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53 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Bait and Switch, January 30, 2009
I feel like I fell for a bait-and-switch. I really enjoyed the first three books in this series. They had good characters and interesting and believable plotlines. If you liked the first three books, you are going to HATE this one. If you like science fiction (as I do), you are going to REALLY HATE this one. I can't understand how Ms. Foster's editor let this one go to print. The plotholes are many and obvious and the fact that it is a complete 180 in style/plot from the other three books in the series is sure to alienate fans. If this book had been a standalone rather than the 4th in a series, it would have gone down better. As a part of the SBC series, I, the reader, feel betrayed and suckered.
*SPOILERS*
Humanity has evolved into a utopian-esque society that can provide whatever food you want with a command. Your bed and other furniture appears at will. Entertainment of all sorts is available with a simple command. They can make androids who are very human-like and have supercomputers. But they can't figure out who is attacking them? They won't re-invent better weapons because it wouldn't be honorable? It is more honorable to "sacrifice" a colony member every other month than it is to kick the crap out of the attackers with weapons? They are advanced enough to have time travel yet they can't tell an android from a human? They can repair a shattered knee but can't figure out how to get more male births? The 25-year-old virgin with access to every kind of information who doesn't even understand the basics of sex? A supercomputer that is better than everyone else's except when it is convenient to the plot for it to not do something? It certainly seemed to have the ability to be everywhere at once--unless the colony was being attacked. They had patrols to secure their borders rather than using the computer? They have the ability to see into time/space and watch what is going on there (spying) but they still can't figure out who is attacking them or where they are coming from? The sister who looked nothing like the others and no one even once figured she might have a different father? One or two of these stupidities in a novel is forgivable, but all at once? Please.
In addition, the whole story was like several bad 70s scifi novellas combined with a fairy tale or two. The virgin left out for sacrifice to the "dragon," the community run by women where the men are weak (Gene Roddenberry tv movie from the 70s or 80s), the 20th century "barbarian" man saving the day (same Gene Roddenberry movie, actually), and "we need you to breed with us to make us stronger" has been done before. And done better.
If the author had just left sci-fi out of it (because she did it really, REALLY poorly), this story could have been saved. Girl offers to help injured guy. She is an acupuncturist or herbal healer or something, helps him rebuild his life and find new meaning/purpose and fall in love. I'd've loved to read that story. The "the future needs you!" angle was *so* annoying. As was the characterization of Michael. Yes, manly-man who protects women, fine, but the constant slang and swearing got annoying really fast. I know it was to try to show the difference between the "yes sir!" future people, but goodness gracious, it could have been dropped halfway through the book. Michael was so irksome with his "hey baby" and "whatsup honey" crap, he was no longer a compelling hero. If he ever was.
The actual story, stripped of the scifi dross was...fair. Ignored illegitimate daughter finds self-confidence and love is a good foundation, but I didn't like Kayli (hated her name) very much but mostly felt she was held back by the stupidity of the plot. Michael was Conan the Barbarian and not a character I'd want to take home to meet mom.
It could have been so much better. But the blurb for the fifth book in the series (if they even still want to publish it after this travesty) makes it seem like it is all back to normal. No more time travel, no space ships, no (extra) absurdity. I might buy the fifth book, but I am going to wait for a few reviews first. No more buying-as-its-published for this author.
Two stars because while this one garnered several "What the heck?!" and "You've GOT to be kidding me!?"s, it wasn't as badly written as some things I've read. But that is damning with faint praise. Skip this book or pick it up at the used book store--there will doubtless be copies there within the week.
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29 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
a true disappointment, January 29, 2009
I ADORE SBC Fighters books 1-3 because they each tell a tale of a different fighter falling in love, facing struggles, and pulling through with the help of fellow SBC men (and the women they love). It's a great series and I have been looking forward to this for months!
Now I have My Man Michael in my hands and I am returning it after reading about 3 chapters. A warrior woman (clearly a virgin though that hasn't been revealed at the point I threw the book) appears in Michael's hospital room after an accident leaves him with only 1 good leg. She has studied his language and sayings for 'this time' so she may speak with him. She's shocked by profanities, freaks out about a kiss, doesn't recognize what the lifting sheet at his groin might be... yeah the super innocent thing was irritating from page 1.
I didn't sign on for this Lori Foster! I don't want to hear a tale of travel to the future to save her people where big men like Michael are no longer in existance- and where in fact- you want him to BREED WITH THE SUITABLE WOMEN. This isn't Conan the Barbarian, and it's so out of character for this series I'm in shock over here. Knowing Lori Foster he won't actually do that, he'll fall in love with the girl who came to take him to the future... but still. I don't want to read 300 pages to get there.
If you're into time travel and want that kind of book then cool. Me? I'm way angry that I got tricked into it thinking I was getting an SBC fighter book. I can't even finish this it feels so forced and so WRONG for this series.
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20 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Such a HUGE disappointment..., January 27, 2009
I am so disappointed in this story, I still can't believe it. I love Foster's books and especially this series. In fact, in anticipation of this newest installment, I re-read all the previous books. I bought My Man Michael as soon as it hit the shelves. There is none of the comaraderie between characters that I so enjoyed from the previous books. In fact, Havoc, Simon, and the rest are barely even mentioned. Of course that's because they live in the present day and not hundreds of years in the future where, unfortunately, this book takes place. I like paranormal and fantasy books as much as the next person, but I was so looking forward to spending time with 'friends' from the earlier books in this series. I will definitely look more closely at the next book before I purchase it!
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