I’ve read Samhain’s CYBERSHOCK anthology of cyberpunk romances and thought I’d tag them for you. Each story was unique enough that I thought it'd be fun to present a few of the distinctions for readers who like to pick and choose their anthology stories—especially since these are ebooks that can be purchased individually.These are non-spoiler tags meant to impart the general flavor of each story. Here are the stories and my tags in alphabetical order by title:
GHOST IN THE MACHINE by Barbara J. Hancock
Setting: cyberpunk; post-apocalyptic; world was devastated by invasion of sentient bio-computer; a dash of biopunk; paranormal veneer in terms of language used to describe setting, characters
Heroine: Bet is on a mission to rescue brother; she’s a survivor trying to stay alive in a treacherous world; carries a cool gun--and isn't afraid to use it
Hero: Gabriel appears in the guise of an angel avatar; mysterious; ideal for readers who enjoy stories with “ordinary” heroines paired with “extraordinary” heroes.
Tone: atmospheric; eerie
Action-adventure quotient: low; focus is more on the quest
Villain: Earth is under the control of a “biomass” known as the SoulEater. Conceptually, a horrific one, but the description isn’t graphic.
Heat level: moderate
GRIDLOCK by Nathalie Gray
Setting: cyberpunk; dystopian; oppressive Big Brother type government known as the “Grid.”Heroine: Steel is a scruffy, tortured heroine; drug runner; has piercings and tattoos in the Lisbeth Salander mode (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO)
Hero: Dante is a cyborg with special powers and bent on revenge
Tone: gritty, dark, edgy; graphic violence
Action adventure quotient: high-octane
Villain: Two, actually: Creepy scientist and an all-knowing AI
Heat level: moderate
ZERO FACTOR by Stacy Gail
Heroine: Via is a “psionic,” who possesses psychic powers that must be kept hidden lest she become a government pawn
Hero: Locke is a military soldier with cybernetic enhancements. He’s on a mission to determine why his commander wants to kill him
Tone: mildly suspenseful
Action-adventure quotient: low; focus is more on the romance & character introspection
Villain: Fynn is a ruthless military colonel bent on maintaining his vision of social order
Heat level: sensual (features a bit more in the love scene department than the other two stories); psychic sex
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I had fun tagging them (and reading them!). Let me know if you'd like to see more posts like this.
Joyfully yours,
Heather