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Chaos Station #4
Inversion Point
Zander and Felix's relationship has been to the brink and back: the Human-Stin War, imprisonment and an actual death/resurrection. Zander's death, to be specific, and the experience has left him…changed. The mysterious race known as the Guardians chose to revive him and appointed him as their emissary. A high honor, but he could do without the group of would-be cultists following him around the galaxy.
When a recently discovered species destroys a stin probe, Zander's new role soon commands all of his time and focus. The human ambassador—Felix's ex-lover, much to Zander's annoyance—pulls them into strategy talks aimed at preserving galactic peace. Soon everyone is relying on Zander's Guardian tech to telepathically communicate with the strange aliens.
Only Felix seems concerned with the strain piling up on Zander, but he has his own resolve tested when the very stin that imprisoned him show up to a summit. Zander and Felix will both have to find a way to face their doubts and preserve their love—while preventing another galaxy-wide war.
Book four of Chaos Station
70,000 words
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 25, 2016
15 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Jenn Burke
30 books526 followersJenn Burke has loved out-of-this-world romance since she was a preteen reading about heroes and heroines kicking butt and falling in love. Now that she’s an author, she couldn’t be happier to bring adventure, romance, and sexy times to her readers.
Jenn is the author of a number of paranormal and science fiction romance titles, including the critically acclaimed Chaos Station science fiction romance series (authored with Kelly Jensen) and her newest series, Ashes & Dust, a spin-off of her fan-favorite Not Dead Yet series.
She’s been called a pocket-sized and puntastic Canadian on social media, and she’ll happily own that label. Jenn lives just outside of Ottawa, Ontario, with her husband and two kids, plus two dogs named after video game characters…because her geekiness knows no bounds.
Jenn is represented by Deidre Knight of the Knight Agency.
Jenn is the author of a number of paranormal and science fiction romance titles, including the critically acclaimed Chaos Station science fiction romance series (authored with Kelly Jensen) and her newest series, Ashes & Dust, a spin-off of her fan-favorite Not Dead Yet series.
She’s been called a pocket-sized and puntastic Canadian on social media, and she’ll happily own that label. Jenn lives just outside of Ottawa, Ontario, with her husband and two kids, plus two dogs named after video game characters…because her geekiness knows no bounds.
Jenn is represented by Deidre Knight of the Knight Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
September 15, 2017
Rating: 4.5* of five
There was more "w"-verbing at 74% but for that one and only time it was less than revolting in context.
I'll get to reviewing before long.
**A GOOD WHILE LATER**
So another solid four-plus star outing in a series whose SFnal street cred, if we could only get some straight boys to read it, would carry it far beyond the m/m ghetto. The resonance is my absolute favorite race so far, not excluding humans, because "fluffy yellow partner unit" made me laugh until my belly ached. I could *see* Flick's confused amused slightly insulted mostly bemused face when he heard that. Men with curly blond hair must get similar nonsense thrown at them all the time, and the fact that he's the reasonably public partner of the Emissary of the Guardians can't make life as a mop-top any easier.
The political elements of this outing are genuinely involving, again without reference to m/m content...well, except for the fact that Flick is the space equivalent of Alma Mahler Gropius Werfel, having bagged humanity's chief envoy Theo as well as Zed the Emissary. Ducks always envy the swans, hm? What is it about some people, anyway, that they can score the best and the brightest without seeming to bring anything all that exciting to the table themselves? But wait, Flick is...well...Flick is from a world where ambassadors are equivalent to unicorns and now his sweet, lovely ex is one and his amazing one-true-love man is one and he's, you know, just this guy. His head's whirling. He's interacting with the stin, the very same precise stin who tortured him almost to death during his four-year stint as a POW just cuz. He's way outside his comfort zone and he only gets more remote from it as Ambassador Theo the ex-lover sets Emissary Zed the one-true-love's teeth on edge and causes him to act like a sulky adolescent ninny. Which for all of me is the best moment in the book. I love that Zed gets all "my man step off or suffer" about his Flick. Sure it's silly! No way in hell can even the scrummy hotness that is Theo compete with Zed's amazeballs pedigree, position, and prior claim on Flick's feelings. But your man being just a little extra attentive and a scoche more possessive in the presence of a potential rival? Yes please. Very agreeable if not carried too far, and Authors Burke and Jensen don't let it get out of hand.
The tragedies that befall our heroes are testing and frightening and the stakes are unfathomably high: a renewal of the Human-Stin War with a side order of Species Four/the resonance in the stin's sights as well. Flick pays a horrible personal price to keep this from happening. Zed will have nightmares the rest of his life about Flick's sacrifice, its reason and its agent.
That's the set-up, however, for one of the best endings I've read in a book lately. The resolution of the war threat and the reward for Flick's horrifying sacrifice is...sweet beyond belief, balm for so many wounds these awful author-ladies have put our guys through. I would give the book five stars just for the ending.
I can't quite do that. The ashushk have had their major inning. The stin, well, not sure that we need a lot more stin assholishness but we'd be better informed if we saw a weentsy bit more of their culture for some whys. It's the resonance that causes me to dock a half-star from the rating. I know, because it's been made clear, that the series ends with book five. You introduce me to the resonance and expect I'll trot happily alongside the carriage as it briskly bowls AWAY from the coolest aliens yet?! (Sorry, Qek.) In one of this era's billion-page-per-volume nonillionologies, sure okay I get it we'll be back around this way one say soon.
BUT THIS IS IT!
So very not cool. I'm being kind because ending but absent that I'd probably bust this one down a whole star or even two for the tease this represents.
Write more books in this series, please. Not with Zed and Flick, even, just in the wonderful and rich universe. Space operas are a blast to read, and I am completely at your mercy, great BurkeandJensen, for writing a solid one with men like me in it.
There was more "w"-verbing at 74% but for that one and only time it was less than revolting in context.
I'll get to reviewing before long.
**A GOOD WHILE LATER**
So another solid four-plus star outing in a series whose SFnal street cred, if we could only get some straight boys to read it, would carry it far beyond the m/m ghetto. The resonance is my absolute favorite race so far, not excluding humans, because "fluffy yellow partner unit" made me laugh until my belly ached. I could *see* Flick's confused amused slightly insulted mostly bemused face when he heard that. Men with curly blond hair must get similar nonsense thrown at them all the time, and the fact that he's the reasonably public partner of the Emissary of the Guardians can't make life as a mop-top any easier.
The political elements of this outing are genuinely involving, again without reference to m/m content...well, except for the fact that Flick is the space equivalent of Alma Mahler Gropius Werfel, having bagged humanity's chief envoy Theo as well as Zed the Emissary. Ducks always envy the swans, hm? What is it about some people, anyway, that they can score the best and the brightest without seeming to bring anything all that exciting to the table themselves? But wait, Flick is...well...Flick is from a world where ambassadors are equivalent to unicorns and now his sweet, lovely ex is one and his amazing one-true-love man is one and he's, you know, just this guy. His head's whirling. He's interacting with the stin, the very same precise stin who tortured him almost to death during his four-year stint as a POW just cuz. He's way outside his comfort zone and he only gets more remote from it as Ambassador Theo the ex-lover sets Emissary Zed the one-true-love's teeth on edge and causes him to act like a sulky adolescent ninny. Which for all of me is the best moment in the book. I love that Zed gets all "my man step off or suffer" about his Flick. Sure it's silly! No way in hell can even the scrummy hotness that is Theo compete with Zed's amazeballs pedigree, position, and prior claim on Flick's feelings. But your man being just a little extra attentive and a scoche more possessive in the presence of a potential rival? Yes please. Very agreeable if not carried too far, and Authors Burke and Jensen don't let it get out of hand.
The tragedies that befall our heroes are testing and frightening and the stakes are unfathomably high: a renewal of the Human-Stin War with a side order of Species Four/the resonance in the stin's sights as well. Flick pays a horrible personal price to keep this from happening. Zed will have nightmares the rest of his life about Flick's sacrifice, its reason and its agent.
