crtsjffrsn's review
4.0
Zander Anatolius has been through a lot. More than any one man should have to go through. And the same could be said for Felix Ingesson. So Zander's decided to ask Felix to marry him and finally get them both to settle down. Felix isn't ask keen on the idea of marriage, though Zander thinks he might be able to convince him. But as their past should have warned him, something's always going to come up at the worst possible moment.
What worse is that what's come up this time might be the worst possible thing to come up. After a security breach on the ship, Zander catches up with the culprit. And the culprit shifts. That shouldn't be possible; Zander's the last of those who should be able to do that. And considering that data about Project Dreamweaver--the experiment that made Zander what he is--is what was taken, things don't look good. One thing's for sure, everything else will need to be put on hold until they find the person responsible and stop them before things get worse.
I've read this series from the beginning and I have loved every minute of it. It's an action-packed science fiction story with a m/m relationship between the main characters--what's not to love? What's even more great about it, though, is that no aspect of the plot feels forced. I've read many m/m sci-fis where the relationship feels thrust into the story. I've read m/m romance that tosses a sci-fi background up but doesn't have it fully developed. You won't get either of those with this series, for sure.
The final installment takes Zander and Felix back to the beginning. Much as Felix had to confront some of the hardest moments from his past in the previous book, Zander comes face to face with his demons here. And both of them are faced with choices that neither is comfortable with under normal circumstances. But the way they work together is what makes it clear just how much they need each other...on multiple levels.
I must say I will miss these characters, but I'm glad I got to spend five books with them...
[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
What worse is that what's come up this time might be the worst possible thing to come up. After a security breach on the ship, Zander catches up with the culprit. And the culprit shifts. That shouldn't be possible; Zander's the last of those who should be able to do that. And considering that data about Project Dreamweaver--the experiment that made Zander what he is--is what was taken, things don't look good. One thing's for sure, everything else will need to be put on hold until they find the person responsible and stop them before things get worse.
I've read this series from the beginning and I have loved every minute of it. It's an action-packed science fiction story with a m/m relationship between the main characters--what's not to love? What's even more great about it, though, is that no aspect of the plot feels forced. I've read many m/m sci-fis where the relationship feels thrust into the story. I've read m/m romance that tosses a sci-fi background up but doesn't have it fully developed. You won't get either of those with this series, for sure.
The final installment takes Zander and Felix back to the beginning. Much as Felix had to confront some of the hardest moments from his past in the previous book, Zander comes face to face with his demons here. And both of them are faced with choices that neither is comfortable with under normal circumstances. But the way they work together is what makes it clear just how much they need each other...on multiple levels.
I must say I will miss these characters, but I'm glad I got to spend five books with them...
[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
janetted's review
5.0
An amazing, action-packed end to the Chaos Station series. I couldn’t imagine a better way to wrap things up! I’m going to miss Zed, Felix & the Chaos crew something fierce.
michaeljpdx's review against another edition
4.0
You can read my review of “Phase Shift” at my web site.
kaje_harper's review
4.0
In this last book of the series, Zander and Felix have battled through fear and pain and loss and nightmares, separation and reunion, to become a solid couple, although not yet entirely on the same page. But they're not done with adventures. Just as Zander thinks they're ready to settle down, their life is interrupted by a hacking threat to their ship and their fellow crew, which leads back to the very project that created Zander's fellow supersoldiers, and which is now a growing threat.
This story has a lot of physical adventure, as well as emotional bells being rung. For the first time here, I thought we hit just a little too much "OMG I thought you were dead" for the series, and yet the writing is so skillful it pulled me in and I raced through the story with bated breath to the wonderful, satisfying end.
This series is definitely on my re-read list. It has deep emotion and angst that is rarely manufactured or avoidable. It has humor and banter, and great characters, both primary and secondary. It has real plots, imaginative world building, plausible story arcs, and smooth writing. If that mix appeals to you, give this one a try - start with book one, and read through in order. It's a hell of a trip. *be aware there are also series related free short stories available on the website.*
4 stars for this book, for a bit of melodrama, but a solid 5 star series taken as a whole.
This story has a lot of physical adventure, as well as emotional bells being rung. For the first time here, I thought we hit just a little too much "OMG I thought you were dead" for the series, and yet the writing is so skillful it pulled me in and I raced through the story with bated breath to the wonderful, satisfying end.
This series is definitely on my re-read list. It has deep emotion and angst that is rarely manufactured or avoidable. It has humor and banter, and great characters, both primary and secondary. It has real plots, imaginative world building, plausible story arcs, and smooth writing. If that mix appeals to you, give this one a try - start with book one, and read through in order. It's a hell of a trip. *be aware there are also series related free short stories available on the website.*
4 stars for this book, for a bit of melodrama, but a solid 5 star series taken as a whole.
the_novel_approach's review
5.0
This is going to be a difficult review to write because Phase Shift is the last in the Chaos Station series, which I have read and reviewed from the beginning. Over the course of five books I have gotten to know Zed, Flick, and the rest of the Chaos crew as if they were family. I’ve cried with them, laughed with them, and enjoyed reading about their adventures. But, as with all good things, it is time for it to come to an end. So I consider this review to be my send-off to the series, an homage, if you will.
Having survived death and near-death experiences together after being reunited when they both thought the other was dead, Zed is ready to pop the questions to Flick. Of course, Flick, being himself, he’s commitment-shy, and this being them, nothing goes off without a hitch. In this case, the Chaos is hacked and important data is stolen. Before Zed can ask Flick to marry him. This sets in motion a series of events that will push the two to their limits and put them in their most dangerous situation since the human-stin war. What’s out there? Well, Preston has managed to duplicate the Dreamweaver project, and more humans can Zone and phase shift like Zed. And that’s problematic. So much so that even the Guardians feel they must step in. What follows is a mission the two must run together, and seemingly alone, where not only their lives but the lives of everyone in the universe—human, stin, ashushk, and resonance alike—are in serious jeopardy.
There really was not a single bad book in this series, and each one builds up the tension to this one. The first reunites Zed and Flick and rekindles their love for each other. The subsequent books show the challenges their love will face if they decide to stay together. This final book puts them on the ultimate test and, as I said, the most dangerous mission. Stuck on Leonis Bb, an uninhabited planet, they must survive all sorts of things—weird tentacle creatures, a sunken ship, and scorching temperatures—with barely anything to survive on. And when they find out they aren’t alone? Well, that’s when all hell breaks loose.
Flick and Zed truly are at their most human in these moments, despite their unique situations. Readers will see more of Flick’s family history and why some things don’t seem as important to him. Likewise, the same can be said of Zed. How is it that two people who seem to be such opposites are drawn to each other?
Of course, the rest of the crew is just as important. Elias, Nessa, and Qek have their own battles to fight, and the three grow as a crew without Zed and Flick with them. Qek, as usual, steals the show between the three, and I adore her even more.
As for the mysterious Guardians, they are the only alien species to show up in this book, which is a little disappointing because I enjoyed learning about the resonance and had hoped for more with them since they only have one book. The Guardians, though… well, readers finally have some answers. Not everything is revealed about them, though, but I was pleasantly surprised by the ending of the book. Maybe I should have expected it, but I didn’t. Neither, it seems, did Zed.
I’m truly going to miss this series and the characters. I would happily read another five books featuring the Chaos and her crew, following them into the next chapter of their lives. I can even think of some fun—and adorable—stories that they could use…ahem. I’m sure they know what I’m talking about.
If you’re interested in this series, you really must read from the beginning. Each book lays the groundwork for the following installments, and the world-building is just phenomenal. If you’re a fan of science fiction, believe me, you will not regret the series. Even if you aren’t a fan but you love romance, you should still read this because Flick and Zed have one of the most wonderful relationships I’ve ever read on a page, and I honestly shed tears over how beautiful their love and trust for each other was.
For now, goodbye to the Chaos and her crew. Even if short stories or spin-offs aren’t produced, I know I’ll be revisiting this series. Thank you to Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen for taking us on such a wonderful ride.
Reviewed by Jennifer for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.com/review-phase-shift-by-jenn-burke-and-kelly-jensen/
Having survived death and near-death experiences together after being reunited when they both thought the other was dead, Zed is ready to pop the questions to Flick. Of course, Flick, being himself, he’s commitment-shy, and this being them, nothing goes off without a hitch. In this case, the Chaos is hacked and important data is stolen. Before Zed can ask Flick to marry him. This sets in motion a series of events that will push the two to their limits and put them in their most dangerous situation since the human-stin war. What’s out there? Well, Preston has managed to duplicate the Dreamweaver project, and more humans can Zone and phase shift like Zed. And that’s problematic. So much so that even the Guardians feel they must step in. What follows is a mission the two must run together, and seemingly alone, where not only their lives but the lives of everyone in the universe—human, stin, ashushk, and resonance alike—are in serious jeopardy.
There really was not a single bad book in this series, and each one builds up the tension to this one. The first reunites Zed and Flick and rekindles their love for each other. The subsequent books show the challenges their love will face if they decide to stay together. This final book puts them on the ultimate test and, as I said, the most dangerous mission. Stuck on Leonis Bb, an uninhabited planet, they must survive all sorts of things—weird tentacle creatures, a sunken ship, and scorching temperatures—with barely anything to survive on. And when they find out they aren’t alone? Well, that’s when all hell breaks loose.
Flick and Zed truly are at their most human in these moments, despite their unique situations. Readers will see more of Flick’s family history and why some things don’t seem as important to him. Likewise, the same can be said of Zed. How is it that two people who seem to be such opposites are drawn to each other?
Of course, the rest of the crew is just as important. Elias, Nessa, and Qek have their own battles to fight, and the three grow as a crew without Zed and Flick with them. Qek, as usual, steals the show between the three, and I adore her even more.
As for the mysterious Guardians, they are the only alien species to show up in this book, which is a little disappointing because I enjoyed learning about the resonance and had hoped for more with them since they only have one book. The Guardians, though… well, readers finally have some answers. Not everything is revealed about them, though, but I was pleasantly surprised by the ending of the book. Maybe I should have expected it, but I didn’t. Neither, it seems, did Zed.
I’m truly going to miss this series and the characters. I would happily read another five books featuring the Chaos and her crew, following them into the next chapter of their lives. I can even think of some fun—and adorable—stories that they could use…ahem. I’m sure they know what I’m talking about.
If you’re interested in this series, you really must read from the beginning. Each book lays the groundwork for the following installments, and the world-building is just phenomenal. If you’re a fan of science fiction, believe me, you will not regret the series. Even if you aren’t a fan but you love romance, you should still read this because Flick and Zed have one of the most wonderful relationships I’ve ever read on a page, and I honestly shed tears over how beautiful their love and trust for each other was.
For now, goodbye to the Chaos and her crew. Even if short stories or spin-offs aren’t produced, I know I’ll be revisiting this series. Thank you to Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen for taking us on such a wonderful ride.
Reviewed by Jennifer for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.com/review-phase-shift-by-jenn-burke-and-kelly-jensen/
prgchrqltma's review
3.0
It's probably my end of series block, but this one was a slog for me. I'll still probably read anything that Burke writes.
expendablemudge's review
5.0
Rating: five sentimental, grateful stars out of five
I will miss this series very much. It came into my reading life exactly when I needed it. As endings to books go, and as endings to series go, I can't find fault or register a complaint.
There's a pearl-clutcher for yinz.
Probably my favorite scene in the whole Chaos Station universe takes place in this book: Zed and Flick are trudging across the fifty-centigrade surface of Leonis 83b after tracing some vile malefactors' flight path back to it. There they discover an illegal, unregistered human colony sweltering in the revolting heat. Having lost their transportation off planet in a crash landing, they need to locate some form of beacon to get a signal to their compadres on the Chaos. This is not going to stop Zed from continuing a conversation he's been planning to have with his beloved for a while now: Zed wants to get married. Flick is, politely phrased, ambivalent. He has all sorts of reasons. All of which Zed has answers to, eg:
This made me laugh and cry. How perfect, like the whole idea of not being *able* to marry is so firmly dead that it's a feeble excuse of an excuse not to marry. If there's a 23rd century, I hope like hell that's how it'll feel to the people in it.
I'm glad the end of the series was so fully satisfying. It made me smile through the misty-eyed "I always cry at weddings" sentimentality. And I loved the entire experience of reading a good SF series that had people like me as its main characters.
Goodreads user Simone made this JPEG of Zed's thoughts at the end of the book that sums this entire series up beautifully:
I will miss this series very much. It came into my reading life exactly when I needed it. As endings to books go, and as endings to series go, I can't find fault or register a complaint.
There's a pearl-clutcher for yinz.
Probably my favorite scene in the whole Chaos Station universe takes place in this book: Zed and Flick are trudging across the fifty-centigrade surface of Leonis 83b after tracing some vile malefactors' flight path back to it. There they discover an illegal, unregistered human colony sweltering in the revolting heat. Having lost their transportation off planet in a crash landing, they need to locate some form of beacon to get a signal to their compadres on the Chaos. This is not going to stop Zed from continuing a conversation he's been planning to have with his beloved for a while now: Zed wants to get married. Flick is, politely phrased, ambivalent. He has all sorts of reasons. All of which Zed has answers to, eg:
“Men have been allowed to marry other men since the fucking twenty-first century, Flick,” Zed growled.
This made me laugh and cry. How perfect, like the whole idea of not being *able* to marry is so firmly dead that it's a feeble excuse of an excuse not to marry. If there's a 23rd century, I hope like hell that's how it'll feel to the people in it.
I'm glad the end of the series was so fully satisfying. It made me smile through the misty-eyed "I always cry at weddings" sentimentality. And I loved the entire experience of reading a good SF series that had people like me as its main characters.
Goodreads user Simone made this JPEG of Zed's thoughts at the end of the book that sums this entire series up beautifully:
susanscribs's review
4.0
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. The Chaos Station series comes to a close in a satisfying, if not exhilarating conclusion. The authors wrap up some loose ends but leave several questions unanswered about the omniscient Guardians and the morally-compromised AEF. The sci-fi plot takes a while to gather steam, meandering from one adventure to another before building to an exciting showdown between our heroes and a figure from Zed's past with a nefarious mission. The plot suffers from the absence of characters from other species (save for the ever-loyal Qek), most notably the recently discovered Resonance who made Inversion Point (#4 in the series) so fascinating. The relationship angle thankfully is fairly smooth, with little to none of the martyr-like "I must push you away for your own good" behavior of some of the previous books. There is some tension, but the two men manage to talk it through when they are not risking their lives, and the last chapter portrays the couple taking the next step to affirm their love for each other.
The Chaos Station series started strong, faltered a bit in the middle, hit its peak in Book 4, and then did a victory lap in Phase Shift. I don't know if these two authors will work together again, but they created a very rewarding, action-packed M/M sci-fi romance series that joins my short list of series I know I will keep on hand for a feel-good re-read.
The Chaos Station series started strong, faltered a bit in the middle, hit its peak in Book 4, and then did a victory lap in Phase Shift. I don't know if these two authors will work together again, but they created a very rewarding, action-packed M/M sci-fi romance series that joins my short list of series I know I will keep on hand for a feel-good re-read.
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