Charles Payseur

Whenever some super-secret organization fighting for the good of anyone who is an underdog is mentioned, I sit up straight. Make it a paranormal or otherwise nonhuman group and I become all ears, leaning forward in my seat to make sure I don’t miss anything. So ‘Fieldwork’ pretty much had me at “CXO” – the Central Xenomorph Organization. Then there is Agent Ignacio who insists on doing a desk job and not just because he is great at tracking financial transactions – he keeps the show more kind of shifter he is top secret. Then pair him with the CXO’s most dangerous, successful, and utterly charming Agent Reed, a tiger shifter who is merciless in his dealings with terrorists and criminals, and you had me hooked before I read the first sentence of the story.

Ignacio lost his parents to the same criminals he is now helping to bring to justice. The one thing he refuses to do is fieldwork – his parents died during an assignment in the field, and Ignacio believes, due to the type of shifter he is, that he is not suited to working anywhere but in the safety of his office. So when he gets paired up with Reed by a boss who knows his issues, Ignacio is in shock. But his quiet courage, determination to overcome his fears, and mind-boggling ability to save the entire mission prove that appearances are not always the sole deciding factor in someone’s choice of profession.

Reed is self-confident to the point of arrogance, a top agent, and always works alone. His record is the stuff of legends, and he has the attitude to match. But in this case he needs Ignacio’s help –financial transactions and “computer stuff” are not in his arsenal of talents. He respects Ignacio not just because he thinks his fellow agent is a wolf, but when Ignacio has to reveal what his shifter animal is, Ignacio proves he is a bigger man than his somewhat shallow reputation led me to suspect. Absolutely perfect!

It is fair to say that my expectations were pretty high, but Charles Payseur managed to exceed them by far. The combination of a somewhat shy agent with one who could not be more outgoing is very well done, and not just based on Ignacio and Reed’s personalities. The way they think, the secrets they keep, and how they work together all add to the atmosphere of the story. The initial mystery around what Ignacio shifts into, if not a wolf, keeps up the tension until the second it is revealed – only to have the entire mission succeed based on Ignacio’s shifter nature. Very well played indeed!

If you like stories about secret agents and their missions, if you think that two men who could not be more different might just be perfect partners on and off the job, and if you’re looking for a read that is entertaining, full of mystery, suspenseful, and touching, then you will probably love this short story as much as I do. All I can say: more Ignacio and Reed, pretty please!


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review. show less

Superheroes have been around for a while, and of course they exist to fight villains and save the world, but stories from the point of view of the villains – and in this case a supervillain – are relatively new and fairly rare (at least as far as I know). I love the humor of a supervillain trying to do his job – destroying the world - and being regularly stopped by all kinds of superheroes. It’s the world as we know it seen upside down, and that makes for fun reading.

Rex is an show more accomplished supervillain with lots of creative ideas for causing mischief. His personal life is a disaster area though – none of his previous attempts at a longer-term relationship have survived because his Christmas presents were never right. His new boyfriend, Sanjay, seems so perfect that Rex is scared to lose him. And, based on Rex’s track record, that is what will happen. But as a supervillain, Rex has the perfect solution: all he needs to do is destroy Christmas.

Sanjay seems to know that Rex is a “bad guy” but he doesn’t care. His innocence, naiveness, and lack of any desire to “reform” Rex are as funny as his support is unstoppable. That is precisely what Rex needs in a boyfriend, and they do make a really cute couple. I loved Rex’s vulnerability and insecurity where his relationship with Sanjay is concerned – it made him almost human.

If you like superheroes but want to see the world from their enemies’ point of view for a change, if you think even supervillains deserve a merry Christmas, and if you’re looking for a read that is funny, entertaining, and has some very creative twists and turns, then you will probably like this short story as much as I do. I think it’s a very creative interpretation of what the Christmas spirit is all about.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. show less

This was the first book I've read in this series, but it won't be my last. Really enjoyed the humor.

Amusing and adorable. Although all I could see when I thought of Rex was the Supervillain from Phineas and Ferb.

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/4b/79/24/4b7924fd5f97a92a99cd11e4c586749e...