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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Science fiction is rarely my genre of first choice but still I really enjoyed this story. This is due to both very interesting and complicated characters, as well as an extremely fascinating story, which even interested me - a person who rather avoids the whole science fiction thing.
Let's start with the characters - Brady and Cam. To some extend they are both tortured heroes. The whole story is told from Brady's perspective and this is one of the few cases where the first person narrative didn't bother me. This is because Brady has a very complicated personality and discovering his different traits is really entertaining. His yearning for home and family broke my heart time after time. Because of Brady’s connection to Cam by a mental bond, we also get to know Cam quite well. In this way, we avoid one of the curses of first-person narrative when we know well only one hero. Besides, Cam is a character as interesting as Brady and equally complicated.
The second thing I must mention is the very well used motive of forced closeness. Reading this book, I discovered how much I like this theme, of course when it is well executed. And here we definitely have it. The reasons why Brady and Cam have to be together all the time are very reliable and well justified. This is also a very interesting idea on its own. And the way Cam and Brady react to this forced closeness allows us to get to know them both better. I think the author did a great job using this theme to develop the character.
As I said, I haven't read much science fiction books, that's why I'm not an expert in this field. But I have to say that the whole story of Faceless is well thought out and well-constructed. We have many complex psychological reactions here.Cam who of the war hero becomes a traitor. Brady who is terribly afraid of aliens regardless of Cam's assurances that he will be all right, and at the same time awaits death to some extent. Other people's responses to Cam's messages. All this gives the whole story not only some complexity but also some realism.
This is a really well written story that kept me long at night. I hope the other books in this series are just as good. I don't know if I will read them right away, I have a problem reading next books in series in which characters form a happy relationship at the end of the first book. I don't like reading about problems in their relationship in the next books (where is my happy ending?!). So we will see.
Let's start with the characters - Brady and Cam. To some extend they are both tortured heroes. The whole story is told from Brady's perspective and this is one of the few cases where the first person narrative didn't bother me. This is because Brady has a very complicated personality and discovering his different traits is really entertaining. His yearning for home and family broke my heart time after time. Because of Brady’s connection to Cam by a mental bond, we also get to know Cam quite well. In this way, we avoid one of the curses of first-person narrative when we know well only one hero. Besides, Cam is a character as interesting as Brady and equally complicated.
The second thing I must mention is the very well used motive of forced closeness. Reading this book, I discovered how much I like this theme, of course when it is well executed. And here we definitely have it. The reasons why Brady and Cam have to be together all the time are very reliable and well justified. This is also a very interesting idea on its own. And the way Cam and Brady react to this forced closeness allows us to get to know them both better. I think the author did a great job using this theme to develop the character.
As I said, I haven't read much science fiction books, that's why I'm not an expert in this field. But I have to say that the whole story of Faceless is well thought out and well-constructed. We have many complex psychological reactions here.
This is a really well written story that kept me long at night. I hope the other books in this series are just as good. I don't know if I will read them right away, I have a problem reading next books in series in which characters form a happy relationship at the end of the first book. I don't like reading about problems in their relationship in the next books (where is my happy ending?!). So we will see.
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Update 3 days later on 07/12/20:
Upped it to 5 full stars cause I can't stop thinking about the series. Something about it really resonated with me. I also would really love to see something like this turned into a movie, so good.
4.5/5 stars
I really really enjoyed this universe. And I highly recommend it to all.
Henry is a fantastic writer and I've yet to be disappointed with a book of hers.
This book was definitely all about character building, world building, angst, and suspense. It could be slow at times, but I think it was meant to be that way. Henry took her time writing her characters so by the end, we felt everything they did.
Truly can't wait to read the next one.
Cait’s Rating & Review System:
Basics
a. Main Characters (1-5 x2) - Brady = 3, Cam = 4
b. Side Characters (1-5) — 4
c. Plot (1-5) - 4
d. Writing * (1-5) - 5
e. Angst (None - Can’t Read Again) -Medium-High
f. HEA or HFN? HFN
g.Would I recommend? - Yes
Overall Basics Score - 20/25
Sexy Time
g. Level of Smut ** (G-X-Rated) — R
h. Quality of Smut *** (A+ - E) - 4
i. Did it Make Me Sweat ;) ? ****(1-5) — 2
Overall Sexy Time Score - 10/15
Cait’s Score for : 30/40, 75%
IF YOU SEE THIS, PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR FEEDBACK ON MY NEW RATING AND REVIEW SYSTEM. IS THERE ANYTHING I SHOULD ADD, CHANGE OR REMOVE TO IMPROVE IT? PLEASE AND THANK YOU, LOVELY READERS.
**Level of Smut is referring to how to tame vs explicit it is, which is why I went with this rating system. THIS IS NOT A RATING ON HOW MUCH I LIKED THE SMUT. Kissing and/or making out does not count as smut. Also, when I say ‘sex scene’, if someone has an orgasm, I’m considering it a sex scene; no matter how they get there. G (Score of 1) - No smut PG (2) - 1 sex scene books PG- 13 (3) - 2 sex scene books
R (4)- Your standard 3 sex scene book. These generally aren’t as long of sex scenes or as descriptive.
X-Rated (5) - all the good stuff is in here, baby, and a hell of a lot of it. This would also mean that the story is extremely descriptive, as well.
*** Quality of Smut is referring to how well the smut is written, according to my tastes. I have certain words and kinks, etc, that I am not a fan of and will automatically drop it down if I see it. That may not be the same case for you. I’ll try to include my reasoning if there’s anything specific. (A+ = 5 - E = 1)
**** Did it Make Me Sweat ;) ? Tbh, did it turn me on? Did I want to read more and more sex scenes (The answer is almost always yes)? This is different from quality because of the simple fact that the smut doesn’t ALWAYS have to be A+ quality to make me sweat… or does it??? I guess we’ll see.
Upped it to 5 full stars cause I can't stop thinking about the series. Something about it really resonated with me. I also would really love to see something like this turned into a movie, so good.
4.5/5 stars
I really really enjoyed this universe. And I highly recommend it to all.
Henry is a fantastic writer and I've yet to be disappointed with a book of hers.
This book was definitely all about character building, world building, angst, and suspense. It could be slow at times, but I think it was meant to be that way. Henry took her time writing her characters so by the end, we felt everything they did.
Truly can't wait to read the next one.
Cait’s Rating & Review System:
Basics
a. Main Characters (1-5 x2) - Brady = 3, Cam = 4
b. Side Characters (1-5) — 4
c. Plot (1-5) - 4
d. Writing * (1-5) - 5
e. Angst (None - Can’t Read Again) -
f. HEA or HFN?
g.Would I recommend? -
Overall Basics Score - 20/25
Sexy Time
g. Level of Smut ** (G-X-Rated) — R
h. Quality of Smut *** (A+ - E) - 4
i. Did it Make Me Sweat ;) ? ****(1-5) — 2
Overall Sexy Time Score - 10/15
Cait’s Score for : 30/40, 75%
IF YOU SEE THIS, PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR FEEDBACK ON MY NEW RATING AND REVIEW SYSTEM. IS THERE ANYTHING I SHOULD ADD, CHANGE OR REMOVE TO IMPROVE IT? PLEASE AND THANK YOU, LOVELY READERS.
**Level of Smut is referring to how to tame vs explicit it is, which is why I went with this rating system. THIS IS NOT A RATING ON HOW MUCH I LIKED THE SMUT. Kissing and/or making out does not count as smut. Also, when I say ‘sex scene’, if someone has an orgasm, I’m considering it a sex scene; no matter how they get there. G (Score of 1) - No smut PG (2) - 1 sex scene books PG- 13 (3) - 2 sex scene books
R (4)- Your standard 3 sex scene book. These generally aren’t as long of sex scenes or as descriptive.
X-Rated (5) - all the good stuff is in here, baby, and a hell of a lot of it. This would also mean that the story is extremely descriptive, as well.
*** Quality of Smut is referring to how well the smut is written, according to my tastes. I have certain words and kinks, etc, that I am not a fan of and will automatically drop it down if I see it. That may not be the same case for you. I’ll try to include my reasoning if there’s anything specific. (A+ = 5 - E = 1)
**** Did it Make Me Sweat ;) ? Tbh, did it turn me on? Did I want to read more and more sex scenes (The answer is almost always yes)? This is different from quality because of the simple fact that the smut doesn’t ALWAYS have to be A+ quality to make me sweat… or does it??? I guess we’ll see.
A short scifi romp with violence, homophobia (internalized and otherwise), as well as rape (both as a threat as well as actualized on page.) Also suicidal ideation.
So, this is not a feel good romance book, if that's what you're looking for. There is also a thread of familial love, as well as the overarching bond between the main characters (which is insta-lovey, but with reasoning that makes it less annoying).
I love Henry's writing, and this was a pretty solid story. The reason for four instead of five stars is the fact that while I read this, I mostly felt anxiety and gloom. So while this was a decent book, the reading experience was pretty unpleasant for me, personally.
So, this is not a feel good romance book, if that's what you're looking for. There is also a thread of familial love, as well as the overarching bond between the main characters (which is insta-lovey, but with reasoning that makes it less annoying).
I love Henry's writing, and this was a pretty solid story. The reason for four instead of five stars is the fact that while I read this, I mostly felt anxiety and gloom. So while this was a decent book, the reading experience was pretty unpleasant for me, personally.
The best piece of sci-fi perfection I've read in forever. Literally flawless.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m just going to put the review for the whole series here. I *loved* this series. It’s a new favorite of mine. It’s tense for a romance and there are some rape/dubious consent moments that are... hard. But I felt like, especially after the second book, most of what felt sort of problematic to me in the first had been resolved in ways that made sense to me. I liked that the author contrasted Wade’s rape of Brady with Kai-Ren’s rape of Cam, and I thought some interesting questions were asked as part of that contrast.
These books are compulsively readable. I was thoroughly invested in both plot and characters. Like Brady, I’m terrified of space. It has always scared the shit out of me to think about how incomprehensively *large* it is out there and how small I am in comparison. Many of Brady’s anxieties are similar to my own and it made him a highly relatable character. I have not read a romance set mostly in space before now, and I enjoyed the novelty and the science-fiction-y parts. Brady and Cam’s telepathic connection worked really well for me, both in terms of the sex scenes and the character development, too.That scene in the second book, in the bathroom with all the other “connected” folks listening in... HOT.
There were some minor annoyances. Doc’s “hairy eyebrows” were mentioned about 4,000 times and once I saw it I could not unsee the repetition. And in the first chapter of the first book, “Cameron Rushton” is repeated - in full - to the point of hilarity. But those are minor quibbles, and I was easily able to get past the hairy eyebrows in order to appreciate Doc’s overall character.
This series will become one I recommend frequently; if you’re someone is fine with some tension and dark concepts, I think you’ll like this one. Content warnings listed in this review; there are some graphic moments of various types.
These books are compulsively readable. I was thoroughly invested in both plot and characters. Like Brady, I’m terrified of space. It has always scared the shit out of me to think about how incomprehensively *large* it is out there and how small I am in comparison. Many of Brady’s anxieties are similar to my own and it made him a highly relatable character. I have not read a romance set mostly in space before now, and I enjoyed the novelty and the science-fiction-y parts. Brady and Cam’s telepathic connection worked really well for me, both in terms of the sex scenes and the character development, too.
There were some minor annoyances. Doc’s “hairy eyebrows” were mentioned about 4,000 times and once I saw it I could not unsee the repetition. And in the first chapter of the first book, “Cameron Rushton” is repeated - in full - to the point of hilarity. But those are minor quibbles, and I was easily able to get past the hairy eyebrows in order to appreciate Doc’s overall character.
This series will become one I recommend frequently; if you’re someone is fine with some tension and dark concepts, I think you’ll like this one. Content warnings listed in this review; there are some graphic moments of various types.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide
There are very few novels that leave me as speechless as this one. It's such a page-turner I had to read it twice just to find my critical voice, and even so, I'm still in love. You have brilliant writing, an immersive world, and a balanced dose of sexuality.
Where do I begin with my gushing? The writing style is impressive- you can feel the care taken into word choice, from setting the mood to building environment. I'm envious at the way it flows.
The characters are impeccably fleshed out. Brady hates space, but he's been drafted into service and no one cares for his opinion. His main driving force is his family. Imagine being twelve and having to drop everything to care for a baby sister in a run-down refugee town where starving is a common occurrence. That's the level of loyalty we're dealing with. Then you have Cameron, an upper-middle class pilot who loves space and actively engages men in sex. But then he gets captured by the aliens and learns to embrace them, making him seem a traitor upon his return to the human base.
Now imagine these two people, Brady and Cam, conjoined in the mind, sharing memories, both good and bad. Since Brady is the narrator, you see his dilemma at Cam's sex fantasies. It makes him question his sexuality, something that he never fully understood to begin with. Does the things he feel emerge due to his own buried desires or because of the forced bioelectrical and chemical link to Cam? The story is riddled with this uncertainty.
What about the sex scenes? If I had to judge, Cam/Brady's sex dreams are significantly more arousing than the actual acts of sex. I find that realistic. Discomfort happens. Awkwardness happens. Mind-wandering happens. These are nuances that remind you that you're dealing with real people. I liked that.
Then you get to the story's climax, where the aliens arrive for "judgment day." This is no discrete shit storm. It's a shit avalanche, gaining more intensity as pages turn, reaching terrifying levels. It's like sky-diving and having difficulties opening the parachute, getting it to catch air at barely the last moment.
You have all the elements necessary to make a compelling story, wrapped in an appealing package. It's sexy and dark and steeped in social commentary. Highly recommended for anyone looking for graphic science fiction that follows through on its premise.
Where do I begin with my gushing? The writing style is impressive- you can feel the care taken into word choice, from setting the mood to building environment. I'm envious at the way it flows.
The characters are impeccably fleshed out. Brady hates space, but he's been drafted into service and no one cares for his opinion. His main driving force is his family. Imagine being twelve and having to drop everything to care for a baby sister in a run-down refugee town where starving is a common occurrence. That's the level of loyalty we're dealing with. Then you have Cameron, an upper-middle class pilot who loves space and actively engages men in sex. But then he gets captured by the aliens and learns to embrace them, making him seem a traitor upon his return to the human base.
Now imagine these two people, Brady and Cam, conjoined in the mind, sharing memories, both good and bad. Since Brady is the narrator, you see his dilemma at Cam's sex fantasies. It makes him question his sexuality, something that he never fully understood to begin with. Does the things he feel emerge due to his own buried desires or because of the forced bioelectrical and chemical link to Cam? The story is riddled with this uncertainty.
What about the sex scenes? If I had to judge, Cam/Brady's sex dreams are significantly more arousing than the actual acts of sex. I find that realistic. Discomfort happens. Awkwardness happens. Mind-wandering happens. These are nuances that remind you that you're dealing with real people. I liked that.
Then you get to the story's climax, where the aliens arrive for "judgment day." This is no discrete shit storm. It's a shit avalanche, gaining more intensity as pages turn, reaching terrifying levels. It's like sky-diving and having difficulties opening the parachute, getting it to catch air at barely the last moment.
You have all the elements necessary to make a compelling story, wrapped in an appealing package. It's sexy and dark and steeped in social commentary. Highly recommended for anyone looking for graphic science fiction that follows through on its premise.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“You’re like starlight,” Cam whispered, and his teeth scraped up my jaw. I shivered. “I could lose myself in you.”
“That’s an order.” I ignored him.
“I could put you on report,” he told me.
“Yeah,” I muttered. “And I’d love to tell my career officer how I got to fuck a lieutenant up the ass.
He’d probably get a laugh out of that.”
Time loses meaning in the black. Off planet, time meets the place between mass and light and turns
into a whole weird thing that I don’t understand. It turns into physics, into philosophy, into shit that my brain can’t get around. I know this: looking into the black is the same as looking into the past.
First of all, I love the cover :D
I'm kind of between 4 and 5 stars with this one, so 4,5. I really loved Brady. He was honest, confused and had a filthy mouth. I kind of connected more with him in the story, while on the other hand I didn't really "get" Cam. The story was interesting and I liked the fact that it was on a space station. We don't really get that much of a back story about the aliens, but they seem creepy and and rapey . It was great that the author didn't overdo and gay up the who space station, even though there were only males on board. It think that is extremely unrealistic and I hate it when an author does that. Of course things happen, because lets's be honest 10 years is a long time. I also hate to put labels on people so let's just leave it at that.
Brady and Cameron had an interesting start of their relationship. Cam definitely knew he was gay and because they shared dreams, thoughts and feelings, Brady had no idea what the hell was happening and he was a mix of confused and embarrassed. To me he felt more real than Cam.Ok what was really fucked up and strange was the alien sex. Jesus that really threw me for a loop. It was bizarre. Why the fuck did the alien had to stick his dick in someone ass to communicate with them? Like why? They had this amazing healing technology and you're telling me they didn't have some machine that could translate? This is also the reason why I didn't really get Cameron. Why did he defend him so much and sort of respected him?
The anticipation and the chemistry was amazing between these two. The fact that the situation was so awkward in the beginning was even better. I loved the passages when Brady was almost climbing the walls because he felt this connection with another man and he didn't know what to do because he was never before attracted to a guy. They were in each others heads so it was impossible to hide.
I think they did fall in love and that it wasn't just this weird biochemical reaction. I can't wait to read the next one and get some ridiculously adorable/teasing cuddling scenes.
“That’s an order.” I ignored him.
“I could put you on report,” he told me.
“Yeah,” I muttered. “And I’d love to tell my career officer how I got to fuck a lieutenant up the ass.
He’d probably get a laugh out of that.”
Time loses meaning in the black. Off planet, time meets the place between mass and light and turns
into a whole weird thing that I don’t understand. It turns into physics, into philosophy, into shit that my brain can’t get around. I know this: looking into the black is the same as looking into the past.
First of all, I love the cover :D
I'm kind of between 4 and 5 stars with this one, so 4,5. I really loved Brady. He was honest, confused and had a filthy mouth. I kind of connected more with him in the story, while on the other hand I didn't really "get" Cam. The story was interesting and I liked the fact that it was on a space station. We don't really get that much of a back story about the aliens, but they seem creepy and
Brady and Cameron had an interesting start of their relationship. Cam definitely knew he was gay and because they shared dreams, thoughts and feelings, Brady had no idea what the hell was happening and he was a mix of confused and embarrassed. To me he felt more real than Cam.
The anticipation and the chemistry was amazing between these two. The fact that the situation was so awkward in the beginning was even better. I loved the passages when Brady was almost climbing the walls because he felt this connection with another man and he didn't know what to do because he was never before attracted to a guy. They were in each others heads so it was impossible to hide.
I think they did fall in love and that it wasn't just this weird biochemical reaction. I can't wait to read the next one and get some ridiculously adorable/teasing cuddling scenes.