What do you think?
Rate this book
The Flaw in Logic
This romantic adventure follows Commander R’cey Hawke, bounty hunter. She leads a mission to a backwater world to retrieve one of the Amalgam’s most wanted. When her space vessel crash lands, R’cey must work with a group of locals who believe in magic, of all things. R’cey soon finds herself on an epic quest that takes her across unbelievable realms. Battles with harpies, imps, golems, and the Demon Aamon, open her eyes to possibilities other than her own version of reality.
Princess Thalia Dumont’s pact with an assassin has an unexpected result. That ill-conceived bargain forces her on a dangerous journey. King Lotar lies under a dark spell and Thalia must find the cure. Along the way, she meets an off-world stranger who will change how she sees the universe.
Princess Thalia Dumont’s pact with an assassin has an unexpected result. That ill-conceived bargain forces her on a dangerous journey. King Lotar lies under a dark spell and Thalia must find the cure. Along the way, she meets an off-world stranger who will change how she sees the universe.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2016
5 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
S.Y. Thompson
14 books36 followersBorn in California but raised in Texas, Susan joined the United States Marine Corps straight out of High School. After ten years and a lot of travel, she left the military and became a San Diego Deputy Sheriff. Retired from an on the job injury, Susan returned to Texas and began writing Star Trek Voyager fan fiction in 2002, but her imagination insisted on creating scenarios outside that genre. Today she still resides in North Texas with her two dogs and the five stray cats that adopted her. Her previous works, all seventy-two stories, can be found on her website. (from the publisher's website)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 21, 2017
4 1/2 Stars. This was a great fantasy book, with sci-fi elements and romance. While I own a few of her books, this is the first book by Thompson, that I have read. If this is what I can expect from her as an author, I can't wait to read the others. As there is nothing I enjoy more than a good LesFic fantasy book, the cover and blurb immediately grabbed my attention. I had some high expectations for this book, and Thompson delivered.
This book is about a bounty hunter R'cey, who chases a dangerous criminal through space, to a no-tech planet. Her ship crash lands and she soon finds herself in the presence of Princess Thalia. The Princes is on her own quest, to seek a sorcerer to undo black magic placed on her father, the King. R'cey, soon believes Thalia and her are searching for the same man/criminal, so they embark on an epic journey across the lands.
I can imagine world-building must be a very difficult part to get right in writing a fantasy. I really believe this can make or break a good fantasy book. Thompson, not only got it right, she was able to create others from different planets as well. And she did it in a way that flowed smoothly and didn't force too much info, down a readers throat. In a land with magic, witches, dragons, demons, trolls and harpies, I was immersed in this book immediately, and I enjoyed every second.
I found myself getting into the characters, either loving them and hating them. I especially enjoyed the two mains, R'cey and Thilai. One thing that did bother me is, I don't know how to pronounce R'cey. Is it RAY CEE, or RA SAY, or maybe even RICKEY if the c is a k sound?
Anyway, I also want to mention for the people out there that love their romance, yes, this book has romance. It was believable, and well written, and evolved well considering all the other action going on in the book. The ending was really sweet too, and I was happy with it.
I can without a doubt recommend this book to fantasy fans. And anyone looking for a good adventure book with a sweet romance.
An ARC was given to me from NetGalley and Sapphire Books Publishing, for a honest review.
This book is about a bounty hunter R'cey, who chases a dangerous criminal through space, to a no-tech planet. Her ship crash lands and she soon finds herself in the presence of Princess Thalia. The Princes is on her own quest, to seek a sorcerer to undo black magic placed on her father, the King. R'cey, soon believes Thalia and her are searching for the same man/criminal, so they embark on an epic journey across the lands.
I can imagine world-building must be a very difficult part to get right in writing a fantasy. I really believe this can make or break a good fantasy book. Thompson, not only got it right, she was able to create others from different planets as well. And she did it in a way that flowed smoothly and didn't force too much info, down a readers throat. In a land with magic, witches, dragons, demons, trolls and harpies, I was immersed in this book immediately, and I enjoyed every second.
I found myself getting into the characters, either loving them and hating them. I especially enjoyed the two mains, R'cey and Thilai. One thing that did bother me is, I don't know how to pronounce R'cey. Is it RAY CEE, or RA SAY, or maybe even RICKEY if the c is a k sound?
Anyway, I also want to mention for the people out there that love their romance, yes, this book has romance. It was believable, and well written, and evolved well considering all the other action going on in the book. The ending was really sweet too, and I was happy with it.
I can without a doubt recommend this book to fantasy fans. And anyone looking for a good adventure book with a sweet romance.
An ARC was given to me from NetGalley and Sapphire Books Publishing, for a honest review.
August 30, 2016
*I received this book from NetGalley and Sapphire Books Publishing in return for a fair review.*
I do not exactly understand the cover. Right, sorry, shouldn’t lead off with that.*
Imagine, if you will, a Conan the Barbarian type, but in a science fiction setting. Now make Conan female. That is not exactly accurate, but it is both the vibe of the book and of the book cover. (I would have gone with Xena in space, but it really did have more of a Conan vibe than Xena; maybe because there were more princesses in Conan’s stories – something). Okay, I do not know the Conan story well enough to continue this idea, so let’s move on before I embarrass myself.
There’s a criminal who has fled from the Amalgam space and landed on a ‘primitive’ planet – one where everyone but the rulers are ignorant of both the nature of the universe, and their own origins (as in: 1) there are other planets out there that have life on them, human life; 2) they are not native to the planet (though that one I’m less sure about as it comes up during the book that there are ‘stories’ and ‘legends’ about the ‘bad air’ and how lots died and stuff, so they might actually know they are not natives).
