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Chronicles of the Empire Book #1
Enemy Within
An intergalactic cold war-and some heated passion- from an inventive new voice in futuristic romance.
After a stint in an alien prison, Captain Ari Rose wonders why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father's scientific expedition to finish a Ph.D. she doesn't want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. She wasn't built for it, either. But when pirates commandeer her father's ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner.
As far as pirate leader Cullin is concerned, Ari's past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin's sights. If she hasn't been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he's convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can't afford the desire she fires within him and he'll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth.
After a stint in an alien prison, Captain Ari Rose wonders why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father's scientific expedition to finish a Ph.D. she doesn't want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. She wasn't built for it, either. But when pirates commandeer her father's ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner.
As far as pirate leader Cullin is concerned, Ari's past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin's sights. If she hasn't been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he's convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can't afford the desire she fires within him and he'll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth.
342 pages, Paperback
First published November 2, 2010
25 people are currently reading
1910 people want to read
About the author
Marcella Burnard
11 books139 followersMarcella Burnard graduated from Cornish College of the Arts with a degree in acting. She writes science fiction romance for Berkley Sensation. Her first book, Enemy Within won the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice award for Best Futuristic of 2010. The second book in the series, Enemy Games, released on May 3, 2011. An erotica novella, Enemy Mine, set in the same world as the novels was released as an e-special edition by Berkley in April 2012. Emissary, a sword and sorcery short story released in the two volume Thunder on the Battlefield Anthology in the second half of 2013. Nightmare Ink, an Urban Fantasy novel from Intermix available April 15, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
July 31, 2011
Enemy Within actually has substance, says NU with surprise. LOL. An insta-bond between leads Ari Rose and Cullin Seaghdh, complete with Romancelandia inner dialogue -"Can this be? I've never felt this way before!"- and a cliché kidnapping premise caused me grave doubts, but Enemy Within shocked the pants off me when it sprouted a plot. Yes, a plot, ladies and gentleman. With real live action scenes and everything. Stuff combusts, explodes, shoots and blows up. Awesome.
While Ari's growth -and to some extent, Seaghdh's too- provides one layer of Enemy's conflict, Marcella Burnard's spies represent. Second-guessing, doublespeak-- for once, the mind games justify the hero and heroine doubting each other's feelings.
Nice guy Cullin feels real, not fantasy-like (well, not as much). His people are meant to be Scottish or Irish, I think. Yes, I'm clueless. I well believe that he has a fabulous voice, however-- and he's got voice talents, winkwink.
Apart from the voice talents, Burnard covers her research bases. You know that nit-picking we reviewers do? That's hard here, when Ari knows to avoid betraying herself with the glint of her rifle in the bushes. I was impressed, since many authors I read *coughurbanfantasycough* clearly don't know anything about fighting.
I enjoyed the politics, two governments neither wholly evil or good, conspiracies abounding, and totally loved the aliens! Do they get their own books?
Enemy proceeds at a swift, unspoiled pace with perhaps one too many twists and lacking any mind-blowing prose, but overall an easy, fun and plotty tale I can recommend to any action-romance reader! Don't mind the scifi! Most of it's commands shouted in battle, but who minds that noise anyhow? Go to it! :)
While Ari's growth -and to some extent, Seaghdh's too- provides one layer of Enemy's conflict, Marcella Burnard's spies represent. Second-guessing, doublespeak-- for once, the mind games justify the hero and heroine doubting each other's feelings.
Nice guy Cullin feels real, not fantasy-like (well, not as much). His people are meant to be Scottish or Irish, I think. Yes, I'm clueless. I well believe that he has a fabulous voice, however-- and he's got voice talents, winkwink.
Apart from the voice talents, Burnard covers her research bases. You know that nit-picking we reviewers do? That's hard here, when Ari knows to avoid betraying herself with the glint of her rifle in the bushes. I was impressed, since many authors I read *coughurbanfantasycough* clearly don't know anything about fighting.
I enjoyed the politics, two governments neither wholly evil or good, conspiracies abounding, and totally loved the aliens! Do they get their own books?
Enemy proceeds at a swift, unspoiled pace with perhaps one too many twists and lacking any mind-blowing prose, but overall an easy, fun and plotty tale I can recommend to any action-romance reader! Don't mind the scifi! Most of it's commands shouted in battle, but who minds that noise anyhow? Go to it! :)
November 7, 2010
I’m very picky when it comes to the Sci-Fi romance books. I really don’t read all that many of them, with the exception of some authors, such as Linnea Sinclair, Ann Aguirre and recently Gini Koch. But now another Sci-Fi debut author has risen, and one that I recommend to any Sci-Fi Romance fan. Her name is Marcella Burnard, and her Enemy Within was a rip-roaring fabulous read for me.
Alexandra “Ari” Idylle is a former space captain who was a prisoner for three months at the hands of a nasty alien race called the Chekydrans. Ari was mind raped, specifically by the Chekydran, Hicci, who was more than excitable to have Ari at his mercy. No one expected Ari to survive from his mind torture, but she did. Six months after her rescue Ari, still suffers, but silently. She has a form of PTSD, much like a prisoner of war would have. She doesn’t like to be touched, she can’t sleep because of her nightmares, and the majority of the people she interacts with think she’ll have some sort of psychotic break and go crazy. Ari can barely get along with her scientist father, who judges her at every turn. Ari hides her fear behind her snarkiness, that is until she and her father’s crew, and their ship, are taken over my space pirates. The leader, Cullin Seaghdh (Seadhdh sounds like, “Shaw) specifically wants Ari for some sort of mission. Since Ari refuses to be a victim again, she won’t go down without a fight. Cullin may be a pretty package and a big flirt when it comes to her, but Ari can’t go back to being someone’s whipping boy. Her whole world has come undone, and she’s afraid of being exploited or perhaps even worse.
Cullin is not what he seems. He doesn’t want to hurt Ari in anyway, and as he gets to know the emotionally fragile Ari, he wants to help her recover by any means necessary. He pushes Ari to a certain point, where it looks like she may break down, but then he backs off. Since Ari is a survivor, he knows she won’t roll into a ball and sit in a corner shell shocked. But Ari also hides secrets, and when those are exposed, she may end up dead because the Chekdrans, including Hicci want her back to finish what they started because they believe she holds the key to help them rule the universe.
Enemy Within is a wonderful intergalactic tale with an amazing heroine who has been through a great amount of shocking abuse. Ari has walked through the fire and has gotten burned, but has the will to live. Ari is one tough cookie. Cullin is a worthy opponent for Ari at first, but then he becomes Ari’s therapist of sorts. Cullin is one I had a hard time wrapping my mind around. His personality in the first half of Enemy Within changes abruptly, but does seem to benefit the story and his interactions with Ari later on. Their romance isn’t as intense as I was expecting, but enjoyable. Marcella can write some nice love scenes. Plus, there are many surprises and “aha” moments you won’t see coming.
The terms and dichotomy is simply amazing. How Marcella came up with the alien terminology used has me in awe. I also have to give Marcella big kudos to creating one of the worst types of alien villains I’ve read in recent memory. Hicci, Ari’s stalker and torturer, makes Jabba the Hut from Return of the Jedi look like a pussy cat.
Enemy Within is mainly about a woman’s survival after a horrible aftermath and how one person can come along and make her feel whole again.
Marcella Burnard has impressed me with Enemy Within, and is on my short list of best debut authors I’ve read for 2010. Do give Enemy Within a read. But don’t blame me if you have nightmares of slurping, tentacle aliens trying to have their wicked way with you and your mind.
Alexandra “Ari” Idylle is a former space captain who was a prisoner for three months at the hands of a nasty alien race called the Chekydrans. Ari was mind raped, specifically by the Chekydran, Hicci, who was more than excitable to have Ari at his mercy. No one expected Ari to survive from his mind torture, but she did. Six months after her rescue Ari, still suffers, but silently. She has a form of PTSD, much like a prisoner of war would have. She doesn’t like to be touched, she can’t sleep because of her nightmares, and the majority of the people she interacts with think she’ll have some sort of psychotic break and go crazy. Ari can barely get along with her scientist father, who judges her at every turn. Ari hides her fear behind her snarkiness, that is until she and her father’s crew, and their ship, are taken over my space pirates. The leader, Cullin Seaghdh (Seadhdh sounds like, “Shaw) specifically wants Ari for some sort of mission. Since Ari refuses to be a victim again, she won’t go down without a fight. Cullin may be a pretty package and a big flirt when it comes to her, but Ari can’t go back to being someone’s whipping boy. Her whole world has come undone, and she’s afraid of being exploited or perhaps even worse.
Cullin is not what he seems. He doesn’t want to hurt Ari in anyway, and as he gets to know the emotionally fragile Ari, he wants to help her recover by any means necessary. He pushes Ari to a certain point, where it looks like she may break down, but then he backs off. Since Ari is a survivor, he knows she won’t roll into a ball and sit in a corner shell shocked. But Ari also hides secrets, and when those are exposed, she may end up dead because the Chekdrans, including Hicci want her back to finish what they started because they believe she holds the key to help them rule the universe.
Enemy Within is a wonderful intergalactic tale with an amazing heroine who has been through a great amount of shocking abuse. Ari has walked through the fire and has gotten burned, but has the will to live. Ari is one tough cookie. Cullin is a worthy opponent for Ari at first, but then he becomes Ari’s therapist of sorts. Cullin is one I had a hard time wrapping my mind around. His personality in the first half of Enemy Within changes abruptly, but does seem to benefit the story and his interactions with Ari later on. Their romance isn’t as intense as I was expecting, but enjoyable. Marcella can write some nice love scenes. Plus, there are many surprises and “aha” moments you won’t see coming.
The terms and dichotomy is simply amazing. How Marcella came up with the alien terminology used has me in awe. I also have to give Marcella big kudos to creating one of the worst types of alien villains I’ve read in recent memory. Hicci, Ari’s stalker and torturer, makes Jabba the Hut from Return of the Jedi look like a pussy cat.
Enemy Within is mainly about a woman’s survival after a horrible aftermath and how one person can come along and make her feel whole again.
Marcella Burnard has impressed me with Enemy Within, and is on my short list of best debut authors I’ve read for 2010. Do give Enemy Within a read. But don’t blame me if you have nightmares of slurping, tentacle aliens trying to have their wicked way with you and your mind.
January 4, 2014
This book rates as my least favourite futuristic novel up to date. There were so many things I disliked about it. I will list the main ones.
Firstly, I found the story confusing. I have read other futuristic novels most of which head right into the story. But the authors write it in a way that the setting and the backdrop starts to piece itself together fluidly, as the novel progresses. It was not so in this novel. I couldn't understand what was happening. Which was made worse by the heroine, Ari's, actions or lack of thereof. I mean the story starts of with her ship getting hijacked. I thought Ari acted as if it was a normal day for her. Getting hijacked. She was inefficient and not at all how I would expect a Captain of a Command ship to react. Then there is a problem with contamination which can be fatal if it isn't gotten rid of quickly. A reason why Ari, despite her hijackers on board, gets decontaminated as fast as she can. Cullin, who was similarly contaminated, refuses to decontaminate, but they instead start a fighting match to establish something. I don't even know what it established, beyond the fact that Cullin and his crew hijacked the ship and but that Ari has the codes to the control of the ship, which she won't give to Cullin. That was known before they even went into their little match. Anyway, so after the match, Cullin, who ended up contaminating Ari again, finally listens to Ari and decontaminate. After which Ari decontaminates again... Meanwhile, all of Cullin's crew ship is subjecting others on the ship to their contamination. I don't even know how to explain it! Everything was just so mind boggling when it shouldn't even have to be. Ari could have explained to Cullin that his contamination could be fatal, not just for him but for everyone else. But she doesn't say that clearly.
Secondly, Cullin betrays Ari three times (major betrayals).
Thirdly, I found that the reactions of characters were unnatural. They were smiling, winking, grinning and twitching their mouths in amusement, too much. Especially in dire situations. Ari was tortured brutally only a couple of months ago, so I found it completely out of character that she would a) trust Cullin so easily, even with his betrayals and b) be such a light character. Yes, she has her nightmares and flashbacks but whenever Cullin is around, her character did uncharacteristic things. Sirantha Jax in Grimspace would have kicked Cullin's ass seven ways to Sunday for even lying to her, let alone the other betrayals he has committed.
Firstly, I found the story confusing. I have read other futuristic novels most of which head right into the story. But the authors write it in a way that the setting and the backdrop starts to piece itself together fluidly, as the novel progresses. It was not so in this novel. I couldn't understand what was happening. Which was made worse by the heroine, Ari's, actions or lack of thereof. I mean the story starts of with her ship getting hijacked. I thought Ari acted as if it was a normal day for her. Getting hijacked. She was inefficient and not at all how I would expect a Captain of a Command ship to react. Then there is a problem with contamination which can be fatal if it isn't gotten rid of quickly. A reason why Ari, despite her hijackers on board, gets decontaminated as fast as she can. Cullin, who was similarly contaminated, refuses to decontaminate, but they instead start a fighting match to establish something. I don't even know what it established, beyond the fact that Cullin and his crew hijacked the ship and but that Ari has the codes to the control of the ship, which she won't give to Cullin. That was known before they even went into their little match. Anyway, so after the match, Cullin, who ended up contaminating Ari again, finally listens to Ari and decontaminate. After which Ari decontaminates again... Meanwhile, all of Cullin's crew ship is subjecting others on the ship to their contamination. I don't even know how to explain it! Everything was just so mind boggling when it shouldn't even have to be. Ari could have explained to Cullin that his contamination could be fatal, not just for him but for everyone else. But she doesn't say that clearly.
Secondly, Cullin betrays Ari three times (major betrayals).
Thirdly, I found that the reactions of characters were unnatural. They were smiling, winking, grinning and twitching their mouths in amusement, too much. Especially in dire situations. Ari was tortured brutally only a couple of months ago, so I found it completely out of character that she would a) trust Cullin so easily, even with his betrayals and b) be such a light character. Yes, she has her nightmares and flashbacks but whenever Cullin is around, her character did uncharacteristic things. Sirantha Jax in Grimspace would have kicked Cullin's ass seven ways to Sunday for even lying to her, let alone the other betrayals he has committed.
June 20, 2021
This book is so confusing.
It feels like only about 40% of it is written in English. The other 60% is a mess of world-building, storytelling and horrible lack of descriptions that amounts to something you need Google translate and some alien expert to decipher.
