Review: Riveting!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 3, 2012
Having exhausted Earth's resources, humans have been forced to find another planet which will sustain them. Crossing galaxies, they finally come upon one that looks as if it'll be able to do just that. Unbeknownst to them, another indigenous race already lives there. Nonetheless, the humans will not be deterred and are determined to live amongst these weird, yet intelligent, beings whom they have learned are called Tofa.Colonizing the new planet is not easy. Relationships between the two races are strained as both seek to govern the other. Communications between both species are practically non-existent as tensions increase and war soon breaks out. The governing power knows that something needs to be done in order to maintain peaceful relations, yet they're unsure of what to do.Mara Cadell, a scientist in her own right, steps in and suggests that they experiment on whether human and Tofa mothers can carry a set of twins, a child from each species, within their wombs in hopes of broadening their limited communication with the Tofa. She believes that the pairs will allow them to form bonds that may transcend life as they know it so that they can learn more about the perplexing race. Yet what they don't know is that she also has a reason behind wanting to conduct the experiment - one she hopes will help her come to terms with herself and the past she's tried to leave behind.The experiment is soon underway but the strains between the Tofa and humans continue to escalate. Mara and the surrogate mothers bond with the children, helping them grow along the way. Their plan is to slowly integrate them into society in hopes of gaining a better understanding on how the two races can co-exist.Yet no one imagined the repercussions of such actions. Mistrust builds on both sides and lives are lost in the process as the scientists seek to better command the already shaky boundaries. Despite this, strong bonds are forged along the way that allow Mara and her subjects to remain close in the face of such adversity.This was such a unique and quite riveting story. I enjoyed every minute. Karen did a remarkable job in fleshing out her characters and the world they live in. So much so, in fact, that it left me wanting to read more.Mara's story is very heart-felt and I think we can all relate to losing someone at one point or another. She shows us, though, that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.The story and history behind the Tofa was also endearing, even if they frustrated Mara and the others, at times, with the fact that they refused to communicate as needed. All in all, it's quite a great read and I truly recommend it to others for reading.