Title : Scorpion
Author: Aleksandr Voinov
Cover artist: Reese Dante
Publisher: Dreamspinner press
Amazon: Buy Link Scorpion
Length: 250 pages
Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
A guest review by Sirius
Summary: An action/adventure story about a mercenary struggling to rebuild his unit after the war which made me hold my breath when I was reading it.
Blurb:
You learn your wisest lessons from your enemies. Assuming, of course, you survive the encounter.
Kendras is a casualty of war: injured, penniless, and quite possibly the last surviving member of the only family he’s ever known—the elite fighting force known as the Scorpions. When a steel-eyed stranger offers him medicine and shelter in exchange for submission and a secret task, Kendras has no choice but to accept. He is a Scorpion; he’ll do whatever it takes to survive.
But his true goal is to rebuild the Scorpions. Neither Steel’s possessive nature nor Kendras’s shattered foot can keep him from finding the last of his brothers… or the mysterious leader of the Scorpions, a man who held Kendras’s heart long before Steel tried to take it for himself. The goal is simple, the situation anything but. To rescue his leader and escape from Steel for good, Kendras must fight through a morass of politics and intrigue, where enemies are allies and even allies have hidden agendas.
Review:
First and foremost, I love the cover. I really, really love the cover. *stares at the cover with dreamy eyes* 🙂 Okay, back to the book now.
I was excited and curious to read this story because at some point I considered myself a huge fun of this author. However I then realized that while I have read a lot of titles which he co-wrote with others, I was actually not familiar at all with his individual style outside of one short story by him (and that story was actually my least favorite out of all his works). I was looking forward to see if I liked him as much as when paired with someone else.
I did. I could not put this book down. It is a twisty action/adventure, which takes place in the well-drawn fantasy world, and I thought the world building was awesome. It comes out slowly and unexpectedly and not everything is presented to us together in one or several huge information dumps. Some of this world is revealed through the characters’ life stories, some is revealed through cleverly-given information, which totally makes sense in the story, and some is revealed through action itself. I loved it.
It is a story about brotherhood of soldiers, something which I love reading about. Give me comrades who would do anything for each other and I am a happy camper even if those guys are not romantically involved. Kendras, as the blurb tells us, is certainly not a man who would give up until he achieves his goal to rebuild his unit, the Scorpions, after a horrible war. The circumstances he finds himself in could have certainly made a weaker person give up, but Kendras follows the team’s motto “Never Stop Fighting” to the letter. He goes through physical and mental hardships, shows willingness to do anything — literally anything in the name of his comrades — and gets involves in dirty politics, but remains a true Scorpion until the very end.
I really enjoyed how this book was written. It is fast-paced, exciting and a pleasure to read. I felt Kendras’ despair, his never-ending desire to bring back his comrades if they are alive and to release them to death if they are dead. It felt sometimes as if I was watching a movie, but the pictures on the page did not become less complex just because it was cinematic as well:
Kendras shrugged. A Fetinye might not have heard of the Seventeenth or “Scorpions”, and now he likely never would. It seemed pointless to display the symbols now if the people and deeds belonging to them were memories. The tattoos not dark enough against his skin, and the raised scars of the etching remained. He’d worn the scorpion on his gloves, but he didn’t know where they were. The glaive was gone. Not that he could have wielded it now.
Speaking about the storyline in general, the plot turns surprised me at least twice, and I loved that I could not predict what would happen at all in those instances. It was a very welcome diversion from so many predictable plots in this genre. The action in this story was just so much fun.
When I read Scorpion for the first time, I did not notice anything romantic; there was plenty of hot sex, but I did not find much romance. I did not feel that it was a problem because so many other things were happening and characters were really busy fighting for their lives and doing other stuff. However, when I reread it, I realized that the romantic tension definitely was there, just quite subtle and not in your face. That worked for me.
It was not until I had finished the book did I realize I had any issues with it. While brotherhoods of soldiers in general is one of my favorite themes in fiction, I found these particular soldiers , and specifically the Officer who Kendras spent so much time trying to find to be pretty immoral(especially after we are treated to some major revelations about him). This impression of mine does not take away at all from the brilliantly-written characters, but it certainly removes some of my ability to relate to Kendras and his boys. I think I would have wanted to see that something else besides loyalty to each other keep them fighting, and I would have liked for that to have happened before the end. On the other hand, maybe it was their characters arc to realize that there are bigger things than just loyalty to the Scorpions to fight for.
Lastly, I had an issue with the “bad guy.” In light of how I perceived the morality of the Scorpions and their leader, I wondered what exactly the so-called “bad guy” of the story did that the soldiers did not or were not eager to do? All of the characters in this story were deeply flawed and had shades of gray/darkness in them, but I could not shake off the feeling that the author wanted to portray the “bad guy” as such and somehow contrast him to the Scorpions. I guess I am not sure there was something to contrast in the first place as they seemed way too similar to me.
Highly recommended as exciting and powerful read.
I liked this story a lot even though I felt it was over-sexualized. It has a kind of raw and direct storytelling quality that I very much appreciate, but I can never unconditionally get into this author’s work since sex and sexual violence is more often than not intermingled in this.
The intersting parts for me was Steels obsession with Kendras and Kendras love for his captain.
Saga I do agree about raw and direct storytelling quality in this one. Have you tried his ‘Transit’ written together with Raev Gray? I would not call that one oversexualized.
Yes I did read transit and you’re right, that story was more romance (and very good). I think the storytelling in Scorpion is more powerful… carries more of a punch somehow, though very subtle, but then I am really fond of the more direct approach when it is done well. I guess I just wish it wasn’t always so intermingled with sex/sexual violence.
I really, really love the cover too. 😀
I loved the book and I was delighted to hear that there will be a sequel. I have to admit it, I had the same issues as you at first, but by the end of the book I accepted that our moral standards may not be applicable for the world/society in question. It certainly is the world of all shades of gray. I mean, Widow was my second favorite character. That is saying something. Anyway, great review!
Thanks LadyM, I just want to clarify that when I said I was having trouble relating to the characters, I did not mean that I require perfection in them, quite the contrary. I just wanted these boys to have I don’t know? A line which they will not cross no matter what? And I did not get an impression that they have had that line. How to put it? On its own nothing that they did bothered me much, actually no, sorry one action by Kendras bothered me a great deal, but overall I could understand and relate to what they had been through, that growing up as a lot of they did, of course they have had known no other family but each other. I get it, I really do. However I wanted them to have some line in their minds and hearts which they will not cross no matter what, and it does not have to be *my* line, if that makes sense? I just did not get an impression that they have had that line at all.
But it was an amazing read for sure, I most certainly do not need to relate to the characters to respect the book if that makes sense, it literally had me glued to pages, engaged all my senses, etc. I just do not think it will be one of my rereads, you know?
By chance, without knowing about your review, I finished reading Scorpion just yesterday.
I liked all: the cover, the characters, the plot, the surprises in the plot. I even felt sympathy for Gray Eyes and in the end regret for his death.
Too short but this story shows, for me, the hard work and research behind the pages.
As for the sequel, from Aleksandr’s blog, I understand that Scorpion 2 will be not published very soon, if it will be written.
Thanks for commenting Alina, I felt sympathy for Gray Eyes too, sort of.
Does the book have dub-con issues between Kendras and Steel – that’s a big no-no for me – otherwise I might be interested in it.
Spoiler alert!
Lasha, dub-con is a big no-no for me too and the Kendra/Steele relationship didn’t cross it but sometimes skid close. It’s more a business relationship, sexual favors in return for help. Steele never forces himself on Kendra, he actually wants him willing. The power in is more in Kendras favor since Steele is so infatuated (this is one reason why this relationship is so interesting). There is a big violent scene betwen them but it is not sexual.
It’s a lot of sex in the story, the Scorpions for example bond through sex but that is strictly consensual. There are references to rapes that has happened but no graphical descriptions.
Some parts left me uncomfortable (as I said skid close) but it never crossed a big no-no line.
Lasha I think I agree with what Saga said, although I would add that close for me meant really really close. I do agree though that Steele wanted him willing and for the most part had.
You might be right Sirius, maybe I forget how close it was… though I have to admit the rapes and for example the interaction with the young monk made me more uncomfortable than the steele/kendras interaction.
I do not think you forgot anything saga, I think maybe we are just feeling a little bit differently about the same interactions, I mean I definitely do not think it was rape, i just get a feel that it was skirting close, you know? The way he wanted complete submission and the only way Kendras did IMO is because he was completely concentrated on his goal.
Sirius,
Thank you for your comments on the cover. 😀
Thank you for maaking the cover Reese :). Stares with dreamy eyes again.
I mean, really, I definitely had seen beatiful covers on the several books lately, but I do not remember when was the last time that I found the *man* on the cover so very hot, I blame too many naked and headless torsos personally. Again, to be fair, I had seen wonderful covers lately, but those covers usually for me were of a different variety – I saw beauty, love, intimacy portrayed on those covers, but as to the covers which tried to portrayed raw sexual appeal of the character combined with his will of steel to never stop fighting, well for me it is mostly massive fail, yours here is a definitely thumbs up for me.
Can’t turn the eyes from that cover 😉
Thanks for the review. I have been thinking about this book and now will get it. Your review reminded me of Glen Cook’s ‘Black Company’ books. These are military fantasy but have that theme of the Black Company against the world and the madness of overlords and Emperors and Gods and while in every book company soldiers die, the company goes on. Thinking about your comment on wanting a ‘line’ that won’t be crossed – a sense of moral compass. Would not their line be anything for the Scorpions? Also sharing the love for the cover.
OOO yes Merrian, though I have not read those books and cannot say whether their line would be anything for Scorpions, what you are describing feels similar to me. And see thats interesting, initially and throughout the story it is exactly what you said – company against the world, but the end is quite different. That is why I wonder whether in Scorpion “Company against the world” was ever supposed to be that moral compass, or the lack of such and at the end they grew up to see that there is something bigger than that? Cannot say more without spoilers unfortunately. Hope you enjoy.
Hi Sirius,
thanks for the review – glad you like it. I’m not going to comment on the morality of it. Let’s say I’ve written about Templars who die for God, and these guys would only die for each other. Personally, as the author, I liked everybody and understood everybody (I’m making an exception with the high priest, but really only him). Hey, Widow is one of my favourites.
As Merrian noted, this does sound a lot like “The Black Company”. Glen Cook is my hero, and certainly no small influence. His was the first “military fantasy” novel I’ve read and the genre was a natural fit for me. I do like epic fantasy, but I’m sick and tired of elves versus orcs and young boys finding swords that help them defeat evil gods/kings/dark-skinned invaders from the East or whatever (yeah, I’m making fun of the cliche here).
So, absolutely, Glen Cook put me on this particular path. Actually, I was planning to re-read his series (read it 8-9 years ago and don’t remember a lot, to be honest), but I didn’t want to be influenced too much by it. Now of course I’m worried that I *did* rip him off. Ah well, at least my subconsciousness then has taken it from a good writer.
Thanks for writing it Aleks. Heh, I will still read fantasy with elves, but I definitely agree that it became clishe, it is the same for me with vampires and werewolves these days, will only read something with fresh twist on those.
Now I really have to read ‘Scorpions’ 😀 Re ‘the Black Company’ I was thinking of the brothers left behind in the cave and how the company took over a country in order to build a powerbase and an army to get them back and then when the city gates get dropped on Sleepy and the company loses a whole generation and so have to work out who they are again with what they now know of their formation all those thousand years ago and you know they are going to muddle along and make mistakes and think they are not living up to the heroes of the past but we know that every muddled through with cunning and heart so they are the heroes but just don’t know it. I also think Cook’s device of the annals and the importance the company places on recording of memory is very importnat to the notion of ‘everything for the company’. I loved all of that and then Cook stopped writing the series 🙁 So I am very happy that the ghosts of the Black company live on in other hearts than mine.
Now thinking about the ‘scorpions’ against the world as the moral compass is very interesting because it is not as clear cut as it seems because it is about survival of what? The greatest numbers/a history and memory of an original purpose for being/an ethos/power over/or simply one’s mates?
Merrian, I think I may check out Glen Cook myself :). I cannot comment on your question without giving out spoilers, but oh my god how I wish i could. Okay, lets see, I would not say that it was only about survival before the war, it all ties up for me into the motives of the officer, whom I actually thought lacking such compass the most. Now, Kendras’ motives after the war were definitely about survival and rebuilding his unit, and was probably the mixture of all three that you listed.
Merrian – yup, the “
Merrian – yup, the “annals” are “the memory” in “Scorpion”. In my defense, my professor at university was one of the global capacities on the issue of “memoria” (“memory/rememberance”) of groups – such as entertainers, guilds, monk and nun communities. So, yes, the “Scorpions” keep their own history, and I believe Cook and me were influenced by the same medieval custom. 🙂 (Only that in the case of the Scorpions, they don’t have a dedicated historian – tends to be the officer and he’s not usually sharing what’s in the memory…).
I did use nicknames extensively (which is another military custom, really). Whatever people are actually named, people in a military unit will call them something else. So while we have names like Kendras, Rikan and Dev, we also have nicknames like Widow(maker), Steel, Stick, Puppy, Runner and Blood.
And, yes, the Scorpions vary in numbers a lot – tend to be less than twenty, though – I see them much like a special forces unit, and more like a platoon than a “company”, which tends to be larger.
Just bought “Scorpion” so looking forward to reading it this week when all my chores are done.
Thanks, Merrian!
Sirius, if your review wasn’t enough to pique my interest (which it was), the discussion would have been. now i’m seriously intrigued.i have to read this! And yes, completely agree with you on the cover. Thank you for the review!
Thanks for commenting Feliz and yes, hard to not stare at the cover isn’t it? 🙂 I hope you will enjoy the book too.
Just wanted to say I have finished ‘Scorpion’ and loved it with a passion. It was the writing as much as the story (if that makes sense?) that made this an ‘A’ read for me.
The metaphors in Kendras’ dialogue that made sense in terms of Kendras’ world view and experiences but also helped to anchor who he is and his bafflement about what to do now. Getting the Officer/Adrastes back is very much a ‘be careful what you ask for’ thing and I liked the realistic uncertainty of the reunion. I also liked that Kendras works with power-with and -through and uses resistance to claim his self and his path. I get very tired of heroes and heroines who are the boss of everything and everyone around them. I also liked the respect the Scorpions had for each other and their past.
It is interesting to me that I didn’t feel as you did Sirius on the moral compass issue maybe because I place a value people doing what needs to be done. I think the moral compass in the story lay in the differences Kendras noted between himself and the Officer and Steel/Gray Eyes that actions must have a guiding purpose other than coins or power-over for the sake of being on top e.g. Steel’s failure to take care of his men (trying not to spoiler)
I loved the role of ‘the book’ and the rituals the Scorpions used to define and remember who they are. I read somewhere that of Odin’s two raven’s thought and memory, memory was the most powerful because memory guides action.
This is an original story yet as a fond reader of the Black Company books I can see their echo and as they say ‘soldiers live or soldiers die the company lives on’. I can make the same comment about the ‘Malazan Books of the Fallen’ by Steven Erikson. This just says that science fiction and fantasy as a genre has been around long enought that there are classic or ur texts. I am very much looking forward to Scorpion 2.
I am glad you enjoyed the book Merrian, I really have to check out the Black Company books. As to moral compass, well I definitely agree that kendras did what needed to be done for his purpose. The thing is to me, Kendras, Officer, gray eyes were all willing to do equally despicable things and to me the result of those things was the same no matter what purpose is. And if it makes sense I did not find Kendras’ purpose to be enough either. Trying not to spoiler here, but I was actually liking Kendras because I felt that because of his upbringing, he could not behave any differently since Scorpions were his only family. What tipped the scale for me is well, I cant say, I just say it was him willing to do the same thing that Steel was doing. I never liked Officer after the big reveal about him.
Anyway, to each their own and I am glad you loved the book. As I said I enjoyed it tremendously when I read it and reread it right away, but it is not going to be a reread for me, I am afraid.
As a reader, I also have certain boundaries. But give those boundaries, I enjoy discovering a book that is so absorbing and well written I love it regardless. This is one of those books. :hearts03:
Taken separately there are several elements that might attempt convincing me to pass on this story. But Scorpion tempted me early (actually with the great cover and pre-release blurb at Dreamspinner). Engrossing, complex characterizations (loved Widowmaker), interesting plot, and good world building. I couldn’t put it down, and OMG loved it!!
I agree that this book had engrossing plot and complex characterizations. I am glad you loved it Denni 🙂 Again, this book was not out of my boundaries, it did not make me annoyed with the characters, or anything like that, but I just cannot relate or sympathise with them much, certain actions just tipped the scale for me. I love grey characters, but I want to see some light in them, if that makes sense. To me all characters in this book were very dark grey with very big spots of black.
I guess the best I can put it is that I respected this book tremendously, but I did not love it.