What do you think?
Rate this book
The Gaian Consortium #1
Blood Will Tell
Welcome to Iradia, where the Gaian Consortium looks the other way if enough money changes hands, and the best way to ensure a long life is to secure passage off-world…
When Miala Fels’ father is murdered by a vicious crime lord, she decides the best way to get her revenge is to hack the accounts of the man responsible and bleed his hoard of ill-gotten loot dry. Her plans go awry when Mast is killed by a rival, and she ends up nursing one of his men, the notorious mercenary Eryk Thorn, back to health. Her only thought is to have Thorn help her get off-world in exchange for half of Mast’s treasure. The last thing she expects is to lose her heart to him…or to have the consequences of that love change her life forever.
When Miala Fels’ father is murdered by a vicious crime lord, she decides the best way to get her revenge is to hack the accounts of the man responsible and bleed his hoard of ill-gotten loot dry. Her plans go awry when Mast is killed by a rival, and she ends up nursing one of his men, the notorious mercenary Eryk Thorn, back to health. Her only thought is to have Thorn help her get off-world in exchange for half of Mast’s treasure. The last thing she expects is to lose her heart to him…or to have the consequences of that love change her life forever.
420 pages, ebook
First published May 12, 2012
120 people are currently reading
436 people want to read
About the author
Christine Pope
220 books1,095 followersA native of Southern California, Christine Pope has been writing stories ever since she commandeered her family’s Smith-Corona typewriter back in the sixth grade. Many reams of dead trees later, she’s happy to announce that her debut novel, Fringe Benefits,was published by Pink Petal Books on April 8, 2010. Her short fiction has appeared in Astonishing Adventures, Luna Station Quarterly, and the new journal of dark fiction, Dark Valentine. Her paranormal novella, Playing With Fire, was released on August 5, 2010.
While Fringe Benefits is a straight contemporary romance, she writes in a variety of genres, including paranormal romance, fantasy, horror, science fiction, and historical romance. She blames this on being easily distracted by bright, shiny objects, which could also account for the size of her shoe collection.
After spending many years in the magazine publishing industry, she now works as a freelance editor in addition to writing fiction. She lives with her husband and an explosively fluffy Pomeranian mix. Her house is pink, but don’t hold that against her.
While Fringe Benefits is a straight contemporary romance, she writes in a variety of genres, including paranormal romance, fantasy, horror, science fiction, and historical romance. She blames this on being easily distracted by bright, shiny objects, which could also account for the size of her shoe collection.
After spending many years in the magazine publishing industry, she now works as a freelance editor in addition to writing fiction. She lives with her husband and an explosively fluffy Pomeranian mix. Her house is pink, but don’t hold that against her.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 21, 2016
Eryk Thorn and Miala Fels are unlike characters I have read in other science fiction romance novels and unlike Pope's other Gaian characters, Anika and Sarzhin. It is very refreshing when a science fiction author creates a new world and in a sequel creates new planets and completely new personalities. I am so tired of reading sequels that are written just like the original book, with even the same story arc, and all that is different are the physical descriptions of the main characters and a few of their little foibles. Although part of the Gaian Consortium series, this installment is so not that, and I will expect no less when I read The Gaia Gambit next.
Miala is intriguing. She is smart, brave, innocent, naïve and determined. And it is such a bad idea for Thorn to be attracted to her, but he can't seem to help himself. There are really two parts to this book, spanning several years. Miala changes quite a bit through the book, and we get inside her head a lot more frequently than inside Thorn's. I like that she starts out so young, but is never frivolous. Thorn remains an enigma through the first portion of the book. Pope does an outstanding job of revealing his backstory and his personality in snippets throughout the second half. I even like that he has a persona that is the real "him" but exaggerated. Thorn has many layers and each of them was fascinating.
Pope does a great job of creating interesting settings on different worlds. It feels like the future, but there are links to Earth civilization that make it relatable.
This was definitely a romance novel, and in fact, I'm used to reading things that are a little more explicit. It's a testament to Pope's skill that she can make an anticipated kiss as sexy as another author's detailed encounter. You definitely felt the heat between Miala and Thorn.
The secondary characters are also very good. I swear my nose wrinkled as I "smelled" Mast's quarters in his compound. The scenes with galactic cops Jessa and Creel were also very entertaining. The scene with them tied together provided great comic relief at just the right time. The pace of the book, and the introduction of action and levity at certain places in the plot, made everything feel like a really good TV series where new characters are introduced over the season with extensive story arcs. Loved this book.
Miala is intriguing. She is smart, brave, innocent, naïve and determined. And it is such a bad idea for Thorn to be attracted to her, but he can't seem to help himself. There are really two parts to this book, spanning several years. Miala changes quite a bit through the book, and we get inside her head a lot more frequently than inside Thorn's. I like that she starts out so young, but is never frivolous. Thorn remains an enigma through the first portion of the book. Pope does an outstanding job of revealing his backstory and his personality in snippets throughout the second half. I even like that he has a persona that is the real "him" but exaggerated. Thorn has many layers and each of them was fascinating.
Pope does a great job of creating interesting settings on different worlds. It feels like the future, but there are links to Earth civilization that make it relatable.
This was definitely a romance novel, and in fact, I'm used to reading things that are a little more explicit. It's a testament to Pope's skill that she can make an anticipated kiss as sexy as another author's detailed encounter. You definitely felt the heat between Miala and Thorn.
The secondary characters are also very good. I swear my nose wrinkled as I "smelled" Mast's quarters in his compound. The scenes with galactic cops Jessa and Creel were also very entertaining. The scene with them tied together provided great comic relief at just the right time. The pace of the book, and the introduction of action and levity at certain places in the plot, made everything feel like a really good TV series where new characters are introduced over the season with extensive story arcs. Loved this book.
March 28, 2013
c2012. Perhaps I should have taken better note of the publisher - Dark Valentine Press -as this is sort of like the old Mills and Boon but set in outer space. It is a sweet but clichéd story. Nicely written and, despite some anachronisms, well thought out. Perhaps a bit too YA or the dreaded "new adult" for me. Very tame with no swearing etc. Would be suitable for teenagers etc. "Her anger didn't prevent her from donning an expensive nightgown of black synth-silk and Castopol lace, but she told herself it was just in case.
September 22, 2017
Sokkal pörgősebb volt, mint amire számítottam és kevesebb volt benne a romantikus elem. Viszont így is nagyon jó volt. A lassú kezdés után dúskált az akcióban. Lövöldözés, üldözés, emberrablás...Eryk Thorn meg egy kicsit olyan volt, mint Han Solo. :)
Want to read
June 15, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/15/2021)! 🎁
July 7, 2016
Started off amazing, but decreased slowly until the end.
November 12, 2017
Mia the survivor and Erik the mercenary.
I wondered at first if Erik was perhaps undercover or something, but no, he is the quintessential anti-hero. A man with no ties, one hell of a poker face and no fear.
Mia is out for vengeance. She is undercover as kitchen staff in the fortress of the biggest gangster on her planet, because he killed her father. Then it all goes to hell, but maybe that will work in her favour. She saves Erik because... well, I'm really not sure why. And their time together leads to a son.
Now Erik has ties.
That he doesn't know about.
Until...
A tight suspenseful tale with crooks and crooked cops and lives in the balance.
I loved the MCs. I even loved the son, who takes after his father.
Mia is strong and resilient and yet she's not a hard ass.
I read the following book first and always wondered about these two who play a small part in that story.
safety
I wondered at first if Erik was perhaps undercover or something, but no, he is the quintessential anti-hero. A man with no ties, one hell of a poker face and no fear.
Mia is out for vengeance. She is undercover as kitchen staff in the fortress of the biggest gangster on her planet, because he killed her father. Then it all goes to hell, but maybe that will work in her favour. She saves Erik because... well, I'm really not sure why. And their time together leads to a son.
Now Erik has ties.
That he doesn't know about.
Until...
A tight suspenseful tale with crooks and crooked cops and lives in the balance.
I loved the MCs. I even loved the son, who takes after his father.
Mia is strong and resilient and yet she's not a hard ass.
I read the following book first and always wondered about these two who play a small part in that story.
safety
July 3, 2016
A sweet story, even if really shallow.
October 24, 2021
Miala finds Eryk barely clinging to life after two crime lord groups killed each other in the desert near a compound.
She needed him to get her off the planet, because he was a pilot with his own ship. She gets him to a medlab in the compound where the crime lord lived.
She succeeds in hacking the vaults open and they depart..
She decides to go University.. and after a few nights of passion, they part ways… she was hoping for more.. but he let her go.
Fast forward eight years, her son, Jerem, is in trouble at school…again.
She now runs a successful business in security.
She goes off planet to secure a big deal, only to end up captured by a crime lord who wants the treasure she and Eryk stole..
Eryk is there and they escape.. he returns her home and he meets his son.. he knew where she was but she had no way to contact him..
He is attacked and Jerem is kidnapped, her house is burnt down
The kidnappers demand a ransom..
They are relatives of the criminals they escaped from before.. Jerem was locked up but he got bored and he escaped through ventilation ducts into an abandoned theme park .. a couple of nice police officers got caught in the whole affair..
Jerem was rescued by his dad in a jetpack..
of course he did!
The whole story made me smile..
She needed him to get her off the planet, because he was a pilot with his own ship. She gets him to a medlab in the compound where the crime lord lived.
She succeeds in hacking the vaults open and they depart..
She decides to go University.. and after a few nights of passion, they part ways… she was hoping for more.. but he let her go.
Fast forward eight years, her son, Jerem, is in trouble at school…again.
She now runs a successful business in security.
She goes off planet to secure a big deal, only to end up captured by a crime lord who wants the treasure she and Eryk stole..
Eryk is there and they escape.. he returns her home and he meets his son.. he knew where she was but she had no way to contact him..
He is attacked and Jerem is kidnapped, her house is burnt down
The kidnappers demand a ransom..
They are relatives of the criminals they escaped from before.. Jerem was locked up but he got bored and he escaped through ventilation ducts into an abandoned theme park .. a couple of nice police officers got caught in the whole affair..
Jerem was rescued by his dad in a jetpack..
of course he did!
The whole story made me smile..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2021
I liked the story well enough, and I really liked Thorn. I did not like Miala at all. She was argumentative, bitchy, stupid, and a very typical damsel in distress. I don't think she solved a single problem for herself after the first 1/4 of the book, everything was always Thorn coming and rescuing her. She picked fights with him constantly about absolutely stupid things, and then was mad she could never win an argument with him. She is "in love" with him without having exchanged more than a couple words with him, but never fights for the relationship. Even though Thorn almost never speaks, the entire weight of the relationship is his to carry. By the end she was maybe a little less stupid, but still totally helpless.
January 26, 2023
A little long and rambling. The beginning alone could have been condensed to a chapter or a prologue.
Also the plot was basically just a little interpersonal drama and the greed of criminals and has nothing to do the the Consortium like the rest of the series. Or at least there’s no connection I could see.
Unless these characters feature in future books (which I doubt as even the events of Book 0 were completely irrelevant here) there is no connection to the series as a whole beside introducing Iridia (a planet that apparently becomes important in a later book if the blurb further along is to be believed).
This book floats in a series that is supposed to have a common thread of “Evil Government”.
Also the plot was basically just a little interpersonal drama and the greed of criminals and has nothing to do the the Consortium like the rest of the series. Or at least there’s no connection I could see.
Unless these characters feature in future books (which I doubt as even the events of Book 0 were completely irrelevant here) there is no connection to the series as a whole beside introducing Iridia (a planet that apparently becomes important in a later book if the blurb further along is to be believed).
This book floats in a series that is supposed to have a common thread of “Evil Government”.
August 12, 2024
It's so boring... the supposed "romance" makes ko sense, they barely talk to each other, he's a total ass, and she is super attracted to him... He gives nothing, is completely unavailable emotionally, and it makes no sense to me he stays with her. The scene that leads to sex is bad, it was as if she was having the worst date ever, and all of a sudden she demands a kiss, and BAM! Now they're doing it. Why? Who knows? Not even the characters, apparently. That's when I saw I hadn't even made it to the end of part one... And just couldn't continue. It felt like a chore to read as much of this as I have, so I DNF it at close to 50%
in-collection-already
February 10, 201902/10/19 currently free in Star Crossed: 7 Novels of Space Exploration, Alien Races, Adventure, and Romance
https://www.amazon.com/Star-Crossed-E...
https://www.amazon.com/Star-Crossed-E...
December 20, 2021
3,5 ⭐
I liked it, being the first in a long series. It introduces you to the world, with the different planets and the way of life.
I would have liked more development of the relationship between the main characters and more explicit scenes between them. Also Eryk's POV, I would have really liked to know what he was thinking and feeling.
I loved Jerem, I hope to see more of him in other books.
I think the series has a lot of potential, for the first book where everything starts to be explained, it's very good.
I liked it, being the first in a long series. It introduces you to the world, with the different planets and the way of life.
I would have liked more development of the relationship between the main characters and more explicit scenes between them. Also Eryk's POV, I would have really liked to know what he was thinking and feeling.
I loved Jerem, I hope to see more of him in other books.
I think the series has a lot of potential, for the first book where everything starts to be explained, it's very good.
May 5, 2022
Another boy meets girl story - not!! The meeting was under extreme circumstances. Then the totally aloof guy with the brilliant girl is woven into a story that will pull you in. There is a lot of mystery and action. The couple leads separate lives, but together in consciousness. The author leads us through this story, leaving the reader to realize that there is more detail than we could have imagined. The story is simple, but complicated.
This is a good one to just enjoy the ride through the galaxies.
This is a good one to just enjoy the ride through the galaxies.
October 5, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
This book reaches out grabs the reader by the throat, and takes off. There are serious action scenes, which are broken up by expertly placed cool down passages. The characters are perfectly depicted with interesting back stories which leads to their credit ability. There are several plot twists which caught me off guard each and every time and had me wondering what now. A beautiful book to read
This book reaches out grabs the reader by the throat, and takes off. There are serious action scenes, which are broken up by expertly placed cool down passages. The characters are perfectly depicted with interesting back stories which leads to their credit ability. There are several plot twists which caught me off guard each and every time and had me wondering what now. A beautiful book to read
August 20, 2020
I do not often give a book a five star rating, but this one deserve it. In fact I have read it twice. The main characters are well rounded and well thought out. The story is good with many moments of suspense to keep the readers' attention. Though Thorn is the ultimate mercenary, he has much to recommend him as a human and I actually found him quite likable. And the policeman Creel is a noteworthy character and is a prime example of what an officer of the law should be.
January 28, 2018
Girl saves Rogue. Girl gets Rogue. Yay!
Not this subtle themes of classic literature but engrossing and entertaining sci-fi adventure romance. It is the classic poor but whip smart and resourceful girl gets involved with an independent Rogue and Sparks Fly. I'm a graybeard and thought it was a lot of fun. Going to go buy the sequel.
Not this subtle themes of classic literature but engrossing and entertaining sci-fi adventure romance. It is the classic poor but whip smart and resourceful girl gets involved with an independent Rogue and Sparks Fly. I'm a graybeard and thought it was a lot of fun. Going to go buy the sequel.
September 22, 2018
DNF - stopped at 31%
This book moved way to slowly, & there really wasn’t anything holding my attention. The main characters, Miala & Thorn were both annoying & very flat. There really wasn’t anything to like about them. Nothing about them made me care to find out what happens. I just couldn’t keep reading this.
This book moved way to slowly, & there really wasn’t anything holding my attention. The main characters, Miala & Thorn were both annoying & very flat. There really wasn’t anything to like about them. Nothing about them made me care to find out what happens. I just couldn’t keep reading this.
May 7, 2019
At times slow and other times fast this story about a father trained security expert who avenges her father's murder though not by killing the crime lord who had had him murdered. She saves a mercenary who helps her escape the planet with a lot of the crime lord's treasure. And more importantly, helps her keep it.
September 8, 2020
Sci-fi romance. I liked Miala and how she just deals with life but I honestly never understood WHY she loved Eryk. Also I don’t get the hero worship so many had for him given he primarily seemed to do the bidding of evil crime lords. Would have been better to make him a bounty hunter - he could still have been dodgy and legendary but less minion of evil for the thrill.
April 27, 2024
First novel in 'Star Crossed: 7 Novels of Space Exploration, Alien Races, Adventure, and Romance' purchased this edition on February 12, 2023, from Amazon for free. A Woman tries to avenge her father and ends up saving a notorious mercenary, a space opera. Purchased this edition on August 24, 2022., from Amazon for free. Read Kindle book using Alexa audio asset.Barbara Hambly
freebie-owned-to-read
August 9, 2020
January 29, 2021
The book and plot were ‘bloody brilliant!’
It is a shame that the author overused the lazy American word ‘gotten’. There are a host of words in the English language that would have worked better, such a shame that they were not used.
It is a shame that the author overused the lazy American word ‘gotten’. There are a host of words in the English language that would have worked better, such a shame that they were not used.
May 29, 2022
Blood Will Tell (The Galen Consortium Series Bookn1)
Talk about a fantastic anti hero! Mysterious, bad ass, loner are some of the words that came to mind. But he is not alone - there has to be a little love also.
Talk about a fantastic anti hero! Mysterious, bad ass, loner are some of the words that came to mind. But he is not alone - there has to be a little love also.
December 21, 2024
2024 Reads #705/250
Read for the Sights of Sweden Challenge 2024-2025
September 20, 2024 - January 10, 2025
Online Availability:
📖 Kindle $ Free
📖 Everand Subscription - Ebook
Read for the Sights of Sweden Challenge 2024-2025
September 20, 2024 - January 10, 2025
Online Availability:
📖 Kindle $ Free
📖 Everand Subscription - Ebook
April 7, 2022
Engaging story telling with an interesting heroine.
December 20, 2025
A little predictable but a good story all the same.
January 11, 2016
A great read!
This is a great full length standalone sci-fi romance series opener. I don't read many books from this genre, but am excited when I find a really good one because of the break it provides from the usual fare. This one does that, as well as giving me additional books in the series to read and a new author to explore further. I highly recommend it.
Miala Fels, alone after the disappearance of her father, has gone undercover in the compound of the crime lord who hired him to set up an elaborate security system. Her father taught her his computer skills and she knows he built a backdoor into the system. She plans to hack it and take her revenge against the criminal who she knows murdered him by stealing from the man. But before she can accomplish her mission, the inhabitants of the compound are attacked and slaughtered by a rival gang while at the cliff site where her boss tortures and kills his victims. When she goes to investigate why they didn't return from their outing, she finds the carnage, and a single survivor who is barely clinging to life. She gets him on her transport and back to the compound med unit, where a mech takes over his care. She then returns to the task of cracking the code that will get her into the vaults and offshore accounts of a dead man.
Erik Thorn is a notorious mercenary who was left for dead in the desert attack. Barely clinging to life, he hears a voice tell him she will give him half of his boss's treasure to get her off the planet, just the incentive he needs to pull through. And through the slow, tortuous process of healing, he clings to that prize and Mia continues to work on finding her father's backdoor. Until the day they knew would come and a competitor attacks the compound with men and heavy equipment. It's then a loose working partnership is forged between Mia and Thorn as they fight off the assault. They know the gangster will regroup and come back to try again and that they will need to be ready. Because he is Just the first of many that will come.
A KU library read.
This is a great full length standalone sci-fi romance series opener. I don't read many books from this genre, but am excited when I find a really good one because of the break it provides from the usual fare. This one does that, as well as giving me additional books in the series to read and a new author to explore further. I highly recommend it.
Miala Fels, alone after the disappearance of her father, has gone undercover in the compound of the crime lord who hired him to set up an elaborate security system. Her father taught her his computer skills and she knows he built a backdoor into the system. She plans to hack it and take her revenge against the criminal who she knows murdered him by stealing from the man. But before she can accomplish her mission, the inhabitants of the compound are attacked and slaughtered by a rival gang while at the cliff site where her boss tortures and kills his victims. When she goes to investigate why they didn't return from their outing, she finds the carnage, and a single survivor who is barely clinging to life. She gets him on her transport and back to the compound med unit, where a mech takes over his care. She then returns to the task of cracking the code that will get her into the vaults and offshore accounts of a dead man.
Erik Thorn is a notorious mercenary who was left for dead in the desert attack. Barely clinging to life, he hears a voice tell him she will give him half of his boss's treasure to get her off the planet, just the incentive he needs to pull through. And through the slow, tortuous process of healing, he clings to that prize and Mia continues to work on finding her father's backdoor. Until the day they knew would come and a competitor attacks the compound with men and heavy equipment. It's then a loose working partnership is forged between Mia and Thorn as they fight off the assault. They know the gangster will regroup and come back to try again and that they will need to be ready. Because he is Just the first of many that will come.
A KU library read.
May 18, 2018
Loved it, from a syfi maven
Adventure and charm with galactic depth and correct grammar (sadly lacking in much contemporary fiction). This book reminds me of those from the SFAF book club of my youth.
Adventure and charm with galactic depth and correct grammar (sadly lacking in much contemporary fiction). This book reminds me of those from the SFAF book club of my youth.
August 31, 2014
I was lucky to grab this one for free, but had I known how well Christine Pope writes, I would certainly have paid for it. How refreshing to be able to enjoy the story while not being distracted by poor writing! Most e-books are full of wrong word choices, awkward phrasings, and overuse of adjectives. Christine has mastered smooth writing, and her characters are believable and interesting. I also appreciated that while there is romance, the book is not just a vehicle for sex scenes. I will read this author again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews