Sirantha Jax is the sole survivor of the crash of a spaceship on Matins IV. Since she was also the navigator of that ship, the Corporation is understandably interested in her take on what happened. But their reaction seems … off … somehow; instead of investigators, psychologists are interviewing her, and she’s in prison instead of a hospital. Not knowing what is going on, Jax is surprised when March, a total stranger, breaks into her cell and offers her the chance at freedom. In spite of her precarious mental state, and not knowing what March and his crew have planned for her, Jax takes the opportunity and runs with it.

While this book does involve a romantic relationship (or maybe just the potential of one), it is primarily a science fiction adventure/mystery. Although there are sex scenes, this book is not about the sex. It’s about the emotional relationship between the characters. The plot is complex and is revealed layer by layer as one gets deeper into the story. Aguirre’s world-building is skillful, and I was quite impressed with the development of the mystery, the solution to which was not revealed until the very end. The author’s writing style is unadorned and fast-paced, which mimics and emphasizes the protagonist’s plain-speaking style. I really liked Jax as a character and felt empathy with her experiences, but I was not as touched by March and the other secondary characters. All in all, reading this book was a pleasure. It’s an intellectually challenging read that demands the reader’s attention in order to keep up with the action. Science fiction fans will enjoy it as I did.

Reviewed by: Jean