not hard science fiction, since the focus is on the main characters and their developing relationship, the cultural differences that are pretty black-and-white, and some liberties have been taken with the scientific details. But I really enjoyed reading about Prince Varo and Prince Adlar and their struggle to deal with the attraction they both feel despite the circumstances they find themselves in. Their civilizations are very different, but both have undertones of what we face here on Earth, only taken to extremes. That enables the author to set up a world different enough from ours to make it an interesting background, yet not so strange that it distracts from the real focus of the novel: the personal struggle between Varo and Adlar.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
December 31, 2016
I've been patiently waiting for this book for a while so I was very excited to read it. Over all I give it 2.5 stars. Sometimes the writing left something to be desired. Like over explaining things that 99% of readers could infer from the actions of the MCs. Varo said "um" so many times that I wanted to slap him. I know people say "um" a lot in real conversation but I really don't want it littered across every single sentence a character utters in the books I'm reading. If you're trying to convey insecurity or confusion then do it a different way, there's no need to abuse "um".
See this example:
"Adlar? What’s going on? How’d I get here? Um, where is here? Why… why aren’t you… um…?” For real? I mean come on, the book is partially about and he's still stuttering "um, um, um" every time he speaks? Ridiculous.
The plot somewhat redeems the novel and brings it back up to 3 stars though I did have a problem with the fact that
I was hoping for MCs who were a little more alien rather than dark and light skinned humanoids since this was a futuristic space type novel but alas there was nothing of the sort.
The sex was pretty hot though, I'll give it that.
See this example:
"Adlar? What’s going on? How’d I get here? Um, where is here? Why… why aren’t you… um…?” For real? I mean come on, the book is partially about and he's still stuttering "um, um, um" every time he speaks? Ridiculous.
The plot somewhat redeems the novel and brings it back up to 3 stars though I did have a problem with the fact that
I was hoping for MCs who were a little more alien rather than dark and light skinned humanoids since this was a futuristic space type novel but alas there was nothing of the sort.
The sex was pretty hot though, I'll give it that.
January 23, 2020
‘In Enemy Hands’ is a variation on the enemies-to-lovers trope, with a strong element of prisoner-falls-for-his-captor, wrapped up in a science fiction setting. This is not hard science fiction, since the focus is on the main characters and their developing relationship, the cultural differences that are pretty black-and-white, and some liberties have been taken with the scientific details. But I really enjoyed reading about Prince Varo and Prince Adlar and their struggle to deal with the attraction they both feel despite the circumstances they find themselves in. Their civilizations are very different, but both have undertones of what we face here on Earth, only taken to extremes. That enables the author to set up a world different enough from ours to make it an interesting background, yet not so strange that it distracts from the real focus of the novel: the personal struggle between Varo and Adlar.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 18, 2018
Loved it.
Great cover too.
Great cover too.
July 16, 2018
Book – In Enemy Hands
Author – M.A. Church
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 214
Cover – Gorgeous!
POV – 3rd person, dual POV
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – Fantasy, LGBT, Science Fiction
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
*sigh*
This was an epic fantasy of mass proportion, with science fiction space lingo that was understandable, characters who were loveable and relateable as well as a romance that ticked my heart with affection.
I'm a sucker for both fantasy and science fiction, so the combination of vampire-like Helkan's – with fangs and a need for blood – and the fey-like appearance was awesome. Add in the slightly more human-like Yesri and it was a recipe for greatness. The volatile situation between their people, the way Helkan's were considered animals and the way Varo had been treated by his family – his father in particular – offered up the perfect blend of circumstances to open Varo's mind and allow the events after his capture to take place. The transition was believable fraught with tension, conflict and resistance, though there were also those lovely moments of submission, of not having anything left to fight with and, of course, Adlar's very skilful seductions breaking down Varo's barriers.
The chemistry was palpable; so real and explored in a way that made sense. Instant attraction and lust grew slowly for Varo, guided by events, feelings and the isolation they enjoyed in their first few days together. After that, when others got involved, it was great to see how Adlar suddenly realised everything that Varo had been struggling with and responded accordingly. At the same time, I love how they were both quite clear with each other as to the boundaries that could and couldn't be crossed. It was heart-warming to see the Master/slave relationship turned on it's head and become something much deeper than is common for the theme; even when Adlar had every reason to doubt, when others told him he was wrong and his trust was misplaced, he didn't doubt Varo for a minute.
