Review: what More Can I say....Loved it
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 25, 2012
When you hear Voinov, you breathe in slowly to feel the exquisite excitement on what you will be about to read next. Dark Edge of Honor is a collaboration of Voinov and Rhianon Etzweiler. From Ms Etzweiler's bio, we can see her background and read about the three generations of military that is in her family. Breathe deep this one is gonna be good!!!For the Sci-Fi buffs Dark Edge of Honor takes place on a planet called Cirokko. The landscape is stark, so you can picture maybe Afghanistan. It is very backward in techno, backward culturally. The two protagonists at war over this planet is one following the views of The Doctrine. The Doctrine's policy is very imbedded into the minds and lives of its followers. No one person is important in their teachings, the Doctrine is the only important thing. It's rules are not to be challenged and its views are very closed minded. The other regime is called the Alliance, very much open minded and reflecting a more open culture.Sergei Stolkov is an officer under the the Doctrine regime. He is an honorable young man, and a dedicated soldier. His deepest desires go against the Doctrine principles, which he buries deep within his soul wanting to be the good son, the good nephew and the good officer. The Alliance calls these followers Zombies, as they feel they have been so indoctrinated with no feelings for self only the Doctrine.Mike is an imbedded deep cover agent for the Alliance. He lives and dresses the part of a Cirokko civilian. Mike finds through his surveillance that Sergei might have a weakness. Mike's "handler" orders him to use his body as a weapon, and he seduces Sergei to find out the enemy strategies. With this, Mike has released a Pandora's Box. Sergei's deepest desires have opened up a whole new existence for him and it starts changing what he believes, while Mike is drowning in feelings for this man, the enemy, feelings that he can not control.Voinov and Etzweiler have brought a story forth of such magnitude it is hard to put down and yet is so painful that you must take breaks and walk away from the emotion it brings. The love story between these to men is captured lovingly as Sergei's layers are peeled back, while Mike harbors the guilt of the love he feels for this man and the ever growing lie between them. These authors did not stop at giving us all the drama they could throw at us along with the good and the bad in each regime. We learn about a government that is liberal and one that totally is controlling of its people with mind wipes as a cure for those who do not comply.The final chapters are our greatest fears, when the Doctrine's Coalitions Internal Affiars division takes an interest at what happened in the mountains of Zasidka Pass. Mike and Sergei are brought on a path taken thru war, fighting giant lizards that fly, the anguish of rape, losing a limb thru war, losing what you believed in, and still be gifted the one thing you wish most for, your soul. This is one of the finest moments of this story. As I mentioned previously, some of these paths were not easy to read. I cried, my palms sweated, I raged at decisions made, I was totally brought into this story and was a very active participant.I must admit, I spent the better part of days re-living this story in my mind until I could make peace with it. I applaud these two authors who with their talented gifts to write, could channel and give us such a wonderful story. So I cannot say any more than ask you to read it and tell anyone you know to read it.Review by Gloria LakritzSr Member and Review Chair of the Paranormal Romance Guild