Despite this, I still wanted to like it. But the plot!😖 The plot is a cliche rife with fillers, boring dialogues and cringeworthy misunderstandings and distractions disguised as politics.
I'm incredibly relieved to be done with this one. I can finally massage some feeling back into my jaw, after gnashing my teeth in frustration for so long.
It feels like only about 40% of it is written in English. The other 60% is a mess of world-building, storytelling and horrible lack of descriptions that amounts to something you need Google translate and some alien expert to decipher.
Despite this, I still wanted to like it. But the plot!😖 The plot is a cliche rife with fillers, boring dialogues and cringeworthy misunderstandings and distractions disguised as politics.
I'm incredibly relieved to be done with this one. I can finally massage some feeling back into my jaw, after gnashing my teeth in frustration for so long.
May 8, 2020
I love this book. It's got everything you want from a SciFi: spaceships, intrigue, nasty aliens and firefights. Add an intense and complicated romance to this mix and you got a story that sizzles and captivates. Ari is a character that's been damaged, but luckily not broken and it makes you cheer her on and hope she will get a happy end in both love and her normal life. Some plot twist were a bit too obvious, but that didn't spoil the story for me, I must say. I can only add that I hope Burnard will write more books in this setting.
January 15, 2011
*sigh* I spent a good amount of time this morning working on a coherent review of this book. And lost it when I tried to post after failing to notice the wifi failed. ~_~ I'm not going to spend another half hour trying to recreate it.
I liked this book but didn't love it. It was a compelling story, I read it one sitting and I'm glad I read it, but it didn't wow me. I liked the main characters, Ari and Cullin, but I didn't love them. I liked their romance but didn't love it and wasn't fully convinced of their feelings for each other. I liked the side characters but more could have been done with them than a few off-handed comments about their pasts.
I did NOT like the buggy bad guy (and I know I wasn't supposed to, so that's good). I got a bit squicked by the last couple of chapters and I think the way the good guys handled the situation was a bit crude. It got a bit...tawdry-feeling at the end. And the final chapter read like a film school screenwriter's attempt at showing how clever they were by showing the reader all those little clues they might have missed. Didn't fly for me. I'm not sure the matter of who hacked into the ships computers was explained, though it might have been and I skimmed right over it. It was almost 4am when I finished reading, so it's very possible I missed quite a bit.
Anyway. A good effort, good writing overall and the world building was very well done. I'll read the next book by this author, but I'm not waiting on tenterhooks for it.
I liked this book but didn't love it. It was a compelling story, I read it one sitting and I'm glad I read it, but it didn't wow me. I liked the main characters, Ari and Cullin, but I didn't love them. I liked their romance but didn't love it and wasn't fully convinced of their feelings for each other. I liked the side characters but more could have been done with them than a few off-handed comments about their pasts.
I did NOT like the buggy bad guy (and I know I wasn't supposed to, so that's good). I got a bit squicked by the last couple of chapters and I think the way the good guys handled the situation was a bit crude. It got a bit...tawdry-feeling at the end. And the final chapter read like a film school screenwriter's attempt at showing how clever they were by showing the reader all those little clues they might have missed. Didn't fly for me. I'm not sure the matter of who hacked into the ships computers was explained, though it might have been and I skimmed right over it. It was almost 4am when I finished reading, so it's very possible I missed quite a bit.
Anyway. A good effort, good writing overall and the world building was very well done. I'll read the next book by this author, but I'm not waiting on tenterhooks for it.
March 26, 2017
This book is super dark and really sad. There's love from afar, torture, betrayal. It was hard getting through some of the book toward the end.
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March 9, 20113.5 stars.
I deeply enjoyed this space opera novel with a romance novel tucked into it. The world building, characterization, and slight politicking all came together like a good space opera. And goodness knows I adore space opera.
The romance was a little harder to work in at first. The start of it felt a little bit clunky and could have been skipped altogether. (e.g., hero and heroine have bonding moment over her PTSD and he comforts her through it; this could've worked better without overtly trying to be all "he was so sexy/strong/handsome".) But while laying it on lighter at the start would've felt more believable to me, the romance had picked up by the end.
This novel starts out a bit reminiscent of Bujold's Cordelia's Honor, but quickly takes on a life of its own.
Yay!
I deeply enjoyed this space opera novel with a romance novel tucked into it. The world building, characterization, and slight politicking all came together like a good space opera. And goodness knows I adore space opera.
The romance was a little harder to work in at first. The start of it felt a little bit clunky and could have been skipped altogether. (e.g., hero and heroine have bonding moment over her PTSD and he comforts her through it; this could've worked better without overtly trying to be all "he was so sexy/strong/handsome".) But while laying it on lighter at the start would've felt more believable to me, the romance had picked up by the end.
This novel starts out a bit reminiscent of Bujold's Cordelia's Honor, but quickly takes on a life of its own.
Yay!
June 20, 2016
I've really struggled with this review. I enjoyed this book . . . but . . . I just felt it was missing something. And, I feel that this review can't be adequate unless I can tell you WHAT the book was missing. And, I can't. It is just *something*.
Make no bones about it - this is a romance novel first, science fiction second - and just barely. The two main characters start over thinking about each other from the minute the story begins. So, it becomes not a matter of "will they or won't they" but rather "why the heck don't they just get on with it." The road blocks thrown up in their way were so obvious as to be forecast from the very beginning.
I liked the characters. I enjoyed the story. I think all my questions were answered. There were even some surprise answers to some questions.
I think I just wanted this to be more science fiction and less romance. My fault - not the author's. I'll probably read the next.
Make no bones about it - this is a romance novel first, science fiction second - and just barely. The two main characters start over thinking about each other from the minute the story begins. So, it becomes not a matter of "will they or won't they" but rather "why the heck don't they just get on with it." The road blocks thrown up in their way were so obvious as to be forecast from the very beginning.
I liked the characters. I enjoyed the story. I think all my questions were answered. There were even some surprise answers to some questions.
I think I just wanted this to be more science fiction and less romance. My fault - not the author's. I'll probably read the next.
November 9, 2012
The first half of this book was confusing and boring. The writing style was awkward and hard to follow. About halfway, the plot finally picked up and I could ignore the writing style. It was entertaining but not great.
I just saw another review that made me want to add to mine. I also agree that some of the story seemed disconnected and confusing. I also spent a good amount of time rereading to make sure I understood something and I still didn't understand. Not enough explanation for some of the plot. Overall, not a good book...
I just saw another review that made me want to add to mine. I also agree that some of the story seemed disconnected and confusing. I also spent a good amount of time rereading to make sure I understood something and I still didn't understand. Not enough explanation for some of the plot. Overall, not a good book...
October 14, 2011
Oh great..one of those books. The one where the author just throws the reader into the narrative with no preparation whatsoever :/
July 23, 2011
It started off slow and stinted, but this book grew on me like crazy. And looking back I think the distant, cold and confusing start might have been on purpose to showcase Ari's state of mind.
Ari has been just released after being a prisoner of bug-like non-humanoid aliens for 3 months. She endured torture of various kinds, but when she's finally free the home and life she fought to stay alive for are taken from her anyway by her superiors. Since the Chekydrans are quite good at (re)gen-technology and mutating and the likes, her superiors don't trust her and believe she's some kind of trap/weapon.