The drama and danger were realistic and believable, as well as a great way to provide conflict and wrap up the lingering questions about Varo's family back in Yesri.
The dual POV was fantastic for displaying both sides of the story without ever having the need to repeat scenes in both POV's to show both sides. The characters of Varo, Adlar, as well as Omori and the nature of the Helkan's was made so vivid and clear that it was easy to interpret their reactions, a small word here, a look there, and figure out their feelings on matters that weren't shown in their POV. I was never left wondering about anything and all the questions I had about what happened right from page 1 were answered by the end of the story.
As well as incredible characterisation, great attention to detail with the descriptions, locations and starship/space aspects, there was an impressive level of world building that made everything visual and real, without leaving items unexplained or mysterious.
There was hot, sexiness, sharp wits, exhilarating arguments, seduction and so much more in the space of just over 200 pages. Yet, the story was fully complete, leaving me with no sense of needing more to explain or wrap up the story. Though I would definitely love to see Wrief's story, because I'm intrigued by these Orh'Neonian's (winged telepaths), that's just me being eager to read more of this world and these characters.
In short, it had absolutely everything I could want and nothing I didn't. As my first book by this author, I'll be eagerly delving into more soon.
~
Favourite Quote
“The tremble that threatened to shake Varo's frame caught him off guard. The look in that gaze was a mixture of scorching heat and frosty coolness – a predator who had Varo in his sights. The danger he felt flamed his body.”
“Never was he so glad to be in enemy hands.”
Author – M.A. Church
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 214
Cover – Gorgeous!
POV – 3rd person, dual POV
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – Fantasy, LGBT, Science Fiction
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
*sigh*
This was an epic fantasy of mass proportion, with science fiction space lingo that was understandable, characters who were loveable and relateable as well as a romance that ticked my heart with affection.
I'm a sucker for both fantasy and science fiction, so the combination of vampire-like Helkan's – with fangs and a need for blood – and the fey-like appearance was awesome. Add in the slightly more human-like Yesri and it was a recipe for greatness. The volatile situation between their people, the way Helkan's were considered animals and the way Varo had been treated by his family – his father in particular – offered up the perfect blend of circumstances to open Varo's mind and allow the events after his capture to take place. The transition was believable fraught with tension, conflict and resistance, though there were also those lovely moments of submission, of not having anything left to fight with and, of course, Adlar's very skilful seductions breaking down Varo's barriers.
The chemistry was palpable; so real and explored in a way that made sense. Instant attraction and lust grew slowly for Varo, guided by events, feelings and the isolation they enjoyed in their first few days together. After that, when others got involved, it was great to see how Adlar suddenly realised everything that Varo had been struggling with and responded accordingly. At the same time, I love how they were both quite clear with each other as to the boundaries that could and couldn't be crossed. It was heart-warming to see the Master/slave relationship turned on it's head and become something much deeper than is common for the theme; even when Adlar had every reason to doubt, when others told him he was wrong and his trust was misplaced, he didn't doubt Varo for a minute.
The drama and danger were realistic and believable, as well as a great way to provide conflict and wrap up the lingering questions about Varo's family back in Yesri.
The dual POV was fantastic for displaying both sides of the story without ever having the need to repeat scenes in both POV's to show both sides. The characters of Varo, Adlar, as well as Omori and the nature of the Helkan's was made so vivid and clear that it was easy to interpret their reactions, a small word here, a look there, and figure out their feelings on matters that weren't shown in their POV. I was never left wondering about anything and all the questions I had about what happened right from page 1 were answered by the end of the story.
As well as incredible characterisation, great attention to detail with the descriptions, locations and starship/space aspects, there was an impressive level of world building that made everything visual and real, without leaving items unexplained or mysterious.
There was hot, sexiness, sharp wits, exhilarating arguments, seduction and so much more in the space of just over 200 pages. Yet, the story was fully complete, leaving me with no sense of needing more to explain or wrap up the story. Though I would definitely love to see Wrief's story, because I'm intrigued by these Orh'Neonian's (winged telepaths), that's just me being eager to read more of this world and these characters.
In short, it had absolutely everything I could want and nothing I didn't. As my first book by this author, I'll be eagerly delving into more soon.
