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Men in Space #2
Crimson
Submission isn’t an option—it’s a full-time job.
A Men in Space story.
Humiliated by the betrayal of his former Master, Lieutenant Benjamin Kraft will do anything to bring the drug czar Tazu to justice—anything but kneel again. Forget passion too. He’d rather risk daily grow-op raids. Then, just when Tazu is finally within reach, an ambush wipes out Ben’s entire squad and threatens the life of his partner—a partner he never realized he cared about, much less loved.
As a member of a former slave race known as starlings, Adam’s speed and strength make him a valuable asset to the police force even as his blue skin inspires prejudice and derision from the other officers. Ben’s always been able to look past that, so what’s changed? Suddenly his partner is rude at every turn. Ben may try to get rid of him, but too bad; Adam won’t be scared off. He has his own reasons for wanting to bring Tazu in, and he’ll do it even if it means putting Ben in his place.
Even if it means acting as Ben’s Master on their next an investigation on a planet where sex is everywhere, and where whips and chains are the norm…
A Men in Space story.
Humiliated by the betrayal of his former Master, Lieutenant Benjamin Kraft will do anything to bring the drug czar Tazu to justice—anything but kneel again. Forget passion too. He’d rather risk daily grow-op raids. Then, just when Tazu is finally within reach, an ambush wipes out Ben’s entire squad and threatens the life of his partner—a partner he never realized he cared about, much less loved.
As a member of a former slave race known as starlings, Adam’s speed and strength make him a valuable asset to the police force even as his blue skin inspires prejudice and derision from the other officers. Ben’s always been able to look past that, so what’s changed? Suddenly his partner is rude at every turn. Ben may try to get rid of him, but too bad; Adam won’t be scared off. He has his own reasons for wanting to bring Tazu in, and he’ll do it even if it means putting Ben in his place.
Even if it means acting as Ben’s Master on their next an investigation on a planet where sex is everywhere, and where whips and chains are the norm…
Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
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February 23, 2010Crimson is an alternative reality story from all the possible perspectives you look at it. First of all, the prejudice here is not given by the fact that Benjamin is gay, but by the fact that Adam, his partner is of a different breed.
Benjamin and Adam are different in all possible aspects other than one, their sex, and this is the only thing that seems to not arising trouble. Benjamin is 44 years old and still mourning the betrayal of his former lover; he is an high level police officer, he should be always the leader and responsible for the good being of his men, but in his private life he craves to be mastered. Benjamin is a submissive and he did the unthinkable, he killed his previous master; for this reason, since he was forced to kill the one man in the world he swore to always obey, he now has made his special mission to hunt down Tazu, the man who forced him to do that.
Adam is not a Terran like Ben, he is a mix of human and bird, instead of hair he has feathers, and his skin is deep blue. You can’t possible not notice it, and that is the reason why he is ostracized. Actually Adam is not even gay, but truth be told, in this futuristic tale, the preference in sex seems to not be important; it not defines who you are or why you are a misfit. Other than being of a lesser breed, Adam is also a lot younger than Ben, 28 years old, so he doesn’t fit at all the role of Master, and Ben craves for a Master. Adam and Ben are totally mismatched, and so it’s quite difficult for them to go undercover as a married couple in a exclusive resort. More Ben has to play the role of Master, something he totally doesn’t feel in him, and Adam the one of the slave, something he totally hates since his people has always fought to come out from slavery.
I had some trouble to mentally enter in the story since the authors don’t give you background notion, you are plunged directly into the story and have to pick up clues here and there to understand the whole. It’s something that I find quite often in futuristic tales, actually there are two opposite ways to tell a story: or the author gives full details, even too much, sometime overloading so much the story to boring the reader, or the author only hints to the alternative reality, letting the reader to fill the voids with his own imagination. Probably I prefer the second way, and it’s the one chosen for Crimson, just enough details to allow understanding the surroundings, and then, you are free to build the reality as much as you like.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002VFPS5O/?...
Benjamin and Adam are different in all possible aspects other than one, their sex, and this is the only thing that seems to not arising trouble. Benjamin is 44 years old and still mourning the betrayal of his former lover; he is an high level police officer, he should be always the leader and responsible for the good being of his men, but in his private life he craves to be mastered. Benjamin is a submissive and he did the unthinkable, he killed his previous master; for this reason, since he was forced to kill the one man in the world he swore to always obey, he now has made his special mission to hunt down Tazu, the man who forced him to do that.
Adam is not a Terran like Ben, he is a mix of human and bird, instead of hair he has feathers, and his skin is deep blue. You can’t possible not notice it, and that is the reason why he is ostracized. Actually Adam is not even gay, but truth be told, in this futuristic tale, the preference in sex seems to not be important; it not defines who you are or why you are a misfit. Other than being of a lesser breed, Adam is also a lot younger than Ben, 28 years old, so he doesn’t fit at all the role of Master, and Ben craves for a Master. Adam and Ben are totally mismatched, and so it’s quite difficult for them to go undercover as a married couple in a exclusive resort. More Ben has to play the role of Master, something he totally doesn’t feel in him, and Adam the one of the slave, something he totally hates since his people has always fought to come out from slavery.
I had some trouble to mentally enter in the story since the authors don’t give you background notion, you are plunged directly into the story and have to pick up clues here and there to understand the whole. It’s something that I find quite often in futuristic tales, actually there are two opposite ways to tell a story: or the author gives full details, even too much, sometime overloading so much the story to boring the reader, or the author only hints to the alternative reality, letting the reader to fill the voids with his own imagination. Probably I prefer the second way, and it’s the one chosen for Crimson, just enough details to allow understanding the surroundings, and then, you are free to build the reality as much as you like.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002VFPS5O/?...
March 13, 2010
If you are looking for a quick sci-fi sex romp with a lot of angst, this will fit the bill. One of the lovers is an alien with feathers in place of regular human hair – so if you are a bird lover.. this is definitely for you. :)
February 3, 2010
This is the second story in the Men in Space trilogy. The plot is the best of the three with a lot of new and refreshing details to the world building. Unfortunately while this is the most interesting of the group, it also has some significant problems. The world building is incomplete and sparse, while the characterization is patchy. The concepts and action based plot keep the story moving and interesting though so this story is worth reading, despite the problems.
The plot revolves around two cops – Ben and Adam – as they hunt down a known bad guy. Each man has personal reasons for wanting the bad guy caught. Ben and Adam must pose as a married (kinky) couple to get some information on a distant planet. This of course poses some problems when their individual pasts rear up to cause some emotional problems.
The storyline is basic but well written with a lot of interesting twists and turns. Unfortunately, the novella is definitely hampered by its length where numerous scenes could have benefited from more detail and background. The reader is dropped immediately into the action with Ben and Adam on a mission that has gone horribly wrong. After some confusing action scenes – they stop to rest in a cave that suddenly turns out to be the hidden lair they were after? or not? – both men are now re-assigned to a far away planet to gather information. Here the lack of background and world building is shown as the details are omitted. The world has different species and rules, none of which are elucidated. Adam is some kind of species of bird with a plumage that has been used as slave labor but again, the story offers no real understanding of the dynamics of the world and its different inhabitants.
Neither Ben nor Adam are fully characterized nor actually described physically. There are brief comments about Adam having a plumage and Ben being a redhead but neither is given enough detail so I could get a mental image. Ben is supposedly gay but Adam is less defined. Perhaps they had feelings for each other prior to the start of the book, but their connection is very loose and ill described. They don’t act like best friends, close confidants, or even anyone with a secret crush. They act like partners that know almost nothing about each other but grudgingly work together. Thus their actual romantic connection didn’t make much sense. Why would they suddenly fall for each other?
