Hi guys, we have Anna Butler popping in with a recap of her series Taking Shield including the newest release Makepeace, we have Shorty’s review for all three books and there’s a fantastic giveaway, so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~

Makepeace

Anna Butler

Returning to duty following his long recovery from the injuries he sustained during the events recounted in Heart Scarab, Shield Captain Bennet accepts a tour of duty in Fleet as flight captain on a dreadnought. The one saving grace is that it isn’t his father’s ship—bad enough that he can’t yet return to the Shield Regiment, at least he doesn’t have the added stress of commanding former lover Fleet Lieutenant Flynn, knowing the fraternisation regulations will keep them apart.

  Working on the material he collected himself on T18 three years before, Bennet decodes enough Maess data to send him behind the lines to Makepeace, once a human colony but under Maess control for more than a century. The mission goes belly up, costing Albion one of her precious, irreplaceable dreadnoughts and bringing political upheaval, acrimony and the threat of public unrest in its wake. But for Bennet, the real nightmare is discovering what the Maess have in store for humanity.

It’s not good. It’s not good at all.

Gyrfalcon

(Taking Shield #1)

Earth’s last known colony, Albion, is fighting an alien enemy. In the first of the Taking Shield series, Shield Captain Bennet is dropped behind the lines to steal priceless intelligence. A dangerous job, and Bennet doesn’t need the distractions of changing relationships with his long-term partner, Joss, or with his father—or with Flynn, the new lover who will turn his world upside-down. He expects to risk his life. He expects the data will alter the course of the war. What he doesn’t expect is that it will change his life or that Flynn will be impossible to forget.

Amazon US, Amazon UK, Wilde City Press, ARe

Heart Scarab

(Taking Shield #2)

Telnos is an unpleasant little planet, inhabited by religious fanatics in the festering marshlands and unregistered miners running illegal solactinium mines up in the hills. But the Maess want Telnos, and Shield Captain Bennet’s job is to get out as many civilians as he can—a task that leaves him lying on Telnos while the last cutter of evacuees escapes in the teeth of the Maess invasion.

  Bennet is listed missing in action, believed dead on a planet now overrun by Maess drones. His family is grieving. His long-term partner, Joss, is both mourning and guilt-ridden. And Fleet Lieutenant Flynn? Flynn is desolate. Flynn is heart-broken…no. Flynn is just broken.

Amazon US, Amazon UK, Wilde City Press, ARe

About Anna

Anna Butler was a communications specialist for many years, working in UK government departments on everything from marketing employment schemes to running an internal TV service. She now spends her time indulging her love of old-school science fiction. She lives in the ethnic and cultural melting pot of East London with her husband and the Deputy Editor, aka Molly the cockapoo.

Where to find the author:

annabutlerfiction@gmail.com | Website and Blog | Facebook | The Butler’s Pantry | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter

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Reviews

Title: Gyrfalcon

Series: Taking Shield, #1

Author: Anna Butler

Genre: Sci-Fi

Length: Novel (261 pages)

Publisher: Wilde City Press (February 18, 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: Earth’s last known colony, Albion, is fighting an alien enemy. In the first of the Taking Shield series, Shield Captain Bennet is dropped behind the lines to steal priceless intelligence.

A dangerous job, and Bennet doesn’t need the distractions of changing relationships with his long-term partner, Joss, or with his father—and with Flynn, the new lover who will turn his world upside-down. He expects to risk his life. He expects the data will alter the course of the war.

What he doesn’t expect is that it will change his life or that Flynn will be impossible to forget.

ISBN: 978-1-925180-84-8

Product Link: http://www.wildecity.com/books/gay-mainstream/gyrfalcon/

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: The first thing about this book you should know is that it is not a romance book. Yes there is a couple in it but because of Bennet’s work they are apart for the most part. This story is about a colony fighting against an alien whose sole purpose is to wipe out humanity, one world at a time.

The aliens themselves are called Maess. By the descriptions of them they sound like cyborgs. Very deadly with means of protecting itself and the bases they have put up in different worlds.

Shield Captain Bennet’s job is to infiltrate a main base of the Maess and destroy it. Without being detected. There are many characters introduced throughout that help Bennet during his mission.

Intense at times, fast paced and well written. The descriptions of space and the battles were amazing. I found myself on the edge of my seat the further the story progressed. Too many things happen in this book to put them all in this review but all in all it’s a great read.

Title: Heart Scarab

Series: Taking Shield # 2

Author: Anna Butler

Genre: Sci-Fi

Length: Novel (368 pages)

Publisher: Wilde City Press (July 22, 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: Shield Captain Bennet is on Telnos, an unpleasant little planet inhabited by religious fanatics and unregistered miners running illegal solactinium mines. It’s about to be about to be overrun by the Maess. Bennet’s job is to get out as many civilians as he can, but the enemy arrives before the evacuation is complete. Caught in a vicious fire fight, Bennet is left behind, presumed dead.

His family is grieving. Joss, his long-term partner, grieves with them; lost, unhappy, remorseful. First Lieutenant Flynn has no official ‘rights’ here. He isn’t family. He isn’t partner or lover.

All he is, is broken.

ISBN: 978-1-925313-25-3

Product Link: http://www.wildecity.com/books/gay-mainstream/heart-scarab/

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: This is the second book in the Taking Shield series. I loved the entire book. It was heart stopping at times and yet heartbreaking at others.

Bennet is sent on a mission that goes horribly wrong. But before that Joss, his longtime partner wants him to quit the military. I really felt for Jose, understanding his need for his partner but at the same time I understood Bennet’s position.

This book provides plenty of action and adventure among a well written story that takes the reader on a deadly mission. I was on the edge of my seat reading this book and holding my breath at times. It’s truly a wonderful story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Tough some things were confusing I still figured out what the author was trying to say.

I really liked the detailed descriptions of Telnos, even though it did not sound like a good place to be I imagined what it actually looked like. One of the things I did not like was the possibility of a relationship with a woman in a future. I sincerely hope this is not the case as I only read m/m.

Overall it was really good tale of adventure and danger set in a sci-fi world, though there was not much sci-fi.

Great read.

Title: Makepeace

Series:  Taking Shield # 3

Author: Anna Butler

Genre: Sci-Fi

Length: Novel (330pgs)

Publisher: Wilde City Press (July 6, 2016)

Heat Level: Nil

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: Returning to duty following his long recovery from the injuries he sustained during the events recounted in Heart Scarab, Shield Captain Bennet accepts a tour of duty in Fleet as flight captain on a dreadnought. The one saving grace is that it isn’t his father’s ship—bad enough that he can’t yet return to the Shield Regiment, at least he doesn’t have the added stress of commanding former lover, Fleet Lieutenant Flynn and knowing the fraternization regulations will keep them apart.

Working on the material he collected himself on T18 three years before, Bennet decodes enough Maess data to send him behind the lines to Makepeace, once a human colony but under Maess control for more than a century. The mission goes belly up, costing Albion one of her precious, irreplaceable dreadnoughts and bringing political upheaval, acrimony and the threat of public unrest in its wake. But for Bennet, the real nightmare is discovering what the Maess have in store for humanity.

It’s not good. It’s not good at all.

ISBN: 978-1-925506-19-8

Product Link: https://www.wildecity.com/books/gay-mainstream/makepeace/#.V4gZD9lrjMw

Reviewer: Shorty 

Review: Captain Bennet is on a mission to rescue humans that are being held against their will. The problem is all the political red tape that comes with it. I gotta say this was a fascinating story. 

You have Bennet and his problems; on top of that you have unrest and upheaval thrown in the mix. So much is going on that at times I was confused but it all came together nicely as the story progressed.

Stunning battles scenes, harrowing confrontations and a well-balanced array of other things in the mix. This book will have you on the edge of your seat, holding your breath. It captures you from the start and does not let go until the end. 

The ending seems to be setting up for another book. I loved how the setting was in this book. This is a greatly detailed and invigorating story.

This was truly an amazing read that I thoroughly enjoyed.