Darrell B Nelson

Generally, to avoid spoilers in my reviews, I try to use the author’s synopsis as a guide. But in this case, the author sets a very high standard. Most of what is in the synopsis you learn on the cover or within the first few pages. So, I’ll try to tread carefully, while still giving the potential reader some idea if they might wish to look under the cover.

First, the book has much to like. I mean, who wouldn’t like a group of misfit aliens in a rust-bucket cargo ship taking on the despot of Earth? OK, that might sound a little well worn, but it works for me. The author makes the captain and her crew likeable, especially as none are Earthlings, or even humanoid in appearance. And just what would an engineer with 24 hands look like? I also liked the author’s use of humor. At one point, the Captain asks one of the crew if Earth is involved in some type of massive gambling activity. The answer was yes, they call it the Stock Market. OK, yes, that’s a little corny, but it works for me.

It is also worth mentioning to the potential reader that the story is generally dark. Dymon is despicable. But generally, it is dark the way Gotham is dark in a Batman movie – sinister, but with an unreal feel. There are, however, scenes of graphic violence and rape that tips this book into the adult reading category for me.

Early parts of the story felt a bit disjointed or ungrounded. At one point, Dymon was explaining to the President why a completely repressive policy was best for all concerned, when of course, it was only best for Dymon. The argument was so preposterous that I was not sure if the collective IQ of Earth was supposed to have dropped by 50 points by 2065 (the timeframe of the story) or if this is how one speaks to a politician that has been bought, e.g., force them to accept an outrageous story to prove who is the boss. At another point, the Captain decides to let an artificially intelligent robot enter Dymon’s headquarters alone to negotiate their needs, even though they know Dymon is a tyrant. Then, they seem surprised when he tries to blackmail them with what he learned. My estimate of the aliens' IQ also dropped 50 points.

About three-fourths of the way through the book, there is a significant plot twist. And the best twists, in my opinion, are those that make us re-frame and re-interpret everything we have read. This disclosure, however, seemed mostly inconsistent with what had come before. To the author’s credit, he rebuilds (to a considerable degree) a new feel for the characters and the roles they are playing, but I still had trouble reconciling some of the early scenes with the latter revelation.

So, overall, it is a light and enjoyable read, with a sprinkling of graphic violence. And, if you are trying to fit all the pieces together at the end, you may end up with your head spinning a bit.… (plus d'informations)