(audiobook) Alien species: check. Unknown technologies: check. Interplanetary politics: check. Yep, this is a science fiction romance, no doubt. With a side of extra sexy due to a disease that forces the heroine to copulate with any male she meets–regardless of the species. Luckily for her, Sithe, the alien warrior she encounters by chance, seems to be made for her, and he’ll be able to quench her uncontrollable desires.
Though I’m usually not a fan of dubious consent, I rather enjoyed that aspect of the story, because it comes with a unique and interesting change in the male character. Sithe starts out as a cold, unfeeling assassin. A dangerous Spock, if you will. He analyzes everything logically, and never learned to use his heart instead of his brain. Hence, when he loses control of his body, and begins to feel things and have unexplainable urges and impulses, I liked it a lot.
On the other hand, Catarine is the victim of her illness that keeps her from using her mind. It makes her horny and stupid. She’s kind of like Sithe, in a way. And her encounter with the alien helps her control her own impulses. The changes she undergoes will shake the universe. Truly.
This SF romance is quite characters driven–none of the events of the story would have happened if Catarine and Sithe hadn’t been who they are. And if their relationship hadn’t been so intense and sort of symbiotic. While Sithe shows Catherine the advanced technologies that his species has created, and explains the politics of the Empire, she’s pushing him to be in touch with his emotions, and teaches him how relationships work. The fact that they’re one of a kind is the engine of the story.
A story full of action, adventure and violence, with a quick pace and rarely a dull moment. Since it’s the beginning of a new series, a lot of side characters are introduced, some of them allies, some of them enemies, and a few of them somewhere in the middle. They’ll undoubtedly be the main characters in future stories, promising an entertaining series.
The narrators cast for the audiobook were perfect for their roles, the male narrator expressing Sithe’s cold logical mind, and the female narrator offering all the nuances of Catarine. The appearances of a third narrator–justified by a couple of chapters from Zai’s, Sithe’s boss, point of view–prepare the reader for the next book in the series.
Quickie
- Series: Blades of Arris #1 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #SF romance #fated mates
- Triggers: dubious consent, violence, deaths
- Main couple: Catarine & Sithe
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 3/5
- + a fabulous world building
- – I always feel the fated mates trope is used to skip the seduction between the characters