On Aerthe freedom is a lie.Wrenched from their beds and into another world, three earth women and one man find themselves in an alien, violence-infested land.Powered by old tech and carrying the captive humans, the immense landships of the Mekkers grind on track and wheel across the countryside. Fern, Gio, and Emery are property and must learn to kneel and beg, to open their legs, and to stifle … their legs, and to stifle their shame. Pleasure will be their reward.
Even if fated to fall in love, these women fight to the last.
Their weapons will be guns and words, or bots from the tiniest in size to giant war machines, though sometimes running away works best. Only Sawyer, ex-soldier, will never bow, for being the master beckons to him and drums through his blood.
With everyone at war with everyone else, the planet seems ready to implode. Can humans be the healing catalyst?
ALL FIVE BOOKS IN THE SERIES IN ONE BOXSET.
350,000 words from NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Cari Silverwood.
Featuring Acquired Possession, Claimed Possession, Branded Possession, Exquisite Possession, and the novella, Fated Possession.
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The Machinery of Desire is a great series,one i enjoyed só much!
And now all of it’s stories are in a beautiful boxset,with a delicious cover.
The beauty of the series is,that you get to know a new couple in each story,while the events around them follow a time-line.
Yes,they should be read in order.
But they show you a world that’s seen through different eyes,from different perspectives.
A world that’s amazing.
With people that i’ve grown to love……a lot.
As usual with Cari,the men are MEN,dominant,rough around the edges,but honest.
And her women are feisty,resilient and strong enough to submit to their men.
They all face their own kind of trouble.
They all struggle to build a relationship that meets their unique needs.
Each story shines brightly in the darkness that’s Earthe.
In short,this is a boxset that’s worth every penny,every cent.
And more…..
“it had a Doctor Who theme with a touch of steampunk”
…not really, but that quote was too good not to use as my headline 🙂
Great series. Loved the world and the people and how it all comes together in the end.
Cari Silverwood continues to impress. So many feels. Very highly recommended.
“This could end in violence and everyone dead or it could end in a party.”
Fantastic series!!!
Fated Possession
The journey is just beginning
One is a slave and wants to be free and will do almost anything, while the other thinks of reselling her and profit.
When Blue doesn’t conform to Sassik’s control, well…. Lets say he is more than willing to discipline, take control and get creative with it! There is action, adventure, danger, lust, chemistry, humans, aliens and a whole new world called Aerthe! So well written and entertaining!
Aquired Possession
Emery wakes to an altered and new reality for herself …
Emery wakes to an altered and new reality for herself. One where her value is not what she is used to. Her sassy spirit and outspokeness earn her “punishment and training” by Mako. While he enjoys it does he do it for satisfaction or to save her? Dark, twisted and satisfying.
Claimed Possession
Tables turned
What a deliciously dark follow up to the first book! Sawyer and Aribelle experience a complete power exchange. Owner becomes slave and slave becomes owner! Sawyer immerses himself in this new world and his darker side bursts free. Aribelle finds out that she to has a new role, a more submissive one. There are extremely dark sexual elements to this story it is definitely ADULT reading. Enter a world of of extremes, written in glorious and descriptive detail. A true work of art!
Branded Possession
Oh so dark and delicious
Ryke and Gio’s story is dark, gritty, edgy and a part of a great original series. This story has betrayals, angst, intrigue, tragedy and showcases politics with its segregation and identification of “lower classes”. There are extremes in all aspects of this story and it is not for the faint of heart. But if you want to be taken on an emotional roller coaster in an original story with uber dark situations an elements this is a must read!
Exquisite Possession
Perfect!
If this is your first trip to the wonderful, dark, kinky, engaging, sometimes humorous, always exciting, compelling and deep imagination of Ms. Silverwood welcome to a new reality in a distant/alternative universe. Do yourself a hugh favor and read the series from the beginning, only to enjoy this series completely. While this book can stand alone, the other books in this series are a treat to read as well.
JI a mech/humanoid, while appearing human has a journey to learn about emotions, choices, loyalty, lust, love and more! The object of his desires and feelings, both dark and light is Fern. Left for dead, mutilated and betrayed she is subject to her own dark needs. Be prepared for some intense, intriguing, sexy, kinky scenes! Can they give each other what they need and want? Can they survive the lies, evil, torture, betrayal, dangers, war, temptations and enemies all around? Is there hope for them and this world? You will have to find out for yourself!
1. Acquired Possession is our introduction to this series, introducing us to Aerthe and the Mekkers, to Emery, and a society unlike anything we might now. It drops us right into the story and slowly reveals more and more details as things progress, letting us learn about this world almost as blindly as Emery and her friends do. There is science fiction, there is bdsm, and so much more. Some things are triggers, and some are downright sexy or intriguing, but all in all it is a gripping start to a unique series.
2. Claimed Possession gives us a glimpse into the other side of life, with Sawyer, brother to Emery’s friend, Fern. We see how human males are treated, and we see how even the women of Aerthe may submit if the situation warrants it. After Sawyer saves Aribelle, despite what she has done to him, he will make sure she repays that debt, and we, the readers, are given every rewarding second. While good, and definitely building on the world we met in book 1, it didn’t draw me as much as some of the others. I still recommend anyone reads this, as we are given pieces in each book to build the story and plot of a whole landscape.
3. Branded Possession is the story of Gio, the woman who sought to save humanity, and keep more humans from becoming the property of the Mekkers. Given to the King’s Lawgiver for torture and breaking, she just might break him instead. Gio was an interesting character and the depth of Ryke caught me.
4. Exquisite Possession is the final book in a sci fi series so unique and exciting I’m a bit sad to read the last pages. The story of Fern and JI offer so many different emotions, so much heat and conflict and depth it just shows once again how wonderful an author Cari Silverwood is. Ever since the intriguing set up of Acquired Possession I’ve been caught by these books, in such an interesting alternate reality setting. Even the supporting characters are engaging! I’ve always enjoyed dark romance and erotic books in science fiction or fantasy settings but Cari hits it out of the park with this series.
Fair warning, read these in order or you will miss large chunks or backstory and parts will not make much sense. Also it contains dark erotic scenes, rough kinky situations so, if you can’t handle that, this book and the rest in the series are not for you.
For everyone else – grab book 1 and hold on for a wild, wonderful ride.
Passionate – Powerful – Poignant – Perfect
“A World of immorality and daily carnage”
– just resting there
– one click away
– waiting for you to explore
Acquired Possession – 5 Stars
Claimed Possession – 4 Stars
Branded Possession – 4 Stars
Exquisite Possession – 5 Stars
If you enjoy the darker aspects of dystopian romance- this series is a definite must-read
May I suggest beginning at the beginning – book 1 – Acquired possession
It makes the read much more meaningful and the connection to the characters will be on a deeper level – definitely worth it
I read each of the books independently via KU program
This is my review of the final book –
Wow – Speechless
I don’t think this could have ended any different – it was the perfect ending to Ji’s story – You can rest assured we have not heard the last from Aerthe – (Or at least I hope not – I have so many questions and needs -there are some secondary characters that I would love more of)
Exquisite Possession is Ji’s story and it was everything I hoped for and so much more. I have always had a soft spot for him – his character was endearing from book one and watching him develop and “humanize” has been such a fantastic journey- a bit sad to see it end – leaves me feeling a bit “wiffly-waffly”
This is the fourth book in this series and you must (not an option here) read the previous three books to truly get the depth of depravity and evil that thrives on this side of the portal. This is not for the faint or those who do not normally bathe in the glow of depravity – This is fantasy! (wanted to throw that out there because yeah ) – Ji promised to find Fern and he intends to keep that promise even if Fern is not so on board with this idea. Fern is such a strong and independent heroine – she has survived the evil of the Judge and she has built herself a life despite the harsh reality she finds herself in- like all of the women within this series – she will only expose the soft of her underbelly to an Alpha worthy of her strength.
This is a really amazing series, which takes place in the dystopian sci-fi world of Aerthe. This world has been so wonderfully crafted. I feel like I could really see the existence of this place. It takes real talent and focus to be able to write about a fictional place with such detail. And the erotic elements are fantastic! If that part bothers you, this may not be your cup of tea, as it is by no means a sweet, romantic series of books. It’s crude, cruel at times, and darkly twisted, and I was enthralled with it all! It’s complex and intricate, yet the lust and passion will really set you off. And the plot of each story is well written, with each tale keeping you in hot pursuit of the end to see how everything concludes. I highly recommend it!
For those of you who are new to this box set, you won’t regret reading this at all! You readers are the lucky ones to be able to sit and read through this whole series at once. I originally read the novella, Fated Possession, first (that’s how I was introduced to this author) when it was released in an anthology. However, I got stuck reading more of her current books, having put her previous books on my reading list. It wasn’t until the last book, Exquisite Possession, came out that I realized she had a whole series about this intriguing world she had featured in her novella! I had to, of course, crash read through the first book, Acquired Possession, (author mentioned that the first book should at least be read in order to understand the last book), just so I could read Exquisite Possession. I know that meant I was reading the books out of ordered but at that point I didn’t care, LOL. I am still behind a book, so this book set actually makes it great cause I can go read all of them in order now and refresh myself to why this author is such a great story teller. I love sci-fi and romance and she does such an awesome job weaving the two genres together. And just FYI, the chemistry is off the charts HOT! If you are a very vanilla kind of reader, this may not be a series you will enjoy at all. I won’t recommend that you read this at all. You might actually be offended, LOL.
acquired possession
When I read a erotic sci-fi story I do want worldbuilding. There is a balance needed between the erotic story and the world it takes place in. You need a good foundation to your story and that is something Cari Silverwood really nailed with this story. There is a unique worldsetting and there are well written layered characters. Emery is strong and it isn’t easy for her to accept that she is a slave in this world and loved how she tried to find joy and peace for herself and other, but she never gives up hope. Mako is a anti hero, but he isn’t free either. I loved the interaction between them and I was rooting for them. There are some dark elements in this book that I never read before. Cari Silverwood always surprises met with special intense dark scenes.
Claimed Possession
The second book in the Machinery of Desire series. This book focuses on Sawyer, who we briefly meet in the first book. This book has a lot of action. I kept thinking this book would make an amazing tv series. Cari Silverwood has a very descriptive style of writing, but the story and words still flow really well.
Sawyer and Ari are two complicated characters. Characters that you feel sorry for one moment and then go and act like a ass for a few chapters. There are dark elements in this book, but there is also a wonderful connection between the characters. One of my favorite characters is the mech JI. He makes me laugh, but it is also a very tragic characters.
I loved this book. Once I started reading I couldn’t stop. An amazing addition to the series and I look forward to the next book.
Branded Possession
The third book in the Machinery of Desire series and this book features Gio and Ryke. This book had a bit of a different feel to it then the other books
Gio, we know as the one who helped the Mekkers to creates portals to bring humans into the world of Aerthe. Now she is taken prisoner. Ryke is tasked with the job to find out more.
Gio and Ryke are fighting a battle of two strong wills. Who will win? They are complex and layered characters and things aren’t always what they seem.
Both of them have secrets and their own agenda of getting what they want. Like any Cari Silverwood book, Ryke uses very inventive and not average methods on Gio to get her to talk, to punish and just because he wants to. That makes it a very interesting read.
And I loved the new droid. They are real characters.
I loved finding out more about the world and how everything worked and connects in ways I didn’t think about before.
Exquisite Possession
The fourth book in the Machinery of Desire series and it features my favorite characters of the entire series JI.
I loved reading about JI internal struggles and his experiences with being no longer machine. He has these feelings and emotions which are foreign to him and he has to deal with somehow. And the same time he still responds very logical to a lot of things.
Fern was an interesting character. She has dark desires which JI is able to tap into. And they discover them together.
It is a book full of action and those last couple of chapters just blew my mind. I couldn’t read fast enough.
This is the last book in the series so everything comes together and most loose ends get tied up.
Aerthe from beginning to end!
AQUIRED POSSESSION
A gloriously dark and luscious love story!
This is another sinfully addictive story by Ms Silverwood. With unapologetic passion she lures you into a tale of Dominance and forced submission. Set on a world with laws that allow slavery, murder, and atrocities, where even strong Dominants have to fear for their safety.
Among those dangerous conditions one of many kidnapped women is trying to get back to earth. Her deliciously sadistic Keeper is training her to surrender to him without question. While he is quite successful in training his slave, he gets caught in his own snare. A gloriously dark and luscious love story develops between the two. And they even get their HEA.
A mixture of sci-if, kind of vampire, political intrigue, regicide, artificial intelligence, and loads of hot and heavy BDSM makes for a fascinating tale.
Thank you for another spine tingler!
CLAIMED POSSESSION
Phew!
This latest Aerthe story is a role reversal Extraordinaire.
In the blink of a couple bullets the slave becomes free and the keeper of his former owner.
Since male/female relationships on Aerthe are by default D/s, this is the only way the former slave can keep his owner turned slave, for himself and becoming common property.
Living his dominant nature as he never could back on earth, he starts training his spitfire sub with catastrophic results.
But with time, and the understanding that they are by far safer together than apart, their relationship changes. Although neither of them trusts the other,their interactions go from scorching hot non-con, to a grudging work relationship.
By the absolutely surprising end, they are… Oh no, not going there!
You’ll have to read it yourself!
But beware, you won’t be able to put it down until you’re finished.
And put the drip-tray under your melting reader!!! Just saying!
FATED POSSESSION
Blue and Sassik.
A love story that can only happen this way on Aerthe.
Blue, recently snatched from Earth, escapes from a Swathe but instead of being free, she falls into the hands of a roaming Scav band. They either want to use her or sell her to the highest bidder. Sassik, disillusioned, a curious mix of mediator, killer, slave trainer, buys Blue off her captors. At first this seems a strict business deal, buy her off the men who caught her, train her as a submissive– no feelings involved–sell her to the highest bidder. Easy!
Well, not quite. During their time together, they begin to get to know each other not only as master and sub, but as individuals. The awareness of who they are, puts them on their way to the real meaning of their lives. And what they find is a true surprise.
Being by Ms Silverwood, this story has all the hallmarks of her Possession series. Scorching hot scenes that will make you twitch and wiggle while reading! And on the other hand a much deeper meaning that will carry on into the rest of the series.
Delicious!
BRANDED POSSESSION
Ryke an Gio.
The Kings Own Lawgiver and ruthless killer, and the Slave who killed the portal mage.
When Ryke rescues Gio from certain death, she realizes he did so for the secrets she harbors.
In the claustrophobic world of the Royal Swathe a dance between political intrigue, Ryke’s very own “interrogation technique”, and the resistance of Gio begins.
This time we learn much more of the inner workings of the Swaths, their population on all levels, their believes and their secrets.
With time and the close proximity between Ryke and Gio their relationship changes slowly, inexorably, and the truth of it fought by both of them.
When the time for the Great Gathering approaches, things come to a head and both their roles change dramatically.
Find out how!!!
EXQUISITE POSSESSION
Sadly this is the last book of the Possession series!
Coming back to Aerthe I was quickly submerged into this fascinating, raw world.
From the first page I stumbled upon old acquaintances.
JI, the mech turned man, struggling to find the meaning of life in his newly acquired body, and Aunt M, his mech sidekick with a mind of his own. Fern, the earth woman stabbed and discarded by Judge Ormrad, and her mechlings.
When those two finally meet it has a resounding impact. An impact that not only defines their personal relationship, but also the future of Aerthe.
To follow them and their interactions on the way to the growing settlement of New Hope, is an excursion into Ms Silverwoods unique style of narration. Meticulously descriptive, imaginative and always irreverently skirting, but never ever falling into, the “ordinary”.
When the pivotal showdown finally comes, wreaking devastating loss, it turns out JI and Fern are the ones to determine the future of Aerthe.
Again, very, very well done Ms Silverwood!
5+Holy titfire Stars
I read all of these books as individual books and fell in love with every single one of the characters.
Sci-fi is not my general go-to when I am picking out a book to read. However, if this author writes it I will read it because she is that good. She creates a world that even though it is futuristic it FEELS real. There are few authors that are even in the same league as her when it comes to world-building. I have included my individual reviews of each book in this series.
Acquired Possession
5 holy hell stars
What the hell did I just read and more importantly why the hell did I like it so much? This book is twisted and dark. There are scenes that might cause triggers. I’m not usually a big fan on the sci-fi type stuff unless it is the Omegaverse that another author introduced me to recently. Until now. I will read this and this author on this theme as much as I can. Mako. I vacillated between hating him and loving him. Emery. I love her all the way through.
I cannot wait for the next book. Now I’m off to up my therapy sessions. Somehow, I think this author is going to make me need it.
Claimed Possession
4 stars
A great addition to the first book. While I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first one (I didn’t connect with the characters as well) I still liked exploring this world. I especially liked the twist in the ending.
Branded Possession
5 Stars
Holy Crikey. Where do I even begin? I am so invested in this world and its link to Aerthe. This is by far my favorite of the series which says a lot considering that I have gobbled up the first two books in the series.
This author piques my interest. I want to crawl inside her head or be a fly on the wall and watch how she works. Her world-building truly is some of the best that I have ever read. I am in awe. If I close my eyes I can picture everything as if it was something that I would encounter daily. That is a remarkable feat considering they are far from things in this world.
This story was about Gio and Ryke. And what a story it was. Gio was a strong feisty woman. This author knows how to make strong characters, Ryke. Good lord, he was deliciousness. Dominating but not as hardened as he thought. he had a weakness and that was Gio. the chemistry and pull between these two characters were palpable. It was hotter than A billy goat’s ass in a pepper patch. This author can write steam so well that it could run a locomotive engine. Yet, what probably impresses me the most with this author is her ability to make me want to become more adventurous (not on a new world mind you but she sparks me to be open.)
This is a long book ( I am not sure that this author knows how to write short ones –which I love!) I highly recommend this series and especially this book. Outstanding.
Exquisite Possession
5 World-Building and Kink at its Best Stars
This book is a continuation of the Machinery of Desire series and continues the story only this time JI and Fern are the main characters. The previous stories MUST be read in order for this amazing book to be understood.
JI has had a pivotal part through this series but this time he is no longer a Mechling but is now inhabiting a human body. I loved watching this turnabout with him as he struggles to discover his new body and urges. Throughout the series, Fern has been an underlying character and a motivator. Her plight was not at all pleasant. It was interesting to watch JI come to terms with his baser urges in regards to how he felt in regards to Fern. I really appreciated the author in creating a BDSM relationship even in this unusual setting and keeping it authentic. He truly wanted to know where the line was between pleasure and pain.
This author is exceptional at world-building. Truly one of the best in the industry today. Even though this is Sci-Fi, and everything is not of this world, she still portrays it in a way that I can envision it as if it was in my own house. I LOVE this. It adds a certain quality to it that it makes it more authentic. I am not going to get into the storyline itself because it needs to be read for itself and to not have any spoilers. What I will say though is that if I thought Ryke (previous character) was kinky then I was wrong because sweet holiest of titfires, he has NOTHING on JI on the kink side. This author can write some BDSM kink like no one else. I have no idea where she gets some of these ideas from but I just got to say that I hope she never loses them because they were EVERYTHING. I discovered turn-ons that I didn’t even know I had.
That being said, Ryke is still my main man from this series (although JI is REALLY close) and this conclusion is everything I could have wanted in this series. I loved getting glimpses of the previous characters in some shape or form and having all my questions answered. I am sad to see this story end but at the same time, I look forward to whatever devious and kinky (always kinky) story that this author will write in the future. I am hoping more Mesmers (and know she is rolling her eyes at this) but it cannot hurt to ask! (
Fated Possession (novella)
4.5 Stars
This is a great novel about Sassik and Blue. It follows along with the Machinery of Desire world. While this is a novella it seems like a full story. There was humor, there was steam, there was a little mystery as you tried to discover who certain characters were. The ending was vague in it left it open for you to decide if it was happily ever after or not. Knowing this authors work, I can say that not everything is as it seems. If you haven’t read the first two books (both standalones) then I would highly recommend that you do that as the world is phenomenal.