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Sleepers: Caleb: Heather's Pride Book One
317 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 22, 2021
12 people are currently reading
About the author
Terri Pray
131 books42 followersTerri Pray is a stay-at-home wife and mother who is slowly exploring a dream to become a recognized writer.
Web content, erotica, signature stories, essays, articles, fiction ranging from science fiction and fantasy to mystery and humor, Terri Pray's range of writing continues to grow, facing new challenges with relish.
Currently living in Minnesota with her second husband, Terri was born in England, only moving to the States in 1999. They have two children, and share a love of writing and role-playing that brought them together via the Internet. Her husband, Sam, works with as a part of the Final Sword Production team as General Manager and Game Designer. They're currently working together on an upcoming version of the D6 roleplaying game system. The core rules are also being adapted for S.M. Stirling's Emberverse (Dies the Fire) and David Weber's Honorverse
Web content, erotica, signature stories, essays, articles, fiction ranging from science fiction and fantasy to mystery and humor, Terri Pray's range of writing continues to grow, facing new challenges with relish.
Currently living in Minnesota with her second husband, Terri was born in England, only moving to the States in 1999. They have two children, and share a love of writing and role-playing that brought them together via the Internet. Her husband, Sam, works with as a part of the Final Sword Production team as General Manager and Game Designer. They're currently working together on an upcoming version of the D6 roleplaying game system. The core rules are also being adapted for S.M. Stirling's Emberverse (Dies the Fire) and David Weber's Honorverse
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 9, 2021
Like dominos
Heather agreed to be a sleeper to save her family. More money means access to more, and better, food. A contract to become a servant isn't great, but it isn't immediate, either. It's at least 50yrs off, maybe more. But when they refuse to call her by her name while getting her ready for cryo clues start popping up. And right before she goes under the lightbulb goes off. It wasn't becoming a servant she signed up for, it was to be a slave. The type of slave was clearly understood by his actions and words right as darkness took her under. Those thoughts surface as she's waking. Seeing 3 men outside her tube has her on edge with those words, and her immobility. Then the Elites, the ones who did this, arrive, and suddenly the devils she doesn't know are much more appealing.
Spoilers ahead.
So, we both know a great deal and very little about this world. It's Earth, there's been a war, or many wars. The 1% rule everything, take what they want, and have no thought beyond their own comfort and keeping their status into the next generation. Trigger warnings for a society that doesn't treat women well. Born elite women are pampered ornaments, possibly barren. Servant class women range from second wives (if they're lucky), concubines, bordello workers, sex slaves, or just have their babies stolen to be raised by barren elite wives. So, yeah, not pleasant. Not beaten into readers, but definitely should be mentioned. Shifters are stronger, healthier, able to breed better, and their women were the ones tricked into being sleepers. Shifters breed in multiples due to a lack of females,but also to provide better protection. Tech info is spotty. They have computers but they're use is limited. Not sure what power sources are if there was bombing bad enough to create wastelands. Power plants were probably targeted. No idea how the war started, who was involved, or how long it lasted. Or how they kept cryos going 500yrs in those conditions. This is a slow burn...ish. The mate recognition is immediate, her bonding the alpha takes only days, but the emotions aren't as fast as the hormones. I like that the bond can't be forced, she can walk away, and even if the pack/pride is formed when they meet she can still choose yes or no to any or all. And can even leave if the bond is formed. All that being said, this is wordy, choppy, POV is only from 3 characters, and 1 of those isn't from the pride- it's a side character that gives us insight to what is happening inside the city with the Elites. And now for the questions:
*Caleb said shifters came out of hiding after the war. Were they always shifters? Were they created? We know the Elites like to control genetics. Magic was mentioned but I can't tell if it was hyperbole or not. Especially with the mental/emotional mate bond.
*How long has this society existed? Elites were in control before this war.
*If people are starved, downtrodden, and half their intelligence (women) are being taken, how is tech functional? What tech do they have?
*Denver may be the main town, but it's high elevation and not exactly crop friendly. Even if they use greenhouses. What transportation do they have with other growing areas? I.E. they mentioned orange juice. That's a southern, mostly SE crop.
*How has language not shifted in 500yrs? Decades talk differently, let alone centuries.
*There's complacent and there's stupid. Civilizations have revolted throughout history.
