UPDATE: I just reread HUNTER, Galactic Gladiators and my previous comments hold. I again enjoyed this duo-novella pack & short story. The stories are fast moving, creative and (very) steamy diversions during these uncertain times.
ORIGINAL POST:
4.5 Satisfied Stars. I enjoyed the settings, characters, and storylines in these 2 novellas.
(1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= Yes, it was Ok; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT; 5= It was great!)
The 2 novellas below are standalone Sci-fi Romance adventures. Both can easily be read alone, but I highly recommend the 11 books that precede DESERT HUNTER as well. Together, the books create a story arc that begins with book 1 and ends with book 11. Book 12, DESERT HUNTER, serves to complete the GALACTIC GLADIATOR series and lead into the next connecting series the GLADIATOR HOUSE OF RONE. I’ve already read that series. It’s another action-packed, page-turning adventure laced with romance, new Bad Guys, cyborg Heroes, and many Sweet HEAs. I found the DESERT HUNTER stories enjoyable - connecting the 2 series on the Gladiator Planet of Carthago. And the short Bonus Story included was sweet. Readers who like sweet & spicy Space Adventures, Enjoy!
1)DESERT HUNTER is the first of 2 novellas in GALACTIC HUNTER, the 12th and final book in the GALACTIC GLADIATORS series by Anna Hackett. A native of Carthago, Mersi Kasparov/FMC was rescued while lost in the desert escaping enslavement at the age of 16. Corsair, the leader of Corsair’s Caravan, found her and allowed her to stay within the sanctuary of his people. Years later, Mersi is now one of Corsair’s top trusted people. Bren Hahn/MMC was with Corsair at the time of Mersi’s rescue. Bren remembers well the day she was rescued - lost, dehydrated, and afraid. Bren was his mid-20’s at the time. He has been casually looking out for Mersi ever since. And although Bren fell in love with Mersi years ago, he keeps that emotion on a tight leash; he believes he must - for a very good reason. So instead, Bren has allowed his attachment to drift into a tight friendship of trust between the three of them - much to the disgust of both Corsair and Mersi (for whom the attraction is mutual). Mersi wants more. Must she find it with someone else?
2)A GALACTIC GLADIATOR’S CHRISTMAS is a 1st Christmas celebration (Bonus Short Story) including each of the rescued earth survivor characters from the previous GALACTIC GLADIATORS titles. Each of the earthlings were rescued from either slavers, imprisonment, fighting pits, the horrors of the desert, and/or sadistic aliens. Now they all live new lives far from Earth on the planet Carthago, truly safe and loved by an alien, gladiator, or a cyborg who treasures them.
3)ALIEN HUNTER is the second novella in GALACTIC HUNTER. A woman who calls herself Mina Lan’Gar/FMC is a cocktail server in Rillian’s Dark Nebula Casino, located in the District, the glitzy gambling and shopping center that draws tourists when they come to the city of Kor Magna to see the gladiators fight in the arena on the planet Carthago. Mina was employed a month ago, offering no background information other than she’d come in from the desert. Once an Alien Hunter assassin, now Dark Nebula’s Head of Security, Gannon GI/MMC hired Mina. But he feels something is off about her and watches her closely. Gannon understands and accepts secrets others keep close as long as they don’t interfere with his job, or put his employer and those he cares about at risk. What are Mina’s secrets? Gannon wonders just what is she hiding, and why?
I loved this series but certain aspects may cause certain readers to look elsewhere.
READERS CAUTIONS -
PROFANITY - Yes. Rare strong language used.
VIOLENCE - PG-13. Unsuccessful Kidnappings and brief mention of past abductions (not included in stories).
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Yes. On-scene intimacy occurs between 2 main characters in both stories. The scenes could be skipped over, but some readers may prefer to look elsewhere.
IMO, not appropriate for YA readers.