That criminal has landed on that planet with stolen materials from the Amalgam (I’m not actually 100% sure what the ‘Amalgam’ actually is, I think it is the name of the alliance of planets, though I could be wrong, I know it isn’t the name of a planet). A group of bounty hunters are sent out to track down this bad guy and recover him. Two things of note of this specific individual before moving on to the hunters – 1) the guy was a colonel in the military (and therefore, presumably, has some military know-how); 2) is related, brother, to a ‘Senator’).
The bounty hunters are lead by Commander R’cey Hawke (pronounced ‘Hawk’ like the bird; heh, no, I meant pronounced ‘R.C.’ like the cola (the R’cey part), though I kept reading it, for whatever reason, as ‘Racy’). There’s a bunch of young hot, strong, gifted, etc. etc., under Hawke’s command, but none of them matter beyond being people to grieve over – since they all die within moments of being introduced to the story. All but Hawke. So – imagine, if you will, a ship broken into tiny pieces on a ‘primitive’ world with 4 dead bodies, and one severally damaged one reclining near them. We shall leave Hawke here for now.
The other main point of view/impetus to the story is a young woman named Princess Thalia Dumont (I’m reminded of people whose parents name them things like ‘Major’, or ‘Sergeant’, then things get confusing if they actually go into the military, and end up having conversations like ‘Private Major! Clean your shoes!’ – wait, Princess isn’t a name but a title. I’m being vaguely weird in this review. No idea why).
Let’s start that part again.
The other main point of view is a young woman named Thalia Dumont, a princess of a specific kingdom on the planet (there are several, presumably). We first meet Thalia as she sneaks out of her room/castle and visits with an assassin, for she plans to assassinate her father, King Lotar. Great way to meet someone, eh? Heh. Well, apparently Lotar is this super evil guy who is acting like a tyrant, destroying the people under heavy taxes, death and imprisonment.
One thing leads to another and this assassin, instead of killing the king, puts him into a deep deadly coma. Now Princess Thalia must rush out on a quest to find someone to help save the king (who, now it turns out, had actually been operating under the influence of someone else, and hadn’t actually been naturally evil. Just forced evil). I’m being indirect here as I wished to set some things up before I got to the fantasy part of the science fantasy tag. For the ‘evil’ influence is a literal evil spell/curse placed upon the king. And the quest for ‘someone to help’ is for a ‘powerful sorcerer who can try to help lift the curse’. For, you see, the people of this planet can do that. Magic. And stuff.
So, Thalia heads off on her quest with four soldiers and told that if she went a specific direction she might run into someone who could help. In a ‘if you don’t do this and get their help, your task will be a failure’ kind of ‘go that direction’ type of helpful hint.
And so they do – Thalia and her four companions. Head in a specific direction. Where-upon they find . . . demons. Well, recall if you will that most of the people on the planet are unaware of the true nature of the universe and the part wherein there are other humans out there on other planets. Doesn’t help that R’cey is wearing a power suit that morphs and hides her appearance.
One thing leads to another and Thalia’s quest party expands by one, with the addition of R’cey. And then the really long trek continues and unfolds.
The book is only 279 pages but it feels longer. Stuff happens. Then more stuff. Then when I think everything is ready to be wrapped up even more stuff happens. I know why the ending had to be the way it was – because of the nature of the situation the author put everyone into (‘primitive’ planet, only leaders know truth, hard for an off-worlder and a princess to have a relationship under these circumstances; roadblocks to a happy situation put in place; something needed to be done to ‘remove’ these roadblocks without completely undermining the whole point of having this be a ‘primitive’ planet’ with a ‘high-tech bounty hunter’ running around on it; in that sense the ending worked; in another I kind of felt like I was in the ending of fantasy films like Lord of the Rings, which had, like, an hour of extra filming that were just ‘climaxes’ over and over again – but not really).
I feel like making some reference to another book I read this year with ‘magic’ in a science fiction setting that involved lesbians and power suits, and a quest and stuff (well, running around in swampy/jungle-y areas), but can’t think of a way to make that comment. So I won’t.
Right, okay then. Interesting enough book. A little long feeling. A book I’d say would be something around a 3.48 to 3.63 star book. Not sure I’d specifically wish to read another book in this specific story universe, but I’ll definitely read another book by this author. I’m even currently eyeing one.
* - I'm probably just over thinking things and/or not noticing the correct things.
August 30 2016
I do not exactly understand the cover. Right, sorry, shouldn’t lead off with that.*
Imagine, if you will, a Conan the Barbarian type, but in a science fiction setting. Now make Conan female. That is not exactly accurate, but it is both the vibe of the book and of the book cover. (I would have gone with Xena in space, but it really did have more of a Conan vibe than Xena; maybe because there were more princesses in Conan’s stories – something). Okay, I do not know the Conan story well enough to continue this idea, so let’s move on before I embarrass myself.
There’s a criminal who has fled from the Amalgam space and landed on a ‘primitive’ planet – one where everyone but the rulers are ignorant of both the nature of the universe, and their own origins (as in: 1) there are other planets out there that have life on them, human life; 2) they are not native to the planet (though that one I’m less sure about as it comes up during the book that there are ‘stories’ and ‘legends’ about the ‘bad air’ and how lots died and stuff, so they might actually know they are not natives).
