Review: Gathering Ashes by Michael Shean

Description:
Four years have passed since Bobbi January learned about the existence of the Yathi race and its plans for humanity. Since then, she ‘s become more than a career data thief or anticorporate provacateur - she’s the leader of a force of humans and reformed Yathi hosts dedicated to fighting the aliens wherever they can be found. Hers is a war fought in the dark, and like all wars, it has been costly. Friends have died, others have soured, and the rebellion that started out so strongly has broken into two embittered camps. When Bobbi is nearly killed by a surprise strike after a successful mission, it looks as though the Yathi may be the least of her problems.

Meanwhile, Thomas Walken, held prisoner by the Yathi since his capture six years previous, awakens. Escaping from an alien installation, he must grapple with a body - and perhaps a mind - that is not his own, and try to reclaim the humanity which the Yathi’s have so vigorously tried to scrub from his mind. Hunted by the Mother of Systems, he aims to reconnect with Bobbi, but will she accept him as a man, or denounce him as a creation of the enemy?

Packed with action, intrigue, and dark futuristic thrills, Gathering Ashes transports you to the very edge of a dangerously uncertain future.

My Thoughts:
This was a long one but still managed to leave me wanting more. This is the third book in the series and you definitely want to start from the beginning. There are some very compelling, complex characters. Bobbi is my favorite. We see a bit of her wit in this one, but mainly she is trying to keep her group together. She's a leader now and a good one. She wants to take out the Yathi, but she'll also do anything to keep her people safe. And now Tom Walken is back, which is great, but he's something else now, and he's having trouble coming to terms with it himself. Overall an exciting read with plenty of big, futuristic weapons, explosions, and deaths. I certainly hope to see the next book soon.


My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !
*Notes: Language, graphic gore.

My Source: Curiosity Quills


Where to get it:

Amazon


Where to find the author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook  | Goodreads

Review: Redeye by Michael Shean

Redeye (Wonderland Cycle #2) by Michael Shean

Description:
Two years have passed since Agent Thomas Walken and Bobbi January found themselves at the heart of a conspiracy of unimaginable greed and cruelty. The Genefex Corporation remains shrouded in mystery, and Bobbi faces a life of unanswered questions and mounting disillusionment to look forward to. But when she receives a mysterious message from one of Walken’s former comrades, she is drawn back onto the trail. Now, Bobbi will find herself newly equipped to discover the truth – about Walken, about Genefex and the Yathi race – and the key to unlocking those secrets rests in the hands of a cyborg terrorist known only as Redeye.

But the road to truth will be a dangerous one, from the glamour of Seattle’s ultramodern core to the sprawling wastelands of the Old City and beyond. Alongside a band of lethal comrades, Bobbi will face death and worse amidst urban rot, abandoned subway tunnels, and ultimately the nightmarish halls of the Yathi themselves in a race to stave off what may prove to be the death of humanity itself. Drenched in blood and neon, Redeye is a tale of humanity on the edge of a new and terrible reality.

My Thoughts:
First of all, if you haven't read Shadow of a Dead Star (reviewed here), do it. You'll thank me. It is book 1 in the Wonderland series. I was blown away by the ending and was left wanting the next book. I was not disappointed. Redeye follows Bobbi January, who was my favorite character from the first book. It is a whole new perspective. She has some hacking skills that come in very handy as she attempts to figure out just what is going on and follows the trail that she finds. As dark, gritty, and gory as the first, this book is full of action, and twists that keep you guessing. And again, I want the next book right now!

Bone Wires is set in the same world, but is a standalone. I highly recommend that one as well.

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !
*Notes: Profanity, gore.

My Source: author

Where to get it:



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Website

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Review: Shadow of a Dead Star by Michael Shean

Shadow of a Dead Star by Michael Shean

Description:
Seattle, 2078. The future hasn't been kind to the spirit of humanity; commercial obsession and technological fetishism rules the day, religion and belief has died screaming in the fires of war, and what remains is moral decrepitude. Life in the future is hard on the soul.

As an agent of the Industrial Security Bureau, Thomas Walken knows that better than anyone. His job is to keep the worst kind of black-market technology out of the hands of citizens, technology born out of the shadowy nation nicknamed Wonderland. But the kind of fantasies that come out of that place aren't for the good people of the world. Wonderland technology is like black magic made real.

Walken's newest assignment starts out simply: intercept a smuggled shipment of Princess Dolls, little girls turned into sex toys, and bring them into custody. But when the girls are hijacked from federal custody and Walken gives chase, he finds a trail of bodies in their wake. Before he's through, Walken will find himself confronted revelations that will answer every question that the troubled lawman has ever had about himself and the world he lives in - but his mind and soul may not survive it.

A dark, brooding piece of future noir, SHADOW OF A DEAD STAR will take you down the rabbit hole on a ride you won't soon forget.

My Thoughts:
I've had this on the TBR list since I read Bone Wires (reviewed here), which was fantastic. It is set in the same world as Shadow of a Dead Star, but is a standalone. I'm glad I waited for this one because the sequel doesn't come out until April. And I want it right now.
This is dark, gritty, futuristic sci-fi. A fast-paced detective thriller set in a dystopian future. The scary part is that it seems so plausible. The story just pulled me in so that I could not stop reading and I was completely blown away by the ending. Can't wait to see what direction the next book takes.

My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !!!!
*Notes: The gore is very detailed.

My Source: author

Where to get it:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Where to find the author:
Website
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