Collision Course by Zoe Archer

Collision Course by Zoe Archer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a fun, quick read. I love space romance, and this definitely fits the bill. I rated it three stars because the storyline was too focused on sex for my tastes. It seemed like much of what happens occurs through that filter. I would have liked to see more of Kell and Mara's relationship develop outside of their sexual attraction. It was clear they fell and love and will stay together, but too much of their bond seems physical to me.

Also, Mara seems to be mainly characterized by her sexuality. While I'm not judgmental against a woman for being sexually active, I was uncomfortable with how often her past sexual exploits (including a drunken bout with a female friend and triplets) were referred to. I can appreciate the role reversal that I believe Archer was going for. How often is the hero's sexuality thrown in our face and so casually? A lot. I'm not a big fan of that, so I'm equal opportunity. Her past when reveals adds some perspective to why she lives her life the way she does.

Kell is a good hero. I like that he's multi-layered. While he's an all business military guy, he also has a less-than-respectable past, and he can handle himself, in all ways. I liked that it was clear that he was falling in love with Mara probably even before she was allowing herself to feel something more than lust for him. He can hold his own with a strong woman and throw down, and what's not to like about that?

The action was really good, and the world-building felt authentic. The descriptions of the planet and the Scavengers hangouts were really great and gritty. I really got a feel for their culture in those descriptions. I love that Rustic sort of sci-fi vibe, ala "Firefly" and Archer captures it here beautifully. The aspect of how the 8th Wing fighters fly their ships was really cool. I was geeking out.

I think that if a reader is going for a shorter, steamy sci-fi romance where sex is the focus, they will love this. If a reader wanted a more full-bodied story where other aspects are equally developed, they might find this lacking a bit. Having said that, I'm excited to read Chain Reaction in the near future, I hope. Zoe Archer is a great writer and I'll continue to read her books.

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Saga, Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan

Saga, Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very good follow up volume in the Saga series. It reads as though it picks up immediately after the first volume ends, which is great. I enjoy this series, but at times, I feel as though the writer/artists are deliberately trying to be shockingly gratuitous with their subject matter. The violence is quite graphic and there are at least two borderline pornographic scenes on top of the sexual content that I feel is acceptable in a mature-themed graphic novel. I didn't even understand the point of showing the porny images, honestly. I took a double take, and I felt like I had to look again to make sure I saw what I thought I was. One was so gross I had to show my aunt. I couldn't even see what the point of that was.

After all my ranting, I guess I have to explain what appeals to me about this graphic novel. What wins me over with this series is the fact that at its heart, this is a story about the purest forms of love. It's a story about a family that is committed to stay together and fight for a life for their young daughter. Even the cold, amoral bounty hunter turns out to have an altruistic side for a child who is in a very bad situation. I am a sappy, diehard romantic, and I can't help but love a story where enemies fall in love and are willing to face any obstacle for their family, where people sacrifice and fight for love. I enjoyed meeting Marko's parents, and I can see why Marko fell so hard for Alana. She reminds me of his mother in the best ways. Similarly, Marko reminds me of his father, the more gentle, but steady as a rock member of the partnership.

As before, I loved the narrative of Hazel, the young daughter of Marko and Alana. I have a feeling she will be the best of both of her parents, and she will be tough as nails for all she has gone through in her short life. The way this story is written, they are in almost constant danger, and you know that it's only going to get worse, considering that they have the rulers of both planets on their tails, and a very determined bounty hunter.

I just plain love the setting and the out there science fiction/adventure tone. If they toned down some of the violence and sexual content, I could see this is a fun series for basic cable. Of course, they could go in the direction of the HBO/Cinemax and Showtime series and keep the over the top stuff as well. I'd probably end up watching it, but I admit I would cringe or cover my eyes on some parts. That's how I roll.

Anyway, despite the porny parts, I really enjoyed this second book. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

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Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars

I am kind of late posting this review. I wanted to think about it and I got sidetracked by other tasks.

First of all, I am so glad my precious local library had this! I had heard about it and was recommended this book, but graphic novels aren't in my budget. And look how the Lord does provide!

Saga is a fun, fast-paced, visually appealing graphic novel. The art is beautiful and subtle, possessing a clarity I appreciated despite the simplicity of the drawings. The lettering keeps the prose equally clear. I loved the fact that Hazel (the infant that Marko and Alana make together)'s POV is rendered in a different style/font. It threw me at first, but then I realized what was going on. That not only are we seeing this intriguing couple's story play out, but we're seeing there is a future for them, since Hazel must have made it to a certain age in order to narrate. That gave me some hope, since things feel pretty dire for Marko and Alana.

I was recommended this graphic novel on the Fans of Interracial Romance group, which is awesome, and I do have to say the romance is a good driver of this story. I think it shows how fundamental a love story is in many settings. Love and the force it exerts on us and how it drives our actions. Love is not a conflict so much as a precipitator and a facilitator for the movement within a story. In the case of this young married couple, their love for each other drove them to escape from their respective, although reluctant roles in a senseless war, and their love for their baby they made together, drives them to fight for a new life and a safe haven for their family. So it's very organic to the story. Also, there is a strong theme about the foolishness of conflicts and wars and our reasons for hating people who are different from us. This story is practically begging for an interracial/cross-cultural romance. Although Alana looks black and Marko looks white, the color difference is secondary in this novel (and they have strikingly different morphological touches--Marko has ram's horns and Alana has vestigial (underdeveloped) wings). Instead, the bigger disparity is the fact that Alana and Marko are from different planets at war with each other. I really appreciated how these very different people came together and decided to commit to their love for each other, regardless of the obstacles in the way. Their strengths and weaknesses complement each other perfectly, and I can see the respect they have for each other, and their commitment to stand together no matter what.

As far as the conflict and the action, it was well done. I would consider this rustic sci-fi, along the lines of the tv show, Firefly. It also had shades of the original Star Wars films (which is in my mind sort of rustic sci-fi as well). The story keeps active, and the writing doesn't bog the narrative down with going in depth with the sci-fi world-building. This book is quite gory and violent. There is a very explicit scene that I know would be really gross if this was a live action movie, (along with a few others that are pretty in your face) although I can understand what motivated the act. Along with violence, there is a fair amount of profanity and sexual content, including full frontal nudity, and frank sexual situations. Even a disturbing part in which the readers are confronted with the vileness of child prostitution (thankfully no scenes depicting it).

Yeah, so I'm not being very coherent. What I'm trying to say is that I was impressed with this book. It is the beginning of a series I can see myself eagerly following. Yes, it's quite out there as far as sex, language and violence, but the story is good and it gives us two leads that you really like and root for, and of course, their daughter, who is all sorts of intriguing.

Overall rating: 4.25/5.0 stars.

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