I feel privileged. Thomas Locke sent me an Advanced Reading
Copy of this, his newest book. I want to
do this book justice. It is so spectacular. I want to do such a good job
reviewing it that you can’t wait to get a copy and read it. I don’t know if I
am capable of that kind of review. I will do my best, though, because this book
deserves my best.
I loved this book. I loved it so much. I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads I wished I could give it
6 stars, that is how good I think it is. I read it in less than 24 hours and I
had to sleep and work during that time. The rest of the time I was reading.
I read it from 11/1 – 11/2. This is the second book in the Recruits series. The first was great. This one
might just be better.
Sean and Dillon are twins that helped save a planet from an
alien invasion in the first book. Now, Sean is bored in his Diplomatic
Institute classes. He was saddened by his break-up with Elenya. Dillon is
changing because of his military training at the Academy. Dillon has been
devastated by his break-up with Carey. Both boys can transit (move bodily from one place to another as long as it is a place they have been before) and they can travel in their ‘spirits’
without their bodies moving. They call it hunting. Neither boy had “hunted”
outside his body for months and the boys had lost their connection with each
other where they could read each others thoughts, though far away on other
worlds.
Carey’s cousin was kidnapped and Dillon comes to the school
and takes Sean away from his boring classes to help him get Landon.
Unfortunately, the boys’ plans are not sanctioned and they get into a lot of
trouble with the law on the Human Assembly planet, Serina.
We are introduced to new characters as well. Professor Kaviti
whom we love to hate from the very first sentences we read about him and Logan
whom I admired from the start and love as much as I love the characters of
Dillon and Sean. There are serious troubles on Cygneus Prime, on the outer rim.
Warrior tribes and fiefs fighting against each other for control of mining.
Logan, having just become an officer on Cygneus Prime had a plan to solve the
warfare that was going on. Logan also has many men and women under him. We get
to know his two squad leaders as well. I liked them both, though they don’t get
along with each other at first.
Basically the first chapters of the book shift from a chapter
for Dillon and Sean and their troubles to a chapter for Logan and his crew on
The Outer Rim. Sometimes on or the other group gets two chapters in a row, but
basically this is the way the book is set up. Can you guess what happens? Do
these two groups meet up? My guess was that they would, otherwise what would be
the purpose of the new characters. I wonder if you would have the same thoughts
if you read this book….which I recommend that you do with all speed. I liked this
shifting. It kept both parts of the story in my mind until the story came
together.
I love the writing in this book. I love this series. The characters are excellently written. Their
problems are believable even though these worlds and the transiting are
fictitious. Those characters you admire and like and those you hate, as well as
the plot, make the book gripping and impossible to put down. The worlds and
characters Locke creates are so descriptive and well written it is hard to
believe they don’t exist. The characters definitely drive this plot. The action
is fast moving and really keeps you hooked. You just have to know if, no not if
because being the main characters you know they will get out of the trouble
they are in with the law, how they get out of trouble. I also wanted to know
when, where and why Dillon and Sean meet up with and help Logan.
Logan is the son of a servant, but there is a secret there
that I will not reveal. Logan also has hidden talents that will come in useful
on The Outer Rim and are central to his plan. I won’t tell you that either. It
would ruin the story for you. Can Logan pull off the plan without Dillon and
Sean? I don’t think so. Dillon and Sean are integral to the story, they are the
main characters, but neither could Dillon and Sean fix the problems on The
Outer Rim without Logan and his crew.
The ending chapters were unexpected and wonderful, a real
twist to the plot. Just when you think things are over Sean sees new danger
ahead. Gripping and stupendous writing.
I won’t be sharing any quotes this time, though I want to. I
would have to clear them with the publisher first and I don’t want to wait to
post my review until I contact them and wait for a reply. I guess they want us
to contact them to be sure that the quote we use did not get changed before the
official printing of the book comes out. I can understand that. Maybe I will
contact them about the quotes I want to share and add them to the review later.
I highly recommend you buy and read this book. It was the
best book I have read so far this year. I would, however, start with the first
book of the series if you did not read that. Recruits, by Thomas Locke of
course, is a great book as well and you can read my review of that book HERE.
Locke uses his
pseudonym to write books that are outside the Christian fiction genre. Christian Fiction he writes with his real name. 
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