Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: Fated Blades

Top positive review

Totally biased review because I enjoy their writing so much I devoured this in a state of ridiculous happiness!

Reviewed in Australia on 26 November 2021

I’m not even going to PRETEND to be unbiased here because I bloody love @ilona_andrews books and I absolutely devoured this next installment in the Kinsmen universe!

⚔️Synopsis (Goodreads):
An uneasy alliance between warring families gets heated in this otherworldly novella from bestselling author Ilona Andrews.

At first glance, the planet Rada seems like a lush paradise. But the ruling families, all boasting genetically enhanced abilities, are in constant competition for power—and none more so than the Adlers and the Baenas. For generations, the powerful families have pushed and pulled each other in a dance for dominance.

Until a catastrophic betrayal from within changes everything.

Now, deadly, disciplined, and solitary leaders Ramona Adler and Matias Baena must put aside their enmity and work together in secret to prevent sinister forces from exploiting universe-altering technology.
⚔️

Enemies to friends/lovers? Deadly and determined and not apologetic for it? Suave and old school honourable about things that are Just Not Done? Fancy tech and special abilities?

COME AT ME 😍😍😍

As with all the other books in this universe the relationships and interactions between the two MCs was mature, funny and the burn between the two was just *chef’s kiss* perfect. I loved their banter so much, especially when it’s them against enemies. It’s an indelible part of all of IA’s books and it’s brilliant.

One thing though: while it isn’t strictly necessary to read the first two books to understand this (and it’d still be enjoyable!) I highly recommend it so you fully understand what Kinsmen society and world is like.

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Kindle Customer

disappointing unfortunately

Reviewed in Australia on 23 November 2021

A big fan of the other works of this writing team, but this book just didn’t work for me sorry to say

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Us2

Sad disappointment

Reviewed in Germany on 6 December 2021

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I’m a big fan of Ilona Andrews and usually devour all of their books. Unfortunately this one didn’t convince me. I couldn’t feel the chemistry between the characters. Instead, there was a lot of action that didn’t catch me…also I don’t particularly like this overemphasis on military and technology.
Anyway, in general great authors though & I am looking forward to reading upcoming books!

Emily Green

A little disappointed in this one

Reviewed in the United States on 5 December 2021

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As a long time Ilona Andrews fan with a soft spot for the Kinsmen universe it pains me to give anything less than a five star review, but I had a hard time connecting with this one. It's very fast paced and action filled without the usual focus on character. I am primarily a character based reader instead of action based and found myself scanning large portions of the travel and fight scenes. I am hopeful that later books in this series will return to this author's strong female protagonist with a steadfast heart.

14 people found this helpful

WCroc

Wanting something more

Reviewed in the United States on 25 November 2021

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I love these authors, but unfortunately this story just lacked in depth and interest. The basic plot was good it just fell flat . Too much time spent on the buildup of the”romance “ and too little on a really good and in-depth plot.

7 people found this helpful

Kathy Davie

Oh, brother . . .

Reviewed in the United States on 13 April 2022

Verified Purchase

Third in The World of Kinsmen science fiction romance series and revolving around an enhanced group of people who dwell in city of New Delphi in the Dahlia Province on the Davenport Planet Rada. The couple focus is on Ramona Adler and Matias Baena.

My Take
There is a glancing flavor of India in this series, but the greatest emphasis is on the hatred between the Baenas and the Adlers. It's one of those silly hatreds, similar to the Hatfields and the McCoys where most have no idea why they hate each other.

These two families have secare leading them, which gives the reader a new twist on the kinsmen. There's an interesting bit of back history that explains how a person may become secare as well as how humanity chose planets to settle. A later history about Matias' great-great-great-grandfather, and a more recent back history that concerns Matias' runaway mother. He's too good to her.

It is a simplistic story of two rival families whose spouses have no loyalty. This lack leads to a horror that could bring down three respected families. The romantic angle forces two of the family heads to cooperate, and they learn so much about what they want and would respect in a partner.

Sure, it's fun, especially if you enjoy a good battle of one-on-one. Armstrong uses third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Ramona's and Matias' perspectives, so we get to listen in on their thoughts, hopes, dreams, frustrations, and more.

The exchange with the crew leader and the court clerk were confusing, although Armstrong probably intended it as a quicker way to demonstrate Ramona's friendliness. I do wish she'd created a better connection.

Drewery's home sounds fabulous, and Ramona and Matias' approach to the estate could have used some finessing by the author. I did, however, enjoy Matias' snap back at Drewery, though. Hee-hee . . . I swear Cassida's parents are hideous. No wonder their daughter grew up so ignorant and power-mad.

These arranged marriages are just not right. Wait'll you read about Ramona's choices!

I do wish Andrews had given us something of the future of Cassida and Gabriel — he is so amazingly stupid, lol. I wanna wallow. And I must say the ease of this ending was followed up by the actions of the Vandal cruiser. Oy.

The pace is slowed by all the thinking Matias and Ramona do and their whining about their clans. It didn't help that their ending was so obvious nor that Andrews left so many gaps in the story.

I'm done with the Kinsmen. I do love most everything Ilona Andrews has written, but while this series has potential, it reads more like a toss-away bit of writing . . . not their "finest hour".

The Story
The secret of seco bioengineering of the secare has been lost until re-discovered by a salvager. Supposedly that secret was sold to one kinsmen family, who invested their all in developing a prototype.

An investment that could blow up in their faces.

Beware, for the Vandals might be impolite . . .

The Characters
There are three kinsmen families in Fated Blades: the Adlers, the Baenas, and the Davenports.

Ramona "Lady Spider" Adler, a secare, is the head of the clan and Adler, Inc. Gabriel is her husband. Karion is Ramona's older brother. Santiago is her younger, less patient brother. Both brothers are secare. Uncle Sabor is handy to know. Ray Adler, Ramona's great-great-great-grandfather with his own "stories", who settled on the planet.

Matias Baena, a secare, is the head of the clan and Baena Corp, and he conducts business in the Baena Tower. Cassida is his wife. Simone is Matias' non-secare sister. Aunt Nadira had leapt to the head of the family when life fell apart. Solei is his chief security officer. Ladmina is his vice-president. Sylus. Angelo Baena had been a contemporary of Ray Adler's.

Federal Senator Theodore Redding Drewery is Cassida's father, but not a kinsman. His wife, Lyla, has a combat implant.

Haider Davenport, the head of the family, is married to Damien, and they've just had a son. Henri Davenport is the father of Haider. Derra Lee is Haider's chief of security.

Adra is a city on the planet that celebrates a special festival. The Kamen is a small hotel in Stone City, an historic district in Adra. Park Sung Hyo is the provincial senator.

Olivia Solis is a childhood friend of Ramona's whose children were born with the Tarim mutation. Aria Teeling is with Orbital Traffic Control. Valina is an artist who rarely takes commissions. Janus works in immigration and has a spaniel. Other clans include the Vinogradovs, the Rook Trust, the Le family, and the Escanas.

The Vandals are . . .
. . . the Star Fall Republic Pacification Brigade (SFR), hand-picked sociopaths who are literally a nightmare with no remorse, no considerations. Ronaldo Marner, Varden Plant, and Weston Lugfort offered a deal to Haider. Lukas Dunlap-Whitaker is a secare mercenary for hire.

The Opus Massacre was one of the Vandals' operations. Kurt Summers was the commander of Matias' outfit and the convoy leader.

The kinsmen were bred with unique abilities, to help humanity spread across the stars. The secare are a branch of the kinsmen who were genetically engineered for a particular war, to project short-range force fields from their arms, bred to slaughter, and used by the traitorous Sabetera Geniocracy. Synchronization is the recognition of one secare with another, knowing when and how they will move in battle. First Wave temples were an early form of religion. Calais V is a planet with a mercenary hub. There's a story that there were five secare traitors: Whitney May, Hee Granados, Katia Parnell, Leland Dunlap-Whitaker, and Angelo Baena. There are twin moons surrounding the planet: Ganimede and Silver Sister.

The Cover and Title
The cover is cartoonish with its portrayal of the red-haired Ramona dancing with Matias. It's obviously the festival at Adra with Ramona's rainbow skirt and Matias' three-paneled vest with a portent of the future in the faded red "sword" he carries in his left hand while Ramona carries a more solid red shield in her left. The background is a diaphanous white drape that parts to reveal a peach background of green plants. At the top is the author's name in a red-shadowed red. The title begins at Ramona's and Matias' waists in a pale, pale peach that gradates diagonally across it to a darker peach. Below that is an info blurb in the same gradation.

The title is of two secares with Fated Blades.

Micah's Mom

Not my Favorite

Reviewed in the United States on 28 November 2021

Verified Purchase

I have waited for a book any book from this author. I was a little disappointed. Took a while to get into the story. Hope they get back on track.

4 people found this helpful

BlastedBella

Meg

Reviewed in the United States on 4 December 2021

Verified Purchase

It was ok. Kind of disappointed in Amazon for recommending it to me- seemed ok in description, but overall it was a bit cheesy. Short read, Leo ably ent look into this author again.

One person found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Short story at Book prices

Reviewed in the United States on 15 February 2022

Verified Purchase

2 hours and 20 minutes of reading is not a book; it’s a short story, and not a very good one. There simply isn’t enough time for world building or character arcs. I budget to buy, not borrow for free, to support my favorite authors, and this takes Ilona Andrews off the list.

One person found this helpful

Shellsan

just ok

Reviewed in the United States on 6 January 2022

Verified Purchase

Pretty much everything these authors do is good. In comparison to the rest of their work this one is just OK….. but it’s still pretty good for a quick fix.

One person found this helpful

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3 star		8%
2 star		1%
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