I'm so glad to finally catch up with Rian and his crew, and I'm especially happy to hear that the final book in the Atrophy series will be coming out in 2021! It's been quite the ride and I definitely encourage science fiction romance readers to start at the beginning to get the full story.

This is Quelan and Camille's story. Camille is a new character in the series and the daughter of one of the most notorious pirates in their galaxy quadrant (think of him like the King mobster). Quelan and Camille meet in a bar, they have a one night stand, but when Daddy finds out, he's got an ultimatum for Quelan that involves paying him off with some untraceable space credits, and Camille ends up along for the ride.

Because this is a space opera kind of story there is a secondary plot which is Rian trying to get his ship the Imojenna back, and Quelan, Camille and the rest of the crew are fully onboard with his plan. Things are complicated by the presence of the Raidar, an alien species that at one time had held Rian hostage and tortured him, and who have perfected the art of impersonating humans to the point where you the only way you can tell someone isn't a Raidar in disguise is by shooting them with a special weapon devised by Rian's crew. The existence of the Raidar is only known to a few, and now Camille is in on the secret that there is a species intent on enslaving all humans.

So you get everything in this story - excellent worldbuilding that continues the story arc of previous books in the series, fast paced action, suspense, and a complete couple romance (with some sexy scenes). What keeps me coming back to this series again and again is this combination of story and characters. I love writing and I'm excited for the conclusion to the series! It's one I'm sure to return to for a reread.

if Sci Fi and Fantasy is a genre you like then this book is for you - it is the fourth in the series but can be read as a standalone .

Captain Qaelan Forster is on the most wanted list - to make matters worse he is mixed up in his cousin , Reidar's mess - shape shifting aliens ............. aliens the rest of the galaxy no nothing about !
When he has a run in with Camille Blackstone , he has no idea that she is the daughter of the Pirate in charge of the system ..... the man they are debt collecting for ........... what can go wrong ?
Qae cannot deny his attraction to Camille but even he is surprised when she handcuffs herself to him ........ keeping Qae out of her fathers clutches at all costs uppermost in her mind ......... her father has a terrible way of dealing with her boyfriends !
This is an entertaining , action filled book with Space Cowboys and Pirates - flying around the Galaxy defeating shape changing Aliens - where romance can find its way .

I was given an arc of the book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Complicated and riveting…

There was so much to get lost in! Entropy is the fourth in the Atrophy series, following Qae and Cami’s tumultuous relationship. From a sizzling first encounter to the far reaches of the futuristic world they lived in, the highs and lows had deadly consequences. And the twists? Just when you think there is enough to deal with, a little more sneaks in to join the party. If you are new to this series, you will quickly become lost in the many characters and the back story which you really need. This story builds on so much and provides a springboard for more and you don’t want to miss any of it!

This author knows how to write military, sci-fi romance with heat and action to spare!

Quick & Dirty: Romance filled with space cowboys, pirates, and shape shifting aliens.

The Review:
Entropy by Jess Anastasi is the fourth novel in the Atrophy series. This series is set in space with a mixed group of space cowboys, pirates and shape shifting aliens. I would liken this as a cross between Cowboy Bebop and Firefly, as a group of rogue men and women fly around the galaxy defeating these nasty body doubling/shape shifting aliens that the rest of the space world doesn’t even know exist. Entropy is the first novel that I have read in this series and I liked it so much that I really want to go back and read the rest of the series.

Captain Qaelan Forster has been helping his badass/assassin cousin Rian in his fight to destroy the Reidar, the evil body doubling, shape shifting aliens whom are hell bent on secretly taking over the known space world. Rian lost his ship over a year ago so Qae has been helping him with jobs. One day, Qae has a sexy but unfortunate run-in with Camille Blackstone. He has no idea that she is the daughter of the pirate in charge of the system that Rian and Qae are staying in. The same man who is sending Rian and Qae on runs for him to collect on debts. Blackstone does not appreciate Qae touching his daughter and blackmails them both to get him a substantial amount of money. Cami has suspected her father of doing some terrible things to previous lovers so when she discovers she has feelings towards Qae, she can’t let her father do anything terrible to him so she handcuffs herself to Qae until they are out of the system her father commands over. Qae has issues with the way Cami treats him but he can’t deny their attraction towards each other.

Entropy isn’t just the story of Cami and Qae. The story also heavily follows Rian. I really enjoyed Rian’s parts of the story so much so that I do think it took away from Qae and Cami. Rian is a damaged assassin with a dark heart. He believes he’s too much of a monster. He undergoes a dramatic shift in temperament and thought after something major happens to him. Rian’s developing relationship with Ella has an intensity that will be scorching hot when they finally get their full story.

One of the interesting aspects of the story is that Qae is a professed bisexual. He talks about his attraction to men just as much as he talks about his attraction to women. He professes that his relationships all have to have some kind of emotion and not just sex for sex.

The story is told through alternating third person point of views between Qae, Cami and Rian. It is pretty easy to tell who is in control of the story when the POVs switch up. As for their personalities, Qae comes off as carefree and a practical jokester compared to his serious cousin Rian. Cami is tough but she’s dealing with a terrible past and her overprotective father even though he has sent her out on potentially dangerous jobs. Rian has no problem making the hard decisions and coming off like a major jerk.

Overall, Entropy is a fascinating space story and I can’t wait to read the rest of this series. The characters were intriguing and the story was fun although quite dark. I did find the romance between Cami and Qae a bit lukewarm only because I was expecting a hot, enemies to lover’s romance but that wasn’t what happened. Plus, it didn’t help that I was more compelled by Rian’s story and romantic interest. I already know the next story will not be Rian’s but I am still eagerly anticipating what’s to come.

A unique and compelling romance with a sci-fi twist. I enjoyed the romance and the plot was written quite well. GOOD

This new entry into the Atrophy series had a different vibe for me. I knew I was reading the series but I had to constantly remind myself yes this is the same series Not exactly sure what the difference was that had me questioning myself, can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe it’s the lack of Imojenna and Rian’s obsession to get her back. I think I’m more use to him being wackadoodle obsessed about going after the Reidar and with his attention split, yeah it took a while to warm up. On with the story!

Rian, and what is left of his crew, have joined up with cousin Qae on his ship. They are still looking to expose the Reidar but in the interim are working for the infamous pirate Blackstone in the Barbary Belt. A chance encounter between Qae and Cami, Blackstone’s daughter, lands him in hot water and now he has to repay a near to impossible debt. Determine to prove herself, and protect Qae from her overprotective father's wrath, she takes on the burden of helping him settle the debt. To insure she doesn’t get ditched or left behind, she handcuffs herself to Qae. O.o Oh, this is going to get interesting especially when Daddy Blackstone makes Qae swear on the penalty of DEATH to not touch Cami. Let the fun begin!

ACK! What a mess Qae has gotten himself into. Good thing him and Rian get along so well because he’s going to need his support dealing with Cami. Or maybe she’ll be helping out Qae with Rian because while Rian isn’t as insane, he hasn’t loss all his intensity. There is quite a bit of back and forth between Qae and Cami that are humorous and hot, but both have deep dark secrets they are hiding. Hers explain a lot about her dad’s attitude toward the men in her life and it’s quite the moment when she spills it to Qae. However, probably one of the moments between them that stands out the most and tugs at my heartstrings is when Qae pours his heart out and tells Cami about how his ship got its name and its signature image on its hull. Yup, not gonna lie, it had me in tears.

So by now you would think I would have stopped compare Jess Anastasi’s Atrophy series to Firefly and I would, if it wasn’t for Mal and Inara, ummm…I mean, Rian and Ella. Honestly, the unrequited tension between them has me wanting to bash them both over the head. I just want to lock them in a room and tell them they can’t come out until the deed is down and neither of them can walk. And NOW there is even more of a connection between them, aaaand Varean. Oh lordy, that is some interesting shi…sugars going on there. I am dying to find out where this is all leading. I’m sure that mental connection is going to lead to a few tense and awkward moments in the future. Hee-hee!

Just when you think hunting the Reidar takes a backseat to getting back the Imojenna and settling Qae’s debt, the story takes a very surprising and unexpected twist. Didn’t see that coming and it’s going to make for a very interesting plot twist as the series continues. Which brings me to the time that I now say, you have to read the whole series from the beginning to get what is going on. The romance between each couple in each book suggests it’s okay to read each book as a standalone. Don’t you believe it or even think about it! The plot about the Reidar not to mention the when will Rian and Ella FINALLY get together is building and building. Are they both going to come to a head at the same time? *Bites knuckles* The tension is incredible -I can’t barely stand it! I hope it never ends!

reviewed by Jac

I thought I would give this series another go with it catching my curiosity with the last one. This gives me a bit of spice also reading something different then what I have been of late. Sci fi good ones is far and few I think lately especially when you have read as long as I have. The ones that take you on this adventure-Qaelan and Camille. Actions get the ball rolling with this and the banter is one that ensnares. He is a typical guy though who can not let go but that is what gets him where he goes. Filled with plenty of action and thrills to have the blood flow you can not but see where this goes. Once you land there you realize you have ridden all the way.

This is sort of a standalone novel. The adventure the characters are on is all their own, and it is easy to follow along. However it’s probably better if you read the rest of the series because you would be more invested. The story wasn’t bad, but I kept putting the book down and left it for long stretches. Everything is ok. The characters are ok, conflict is ok, the villains are ok. I may continue with this series, depending on who is featured in the next book.

Entropy by Jess Anastasi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have followed this series from the first book and looked forward to meeting all the characters again. This time Qaelan Forster gets to have the starring role in the story. It all starts when he brings the wrong woman home (wrong because she has the wrong father). From there he and the entire crew are off on another dangerous adventure. Turns out they have two problems they need to solve. First they need 80,000 clean credits and then they need to get face a pirate and get a ship. Great plot with interesting twists and turns and additional character building.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Entropy is book four in Jess Anastasi’s Atrophy series of Sci-Fi romances, and the first thing I’m going to say is that it’s not really a standalone. While each of the books has a self-contained plot and different romantic pairing, there are long-running storylines begun in book one (Atrophy) which impact on each subsequent title, and a newbie would most likely have a bit of trouble working out what’s going on. The good news is that the other books are enjoyable and well-written, so if you like the genre, then reading them is no hardship.

Disillusioned with life in the military after seeing first hand its disregard for some of the most basic human rights, Captain Qaelan – Qae – Foster resigned his commission, bought a ship and has lived on the wrong side of the law ever since, hiring out the Ebony Winter for whatever dodgy deals are up for grabs. He’s got a reputation as a maurauder other pirates shouldn’t think about messing with, a smart mouth, good looks and charm by the bucketload. He’s on galaxy-wide most-wanted lists, and his problems have been recently compounded by the fact that the Ebony Winter is now home to his cousin, Captain Rian Sherron – one of the most feared men in the galaxy – and the crew of his ship, the Imojenna, which was stolen in the previous book.

In the year since Qae and Rian teamed up, they’ve been taking jobs from notorious pirate Rene Blackstone in between chasing down mostly dead-end leads as to the location of the Imojenna. Sitting in his favourite bar one night pondering the fact that the ship is probably so much scrap metal by now, Qae’s musings are interrupted by the entrance of a stunning young woman whose presence clearly makes the other patrons uncomfortable. The barman tells him that she never leaves the bar with anyone – which is like a red rag to a bull; Qae is never one to resist a challenge.

Camille – Cami – Blackstone is sick of being told what to do and where to go by her over-protective father, even though he has good reason for his fears for her safety. She’s had a shitty day and just ducked into the bar to avoid a confrontation with him – and the comments she’s overheard about how she’s the “demon princess of hell” with a reputation for being a stuck-up, callous bitch are the last straw. The infamous Qaelan Foster is dark-haired, blue-eyed temptation incarnate, so she decides to scotch those ice-queen rumours and kisses the hell out of the seriously hot captain right there in the middle of the bar – and then heads out with him into the night.

Of course, it’s not long before news of his daughter’s involvement with Qae reaches Blackstone’s ears and also of course, he’s not pleased. But fortunately for Qae, Blackstone owes Rian big time, and instead of having Qae killed, decides he wants financial compensation – and he wants it in two week’s time. It’s a nigh on impossible task if Qae is to continue to fly under the radar and avoid attention from the authorities; but it’s either that or forfeit his ship, and that’s something he can’t afford to do.

This confrontation is what kick-starts the plot ‘proper’, which sees the Ebony Winter heading off in search of the small fortune Qae has to deliver and following up on a solid lead as to the Imojenna’s whereabouts. The relationships between the characters are all well done, and there’s some great snarky dialogue along the way, much of it between Qae and Rian and Qae and Cami, but I have to say that I wasn’t really feeling them as a couple. They’re cute, but the way their romance starts – with a (not quite) one-night-stand – doesn’t allow for much build-up and there’s not a lot of chemistry between them. Their storyline comes off as a sub-plot really, because much of Entropy is given over to the continuing storyline featuring Rian, who is such an overwhelmingly charismatic and interesting character that I was far more interested in him than in Qae and Cami, who were more like a fun, quirky diversion from the darker aspects of the novel.

I’m not complaining, though. The books in this series are space opera ensemble pieces – comparisons with TV shows like Firefly are inevitable – and I like that about them. But there’s no getting away from the fact that Rian is the star of the show in pretty much every book, so if you’re expecting a more traditionally focused romance, then you might be a bit disappointed.

Rian is a badass of the highest calibre, a former officer who was abducted by an alien race of shapeshifters called the Reidar and experimented upon . He managed to escape and has been dedicated to exposing the Reidar – who have been gradually replacing key members of Earth’s industry and government with their own – and then destroying them when the time is right. He’s a complex, flawed, damaged man; he’s volatile, bitter and prone to violence, although he is gradually learning to cope with his almost ever-present rage, and tries hard to keep control of his emotions. In this, he is sometimes helped by Ella, the enigmatic Arynian high-priestess he was hired to transport in Atrophy; these two have terrific chemistry and something has been building between them since the beginning. Rian is unsettled by her telepathic abilities and coolly controlled demeanour and tells himself he’s not attracted to her; Ella finds her attraction to Rian similarly inconvenient. They try to keep their distance, but it’s obviously becoming more and more difficult, and a surprise development here makes it practically impossible for them to do so any longer. I admit that I was far more interested in his story than in the Qae/Cami romance, which is fairly lukewarm. But I expected that going in, so I didn’t find it as irritating as I might have done in other circumstances, and I really I hope Ms. Anastasi isn’t going to make us wait too long for Rian and Ella’s story.

Entropy is a thoroughly entertaining, fast-paced read with plenty of high-stakes action, snarky banter and some steamy scenes along the way. I enjoyed it and zipped through it in a couple of sittings and would recommend it to other fans of sci-fi romances and space operas – with the suggestion that you consider picking up at least one other book in the series to smooth the way a bit.

This is a completely new series and author for me, as a reader I am always looking for a new series (I prefer them to single releases) to dig my teeth into when the opportunity to receive a comp copy presented itself I jumped on it - I am so glad I took the chance - I will be adding The Atrophy series to my must own list
The world building was multi-faceted both in detail and element. I was easily able to picture the different species and the ports they visited
The plotline was smooth - lots of engaging action and OMG moments that are guaranteed to keep you riveted to your reader
The characters were vivid - each supporting the storyline and opposing cast members wholly - I could visualize their interactions, which just made the story that much more
I really enjoyed the banter between Qae and Camille - for me, they came across as "that" couple - the ones who seem more like friends with benefits than the type to settle down and open a homestead - though their relationship did bare a few surprises that I did not see coming
Qae was fun and well defined as a lead character- he made the best of just about any situation and his "it is what it is" take on life just made some of his more precarious predicaments that much more entertaining
Cami comes across as untouchable at the beginning of the story - as the story develops we are given a more in-depth glimpse at the true Cami and the events that molded her -this only endeared me to her character that much more. I enjoyed the way she stood up for what she believed though at times she definitely created more of a problem than a solution
I will be going back and starting this series from book one - Entropy still works as a standalone but I believe it would have been out of this world if I had read the proceeding books - I have so many questions about the supporting characters in this book and Rein is on my radar - he is one of those characters that just stand out leaving the reader craving more
I definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys Sci-Fi Action with a touch of romance

Used to trouble, Captain Qaelan Forster is on the most-wanted lists, and mixed up in his cousin’s mess but he’s not prepared for Camille Blackstone’s kind of trouble. In an act impulsive rebellion, Camille finds herself defending Qaelan from her father and handcuffing herself to him the captain to keep him alive.

The fourth book in the “Atrophy” series is cosmic explosion of thrills and passion that keeps readers on the edge from beginning to end. Qaelan and Camille are two strong, charismatic characters that easily draw readers in and hold them hostage throughout their romance which is full of sizzling chemistry, explosive passion and emotional turmoil. This relationship starts off with a major life and death obstacle that keeps readers in suspense until the very end while the characters entertain readers with lots witty repertoire and daring personalities.

Suspense builds and action explodes throughout this fast paced plot with lots of thrills, intrigue and surprising twists that keeps readers as well as the characters on their toes. There are plenty of bad guys to inspire readers to cheer for their demise as well as conflicts regarding friends and family so there is never a dull moment and readers can’t help but feel as if they are part of the story from the very beginning as the author’s well written words and well-developed world paints vivid imagery and sparks the imagination.

I love the sexy, adventurous feel of this sci-fi romance series and there was no way I could put “Entropy” down until I had read every last word and the conclusion was certainly added an intriguing element to the conflict with the shape-shifting alien enemies that face the characters of the “Atrophy” series and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Jess Anastasi is one of the very few sci-fi romance authors that can capture my attention as a reader with her Atrophy series. I’m super invested in these characters and the bigger plot but most of all, I’m here for the fun she brings to each book.

That said, Entropy wasn’t quite what I was expecting. I think like a lot of readers, my attention is glued to Rian and his love/hate relationship with Ella that has been building for a few books now. It’s so delicious and tense that it’s difficult to concentrate on any other character. Oh the frustration!

Qaelen and Camille weren’t bad characters but they weren’t stand out ones either. Qae and Camille have more of a friends with benefits relationship going on than a full out romance but I did enjoy their bickering and the fact that Camille could get the upper hand on the charismatic and often arrogant Qae. It’s just that their relationship was easily overshadowed whenever Rian was in the scene. Heck, Rian overshadows EVERYTHING because he’s just such an interesting character that demands attention wherever he goes! I really need his book to happen soon, the wait is driving me nuts.

Entropy wasn’t a total loss though. Anastasi continues to build on the bigger plot she started way back in book one but she also detoured into a different sort of adventure with Camille and her father’s reaction to Qae’s presence in her life. The book still fits into the rest of the series but it does have a bit of a different direction. Not bad different but I’m used to the way the previous books’ plots connected. And although each book in the Atrophy series can technically operate as standalones, I wouldn’t suggest just jumping into the series. Go back and read the series in order because I guarantee that you’ll get hooked and want to know just how everything fits into the bigger plot. Plus, Rian is irresistible.

Not going to lie, Rian is a larger than life character that the author has created and he will not be ignored. In my opinion, as long as he remains a secondary character, I doubt diehard fans are going to pay much attention to anyone else. He really needs his story told if any other characters hope to have the spotlight to themselves any time soon. Entropy isn’t my favorite book of the series but it does have a role to play and it has quite a bit of Rian in it so it’s worth the time.

Rating: 3 ½

Atrophy #4, This is one book I have been anticipating, I kid you not everytime I would get an Entangled email this series is one I would always look for and now here it is, YAY! When I say I love everything about this series I'm not kidding the major events down to the little details are things that would have me say, "Oh that's a nice touch" or "I would have done the same" they make the book, the whole series something I gravitate towards because it's damn good story telling. This is one book where you should read the previous books with the overall story arc carried throughout the series it would be like walking into a movie at the halfway point.

It's been a year since the events of the last book and cousins Qaelan and Rian are running small jobs for space pirate mastermind Blackstone and have so far Rian has been biding his time before going after the Imojenna. Rian decision also coincides with Qae's horrible mistake of making out with Blackstones only daughter Camille. Now to save his own neck he has to bring Blackstone an insane amount of creds. Cami was the one who got him into the mess so she kind of forces Qae to take her along so she can help. While her intentions are good, Rian still wants to keep her in the dark about the Raedar. That, of course, doesn't last long especially after some poor stupid soul tries to collect on the bounty on Rain's head and Cami witness first hand the Raedar handywork. Now getting the Imojenna back, collecting the required amount of creds all while avoiding the Raedar and the bounty on Rian's head maybe a little difficult, but Cami takes after her dad and comes up with a brilliant but insane plan.

Nothing is ever easy in this world, but boy is it worth it. Qae and Cami are like flint and steel they keep going at each other and creating sparks and not just physically, but mainly verbally and it's interesting in a witty and amusing way. There is no one better for Qae than Cami, she gives as good as she gets and then some and she can hold her own in a fight. The on going Rian and Ella story gets heavier and hotter as Rian starts to accept their connection.

Overall, another fantastic book from Jess Anastasi. There is so much going one but nothing the crew of the Ebony Winter and the Imojenna can't handle.

A night in his favourite bar is just what Captain Qaelan Forster needs. A woman enters who makes the whole bar full of pirates go quiet. He is in no mood to listen when they warn him away from her.
Camille Blackstone is fed up with everyone's attitude around her. She knows her father is going to be angry because of her last failure, so what's one more thing to wind him up.
This is a Sci-Fi romance that is part of a series. You could read it on it's own, but reading the series in order is much better. There are lots of fabulous characters with unusual personality quirks. Danger comes from all sides and a trip to the far reaches of the galaxy will bring life changes for more than just our two lead characters.
I have read all of this series so far and loved every one of them.

Entropy is book four in Jess Anastasi’s Atrophy series of Sci-Fi romances, and the first thing I’m going to say is that it’s not really a standalone. While each of the books has a self-contained plot and different romantic pairing, there are long-running storylines begun in book one (Atrophy) which impact on each subsequent title, and a newbie would most likely have a bit of trouble working out what’s going on.  The good news is that the other books are enjoyable and well-written, so if you like the genre, then reading them is no hardship.

Disillusioned with life in the military after seeing first hand its disregard for some of the most basic human rights, Captain Qaelan – Qae – Foster resigned his commission, bought a ship and has lived on the wrong side of the law ever since, hiring out the Ebony Winter for whatever dodgy deals are up for grabs.  He’s got a reputation as a maurauder other pirates shouldn’t think about messing with, a smart mouth, good looks and charm by the bucketload.  He’s on galaxy-wide most-wanted lists, and his problems have been recently compounded by the fact that the Ebony Winter is now home to his cousin, Captain Rian Sherron – one of the most feared men in the galaxy - and the crew of his ship, the Imojenna, which was stolen in the previous book.

In the year since Qae and Rian teamed up, they’ve been taking jobs from notorious pirate Rene  Blackstone in between chasing down mostly dead-end leads as to the location of the Imojenna. Sitting in his favourite bar one night pondering the fact that the ship is probably so much scrap metal by now, Qae’s musings are interrupted by the entrance of a stunning young woman  whose presence clearly makes the other patrons uncomfortable.  The barman tells him that she never leaves the bar with anyone – which is like a red rag to a bull; Qae is never one to resist a challenge.

Camille – Cami - Blackstone is sick of being told what to do and where to go by her over-protective father, even though he has good reason for his fears for her safety.  She’s had a shitty day and just ducked into the bar to avoid a confrontation with him – and the comments she’s overheard about how she’s the “demon princess of hell” with a reputation for being a stuck-up, callous bitch are the last straw.  The infamous Qaelan Foster is dark-haired, blue-eyed temptation incarnate, so she decides to scotch those ice-queen rumours and kisses the hell out of the seriously hot captain right there in the middle of the bar – and then heads out with him into the night.

Of course, it’s not long before news of his daughter’s involvement with Qae reaches Blackstone’s ears and also of course, he’s not pleased.  But fortunately for Qae, Blackstone owes Rian big time, and instead of having Qae killed, decides he wants financial compensation - and he wants it in two week’s time.  It’s a nigh on impossible task if Qae is to continue to fly under the radar and avoid attention from the authorities; but it’s either that or forfeit his ship, and that’s something he can’t afford to do.

This confrontation is what kick-starts the plot ‘proper’, which sees the Ebony Winter heading off in search of the small fortune Qae has to deliver and following up on a solid lead as to the Imojenna’s whereabouts.  The relationships between the characters are all well done, and there’s some great snarky dialogue along the way, much of it between Qae and Rian and Qae and Cami, but I have to say that I wasn’t really feeling them as a couple.  They’re cute, but the way their romance starts – with a (not quite) one-night-stand - doesn’t allow for much build-up and there’s not a lot of chemistry between them.  Their storyline comes off as a sub-plot really, because much of Entropy is given over to the continuing storyline featuring Rian, who is such an overwhelmingly charismatic and interesting character that I was far more interested in him than in Qae and Cami, who were more like a fun, quirky diversion from the darker aspects of the novel.

I’m not complaining, though.  The books in this series are space opera ensemble pieces – comparisons with TV shows like Firefly are inevitable – and I like that about them.  But there’s no getting away from the fact that Rian is the star of the show in pretty much every book, so if you’re expecting a more traditionally focused romance, then you might be a bit disappointed.

Rian is a badass of the highest calibre, a former officer who was abducted by an alien race of shapeshifters called the Reidar and experimented upon .  He managed to escape and has been dedicated to exposing the Reidar – who have been gradually replacing key members of Earth’s industry and government with their own – and then destroying them when the time is right.  He’s a complex, flawed, damaged man; he’s volatile, bitter and prone to violence, although he is gradually learning to cope with his almost ever-present rage, and tries hard to keep control of his emotions.  In this, he is sometimes helped by Ella, the enigmatic Arynian high-priestess he was hired to transport in Atrophy; these two have terrific chemistry and something has been building between them since the beginning.  Rian is unsettled by her telepathic abilities and coolly controlled demeanour and tells himself he’s not attracted to her; Ella finds her attraction to Rian similarly inconvenient. They try to keep their distance, but it’s obviously becoming more and more difficult, and a surprise development here makes it practically impossible for them to do so any longer.  I admit that I was far more interested in his story than in the Qae/Cami romance, which is fairly lukewarm. But I expected that going in, so I didn’t find it as irritating as I might have done in other circumstances, and I really I hope Ms. Anastasi isn’t going to make us wait too long for Rian and Ella’s story.

Entropy is a thoroughly entertaining, fast-paced read with plenty of high-stakes action, snarky banter and some steamy scenes along the way.  I enjoyed it and zipped through it in a couple of sittings and would recommend it to other fans of sci-fi romances and space operas – with the suggestion that you consider picking up at least one other book in the series to smooth the way a bit.

Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo

Qaelen and Camille are more FWB than love's young dream at first, but they slowly grew on me. I think the story was hindered a bit by the heavy influence of the Rian/Ellia arc that is still welding itself together in the background. The whole "entanglement" of the triumvirate thingy totally twisted by melon! LOL

Cam and Que are funny, droll, dry and sarcastic, which I really loved. They weren't sappy at all.

I would definitely read this series in order, as I found myself referring back to earlier books to keep my mind straight on plot points. The whole pod people style baddies creep me the heck out!

I need more..now. Preferably Rian and Ella pls!!!!!!!

3.5 stars

Qaelen and Camille didn’t rock my boat with their romance, simply meaning I didn’t feel a deep connection; instead it was more of a friends with extra benefits. In hindsight, this wasn’t a bad thing, since I was too entranced by the heavy plot and all the happenings between Rian and Ella to realize Qae and Cami’s romance fell to the wayside. While I did enjoy the sarcastic quips and banter Cami and Qae put out and got a kick out of their wild goose chase across the galaxy, it was Rian I found myself rooting for. Rian just takes over whatever scene he’s in with his sheer presence, so his progression here was a pretty big deal! And please tell me his and Ella’s story is next!! I’m dying here after reading all that’s happened!!

Book four of the Atrophy series, Entropy was okay in terms of romance while very solid for story progression. If you haven’t read the previous books, I would recommend at least reading the first book, Atrophy to get a good feel for the cast of characters and a strong bead on the overall storyline. My personal favorite is the second book, Quantum and I’m totally in the Zander/Mae camp ;)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Qaelan Foster’s latest outings with his cousin have been more misadventures than adventures and mostly of the dodgy variety. But then he gets entangled with the likes of Camille Blackstone, which brings a whole new meaning of trouble.

But first, context is king: ‘Entropy’ isn’t exactly a standalone and there’s quite a backstory as to how this book begins. Basic knowledge of Jess Anastasi’s world-building surrounding the Imojenna and its ragtag crew would provide a fuller appreciation of Qae/Camille’s relationship and why we keep getting teased with Rian’s own ‘will-they-won’t-they’ relationship with Ella). And that’s as much as I should say, without needing to go into any longwinded recounting (which a book review isn’t supposed to be anyway) of the whole story.

Sadly, I wasn’t too sold on Qae and Camille to begin with: their (sort-of?) one-night stand, without the buildup or chemistry didn’t do much for me so very early on in the story, though it was a clever twist on how things ended up—Anastasi leaves a little bit to anticipate—before the story really kicks in.

Unlike the trajectory that the Atrophy series has been taking, ‘Entropy’, with the story of Qae/Camille, is like a diversion, steered towards a different path of space adventures because it isn’t directly focused once more on Rian, his demons and his endless chasing after an enemy that he may never overpower. Whatever few scenes with Rian/Ella/others I lapped up; the rest with Qae/Camille, I read with a bit more lukewarmness and frustration. Because despite their flirty push-pull, foreplay-esque tussles which I probably would have liked more if there weren’t the weight of the narrative arc already written into the series, all I could keep thinking about was Rian and when he’d finally get his own story straightened out. It’s that heavy of a presence he has in ‘Atrophy’, which I find impossible to shrug off.

Even if Qae/Camille’s tale and their frolic with the space pirates didn’t exactly keep me engaged, I still like the organic whole of the ‘Atrophy’ series and that isn’t often that I can say this. Reading any book of Anastasi is like having a mish-mash of scenes from syfy-series that I’ve enjoyed over the years flash fondly through my mind. There’re parts of everything I love/hate, along with the understated dashes of humour which make me laugh not only because they always serve as shadows of what I miss in those—like new wine continually put in old wine skin.

But until Rian’s story comes, I suspect I’ll be in a well of frustration.