When storming a slave camp for an imprisoned crew mate, the hero is forced to free a fellow prisoner when she threatens him with the exposure of his identity. The heroine was once an enemy captain and a slave owner before becoming a slave herself. When it comes to light who and what she was, the hero is absolutely disgusted with her. But he's smart enough, and attracted to her enough to let her explain herself. She became a slave when she refused to expose her only friend as a enemy sympathizer but she was never a die hard Coalition officer to begin with. She's completely honest with herself and with the hero when she states that it was the only world she'd ever known. She was never a harsh or evil slave owner but she never fought against the injustice of it either. The hero is the last of his kind, or so he thinks. He's tortured by the belief that almost all of his race is dead and he wasn't present during the battle to save them. He uses this guilt as an excuse to take any ands every risk he can in hopes that it will kill him. He doesn't see just how admired and beloved he is by his crewmates and it takes the heroine's observations to snap his out of his melodrama. And it was melodrama. He would frequently go into very dark moods where he wouldn't eat or drink or speak to anyone. The hero and heroine had a very complex but honest relationship. He doesn't rust her and keep the controller for her slave collar close but he's kind to her and listens to her advice and values her opinion. When she lapses into her slave obedience he purposely will do something to anger her, saying he loves to see the fire in her eyes. But he was completely blind, as he was in most things, to the heroines feelings for him. Though she is the furthest thing from mushy or romantic, her words and actions broadcast her love even though she doesn't believe in such things. When he finds out that not only is his race alive but fighting a rebellion he knows he must return to offer his support. But he knows that he'll be meet with disappointment if not hatred by his kinsmen because of his cowardice in the war and his employment as a pirate since. The reception he had with his friend and king was completely stupid. I haven't read the previous book in the series yet but I took an instant disliking to the king. How could he treat his friend like that? Sure he wasn't there for the battle but you can see the guilt and tortured in the man's eyes at what he did! Also, he was a pirate but he used that power to screw with the Coalition, surely that's a good thing right? No, instead he thrust into prison. What total crock! Other than the god awful ending, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were honest and certainly had their faults but they worked everyday to make themselves better. Now that's more said of the heroine than the hero but he still took the time to listen to advice which I loved. ( )

I have read most of Justine Davis' books but I had missed her Coalition series. I'm so glad I was able to read the reissue new. Great story, great characterization. ( )

Same unlikely universe as Lord of the Storm, with spaceships and slaves. And like the other book, Justine Davis makes it work, by creating solid, believable characters with strong motivations. Dax is an idiot with an unacknowledged death wish; Califa has been forced out of her comfortable cocoon and begins to wake up and realize what she's done and what she has now. The two of them bounce off each other in some very interesting ways - not just strong desire, but their pasts echo in strange patterns, and their present and future are firmly intertwined (not that they want to acknowledge that!). No rape, or anything close to it, in this one (whew!) - Dax finds the slave controller utterly repugnant. The last few chapters I spent (as usual) wiping away tears so I could go on reading - very rich. And now I want to read the first book again...
Rereading - unlike Lord of the Storm, this one stayed good. They're very much equals, even while Califa is still wearing the collar. Some misunderstandings, but mostly it's perfect understanding and unwillingness to admit what they understand, to each other or to themselves. And Dax is pretty convinced he's a dead man one way or another, which adds complications. Good story. And now there's more to the series! ( )