Caffeinated Reviewer

I was excited to begin the next audiobook in the Aldebarian Alliance. and grabbed my earbuds. The Renegade Akseli Cyborg by Dianne Duvall shares Immortal Rachel’s and Wonick, a renegade cyborg story. Banter, kickassery and chemistry await you in this addictive story.

Too many years of hunting psychotic vampires night after night have left Rachel with a need for change. So when the opportunity to travel across the galaxy aboard a Lasaran warship to a utopian planet arises, the powerful Immortal Guardian jumps at the chance. Rachel eagerly looks forward to making a fresh start . . . until an enemy attacks and she ends up alone in an escape pod so far from alliance-occupied space that no one can hear her communications. No one except a renegade cyborg who shouldn't exist.

After a hard-fought rebellion, Wonick and his cyborg brethren settled on a distant planet, where they've finally carved out a peaceful existence. The Aldebarian Alliance believes every Akseli cyborg died long ago. And Wonick is determined to prevent anyone from discovering otherwise, knowing such would spark the fiercest manhunt in the galaxy. Yet when he hears Rachel's communications, temptation drives him to speak to her, sparking friendship and a longing for a different future. Rachel finds Wonick even more appealing when she meets him in person, and their friendship soon deepens into love as the cyborgs cautiously welcome her into the fold. But the warriors' ability to collect intel uncovers a secret the enemy has guarded for decades, one that compels them to embark upon a mission fraught with danger.

I am a huge fan of Duvall’s series and have devoured them all. This is a sci-fi romance series and a spinoff of the Immortal Guardians. Renegade Akseli Cyborg is the fifth audiobook in the Aldebarian Alliance narrated by Kirsten Potter. While Duvall does a splendid job of bringing new listeners up to speed, spoilers concerning other paired couples and the overall arc, not to mention the fact that the series is awesome has me recommending you listen in the order of release.

Rachel, an Immortal Guardian, tired of fighting vamps on Earth, was aboard a Lasaran warship headed towards the promise of a utopian world when the ship was attacked. Her escape pod rocketed her far from alliance-occupied space. She doesn’t have enough fuel to reach them and hopes of being rescued. She broadcasts an SOS when Wonick, a renegade cyborg and his brethren, hear her distress call. Wonick is drawn to the voice who claims she can kick the enemy’s arse single handedly…lol.  

I absolutely loved the tale that unfolds from the first meet to the romance and fast-paced plot. Lots of engaging battles with the enemy alongside the shock and all of Rachel’s skills had me grinning as her cyborg companions stood slack-jawed. The story of the cyborg’s creation and then ordered destruction was a fascinating one. I was all geeked out over their new planet and technology.

Our enemies are vile creatures from their experiments on others to their obsession over domination. Duvall had me cheering as Rachel and her new allies engaged with them. It was intense, and dare I say fun?

The romance built right alongside the danger, keeping me fully engaged. The series is fantastic on audio and Kirsten Potter captured Rachel’s snarky, curious personality. She gives voice to each character, and I loved the serious captain, young cyborg and, of course, Wonick.

The story delivered from beginning to end, giving us updates on previous characters and setting up the next story. I cannot wait!

Amazon | Audible

About Dianne Duvall

Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series. Her debut novel Darkness Dawns, Book 1, was nominated for the RT Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance by RT Book Reviews and for Best Paranormal Romance - Vampire by The Romance Reviews. Night Reigns, Book 2, was declared an “utterly addictive” Top Pick by RT Book Reviews and was nominated for Best Paranormal Romance 2011 by The Romance Reviews. Phantom Shadows, Book 3, was named a Top Pick by both The Romance Reviews and Night Owl Reviews. Her Immortal Guardians novella "In Still Darkness" was released in the Predatory Anthology in May 2013. Darkness Rises, Book 4, was also nominated for the RT Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance. Night Unbound, Book 5 in the series, will be released on September 2, 2014. When she isn't writing, Dianne loves all things creative. When her nose isn't buried in a book, she is very active in the independent film industry and once even appeared onscreen as a machete-wielding maniac not unlike the vampires she so loves to create in her novels.

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About Kirsten Potter

Kirsten Potter, a graduate of the Boston University School for the Arts, has performed on stage, film, and television, including roles on Medium, Bones, and Judging Amy. An award-winning audiobook narrator, Kirsten has won AudioFile Earphones Awards for her reading of The Snowball by Alice Schroeder and her performance as Barbara in George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara. Her other titles include The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley, Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, Sammy's House by Kristen Gore, and Madapple by Christina Meldrum, which was a Booklist Editors' Choice for Best Audiobook 2008. Kirsten has received recognition from the American Academy of Achievement and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, as well as numerous regional awards.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2024 Audiobook Challenge

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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