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Far From Home
A collection of three m/m sci-fi novellas:
Following the Sun - The nearly fatal crash of their spacecraft leaves Jack and Samuel stranded on a verdant planet far from civilization. Discovered and sheltered by a native tribe, the two resign themselves to new lives - lives that include a new culture, a new language, and even new love. But their new home isn't at all what it seems, and when war and illness strike, they find out just how far from home they are.
Close Encounter - Space privateer Tris is just doing his job - delivering canisters to a military science vessel - when he discovers that he is transporting people infected with an engineered virus designed to exterminate the human race. In the midst of an alien attack, can the rogue pilot save patient Retter - the key to the cure? Or will he lose both humanity's salvation and his heart?
Enhanced - In Earth's not-too-far future, a talented scientist stumbles over a plot to use the genetically enhanced military to declare martial law and take over the government. Dr. Ryne Siler enlists his friend, Dr. Cary Matthews, a brilliant engineer, to figure out how to stop it. When the investigation goes awry, they're on the run, and the only thing between them and capture is a hidden cache of sleeping soldiers with enhancements of their own. Ryne and Cary are desperate, but will waking these soldiers help - or just make things worse?
Following the Sun - The nearly fatal crash of their spacecraft leaves Jack and Samuel stranded on a verdant planet far from civilization. Discovered and sheltered by a native tribe, the two resign themselves to new lives - lives that include a new culture, a new language, and even new love. But their new home isn't at all what it seems, and when war and illness strike, they find out just how far from home they are.
Close Encounter - Space privateer Tris is just doing his job - delivering canisters to a military science vessel - when he discovers that he is transporting people infected with an engineered virus designed to exterminate the human race. In the midst of an alien attack, can the rogue pilot save patient Retter - the key to the cure? Or will he lose both humanity's salvation and his heart?
Enhanced - In Earth's not-too-far future, a talented scientist stumbles over a plot to use the genetically enhanced military to declare martial law and take over the government. Dr. Ryne Siler enlists his friend, Dr. Cary Matthews, a brilliant engineer, to figure out how to stop it. When the investigation goes awry, they're on the run, and the only thing between them and capture is a hidden cache of sleeping soldiers with enhancements of their own. Ryne and Cary are desperate, but will waking these soldiers help - or just make things worse?
198 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
4 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
Madeleine Urban
33 books1,107 followersMadeleine Urban is a down-home Kentucky girl who’s been writing since she could hold a crayon. Although she has written and published on her own, she truly excels when writing with co-authors. She lives with her husband, who is very supportive of her work, and two canine kids who only allow her to hug them when she has food. She wants to live at Disney World, the home of fairy dust, because she believes that with hard work, a little luck, and beloved family and friends, dreams really can come true.
Visit Madeleine's blog at http://madeleineurban.livejournal.com/. You can contact her at mrs.madeleine.urban@gmail.com.
Listen to Madeleine interviewed by Peter Godbold on the Strictly Confidential Radio Show
MADELEINE URBAN RETIRED
Nov. 17, 2011 - I have made the personal decision to stop writing, for reasons that are important to me, including focusing on my family and my health. Writing and publishing comes with a whole set of expectations and pressures, and I find that it's just too much. While I am sad that this will upset and/or even anger readers, this is the right decision for me.
Abigail Roux will be continuing the Ty and Zane series, and I know she'll do a great job.
Visit Madeleine's blog at http://madeleineurban.livejournal.com/. You can contact her at mrs.madeleine.urban@gmail.com.
Listen to Madeleine interviewed by Peter Godbold on the Strictly Confidential Radio Show
MADELEINE URBAN RETIRED
Nov. 17, 2011 - I have made the personal decision to stop writing, for reasons that are important to me, including focusing on my family and my health. Writing and publishing comes with a whole set of expectations and pressures, and I find that it's just too much. While I am sad that this will upset and/or even anger readers, this is the right decision for me.
Abigail Roux will be continuing the Ty and Zane series, and I know she'll do a great job.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 31, 2018
Average Rating: 3.5 Stars
Enhanced: 3.8 Stars
I love this kind of story and only wish there had been more; more detail, more story, more explanation, more background, more emotion, more more more. Because it was good and I think were this expanded I'd have raved over it.
Close Encounter: 3.5 Stars
See above, same!
