"SF Romance takes a new twist"
Seventeen year-old "Jai Rockworth" had until recently lived
in isolation with his loving parents and three younger
siblings. Their peaceful existence had been shattered when
Jai's father had been kidnapped by those he had once ruled
and escaped. Jai's father was none other than Jaibriol Qox
II, Emperor of Eube. Jai's mother would begin an
interstellar war in order to recover her soulmate. She is
Sauscony Valdoria, Imperator of the Skolian Empire, the
sworn enemy of Eube. The marriage had been a carefully
guarded secret, but there were other secrets in Jai's
closet. Such as the fact that his father, as well as his
mother, is a Rhon Psion, a fact that would have jeopardized
his life had his people discovered that their emperor was
in fact a lowly "provider" instead of a pure blooded
Aristo. The children had been left on Earth in the care of
Seth Rockworth to await their parent's return.
Now Jai's parents are believed dead, victims of the bloody
Radiance War that had crippled both empires. Though young,
and vulnerable due to his inherited telepathic ability, Jai
makes a daring bargain with the Eubian Concord, so that
their deaths would not be in vain. By revealing his
paternity, he secures an unlikely trade. In exchange for
the return of Ruby prince, Eldrin Valoria, to the Skolians,
he ascends the thrown of Eube, as Jabriol III.
Jai's do-or-die goal is to affect a permanent peace between
his parents' peoples. It doesn't take him long to realize
that he is in way over his head. The largest obstacle Jai
faces is his heredity. He must forever guard his mind or
risk the hell of slavery. (Jai's new people had been
specially bred with a lack of empathy. To them telepath's
are "providers" whose pain brings them intense physical
pleasure called "transcendence". Slave trade fuels the
Eubian economy and is intrinsic to their culture. Not only
must Jai protect his mind, but he must also control his
response to the abhorrent behavior of those around him,
lest he give himself away.)
Aid comes from unexpected places. Jai is guided by his
cousin Corbal Xir, who affected the questionable trade of a
potential Ruby key (Eldrin) for the new emperor. He isn't
sure he should trust Xir, he only knows that the man
doesn't put the pressure on his mind that he suffers in the
presence of other Aristos. Unfortunately the trade didn't
sit well with some very powerful and treacherous Aristos,
Xirad Kaliga his military advisor, Lord Raziquon who has
many secrets, and Finance Minister, Tarquine Iquar. When
Jaibriol is called upon to settle a dispute involving the
three and the sale of a particularly interesting slave, he
begins the tightrope walk which will determine whether his
gamble was for all or nothing.
This incredible tale picks up where RADIANT SEAS (the
second
Soz tale) leaves off. It also picks up the trailing thread
of ASCENDANT SUN, the story in which Jai's counterpart
Kelric Valdoria joins the Triad to replace Jai's mother as
the new Skolian Imperator. Kelric had been missing and
presumed dead for decades. He returns only to be captured
and sold into slavery to Tarquine Iquar, but subsequently
escapes. The titles of these two tales are telling. They
are the stories of two honorable and powerful men becoming
the rulers of opposing worlds. Kelric, the golden son,
ascends into the light becomes a powerful protagonist,
while Jai symbolically garbed in black, must live in the
shadow, always guarding himself against descending into the
darkness that surrounds him -- Sun and Moon.
While everything about the Eubian culture flies in the face
of the beliefs of a free people, and tends to make the
reader cringe, Ms. Asaro gives it interesting aspects that
capture the mind in spite of oneself. I found myself
particular intrigued by the nuances of the convoluted
Aristo conversational technique, which is as clever as the
futuristic science that peppers these tales.
While Jai's struggles are fascinating, I think he will
become more interesting with age. The characters which
really fascinate in this tale are Tarquine Iquar and Corbal
Xir. They do not have the benefits of Jai's heritage. They
have both been steeped in Aristo culture and yet, they have
proveN that they are capable of change. With these two
at Jai's side we get the feeling there may yet be hope for
the Eubian Concord. I can't wait for the next
installment. July, 2004
Copyright © 2004
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Posted October 30, 2006
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At the age of seventeen the young nobleman named Jaibriol
Qox became ruler of a vast galactic
empire - and lost everything he had ever valued.
Born of a clandestine liaison between a renegade daughter
of the Skolian Imperialate and a scion of the genetically
engineered Eubian Traders, Jai Qox grew up in exile,
unaware of the powers that coursed through his noble blood.
In the waning days of the bloody Radiance War, which
ravaged the galaxy, Jai was captured, and returned to the
Traders to play a role as a puppet Emperor in their scheme
to consolidate their domination of space.
Now Jai must walk a razor's edge, to seize the power that
is his by birthright, without succumbing to its dark
seduction, in order to avert a conflagration which
threatens to engulf a thousand worlds.
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