Review: Love square, or is it love hexagon? Sci-Fi M/M romance...
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 12, 2014
Bear with me, because I don't read a lot of Sci-Fi. I do read a lot of M/M however, and this story qualifies....An infant, Zeus, is found in hypersleep on a derelict vessel in space near the home planet of the Mar'Sani, a reptilian-humanoid species. The Empress, in grief over the loss of her youngest child, immediately adopts Zeus believing his arrival was ordained by Poseidon. Zeus is not only blind, he's a Terran (human) and Terrans are the scourge of the galaxy due to their rapacious enslavement of other planets. A war had been fought and a treaty established, but Zeus is still subject to prejudice, even as a son to the Mar'Sani imperial family.Zeus grows up. He is loved and cherished by his family. An attack prompts his father to employ the galaxy's preeminent geneticists, the Chtichlians, to restore Zeus's eyesight. While sedated Zeus learns that he's not quite Terran--he's a hermaphrodite--a physical condition the Chtichlians soon remedy by removing Zeus' hidden uterus.In time, Zeus grows into a powerful warrior, like his older foster brothers, but Zeus is denied entry into the Mar'Sani warrior training so he goes to university. He becomes the chief starship mechanic on a prime star base. While there he encounters Dargon and Alpha. This symbiotic male is comprised of a Dar Massaga and his paired symbiotic Alpha who resides as a partial covering on his body. They are connected via a mind link and sexually active within their combined unit. Dargon feels no interest for other mates, but meeting Zeus turns on his Marking instinct. This sucks because Dargon holds a deep hatred for Terrans. And that's what he believes Zeus to be.Dargon is in the space port for repairs, all while hiding his live cargo. At first Zeus thinks he's a pirate, but it turns out to be more complicated. Dargon is charged with finding the final Galactic prince, the Bespoken, a Fal'Amoric, or ancient race from whom all species of life were generated. The Fal'Amoric had been herded and hunted by the Terrans in the hope of gaining control of the Galactic counsel. Dargon's cargo is the last Fal'Amoric princess, and Zeus' sister. Oh, and Zeus, too, because Dargon kidnaps him so he can repair the ship while Dargon escapes pursuit from the Terrans and their V'Saar allies.Zeus doesn't want to be Fal'Amoric, he's Mar'Sani by choice, and he certainly doesn't want to be the Bespoken, because then he will have to be united with the two other (hermaphoroditic) Galactic princes--especially not when his baby is being carried by another. Zeus's only chance is to find his lost brother, Prometheus, in order to fulfill that Galactic destiny, and it seems his memories of his sexual mutilation by the Chtichlians holds the key.Holy cow. I was a bit stunned by the pace. So many species, of which I had no grasp, and yet, I adored Zeus. He overcame so much prejudice. And his destiny is truly great. He has a lot of power within himself, and is only just learning to use it. His strength has won him many admirers in the Mar'Sani nobility, even if he's persecuted by some for his 'Terran' appearance. He's also won over Dargon and Alpha--completely. They have imprinted on him, so they need to remain near each other--even if Zeus must couple with the Galactic princes. Does this make Zeus the center of a love square, or a love pentagon?I liked the slower build of "pairing" between Zeus and Dargon and Alpha. They recognize their passion, but want to start slow--not that they hold off on all physical contact. I guess they recognize the inherent problems with the possibility that Zeus will be claimed as the Bespoken. It's an interesting book. I had feared I'd get bogged in detailed explanations of sci-fi whozits and whatzits, but that didn't happen. The disjointed timeline was sometimes a gripe, but the pace was adequate. I'm interested enough to seek out the sequel.I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.