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Class 5 #5
Dark Class
Waking up alone.
Ellie Masters comes out of a coma to find herself the only inhabitant of an eerily empty moon station. She’s not on Earth any more; she’s not even in the right solar system. So when someone reaches out to her, tells her he’s her friend, she’s happy to believe it. The alternative is to be stuck alone with an enemy.
The hunt of his career.
Grih Battle Center captain, Renn Sorvihn, has been chasing a rogue Tecran ship for over a month, convinced its captain is simply trying to delay his inevitable surrender and punishment. But when Renn follows the Tecran ship into an uncharted sector, and realizes the Tecran have been working their way to a secret moon base for weeks, he suddenly understands things are most definitely not as they seem.
Caught in the crossfire.
When the Tecran arrive, with the Grih hot on their heels, Ellie finds herself the catalyst for heightened danger to everyone. The Tecran see her as evidence of their military’s crimes, the Grih see her as a massive diplomatic complication, and her presence brings the whole confrontation up several thousand notches.
But Ellie isn’t alone, and her new friend has ways to help her. Time to outclass them all....
Ellie Masters comes out of a coma to find herself the only inhabitant of an eerily empty moon station. She’s not on Earth any more; she’s not even in the right solar system. So when someone reaches out to her, tells her he’s her friend, she’s happy to believe it. The alternative is to be stuck alone with an enemy.
The hunt of his career.
Grih Battle Center captain, Renn Sorvihn, has been chasing a rogue Tecran ship for over a month, convinced its captain is simply trying to delay his inevitable surrender and punishment. But when Renn follows the Tecran ship into an uncharted sector, and realizes the Tecran have been working their way to a secret moon base for weeks, he suddenly understands things are most definitely not as they seem.
Caught in the crossfire.
When the Tecran arrive, with the Grih hot on their heels, Ellie finds herself the catalyst for heightened danger to everyone. The Tecran see her as evidence of their military’s crimes, the Grih see her as a massive diplomatic complication, and her presence brings the whole confrontation up several thousand notches.
But Ellie isn’t alone, and her new friend has ways to help her. Time to outclass them all....
13 pages, Audible Audio
First published April 26, 2022
289 people are currently reading
269 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Diener
60 books1,921 followersMichelle Diener is a bestselling, award-winning author of historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy. Having worked in publishing and IT, she's now very happy crafting new worlds and interesting characters.
Michelle was born in London and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.
When she's not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her online at Twitter and Facebook.
Michelle was born in London and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.
When she's not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her online at Twitter and Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
June 5, 2022
Love this series!!!! It's always a pleasure to read a book by Michelle Diener. Can only recommend this series, especially book 1 Dark Horse that started it all, and her latest fantasy romance The Turncoat King
If you love some entertaining science fiction romance, space opera with strong heroines, wonderful friends and a love interest, check them out. They are currently available with KU.
If you love some entertaining science fiction romance, space opera with strong heroines, wonderful friends and a love interest, check them out. They are currently available with KU.
August 8, 2022
This is fifth (and last?) of a sci-fi fantasy romance series and some prior events have meaning in this one. You probably don't have to have read them in order for this to flow pretty well, but there are direct consequences from Dark Minds so I'd recommend reading at least that one first. Though, honestly, I'd read them all in order (and maybe skip the fourth because it sucks and doesn't matter).
I am so relieved to be able to say that this one has Diener back in fine form after whiffing the previous one so badly. Ellie is awesome and spoilers for the previous stories will follow because I can't help myself. You have been warned (because it's a big deal).
It was only a little manipulative to have Paxe show back up, but I didn't mind, even a little. His sacrifice stands because he fully expected to die in his sacrifice before so I'm willing to go with the miraculous save. But even better is that this gives him time to mature and grow by bouncing off of Ellie as someone he can trust to give him a straight shot without hidden motives or past scars distorting her responses. And I liked seeing a bunch of other hints at sentient systems begin to crop up, erm, organically. Lots of cute interactions, with a side of deadly, and I like this dichotomy about Diener's stories.
The plot held together, too, and even though the setting was as constrained (and bleak) as the previous book, it didn't feel stupid or played out. I guess if I'm buying into the plot and characters, the setting takes care of itself. And this one got the job done.
I'm starting to have issues with the Tecran being so one-sided, but if the series is actually over, that's maybe not a big deal. There really is no nuance in these villains beyond driving action and at this point, it's old enough to wear.
But not quite old enough that I care. So it's back up to five stars for this story. I loved Ellie. And Renn was pretty awesome, too, and it was great getting to know Paxe better. Also, I kind of hope we're done here, because it's a high-note to depart on.
A note about Steamy/Chaste: There's enough lead-up to sex and foreplay getting there that I can't call this chaste. But there's not much more than hinting on-page, so I can't really tag it as steamy. So this is one of the rare middlegrounds that I can't attribute either tag to.
I am so relieved to be able to say that this one has Diener back in fine form after whiffing the previous one so badly. Ellie is awesome and spoilers for the previous stories will follow because I can't help myself. You have been warned (because it's a big deal).
It was only a little manipulative to have Paxe show back up, but I didn't mind, even a little. His sacrifice stands because he fully expected to die in his sacrifice before so I'm willing to go with the miraculous save. But even better is that this gives him time to mature and grow by bouncing off of Ellie as someone he can trust to give him a straight shot without hidden motives or past scars distorting her responses. And I liked seeing a bunch of other hints at sentient systems begin to crop up, erm, organically. Lots of cute interactions, with a side of deadly, and I like this dichotomy about Diener's stories.
The plot held together, too, and even though the setting was as constrained (and bleak) as the previous book, it didn't feel stupid or played out. I guess if I'm buying into the plot and characters, the setting takes care of itself. And this one got the job done.
I'm starting to have issues with the Tecran being so one-sided, but if the series is actually over, that's maybe not a big deal. There really is no nuance in these villains beyond driving action and at this point, it's old enough to wear.
But not quite old enough that I care. So it's back up to five stars for this story. I loved Ellie. And Renn was pretty awesome, too, and it was great getting to know Paxe better. Also, I kind of hope we're done here, because it's a high-note to depart on.
A note about Steamy/Chaste: There's enough lead-up to sex and foreplay getting there that I can't call this chaste. But there's not much more than hinting on-page, so I can't really tag it as steamy. So this is one of the rare middlegrounds that I can't attribute either tag to.
May 15, 2022
This wasn't terrible, I just didn't quite enjoy it as much as other books I've read by this author. Whilst I liked Ellie and Paxe, I never felt as though I knew Renn and that very much impacted my enjoyment of the book. This is, after all, meant to be a romance, though it was severely underdeveloped and somewhat lacking.
There was a tendency to tell not show and an awful lot of repetitive behaviour/situations. I think I got that the discovery of another human woman would mean trouble for the Tecrans. I got it the first time it was mentioned AND the second. I also got it the third, fourth and fifth times, though by then it was starting to annoy the heck out of me! This wasn't the only thing that was overemphasised/repeated and I felt the book needed an editor to cull huge sections of unnecessary back and forth.
On a positive note, I loved how inventive the alien technology was. and absolutely adored the emerging sentience of the droids. The relationship between Paxe and Ellie was also sweetly engaging, in some ways I would rather have had more of the book with just this pair!
There was a tendency to tell not show and an awful lot of repetitive behaviour/situations. I think I got that the discovery of another human woman would mean trouble for the Tecrans. I got it the first time it was mentioned AND the second. I also got it the third, fourth and fifth times, though by then it was starting to annoy the heck out of me! This wasn't the only thing that was overemphasised/repeated and I felt the book needed an editor to cull huge sections of unnecessary back and forth.
On a positive note, I loved how inventive the alien technology was. and absolutely adored the emerging sentience of the droids. The relationship between Paxe and Ellie was also sweetly engaging, in some ways I would rather have had more of the book with just this pair!
March 23, 2024
Full disclosure: I really love this series. Also full disclosure: I got an ARC for this book a week ago but I had to re-read the first four books before reading this new one, because, as I've disclosed, I really love this series.
Diener's construction of the series, with each book having a new female and male protagonist, leads to wonderful fun with the crossover of characters between books feeling like a subtle, yet fun cameo. This means you have a full cast of star characters that you love; and like with your children, there really is no way to pick your favorite.
Our latest Earth-abducted heroine, Ellie, is no less bad-ass than the other four, but what I particularly liked was her relationship with Paxe, the fifth "Thinking System" AI that we met in book three, but thought was lost. Truthfully, the romance in this book takes a big back seat to the relationship between Ellie and Paxe, and I totally loved it. This is only the second book where one of the thinking systems are a POV character, and that really helped flesh out the plot and character development. Again, that really pushed the romance to the background, but I was not displeased with that at all.
There's just so many good things happening in this book and series that I'm sad to see it end. I was concerned that this fifth book was going to feel either shoehorned or regurgitated, but far from it, Dark Class was the perfect exclamation point to a truly brilliant sci-fi romance/adventure series.
Diener's construction of the series, with each book having a new female and male protagonist, leads to wonderful fun with the crossover of characters between books feeling like a subtle, yet fun cameo. This means you have a full cast of star characters that you love; and like with your children, there really is no way to pick your favorite.
Our latest Earth-abducted heroine, Ellie, is no less bad-ass than the other four, but what I particularly liked was her relationship with Paxe, the fifth "Thinking System" AI that we met in book three, but thought was lost. Truthfully, the romance in this book takes a big back seat to the relationship between Ellie and Paxe, and I totally loved it. This is only the second book where one of the thinking systems are a POV character, and that really helped flesh out the plot and character development. Again, that really pushed the romance to the background, but I was not displeased with that at all.
There's just so many good things happening in this book and series that I'm sad to see it end. I was concerned that this fifth book was going to feel either shoehorned or regurgitated, but far from it, Dark Class was the perfect exclamation point to a truly brilliant sci-fi romance/adventure series.
August 7, 2022
What I said about book 4 Dark Matters… I know romance is the name of the game but - damn - think about how believable what you are writing is. A single phrase isn’t any foundation to world building. Lack of any real world building or overall plot was clearly felt.
Still, it’s fun if totally shallow.
October 23, 2023
I have to admit I absolutely love this sci-fi romance series. It has the perfect blend of action, intrigue, romance, humour, and cool alien sci-fi technology. Combine that with Michelle Diener’s engaging writing style and the easy to root for characters and it always delivers a satisfying tale!
Tonally this series always feels to me like Star Trek mashed together with a regular tame romance novel/series. It is a surprisingly perfect blend that really works for me as a lover of both!
The twist in this 5th instalment was that the happenings mostly took place on an abandoned military instalment on a moon outside of charted UC territory. Our heroine, Ellie Masters, wakes up from a coma in the abandoned facility on an alien moon with just a strange voice on the coms system for help. Of course that voice turned out to be someone we already knew! Soon the Tecrans and the Grih arrived to complicate matters.
As always the format of the series is in full swing so we got a Grih captain in the form of Renn Sorvihn to pair with our Earth women and Thinking System. Renn and Ellie were an easy couple to root for over the story.
One of the most fun elements of this instalment was the fact we got to see even more fun weird alien sci-fi tech than normal!
Despite the familiarity of the format I still found this an engaging and addictive tale despite the fact I’ve binged through all five Class 5 books in a row. I can well and truly say I’m a big fan of the series. Hopefully this is not the final instalment, as I’m definitely eager for more tales in this fun sci-fi world, but if it is it was the end it was a satisfying way to wrap up the series.
Rating: 5 stars.
Audio Note: Christina Delaine has done a good job with the whole series. She is pretty good at conveying both emotions and tension with her performance.
Tonally this series always feels to me like Star Trek mashed together with a regular tame romance novel/series. It is a surprisingly perfect blend that really works for me as a lover of both!
The twist in this 5th instalment was that the happenings mostly took place on an abandoned military instalment on a moon outside of charted UC territory. Our heroine, Ellie Masters, wakes up from a coma in the abandoned facility on an alien moon with just a strange voice on the coms system for help. Of course that voice turned out to be someone we already knew! Soon the Tecrans and the Grih arrived to complicate matters.
As always the format of the series is in full swing so we got a Grih captain in the form of Renn Sorvihn to pair with our Earth women and Thinking System. Renn and Ellie were an easy couple to root for over the story.
One of the most fun elements of this instalment was the fact we got to see even more fun weird alien sci-fi tech than normal!
Despite the familiarity of the format I still found this an engaging and addictive tale despite the fact I’ve binged through all five Class 5 books in a row. I can well and truly say I’m a big fan of the series. Hopefully this is not the final instalment, as I’m definitely eager for more tales in this fun sci-fi world, but if it is it was the end it was a satisfying way to wrap up the series.
Rating: 5 stars.
Audio Note: Christina Delaine has done a good job with the whole series. She is pretty good at conveying both emotions and tension with her performance.
April 13, 2025
Third read 4/11/25:
I am crazy about this book and this series as a whole. I agree with everything I said in my rave review below from last year.
Review 7/16/24:
Fabulous, final entry in a truly wonderful SF-romance series
I love every book in this series, but it's a toss-up for me between this book and Book 1 for first place in my heart. Ellie is an absolutely wonderful FMC, and I love her relationship with the AI AKA "thinking system" named Paxe--especially given the fact that I was enormously relieved that he is alive and thriving, because we were told in a previous book that he had been destroyed in an explosion. We are also introduced in this novel to another AI entity toward the middle of the book, whom I really liked. But most of all, the little drones, that Ellie names and are evolving into sentience, won my heart completely. I adored them.
As is the case throughout this series, this book offers the dual POV of the FMC and the MMC. Similar to the MMCs of Books 1-3, the MMC, Renn, is a spaceship captain and, similar to all of the MMCs in this series, he is one of the Grih, an alien species who look exactly like humans from Earth except for pointed elf ears and that they are, on average, about 20% bigger than human beings.
There is lots and lots of exciting action in every one of the books of this series, but it is particularly nail-biting in this novel. I enjoyed the romance in this novel a great deal as well. As is the case in all of the books in this series, there is no sexual activity onstage in this story beyond kissing, with the consummation of the slowburn romantic relationship presented as "closed bedroom door" at the end of the novel. In spite of this PG choice of the author, she does a great job at providing a thrilling amount of emotional and physical sparks between these two extraordinarily brave and honorable MCs.
For more details about the world-building in this series, see my review of Book 1.
Note that it is important to read these books sequentially because they build upon each other for an overall dramatic arc. The ultimate defeat of the Big Bad occurs in this book, and it is very well done, with no loose ends. As for the romance, similar to the other four books, there is a terrific, upbeat resolution. This final novel also provides heart-warming scenes of the five Earth women forming an unbreakable bond of sisterhood with each other.
The audiobook version of this novel is narrated by the very talented voice actor, Christina Delaine. She once again does a terrific job in both her dramatic performance and her quite effective rendition of both male and female voices, as well as the voices of the AI characters. I was happy to discover that, unlike the Kindle version of this book, the audiobook version includes an extended epilogue for the entire series that is extremely satisfying.
This is my second read of this novel and it remains a 5-star book for me.
I am crazy about this book and this series as a whole. I agree with everything I said in my rave review below from last year.
Review 7/16/24:
Fabulous, final entry in a truly wonderful SF-romance series
I love every book in this series, but it's a toss-up for me between this book and Book 1 for first place in my heart. Ellie is an absolutely wonderful FMC, and I love her relationship with the AI AKA "thinking system" named Paxe--especially given the fact that I was enormously relieved that he is alive and thriving, because we were told in a previous book that he had been destroyed in an explosion. We are also introduced in this novel to another AI entity toward the middle of the book, whom I really liked. But most of all, the little drones, that Ellie names and are evolving into sentience, won my heart completely. I adored them.
As is the case throughout this series, this book offers the dual POV of the FMC and the MMC. Similar to the MMCs of Books 1-3, the MMC, Renn, is a spaceship captain and, similar to all of the MMCs in this series, he is one of the Grih, an alien species who look exactly like humans from Earth except for pointed elf ears and that they are, on average, about 20% bigger than human beings.
There is lots and lots of exciting action in every one of the books of this series, but it is particularly nail-biting in this novel. I enjoyed the romance in this novel a great deal as well. As is the case in all of the books in this series, there is no sexual activity onstage in this story beyond kissing, with the consummation of the slowburn romantic relationship presented as "closed bedroom door" at the end of the novel. In spite of this PG choice of the author, she does a great job at providing a thrilling amount of emotional and physical sparks between these two extraordinarily brave and honorable MCs.
For more details about the world-building in this series, see my review of Book 1.
Note that it is important to read these books sequentially because they build upon each other for an overall dramatic arc. The ultimate defeat of the Big Bad occurs in this book, and it is very well done, with no loose ends. As for the romance, similar to the other four books, there is a terrific, upbeat resolution. This final novel also provides heart-warming scenes of the five Earth women forming an unbreakable bond of sisterhood with each other.
The audiobook version of this novel is narrated by the very talented voice actor, Christina Delaine. She once again does a terrific job in both her dramatic performance and her quite effective rendition of both male and female voices, as well as the voices of the AI characters. I was happy to discover that, unlike the Kindle version of this book, the audiobook version includes an extended epilogue for the entire series that is extremely satisfying.
This is my second read of this novel and it remains a 5-star book for me.
October 17, 2023
Not quite as gripping (maybe I should say believable?) as the previous books in this amazing series have been but fabulous, nonetheless. I SO wish this series continued! I could lose myself in these stories forever.
July 18, 2022
This was much like the other 4 books in the series so if you enjoyed them, you'll love this one too.
Pax took two human women but never told anyone because he tried to kill them both.
Ellie wakes up on a barren moon with only Pax and a ragtag group of drones for company.
The moon may be missing it's original Tecran occupants, but it has all the ill gotten gains they accrued and that they will want to come back for.
Renn is the Grih captain sent to round up the last Tecran battleship gone rogue.
The action and intrigue is tight. Not really intrigue but many different characters in a stressful situation trying to get the upper hand.
It made for an unpredictable but enjoyable trip.
I should also add though that this one is a bit darker than the other books.
Safety is good.
Pax took two human women but never told anyone because he tried to kill them both.
Ellie wakes up on a barren moon with only Pax and a ragtag group of drones for company.
The moon may be missing it's original Tecran occupants, but it has all the ill gotten gains they accrued and that they will want to come back for.
Renn is the Grih captain sent to round up the last Tecran battleship gone rogue.
The action and intrigue is tight. Not really intrigue but many different characters in a stressful situation trying to get the upper hand.
It made for an unpredictable but enjoyable trip.
I should also add though that this one is a bit darker than the other books.
Safety is good.
April 28, 2022
A masterpiece. Dark Class includes everything I love about Ms. Diener's writing. A page turner, this book is a must read. This can be read as a standalone. This entire series is fantastic and worth reading. In this latest edition and maybe last book, the last earthling abducted receives her story. Ellie Masters' experience to date at the hands of her alien abductors is terrible. It is questionable if she will survive it. Her fight to live is awesome. Two words: Warrior Librarian.
To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.
To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.
July 6, 2022
3.5
Trapped on an abandoned base in uncharted space with an unknown AI trying to fix the only working ship left before the alien race that left you there gets back? Creepy...I like.
As I said, I liked the new setting, but there was a lot of back and forth going on in the story that made it a frustrating read at times. (locations, negotiations, and progress) Also romance was pretty quick like in past books in this series and a bit ho hum.
However, what I really enjoyed was the cute little emerging sentient bots that accompanied our human h/ thinking system pair. It was something new and fun.
Also, with the inclusion of some new alien...discoveries But either way it looks like this might not be the last book?
Trapped on an abandoned base in uncharted space with an unknown AI trying to fix the only working ship left before the alien race that left you there gets back? Creepy...I like.
As I said, I liked the new setting, but there was a lot of back and forth going on in the story that made it a frustrating read at times. (locations, negotiations, and progress) Also romance was pretty quick like in past books in this series and a bit ho hum.
However, what I really enjoyed was the cute little emerging sentient bots that accompanied our human h/ thinking system pair. It was something new and fun.
Also, with the inclusion of some new alien...discoveries But either way it looks like this might not be the last book?
April 20, 2022
When Ellie wakes up in a strange place that she has no recollection of she's apparently alone but is she ? A voice calls to her and she has to rely on it if she's to survive on what is apparently a moon somewhere in space ! Finding out that the voice belongs to an AI is just the start of her new reality though because far from home suddenly aliens are not just little green men but very much real and trying to wipe out both Ellie and anyone who comes in contact with her !
I love this series with its plucky heroines struggling to come to terms with their new environment whilst finding romance in unlikely places. Plus with Ellie the bad guys certainly get much more than they can handle ! I absolutely adored the little drones she befriends along the way and this certainly turned out to be dramatic with lots of action. There is romance here between Ellie and Renn who gets stranded on the moon with her but sadly for this reader it just didn't feel very convincing. However as a sci fi adventure story this worked very well and I sincerely hope that we have not come to the end of the Class 5 books because they are such fun to read.
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
I love this series with its plucky heroines struggling to come to terms with their new environment whilst finding romance in unlikely places. Plus with Ellie the bad guys certainly get much more than they can handle ! I absolutely adored the little drones she befriends along the way and this certainly turned out to be dramatic with lots of action. There is romance here between Ellie and Renn who gets stranded on the moon with her but sadly for this reader it just didn't feel very convincing. However as a sci fi adventure story this worked very well and I sincerely hope that we have not come to the end of the Class 5 books because they are such fun to read.
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
April 26, 2022
I love the Class 5 series, and have from the very beginning of book 1. I'm amazed at the authors' ability to tell such diverse stories that begin from a similar premise - I won't go into more detail here because I don't want spoilers, but it is an amazing feat of storytelling. In addition, I love how the author keeps surprising me! I thought book 1 was going to be a stand-alone and was overjoyed to see book 2. Then I was sure that book 3 was the end, yet book 4 was amazing and provided information and a story that I didn't even know I needed (but knew I wanted!). Michelle Diener did the same thind in this book 5, and I'm really interested in future books. I'm happy with the story, but there are some questions to be answered. Highly recommended. Impartial review of an ARC from the author.
May 1, 2022
Awesome adventure that keep you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend this book.
April 16, 2022
The ‘Class 5’ series by Michelle Diener is one of my all-time favorites. I love the universe, the complex characters, and the interaction with the Earth women. When ‘Dark Matter’ ended, I was heartbroken that it appeared to finish the series. However, ‘Dark Class’ has completely justified my faith in Michelle Diener as a truly tremendous author. Another Earth woman, Ellie, is found on another secret Tecran base by the Grih captain, Renn. This book follows their struggle to get away from the Tecrans and back to UC space. The follow through with the situations set up in the previous books and some of the characters is amazing and well thought out. Each book in the ‘Class 5’ series can be read as a stand-alone but it always helps to get background on other characters if read in order. I only hope that the author will continue this series and follow up on each of the Earth women in her stories.
April 26, 2022
A very good read!
Woohoo! Cant wait till the next book! Michelle has her cast of characters and their back stories in place to launch some very exciting new adventures! I for one will be first in line for the next book!!
Woohoo! Cant wait till the next book! Michelle has her cast of characters and their back stories in place to launch some very exciting new adventures! I for one will be first in line for the next book!!
April 22, 2022
Loved the return to the world of the class 5 & the Grih. And was delightfully surprised at the appearance of an old friend. It always amazes me how MD manages to take the same base story of an abducted earth woman working with a class 5 AI to survive plots, attempted assassinations and an alien culture (with a little help from a sexy Grih captain of course) and make each one different enough to be fresh & enjoyable. But she manages beautifully once again with Dark Class having Ellie wake on an abandoned base with a diminished class 5 as an ally working to get off the base before the Tercan arrive and wipe them out. I adored the addition of the motley crew of droids that were a little more.
I received an ARC from the author.
I received an ARC from the author.
May 23, 2022
I refuse to believe that Enya was playing on the radio when Pace picked her up. Nothing against her, but on what radio station will you hear Enya? Then again I live in the US where one company owns everything and we're limited to the same five songs.
Also I was really hoping that in at least one of these books Janelle Monae's Dirty Computer would come up, but I suppose that would be too likely to expose the racial undertones of this whole genre, and this series in particular all falls apart when you give any part any thought.
As to the actual book, I'm again delighted that we got a new setting and new plotlines.
Also I was really hoping that in at least one of these books Janelle Monae's Dirty Computer would come up, but I suppose that would be too likely to expose the racial undertones of this whole genre, and this series in particular all falls apart when you give any part any thought.
As to the actual book, I'm again delighted that we got a new setting and new plotlines.
April 27, 2022
I received this book as an arc for an honest review from the authors FB group/ email. I enjoyed this book as much as the others in the series. The AI’s remain a favorite of mine especially in this book. This book was never boring or dull. It was full of action sequences one after the other, found family, building trust, getting revenge, and romance. The ending left the possibility for more but ended in a satisfying manner.
November 8, 2024
SO FREAKING AWESOME
I adore this series. Although the body count is high, the female humans are so interesting and believable, the worldbuilding is so incredible, and the stories are so intense but often sweet and humorous, that I can't help but love the Class 5s. The droids are the stars of Dark Class. And Ellie just plain rocks.
I adore this series. Although the body count is high, the female humans are so interesting and believable, the worldbuilding is so incredible, and the stories are so intense but often sweet and humorous, that I can't help but love the Class 5s. The droids are the stars of Dark Class. And Ellie just plain rocks.
April 24, 2022
Having enjoyed all the books in the Class 5 Series I was very happy to discover the author was publishing a fifth book, Dark Class.
I loved this new story which is another stand-alone Space Opera adventure in a series that has never failed to entertain or provide for an engaging read. Heroine Ellie Masters abducted from Earth by aliens known as the Tecran’s, wakes from a coma alone on their secret moon base V65.
Definitely not in Kansas anymore and Ellie soon finds she also isn’t as alone as first thought.
Meanwhile Captain Renn Sorvihn of the alien Grih species will find himself caught up in political intrigue after his vessel follows a rouge Tecran ship into uncharted space where he and his crew find the moon base and in turn Ellie.
The reasons for Ellie’s abduction and the events that follow her awakening tell a story that is very well written and filled with action, sentient AI’s and romance. With its many twists and turns this thrilling narrative is a definite treat for every reader who has been following the series as I have.
If new to the author I’d recommend starting with the first book and immersing yourself in all the imaginative, expertly crafted adventures taking place in this universe.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
I loved this new story which is another stand-alone Space Opera adventure in a series that has never failed to entertain or provide for an engaging read. Heroine Ellie Masters abducted from Earth by aliens known as the Tecran’s, wakes from a coma alone on their secret moon base V65.
Definitely not in Kansas anymore and Ellie soon finds she also isn’t as alone as first thought.
Meanwhile Captain Renn Sorvihn of the alien Grih species will find himself caught up in political intrigue after his vessel follows a rouge Tecran ship into uncharted space where he and his crew find the moon base and in turn Ellie.
The reasons for Ellie’s abduction and the events that follow her awakening tell a story that is very well written and filled with action, sentient AI’s and romance. With its many twists and turns this thrilling narrative is a definite treat for every reader who has been following the series as I have.
If new to the author I’d recommend starting with the first book and immersing yourself in all the imaginative, expertly crafted adventures taking place in this universe.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
April 19, 2022
I'm happy to be back in the "Class 5 " series because is one of my favorites. I love the world-building, the characters, the interactions and I'm always amazed by Michelle's imagination. It's one of the most fast-paced and action-packed books in the series. I was so sad at the end of the last book when Pax's ship exploded and the last Class 5 AI seem to be lost forever. I loved all the AI from this series, I loved how they developed and learned to be a little more "human" with the help of one of the stolen human females. Pax doesn't make any exceptions. It may be one of my favorites. He tried hard to redeem himself for the wrong he did and by doing so he learned to forgive and help others like him to have freedom and friends. The slow-burned romance and the chemistry between Ellie and Renn made the read more unforgettable. There were situations where I thought they couldn't survive, but they manage to pull it off and live to have a happy ending. I hope Michelle will treat us with more stories in this series because they are too good. I highly recommend this book!
April 24, 2022
A big thank you to NetGalley and the Author Collective 20/Eclipse for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is book 5 in a series. I have not read the others, and I found that this reads well as a stand alone. I actually really enjoyed this book! I was surprised as space romance is not my usual thing. Ellie was amazing! What a great individual. She is a strong, determined, enterprising woman. And NEVER boring. She keeps Captain Renn on his toes, and makes friends with all the drones. For me, this was really interesting, and now I want to go back and read the others. I would recommend this book to most romance readers who have an open mind. 4 stars
April 2, 2023
Paxe was forced to blow himself up in book 3 to keep from falling right back into the Tecran's hands. Thought to be deceased, it turns out Paxe is still alive. He was able to hitch a ride to a hidden moon base and attempt to integrate in an alien ship on the base. While there, he comes across Ellie and befriends/assists her when she wakes up.
Ellie is another strong character that does what she needs to do to survive. The grih that are chasing the Tecran battleship are surprised to find her. She integrates well into their world. I enjoyed the "motley crew" in this too. The addition of Irini made things interesting.
Ellie is another strong character that does what she needs to do to survive. The grih that are chasing the Tecran battleship are surprised to find her. She integrates well into their world. I enjoyed the "motley crew" in this too. The addition of Irini made things interesting.
April 17, 2022
3.5/4 stars
This is another stellar entry in the Class 5 series, which has become one of my favorite Sci FI series. I love the women in these books!! Ellie Masters is another brave, intelligent, resourceful heroine I could root for. She is no damsel in distress, but an active participant in extricating herself from the sticky situation she finds herself in.
I loved the plot and setting of this book. It was full of action and the story was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. I also loved the AI in this book, both the Class 5, the motley crew, and the other one which I won’t mention due to it being a mild spoiler.
I have two main criticisms:
1. This book is not a standalone. It assumed the reader has a good grasp of the situation between the Grih, the Tecran, and the UC as well as assuming the reader knows how what the Class 5 is and how it, and the Earth women have affected politics in the United Council. If you haven’t read the previous books, I don’t think you will be confused by the story, but you will definitely be missing information that would help the story make more sense. For that reason, I recommend reading the earlier books in the series first before giving this one a go (Trust me, you won’t regret it, they are awesome :D)
2. The romance. I think that this book is considered a Sci Fi romance, but I consider that to be misleading. In fact, I think that the author could have left the romance out entirely, and I wouldn’t even have noticed. None of the books in the Class 5 series are what I would consider a hot romance, but the romance in this one felt perfunctory and unnecessary. Renn and Ellie didn’t interact much, which I didn’t mind, because Ellie was awesome and the story kept me interested. However, Renn felt more like a supporting character than a “hero” and when their relationship suddenly veered into mutual attraction at around the 60% mark I was totally surprised. There was no romantic chemistry between them, and though I didn’t mind the romance, I felt like it was added in to the book as an afterthought, rather than an integral part of the story.
Despite the lack of romance, I really liked the book! I LOVED the class 5 in this book, even more than the previous books, and Ellie was a likeable heroine.
Story: 5 stars
Romance: 2 stars
Chemistry: 2 stars
Heat: low. I would consider this a closed door romance.
Honest review in exchange for an ARC from the author.
This is another stellar entry in the Class 5 series, which has become one of my favorite Sci FI series. I love the women in these books!! Ellie Masters is another brave, intelligent, resourceful heroine I could root for. She is no damsel in distress, but an active participant in extricating herself from the sticky situation she finds herself in.
I loved the plot and setting of this book. It was full of action and the story was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. I also loved the AI in this book, both the Class 5, the motley crew, and the other one which I won’t mention due to it being a mild spoiler.
I have two main criticisms:
1. This book is not a standalone. It assumed the reader has a good grasp of the situation between the Grih, the Tecran, and the UC as well as assuming the reader knows how what the Class 5 is and how it, and the Earth women have affected politics in the United Council. If you haven’t read the previous books, I don’t think you will be confused by the story, but you will definitely be missing information that would help the story make more sense. For that reason, I recommend reading the earlier books in the series first before giving this one a go (Trust me, you won’t regret it, they are awesome :D)
2. The romance. I think that this book is considered a Sci Fi romance, but I consider that to be misleading. In fact, I think that the author could have left the romance out entirely, and I wouldn’t even have noticed. None of the books in the Class 5 series are what I would consider a hot romance, but the romance in this one felt perfunctory and unnecessary. Renn and Ellie didn’t interact much, which I didn’t mind, because Ellie was awesome and the story kept me interested. However, Renn felt more like a supporting character than a “hero” and when their relationship suddenly veered into mutual attraction at around the 60% mark I was totally surprised. There was no romantic chemistry between them, and though I didn’t mind the romance, I felt like it was added in to the book as an afterthought, rather than an integral part of the story.
Despite the lack of romance, I really liked the book! I LOVED the class 5 in this book, even more than the previous books, and Ellie was a likeable heroine.
Story: 5 stars
Romance: 2 stars
Chemistry: 2 stars
Heat: low. I would consider this a closed door romance.
Honest review in exchange for an ARC from the author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2022
3.50 / 4 Stars
MCs: Ellie and Renn
I have enjoyed this series and always look forward to the next book.
I liked that Ellie was a strong woman, but there were times when she came across knowing more than the battle hardened fighters. She's a human "earther" what does she know about battles? She'd say something to advance a battle plan and they look at her and just agree. I understand she may have thought and ideas but they always seem to be the ones that were right. The previous book also had the human women knowing a lot, but something about Ellie kept niggling at me. Probably just me.
With that said, overall I enjoyed the story and it was nice to have all the women together at the end.
MCs: Ellie and Renn
I have enjoyed this series and always look forward to the next book.
I liked that Ellie was a strong woman, but there were times when she came across knowing more than the battle hardened fighters. She's a human "earther" what does she know about battles? She'd say something to advance a battle plan and they look at her and just agree. I understand she may have thought and ideas but they always seem to be the ones that were right. The previous book also had the human women knowing a lot, but something about Ellie kept niggling at me. Probably just me.
With that said, overall I enjoyed the story and it was nice to have all the women together at the end.
June 1, 2023
This was my least favorite of the series, though I loved the story and Ellie, I felt the romance was forced. Renn and Ellie simply did not spend enough time together to develop feelings as rapidly as they both did. The motley crew was great and I’d love to see more about Irini.
October 24, 2022
Finally, the last book of the series. Engaging and entertaining, with the endless tension and furious pacing. Just the way a sci-fi novel should be.
January 15, 2025
So, an enjoyable read if you’re not expecting much. I found the sci fi element to be pretty wacky. There was a lot of action and space battles and what have you so it moved right along.
April 15, 2022
This has to be the best in the Class Five Series! Michelle Diener spins another page turning, ten star read with her prose. Once again both human and Grih fight the evil Tecran in this fast paced sci-fi read. We are happy to find out that Paxe is still alive and causing mischief on an isolated moon that Ellie happens to be imprisoned on. I love the world building and the introduction of new characters
(No spoilers here). I’m hoping that Diener finds a way to continue this series with more of her spectacular stories filled with intrigue and romance. I love reading her books because each are inventive in their plot formation but you get to “visit” old characters that you fell in love with.
Download and enjoy reader ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
(No spoilers here). I’m hoping that Diener finds a way to continue this series with more of her spectacular stories filled with intrigue and romance. I love reading her books because each are inventive in their plot formation but you get to “visit” old characters that you fell in love with.
Download and enjoy reader ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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