Review: Excellent new adventure.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 9, 2013
I received a review copy from the author on release day. In exchange for this I am writing my honest review.First of all, I really liked the new concept of this book, of a race of "Borg-like" humans who go to different "tainted" planets and assimilate their cultures to become one with Purity. Every concept of emotion is gone, what is left is pure logic. Beings are cloned and reproduced in simulated wombs. As they grow they are fitted into suits that control their emotions and stints their body's growth development. Any sort of touching is prohibited.Enter K, a fourth-level Paladin who leads her own raiding group against the "tainted" races and gathers slaves for their planets of Purity. During a set-up she is captured by a crew of "tainted" who need a Paladin to access a Purity slave planet to perform a rescue. K's suit is removed, and while it is off she is bombarded with something she has not experienced in recent memory: emotions. Feeling hunger, guilt, sadness, lust, all of this is new to her. It is also interesting to see how she manages everything, like a newborn.I was a little worried in the beginning how sensitive the heroine's plight would be treated by the author ... especially since this is an erotic romance. Anderson is wonderful in that she does not throw in gratuitous scenes from random characters in the novel ... she sticks to K's journey, so we don't see some real "action" until after the first half of the book. She learns things step by step.As K learns about herself with the suit off, she also learns about her past. (I will give no spoilers here, because this is revealed after you read about two-thirds of the book.)I did have a few questions at the end of the book ... it felt like there were a couple of things not really resolved, but most likely they will be done in the sequel.Overall, a very satisfying read. If you like her Kindred series and want to try something a little different, give this book a shot.