Incursion in Riptide Publishing

Jul 07, 2012 DayDreamer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: lgbtqa, favourites, again-and-again-and-again, easy-read, angst, want-more, short-m-m, reviewed-or-kinda, arrogant-mofo, perfect-yet-flawed

4.5
Holy shit.
Strong, inspirational, full of hope. It made me sad that it ended. There just has to be more.

What is it with fiction that makes me rebel against set systems and want them to change/be destroyed? For almost every world built in the last 50 or something books. Again. And again. Even knowing a perfect world is not possible (and boring as heaven) doesn't stop me from thinking that the exact order is wrong and needs changing.

Whatever. My rambling stops here.

Highly recommended.

ETA: (view ...more

17 likes · Like · see review

Jun 11, 2012 Amara rated it it was amazing

In an Amara word… fantabulous.

I have a confession to make. I’m not a big sci-fi lover. It’s a genre I rarely read. But… far be it for me to let a Voinov go by without getting my grabby little hands on it. Sci-fi or no Sci-fi.

I really loved this one. Voinov managed to pull me into his world, keep me intrigued, all without over sci-fi’ing me to death. Kudo’s on that.

One of the things I loved most about this one was the characters. Well written, fully fleshed out and intriguing. Damaged, rough aro ...more

12 likes · Like · see review

Jul 18, 2012 Joy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: re-read-2012

in·cur·sion (n-kûrzhn, -shn)
n.
1. An aggressive entrance into foreign territory; a raid or invasion.
2. The act of entering another's territory or domain.
3. The act of entering or running into:

Perfect title for this book--Voinov has given us another great story

Re-read-- holy shit--I get it--the whisper that I couldn't grasp

...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Aug 31, 2012 Feliz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, action-adventure, trans, prism

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This novella packs imaginative worldbuilding, well-developed characters and a gripping plot into its rather short format. Many elements combine to a seamless whole: the underdog premise, loyalty conflict, alien creatures, shapeshifting, military, space pirates, spies, advanced technology and ancient warrior’s code of honor, all without info-dump and nicely woven into the narrative.

I liked both main characters from the start, Grimm with his cheerful, ruthless determination and Kyle, the prickly, This novella packs imaginative worldbuilding, well-developed characters and a gripping plot into its rather short format. Many elements combine to a seamless whole: the underdog premise, loyalty conflict, alien creatures, shapeshifting, military, space pirates, spies, advanced technology and ancient warrior’s code of honor, all without info-dump and nicely woven into the narrative.

I liked both main characters from the start, Grimm with his cheerful, ruthless determination and Kyle, the prickly, forlorn antihero. Kyle is a broken man, literally; since an assault with an alien weapon severed his spinal cord, his body is dead meat below the waist. The former space pilot walks only thanks to prosthetic braces, his welfare benefits are too little to live, too much to die and his disability renders him unfit for service. Or so he thinks, until he’s sent out on a secret mission retrieving a data thief, an alien from an enemy race with shape-shifting abilities.

Kyle’s target supposedly hides on the Scorpion, a mercenary ship. The ship’s captain, Grimm, seems determined to get into Kyle’s pants. Kyle just can’t believe it. How can a man like Grimm want a cripple like him? But perhaps it’s all a ploy, perhaps Grimm’s motives are much more sinister than sex. If only Kyle weren’t so attracted to Grimm, so very tempted to trust him…

On the surface, this book is a suspenseful sci-fi space adventure with an enemies-to-lovers romantic subplot. It’s gritty and edgy and very entertaining to read, and even if that were all there is to it, it still would’ve been more than four stars for me. But this story was much more than the sum of its parts.

To quote one character, it is all about becoming yourself. Not even about being accepted as what you are, but just the liberty to BE what you are. After all, this is about an alien race of shapeshifters who could be anything, male or female, human or alien, by own choice and independently of what others perceive. And I think this was what the story was about, and what touched me so deeply about it. It rang with a deep longing, with a yearning for freedom that exceeded physical, anatomic and even genetic boundaries. An entertaining story, yes, but also a beautiful fable that drove its point home without being obtrusive. Highly recommended.

Review rewritten for http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2015...
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Jan 18, 2014 Bucletina rated it really liked it

Wow, esto sí que no me la esperaba. A ver, sí es evidente que uno se arroja a leer a ciertos autores con una base de confianza respecto de lo que va a encontrarse y aún en el "peor "de los casos termina leyendo un libro "correcto ". La temática "space western" me resulta particularmente atractiva, por lo que supuse que de plano iba a gustarme. Tenía cierta onda "Firefly ", de Whedon. Pero fue el giro argumental inesperado casi hacia el final de la novela lo que la catapultó a las 4.5 eatrellitas ...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Andrea rated it really liked it

Such a great science fiction story! Why did it have to end? I want more, damn it!

3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 17, 2016 Liz (Bugetta) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, sci-fi-and-futuristic, novellas-and-short-stories, mystery-and-suspense, m-m-romance, 1st-in-a-series

4.5* What a fantastic story. Loved the characters, the universe, the action. My only disappointment was that it was too short and I wanted more and then found out that there will be more of Kyle and Grimm because there's going to be a sequel! Woo hoo! ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jul 08, 2012 Jody rated it it was amazing

Aleksandr Voinov's newest release is an enthralling read that drew me in from the very first page and still hasn't let go long after the final page was turned. As a fan of the sci-fi genre I found the world-building and technological advances absolutely intriguing and the scientific ideas involving DNA manipulation thought provoking. The actions and ideas in this book seem like just the tip of the iceberg and I truly hope this is a world we'll be returning to in the future.

The hero in this story ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 17, 2012 Book Huntress rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviews

When I found out that one of my new favorite authors had written a sci-fi book I will admit I did squee a little bit. ;) Incursion is a fantastic representation of the genre, and would have been a great read even when I was deep into my sci-fi phase. The fact that it does have a m/m love story should be considered secondary to anyone not sure of this book for that reason alone.

Aleksandr Voinov is as gifted a writer as I have ever read. This story, as most sci-fi, covers multitudes of meanings, ...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Cecile rated it it was amazing

For those of you that know me... and those that don't this is my little statement about short books.... I do not judge short stories on the rush of their relationships, because they are just that - short stories. So, yes the relationships always could have been drawn out more, yea it seems like they fall in love to fast and of course the story could have been made longer... but it is a short story. So with that said.... here is my review..

I am an avid reader of Aleksandr's work. He intrigues me ...more

2 likes · Like · see review