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Doctrine Wars
Incursion
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Science Fiction (2012)When the local authorities ask Kyle Juenger to hunt a shape-shifting Glyrinny spy, he can't refuse. After all, he can use the reward to replace his paralyzed legs with cyberware, and maybe even to return to his home planet. Besides, he hates the morphs-those invasive, brain-eating monstrosities whose weapons cost him his legs.
Kyle's best lead is the Scorpion, a mercenary ship armed to the teeth. Grimm, the "Scorpion's" pilot and captain, fascinates Kyle. He's everything Kyle lost with his legs, and he's from the same home world. He's also of the warrior caste-half priest, half savior. But Grimm's been twisted by life as a merc, and Kyle's stuck undercover as a criminal on the run.
That doesn't stop Grimm from coming on to Kyle, or from insisting he's more than the sum of his past and his useless legs. But Kyle has other concerns-like tracking a dangerous morph who could be wearing anyone's face. And as if things weren't complicated enough, Kyle can't tell if Grimm is part of the solution . . . or part of the problem.
Kyle's best lead is the Scorpion, a mercenary ship armed to the teeth. Grimm, the "Scorpion's" pilot and captain, fascinates Kyle. He's everything Kyle lost with his legs, and he's from the same home world. He's also of the warrior caste-half priest, half savior. But Grimm's been twisted by life as a merc, and Kyle's stuck undercover as a criminal on the run.
That doesn't stop Grimm from coming on to Kyle, or from insisting he's more than the sum of his past and his useless legs. But Kyle has other concerns-like tracking a dangerous morph who could be wearing anyone's face. And as if things weren't complicated enough, Kyle can't tell if Grimm is part of the solution . . . or part of the problem.
85 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2012
26 people are currently reading
1625 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
November 6, 2016
This was fantastic 
I don't usually (ever) read Sci-Fi books, and after finishing Incursion I can honestly say I'm a freaking idiot and should mentally bitch-slap myself
The story - Kyle is a retired hunter with a severe spinal injury done by a vicious enemy weapon. A military commander hires him to hunt down a fugitive enemy, in exchange for money and possibly a new prosthesis for his legs. He accepts and infiltrates Scorpion, a spaceship full of mercenaries, and the only lead he has on the enemy. Grimm is the pilot/captain, turns out they're from the same planet, with Grimm being from the warrior caste. They're attracted to each other and Grimm constantly hits on Kyle
But, a fugitive shape-shifter is on board, and Kyle shouldn't let himself trust anyone on board, not even Grimm
Kyle - It was very hard to read about him, he pretty much has a difficult life, wears a prosthesis to help him walk because he can't feel anything below his waist. That scene in the public transport, some people are just terrible
Anyway, he pretty much gave up on himself, and having any kind of relationships, so Grimm's constant flirting doesn't go well. Even though he's on the ship trying to find a traitor, he can't help but trust Grimm, allowing his help with the device he has in his spine, allowing to be helpless in front of him
Grimm - OMG I just loved him!
He likes Kyle from the beginning, tries to flirt and come on to him, even though it doesn't really work XD But I just loved how he was alwas telling Kyle he's more than just his prosthesis, there's a man underneath, and he's worth fighting for :) And when he helped him with his back
and then FINALLY (
) shown him that he can still have passion in his life
that scene was just beautiful <3
The traitor - I just have to say that it had me shocked! I was honestly convinced it was someone else, and then BAM! Just didn't think it would go that way. Aw hell, here's what I thought, but if you plan to read the book, DON'T read this spoiler!! . Well I was completely mistaken lol and I'm glad because the ending just got me WOW-ed and shocked and I loved the way it all turned out!!
And I just have to say - I WANT MORE!! This was just too short. Hell, if it was three times longer it still wouldn't be enough! I totally loved the universe in the story, and I hope there'll be a sequel later
I don't usually (ever) read Sci-Fi books, and after finishing Incursion I can honestly say I'm a freaking idiot and should mentally bitch-slap myself
The story - Kyle is a retired hunter with a severe spinal injury done by a vicious enemy weapon. A military commander hires him to hunt down a fugitive enemy, in exchange for money and possibly a new prosthesis for his legs. He accepts and infiltrates Scorpion, a spaceship full of mercenaries, and the only lead he has on the enemy. Grimm is the pilot/captain, turns out they're from the same planet, with Grimm being from the warrior caste. They're attracted to each other and Grimm constantly hits on Kyle
But, a fugitive shape-shifter is on board, and Kyle shouldn't let himself trust anyone on board, not even Grimm
Kyle - It was very hard to read about him, he pretty much has a difficult life, wears a prosthesis to help him walk because he can't feel anything below his waist. That scene in the public transport, some people are just terrible
Anyway, he pretty much gave up on himself, and having any kind of relationships, so Grimm's constant flirting doesn't go well. Even though he's on the ship trying to find a traitor, he can't help but trust Grimm, allowing his help with the device he has in his spine, allowing to be helpless in front of him
Grimm - OMG I just loved him!
He likes Kyle from the beginning, tries to flirt and come on to him, even though it doesn't really work XD But I just loved how he was alwas telling Kyle he's more than just his prosthesis, there's a man underneath, and he's worth fighting for :) And when he helped him with his back
and then FINALLY (
) shown him that he can still have passion in his life
that scene was just beautiful <3The traitor - I just have to say that it had me shocked! I was honestly convinced it was someone else, and then BAM! Just didn't think it would go that way. Aw hell, here's what I thought, but if you plan to read the book, DON'T read this spoiler!! . Well I was completely mistaken lol and I'm glad because the ending just got me WOW-ed and shocked and I loved the way it all turned out!!
And I just have to say - I WANT MORE!! This was just too short. Hell, if it was three times longer it still wouldn't be enough! I totally loved the universe in the story, and I hope there'll be a sequel later
December 16, 2012
Mr Voinov wrote it, and I loved it...
I am always in awe of Aleksandr Voinov's writing... as a writer he is... Ohhh. So. Very. Clever. He has the ability to tempt us... a slow seduction of words alone, and Incurrsion, even though it is not in his "dark" category, which I love, It is still evidence of a master at work.
We join our main character Kyle, six weeks after he was injured by a Glyrinny disruptor that left the nerves in his spine damaged. Now, with an implant in his spine and prosthetics encasing his legs to enable him to walk he is a shell of his former self. The once Fighter Pilot in the Commonwealths Space Navy is a broken man, lost and alone... and barely surviving on the meager social benefits he is awarded.
The thoughts of suicide that had been seeping into his mind were dispelled when he receives a message from the Sector Commissar, something that cannot be ignored and something that may at least give him some hope! She is a formidable character and wants Kyle to use his past experience as a Hunter Five to either catch or eliminate a Glyrinny double agent - Kshar. He has information she wants and she will go to any lengths to get it! even incentivising Kyle with the much needed surgery to replace his damaged legs with the far superior cybernetics that are available to those with power and credits.
This is not an easy assignment for Kyle as the Glyrinny are shifters and able to morph into the image of any being, making it difficult to locate the man in question. With a new identity as a petty criminal and armed with information on the whereabouts of his mark, Kyle infiltrates the Spaceship Scorpion on the premise that he is in trouble and needs to leave the planet.
Grimm is the pilot... I think I go for the bad boys! he is so arrogant and cocky, doesn't mince his words and shamelessly flirts with Kyle, peppering his comments with underlying innuendos. Grimm is also from the same planet as Kyle, only Grimm is a Warrior, someone to be revered, a hero, all be it fallen as he is piloting a Mercenary craft, but still, Grimm would not be his equal in their planets society and without his legs he was not even equal to him as a man as his injury has left him incapable of any feeling below the waist.
I loved the interactions between these two characters, Grimm always so positive, trying to make Kyle believe in himself, to project and convince him that there is more to him than the sum of his disability... but with Kyle's mind focused on trying to discover the true identity of Kshar he is afraid to trust anyone, and that includes the very charismatic Pilot.
Whilst Grimm stole my heart, I felt Kyle was too naive for someone of his training in the Space Navy, possibly due to the inferiority he felt in the presence of Grimm and his depression and loss of hope for his future, but still I wanted a bit more gumption from him. I feel there is more to tell in this tale... I would have liked it to have developed a bit further than it was, did we get a romance here?... not really! We are left with a kind of HFN but I am hoping Mr Voinov will give us more from Grimm and Kyle... please!!
One of the things I love about Mr Voinov's writing is how he leaves us with questions unanswered, drip feeding us information and picking up threads as we move along, developments hidden beneath layers slowly peeled away to provide the answers our mind is so desperately craving for. We are compelled to turn the pages looking for the not so glaringly obvious, or maybe not there at all... but for us to draw our own conclusions from what has been implied! Perfect pacing and storytelling... Loved it.
This ARC was provided by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley
For more reviews, please visit...Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews
I am always in awe of Aleksandr Voinov's writing... as a writer he is... Ohhh. So. Very. Clever. He has the ability to tempt us... a slow seduction of words alone, and Incurrsion, even though it is not in his "dark" category, which I love, It is still evidence of a master at work.
We join our main character Kyle, six weeks after he was injured by a Glyrinny disruptor that left the nerves in his spine damaged. Now, with an implant in his spine and prosthetics encasing his legs to enable him to walk he is a shell of his former self. The once Fighter Pilot in the Commonwealths Space Navy is a broken man, lost and alone... and barely surviving on the meager social benefits he is awarded.
The thoughts of suicide that had been seeping into his mind were dispelled when he receives a message from the Sector Commissar, something that cannot be ignored and something that may at least give him some hope! She is a formidable character and wants Kyle to use his past experience as a Hunter Five to either catch or eliminate a Glyrinny double agent - Kshar. He has information she wants and she will go to any lengths to get it! even incentivising Kyle with the much needed surgery to replace his damaged legs with the far superior cybernetics that are available to those with power and credits.
This is not an easy assignment for Kyle as the Glyrinny are shifters and able to morph into the image of any being, making it difficult to locate the man in question. With a new identity as a petty criminal and armed with information on the whereabouts of his mark, Kyle infiltrates the Spaceship Scorpion on the premise that he is in trouble and needs to leave the planet.
Grimm is the pilot... I think I go for the bad boys! he is so arrogant and cocky, doesn't mince his words and shamelessly flirts with Kyle, peppering his comments with underlying innuendos. Grimm is also from the same planet as Kyle, only Grimm is a Warrior, someone to be revered, a hero, all be it fallen as he is piloting a Mercenary craft, but still, Grimm would not be his equal in their planets society and without his legs he was not even equal to him as a man as his injury has left him incapable of any feeling below the waist.
I loved the interactions between these two characters, Grimm always so positive, trying to make Kyle believe in himself, to project and convince him that there is more to him than the sum of his disability... but with Kyle's mind focused on trying to discover the true identity of Kshar he is afraid to trust anyone, and that includes the very charismatic Pilot.
Whilst Grimm stole my heart, I felt Kyle was too naive for someone of his training in the Space Navy, possibly due to the inferiority he felt in the presence of Grimm and his depression and loss of hope for his future, but still I wanted a bit more gumption from him. I feel there is more to tell in this tale... I would have liked it to have developed a bit further than it was, did we get a romance here?... not really! We are left with a kind of HFN but I am hoping Mr Voinov will give us more from Grimm and Kyle... please!!
One of the things I love about Mr Voinov's writing is how he leaves us with questions unanswered, drip feeding us information and picking up threads as we move along, developments hidden beneath layers slowly peeled away to provide the answers our mind is so desperately craving for. We are compelled to turn the pages looking for the not so glaringly obvious, or maybe not there at all... but for us to draw our own conclusions from what has been implied! Perfect pacing and storytelling... Loved it.
This ARC was provided by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley
For more reviews, please visit...Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews
January 8, 2018
A short but pleasant M-M read. The character relationships development felt a bit hurried up but that may be just me, I am quite used to oversised novels not the short novellas.
Q:
Don't linger, don't get off where you're not supposed to, and for gods' sake, don't dawdle. (c)
Q:
He was beyond those kinds of thoughts, though, thanks to the shrink at the hospital, and the Tamenean idea that only cowards committed suicide.(c)
Q:
She raised her eyebrows as she quickly scanned his history, apparently impressed by whatever she read there... (c)
Q:
Eat in peace—Spacer code that made meal times very nearly holy. Food was too scarce and too expensive to squander on any fight, and even rivals and enemies accepted that rule. (c)
Q:
"Mother of Light," Kyle said under his breath.
Grimm hesitated, then near-bowed. "Father of Darkness," he completed. (c)
Q:
"It's never too late for redemption. How you were does not rule who you've become."(c)
Q:
The deadly emptiness out there was the purest thing he knew. (c)
Q:
Take your hurt to a warrior. (c)
Q:
Don't linger, don't get off where you're not supposed to, and for gods' sake, don't dawdle. (c)
Q:
He was beyond those kinds of thoughts, though, thanks to the shrink at the hospital, and the Tamenean idea that only cowards committed suicide.(c)
Q:
She raised her eyebrows as she quickly scanned his history, apparently impressed by whatever she read there... (c)
Q:
Eat in peace—Spacer code that made meal times very nearly holy. Food was too scarce and too expensive to squander on any fight, and even rivals and enemies accepted that rule. (c)
Q:
"Mother of Light," Kyle said under his breath.
Grimm hesitated, then near-bowed. "Father of Darkness," he completed. (c)
Q:
"It's never too late for redemption. How you were does not rule who you've become."(c)
Q:
The deadly emptiness out there was the purest thing he knew. (c)
Q:
Take your hurt to a warrior. (c)
Read
May 14, 2017Quick note: The second book with these characters ("Exile") is a full novel and should be released on 30 June.
January 21, 2015
4,5 I-CAN'T-GET-ENOUGH-OF-VOINOV STARS!!!!!!!!!
I am not tired to repeat it again and again:
ALEKSANDR VOINOV is something very special:
you read one of his book and you are "infected" with V.
It may have a mild character but most likely you’ll get it bad, be prepared even to have it chronically.
His writing- Grammy, I like your comparison with potato chips!- is like a revelation for me.
It is like a chocolate, heavenly sweet and delightfully bitter.
It is like the best wine, the best meal, the best conversation, the best sex. It is simply Voinov.
He surprised me again and again. I never thought that I would read a science fiction book. But it is really happened.
Kyle, an ex fighter pilot and a retired hunter, who was badly injured during his last mission, is still, in spite of his partly paralyzed legs, the best candidate for the top-secret job - to find a shape-shifting Glyrinny spy, Kshar, and bring him back. Alive.
Kyle has no choice- he can’t reject the proposal, not only because as a reward he was promised to get the "new cybernetic legs" , but because the authority doesn’t accept any denial. It is the reason he comes on-board of Scorpion, the mercenary space ship, where Kshar is supposed to hide, because for him it is the only possibility to escape from the tracking zone.
The most difficult part in this job is not only the health condition of Kyle, but the fact, that Kshar can take everyone’s shape on this space ship. Whom he could trust? And why does authority want Kshar alive?
This story was just fun pure! For my taste it could be much much longer, and I think it has a potential if not for a real blockbuster then at least for a further sequel! I would like to have more of that cat-and-mouse-game à la Voinov, because nobody can write it better!! Another great story with the great characters of Aleks!
Highly recommended to all my GR friends (and not only), who are already infected with “V” and have not still read Incursion as well as for everybody who can appreciate a good writing!
Enjoy the reading!
***I am on a Voinov mission. You are right, Shelly! And it is not yet over!***
October 9, 2012
I have a confession to make. The only reason I read this is because it's written by Aleksandr Voinov.
Yes, it's the man with the sexiest name in literary history ever. I am in love with him, I love what lies in his mind. I want to climb inside, roll around and purr forever.
Netgalley wouldn't give me any of Aleksandrrrr's other books to review..pft! Whatever Rachel!
So this was all I got, and it's Sci-fi!!! I DO NOT read sci-fi . I never have, but for Aleksandr... I will. For you Aleksandr I will do anything...anything you hear me? Even read sci-fi!
I. Love. You!
So you have read the blurb my fellow non Sci-fi lovers, and are thinking WTF?
Well I was, but I got it pretty quick once I got started. This is a little who's who, and what's what, to help you adjust quickly in the first 10%.
Glyrinny: Shapeshiftting bad aliens.
Morphs: same as a Glyrinny (I think) and the reason why Kyle lost the use of his legs.
Scorpion: Bad ass super fast, armed to the teeth space ship.
Grimm: Tattooed, sexy hot fallen warrior and pilot of the Scorpion. Also from the same planet as Kyle who left me week at the knees a few times.
Pod Farm: Hotel or boarding place, kind of like the Japanese use (again, I'm speculating)
SocSec Credits: Like money, used to trade for transport and food and shit.
Tamene: Kyle and Grimms home planet. Jungle like but freezing too “shrugs”
Commissariat: The powers that be, authorities. Good guys, kind of.
Kshar: Glyrinny double-agent, who Kyle has to track down and return.
Kyle: The MC, who was paralyzed below the waist by a Glyrinny weapon. Ex fighter pilot and tracker. The empathy I feel for him is intense, love him!
So I hope that helps. Now I don't want to put you off, because once you get past the first 10% it's not confusing at all, and you wont be Sci-fied to death, I promise you.
In fact, it is very engaging. There is a kind of tension that runs through the entire story, sometimes it's sexual and sometimes suspenseful. The pace is quick and seamless. The writing is masterful to say the least. The characters will own you, they are intriguing, damaged, rough and just gorgeous.
Voinov's writing oozes sensuality. Just a kiss described like this:
“The kiss hit him like an acceleration jolt.” “It raced all over Kyle's skin, sank deeper and rushed along his veins like a living creature. Unreal.”
Sheesh...tell me you did not just melt?
This story is so skilfully crafted and has an underlying meaning that rocked me to the core. Yes, I got it.
Aleksandr is a genius story teller.
Read Incursion, it wont take you long, and you wont be disappointed, and you wont want to it end either.
Highly recommended!!!
Thank you Net galley and Rip Tide publishing (finally;)) for sending this to me for an honest review. I loved it!
Oh and Aleksandrrrr
Yes, it's the man with the sexiest name in literary history ever. I am in love with him, I love what lies in his mind. I want to climb inside, roll around and purr forever.
Netgalley wouldn't give me any of Aleksandrrrr's other books to review..pft! Whatever Rachel!
So this was all I got, and it's Sci-fi!!! I DO NOT read sci-fi . I never have, but for Aleksandr... I will. For you Aleksandr I will do anything...anything you hear me? Even read sci-fi!
I. Love. You!
So you have read the blurb my fellow non Sci-fi lovers, and are thinking WTF?
Well I was, but I got it pretty quick once I got started. This is a little who's who, and what's what, to help you adjust quickly in the first 10%.
Glyrinny: Shapeshiftting bad aliens.
Morphs: same as a Glyrinny (I think) and the reason why Kyle lost the use of his legs.
Scorpion: Bad ass super fast, armed to the teeth space ship.
Grimm: Tattooed, sexy hot fallen warrior and pilot of the Scorpion. Also from the same planet as Kyle who left me week at the knees a few times.
Pod Farm: Hotel or boarding place, kind of like the Japanese use (again, I'm speculating)
SocSec Credits: Like money, used to trade for transport and food and shit.
Tamene: Kyle and Grimms home planet. Jungle like but freezing too “shrugs”
Commissariat: The powers that be, authorities. Good guys, kind of.
Kshar: Glyrinny double-agent, who Kyle has to track down and return.
Kyle: The MC, who was paralyzed below the waist by a Glyrinny weapon. Ex fighter pilot and tracker. The empathy I feel for him is intense, love him!
So I hope that helps. Now I don't want to put you off, because once you get past the first 10% it's not confusing at all, and you wont be Sci-fied to death, I promise you.
In fact, it is very engaging. There is a kind of tension that runs through the entire story, sometimes it's sexual and sometimes suspenseful. The pace is quick and seamless. The writing is masterful to say the least. The characters will own you, they are intriguing, damaged, rough and just gorgeous.
Voinov's writing oozes sensuality. Just a kiss described like this:
“The kiss hit him like an acceleration jolt.” “It raced all over Kyle's skin, sank deeper and rushed along his veins like a living creature. Unreal.”
Sheesh...tell me you did not just melt?
This story is so skilfully crafted and has an underlying meaning that rocked me to the core. Yes, I got it.
Aleksandr is a genius story teller.
Read Incursion, it wont take you long, and you wont be disappointed, and you wont want to it end either.
Highly recommended!!!
Thank you Net galley and Rip Tide publishing (finally;)) for sending this to me for an honest review. I loved it!
Oh and Aleksandrrrr
Read
May 14, 2017*** UPDATE*** The sequel, "Exile" should release on 30 June, and it's a full novel of currently 65,000 words.
This also has the loosest connection to Dark Edge of Honor - it's set in the Commonwealth, which has some issues with the Doctrine on one end and the Glyrinny shapeshifters on the other end. The connection is so tenuous that it's really just a nod in that direction, so reading Dark Edge of Honor is not necessary to get this story.
This also has the loosest connection to Dark Edge of Honor - it's set in the Commonwealth, which has some issues with the Doctrine on one end and the Glyrinny shapeshifters on the other end. The connection is so tenuous that it's really just a nod in that direction, so reading Dark Edge of Honor is not necessary to get this story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2014
Written October 18, 2014
3.3 Stars - Interesting and thought-provoking. -
Got a taste of it, but it ended too soon.
Incursion is a short (76 pages) Aleksandr Voinov sci-fi. It felt like a perfect story for me, usually liking sci-fi / dystopia worlds. (Lena also recommended it a while ago.)
Just three stars to a AV story ?!?
It felt like I just had got every other page. This wasn't a weak, bad or not well written story. I just didn't "feel" it as much as I hoped for.
Interesting dreamy sci-fi. Too short to really do it for me. ~ Most astonished amazement that it was already over to be fair.
***********************************************************
On a space ship to catch a spook...
Kyle Juenger is asked to hunt a shape-shifting Glyrinny (enemy species) spy. He is badly injured, need a lot of money and can’t refuse. Kyle want to replace his paralyzed legs with cyberware, and maybe even to return to his old home planet.
He is showed to join the Scorpion, a mercenary ship where Grimm, a "warrior" from Kyle's home planet, is the pilot and captain. ~ A very sexy tempting man even for a injured man with some problems....
But who is actually Grimm and can the ship's friendly crew be trusted? Which of them can be the alien enemy Kyle seeks?
***********************************************************
A Voinov novel or novella is always a good M/M read.
This author got that magic in his writing to always make me feel a lot. It's intense, rough, manly and sweaty. I love his characters. It's books about hard men in a hard world told in a very manly way.
Incursion isn't maybe a new AV favorite but without a doubt worth a few hours. ~ And the title is great.
I LIKE - yes absolutely but... didn't love it
********
Read with Irina, Sofia and my newest friend Stas. Thanks for letting me join your BR!
3.3 Stars - Interesting and thought-provoking. -
Got a taste of it, but it ended too soon.
Incursion is a short (76 pages) Aleksandr Voinov sci-fi. It felt like a perfect story for me, usually liking sci-fi / dystopia worlds. (Lena also recommended it a while ago.)
Just three stars to a AV story ?!?
It felt like I just had got every other page. This wasn't a weak, bad or not well written story. I just didn't "feel" it as much as I hoped for.
Interesting dreamy sci-fi. Too short to really do it for me. ~ Most astonished amazement that it was already over to be fair.
***********************************************************
On a space ship to catch a spook...
Kyle Juenger is asked to hunt a shape-shifting Glyrinny (enemy species) spy. He is badly injured, need a lot of money and can’t refuse. Kyle want to replace his paralyzed legs with cyberware, and maybe even to return to his old home planet.
He is showed to join the Scorpion, a mercenary ship where Grimm, a "warrior" from Kyle's home planet, is the pilot and captain. ~ A very sexy tempting man even for a injured man with some problems....
But who is actually Grimm and can the ship's friendly crew be trusted? Which of them can be the alien enemy Kyle seeks?
“All your if you want it.”
I do. Kyle waved him over. “This is going to be really boring for you.”
“I doubt it,” Grimm said (...)
“There's a taste of you I like.”
“What, I'm a flavor now?”
“Translating my senses into yours is not as easy as you'd think.”
***********************************************************
A Voinov novel or novella is always a good M/M read.
This author got that magic in his writing to always make me feel a lot. It's intense, rough, manly and sweaty. I love his characters. It's books about hard men in a hard world told in a very manly way.
Incursion isn't maybe a new AV favorite but without a doubt worth a few hours. ~ And the title is great.
I LIKE - yes absolutely but... didn't love it
********
Read with Irina, Sofia and my newest friend Stas. Thanks for letting me join your BR!
February 21, 2017
The Commonwealth is fighting a new threat: Shape-shifting aliens called the Glyranny species are infiltrating society.
Kyle is a broken man. The fight against the Glyranny threat cost him his mobility. Depending on prostheses in order to remain able to walk, he accepts a government assignment to track down a Glyranny spy who stole important data from the authorities. In return he'd earn enough credit to get cybernetic leg implants that would help him fit into society again.
His best guess to start his mission is the crew of the Scorpion, heading towards Glyranny space. Kyle buys his passage and runs into the handsome captain, Grimm, who hails from the same planet as Kyle: Tamene.
Facing a fellow Tamenean for the first time after all these years, unsettles Kyle, especially as Grimm isn't just any Tamenean, but a Warrior, a member of a high-ranking caste on Tamene that other Tameneans look to for protection and advice.
Stripped from their home world traditions, Kyle and Grimm meet each other as equals, both of them outcasts, making a living from shady affairs that the Tamenean elders would never approve of.
Still, Kyle feels the traditional pull towards the handsome Warrior, who not only tries to get into Kyle's pants, but also wants the disabled man to overcome his inhibitions and see himself as more than just the result of an injury.
I'm really torn over this story. The first half of it felt like a perfect sci-fi love story between two fascinating men. Toward the end, the story turned into something that I hadn't expected - and while I did find the outcome extremely interesting and promising, this story was too short to pull off THAT kind of plot twist.
I'm really curious to learn how things continue in the next book. As a stand-alone, it left me feeling a bit confused and wanting something more.
This takes place in the same universe as the insanely gorgeous sci-fi masterpiece Dark Edge of Honor!
3,5 stars!
Kyle is a broken man. The fight against the Glyranny threat cost him his mobility. Depending on prostheses in order to remain able to walk, he accepts a government assignment to track down a Glyranny spy who stole important data from the authorities. In return he'd earn enough credit to get cybernetic leg implants that would help him fit into society again.
His best guess to start his mission is the crew of the Scorpion, heading towards Glyranny space. Kyle buys his passage and runs into the handsome captain, Grimm, who hails from the same planet as Kyle: Tamene.
Grimm stepped out of the mass of wires until the tattoo on his face was visible. Blue-black whorls and twirls covered the left side of his face from hairline to chin, exaggerating his features while blurring them at the same time. The pattern indicated he was not only from Tamene, but the southern lowlands of the antipodean continent, near the ocean. The fiercest of the tribes, the one that took pride in going into battle first and returning last.
“Mother of Light,” Kyle said under his breath. Grimm hesitated, then near-bowed. “Father of Darkness,” he completed.
Facing a fellow Tamenean for the first time after all these years, unsettles Kyle, especially as Grimm isn't just any Tamenean, but a Warrior, a member of a high-ranking caste on Tamene that other Tameneans look to for protection and advice.
Stripped from their home world traditions, Kyle and Grimm meet each other as equals, both of them outcasts, making a living from shady affairs that the Tamenean elders would never approve of.
Still, Kyle feels the traditional pull towards the handsome Warrior, who not only tries to get into Kyle's pants, but also wants the disabled man to overcome his inhibitions and see himself as more than just the result of an injury.
I'm really torn over this story. The first half of it felt like a perfect sci-fi love story between two fascinating men. Toward the end, the story turned into something that I hadn't expected - and while I did find the outcome extremely interesting and promising, this story was too short to pull off THAT kind of plot twist.
I'm really curious to learn how things continue in the next book. As a stand-alone, it left me feeling a bit confused and wanting something more.
This takes place in the same universe as the insanely gorgeous sci-fi masterpiece Dark Edge of Honor!
3,5 stars!
February 27, 2014
Fun.
Fun universe. Fun characters. Fun plot.
*sigh*
Over too soon.
Fun universe. Fun characters. Fun plot.
*sigh*
Over too soon.
July 13, 2012
I’m pretty sure I have made this clear, but I’ll say it again. Alexsandr Voinov can rip my heart and soul to shreds with one line. He has created characters and worlds that will remain with me, pulled emotion out of me when no other writer or work could, and can inspire me to read a story again and again to absorb the power and layers of emotion and meaning. And...
He has done it again, but with a blast of fun this time!
After being paralyzed from the waist down, Kyle Juenger lost his active military status and sense of self with one blast of a Glyrinny weapon. But now sent back into action to hunt a “brain-sucking shape-shifting” Glyrinny spy, Kyle has a chance to fight again with new purpose and possible revenge. Aboard the space craft, Scorpion, Kyle must track the morph (who could be anyone on the crew), learn to stand up for himself with new “dead meat” legs, and fight his own growing attraction to Grimm. Ah, Grimm, the ship’s fallen warrior captain, steals the show a bit with his broad shouldered, masculine magnetism that throws Kyle off balance and focus at times. The moment Grimm pops his head up from tinkering around under the hood, so to speak, I was hooked! My fingers longed to run down that beautiful tattooed face. Kyle and Grimm create a very powerful force on the page.
“It was as if that odd touch, that tempting promise, had ripped a scab off his soul.”
Incursion is an intense, suspense filled guessing-game! I’m a sci-fi geek, *head held high*, so this tale felt like home to me in many ways. My full-wattage-smile and this world comes to life with mercenaries, swishing Star Trekkie doors, spaceports, and thrusters! A joy to read again and again.
All that said. Here is the line that twisted and pulled at my soul:
“How you were does not rule who you’ve become.”
So few words, but they hit my head and gut with such power. It is so difficult in life to see beyond the anger and bitterness after a part of how you define yourself is lost or taken by force. You just can’t see anything else beyond the pain and longing for what was lost. How does one let go of the anger? How does one see the changes, new shapes, and “potential” again? In life I wish I knew, but here…well…you’re just going to have to dive in and read to find out. :)
Read Incursion. I truly cannot recommend the experience more for any reader—sci-fi geek or not. You might discover something different or new underneath the words and your own skin.
He has done it again, but with a blast of fun this time!
After being paralyzed from the waist down, Kyle Juenger lost his active military status and sense of self with one blast of a Glyrinny weapon. But now sent back into action to hunt a “brain-sucking shape-shifting” Glyrinny spy, Kyle has a chance to fight again with new purpose and possible revenge. Aboard the space craft, Scorpion, Kyle must track the morph (who could be anyone on the crew), learn to stand up for himself with new “dead meat” legs, and fight his own growing attraction to Grimm. Ah, Grimm, the ship’s fallen warrior captain, steals the show a bit with his broad shouldered, masculine magnetism that throws Kyle off balance and focus at times. The moment Grimm pops his head up from tinkering around under the hood, so to speak, I was hooked! My fingers longed to run down that beautiful tattooed face. Kyle and Grimm create a very powerful force on the page.
“It was as if that odd touch, that tempting promise, had ripped a scab off his soul.”
Incursion is an intense, suspense filled guessing-game! I’m a sci-fi geek, *head held high*, so this tale felt like home to me in many ways. My full-wattage-smile and this world comes to life with mercenaries, swishing Star Trekkie doors, spaceports, and thrusters! A joy to read again and again.
All that said. Here is the line that twisted and pulled at my soul:
“How you were does not rule who you’ve become.”
So few words, but they hit my head and gut with such power. It is so difficult in life to see beyond the anger and bitterness after a part of how you define yourself is lost or taken by force. You just can’t see anything else beyond the pain and longing for what was lost. How does one let go of the anger? How does one see the changes, new shapes, and “potential” again? In life I wish I knew, but here…well…you’re just going to have to dive in and read to find out. :)
Read Incursion. I truly cannot recommend the experience more for any reader—sci-fi geek or not. You might discover something different or new underneath the words and your own skin.
January 16, 2013
~~~
A very clever book, with a very clever title.
Kyle is every human.
Grimm is potential.
Every human needs potential.
This is a profound and profoundly beautiful effort by a masterful writer, who has time and again caused me to look within and discover new truths about myself and humanity. Damn Voinov for his incursion of me.
I had a long, descriptive review typed out for this book, but it just isn’t necessary. My review is simply to tell anyone, who will listen, to read-this-book. For yourself.
"He understood it then. The potential, the utter, unbelievable freedom to be whoever existed underneath his skin."
~~~
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
A very clever book, with a very clever title.
Kyle is every human.
Grimm is potential.
Every human needs potential.
This is a profound and profoundly beautiful effort by a masterful writer, who has time and again caused me to look within and discover new truths about myself and humanity. Damn Voinov for his incursion of me.
I had a long, descriptive review typed out for this book, but it just isn’t necessary. My review is simply to tell anyone, who will listen, to read-this-book. For yourself.
"He understood it then. The potential, the utter, unbelievable freedom to be whoever existed underneath his skin."
~~~
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
August 21, 2012
4.5
Holy shit.
Strong, inspirational, full of hope. It made me sad that it ended. There just has to be more.
What is it with fiction that makes me rebel against set systems and want them to change/be destroyed? For almost every world built in the last 50 or something books. Again. And again. Even knowing a perfect world is not possible (and boring as heaven) doesn't stop me from thinking that the exact order is wrong and needs changing.
Whatever. My rambling stops here.
Highly recommended.
ETA:
Holy shit.
Strong, inspirational, full of hope. It made me sad that it ended. There just has to be more.
What is it with fiction that makes me rebel against set systems and want them to change/be destroyed? For almost every world built in the last 50 or something books. Again. And again. Even knowing a perfect world is not possible (and boring as heaven) doesn't stop me from thinking that the exact order is wrong and needs changing.
Whatever. My rambling stops here.
Highly recommended.
ETA:
August 13, 2019
Great world building and an engaging plot, with well written three-dimensional characters. The bad news is that it’s too short, the good news is that there’s a sequel.
April 4, 2014
I like Sci-fi. I love Aleksandr Voinov.
AV + Sci-fi= guaranteed winner, right?
So, why have I not read this yet? That is a very good question. I am ashamed to say, I forgot about it. Cursed electronics that allow me to stockpile books to such a degree is disgraceful. I take that back, I’m pretty attached to my Kindle.
Here we have classic Voinov: the characters are exceptionally solid, the world-building fabulous, and the emotions ran at full throttle.
Close your eyes, take a breath, and prepare to step into an extraordinary foreign place. Open your eyes and you will find: aliens (uber cool ones by the way), cyber-technology (mind-boggling ingenuity), and a rigid hierarchy of social status (frustrating to say the least). A disabled hunter takes on an assignment of preposterous proportions. The reward will make him a better man, or so he believes.
Kyle is broken, in more ways than one. Straightaway I ached for him. I wanted to wrap him in a hug, protect him, and make everything better. When he is presented with a mission of unlikely victory he simply can’t refuse. His life was ripped apart by the ‘object of desire’, so his need to succeed is shaded with a deeper level of emotion…aka vengeance.
Hitching a ride on the deadly ‘Scorpion,’ things become twisted quickly. Captain of the ship, Grimm, stirs something in Kyle. He is everything he was and everything he aches to be. The attraction is instantaneous and yet he scolds himself for thinking he could truly be worthy of such affection. Grimm tries to show Kyle that he is not defined by his limitations and urges him to look towards the future rather than pining for the past. It's not hard to see what Kyle sees in Grimm. *sigh* He's pretty amazing.
The ride becomes tricky and sticky when Kyle realizes he is in too deep. How will he find the ever-changing masked target? And more importantly, will he see through the disguise before his own is exposed?
The thing is I always feel a little ruffled after reading one of Aleks’ books. It’s almost as if I’ve just stepped off a roller-coaster; a tingling buzzing sensation in my body, a hyperactive heart, and my mind is spinning. A few key quotes flash like a neon sign behind my eyelids and I feel the story nestle someplace deep inside me. It sounds weird, but it’s true.
This fun fast-paced novella was no exception.
If you are searching for an impressive out-of-this world tale, this is it.
4.5 spectacular-spy-sci stars
October 18, 2014
3.75 stars
I liked Incursion, set me thinking. I liked the writing in the first half better. In the second half more exciting stuff happened but it was hurried and I lost touch with Kyle.
So, what I got thinking about:
When we are born we, our spirit, comes together with an outer body which encases us, this outer body lives together with others in a society, a culture, a time, which further encases us. All the outer trappings come to define us, who we are, what we are and what we do. Incursion set me thinking about this, who we are, what we want to be, can we be really us, the true us, can we escape from the trappings. Can we get free. Free to be.
To me sci fi always represented our quest for freedom as if by escaping into space we are mimicking our desire to escape from our own chains.
and
In sci fi we usually project our fears or our wishful thinking onto alien races. So we have monster aliens who mostly represent our fears and that which I call paragon aliens onto whom we project our wishful thinking. These paragons aliens seem to grasp, seem to be, what as yet escapes us as humans, ‘good’, ‘nice’, ‘humane’.
BR with Irina, Stas and Ingela - we need a longer one next time
I liked Incursion, set me thinking. I liked the writing in the first half better. In the second half more exciting stuff happened but it was hurried and I lost touch with Kyle.
So, what I got thinking about:
When we are born we, our spirit, comes together with an outer body which encases us, this outer body lives together with others in a society, a culture, a time, which further encases us. All the outer trappings come to define us, who we are, what we are and what we do. Incursion set me thinking about this, who we are, what we want to be, can we be really us, the true us, can we escape from the trappings. Can we get free. Free to be.
If "Him" was even the right pronoun. But if anything was possible, surely faces, shapes didn’t matter. They were parlor tricks. He understood it then. The potential, the utter, unbelievable freedom to be whoever existed underneath his skin.
To me sci fi always represented our quest for freedom as if by escaping into space we are mimicking our desire to escape from our own chains.
and
In sci fi we usually project our fears or our wishful thinking onto alien races. So we have monster aliens who mostly represent our fears and that which I call paragon aliens onto whom we project our wishful thinking. These paragons aliens seem to grasp, seem to be, what as yet escapes us as humans, ‘good’, ‘nice’, ‘humane’.
BR with Irina, Stas and Ingela - we need a longer one next time
September 12, 2015
** Updated 9-12-15 to include audio book and additional story review. **
Reviewage on Prism Book Alliance®
Story Review:
This is a deeply personal story. Most of all, for Kyle, the main character and through whose eyes and heart and body we experience what is surely only one of many journeys for him. His is the umbrella of a metaphor for all of the others contained within. They’re subtle but definite, gently nudging but undeniable and unmistakable. Self-acceptance, altering one’s thinking which leads to realizations and new points of view, and most important of them all is seeing how we as individuals fit within our world even as it changes around us. Control is almost always out of reach and Kyle has learned and continues to learn this through some quite unpleasant as well as most enjoyable ways.
This story is a bit of an anomaly in the general sci-fi world in that it’s not a tome, overflowing with mind-cramming detail and bloated world-building. Instead, I was easily placed within this universe of Kyle’s, quickly learning how the economy worked, what kind of agencies and institutions were vying for that squirrely control, and who was more or less likely to suffer because of those struggles. Kyle was on the front lines.
There are some scenes where things feel rushed, almost like skipping stones across the surface of the water. I’m getting most of the story but it feels like some things are missing, like the connection isn’t completely made or potential skimmed.
I’d read this book a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. It wasn’t tops on my list but it’s Voinov and his ability to choose every single word and combination of words seemingly perfectly so it’s better than most. This audio experience, though… by the time I’d come to the end, I felt like I’d just landed after having been transported to a special, intense, important, and sexy world. I felt oddly and wonderfully subdued, filled with compassion, content, and open.
In other words, this story and this narrator were meant to come together.
Also, I now really want to know the where, how, and what for Kyle and his future. So many interesting questions and idears started popping up in my ol’ noggin.
Narration Review:
I hope Gomez Pugh will forgive me when I say that narrating, ne storytelling, is one of the things he was clearly born to do. He knows where to place emphasis on words and phrases, altering his volume and cadence, both in single moments and as each character. He’s into it, pulling me into it, the story, without becoming an overwhelming focus, without putting himself and his voice into the center, replacing the story. It’s such a fine line and he dances along, beside, and across it with perfection. Believe me, that’s no exaggeration.
When I read, I sometimes have clear voices for the characters and sometimes I don’t. That’s not a reflection of the writing or the characters or the story, I just don’t always cement the sounds of them for myself as I’m reading. Pugh has given me a voice for Kyle, and it was unexpected and fantastic at that, adding to his grinding, gritty existence and instinctual pull towards survival. He’s given me voices for Grimm (I can hear his smirk and his power and his intelligence) and Winter (sarcastic, strong, and certain) and the asshole officer and hoity toity receptionist, all of the bit players getting their fair representation.
I’m not off to go find everything he’s narrated, which includes a certain cop series that I love.
Enjoy listening!
Original review:
Kyle lives in a very dense, confusing, dark and yet very ordinary universe. People still need to eat, need money, favors and suffer injury and many other ordinary trappings of life. That's how Kyle treats the world and himself within it, but he eventually experiences something he never expected.
I have to say, I wasn't really sure until nearly the end how everything was going to turn out. Or rather, be the ending to a new beginning. My only inkling came from how well Grimm (love that name, not grim at all) as a character was given to us.
Thank you, AV, for an enjoyable, quick read :)
ETA:It's a wee bit similar to Dark Edge of Honor in that it technically takes place in another universe but tis a unique story. Well paced, some humor, good dialogue and a bit o hotness. The focus is definitely the characters.
Reviewage on Prism Book Alliance®
Story Review:
This is a deeply personal story. Most of all, for Kyle, the main character and through whose eyes and heart and body we experience what is surely only one of many journeys for him. His is the umbrella of a metaphor for all of the others contained within. They’re subtle but definite, gently nudging but undeniable and unmistakable. Self-acceptance, altering one’s thinking which leads to realizations and new points of view, and most important of them all is seeing how we as individuals fit within our world even as it changes around us. Control is almost always out of reach and Kyle has learned and continues to learn this through some quite unpleasant as well as most enjoyable ways.
This story is a bit of an anomaly in the general sci-fi world in that it’s not a tome, overflowing with mind-cramming detail and bloated world-building. Instead, I was easily placed within this universe of Kyle’s, quickly learning how the economy worked, what kind of agencies and institutions were vying for that squirrely control, and who was more or less likely to suffer because of those struggles. Kyle was on the front lines.
There are some scenes where things feel rushed, almost like skipping stones across the surface of the water. I’m getting most of the story but it feels like some things are missing, like the connection isn’t completely made or potential skimmed.
I’d read this book a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. It wasn’t tops on my list but it’s Voinov and his ability to choose every single word and combination of words seemingly perfectly so it’s better than most. This audio experience, though… by the time I’d come to the end, I felt like I’d just landed after having been transported to a special, intense, important, and sexy world. I felt oddly and wonderfully subdued, filled with compassion, content, and open.
In other words, this story and this narrator were meant to come together.
Also, I now really want to know the where, how, and what for Kyle and his future. So many interesting questions and idears started popping up in my ol’ noggin.
Narration Review:
I hope Gomez Pugh will forgive me when I say that narrating, ne storytelling, is one of the things he was clearly born to do. He knows where to place emphasis on words and phrases, altering his volume and cadence, both in single moments and as each character. He’s into it, pulling me into it, the story, without becoming an overwhelming focus, without putting himself and his voice into the center, replacing the story. It’s such a fine line and he dances along, beside, and across it with perfection. Believe me, that’s no exaggeration.
When I read, I sometimes have clear voices for the characters and sometimes I don’t. That’s not a reflection of the writing or the characters or the story, I just don’t always cement the sounds of them for myself as I’m reading. Pugh has given me a voice for Kyle, and it was unexpected and fantastic at that, adding to his grinding, gritty existence and instinctual pull towards survival. He’s given me voices for Grimm (I can hear his smirk and his power and his intelligence) and Winter (sarcastic, strong, and certain) and the asshole officer and hoity toity receptionist, all of the bit players getting their fair representation.
I’m not off to go find everything he’s narrated, which includes a certain cop series that I love.
Enjoy listening!
Original review:
Kyle lives in a very dense, confusing, dark and yet very ordinary universe. People still need to eat, need money, favors and suffer injury and many other ordinary trappings of life. That's how Kyle treats the world and himself within it, but he eventually experiences something he never expected.
I have to say, I wasn't really sure until nearly the end how everything was going to turn out. Or rather, be the ending to a new beginning. My only inkling came from how well Grimm (love that name, not grim at all) as a character was given to us.
Thank you, AV, for an enjoyable, quick read :)
ETA:It's a wee bit similar to Dark Edge of Honor in that it technically takes place in another universe but tis a unique story. Well paced, some humor, good dialogue and a bit o hotness. The focus is definitely the characters.
October 18, 2014
Voinov does it again!
Enemies-to-lovers story. But this time it's also Sci-Fi. Or rather Sparks-Fly.
Why, oh why is it so short though? I would have liked a chance to get to know this couple better so much! This felt like a sample of something that could be really delicious.
Mr Voinov, is there any chance you're planning on a sequence to this story, please? I'm sure these two guys have a lot of ground to cover and adjustments to do building their relationship. It would be nice to see Kyle recovering and adapting to his new abilities, visiting the world where Kshar is from, seeing their relationship grow, perhaps encounter more enemies on the way to make it more fun.
I'm suggesting all this because I've enjoyed this story. And the characters. And the plot. The writing was never even in question. What I missed here were JUST another couple of hundred of pages or so. That would have been nice and made me one happy lady.
Thank you, my readingaliens buddies Sofia, Stas and Ingela for this short but lovely journey together! <3
***3.7 stars***
Enemies-to-lovers story. But this time it's also Sci-Fi. Or rather Sparks-Fly.
Why, oh why is it so short though? I would have liked a chance to get to know this couple better so much! This felt like a sample of something that could be really delicious.
Mr Voinov, is there any chance you're planning on a sequence to this story, please? I'm sure these two guys have a lot of ground to cover and adjustments to do building their relationship. It would be nice to see Kyle recovering and adapting to his new abilities, visiting the world where Kshar is from, seeing their relationship grow, perhaps encounter more enemies on the way to make it more fun.
I'm suggesting all this because I've enjoyed this story. And the characters. And the plot. The writing was never even in question. What I missed here were JUST another couple of hundred of pages or so. That would have been nice and made me one happy lady.
Thank you, my reading
***3.7 stars***
November 5, 2016
4 but whatever. I was confessing to DD that I was rereading Unhinge the Universe for the 6th time or so because I'm going through a rough patch in life, and what better way to rise above it than by cracking open a proven comfort read? Even though I can almost retell it word for word.:p Then DD mentioned Incursion. I know better than to question her recs, and the next thing I know I've finished this awesome Voinov, that's been on my ereader since fucking 2013 due to that confusing --I can't be fucked-- sci-fi blurb.
Ha ha. I'm an idiot.
Short ramble shorter: loved it, fast-paced, exciting and such interesting world-building for so few pages. The only downside was that it was way too short and a bit rushed. I wasn't ready to let go at all. I wanted so much more...there was so much potential to....argh! More..more.... *claw-hands*
Ha ha. I'm an idiot.
Short ramble shorter: loved it, fast-paced, exciting and such interesting world-building for so few pages. The only downside was that it was way too short and a bit rushed. I wasn't ready to let go at all. I wanted so much more...there was so much potential to....argh! More..more.... *claw-hands*
July 3, 2012
In an Amara word… fantabulous.
I have a confession to make. I’m not a big sci-fi lover. It’s a genre I rarely read. But… far be it for me to let a Voinov go by without getting my grabby little hands on it. Sci-fi or no Sci-fi.
I really loved this one. Voinov managed to pull me into his world, keep me intrigued, all without over sci-fi’ing me to death. Kudo’s on that.
One of the things I loved most about this one was the characters. Well written, fully fleshed out and intriguing. Damaged, rough around the edges and full of RAWR. All things I expect from Aleksandr Voinov’s characters. The MC, Kyle, is wonderful. But for me, it was Grimm all the way. The moment he appeared, he had me. As the book progress, he owned me. The secondary characters were just as wonderful, with Winter FTW.
I also loved Voinov’s take on the shifters. Silly me, I heard him talk shifters and thought… ‘Aleks is going to write weres’. As always, I don’t think far enough outside the box to keep up with what Voinov has in mind. The way he keeps me guessing is one of my favorite things about him. Weres… they were not. Fantabulous… they most definitely were.
But the thing I loved most about this one I think, was… it spoke to me. Maybe it was where I was at the time, maybe Voinov meant speak thru it; I don’t know. But by the end of the book I was reading messages in it that had me wanting to cry out “YES! This. THIS!”.
In a nutshell… another fabulous book by Aleksandr Voinov. That dude just never disappoints.
Highly recommended.
I have a confession to make. I’m not a big sci-fi lover. It’s a genre I rarely read. But… far be it for me to let a Voinov go by without getting my grabby little hands on it. Sci-fi or no Sci-fi.
I really loved this one. Voinov managed to pull me into his world, keep me intrigued, all without over sci-fi’ing me to death. Kudo’s on that.
One of the things I loved most about this one was the characters. Well written, fully fleshed out and intriguing. Damaged, rough around the edges and full of RAWR. All things I expect from Aleksandr Voinov’s characters. The MC, Kyle, is wonderful. But for me, it was Grimm all the way. The moment he appeared, he had me. As the book progress, he owned me. The secondary characters were just as wonderful, with Winter FTW.
I also loved Voinov’s take on the shifters. Silly me, I heard him talk shifters and thought… ‘Aleks is going to write weres’. As always, I don’t think far enough outside the box to keep up with what Voinov has in mind. The way he keeps me guessing is one of my favorite things about him. Weres… they were not. Fantabulous… they most definitely were.
But the thing I loved most about this one I think, was… it spoke to me. Maybe it was where I was at the time, maybe Voinov meant speak thru it; I don’t know. But by the end of the book I was reading messages in it that had me wanting to cry out “YES! This. THIS!”.
In a nutshell… another fabulous book by Aleksandr Voinov. That dude just never disappoints.
Highly recommended.
December 14, 2018
I love a good Sci - Fi story, even better, this is m/m and then icing on the cake its written by Mr Voinov so that makes it way past just good, it makes it exceptional!
Wow! What a trip this read was. The world building was so vivid that I felt I was watching a top quality space opera ...its broken hero on a mission, intrigue, espionage shape shifting double agents , bustling space ports and a renegade space ship filled with its interesting but motley crew.
Kyles character the tough ex soldier with his now broken body and weary acceptance of life now that he's having to cope with prosthetics to move around is perfect fodder for the books hero and I was pulled to him from the start, then when he goes undercover to hunt the morphing alien and meets up with Grimm , who almost steals the show ( I loved him!) it just starts to get better and better! I was on the edge of my seat all the way through. Red herrings and plot twists adding to the anticipation! And when you think you've got it sussed...not that you ever really do I might add.... WHAM! You're knocked sideways by the twist in the tail and left in a state of blissed out awe! *sigh* I did not want this book to end but sadly it had to. Thankfully I know that there's another story set in this fantastic universe, (and I think possibly an extension of this one?) that Aleks has created so I can breathe a sigh of relief until I'm caught up in all the next books nail biting space drama! As always written with flair and panache. Truly Awesome!
Wow! What a trip this read was. The world building was so vivid that I felt I was watching a top quality space opera ...its broken hero on a mission, intrigue, espionage shape shifting double agents , bustling space ports and a renegade space ship filled with its interesting but motley crew.
Kyles character the tough ex soldier with his now broken body and weary acceptance of life now that he's having to cope with prosthetics to move around is perfect fodder for the books hero and I was pulled to him from the start, then when he goes undercover to hunt the morphing alien and meets up with Grimm , who almost steals the show ( I loved him!) it just starts to get better and better! I was on the edge of my seat all the way through. Red herrings and plot twists adding to the anticipation! And when you think you've got it sussed...not that you ever really do I might add.... WHAM! You're knocked sideways by the twist in the tail and left in a state of blissed out awe! *sigh* I did not want this book to end but sadly it had to. Thankfully I know that there's another story set in this fantastic universe, (and I think possibly an extension of this one?) that Aleks has created so I can breathe a sigh of relief until I'm caught up in all the next books nail biting space drama! As always written with flair and panache. Truly Awesome!
July 12, 2012
5/5; 5 stars; A+
Sci-fi, in particular, space opera is one of my favorite genres. I thought Incursion was a fantastic example of the genre. I enjoyed every aspect, from the science and technology to the romance, to the mystery. Aleksander Voinov creates characters that really touch me. The fact that he packed a complete story with fully developed characters into 68 pages is also a testament to his skill.
In the course of this fun adventure a lot of profound ideas were brought forth to the reader for consideration....ideas about what it means to be human, ideas about how much control we have over the context we see ourselves in, ideas about change. I loved it.
As a side note, I thought the cover of this book-the double helix is a perfect fit to the story and it was beautifully rendered.
Sci-fi, in particular, space opera is one of my favorite genres. I thought Incursion was a fantastic example of the genre. I enjoyed every aspect, from the science and technology to the romance, to the mystery. Aleksander Voinov creates characters that really touch me. The fact that he packed a complete story with fully developed characters into 68 pages is also a testament to his skill.
In the course of this fun adventure a lot of profound ideas were brought forth to the reader for consideration....ideas about what it means to be human, ideas about how much control we have over the context we see ourselves in, ideas about change. I loved it.
As a side note, I thought the cover of this book-the double helix is a perfect fit to the story and it was beautifully rendered.
July 9, 2012
So good. This story takes place in the same universe of Dark Edge of Honor. There is less focus on the political aspects and more on the different races inhabiting it. I am not an expert of science fiction, but I really enjoyed it here.
This is Kyle's story. Kyle was injured and crippled by a Glyrinny weapon, which destroyed his nerves, and made him unable to walk without prosthetics, impotent and destitute. Stripped of his job and his pride, he is asked to perform a mission to access better surgery that would allow him to be more independent: he has to capture or kill a Glyrinny spy. He looks for it on board of a space ship, the Scorpion, whose pilot comes from the same planet of Kyle, but while Kyle was a simple soldier who sought his fortune abroad, this man, Grimm, belongs to the warrior chaste, a class of superior beings which Kyle failed to access.
Grimm is handsome, fascinating and whole. He's probably a fallen warrior, but Kyle can't help feeling the attraction. He doesn't want to fall for it, because he is on a mission, but also because he feels inferior, damaged. Warriors on his home planet are also beings who comfort and heal people and Kyle needs comfort and recognizes his need even if he pushes it away. Grimm offers this comfort and more, clearly trying to make Kyle see that he's not half of a man because he can't feel anything from the waist down. It was heart-wrenching to see the hollowness in Kyle's life, the way he wasn't able to scrap himself together, how difficult it was for him to even believe there could still be a little bit of pleasure left for him.
The story gets more complicated and I don't want to spoil it and tell too much. I want to remark the beautiful writing, I was especially impressed by the seamless way we were able to transition from Kyle's words to his thoughts, in a style that is the trademark of Aleksandr Voinov's writing and its beautiful terseness.
He tried to get up, thought he felt his leg twitch, before he remembered he couldn't move his legs. He groaned with disappointment and felt so raw inside that his eyes blurred with tears.
Like mine. I mean, two sentences and I'm looking for tissues. When what a character is feeling automagically transfers to me, I feel a bit silly, because, it's supposed to be fiction, but I also feel privileged at the same time because it made me feel. I guess Kyle'd say the same.
This is Kyle's story. Kyle was injured and crippled by a Glyrinny weapon, which destroyed his nerves, and made him unable to walk without prosthetics, impotent and destitute. Stripped of his job and his pride, he is asked to perform a mission to access better surgery that would allow him to be more independent: he has to capture or kill a Glyrinny spy. He looks for it on board of a space ship, the Scorpion, whose pilot comes from the same planet of Kyle, but while Kyle was a simple soldier who sought his fortune abroad, this man, Grimm, belongs to the warrior chaste, a class of superior beings which Kyle failed to access.
Grimm is handsome, fascinating and whole. He's probably a fallen warrior, but Kyle can't help feeling the attraction. He doesn't want to fall for it, because he is on a mission, but also because he feels inferior, damaged. Warriors on his home planet are also beings who comfort and heal people and Kyle needs comfort and recognizes his need even if he pushes it away. Grimm offers this comfort and more, clearly trying to make Kyle see that he's not half of a man because he can't feel anything from the waist down. It was heart-wrenching to see the hollowness in Kyle's life, the way he wasn't able to scrap himself together, how difficult it was for him to even believe there could still be a little bit of pleasure left for him.
The story gets more complicated and I don't want to spoil it and tell too much. I want to remark the beautiful writing, I was especially impressed by the seamless way we were able to transition from Kyle's words to his thoughts, in a style that is the trademark of Aleksandr Voinov's writing and its beautiful terseness.
He tried to get up, thought he felt his leg twitch, before he remembered he couldn't move his legs. He groaned with disappointment and felt so raw inside that his eyes blurred with tears.
Like mine. I mean, two sentences and I'm looking for tissues. When what a character is feeling automagically transfers to me, I feel a bit silly, because, it's supposed to be fiction, but I also feel privileged at the same time because it made me feel. I guess Kyle'd say the same.
March 29, 2016
4.5 stars. This book has excellent world-building, interesting characters with a lot of issues and imperfections, and a well-designed plot. The only reason it wasn't five stars for me was that it felt a bit short. I guess like so many of this excellent writer's stories, I wasn't ready to let these guys go, which is more compliment than flaw.
March 18, 2013
The last few pages tipped this from 3 to 4 stars for me. The hope and possibility of the ending, and most importantly the theme of becoming your true self, was very touching.
It started a bit slow, way too much world-building for a short work, but ultimately proved satisfying. And I love the idea of the Glyrinny species. I found them unique and truly beautiful.
It started a bit slow, way too much world-building for a short work, but ultimately proved satisfying. And I love the idea of the Glyrinny species. I found them unique and truly beautiful.
March 21, 2014
Wow, this was brilliant!
I love books (or in this case novellas) that make me feel like I am actually watching a movie. Since reading gives you so much more, this mixed experience is just fantastic!
Incursion was exactly this for me. It was the bastard child of Firefly/Serenity and District 9, with a DNA slash of Terminator (mostly because Kyle Reese is so hot...).
I love books (or in this case novellas) that make me feel like I am actually watching a movie. Since reading gives you so much more, this mixed experience is just fantastic!
Incursion was exactly this for me. It was the bastard child of Firefly/Serenity and District 9, with a DNA slash of Terminator (mostly because Kyle Reese is so hot...).
June 12, 2016
Wow, I have no clue how to write a coherent review without giving anything away. My thoughts are in a jumble, too, and I blame my buddy reader EE for that, part wise ;-P They is contagious, I think.
So, there's this part of me that thoroughly enjoyed this book, because it had me guessing what was happening for a long time, and I just love when I don't know what is real and where allegiances lie. And I really liked Kyle, our protagonist. He got injured recently and is disabled since, and he has a really fucking hard time to adjust to his new life. He might have been cynical, but he wasn't depressing, something that is important for my reading experience at the moment. And it goes without saying that I love Aleks's writing style. It's engaging, focused on the characters, and building the world so easily, more like an afterthought, but not any less vivid.
Yeah so... The other part of me... keeps thinking about politics, about the depiction of disability and its limitations, and this is the part where I don't know if I entirely approve.
I'm getting spoilerish now, so don't read further if you don't want to know too much.
I think my main question is why Kyle was healed. But then I think it's because this is a science fiction and not a contemporary, so 'rules' do apply differently, and I can have the freedom to gift my protagonist with a whole body again. Yes. And I'm fine with this! But Kyle struggled with his disability a lot, and he didn't get to terms with it, and then it is gone, so I feel like there was this conflict and it was solved too easily.
Having said all this, I really liked this book, and I'm gonna leave you with this favourite quote now:
He understood it then. The potential, the utter, unbelievable freedom to be whoever existed underneath his skin. Not just since the accident, but his whole life, he'd had no idea what truly lay beneath his own surface.
***
This book counts for my following reading challenges 2015:
- 100 books in total
- 20 books about a marginalised group
- 20 buddy reads
So, there's this part of me that thoroughly enjoyed this book, because it had me guessing what was happening for a long time, and I just love when I don't know what is real and where allegiances lie. And I really liked Kyle, our protagonist. He got injured recently and is disabled since, and he has a really fucking hard time to adjust to his new life. He might have been cynical, but he wasn't depressing, something that is important for my reading experience at the moment. And it goes without saying that I love Aleks's writing style. It's engaging, focused on the characters, and building the world so easily, more like an afterthought, but not any less vivid.
Yeah so... The other part of me... keeps thinking about politics, about the depiction of disability and its limitations, and this is the part where I don't know if I entirely approve.
I'm getting spoilerish now, so don't read further if you don't want to know too much.
I think my main question is why Kyle was healed. But then I think it's because this is a science fiction and not a contemporary, so 'rules' do apply differently, and I can have the freedom to gift my protagonist with a whole body again. Yes. And I'm fine with this! But Kyle struggled with his disability a lot, and he didn't get to terms with it, and then it is gone, so I feel like there was this conflict and it was solved too easily.
Having said all this, I really liked this book, and I'm gonna leave you with this favourite quote now:
He understood it then. The potential, the utter, unbelievable freedom to be whoever existed underneath his skin. Not just since the accident, but his whole life, he'd had no idea what truly lay beneath his own surface.
***
This book counts for my following reading challenges 2015:
- 100 books in total
- 20 books about a marginalised group
- 20 buddy reads
July 13, 2012
I liked Grimm. I got him. And Winter/Spring. She had something.
Kyle? He was a challenge. It's not that I didn't like him. It's that I didn't get him right, I think. There was something about him I kept missing. He reminded me of Brooklyn from Counterpunch but he lacked that cynic lustre. And I had some issues with his disability. Why he was chosen to hunt down Kshar in the first place and how he planned to overpower Kshar after their encounter at that hotel.
But I liked the world-building. I think I'll be reading Dark Edge of Honor sooner than I planned.
June 16, 2017
Someone please tell me why this isn't serialized or at least a full length novel because the fact that it's a mere 85 pages is the only disappointing part!
You have Kyle who's been damaged physically, sent on a mission to capture an alien in the hopes that his reward will get him a better life. He catches a ride with a group of mercenaries that includes Grimm, a person from his home planet that he feels an instant connection with.
Soooo there's plenty of desire, intermixed with distrust. Is Grimm friend or foe? And in the end will it really matter?
This was an impressive little scifi space adventure with some intrigue and plenty of UST and smex. Of course it was way too short for my liking and definitely wishful thinking for a sequel - if only.
You have Kyle who's been damaged physically, sent on a mission to capture an alien in the hopes that his reward will get him a better life. He catches a ride with a group of mercenaries that includes Grimm, a person from his home planet that he feels an instant connection with.
Soooo there's plenty of desire, intermixed with distrust. Is Grimm friend or foe? And in the end will it really matter?
This was an impressive little scifi space adventure with some intrigue and plenty of UST and smex. Of course it was way too short for my liking and definitely wishful thinking for a sequel - if only.
January 6, 2020
Very clever!
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