~
Favourite Quote
“The tremble that threatened to shake Varo's frame caught him off guard. The look in that gaze was a mixture of scorching heat and frosty coolness – a predator who had Varo in his sights. The danger he felt flamed his body.”
“Never was he so glad to be in enemy hands.”
December 30, 2016
Reviewed by Jennifer for The Novel Approach
If you’ve read M.A. Church’s sci-fi series before and enjoyed them, then you’re in for another great book with In Enemy Hands. I enjoyed this new universe with the Helkans and Yesrians.
Prince Varo, the third son of a despotic ruler, is sent to get materials from the secluded, mysterious planet where the Helkans live. This race is shrouded in mystery and no one really knows who they are, except for the fact that no one lands on their planet—and anyone that does, never leaves. After a solar storm forces his people to abandon ship, Varo decides to crash land on the Helkan planet. When Adlar finds him, he is immediately taken prisoner. However, as time unfolds, it becomes clear that Adlar and Varo are beginning to care for each other more than as just master and prisoner.
I truly enjoyed the story. The Helkans are an advanced race that, while they might seem primitive to other races, have found a way to live with their land rather than on it, and that is one reason they fiercely protect their planet. After all, the Yesrians have all but destroyed theirs. Who would want to let them near their own precious resources?
Varo is an interesting character to read. While he is strong and fierce, he is also innocent and naïve. Adlar is immediately attracted to him for his light hair and darker skin as well as that innocence. Varo, though attracted to Adlar, doesn’t want anything to do with him. As a prisoner, he thinks he has no choice. When Adlar treats him with respect and consideration, he isn’t sure how to react. As the third son, he’s not used to respect. When he thinks Adlar will force him to have sex, all he has to say is no and Adlar retreats.
Adlar was also fascinating. His race of people are vampiric, and seeing that paranormal/fantasy element blended so well with the sci-fi was interesting. The reasoning for it is built into the story well, and how the species handles it on a cultural level is also explored. While I wasn’t sure I understood the entire reasoning for it on an evolutionary standpoint, I still enjoyed that element.
Of course, over time the two fall for each other, but there are people who want to prevent them from being together. Adlar and Varo will have to prove to themselves, their families, and their people that their bond is strong and true. They face some unexpected twists and turns at the end that had me worried about the outcome, even if the final resolution was a bit too tidy.
This is a world I would love to revisit again. Perhaps another book with Adlar and Varo, showing how they are faring? Or even of Varo’s brother, Wrief? I don’t think there will be more, but Church has crafted a memorable world.
If you’ve read M.A. Church’s sci-fi series before and enjoyed them, then you’re in for another great book with In Enemy Hands. I enjoyed this new universe with the Helkans and Yesrians.
Prince Varo, the third son of a despotic ruler, is sent to get materials from the secluded, mysterious planet where the Helkans live. This race is shrouded in mystery and no one really knows who they are, except for the fact that no one lands on their planet—and anyone that does, never leaves. After a solar storm forces his people to abandon ship, Varo decides to crash land on the Helkan planet. When Adlar finds him, he is immediately taken prisoner. However, as time unfolds, it becomes clear that Adlar and Varo are beginning to care for each other more than as just master and prisoner.
I truly enjoyed the story. The Helkans are an advanced race that, while they might seem primitive to other races, have found a way to live with their land rather than on it, and that is one reason they fiercely protect their planet. After all, the Yesrians have all but destroyed theirs. Who would want to let them near their own precious resources?
Varo is an interesting character to read. While he is strong and fierce, he is also innocent and naïve. Adlar is immediately attracted to him for his light hair and darker skin as well as that innocence. Varo, though attracted to Adlar, doesn’t want anything to do with him. As a prisoner, he thinks he has no choice. When Adlar treats him with respect and consideration, he isn’t sure how to react. As the third son, he’s not used to respect. When he thinks Adlar will force him to have sex, all he has to say is no and Adlar retreats.
Adlar was also fascinating. His race of people are vampiric, and seeing that paranormal/fantasy element blended so well with the sci-fi was interesting. The reasoning for it is built into the story well, and how the species handles it on a cultural level is also explored. While I wasn’t sure I understood the entire reasoning for it on an evolutionary standpoint, I still enjoyed that element.
Of course, over time the two fall for each other, but there are people who want to prevent them from being together. Adlar and Varo will have to prove to themselves, their families, and their people that their bond is strong and true. They face some unexpected twists and turns at the end that had me worried about the outcome, even if the final resolution was a bit too tidy.