Following the Sun: 3.3 Stars
This had all of those missing bits from above...but then, Wham! Magic. Considering the rest of these stories were straight-up scifi it threw me out of the experience. I mean, okay, maybe another world, in another place and time? Sure. But I think, were that whole thing a result of time-dilation or alternate dimension (a la Interstellar)...or Oh hey, yeah - like that episode of Farscape, where they're stuck in a time-wimey space anomaly thingy, and Aeryn and John grow old together (but really don't because it gets fixed with some, uh, priestly magic (argh!) and a reverse starburst from Moya...or whatever*) it would have fit in with the rest of the stories. *(I still don't understand the technobabble with that one.)
Enhanced: 3.8 Stars
I love this kind of story and only wish there had been more; more detail, more story, more explanation, more background, more emotion, more more more. Because it was good and I think were this expanded I'd have raved over it.
Close Encounter: 3.5 Stars
See above, same!
Following the Sun: 3.3 Stars
This had all of those missing bits from above...but then, Wham! Magic. Considering the rest of these stories were straight-up scifi it threw me out of the experience. I mean, okay, maybe another world, in another place and time? Sure. But I think, were that whole thing a result of time-dilation or alternate dimension (a la Interstellar)...or Oh hey, yeah - like that episode of Farscape, where they're stuck in a time-wimey space anomaly thingy, and Aeryn and John grow old together (but really don't because it gets fixed with some, uh, priestly magic (argh!) and a reverse starburst from Moya...or whatever*) it would have fit in with the rest of the stories. *(I still don't understand the technobabble with that one.)
September 9, 2017
I like anthologies for the variety of stories they present, but often, the short length of the stories tends to whet the appetite vs. delivering something meatier and satisfying. I did thoroughly enjoy the sci fi setting in each of these – the plots were imaginative. The relationships/romances were a little thin as expected, but all in, I found it to be a pleasant escape.
September 25, 2020
Not bad, but not overwhelmingly wonderful either. While having a theme is nice, I did think the three stories were all a little too similar. Each involved two men in some life-threatening position meeting two other men and forming two perfect couples. I thought Close Encounter the weakest, enjoying Enhanced and Following the Sun better. But all of them were a little on the thin side, everything moving a little too fast and lacking in enough detail. (Part of why I don't usually read short stories.) But I did enjoy the sci-fi settings and the writing is quite readable. So, again, not bad.
July 8, 2018
3 great stories
Enhanced — Old soldiers are better than new.
Close encounters —the world saved with a kiss.
Follow the Sun— going back to find true love
The fantastic stories would love to read more about each world
Enhanced — Old soldiers are better than new.
Close encounters —the world saved with a kiss.
Follow the Sun— going back to find true love
The fantastic stories would love to read more about each world
January 18, 2018
Three quick stories about various different alien species or worlds and the quirks of finding love and fighting for your beliefs. These were some quick and great reads.
August 23, 2019
MM Romance 2019 Annual Re-Read Challenge
Anything from this author has always been a joy to read; strong characterizations, mature dialog, believable suspense. A wonderful revisit...
Anything from this author has always been a joy to read; strong characterizations, mature dialog, believable suspense. A wonderful revisit...
August 29, 2019
3.5 Stars
3 pretty good SciFi stories. The MM interaction was perhaps more sex than romance in the first 2 stories.
3 pretty good SciFi stories. The MM interaction was perhaps more sex than romance in the first 2 stories.
April 11, 2013
Originally reviewed for The Book Vixen
In a Nutshell: The romances in these three novellas were superficial at best though the sci-fi settings were interesting.
The Set Up: Three MM novellas: Enhanced about two scientists thawing out two hot soldier from their fifty year old cryo-sleep; Close Encounters features two space pirates whose cargo turns out to be a young man with a highly communicable disease; Following the Sun where a ship’s crew of two crash lands in a jungle and are rescued by mysterious sun-worshipping natives.
Why I Read this Book: I’ve been on a Madeleine Urban reading frenzy lately so had to try this one.
What I Liked: I like the sci-fi settings for all three novellas. They’re each unique and kept my attention. I especially liked Enhanced because it starts with the version 3 genetically engineered soldiers ready to exterminate humans. The two scientists have to thaw out version 1 soldiers to help them save humanity. This was a great set-up to an action packed novella. Close Encounters had the least sci-fi feel though it was set on a space station after the pirate heroes try to unload their precious cargo only to be attacked by a drone army. I still liked the setting though. Following the Sun was a mysterious sci-fi setting but I can’t say much because it would spoil the end where the jungle tribe is explained a bit.
