Blurb:
The il’Drach have conquered half a galaxy behind the civilization-ending Powers of their mixed-species children.
Half-human Rohan, exhausted by a decade fighting for their Empire, has paid a secret and terrible price for his freedom.
Now retired, he strives to live a quiet life towing starships for the space station Wistful. His most pressing problems are finding the perfect cup of coffee and talking to a gorgeous shuttle tech without tripping over his own tongue.
A nearby, long-dormant wormhole is opened by a shipful of scared, angry refugees, and the many eyes of the Empire focus uncomfortably on Wistful.
As scientists, spies, and assassins converge, reverting to the monster the Empire created is the surest way to protect his friends. And the surest way to lose them.
Review:
From the start, I knew I was going to enjoy reading this one. There were bits of humor almost immediately, and an interesting array of human, non-human, hybrid, and AI characters that made the universe feel developed and immersive from page one.
As the story progressed, I learned more about Rohan’s Power. He heals remarkably fast and can withstand injuries that would leave any normal human dead. He can fly, and he possesses incredible strength (for example, he can push full-sized starships without assistance.) In some ways, he was kind of like Super-Man, but more entertaining. I liked that despite his Power, he just wanted to live a normal life—have a job, maybe go on a few dates, etc. And I liked his sense of humor too.
The action sequences were done very well. The book starts with a fight between Rohan and three others who also possess Powers, which was a great hook for the rest of the story. There are other fight scenes as well, some between Rohan and other people, some involving Rohan and spaceships, and others featuring giant monsters like the decipede. For those who have followed my blog for any length of time, you know I have a thing for bugs. So bonus points to the author for including the giant alien bugs!
I really had fun reading this book. The story was interesting and sometimes unpredictable, and the cast of supporting characters were tons of fun. I especially liked the dynamic between Rohan and Wei Li; her sense of humor was great—and his failure to always “get it” was amusing.
If you like science fiction/space opera with superhero-type characters, crazy battles, and humor, definitely check out this book.
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