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s0laris's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
yulie's review
1.0
I've tried. I've tried multiple times to read this book, and every time I start thinking 'oh, hey, it's not so bad,' the writing just destroys me. Perhaps it's because I'm not reading the director's cuts (maybe I should give them a try), but I found the writing rather poor and incredibly disjointed. It isn't the subject matter that bothers me (okay, yes, the main character is a rapist which makes it a little difficult to stomach, but war is bad -- you're not you out there, etc., etc., war tropes, I can read on through all of that), but it's the awful, awful writing. Dan is a collection of stereotypes and I felt like the author threw together a bunch of British lingo, incessantly, to write Dan, some of it which felt to be used not really in the right context. Yes, I understand that he's overcompensating for a few things, but the Dan, to me, had no depth beyond the singular sticking point of 'I'm not gay' and 'I'm just one of the lads,' and I found that got old really quickly. It's like he was a big walking trope.
What's interesting is I actually found Dan to be more dislikable than Vadim. I honestly enjoyed the writing and history of Vadim's character, and found his circumstances really interesting. The narration for Vadim's character is a whole lot better, too -- still disjointed, but less irritatingly so. What was the worst, I found, were the scenes were you got Dan and Vadim's point of views in quick succession. One-two paragraphs from Dan, then one-two from Vadim's, lingering and reacting to the same things. It wasn't clean writing. It was repetitive, jilted, superfluous. It dragged scenes on and on.
So there you go. I didn't end up liking the book despite my best efforts to. Whenever I try to start it again, it's more the knowledge of the plot thus far that keeps me going, filtered through my memory so that I forget the writing and characterization quirks and plunge in vaguely interested to know what happens next. I make it through a few pages of Vadim's POV, positive about things. I let myself be invested all over again, even as I stumble over some of the writing. 'This will be good', I think. 'I think I can finish it this time -- there's an interesting story here!' Then I hit Dan's point of view, and it's all downhill from there.
I will say that I liked the setting, though. The military circumstances and everything there were interesting, and I can't fault that at all. Honestly, I think it was just one character that completely killed it for me, and I might have made it to the end otherwise.
Spoiler
sex scene between him and the 'giggling blonde bird' had me rolling my eyes to oblivion and back. I get it, he found her nasty and repulsive and he wanted a well-muscled, hard body in her place. Still, it was written so poorly that I just found Dan to be utterly reprehensible and irritating. If that was the point, it was well accomplished.What's interesting is I actually found Dan to be more dislikable than Vadim. I honestly enjoyed the writing and history of Vadim's character, and found his circumstances really interesting. The narration for Vadim's character is a whole lot better, too -- still disjointed, but less irritatingly so. What was the worst, I found, were the scenes were you got Dan and Vadim's point of views in quick succession. One-two paragraphs from Dan, then one-two from Vadim's, lingering and reacting to the same things. It wasn't clean writing. It was repetitive, jilted, superfluous. It dragged scenes on and on.
So there you go. I didn't end up liking the book despite my best efforts to. Whenever I try to start it again, it's more the knowledge of the plot thus far that keeps me going, filtered through my memory so that I forget the writing and characterization quirks and plunge in vaguely interested to know what happens next. I make it through a few pages of Vadim's POV, positive about things. I let myself be invested all over again, even as I stumble over some of the writing. 'This will be good', I think. 'I think I can finish it this time -- there's an interesting story here!' Then I hit Dan's point of view, and it's all downhill from there.