This is a world I would love to revisit again. Perhaps another book with Adlar and Varo, showing how they are faring? Or even of Varo’s brother, Wrief? I don’t think there will be more, but Church has crafted a memorable world.
March 11, 2017
****Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance®****
I love sci-fi and slave fic, so when I saw the blurb for In Enemy Hands, I had to read it. I really connected with the characters and liked how both the sci-fi and slave portion of the story worked, with only a few exceptions.
Varo, although a starship captain, is very naïve in some respects. He cares about his crew and hates his abusive father. When he is captured by Adlar, even though he is a prisoner, he is not treated like a slave; he is given choices. As such this doesn’t read entirely like a slave fic but it does bring up questions as to the validity of feelings as Varo is still a prisoner. Adlar was noble and kind for an assassin. I liked him and his treatment of Varo very much.
The few exceptions I had were some of the sci-fi details. One was the common names for food. Adding a different planet’s name to cinnamon or other spices is not as creative as I would have liked, especially as Earth is not a planet named in this world, nor is there any indication that humans or Earth has anything to do with this system. I know it was used to help the reader get a feel for the food by relating it to something we know but it took me out of the story a bit. There was also a lot of terminology borrowed from other space shows; things like beaming people from ships. There were unique animals, though, and a few other technologies that were put forth. I appreciate that effort.
On the whole, it was an entertaining, sexy story.
I love sci-fi and slave fic, so when I saw the blurb for In Enemy Hands, I had to read it. I really connected with the characters and liked how both the sci-fi and slave portion of the story worked, with only a few exceptions.
Varo, although a starship captain, is very naïve in some respects. He cares about his crew and hates his abusive father. When he is captured by Adlar, even though he is a prisoner, he is not treated like a slave; he is given choices. As such this doesn’t read entirely like a slave fic but it does bring up questions as to the validity of feelings as Varo is still a prisoner. Adlar was noble and kind for an assassin. I liked him and his treatment of Varo very much.
The few exceptions I had were some of the sci-fi details. One was the common names for food. Adding a different planet’s name to cinnamon or other spices is not as creative as I would have liked, especially as Earth is not a planet named in this world, nor is there any indication that humans or Earth has anything to do with this system. I know it was used to help the reader get a feel for the food by relating it to something we know but it took me out of the story a bit. There was also a lot of terminology borrowed from other space shows; things like beaming people from ships. There were unique animals, though, and a few other technologies that were put forth. I appreciate that effort.
On the whole, it was an entertaining, sexy story.
February 6, 2017
Very predictable plot; story's too easy, no struggle/real conflict between the MCs. The only thing I liked was Dar the batar (feline-like animal), but he only appeared once :(
January 2, 2017
I am a tad bit obsessed with M.A. Church's science fiction creamy crack. I swear, all of her stories so far read like fluffy science fiction material. This one is no different. Really fun sci-fi read with a romantic element attached to it. Varo & Adlar were meant for one another.
Varo being the child of a despondent Yesri king is sent on a mission to retrieve something only the Helkans have. Well of course things don't go as planned, but being who he is Varo decides something must be done. Aldar is not only the King's brother but he's also a world trained assassin. The Helkans are known as a brutal species, but no one knows anything of substance about them because they don't allow anyone on their planet.
The relationship buildup between Varo & Adlar is pretty instant. It's one of the main things I like about this author's style. While she doesn't make you wait an eternity for physical needs, everything else in between is super fluffy. This is definitely low angst, romantic & bubbly science fiction story. Something I'm sure you don't hear often. If that is your style then I'd definitely recommend it to you
Varo being the child of a despondent Yesri king is sent on a mission to retrieve something only the Helkans have. Well of course things don't go as planned, but being who he is Varo decides something must be done. Aldar is not only the King's brother but he's also a world trained assassin. The Helkans are known as a brutal species, but no one knows anything of substance about them because they don't allow anyone on their planet.
The relationship buildup between Varo & Adlar is pretty instant. It's one of the main things I like about this author's style. While she doesn't make you wait an eternity for physical needs, everything else in between is super fluffy. This is definitely low angst, romantic & bubbly science fiction story. Something I'm sure you don't hear often. If that is your style then I'd definitely recommend it to you
March 12, 2017
Vampires in space *eye roll*. I'm so sick of vampire stories! If the blurb/cover had hinted of this, I wouldn't have bothered.
