Hardcover, 464 pages
English language
Published Nov. 21, 2022 by Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom.
Rich socialite, inveterate flirt, and walking disaster Tennalhin Halkana can read minds. Tennal, like all neuromodified “readers,” is a security threat on his own. But when controlled, readers are a rare asset. Not only can they read minds, but they can navigate chaotic space, the maelstroms surrounding the gateway to the wider universe.
Conscripted into the military under dubious circumstances, Tennal is placed into the care of Lieutenant Surit Yeni, a duty-bound soldier, principled leader, and the son of a notorious traitor general. Whereas Tennal can read minds, Surit can influence them. Like all other neuromodified “architects,” he can impose his will onto others, and he’s under orders to control Tennal by merging their minds.
Surit accepted a suspicious promotion-track request out of desperation, but he refuses to go through with his illegal orders to sync and control an unconsenting Tennal. So they They fake a sync bond …
Rich socialite, inveterate flirt, and walking disaster Tennalhin Halkana can read minds. Tennal, like all neuromodified “readers,” is a security threat on his own. But when controlled, readers are a rare asset. Not only can they read minds, but they can navigate chaotic space, the maelstroms surrounding the gateway to the wider universe.
Conscripted into the military under dubious circumstances, Tennal is placed into the care of Lieutenant Surit Yeni, a duty-bound soldier, principled leader, and the son of a notorious traitor general. Whereas Tennal can read minds, Surit can influence them. Like all other neuromodified “architects,” he can impose his will onto others, and he’s under orders to control Tennal by merging their minds.
Surit accepted a suspicious promotion-track request out of desperation, but he refuses to go through with his illegal orders to sync and control an unconsenting Tennal. So they They fake a sync bond and plan Tennal's escape.
Their best chance arrives with a salvage-retrieval mission into chaotic space―to the very neuromodifcation lab that Surit's traitor mother destroyed twenty years ago. And among the rubble is a treasure both terrible and unimaginably powerful, one that upends a decades-old power struggle, and begins a war.
Tennal and Surit can no longer abandon their unit or their world. The only way to avoid life under full military control is to complete the very sync they've been faking.
Can two unwilling weapons of war bring about peace?
I liked the first book better. For some reason, I couldn’t wrap my head around how “reading” and “writing” minds worked—and I read lots of comics with telepathy power sets. Also had a hard time following the story, which makes me think I was distracted since Maxwell’s other Gays-In-Space book didn’t carry such issues. I wanted more from the central relationship here. Still a fan of Maxwell though.
So, nearly a 5 star! This was delightful. The only reason I am not going with a five star is because the basic set up is nearly identical to the first book (young tearaway forced into a relationship with someone by their powerful aunt/mother) so it may lack a little originality.
That being said, what a book. This author has some serious chops and the journey through this book was as strong as the first. I was hooked from the out and as you can see the book was finished in the same day. TBF, I am currently ill so there was not much else to do (there were also two re-reads between the book I last reviewed and this one that I am not going to count on here) but this fair took my mind off that.
This is a strong recommend and this author is now on my …
So, nearly a 5 star! This was delightful. The only reason I am not going with a five star is because the basic set up is nearly identical to the first book (young tearaway forced into a relationship with someone by their powerful aunt/mother) so it may lack a little originality.
That being said, what a book. This author has some serious chops and the journey through this book was as strong as the first. I was hooked from the out and as you can see the book was finished in the same day. TBF, I am currently ill so there was not much else to do (there were also two re-reads between the book I last reviewed and this one that I am not going to count on here) but this fair took my mind off that.
This is a strong recommend and this author is now on my must read list.
