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Encounters #3
Bound to Fall
Encounters:Book 3. Kine Raelne is settling well into his new life, with his new lover, working for Quarn to improve life for its people. Dinun isn't faring so well, linving with the Angels, however much in love he is with Moon. The arrival of visitors from Rael's planet offers opportunities and hope, but they are caught up in dangerous political machinations threatening them all.
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First published February 1, 2009
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About the author
Ann Somerville
52 books280 followersAnn Somerville grew up in one of Australia’s prettiest small cities. In 1989, she left Australia with a BA and a burning ambition to see more of the world and its people, and to discover this ‘culture’ thing people kept telling her about. In 2006, she returned home to Southeast Queensland with two more degrees (this time in science and IT), an English husband and a staggering case of homesickness, vowing never to leave Australia again.
Her long, plot-driven fiction featuring gay and bisexual characters has been published by Samhain Publishing and elsewhere.
Her long, plot-driven fiction featuring gay and bisexual characters has been published by Samhain Publishing and elsewhere.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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May 19, 2009Bound to Fall is the final book in the Encounters series; is the parallel story of both couples of the previous two books, the chimerical human Dinun and his Angel lover Moon, and the chimerical human (but with an heavy Angel genetic legacy) Suaj and his human lover Raeln.
Both these couples have problem to overcome to be happy together: Dinun finds out that he can't live in Moon's world due to his health condition, and he wants pretend from his lover to be captive in his "narrow" world: Moon is not used to live in the confined space of an home, he is born to live in the open spaces where he can fly. On the other hand Raeln, even if deep in love with Suaj, and more than happy in their relationship, misses home; he is aware that he will not find anything better at home for him, but still he longs for a world that he still considers his own. When an spaceship from Raeln's planet asks to land, it's the change for all of them to test their bonds.
There is a clear shift in the story at the middle: the first part has almost an utopian mind, made of "friendly" scientists who want only to learn and develop new ways for living better; the second part almost ends in a nightmare. Unfortunately what happens in this futuristic world, is what always happened when different cultures meet and don't "mix"; there is always one part that believes to be better and to be allowed to judge and bring pain in other life in the name of the wellness of their people, doesn't matter if this means to injure others.
Said that I would like to spend a bit of good words on the characters. In this last book there are two characters that I believe had the space to develop and grow as they hadn't had in their own story. Dinun, in the first book, was a nice character, but he was almost too naive, smitten by the powerful Angel who was his lover, he didn't have the chance to have on the reader a strong impression. Now instead he is the leading man in the relationship, he is maybe more angry and mourning, but he proves a strenght that I hadn't found before. Sure Moon is still the stronger in body, but finally Dinun behaves as an adult.
The second character that I see in a different way is Suaj; oh yes, he is still a bit detached, but now I can see that he cares for his human lover. He is not obviously the passionate character as Raeln, but at least I have no more the impression that for him Raeln is only a nice benefit deriving from his work, I finally have the impression that Suaj would not be happy if Raeln should decide to go back home. Probably he would be find a way to overcome the pain, but at least he would feel it.
There is clearly more passion and more open feelings in this last book than in the previous two. It's not necessary a question of sex, if I remember well there is only one real sex scene, but the characters are more open, they arrive to the reader in a more direct way, and so they leave a deeper impression.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/51...
Both these couples have problem to overcome to be happy together: Dinun finds out that he can't live in Moon's world due to his health condition, and he wants pretend from his lover to be captive in his "narrow" world: Moon is not used to live in the confined space of an home, he is born to live in the open spaces where he can fly. On the other hand Raeln, even if deep in love with Suaj, and more than happy in their relationship, misses home; he is aware that he will not find anything better at home for him, but still he longs for a world that he still considers his own. When an spaceship from Raeln's planet asks to land, it's the change for all of them to test their bonds.
There is a clear shift in the story at the middle: the first part has almost an utopian mind, made of "friendly" scientists who want only to learn and develop new ways for living better; the second part almost ends in a nightmare. Unfortunately what happens in this futuristic world, is what always happened when different cultures meet and don't "mix"; there is always one part that believes to be better and to be allowed to judge and bring pain in other life in the name of the wellness of their people, doesn't matter if this means to injure others.
Said that I would like to spend a bit of good words on the characters. In this last book there are two characters that I believe had the space to develop and grow as they hadn't had in their own story. Dinun, in the first book, was a nice character, but he was almost too naive, smitten by the powerful Angel who was his lover, he didn't have the chance to have on the reader a strong impression. Now instead he is the leading man in the relationship, he is maybe more angry and mourning, but he proves a strenght that I hadn't found before. Sure Moon is still the stronger in body, but finally Dinun behaves as an adult.
The second character that I see in a different way is Suaj; oh yes, he is still a bit detached, but now I can see that he cares for his human lover. He is not obviously the passionate character as Raeln, but at least I have no more the impression that for him Raeln is only a nice benefit deriving from his work, I finally have the impression that Suaj would not be happy if Raeln should decide to go back home. Probably he would be find a way to overcome the pain, but at least he would feel it.
There is clearly more passion and more open feelings in this last book than in the previous two. It's not necessary a question of sex, if I remember well there is only one real sex scene, but the characters are more open, they arrive to the reader in a more direct way, and so they leave a deeper impression.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/51...
June 13, 2018
While this last book in the series started good, it ended for me feeling rushed,
leaving out scenes that to me would have made the book complete.
leaving out scenes that to me would have made the book complete.
February 6, 2013
As you learn from the previous book, Kine's fellow shipmate lied to him. He had kidnapped a female of Quarn and stole there ship to go home. Kine has settled down and his relationship with Sauj is doing well. Then one day, another ship arrives from his home planet. He acts has the ambassador. The other ship is of scientists and miliatary. They have come in peace and only wish for there help. Even though there planet has many advancements, they are still faced with the issue of there poluation dwindling. The government of Quarn decided to help out this peaceful group. You learn that Kine's other shipmate has lied about many things. Kine's home world believes that he is dead. The scientists would like some Angel DNA or better yet, some volunteers who will go back with them to help study them. They hope the 'wild' Angels will be their answer to their survival.
Dinun, is living between Moon's village and his own. They are still dealing with obstacles in their relationship, but hope they can find common ground. Then Dinun starts to become sick. He becomes wheelchair bound. Dinun learns that he has an incurable disease and is having difficulty dealing with it. He loves Moon, but doesn't want to tie Moon down. He feels it would be better if Moon just forgot about him and moved on, since he is only seeing the negative things in life. Dinun learns that he loved by many people. His village has come to accept Moon and Dinun's family loves there 'uncle' Moon.
The Quarn government brings the scientists to meet with Dinun and the Angels. They hope that Dinun will be their ambassador between them and the Angels. Moon and his fellow Angels are very welcoming of Sauj. Sauj is very happy and excited to finally meet the 'wild' Angels. A piece of his heart is filled when he is warmly accepted by his 'cousins'.
When Moon and Dinun learn that there is a cure to his disease on the other planet, they decide to volunteer to go. Moon's friend Flower and his brother Cloud decide go to with them.
When they arrive on the other planet, they do help Dinun. But Kine's home world has been having political issues and they all end up being sucked into it. Will they all be able to survive? Who can they trust? They learn that not all people can be trusted. Will they ever be able to make it back home? Will Kine decide to stay with his family(who he dearly misses and so happy to hear he is still alive) or will he choose his new family with Sauj?
I am happy with the ending of this series. I feel that each book flowed well in the next.
Dinun, is living between Moon's village and his own. They are still dealing with obstacles in their relationship, but hope they can find common ground. Then Dinun starts to become sick. He becomes wheelchair bound. Dinun learns that he has an incurable disease and is having difficulty dealing with it. He loves Moon, but doesn't want to tie Moon down. He feels it would be better if Moon just forgot about him and moved on, since he is only seeing the negative things in life. Dinun learns that he loved by many people. His village has come to accept Moon and Dinun's family loves there 'uncle' Moon.
The Quarn government brings the scientists to meet with Dinun and the Angels. They hope that Dinun will be their ambassador between them and the Angels. Moon and his fellow Angels are very welcoming of Sauj. Sauj is very happy and excited to finally meet the 'wild' Angels. A piece of his heart is filled when he is warmly accepted by his 'cousins'.
When Moon and Dinun learn that there is a cure to his disease on the other planet, they decide to volunteer to go. Moon's friend Flower and his brother Cloud decide go to with them.
When they arrive on the other planet, they do help Dinun. But Kine's home world has been having political issues and they all end up being sucked into it. Will they all be able to survive? Who can they trust? They learn that not all people can be trusted. Will they ever be able to make it back home? Will Kine decide to stay with his family(who he dearly misses and so happy to hear he is still alive) or will he choose his new family with Sauj?
I am happy with the ending of this series. I feel that each book flowed well in the next.
July 6, 2009
Book three of the Encounters Series, Bound to Fall is an excellent way to wrap up a fascinating trilogy. We're given the best of the previous two novellas married together as the character from both come together: Dinun and Moon, on the one hand, and Rael and Suaj, on the other. But Someville doesn't rest on the past stories with this one. Each of the characters have grown and matured since we last saw them, and the plot Somerville puts together seamlessly melds romance, suspense, mystery and intrigue. It is a wonderfully satisfying wrap-up to characters I've come to enjoy visiting.
December 23, 2010
This was an enjoyable read, if only for the interaction and character development of its characters, particularly where Suaj and Rael are concerned. Rael really came through in this book, but Dinun I could care less about. In fact, in the story where he appears, he fails to not irritate me immensely to read - whiny, selfish, self-pitying and all round pain in the butt to have around.
April 20, 2012
Loved this series. I'd love to read more.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews