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The Machinist
In a nightmare world where the things in the dark are large and hungry and humanity has been driven back to the tribal and savage, a man like Avery Belfour is an asset. Avery is a machinist, one of the few left with the knowledge to keep mechanical devices—in particular, guns—in working order. But being in such high demand comes with a Avery is kept as a prisoner under lock and key.
When a rival colony raids the compound Avery is kept in and breaks him out, Avery has a brief hope that his incarceration is over. But it turns out that his saviors have just as much need for his services and are just as unlikely to give him the chance to say no. He is dragged away to meet the dark and deadly Harrow, the leader of this new colony. Harrow is a hard man, made so by his circumstances, but Avery wants his freedom, and is willing to do *anything* to secure it.
(Originally part of the "Weight of a Gun" anthology.)
When a rival colony raids the compound Avery is kept in and breaks him out, Avery has a brief hope that his incarceration is over. But it turns out that his saviors have just as much need for his services and are just as unlikely to give him the chance to say no. He is dragged away to meet the dark and deadly Harrow, the leader of this new colony. Harrow is a hard man, made so by his circumstances, but Avery wants his freedom, and is willing to do *anything* to secure it.
(Originally part of the "Weight of a Gun" anthology.)
22 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 19, 2012
53 people want to read
About the author
Gryvon
20 books16 followersGryvon is writer of things strange, fantastical, and queer. Her works span a wide range of tone, from dark paranormal thrillers to cozy romances. During the day, she works as professional code monkey with coworkers who think her far more innocent than she actually is. She's an avid gamer and all-around geek who spends a fair number of weekends running around (or LARPing) with people playing as vampires or werewolves.
She currently resides in Buffalo, NY with a menagerie of cats, rats, hamsters, and other small animals. Her other works, including a plethora of fanfiction, can be found at gryvon.com.
She currently resides in Buffalo, NY with a menagerie of cats, rats, hamsters, and other small animals. Her other works, including a plethora of fanfiction, can be found at gryvon.com.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 31, 2014
An unmitigated disaster.
Irretrievably obvious writing like this:
Harrow ['s dick] was thicker than the gun had been, longer and warmer.
...which I have helpfully catalogued in the comments below.
Until I got bored, anyway.
Complete horseshit; the gun kink begins at around 75 percent.
Enjoy!
Irretrievably obvious writing like this:
Harrow ['s dick] was thicker than the gun had been, longer and warmer.
...which I have helpfully catalogued in the comments below.
Until I got bored, anyway.
Complete horseshit; the gun kink begins at around 75 percent.
Enjoy!
October 11, 2013
*fans self*
Oh, I think I need a cold drink and a sit down. A lie down. Alone.
Hoo, boy.
4.5 stars
Oh, I think I need a cold drink and a sit down. A lie down. Alone.
Hoo, boy.
4.5 stars
July 20, 2012
Review posted at The Armchair Reader.
Damn that was hot! I try not to say I want to read more of something (More! More! More!) because this genre has so much volume of work that it's a ADHD playground, but damn I would really have loved to read more of this. I was terribly sad that it was over so quickly. And it made me wonder why the gun play was so hot. I hate guns. But this was one of those stark disconnects between fiction and real life and it totally worked for me.
Avery wakes up in his cell, weak and chained, to the sound of gunfire. As a machinist, a master of weaponry in a world where his knowledge is highly prized, he understands immediately that the pitch, duration, and rapidity means a host of men and their guns steadily coming his way. He's hoping this is his chance of freedom after being kidnapped during his travels and kept in the dungeon of this colony's fortress, but when the ice cold leader of the insurgency comes to his cell, his hopes are diminished. However, Avery is intelligent -- wily with an offset sense of humor -- and will try to do anything to stop being transferred from one prison to another.
The beauty of this story is Avery's snarky sense of humor amidst such a dark and desolate world, where it seems everyone and everything is a predator in the midst of war, natural and man-made alike. Perhaps because of his innate understanding of guns and therefore intelligence that is so highly prized, he flouts authority easily. And whether it is ultimately to get a rise out of his captors (and satiate his lust for guns against his skin) or an earnest desire for freedom, he's a man living in the present of his circumstances. Told completely from Avery's point of view, we understand very little about the world he inhabits or the cause of conflict he's in the middle of, save that he's away from his homeland on a foolish desire for travel in a dangerous place.
This story probably won't be for some, not only because of the gun kink, but because the story does seem a prelude to showcasing the kink itself -- little background about the world and characters, only the briefest hint of body language to pinpoint the difference between the facade of play and the realistic circumstances Avery is in. I can appreciate that, though, and at face value all of those things serve to isolate the reader Avery's limited world that is fairly powerless. And while the gun kink was completely, irresistibly sexy to me in this story, that limitation also piques my interest in what might really be going on, thus setting me up to always want more.
Though I've heard great things about this author in the past, this is the first thing I've read of her work, and from now on I'll be closely watching for new releases!
Damn that was hot! I try not to say I want to read more of something (More! More! More!) because this genre has so much volume of work that it's a ADHD playground, but damn I would really have loved to read more of this. I was terribly sad that it was over so quickly. And it made me wonder why the gun play was so hot. I hate guns. But this was one of those stark disconnects between fiction and real life and it totally worked for me.
Avery wakes up in his cell, weak and chained, to the sound of gunfire. As a machinist, a master of weaponry in a world where his knowledge is highly prized, he understands immediately that the pitch, duration, and rapidity means a host of men and their guns steadily coming his way. He's hoping this is his chance of freedom after being kidnapped during his travels and kept in the dungeon of this colony's fortress, but when the ice cold leader of the insurgency comes to his cell, his hopes are diminished. However, Avery is intelligent -- wily with an offset sense of humor -- and will try to do anything to stop being transferred from one prison to another.
The beauty of this story is Avery's snarky sense of humor amidst such a dark and desolate world, where it seems everyone and everything is a predator in the midst of war, natural and man-made alike. Perhaps because of his innate understanding of guns and therefore intelligence that is so highly prized, he flouts authority easily. And whether it is ultimately to get a rise out of his captors (and satiate his lust for guns against his skin) or an earnest desire for freedom, he's a man living in the present of his circumstances. Told completely from Avery's point of view, we understand very little about the world he inhabits or the cause of conflict he's in the middle of, save that he's away from his homeland on a foolish desire for travel in a dangerous place.
This story probably won't be for some, not only because of the gun kink, but because the story does seem a prelude to showcasing the kink itself -- little background about the world and characters, only the briefest hint of body language to pinpoint the difference between the facade of play and the realistic circumstances Avery is in. I can appreciate that, though, and at face value all of those things serve to isolate the reader Avery's limited world that is fairly powerless. And while the gun kink was completely, irresistibly sexy to me in this story, that limitation also piques my interest in what might really be going on, thus setting me up to always want more.
Though I've heard great things about this author in the past, this is the first thing I've read of her work, and from now on I'll be closely watching for new releases!
October 12, 2013
Does a lot with a short space--probably would have been better if it was longer, since the world has a lot of potential. Still, when they got down to business, the scenes were deliciously erotic, and I always enjoy the plot device where a prisoner thinks he's being freed only to find himself prisoner to someone else (or a la Bloodraven back in the power of his original captor!!!!). Avery is definitely obnoxious and slutty enough that you don't feel too much pity when he ends up in the hands of his handsome, sexy, oh-so-commanding new owner. Not totally into the gun angle here, but Gryvon definitely knows how to write gun-smut.
July 4, 2013
Reviewed under Weight of a Gun anthology.
4.5 stars
This one has a higher heat factor given the deep kink between our two lead guys, Harrow and Avery. Yes, again I feel as I'm inserted into the middle of the story but it seems to work better here -- it's in keeping with the slightly off-kilter feel to the action. And there's lots of action and dangerous gun-play. Avery is the machinist -- he has been kidnapped for his skills which are apparently in great demand but he doesn't want to work for just anyone. Harrow is the big, silent, alpha leader who frees Avery, literally sweeps him off his feet, and enforces his dominance over him. This is a fantasy and has a steam punk feel to me. Would love to read a more developed work and especially to see where these two guys end up. Not really even a HFN for me.
4.5 stars
This one has a higher heat factor given the deep kink between our two lead guys, Harrow and Avery. Yes, again I feel as I'm inserted into the middle of the story but it seems to work better here -- it's in keeping with the slightly off-kilter feel to the action. And there's lots of action and dangerous gun-play. Avery is the machinist -- he has been kidnapped for his skills which are apparently in great demand but he doesn't want to work for just anyone. Harrow is the big, silent, alpha leader who frees Avery, literally sweeps him off his feet, and enforces his dominance over him. This is a fantasy and has a steam punk feel to me. Would love to read a more developed work and especially to see where these two guys end up. Not really even a HFN for me.
January 21, 2013
Great story - I hope it is the start of a series or something. The world building is super - I liked the characters a lot and it was deliciously dubcon/noncon. The gun play was really hot as well!
October 16, 2013
I kind of felt like a ran around in circles for a while and then fell back on my tail end right where I started. Well, maybe a tiny bit aroused, but still, I didn't get anywhere.
May 18, 2013
3.5 Stars
That was over too quickly! I felt like I was just getting started. I didn’t find out there was another one until the day after I read it but thank goodness there is. I really liked it but it just wasn’t enough. I felt teased!
Avery wakes up in a cell with plenty of noise alerting him to something going on outside. He assumes somebody is raiding the place he is and as the noise gets closer to him so he knows they’re coming for him. The only thing notable about him is he’s a machinist. When the giant soldier with peppered hair appears to rescue or recapture him he’s willing to go with him because anything is better than his current situation. What awaits them outside the castle walls is a battle between men and monsters.
Okay. It’s a pretty short story so I’ll stop there but I honestly felt like this was the first few chapters of damn good book in the making. The chemistry between Avery and his savior was twisted but so damn hot! I love it when authors push what I think my limits are. I totally bought both the roles the guys played in the story and I’m looking forward to more. This is the second time I’ve read about gun play in the bedroom and yes it’s not something I’d like in real life but they liked it and it’s fiction. Looking forward to the guys exploring whatever it is they’ve found together.
Review posted at Live Your Life, Buy The Book
That was over too quickly! I felt like I was just getting started. I didn’t find out there was another one until the day after I read it but thank goodness there is. I really liked it but it just wasn’t enough. I felt teased!
Avery wakes up in a cell with plenty of noise alerting him to something going on outside. He assumes somebody is raiding the place he is and as the noise gets closer to him so he knows they’re coming for him. The only thing notable about him is he’s a machinist. When the giant soldier with peppered hair appears to rescue or recapture him he’s willing to go with him because anything is better than his current situation. What awaits them outside the castle walls is a battle between men and monsters.
Okay. It’s a pretty short story so I’ll stop there but I honestly felt like this was the first few chapters of damn good book in the making. The chemistry between Avery and his savior was twisted but so damn hot! I love it when authors push what I think my limits are. I totally bought both the roles the guys played in the story and I’m looking forward to more. This is the second time I’ve read about gun play in the bedroom and yes it’s not something I’d like in real life but they liked it and it’s fiction. Looking forward to the guys exploring whatever it is they’ve found together.
Review posted at Live Your Life, Buy The Book
Read
August 31, 2016Read this one as part of the Weight of a Gun anthology and was surprised that the writing style grated on my nerves as much as it did. Won't rate as I've already rated the anthology as a whole and it would seem malignant.
October 11, 2013
I've reviewed this as part of the original Anthology.
More details Here.
More details Here.
August 2, 2012
I liked the synopsis of this short story but the sexual play included gun penetration that was too much for me. Since this story is from Avery's point of view, though told in third person, it leaves Harrow unexplained. I wish Harrow was more than just a powerful man intent on kidnapping, threatening and penetrating Avery. THE MACHINIST isn't for this squeamish reviewer but very edgy readers may like it.
August 3, 2016
Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars.
December 7, 2015
A very quick read which I quite enjoyed, despite finding guns distinctly unerotic.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews