| Title | : | An Uncommon Whore (An Uncommon Whore #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1607375125 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781607375128 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 122 |
| Publication | : | First published January 25, 2010 |
Pasha is a slave, whoring for travelers at the most dangerous bar on Warlan. He has no memory, no future of his own, yet deep inside Pasha knows that that he is meant for better things. The day that Pasha spots the dangerous pirate in the bar, he knows that he mustn't let the stranger slip away, regardless of what he must do to attract his attention.
Captain Griffin Hawke spent the greater part of a decade searching for his lost king, only to find Helios Dayspring crouched between his knees, swathed in the robes and shackles of a whore. Though he is appalled by the downfall of his king, the hardened officer finds himself falling for the allure of the sensual creature who has taken his place. Returning Helios to his position on the throne is the only right thing to do, yet Griffin knows that in doing so, he risks losing his lover forever.
"A whore is a whore is a whore, unless he's something else completely. I guess I must be an uncommon whore." -- Helios Dayspring
An Uncommon Whore (An Uncommon Whore #1) Reviews
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The following brief review by
Mark Monday was removed by Goodreads for breaking their censorship policy, but is reposted here in accordance with the
Hydra principle. Let me start by presenting the review itself:An Uncommon Whore; Or, The Story of Goodreads' Acquisition by Amazon
Mark encouraged people to flag his review, and I enjoyed doing so; I pointed out that it violated Article 2 (vii) of the ToU, since it contained incorrect information. An Uncommon Whore, I went on to say, is about someone who gets fucked up the ass for money, and has nothing to do with the acquisition of Goodreads by Amazon. Indeed, Goodreads is not even mentioned.
by Belinda McBride (Goodreads Author)
FLAG
[I am actually quite enthusiastic about reading this one! it looks enjoyable. but I really couldn't resist using the title for my own sordid little joke.]
In case anyone missed it, that was ironic. Mark's review was funny because, at a non-literal and metaphorical level, there are indeed meaningful parallels between the acquisition of Goodreads by Amazon and getting fucked up the ass for money. I can't resist the temptation to elaborate.
The received wisdom, at the moment, is that it is wrong to treat people as sex objects. But, speaking from personal experience, it isn't always bad to be treated as a sex object; it can indeed be very gratifying to feel, briefly, that you are merely a thing that your lover is using to obtain sexual pleasure. Many people enjoy playing this kind of game, and when it is done in an intimate, consensual way I do not see that there is anything wrong with it. The problem is that it shades over into behavior that becomes more and more clearly wrong. The tension between these different ways of looking at the issues are what this book is about.
A couple of other books come to mind here. In
Musical Chairs, Jen Knox gives a frank account of what it's like to be a stripper. To my surprise, she says that it is in some ways an empowering experience. The performer, taking her clothes off on stage, has an undeniable power over her audience. But Jen also shows how it is ultimately more degrading than empowering. Even though the audience may show their appreciation by putting ten dollar bills in your G-string, you feel after a while that this is a compliment you would rather not receive. Jen describes how she got out, which was difficult but worthwhile.
A still clearer example is Paul Theroux's underrated novel
Doctor Slaughter. Lauren Slaughter is smart, beautiful and insolvent. She is overflowing with self-confidence and unsqueamish about sex, so, when she is offered a job as a high-priced call-girl, she takes it. She is soon making a great deal of money getting fucked, up the ass and elsewhere, by a variety of men. She thinks she can handle it; she feels nothing but contempt for the majority of her clients, she makes friends with a few, she develops a strange, almost loving relationship with one older man who uses her services frequently. But as the book progresses, she comes to understand that she has misjudged the situation. She is not able to keep her feelings outside it. She is just a whore, even if she's an unusually smart and pretty one.
So: what parallels with Goodreads/Amazon? I have worked in a Silicon Valley startup myself, and I know the system from the inside. A group of people with a common dream put something together and hope they'll make money out of it. Sometimes it works. Most often, it comes to nothing. You generally discover after a while that there aren't many options if you want to see a return on your investment. The easiest route is definitely to sell out to one of the multinationals.
If you're approached by a big player, your first reaction is likely to be pleasure and relief. It was possible, indeed likely, that you were going to get nothing, and now you're looking at millions of dollars. Unfortunately, whatever your acquirer may say at first, it usually turns out that their idea of what to do with the startup is rather different from yours. At this point, it often dawns on people, particularly the engineers who did the grunt-work, that they have given up their dream for a financial reward which seems quite insufficient. Comparisons with stripping or prostitution don't appear completely inapposite.
So, in short, I think I was wrong to say that Mark's brief review was factually inaccurate, unless you take an extremely narrow view of what "factually inaccurate" means. In the language of this book, Goodreads has shown itself to be an uncommon whore.
This work by
Manny is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License -
I didn’t read the original book by Looseid but I was told by author that this is revised with an added POV so if you are thinking if you should read the new edition, you should go ahead and read it. 😌
There are so many things to like about this book. 💚 A pleasure slave/a lost king and an one eyed captain who’s looking for his lost monarch and the background story in this one was really strong. ☺️ The political backstabbing, the intense edgy drama and a swoon-worthy romance .. what’s not to love? This is how I imagine a space operas should be and years of waiting and finally reading didn’t disappoint me at all. Plus, Helios and Griffin are so hot together! 🔥🔥🔥 I cant already wait to get my hands on the sequel because I’m dying to find out what will happen. 😉
4 first love and last, forever stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -
This started off VERY strong.
I have a weakness for the "hidden prince" theme, especially combined with space, sex slavery, or any matter of kinky interspecies action. I was immediately taken by the brisk pace, the amount of sex (hells yeah!), and the chemistry between Griffin and Helios (love that name!). I was 4-starring this book until I found myself getting... irritated.
For one, let's talk about the errors. I simply can't stand really obvious editing issues, and this hit on one of my hot button editing grievances: Prostate vs prostrate. It is simple. If you write M/M you MUST use these two words correctly. There are really no excuses when it comes to this. You can be nailing someone's prostate while prostrate, but those two words are NOT interchangeable. There were other issues, such as strange future-telling that didn't fit with the story and some grammar errors that really should have been caught by an editor.
That stuff aside, I was still REALLY into the world of this story until it started slowing down for me in the last 25% of the story. Everything seemed rushed and there were no curveballs, no surprises. The pace and the tension was dialed down, and I missed some of that from the earlier chapters.
Even with the last 25% being somewhat of a let down, I still enjoyed this book as a whole. It was exciting, and I really bought Griffin and Helios as a couple. Though the "love" aspect was introduced very early on between the two of them, I was totally feeling it. The sex scenes were also a delicious bonus.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review** -
3.5 Hearts!
I can hardly resist a space opera, and I dare you to try when up for offer is an amnesiatic lost king, a piratical past lover who is desperate to find him, and a people who need their rightful ruler to lead them out of their tragic brutal circumstance.
Griffin is said piratical past lover, and he’s been searching for Helios, who’s next in line for the throne, for several long years, hoping against hope that maybe, just maybe, Helios is still alive after sacrificing himself for capture so that many others could escape. What Griffin finds is far from pleasant. Helios is a very changed man, knowing only his sex slave existence due to wiped memories and being forcibly conditioned to serve. However, what’s fully ingrained is not forever lost.
Despite the fact that these two men come together very quickly due to the undeniable magnetic connection they still have, they are both stymied by doubt, obligation, and a past that did not condone them being together. Despite that very history and the vast distance and time that has transpired, it’s obviously not enough to keep these two apart again now.
Having not read the original, I have no means to compare this to its former self. What I will say is that the author has added approximately 22K words in this newly revised edition and hopefully, that’s evident in the adventure, the romance, and the more fully realized story.
So yes, there’s action, there’s plenty of smexy, and an interesting universe that held my attention. Overall, I really enjoyed the outer space setting, and I look forward to the big payoff regarding the promised political intrigue as it’s probably safe to say, there’s gonna be some pretty good violence and lots of comeuppance on the horizon.
This ends with Helios and Griffin a strong formidable team. They make a fantastic return in starting anew, and Helios especially is on the precipice of a not yet fully realized destiny foretold in the stars that left me kinda in awe and ready to see how everything pans out. The entire series looks to be up for revision and re-release by DSP, and I will follow through to see Helios and Griffin’s well deserved win!
Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review
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A Science Fiction Novella of a love that transcends the Universe. 3.5 Stars.
We are told the story through Pashas eyes, it is simple in it's delivery and he seems strangely disassociated from what is happening to him...he is calm, compliant and submissive, as all slaves and whores must be, wanting only to serve their master.
Pasha a slave and a whore, is owned by an alien of reptilian form, Ushma. Pasha has no memories of his life beyond this time, but somewhere in the depths of his mind he believes Ushma may be his third owner, but with only occasional flashbacks surfacing of his brutal training he cannot be sure.
Ushma, short of money and wanting to feed his gambling addiction, takes Pasha to the Trell 57 Tavern where he intends to pimp him to the surly minors and unhappy travellers visiting the dusty and oppressively hot planet of Whorlon. Through his veil, unnoticed, he sees a man who is both familiar and gives him a feeling of comfort. He somehow feels safe to him, although he is unsure as to why, but desperate to escape he manipulates an encounter.
Our other MC, Captain Griffin Hawke, is searching the universe for his Prince who was captured and disappeared when the people of the planet Arash were displaced to a barren yet to be colonised planet, because of war. Griffin is a strong character and determined in his quest to find not only his best friend but also the future King of his people. Racked with guilt for feeling responsible and bound by honour he will never stop searching.
This is a quick smexy, easy read which was just what I needed, it is a D/s relationship but not BDSM in nature. I did feel that the story ended too soon but there is a second novella in the tale of these two characters and I will definitely be reading it. -
*3,5 stars*
First of all - don't judge this book by the title or by its cover. :)
This jumps straight into the action and just keeps going. Considering the short length a LOT of things happen, and I just allowed myself to get swept away with it all.
A prince is rescued, old love is rekindled, new friendships are forged and a kingdom lost in space finds their king again. In an interesting mixture of Star Wars and Game of Thrones the author takes us to a different universe where wars are brutal, whoring seems the norm and grouchy aliens are plentiful.
Helios, Lio, is at the centre of the book. It is his journey of finding out who he really is, what he was before and did, and what his future holds for him.
I kind of liked his snarky style of telling his story. I liked HIM because he felt genuine and honest - particularly with his feelings for Grif - the man who finds him. The immediate bond between them, right from the beginning, should have felt off, but it didn't. Of course we find out later why, but I never doubted the love and sexual chemistry between Grif and Lio.
The writing style could be criticised for a lack of finesse, but somehow it fitted the story and supported the fast paced action. And I enjoyed this fun mixture of science fiction and myths enough to go and read book #2 now.
(Thanks Katerina! ;) ) -
2.5 Needed More Chastity Stars
Space opera. The ultimate space opera was the only place my head went only in this rendition Han and Luke would get it on. It started off so good. We meet Pasha and he's a slave to U'shma. Slave boys don't get to have erections. They are to serve the customers so you know what that means. Chastity!!!!
In case you don't know, I'm a fan of chastity. A big un.
Pasha's working one night when the rakish Captain Griffin Hawke. He looks like a pirate with the eye patch/all black/leather outfit thing going and he's not very… verbal.
I'm dig dig digging it. There's some sort of strange connection between the two and the pirate enters into a wager with U'shma to win Pasha for 24 hrs. Turns out they know each other and Pasha has an odd case of retrograde amnesia. About two whole seconds later the chastity came off. *pause* Why is the chastity ALWAYS the first to go? WHY??? I will say the chastity got replaced by quite a bit of frottage so I can't be too fussy. Still… *huffs*
The space opera begins and there is a ton of world building. Several characters are introduced and I've since learned this is a book one in a series-the foundation book. Many of the characters seem promising, but I found myself getting increasingly bored as the story progressed. Honestly, I think it's a me problem rather than a book problem. The writing's good as the story of Helios/Pasha unfolds and he gradually regains bits and pieces of his memory. Ordinarily, I like anything even remotely having to do with Star Wars but this just didn't resonate with me as much as I was hoping it would.
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Don’t judge a book by its cover (and its title), because this one harbors a surprisingly sweet and engaging story.
Pasha is a sex slave with no recollection of his past. He doesn’t know who he was, who he is or who he is going to be, but he does feel there’s something more for him out there. And when a stranger walks into a bar, he knows not to let him slip away.
And so begins the story of Pasha/Helios and Griffin.
I liked the world McBride created and the plot was engaging and layered. The sex was hot and romantic. Plus it served a deeper meaning in establishing the roles in the characters' new relationship.
The best part of the book, however, were the characters themselves. Griffin was a great secondary: his internal turmoil was palpable and I felt (and fell) for him. But Helios… oh my…. His matter-of-fact tone in which he relayed his thoughts and actions were fantastic. I found him to be very endearing and loved him instantly.
A well written and sweet little story. I’m hoping for a sequel. -
I've seen this around a lot and because I really like these yaoi style illustrated covers, have been drawn to reading it but because of the usual ' Ive got so many books to read before I get round to this " problem, Its taken me a heck of long time and now Im wondering why because I really liked this.
A tale of lost kings and treachery, it is has touches of fantasy but the Space Opera comes from its word building, planet hopping and Space Cruisers ... the bar scene at the beginning made me think of Star Wars and all the other space epics, so its roots are firmly sci/fi.
Pasha or Helios Dayspring, his true identity and the gorgeous Space Pirate Griffin Hawke his old lover and friend who he has forgotten, because of his forced memory loss when enslaved as a whore, generate some fantastic chemistry together and it's also one heck of a sexy book without being too porntastic. The ongoing story of Griffins long search to find his lost king, then their subsequent escape and journey back to Helios' people to reinstate him as king is really attention grabbing and I'm definitely going to carry on with book two
When I Fall because even though its not a cliffhanger ending there's great promise of more trials an tribulations in the wind for these two fantastic guys and their plan to unite their people once more whilst starting life on a new planet.
Loved it and another definite keeper. I'm having a good run at the moment with my choices of book, hope it continues. -
3.5 stars
First part of the series and can’t be read as a standalone
This book was recommended by Ariana and I don’t regret it : it was a good surprise as I’m not usually into sci-fi romance. And as Ariana mentioned : "don’t judge this book by the title or by its cover". The plot is solid and interesting, the sex scenes are hot but not porny and the MCs are reliable.
A planet has been pillaged, its inhabitants wounded, tortured or killed, taking refuge on another planet where they barely survive. During the war, Helios, the heir of the King, was captured and enslaved.
And then starts for Griffin a long quest to find and rescue Helios, his past lover. And he finally finds him in a brothel, his memory gone and having sometimes to whore himself for his Master.
Thus begin the long journey for Griffin and Helios.
In this first part, they get reunited and have to fight back to get home. All the while reestablishing their relationship under stressing circumstances.
This part really captivated me and even though I had a few niggles, it did not prevent to keep going on because I really wanted to follow Griffin and Helios in this journey and I was right to do so, because the second installment really delivered. -
This was a really well written story with characters that I felt invested in. The sex was awesome and I kept wanting to turn back to the cover to see them there, which doesn't always happen with books. For once the descriptions built a picture within my mind that matched the beautiful artwork on the cover. Although the ending was a little sappier than I would like, I am excited to hear that there is going to be a second book.
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Original rating stands. I decided to read the new edition that is available on KU. I still enjoyed it, I am happy to say. It's been long enough since I originally read it that I couldn't tell you what content has been added. I'm going to reread book 2 now.
----- Original Review Feb 2017 -----
3.5 Stars
See my review of
When I Fall for my review of both this book and that one. -
‘Sokay
Lots of sex and…
Space stuff
Slave stuff
Escape stuff
Love stuff
I enjoyed it, but wasn’t wowed by the writing nor the complicated plot that wasn’t developed. -
This book has received high praise from the usual suspects even though a few said it’s not perfect but still great. So intrigued, I set about reading this knowing very little about the plot – I didn’t even read the blurb – and expecting a great sci-fi book. Well the setting is simply fabulous and definitely delivers for any fan, creating a complex and fascinating culture. The characters of Helios and Griffin are well beyond classic stereotypes and bring a great conflict and interplay into the mix. If anything the story ends too soon, leaving many questions dangling, and with so much possibility that it will be a real shame if the author never writes a sequel. Hint: Please write one. Now. Yesterday. Already being published if possible.
Told in first person point of view from Helios’ perspective, the story starts in a seedy bar on a disreputable planet as Helios is sitting behind his large reptilian pimp. From there the scene feels very similar to classic Star Wars with a few twists and thus the setting mixes familiar elements with new thus able to offer something ultimately different and unique without spending long paragraphs obsessing over detail. There is richness to the setting that is constantly offered no matter where the characters are so the science fiction atmosphere is always vibrantly present. The interplanetary politics and actions are offered and given depth, but this complicated side plot could have been fleshed out to double the space and still captivated readers. Here the story streamlines certain aspects and uses classic themes to keep the plot quick and interesting. I would have preferred a more complex and fleshed out detailing of events but the quick recitation is common in this story.
Similarly the complex relationship between Griffin and Helios focuses on their present as they reconnect while Helios slowly and agonizingly gets his memory back. Since his memory has been wiped several times and he’s been programmed as a slave, his journey from nameless slave to leader of an exiled people focuses on his reestablished relationship to Griffin. This is both good and bad since their chemistry is incredibly hot and their dynamic fascinating. Griffin and Helios struggle with the concepts of dominance and submission as both are naturally dominant men. It takes Helios’ time as a slave to understand the strength in submission and that receiving sex is not weakness. So the interplay between the men is mostly sexual and emotional as they come together again.
Unfortunately for the plot, Helios’ past actions as a leader and his hope for the future of his people is very glossed over and shortly summarized. Helios spends the entire length of the book struggling to regain his memories while vacillating between wanting to know and fearing the knowledge. He never really emerges as a strong, capable leader. His actions are mostly sexual and in combination with strengthening his connection to Griffin with only a few off hand comments about his people’s future and their current planet. The lack of additional detail about his past doesn’t help and ultimately leaves Helios as a two dimensional character at best – even though he’s interesting, engaging, and immediately draws your eye. Perhaps any sequels would help develop this aspect of his personality and delve more deeply into his heroic past.
The tightly paced plot is all there with a wealth of atmosphere and solid, well developed characters. The sexual chemistry is smoking hot and the sex doesn’t stop. This strengthens the main romantic relationship but does weaken the additional side plots about political intrigue and ruling a planet. This story would have benefited from being twice as long with more attention paid to the various details, especially focusing on the socio-political implications. Even so, this is a very entertaining story that no doubt delivers exactly what the author intended - a light and interesting read. -
Re-read Feb 28 - Mar 1, 2017
I loved this book...the cover is awesome; Helios and Griffin look super sexy.
This story sucked me in right away and the steaminess had me melting.
Great writing and plot. The world building is amazing in it's detail and the characters felt so real.
Buying book 2 right now!!! -
Fun, sexy, and enough story to satisfy, even if only toward the beginning. A nice read, with unexpectedly tender bits and heartwarming implications.
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The short review:
It was hot. It was good. It was weird. It was exciting. It was emotional. It was fun.
I really liked it.
The extended version:
This book started off with a bang. (Er...pun...possibly intended?) "Pasha" is a beautiful whore with no name, no history, no age, and no memory. He's simply the possession of a humanoid "owner" who whores him out to support his gambling habits. So when Pasha finds himself at a seedy bar where it's too dangerous even for female whores, he's not surprised and can only daydream - futilely - of escape from his present circumstances. Little does he know that the hardened yet compellingly virile mercenary across the room is about to recognize him as Helios Dayspring, the ruler who went missing during a war on their now-former home planet.
Thus begins this fun and energetic road romance of discovery. Helios's unexpected rescuer, through daring deeds of derring-do, soon sweeps him away from his shackled existence for more otherworldly destinations. During this trip, we uncover Helios's history and what happened in his conversion from royalty to whore. In addition to this overarching background, we see Helios and his mercenary, who is actually Captain Griffin Hawke of the royal guard, make rediscoveries of their long-buried emotional ties to each other. The question of how Helios will be received once he ultimately lands on his (new) home planet is always present to lend some tension to the story through the end.
There is a lot of sex in this relatively shorter story. That said, I felt like the sexytimes were well done and also furthered the relationship between Lio and Griffin. Before, they had never fully consummated their feelings for each other because of what each perceived as the struggle for dominance in penetration. Now, we see that Lio's years as a whore have wiped away that notion, and Griffin's own acceptance and openness later to this aspect of loving his Lio (and being loved by Lio) help to complete the picture of their emotional and physical partnership.
Only a couple of drawbacks come to mind. The ending felt a little rushed, and I think we needed another chapter or so to show how things shook down on the home planet. Also, I would have liked for Helios's history and relationships (e.g., with his family, with his troops, etc.) to be fleshed out a bit more. Finally, it's prostate, not prostrate. *smacks forehead*
All told, though, I really liked An Uncommon Whore. The journey through space and to different planets was fun and adventurous, and the sexytimes were hot hot hot. -
How would you feel to not remember anything but the present? Would it ease your mind or would you always want to know what happened in the past? Pasha knows he’s an uncommonly handsome sex slave and that there was a past. He just can’t remember it. During one of his sexual servitudes, being pimped out by his master, he spies upon a man that he desperately wants, but doesn’t know why. This man is a scarred pilot of a ship, Griffin. Griffin is a desperate man, trying to keep his people together while keeping the hope alive. His hope is to find his missing prince, who was once a beloved lover. By sheer chance, he buys the veiled Pasha for the night. Griffin’s prayers are answered; Pasha is his long lost Helios. Helios remembers nothing.
I totally enjoyed this story. Helios and Griffin are totally hot together. Learning about the terrible subjugation of Helios was sad yet kind of hot. It reminded me Joss Whedon's Dollhouse series, just a bit. Learning about this world kept my interest going. The hot sex between Helios and Griffin had me aroused quite a bit. The give and take Master/slave undercurrents really turned me on. Helios is so sexy in his submission. He’s the perfect sex slave, able to please any man or woman. He is so much more and as we learn more about Helios, it breaks my heart. To take a warrior who’s a nation’s hero and turn him into a sexual slave to be used and abused had me crying out in outrage. How dare they? I wanted to hunt down the offenders as much as Griffin.
Not all is what it seems and Ms. McBride keeps my attention riveted as each new piece of information is revealed. The conspiracy, betrayal and attempted genocide is depressing and horrific. A nation decimated by greed and hatred is sad as we see the results of tortured children. Anyone who can torture children deserves a special place in hell. I’m so involved and invested in these characters that I’m moved to tears as I read about the aftermath of destruction after Helios was captured. I learned there is a second story and I can't wait to read it. I recommend this story to m/m lovers who enjoy sci-fi slavery twist. This is a happily for now story with dark undertones.
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OK, I'm torn on this one. There are issues - of suspension of disbelief, of consistency, of pacing - but...
Darn it but I liked the characters. Very much so. And there lies my weakness. Even though it's told first person, which distances us from Griffin, I still found myself drawn in within the first few pages.
Were there points where the sex overrode the plot? Yep. Especially at the beginning. Were there points when I said, now, wait a sec, that's just too convenient? Yep.
But Helios is a resilient, determined cookie. You can't help but like him. And his poor, tortured Griffin is bad to the bone and vulnerable all at once. Yum.
A fun read and ultimately enjoyable despite all the above. I did want them to be happy, did care about them, and that's the most vital part in a romance. -
I really loved this story even though sci-fi/spaceship fantasies usually aren't my favorite. I probably would have been hesitant to read this if I would have read the blurb. Surprisingly, the spaceship parts didn't really bother me at all since I liked the story and the characters too much. Helios and Griffin were sweet and hot together.
Also, the story wasn't as dark as I would have expected from a slave themed plot. Helios was too strong to let it bring him down and even made a few jokes about it. I did cry at one point but not because it was sad.
I loved this book but I'm very nervous about reading the sequel next. -
This was Helio's pov. Helio was the deposed prince of an overtaken planet and sold into sexual slavery. He's rescued by Griffin, his on-off lover and they have to rebuild their relationship along with the new planet they've been relocated on and fighting the politics and trying to figure out who the traitors in their midst that sold them out. Really good story.
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That was every bit as good as everyone says it is! 100% worth reading and I'd rec it to everyone. It's a great story and just beautifully written.
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Mixed reviews for this one, but I really liked it. 4 stars and a big
from me!!
Another shortie review....too many books
...not enough time 
.
Pasha is a slave/whore on the planet of Warlan who knows nothing of his past, but feels that there must be more to his life than he is currently being forced to endure. Enter Griffin Hawke, space pirate, who negotiates with Pasha's 'owner' Ushma to keep Pasha for the night....we then discover that 'Pasha' is not 'Pasha' but Helios Dayspring, prince of Arash, who was betrayed by his own wife and others and kidnapped by invading forces before being sold into slavery. Griffin was his former lover and bodyguard, and has been searching for Lio for 5 long years. Yes, Helios/Pasha escapes Warlan with Griffin, but the 'who, where, why' and what happens to them on their journey back to the planet that the remaining people from Arash now call home is for you to discover. Some nice phrases in the book too 'I do love you. I may not remember us, Griffin, but my soul remembers. My heart remembers' and another one 'The oil and sweat made us slick, adding another layer to the tapestry of pleasure that we were building'. Recommended. -
For some reason though I owned this since 2012, I had never read it. I'm glad I did now because it was a very enjoyable story with the added bonus of having some extremely hawt sex scenes. And, the scenes weren't just thrown in to make the story more interesting. They fit the story of Helios, a prince who was captured and sold into slavery when his kingdom was destroyed. He's spent years in captivity, with no memory of his former life since a memory clearing chip was implanted in his brain.
But a chance encounter with Captain Griffin Hawke as his owner is trying to win a card game using Helios, his sex slave, as his wager, turns out to be the key to his freedom. The two embark upon an adventure to get him back to his people and along the way Griffin helps bring back his memory and rekindle their love.
The story could have been enriched with further detail and the timeline could have been drawn out to make it even more interesting. I think if the author ever decides to rewrite it, using what this story covers as the basis of the first half, the second half could cover Helios's fight to get back to his people, to win his kingdom back, to barter their precious metals for money, and to fight to keep Griffin by his side. Just sayin.
I would recommend it to those who enjoy fantasy or space travel with their M/M as well as those who love to read about soulmates separated by evil forces and reunited by fate. 3.5 stars rounded up. -
Ugh, what can I say. I did not like this book, the sf parts are often ridiculous or silly or don't make sense (they don't really have to make sense, but they should be written as if they made sense) and the relationship between the two protagonists is too often just aggressive power sex play where one must dominate the other. And why can't they just be gay, the "I usually like girls, but he…"-cliche is kind of "eh".
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Not sure what I was expecting, but the title implied a different storyline. I actually was pleased with the surprise being the bloodthirsty gal I am. Violent and emotional; I enjoyed the protagonists' interaction and the resolution.
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I loved this book. Such a sweet story. Both of the main characters were great
ETA: After second time reading it; still loved it. -
Intrigued by the title, I found and read an excerpt. I loved the voice of the protagonist, and I also greatly appreciated the fact that it was a clean and technically excellent text. On those grounds, I acquired the ebook and read it swiftly, finding it more than lived up to my expectations. The use of amnesia as a device to unfold the story worked well here, lending a pace to the tale that kept me reading for the answers. The world-building, while spare, was sufficient to create a sense of place. The balance between sex and plot was good, and the plot included enough threat and interesting political intrigue to carry the story. The greatest strength of the book, however, in my opinion, was the characterizations. The protagonist's acerbic, ironic tone and the manner in which he retained a distinctive personality despite the exigencies of his situation as a pleasure slave made him appealing and believable. His guardian and lover was a hardened soldier, but a man whose past actions and feelings had helped him hold on to passion and compassion as well. The theme of dominance and submission and its relation to social and political position played out nicely between the two. Each learned from their experiences and the other's experiences and molded the lessons into greater strength and deeper love, although not without some hard effort along the way. Secondary characters in the story were well drawn and dimensional. Even the protagonist's alien master at the beginning of the story was not completely unsympathetic. Many of the female characters were strong and interesting. Even a woman long dead at the beginning of the story (Suzan) became a real and appealing presence in the story.
One small quibble in the midst of a generally very well done piece of work in technical respects--something the editor should have caught if not the author: the male gland at issue is the "prostate" gland, not the "prostrate" gland. This is a common error, but worth pointing out for future reference.
I wish the book had been longer, although I gather the story will be continued. It was a reasonable stopping point for a continuing story; I just hated saying goodbye to the characters! I will definitely be watching for this story to continue. -
WHAT IS IT WITH BOOKS THAT HAVE BAD COVERS?
I have no idea.
For me, this read was a gem. I was very pleasantly surprised of how good this book was. I loved it.
Really liked the writing. The plot was really good. The balance of romance, fantasy, sci-fi, kink, angst and emotion were apparent. The story was well rounded. I'm not fond of sci-fi reads but I really liked this one.
I also loved the characters. At the beginning I'm doubting the believability of Lio & Grif's romance. But as I read on, I was taken. Now I think I'm one of their supporters/servants/citizens/etc. I FEEL and ACHE for them. They've been through A LOT. Like I can't imagine how they felt in those times. For me their romance and love almost transcends and almost epic.
The rest of the cast were likable as well.
Helios and Griffin
There's not so much I didn't like here. Aside from the hideous cover and bad title. But if you read the book, you'll understand how the cover is spot on with the book and how the title fits the story.
I would want to recommend this book to everyone but I'm not sure how you guys will take it. Maybe you can give this one a try and see.
Recommended for M/M Romance fans who likes a little Sci-Fi.
