Review: Recommended!
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 01 28, 2013
Tiera MacKenzie answers the door one day to find herself with five minutes to pack her belongings for an "extended visit" off planet, digest the fact her best friend, Ziggy, is now on the mother ship of the Nine and declared the "embodiment of the potential of their race" and follow the military representative into parts unknown. Understanding none of this was open for debate, Tiera follows along. While she's happy to be reunited with her best friend, the learning curve is steep. There are all sorts of differences between the Nine and Gaians, the mothership and Tiera's home planet, and the cultures have all sorts of differences she needs a crash course on. Hardest of all, Tiera isn't fond of change. But Tonos, a medic and man of the Air, is certainly a bonus and helps keep things interesting.Ms. Grace has written an intriguing and totally different world, where nine different kinds of people have evolved from a single planet, representing various elements - earth, fire, air etc. Part sci-fi, part fantasy with a hint of paranormal/magical abilities it's an interesting concept remarkably drawn. I found Tiera to be a little volatile at times, and was sometimes frustrated by the frequent referrals to how important Ziggy is. Overall though, this was a fun romp of a book, full of character growth and self-discovery. When Tiera flexed her muscles a bit and came into her own, the story bounded along at a lovely pace. I found myself caught up in the excitement and eagerly turned the pages.This will appeal to a broad range of styles, those who like space novels, adventures, alternate planets/races and sci-fi or even magical stories. Sensually written but not explicit it's got enough spice to keep you interested while focusing on the various races, worlds and political points of encountering new societies. Recommended.Originally posted at Long and Short Reviews.