Review: 3.75 stars - Strong start, boring middle, and very powerful ending!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 28, 2014
The world-building was terrific. The reader is always aware one of the protagonist is an alien, yet the emotions are all very human. A father bringing a child into a horrible situation for hope in a brutal human world. His need to protect his son, the shame of his selfishness, and the endless battle to survive. The child's innocence amidst the refuse and death, as this is all he's known his whole life.There's so much creativity in developing the alien characters. From their home planet to their mating process, all behaviors and mannerisms are built from the ground up adding unique touches. We are reminded that they are not human, but dialogue, backstory, and internal conflicts remind us the aliens are men and women.This story lacks the eroticism Heat and The Last Hour of Gann included, but the focus is not the sex; it's the developing relationship between Sara, Sanford, and his son. Also, it's about trying to make a difference despite the realization that the changes and hope offered may be making things worse and, ultimately, result in nothing changed for the better.There aren't any graphic rape scenes. (I was very relieved.) The plot became long-winded and monotonous through much of the middle, like thirty to seventy percent of the ebook. The reward is the dynamic last thirty percent. Wow! Be prepared for an emotional wringer because the pain, the horror, the courage, and love expressed are intense.So, the beginning earned about 3.5 stars. The middle - forty percent of the book - was about 3 stars (boring, eye of the beholder 2.5). The ending was 5 stars.