Review: Gritty, Intense, Dark, and Awesome
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 8, 2012
Auri is a no-nonsense "Empire" officer; he's just received a promotion and is serving on a new ship.  The first mission is a diplomatic one and Auri has his first encounter with the Felinian race.  Yep... Cat people.  The Felinians are seen by the Empire as barbarians, a simplistic tribal race.  But they are physically larger than humans and have managed to not be defeated by the Empire when the two groups went to war, so the Empire makes peace.Auri has an encounter, mainly he makes eye contact, with the Felinian King, and the King falls for Auri, feels that instant connection and negotiates to have Auri stay with on the planet and become his make.  The Felinian King is assured that Auri has agreed to this arrangement, though that is not the truth.I liked Auri immediately.  He's smart and quick, yet a bit shy, socially inept even, in a way that makes him appear hard nosed to his fellow soldiers.  He grew up on the streets and has the scrappy survival instincts to prove it, as well as the trust issues.The first meeting between Auri and his new Mate does not go well, but I was pleased to see that Auri gave as good as he got, he didn't just go cheeks up for the big hot cat man.What I liked:*This is an interesting world and an interesting culture.  The author did a good job of giving the felinian race depth.  The cat men are sweet and fun, but big, strong and butch as well, I think the author did a good job of integrating cat behavior and instincts into the actions and reactions and behavior of this race.*The progression of the love story was good, not overly rushed.  Hot, sweet, and authentic.  Well, authentic if there where actually space travel and an Empire, and cat people.  The first intimate encounter between Auri and his Cat Man is definitely dubious consent, if you are sensitive to rape and almost-rape then you should be aware that there are definitely some lines crossed in this book.  But I found the first love scene very hot, Auri is on the run and our Felinian King's base instincts take over and he hunts down and claims his mate, it is a scary and rough, but intensely pleasurable experience for Auri.  And King Cat Boy is very sweet and sensitive to Auri's trauma afterwards.*The author does a good job of dealing with the issue of multiple partners, or 'harems'.  I was a little put off by this idea at first, but found that it was well handled.  These are NOT large groups of whore-boys waiting around for their master's attention.  The harem becomes a sort of family, like 'brother' mates, they all share intimacy and come to love each other enough to not have problems with jealousy.  This may not be realistic, but I found it refreshing to read a manaege story that didn't get bogged down in the petty logistics of integrating multiple partners, it's fiction after all, if you want absolute realism then you shouldn't be reading a sci-fi fantasy about Cat People.*The plot beyond the main love story is interesting and well done.  There a twists and turns, our Auri does not stop trying to escape after just one go.  And there is another big plot twist that is well-foreshadowed and worked well within the overall story that added to the overall development of the love story.What I Did Not Like **SOME SPOILERS BELOW**:*There is a rape in this book.  Straight-up, rape.  It is not between our King and his mate, but it does involve a main character.  It was not described in great detail, and the trauma and the after effects are dealt with in a sensitive and realistic manner, but still, be warned.*At one point Auri escapes the planet and is on the run, we end one chapter in the midst of the 'escape' and start the next chapter 2 years later.  This transition was very VERY abrupt, what really bothered me about it was that after Auri is returned to the Felinians this 2 year absence is not addressed when it should, or could, be.  There is a glancing conversation about it, but the time lapse is not really well represented in the overall story, at most points it seems as if no time has lapsed at all. But in the end this was not a big detractor to me.Overall I really enjoyed this story, I hope the author writes more of the Felinians.