*If there is a web connection, there is the possibility of tracking. She understood computers enough to use it, that should have been a concern. Also, duh to them for not telling her to leave it alone until they set up protections.
*Horray for a heroine who doesn't have TSTL moments. There's a fight scene and she keeps her wits about her instead of panicking, or running into danger.
The idea was interesting. I like dystopians- if they're not completely bleak. And I know I'm a questioning geek but world building to me is huge. Also, a severe editing needs to happen with this: broken sentences, run ons, typos, swapped homonyms, interjected words that don't make sense, punctuation errors. It needs a grooming. But, after I realized it wasn't going to be a "no hope", dark, dystopian- and I waded through the disjointedness- I was able to enjoy the story. The plot held, the mystery character added interest, the progress was at a believable pace, and the characters evolved and didn't stay static.
Heather agreed to be a sleeper to save her family. More money means access to more, and better, food. A contract to become a servant isn't great, but it isn't immediate, either. It's at least 50yrs off, maybe more. But when they refuse to call her by her name while getting her ready for cryo clues start popping up. And right before she goes under the lightbulb goes off. It wasn't becoming a servant she signed up for, it was to be a slave. The type of slave was clearly understood by his actions and words right as darkness took her under. Those thoughts surface as she's waking. Seeing 3 men outside her tube has her on edge with those words, and her immobility. Then the Elites, the ones who did this, arrive, and suddenly the devils she doesn't know are much more appealing.
Spoilers ahead.
So, we both know a great deal and very little about this world. It's Earth, there's been a war, or many wars. The 1% rule everything, take what they want, and have no thought beyond their own comfort and keeping their status into the next generation. Trigger warnings for a society that doesn't treat women well. Born elite women are pampered ornaments, possibly barren. Servant class women range from second wives (if they're lucky), concubines, bordello workers, sex slaves, or just have their babies stolen to be raised by barren elite wives. So, yeah, not pleasant. Not beaten into readers, but definitely should be mentioned. Shifters are stronger, healthier, able to breed better, and their women were the ones tricked into being sleepers. Shifters breed in multiples due to a lack of females,but also to provide better protection. Tech info is spotty. They have computers but they're use is limited. Not sure what power sources are if there was bombing bad enough to create wastelands. Power plants were probably targeted. No idea how the war started, who was involved, or how long it lasted. Or how they kept cryos going 500yrs in those conditions. This is a slow burn...ish. The mate recognition is immediate, her bonding the alpha takes only days, but the emotions aren't as fast as the hormones. I like that the bond can't be forced, she can walk away, and even if the pack/pride is formed when they meet she can still choose yes or no to any or all. And can even leave if the bond is formed. All that being said, this is wordy, choppy, POV is only from 3 characters, and 1 of those isn't from the pride- it's a side character that gives us insight to what is happening inside the city with the Elites. And now for the questions:
*Caleb said shifters came out of hiding after the war. Were they always shifters? Were they created? We know the Elites like to control genetics. Magic was mentioned but I can't tell if it was hyperbole or not. Especially with the mental/emotional mate bond.
*How long has this society existed? Elites were in control before this war.
*If people are starved, downtrodden, and half their intelligence (women) are being taken, how is tech functional? What tech do they have?
*Denver may be the main town, but it's high elevation and not exactly crop friendly. Even if they use greenhouses. What transportation do they have with other growing areas? I.E. they mentioned orange juice. That's a southern, mostly SE crop.
*How has language not shifted in 500yrs? Decades talk differently, let alone centuries.
*There's complacent and there's stupid. Civilizations have revolted throughout history.
*If there is a web connection, there is the possibility of tracking. She understood computers enough to use it, that should have been a concern. Also, duh to them for not telling her to leave it alone until they set up protections.
*Horray for a heroine who doesn't have TSTL moments. There's a fight scene and she keeps her wits about her instead of panicking, or running into danger.
The idea was interesting. I like dystopians- if they're not completely bleak. And I know I'm a questioning geek but world building to me is huge. Also, a severe editing needs to happen with this: broken sentences, run ons, typos, swapped homonyms, interjected words that don't make sense, punctuation errors. It needs a grooming. But, after I realized it wasn't going to be a "no hope", dark, dystopian- and I waded through the disjointedness- I was able to enjoy the story. The plot held, the mystery character added interest, the progress was at a believable pace, and the characters evolved and didn't stay static.
Displaying 1 of 1 review