F.I.S.T.S. Handbook For Individual Survival in Hostile Environments: (Colour Edition)

Oh boy! If I could give this quickie read 5+ stars, I would. This isn't my first time partaking in a Bey Deckard read. I'm a fan, and I adore his writing. I wasn't sure I would be interested in this book since I'm not much into Sci-Fi. It's kind of hit or miss for me as a genre. Usually, I can be persuaded with a good blurb but I sat on the fence with F.I.S.T.S. It was on sale as part of a Kindle Countdown deal, so I grabbed it. BEST.DECISION.EVER. Three things I absolutely love were front and center: A budding M/M romance D/s Hot sex M/M + D/s + hot sex = One delicious and gratifying little read! We meet Murphy and Sarge when they're in the thick of a mission. Things aren't going exactly as planned, and Murphy saves Sarge's hide. As repayment, Sarge offers him a little something extra. I'm totally simplifying the plotline here, but I have to because you'll want to see how things transpire on your own. Trust me. The artwork included was a nice touch! Murphy is a hunk. This is the third book I've read by Mr. Deckard, and I can't wait to buy his entire friggin' catalog. Every read has been superb, and I look forward to more. If you like tight writing and great characters, you'll want to invest in this.

I liked it. It was ok for most of the book, but I think I fail to really love it as I did the other books from the author. The main issue I didn’t enjoyed it so much it was more personal than the book itself. I’m really not into military stories, most of the times the personality of such characters has create a barrier for me and I rather not read those kind of book, but I just can’t reject a Bey Deckard book, so even with a military theme, I was going to read this book sooner or later. The characters were nice, I liked Murphy the most, there was something about him that I loved. Sarge was also very nice, but his attitude towards the others held me from fully liked him as I did Murphy, I didn’t have the same problem when he was directing the same attitude to Murphy because it was sort of expected and it was appropriate for the kind of relationship they had. The plot was ok, but I lost interest maybe because of what I mention previously. There were some events near the end that re-capture my interest and, at least for the end of the book, I was really interested on know what would happen. Overall it was fine, not my favorite from the author, but I think anyone who liked military books can love it.

Worth the extra money. Pans a little wider from the story with extra graphics and a stand-alone short. Though it is not necessary, it gives a more rounded picture of the stories.

I honestly didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I think this is the first real sci-fi I've read in a MM book. I was afraid of PWP in space but this was far from that. The author packed a pretty complete story in each of these two short novella type stories. The MC's were distinctly career soldiers and the military action was realistic, allowing for alien landscapes, high-tech weapons and replaceable body parts. The D/s was good, not overdone and the connection between them was conveyed well.

OK it’s official, I’m a Bey Deckard fan. I read Max several months ago and was hella impressed, and this one felt about 180 degrees from that one but I am just as impressed. It’s always lovely to find out that an author has such range. I loved the juxtaposition between these two men’s relationship and their environment. The sharp edges and hard, unforgiving world they lived in made the tender glimpses of their emotions that much more impactful. It took precious little time for the author to make me fall for Murphy and Sarge, and I could have read about them for another couple hundred pages, easily. As it was, the plot wasn’t incredibly well fleshed out, but the characters’ relationship was the point of the story, and that was worth every word.

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS. Rating: 9/10 PROS: - This comes closer to depicting a true Leather relationship than most BDSM m/m novels I’ve read. I wouldn’t be surprised if I learned that the author has some first-hand experience with the Leather community. - Deckard does an excellent job of illustrating his characters’ growing attachment without their ever communicating outright to each other how they feel. There’s no “I love you” here on the part of either man, but I could see the love clear as day. - The sci-fi setting allows for an interesting backdrop for the developing relationship (perilous situations that force the men to face their growing feelings), and the military angle provides for a convenient vehicle to move the relationship along without seeming contrived (naturally soldiers on foreign assignment have to spend a lot of time together). CON: - This is something I always struggle with when the main characters share a dangerous profession and repeatedly find themselves in life-threatening situations: There’s a happy ending here, but I found it just a *little* bit difficult to buy into it because my brain kept saying, “Well sure, they’re happy. For now. Until one of them dies on their next mission…” This isn’t really a weakness of the book, though; it’s more a paranoia of mine. Overall comments: The gay Leather scene is very different than the D/s relationships that are depicted in most m/m books, and the relationship here struck me as authentically Leather…only without the traditional trappings as we know them because the men are on an alien world the whole time. I loved the authenticity of it, but it might not be for everyone. Lovey-dovey the characters are not.

This book is incredible. I already own e versions of both of the short stories featured in this book, but the artwork is worth every cent. What a creative and unique way to put a book together. It's brilliant, and I love having it in a physical copy I can read over and over again.

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