I also found Adlar's repetition of Varo's name to be obnoxiously repetitive to the point I started skimming.
I also found Adlar's repetition of Varo's name to be obnoxiously repetitive to the point I started skimming.
March 19, 2017
I felt the characterisation was simplified and quite one dimensional with the main characters jumping straight into a mindset with very little buildup or reasoning of how they got there. This was sometimes quite jarring especially when Varo seemed to do a full 180 with no explanation.
I also found it hard to get a feel of Varo. At the start he was a hard nosed space captain but after capture he seemed to turn into a lost little boy very quickly which didn't seem to ring true to me.
I also found it hard to get a feel of Varo. At the start he was a hard nosed space captain but after capture he seemed to turn into a lost little boy very quickly which didn't seem to ring true to me.
June 24, 2017
Ok, so this book.... All of my yes!
There are different names and different star systems but think Pre-UFP Vampire Romulan/Vulcan hybrid civilization and an effed up Earth civilization from Star Trek. Warp ships, replicators, tractor beams and helmsmen, this is litterally a Star Trek look alike book world.
Earth Prince is being forced to attack Vampire/Romulan/Vulcan planet. Space stuff happens. Escape pod crashes on planet. Story starts here.
A ton of sex, but it doesn't interfere with the story. The author only put the smut scenes in important places and just hops over them with a sentence or two in most places so the smut scenes she does write in full seem more valuable. The one thing I like is that these characters, while not seeming real, still beat some of the more traditional books in that their partnership (and sex) is equal so you don't have that Seme/yuki sort of feminization (small, cute, long hair, dainty features, needs protection) of the "bottom" character because they go both ways.
I would say that this book is a great start to a series and was disappointing in the wrap up of Earth brother #2 in the epilogue. Seriously, if you need an epilogue, you need to just wite a second book. And this is why this book gets 5 stars. Books should always leave you satisfied but wanting more without pissing you off that there isn't more. Like, I'm ok with this ending but if the author wanted to play around with throwing Brother #2 and Brother #1 into 2 more books.... I would throw my money at it. Like pre-order as soon as the option drops follow the author on twitter kind of want more. :)
There are different names and different star systems but think Pre-UFP Vampire Romulan/Vulcan hybrid civilization and an effed up Earth civilization from Star Trek. Warp ships, replicators, tractor beams and helmsmen, this is litterally a Star Trek look alike book world.
Earth Prince is being forced to attack Vampire/Romulan/Vulcan planet. Space stuff happens. Escape pod crashes on planet. Story starts here.
A ton of sex, but it doesn't interfere with the story. The author only put the smut scenes in important places and just hops over them with a sentence or two in most places so the smut scenes she does write in full seem more valuable. The one thing I like is that these characters, while not seeming real, still beat some of the more traditional books in that their partnership (and sex) is equal so you don't have that Seme/yuki sort of feminization (small, cute, long hair, dainty features, needs protection) of the "bottom" character because they go both ways.
I would say that this book is a great start to a series and was disappointing in the wrap up of Earth brother #2 in the epilogue. Seriously, if you need an epilogue, you need to just wite a second book. And this is why this book gets 5 stars. Books should always leave you satisfied but wanting more without pissing you off that there isn't more. Like, I'm ok with this ending but if the author wanted to play around with throwing Brother #2 and Brother #1 into 2 more books.... I would throw my money at it. Like pre-order as soon as the option drops follow the author on twitter kind of want more. :)
July 21, 2019
Okay. I really struggled with finishing this book. I'm going to try really hard to explain with evidence all while avoiding spoilers.
Positives = The concept / story idea, the cover, the HEA, and likable m/c's. The world building was not bad. The relationship between the brothers from the Dark planet.
Worth Noting = Not for those that dislike Insta-Love. It pushed my limits even with it being a fantasy / Sci-Fi, and that is not one of my sensitive areas.
Negatives = Illogical things or events with no prior set up for making it seem possible. For example, how a none royal would no things about the palace that was implied the royals may not. Illogical villainy- from the purpose, to the disappearing (which defeated the purpose and seemed premature). A lot of events just seemed to "happen" instead of being developed. A lot felt contrived and predictable.
I struggled to stay engaged despite this being from my favorite genre. Plus, I'm typically a laid back reader. I don't look for negatives. I just want to stay engaged and be entertained. There is a problem when I'm looking forward to do some reading, and I find it harder to pick a book up than to put it down.
Positives = The concept / story idea, the cover, the HEA, and likable m/c's. The world building was not bad. The relationship between the brothers from the Dark planet.
Worth Noting = Not for those that dislike Insta-Love. It pushed my limits even with it being a fantasy / Sci-Fi, and that is not one of my sensitive areas.
Negatives = Illogical things or events with no prior set up for making it seem possible. For example, how a none royal would no things about the palace that was implied the royals may not. Illogical villainy- from the purpose, to the disappearing (which defeated the purpose and seemed premature). A lot of events just seemed to "happen" instead of being developed. A lot felt contrived and predictable.
I struggled to stay engaged despite this being from my favorite genre. Plus, I'm typically a laid back reader. I don't look for negatives. I just want to stay engaged and be entertained. There is a problem when I'm looking forward to do some reading, and I find it harder to pick a book up than to put it down.
January 1, 2017
Grade B. So this book started out with a lot of promise. First off the cover is gorgeous and perfect to the story. It's exactly as Adlar is described against the white blonde hair of Varo. The story also started out with promise. Two planets against each other, the royalty of one crashing on the planet of the other. Being held prisoner with a collar and a love story. It was no Captive Prince but it was quite well plotted and paced. I thought Varo acted too much like a blushing bride at times but hey, to each his own. The family dynamic for both the characters were vastly different and well fleshed out. There were a few ridiculous aspects to the story which dropped the grade for me. At one point Varo is carried off like a swooning damsel in distress by Adler and I laughed out loud at how comically absurd it was. This is my first book by M A Church so I wasn't sure what to expect. Very readable with some slight overwrought parts. A good first book to try by this author if your on the fence.
January 6, 2017
I tried to read this today. I liked the sample, but it went downhill fast, at least for me.
I can't condone slavery. And putting a collar, that is used as a punishment (electrical shocks) on someone who is a prisoner, is torture at least. But to initiate sex, while the prisoner wears the punishment collar is slavery.
So under no circumstances would I say that the "slave" can fall in love with it's captor.
This isn't sweet, or cute or even remotely a romantic relationship, this is slavery!
I can't condone slavery. And putting a collar, that is used as a punishment (electrical shocks) on someone who is a prisoner, is torture at least. But to initiate sex, while the prisoner wears the punishment collar is slavery.
So under no circumstances would I say that the "slave" can fall in love with it's captor.
This isn't sweet, or cute or even remotely a romantic relationship, this is slavery!
November 24, 2021
3.5 stars. I don't know. I usually quite enjoy M.A. Church's books. Not that i didn't enjoy this one, I die but, it wasn't up to what i am used to from their work. First, why did Varo feel the need to say things out loud? Like, when he first landed on the planet? I'm all for hearing the MC inner thoughts but, for someone seeking to hide from searchers he sure was making an awful lot of noise. And then I know they had insta lust from first sight but i just didn't feel the connection between the characters. It wasn't a bad story, it just wasn't a great one.
Read
August 18, 2019Just couldn’t get into it and I love the whole space/aliens premise. Many things kept distracting me to be able to actually enjoy it.-
February 22, 2022
A prince must always do his best for his people. Prince Varo Kutchif, the third son of the royal family and a starship captain, must attempt the impossible to prevent the Yesri kingdom from spiraling further into chaos. The king, his father, cares more for satisfying his carnal appetites than making sure the kingdom flourishes. His desperation for more money to support his hedonistic lifestyle has pushed him to send Varo on a fool’s mission: convince the Helkans to allow the mining of Black Phospolrock.
The mysterious Helkans maintain isolation from other planets. There have been many others who attempted to exploit them for Black Phospolrock, but all have failed. Varo makes contact with Adler Mondur, the king’s older brother and head assassin. Adler is determined to protect his king and kingdom from any threat, including the Yesri prince when he crash lands on their planet after being commanded to exit their planet’s orbit.
Varo is alone on an unfriendly, unfamiliar planet that never releases hostages. It isn’t long after he crashes that Adler finds him, and makes sure Varo can’t get away. Thus begins a journey where two men from disparate civilizations grow from enemies to lovers.