That criminal has landed on that planet with stolen materials from the Amalgam (I’m not actually 100% sure what the ‘Amalgam’ actually is, I think it is the name of the alliance of planets, though I could be wrong, I know it isn’t the name of a planet). A group of bounty hunters are sent out to track down this bad guy and recover him. Two things of note of this specific individual before moving on to the hunters – 1) the guy was a colonel in the military (and therefore, presumably, has some military know-how); 2) is related, brother, to a ‘Senator’).
The bounty hunters are lead by Commander R’cey Hawke (pronounced ‘Hawk’ like the bird; heh, no, I meant pronounced ‘R.C.’ like the cola (the R’cey part), though I kept reading it, for whatever reason, as ‘Racy’). There’s a bunch of young hot, strong, gifted, etc. etc., under Hawke’s command, but none of them matter beyond being people to grieve over – since they all die within moments of being introduced to the story. All but Hawke. So – imagine, if you will, a ship broken into tiny pieces on a ‘primitive’ world with 4 dead bodies, and one severally damaged one reclining near them. We shall leave Hawke here for now.
The other main point of view/impetus to the story is a young woman named Princess Thalia Dumont (I’m reminded of people whose parents name them things like ‘Major’, or ‘Sergeant’, then things get confusing if they actually go into the military, and end up having conversations like ‘Private Major! Clean your shoes!’ – wait, Princess isn’t a name but a title. I’m being vaguely weird in this review. No idea why).
Let’s start that part again.
The other main point of view is a young woman named Thalia Dumont, a princess of a specific kingdom on the planet (there are several, presumably). We first meet Thalia as she sneaks out of her room/castle and visits with an assassin, for she plans to assassinate her father, King Lotar. Great way to meet someone, eh? Heh. Well, apparently Lotar is this super evil guy who is acting like a tyrant, destroying the people under heavy taxes, death and imprisonment.
One thing leads to another and this assassin, instead of killing the king, puts him into a deep deadly coma. Now Princess Thalia must rush out on a quest to find someone to help save the king (who, now it turns out, had actually been operating under the influence of someone else, and hadn’t actually been naturally evil. Just forced evil). I’m being indirect here as I wished to set some things up before I got to the fantasy part of the science fantasy tag. For the ‘evil’ influence is a literal evil spell/curse placed upon the king. And the quest for ‘someone to help’ is for a ‘powerful sorcerer who can try to help lift the curse’. For, you see, the people of this planet can do that. Magic. And stuff.
So, Thalia heads off on her quest with four soldiers and told that if she went a specific direction she might run into someone who could help. In a ‘if you don’t do this and get their help, your task will be a failure’ kind of ‘go that direction’ type of helpful hint.
And so they do – Thalia and her four companions. Head in a specific direction. Where-upon they find . . . demons. Well, recall if you will that most of the people on the planet are unaware of the true nature of the universe and the part wherein there are other humans out there on other planets. Doesn’t help that R’cey is wearing a power suit that morphs and hides her appearance.
One thing leads to another and Thalia’s quest party expands by one, with the addition of R’cey. And then the really long trek continues and unfolds.
The book is only 279 pages but it feels longer. Stuff happens. Then more stuff. Then when I think everything is ready to be wrapped up even more stuff happens. I know why the ending had to be the way it was – because of the nature of the situation the author put everyone into (‘primitive’ planet, only leaders know truth, hard for an off-worlder and a princess to have a relationship under these circumstances; roadblocks to a happy situation put in place; something needed to be done to ‘remove’ these roadblocks without completely undermining the whole point of having this be a ‘primitive’ planet’ with a ‘high-tech bounty hunter’ running around on it; in that sense the ending worked; in another I kind of felt like I was in the ending of fantasy films like Lord of the Rings, which had, like, an hour of extra filming that were just ‘climaxes’ over and over again – but not really).
I feel like making some reference to another book I read this year with ‘magic’ in a science fiction setting that involved lesbians and power suits, and a quest and stuff (well, running around in swampy/jungle-y areas), but can’t think of a way to make that comment. So I won’t.
Right, okay then. Interesting enough book. A little long feeling. A book I’d say would be something around a 3.48 to 3.63 star book. Not sure I’d specifically wish to read another book in this specific story universe, but I’ll definitely read another book by this author. I’m even currently eyeing one.
* - I'm probably just over thinking things and/or not noticing the correct things.
August 30 2016
September 29, 2016
Complete updated review:
If this were a movie, it would best be described as a 'popcorn flick'. Not much depth in the world-building/characterization or logic in the plotting to truly excel, but just enough detail, banter, pathos, action, thrills and twists to thoroughly entertain.
R’cey works as bounty hunter for a small planetary alliance of planets known as Amalgam. She and her crew is shot down on her latest job and lands on a technologically backward planet which feels surprisingly like Middle Age earth, complete with magic, sorcery, demons, trolls, dragons (well, a dragonlet), and every single creature that’s ever inhabited a fantasy world. Almost. :) Anyway, the planet Trianan is headed by a despotic King, who has just been effectively dethroned by his daughter with a sleeping spell. However, an old seer discovers the King has been under another spell for a while, apparently causing his tyrannical behavior. Guilt-ridden, the princess sets out to find a counter spell to save her father. A rumor about a powerful but mysterious sorcerer located far beyond the known lands sends the Princess dropping everything and scurrying off to find the supposed “cure”. Encountering R’cey in the woods, they then band together because R’cey thinks the said sorcerer just might be the target she’s hunting. If the plot summary sounds hokey, it’s because that’s exactly how I felt about it. Also, from the get go until around the halfway point, I’ve manage to mark up my book with a long list of implausibilities and eye-rolling fantasy genre clichés.
Despite all of my rants, I did really enjoy the book. All of the complaints I have are plot issues. The author handles individual scenes incredibly well. And this is what makes the book very readable. Put a sleeping spell on the logical part of your brain and enjoy the popcorn.
There’s a lot of good stuff to enjoy in the book, that action/adventure and romance fans wouldn’t want to miss. I’ll mention some of the best and most memorable parts.
- All of R’cey’s scenes before the meet-up with the Princess. These are some of the most powerful and heart-rending scenes in the book.
- All of R’cey’s scenes with Princess Thalia. These two just rock with each other. For a fantasy book, the romantic angle is a bit overdone, but as a genre romance, it is perfectly executed with just the right balance of sexual tension and gratification. The typical issues associated with their relationship and the effects on others are dealt with in a practical and realistic manner, sans the usual melodrama lesfic books employ.
- The action scenes. Well-paced and thrilling. You never know what’s gonna happen and who’s getting offed next.
After the initial excitement, the rest of the first half of the book kind of dragged. As a result, I spent the entire time (over a week, :( ) nitpicking the plot. Some of the more egregious stuff I picked out : I think it would have worked better if the quest was used to develop the Princess’ character and mettle and turn her from a dainty flower to a warrior princess on her return. There are also many supporting characters and other elements brought up in the book but not fully explored. Fantasy fans would have a fit over these omissions. The action does pick up in the second half. I think I read all of that in a couple of hours. Thrills a-plenty from here on till the end. The book has a lot of unrealized potential and would probably have worked better as a 2-book series as the last act felt very rushed.
Bottom Line: The sci-fi / fantasy elements are a little too derivative and unoriginal. Some plot developments feel a bit too convenient. But, the romance and action save the book. Overall, an enjoyable and unpredictable adventure yarn for lesbian romance readers like me (with an emphasis on romance). :)
4.3 stars
ARC from Netgalley
P.S. Reduced the rating a bit, because Beyond The Garden was a 4.4, and I liked it more.
If this were a movie, it would best be described as a 'popcorn flick'. Not much depth in the world-building/characterization or logic in the plotting to truly excel, but just enough detail, banter, pathos, action, thrills and twists to thoroughly entertain.
R’cey works as bounty hunter for a small planetary alliance of planets known as Amalgam. She and her crew is shot down on her latest job and lands on a technologically backward planet which feels surprisingly like Middle Age earth, complete with magic, sorcery, demons, trolls, dragons (well, a dragonlet), and every single creature that’s ever inhabited a fantasy world. Almost. :) Anyway, the planet Trianan is headed by a despotic King, who has just been effectively dethroned by his daughter with a sleeping spell. However, an old seer discovers the King has been under another spell for a while, apparently causing his tyrannical behavior. Guilt-ridden, the princess sets out to find a counter spell to save her father. A rumor about a powerful but mysterious sorcerer located far beyond the known lands sends the Princess dropping everything and scurrying off to find the supposed “cure”. Encountering R’cey in the woods, they then band together because R’cey thinks the said sorcerer just might be the target she’s hunting. If the plot summary sounds hokey, it’s because that’s exactly how I felt about it. Also, from the get go until around the halfway point, I’ve manage to mark up my book with a long list of implausibilities and eye-rolling fantasy genre clichés.
Despite all of my rants, I did really enjoy the book. All of the complaints I have are plot issues. The author handles individual scenes incredibly well. And this is what makes the book very readable. Put a sleeping spell on the logical part of your brain and enjoy the popcorn.
There’s a lot of good stuff to enjoy in the book, that action/adventure and romance fans wouldn’t want to miss. I’ll mention some of the best and most memorable parts.
- All of R’cey’s scenes before the meet-up with the Princess. These are some of the most powerful and heart-rending scenes in the book.
- All of R’cey’s scenes with Princess Thalia. These two just rock with each other. For a fantasy book, the romantic angle is a bit overdone, but as a genre romance, it is perfectly executed with just the right balance of sexual tension and gratification. The typical issues associated with their relationship and the effects on others are dealt with in a practical and realistic manner, sans the usual melodrama lesfic books employ.
- The action scenes. Well-paced and thrilling. You never know what’s gonna happen and who’s getting offed next.
After the initial excitement, the rest of the first half of the book kind of dragged. As a result, I spent the entire time (over a week, :( ) nitpicking the plot. Some of the more egregious stuff I picked out : I think it would have worked better if the quest was used to develop the Princess’ character and mettle and turn her from a dainty flower to a warrior princess on her return. There are also many supporting characters and other elements brought up in the book but not fully explored. Fantasy fans would have a fit over these omissions. The action does pick up in the second half. I think I read all of that in a couple of hours. Thrills a-plenty from here on till the end. The book has a lot of unrealized potential and would probably have worked better as a 2-book series as the last act felt very rushed.
Bottom Line: The sci-fi / fantasy elements are a little too derivative and unoriginal. Some plot developments feel a bit too convenient. But, the romance and action save the book. Overall, an enjoyable and unpredictable adventure yarn for lesbian romance readers like me (with an emphasis on romance). :)
4.3 stars
ARC from Netgalley
P.S. Reduced the rating a bit, because Beyond The Garden was a 4.4, and I liked it more.
February 10, 2017
Wow! That was my word to describe how I felt when I finished this sci-fi/fantasy book. I have to say I liked it a lot. There were so many cool and well written action scenes. The other world description was done well. It felt real. I enjoyed the leads. I would have liked more sex (but that's probably going to be on my tombstone one day). Anyway, this is just a fun read. Suspend your disbelief and join R’cey Hawke on a thrill ride.
Net Galley ARC received for an unbiased review.
Net Galley ARC received for an unbiased review.
September 12, 2016
The Flaw in Logic is an entertaining mash of sci fi and fantasy with gadgets and magic, interplanetary travel and creatures you read in those bedtime stories that made you keep your arms under the covers after lights out.
This story opens with bounty hunter R'cey Hawke sent on a mission to capture a criminal hiding on the non tech planet Triana. When her spacecraft is shot down in Triana airspace R’cey encounters Princess Thalia Dumont who is on a mission of her own. She and her squad of soldiers are searching for a sorcerer able to lift an evil spell cast on her father, King Lotar. The two women soon realize they are on a quest to find the same person and join forces to find this alleged sorcerer. During their quest they are met with one challenge after another with magical and mythical creatures attacking them at every turn. The action is nonstop as are the many realms they pass through. R'cey is attracted to Thalia and her gentle healing magic. Thalia finds strength and a trusted ally in R'cey. Together they must determine who they can trust as they battle friends and foes to succeed in their quest.
I've got mixed feelings about The Flaw in Logic. There is no question Ms. Thompson is a talented storyteller. I loved her last novel Beyond the Garden and was impressed with the author's vivid imagination and world building in that novel. The Flaw in Logic does not feel as polished in comparison to her previous work. It is a great adventure but there are so many events and creatures to deal with that many scenes feel rushed and incomplete. Thalia’s companions on her quest are loyal (more or less) to the princess but are dispatched before the reader has time to appreciate their roles in the story. It’s telling when the only characters besides the mains I was drawn to were Thalia’s dragonlet Emerald and the kraken. Both were well done and now I want a dragonlet of my own. I did enjoy how magic manifested as gentle healing power in Thalia in contrast to the surprising magic power R'cey acquires.
The romance takes a back seat to the action in this novel. Both women are attracted to one another but are too busy trying to stay alive to focus on that attraction. This is one book I wish was six hundred pages long instead of less than three hundred to allow the mains more time to bond and give the readers some breathers between battles.
An action packed read to be sure.
ARC received with thanks from Sapphire Books via NetGalley for review
August 30, 2016
Fairly early into a story I generally have a rough idea what rating it will receive. Sometimes as I continue that goes up or down. The Flaw in Logic falls into the rare treasures I find that wow me from the first page to the last.
I honestly cannot fault this story and that’s big coming from someone who tends to avoid stories tagged as science fiction/fantasy. My analytical brain tends to pick the plot apart. However, throughout this story I was like… I want one of those suits… I want a dragon… ugh, trolls get them! The setting was so vivid, the characters, creatures and all, were real. My heart pounding, my gut twisted, I shed a tear, I did a happy dance. Oh and I was knocked off my feet when everything unfolded. Nope didn’t see it coming for the life of me.
This action and adventure is edgy, but also has a few lines of humor thrown in at just the right moment. The fact R’cey had a hard time believing in Magic made for a few giggles. Favorite line. “If you’re really magic, why didn’t you use it to fight that shadow thing? You couldn’t have shot fire out of your ass or something?”
This story falls into the lesbian category but sex is far from the focal point. There’s one brief scene between the ladies that can easily be glossed over. I savored it, and it was more than enough for this self-confessed smut lover. Honestly the story didn’t need it.
I’m not going to rehash the plot as I don’t want to give a single thing away! Just read it. I recommend The Flaw in Logic to everyone, regardless of their preferred genre.
Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
I honestly cannot fault this story and that’s big coming from someone who tends to avoid stories tagged as science fiction/fantasy. My analytical brain tends to pick the plot apart. However, throughout this story I was like… I want one of those suits… I want a dragon… ugh, trolls get them! The setting was so vivid, the characters, creatures and all, were real. My heart pounding, my gut twisted, I shed a tear, I did a happy dance. Oh and I was knocked off my feet when everything unfolded. Nope didn’t see it coming for the life of me.
This action and adventure is edgy, but also has a few lines of humor thrown in at just the right moment. The fact R’cey had a hard time believing in Magic made for a few giggles. Favorite line. “If you’re really magic, why didn’t you use it to fight that shadow thing? You couldn’t have shot fire out of your ass or something?”
This story falls into the lesbian category but sex is far from the focal point. There’s one brief scene between the ladies that can easily be glossed over. I savored it, and it was more than enough for this self-confessed smut lover. Honestly the story didn’t need it.
I’m not going to rehash the plot as I don’t want to give a single thing away! Just read it. I recommend The Flaw in Logic to everyone, regardless of their preferred genre.
Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
July 2, 2016
***** I received this ARC for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *****
I actually give this 4.5 stars, I LOVED this book! I loved the sci fi aspect of it, the sweet romance, (thankfully not graphic!), with plenty of action adventure. There were some grammar issues, but not enough to detract from the story. All in all, very well done and can't wait to read more from this author!
I actually give this 4.5 stars, I LOVED this book! I loved the sci fi aspect of it, the sweet romance, (thankfully not graphic!), with plenty of action adventure. There were some grammar issues, but not enough to detract from the story. All in all, very well done and can't wait to read more from this author!
August 16, 2016
Loved it
I loved the mix of old world and new tech in this story. I found it interesting how the worlds mixed and yet stayed separate. I highly recommend the story.
