A review by bananatricky
Edge of Obsession by Megan Crane
4.0
So I requested the third book in this series from NetGalley not realising that it was the third book in a series. I loved it so much that I got the first two books PDQ.
First off, this series is about a dystopian viking-type world. Think bands of marauding warriors on long boats, braids, fighting and fucking. Lots of fucking. Honestly, if my use of the f-word in this review offends you DO NOT under any circumstances read this book.
The world failed, the seas rose about 100 years ago and most of the continental USA is under water. The USA has regressed into a semi-feudal society in which priests control access to what little electricity remains by claiming old power plants as temples. With a limited population the priests mandate the population enter into marriage purely for procreation during the cold winter months. Each couple is required to have sex every night, but anything that doesn't lead to pregnancy is strictly forbidden. As a consequence sex has become a chore for most. These people call themselves the Compliant. Think of some of the less-developed worlds of Firefly.
The exception are the raiders. Like the vikings of old, the raiders are a race apart. Bound by oaths of allegiance to their king, they believe in the power of the sword. Tyr is the Kings War Chief, when leading a raid on a small settlement he runs into a woman who challenges him. The woman, Helena is part of a family whose mission is to reconnect the USA to the power stations and to give electricity back to the people.
I'll be honest, I think the third book is better than the first book, although all the story arc points are mentioned in this first book I would describe this book as plot light, heavy on the sex. Helena has always followed the Compliant way, even though her parents were a love match and taught her to think for herself. When she enters the raisers' secret base she is shocked by the rampant, non-Compliant, hedonistic sex which takes place all around her (and I do mean all around her).
Whilst Tyr is the sort of alpha dominant male character that I usually loathe with every fibre of my being, I actually quite liked him. Don't get me wrong, he still acted like a douche at times, and apparently he needed to force Helena to beg for help, obvs because "she needed it" like every other alpha douche always just knows what a woman needs because they all have degrees in psychology, but somehow in a post-apocalyptic society where might rules it seems more acceptable. And somehow, calling the love of your life "a little shit" becomes quite endearing.
If your OCD reading habits can allow you to read out of sequence I would definitely recommend reading the third book before the first, unless you are just jonesing for some raunchy sexy reads, the third book develops the plot more, still steamy but definitely plot driven.
Anyway, I've promised myself that I will clear some of my NetGalley TBR pile before I allow myself to read the second book, but I'm really looking forward to it.
First off, this series is about a dystopian viking-type world. Think bands of marauding warriors on long boats, braids, fighting and fucking. Lots of fucking. Honestly, if my use of the f-word in this review offends you DO NOT under any circumstances read this book.
The world failed, the seas rose about 100 years ago and most of the continental USA is under water. The USA has regressed into a semi-feudal society in which priests control access to what little electricity remains by claiming old power plants as temples. With a limited population the priests mandate the population enter into marriage purely for procreation during the cold winter months. Each couple is required to have sex every night, but anything that doesn't lead to pregnancy is strictly forbidden. As a consequence sex has become a chore for most. These people call themselves the Compliant. Think of some of the less-developed worlds of Firefly.
The exception are the raiders. Like the vikings of old, the raiders are a race apart. Bound by oaths of allegiance to their king, they believe in the power of the sword. Tyr is the Kings War Chief, when leading a raid on a small settlement he runs into a woman who challenges him. The woman, Helena is part of a family whose mission is to reconnect the USA to the power stations and to give electricity back to the people.
I'll be honest, I think the third book is better than the first book, although all the story arc points are mentioned in this first book I would describe this book as plot light, heavy on the sex. Helena has always followed the Compliant way, even though her parents were a love match and taught her to think for herself. When she enters the raisers' secret base she is shocked by the rampant, non-Compliant, hedonistic sex which takes place all around her (and I do mean all around her).
Whilst Tyr is the sort of alpha dominant male character that I usually loathe with every fibre of my being, I actually quite liked him. Don't get me wrong, he still acted like a douche at times, and apparently he needed to force Helena to beg for help, obvs because "she needed it" like every other alpha douche always just knows what a woman needs because they all have degrees in psychology, but somehow in a post-apocalyptic society where might rules it seems more acceptable. And somehow, calling the love of your life "a little shit" becomes quite endearing.
If your OCD reading habits can allow you to read out of sequence I would definitely recommend reading the third book before the first, unless you are just jonesing for some raunchy sexy reads, the third book develops the plot more, still steamy but definitely plot driven.
Anyway, I've promised myself that I will clear some of my NetGalley TBR pile before I allow myself to read the second book, but I'm really looking forward to it.