Reviewed by Vicki

 

TITLE: Gravitational Attraction

SERIES: part of the ETSO universe

AUTHOR: Angel Martinez

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 266 pages

BLURB:

A mysterious distress call draws the crew of courier ship Hermes to what appears to be an empty, drifting troop vessel–empty except for the blood and gore spattered corridors and a lone survivor locked in a holding cell. Drawn to the handsome, traumatized man, the crew’s comm officer, Isaac Ozawa, makes Turk his personal responsibility, offering him the kindness and warmth he needs after the horror he experienced.

 

Isaac knows firsthand what it’s like to be different and an outcast, and this cements their bond. Once a promising pilot, Isaac was left with a damaged body when his brain didn’t meld with the high-tech implant needed to fly fighter ships. Turk’s brain is no better. The result of a military experiment gone wrong, his natural abilities have been augmented to a dangerous degree.

 

When an amoral, power-hungry admiral kidnaps Isaac and uses him to convince Turk to become the cataclysmic weapon he’s hungered for, it will take Turk’s strength, the ingenuity of the Hermes crew, the help of the enigmatic Drak’tar, and Isaac’s own stubborn will to save them.

 

REVIEW:

How is it that after reading some 2000 books in the last five years, 95% of which are m/m I can still find a new to me author? Yes, I’ve read six of Angel’s other books, but just this year. How did I miss her? She’s a fine fucking author folks!

 

Isaac has had an implant placed in his brain and was supposed to be some bad-ass pilot that could pilot a craft with his brain. Unfortunately it didn’t work, and he was too stubborn to kill himself immediately, and is just hanging around, possibly waiting for the right moment to off himself, preferable as a night of drinking and a good hard fuck. He’s working on a courier ship called Hermes, having the occasional physical and mental meltdown, surviving but not living. The Hermes and her crew receive the distress signal of another ship and head to investigate. They get no answer to their calls and need to get eyes in the ship. Isaac is able to use his implant to work a remote robot and send it over. They see a ship full of bloody parts and one survivor. A team goes to rescue the survivor, and Issac feels he needs to go. They find a big, beautiful, freaked out human, who has been stuck in there for two weeks. Isaac is intrigued by him…

 

Turk is human in appearance, but really not. He is big, strong, and scary. Initially we only know he’s been sent for three years to work with ESTO (using Star Trek again, I’d say they are like the federation?), using his fancy mental abilities then go home. He is taken advantage of by some nasty folks when they learn he can do some bad-ass shit with his brain, they mess with his brain more, and try to make him in to a weapon. He’s being sent to a base and an Admiral that legitimately wants to work with him, but his transport ship is attacked by some wierdo people-eating big bugs and he’s stuck. Until a little human comes along to rescue him.

 

That’s the basic set up to get Issac and Turk together. Then the story really starts. They are drawn together, sweetly and gently the big Turk woos the small Isaac. I do like that familiar plot, big guy, little guy, but Isaac is not weak, just small compared to the massive Turk. They have a bit of nice time together on the Hermes, but Turk has to go back to his obligation with the ESTO folks and they deliver him to a space station. Then the drama kicks in. Bad shit happens, Isaac is severely damaged, and Angel made me cry. Again. What a shock! Isaac needs help, Turk suggests they head to his home world and nothing is the same for these boys again.

 

Turks home world is a fabulous place. Wild but technological, big four-armed humanoids, flying creatures, wierd healing techniques, it’s just amazing. It’s like the best bits of Sci-fi shows, books, and movies all put together. Yet Isaac jokes about eating bonbons, refers to a special bed as reminding him of a bento box, and Turk who is in the bed as sushi. It’s such a strange mix but it works so well. The people are incredible, interesting, strong, with a deep history and society that fascinated me.

 

What I’m really liking about Angel’s books is her world building. This world is so complex, it’s beyond my understanding. Just like watching a Star Trek episode, I don’t get the science part at all, I just follow the story as best as I can! There is the science of these ships that move through space, GEM drives, gravitational hole thingies, humans bonding with machines, messing with brains, weapons, freaky people-eating creatures, on and on! She’s created histories, words, planets, and societies. None of it is too in depth, it would be boring and overwhelming to have waaaay too much detail, but there is enough there to make me think it is ALL there. Just like I believed her Fae world existed, I believe this universe exists.

 

I generally can take or leave science fiction, but the more I read of Angel’s books the more I remember what I used to get out of it. I wish I had the words to describe her writing but I don’t. Other than to say I love it. She includes the technological stuff that baffles me, the history and depth needed to make her characters truly believable, the sweet romance and hot sex needed to keep my heart interested, an intense and action driven plot to keep my mind engaged, and the writing skill to make it all work. There was a scene between Turk and Isaac, when he is so sick that nearly broke my heart. It was beautiful. She can make me cry and laugh, cheer and curse her equally.

 

If you like Sci-fi give this one a shot. If you don’t like Sci-fi, read it and you may be surprised.

 

 

RATING:

 

BUY LINKS:

Dreamspinner Press