Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Grudging allies join forces to save a planet in this fun but familiar ecological space opera from Valdes (the Chilling Effect trilogy). Exiled knight Kelana "Kel" Gardavros, the former First Sword of a now obsolete Order, lives in hiding on swamp planet Loth, having given up her status as protector of her people in exchange for peace. When an errant war machine threatens Loth, Kel leaves her village to investigate with her naive teen friend, Lunna, in tow. Along the way, the pair encounter mysterious off-worlders Savvy and Dare, who claim to be able to deactivate the machine, and team up more out of suspicion than trust. When Kel discovers that the Pale empire, her erstwhile enemies, have broken the peace treaty that disbanded the Order, she must choose between staying hidden and risking those she cares about to fight back. The otherwise pacy narrative frequently pauses for bouts of exposition, and the thematic contemplations on justice and conservation remain frustratingly shallow. While this sci-fi adventure certainly entertains, readers looking for depth will be underwhelmed. Agent: Quressa Robinson, Folio Literary. (Aug.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
For the last five years, Kel has led a quiet, mostly isolated life as a refugee on the planet Loth. The Pale Empire's war left her old life in ruins, and Kel needed to leave that life behind in order to survive. However, an old Pale war machine has been reactivated and is moving to destroy every living thing on the planet. Two people are willing to try to deactivate the machine, and Kel and her young friend Lunna agree to be their guides, as Loth's swamps, bandits, and other dangers are not known to off-worlders. As the group moves to meet the automaton, they discover that dark secrets have forged this path and that the truth about Kel's past may lead even more forces of war to them all. VERDICT Terrific action sequences do not detract from the emotional arc that Kel follows as a war survivor. Valdes (Fault Tolerance) delivers with her epic worldbuilding and characterizations in this sharp and poignant novel.--Kristi Chadwick
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
When a powerful empire threatens the denizens of a remote planet, a mysterious refugee comes out of hiding to fight back. Kel Garda keeps to herself. As far as citizens of the planet Loth know, she's yet another refugee of the Prixori Anocracy's violent war of expansion. Technically that war ended five years ago, but when an abandoned battle machine--a "demolisher"--whirs to life in the lush jungles of Loth, the peaceful people have no way of stopping it from destroying everything in its path. And when they call their distant Prixori overlords for help, the Pale, as they're known, can't be bothered to send aid. The people of Loth place great value on protecting the natural life on the planet, avoiding building more than the bare minimum of invasive infrastructure, and as such they have few resources to defend themselves against the Pale's military tech. Though Kel feels a responsibility toward the kindhearted people of Loth who took her in after the war, she has her reasons to stay off the Pale's radar and doesn't intend to do more than attend meetings discussing what to do. When two mysterious offworlders show up to those meetings claiming to be able to shut down the demolisher, Kel finds their timing suspicious. But when her young, adventurous friend Lunna enthusiastically volunteers to guide the offworlders through the wilderness, Kel is forced to join them and find out for herself if the offworlders really do want to help Loth and if she'll be able to continue hiding her true identity. Valdes is a delightful storyteller. Her characters are lively and detailed, and her worldbuilding is immersive without being confusing. The restorative justice culture of Loth is effectively contrasted with the violence of the Pale empire, and Valdes explores the complicated question of whether it's possible to retain your values and ideals while fighting back against injustice and cruelty. A solid SF adventure story. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
