I had read this before but had forgotten almost all of it. A very nice story of a pilot who crashes his space ship on a primitive planet while searching for his brother. He is looked after by a slave woman and her son. This story takes place mostly on the planet so the world building aspect is more important that the gritty space tech aspect. But that part is at least addressed and the space flight details have been thought out.

The story involves drug runners and a race of mind controlling witches that have been in other books in the series. I like the details of the space faring civilizations that have been thought out and set up. Then different stories in the story arc can be told within the framework.

The romance between the pilot and the slave woman was very sweet. Heat level was very low. But the romance was complete and believable.

The plot made sense and the writing is well done. The story moved right along and did not have any dragging parts.

Recommended to SFR lovers. ( )

This book had a feel similar to the Firefly TV series - a technologically advanced society with humonguous central government and outlying planets with little or no technology at all.

That aside, it is a somewhat interesting tale. Some aspects should have maybe played a larger role, such as Tess being Circe, or the "romance" between Ruben and Tess, or even the "genius" of Boone.

One comment on the romance aspect of this book is that it wasn't allowed to develop for the reader - they went from somewhat intrigued with each other to extremely passionate with each other, and little time in between was spent bridging these emotions. ( )

Romance,SF