I will say that I liked the setting, though. The military circumstances and everything there were interesting, and I can't fault that at all. Honestly, I think it was just one character that completely killed it for me, and I might have made it to the end otherwise.
gillianw's review
4.0
My feelings on this book are a little complicated - much like Dan and Vadim's relationship. It's like I had this love/hate relationship with it - much like, well, Dan and Vadim's relationship. This is truly a harsh and unforgiving story and I started off quite unsure of what I had gotten myself into. You will find no flowery phrases, no meet cute, no happily ever after. This is raw and unflinching in its brutal honesty but also powerful and harshly beautiful, much like the backdrop of the Afghan landscape through which most of the story takes place. Initially, I didn't believe that the author would ever be able to convince me that these two men were destined to be more than enemies or at best, coldly civil to one another. But thankfully their story begins to unfold bit by bit, year, by year, until you realize (along with Dan and Vadim) how much they've come to mean to each other. This is not a love story, but it is an emotional one and eventually, it does become a story of love. 4 stars.
apinkcloudsummer's review
4.0
“…I wonder if she's ever loved you as much, and if you ever meant as much as life and survival to her, as you do to me.”
This book had me wondering why I was even reading it, hating Dan and Vadim and their ways, which are truly awful. But kept reading it, probably my stubborn self wanting to know why this book made people so emotional when it just felt like some whole porn novel, but then a little past the middle of the book is where you can really see them open up to each other slowly and then by Chapter 16, it was beautiful. “Chapter 16 - Red Cross” is still my favorite with them, the beginning portion is just them finally enjoying each others company and it’s really beautiful. I was smiling and giggling like a school girl writing about her secret crush, the book tend to make me feel that type of emotional all through the end when they finally were like, “Yes! I love this person!”.
I won’t be reading the other books, I’ve seen the reviews and spoilers, I recommend for everyone to read just the directors cut so you can have some type of finished story if you don’t want to continue as well. Good luck if you do, might paint the characters in bad light for you.
This book had me wondering why I was even reading it, hating Dan and Vadim and their ways, which are truly awful. But kept reading it, probably my stubborn self wanting to know why this book made people so emotional when it just felt like some whole porn novel, but then a little past the middle of the book is where you can really see them open up to each other slowly and then by Chapter 16, it was beautiful. “Chapter 16 - Red Cross” is still my favorite with them, the beginning portion is just them finally enjoying each others company and it’s really beautiful. I was smiling and giggling like a school girl writing about her secret crush, the book tend to make me feel that type of emotional all through the end when they finally were like, “Yes! I love this person!”.
I won’t be reading the other books, I’ve seen the reviews and spoilers, I recommend for everyone to read just the directors cut so you can have some type of finished story if you don’t want to continue as well. Good luck if you do, might paint the characters in bad light for you.
a_reader_obsessed's review
5.0
I find it hard to say something new about this book that others haven't already said. It is by far THE most painstaking, meticulous, step by brutal step portrayal of a relationship between enemies that slowly evolves into something more - something that becomes each other's reason for surviving/living/being. This book will make you flinch, cringe, anticipate the worst, and hope for the best. You too will experience the hate, fear, doubt, loneliness, anger, yearning, pain, desperation, comfort, and eventually love that these two MC's experience. It is unlike any love story I have read or probably will ever read. Having perused reviews for the continuation makes me strongly hesitate to carry on though. I think I would like to bask in the glow at the end of part I, though obviously it is far from a HEA. I don't know if my heart could survive any more anguish; the anguish I know is awaiting.
suzysuzy34's review
5.0
5 ++++++++++++ stars. Absolutely amazing. Two soilders, spetsnaz and SAS.
When I first started reading, I was a little uncomfortable but the writing style pulled me in and I couldn't stop reading. Such an EPIC love story, and I loved the background story of the war in Afganistan, (the cave scenes - loved them). if you ever asked me if I would be interested in reading about war, I would say absolutely no way, but what held it all together was how these two soldiers needed each other, they kept finding their way back to each other. Enemies at first, not trusting but hating, but as the story unfolds Dan and Vadim come to need each other.
This book had it all.... Hatred, pain, violence, sex, war, loneliness, grief, rage, helplessness, tenderness, emotion, love, caring, want, need, possession, submission and so much more.
I have literally been addicted and I couldnt stop reading, every spare minute I had was dedicated to reading this book, even when I was busy, my thoughts where on this book and I just couldn't wait to get stuck back in, late nights too.