-
Varo goes into his diplomatic mission almost desperate not to fail. His father has ordered him to attack if negotiations fall through. He can’t ignore orders either, since his crew was threatened to force his compliance. Varo is willing to sacrifice himself to protect his crew, which is how he ends up stranded on Helkan. Once there, he’s open-minded enough to begin truly understanding the tenets of Helkan culture. He even begins to appreciate and respect the Helkan way of life more than the Yesri traditions.
Adler has no respect for the Yesri since he knows them only as violent people with no respect for the environment or interest in preservation. He knows that if the Yesri, or any other interested party, are allowed to mine Black Phospolrock, they won’t make any effort to do so sustainably or avoid destruction to the land. The Helkans have no interest in allowing that to happen. After meeting Varo, Adler believes he is not as violent or willfully ignorant as expected and attempts to help him experience Helkan culture.
Both of them are caught off guard by their intense attraction to each other, though Varo is the most resistant. Having experienced very little love and care in his home life, Varo isn’t prepared for how Adler treats him. The Helkan isn’t necessarily kind, but he is patient and he never does things without asking for Varo’s consent.
5 stars! Recommended for anyone interested in princes, assassins, and enemies-to-lovers.
The mysterious Helkans maintain isolation from other planets. There have been many others who attempted to exploit them for Black Phospolrock, but all have failed. Varo makes contact with Adler Mondur, the king’s older brother and head assassin. Adler is determined to protect his king and kingdom from any threat, including the Yesri prince when he crash lands on their planet after being commanded to exit their planet’s orbit.
Varo is alone on an unfriendly, unfamiliar planet that never releases hostages. It isn’t long after he crashes that Adler finds him, and makes sure Varo can’t get away. Thus begins a journey where two men from disparate civilizations grow from enemies to lovers.
-
Varo goes into his diplomatic mission almost desperate not to fail. His father has ordered him to attack if negotiations fall through. He can’t ignore orders either, since his crew was threatened to force his compliance. Varo is willing to sacrifice himself to protect his crew, which is how he ends up stranded on Helkan. Once there, he’s open-minded enough to begin truly understanding the tenets of Helkan culture. He even begins to appreciate and respect the Helkan way of life more than the Yesri traditions.
Adler has no respect for the Yesri since he knows them only as violent people with no respect for the environment or interest in preservation. He knows that if the Yesri, or any other interested party, are allowed to mine Black Phospolrock, they won’t make any effort to do so sustainably or avoid destruction to the land. The Helkans have no interest in allowing that to happen. After meeting Varo, Adler believes he is not as violent or willfully ignorant as expected and attempts to help him experience Helkan culture.
Both of them are caught off guard by their intense attraction to each other, though Varo is the most resistant. Having experienced very little love and care in his home life, Varo isn’t prepared for how Adler treats him. The Helkan isn’t necessarily kind, but he is patient and he never does things without asking for Varo’s consent.
5 stars! Recommended for anyone interested in princes, assassins, and enemies-to-lovers.
January 31, 2024
This was solidly "ok". There was an attempt at world building and a plot beyond the romance, which I appreciated. But the inconsistency in the writing quality (sometimes slipping between third and first person with no use of italics or anything else to indicate internal monologues) was jarring and there was an overall rushed feeling to the book that kept me from really getting into it. There were also some odd moments where I just felt like I had no idea what the hell the characters were talking about. For example, at one point, Varo observes that Helkan has virtually no poverty and has managed to create a society that works with nature, avoiding over industrialization - but it's a mystery planet that Varo repeatedly tells us he and his people know little about... and my dude was being held captive in a cave for like, weeks. Months? I'm not sure how or when he had time to learn enough about the local economy or travel around the planet to make those judgements. These kind of odd generalizations, cliches, and oversimplifications come up constantly throughout the book, making it feel off-putting at times. The last thing I feel I need to mention is Varo's father, the king. The father is portrayed as a Caligula-esque tyrant, yet he never feels like much of a danger. He's about as paint-by-numbers a villain as you can get. Which was a shame because there could have been such an interesting dynamic to Adlar and Varo's relationship if the father posed an actual threat to them. Instead, you just wonder why no one's killed the king sooner since he's portrayed as angry, but incompetent. Stupid villains are so boring.
Overall it had some solid moments and I'm not mad about the time I spent with it, but it's definitely not one that's going to stick with me.
Overall it had some solid moments and I'm not mad about the time I spent with it, but it's definitely not one that's going to stick with me.
February 4, 2021
Rating this was hard. I'd give it a 4 for premise and a 2 for execution.
I liked the bones of the book but there were so many little nitpicky things that kept throwing me off. One example was the language used by the characters.It just seemed stilted and off at times. The Helkan king, for instance, would speak like an aristocrat one moment then start speaking and acting like a frat boy. The two identities didn't blend well and made him seem a bit over the top. Speaking of the characters, most of them lacked much depth and came off as caricatures, especially the antagonists. I think this book would've benefitted greatly from a good round of editing.
That said, no matter how much some minor details ticked me off, I couldn't put the book down and did enjoy reading it. I did like the premise of it and I'm a big fan of the enemies to lovers trope.
I recommend it if you enjoy mm sci-fi, enemies to lovers, and are the type of reader that doesn't let the small things in a book ruin their reading experience.
I liked the bones of the book but there were so many little nitpicky things that kept throwing me off. One example was the language used by the characters.It just seemed stilted and off at times. The Helkan king, for instance, would speak like an aristocrat one moment then start speaking and acting like a frat boy. The two identities didn't blend well and made him seem a bit over the top. Speaking of the characters, most of them lacked much depth and came off as caricatures, especially the antagonists. I think this book would've benefitted greatly from a good round of editing.
That said, no matter how much some minor details ticked me off, I couldn't put the book down and did enjoy reading it. I did like the premise of it and I'm a big fan of the enemies to lovers trope.
I recommend it if you enjoy mm sci-fi, enemies to lovers, and are the type of reader that doesn't let the small things in a book ruin their reading experience.
May 26, 2017
This is a very difficult book for me to review. I have read sci-fi books by Church in the past, and LOVED them. So when I seen that this was Church’s newest release, and on top of that a sci-fi one? I couldn’t get to read it soon enough.
But this book just left me wanting. While it was an interesting story, to me it felt like it had been watered down a bit. The scenes where I would expect there to be a fair bit of emotion and drama? There was barely any there.
I couldn’t really connect with the characters as easily as I have been able to with Church’s books in the past, and I really think that’s part of why I had the issues that I had with this book.
Overall – it was a good read, but it left me wanting for something more. I would say that if your new to the sci-fi genre, then check this book out.
Reviewed by Crystal Marie for Crystal's Many Reviewers
*Copy Provided for review*
But this book just left me wanting. While it was an interesting story, to me it felt like it had been watered down a bit. The scenes where I would expect there to be a fair bit of emotion and drama? There was barely any there.
I couldn’t really connect with the characters as easily as I have been able to with Church’s books in the past, and I really think that’s part of why I had the issues that I had with this book.
Overall – it was a good read, but it left me wanting for something more. I would say that if your new to the sci-fi genre, then check this book out.
Reviewed by Crystal Marie for Crystal's Many Reviewers
*Copy Provided for review*
April 30, 2019
I wanted to read this book for a while and now that I finally did... I didn't like it.
I didn't hate it either it's just poorly written and I didn't expect that from the author. I'm not sticker for scientific stuff in SF books but the commands and all the "technical" talk made no sense. In an "I have no idea what I'm doing so I'll wing it" way.
There were some parts of the plot introduced and then forgotten (like broken bones of Varo). There were also parts that didn't make sense at all like prince dusting off his trousers and running all over the forest after he crash landed on the planet surface. He crashed! He should be hurt, if he luckily didn't break anything then I'm pretty sure he should be at least sore enough not to go prancing around like a Bambi.
I liked the banter between Adlar and his brother and that's pretty much all I liked in this book.
I didn't hate it either it's just poorly written and I didn't expect that from the author. I'm not sticker for scientific stuff in SF books but the commands and all the "technical" talk made no sense. In an "I have no idea what I'm doing so I'll wing it" way.
There were some parts of the plot introduced and then forgotten (like broken bones of Varo). There were also parts that didn't make sense at all like prince dusting off his trousers and running all over the forest after he crash landed on the planet surface. He crashed! He should be hurt, if he luckily didn't break anything then I'm pretty sure he should be at least sore enough not to go prancing around like a Bambi.
I liked the banter between Adlar and his brother and that's pretty much all I liked in this book.
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