Title: Conviction
Author: M. D. Neu
Series: Book Two
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance, LGBT, Futuristic
Page Count: ?
Publisher: Nine Star Press
Release Date: March 15th
Type of Book: Ebook, Kindle Book, ARC
Review Word Count: 1000
Received: Netgalley
Rated: 5/5 stars
Notes: This series continues to delight. It went a different area than what I expected, though still pulled through with a happy ending with plenty of things to resolve in the next book.
Following the continuation of Book One “Contact” which I read last year, and really enjoyed, I was delighted to find myself approved for this book within hours of requesting it. Therefore, my thanks to the publisher Nine Star Press, and I am pleased to have read and am reviewing almost immediately within receiving it. (If only all my requests worked out this way!)
Todd Landon is recovering from the attack that took his husband, and many of the Nantreaa that had arrived at Earth last year when they had first visited San Jose. He’s still grieving the loss, but he’s determined to help these visitors of another world settle in without too many hiccups along the way. Yet others are bound and determined to prevent them staying, fear, bigotry, and outright hatred making it difficult for him to do his job as well as he can.
Then there’s Mi’cen and his family. With the political aspects of this book proving to be challenging, as well as interesting in reading, Todd’s attempt at getting to know and understand Mi’cen’s family is fascinating to read and see through his eyes. I loved Todd’s interaction with Faa, a small creature that can speak, and I also liked how everyone was their own person and unique to the story. Each character breathed life to the pages that otherwise would have seemed to be dull and overly political when dealing with an alien ‘invasion’, though really the Nantreaa are more political refugees than anything, as they are trying to find a safe place to stay after their planet was destroyed, their sun having gone supernova.
The whole situation is a bit impressive build-up, and I found myself devouring each page. I really like the author’s writing style, and he explains things reasonably well without pandering or info-dumping the reader. My one complaint was the religious aspects of the book. Granted, it wasn’t bad, and more debatable between aliens and humans which is understandable, but attempting to sway aliens over to a god that they know nothing about? No. Sorry, but I don’t think that would actually fly. Not to mention “God is mysterious, his ways of hurting people always has a reason”-I never liked nor believed that was a good line to tell worshippers. You need to have a better reason than that to make innocent people suffer. Sorry, but that’s just my opinion.
Though since the religion aspect did actually matter and come to play a part in the story-surprising me completely, actually-I actually didn’t mind it overmuch. I found it was actually helpful in the plot as well, because of course when introducing aliens to a human world, they’re going to touch base on religion at some point or another, and it seemed that much more realistic than anything else.
But I digress.
The plot was excellent. The world-building was cool, and the aliens were unique and fascinating. I would have liked to have learned more about their technology, animals, and history, but it focused more on the characters than the actual history of the Nantreaa this time around. I’m hoping that those things will be more explored in book three, or perhaps four if this is a series and not a trilogy.
Overall, I’m definitely giving this a 5/5 stars, because this was a delicious LGBT science fiction with politics, humor, some pretty hefty action towards the end, and a HEA but with enough unresolved issues that it still leaves things wide open for at least two more books. I highly recommend reading these if you like realistic characters, believable science fiction, and a fast paced plot. Book three cannot come fast enough!
Until next time,
-Pass Me That Book.
