Review: Interesting idea, but doesn't live up to the promise
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 03 27, 2012
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this ebook via the LibraryThing Members Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.Synopsis: Alaska 2020. Earth. Shifters. I nvasion.Summary: Set in Alaska in 2020, Uri Petrov and Dr. Samantha Croon find their lives intertwined when the shifters first land on Earth. Both motivated by love for their families, each is taken down a different path that will change the course of their lives forever and eventually the fate of the world.Meanwhile, the military has divided into fractions...those who believe in the alien invasion and those who refuse to accept it, leaving Captain Raul at opposing ends with other heads of military.With the shifters invading the forests of Kenai Lake, they explore their new world of refuge, and must discover how to shift in animal form while uncovering what it truly means to be human.With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages.My Thoughts: Well, this is a very interesting idea - creatures made of light and malleable DNA fleeing to Earth from a dying planet, and the repercussions thereof. Unfortunately, the delivery wasn't up to the idea - the characters didn't have enough development, tending toward flatness with a few exceptions, and there was a major plot issue with Uri and Julia's ages - at the beginning they were college students and had been for at least a couple years, yet 5 years later they were still college students and Uri was only 21. This does not at all fit with the timeline. I've noticed this sort of thing before in an ensemble cast of a story that takes place over a number of years - the author doesn't take the time to really think out the timeline and plan the ages of the characters clearly enough. The story was really complex and Blackwelder did do a good job of keeping the story flowing in an understandable way - it could have been a real mess, but she did keep that together. Unfortunately, it seemed like she was just skimming the top of the story and leaving out huge chunks. The story was 5th written, but is chronologically first in the Shifters Evolution series, followed by The SCM of 2030. I have also the 3rd book in the series, The Shifters of 2040, but the series really wasn't my cup of tea, so I don't think I'll continue it. Blackwelder has a number of other books out, too, two of which I'll be reading and reviewing this week, so watch for my reviews of The Mers and She Speaks to Angels.