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33p3barpercent's review
3.0
A Netgalley read
This was my first foray into Zoe Archer (needing to wait until I get my Christmas AMZ cash to buy the Blades of the Rose series). I've never read sci-fi romance, never had the inclination to read sci-fi romance (robots? not really my thing). But I didn't hate it. Chain Reaction is a tiny little novella, but the characters were pretty well-fleshed out and the romance element was complete and original. I loved how Nils was a bit of a fruitcake (nervous blusher alert). So cute, but he got it together in the middle and went for it with Celene. I thought Celene's relationship hangups were realistic (being considered a legend would be isolating), and Archer dealt with the conflicts wonderfully.
The b-plot about a traitor was just so much white noise, it didn't even matter. That's not why you read this book. You read it for the relationship between Nils and Celene.
Like I said, I haven't read the rest of this series, but I think it'd be a good addition for fans. Quick and easy and satisfying read.
This was my first foray into Zoe Archer (needing to wait until I get my Christmas AMZ cash to buy the Blades of the Rose series). I've never read sci-fi romance, never had the inclination to read sci-fi romance (robots? not really my thing). But I didn't hate it. Chain Reaction is a tiny little novella, but the characters were pretty well-fleshed out and the romance element was complete and original. I loved how Nils was a bit of a fruitcake (nervous blusher alert). So cute, but he got it together in the middle and went for it with Celene. I thought Celene's relationship hangups were realistic (being considered a legend would be isolating), and Archer dealt with the conflicts wonderfully.
The b-plot about a traitor was just so much white noise, it didn't even matter. That's not why you read this book. You read it for the relationship between Nils and Celene.
Like I said, I haven't read the rest of this series, but I think it'd be a good addition for fans. Quick and easy and satisfying read.
thebodybuildingbookworm's review
4.0
Title: Chain Reaction
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: January 9, 2012
ISBN: 9781426893032
Length: 43,000 words
Science-Fiction Romance
Blurb:
Elite 8th Wing pilot Celene Jur was taken captive after a mysterious device temporarily disabled her ship's controls. Three solar months later, when Celene receives intel on the man who built the device, she's ready to get the bastard. Only problem is, the higher-ups think her mission partner should be Nils Calder, a tech-head who can understand the disabling device. The attraction between them is electric, but Celene needs a soldier who can watch her back as she exacts her revenge.
Nils knows his department is nicknamed NerdWorks. Pilots like Celene think the closest tech geeks come to combat is all-night Nifalian chess tournaments. But behind the NerdWorks insignia on his sleeve Nils is an able fighter, ready to prove himself and gain Celene's trust.
The desire between them is unexpected, but with the fate of thousands hanging in the balance, the hotshot pilot and the tech genius must succeed in their mission-no matter the cost.
Thanks to Carina Press and NetGalley.com I had the opportunity to review this novella. I had picked it because I am a fan of Zoe Archer's Blades of the Rose series and thought it might be interesting to try a different book by the author. I am very glad I did. Chain Reaction is book 2 in Zoe Archer's 8th Wing series, and I'm definitely going to grab myself a copy of book 1 and look forward to the release of book 3.
Zoe Archer writes with a talent for grabbing your attention and not letting you stop until the story is finished. The story was fast paced, adventurous, and all around exciting. I especially liked the world building. The author did a great job in that aspect, she created a world that I truly believed, while reading it, could exist. The only down side to this I thought was that because she delved so deep into the world, the names of plants and animals etc were stated, but I had nothing to compare a description to so I had no idea what things really looked like and was left to my own imagination there. Overall, not too bad of a complaint and it was easy to over look for the most part and allow myself to enjoy the story. A glossary of terms either before or after the story would have been helpful.
The characters are very strong, I love myself a strong, kick-ass heroine, and generally I do prefer the hero to still be stronger if not her equal. In this novella, Celene was definitely and extremely strong heroine and the hero, Nils, acknowledged and accepted the fact that she in fact, is stronger than him. I think this is one of the reasons I didn't mind the hero being a tad under the heroine and in fact, they did treat each other as equals despite the knowledge that Celene is the stronger of the two and this really worked for me. The hero accepted the heroine for who she was, which in was extremely important in the relationship arc of this story. And though Nils is the Beta to Celene's Alpha, he is still strong in his own right (and yummy to boot) the two of them meshed extremely well together in my opinion.
Together, they helped to make a big dent in taking down a corporate giant set on universal domination and they didn't let their relationship get in the way when it came to their job duties, this shows the strength of their character, at least to me.
Overall this was a great read and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys science fiction/futuristic romance.
4/5 lattes
All My Best,
Kayla
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: January 9, 2012
ISBN: 9781426893032
Length: 43,000 words
Science-Fiction Romance
Blurb:
Elite 8th Wing pilot Celene Jur was taken captive after a mysterious device temporarily disabled her ship's controls. Three solar months later, when Celene receives intel on the man who built the device, she's ready to get the bastard. Only problem is, the higher-ups think her mission partner should be Nils Calder, a tech-head who can understand the disabling device. The attraction between them is electric, but Celene needs a soldier who can watch her back as she exacts her revenge.
Nils knows his department is nicknamed NerdWorks. Pilots like Celene think the closest tech geeks come to combat is all-night Nifalian chess tournaments. But behind the NerdWorks insignia on his sleeve Nils is an able fighter, ready to prove himself and gain Celene's trust.
The desire between them is unexpected, but with the fate of thousands hanging in the balance, the hotshot pilot and the tech genius must succeed in their mission-no matter the cost.
Thanks to Carina Press and NetGalley.com I had the opportunity to review this novella. I had picked it because I am a fan of Zoe Archer's Blades of the Rose series and thought it might be interesting to try a different book by the author. I am very glad I did. Chain Reaction is book 2 in Zoe Archer's 8th Wing series, and I'm definitely going to grab myself a copy of book 1 and look forward to the release of book 3.
Zoe Archer writes with a talent for grabbing your attention and not letting you stop until the story is finished. The story was fast paced, adventurous, and all around exciting. I especially liked the world building. The author did a great job in that aspect, she created a world that I truly believed, while reading it, could exist. The only down side to this I thought was that because she delved so deep into the world, the names of plants and animals etc were stated, but I had nothing to compare a description to so I had no idea what things really looked like and was left to my own imagination there. Overall, not too bad of a complaint and it was easy to over look for the most part and allow myself to enjoy the story. A glossary of terms either before or after the story would have been helpful.
The characters are very strong, I love myself a strong, kick-ass heroine, and generally I do prefer the hero to still be stronger if not her equal. In this novella, Celene was definitely and extremely strong heroine and the hero, Nils, acknowledged and accepted the fact that she in fact, is stronger than him. I think this is one of the reasons I didn't mind the hero being a tad under the heroine and in fact, they did treat each other as equals despite the knowledge that Celene is the stronger of the two and this really worked for me. The hero accepted the heroine for who she was, which in was extremely important in the relationship arc of this story. And though Nils is the Beta to Celene's Alpha, he is still strong in his own right (and yummy to boot) the two of them meshed extremely well together in my opinion.
Together, they helped to make a big dent in taking down a corporate giant set on universal domination and they didn't let their relationship get in the way when it came to their job duties, this shows the strength of their character, at least to me.
Overall this was a great read and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys science fiction/futuristic romance.
4/5 lattes
All My Best,
Kayla
witandsin's review
4.0
Review originally posted on Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-chain-reaction-by-zoe-archer.html
Lieutenant Celine Jur is a legend even among her fellow Black Wraith pilots. But even legends can be captured and Celine was only recently rescued from captivity after a device disabled her ship. Now the man who created the device has been located and Celine is ready for revenge. The only problem? Command wants her to take engineer Nils Calder along on the mission. Celine has no desire to bring a guy from NerdWorks with her. If she needs a partner, she’ll take one trained for combat. But tech geek Nils has a few surprises in store for Celine. He isn’t just a brain and he’s ready to prove to Celine he’s more than capable of being her partner…in more ways than one.
Zoë Archer’s second 8th Wing story is even better than the first! CHAIN REACTION is a sexy, fun, clever story that’ll keep you entertained from the first page to the last. I love how Celine’s strength was complimented by her femininity. So often when we see tough heroines, the authors have them act masculine as a way to prove their strength – something I find unnecessary. Ms. Archer excels at creating a strong female protagonist who is relatable as well. I adored Celine and wanted her to find happiness with someone who sees her as more than a famous pilot. Nils is exactly the right man for her. He’s a total geek (which I love), but he’s also a skilled fighter. I admit, I was slightly envious of Celine because I’d love to have Nils show up on my doorstep ;) Still, Nils and Celine complement one another perfectly, which is what makes CHAIN REACTION such an excellent story.
I’m very picky about science fiction stories and I’m not too keen on a lot of the sci-fi romances out there. However, since I enjoy Ms. Archer’s work I decided to give her 8th Wing series a try. I’m so glad I did. No matter the genre, Ms. Archer delivers a great story with excellent world building and characters readers are sure to become invested in. If you haven’t read the first 8th Wing book, Collision Course, you can read CHAIN REACTION as a standalone. However, fans of Collision Course will undoubtedly be delighted that Kell and Mara play strong supporting roles in CHAIN REACTION.
Whether you like sci-fi, romance, nerdy heroes, strong heroines, or all of the above, CHAIN REACTION is a solidly entertaining read you’ll no doubt enjoy. I finished Nils and Celine’s story a well-satisfied reader and I can’t wait to read Ms. Archer’s next book!
*Review copy provided by Carina Press and NetGalley
Lieutenant Celine Jur is a legend even among her fellow Black Wraith pilots. But even legends can be captured and Celine was only recently rescued from captivity after a device disabled her ship. Now the man who created the device has been located and Celine is ready for revenge. The only problem? Command wants her to take engineer Nils Calder along on the mission. Celine has no desire to bring a guy from NerdWorks with her. If she needs a partner, she’ll take one trained for combat. But tech geek Nils has a few surprises in store for Celine. He isn’t just a brain and he’s ready to prove to Celine he’s more than capable of being her partner…in more ways than one.
Zoë Archer’s second 8th Wing story is even better than the first! CHAIN REACTION is a sexy, fun, clever story that’ll keep you entertained from the first page to the last. I love how Celine’s strength was complimented by her femininity. So often when we see tough heroines, the authors have them act masculine as a way to prove their strength – something I find unnecessary. Ms. Archer excels at creating a strong female protagonist who is relatable as well. I adored Celine and wanted her to find happiness with someone who sees her as more than a famous pilot. Nils is exactly the right man for her. He’s a total geek (which I love), but he’s also a skilled fighter. I admit, I was slightly envious of Celine because I’d love to have Nils show up on my doorstep ;) Still, Nils and Celine complement one another perfectly, which is what makes CHAIN REACTION such an excellent story.
I’m very picky about science fiction stories and I’m not too keen on a lot of the sci-fi romances out there. However, since I enjoy Ms. Archer’s work I decided to give her 8th Wing series a try. I’m so glad I did. No matter the genre, Ms. Archer delivers a great story with excellent world building and characters readers are sure to become invested in. If you haven’t read the first 8th Wing book, Collision Course, you can read CHAIN REACTION as a standalone. However, fans of Collision Course will undoubtedly be delighted that Kell and Mara play strong supporting roles in CHAIN REACTION.
Whether you like sci-fi, romance, nerdy heroes, strong heroines, or all of the above, CHAIN REACTION is a solidly entertaining read you’ll no doubt enjoy. I finished Nils and Celine’s story a well-satisfied reader and I can’t wait to read Ms. Archer’s next book!
*Review copy provided by Carina Press and NetGalley
amyiw's review
2.0
Hard to choose between a 2 or 3, it was a good premise but only OK execution. The writing seemed childish and the characters immature. The story would've worked it not for the rest.
dumblydore's review
3.0
Really enjoyed Collision Course, so was expecting more of the same. And while I loved the concept of a nerd fancying a hot shot fighter, the story missed a lot of the zest and action of the first book. Or rather, it wasn't so strong as it could've been.
cranberrytarts's review
4.0
I was excited for this book since I enjoyed the first one, Collision Course, quite a bit. While I think this had a strong romance, I was a bit disappointed in the lack of additional world-building. The world is one of the things I loved most about the first book.
This story takes place almost exclusively in a ship as the hero and heroine travel to face a threat. While that made for a great romance, it didn't do much for the world.
Still a solid read.
This story takes place almost exclusively in a ship as the hero and heroine travel to face a threat. While that made for a great romance, it didn't do much for the world.
Still a solid read.
seshathawk's review
3.0
After months and months of searching for something in the vein of "military sf romance," I finally hit closer to the target than ever...but still not exactly what I'm looking for.
So let's start with this. I found this via the SBTB sales page and bought it immediately because I had a long weekend vacation during which I would be mostly holed up in a hotel room. It's a romance between a male tech and a female pilot. In space. It sounded like exactly what I was looking for!
I really liked this book. Tentatively will give it 3.5 stars. It was sweet and funny and the romance felt believable. I liked both of the main characters and liked their (eventual) frank acknowledgment of the attraction between them. I hate it when characters try to ignore their feelings, both to each other and themselves.
Most of the problems I had with this book were differences between my expectations and how the book actually turned out, which I don't hold against the book itself. I sort of wanted the hero to be more of a beta hero and was disappointed that he was still buff, "masculine," a little on the protective side, and good in a fight. They have a couple of sexy interactions but only actually have sex once. (This was true of the other military sf romance I read by Linnea Sinclair. Why are there multiple sex scenes in historicals and contemporaries but not sf?) The hero had been carrying on a crush on the heroine from afar for (two?) years for what seemed to me like vague reasons.
Despite all of that, I liked it a lot, and would read more by the author, and/or more in this series. I've skipped the first book, but I'm hoping she writes more. Definitely liked it better than the Linnea Sinclair I read last year; this one had a really good balance between plot and romance.
So let's start with this. I found this via the SBTB sales page and bought it immediately because I had a long weekend vacation during which I would be mostly holed up in a hotel room. It's a romance between a male tech and a female pilot. In space. It sounded like exactly what I was looking for!
I really liked this book. Tentatively will give it 3.5 stars. It was sweet and funny and the romance felt believable. I liked both of the main characters and liked their (eventual) frank acknowledgment of the attraction between them. I hate it when characters try to ignore their feelings, both to each other and themselves.
Most of the problems I had with this book were differences between my expectations and how the book actually turned out, which I don't hold against the book itself. I sort of wanted the hero to be more of a beta hero and was disappointed that he was still buff, "masculine," a little on the protective side, and good in a fight. They have a couple of sexy interactions but only actually have sex once. (This was true of the other military sf romance I read by Linnea Sinclair. Why are there multiple sex scenes in historicals and contemporaries but not sf?) The hero had been carrying on a crush on the heroine from afar for (two?) years for what seemed to me like vague reasons.
Despite all of that, I liked it a lot, and would read more by the author, and/or more in this series. I've skipped the first book, but I'm hoping she writes more. Definitely liked it better than the Linnea Sinclair I read last year; this one had a really good balance between plot and romance.
prgchrqltma's review
4.0
Characters: space fighter pilot, engineer (yay! beta nerd hero)
World Building: shipboard, jungle, evil corporation vs. plucky rebels
Plot: foil evil villain's plot, space and hand to hand combat
Sex: medium
Read another: Yes
It looks like there are only two of these, which is too bad. Interesting premises, so I'd like to see some more.
World Building: shipboard, jungle, evil corporation vs. plucky rebels
Plot: foil evil villain's plot, space and hand to hand combat
Sex: medium
Read another: Yes
It looks like there are only two of these, which is too bad. Interesting premises, so I'd like to see some more.
cleocleveland's review
4.0
I really enjoy these 8th Wing novellas by Zoe Archer. I think this one is best enjoyed if you've already read the first one, Collision Course, since Celine's character was developed at bit in that one. I loved Nils, because I love a good geek hero who can kick some butt if required. Due to the short length of these books there isn't a huge amount of world building but there's enough that you understand the world and become engaged with it. Overall a fun read with a good amount of adventure, fun and characters that you root for.
pippajay's review
4.0
What I liked:
Some great sensual descriptions, as well as great snark. Beautifully paced tension, especially on the sexual side, and the actions scenes were full of energy. I really liked the character of Nils and how he broke the nerd cliche. There was also nothing heavy about the story.
What I didn't like:
I didn't really connect/empathize with Celene, although perhaps that's because I hadn't read the previous book. There weren't any scenes to emphasize how the whole hero worship thing was actually crippling her love life other than being told backstory. The pace was good until it dropped and became a bit fragmented midway and never quite picked back up for me, especially at the finale. There also wasn't anything ground-breakingly new or different about the story overall.
In conclusion:
This was a quick, light, and fun military SFR story that can be read as a standalone despite being book two of a series. On the downside, it was lacking on the emotional intensity side of the romance for me and missing an explosive final confrontation. If I'm honest I was left a bit disappointed by it. For fans of military scifi romance who aren't into a lot of emotional angst as part of the build up or lots of techy descriptions, and along the lines of a lighter Battlestar Galactica (reboot)/newer Star Trek.
Some great sensual descriptions, as well as great snark. Beautifully paced tension, especially on the sexual side, and the actions scenes were full of energy. I really liked the character of Nils and how he broke the nerd cliche. There was also nothing heavy about the story.
What I didn't like:
I didn't really connect/empathize with Celene, although perhaps that's because I hadn't read the previous book. There weren't any scenes to emphasize how the whole hero worship thing was actually crippling her love life other than being told backstory. The pace was good until it dropped and became a bit fragmented midway and never quite picked back up for me, especially at the finale. There also wasn't anything ground-breakingly new or different about the story overall.
In conclusion:
This was a quick, light, and fun military SFR story that can be read as a standalone despite being book two of a series. On the downside, it was lacking on the emotional intensity side of the romance for me and missing an explosive final confrontation. If I'm honest I was left a bit disappointed by it. For fans of military scifi romance who aren't into a lot of emotional angst as part of the build up or lots of techy descriptions, and along the lines of a lighter Battlestar Galactica (reboot)/newer Star Trek.