All Ari wants is to be herself again, have back her Command and live on her life as normal as possible. Plagues, Pirates and Politics decide differently alas, thought neither of those Pees are what they seemed at first glance and Ari has to face it all whilst trying to hold herself together.
So no wonder that Ari is very hard to connect with at the start of this book, she's hardly capable of making sense of what's happening and whose side she's supposed to be on herself. And we're thrown into the story with barely any worldbuilding in preparation.
By the time we're familiar with the world and characters, understand what has happened to them and how it shaped them, I couldn't help but be moved by the dire straits they were in, and I had to secretly wipe a tear away on more than one occasion.
I loved how this wasn't a story how Love cures all. Ari has been through hell and back again, and she won't ever be completely healed, and I like that the author kept this facet of Ari very realistic. She has panic attacks, flashbacks, problems with eating, and a whole lot of problems with trust.
Normally I'm not a huge fan of stories where a couple can't decide if they trust each other or not, and that goes back and forth a lot. However, in this situation it was completely justified.
So far this review has been completely Ari centered, but Cullin was quite delicious as well. I adored how he had a secret crush on Ari for ages, even though that was revealed only sparcely throughout the book. He was so cute, and even more so because his professional persona wasn't like that at all.
Even though I suspect that the rocky start was on purpose, that (in combination with the kind of purply sex scene that didn't entirely match with the rest of the story) is what's keeping me from completely loving this story.
However, it's totally worth wrestling yourself through the first chapters. As far as SFR goes, this one is kind of a perfect mix between sci-fi and romance. It has an interesting Cold War like plot, espionage, competing factions, nations and federations. It has truly alien aliens, very interesting and often applied technology, and two people who believe in each other enough to want to face all odds together and rebuild a life together.
Yups, I really liked it :)
Ari has been just released after being a prisoner of bug-like non-humanoid aliens for 3 months. She endured torture of various kinds, but when she's finally free the home and life she fought to stay alive for are taken from her anyway by her superiors. Since the Chekydrans are quite good at (re)gen-technology and mutating and the likes, her superiors don't trust her and believe she's some kind of trap/weapon.
All Ari wants is to be herself again, have back her Command and live on her life as normal as possible. Plagues, Pirates and Politics decide differently alas, thought neither of those Pees are what they seemed at first glance and Ari has to face it all whilst trying to hold herself together.
So no wonder that Ari is very hard to connect with at the start of this book, she's hardly capable of making sense of what's happening and whose side she's supposed to be on herself. And we're thrown into the story with barely any worldbuilding in preparation.
By the time we're familiar with the world and characters, understand what has happened to them and how it shaped them, I couldn't help but be moved by the dire straits they were in, and I had to secretly wipe a tear away on more than one occasion.
I loved how this wasn't a story how Love cures all. Ari has been through hell and back again, and she won't ever be completely healed, and I like that the author kept this facet of Ari very realistic. She has panic attacks, flashbacks, problems with eating, and a whole lot of problems with trust.
Normally I'm not a huge fan of stories where a couple can't decide if they trust each other or not, and that goes back and forth a lot. However, in this situation it was completely justified.
So far this review has been completely Ari centered, but Cullin was quite delicious as well. I adored how he had a secret crush on Ari for ages, even though that was revealed only sparcely throughout the book. He was so cute, and even more so because his professional persona wasn't like that at all.
Even though I suspect that the rocky start was on purpose, that (in combination with the kind of purply sex scene that didn't entirely match with the rest of the story) is what's keeping me from completely loving this story.
However, it's totally worth wrestling yourself through the first chapters. As far as SFR goes, this one is kind of a perfect mix between sci-fi and romance. It has an interesting Cold War like plot, espionage, competing factions, nations and federations. It has truly alien aliens, very interesting and often applied technology, and two people who believe in each other enough to want to face all odds together and rebuild a life together.
Yups, I really liked it :)
February 4, 2016
Enemy Within is a futuristic Sci-fi/romance which I expected to be typical but was pleased to discover had a satisfactory level of depth, with both the plot and the characters. There was a relationship, but it seemed to take more of a back seat to everything else going on in the story.
That being said, there were still some issues I had with this. At the very beginning of the book, there was a scenario in which the characters needed to high tail it out of a dangerous situation. Instead they took a few minutes to engage in a light-sword type duel to settle a completely irrelevant wager between the two main characters. To the reader, it only becomes clear later that there was any urgent need to depart, but it was significant enough that I had to look back and ask myself, "what were those idiots thinking?" There was also an annoying amount of instant attraction between the two lead characters that felt really over the top. It got to the point that I half expected someone to start humping the other's leg.
Despite a rocky start, things soon settled down and the actual plot became the forefront of the story and it wasn't too bad, although I do believe that the diehard Sci-fi fans might disagree. I found it entertaining enough to finish. The writing style was intelligent enough that it didn't become off-putting but there were some instances during which I thought there was kind of a disconnect between descriptions and dialogue. In these instances, both aspects were necessary to paint a clear picture of what was happening, but there seemed to be some difficulty in achieving that goal. I found myself having to re-read a few paragraphs here and there to try and figure out what was going on and it got a bit annoying.
Even though I thought the romance was nicely understated, I thought that it still fell within the parameters of insta-love which is a big pet peeve of mine. Especially as it applied to the female lead in this story, who had never before laid eyes on the male lead. He on the other hand, did know of her, had followed her career so to speak, admired her from afar, and developed a slight infatuation. Still any way you look at it, I find it hard to believe that anyone would develop a feeling that strong in such a short amount of time.
That being said, there were still some issues I had with this. At the very beginning of the book, there was a scenario in which the characters needed to high tail it out of a dangerous situation. Instead they took a few minutes to engage in a light-sword type duel to settle a completely irrelevant wager between the two main characters. To the reader, it only becomes clear later that there was any urgent need to depart, but it was significant enough that I had to look back and ask myself, "what were those idiots thinking?" There was also an annoying amount of instant attraction between the two lead characters that felt really over the top. It got to the point that I half expected someone to start humping the other's leg.
Despite a rocky start, things soon settled down and the actual plot became the forefront of the story and it wasn't too bad, although I do believe that the diehard Sci-fi fans might disagree. I found it entertaining enough to finish. The writing style was intelligent enough that it didn't become off-putting but there were some instances during which I thought there was kind of a disconnect between descriptions and dialogue. In these instances, both aspects were necessary to paint a clear picture of what was happening, but there seemed to be some difficulty in achieving that goal. I found myself having to re-read a few paragraphs here and there to try and figure out what was going on and it got a bit annoying.
Even though I thought the romance was nicely understated, I thought that it still fell within the parameters of insta-love which is a big pet peeve of mine. Especially as it applied to the female lead in this story, who had never before laid eyes on the male lead. He on the other hand, did know of her, had followed her career so to speak, admired her from afar, and developed a slight infatuation. Still any way you look at it, I find it hard to believe that anyone would develop a feeling that strong in such a short amount of time.
February 15, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. It had the perfect blend of science fiction and romance. I kept telling myself I'd read just one more chapter, and ended up reading two or three. Then, when I put it down, I always had the urge to rush back and read just a little bit more - always a sign of a good book.
The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because there were about a dozen instances where characters jumped to conclusions and, even after rereading, I couldn't figure out how they reached them. Also, in the end, I didn't quite get the bad guys' Big Plan. The whole time they wanted a code to get through the Clough's defenses? During Ari's 3 month captivity, she didn't know the code. I'm guessing they spent that time infecting her with a disease that would make others sick? Soooo, they released her, knowing the Clough would pick her up, that she would see Sendirick's code, and that they would be forced to exchange her for the disease sequence thingy? Well, boy, aren't they lucky that plan worked out exactly like they wanted it to (until the end). But IMO, that's the worse plan ever. Too many things could/should have gone wrong with it for it to work like it did. And also, why did they try to kill the Clough in the very beginning of the book?
See? I have to be missing some vital link that makes this all make sense. If anyone can explain it, please do!
Still, despite my confusion, I very much enjoyed the writing, the characters, the mix of romance and sci-fi, and the spaceships. :-) Very interested in reading Burnard's next book.
The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because there were about a dozen instances where characters jumped to conclusions and, even after rereading, I couldn't figure out how they reached them. Also, in the end, I didn't quite get the bad guys' Big Plan. The whole time they wanted a code to get through the Clough's defenses? During Ari's 3 month captivity, she didn't know the code. I'm guessing they spent that time infecting her with a disease that would make others sick? Soooo, they released her, knowing the Clough would pick her up, that she would see Sendirick's code, and that they would be forced to exchange her for the disease sequence thingy? Well, boy, aren't they lucky that plan worked out exactly like they wanted it to (until the end). But IMO, that's the worse plan ever. Too many things could/should have gone wrong with it for it to work like it did. And also, why did they try to kill the Clough in the very beginning of the book?
See? I have to be missing some vital link that makes this all make sense. If anyone can explain it, please do!
Still, despite my confusion, I very much enjoyed the writing, the characters, the mix of romance and sci-fi, and the spaceships. :-) Very interested in reading Burnard's next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2011
The cover is the first thing that drew me to the book. (Yes, I fully admit I'm a sucker for an awesome cover) and when I found out it was SciFi I knew I was hooked. So much so that I read it in a day, even with my busy schedule, sacrificing sleep to complete the story.
The story appeals to the scifi geek in me with enough otherworldly descriptions and races and the romance reader with just enough connection between the heroine and hero to satisfy. Though the story is more of a journey for the heroine, Ari who's been emotionally and physically tortured by sadistic, tentacled aliens. The author throws a lot at her. Emotionally distnant and disaproving father, to-nice-and-hot-to-be-true pirate captor (hero), alien torture, mistrust and threat from her own people, not all heroine's would survive the onslaught. Ari is special though, and watching her broken psyche wade through all the hell is refreshing for a genre used to be known for it's TSTL heroines (aka 80's and 90's SciFi. - Thank God for female SciFi authors.)
I would have liked to see a bit more depth from the hero, Cullin who at times was a bit sappy and puppy doggish, but I can understand how he'd need to be gentle with such a broken counterpart. With a heroine that needed so much room for growth and repair, there left little room for Cullin to be much more than her anchor and Man Candy.
I look forward to the next installment Enemy Games.
The story appeals to the scifi geek in me with enough otherworldly descriptions and races and the romance reader with just enough connection between the heroine and hero to satisfy. Though the story is more of a journey for the heroine, Ari who's been emotionally and physically tortured by sadistic, tentacled aliens. The author throws a lot at her. Emotionally distnant and disaproving father, to-nice-and-hot-to-be-true pirate captor (hero), alien torture, mistrust and threat from her own people, not all heroine's would survive the onslaught. Ari is special though, and watching her broken psyche wade through all the hell is refreshing for a genre used to be known for it's TSTL heroines (aka 80's and 90's SciFi. - Thank God for female SciFi authors.)
I would have liked to see a bit more depth from the hero, Cullin who at times was a bit sappy and puppy doggish, but I can understand how he'd need to be gentle with such a broken counterpart. With a heroine that needed so much room for growth and repair, there left little room for Cullin to be much more than her anchor and Man Candy.
I look forward to the next installment Enemy Games.
December 15, 2010
I tore through this book. The plot is fast moving and intense enough that I REALLY wanted to finish it. Plenty happening, no slow parts -- I was definitely entertained throughout.
So why only 3 stars?
The romance storyline irked me. And I'm a romance reader. I really wanted to like it, and there were bits that I enjoyed, like the shared fencing hobby. But I just don't find a page one instant attraction when the hero is acting like a d-bag to be believable. I liked the hero a lot -- more so than March in the similar Jax series by Ann Aguirre. It also was completely unrealistic that only 6 months after escaping imprisonment and torture that the heroine would develop a physical relationship, any level of trust, or the kind of bond that seems to instantly develop here.
So why only 3 stars?
The romance storyline irked me. And I'm a romance reader. I really wanted to like it, and there were bits that I enjoyed, like the shared fencing hobby. But I just don't find a page one instant attraction when the hero is acting like a d-bag to be believable. I liked the hero a lot -- more so than March in the similar Jax series by Ann Aguirre. It also was completely unrealistic that only 6 months after escaping imprisonment and torture that the heroine would develop a physical relationship, any level of trust, or the kind of bond that seems to instantly develop here.
March 12, 2019
I feel like my rating is a little low, but I can't even bring myself to give it 3.5 stars because I round up my half-star ratings and I just really don't want to give this book 4 stars. That's fucking weird, even for me. I have a lot of minor complaints that are very hard to describe. But if they are things that bother you, you'll know exactly what I mean when you find them in the book. And none of them are bad enough to DNF. The plot in fantastic, but there are issues here. The one that bothers me the most is that in this world, the military doesn't interrogate or examine you at all when you're suddenly released from enemy captivity after months of torture and nobody is sure if you've been brainwashed or turned into a double agent. That's hilariously dumb but without the hilarious part.
September 19, 2010
3.5 stars, actually. I think this book will be more popular with the dedicated sci-fi romance reader than with the casual reader. The story opening is a bit hard to follow, and I liked the heroine's emotional journey better than I actually liked their romance. I actually felt a little awkward about their romance, for some reason. I think because there was such a dichotomy between what the hero is supposed to be like and how he acts with her. Almost too much of a dichotomy, so I felt uncomfortable with what seemed almost feminine displays of emotion from him. But the world building is interesting and detailed and the story pacing moves quickly.
April 26, 2011
This is a first-rate SF-romance, which I highly recommend to readers of SF, Futuristic Fantasy and Romance.
Ari (Captain Alexandra Rose), was an upcoming starship captain when she was captured by the Chekydran, a non-humanoid race at war with her people. After months of interrogation, she's unexpectedly released, but finds that her homecoming is not the welcome she imagined. Stripped of her command, Ari is relegated to scientific missions with her father. Her own people don't trust her any more, and, even worse, Ari doesn't trust herself. What had the Chekydran really done to her?
Enter Cullin, a self-proclaimed pirate who interrupts Ari's scientific exile by commandeering her father's ship. He's certain that there's more to Ari's story of capture and release than she's telling - and he's determined to find out what. Is she a spy for the Chekydran? Has she been altered or brainwashed? Will she betray humanity?
Ari is sure that Cullin is more than he seems, but finds herself drawn to him anyway. As the double-crosses and the body count mounts, can Ari trust the relationship building between her and Cullin? Will her pirate turn out to be her savior or her downfall?
Ms. Burnard has crafted a first-rate SF-romance. She manages to balance many of the things that make a first-in-series book so tricky: her universe-building is seamlessly woven into the story, and doesn't overwhelm the narrative; she introduces a diverse cast of characters, but manages to make the secondary and tertiary alive and three-dimensional, without neglecting the primary characters; the SF plot is taut and suspenseful; and, last, but far from the least, the romance is sweet, hot and wonderful. Her story is populated with real, complex people that I found myself caring about. None were too perfect, or too stereotypical. They had quirks and flaws that flowed into a character-driven story that I really enjoyed.
Ari is stubborn - she's still healing from her captivity and acknowledges that she may never be "herself" again. When she finds herself growing attracted to Cullin, she is able to work past her understandable fears and trust issues, and to fight for a chance at happiness. She also embodies the best qualities of the people who choose to serve and protect (the military, the police and fire department). She is willing to put herself on the line for the greater good. Cullin is damaged in his own way. He's sublimated his own needs into service as well. It takes courage on his part to reach out to Ari, and to keep reaching while she decides if she can trust. Their chemistry is hot, and the romance was touching.
This books reminded me of books by Linnea Sinclair and Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, among others. It's always a thrill to find a new author of this caliber. I look forward to the next book in this series, due May 3!
Ari (Captain Alexandra Rose), was an upcoming starship captain when she was captured by the Chekydran, a non-humanoid race at war with her people. After months of interrogation, she's unexpectedly released, but finds that her homecoming is not the welcome she imagined. Stripped of her command, Ari is relegated to scientific missions with her father. Her own people don't trust her any more, and, even worse, Ari doesn't trust herself. What had the Chekydran really done to her?
Enter Cullin, a self-proclaimed pirate who interrupts Ari's scientific exile by commandeering her father's ship. He's certain that there's more to Ari's story of capture and release than she's telling - and he's determined to find out what. Is she a spy for the Chekydran? Has she been altered or brainwashed? Will she betray humanity?
Ari is sure that Cullin is more than he seems, but finds herself drawn to him anyway. As the double-crosses and the body count mounts, can Ari trust the relationship building between her and Cullin? Will her pirate turn out to be her savior or her downfall?
Ms. Burnard has crafted a first-rate SF-romance. She manages to balance many of the things that make a first-in-series book so tricky: her universe-building is seamlessly woven into the story, and doesn't overwhelm the narrative; she introduces a diverse cast of characters, but manages to make the secondary and tertiary alive and three-dimensional, without neglecting the primary characters; the SF plot is taut and suspenseful; and, last, but far from the least, the romance is sweet, hot and wonderful. Her story is populated with real, complex people that I found myself caring about. None were too perfect, or too stereotypical. They had quirks and flaws that flowed into a character-driven story that I really enjoyed.
Ari is stubborn - she's still healing from her captivity and acknowledges that she may never be "herself" again. When she finds herself growing attracted to Cullin, she is able to work past her understandable fears and trust issues, and to fight for a chance at happiness. She also embodies the best qualities of the people who choose to serve and protect (the military, the police and fire department). She is willing to put herself on the line for the greater good. Cullin is damaged in his own way. He's sublimated his own needs into service as well. It takes courage on his part to reach out to Ari, and to keep reaching while she decides if she can trust. Their chemistry is hot, and the romance was touching.
This books reminded me of books by Linnea Sinclair and Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, among others. It's always a thrill to find a new author of this caliber. I look forward to the next book in this series, due May 3!
January 2, 2013
Wow and damn, I want the sequel right now! I stayed up until 3am to finish this book, could NOT put it down even though I swore I was going to bed at midnight and read the rest the next day.
Where to begin with this review? Burnard packed a whole lot into ENEMY WITHIN. There's so much to like about it - the absolutely amazing world-building, the fascinating characters, the cracking pace (helped by the fact that EVERY chapter ended on a hook and made you "read just one more"), the twisting plot filled with tension and intrigue.
I absolutely loved the detail of Burnard's world building. The geography/planetary creation, the technology, the medical/scientific information, the political/military/cultural structures, the racial histories - all of it just sucked me in. I love how effortlessly this was woven into the story. It made the story and characters come alive and I felt like I was right there beside them as their adventures unfolded.
I connected immediately with Ari (the heroine) and, not long after, Cullin (the hero). Their individual backgrounds, the circumstances, their loyalties, their fears, their romance - totally believable. Both were fully fleshed and ultimately believable. I was disappointed to finish their story as I wanted to keep on reading more about them. The secondary characters (and there were quite a few) were well developed as well, and I loved how integral each and every one of them were to the story.
The plot sucked me right in and I never found myself able to predict the twists or any events with any certainty. I became immersed in the intrigue. And as I mentioned before, the tension and pace kept me riveted and turning those pages as I just HAD to see what happened next.
Suffice to say as soon as I finished the book, I was at my computer ordering the next in this series and now rue the time it will take to get here as I really want to return to Burnard's captivating universe and amazing characters.
The action, adventure and romance were woven so well together. I highly recommend ENEMY WITHIN if you like Linnea Sinclair, Ann Aguirre, Sara Creasy or Jess Granger (who's works are all on my keeper shelf). ENEMY WITHIN is joining them and I'm going to be recommending it to everyone!
Where to begin with this review? Burnard packed a whole lot into ENEMY WITHIN. There's so much to like about it - the absolutely amazing world-building, the fascinating characters, the cracking pace (helped by the fact that EVERY chapter ended on a hook and made you "read just one more"), the twisting plot filled with tension and intrigue.
I absolutely loved the detail of Burnard's world building. The geography/planetary creation, the technology, the medical/scientific information, the political/military/cultural structures, the racial histories - all of it just sucked me in. I love how effortlessly this was woven into the story. It made the story and characters come alive and I felt like I was right there beside them as their adventures unfolded.
I connected immediately with Ari (the heroine) and, not long after, Cullin (the hero). Their individual backgrounds, the circumstances, their loyalties, their fears, their romance - totally believable. Both were fully fleshed and ultimately believable. I was disappointed to finish their story as I wanted to keep on reading more about them. The secondary characters (and there were quite a few) were well developed as well, and I loved how integral each and every one of them were to the story.
The plot sucked me right in and I never found myself able to predict the twists or any events with any certainty. I became immersed in the intrigue. And as I mentioned before, the tension and pace kept me riveted and turning those pages as I just HAD to see what happened next.
Suffice to say as soon as I finished the book, I was at my computer ordering the next in this series and now rue the time it will take to get here as I really want to return to Burnard's captivating universe and amazing characters.
The action, adventure and romance were woven so well together. I highly recommend ENEMY WITHIN if you like Linnea Sinclair, Ann Aguirre, Sara Creasy or Jess Granger (who's works are all on my keeper shelf). ENEMY WITHIN is joining them and I'm going to be recommending it to everyone!
November 29, 2011
Ari was captured and tortured by enemy forces for three months. She is unexpectedly released, but after months spent recovering she is stripped of her command and sent on a scientific mission with her father. No one trusts her any longer, afraid she was only released to spy upon her own people. Then her father’s ship is hijacked by what appears to be a band of pirates. Ari quickly learns that the pirate leader, Cullin is more than just a pirate. She is irritated by his arrogance and yet attracted to his confidence. Ari must decide whether trusting him will save or destroy her.[return][return]I had a few problems with this story. Parts of the action and plot were not explained well. I’m still hazy about some of it. There were a few times I would read a section and look back to make sure I hadn’t accidentally overlooked some of the bridging explanation of how we arrived at this point. On the other hand the fact that it was complex is good. All too often these stories are just a romance wrapped in a weak sci-fi plot. [return][return]The other problem was Ari was so strongly attracted to Cullin right away and the author continually mentions it. Ari was a really strong character, but she kept getting stopped in her tracks by her attraction to Cullin. It seemed out of character. Then it reached a point where I felt like saying Okay she likes him and thinks he’s hot, can we stop mentioning it? On the other hand both Ari and Cullin were complex, enjoyable characters. A quick note, the torture is moderately graphic, the sexuality is moderate to high and the ending scene is a disturbing combination of both. That left me with an overall negative reaction for the book, that it may not warrent.
October 5, 2014
I'd say 3 1/2 stars, but rounding up in this case.
The story started a bit slow, and a bit romance heavy, for my tastes. The early mutual attraction and flirting seemed awkward. Not only are the hero and heroine initially "enemies", they've only known each other for mere moments before we're seeing sparks.
I prefer the slow build. Although, I should mention that attraction and a couple of kisses aside, everything else did build slowly. No sex in the first few chapters which, erotica aside, I hate.
Rewinding ...
Ari is a ship captain who has been temporarily reassigned to civilian duties following a 3 month stint as a POW of a non-humanoid alien species. Ari's father is a leading scientist, and she is serving in an unspecified capacity on his research ship. As the book opens, Ari's father's ship is captured by "pirates" who, not only need the ship to get off the moon, but they are seeking Ari in particular.
Despite being apparent enemies, Ari and the pirates' leader Seaghdh soon find themselves in the position of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" when the aliens that tortured Ari come calling.
Beyond the slow start, great story overall. Although I find myself mildly disappointed that the next book in the series focuses on another couple, romance style. I would have preferred to hear more about Ari and Seaghdh.
Oh, and I did check. The publishers are (correctly) calling this futuristic romance.
The story started a bit slow, and a bit romance heavy, for my tastes. The early mutual attraction and flirting seemed awkward. Not only are the hero and heroine initially "enemies", they've only known each other for mere moments before we're seeing sparks.
I prefer the slow build. Although, I should mention that attraction and a couple of kisses aside, everything else did build slowly. No sex in the first few chapters which, erotica aside, I hate.
Rewinding ...
Ari is a ship captain who has been temporarily reassigned to civilian duties following a 3 month stint as a POW of a non-humanoid alien species. Ari's father is a leading scientist, and she is serving in an unspecified capacity on his research ship. As the book opens, Ari's father's ship is captured by "pirates" who, not only need the ship to get off the moon, but they are seeking Ari in particular.
Despite being apparent enemies, Ari and the pirates' leader Seaghdh soon find themselves in the position of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" when the aliens that tortured Ari come calling.
Beyond the slow start, great story overall. Although I find myself mildly disappointed that the next book in the series focuses on another couple, romance style. I would have preferred to hear more about Ari and Seaghdh.
Oh, and I did check. The publishers are (correctly) calling this futuristic romance.
October 29, 2010
My rating: 4.5 stars
Wow! This book was a very interesting read, full of action and emotional exploration within the heroine's past and torturous experiences. It was also very different from my usual reading choices. I've read maybe a handful of futuristic sci-fi novels but this one really pulled me in, especially the double innuendo bantering between Ari and Cullin. Those two just clicked for me right from the moment they came into contact with each other in the story.
All of the character's had very real personalities that were easy to visualize and relate to. And, Oh my! The enemy. The enemy was so horrendously dark and evil, I felt for Ari on so many levels concerning them.
I will admit that at times I was a little lost on some of the sci-fi lingo but it didn't effect my reading experience in the least bit. Marcella Burnard has this reader looking forward to reading more sci-fi fiction, especially from her.
Wow! This book was a very interesting read, full of action and emotional exploration within the heroine's past and torturous experiences. It was also very different from my usual reading choices. I've read maybe a handful of futuristic sci-fi novels but this one really pulled me in, especially the double innuendo bantering between Ari and Cullin. Those two just clicked for me right from the moment they came into contact with each other in the story.
All of the character's had very real personalities that were easy to visualize and relate to. And, Oh my! The enemy. The enemy was so horrendously dark and evil, I felt for Ari on so many levels concerning them.
I will admit that at times I was a little lost on some of the sci-fi lingo but it didn't effect my reading experience in the least bit. Marcella Burnard has this reader looking forward to reading more sci-fi fiction, especially from her.
May 5, 2011
Since goodreads doesn't have half star ratings I've had to round my rating up to 4 instead of being a 3.5 I wanted to give it.
This book was good, I adored the characters. The author manages to create interesting and heartfelt people who seem real. My heart ached for Ari throughout the whole book. She managed to survive three months of mental and physical torture from her enemies and now they want her back. Cullin Seaghdh is sent to retrieve for some unknown reason. But when he meets her he sees a woman barely holding on to her sanity.
The story was great, the fight scenes for well detailed but my only complaint about this book is that there is a great deal of 'ship control speak' and political references that confused me at times. Sometimes it got a bit much, otherwise I really enjoyed this book.
This book was good, I adored the characters. The author manages to create interesting and heartfelt people who seem real. My heart ached for Ari throughout the whole book. She managed to survive three months of mental and physical torture from her enemies and now they want her back. Cullin Seaghdh is sent to retrieve for some unknown reason. But when he meets her he sees a woman barely holding on to her sanity.
The story was great, the fight scenes for well detailed but my only complaint about this book is that there is a great deal of 'ship control speak' and political references that confused me at times. Sometimes it got a bit much, otherwise I really enjoyed this book.
July 14, 2011
Overall I was very happy with this book. I had to really put effort into suspending belief in Cullin's "voice powers" and probably would've like more explaination (or any really) how this magical power worked. After I managed to get over that bit, the story moved along well.
Ari and Cullin had a great romantic chemistry. I loved the internal conflict Ari faces with her past as a military prisoner. I thought it was quirky the way Cullin had a secret crush on her...definitely a different and pleasant twist from the regular love story.
I think what I most liked, though, was the conflict within Ari's group. The romance wasn't the only thing holding this story together. It really had meat and depth that was refreshing.
Ari and Cullin had a great romantic chemistry. I loved the internal conflict Ari faces with her past as a military prisoner. I thought it was quirky the way Cullin had a secret crush on her...definitely a different and pleasant twist from the regular love story.
I think what I most liked, though, was the conflict within Ari's group. The romance wasn't the only thing holding this story together. It really had meat and depth that was refreshing.
August 18, 2012
I thought this one had promise, but as I started reading I found it very easy to put down. The beginning was confusing, sort of jumbled. I liked that Ari didn't let her past keep her down, but she seemed such a hard ass that I didn't really care for her. It seemed odd that she would just go along with the pirates that took over her ship, that she would do things that saved them instead of let things progress so that she could have her ship back. In some ways these pirates treated her better than her family and the crew she has known. Being as I put the book down 4 times within the first 50 pages, I just could work up any enthusiasm to keep reading this one, it just wasn't for me.
