The Deviant Future Collection #2

Books Four to Six

By: Eve Langlais

Narrated by: Heather Costa

Eve Langlais presents Books 4-6 in the Deviant Future series:

Catastrophic Attraction: Roark wasn't content with the way the world worked, so he made himself king and set about changing it. In the process, he acquired enemies who would stoop to anything, even attacking his daughter, to destroy him. However, he's just one man against an unknown enemy. Until he ends up with unexpected help in Casey. A king might not be able to win her heart, but what if she got to know the man?

Iron Pirate: Known as the Iron Pirate, Darius has been sailing the treacherous seas for a decade now. But any plans for a quiet retirement walk the plank when he discovers the Princess Shereen has stowed away aboard his ship. If Shereen can prove she inherited her father's power, she might just survive. Problem is, what's a pirate to do when she asks him to be her king?

Ash Princess: An old crone has a prophecy for Cam. Everyone he loves is in grave danger, and he might be the only one who can save them. How can he say no? Especially to a princess who's already suffered so much. Because of her, he finds a reason to fight. A reason to live. What a shame he has to die.

Contains mature themes.

©2019, 2020 Eve Langlais (P)2021 Tantor

Decadent Nether Lips

After around 20 books of the same awful phrases and writing (where is her editor?), one gets a sense of humor about the bad writing and overused words and phrases, e.g. “perfidy” and “nether lips”. The books are entertaining and for someone who listens to at least one book a day, they are a potential drinking game or “Romance novel bingo”!

I’ve been on a Langlais binge for a week or more and even though I cringe through the first book in every series and want to bang my head over the use of the cheapest narrators possible, I am still entertained. Not every day needs to be a Kant or Kafka day. Although…I am sure Langlais could write a bad romance with a man turned cockroach (she did compare humans to cockroaches in this series…).

On to the next Langlais book or series I find for free; I don’t want my nether lips to lose their slickness! Utter perfidy…there isn’t enough spice and all her smexy scenes are bad romance novel copypasta.

Popcorn romance in the apocalypse

The villains are one-note, and that note is pure evil. They exist just to capture, threaten, and then be quickly dispatched by, the MCs. The sex is kind of one-note too (although each book gets a little more detailed), which matches the one-note narration that has all the ladies and gents sounding the same.
I agree with the other reviewer that the author’s love of the word “perfidy” is only second to her love of “nether lips.” All the formulas make these generic listens… which is just peachy on a lazy weekend.

As a collection, these give good value for matinee-level fantasy and butter popcorn romances. There isn’t really a series arc so much as it’s six degrees of Kevin Bacon, where each couple’s backstories begins in the prior book, but the couple then proceed to spend 90% of their book at a new location, and without any of the prior cast around.

Book 4: Catasrophic Attraction: Casey and Roark ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I hope one day you have a daughter- make that two!”
This was my favorite, in large part because Roark and Casey are both forces to be reckoned with. I do so love me some fight-flirting! This one also has the strongest connection with the MCs from the prior books, as well as gives Casey’s twin brother Cam some screen time.

Book 5: Iron Pirate: Shereen and Darius (there’s no ToC, so start at ch26) ⭐️⭐️
“I need your help”
If only Princess Shereen was more Princess Leia, then I’d be more forgiving of her ‘help me Obiwan’ overture to Darius. Unfortunately, for the majority of the book, she’s more woe-is-me, constantly going on about being useless because she’s got no magic.

“You killed my mother, my brothers, and my father- prepare to die.”
If only Princess Shereen had the gusto of Inigo Montoya. Unfortunately, when her moment comes, it’s courtesy of a Mary Sue moment, rather than brains or courage proving her worth. And Darius is way too polite and considerate to call himself a pirate.

Book 6 Ash Princess: Kayta and Cam (ch50) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Is this where the dragon ate him?”
This was mostly four star great because it features wisecracking Cam, who has Wolverine-like healing capabilities, and dragons. However, I took a star off for featuring Princess Katya, she of the constantly reddening cheeks and cringey deflowering scene. Captured and facing an uncertain fate, of course there’s an ‘I don’t want to die without having you’ moment. Ugh. And multiple “nether lips” moments. Double ugh.