I loved the mix of old world and new tech in this story. I found it interesting how the worlds mixed and yet stayed separate. I highly recommend the story.
September 3, 2016
Sci-Fi/Fantasy story that merges a futuristic world with an almost like medieval world where magic exists. The story opens with R'cey, leading a mission to a planet to capture one of Amalgam's most wanted criminal. A surprised attack crashed R'cey's ship and left R'cey wounded in the woods. At the same time, Princess Thalia was leading her own mission as well - to find the most powerful sorcerer to reverse a spell which was cast on the king. The two's mission winded together when Thalia accidentally discovered the wounded bounty hunter, and subsequently believing that they're in fact after the same person.
You gotta love the creativity in the different realms (and the names!) that R'cey and Thalia walked on - the Swamp of Despair, the Land of the Dead, Lava Lands, Blessed Oasis etc. I love that as well the romance between R'cey and Thalia was not rushed, with the journey continues, you'll see how the two learn to trust each other with their lives. There is also a small twist towards the end after they found the sorcerer, and I loved that the twist brings R'cey and Thalia back together.
I've read a few of the author's work and this one is among the few that I really love. This is your book if you want to immerse yourself in a story filled with adventure, romance and magic.
You gotta love the creativity in the different realms (and the names!) that R'cey and Thalia walked on - the Swamp of Despair, the Land of the Dead, Lava Lands, Blessed Oasis etc. I love that as well the romance between R'cey and Thalia was not rushed, with the journey continues, you'll see how the two learn to trust each other with their lives. There is also a small twist towards the end after they found the sorcerer, and I loved that the twist brings R'cey and Thalia back together.
I've read a few of the author's work and this one is among the few that I really love. This is your book if you want to immerse yourself in a story filled with adventure, romance and magic.
September 1, 2016
It's taken me a while to get through this book and I have mixed feelings about it.
In the plus column, I liked the main female leads, who were the most well-developed and showcasing the most personality out of the cast of characters. It was refreshing that they didn't wallow in angst and were relatively mature in the way they acknowledged their attraction to one another, but that the circumstances weren't conducive to pursuing any sort of relationship. I did enjoy that they were a solid team and looked out for each other, even as they were dancing around their burgeoning romantic feelings for each other.
I also thought there was a fun mix of sci-fi and fantasy. You don't often get that combination of genres, I find that authors stick to one or the other, so it was cool exploring people of different cultures discovering something new and beyond their experience, whether it was that magic really exists or that aliens were among them!
The action was well-paced, there were lots of thrilling battles and the author wasn't holding anything back, unleashing hordes of harpies, piskies (like pixies, but undead!) and golems, among other demonic threats.
However, on the downside, I found the writing a bit clunky - often the character would say something and then the text would summarize that statement. For instance, one of the guards kept feebly suggesting turning back out of cowardice - he put this forward at least three times in one chapter, getting shot down each time, and then the text interjects, 'Henry's argument was weak at best'. The showing was perfectly fine, we didn't need to be told that! We saw the other characters call him out on being scared and wanting to save his own hide, that statement was unnecessary. As a one-off, I wouldn't take much notice, but this was a common feature of the writing style.
The side characters were also rather one-note. Bergen, the leader of the Enforcers sent to protect the princess, simply growled his mistrust of R'cey in every single conversation for at least half the book. I understand not trusting the alien outsider, of course, but you'd think someone in his position would know when they're in a losing battle and bide their time! Instead everyone seemed to wear their hearts on their sleeve and say exactly what was on their mind rather than practicing discretion or manipulation.
So this was hard to judge, it was six of one and half-a-dozen of another! It was diverting as long as you're not overly picky about the prose and a bit forgiving of shallow characterization in side characters. This would be more of a 2.5 star review if Goodreads allowed that!
Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC free from NetGalley and Sapphire Books Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
In the plus column, I liked the main female leads, who were the most well-developed and showcasing the most personality out of the cast of characters. It was refreshing that they didn't wallow in angst and were relatively mature in the way they acknowledged their attraction to one another, but that the circumstances weren't conducive to pursuing any sort of relationship. I did enjoy that they were a solid team and looked out for each other, even as they were dancing around their burgeoning romantic feelings for each other.
I also thought there was a fun mix of sci-fi and fantasy. You don't often get that combination of genres, I find that authors stick to one or the other, so it was cool exploring people of different cultures discovering something new and beyond their experience, whether it was that magic really exists or that aliens were among them!
The action was well-paced, there were lots of thrilling battles and the author wasn't holding anything back, unleashing hordes of harpies, piskies (like pixies, but undead!) and golems, among other demonic threats.
However, on the downside, I found the writing a bit clunky - often the character would say something and then the text would summarize that statement. For instance, one of the guards kept feebly suggesting turning back out of cowardice - he put this forward at least three times in one chapter, getting shot down each time, and then the text interjects, 'Henry's argument was weak at best'. The showing was perfectly fine, we didn't need to be told that! We saw the other characters call him out on being scared and wanting to save his own hide, that statement was unnecessary. As a one-off, I wouldn't take much notice, but this was a common feature of the writing style.
The side characters were also rather one-note. Bergen, the leader of the Enforcers sent to protect the princess, simply growled his mistrust of R'cey in every single conversation for at least half the book. I understand not trusting the alien outsider, of course, but you'd think someone in his position would know when they're in a losing battle and bide their time! Instead everyone seemed to wear their hearts on their sleeve and say exactly what was on their mind rather than practicing discretion or manipulation.
So this was hard to judge, it was six of one and half-a-dozen of another! It was diverting as long as you're not overly picky about the prose and a bit forgiving of shallow characterization in side characters. This would be more of a 2.5 star review if Goodreads allowed that!
Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC free from NetGalley and Sapphire Books Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2016
There are so many good things to say about this book. I voraciously read sci-fi and fantasy books, so to have that much-loved genre combined with my other love, lesfic, is wonderful. R'cey is strong, determined, and bull-headed; exactly what you'd expect of an offworlder crash landing on a backward planet. It really sucked that her crew died so quickly. I think I would have liked getting to know them better. Meanwhile, Thalia is trying to find her own leadership skills, because her father has definitely headed down the rabbit hole. Thalia is thinking she needs to do something, before there's nothing left of their country to rule. This leads to a Goddess-like being putting the whammy on the King. Thalia has to gather a few guards to accompany her and head off to find a cure. And on the way, Thalia runs into R'cey and the rest is history... or at least awesome story. We know something hinky has been going on, because we find out something has been affecting the King for a very long time. And what this leads to is a lot of suspicion about everybody Thalia meets. We, the readers, are looking for spies, or double agents, or highly ambitious, unscrupulous courtiers. And really, we kind of get hints about that all over the place. And at the end, when we find out who the bad guys really are, it comes from a surprising quarter. And Thalia grows in to the kind of leader her people need.
So, this book is a kind of fusion between sci-fi and fantasy, which I've been running into more and more lately. And the mix actually works, or in the case of books like this, works splendidly. We're left wondering how things are going to work out, and yet the resolution is so organic that it seems like it was inevitable. One thing I didn't care for, which I don't know how it could possibly change, but the relationship between the two got really deep, really fast. I know there's all sorts of anecdotal evidence that says this could happen, but I miss the slow, deliberate get to know you part of a relationship. Like I said, things in this story moved way too fast for that to be possible, but part of me still wants to see it. Also, there are some things that are never explained, like who Grace actually is and what her purpose is, or whether R'cey's adaptation to the planet, which it is implied caused her powers to appear, is unique to her, or if others will gain something similar. Which, actually, I'm cool with. When I closed the book, I found myself smiling. The book is enjoyable, and I'd definitely recommend it to any sci-fi/fantasy lovers out there.
I received a copy of this book in order to give an honest review.
So, this book is a kind of fusion between sci-fi and fantasy, which I've been running into more and more lately. And the mix actually works, or in the case of books like this, works splendidly. We're left wondering how things are going to work out, and yet the resolution is so organic that it seems like it was inevitable. One thing I didn't care for, which I don't know how it could possibly change, but the relationship between the two got really deep, really fast. I know there's all sorts of anecdotal evidence that says this could happen, but I miss the slow, deliberate get to know you part of a relationship. Like I said, things in this story moved way too fast for that to be possible, but part of me still wants to see it. Also, there are some things that are never explained, like who Grace actually is and what her purpose is, or whether R'cey's adaptation to the planet, which it is implied caused her powers to appear, is unique to her, or if others will gain something similar. Which, actually, I'm cool with. When I closed the book, I found myself smiling. The book is enjoyable, and I'd definitely recommend it to any sci-fi/fantasy lovers out there.
I received a copy of this book in order to give an honest review.
December 10, 2018
What happens when a Galactic bounty hunter meets a magic wielding princess? Sparks fly, or more accurately, laser beams and bolts of magic. ‘The Flaw in Logic’ by S.Y. Thompson is a wonderful combination of both science fiction and fantasy which, to me, is like peanut butter chocolate; a delicious pairing!
R’cey is a fierce, noble and determined bounty hunter from a planetary coalition called Amalgam. Her latest mission is to capture a dangerous criminal believed to be hiding on the planet Triana. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned for the bounty hunter and her crew resulting in their ship crash landing on the planet.
Princess Thalia is a royal from Honui on the less technologically advanced planet of Triana. Her father, the King, has fallen under a dark spell and she must set off on a quest to find the powerful sorcerer that can cure him. Destiny brings the two women together as they discover they are both in search the same man.
Joining forces, R’cey and Thalia embark on an epic quest where they battle piskies, harpies, demons and goblins (oh, and a kraken!! I have so much kraken love…). It is thoroughly entertaining to watch, as the story progresses, the technologically advanced characters trying to come to terms with the existence of magic and conversely, those that believe in magic trying to come to terms with advanced technology and the existence of aliens. The book is packed with perfectly paced action with a sort of Game of Thrones, who’s going to die next vibe to it. And if you lean more towards romance, well there is an awful lot of that as well!
R’cey is a fierce, noble and determined bounty hunter from a planetary coalition called Amalgam. Her latest mission is to capture a dangerous criminal believed to be hiding on the planet Triana. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned for the bounty hunter and her crew resulting in their ship crash landing on the planet.
Princess Thalia is a royal from Honui on the less technologically advanced planet of Triana. Her father, the King, has fallen under a dark spell and she must set off on a quest to find the powerful sorcerer that can cure him. Destiny brings the two women together as they discover they are both in search the same man.
Joining forces, R’cey and Thalia embark on an epic quest where they battle piskies, harpies, demons and goblins (oh, and a kraken!! I have so much kraken love…). It is thoroughly entertaining to watch, as the story progresses, the technologically advanced characters trying to come to terms with the existence of magic and conversely, those that believe in magic trying to come to terms with advanced technology and the existence of aliens. The book is packed with perfectly paced action with a sort of Game of Thrones, who’s going to die next vibe to it. And if you lean more towards romance, well there is an awful lot of that as well!
September 2, 2016
Science fantasy romance with lesbian heroines. Or, at least I guess they are, though preference is not an issue. This story has the leader of a team of bounty hunters crash landing on a world that keeps its distance from the technologically advanced universe. She is rescued by a princess who is on a quest to save her father. The princess is aware of people from other worlds, but she is one of few who do. They join up for the quest as it quickly becomes clear that they are likely looking for the same person.
The twist is that not only is this world technologically simple by choice, it also has magic. That plays a role in the story, but surprisingly not in a way I expected in the climactic scene. For the most part the story moved along well. However, there were some issues that didn't quite make sense to me as the story progressed. It seemed as though some plot points, while made, were set aside for convenience rather than be properly dealt with. Some came up later, but given the amount of time spent talking about them earlier, it was disappointing that the characters ignored clear issues in order for them to blow up later on. 3.5 stars
I received a copy for review through NetGalley.
The twist is that not only is this world technologically simple by choice, it also has magic. That plays a role in the story, but surprisingly not in a way I expected in the climactic scene. For the most part the story moved along well. However, there were some issues that didn't quite make sense to me as the story progressed. It seemed as though some plot points, while made, were set aside for convenience rather than be properly dealt with. Some came up later, but given the amount of time spent talking about them earlier, it was disappointing that the characters ignored clear issues in order for them to blow up later on. 3.5 stars
I received a copy for review through NetGalley.
January 5, 2017
I have read several books that tried to mix fantasy with science-fiction, and none really worked out (for me). This one is no exception, unfortunately.
The first eight chapters were OK, with R'cey crashing on a backwater planet and dealing with the aftermath. She meets Princess Thalia, who is on a quest to find a cure for her father, the King. The strange thing is that Thalia isn't surprised at all to find an alien woman on her world, and R'cey reluctantly decides to join Thalia on her quest.
So far, so good.
The rest of the book ventures into the fantasy realm, and that's where it all fell apart. It's the standard tale of hardship and fights with all manner of mythical creatures, and R'cey developing powers she just doesn't believe in. The journey involves hostile terrain and fights with Trolls, Harpies, Imps, demons and Witches. I couldn't shake the idea that all these fights and creatures were just there to pad the wordcount. I was also struggling (just as R'cey was) with the idea of these 'standard' creatures on an alien world. Why not use monsters that are specific for that planet?
And why is R'cey developing these powers?
The last couple of chapters were focussed again on the sci-fi part, but I really had lost interest by then.
The first eight chapters were OK, with R'cey crashing on a backwater planet and dealing with the aftermath. She meets Princess Thalia, who is on a quest to find a cure for her father, the King. The strange thing is that Thalia isn't surprised at all to find an alien woman on her world, and R'cey reluctantly decides to join Thalia on her quest.
So far, so good.
The rest of the book ventures into the fantasy realm, and that's where it all fell apart. It's the standard tale of hardship and fights with all manner of mythical creatures, and R'cey developing powers she just doesn't believe in. The journey involves hostile terrain and fights with Trolls, Harpies, Imps, demons and Witches. I couldn't shake the idea that all these fights and creatures were just there to pad the wordcount. I was also struggling (just as R'cey was) with the idea of these 'standard' creatures on an alien world. Why not use monsters that are specific for that planet?
And why is R'cey developing these powers?
The last couple of chapters were focussed again on the sci-fi part, but I really had lost interest by then.
September 6, 2016
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
This is a brilliant Science fiction / Fantasy with a bit of romance thrown in.
The characters are well thought out and interact brilliantly.
Highly recommended.
This is a brilliant Science fiction / Fantasy with a bit of romance thrown in.
The characters are well thought out and interact brilliantly.
Highly recommended.
November 4, 2016
It's interesting with romances. It's almost like the story merely exists as a mechanism for the romance the author wants to share. Instead of what I'm used to and that the story exists on its own, but there are several things that enhance it (like romance).
Or maybe that the true plot of the story is the romance? And the rest - the story plot, environment, characters, are all supporting characters.
Either way, this was a fun mix of sci fi and fantasy. I liked the characters and enjoyed watching them getting to know each other.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sapphire Books Publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.
Or maybe that the true plot of the story is the romance? And the rest - the story plot, environment, characters, are all supporting characters.
Either way, this was a fun mix of sci fi and fantasy. I liked the characters and enjoyed watching them getting to know each other.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sapphire Books Publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.
February 2, 2017
The story centres around a bounty Hunter and a princess. Their quest to bring to justice a wanted criminal and a cure for the King who is under a magic curse.
It's the sort of book I usually like to read. For some reason it felt like something was missing. It is a personal taste but I do not like it when the author tells me what is happening. I felt there was quite a bit of telling and not showing i.e. through action scenes. I didn't really feel the romance that went from gratitude of being rescued to full on romance.
The story is well written with good pacing. It's only my personal preferences, but if you enjoy fantasy try a sample chapter and see if its for you. 2.5 stars.
It's the sort of book I usually like to read. For some reason it felt like something was missing. It is a personal taste but I do not like it when the author tells me what is happening. I felt there was quite a bit of telling and not showing i.e. through action scenes. I didn't really feel the romance that went from gratitude of being rescued to full on romance.
The story is well written with good pacing. It's only my personal preferences, but if you enjoy fantasy try a sample chapter and see if its for you. 2.5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews