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shawniebooks's review against another edition
4.0
Meeting Linnea Sinclair and playing silly space games in the Intergalactic Bar & Grill was one of my highlights at RT Booklovers Con this year. I'm so happy I won this book signed to Ensign Shawnie. :D Super fun space romance and adventure.
jackiehorne's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 A solid read for those who enjoy space adventure without the science of hard SF, or SF's typical exploration of intriguing intellectual "what ifs." When the Triad and the United Coalition sign a treaty, UCee commander Tasha Sebastian finds herself second in command to Triad biocyborg Admiral Branden Kel-Paten. Kel-Paten has been nursing a crush on wily enemy Sass for years, and the new alliance's officer exchange program has finally given him the chance to spend time with her in person. But when Kel-Paten's ship comes to the rescue of renegade spy Jace Serafino, it becomes difficult to tell just who is an ally, who is an enemy—and whose love you can trust.
The characters veer closer to the flat end than the fully developed end of the character continuum, although if I had to spend time reading about underdeveloped characters, at least they weren't the stereotypically sexist ones all to common in SF. Tasha is no a wilting violet, but a tough, wily, sexually experienced thirty-six-year-old; Kel-Paten, part human, part machine, is a top-notch military strategist, but a fumbling boy when it comes to wooing. Of course, the overtly rakish Jace mitigates any fears of overly-wimpy masculinity that Branden might raise. Jace's love interest, an intelligent but not too physically tough doctor, also mitigates fears that Tasha's toughness might raise.
Wish Sinclair might have explored what it might mean to be part human, part machine; what it might mean to love such a person; or had either or both Tasha & Kel-Paten wondering if his insta-love might just have been planted by some programmer, and, even if it was, whether it was still meaningful; etc, etc. Also wish that there was more emotionally at stake; both the main couple and the secondary couple just simply accept differences in and doubts about each other rather than working through them (Tasha wakes up from a short nap and suddenly realizes "I love him!"). And I could definitely have done without the babytalking dog-like cat-creatures who play such a big role in the book. But Sinclair's after something far less ambitious, something more cutesy, than what I enjoy reading. Not to my taste, but I can see why it would appeal to others.
The characters veer closer to the flat end than the fully developed end of the character continuum, although if I had to spend time reading about underdeveloped characters, at least they weren't the stereotypically sexist ones all to common in SF. Tasha is no a wilting violet, but a tough, wily, sexually experienced thirty-six-year-old; Kel-Paten, part human, part machine, is a top-notch military strategist, but a fumbling boy when it comes to wooing. Of course, the overtly rakish Jace mitigates any fears of overly-wimpy masculinity that Branden might raise. Jace's love interest, an intelligent but not too physically tough doctor, also mitigates fears that Tasha's toughness might raise.
Wish Sinclair might have explored what it might mean to be part human, part machine; what it might mean to love such a person; or had either or both Tasha & Kel-Paten wondering if his insta-love might just have been planted by some programmer, and, even if it was, whether it was still meaningful; etc, etc. Also wish that there was more emotionally at stake; both the main couple and the secondary couple just simply accept differences in and doubts about each other rather than working through them (Tasha wakes up from a short nap and suddenly realizes "I love him!"). And I could definitely have done without the babytalking dog-like cat-creatures who play such a big role in the book. But Sinclair's after something far less ambitious, something more cutesy, than what I enjoy reading. Not to my taste, but I can see why it would appeal to others.
annkniggendorf's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it. Strong, complex characters, riddles, humor wrapped in a nicely twisted space (soap) opera romance - with the extra funny bonus that the name of the plot-crucial telepathic catlike pets "furzel" translates directly to German as "diminutive fart"! :-D
fergus30's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely an entertaining read, but I found it very hard to suspend my disbelief with this one - namely, the whole furzel sub plot?
Still, a nice book to take to the gym or read quickly over the holidays when you don't want your brain turned on.
Still, a nice book to take to the gym or read quickly over the holidays when you don't want your brain turned on.
jaga119's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars! I would give 6 if it was possible. Fantastic book. I had a hard time putting it away every time someone wanted something from me. Brandon is one hot 'cybe with his heart in a right place. And such hot love is this heart filled with. And Sass - controlled, scarred by her past, but strong and smart. I can't wait to read other books by Linnea Sinclair.
veronica87's review
2.0
Two and a half stars.
The book was approximately 40% about a second couple that's not even mentioned at all on the back cover blurb, which was suprising. In any event, the story was solid enough but neither romance really lit my fire or captured my rapt attention. Some of the things one of the male love interest does came across as a bit too obssessive to me and I personally would have felt suffocated in the relationship. So that was a turn off.
The book was approximately 40% about a second couple that's not even mentioned at all on the back cover blurb, which was suprising. In any event, the story was solid enough but neither romance really lit my fire or captured my rapt attention. Some of the things one of the male love interest does came across as a bit too obssessive to me and I personally would have felt suffocated in the relationship. So that was a turn off.
lizzy_22's review against another edition
4.0
I started Games of Command anticipating more uniform ripping romance, than scifi and ended up engrossed in an exciting adventure balanced with just enough relationship and political intrigue to take me to it's stirring finish.
Captain Tasha "Sass" Sebastian and Admiral Branden Kel-Paten share command after end of the war forms the Alliance combining the Triad and United Coalition. Both Tasha and Kel-Paten are hiding big things from each other; Tasha her mercenary past and biocybe Branden's uncharacteristic for his kind infatuation and strong feelings for her. Enter wanted rebel Jace Serafino whose appearance on their ship threatens to expose both their secrets and the fragile Alliance with information of political double crosses and sabotage.
If anything I'd have liked more development on the personal side, with Tasha and Branden being less central to the plot than I would have liked. While the somewhat swift development of their relationship (on Tasha's side) didn't bother me, I wanted more interaction between the two instead of the flip flopping between their scenes and the ones with Serafino and his romantic foil. Kel-Paten's character in particular, deserved more exploration. As one of the few biocybe's in existence, this half man, half machine intrigued me with the vulnerability he allows regarding the woman he loves and his yearnings to be considered more human as he overcomes his internal programming and emotional shields.
Overall though the action and intrigue segued nicely into the relationship drama and I completely ignored the silly, if essential, contribution of the furzels, catlike creatures that were the natural predators of the emotion sucking 'big bads' that drove most of the secondary conflict.
Games of Command was a good read for fans of romantic scifi and a good entry into other works by Linnea Sinclair. I will definitely be checking out the Dock Five Universe series next.
Captain Tasha "Sass" Sebastian and Admiral Branden Kel-Paten share command after end of the war forms the Alliance combining the Triad and United Coalition. Both Tasha and Kel-Paten are hiding big things from each other; Tasha her mercenary past and biocybe Branden's uncharacteristic for his kind infatuation and strong feelings for her. Enter wanted rebel Jace Serafino whose appearance on their ship threatens to expose both their secrets and the fragile Alliance with information of political double crosses and sabotage.
If anything I'd have liked more development on the personal side, with Tasha and Branden being less central to the plot than I would have liked. While the somewhat swift development of their relationship (on Tasha's side) didn't bother me, I wanted more interaction between the two instead of the flip flopping between their scenes and the ones with Serafino and his romantic foil. Kel-Paten's character in particular, deserved more exploration. As one of the few biocybe's in existence, this half man, half machine intrigued me with the vulnerability he allows regarding the woman he loves and his yearnings to be considered more human as he overcomes his internal programming and emotional shields.
Overall though the action and intrigue segued nicely into the relationship drama and I completely ignored the silly, if essential, contribution of the furzels, catlike creatures that were the natural predators of the emotion sucking 'big bads' that drove most of the secondary conflict.
Games of Command was a good read for fans of romantic scifi and a good entry into other works by Linnea Sinclair. I will definitely be checking out the Dock Five Universe series next.
ginnikin's review against another edition
I really enjoyed this! Good balance of SF and romance.
mrssoule's review against another edition
5.0
[b:Games of Command|352724|Games of Command|Linnea Sinclair|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347389713l/352724._SY75_.jpg|342949] was a perfect mix of sci-fi action & some seriously intense romance. Kel-Paten’s been secretly in love with Sass for 12 years!, but must hide it since he’s a biocybe (basically a human turned robot – think Universal Soldier) and any display of “unnatural” emotion would lead to further removal of what’s left of his humanity. It never got too bogged down in tech talk or let anything too irreversibly damaging happen to any of the four main characters – my two biggest problems with most sci-fi.