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helenamt's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
meredith_gayle's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
agirlandherlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
I think it is safe to say that both I and Librarian adored these stores - so much in fact we went on over to my Youtube and did a chat on it:
https://youtu.be/bvWnK9tGoPM
Please remember to like, comment and subscribe, we'd love to have you there!
Twitter @girlielibrary
https://youtu.be/bvWnK9tGoPM
Please remember to like, comment and subscribe, we'd love to have you there!
Twitter @girlielibrary
kzimm2024's review against another edition
5.0
Re-read Jan 2024. Plagued by mediocre stories, I went back to the best- these 3 short stories. I love the Kinsman world.
Silent Blade, history between 2 people and a chance at redemption and love:
"She lifted the lid off the pot, releasing a cloud of aromatic flavor into the kitchen, and scraped the herbs into the soup. “What is it you want?”
“You.”
“Why?”
He frowned. “I’m not sure. But I’m plagued by dreams involving your breasts and honey.”
----------
He fantasized about dripping honey on her breasts.
A small, satisfied smile curved her lips. It took almost eighteen years, from the skinny ten-year-old girl to the twenty-eight-year-old woman, but Mother proved right.
She hit him like a brick.
----------
She had to bring it to the brutal conclusion now or forever give up on her revenge. She had promised herself at the start of the mission that she would remain strong and finish it, but she’d grossly underestimated her own heart.
It would be so easy to surrender. To simply let him carry her off, to become his. He would never have to know the truth.
Twelve years, she reminded herself.
Twelve years of rejection and quiet pain, of feeling broken, as if a vital part of her was lost.
Twelve years of controlled anger.
and then Silver Shark, where Claire was able to escape a gritty existence to find a colorful world (after she passed like and death tests):
"Walking into a building filled with psychers, whose job it was to find and eradicate psychically active intruders... Declining the recommendation would instantly arouse suspicion.
"No problem," Claire said.
"You sure?"
"Yes." Unless one counted certain death as a problem. "I just didn't want to fail before I started." "Don't worry," the officer said. "You will make an excellent drone.
------------
The apartment was completely quiet. She walked across the floor to the door and slid it open. A small balcony presented her with a view of the sunset: above her the cosmos was deep purple and far ahead, at the horizon, where the setting sun rolled behind the distant mountains, the sky glowed with bright vivid red. Wind fanned her, bringing with it a scent of some flower she didn't know.
She sat down on the floor of the balcony, behind the trellised rail, and cried.
-------------
She looked at Venturo Escana on the screen. It was as if some vital part of her, the one that was female and craved male contact, sex, and love, had withered.
Somehow this man had managed to resuscitate it without doing anything at all. And he felt nothing except pity for her. The irony made her laugh. She would see him again on Monday.
She had to make sure to not make a fool of herself.
And a Mere Formality- hilarious and touching:
She sighed. “He caught me off-guard. I expected coldness, some sort of brutal physical test, perhaps a ritual where I’d have to untangle tree branches without breaking the leaves or untie an impossible knot. I didn’t expect dirty pictures..."
------------
“In accordance to entry two hundred and three, will you then submit to having a cast of your anal canal so the dildo employed to penetrate your anus can be made to perfect proportions?”
The Reigh bodyguards froze.
Nagrad read the entry. “I won’t be requesting that one.”
------------
Negotiations! Bahaha:
“Subsection A. Two male partners and one female partner.”
“Pass,” Nagrad called. There were deep bags under his eyes.
“Let it be known that Lord Nagrad abandons all claim to the act described in entry number three hundred and twelve, subsection A and all the subsequent positions described or listed under subsection A.”
“So noted,” the witnesses intoned. Everyone made the appropriate notations in their copy of the list.
*
Original review (spoilers): I love these short stories. They make more sense to me over the years (the worlds and characters) because I am reading them in order in this book instead of 1 here and another there.
The first one I read of these 3, A Mere Formality (3rd story), was posted on there website for free and I laughed so hard at the contract negotiating. I do feel like there was more description to the online story but its been a while so I am not sure. Explicit sexual contractual negotiations, very cleverly done to delay interplanetary factions.
I love how in all 3 stories these women are all capable and strong and smart in these stories.
The first one here Silent Blade, about Meli, was sweetly tragic! The backstory was very interesting. And she made him wait 2 more years, that felt like a long time for them both. But they had a beautiful son, who makes an appearance in the Silver Shark.
Silver Shark- again really good. The bionet was cool, like your own video game with a directive and plan to NOT DIE.
Per usual complaint, since they were short stories and SO well done, I wish there was more!
Silent Blade, history between 2 people and a chance at redemption and love:
"She lifted the lid off the pot, releasing a cloud of aromatic flavor into the kitchen, and scraped the herbs into the soup. “What is it you want?”
“You.”
“Why?”
He frowned. “I’m not sure. But I’m plagued by dreams involving your breasts and honey.”
----------
He fantasized about dripping honey on her breasts.
A small, satisfied smile curved her lips. It took almost eighteen years, from the skinny ten-year-old girl to the twenty-eight-year-old woman, but Mother proved right.
She hit him like a brick.
----------
She had to bring it to the brutal conclusion now or forever give up on her revenge. She had promised herself at the start of the mission that she would remain strong and finish it, but she’d grossly underestimated her own heart.
It would be so easy to surrender. To simply let him carry her off, to become his. He would never have to know the truth.
Twelve years, she reminded herself.
Twelve years of rejection and quiet pain, of feeling broken, as if a vital part of her was lost.
Twelve years of controlled anger.
and then Silver Shark, where Claire was able to escape a gritty existence to find a colorful world (after she passed like and death tests):
"Walking into a building filled with psychers, whose job it was to find and eradicate psychically active intruders... Declining the recommendation would instantly arouse suspicion.
"No problem," Claire said.
"You sure?"
"Yes." Unless one counted certain death as a problem. "I just didn't want to fail before I started." "Don't worry," the officer said. "You will make an excellent drone.
------------
The apartment was completely quiet. She walked across the floor to the door and slid it open. A small balcony presented her with a view of the sunset: above her the cosmos was deep purple and far ahead, at the horizon, where the setting sun rolled behind the distant mountains, the sky glowed with bright vivid red. Wind fanned her, bringing with it a scent of some flower she didn't know.
She sat down on the floor of the balcony, behind the trellised rail, and cried.
-------------
She looked at Venturo Escana on the screen. It was as if some vital part of her, the one that was female and craved male contact, sex, and love, had withered.
Somehow this man had managed to resuscitate it without doing anything at all. And he felt nothing except pity for her. The irony made her laugh. She would see him again on Monday.
She had to make sure to not make a fool of herself.
And a Mere Formality- hilarious and touching:
She sighed. “He caught me off-guard. I expected coldness, some sort of brutal physical test, perhaps a ritual where I’d have to untangle tree branches without breaking the leaves or untie an impossible knot. I didn’t expect dirty pictures..."
------------
“In accordance to entry two hundred and three, will you then submit to having a cast of your anal canal so the dildo employed to penetrate your anus can be made to perfect proportions?”
The Reigh bodyguards froze.
Nagrad read the entry. “I won’t be requesting that one.”
------------
Negotiations! Bahaha:
“Subsection A. Two male partners and one female partner.”
“Pass,” Nagrad called. There were deep bags under his eyes.
“Let it be known that Lord Nagrad abandons all claim to the act described in entry number three hundred and twelve, subsection A and all the subsequent positions described or listed under subsection A.”
“So noted,” the witnesses intoned. Everyone made the appropriate notations in their copy of the list.
*
Original review (spoilers): I love these short stories. They make more sense to me over the years (the worlds and characters) because I am reading them in order in this book instead of 1 here and another there.
The first one I read of these 3, A Mere Formality (3rd story), was posted on there website for free and I laughed so hard at the contract negotiating. I do feel like there was more description to the online story but its been a while so I am not sure. Explicit sexual contractual negotiations, very cleverly done to delay interplanetary factions.
I love how in all 3 stories these women are all capable and strong and smart in these stories.
The first one here Silent Blade, about Meli, was sweetly tragic! The backstory was very interesting. And she made him wait 2 more years, that felt like a long time for them both. But they had a beautiful son, who makes an appearance in the Silver Shark.
Silver Shark- again really good. The bionet was cool, like your own video game with a directive and plan to NOT DIE.
Per usual complaint, since they were short stories and SO well done, I wish there was more!
karebic's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
archangelwings's review against another edition
3.0
Silent Blade : 2.5*
Silver Shark : 3.5*
A Mere Formality : 2*
Kinsmen Universe: 3*
Silver Shark : 3.5*
A Mere Formality : 2*
Kinsmen Universe: 3*
caitybell's review against another edition
4.0
While the new short story included in this collection was a bit strange, I thoroughly enjoyed Silent Blade and Silver Shark! After reading so much urban fantasy by Ilona Andrews, switching gears into sci-fi was refreshing. Both stories were fun and imaginative, sexy and intriguing.
Definitely worth a read!
Definitely worth a read!
kittykhan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
ladylizardxvii's review against another edition
4.0
Silver Shark (the middle story) was the best one out of this trilogy of short stories set in the same universe. I thought the universe was really interesting, and I wish there was a full book or series about it because I would love to know more!