Review: Sci-Fi at its Best
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 21, 2012
This story has the military attempting to integrate an alien symbiote with a human volunteer. The Riss are supposed to choose their "partners", selecting six humans they consider suitable. Of course the military leaders have a quota and the target number is 10. The Riss-Human symbiosis is identified by a stylistic tattoo on the human's cheek so everyone will know what they are dealing with. Unfortunately it provides potential targets for those prejudiced against anything not "normal". The characters are realisticly crafted, the story is enthralling, and anyone with an ounce of empathy will identify with the Riss-Humans. The writing is excellent, the editing very good, and the organization of events are logical progressions. A small critism: all the characters refer to the Riss in humans as parasites. If I were Reese-Thalia I would insist on the term symbiote. A parasite takes and gives nothing back, the Riss provide many advantages to their hosts.