Category: Science Fiction

A MelanieM Review: Keep the Stars Running Anthology by Cassandra Pierce, Lexi Ander , Andrea Speed , Talya Andor , Leona Carver

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Keeping the Stars Running AnthologySpace is not always filled with adventures and glory. Not everybody goes racing off to battle evil and save the galaxy. Between the rebels, pirates, royals, and spies are the everyday people who work hard just to get by and ensure everyone gets home safe. Less Than Three Press presents a collection of tales about the ordinary folks who keep the stars running.

The Prince and the Programmer by Cassandra Pierce
The Aurora Conspiracy by Lexi Ander
About a Bot by Andrea Speed
Flight Risk by Talya Andor
Survival by Leona Carver

Take romance, throw it out into space and then gather together some wonderful authors to write their take on this fabulous trope and what do you have?  Keeping The Stars Running Anthology!  And each story couldn’t be more different from each other.  Here they are with my comments and rating in the order they appear in the anthology:

The Prince and the Programmer by Cassandra Pierce.  3.5 stars

Probably the closest story here to a familiar romance plot.  Food service mech/chef? is abducted but soon finds his new situation and “Prince” much more to his liking than his old one.  I thought the characters were charming and the situation sort of funny.  It was a sweet if not totally memorable way to open the anthology.

About a Bot by Andrea Speed. 4 stars out of 5

I loved/was frustrated by this terrific story by Andrea Speed.  Speed creates this complex universe, complete with on going intergalactic war, one in which the humans aren’t doing terribly well.  The main character, Tahir, is the Nebula space station’s mechanic who keeps all their robots in working order.  He also rescues and repairs older bots, giving them names and making them his “pets” with personalities.  In fact, Tahir is far more comfortable with his bots then with the rest of the crew on his station.  I loved this character.  He’s believable, fascinating, and when it comes to his interactions with his bots then Tahir becomes irresistible.  As are  his bots, including Spider and the adorable Bagel bot and Tank.

I loved this story so much that the ending, or perhaps lack of one frustrated me with its tantalizing possibilities.  How I would love to see this made into a full length novel.  Anyone listening?

The Aurora Conspiracy by Lexi Ander.   4 stars out of 5

In the Aurora Conspiracy, Lexi Ander’s takes ecological concerns and mining into space with no less than 2 completely different species and a conspiracy to boot.  Regin Valenta, crane operator for the Aurora Minerals and Rare Metals concern is being interrogated by constables from The Fraternity, a galactic law enforcement agency.  One of them, a Nythlithian, Constable Markari Gan’Sey, shares a painful past with Regin, although only one remembers.  The story becomes a dance between the main characters, as their past returns with its angst-filled memories and their attraction to each other flares back to life amidst an investigation into illegal mining practices on the planet below.   It’s suspenseful, layered, and marvelous.

Flight Risk by Tayla Andor  5 stars out of 5

One of my favorite stories in the anthology.  Again, we have an interplanetary war in progress and an embattled   Kiel Navarro’s work as a mechanic in the Gear hangar, keeping the Gryphon wings in perfect operating order for their pilots.  Andor’s world building is amazing and the author’s attention to detail bring this story and crews to life. Even the smallest touches, such as Kiel being half deaf where as most of the other pilots are deaf because of the noise of the engines and conditions they work in, give the readers a authentic feel for the environment and safety factors of the job Kiel does and the hangers in which he and his coworkers make their living.  And it’s not a very nice one.

The mechanics are being harassed, treated as lowly servants, who hide in their quarters for fear of retaliation.  And its by whom that is so startling.  A new Gryphon pilot, Marco Lafaele, a replacement for a recent death in the squad Wing Bravo, shakes up the status quo by showing an interest in Kiel, something that is just not done). His actions and determination not to follow along with his fellow pilots starts to put  cracks in the SOP in the Hangers. And ripples from the fallout spread throughout Cadlow Station.  I loved that Andors created the mechanic equipment down to the MagLens Kiel is using to augment his failing vision to the derogatory nicknames they earn him.

There is mystery, romance, gritty war time battles, and finally a white knuckle ride to the rescue.  Just an outstanding story on every level.

and finally….

Survival by Leona Carver.  3.5 t0 4.5 rating, really this story confounds me.

Not a romance.  I love Leona Carver so many aspects of this story didn’t surprise me while others absolutely did.   Just when I thought I knew where the author was taking this story, it took off in an unexpected direction.  And ending.  We start off on the Velikaya Knyazhna, a giant colonist ship on its new to a new planet.  Most of its crew is “sleeping” in order to make it to their destination without aging too much.  But an emergency sees the “ship” and its caretakers waking up some of the scientists to examine the cause of the emergency and fix it…before its too late.

Valentin Mashire, was trained to work on the planet, frozen on Earth and then shipped up to the “orbiting giant” in a crates, along with many others.   He’s a botanical scientist, a park technician trained to work in the terrestial parkland on board  that’s necessary to terraform the new planet they will land on.    The length of the voyage?  100 years.  Plenty of time for things to go wrong and they do.  And that’s where ship’s Security officer, Fyodor Bendlin comes in.

I can’t go any further.  To do so, takes away the best of the surprises found within this story.  I loved the descriptions of the park inside the ship and the ship itself.  But the romance I wanted to happen was never going to be part of this story.  No, this is all about Survival.  But it’s the “who” that is trying to survive that will shock you as will the ending.  Did I like this story?  Not really.  But did it fascinate me with its mythology and universe building?  Yes.  And it floored me with the surprising revelations and erotica.

What a great anthology.  I don’t know that I would have ended it with Survival.  I think that Flight Risk would have grounded this anthology better with its more substantial ending.  However, there is such variety, a true smorgasbord of stories, that everyone will find something to love.

I recommend this series to all lovers of science fiction, romance and the possibilities of tomorrow.

Cover art by Aisha Akeju.  Love this cover artist and this cover is another splendid example of their work. Great job.

Sales Links:   Less Than Three Press     All Romance (ARe)   Amazon      Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, also available in print
Published May 13th 2015 by Less Than Three Press (first published 2014)
original titleKeep the Stars Running
ISBN139781620045305
edition languageEnglish

 

 

 

 

A BJ Review: Peripheral People (Ylendrian Empire) by Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Peripheral People coverCorwin Menivie and Nika Santivan solve cases the old-fashioned way until they’re paired with Westley Tavera and Gavin Hale, the most powerful Reader/Ground team on the force. While Gavin and Nika hit it off right away in more ways that one, Westley rubs Corwin the wrong way right from the start, and not only because he avoids psys for reasons of his own.

A bit of a fluke occurs when West’s talent reads a corpse other than the one they were there to investigate and puts them on the trail of a brutal serial killer that kills with his mind. Soon Nika and Gavin are sharing a room, and Corwin finds himself spending more time with the quirky West.

I’ve read stories in this world before, so the world building is always excellent. This one had more of an urban fantasy type feel for me than the outer space sci-fi I’m used to with this series. Well-written, excellent characterization, but the pace was slow for me in this one. I felt the book was probably longer than it needed to be. That said, it was an enjoyable read.
West is a quirky high level psy who’s had some trouble with getting too involved in his cases, taking too much risk to the point of endangering his ground and best friend, Gavin. Past cases haunt him, and his power is so strong and pervasive it gives him nightmares. When Nika and Gavin get together, he finds himself turning more to Corwin who he thinks as a null. When the truth about Corwin comes out, the two begin to get closer in ways neither have done before.

I enjoyed all four of the characters in this book. Nika was an exceptionally well done kick-ass female, not something we see a lot of in M/M romance. Kudos to the authors for that.

While there is violence and gore in this, most of it takes place inside the mind rather than in the physical world. An interesting twist. The felt the connection between the two MC, but I would have enjoyed it if there was just a bit more of the hot times. There were a couple, but for the length of the book, there could have been more.

This book has mystery, romance, and sci-fi elements all woven nicely together with a very satisfying ending. I’ll continue to read more in this world as it comes available.

Cover Artist: Simoné. This cover is just stunning. Take a look the entire art (as the cover is just one side) here. Perfectly captures this story. Bravo.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing – All Romance (ARe) – Buy It Here


Book Details:

ebook, 430 pages
Expected publication: May 11th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626492684
edition languageEnglish
seriesYlendrian Empire

Ylendrian Empire (Universe)

The Ylendrian Empire universe is a series of loosely-connected space operas written by Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth.

Fast-paced heists, gritty paranormal mysteries, rescue missions in far-flung exotic jungles . . . the character-driven adventures and romances of the Ylendrian Empire are a chance to explore a new set of stars, with just enough spice to keep you wanting more.

Currently available:

The Balance of Silence
The Slipstream Con
In Discretion
Peripheral People

Find out more about the Ylendrian Empire at http://ylendrianempire.com

Get Your Science Fiction Fix with Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore on Peripheral People and Summer Reading (guest post and giveaway)

Peripheral People cover

Are you a lover of science fiction?  Need a new book to read and universe to dive into?  We have Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth here to talk about their latest story in the  Ylendrian Empire series, Peripheral People.  They also have a reading list of books for you, some of which I hadn’t read before and have put on my TBR pile!  Check it all out below and don’t forget to enter the contest for the giveaway as well.  Follow them at every stop on their tour!

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Hi, we’re Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth. The kind people here have invited us to stop by and tell you a little about our newest book, Peripheral People. A standalone novel in the Ylendrian Empire series, Peripheral People combines elements of romance, science fiction, paranormal, and crime drama in the intense, galaxy-spanning hunt for a psychic serial killer. Hot on the trail and hot for each other (in the sense that they’d both prefer to be set on fire than work together), the imperial agents who stumble into the case must evade terrifying mental traps, their own volatile relationship, and the discovery that someone in a higher pay grade may not be so keen on their quest for justice.

We’re thrilled to be with you today, and we’re looking forward to any questions or comments you might have.

Summer Reading List – Interstitial Investigations

Interstitial fiction is some of my favourite stuff- the books that fall between genres, neither one thing or another because they’re more than both. Below are some interstitial works I love, collected in handy list form so you can check them out before heading off for a summer holiday.

Point of Hopes by Melissa Scott and Lisa Barnett


Point of Hopes cover 2The argument could be made that these are straight-up fantasy, but what puts them firmly in the interstitial category for me is the clever mystery that could nearly stand on its own. The fantasy setting, a world where astrology is a vital part of everyday life, is rife for all kinds of plots. The two main characters, Nicholas Rathe and Philip Eslingen, enact an uneasy alliance to find a growing number of missing children, and learn more about each other in the process. Pleasantly diverse in an understated way, the cast features many women in strong supporting roles, and an honest, unfussy queering of the culture. There are several other books in this series.

Hellcat’s Bounty by Renae Jones

Hellcat's Bounty coverSpace western. Lesbian space western romance, in fact. The western elements in this story are so lovingly crafted there were times I honestly forgot it was taking place on a space station. That said, the rich detail of Rosewood Station was glorious, and there were moments when I could lose myself in the tiny little self-contained world sitting on the edge-of-forever. The two combined are a tapestry of old-world values and new-world problems. Lush with saloons, tea houses, amoeba-hunting rakehell heroines, and backroom doctors who know the cure for a ruptured spacesuit and a broken heart, Rosewood is a claustrophobic frontier made no less wild by being stuck to the side of an asteroid.

Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk

Widdershins coverThe first book in Hawk’s Whyborne & Griffin series, this is a fantastic blend of paranormal, historical romance, eldritch horror, and mystery. Dr. Percival Endicott Whyborne is a master of languages, and he can’t resist the lure of translating the text brought to him by private investigator Griffin Flaherty. That it just happens to lead them both into a murderous plot to resurrect a madman isn’t really Whyborne’s fault. Whyborne’s best friend, Dr. Christine Putnam, is a cantankerous, trigger-happy joy in every scene she’s in. There are currently six books in the series, with at least two more planned.

The Gumshoe, the Witch, and the Virtual Corpse by Keith Hartman

The Gumshoe the Witch and the Virtual Corpse cover 2Noir-style mystery wrapped in a near-future Atlanta where religion plays a huge role in day-to-day life, Wiccans have their own news media, and someone is digging up corpses and crucifying them. The gay private investigator is looking for his missing partner (a psychic witch), the Cherokee seer is merely asking the courts to uphold a 19th century land deal that ceded them most of northern Georgia, and poor Benji just wants to turn 15, preferably without getting grounded for life when his Baptist parents find out his girlfriend is a witch. There’s a deeper science fiction element to the plot that I can’t mention without spoiling things, but suffice it to say, this book is as interstitial as it gets. With ten different first-person POV characters, this book is like a bag of literary potato chips- there’s no way you’re going to read just one chapter.

Peripheral People by Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth

Peripheral People coverMy own contribution to the world of interstitial fiction, Peripheral People is a science fiction romance paranormal mystery. It pits psychic cops and imperial agents against a violent killer who only leaves mental fingerprints- and a string of dead bodies littered across the ‘verse. Irascible Inspector Corwin Menivie has secrets to keep, he’s stuck with Westley Tavera, psychic Reader extraordinaire, and neither one of them is sure which is more dangerous- the traps left by the murderer they’re hunting, or the ones already waiting in their own minds.

Interstitial fiction is all about drawing from multiple genres and writing a story that lets all of those elements shine. I hope I’ve mentioned a few books here that send you looking for all the great stories that live between.

                    About the Authors….

Reesa Herberth was born in Nevada and spirited away to California before moving to Hawaii, where she grew up on the Big Island. She tried Arizona for a few years, then lit out for the D.C. area, where her nomadic itch is regularly curbed by the nightmares of urban traffic. She’s held a handful of the requisite crazy writer jobs, including book store overlord, office goddess for an artisan ice cream maker, and cheese-cup scrubber at an organic goat dairy.

Michelle Moore has a well-documented obsession with travel, television, frappuccinos and flamingos. These, however, come in a distant second to her love of writing. Most evenings she can be found huddled over her laptop at the local Starbucks, dividing her time between actually writing and pretending to be a barista.

Michelle and Reesa have been writing together for over fifteen years. They are currently working on more Ylendrian stories, and a petition to have cat hair recognized as a form of currency.

Twitter:

Michelle Moore – @marigotc

Reesa Herberth – @reesah
Facebook – Ylendrian Empire Fan Page
Websites:
Michelle and Reesa Write
Ylendrian Empire

PeripheralPeople_TourBanner

Giveaway

Contest:  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by Riptide Publishing. Enter to win a  Peripheral People Prize Pack: includes a book-themed soft cooler, a handful of recommended reads, and the winner’s choice of a title from Michelle and Reesa’s backlist.Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About Peripheral People (Ylendrian Empire) by Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore

Peripheral People coverCorwin Menivie and Nika Santivan are decorated veterans of the Imperial Enforcement Coalition, and are perfectly capable of solving cases the old-fashioned way. When they’re paired with Westley Tavera and Gavin Hale, the most powerful Reader/Ground team to emerge from the Psionics Academy, it could either be the best thing that’s ever happened to crime fighting, or the makings of a quadruple homicide.

During a routine investigation, West’s talent puts them on the trail of a brutal serial killer who traps his prey in a deadly mental playground. Then the killer starts baiting the team, laying psychic landmines at crime scenes and exposing IEC secrets. The strain of the case binds the agents closer together—so close that Nika and Gavin start sharing a room, and even the curmudgeonly Corwin finds himself as occupied with West as he is with the murders.

But as West’s visions of death grow more violent, the only way out for all of them may be straight through the mind of a monster. If they’re not careful, they may forget which side of the hunt they’re on.

Buy it and read an excerpt at Riptide Publishing.

Book Details:

ebook, 430 pages
Published May 11th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626492684
edition languageEnglish

The Ylendrian Empire universe is a series of loosely-connected space operas written by Michelle Moore and Reesa Herberth.

ylendrianempire-color-transparentbg-nocopyrightFast-paced heists, gritty paranormal mysteries, rescue missions in far-flung exotic jungles . . . the character-driven adventures and romances of the Ylendrian Empire are a chance to explore a new set of stars, with just enough spice to keep you wanting more.

Currently available:

The Balance of Silence
The Slipstream Con
In Discretion
Peripheral People

Find out more about the Ylendrian Empire at http://ylendrianempire.com

– See more at: Riptide Publishing’s Ylendrian Empire’s page.

Get Out of This World withThe Luxorian Fugitive by Mann – Ramblings Eyes on Books Tour and Contest

luxor-640

Title: The Luxorian Fugitive
Series: Ship Logs of the Santa Claus (Book 1)
Length: Novel
Genre: gay romance, science fiction, M/M romance
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

Sergeant Liam Jacks is the security chief of transport vessel, The Santa Claus. He travels the planetary cluster with Marc Danverse, his best friend and captain, seeking to escape his tortured past and find some peace of mind.

Having been through a civil war together, Danverse and Liam are close. Maybe too closeÖ.

All that changes when mysterious stranger, Hadrian Jamison, an escaped Adonirati, books passage to Alpha Centauri. Can he be trusted? Can the stories of his past be believed?

The Luxorian Fugitive by Mann Ramblings

As Liamís fascination with Hadrian grows, jealousy threatens to tear apart his friendship with Danverse.

When Hadrianís owner shows up, Liam is forced to go against orders in order to launch a rescue mission to save him.

The ensuing conflict may be more than any of them expected.

Excerpt

A sadness crept into Liam’s features as he shifted his face away from Danverse. He was feeling sane again, but an incredible shame came along with the method.

“I’m fine,” he said. Liam was a strong man, but being in the presence of the man who had seen him at his weakest, at his most unguarded, unsettled him. It wasn’t the first session with his best friend, but this time had been more severe than any in the past. The force of his climax was devastating and mind-numbing; he had never come so hard before. The need for the pain and submission to release the rending guilt made Liam feel soiled. Not because he liked it so much, but because he couldn’t be in love with the man who could bring that out in him.

Danverse had, on more than one occasion, been witness to the demons Liam harbored; his ability to help was one thing that drew Liam to him. Their sessions beat down the guilt and terrors, but it wasn’t right. It wasn’t romance that brought them together. They used each other to find something they couldn’t find anywhere else, and they both knew it. Liam needed more than that even if he sometimes felt he didn’t deserve it. They would always be connected in some fashion, but life mates? No. In the end that wasn’t possible.

The captain’s firm hand wrapped around Liam’s biceps, pivoting him and forcing his attention.

“Did I take you too far?” Danverse’s focused blue eyes bore into Liam.

“No.”

“Liam. Talk to me. I know I pushed you hard last night, but it’s how I read it.” The words were quiet, meant only for Liam.

“I know, Marc. You didn’t do anything wrong. But it’s still too fresh.” Liam turned his head away and raised his outstretched hand. “Give me a little space. I’ll be all right. I just need to clear my head a bit. Don’t worry. I’ll be back in plenty of time for cargo changeover.”

With a gentle pull, Liam released himself from Danverse’s hand. It didn’t take much; the captain didn’t resist. Liam put some distance between them as he flagged a transport. He chanced a glance over his shoulder as Danverse stood unmoving, his demeanor deflating. Liam turned away when he couldn’t look anymore at the pleading stare in his best friend’s eyes.

Buy Links

Book Trailer

Giveaway

Prizes: 1 x $20 WIP Gift Card and 1 x ebook The Luxorian Fugitive.  Must be 18 years of age or older to  enter.  Prizes and links provided by the author and Eyes on Books Tours.

 

MannRamblingspic-225x300About the Author

Like many gay men, when Mann Ramblings grew up, there werenít any heroes he could relate to. The world held him back while he tried futilely to hide the real person inside. So much has changed since those hollow days. He finally found his voice, the voice that says itís all right to revel in the so-called inappropriate joys, laughs, and loves that storm inside a manís head. It took a long time to find that courage and now that itís here, he plans to use it well.

While spending years more focused on visual arts, he never let go of his innate passion for storytellingóhe wanted to write and draw comic books when he grew up. Once he discovered M/M fiction, a whole new world opened with new possibilities. Why couldnít you have fantastic and dynamic tales with an M/M cast? He started reading the online tales of authors like, Night Tempest, Rob Colton, and Alicia Nordwell, which only fueled within him the need to create. Eventually he found GayAuthors.org, and with a little coercive nudge from Night Tempest, started sharing his tales with an unexpected level of positive response. That experience and support gave him the courage to cross his fingers and aim for the world of M/M publishing.

Born and raised in Michigan, Mann Ramblings continues to type away, wishing it was practical to use a noisy, old fashioned keyboard that clacks with each strike, if only to annoy his loving partner and spoiled miniature dachshund.

Email: mannramblings@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mannramblings

Twitter: @mannramblings

It’s Here! Sacrati by Kate Sherwood! (Release Day Giveaway)

Sacrati by Kate Sherwood
Sacrati_TourBanner

Published by Riptide Publishing
Release Date: Monday, May 4th, 2015

Today is release day for Kate Sherwood’s Sacrati!  The tour begins here, follow the tour for all the interviews and prizes along the way.  All the giveaway information is given at the end of this post, and don’t forget to include an email address where you can be reached!

About Sacrati…

As an elite Sacrati fighter in the mighty Torian military, Theos is blessed with a city full of women who want to bear his children, and a barracks full of men proud to fight at his side and share his bed. He has everything he needs–until he captures Finnvid on a raid.

Finnvid is on a secret mission to prevent the Torian invasion of his homeland Elkat. Being enslaved by Torian soldiers wasn’t in his plans. Neither is his horrified fascination with the casual promiscuity of the Sacrati warriors. Men should not lie with other men–and he should not be so intrigued when they do. He definitely should not be most intrigued by the leader of the soldiers who captured him and plan to invade his home.

For Theos, everything would have been easier if the infuriating, lying, bewildering Elkati had never come into his life, but he can’t stay away. When betrayal and treachery threaten both their nations, they must work together to stop a war that could destroy their homes forever–even as they begin to question everything they’re fighting for.

Available now at Riptide and on Monday where ebooks are sold.

sacrati coverBook Details:

Author: Kate Sherwood
eBook ISBN: 978-1-62649-253-0
eBook release: May 4, 2015
eBook Formats: pdf, mobi, html, epub
Print ISBN: 978-1-62649-254-7
Print release: May 4, 2015
Word count: 114,000,Page count: 407
Type: Standalone
Cover by: Kanaxa

 

About Kate Sherwood…

Kate Sherwood started writing about the same time she got back on a horse after almost twenty years away from riding. She’d like to think she was too young for it to be a midlife crisis, but apparently she was ready for some changes!

Kate grew up near Toronto, Ontario (Canada) and went to school in Montreal, then Vancouver. But for the last decade or so she’s been a country girl. Sure, she misses some of the conveniences of the city, but living close to nature makes up for those lacks. She’s living in Ontario’s “cottage country”–other people save up their time and come to spend their vacations in her neighborhood, but she gets to live there all year round!

Since her first book was published in 2010, she’s kept herself busy with novels, novellas, and short stories in almost all the sub-genres of m/m romance. Contemporary, suspense, scifi or fantasy–the settings are just the backdrop for her characters to answer the important questions. How much can they share, and what do they need to keep? Can they bring themselves to trust someone, after being disappointed so many times? Are they brave enough to take a chance on love?

Kate’s books balance drama with humor, angst with optimism. They feature strong, damaged men who fight themselves harder than they fight anyone else. And, wherever possible, there are animals: horses, dogs, cats ferrets, squirrels… sometimes it’s easier to bond with a non-human, and most of Kate’s men need all the help they can get.

After five years of writing, Kate is still learning, still stretching herself, and still enjoying what she does. She’s looking forward to sharing a lot more stories in the future.

Giveaway

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a draw for a $15 Riptide gift card. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on April 11. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Don’t forget to add your email so we can contact you if you win!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Prize provided by Riptide Publishing.