This book was very highly recommended by my sister so I decided to give it a try. I lowered my expectations because I tend to be a very picky reader. The book is hailed as being dark but as a fan of the more dark stories, I didn't find this dark, it instead just wore me down. Now, let it be known that this will be a negative review with very few positives. Also, that this review is based on soldiers only, as I do not see myself reaching for the other books. Heck, I struggled to finish this... First of all, the trigger of this relationship to me was ridiculous. I tend to give all gay fiction that start this way the side eye. I don't know what it is with dark fics and rape, but almost all of them start this way. Then they lead you through a journey of stockholm syndrome on the part of the victim. This book gladly spares you from that and you forgive that aspect of the plot but I still found it ridiculous. Especially the way Dan is described at first. There were moments that really required you to let logic go and just accept things. For instance, Dan not killing Vadim during the initial stages of the book. The excuse here is ridiculous and the rationale had me letting out a breath especially considering Dan has been in the special forces for YEARS. Somehow, he finds it in himself to rationalize why not killing his rapist is the way to go... My biggest complaint is how redundant it becomes. I actually grew tired of the sex scenes and fast forwarded a lot of them, however, the flaw in this is that their sex scenes are actually what build their relationship. Sex in this book is a tool for coping, companionship, love, control and desire. Which means that the whole book is practically based on their lovemaking. However, the sex scenes for me totally lost their erotic factor around about the sixth sex scene and I read them mechanically in hopes that there would be something more. Alas, little did I know that there would be even more love making and I never thought I'd say this about a gay fiction, I started feeling like "I swear if they shag again, I am out of here." The book lost substance for me.Also, anything beyond their meetings seemed so irrelevant. It's set in a dangerous war zone and the author does a decent job in making you believe their relationship is one that could disappear at any moment, but somehow, I still didn't buy it. When they were separated from each other, there was no doubt for me that they would meet because this book is very character based. Meaning, it's the type of book that you know ends when any of these two characters dies. Hence, I never truly felt the suspense here. The focus has only been on these two characters so there was clearly no way one would die especially with the knowledge of this being a series. I kept wishing that life beyond the army would start as the setting lost its flavor halfway for me. Unless, shagging in caves is your thing, I just got tired of it all.Also, I think my heart is a rock because as chapters and chapters of sex scenes began to wear me down, I found myself caring less and less about the characters. The characters are of course the selling point of this book but with the mild glimpses at their past and history, you start to lose interest. Nonetheless, at page 500, I hit a rut where it became a struggle to finish. I consoled myself and really had to psych myself up to finish this book. It took me back to elementary school where the school cafeteria served horrible food and I consistently struggled to finish this one particular dish. So every tuesday I entered this battle with myself and even though I was hungry, after a couple of bites I entered a buddhist scripture type of chant "One more bite, one more bite..." My point here is that this book reached a point where it was no longer sating my hunger but more a struggle to get through. I started reading robotically and sighing at YET ANOTHER SEX SCENE. Overall, made it through this book and I am not interested in the others. I am not even on the childish side of the spectrum where I can't appreciate a dark heart wrenching fic because as I mentioned, I do love such tales, but boy this wore me down. I needed more substance, something to stir my feelings beyond this Romeo and Juliet (or forbidden love if you prefer) type of story. Gosh, the only book that wore me down like this was Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep (Gets so many good reviews). Total struggle to finish.EDIT: Boredom and The Cut and Run series (which sucks) led me to try Mercenaries which is 9000 times better, I would have skipped this book if I knew because seriously, this book wasted my time. This book was...intense...full of violence, hatred, greed and than lust and desperation...finally tenderness and love.At times it was almost torture to read. You could almost feel the insanity of the maincharacters.I was afraid to start with it...had looked in to it and wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it.Well, I am sure you can't really say that you can enjoy this book...not like you would enjoy other books.You get insight in a time you almost can't imagine now...and a tiny feeling for war you don't want to have.It is a great read...if you are up for extremity in emotions and actions.Before I start into book 2 I need something that cheers me up. But, I'll be back!!!
What do You think about Special Forces - Soldiers - Directors Cut (2000)?
3,5 to 4 stars. I'll review Special Forces as a whole.
—jman
