Review: Captured (Star Marked Warriors Book 1) by Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes

Rating: 2.75 🌈

I do look forward to new releases from Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes. Usually they are urban fantasy. But Captured is the first novel in their new Star Marked Warriors series and while I wish I could say I was a successful venture into aliens, space , and sci fi , it’s not. For me it registered as disappointing and a bit tired on themes.

While there’s a few elements that are good, and some nice characters, there’s also many overfamiliar features that factor into the novel I recognize. Story aspects I’ve come across multiple times from my years of reading this genre .

Let’s see if you recognize some.

◦ Humans being taken for breeding purposes. Why do aliens want us?

◦ Aliens similar enough to humans so breeding is possible. Does everyone have to be bipedal?

◦ They are blue aliens. Why are there so many blue aliens? Why not tangerine?

◦ Native cat species like giant tigers the size of cars. Very popular! Cats rule apparently.

◦ Tattoos that actually give various powers. That’s a great one and used so many ways.

◦ Poisonous jungle with flesh eating plants that throw out a spear to pull you in and devour you. That’s a favorite of many.

◦ Species that’s one gender. Also common. But here they sacrifice their ability to give birth in order to become strong warriors.

◦ Mages, alien mages. Huh.

◦ Labs, babies in bottles

◦ Warriors tournaments

◦ Instant love

Seriously, I know I missed a few but that’s quite a list. It all seemed so familiar because , even though the characters were new , new names, the plot and foundation felt dated.

Plus the way the aliens whipped in and out of the Earth’s orbit, kidnapping gorgeous people here and there. If they need only genetic material, why not be more specific?

The aliens almost idolize strength and the incredible survival ability above all. They’ve sacrificed for massive warrior body types. So when kidnapping another species for breeding wouldn’t they search out athletic types? Something to improve or at least not “weaken” the species?

But here, like giant blue magpies, they seek beauties! Oh look, shiny pretties! Doesn’t matter if they are tiny or medium sized, or whatever gender.

For a giant blue race that values warriors, strength, and fighting abilities. Anyone see a issue here?

Then it’s the kidnapees! The ones who awake on a ship of aliens, figure out they are all a bit gorgeous and hey, sexual slavery. They naturally panicked. One has a massive crying spell, as you would. But then. People who were only hysterical for a while, after undergoing what realistically could be called a emotionally shattering event, now they are fine. It’s an adventure! Well, after another suspended reality chapters.

Human kidnapped Lucas almost immediately gets into a sexual relationship with Prince Kaelum after only a few sentences about consent and gratification. SMH.

Was I connected in anyway to any of the people/beings here? No. Ok maybe the cats. But really no.

Events go by rather quickly. Things happen that ,especially at the end, make no sense. Then it’s over, but with threatening hints about what’s to come.

But each book is supposedly a standalone with a different couple.

So Lucas and Prince Kaelum get a HFN and the whole situation continues.

I don’t know. It’s a breeze to read . If not taken seriously, somewhat entertaining. But it’s not close to what I expected from any of their other pieces, especially Sam Burns’ fantasy stories. I do keep hoping for something new, exciting when authors decide to go narratively to space and beyond!

That just didn’t happen here.

If you’re a fan of these authors, have some spare time, you decide if this is your wheelhouse.

There’s more to the series:

Star Marked Warriors:

✓ Captured #1

◦ Declared #2

◦ Submitted #3

https://www.goodreads.com › showCaptured (Star Marked Warriors, #1) by Sam Burns | Goodreads

Synopsis:

An alien prince, a threatened throne, and the human mate who can help him save it…

Lucas: Sure, my life isn’t going exactly according to plan—I have a degree that led nowhere, a crappy job as a closing-shift barista, and an ex who has everything I want and got it . . . by dumping my sorry ass—but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to give up on living yet! And holy crap, when I’m plucked off the sidewalk of my rural Colorado town on the very night of my ex’s wedding, I’m pretty damn sure I’m about to lose my life and a whole lot more.

If you’ve never tried flying, I do not recommend the first time be when you’re drunk and alone at two in the morning. But there I was, dumped in a cage on a spacecraft, surrounded by barbarous, giant blue aliens. And the only thing that might keep me safe is there’s one huge, intimidating warrior who can’t keep his eyes off me.

Kaelum: I am the true-born son of the King Xyren the Imperator, but as a Thorzi-human hybrid, my path to the throne of Thorzan is far from clear. My father’s people are enormous and foreboding, their skin is the deep dark of twilight when our planet’s twin stars set. I am not. My enemies think I am small, soft, incapable, and they dog my every step.

If I am to take my rightful place, I must focus on saving my people. But my mother was born on a far-away blue planet called Earth. In my bones, I know the answer to my problems hides out there beyond the stars.

By popular cowriting duo Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes, Captured is an M/M SciFi alien romance with a warrior prince, a resourceful human at the end of his rope, an intergalactic war that could keep them apart forever, and true love that’s entirely out of this world! This book is first in the Star Marked Warriors series, but each book can be read as standalone. This series does not contain mpreg.

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Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer