The Darkstar Mercenaries series (spin-off to Dark Planet Warriors) by Anna Carven is a thrilling sci-fi romance saga that follows a group of elite Kordolian warriors turned mercenaries. The series combines fast-paced action, vivid world-building, protective AF alien heroes, DIVERSE heroines, and steamy romance. Darkstar Mercenaries is perfect for fans of swoon-worthy alin heroes and intergalactic adventures filled with passion and peril.
Series Grade: A+
Spice Level: HOT
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Commander Iskar Gar-Kurai isn’t thrilled about being stationed on Earth, a backwater planet he finds unbearably hot and unremarkable. Following orders from the top, he reluctantly agrees to explore Darkside for observational purposes. However, his mission takes an unexpected turn when a bold, blue-haired woman targets him, catching him off guard. Bound by his strict sense of duty, Iskar is determined to handle the situation by the book—but this intriguing human might just challenge his carefully controlled approach.
Couple: Iskar & Mari
Tropes: alien hero, warrior hero, alpha hero, human heroine, tortured heroine, futuristic, interspecies, abduction, insta-love & fated mates.
Grade: A
Elite Kordolian warrior Torin Mardak arrives at the chaotic trading station Zarhab Groht on a mission to track down a traitor selling illegal Callidum weapons. The dangerous, lawless station is far from his favorite place, but Torin is determined to complete his mission, letting nothing stand in his way. However, his plans shift when he encounters a group of humans who don’t belong in such a deadly environment. One of them is on the brink of betrayal, and against his better judgment, Torin steps in—especially since she’s exactly the type of distraction he can’t ignore.
Couple: Torin & Seph
Tropes: alien hero, warrior hero, nerdy hero, alpha hero, curvy heroine, tall heroine, human heroine, futuristic, interspecies, abduction, forced proximity, insta-love & fated mates.
Grade: B+
Enki Zakanin, a battle-weary Kordolian mercenary, craves solitude as he journeys back to the Kordolian Fleet Station, battling the inner demon in his mind. His peace is disrupted by a distress call—something he would typically ignore—until he hears the voice of Layla dela Cruz, a human stranded deep in the dangerous Sector Nine. Against his instincts, Enki decides to intervene, bound by his word to help her.
Couple: Enki & Layla
Tropes: alien hero, warrior hero, nerdy hero, alpha hero, virgin hero, POC heroine, human heroine, famous heroine, futuristic, interspecies, abduction, insta-love & fated mates.
Grade: A
Alexis Carter, far from home and unsure how she ended up alive after dying, awakens aboard a dark ship filled with intimidating Kordolian aliens who remind her of the monsters that once attacked Earth. Among them, one silent and massive Kordolian stands out—her assigned guard. As Alexis struggles to understand her strange new reality, she’s plagued by haunting voices in her head, leaving her to question whether her mysterious protector is there to defend her from external threats or from herself.
Couple: Nythian & Alexis
Tropes: alien hero, warrior hero, alpha hero, virgin hero, POC heroine, human heroine, strong heroine, futuristic, interspecies, bodyguard duty, forced proximity & fated mates.
Grade: A
Former Kordolian High Commander Ikriss Peturic embarks on a straightforward mission to rescue human females from slavers. However, one severely mistreated woman captures his attention in an unexpected way. After saving her and ensuring her safety, Ikriss is haunted by an unshakable restlessness and unfamiliar emotions that distract him from an emerging threat. As his instincts and growing connection to the fragile yet resilient human intensify, Ikriss finds himself grappling with the mating fever.
Couple: Ikriss & Sienna
Tropes: alien hero, warrior hero, alpha hero, virgin hero, human heroine, futuristic, interspecies, insta-love & fated mates.
Grade: A+
Lodan Vorkan, a perfectionist and one of the Kordolian Military’s most feared warriors, prides himself on control and order. As a pilot and First Division elite, he views humans as unpredictable and troublesome, watching his comrades succumb to the chaotic pull of Mating Fever. But when he encounters Tasha, a mysterious human unlike any he’s met—enhanced, secretive, and surrounded by danger—his disciplined world begins to unravel. With her lies, strength, and the blood-scent she carries, Tasha is far from the mate he ever imagined, yet Lodan’s tightly held control is tested.
Couple: Lodan & Tasha
Tropes: alien hero, warrior hero, alpha hero, tortured hero, virgin hero, human heroine, strong heroine, tortured heroine, futuristic, interspecies, bodyguard duty & fated mates.
Grade: B+
Kora Williams wakes up aboard the alien warship Silence, her fate ripped from her control after being abducted by a cruel Kordolian. Rescued by another Kordolian—a massive, armored warrior—Kora finds herself on a ship filled with dangerous silver-skinned aliens and their human mates. Haunted by her ordeal, all she wants is to return to her normal life on Earth with her son, far from this strange new reality. But the Kordolians have other plans, as Kora learns there’s a deeper reason behind her abduction. To her dismay, the lethal warrior who saved her has been tasked with protecting her.
Couple: Jeral & Kora
Tropes: alien hero, warrior hero, alpha hero, tortured hero, virgin hero, human heroine, strong heroine, tortured heroine, futuristic, interspecies, abduction, reverse age gap, bodyguard duty & fated mates.
Grade: B+
Arkan Kythelian, the last unattached member of the Kordolian First Division, has little time to reflect on his comrades’ Mating Fever as he intercepts a Kordolian slave-trader ship holding captive humans. Driven by his oath to protect Earth and its vulnerable inhabitants, Arkan is determined to stop the resurgence of the Old Empire and its vile breeding programs. Amid the mission, a calm yet compelling female voice reaches him, cutting through the chaos and drawing him in. With his protective instincts ignited and his resolve unshaken, Arkan will stop at nothing to save the humans—and claim the one who calls to him.
Couple: Arkan & Soraya
Tropes: alien hero, warrior hero, alpha hero, tortured hero, virgin hero, abduction, human heroine, strong heroine, futuristic, interspecies & fated mates.
Grade: B+
Since a life-altering accident, Jade’s world has been consumed by chaos, with the voices of countless souls echoing in her mind. Labeled as unstable and pressured into authority care, she finds herself on the run, her once-ordinary life shattered. With nowhere to turn and fear closing in, she begins dreaming of a mysterious stranger—a silver-skinned Kordolian, lethal and imposing, from a race humanity views as a threat. As Jade’s reality spirals, she’s forced to question everything she’s been told and consider that salvation might come from the most unexpected place.
Couple: Dragek & Jade
Tropes: alien hero, warrior hero, alpha hero, tortured hero, psychic hero, virgin hero, human heroine, strong heroine, psychic heroine, tortured heroine, futuristic, interspecies & fated mates.
Grade: B+
Erik Garul, a blunt and gruff former High Commander of the Kordolian Imperial Military, has set his sights on finding a mate. Used to getting his way, he’s baffled by human mating customs and perplexed by how his ruthless battle-brothers have managed to win over human females. Determined to understand the mysterious art of seduction, Erik embarks on a mission to secure a mate—but he’s resolved to do it on his own terms, Kordolian style.
Couple: Jerik & Clarissa
Tropes: alien hero, warrior hero, alpha hero, human heroine, futuristic, interspecies & fated mates.
Grade: A
Be sure to also check out these “slice of life” novellas and short stories! They add SO much levity and fun to this series.