That's the set-up, however, for one of the best endings I've read in a book lately. The resolution of the war threat and the reward for Flick's horrifying sacrifice is...sweet beyond belief, balm for so many wounds these awful author-ladies have put our guys through. I would give the book five stars just for the ending.
I can't quite do that. The ashushk have had their major inning. The stin, well, not sure that we need a lot more stin assholishness but we'd be better informed if we saw a weentsy bit more of their culture for some whys. It's the resonance that causes me to dock a half-star from the rating. I know, because it's been made clear, that the series ends with book five. You introduce me to the resonance and expect I'll trot happily alongside the carriage as it briskly bowls AWAY from the coolest aliens yet?! (Sorry, Qek.) In one of this era's billion-page-per-volume nonillionologies, sure okay I get it we'll be back around this way one say soon.
BUT THIS IS IT!
So very not cool. I'm being kind because ending but absent that I'd probably bust this one down a whole star or even two for the tease this represents.
Write more books in this series, please. Not with Zed and Flick, even, just in the wonderful and rich universe. Space operas are a blast to read, and I am completely at your mercy, great BurkeandJensen, for writing a solid one with men like me in it.
February 1, 2020
Something monumental happens to Felix in this book.
And it’s not the horrifying WTH moment about halfway into the book. Which, incidentally, is really on the brutal side, even if I do understand why it has to happen.
But … not talking about all that, but about the fact that something huge inside Felix shifts. He is the ultimate, self-declared angry man. Irritable. Crabby. Testy. Unsociable.
Part of that is in his nature, but a good part has to do with his past and how he deals with it. What happens here is that Felix starts to let go of his anger.
Telling you why and how would definitely be spoiling things, all I can assure you – it’s 100% brilliant and gratifying.
Equally satisfying is Zed’s jealousy of Theo, Felix’s ex. We get the whole range from posturing, protecting and threatening behavior, punching, etc. etc. and it’s totally chuckle-worthy. (Sorry, Zed!)
All this, wrapped beautifully in a suspenseful plot, twists and turns along the way, an insecure Zed questioning himself and what he can offer Felix and that fabulous, fabulous end, makes an easy 5 star read.
If this had been the last book in the series, I would have sighed happily and remembered it fondly. And you will remember these guys and their story. Because they are complex, deeply vulnerable men who have their heart in the right place. And the world is a better place for their compassion and integrity.
Zed and Felix are in the most beautiful place at the end of the book.
I do wonder (and cringe slightly in horror) what the authors are planning for these two in book 5!
And it’s not the horrifying WTH moment about halfway into the book. Which, incidentally, is really on the brutal side, even if I do understand why it has to happen.
But … not talking about all that, but about the fact that something huge inside Felix shifts. He is the ultimate, self-declared angry man. Irritable. Crabby. Testy. Unsociable.
Part of that is in his nature, but a good part has to do with his past and how he deals with it. What happens here is that Felix starts to let go of his anger.
Telling you why and how would definitely be spoiling things, all I can assure you – it’s 100% brilliant and gratifying.
Equally satisfying is Zed’s jealousy of Theo, Felix’s ex. We get the whole range from posturing, protecting and threatening behavior, punching, etc. etc. and it’s totally chuckle-worthy. (Sorry, Zed!)
All this, wrapped beautifully in a suspenseful plot, twists and turns along the way, an insecure Zed questioning himself and what he can offer Felix and that fabulous, fabulous end, makes an easy 5 star read.
If this had been the last book in the series, I would have sighed happily and remembered it fondly. And you will remember these guys and their story. Because they are complex, deeply vulnerable men who have their heart in the right place. And the world is a better place for their compassion and integrity.
Zed and Felix are in the most beautiful place at the end of the book.
I do wonder (and cringe slightly in horror) what the authors are planning for these two in book 5!
January 25, 2016
This series!
Book 4 of the Chaos Station series has it all - politics, relationship drama, hot sexin', and even some near-death experiences.
Zed is settling into his role as Emissary, and gets called to duty when the Guardians announce the arrival of a new species to the intergalactic community. He is under constant pressure, juggling his duties and the public scrutiny. Felix sees the stress that Zed is under, but isn't sure what he can do to help. Things get even more complicated when the human ambassador turns out to be the only other man Felix has ever had a relationship with.
'Inversion Point' is probably the second-angstiest book in the series, after the heartbreak that was Lonely Shore. Zed and Felix love each other deeply, but they just can't seem to catch a break. Add in Theo, the man that Zed can't help but wonder would have made Felix happier, and things were looking pretty bleak. So yes, this book did put me through the wringer again, though I didn't doubt for a second that the two would be able to work things out.
I think I can safely say that I'm in love with Felix Ingesson. My feelings for him have been mixed throughout the series, but he's won me over. I can't say too much without giving away major plot points, but what Felix endures in this book would break most people. Yet he comes out stronger than ever, knowing that Zed needs him.
The storyline with the Guardians and Zed's role as Emissary moves forward considerably in this book. There's more plot here than in previous books, though that makes sense given Zed's new role. While I did enjoy the "quieter" pace this series had taken so far, the extra action in book 4 was highly entertaining.
I'm pretty bummed that the next book will be the last. Zed and Felix have been a thrill to read. I can't recommend this series enough!
Review copy provided through NetGalley.
Book 4 of the Chaos Station series has it all - politics, relationship drama, hot sexin', and even some near-death experiences.
Zed is settling into his role as Emissary, and gets called to duty when the Guardians announce the arrival of a new species to the intergalactic community. He is under constant pressure, juggling his duties and the public scrutiny. Felix sees the stress that Zed is under, but isn't sure what he can do to help. Things get even more complicated when the human ambassador turns out to be the only other man Felix has ever had a relationship with.
'Inversion Point' is probably the second-angstiest book in the series, after the heartbreak that was Lonely Shore. Zed and Felix love each other deeply, but they just can't seem to catch a break. Add in Theo, the man that Zed can't help but wonder would have made Felix happier, and things were looking pretty bleak. So yes, this book did put me through the wringer again, though I didn't doubt for a second that the two would be able to work things out.
I think I can safely say that I'm in love with Felix Ingesson. My feelings for him have been mixed throughout the series, but he's won me over. I can't say too much without giving away major plot points, but what Felix endures in this book would break most people. Yet he comes out stronger than ever, knowing that Zed needs him.
The storyline with the Guardians and Zed's role as Emissary moves forward considerably in this book. There's more plot here than in previous books, though that makes sense given Zed's new role. While I did enjoy the "quieter" pace this series had taken so far, the extra action in book 4 was highly entertaining.
I'm pretty bummed that the next book will be the last. Zed and Felix have been a thrill to read. I can't recommend this series enough!
Review copy provided through NetGalley.
November 28, 2024
Omg another good book in the series. Once again action packed and hard to put down. Love the new species. And “fluffy yellow partner unit”
November 29, 2024
Really getting my sci/fi fix here! This has been such a solid series that I’ve really enjoyed! Another fast paced read with a nice mix of relationship and action. Great to buddy read and discuss along the way.
July 27, 2016
The past is always with us.
Waiting to mess with the present.
…and sometimes even with the future.
It’s an unwritten rule that you can’t escape your past. It catches up with you in the strangest of moments. Unexpected. Unwelcome. Inescapable.
Felix is forced to face his past in several ways. On the one hand, there are his demons in form of the aliens who kept him prisoner during the war, who tortured him and scarred him for life; those he hoped to never come near again. But their encounter is inevitable because of Zed’s role as a go-between for the already established species and the recently emerged Species Four, the resonance, since he is the only one capable of communicating with them.
On the other hand, there is Theo, ambassador for the humans, equally involved in the meeting of the species and ex-lover of Felix. A ghost of the past who puts a strain on Zed and Felix’s relationship and arouses jealousy and doubts in Zed.
There are some appalling situations in this book that grabbed my heart and squeezed it - hard and sometimes even painfully. My heart went out to both of them, even more than ever before, more than I thought possible…
…to Felix because he gets critically injured during an attack. Zed has to go into the Zone, his altered state of consciousness, to feel no pain, to function properly for the purpose of saving his lover. Believe me, I would have given anything to be able to do the same. Reading this scene made me want to curl up into a ball and cut out everything to just not feel. Beyond that, Felix himself is forced to make a sacrifice to have a reasonable chance of survival, which also might lead to a turning point in his life and it almost broke my heart.
…to Zed because the universal peace presses on his shoulders. He wears himself out, right up to utter exhaustion and collapse. He almost dies to save his crew and to prevent all of them from a new war and the world from falling into pieces.
All of this is aggravated by his doubts about his relationship with Felix caused by his jealousy and his worries about Felix’s health situation. Him being stalked by several cultists – not to say a whole order – who are seeing in him some kind of Redeemer, adds further stress to his situation.
After a hell of a ride near the end of this book, the ending itself was just... beautiful. It provides some kind of relief and hope and I really love Zed and Felix's new, even deeper connection. But knowing Zed and Felix and the apparent desire of the authors to torment their readers ;-), makes me a bit anxious to start with the final book of this series. I think it’s safe to say that there will be more excruciating moments for Zed and Felix (and for me!), but I really wish that they will get their well-deserved HEA.
There’s only one way to find out…
May 13, 2020
Good Lord, Fixer and Zed are going to be the death of me! This one was damn brutal but completely worth it in the end. Love them all , so much!
Got to know what happens next! *dustcloud*
Got to know what happens next! *dustcloud*
October 5, 2024
Inversion Point is the fourth story in what to date has been a really exciting and original sci-fi space opera romance series. With the same two main characters being featured in each book, you’d think that by now it would start to feel a little familiar and possibly a tad boring. But no! With fresh and inventive plot ideas and galactic peace on the line, this latest is just as much fun as the previous entries.
Felix and Zander have had a pretty rocky relationship, but at the end of the last book (Skip Trace) things seemed to have settled down between them. The biggest news now is the appearance of another species at the Hub, a sort of galactic meeting point where the Guardians (the benevolent overseers who’ve been instrumental in past stories in helping Zander survive) have let through a new and previously unknown species to interact with the three main groups we’ve seen in the story to date – Humans, the Ashushk, and the Stin (previously at war with humans and before that the Ashushk, but in a currently stable truce). What effect this new species will have on the stability of the peace holding between them is the question, as ambassadors from all 3 species, with Zander as the emissary and the only one who can communicate with the new arrivals race to the Hub. And just to add some more tension to the mix, the human ambassador just happens to be an old friend and ex of Felix. Can Zander and Felix continue to strengthen their relationship amidst the whirl of events surrounding them?
Once again, I was enthralled with this story, stuck out in deep space with an eclectic bunch of very likable characters with a new mission – to find a way to communicate with the species that has shown up in their quarter. I really enjoyed how inventive this was, both in terms of the species and how it communicates, as well as the whole story idea. Having Felix come face to face with the Stin who kept him as a prisoner of war during the Stin-Human war was definitely stressful to read! Because of Zander’s unique role as emissary, he must remain neutral and as a peacemaker for everyone involved, but you could just feel the emotion pouring off of him and Felix when they are put in this position. There was a part of the story mid way when all hell broke loose, and I was seriously doubting my grand idea of reading at bedtime as it was not at all conducive to sleep! Suffice it to say that the plot twists and turns and the action is non-stop in this rollicking adventure.
The relationship of Zander and Felix is tested once again, though not as much as in previous stories. In this case it’s a bit of jealousy on Zander’s side, when he sees the easy interaction Felix has with his friend and former lover Theo. The fact that Theo is a genuinely nice ‘normal’ guy isn’t lost on Zander who is a bit of a mutant in comparison, with parts of all these different species embedded in his body courtesy of experimentation when he was a soldier in the Allied Earth Forces, not to mention his time with the Guardians (see books 1, 2 and 3 for more about that). But some of the happenings result in Zander and Felix finding a new way to communicate, one that ensures their love for each other is strong and unbreakable. I loved seeing the two of them in this relatively happy state. As in the previous books, there are some sexy love scenes between them too.
At the end of this story, I breathed a huge sigh of relief that they had made it through this latest adventure. Truth be told I’m kind of dreading the end of the series (with the next story Phase Shift scheduled to be the last, though I’ll do my darnedest to convince the authors otherwise). It’s been such a fun and exciting series to date, and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for something innovative in the sci-fi romance genre. 5 stars.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Felix and Zander have had a pretty rocky relationship, but at the end of the last book (Skip Trace) things seemed to have settled down between them. The biggest news now is the appearance of another species at the Hub, a sort of galactic meeting point where the Guardians (the benevolent overseers who’ve been instrumental in past stories in helping Zander survive) have let through a new and previously unknown species to interact with the three main groups we’ve seen in the story to date – Humans, the Ashushk, and the Stin (previously at war with humans and before that the Ashushk, but in a currently stable truce). What effect this new species will have on the stability of the peace holding between them is the question, as ambassadors from all 3 species, with Zander as the emissary and the only one who can communicate with the new arrivals race to the Hub. And just to add some more tension to the mix, the human ambassador just happens to be an old friend and ex of Felix. Can Zander and Felix continue to strengthen their relationship amidst the whirl of events surrounding them?
Once again, I was enthralled with this story, stuck out in deep space with an eclectic bunch of very likable characters with a new mission – to find a way to communicate with the species that has shown up in their quarter. I really enjoyed how inventive this was, both in terms of the species and how it communicates, as well as the whole story idea. Having Felix come face to face with the Stin who kept him as a prisoner of war during the Stin-Human war was definitely stressful to read! Because of Zander’s unique role as emissary, he must remain neutral and as a peacemaker for everyone involved, but you could just feel the emotion pouring off of him and Felix when they are put in this position. There was a part of the story mid way when all hell broke loose, and I was seriously doubting my grand idea of reading at bedtime as it was not at all conducive to sleep! Suffice it to say that the plot twists and turns and the action is non-stop in this rollicking adventure.
The relationship of Zander and Felix is tested once again, though not as much as in previous stories. In this case it’s a bit of jealousy on Zander’s side, when he sees the easy interaction Felix has with his friend and former lover Theo. The fact that Theo is a genuinely nice ‘normal’ guy isn’t lost on Zander who is a bit of a mutant in comparison, with parts of all these different species embedded in his body courtesy of experimentation when he was a soldier in the Allied Earth Forces, not to mention his time with the Guardians (see books 1, 2 and 3 for more about that). But some of the happenings result in Zander and Felix finding a new way to communicate, one that ensures their love for each other is strong and unbreakable. I loved seeing the two of them in this relatively happy state. As in the previous books, there are some sexy love scenes between them too.
At the end of this story, I breathed a huge sigh of relief that they had made it through this latest adventure. Truth be told I’m kind of dreading the end of the series (with the next story Phase Shift scheduled to be the last, though I’ll do my darnedest to convince the authors otherwise). It’s been such a fun and exciting series to date, and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for something innovative in the sci-fi romance genre. 5 stars.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
August 2, 2016
As the book opens, Zander and Felix have worked past some of the issues that came between them in the last installment. They are solid, looking forward, although Zander's role as Emissary for the Guardians, the mysterious and most powerful race in the galaxy, has unwanted repercussions. Not only are there cultists following him, but the appearance of a new, possibly hostile galactic race puts him in the thick of first contact. To make it harder, the warlike stin, against whom the war they both fought in was waged, are claiming aggression by the new race and collusion by humans. Zander has to be part of trying to diffuse the next human-stin war before it starts.
Despite this, the book is actually more Felix's. While Zander's worst nightmares come from things his own side did to him, Felix was a prisoner of war of the stin. His damaged arm and his nightmares come directly from the guards and soldiers who captured, tortured, and held him. Now, if he's going to stay at Zander's side, he has to be civil in their presence. Not just their race, but some of the actual individuals who tormented him and destroyed his fellow human prisoners. Felix faces his toughest personal test, while trying to help Zander solve mysteries of who is on what side in this new mess, and hoping to head off another galactic war.
Despite this, the book is actually more Felix's. While Zander's worst nightmares come from things his own side did to him, Felix was a prisoner of war of the stin. His damaged arm and his nightmares come directly from the guards and soldiers who captured, tortured, and held him. Now, if he's going to stay at Zander's side, he has to be civil in their presence. Not just their race, but some of the actual individuals who tormented him and destroyed his fellow human prisoners. Felix faces his toughest personal test, while trying to help Zander solve mysteries of who is on what side in this new mess, and hoping to head off another galactic war.
December 8, 2024
(4.75/5)
Man, I wasn't prepared for this. Not at all.
What a gut-wrenching experience this book was. All the things that happened—it was almost too much for me. I even cried a little.
As much as the plot was a lot and very, very upsetting sometimes, I absolutely loved how it all unfolded.
The bond between Felix and Zander finally got some substance. This might be a bit harsh, but I didn't feel like their relationship was really good until now. They had a lot of ups and downs and a lot to work through, no wonder their bond was secondary.
But that has changed. A lot. I definitely love it.
Man, I wasn't prepared for this. Not at all.
What a gut-wrenching experience this book was. All the things that happened—it was almost too much for me. I even cried a little.
As much as the plot was a lot and very, very upsetting sometimes, I absolutely loved how it all unfolded.
The bond between Felix and Zander finally got some substance. This might be a bit harsh, but I didn't feel like their relationship was really good until now. They had a lot of ups and downs and a lot to work through, no wonder their bond was secondary.
But that has changed. A lot. I definitely love it.
To understand what he meant to Zed…and, really, that was the easy part.
Because Zed meant the same to him.
Everything.
March 15, 2019
4.5 Stars
Review:
Oh these poor, poor characters (or maybe poor, poor Felix is more accurate). Every time it seems like things are getting better and they're gonna get a break from all the problems, things just spiral down again. It gave me this really weird mixture of feeling awful for them and feeling happy because that's exactly the kind of thing I like to read.
Anyway... the reasons I loved this book. For one thing, just like all the others, it had a great plot but also lovable and realistic characters with imperfect but still sweet friendships and romantic relationships.
I also loved the mental health aspect that's been in all the books. Felix was a POW for years, but that was never used as just some tragic backstory; it truly affected him and was part of his character. Even when he and Zander would have sex, anytime Zander would pin him down or get on top of him or push him against a wall, Felix would have a moment of panic and feel trapped and have to remind himself that he wasn't back in the work camp, he was safe in the arms of his lover (and Zander would always ask Felix if what he was doing was ok because he understood). Felix also had flashbacks and nightmares and other emotional struggles. And for a while he wasn't handling things well, but in this book he was finally seeing a therapist and doing a lot better because of it. Even Zander was seeing a therapist because he too had a lot to deal with emotionally from his time in the war and everything that had happened to him. So it seemed like mental health was handled realistically and well.
But, despite finally seeking out help, Zander and Felix still weren't perfect (because no one is) and had inner demons and stress to deal with, which made their relationship still a bit rocky (but ultimately loving).
Also, you know a book is good when you get through an intense scene and realize you've been literally clutching your shirt in horror and concern and have to stop and stretch your hand out for a moment before continuing.
Another thing (I know, lots of gushing, but there's a reason I gave this book such a great rating), it just hit me at some point while I was reading, these authors have created an entire universe. The sheer amount of detail about the aliens and societies and planets and militaries, the backstories, the events in the war, the characters' memories and things that have happened in their lives... It was like, up until that point I just felt like I was reading something real and then suddenly remembered it was all created in someone's imagination, and it just kind tripped me out. That's how intricate and vivid it was.
My only complaint is how disability was used in this book. *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* It was disappointing to me because, up until then, one of the things I loved about the series was how realistic the physical disability inclusion was.
Overall though, that one thing aside, this book was amazing and sucked me into the story even more than the previous ones!
Recommended For:
Fans of Books 1-3 in Jenn Burke & Kelly Jensen's Chaos Station Series. Anyone who likes M/M romance, angsty/struggle-filled relationships, books set in space, realistically flawed characters, and imperfect but sweet relationships among lovers, friends, and family.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
---------------------
Initial Thoughts:
Ooh I was so close to giving this 5 stars, but there was one thing I disliked. The characters, the relationships, the world, and all the details though---amazing! Full review soon.
Review:
Oh these poor, poor characters (or maybe poor, poor Felix is more accurate). Every time it seems like things are getting better and they're gonna get a break from all the problems, things just spiral down again. It gave me this really weird mixture of feeling awful for them and feeling happy because that's exactly the kind of thing I like to read.
Anyway... the reasons I loved this book. For one thing, just like all the others, it had a great plot but also lovable and realistic characters with imperfect but still sweet friendships and romantic relationships.
I also loved the mental health aspect that's been in all the books. Felix was a POW for years, but that was never used as just some tragic backstory; it truly affected him and was part of his character. Even when he and Zander would have sex, anytime Zander would pin him down or get on top of him or push him against a wall, Felix would have a moment of panic and feel trapped and have to remind himself that he wasn't back in the work camp, he was safe in the arms of his lover (and Zander would always ask Felix if what he was doing was ok because he understood). Felix also had flashbacks and nightmares and other emotional struggles. And for a while he wasn't handling things well, but in this book he was finally seeing a therapist and doing a lot better because of it. Even Zander was seeing a therapist because he too had a lot to deal with emotionally from his time in the war and everything that had happened to him. So it seemed like mental health was handled realistically and well.
But, despite finally seeking out help, Zander and Felix still weren't perfect (because no one is) and had inner demons and stress to deal with, which made their relationship still a bit rocky (but ultimately loving).
Also, you know a book is good when you get through an intense scene and realize you've been literally clutching your shirt in horror and concern and have to stop and stretch your hand out for a moment before continuing.
Another thing (I know, lots of gushing, but there's a reason I gave this book such a great rating), it just hit me at some point while I was reading, these authors have created an entire universe. The sheer amount of detail about the aliens and societies and planets and militaries, the backstories, the events in the war, the characters' memories and things that have happened in their lives... It was like, up until that point I just felt like I was reading something real and then suddenly remembered it was all created in someone's imagination, and it just kind tripped me out. That's how intricate and vivid it was.
My only complaint is how disability was used in this book. *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* It was disappointing to me because, up until then, one of the things I loved about the series was how realistic the physical disability inclusion was.
Overall though, that one thing aside, this book was amazing and sucked me into the story even more than the previous ones!
Recommended For:
Fans of Books 1-3 in Jenn Burke & Kelly Jensen's Chaos Station Series. Anyone who likes M/M romance, angsty/struggle-filled relationships, books set in space, realistically flawed characters, and imperfect but sweet relationships among lovers, friends, and family.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
---------------------
Initial Thoughts:
Ooh I was so close to giving this 5 stars, but there was one thing I disliked. The characters, the relationships, the world, and all the details though---amazing! Full review soon.
February 11, 2017
4.5 stars
April 7, 2016
I knew it was gonna be good, and I was so right! I love it when I'm right. Can't wait for the next one.
November 14, 2024
It’s not often that every book in a series is good enough to deserve a DIK rating, but Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen are four for four with Inversion Point, the fourth novel in their consistently creative and compelling Chaos Station sci-fi romance series.
Note: This is a same-couple series with overarching plot elements so it needs to be read in order; new readers should start at the beginning with Chaos Station. There will be spoilers for the earlier books in this review.
This story takes place around six months after Skip Trace, and things seem to have finally settled down a bit for Zed, Felix and the Chaos crew. They’re mostly back to their regularly scheduled jobs – ferrying cargo across the galaxy and tracking down missing persons; Felix is getting the help he needs with his PTSD and learning to control his anger, and Zed hasn’t had any contact with the Guardians since they alerted him to the existence of a fourth intergalactic species and told him to “be ready.” If only a bonkers religious cult hadn’t latched on to him as some kind of second coming, life would be pretty good.
But Zed suddenly has more to worry about than a bunch of crazy stalkers when he’s contacted by the Guardians for the first time in six months and told they want him at the Hub. (This serves as the nominal centre of the galaxy, and each of the three races – human, ashushk and stin – has a station there, together with a gateway to their home world.) Six months earlier, a fourth gate was activated, but there has been no sign so far of whoever activated it. Now, reports are coming in that a stin probe sent into Species Four space has been destroyed – and in response, no fewer than thirteen stin warships have passed through their gate and into the Hub. Zed just hopes the Guardians aren’t expecting him to stop a war.
As their emissary and the only one able to communicate with the newcomers, Zed quickly finds himself at the centre of events and being pulled in all directions as he tries to meet the constant flow of demands made on him from all sides. With the eagle eyes of a watchful media upon him as well, the pressure on him is huge and he barely has time to eat or sleep, let alone spend any time with Felix to draw on his love and support. Felix gets it, but is quietly worried that this could be his life now, pacing in an empty suite while Zed negotiates intergalactic treaties and trade deals. He’s irritated because nobody else seems to realise the amount of stress Zed is under, and frustrated because he doesn’t know how to help. And he has demons of his own to deal with – literally – when the stin who tortured him while he was a PoW appears alongside the stin ambassador, clearly determined to unbalance both Felix and the human delegation.
At the top of the list of everything Zed doesn’t have time for is being jealous of Theo Paredes, the Ambassador for the Central Alliance of Stations and Planets – who happens to be the only other person with whom Felix has ever had a serious relationship. The fact that Theo is a genuinely decent man – charming, funny and competent – makes it hard for Zed to dislike him, no matter how much he might want to, but jealousy is hard to combat, especially when Zed’s whole existence has been taken over by the need to foster diplomatic relations between the newly-named resonance (Species Four) and the other races, and the little matter of trying to prevent a human-stin war. Zed and Felix love each other deeply, but they never seem to get a break, and in Zed’s state of utter exhaustion, insecurity starts to bite. He can’t help but remember that Theo is fully human whereas he, Zed, is some kind of mutant now, thanks to all the alien bits and pieces implanted into him, and he starts questioning his suitability as a partner for Felix, thinking that he would have had an easier life with Theo – and perhaps a happier one, too.
Inversion Point is another inventive, fast-paced read; a wonderful combination of relationship drama, political shenanigans and action in which the authors do an amazing job of creating a sense of anticipation and foreboding as they ratchet up the tension to fever pitch. With the stakes as high as they could possibly be, our heroes are forced to make some awful and unenviable choices in order to prevent all-out war and my heart broke for them more than once as Felix pays a terrible personal price and Zed is pushed almost beyond breaking point.
But after all the trials and tribulations, the authors gift us with a lovely pay-off that just further cements how far Zed and Felix have come and how solid they are as a couple - and in which they finally, finally realise what we’ve known all along: that they absolutely, positively belong together.
The world-building in this series is stellar and continues to impress. The authors have created alien races, planets, and societies, and seamlessly woven in histories, backstories, and memories that make the characters and their experiences feel that much more authentic. I loved the resonance – they’re presented as almost puppy-ish in their eagerness to get to know their new ‘neigbours’, and their designation of Felix as the “fluffy yellow partner unit” is priceless.
Once again, one of the short stories from the Always and Forever collection is included in this new edition, this time an Interview with Allspace Alliance News that Zed and Felix give a couple of months after the events of Skip Trace. Felix has to be on his best behaviour – especially as most of his interactions with the media have ended up as brawls.
Tense, exciting, and wonderfully absorbing, Inversion Point is possibly the best book in the Chaos Station series so far, and I can’t do otherwise than highly recommend both it and the entire series.
Note: This is a same-couple series with overarching plot elements so it needs to be read in order; new readers should start at the beginning with Chaos Station. There will be spoilers for the earlier books in this review.
This story takes place around six months after Skip Trace, and things seem to have finally settled down a bit for Zed, Felix and the Chaos crew. They’re mostly back to their regularly scheduled jobs – ferrying cargo across the galaxy and tracking down missing persons; Felix is getting the help he needs with his PTSD and learning to control his anger, and Zed hasn’t had any contact with the Guardians since they alerted him to the existence of a fourth intergalactic species and told him to “be ready.” If only a bonkers religious cult hadn’t latched on to him as some kind of second coming, life would be pretty good.
But Zed suddenly has more to worry about than a bunch of crazy stalkers when he’s contacted by the Guardians for the first time in six months and told they want him at the Hub. (This serves as the nominal centre of the galaxy, and each of the three races – human, ashushk and stin – has a station there, together with a gateway to their home world.) Six months earlier, a fourth gate was activated, but there has been no sign so far of whoever activated it. Now, reports are coming in that a stin probe sent into Species Four space has been destroyed – and in response, no fewer than thirteen stin warships have passed through their gate and into the Hub. Zed just hopes the Guardians aren’t expecting him to stop a war.
As their emissary and the only one able to communicate with the newcomers, Zed quickly finds himself at the centre of events and being pulled in all directions as he tries to meet the constant flow of demands made on him from all sides. With the eagle eyes of a watchful media upon him as well, the pressure on him is huge and he barely has time to eat or sleep, let alone spend any time with Felix to draw on his love and support. Felix gets it, but is quietly worried that this could be his life now, pacing in an empty suite while Zed negotiates intergalactic treaties and trade deals. He’s irritated because nobody else seems to realise the amount of stress Zed is under, and frustrated because he doesn’t know how to help. And he has demons of his own to deal with – literally – when the stin who tortured him while he was a PoW appears alongside the stin ambassador, clearly determined to unbalance both Felix and the human delegation.
At the top of the list of everything Zed doesn’t have time for is being jealous of Theo Paredes, the Ambassador for the Central Alliance of Stations and Planets – who happens to be the only other person with whom Felix has ever had a serious relationship. The fact that Theo is a genuinely decent man – charming, funny and competent – makes it hard for Zed to dislike him, no matter how much he might want to, but jealousy is hard to combat, especially when Zed’s whole existence has been taken over by the need to foster diplomatic relations between the newly-named resonance (Species Four) and the other races, and the little matter of trying to prevent a human-stin war. Zed and Felix love each other deeply, but they never seem to get a break, and in Zed’s state of utter exhaustion, insecurity starts to bite. He can’t help but remember that Theo is fully human whereas he, Zed, is some kind of mutant now, thanks to all the alien bits and pieces implanted into him, and he starts questioning his suitability as a partner for Felix, thinking that he would have had an easier life with Theo – and perhaps a happier one, too.
Inversion Point is another inventive, fast-paced read; a wonderful combination of relationship drama, political shenanigans and action in which the authors do an amazing job of creating a sense of anticipation and foreboding as they ratchet up the tension to fever pitch. With the stakes as high as they could possibly be, our heroes are forced to make some awful and unenviable choices in order to prevent all-out war and my heart broke for them more than once as Felix pays a terrible personal price and Zed is pushed almost beyond breaking point.
But after all the trials and tribulations, the authors gift us with a lovely pay-off that just further cements how far Zed and Felix have come and how solid they are as a couple - and in which they finally, finally realise what we’ve known all along: that they absolutely, positively belong together.
“It was simple—without Felix Ingesson there was no Zander Anatolius.”
The world-building in this series is stellar and continues to impress. The authors have created alien races, planets, and societies, and seamlessly woven in histories, backstories, and memories that make the characters and their experiences feel that much more authentic. I loved the resonance – they’re presented as almost puppy-ish in their eagerness to get to know their new ‘neigbours’, and their designation of Felix as the “fluffy yellow partner unit” is priceless.
Once again, one of the short stories from the Always and Forever collection is included in this new edition, this time an Interview with Allspace Alliance News that Zed and Felix give a couple of months after the events of Skip Trace. Felix has to be on his best behaviour – especially as most of his interactions with the media have ended up as brawls.
Tense, exciting, and wonderfully absorbing, Inversion Point is possibly the best book in the Chaos Station series so far, and I can’t do otherwise than highly recommend both it and the entire series.
July 18, 2016
Perfect mix of great plot sci fi great characters & angst
September 15, 2017
Inversion Point (Chaos Station Book four)
By Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen
Carina Press, 2016
Five stars
“Fluffy yellow partner-unit.”
This series (I’m on the fourth of five books) just gets better—or at least stays as good as it’s been since “Chaos Station,” book one. Felix Ingesson, known as Fix or Fixer to his crew, but as Flick to Zed—Zander Anatolius, his lover and best friend—is back. He is as annoying as ever, but happy to be on the road (or however one describes that in space—“in the black” I guess) with his teammates on the Chaos. But once more their comfortable, profitable life as small-scale cargo and retrieval guys serving the Milky Way is interrupted. And this time it’s for a good reason.
A new species has appeared from a distant part of their galaxy. That makes four, if you don’t count the Guardians. We have the humans, the ashushk, the stin, and this new one. Apparently, Zed is the only one who can head up the team of galactic ambassadors to greet the new players in their galactic sandbox. If you want to know why, read book 3.
Burke and Jensen have built this fascinating, seamless world of humanity in the twenty-third century. Their excellent writing and judicious use of humor makes this book fun to read, even when it’s harrowing (and it is). The familiar characters (and I cannot say how much I love Qek, the ashushk second mate of the Chaos) are expanded by several new players in this drama. This includes an old boyfriend and classmate of Flick’s, which causes all sorts of lovely anxiety in Zed’s gentle heart. Of course, for all the action and all the great sci-fi geekiness, the tumultuous love between Zed and Flick is the hub around which this series turns. Two good, smart, gentle men, all but destroyed by the war between the insect-like stin and humanity, brought back together by a coincidence that seems more and more to be something more…fated. They are outlaws because they have rebelled openly against the unthinking bureaucracy of the military and galactic politics. But they are also heroes, and become the focus of the entire galaxy’s attention as they are poised to greet the unknown in peace and friendship.
I just love these books. Most of all, I love the visibility I feel because of Flick and Zed. The truth remains that the fact that the central characters in this superb sci-fi adventure are a gay couple will automatically limit its audience, because prejudice still runs deep in our galaxy way back here in the early 21st century. Their loss is all I can say.
By Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen
Carina Press, 2016
Five stars
“Fluffy yellow partner-unit.”
This series (I’m on the fourth of five books) just gets better—or at least stays as good as it’s been since “Chaos Station,” book one. Felix Ingesson, known as Fix or Fixer to his crew, but as Flick to Zed—Zander Anatolius, his lover and best friend—is back. He is as annoying as ever, but happy to be on the road (or however one describes that in space—“in the black” I guess) with his teammates on the Chaos. But once more their comfortable, profitable life as small-scale cargo and retrieval guys serving the Milky Way is interrupted. And this time it’s for a good reason.
A new species has appeared from a distant part of their galaxy. That makes four, if you don’t count the Guardians. We have the humans, the ashushk, the stin, and this new one. Apparently, Zed is the only one who can head up the team of galactic ambassadors to greet the new players in their galactic sandbox. If you want to know why, read book 3.
Burke and Jensen have built this fascinating, seamless world of humanity in the twenty-third century. Their excellent writing and judicious use of humor makes this book fun to read, even when it’s harrowing (and it is). The familiar characters (and I cannot say how much I love Qek, the ashushk second mate of the Chaos) are expanded by several new players in this drama. This includes an old boyfriend and classmate of Flick’s, which causes all sorts of lovely anxiety in Zed’s gentle heart. Of course, for all the action and all the great sci-fi geekiness, the tumultuous love between Zed and Flick is the hub around which this series turns. Two good, smart, gentle men, all but destroyed by the war between the insect-like stin and humanity, brought back together by a coincidence that seems more and more to be something more…fated. They are outlaws because they have rebelled openly against the unthinking bureaucracy of the military and galactic politics. But they are also heroes, and become the focus of the entire galaxy’s attention as they are poised to greet the unknown in peace and friendship.
I just love these books. Most of all, I love the visibility I feel because of Flick and Zed. The truth remains that the fact that the central characters in this superb sci-fi adventure are a gay couple will automatically limit its audience, because prejudice still runs deep in our galaxy way back here in the early 21st century. Their loss is all I can say.
February 27, 2023
2.5 rounded up
I enjoyed this more than the last book, as I felt like we got better Felix content, but once again, somehow the authors and Zander manage to make it all about him. The worldbuilding only gets flimsier the more I read on. I will finish this, but I can't say I really recommend the series.
I enjoyed this more than the last book, as I felt like we got better Felix content, but once again, somehow the authors and Zander manage to make it all about him. The worldbuilding only gets flimsier the more I read on. I will finish this, but I can't say I really recommend the series.
July 11, 2016
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
I really have fallen completely in love with this series. The authors have lovingly crafted a strong science fiction story replete with heart-pounding adventure and interesting worldbuilding. Yet they have also stayed true to the characters in the process. The result is a group of people that we want to follow long after the romance aspect was taken care of in the first book. Remarkably, the action continues to ratchet up slowly and organically, creating acute tension with exquisite pathos. Did I mention I love this series?Story: Zed and Flick are thrown right into the deep end of things when the Guardians announce the arrival of a new species. Will they be friend or foe - and how will the hyper aggressive Stin deal with a human being the Emissary to greet the new species? It can all go very right or very wrong: only Zed and Flick's strength of relationship will see them through the chaos about to erupt in the universe.
The writing continues to be smooth and the story flows quickly. Our main characters as well as their cohorts and adversaries continue to grow while still retaining some doubts and shortcomings. But most importantly, this fourth book is just as action-packed and riveting as the first three in the series. The authors have done an excellent job of continuing to escalate the plot while still keeping it relevant.
Our two main characters go through a lot in this book physically but we never veer into torture porn territory. There's just the right amount of danger and suspense, heart and soul. Yes, there are still graphic sex scenes that I admittedly skip over since I'm more invested in the characters' emotional interactions. But this was also a book with several heartstopping action and suspense scenes that had me flipping pages eagerly. The books always have just the right length - never overlong or too short.
I've already preordered the next book in the series and will have to wait frustrating months until it arrives. But ah, it will be so worth it when it does!
January 2, 2016
Four books into the Chaos Station series and it seems like Zander and Felix just can’t catch a break. Zander’s role as emissary to the still mysterious Guardians has him introducing a new alien species to the Ashushk’s, Stin, and his fellow humans. All of this is supposed to take place aboard an AEF ship that won’t even acknowledge the Chaos and its crew. To add even more tension to an already stressed situation the ambassador that they must work directly with is Felix’s ex-boyfriend, his first boyfriend. To make sure everyone stays on their toes Zander is currently being stalked across the galaxy by a cult of crazed fanatic that see him as their “redeemer.”
There is so much going on in Inversion Point. This book is packed with some hella intense action. The situations that the crew of the Chaos find themselves in is often new and uncharted territory. Things were relatively simple a year ago. Elias made a choice to take a job that brought Zander and all of his crazy into their lives. His crazy has created some turmoil that they must work their way through as a team. His differences that have made him not quite just a human keeps him at odds with others. Those same differences have him being pulled in more directions than he has time or patience to deal with.
This is probably my favorite installment in the series. I enjoyed the introduction of the new species and what they brought to the table for Felix. I can see the new connection between Felix and Zander working well to their advantage in future books.
There is so much going on in Inversion Point. This book is packed with some hella intense action. The situations that the crew of the Chaos find themselves in is often new and uncharted territory. Things were relatively simple a year ago. Elias made a choice to take a job that brought Zander and all of his crazy into their lives. His crazy has created some turmoil that they must work their way through as a team. His differences that have made him not quite just a human keeps him at odds with others. Those same differences have him being pulled in more directions than he has time or patience to deal with.
This is probably my favorite installment in the series. I enjoyed the introduction of the new species and what they brought to the table for Felix. I can see the new connection between Felix and Zander working well to their advantage in future books.
July 30, 2016
Okay first off, I am saddened to hear that Phase Shift is the last book in this series. With it being the last book I hope that we get more on the Guardians, or maybe I will never find out what they look like, where their home is, etc. But that's okay if we don't. This was another great addition to this series. What happened to Felix was heart breaking. What then happened was awesome. I'm glad to see that Zed & Felix finally worked out their issues and now fully understand that they truly love each other and that nothing can/will tear them apart. The new race was awesome. I was able to actually picture them in my head and what I pictured was amazing. The Stin are still the hated race and what happened to Harrar made my jump for joy as he did deserve what happened to him due to what he did to Felix. Elias & Nessa finally figuring out what they mean to each other also made me happy. There wasn't much sex in this book but then again you really didn't need it. Their bonding was what really matter. Anyway, I can't wait for the next book and wish I could get my hands on it now :). I hope when this series is finished that these amazing authors will give us another awesome series.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2016
I can't even begin to describe how much I love this series, it's just so frickin' awesome! I'm someone who has always tended to shy away from Sci-Fi books, it's never been a genre I was interested in. A spur of the moment decision made me give Chaos Station a shot and boy do I not regret it one bit. I fell in love with everything about the 1st book and things just got better and better after each progressive book.
I held off on reading Inversion Point until Phase Shift had been released because I knew I wouldn't have been able to handle the wait. So coming back to read Inversion Point literally felt like coming home. Zed and Flick, the Chaos crew - they all felt so familiar, like a welcoming embrace. I hadn't thought the relationship between Zed and Flick could have gotten any stronger than it already was, but the events in this book made even that possible. Inversion Point is by far the best book in the series at this point. Phase Shift has some big shoes to fill, but I can't wait to start it and find out how it fares.
PS: I'm not looking forward to the massive Chaos Station series withdrawals I'm bound to feel after completing Phase Shift.
I held off on reading Inversion Point until Phase Shift had been released because I knew I wouldn't have been able to handle the wait. So coming back to read Inversion Point literally felt like coming home. Zed and Flick, the Chaos crew - they all felt so familiar, like a welcoming embrace. I hadn't thought the relationship between Zed and Flick could have gotten any stronger than it already was, but the events in this book made even that possible. Inversion Point is by far the best book in the series at this point. Phase Shift has some big shoes to fill, but I can't wait to start it and find out how it fares.
PS: I'm not looking forward to the massive Chaos Station series withdrawals I'm bound to feel after completing Phase Shift.
March 8, 2017
Another excellent instalment of the Chaos Station series. It's just good fun.
April 24, 2018
Rating: 4.5 stars
I think this my favorite in the series so far. While I wouldn’t say it was the best science fiction story I ever read, it was highly enjoyable and didn’t bog me down with a lot of technical jargon that is prevalent in many sci-fi stories. There were definitely some scenes that I could really visualize and thought they could be done well in a movie.
I liked Felix a lot better in this installment of the Chaos series more than I did in the others. He got some help and while still prickly, he wasn’t the big ball of rage that he was in the previous book. I continue to really love Zed as a character. Being an emissary for the guardians and basically having the fate of the universe in your hands is not an easy thing and we get to see Zed’s struggle. I enjoyed the parts with the new alien race. We also get a better look at the Stin and they are definitely the villains in this series. If I had one minor complaint it was the addition of Felix’s ex-lover Theo. I felt that scenario went on a little long.
Overall, this was a wonderful addition to the Chaos Station series that I highly recommend. It should not be read as a stand-alone, but in conjunction with the previous books in the series. I’m really looking forward to the conclusion of the series in the next book.
I think this my favorite in the series so far. While I wouldn’t say it was the best science fiction story I ever read, it was highly enjoyable and didn’t bog me down with a lot of technical jargon that is prevalent in many sci-fi stories. There were definitely some scenes that I could really visualize and thought they could be done well in a movie.
I liked Felix a lot better in this installment of the Chaos series more than I did in the others. He got some help and while still prickly, he wasn’t the big ball of rage that he was in the previous book. I continue to really love Zed as a character. Being an emissary for the guardians and basically having the fate of the universe in your hands is not an easy thing and we get to see Zed’s struggle. I enjoyed the parts with the new alien race. We also get a better look at the Stin and they are definitely the villains in this series. If I had one minor complaint it was the addition of Felix’s ex-lover Theo. I felt that scenario went on a little long.
Overall, this was a wonderful addition to the Chaos Station series that I highly recommend. It should not be read as a stand-alone, but in conjunction with the previous books in the series. I’m really looking forward to the conclusion of the series in the next book.
January 29, 2019
✮4.5 Stars✮
💗
January 25, 2016
Yet another fantastic installment in the Chaos Series by Kelly Jensen and Jenn Burke. Each time I pick up one of these books, I have high hopes that Jensen and Burke will take my advice and pen 300 pages of Felix and Zed happily vacationing on a tropical island with nothing to do except laze around, frolic in the water, tinker with some electronics (Felix) and read some books (Zed), and have lots and lots of hot and heavy man-sex. Alas, my pleas have yet again fallen on deaf ears, even though I know one of these days they will make this happen. (*hint, hint ... nudge, nudge*)
What does happen in Inversion Point, however, is nothing short of brilliant. I loved/hated Theo and think he should definitely have his own spin-off series (*hint, hint ... nudge, nudge*), was enthralled by the resonance (such a cool species), loathed the Stin (seriously, can they just go away already?), and fell even more in love with Zed and Felix than I thought possible.
There were parts of the book where I audibly sighed (when F & Z connect at the end), parts where I laughed (Felix has some great one liners), and parts where I berated Jensen and Burke online for (yet again) screwing with my boys (pretty much the whole book). (Side note - yes, they're mine while I'm reading. All of them. Even Theo.)
I'm not into posting spoilers, so I'll just end with the best way I can describe this series: It's pretty much the same way I feel watching Star Trek, except with man-sex. (The newer version, not the Shatner/Nimoy version, because ... hello, Pine and Quinto. And the two of them together??? Holy hell ... yeah. That's where the money's at.) This series has all the action I love in ST, coupled with witty banter, excellent world-building (again, love the resonance), a healthy dose of emotional angst, and some fantastic boy kissing.
Even though there was no time spent on a deserted island with nothing for Felix and Zed to do besides get all hot and bothered in the ocean (which I KNOW will happen some day!!! *hint, hint ... nudge, nudge*), I cannot recommend this series/book enough :)
What does happen in Inversion Point, however, is nothing short of brilliant. I loved/hated Theo and think he should definitely have his own spin-off series (*hint, hint ... nudge, nudge*), was enthralled by the resonance (such a cool species), loathed the Stin (seriously, can they just go away already?), and fell even more in love with Zed and Felix than I thought possible.
There were parts of the book where I audibly sighed (when F & Z connect at the end), parts where I laughed (Felix has some great one liners), and parts where I berated Jensen and Burke online for (yet again) screwing with my boys (pretty much the whole book). (Side note - yes, they're mine while I'm reading. All of them. Even Theo.)
I'm not into posting spoilers, so I'll just end with the best way I can describe this series: It's pretty much the same way I feel watching Star Trek, except with man-sex. (The newer version, not the Shatner/Nimoy version, because ... hello, Pine and Quinto. And the two of them together??? Holy hell ... yeah. That's where the money's at.) This series has all the action I love in ST, coupled with witty banter, excellent world-building (again, love the resonance), a healthy dose of emotional angst, and some fantastic boy kissing.
Even though there was no time spent on a deserted island with nothing for Felix and Zed to do besides get all hot and bothered in the ocean (which I KNOW will happen some day!!! *hint, hint ... nudge, nudge*), I cannot recommend this series/book enough :)
January 18, 2016
Felix was certainly more than glad to get Zander back after he died. And he never expected that things would suddenly be normal for the two of them. But everything just gets more and more complicated by the day. For one, there's a cult that apparently worships Zander now intent on following them all around the galaxy. It's not just an annoyance; it's actually get in the way of them completing jobs. And a new species has emerged, potentially triggering a war when they destroy a probe belonging to the stin. Zander is pulled into the fray as an emissary for the Guardians, and the situation is further complicated by the presence of two individuals from Felix's past: a former lover in the form of the human ambassador and one of the stin who tortured him during his captivity. It's an intense situation all around, and everyone is counting on Zander to keep the peace and avoid another war. And it may take more out of Zander than anyone is willing to notice--except Felix, who is finding himself taxed in several ways himself. But if they've made it this far, they'll persevere. Right?
I am beyond pleased with this installment in the series. They say in order to move forward, you have to confront your past. We've seen Zander do that more than once in the series. In the process, that means Felix has had to do the same, but not quite to the extent that Zander has. Here, though, we get a glimpse at potential futures for Zander in his role as emissary and a long, dark look at Felix's past. There are turning points here for everyone, and the way they choose to respond to them is certainly going to shape not only how things play out during the summit and its aftermath but the rest of their lives. Many unexpected twists lie within.
There's one more book in the series after this one. I can't wait, but I also don't want it to end...
[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
I am beyond pleased with this installment in the series. They say in order to move forward, you have to confront your past. We've seen Zander do that more than once in the series. In the process, that means Felix has had to do the same, but not quite to the extent that Zander has. Here, though, we get a glimpse at potential futures for Zander in his role as emissary and a long, dark look at Felix's past. There are turning points here for everyone, and the way they choose to respond to them is certainly going to shape not only how things play out during the summit and its aftermath but the rest of their lives. Many unexpected twists lie within.
There's one more book in the series after this one. I can't wait, but I also don't want it to end...
[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
January 25, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Inversion Point is another fantastic addition to the Chaos Station series. These books really must be read in order to fully understand the multi layered plot lines and extensive characterizations. At the beginning of Inversion Point, the relationship between Zander and Felix is stronger than ever. Zander has settled into his role as Emissary for the Guardians and Felix has begun to deal with some of the complex emotional baggage he’s carried since the war. But a summons from the Guardians brings them into contact with their old enemies and a new ally. What follows is a rush of political diplomacy that reads as surprisingly edgy and tense. Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen have consistently done a great job of balancing out the action of this series with incredible characters and intense poignancy and if anything, Inversion Point ramps everything up a notch.
Felix has always been my favorite character, despite my fondness for Zander, and in this book it’s safe to say that Felix is put through the wringer. But in many ways it was time. So many of Felix’s problems have been repeatedly put on hold as he struggled to save Zander from the effects of Project Dreamweaver. In Inversion Point, Felix is forced to confront his past in more ways than one and to deal with a potentially crippling injury. But he does so with the same quick wit and weary cynicism that make him such a wonderful character. He and Zander grow even closer and finally reach the same realization that readers have had for some time now: that for better or worse, Felix and Zander cannot exist without one another. Theirs is an epic romance and I just wanted to cheer aloud for them.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
Inversion Point is another fantastic addition to the Chaos Station series. These books really must be read in order to fully understand the multi layered plot lines and extensive characterizations. At the beginning of Inversion Point, the relationship between Zander and Felix is stronger than ever. Zander has settled into his role as Emissary for the Guardians and Felix has begun to deal with some of the complex emotional baggage he’s carried since the war. But a summons from the Guardians brings them into contact with their old enemies and a new ally. What follows is a rush of political diplomacy that reads as surprisingly edgy and tense. Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen have consistently done a great job of balancing out the action of this series with incredible characters and intense poignancy and if anything, Inversion Point ramps everything up a notch.
Felix has always been my favorite character, despite my fondness for Zander, and in this book it’s safe to say that Felix is put through the wringer. But in many ways it was time. So many of Felix’s problems have been repeatedly put on hold as he struggled to save Zander from the effects of Project Dreamweaver. In Inversion Point, Felix is forced to confront his past in more ways than one and to deal with a potentially crippling injury. But he does so with the same quick wit and weary cynicism that make him such a wonderful character. He and Zander grow even closer and finally reach the same realization that readers have had for some time now: that for better or worse, Felix and Zander cannot exist without one another. Theirs is an epic romance and I just wanted to cheer aloud for them.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
March 6, 2020
****Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance®****
Ms. Burke and Ms. Jensen knocked it out of the park with Inversion Point! I loved everything about it, including the book cover! We were given action, wit, dire straits, drama and love. And in a creative new species, old enemies, past lovers and a fanatical cult to an already fabulous crew and you can’t help but have a wild ride.
Felix and Zander’s relationship is floundering but they aren’t sure why – they both love each other more than everything but self-doubts keep getting in their way. Zander is called to do his duty as Emissary to the Guardians and we are introduced to species four, who are truly unique.
I loved the emotions that were conveyed and that we really felt all that the characters did. I loved the action and that the story was well paced and never boring. Everything was well described and I was immersed in the book. I had a hard time putting it down!
If you haven’t read this series yet, start with Chaos Station, you won’t regret it. If you have already read the first three books, you must read this one!!!
Ms. Burke and Ms. Jensen knocked it out of the park with Inversion Point! I loved everything about it, including the book cover! We were given action, wit, dire straits, drama and love. And in a creative new species, old enemies, past lovers and a fanatical cult to an already fabulous crew and you can’t help but have a wild ride.
Felix and Zander’s relationship is floundering but they aren’t sure why – they both love each other more than everything but self-doubts keep getting in their way. Zander is called to do his duty as Emissary to the Guardians and we are introduced to species four, who are truly unique.
I loved the emotions that were conveyed and that we really felt all that the characters did. I loved the action and that the story was well paced and never boring. Everything was well described and I was immersed in the book. I had a hard time putting it down!
If you haven’t read this series yet, start with Chaos Station, you won’t regret it. If you have already read the first three books, you must read this one!!!
February 2, 2016
Another well-written and fast reading addition to this strong series. Felix and Zander are great together, despite the occasional angsty moment - and with the life they've led I think they're due a little angst. (At least this time it WAS only a little angst.) Maybe soon they'll both accept their relationship is solid.
Burke and Jensen's aliens are one of the best parts of their world-building. The huge puppy-crystal aliens were so very cool and different. I can't wait to see more of them! Qek and her people continue to provide a thoughtful, intellectual stability that the more volatile races sadly need. And the Stin.. Well, they may be the "strength" of the galaxy, but it's the wrong kind of strength. They're like slate - brittle, easily broken, and the resulting sharp edges cut anyone moving without care around them.
Watching the races' political maneuvering and how the crew of the Chaos dealt with the personal stakes of first contact with the resonance was very interesting. Zander may not have been the right candidate as an ostensibly neutral moderator, but he managed to handle both the AEF and the Stin well enough. Felix showed yet again what a survivor he is.
All in all, Chaos Station is worth the price of admission. A beautifully written romantic space opera.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
Burke and Jensen's aliens are one of the best parts of their world-building. The huge puppy-crystal aliens were so very cool and different. I can't wait to see more of them! Qek and her people continue to provide a thoughtful, intellectual stability that the more volatile races sadly need. And the Stin.. Well, they may be the "strength" of the galaxy, but it's the wrong kind of strength. They're like slate - brittle, easily broken, and the resulting sharp edges cut anyone moving without care around them.
Watching the races' political maneuvering and how the crew of the Chaos dealt with the personal stakes of first contact with the resonance was very interesting. Zander may not have been the right candidate as an ostensibly neutral moderator, but he managed to handle both the AEF and the Stin well enough. Felix showed yet again what a survivor he is.
All in all, Chaos Station is worth the price of admission. A beautifully written romantic space opera.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
January 18, 2016
I thought Felix & Zander had already hit their breaking points by now, but the authors manage to surprise me with each installment, pushing our heroes a little bit further past what we think they can handle.
While it's hard to watch them hurt (again!), I like how it makes F&Z confront difficult issues and how it end up strengthening their bond. Theirs isn't an easy relationship. Finding each other again was just the beginning. Now we have the hard part - sticking with it when it gets tough - when it would be easier to walk away.
As always the action was pulse pounding with a few surprises that promise an epic conclusion in the upcoming last installment of the series.
There were several repeated phrases that were a tad annoying but otherwise another solid installment in the series.
Politics, romance, sci-fi action... this series has it all!
While it's hard to watch them hurt (again!), I like how it makes F&Z confront difficult issues and how it end up strengthening their bond. Theirs isn't an easy relationship. Finding each other again was just the beginning. Now we have the hard part - sticking with it when it gets tough - when it would be easier to walk away.
As always the action was pulse pounding with a few surprises that promise an epic conclusion in the upcoming last installment of the series.
There were several repeated phrases that were a tad annoying but otherwise another solid installment in the series.
Politics, romance, sci-fi action... this series has it all!
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