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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Oof, I'm done with this series. Neither the story nor the characters make up for the clumsy writing any longer. If I have to read the phrase "my inner monster roared" one more time, I might rip my eyes out. This part added nothing to the overarching story, and the main couple have hit that bloodless established-relationship stage where the MMC goes from "most dangerous person in the world, allegedly" to "boring simp insisting she's actually the one you have to look out for" and there's just nothing interesting about their dynamic anymore (hi ACOWAR!Rhys and Iron Flame!Xaden, how nice of you to join us here). I'm out.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The heroine is suddenly TSTL. I liked her in previous books but now she is whiny and gets captured multiple times which already happened in book 2
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The whole galaxy has heard of former Arrow Kyrion Calderen and his true-bond partner, Vesper Quill. A bounty is on their heads and they are on a running dodge hopefully to safety outside Holloway’s jurisdiction, but trouble and danger do seem to find them and a new threat arises. Jennifer Estep’s continuing Galactic Bonds series has me utterly captivated.
Only Cold Depths is the fourth in the Galactic Bonds space opera series. The books are tightly connected so this series must be taken in order.
Only Cold Depths picks up after the end of Only Hard Problems which took a side path and was told from Zane’s perspective, but this book is back to Vesper and Kyrion’s points of view.
The story opens with Vesper and Kyrion on the run and stopping off to refuel and grab some food supplies only to be tagged by a bounty team. No surprise, the bounty team was tough, but there were more formidable foes right on their heels. Vesper has a way of getting through situations, but she is knocked off kilter when she is confronted by another Seer who gets in her head and magnifies Vesper’s existing fears- that she’s weak, out of her league, and will likely get her and Kyrion killed because she can’t harness her magic or figure out their true bond issues.
Kyrion has his own raw spots and the pair really struggle the length of this book. However, their next stop is Asterin’s home world with a similar society to the Regals though with one important difference- they respect and honor True Bonds. Asterin’s mother and step-father share such a bond so she has no doubt Vesper and Kyrion will be given sanctuary.
Unfortunately, Asterin’s House Collier clan and family are involved in political intrigue and power plays so Vesper and Kyrion end up embroiled in the middle. Someone is trying to take down House Collier and maybe the same someone is interested in the bounty.
Meanwhile, Vesper has her own personal crisis magnified when she must face the fact that she’s an unacknowledged daughter of House Zimmer and the Zimmer’s led by Zane have tracked her down, too. She has so much anger at feeling abandoned and is scared of trying for a connection especially with people she isn’t sure she can trust.
Only Cold Depths had a lot of moving parts in that drama, action, and intrigue all swirled together. Whether it was Vesper and Kyrion or secondary regulars like Zane and Asterin, or new characters like Asterin’s family, everyone was stirred up by something. It was tough to see Vesper and Kyrion frustrated and unable to work their true bond, but interesting to have the Colliers there to give them some knowledge and set them on the right track. Would they get it figured out and sorted by the big showdown against a pair of truly lethal, powerful villains, though?
While there were slow bits, there were also action and suspense aspects, as usual. Wasn’t surprised by what a late reveal offered. Things are coming to a head now as various factions line up for the final showdown. Space Opera and those who like drama and intrigue in their sci-fi romance should definitely give this series a go.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I want to know how the story will play out so I keep reading. But the first person narration, especially the food descriptions, are getting annoying
adventurous
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The 4th installment of Galactic Bonds offers much of the same as the first two. I did enjoy seeing Vespers relationships become more solid and I kind of hope the next book is from Astrid or Zanes perspective.