Jonathan Yanez
Author of The Beast Within
About the Author
Image credit: From Jonathan Yanez’ online store
Series
Works by Jonathan Yanez
Chaos Sieged 4 copies
Zero 4 copies
Alan Price and the Statue of Zeus 3 copies
Alan Price and the Temple of Artemis 3 copies
Rise Up 3 copies
Face Toward Enemy 3 copies
Shall We Begin — Author — 2 copies
Legends Online Universe: The Complete First Arc of the LitRPG Series: Books 1-4 (Legends Online Universe Box Set Book 1) (2020) 2 copies
Ultima 2 copies
Gauntlet 2 copies
Way of the Wolf 1 copy
Strength in Struggle 1 copy
House of Spells 1 copy
House of Shifters 1 copy
Never Meet Your Heroes 1 copy
A Special Kind Of Crazy 1 copy
Burn the Night 1 copy
War Wolves 1 copy
Gene Code (Edge of Ruin #4) 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Short biography
- More animal than man, he bleeds caffeine and... Ah, I'm just kidding. It sounded cool though right?
I'm Jonathan, a former personal trainer turned full-time author and part-time model.
I could go on and on about how many books I've written and awards I've won but I'd rather use this time for you to get to know the real me.
I write because that's what I was born to do and I love doing it. Because of awesome people like you, I get to do it full time.
Connecting with fellow lovers of the written word is important to me so please join the Pack via my website at www.jonathan-yanez.com where you can grab an exclusive story or hang out with us at www.facebook.com/groups/1944447962437...
Hope you decide to stay in touch,
Jonathan
Members
Reviews
In Iron Wolves, we get to see a part of the Legion inhabited by men less high-minded than Cohen Chhun or Subs, the Dark Ops legionnaire from Order of the Centurion. Men on the borderline of control. Men interested in chasing skirts. Men who might have trouble adjusting to civilian life again, if they live that long.
Sergeant Sam Samson [who knows, maybe back on lost Earth, his distant ancestors were from Iceland] can KTF with the best of them, but he gets a little too enthusiastic about it. show more Since this isn’t exactly what the Legion is looking for in a recruitment holo, Sam has been promoted to Sergeant and busted back down more times than he would probably like to think about. I get the impression that if Sam ever gets out of the Legion alive, he is going to find civilian life bewildering, at best.
Yet, Sam isn’t a heartless monster who’ll coolly [or heatedly] pull the trigger on anyone he is ordered to, or someone who looks at him funny. His problem is a lack of control, not a lack of a conscience. Sam Samson is not a nice guy, but he does at least try to be good, even if he frequently fails. Guys like him can find a place in the military sometimes, which can put that impulsiveness to use in the field. I bet Sam would be a nightmare on barracks duty though.
Going back 95 years to Beau Geste, or alternatively in the more modern They Shall Not Grow Old, men like Sam have been seen as the foundation of the armed forces. Whether in the conscript armies of the early twentieth century, or the volunteer services we have now in the Anglosphere, men like Sam, crass but loyal, with no real home outside of military life, have been the solid core. They provide the cultural continuity that makes an army work.
But to be a Legionnaire in the waning days of the Galactic Republic is to find your loyalty tested. I take Iron Wolves, like all of the Galaxy’s Edge books, to be a reflection on the lived experience of the men who served. In this book, the central question is: how do you know when following orders is not the right thing to do? When it comes down to it, to whom are you truly loyal?
A persistent problem over time with militaries with strong esprit-de-corps is that the men tend to be loyal to each other, and their commanders, far more than their political masters. In the United States, the strong tradition of civilian control of the military is intended to counter precisely this tendency. At Galaxy’s Edge, the points, appointed officers, are likewise intended to subvert this, for the Legion was intended from the beginning to be inward-looking.
An interesting wrinkle is that professional soldiers like Sam often find themselves growing fond of the peoples and places where they are stationed. They can find a home in many ways more welcoming than their own. Thus when the politicians no longer see benefit in these remote places, and cynically withdraw support, it is not just abstract honor that is offended, but a very real love of place and a sense of belonging. The very things that make men fight.
What Sam Samson and the rest of the Iron Wolves do in response to political cynicism is simply what they do best: kill the other guy before he kills you and let the chips fall where they may. This was the first Order of the Centurion book primarily written by someone other than Jason and Nick, and so far I pleased with how their experiment is turning out. show less
Sergeant Sam Samson [who knows, maybe back on lost Earth, his distant ancestors were from Iceland] can KTF with the best of them, but he gets a little too enthusiastic about it. show more Since this isn’t exactly what the Legion is looking for in a recruitment holo, Sam has been promoted to Sergeant and busted back down more times than he would probably like to think about. I get the impression that if Sam ever gets out of the Legion alive, he is going to find civilian life bewildering, at best.
Yet, Sam isn’t a heartless monster who’ll coolly [or heatedly] pull the trigger on anyone he is ordered to, or someone who looks at him funny. His problem is a lack of control, not a lack of a conscience. Sam Samson is not a nice guy, but he does at least try to be good, even if he frequently fails. Guys like him can find a place in the military sometimes, which can put that impulsiveness to use in the field. I bet Sam would be a nightmare on barracks duty though.
Going back 95 years to Beau Geste, or alternatively in the more modern They Shall Not Grow Old, men like Sam have been seen as the foundation of the armed forces. Whether in the conscript armies of the early twentieth century, or the volunteer services we have now in the Anglosphere, men like Sam, crass but loyal, with no real home outside of military life, have been the solid core. They provide the cultural continuity that makes an army work.
But to be a Legionnaire in the waning days of the Galactic Republic is to find your loyalty tested. I take Iron Wolves, like all of the Galaxy’s Edge books, to be a reflection on the lived experience of the men who served. In this book, the central question is: how do you know when following orders is not the right thing to do? When it comes down to it, to whom are you truly loyal?
A persistent problem over time with militaries with strong esprit-de-corps is that the men tend to be loyal to each other, and their commanders, far more than their political masters. In the United States, the strong tradition of civilian control of the military is intended to counter precisely this tendency. At Galaxy’s Edge, the points, appointed officers, are likewise intended to subvert this, for the Legion was intended from the beginning to be inward-looking.
An interesting wrinkle is that professional soldiers like Sam often find themselves growing fond of the peoples and places where they are stationed. They can find a home in many ways more welcoming than their own. Thus when the politicians no longer see benefit in these remote places, and cynically withdraw support, it is not just abstract honor that is offended, but a very real love of place and a sense of belonging. The very things that make men fight.
What Sam Samson and the rest of the Iron Wolves do in response to political cynicism is simply what they do best: kill the other guy before he kills you and let the chips fall where they may. This was the first Order of the Centurion book primarily written by someone other than Jason and Nick, and so far I pleased with how their experiment is turning out. show less
Hard Reset delivers a compelling sci-fi premise that’s both imaginative and well-executed. Jonathan Yanez sets up an intriguing world with just enough mystery and momentum to keep the pages turning. The lead character stands out as someone easy to root for — likable, determined, and fully capable of carrying the story forward.
While the novel wraps up with more of a setup than a resolution, it feels intentionally designed to launch the sequel rather than leave readers unsatisfied. The show more cliffhanger left me eager to see where the story goes next. For fans of action-driven science fiction with heart, Hard Reset is a strong start to what promises to be an exciting series. show less
While the novel wraps up with more of a setup than a resolution, it feels intentionally designed to launch the sequel rather than leave readers unsatisfied. The show more cliffhanger left me eager to see where the story goes next. For fans of action-driven science fiction with heart, Hard Reset is a strong start to what promises to be an exciting series. show less
This book has so much going on and yet I am stumped on how to begin my feedback. I guess the story will be a good starting point.
Marshall Montgomery, a reporter, is unduly upset by the death of a young girl in a hit-and-run accident near a mysterious place called Wakan Canyon. As he tries to investigate the matter, he realises that things aren't what they seem and the truth is out of this world, almost literally. Aiding him on his quest are his new crush Samantha and two of his office show more colleagues Diana and Anne. The plot soon affixes itself into the supernatural and Marshall finds himself questioning the past and dreading the future.
On the face of it, the book had almost everything: thrill, horror, romance, fantasy, drama... The author unwinds the story at a fairly quick pace so there are not many deviations from the main plotline. Till the 65-70% mark, the storyline is steady. Then there are some sudden changes in the narrative that make you wonder where things are going. But soon you realise that everything links back into the book reaches a fairly satisfying denouement, which promises more to come in the series.
SFF tends to use its animals very cruelly, so I’m happy to report that the two dogs in the book don’t get mistreated. I loved Shadow! And I loved how Marshall kept calling him his “roommate”. Most of the characters are really well-written, with a clear backstory and their motivations. The pace of the writing is its biggest advantage as the author keeps the accelerator going till the ending, not allowing you to relax till the book is done. If I had to stop my review at this point, the book would have been a solid 4.5 star read for me. But I hope you know me by now. If something displeases me, I can be a real bitch.
The book seems to be written with the new adult age group in mind and unfortunately, the writing tries too hard to please this set of readers. I loved Samantha’s character, but I hated the way she was written. Samantha is an intelligent, capable, and brave young woman and yet the adjectives most commonly used to describe her from Marshall's viewpoint are based entirely on her physical appeal. If the book were some erotic romance or some cheesy chicklit, I might have let this go. But when I'm reading an SFF novel, I would prefer a book focusing on the skills rather than the structure of a woman. This isn't the worst example I've seen of #MenWritingWomen but it's still pretty bad. Male authors seem to try and fit their female lead characters into the woman of their fantasies: curvy-shaped in the “right” places, intelligent, gorgeous with supermodel looks, kickass brave, and, an extra “wow factor” in this book for men, a car lover who also loves Star Wars and video games. Jeez! You could have kept at least some of your dream woman’s qualities in reserve for the sequel, dear author. Deducting a whole star for the chauvinistic writing.
Other than this, no major issues. Only minor ones with teeny plot holes and secondary characters. Nothing so grave that it can’t be ignored.
The audiobook is narrated by Tim Paige. And he is fabulous! The right tempo, the right enunciation, the right voices, the right pauses. He made the 8 hour long audiobook fun to listen to. I’m beginning to trust all audiobooks by OrangeSky Audio. Nothing I’ve heard from them so far has had a bad production quality or poor narrators.
Thank you, NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio, for the Advanced Audio Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever!, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Follow me on Instagram: RoshReviews show less
Marshall Montgomery, a reporter, is unduly upset by the death of a young girl in a hit-and-run accident near a mysterious place called Wakan Canyon. As he tries to investigate the matter, he realises that things aren't what they seem and the truth is out of this world, almost literally. Aiding him on his quest are his new crush Samantha and two of his office show more colleagues Diana and Anne. The plot soon affixes itself into the supernatural and Marshall finds himself questioning the past and dreading the future.
On the face of it, the book had almost everything: thrill, horror, romance, fantasy, drama... The author unwinds the story at a fairly quick pace so there are not many deviations from the main plotline. Till the 65-70% mark, the storyline is steady. Then there are some sudden changes in the narrative that make you wonder where things are going. But soon you realise that everything links back into the book reaches a fairly satisfying denouement, which promises more to come in the series.
SFF tends to use its animals very cruelly, so I’m happy to report that the two dogs in the book don’t get mistreated. I loved Shadow! And I loved how Marshall kept calling him his “roommate”. Most of the characters are really well-written, with a clear backstory and their motivations. The pace of the writing is its biggest advantage as the author keeps the accelerator going till the ending, not allowing you to relax till the book is done. If I had to stop my review at this point, the book would have been a solid 4.5 star read for me. But I hope you know me by now. If something displeases me, I can be a real bitch.
The book seems to be written with the new adult age group in mind and unfortunately, the writing tries too hard to please this set of readers. I loved Samantha’s character, but I hated the way she was written. Samantha is an intelligent, capable, and brave young woman and yet the adjectives most commonly used to describe her from Marshall's viewpoint are based entirely on her physical appeal. If the book were some erotic romance or some cheesy chicklit, I might have let this go. But when I'm reading an SFF novel, I would prefer a book focusing on the skills rather than the structure of a woman. This isn't the worst example I've seen of #MenWritingWomen but it's still pretty bad. Male authors seem to try and fit their female lead characters into the woman of their fantasies: curvy-shaped in the “right” places, intelligent, gorgeous with supermodel looks, kickass brave, and, an extra “wow factor” in this book for men, a car lover who also loves Star Wars and video games. Jeez! You could have kept at least some of your dream woman’s qualities in reserve for the sequel, dear author. Deducting a whole star for the chauvinistic writing.
Other than this, no major issues. Only minor ones with teeny plot holes and secondary characters. Nothing so grave that it can’t be ignored.
The audiobook is narrated by Tim Paige. And he is fabulous! The right tempo, the right enunciation, the right voices, the right pauses. He made the 8 hour long audiobook fun to listen to. I’m beginning to trust all audiobooks by OrangeSky Audio. Nothing I’ve heard from them so far has had a bad production quality or poor narrators.
Thank you, NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio, for the Advanced Audio Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever!, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Follow me on Instagram: RoshReviews show less
Quick and easy military sci-fi. Interesting premise. Some of the "battles" went on too long. One of the later character is just too "super" to be enjoyable (the fights didn't provide any satisfaction and just got comical and dragged on). I got the next book in the series because I felt like a quick, light, military sci-fi read... nothing deep here.
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- 138
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- Rating
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