What I Didn’t Like: I’m a romance lover so you’d think I’d totally love three novellas where there are two love stories in each novella but I didn’t. Because each novella features two romance, neither is deeply explored and this bummed me out, especially in Enhanced because those hot soldiers and scientists were great characters. The end result for me was that the romances felt rushed and superficial.
I also didn’t like the uber-abrupt ending to what was otherwise a decent novella in Following the Sun. The jungle tribe is explained but the romances are broken up after they were resolved just to end. Color me miffed.
IMO: Not a romance book I’d recommend unless you’re only looking for decent sci-fi.
*review copy from publisher
In a Nutshell: The romances in these three novellas were superficial at best though the sci-fi settings were interesting.
The Set Up: Three MM novellas: Enhanced about two scientists thawing out two hot soldier from their fifty year old cryo-sleep; Close Encounters features two space pirates whose cargo turns out to be a young man with a highly communicable disease; Following the Sun where a ship’s crew of two crash lands in a jungle and are rescued by mysterious sun-worshipping natives.
Why I Read this Book: I’ve been on a Madeleine Urban reading frenzy lately so had to try this one.
What I Liked: I like the sci-fi settings for all three novellas. They’re each unique and kept my attention. I especially liked Enhanced because it starts with the version 3 genetically engineered soldiers ready to exterminate humans. The two scientists have to thaw out version 1 soldiers to help them save humanity. This was a great set-up to an action packed novella. Close Encounters had the least sci-fi feel though it was set on a space station after the pirate heroes try to unload their precious cargo only to be attacked by a drone army. I still liked the setting though. Following the Sun was a mysterious sci-fi setting but I can’t say much because it would spoil the end where the jungle tribe is explained a bit.
What I Didn’t Like: I’m a romance lover so you’d think I’d totally love three novellas where there are two love stories in each novella but I didn’t. Because each novella features two romance, neither is deeply explored and this bummed me out, especially in Enhanced because those hot soldiers and scientists were great characters. The end result for me was that the romances felt rushed and superficial.
I also didn’t like the uber-abrupt ending to what was otherwise a decent novella in Following the Sun. The jungle tribe is explained but the romances are broken up after they were resolved just to end. Color me miffed.
IMO: Not a romance book I’d recommend unless you’re only looking for decent sci-fi.
*review copy from publisher
to-be-finished-later
August 23, 2011Finished story Enhanced and liked it (3.5 stars, if I have to give a rating). Although the story reads as sketch for the novel and throws the reader in the middle of the action, with background story crammed into a few dialogue lines, I liked the idea and characters a lot. Very promising, too bad the author hasn't expanded.
Now, it seems I'm not in the mood for sci-fi, so I'll finish the other two stories later.
Now, it seems I'm not in the mood for sci-fi, so I'll finish the other two stories later.
January 26, 2010
As always, I just personally like the depth of novels over short stories. But a friend of mine loves Urban's writing, and these science fiction-based m/m (that's male/male, in case that affects your perspective) romances are fun, steamy, and well-written for their short length. Good stuff, though I loved her novel _Caught Running_ even better.
February 11, 2010
I enjoyed all three of the novellas that make up this book. There was plenty of action, drama and angst in each one, enough for a full length novel, crammed into a novella length story. And happy endings for all the main characters. I think this one will be going up to five stars, because I'm sure I'm going to want to read these stories again and again.
January 11, 2012
Three short stories - all are quite different from one another but all have sci-fi type theme. I was pretty entertained by all three and I found them to be different enough to each be unique. I think I liked the 3rd story best of the three.
December 25, 2010
Ms. Urban style and story-telling is outstanding and very much to my taste. This book is everything I expected and more. Highly recommended.
December 30, 2011
Loved these stories.
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February 4, 2022
2 stars for Enhanced
2.5 ~ 3 stars for Close Encounter.
2.5 ~ 3 stars for Close Encounter.
February 17, 2016
Duh.
What am I supposed to do with these stories?
BTW it's not really believable to find two love stories in less than 60 pages with four main characters each time, come on!
What am I supposed to do with these stories?
BTW it's not really believable to find two love stories in less than 60 pages with four main characters each time, come on!
January 7, 2017
After reading first story you pretty much know how all of them work since they're written with the same pattern. I liked them but I still think it would be better to make them longer.
setting-aside-for-now
June 7, 2014Finished the first two stories. Still have the 3rd one to read.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews