Tabs’ review of Star Knight Errant: Thrust by A.K. Shelley
Science Fiction Romance published by The Wild Rose Press, Inc 26 Aug 19
In the past, I’ve been a major contemporary reader, but I have been leaning hard into speculative romance this year. I have also been reading shorter books, which can be a good low-commitment way to try a new author. So this SFR novella hit the sweet spot between two of my current interests. When the blurb seemed to indicate the plot involved a sex-robot situation go awry, I decided to give it a try.
Cass, recently divorced and enjoying a weekend to herself, while her kids are on visitation on the other side of the planet with their father, takes her best friend’s advice and orders her home artificial intelligence system to create a temporary companion (i.e. sex robot), based on a swashbuckling space pirate comic book character she’s always had the hots for. But the AI is a black market model she got on the cheap and things quickly go haywire. Also, the artificial clone thinks he’s a real person, not a fictional character, but that’s got to be too good to be true, right?
This book has all the makings of a fun romp, but, unfortunately, it also has craft issues that hampered my enjoyment. The world building could have used some fine tuning. I spent a great deal of time confused about what the difference was between a clone and a replicant, and the characters used the two terms interchangeably, so that didn’t help. The sex scenes also needed major editing. I don’t tend to mind over-the-top descriptions or metaphors, but these scenes sort of read like an avalanche of weird cliches and they were difficult to get through.
If you’re looking for a quick novella featuring two horny people who bone while trapped in a murderous space house, this might be right up your alley.
Grade: C-
Summary:
When Martian Air Science Engineer Cass Hedley takes a dare to use her new Artificial Intelligence system for a night of erotic release, there’s only one man she can imagine spending time with—the legendary comic book hero Star Knight Errant. She imagines strong hands, hard abs, and bubble baths, but her black market AI has another idea—an illegal fight club that will only end in her sexy companion’s death…or hers.
When Evander Mór transports to an unknown desert planet, his mission changes. Instead of brokering a peace deal, he’ll figure out what backwater he’s landed on and enjoy a well-earned weekend off with a gorgeous scientist. But when things get hotter than a supernova between them, he discovers he only has eighteen hours to stop an AI bent on murder, convince Cass he’s more than fiction, and find a way to cross the gulf between galaxies to bring her home.