I'm literally blown away by this book but even if you haven't read a MM I can highly recommend this.
Free to download through lulu.com, if you were confused like I was about the reading order, the first book is special forces soldiers part one, special forces soldiers part 2, mercenaries 1, mercenaries 2 and veterans, which are all free, I was able to transfer the PDFs file to read on my iPad through iBooks.
Now on off to read Mercenaries 1. Late night coming on, just can't get enough.
When I first started reading, I was a little uncomfortable but the writing style pulled me in and I couldn't stop reading. Such an EPIC love story, and I loved the background story of the war in Afganistan, (the cave scenes - loved them). if you ever asked me if I would be interested in reading about war, I would say absolutely no way, but what held it all together was how these two soldiers needed each other, they kept finding their way back to each other. Enemies at first, not trusting but hating, but as the story unfolds Dan and Vadim come to need each other.
This book had it all.... Hatred, pain, violence, sex, war, loneliness, grief, rage, helplessness, tenderness, emotion, love, caring, want, need, possession, submission and so much more.
I have literally been addicted and I couldnt stop reading, every spare minute I had was dedicated to reading this book, even when I was busy, my thoughts where on this book and I just couldn't wait to get stuck back in, late nights too.
I'm literally blown away by this book but even if you haven't read a MM I can highly recommend this.
Free to download through lulu.com, if you were confused like I was about the reading order, the first book is special forces soldiers part one, special forces soldiers part 2, mercenaries 1, mercenaries 2 and veterans, which are all free, I was able to transfer the PDFs file to read on my iPad through iBooks.
Now on off to read Mercenaries 1. Late night coming on, just can't get enough.
ariannemaya's review
5.0
This was a complete mind fuck. There are so many elements that would have usually made me stop reading but it was so fascinating and so very well done that I had to see what would happen next. I love how much of a slow burn it all is and how they go from enemies to lovers, from hating each other's gut to something else entirely. It's not an easy read, but those men don't lead an easy life, either, so it worked beautifully for me.
Spoiler
rape and torture between the two protags, lots of misogyny and homophobiasil_the_lobster's review
4.0
There's not an awful lot to say about this that hasn't already been said. To be honest, I downloaded it because I like Voinov's writing and his ability to create 'readable' stories in unspeakable settings. I don't really favour 'soldier stories' and while I'm not faint of heart or a happy little bunny forever in search of a HEA, I will admit it took me several months to read this. I had to put it down every so often because it's just so awful and so painful and heart- and gutwrenching... I could take only very small doses of that story. Then, at one point, I couldn't take it any longer and stuck with it until the end, I had to know what was going on, had to know what was going to happen.
And when I realised this is only part 1 of a series, I did the unmentionable and read reviews of the other books, including the spoilers, and for once, I'm glad I did. I will not read the other books in the series because - even if that makes me look shallow - I don't think I could endure more heartbreak and more twists to this already twisted story. It's OK for Dan to enjoy an epic clusterfuck after what he's been through but it's quite another thing to hurt Vadim even more, no matter what the intention or ignorance behind it. I, as a humble reader, couldn't take it.
So this will be the only Special Forces book I'll read, and I'm giving it five stars despite the pain and the horror and the cruelty. I'm giving it five stars because it's taken me on an immensely emotional journey, and because it's been an extraordinary reading experience and I'm glad I finished it after all.
"There's some good in this world, Mr Frodo, and it's worth fighting for."
Same here.
And when I realised this is only part 1 of a series, I did the unmentionable and read reviews of the other books, including the spoilers, and for once, I'm glad I did. I will not read the other books in the series because - even if that makes me look shallow - I don't think I could endure more heartbreak and more twists to this already twisted story. It's OK for Dan to enjoy an epic clusterfuck after what he's been through but it's quite another thing to hurt Vadim even more, no matter what the intention or ignorance behind it. I, as a humble reader, couldn't take it.
So this will be the only Special Forces book I'll read, and I'm giving it five stars despite the pain and the horror and the cruelty. I'm giving it five stars because it's taken me on an immensely emotional journey, and because it's been an extraordinary reading experience and I'm glad I finished it after all.
"There's some good in this world, Mr Frodo, and it's worth fighting for."
Same here.
kp_khera's review
5.0
I can't even review this properly because it's so many things all at the same time. So, I reviewed this book about a month after reading it. And it's still capable of making me go "wtf". Not my most eloquent review, but oh well. It'd been a while for me to find a book that I could give the full 5 stars and this book most definitely was one of them.
Dark. So very dark.
It's next to impossible to like the characters - because they've done such horrible things - but I still kind of do. Because you understand where they're coming from and you're kind of in awe of them.
First it's definitely because you're kind of horrified. I don't know why I'm even saying "kind of" because you are... horrified that is.
This story, this epic, starts with one MC raping the other.
It's so twisted and you keep reading. Because you know that they move past that.
And you want to know how.
They're both soldiers. In enemy territory. Enemies themselves. Yet somehow, someway they get together. It becomes something real in a sea of blood.
It's raw, and honest, and realistic.
It shows the darker side of war, what it can do to your humanity within and what people can resort to doing because of boredom.
It shows that war makes you incapable of readjusting to a peaceful life because what the hell is that even?
Amidst all the wrong, and death and destruction, and lies and deception. Something comes into existence and you can't let this book down.
There's sex - a lot of it.
These men are brutal. Blood thirsty. Downright abusive - yet it moves beyond that.
It's a book that will sink its claws in you, leave you bloodied and scarred and wondering what the hell even happened. Kind of like they did to each other. A lot.
How someone can move past such a violation of themselves. How they survive torture at the other's hands. How they unknowingly come to rely on one another. How they never forget about the other. How they come to realisations, one after the other.
I don't recommend this to everyone because there's definitely some triggering stuff in there that you should be aware of before going in. It's not for everyone, and honestly at the end I'm not really capable of saying I liked it. It had me hooked, I couldn't not read it, it was a page turner, I wanted to know what would happen next and I most definitely will be reading the rest of the series because THAT ENDING! But, saying that I "liked" it or that I "loved" it somehow just doesn't seem like the right word.
Dark. So very dark.
It's next to impossible to like the characters - because they've done such horrible things - but I still kind of do. Because you understand where they're coming from and you're kind of in awe of them.
First it's definitely because you're kind of horrified. I don't know why I'm even saying "kind of" because you are... horrified that is.
This story, this epic, starts with one MC raping the other.
It's so twisted and you keep reading. Because you know that they move past that.
And you want to know how.
They're both soldiers. In enemy territory. Enemies themselves. Yet somehow, someway they get together. It becomes something real in a sea of blood.
It's raw, and honest, and realistic.
It shows the darker side of war, what it can do to your humanity within and what people can resort to doing because of boredom.
It shows that war makes you incapable of readjusting to a peaceful life because what the hell is that even?
Amidst all the wrong, and death and destruction, and lies and deception. Something comes into existence and you can't let this book down.
There's sex - a lot of it.
These men are brutal. Blood thirsty. Downright abusive - yet it moves beyond that.
It's a book that will sink its claws in you, leave you bloodied and scarred and wondering what the hell even happened. Kind of like they did to each other. A lot.
How someone can move past such a violation of themselves. How they survive torture at the other's hands. How they unknowingly come to rely on one another. How they never forget about the other. How they come to realisations, one after the other.
I don't recommend this to everyone because there's definitely some triggering stuff in there that you should be aware of before going in. It's not for everyone, and honestly at the end I'm not really capable of saying I liked it. It had me hooked, I couldn't not read it, it was a page turner, I wanted to know what would happen next and I most definitely will be reading the rest of the series because THAT ENDING! But, saying that I "liked" it or that I "loved" it somehow just doesn't seem like the right word.
thatashgirl83's review
5.0
HOLY SHIT. This book pulls you in, rips your guts out and then stomps on them for good measure.