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GORGON #1
Clean Slate
The assassination Chris Gibson and John Soong are sent to carry out doesn't go quite as planned. They arrive at the location to find their target, Russian mob affiliate Andrei Voronin has already been shot and is barely clinging to life. Making a judgement call, John contacts his superiors who agree that Voronin may be more valuable to them alive than dead.
The new plan is for John and Chris to pose as Andrei's lovers until the amnesiac recovers his memory. Their task takes an unexpected turn when the agents bond with Andrei, clash with one another, and have to outwit the Russian mob who discover that Andrei is still alive
The new plan is for John and Chris to pose as Andrei's lovers until the amnesiac recovers his memory. Their task takes an unexpected turn when the agents bond with Andrei, clash with one another, and have to outwit the Russian mob who discover that Andrei is still alive
121 pages, ebook
First published April 21, 2010
6 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
ahh-how-about-no
May 3, 2018Me sees M/M/M
Me says no no no
Me says no no no
May 4, 2010
This is an interesting take on a threesome - a man loses his memory, the agents who were supposed to assassinate him (but were too late) save his life instead, then tell him they were lovers. All this so they can find out exactly what he remembers and how to best use this to their organization's advantage.
Now, for someone like me who isn't really into mysteries, all the cloak-and-dagger stuff was confusing enough. Add the two agents' deception of the victim and I was really curious how this was going to play out. And I must admit that I was far more into the relationship angle than the "who knew what when and wanted to kill whom". I found it very hard to like Chris (one of the agents) but because his character was believable and his motivation clear, that was fine and became part of the attraction of the story for me.
Overall, this is an interesting book and I really liked it. It had me on the edge of my seat with wanting to know what happened next and I was very happy with the ending.
Now, for someone like me who isn't really into mysteries, all the cloak-and-dagger stuff was confusing enough. Add the two agents' deception of the victim and I was really curious how this was going to play out. And I must admit that I was far more into the relationship angle than the "who knew what when and wanted to kill whom". I found it very hard to like Chris (one of the agents) but because his character was believable and his motivation clear, that was fine and became part of the attraction of the story for me.
Overall, this is an interesting book and I really liked it. It had me on the edge of my seat with wanting to know what happened next and I was very happy with the ending.
Read
March 29, 2010Very excited about this release - my first novella-length e-book (it's barely beating the ebook of "Test of Faith").
I wrote this with with Barbara Sheridan after we had so much fun with "Risky Maneuvers" (due out from Loose Id in July). The starting point for this was a random thought one day of how to make a m/m/m menage work; three guys bring a lot of issues to the table, after all. In the end, I cheated and took one guy's memory (and issues).
And it has all my favourite things: sexy Russians, hard-bitten cynics, and decency and humanity against unforgiving odds. And I'm incredibly pleased with Paul Richmond's cover, who, from our very sketchy description painted a cover that is just so spot-on for the story that I did wonder how that guy has looked in my head. That Seventies-James-Bond feel is just perfect.
And the sequel begins percolating...
I wrote this with with Barbara Sheridan after we had so much fun with "Risky Maneuvers" (due out from Loose Id in July). The starting point for this was a random thought one day of how to make a m/m/m menage work; three guys bring a lot of issues to the table, after all. In the end, I cheated and took one guy's memory (and issues).
And it has all my favourite things: sexy Russians, hard-bitten cynics, and decency and humanity against unforgiving odds. And I'm incredibly pleased with Paul Richmond's cover, who, from our very sketchy description painted a cover that is just so spot-on for the story that I did wonder how that guy has looked in my head. That Seventies-James-Bond feel is just perfect.
And the sequel begins percolating...
March 17, 2016
Nice read. Not quite completely satisfying.
The story was too rough, jumping from point A to point B without any interlude.
There were some inconsistencies, I couldn´t get my head around.
It all was too fast and too rocky in story building. A few smoothing touches here and there might have done alot of good.
Loved Chris. But then I just love assholes.
He came off as totally believable, the kind of guy, we all know and love to hate, because he´s an arrogant, narcistic idiot. Sexy.
Didn´t like John. Not even a little bit. But then, I never liked doormats and Mary Sues.. and he was both.
He was the major off putting point for me. The male equivalent of the young damsel, knowing that the myterious Lord next door can never be evil, after exchanging two words with him.
He just came off as shallow and unprofessional, feeling more like a 16 year old girl, than a killer.
Liked Andrei, he appeared to be genuinely confused and believably dependent on those two.
The relationship between Andrei and John was totally unbelievable for me. Too fast. From zero to 100 in something like three days.
Ok, from Andrei´s point of view, since he had nothing but John.
From John´s perpective? Not at all.
Hello? Suspect with close connections to organized crime, he was supposed to kill? Nuh-uh.
But then, the whole book was too fast.
Where it worked though and where I loved it was the last third of the book. I admit, I held my breathe there. Though this, in large parts, also was connected to Chris.
You didn´t know, he was the good guy and honestly could believe, he could pull this off, while just praying, he didn´t.
Still there might have been a few more explanations.
Did John and Andrei know about Chris little plot?
Did John really believe Andrei dead?
Unlikely, but it was a great cliffhanger and in the hospital, I actually had to take a deep breathe. And smiled. Well done.
Did I mention, I loved Chris? He´s such a heartless bastard!
I´m honestly looking forward to his story, and not only because his counter part will be a guy named Nikita.
Overall, a nice little read. With some negative points for me.
Too short, too fast, too rough, doormat.
The story was too rough, jumping from point A to point B without any interlude.
There were some inconsistencies, I couldn´t get my head around.
It all was too fast and too rocky in story building. A few smoothing touches here and there might have done alot of good.
Loved Chris. But then I just love assholes.
He came off as totally believable, the kind of guy, we all know and love to hate, because he´s an arrogant, narcistic idiot. Sexy.
Didn´t like John. Not even a little bit. But then, I never liked doormats and Mary Sues.. and he was both.
He was the major off putting point for me. The male equivalent of the young damsel, knowing that the myterious Lord next door can never be evil, after exchanging two words with him.
He just came off as shallow and unprofessional, feeling more like a 16 year old girl, than a killer.
Liked Andrei, he appeared to be genuinely confused and believably dependent on those two.
The relationship between Andrei and John was totally unbelievable for me. Too fast. From zero to 100 in something like three days.
Ok, from Andrei´s point of view, since he had nothing but John.
From John´s perpective? Not at all.
Hello? Suspect with close connections to organized crime, he was supposed to kill? Nuh-uh.
But then, the whole book was too fast.
Where it worked though and where I loved it was the last third of the book. I admit, I held my breathe there. Though this, in large parts, also was connected to Chris.
You didn´t know, he was the good guy and honestly could believe, he could pull this off, while just praying, he didn´t.
Still there might have been a few more explanations.
Did John and Andrei know about Chris little plot?
Did John really believe Andrei dead?
Unlikely, but it was a great cliffhanger and in the hospital, I actually had to take a deep breathe. And smiled. Well done.
Did I mention, I loved Chris? He´s such a heartless bastard!
I´m honestly looking forward to his story, and not only because his counter part will be a guy named Nikita.
Overall, a nice little read. With some negative points for me.
Too short, too fast, too rough, doormat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2011
You ever feel like you were reading and missed some pages? That's sort of how this book felt.
You have to take a huge leap in the suspension of disbelief to accept the general premise of the book. After that it plays out as a sort basic angsty romance. The emotions come through very clearly. Jealousy. Hurt. A new relationship that's more nurture than heat. It's the rest of the relationship that develops that seems off. It's implied that there are mutual, although suppressed, feelings between the partners. Those feelings come off one sided to me. I just don't see it. Then when we get to the happy resolution, I feel like a missed something. When did they figure it all out? Why is everything suddenly working so perfectly and smoothly when just a scene ago they could barely all stand to be in the same room? And the secret government agency portion of the plot- had did that get set up? When did it get set up?
The story wasn't bad overall. I just feel like I missed out on some important and maybe necessary information.
You have to take a huge leap in the suspension of disbelief to accept the general premise of the book. After that it plays out as a sort basic angsty romance. The emotions come through very clearly. Jealousy. Hurt. A new relationship that's more nurture than heat. It's the rest of the relationship that develops that seems off. It's implied that there are mutual, although suppressed, feelings between the partners. Those feelings come off one sided to me. I just don't see it. Then when we get to the happy resolution, I feel like a missed something. When did they figure it all out? Why is everything suddenly working so perfectly and smoothly when just a scene ago they could barely all stand to be in the same room? And the secret government agency portion of the plot- had did that get set up? When did it get set up?
The story wasn't bad overall. I just feel like I missed out on some important and maybe necessary information.
May 10, 2012
I have loved EVERYTHING I've read so far by Aleksandr Voinov, so I jumped on this without hesitation, but this book does something that none of his other books have done, and that is force you to suspend all disbelief or logic. I'm halfway through and I don't know what exactly the point of this whole bizarre setup with Andrei is supposed to accomplish.
PLOT PROBLEMS:
Chris and John are sent to kill Andrei, but after finding him already wounded by a head shot, John decides to save him??? His reasoning, 'We were sent to neutralize him, not kill him'. What??? So my question is, had Andrei not been half dead when they found him, what exactly would they have done? Shot his lips off? Even as a team, they didn't seem to be clear on what they were doing. Chris clearly hadn't gotten the 'do not kill' memo because he was ready to pump Andrei full of lead and call it a day.
What are the odds that GORGON would say, 'Fine, you were supposed to kill him but you kept him alive, so you baby sit him?' And by the way, we'll go out of our way to set up a believable living situation and fake accident scenes and what not. Really??
The world building is not clear. I'm halfway through the book and all I know is that Andrei is Russian and, by playing house, Chris and John hope to...get him to come to their side...give them info...something...I'm reaching here.
The threesome scenario as an explanation of who Chris and John are to Andrei is ridiculous. In the hospital, John introduces them as Andrei's good friends. Then the next day, Andrei is told they're his lovers. I almost choked on my wine. To further sleep with him while his memory is on the fritz was beyond distasteful and felt like rape to me, even though Andrei was down for it. John and Chris sleeping together the first night, to make it believable 'in case Andrei woke up during the night' was too sophmoric for my liking.
Why this is disappointing:
The premise is a kick ass one. You have two assassins. You have the mark that they want to turn. You have the amnesia. You have the friends/co-worker attraction angle AND it's interracial (not black/white but I'll take it). This is a dream come true for me! And it could have worked! But maybe it was too ambitious for the page count. The plot devices are too blatantly visible. Chris is a jerk and he and John are way too wooden and not believable as having some kind of unexplored attraction to each other.
Why I'll keep reading:
Once you suspend disbelief, it is interesting and I want to see what happens. Aleksandr co-wrote it.
To be continued......
Ok, I'm done. And yeah, the second half wasn't really better. I was skimming just to get to the end. I feel horrible about my 2* star rating. I may just take it down because I do LOVE Aleksandr's work, but I really don't see him in here!
Some of the explanation that is offered in the second half would have been better in the beginning. But, we still come back to the fact that they were sent to kill Andrei, and didn't. It defies logic!
Andrei and John's 'relationship' is just not believable. How are they all ga ga so quickly?
The twist with Andrei/Chris was both predictable and unbelievable at the same time. I was rolling my eyes and skimming. I didn't even read the sex at the end. I'd had enough.
About the ONLY thing I found interesting was Chris' jealousy. Now that was refreshing and a bit funny. Everything else just screams 're-vamp' to me.
There is a 5 star story in here somewhere but this needs going back to the drawing board and a serious overhaul - better pacing, better world building, beef up the characters a bit and lose the corny twists, and inject some realism into it. Sorry sorry Aleksandr! But that's one of the things that distinguishes your writing from others. It's the level of research, detail and real-ness. It's what makes your work unputdownable, and keeps me on the edge of my seat.
Then again, since I'm waiting on Book 3 of Dark Soul, maybe just let sleeping dogs lie and press on with new projects! LOL
PLOT PROBLEMS:
Chris and John are sent to kill Andrei, but after finding him already wounded by a head shot, John decides to save him??? His reasoning, 'We were sent to neutralize him, not kill him'. What??? So my question is, had Andrei not been half dead when they found him, what exactly would they have done? Shot his lips off? Even as a team, they didn't seem to be clear on what they were doing. Chris clearly hadn't gotten the 'do not kill' memo because he was ready to pump Andrei full of lead and call it a day.
What are the odds that GORGON would say, 'Fine, you were supposed to kill him but you kept him alive, so you baby sit him?' And by the way, we'll go out of our way to set up a believable living situation and fake accident scenes and what not. Really??
The world building is not clear. I'm halfway through the book and all I know is that Andrei is Russian and, by playing house, Chris and John hope to...get him to come to their side...give them info...something...I'm reaching here.
The threesome scenario as an explanation of who Chris and John are to Andrei is ridiculous. In the hospital, John introduces them as Andrei's good friends. Then the next day, Andrei is told they're his lovers. I almost choked on my wine. To further sleep with him while his memory is on the fritz was beyond distasteful and felt like rape to me, even though Andrei was down for it. John and Chris sleeping together the first night, to make it believable 'in case Andrei woke up during the night' was too sophmoric for my liking.
Why this is disappointing:
The premise is a kick ass one. You have two assassins. You have the mark that they want to turn. You have the amnesia. You have the friends/co-worker attraction angle AND it's interracial (not black/white but I'll take it). This is a dream come true for me! And it could have worked! But maybe it was too ambitious for the page count. The plot devices are too blatantly visible. Chris is a jerk and he and John are way too wooden and not believable as having some kind of unexplored attraction to each other.
Why I'll keep reading:
Once you suspend disbelief, it is interesting and I want to see what happens. Aleksandr co-wrote it.
To be continued......
Ok, I'm done. And yeah, the second half wasn't really better. I was skimming just to get to the end. I feel horrible about my 2* star rating. I may just take it down because I do LOVE Aleksandr's work, but I really don't see him in here!
Some of the explanation that is offered in the second half would have been better in the beginning. But, we still come back to the fact that they were sent to kill Andrei, and didn't. It defies logic!
Andrei and John's 'relationship' is just not believable. How are they all ga ga so quickly?
The twist with Andrei/Chris was both predictable and unbelievable at the same time. I was rolling my eyes and skimming. I didn't even read the sex at the end. I'd had enough.
About the ONLY thing I found interesting was Chris' jealousy. Now that was refreshing and a bit funny. Everything else just screams 're-vamp' to me.
There is a 5 star story in here somewhere but this needs going back to the drawing board and a serious overhaul - better pacing, better world building, beef up the characters a bit and lose the corny twists, and inject some realism into it. Sorry sorry Aleksandr! But that's one of the things that distinguishes your writing from others. It's the level of research, detail and real-ness. It's what makes your work unputdownable, and keeps me on the edge of my seat.
Then again, since I'm waiting on Book 3 of Dark Soul, maybe just let sleeping dogs lie and press on with new projects! LOL
December 1, 2010
I have read so many angsty-gut twisting-holy crap I'm crying again books this month that it was down right depressing me. Guess what. There is none of that in this (well mostly, if angst popped up, I ignored it). I got six deaths and one explosion in the first chapter. Very cleansing.
So what happens when you throw two assassins and a dirty mob amnesiac together. "Boyfriends" to a man who may not have been gay before the bullet to the brain. Lots of people running around with guns, sure to die and one pissed off mob boss who wants amnesiac dead enough to pay top dollar to the right assassin. What fun. I would have given it five stars if the Russian had died. *wink* Just kidding...well sort of.
So what happens when you throw two assassins and a dirty mob amnesiac together. "Boyfriends" to a man who may not have been gay before the bullet to the brain. Lots of people running around with guns, sure to die and one pissed off mob boss who wants amnesiac dead enough to pay top dollar to the right assassin. What fun. I would have given it five stars if the Russian had died. *wink* Just kidding...well sort of.
September 6, 2015
There was some suspension of belief, true but I mostly do when I read anyway. The only reason I would have issue with something "unbelievable" is if it jarred in the story, caused a disruption with the flow. The only time that came is at the end but even then it was suppose to to a degree. This is the first book I've read by this author. I enjoyed it. It was short for the type of story it was. It could have been richer if it was longer. I would have loved to get to know the three men more. There is a sequel that I will most likely read in the future.
March 15, 2011
Chris Gibson and John Soong are partners -professionally that is- who work as agents for the super secret GORGON organization. When they get sent out to assassinate the mob affiliated Andrei Voronin they find somebody has beaten them to the job. Well: tried anyway, because Voronin still lives.
In the heat of the moment, John decides that the Russian might be worth more alive than dead. So a plan is set up to nurse Voronin back to health, both physically and mentally (Voronin has amnesia) while both Chris and John pose as his lovers. But things don't go as smoothly as planned ...
Judging by the reviews, I knew I had to suspend my disbelief and just go with the flow while reading this book. Clean Slate is meant as a light, fun and sometimes even campy read. Not too many things make much sense (starting with the basic premise: why not just kill Voronin?), the plot is paper thin and everything -both action and emotion wise- goes too fast to really make sense of it.
So I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. I immediately liked Andrei Voronin and how he turned from a criminal to a really vulnerable and insecure guy- who did show his strength and strong mind when it all came down to it. It took me a while to differentiate the inner voices of Chris and John, but once clear, I really liked Chris. He brought both humor and angst to the table and I love me some angst!
Sadly though, some events near the end of the story crossed the line from 'not likely' to 'totally ridiculous' and 'eye roll worthy'. Not a good thing in my mind.
Apparently, my suspension of disbelief only goes so far.
So, at the end, Clean Slate was just okay for me.
2,5 stars, bumping it up to 3.
In the heat of the moment, John decides that the Russian might be worth more alive than dead. So a plan is set up to nurse Voronin back to health, both physically and mentally (Voronin has amnesia) while both Chris and John pose as his lovers. But things don't go as smoothly as planned ...
Judging by the reviews, I knew I had to suspend my disbelief and just go with the flow while reading this book. Clean Slate is meant as a light, fun and sometimes even campy read. Not too many things make much sense (starting with the basic premise: why not just kill Voronin?), the plot is paper thin and everything -both action and emotion wise- goes too fast to really make sense of it.
So I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. I immediately liked Andrei Voronin and how he turned from a criminal to a really vulnerable and insecure guy- who did show his strength and strong mind when it all came down to it. It took me a while to differentiate the inner voices of Chris and John, but once clear, I really liked Chris. He brought both humor and angst to the table and I love me some angst!
Sadly though, some events near the end of the story crossed the line from 'not likely' to 'totally ridiculous' and 'eye roll worthy'. Not a good thing in my mind.
Apparently, my suspension of disbelief only goes so far.
So, at the end, Clean Slate was just okay for me.
2,5 stars, bumping it up to 3.
July 13, 2013
I spent 7 hours in train with my Kindle. There was big question what I would read, I picked my favorite author and it was good choice. It made whole journey passable. Back to the book.
Being lawyer with mafia connection was always tricky and one could get in to the serious trouble. Andrei Voronin learn it hard way. There was huge price tag on his head, his business associates plus the secret organization called GORGON. The business associates were faster but poor lawyer got it in his head, however he survived only to be picked up and saved by his want to be assassins, duo of gay men working for GORGON. Those two got splendid idea how to get informations from the amnesiac captive. Gay men...amnesiac...well they told him that they were lovers. Chris Gibson and John Soong soon managed to persuade Andrei, who was told that he had car accident in relationship, but memories were returning and former associates learn that their corpse is very alive. In mean time Chris and John were solving their own personal love drama.
Overall I liked the book very much.
Being lawyer with mafia connection was always tricky and one could get in to the serious trouble. Andrei Voronin learn it hard way. There was huge price tag on his head, his business associates plus the secret organization called GORGON. The business associates were faster but poor lawyer got it in his head, however he survived only to be picked up and saved by his want to be assassins, duo of gay men working for GORGON. Those two got splendid idea how to get informations from the amnesiac captive. Gay men...amnesiac...well they told him that they were lovers. Chris Gibson and John Soong soon managed to persuade Andrei, who was told that he had car accident in relationship, but memories were returning and former associates learn that their corpse is very alive. In mean time Chris and John were solving their own personal love drama.
Overall I liked the book very much.
June 9, 2011
I found this to be an enjoyable, fairly short read. I've read through the other reviews that talk about needing this great suspension of belief in order to read the story but I didn't get that. I found the premise to be believable for a "fiction" piece and actually somewhat refreshing in that it's not one that I've seen used already. I appreciate that. It did feel a bit rushed but I won't knock any lack of serious character development because there is a sequel so I expect more there. I look forward to reading the sequel. I liked the guys. I enjoyed the dynamic of their threesome... especially the tension between Chris and John. I do like a good m/m/m ;0)
October 3, 2010
This felt more like a synopsis of a book. There was SO much going on in such a short space of time that I didn't feel like I connected with any of the characters. Especially for a ménage, where development of characters relationships is so importan,t I feel like it missed the mark. It lacked clear vision in the plotting and despite the fact that I love Voinov's longer books, I just wished this one had more to it.
September 25, 2013
One hot, action packed book! Sexy Russian meets tough cynical assasins, who change their mind and save him instead of killing him.
Take bad guys and make them the heros without making them good – that's a concept that floats my boat.
Merke: Wo Voinov draufsteht, ist auch ein Voinov drin. :)
Now on to the sequel. :)
Read
October 7, 2011Pretty good book - really dynamic, fastpaced and the characters were interesting and mostly likeable. I even liked menage, I think it fits the story, at least in the beginning.
There were also some stereotypes about Russian gangsters, but that's okay ;)
There were also some stereotypes about Russian gangsters, but that's okay ;)
May 23, 2012
Enjoyable read. I don't seek out menage books as not really my thing, however enjoyed this and the interplay between the three men. I like amnesia stories and the plot in general was well done. A satisfying read even though not a long book. There's a longer second book which I will be reading asap.
July 28, 2012
Voinov knows how to write sexy Russians--quick read--enjoyed
May 20, 2018
Two stars reflects the plot believability, character development, and writing in general.
However.
However, perhaps it’s unfair because I did get more out of this book—I got a writing lesson. It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone attempt a third person POV switch from one short section to another (multiple section breaks within a chapter). I spent a while at the beginning of each section figuring out in whose head I was, and it taught me a thing or two about such transitions. Also, whilst I understand the motivation, I’m not sure it wouldn’t have worked better had the POV transitions been limited to chapters labeled with the names of the three protagonists (even if those chapters ended up being shorter than the current ones, longer than the sections). Although, I don’t know … It’s a fun problem to consider from the writers’ angle.
Anyhow, if this was Voinov’s first novella, I appreciate his novella from two years later Incursion all the more.
However.
However, perhaps it’s unfair because I did get more out of this book—I got a writing lesson. It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone attempt a third person POV switch from one short section to another (multiple section breaks within a chapter). I spent a while at the beginning of each section figuring out in whose head I was, and it taught me a thing or two about such transitions. Also, whilst I understand the motivation, I’m not sure it wouldn’t have worked better had the POV transitions been limited to chapters labeled with the names of the three protagonists (even if those chapters ended up being shorter than the current ones, longer than the sections). Although, I don’t know … It’s a fun problem to consider from the writers’ angle.
Anyhow, if this was Voinov’s first novella, I appreciate his novella from two years later Incursion all the more.
November 14, 2018
This was a pretty good book. Attempted murder, mobs, 'assassins'. Definitely jam packed and exploding with chemistry. The only problem I really had was Chris. Most of the time he was just so damn cocky and assinine. But the other two kind of balanced him out i suppose so that helped. But overall not bad.
December 17, 2011
3 stars
I would probably say that the best parts of the book were: the character of Chris, who was a selfish and arrogant bastard but so fascinating at the same time, and an Asian man as one of the protagonists. I also liked Andrei, and felt bad about what John and Chris were doing to him. I liked that John ended up falling for Andrei and feeling bad about his part because it made the whole situation more palatable for me. I kind of liked the premise of the book - or at least I thought it was intriguing - and I liked how it ended. It was neat that the location was someplace uncommon - Monaco, although, I didn't get a real sense of Monaco. It could have been a random, somewhat isolated place in the U.S. for all the impressions I got from the book.
Some problems I had with the book were:
- too fast-paced
- Chris being in love with John was not very believable
- being "told" what John's skills were rather than "shown"; at least with Chris we see that he's a great marksman, skilled at overcoming an enemy and at being focused on his job, and being cunning
- the threesome sex scenes seemed a little mechanical
- unexplained questions about the plot; namely,
The writing was clean. I did think it odd that there was so much talk of feelings and love between Andrei and John, or Andrei to Chris. I thought that the book was a little short, but I did enjoy it. I look forward to seeing Chris, Andrei and John develop their relationship.
I would probably say that the best parts of the book were: the character of Chris, who was a selfish and arrogant bastard but so fascinating at the same time, and an Asian man as one of the protagonists. I also liked Andrei, and felt bad about what John and Chris were doing to him. I liked that John ended up falling for Andrei and feeling bad about his part because it made the whole situation more palatable for me. I kind of liked the premise of the book - or at least I thought it was intriguing - and I liked how it ended. It was neat that the location was someplace uncommon - Monaco, although, I didn't get a real sense of Monaco. It could have been a random, somewhat isolated place in the U.S. for all the impressions I got from the book.
Some problems I had with the book were:
- too fast-paced
- Chris being in love with John was not very believable
- being "told" what John's skills were rather than "shown"; at least with Chris we see that he's a great marksman, skilled at overcoming an enemy and at being focused on his job, and being cunning
- the threesome sex scenes seemed a little mechanical
- unexplained questions about the plot; namely,
The writing was clean. I did think it odd that there was so much talk of feelings and love between Andrei and John, or Andrei to Chris. I thought that the book was a little short, but I did enjoy it. I look forward to seeing Chris, Andrei and John develop their relationship.
April 22, 2010
A very interesting story of an assassin team who elects to spare their mark when they discover he's already been hit. I enjoyed reading this one, up until the last twenty pages. Perhaps it was because it was so short, and really felt like it needed to be longer.
The relationship between John and Chris, the assassin team, seems to develop more off-screen than on it, from this reader's perspective -- at least on John's part. The result is a slightly disjointed sensation, when the two go from being at each other's throats, and seething with jealousy, to ... being completely at ease with one another more fully than they had been previously. I struggled to understand the dynamic, when John's pervasive attitude toward Chris's bachelorhood was one of disdain, and Chris resented John's willingness to turn his affection toward someone other than himself.
It makes for a disconcerting ending to what was otherwise a well written, solid plot in a pleasant read. Of course, there's a high probability that I missed something important, and need to read it again.... :D
The relationship between John and Chris, the assassin team, seems to develop more off-screen than on it, from this reader's perspective -- at least on John's part. The result is a slightly disjointed sensation, when the two go from being at each other's throats, and seething with jealousy, to ... being completely at ease with one another more fully than they had been previously. I struggled to understand the dynamic, when John's pervasive attitude toward Chris's bachelorhood was one of disdain, and Chris resented John's willingness to turn his affection toward someone other than himself.
It makes for a disconcerting ending to what was otherwise a well written, solid plot in a pleasant read. Of course, there's a high probability that I missed something important, and need to read it again.... :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2011
3.5 stars
This was a very quick and entertaining read, but it was probably too quick. I felt the resolution was a bit rushed and in the final chapter I couldn't really buy the general cozy atmosphere, because I didn't see with my eyes what happened between Paris and Montreux. I felt I missed something.
I also felt that the characters didn't hold my interest in the same way. I think Chris was more fleshed out and I felt the spike of his emotions reach me. I can't tell the same for the John and Andrei. John was so ... levelheaded and I wish I could have seen him less in control. His relationship with his long term teammate simmered, but didn't really burn. My opinion about Andrei is that amnesia took away a bit of his personality too, so I wasn't really invested in his story and while I could see why he connected with John, I couldn't see the same intensity of feelings between him and Chris.
I think Chris stole the spotlight, he is definitely the most interesting, troubled, sexy of the three.
This was a very quick and entertaining read, but it was probably too quick. I felt the resolution was a bit rushed and in the final chapter I couldn't really buy the general cozy atmosphere, because I didn't see with my eyes what happened between Paris and Montreux. I felt I missed something.
I also felt that the characters didn't hold my interest in the same way. I think Chris was more fleshed out and I felt the spike of his emotions reach me. I can't tell the same for the John and Andrei. John was so ... levelheaded and I wish I could have seen him less in control. His relationship with his long term teammate simmered, but didn't really burn. My opinion about Andrei is that amnesia took away a bit of his personality too, so I wasn't really invested in his story and while I could see why he connected with John, I couldn't see the same intensity of feelings between him and Chris.
I think Chris stole the spotlight, he is definitely the most interesting, troubled, sexy of the three.
August 28, 2010
I found this to be one hot, action packed little book.
Cloak and dagger action, three guys and plenty of hotness, Clean Slate grabbed me from the very beginning. Chris and John the partners who want each other but “if only”, the hit that goes awry, Andrei the amnesiac, Russian mobsters, it was all there. There was no putting this one down once I started.
I loved the characters, each one unique, intriguing, and their reactions to the new twists in their situations very believable. I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite, I loved both Chris and John, but it was Andrei with his amnesia, and the way he goes through trying to figure out what is or isn’t that did it for me.
By the end of the book, I was left completely satisfied. I’m not a fan of the shorter books; they often feel rushed and leave me feeling cheated. With plenty of action, well written characters, hot sex, all packed into a novella, 5 stars from me.
I can’t wait for the sequel!
Cloak and dagger action, three guys and plenty of hotness, Clean Slate grabbed me from the very beginning. Chris and John the partners who want each other but “if only”, the hit that goes awry, Andrei the amnesiac, Russian mobsters, it was all there. There was no putting this one down once I started.
I loved the characters, each one unique, intriguing, and their reactions to the new twists in their situations very believable. I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite, I loved both Chris and John, but it was Andrei with his amnesia, and the way he goes through trying to figure out what is or isn’t that did it for me.
By the end of the book, I was left completely satisfied. I’m not a fan of the shorter books; they often feel rushed and leave me feeling cheated. With plenty of action, well written characters, hot sex, all packed into a novella, 5 stars from me.
I can’t wait for the sequel!
December 29, 2010
The author said "I wouldn't want to compete with Josh (most likely because I end up losing :) ) No, in all seriousness, he's awesome." So I finished Adrien English and then read this. And I thought, well, that's like comparing apples and oranges, or more like comparing Ellery Queen and Mike Hammer if Mike were running around with James Bond.
I started out loving John right off the bat. Who wouldn't? A tough guy with a romantic, soft inner core? Then I kind of liked Andrei- as much as you can like someone who doesn't know anything about himself... but what he revealed about himself as he dealt with his unknown past told the story of who he was better than memory could have.
And then Chris...
Oh, and the action filled fast paced plot was a nice touch...
:) Yeah, I'm making a list...
I started out loving John right off the bat. Who wouldn't? A tough guy with a romantic, soft inner core? Then I kind of liked Andrei- as much as you can like someone who doesn't know anything about himself... but what he revealed about himself as he dealt with his unknown past told the story of who he was better than memory could have.
And then Chris...
Oh, and the action filled fast paced plot was a nice touch...
:) Yeah, I'm making a list...
February 15, 2012
Chris and John are sent to assassinate a Russian mob affiliate but arrive to find him seriously injured and everyone else in the house is dead. Their superiors agree that Voronin may be of more use to them alive than dead so they agree to pose as his lovers until the amnesiac regains his memory.
This was an enjoyable story; I liked Chris, John and Voronin as characters, especially Voronin - he is wonderfully confused and engaging. There is plenty of action as the Russian mob realise that Voronin wasn't killed in the original attack and so try to finish him off.
Looking forward to the next book in this series :)
This was an enjoyable story; I liked Chris, John and Voronin as characters, especially Voronin - he is wonderfully confused and engaging. There is plenty of action as the Russian mob realise that Voronin wasn't killed in the original attack and so try to finish him off.
Looking forward to the next book in this series :)
February 27, 2013
I love a story where there is a hitman. I love even more when the hitman falls for the target. Now, having two hitmen fall for the target was bonus. The book is great, I actually was about to hit Chris in the head when he pulled himself together and showed me how good and mature he can be. Yeah, I know it's all fiction, but ALeks made me almost believe they were real people. I can simply say I loved the book, the reason why I didn't give 5 stars is because I wanted to have seen their relationship develop more, it felt a bit rushed. But, I guess it's only me wanting to extend the pleasure of reading the story a bit longer. Aleks, here, accept my thank you hug!
August 10, 2013
This was an exciting romp of a story. Two men, partners from an international Black Ops type agency rescue a target that has been hit by someone else while they were planning to assassinate him. Once they discover he is suffering from amnesia, they have to choose whether or not to kill him or try to flip him. Plus, they decide to tell him that the three of them had been lovers, so... It was a pretty crazy book as the three of them try to figure out what is going on and decide whether they really want to be together while trying to keep Andrei safe. The story moved fast and kept me interested and left me satisfied - although I had to immediately read the second book!
May 18, 2013
Three and a half stars. I love Aleksandr Voinov's mind. His ideas take bad guys and make them the heros without making them good. Love it. (Shades of Lawrence Block's hitman hero.) On top (excuse the pun) he adds sexy males and hot sex. I liked the premise of this story. I would have liked more background on Andrei and his deeds for the "other" guys. Also did he acknowledge being gay or bi pre-attack? I also would have liked more one on one with John and Chris. Chris's love for John deserved some personal acknowledgement. I would like to see these three guys again - together.
May 11, 2010
I love a good suspense story, romantic or otherwise, so I was really excited about this one. (Note to self: must look out for more m/m romantic suspense). The 3 male lead characters were all very different and intriguing in their own way. I would have liked the story to be a longer, as I felt some things were a bit rushed towards the end. All in all, this was a fun, sexy story. Looking forward to the sequel.
September 28, 2010
I can't believe I failed to rate and review this when I read it. I've just finished the sequel (First Blood). I enjoyed both tremendously. It's just not often I get so engrossed in a setting/story that I stop noticing the mechanics of the writing itself. That's how smooth and engaging I found the prose of both Clean Slate and First Blood. A great fast-paced story (and very hot!), with memorable, fully-developed characters. I hope one day there will be more...
August 13, 2011
"Clean Slate" was a harder read than normal for me. I kept putting it down and then picking it back up. This is due to the relationships between Chris, John and Andrei. "First Blood" second book in the series affected me the same way. For some reason once Nikita was fully introduced as a major character I was ok and ended up loving it. Maybe it was the menage aspect that I didn't like and once Chris realized he fell for Nikita I relaxed. It then became a great spy novel with an M/M bent.
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