Also, almost immediately Ben’s behavior is described as odd and different. Since this is the only way the reader ever sees Ben, how are we to know this is different? There is no additional context or substance to show how Ben usually acts and thus even when trying to highlight the tension between the men, these scenes were more confusing than effective. More time spent on the characterization of the men, their past, their connection, and their history would have definitely helped. Especially with the final BDSM scenes and resolution that didn’t make much sense.
What I did like about the story were the visual descriptions and the hints of a complex and fascinating world. The story doesn’t rely on the classic space themes but invents new ones with some very interesting twists. The drug Crimson is a great detail and well used while the dynamics of using symboints is interesting. I wish the world building had been more fleshed out and this plot could have easily been pushed to a longer novel and better for it. What is offered in the novella is enough to recommend to readers and of the three Men in Space books, definitely read this one. The other two are decent and bland, but for science fiction fans the most interesting world is in this book. The romantic connection between Ben and Adam is perhaps the weakest of the three books but not enough to disappoint romance fans.
Overall I liked the Men in Space trilogy but I wouldn’t re-read any of them.
The plot revolves around two cops – Ben and Adam – as they hunt down a known bad guy. Each man has personal reasons for wanting the bad guy caught. Ben and Adam must pose as a married (kinky) couple to get some information on a distant planet. This of course poses some problems when their individual pasts rear up to cause some emotional problems.
The storyline is basic but well written with a lot of interesting twists and turns. Unfortunately, the novella is definitely hampered by its length where numerous scenes could have benefited from more detail and background. The reader is dropped immediately into the action with Ben and Adam on a mission that has gone horribly wrong. After some confusing action scenes – they stop to rest in a cave that suddenly turns out to be the hidden lair they were after? or not? – both men are now re-assigned to a far away planet to gather information. Here the lack of background and world building is shown as the details are omitted. The world has different species and rules, none of which are elucidated. Adam is some kind of species of bird with a plumage that has been used as slave labor but again, the story offers no real understanding of the dynamics of the world and its different inhabitants.
Neither Ben nor Adam are fully characterized nor actually described physically. There are brief comments about Adam having a plumage and Ben being a redhead but neither is given enough detail so I could get a mental image. Ben is supposedly gay but Adam is less defined. Perhaps they had feelings for each other prior to the start of the book, but their connection is very loose and ill described. They don’t act like best friends, close confidants, or even anyone with a secret crush. They act like partners that know almost nothing about each other but grudgingly work together. Thus their actual romantic connection didn’t make much sense. Why would they suddenly fall for each other?
Also, almost immediately Ben’s behavior is described as odd and different. Since this is the only way the reader ever sees Ben, how are we to know this is different? There is no additional context or substance to show how Ben usually acts and thus even when trying to highlight the tension between the men, these scenes were more confusing than effective. More time spent on the characterization of the men, their past, their connection, and their history would have definitely helped. Especially with the final BDSM scenes and resolution that didn’t make much sense.
What I did like about the story were the visual descriptions and the hints of a complex and fascinating world. The story doesn’t rely on the classic space themes but invents new ones with some very interesting twists. The drug Crimson is a great detail and well used while the dynamics of using symboints is interesting. I wish the world building had been more fleshed out and this plot could have easily been pushed to a longer novel and better for it. What is offered in the novella is enough to recommend to readers and of the three Men in Space books, definitely read this one. The other two are decent and bland, but for science fiction fans the most interesting world is in this book. The romantic connection between Ben and Adam is perhaps the weakest of the three books but not enough to disappoint romance fans.
Overall I liked the Men in Space trilogy but I wouldn’t re-read any of them.
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March 5, 2017Well, I would love to be able to read this book, however when I downloaded the file from my bookshelf before Samhain closed, the file I was given is a completely different book with the same title, a different author, and a different publisher.
I'm so disappointed. I know it's not the author's fault at all, hence the no rating. Anyone else have this problem?
I'm so disappointed. I know it's not the author's fault at all, hence the no rating. Anyone else have this problem?
March 20, 2011
Ben and Adam have a lot to overcome if they are going to make it through this assignment. The last one almost killed Ben and in the process made Ben much too aware of his feelings for Adam. Adam, a blue skinned, feathered former slave has been moved way above the normal Starling station of servitude and poverty because of an accidental addition of a rare symbiote into his body. All police officers share space in their body with a starfish symbiote. These allow for some telepathic communication and for added healing power as well. Since Adam has a rare starfish, and for as long as he has it, he must be a policeman. During their current assignment, Ben’s interest in bdsm, especially pain and service can’t be hidden for long. Adam, a former slave finds this appalling and appallingly exciting.
Admittedly, I am not generally a sci-fi/fantasy reader. I branch out from time to time when a blurb or synopsis catches my imagination as this one did. Any well understood or general lexicon is not necessarily something I am very well versed in. I think in the case of this book it hindered my enjoyment. There seemed to be many areas that I felt I should “know” or understand and just didn’t. Maybe this is part of a larger series? I didn’t see anything else by this author at Samhain.
While reading this book, I found a lot of unanswered questions and completely baffling choices made by Ben that I never understood. I struggled to follow along with this story but still found some of the BDSM scenes well written and interesting even though I had a hard time imagining some of the sci-fi toys and descriptions of their use. All in all it had some intense scenes, descriptive passages and the ending was satisfying but getting to the good parts was difficult for me. Readers more versed in this genre may find it much more to their taste.
Admittedly, I am not generally a sci-fi/fantasy reader. I branch out from time to time when a blurb or synopsis catches my imagination as this one did. Any well understood or general lexicon is not necessarily something I am very well versed in. I think in the case of this book it hindered my enjoyment. There seemed to be many areas that I felt I should “know” or understand and just didn’t. Maybe this is part of a larger series? I didn’t see anything else by this author at Samhain.
While reading this book, I found a lot of unanswered questions and completely baffling choices made by Ben that I never understood. I struggled to follow along with this story but still found some of the BDSM scenes well written and interesting even though I had a hard time imagining some of the sci-fi toys and descriptions of their use. All in all it had some intense scenes, descriptive passages and the ending was satisfying but getting to the good parts was difficult for me. Readers more versed in this genre may find it much more to their taste.
February 22, 2010
I liked this sci-fi story about Ben and Adam, two cops who are after an interplanetary criminal. Each of them has excellent but very personal reasons for wanting to take him out. While they are trying to capture him, they discover more about each other and their feelings - and are reluctant to admit the truth.
While this is a well-written story, with lots of intrigue, I had problems connecting to the character's emotions, which is the only reason it ended up with the rating it did. My failing, not the author's!
While this is a well-written story, with lots of intrigue, I had problems connecting to the character's emotions, which is the only reason it ended up with the rating it did. My failing, not the author's!
August 20, 2012
Two vice agents have to bring down a drug czar by posing as newlyweds and joining the s&m scene. Where have I seen this one before? Yup its almost the same plot as Evangeline Anderson's The Assignment, just set in space like Mel Keegan's Death's Head - fans of either of those are going to love this. Miami Vice in space with master/slave relationships, starfish like symbiots and blue skinned bird men. Couldn't put this one down.
October 15, 2012
Book was ok. Purchased it because it was recommended on Amazon as a sequel to Men in Space #1. Wish I had read the description more as the book had nothing to do with the first book. Apparently, the series is just standalone novels whose only theme is that it's about men in space.
October 29, 2013
So I'm the only one who felt as though I'd missed something? I felt as if there was something about this book I was missing, like it was numero dos in a continuation series or something. Turns out, not so much. Still, I'm still lost...In Space! Heh
September 2, 2013
Shamefully short.
April 9, 2017
This is a fantastic story. I loved the setting, the characters, the romance, the bondage and discipline. Very hot read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews