I was pleasantly surprised by this debut book by Enclave Publishing, though I shouldn’t have been surprised. Their high standard of excellence led to a stunning book by a breakout author. This book has everything a Science Fiction reader would want: detailed descriptions of technology, space travel, futuristic society, and strong characters who work as a team.

ACTION: The starting action of this book is a doozy, and has a bit of gross factor mixed in. This was not an indication of the amount of action that would continue after, so if you are a bit squeamish you should not have problems after moving past this area of the book. Though there is a certain amount of reliving the event and the things that lead up to it, I would say that the amount of tense scenes is lower than would be expected.

ADVENTURE: A certain amount of the adventure is found in the memories of the characters. If you are one who reads Science Fiction to enjoy the wonderment of the universe, this is not the book for you. On the flip side, the author digs deep into the motivations and emotions of the characters as they work through some really tough experiences. Empathizing and moving along with the characters on their journey was both heartbreaking and strengthening.

ROMANCE: Though the action can be a bit descriptive for my taste, you can put your worries aside when it comes to the romantic content of this book. I would label the romance as “barely blossoming” in some cases and “not descriptive” in others.

RELIGION: I know of one confirmed Christian character as well as other hinted Christian character/s. Religion does not play much of a role in this story, but if I am reading the foreshadowing correctly, it will not remain in the back seat for long.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This story was a thrill to read. If you are one who enjoys a sense of mystery and discovery along with your reading, this is definitely the book for you. I loved the growth of the characters and was stunned with the realism given to the hierarchy of the world McCrumb created. I will warn that this is the first book of a series and it has a gaping cliff-hanger. Even with that caveat I would recommend this as a wonderful read to anyone who wants to explore another human’s journey with all the color that can be found in your own.