Feb 26, 2014

Scorpion (Memory Of Scorpions, #1) & Lying With Scorpions (Memory Of Scorpions, #2) by Aleksandr Voinov

Buy The Book:
About The Author:
Genre:
MM Fantasy/ Military

Summary On Goodreads:

You learn your wisest lessons from your enemies. Assuming, of course, you survive the encounter. 

Kendras is a casualty of war: injured, penniless, and quite possibly the last surviving member of the only family he's ever known—the elite fighting force known as the Scorpions. When a steel-eyed stranger offers him medicine and shelter in exchange for submission and a secret task, Kendras has no choice but to accept. He is a Scorpion; he’ll do whatever it takes to survive.

But his true goal is to rebuild the Scorpions. Neither Steel’s possessive nature nor Kendras’s shattered foot can keep him from finding the last of his brothers... or the mysterious leader of the Scorpions, a man who held Kendras’s heart long before Steel tried to take it for himself. The goal is simple, the situation anything but. To rescue his leader and escape from Steel for good, Kendras must fight through a morass of politics and intrigue, where enemies are allies and even allies have hidden agendas.

RATING:

***REVIEW***


Ever since Captive Prince,  I've been waiting for a good fantasy/ military MM book and I've finally found it. I've read a lot of books by A. Voinov since Dark Soul Series which were up til' this book my favorite by him, but this was frigging awesome!!!

"If you lie with scorpions, you’d better have a taste for poison."

Come & meet Scorpions- a small group of  deadly mercenaries/soldiers  for  hire  and one of their soldiers in rising- Kendras, an orphan and former slave saved and trained by  the very leader of Scorpions Adrastes a. k. a. The Officer. Scorpions are not your ordinary group of soldiers. They have existed for centuries and not anyone can become one of them. They are chosen from the mass by the Officer and even then they have to pass one final test in order to be accepted in the group, but once you're accepted, you become a Scorpion for life, nothing else can come first. The other soldiers from the group become your only family, both brothers & lovers, your everything. We meet Kendras when he's at the very bottom- alone, injured & penniless as a result of his last mercenary job he did with other Scorpions. For the first time in a long time he is all alone without the others, clueless whether anyone of them even survived the last battle, but then a stranger comes to him and offers him an offer which the desperate situation he found himself doesn't allow him to resist and so his journey begins.

“I'd meant to seduce him into my bed but he seduced me into his life.” 

Dark, edgy, brutal, intriguing, emotional & way-too-hot. There is romance in the story, but  it is more in the background and it's not your usual type of romance. It was a major mind-fuck with present and past events mixed giving it a certain dose of mystery and unpredictability and I loved that. You think you know something or someone, but then something major happens and you see how wrong you were. The story is complex and interesting with a lot of amazing characters. The writing style was flawless like always.


I highly recommend it to every MM fantasy fans, especially to the fans of movies like 300, The Gladiator or Spartacus.

“All men die, Kendras. Better get used to it. And then fight until the end, with every breath, every heartbeat, every single, last thought.”


Buy The Book:

Genre:
MM Fantasy/ Military

Summary On Goodreads:

If you lie with scorpions, you’d better have a taste for poison. 

Now that Kendras’s lover Adrastes has claimed the throne of Dalman, Kendras is tangled deeper than ever in politics and intrigue. As the new leader of the Scorpions and Adrastes’s one true friend, he and his men stand between Adrastes and those who wish him dead.

And many do. Adrastes openly challenges the ocean priesthood for power while establishing himself at court and brokering with the realm’s various factions. He means for the Scorpions to become a fearsome legion again, but Kendras must first learn how to be a good officer and recruit to replace the fallen. His choices will determine the future of a group steeped in hundreds of years of history and tradition.

As both Kendras and Adrastes settle old scores, a new enemy arises in Commander Graukar, a war hero loyal to the old order. In his formidable mountain fortress, Graukar may hold the balance of power. But while Adrastes aims to either rule or destroy Graukar, Kendras finds himself doubting Adrastes for the first time, and sharing more with Graukar than he ever thought possible.

RATING:


***REVIEW***

***ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for honest review***


"I'm  the Officer. I'm a Scorpion. I've accepted the contract to protect Lord Adrastes, but I'm not his slave.

I loved the the first book in the series, but in that case this one deserves 10 stars, because it surpassed all my expectations. I don't have words to explain the amazing fantasy world and characters the author has created. The book was simply  u.n.p.u.t.d.o.w.n.a.b.l.e.

Power is one seductive force, because once you experience her sweet flavor, it always leaves you hungry for more.   And being power-hungry can change people, but usually only for worse or does it finally show their true face? And yes, I'm looking at you our sweet-tongued, noble Adrastes. I don't know why, but I wasn't your biggest fan even in the 1st book and this development of the plot only shows that my instincts were right. And finally even Kendras begins to see it too that you're not worthy of the throne he put you on. Kendras, the new leader of Scorpions. Kendras, the leader game-changer who does something that none of the previous officers did and I loved him for that. Kendras, whose every next choice pulls him in the cruel world of politics and religion deeper and deeper. A lot of big things happen to Kendras in this book, some of them were good and some not so good.. One of the most important is the story behind his origin and appearing of new, life-changing characters into his world.

"Kendras.
Graukar lifted his eyebrow. "That's your name?"
"Yes." Kendras took another, deeper sip, feeling the spirit warm his body from the inside. " The Officer has no name. He serves his men, not his own honor."
Graukar took a sip from his cup. " Then I'll call you Kendras tonight. Go back to being officer tommorow."

The story was again dark, edgy, unpredictable, emotional and full of action. It was Aleksandr Voinov at his best. This is so far my favorite book by him and I can't wait for the next one. Again, all MM fantasy fans, especially fans of movies and shows like 300, The Gladiator, Games Of Thrones or Spartacus- what are you waiting for? Go and buy this book and prepare for one hell of a ride ;)!

"To take the measure of a man, watch not how he treats his friends, watch how he treats a conquered foe."

xoxo

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