Stevie‘s review of The Perfect Whore (Storm and Lightning, Book 1) by Josephine Myles
Gay Science Fiction Romance published by Josephine Myles 26 Apr 18
I originally read a shorter version of this story when it was serialised on the author’s blog a few years ago. Now revised and expanded, the first adventure of Jedd Lightning, his lover Storm, and their associates has recently been released as a novella. I love space opera anyway, and I particularly enjoyed the premise behind this one; of course, I had to get hold of a copy.
Jedd is a small-time crook and would-be smuggler, stranded with his best friend on an alien world until they can scrape together the funds required to repair their ship. Tempted by the possibility of earning big bucks fast, he takes on a risky job: stealing a datapod of blackmail material from a local bigwig, while the mark is otherwise distracted in a high-class brothel. What Jedd’s boss hasn’t thought to tell anyone is that the mark’s favourite whore is a telepathic shapeshifter – native to the planet, although most of his kind have been wiped out by more violent species – who will take on the physical form of whomever the person touching him most desires.
Storm remembers very little of his people or his life before he was kidnapped, abused, and sold into sex-slavery, but he knows that the handsome rogue breaking in on him and his client looks like an excellent option for escaping the exhaustive business of changing his body multiple times a day just to make money for the madam in charge.
When Jedd gets away with Storm, but without the passcode for the datapod, he has to think on his feet and evade all the people who suddenly want to kill him and his friends. Fortunately, Storm turns out to be an excellent ally, even if the pair – not to mention Jedd’s copilot – fall foul of a few misunderstandings along the way.
This story was every bit as fun as I remembered it being. The revisions mean that it’s very much the first part of a series, rather than a standalone novel, but I love all the hints of backstory we get, as well as the subtle nods to the fact that this adventure is taking place on a very alien world with plenty of characters who are far removed from humans in their appearances, mannerisms and values. I can’t wait to find out what’s in store for our heroes next.
Grade: B
Summary:
Being the object of everyone’s sexual fantasies ain’t all it’s cracked up to be…
On a mining colony planet a long way from Earth, bandit Jedd Lightning dreams of making enough money to get his ship spaceworthy again. During a robbery at a high-class brothel, he meets gorgeous alien rentboy Storm and is instantly smitten—but the heist goes south and Jedd has to high-tail it out of there with only half the loot.
Enslaved by a fierce Madam, Storm’s shapeshifting talents make him the most sought after whore on Talmak. He literally can’t stop himself becoming his client’s fantasy lover. Sick of enforced transformations, he wants to escape, but he’s closely guarded and has no experience of the unfamiliar city outside the brothel.
Storm is willing—and eager—to do anything to persuade Jedd to break him out of his gilded prison. Lucky for him the arrogant outlaw needs Storm’s help to free his crewmate, held as hostage by a vicious mob boss who wants Jedd to complete the theft he was hired for. Storm keeps blowing away Jedd’s expectations—but with both the law and the mob against them, they could end up with nowhere left to run.
Read an excerpt.
