Driven (Northern Waste, #1)

Sep 15, 2010 new_user rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Everyone compares Eve Kenin's Driven to Mad Max, and I see it. Her world's barren, dog-eat-dog, and Raina Bowen's a road warrior racing the clock to deliver a package and fighting against black-gummed, post-apocalyptic savages sponsored by government and bad business.

Sounds good, huh?

I enjoyed unfolding the rules of the Northern Wastes, but Kenin's delivery leaves something to be desired. Her narration's cumbersome and lacking immediacy in part because of meta-cognition like this: "Shaking her h...more Everyone compares Eve Kenin's Driven to Mad Max, and I see it. Her world's barren, dog-eat-dog, and Raina Bowen's a road warrior racing the clock to deliver a package and fighting against black-gummed, post-apocalyptic savages sponsored by government and bad business.

Sounds good, huh?

I enjoyed unfolding the rules of the Northern Wastes, but Kenin's delivery leaves something to be desired. Her narration's cumbersome and lacking immediacy in part because of meta-cognition like this: "Shaking her head, she focused on the first thought." That lack of urgency is even more apparent examining that same paragraph:

"Sam's voice rang in her head, reminding her that everyone felt fear, but what separated the coward from the hero were knife-edge smarts and the ability to control that fear. Of course, he also taught her that only fools fought battles that weren't their own. Shaking her head, she focused on the first thought. She'd chosen her path today, and she'd see it through to the end, even though her little snowscooter pitted against the hard-shelled tanks was the equivalent of a mosquito against a genetically engineered shaggy-haired mastodon.
Maybe that made her a fool. Or maybe it made her brave. Or maybe it just made her human."

In the middle of an action scene, she philosophizes, meanders enough to naysay her own theory (i.e. "Of course..."), consciously returns to point A, pauses to remark on a convoluted metaphor, and just when we expect her to finally leap back into the fray, she philosophizes some more.

She not only interrupts an action scene with a monologue but her inner dialogue is entirely too casual for the suicide into which she's heading. I expect action scenes to be tight, no more than a few thoughts seeding the narrative and all of them contributing to an atmosphere.

Given that road romances are already slow by definition, Kenin's repetition isn't helping her case either. By the 100 page mark, Kenin's insistence that her heroine is independent in inner dialogue has become tedious. She needs her own song. No one must get close. We get it. Some world-building or setting might have filled that space equally adequately. Her worldbuilding's light.

That said, Kenin's real strength is her character development. Obviously lacking proper socialization, male lead Wizard could have easily been one-note, but a good deal of dialogue ensures that Wizard is constantly responding in some way, whether that's a stiffening of his shoulders or a comment and so on. Props for that. He's shown complex and intelligent. Baddie Duncan Bane is likewise truly, provably bad. No question. Truly evil fellow in the way that humans can be.

Also, an A for the love scenes. They were neither flowery nor graphic, interesting, and for a machine, Wizard's sure passionate!

I believe Kenin more suited to PNR rather than SFR, even though her writing has improved in her later Compact of Sorceror novels (or else she's benefited from a good editor). I would recommend Driven on the merits of its romance rather than its action, plot, or scifi. That's really the strength of the story, Raina and Wizard. (less)

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Oct 21, 2012 Willowfaerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, romance

I love the world for this book. Ice truckers fighting it out in a frozen wasteland is such a cool idea. I thought the romance was sweet. The characters are pretty cool, and the dialogue was well done. The prose wasn’t sappy or flowery and the love scenes erotic.

I’ve read some reviews that say this book is like Mad Max and I suppose with the ice truckers and pirates there is some similarity. Actually, there are lots of little tidbits and homage that made me think of other SciFi movies and televi...more I love the world for this book. Ice truckers fighting it out in a frozen wasteland is such a cool idea. I thought the romance was sweet. The characters are pretty cool, and the dialogue was well done. The prose wasn’t sappy or flowery and the love scenes erotic.

I’ve read some reviews that say this book is like Mad Max and I suppose with the ice truckers and pirates there is some similarity. Actually, there are lots of little tidbits and homage that made me think of other SciFi movies and television shows. For instance the rebels’ goodbye phrase, “live to see peace,’ made me think of Spock’s “Live long and prosper,’ from Star Trek. And Wizard talks a lot like Spock with words like ‘Affirmative’ and ‘Unacceptable.’ The rebal's camp in the frozen wasteland made me think of The Empire Strikes Back. Kenin likes to use plasma and phosphorous for many futuristic devices and she had some cool ideas about winter survival gear. All this stuff made me smile and I enjoyed the little references.

One of the things that bothered me about her world though was I never did get a clear idea of the big picture. I suspect the Northern Waste is somewhere in Canada, but Kenin never confirms this, and it doesn't help that she keeps using words like ‘Siberia’ and ‘Mongolians.’ I would hope this story didn’t take place in Europe/Asia because it doesn't fit. I was also lost as to what caused the wasteland. Kenin mentions something about war, but if this world has been damaged by nuclear bombs, I don’t see the real evidence of that. Everything is so vague. I know movies like Mad Max got away with being vague, but in books you want a little bit more detail.

Another thing that drove me insane is Kenin’s insistence on having Raina ponder and reflect every emotion to death. Even during action scenes, Raina is lost in reflection. Raina thinks she cares for Wizard, but then she argues she’s independent and can’t trust anybody. Then she's jealous of Wizard and Yuriko and ponders the relationship between them, and gosh isn’t Wizard damn good looking, but he may be with Yuriko whom she likes…on and on and on. These long passages of nowhere babble go on for a page or two and then they are repeated. I get the feeling Kenin was afraid we wouldn’t understand what Raina was thinking so she kept telling us. This really bogs the story down, and it’s really bad when it’s right in the middle of the exciting conclusion. I just wanted to tell Raina’s inner voice to SHUT UP!

Overall though, I enjoyed this book. I think Eve Kenin (aka Eve Silver) has some cool ideas, just like she did with her ‘Sins’ series. I just wish she would clarify things more and explain her world in more detail. In the two books I’ve read by her, I always feel like I don’t know all the rules and I’m missing a big chunk.
(less)

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Feb 13, 2013 Mara rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: futuristic, romance

I didn't know what Driven was about when I downloaded it. I thought it might be some futuristic UF or the similar. I did not expect what I found.

The book has a great idea, if not at all new. A world after the apocalypse with the rich dominating with lies and strength (mafia-like) and the rest of the population fighting for survival. Well, this is the idea only, as what we get is much, much less. There's close to no world-building, but thank God no info-dump. At least the back-story is woven in...more

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Mar 17, 2011 ♥Laddie♥ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mf-futuristic, m-f, mf-post-apocalyptic

Driven is the reason why I downloaded the Kindle app onto my phone. I couldn't find the book anywhere and was dying to reading. Dying.

Alot of people compared it to Mad Max and I love me some Mad Max.

Raina Bowen is a long haul truck driver who lives in a post apocalyptic world. There was a situation and it involved things that were nuclear. The world's run by big business that calls itself the New Government Something Or Other. What else, what else...? Oh. There's alot of ice and snow.

Okay, so...more Driven is the reason why I downloaded the Kindle app onto my phone. I couldn't find the book anywhere and was dying to reading. Dying.

Alot of people compared it to Mad Max and I love me some Mad Max.

Raina Bowen is a long haul truck driver who lives in a post apocalyptic world. There was a situation and it involved things that were nuclear. The world's run by big business that calls itself the New Government Something Or Other. What else, what else...? Oh. There's alot of ice and snow.

Okay, so Raina's a badass, big business is evil, and it's cold. How do we know Raina's a badass? Right in the beginning she kicks the butt of another truck driver. He was sassin' and harassin' her while she's waiting in a truck stop diner. She's waiting for someone but that someone is late. That someone is supposed to bring Raina a pass that will help her jump the line at a checkpoint on the only safe highway in the country. There's a truck race going on and Raina wants that money.

The hero, Wizard, comes onto the scene just as Raina's jumped on her snow scooter to leave. Wizard is a living legend in the trucking world. They say he's weird and mess anyone up faster than the blink of an eye. He drive a big, black rig and when he comes down out of his truck it's nighttime and he's standing in a pool of light. Wizard's hood is up so you can't see his face. The guys who drive trucks for Big Business really hate Wizard. They surrounded him, try to beat him up and Wizard does some crazy fight moves and proves that the legend is true.

At this point, I'm dying...of boredom. I'm also slightly annoyed. Raina does alot of internal blah blah blahing. Wizard's okay and for the 75% of the book that I made it through, I kept wishing it was written from Wizard's point of view.

Don't get me wrong. There was action in the form of high speed truck chases complete with shotguns and whatnot. The good guys fight the bad guys. The bad guys are in these killer tanks and the good guys are on motorcycles. Things blow up, get shot. People have sort-of-sexy sex.

The thing is that with all of this action, you get Raina. Man, I really wish this book had been written from Wizard's point of view. Even if the viewpoint would have alternated between the two main characters it would have given me a break.

This book had everything I love but it just didn't work for me.(less)

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Dec 08, 2011 ♫♥✿LovLivLife Reviews✿♥♫ (Chasity) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own

Absolutely fantastic read!!!!!!

I took Driven with me on my hike to read while taking a small break and I almost didn't want to stop to come back down the mountain! Taken on Ko'olau Summit Trail (KST) between Mariner's Ridge and Kamehame, O'ahu, Hawai'i.

My official review of books one and two, combined:

These books are from my personal shelf and boy am I pleased with my selections!

Eve Kenin a.k.a. Eve Silver is a highly talented writer. I've read her paranormal series and now this sci-fi series a...more

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Nov 20, 2010 Carolyn F. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book, urban-fantasy, sci-fi, favorites

I kept putting off reading this book until the day it was due and realize I shouldn't have. The cover made me think it would read like a comic book, which it did a little but was a whole lot more.

This is a post-apocalyptic book after two nuclear wars happen and the top half of the world is a winter "Waste" land. Raina is a truck driver waiting for a man named Wizard to give her a pass so that she'll be able to maybe win a trucking race. Things don't go as planned and Wizard ends up catching a r...more

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Jan 12, 2009 Danielle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: scifi-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 20, 2013 Fajrdrako rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fast-moving and easy to read, this is adenture-romance set in a distopian version of nothern Canada – a Canada which is Canada no longer, but part of the New Government Order, controlled by a sadistic CEO named Crinan Bane. (Does the author read Batman, I wonder?) Megalomanical Bane is obsessed with finding and repossessing a girl named Rianna Bowen, who, at twelve he acquired as a slave. She promptly escaped him, and it didn't sit well.

Rianna Bowen is now a self-sufficient adult, a cute blonde...more Fast-moving and easy to read, this is adenture-romance set in a distopian version of nothern Canada – a Canada which is Canada no longer, but part of the New Government Order, controlled by a sadistic CEO named Crinan Bane. (Does the author read Batman, I wonder?) Megalomanical Bane is obsessed with finding and repossessing a girl named Rianna Bowen, who, at twelve he acquired as a slave. She promptly escaped him, and it didn't sit well.

Rianna Bowen is now a self-sufficient adult, a cute blonde who is fast and smart enough to out-fight the ice pirates and rival truckers who would like to kill her and steal her rig. She has a state of the art transport, complete with a mini-shower she is particularly proud of, and which comes in handy for sex scenes later in the book. Her hard-as-nails father has recently died, and Riana wants to win the big prize that goes to the first trucker to take a load of grain to a certain destination. With that prize, she can rescue the younger sister she neer knew she had. She doesn't realize that the crates of grain are actually guns, and that the winner of the prize, moments after winning, will be killed by officially-sanctioned thieves.

So it's just as well that en route she stops to help a lone manon a snowscooter who is being attacked by thugs. She gives him a lift after they blow up his snowscooter and his truck; he's gorgeous, but he talks like a computer, and identifies himself as an assassin for hire. We know, though Riana doesn't, that he's actually setting her up as bait for a trap to catch Bane, on behalf of a covert organization of freedom-fighters. And he has superpowers: he was genetically designed in Bane's laborotories. Which he escaped, though his little sister didn't.

How all this works out is all part of the fast-moving action as they race their truck across the Arctic, eluding villains. saving orphans ,and having sex along the way.

Sort of a Mad Max version of the far North. With romance thrown in.(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, alpha-male, alternate-reality, anti-hero, author-writes-under-alias, bad-boys-are-good, chemistry-is-good, dark-psychological-edge-to-plot, fast-read, futuristic-romance, hero-heroine-troubled-childhoods, kick-butt-female, shomi, strong-heroine, snarky-humor, keeper

I first read DRIVEN when it came out in 2007 but I wasn't writing reviews for books back then. I shelved it as a 'keeper' and five years later I decided to read it again. Eve Silver wrote this SHOMI love story along with its sequel HIDDEN under the alias Eve Kenin after writing a couple of historical romances with some bite. She is currently publishing The Otherkin/Sins books at the present time.

I would venture to guess that this short series was aimed at the 18 and up crowd but it you enjoy fut...more I first read DRIVEN when it came out in 2007 but I wasn't writing reviews for books back then. I shelved it as a 'keeper' and five years later I decided to read it again. Eve Silver wrote this SHOMI love story along with its sequel HIDDEN under the alias Eve Kenin after writing a couple of historical romances with some bite. She is currently publishing The Otherkin/Sins books at the present time.

I would venture to guess that this short series was aimed at the 18 and up crowd but it you enjoy futuristic romances with some cryptic moments, a dystopian society, a kick-butt heroine and an anti-hero that you could fall in love with, this book is for you.

DRIVEN is a fast read that contains both action and adventure. Raina Bowen lives during a time when a sadistic man rules the world. She comes into contact with Wizard who is an assassin. They both have hidden agendas and, over a period of days, try to trust each other. This is an issue that neither takes lightly.

It also has some snarky humor. "He stared at her, saying nothing, his gray eyes narrowed in thought. "Romance. Compliments. Gifts." He gave an abrupt nod. "Understood."...."Raina..." She licked her lips..... "Your eyes are appropriately spaced," he whispered. She blinked. "And your ears are proportional to your face...." He looked at her earnestly. "Compliments."

Driven won the Best Genre Fiction in 2007 by Library Journal, the 2008 All About Romance Annual Reader Poll Award and was a Romantic Times BOOKreviews Reviewers Choice award winner. Here is a tip, don't read too much into the reviews. Trust me and just read the book.

This time around DRIVEN is closer to four stars but it is still a keeper for me. If you enjoy futuristic romances with strong women and men who are not perfect you may want to try COUNTDOWN by Michelle Maddox or the '2176 Series':
#1 The Legend of Banzai Maguire by Susan Grant
#2 Day of Fire by Kathleen Nance
#3 The Shadow Runners by Liz Maverick
#4 The Power of Two by Patti O'Shea
#5 The Scarlet Empress by Susan Grant(less)

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Jan 28, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Inhalt

Raina Bowen ist auf sich alleine gestellt, denn ihr Vater ist vor kurzem um's Leben gekommen und er hinterlässt ihr eine Schwester von der sie bisher nichts wusste. Mit ihrem Truck versucht sie ein Rennen in der Eiswüste - dem Ödland - zu gewinnen um die Belohnung einzusacken, die sie dringend braucht um ihrer Schwester, Beth, ein sicheres Leben zu ermöglichen.
In dieser Eiswüste trifft sie auf Wizard. Einem Mann dem sie so noch nicht begegnet ist, denn er legt sich doch gleich mit den schl...more Inhalt

Raina Bowen ist auf sich alleine gestellt, denn ihr Vater ist vor kurzem um's Leben gekommen und er hinterlässt ihr eine Schwester von der sie bisher nichts wusste. Mit ihrem Truck versucht sie ein Rennen in der Eiswüste - dem Ödland - zu gewinnen um die Belohnung einzusacken, die sie dringend braucht um ihrer Schwester, Beth, ein sicheres Leben zu ermöglichen.
In dieser Eiswüste trifft sie auf Wizard. Einem Mann dem sie so noch nicht begegnet ist, denn er legt sich doch gleich mit den schlimmsten Schlägertypen unter den Truckern an. Er kann also nur komplett verblödet sein.
Doch nach und nach zieht der schöne Wizard sie in seinen Bann und führt sie schlussendlich zu einem Rebellen-Lager in dem sie zum ersten Mal ein zu hause zu sehen scheint ...

Fazit

Dieses Buch beinhaltet eine Geschichte, die keinesfalls neu ist: Ein Mann, dem Emotionen nahezu fremd sind trifft auf eine Frau, die diese in ihm weckt. Dennoch hebt das ganze drum herum sich von ähnlichen Romanen ab.

Die Protagonisten sind eigentlich sehr verschieden. So gibt es Raina, die von Anfang an als Einzelgängerin auftritt und sehr tough und zielstrebig ist. Wenn sie sich etwas in den Kopf gesetzt hat, dann setzt sie alles daran ihr Ziel zu erreichen. Und sie hasst die Kälte! Ein wenig witzig ist es also zu sehen, dass sie dann von einem Mann fasziniert ist, der den Namen Wizard (engl. Zauberer) trägt, denn sie wollte sie niemals auf jemanden einlassen, niemals jemanden vertrauen und doch schafft er es sie zu verzaubern. Dieser ist der zweite Protagonist. Er ist ein sehr pragmatischer Mensch, denkt meist wie ein Computer und errechnet sich seine Chancen bei einem Auftrag prozentual - ganz ohne anstrengung. Er und seine zwei geschwister sind aus einem Genmanipulativen Experiment hervorgegangen, welches ihre Sinne geschäft und sie weniger anfällig für verletzungen gemacht hat.

Der gasamte Roman vermittelt dem Leser eine recht kalte Stimmung: Verständlich, denn spielt das Geschehen sich doch in einer Eiswüste ab. Ich fand die Empfindungen bei dieser eisigen Kälte sehr gut übermittelt und mir hat es mehr als einmal gefröstelt, wenn ich las, dass die Charaktere des Buches sich draußen bei mehr wie -35°C aufhalten.
Warum es sich hierbei um eine Eiswüste handelt wird allerdings nur angedeutet und ich habe erst aus der Kurzbeschreibung des folgeromans "Herz aus Feuer" herauslesen können, dass es sich um die Erde am Ende des 21. Jahrhundert handelt und durch Nuklearkriege die Welt größtenteils in Eis versunken ist. Alles was während des lesens erwähnt wird sind die vorhergegangenen Kriege. Ich finde das ein bisschen schade, denn ich persönlich habe die ganze Zeit ausschau gehalten, dass gesagt wird, in welcher Zeit sich die Charaktere befinden.

Ich muss zugeben, dass ich es etwas schwierig fand in den Roman hineinzufinden. Bei ca. 300 Seiten habe ich schon etwa die hälfte gebraucht um wirklich gefallen daran zu finden.
Was ich auch auf Dauer etwas schade fand, ist das Wizard immer etwas in den Hintergrund geschoben scheint. So liest der Leser meist aus Rainas Sicht und leider viel zu selten aus der Sicht von Wizard und so bekam ich persönlich einfach nicht so recht mit ihm klar. Mir hätte es sehr gefallen die entwicklungen zwischen ihm und Raina aus seiner doch rein analytischen Sicht zu sehen. Seine Verwirrung näher zu erleben, wenn sie seine Gefühle erweckt und alles in ihm aufwirbelt. Leider kam das hier viel zu kurz.

Ganz neu fand ich allerdings die Idee mit den Eis-Truckern. Es gibt sie schon heute, aber in diesem Roman ist jeder darauf angewiesen, denn die ganze Welt ist im Eis versunken. So ist nicht nur Raina mit einem Truck unterwegs, sondern auch ihre Widersacher.

Zum Schluss wird es noch einmal interessant, denn was der Leser schon die ganze Zeit ahnt: Wizards tot geglaubte Schwester scheint noch zu leben und so ist natürlich direkt die Grundlage für den nächsten Band gelegt.

Ich bin nicht übermäßig begeistert von diesem Buch, kann aber auch nicht abstreiten, dass es auch spannend und interessant zu lesen war. Also bin ich gewillt diesem Buch 3/5 Sternen zu geben und werde wohl den nächsten Band auch lesen wollen, denn ich warte noch darauf, dass Wizard seine tot geglaube Schwester Tatiana wiedertrifft und ich möchte gerne mehr über seine andere Schwester Yuriko und der bereits angedeuteten Liebesgeschichte mit ihr erfahren. (less)

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Nov 27, 2011 Melanie S. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, book-of-the-month-2011

Ich habe das Buch in der Vorschau gesehen, den Klappentext durchgelesen und mich sofort angesprochen gefühlt. Eine Geschichte, die in eisiger Landschaft spielt, mit Charakteren, die unabhängiger kaum sein könnten. Bei der Definition des Genres bin ich mir nicht sicher, ich würde es fast als paranormale Geschichte mit Science Fiction Einschlag bezeichnen, aber ich dürft mich hier gerne korrigieren. Während der Zeit, in der das Buch dann unterwegs zu mir war, war ich hibbelig und ungeduldig und ka...more Ich habe das Buch in der Vorschau gesehen, den Klappentext durchgelesen und mich sofort angesprochen gefühlt. Eine Geschichte, die in eisiger Landschaft spielt, mit Charakteren, die unabhängiger kaum sein könnten. Bei der Definition des Genres bin ich mir nicht sicher, ich würde es fast als paranormale Geschichte mit Science Fiction Einschlag bezeichnen, aber ich dürft mich hier gerne korrigieren. Während der Zeit, in der das Buch dann unterwegs zu mir war, war ich hibbelig und ungeduldig und kaum hatte ich es ausgepackt musste ich auch schon mit dem Lesen beginnen. Einem freien Tag habe ich es zu verdanken, dass ich die überraschenderweise recht kurze Geschichte an einem Nachmittag auslesen konnte. Dark Future. Herz aus Eis konnte mich fesseln und begeistern, mich für Stunden in eine andere Welt entführen, die ich gar nicht mehr verlassen möchte. Das Ende kam viel zu schnell, aber zum Glück ist eine Fortsetzung in Sicht. Ich muss zugeben, ich war zwar überrascht wie dünn das Buch doch war, weil ich aus welchem Grund auch immer etwas anderes erwartet hatte. Aber man muss der Autorin wirklich zu Gute halten, dass sie aus jeder Seite das Beste herausholt, es keine unnötigen Längen gibt und man somit jede einzelne Seite zur Gänze genießen kann. Missen möchte man von ihnen keine, machen sie doch diese Geschichte zu etwas Besonderem.

Eine Landschaft aus Eis und Schnee, starke unabhängige Protagonisten und ein Held, der nie erfahren hat was Gefühle sind und nun erste Versuche unternimmt romantisch zu sein und dabei mit Logik vorgeht. Was hätte ich mir als Leserin mehr wünschen können? Raina hat gelernt sich in einer Welt, die von Männern beherrscht wird, durch zu setzen und sich zu verteidigen. Ihr Ziel immer vor Augen, kämpft sie sich durch diese eiskalte Welt, während sie sich an den Strand wünscht. Und doch folgt sie ihrem Ehrgefühl und nimmt ihre Verantwortung sehr ernst. Eine schöne Kindheit hatte sie kaum und muss sich noch jetzt mit den Handlungen ihres Vaters auseinander setzen. Wizard erging es nicht viel anders, aber während Raina in ihrem Vater kaum Gutes sehen kann, ist dies für Wizard anders und ihm hat er eigentlich sein Leben zu verdanken. Seine Geschichte ist eine einzigartige und eine, die dem Leser nahe geht. Wie er aufgewachsen ist und zu seinem Namen kann sind Geschichten, die in so unglaublich sympathisch machen. In seinen Handlungen wirkt er oft naiv und unerfahren, trifft Entscheidungen auf der Basis von logischen Überlegungen und Berechnungen und sorgt damit für herrlich unterhaltsame Szenen. Obwohl er ohne zu Zögern töten kann, so hat er doch etwas Unschuldiges an sich. Diese Kombination macht aus Raina und Wizard ein schlagfertiges Team, das sich ergänzt und ausgleicht. Raina fällt es nicht leicht Vertrauen in andere zu fassen, doch bei Wizard stellt dies nie ein Problem dar. Bis er lernt, was dies für ihre Beziehung bedeutet, vergeht so manche spannende Szene, die mich atemlos zurückließ. Überhaupt wollte ich das Buch kaum aus der Hand legen und immer nur weiter lesen.

Und bei all der Spannung und Action, der man sich hier gegenüber sieht gelingt es der Autorin immer wieder humorvolle Szenen einzuarbeiten, die die Stimmung auflockern und Konflikte entschärfen, bevor diese Schaden anrichten können. Die Nebencharaktere nehmen in Dark Future. Herz aus Eis zwar nicht eine so aktive Rolle ein, wie man sie aus so manch anderem Buch kennt, aber das tat meinem Interesse an ihnen keinen Abbruch. Sie sind in ihrer Natur so unterschiedlich und haben sich doch einem gemeinsamen Ziel verschrieben. Einzig der böse Gegenpart blieb für mich farblos und wenig fassbar und das Ende könnte man wohl auch als kurz und knapp bezeichnen, das man in dieser Art nicht erwartet hätte, wenn man die ganze Vorgeschichte dazu kennt. Das tat der Geschichte jedoch keinen Abbruch, weil sie sich auf Raina und Wizard konzentrieren konnte. Dabei verliert sie nie an Geschwindigkeit und Spannung, zärtlich romantisch anhauchende Momente wechseln sich mit jenen von Adrenalin getriebenen Situationen ab und verleihen dem Buch eine besondere Note.

Auf die Fortsetzung warte ich jetzt schon ganz ungeduldig, musste aber bei näherer Recherche leider feststellen, dass (und das sage ausgerechnet ich!) die Reihe mit Band #2 Dark Future. Herz aus Feuer wohl ihren Abschluss finden dürfte. Im Original ist die Fortsetzung nämlich schon 2008 erschienen, seitdem hat man dazu nichts mehr gehört. Neben dieser Reihe wird aber 2012 eine Weitere der Autorin, diesmal unter dem Namen Eve Silver, erscheinen, die ich mir auf jeden Fall vormerken werde. Auch wenn diese in einer neuen Welt spielt, hört sie sich zumindest viel versprechend an. Dark Future. Herz aus Eis kann ich nur empfehlen – wenn ihr also neugierig seid, aber noch zögert, dann hört jetzt damit auf und bestellt euch das Buch! Ich verdanke ihm wunderbare Lesestunden und Eve Kenin hat sich mit dieser Reihe schon jetzt einen Platz in meinem Keeperregal verdient.(less)

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Apr 17, 2010 Mishel Zabala rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is definitely a great addition to the Shomi line of books. Raina Bowen, a strong, kick-ass, independent woman is on a mission to win a trucking race for some big prize money in order to help out her sister, Beth. I immediately fell in love with her when she fended off advances from one of the truckers at the stop she was at while waiting for our male lead, Wizard. Her "stay outta my space" attitude was just strong and great to read.

Then she meets the extremely hot and mysterious Wizard. A g...more This is definitely a great addition to the Shomi line of books. Raina Bowen, a strong, kick-ass, independent woman is on a mission to win a trucking race for some big prize money in order to help out her sister, Beth. I immediately fell in love with her when she fended off advances from one of the truckers at the stop she was at while waiting for our male lead, Wizard. Her "stay outta my space" attitude was just strong and great to read.

Then she meets the extremely hot and mysterious Wizard. A guy who was supposed to be giving her some passes she needed in order to finish the race. However, she ends up pulling him out of a fight with the big bad rival truckers, the Janson. But Wizard isn't as helpless as Raina thought. He ends up having enhanced abilities that make him all the more alluring to her. Poor Raina. Throughout the entire book she becomes sucked in and drawn to Wizard. She puts up a pretty good fight, trying to knock some sense into her head and remind herself that she needs no one, but he's too irrestible.

I liked Wizard a lot too. I found him oddly cute with his short and robotic-like conversations with Raina. And watching him develop into such strong feelings for Raina was really nice. I loved following him as he found his emotions after being programmed his whole life to be an assassin.

And yes, there is a very hateable (I'm not sure that's even a word) bad guy. Duncan Bane. Scum of the Earth kinda guy. Loved having him in the book. Because it just emphasized how great the other characters were.

It was fast-paced with tons of action throughout the entire book that I really loved. And there were so many great and likeable characters thrown in there. The one thing that bugged the hell out of me though was the author, and her fetish with the word frig. I swear Raina said that word so many times I wanted to scream. I understand some people don't like cursing in books or in general. I personally don't mind it at all, I actually curse a lot ^_^. However, if she didn't want her heroine cursing, that's fine by me, but it really annoyed the crap out of me reading 'Frig this, Frig that, Frigging Hell, Frig, Frig, Frig" pretty much on every other page.

Just say fuck for jeepers sake. Which I will point out, Wizard does say, once...ugh.

But who knew I'd enjoy a book about trucking so much. Very different but in a good way. Overall I liked the book, anyone into the Shomi series will enjoy it as well (=
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Mar 18, 2012 Lyndi rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is my first of what I'm being told is called a "SHOMI" novel. And let me just say: I'M CONVERTED!

This book was pretty awesome. Lots of action with romance taking the supporting role, which was a nice change after my monthly Harlequin Blaze binge.

Basically, Wizard uses Raina as bait (unbeknownst to her) to draw Duncan Bane out of his fortress and kill him. Bane is responsible for the torture of Wizard, his two sisters, a sexual assault on Raina, and the torture and death of countless others....more

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Oct 13, 2011 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars

Driven is a Science Fiction Romance book written by Eve Kenin, which is set in a post apocalyptic world where there has been two nuclear wars. The world is run by a corrupt Government and a bad guy called Duncan Blane. Extreme temperatures exist with the Northern part of the Earth a frozen waste land. Nothing grows there and it is dark most of the day, the only way people can survive is by getting goods transported in by truckers. One of those truckers is a woman called Raina Bowen and she is in...more Driven is a Science Fiction Romance book written by Eve Kenin, which is set in a post apocalyptic world where there has been two nuclear wars. The world is run by a corrupt Government and a bad guy called Duncan Blane. Extreme temperatures exist with the Northern part of the Earth a frozen waste land. Nothing grows there and it is dark most of the day, the only way people can survive is by getting goods transported in by truckers. One of those truckers is a woman called Raina Bowen and she is in a race to Gladow Station where the first truck there will win 50 million interdollars. Raina is banking everything on winning that money so that she can have a better life for herself in the sun with the sister she has never met. Hopefully this will be a safer life away from Duncan Blane who is out for Raina’s blood and eventual death. To try and win the race Raina needs to travel the ICW which is illegally monopolized by Jansen trucks and in order to do this she needs a special license, and that’s how the book begins with Raina waiting at a truck stop for a guy called Wizard who will hopefully have a license for her.

I absolutely loved this book it was amazing. If you have read any of my reviews before you will know that I have a lot of trouble with Paranormal Romance however I have no problems what so ever reading Science Fiction Romance weird huh? I think it is because from a very young age I have always watched and loved Sci Fi on tv. The characters are wonderful Raina is an extremely independent tough and lonely young woman. Wizard is a dangerous and good looking strange man who has no emotions at all. It was great to find out about the characters pasts, and boy did they have horrible pasts and I loved seeing their relationship develop and how they changed each other. There were lots of other great supporting characters too, such as the young orphan boy Ben and the evil Duncan Blane. There are twists in the story and deception and heartbreak. The science parts were easy to understand and the author portrayed a grim but vivid world. The mix between romance and the main story is well balanced and there are a couple of sex scenes. The pacing of the book is perfect and there is not one thing that I would like to change, well actually there is I would like more books about Raina and Wizard please. I really cannot stress how much I loved this book and would like to give it 5 stars even though I want to give it more.

Originally posted at www.clairesbookcorner.blogspot.com
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Oct 09, 2011 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-romance, post-apocalyptic

This was actually really good. While I enjoyed the first half, I was prepared to give it 3 stars. But something happened around the middle of the book, and the characters became more real to me. Raina and Wizard are both multi-dimensional characters with a lot of issues, and while these caused the usual turmoil they didn't become aggravating to read about because they were very real and raw. I teared up when Raina found out what Wizard had done because, while I understood his actions and didn't...more

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Nov 15, 2010 gert rated it 4 of 5 stars

this is one of those books that i finished, then promptly purchased the next one in the series. (ebooks - awesome, but bad for someone with no self-control). finished the series, then promptly purchased another book, same author (different pen name), different series....

and i'll continue to go through them all until i'm done.

i loved this book. i don't just like my heroines spunky, i like them truly bad-ass. and i like my heroes to be just a tad less then smooth and gentlemanly. this book paid ou...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, eve-silver-kenin, sci-fi, futuristic-romance, favorites, genetically-engineered, frau-badass, full-time-brainiac

Recommended by: ♫♥✿LovLivLife Reviews✿♥♫ (Chasity)

Thank you Chasity - without you having put this on my radar, I would have been deprived of this thoroughly entertaining futuristic romance!

Wow! I really loved this book. Set in a dystopic future after two nuclear wars where Earth's northern hemisphere is crippled by nuclear winter, we meet Raina Bowen, a tough, solitary ice trucker. A contestant in an ice trucking race to deliver goods to a northern outpost, she's arranged to meet a enigmatic me...more

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Aug 21, 2010 Felicia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: vaginal-sf

Oh romance-sci-fi, you are so erratic. There were many things derivative of every Sci-fi movie ever in this book: Mad Max and Terminator being the biggest.

Yes, I still read it (and it was enjoyable in a clunky kinda way), yes the hero is a dude named "Wizard", yes, I think the lady on the plane next to me glanced at my Kindle when the words "thick c$#$" were at the top of the page, and it was uncomfortable after that. Sigh.

I think this is a first book by the author and will try the next book in...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Bücherfresser rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, utopie-dystopie

"Zu wenig Future …"

Inhalt:
Raina Bowen ist Truckfahrerin Ende des 21. Jahrhunderts. Die Welt wurde durch viele Kriege und Katastrophen zerstört. Doch Raina will nicht aufgeben. Sie will unbedingt das Rennen ins Ödland gewinnen, als Erste ihre Getreidelieferung abgeben und so das Preisgeld einheimsen, das sie für ihre, ihr noch unbekannte, Schwester Beth einplant. Allerdings ist das Leben im Ödland hart und voller Gefahren, vor allem wenn man als Frau unterwegs ist.
Doch dann trifft sie plötzlich a...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Sara Walker rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: futuristic-romance

Full review at Urban Fantasy Land

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed DRIVEN, right from hearing the premise. I mean, what's not to like about romance meets Ice Road Truckers? I thought this was a great concept because the very landscape provides conflict and tension. In Ice Road Truckers, one wrong move and you sink your rig in Arctic waters. In DRIVEN, one wrong move and your life is ended by the gang of pirate-raider bad guys.

DRIVEN is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where a new, icy continent has...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Monique rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-romance, reviews-all, fiction-romance-futuristic, fiction, year-2012-read, bookmedium-ebook-epub, reviews-done

I received this book for review as a result of an author call for reviews. I have not been paid in any way for this review, nor did I agree to write a positive review.

I first read this book in its Dorchester/SHOMI paperback incarnation. My impression of it then was "Wow!". Action-packed, fast-paced, full of great futuristic and dystopian plot lines and events, Driven knocked my socks off.

This newer version, updated a bit, is even better. Little details pop out at you; things that make the story...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Borderstar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian-apocalyptic, sci-fi-romance, x-first-in-series

Enjoyable, very fast- paced story. It was a bit sci-fi, a bit Mad Max, a bit Firefly (sci-fi western TV series and film), and a bit ice-road truckers all rolled into one! There wasnt a dull moment throughout with lots of action. i also found the secondary characters interesting, such as Ben the street-rat and his band of kids, Yuriko, Trey and the rebels etc. But the best part of the story is the romance...the hero is HOT, the heroine is sexy and strong....and thhere are some very steamy love sc...more

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Aug 23, 2008 Janice (Janicu) rated it 5 of 5 stars

OK, wow, this book exceeded my expectations. The writer portrays a futuristic landscape - post nuclear with extreme climate changes, governed by a corrupt New Government Organization and by big business (headed by bad guy Duncan Bane). There are two extremely interesting protagonists. Raina Bowen is in hiding from Duncan Bane, and determined to win the 50 million interdollars awarded in to the first trucker to deliver their cargo to Gladow Station. Wizard is the contact she was supposed to meet...more

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Sep 01, 2007 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of science fiction, romance, manga

This book is part of Dorchester Publishing's new SHOMI line, a line of romance books geared towards younger readers, with spiffy manga style covers and futuristic plot lines. After reading ,Driven, I am curious to check out the other books from this line. Driven is the story of Raina Kenin, who drives a rig in the Northern Wastes of Siberia, and Wizard, from whom she arranges to purchase a trucker's license, giving her the upper hand in a race to Gladow. Of course, Wizard is Not What He Seems, a...more

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Jan 25, 2009 Martina the Book Fairy rated it 4 of 5 stars

A fast & furious futuristic, post-apocalyptic, romance. Set in the same Northern Wastes as Kenin's other book, Hidden, I believe it was "technically" supposed to have been the first book in the series. However, I don't think it hurt to read them out of order.

This was a PRISM award winner and a book I would certainly recommend to readers who like their romance with an edge and their heros & heroines to have both an ass-kicking as well as a vulnerable side.

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Apr 26, 2009 Jeff rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not going to finish it. I was intrigued in the beginning (and realized eventually it's a romance novel! They were spending a lot of time on anatomy...).

But, in the end, I didn't find myself trying to fit it in at all my spare moments. I've read enough captivating and entertaining books to realize there are probably many amazing books out there I haven' read (I hope) so I decided to look around and find something else.

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Jan 21, 2011 Janine Southard rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 22, 2010 Marianna rated it 2 of 5 stars

The main characters fell in love rather quickly (it took a day or two, pfff! Of course). And they kept talking as if the other person radically changed them, "She taught me to laugh, to smile, etc etc." And all of this blather was said repeatedly. Yawn.

The climax was yawn too. It was like BAM! and then it was over. And it was a baby bam...nothing very exciting.

Easy to read; not especially good.

My rating: 2.5/5

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Jan 01, 2011 Yolanda Sfetsos rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-futuristic

This book was awesome! Honestly, it was fantastic... especially since I love post-Apocalyptic stuff!

There's a lot of action and a very interesting storyline. The characters were so cool too. I particularly liked Wizard. Oh yeah, he was all that. Lol. ;)

The connection and attraction between Raina and Wizard was great, and I loved how everything tied up in the end.

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Jan 02, 2013 Nicki rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've been dying to read this book for a while now, and when the ebook went on sale, I finally picked it up. It doesn't disappoint - it's got great action, good characters and a tension-filled romance. While a lot of Dystopian books are starting to sound similar, this one really stands out in my mind. Can't wait to pick up the sequel, HIDDEN.

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Driven (Northern Waste #1)

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