November 14, 2014
I made the mistake of starting this book last night at 11pm. I read until I fell asleep reading around 2am. I woke up at 7:30 and kept reading - I did nothing of any use until I'd finished it. It's that awesome. It's got the feel of Shards of Honour meets Games of Command. Perfect.
December 8, 2014
I didn't have super high expectations going in, but this turned out to be really, really excellent. I really liked all the characters and the story was great! Also I got a 98% on my midterm, woot!! I'm gonna get a whole FIVE HOURS of sleep before work and omg... there's so much homework I didn't do... *dies* ... *revives* SLEEP NOW!!!!
February 12, 2020
3.5 stars
Look at me, finishing another book that's been languishing on Mt. TBR for a decade.
Look at me, finishing another book that's been languishing on Mt. TBR for a decade.
February 27, 2017
I have a very special place in my heart for 'space opera-sci-fi-romance' type books. I don’t think I have given less than 4 stars on any of books of that genre. I guessed that I have been picking the “best of the best” for the past few years though and I really thought surely my luck would run out with this book...it starts off with a very cliché kidnapping and I was really expecting the whole “I fell in love with my kidnapper” Stockholm-syndrome type formula but it didn’t fall into the typical tropes you would expect.
I really loved our heroine Alexandra “Ari” Idylle. She was smart and I felt like the author did an amazing job getting to the crux of all of her issues and letting us inside of her head. In a way this was much more enjoyable reading than the romance because Ari’s emotional healing was fascinating. I felt like she was definitely the best character in the entire novel. Ari has a lot of issues (being tortured, her paranoia, her mind blanking out when triggered, her relationship with her father etc.) but she still tries to do the best she can with her life and is very brave. Seaghdh Cullin was a great character as well, I like how he was with Ari but he did do a few things that had me go “huh?” such as his allowance of the device in her head which the Queen (his cousin) could use to kill her! He barely put up a fight against his cousin and this was way into the book when he should have already trusted Ari and they had feelings for each other. That was pretty inexcusable in my books.
The romance itself was wonderful but also very frustrating at times. It felt a bit like insta-love and the back and forth repetitiveness between them of the “does he like me?” “can I trust her?” got old. I think the author could have potentially done something really cool here, adding a layer of mind games and second-guessing, but instead resorted to cliché romance inner dialogue. Cullin’s actions definitely didn’t make me think he ever actually considered that she was brainwashed or a spy for the Chekydran, even though it was a very real possibility! His character should have been cautious for a long time as he got to know Ari before letting his guard down. Like more towards the end of the book kind of time.
I also wish the author had made this book a bit more dark and serious. I don’t claim to know how someone who had been tortured would act but I can guess that they wouldn’t be as trusting as Ari was towards Cullin. As the reader, we were aware that Cullin had deep feelings for Ari that spanned a long time before they had even met but Ari doesn’t know this and Cullin was a threat to herself and her team. I also wish we had seen more of Ari’s “blackouts”. The author claims that Ari is incredibly dangerous and has to lock her bedroom door every night which only psyche tests will open it but we really didn’t see it. It was more of a ‘I will tell you rather than show you’. Ari only does this once and punches Cullin in the nose. That is it. I thought the ending was excellent though. When Ari .
It also lost a star because some of the plot was very hard to follow. I think it was the writing itself, not the actual construction of the plot. I found that the author’s writing was disjointed sometimes. One example off the top of my head that doesn’t really have to do with the plot is when Cullin and Ari get together for the first time they are in a sparring room and then suddenly they are in his bed with no writing that told us how they got there. It was so strange that I had to go back a few pages and re-read that his sparring room was adjoined to his personal bedroom. That is fine (even though I was picturing a long, big room for sparring, like the studios you see people who fence use) but the author didn’t properly describe this or how they moved from the sparring room to his bed. There were also quite a few instances where the dialogue and descriptions didn’t match up either. I also thought it laughable that when they were first getting kidnapped and Cullin and his team was taking over Ari’s ship, they paused in the mist of it all to have a fencing match! I didn’t even understand what the point of it was, or what it was meant to accomplish (other than let the reader know they were masters at the sparring sport).
Regardless of the issues of the book I still thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely read more by Marcella Burnard. Oh also, Burnard’s use of the word “baxt’k” in place of the f-bomb was hilarious.
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I really loved our heroine Alexandra “Ari” Idylle. She was smart and I felt like the author did an amazing job getting to the crux of all of her issues and letting us inside of her head. In a way this was much more enjoyable reading than the romance because Ari’s emotional healing was fascinating. I felt like she was definitely the best character in the entire novel. Ari has a lot of issues (being tortured, her paranoia, her mind blanking out when triggered, her relationship with her father etc.) but she still tries to do the best she can with her life and is very brave. Seaghdh Cullin was a great character as well, I like how he was with Ari but he did do a few things that had me go “huh?” such as his allowance of the device in her head which the Queen (his cousin) could use to kill her! He barely put up a fight against his cousin and this was way into the book when he should have already trusted Ari and they had feelings for each other. That was pretty inexcusable in my books.
The romance itself was wonderful but also very frustrating at times. It felt a bit like insta-love and the back and forth repetitiveness between them of the “does he like me?” “can I trust her?” got old. I think the author could have potentially done something really cool here, adding a layer of mind games and second-guessing, but instead resorted to cliché romance inner dialogue. Cullin’s actions definitely didn’t make me think he ever actually considered that she was brainwashed or a spy for the Chekydran, even though it was a very real possibility! His character should have been cautious for a long time as he got to know Ari before letting his guard down. Like more towards the end of the book kind of time.
I also wish the author had made this book a bit more dark and serious. I don’t claim to know how someone who had been tortured would act but I can guess that they wouldn’t be as trusting as Ari was towards Cullin. As the reader, we were aware that Cullin had deep feelings for Ari that spanned a long time before they had even met but Ari doesn’t know this and Cullin was a threat to herself and her team. I also wish we had seen more of Ari’s “blackouts”. The author claims that Ari is incredibly dangerous and has to lock her bedroom door every night which only psyche tests will open it but we really didn’t see it. It was more of a ‘I will tell you rather than show you’. Ari only does this once and punches Cullin in the nose. That is it. I thought the ending was excellent though. When Ari .
It also lost a star because some of the plot was very hard to follow. I think it was the writing itself, not the actual construction of the plot. I found that the author’s writing was disjointed sometimes. One example off the top of my head that doesn’t really have to do with the plot is when Cullin and Ari get together for the first time they are in a sparring room and then suddenly they are in his bed with no writing that told us how they got there. It was so strange that I had to go back a few pages and re-read that his sparring room was adjoined to his personal bedroom. That is fine (even though I was picturing a long, big room for sparring, like the studios you see people who fence use) but the author didn’t properly describe this or how they moved from the sparring room to his bed. There were also quite a few instances where the dialogue and descriptions didn’t match up either. I also thought it laughable that when they were first getting kidnapped and Cullin and his team was taking over Ari’s ship, they paused in the mist of it all to have a fencing match! I didn’t even understand what the point of it was, or what it was meant to accomplish (other than let the reader know they were masters at the sparring sport).
Regardless of the issues of the book I still thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely read more by Marcella Burnard. Oh also, Burnard’s use of the word “baxt’k” in place of the f-bomb was hilarious.
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