Adapting is a word Dale Michaels has become familiar with. As he settles into his new life with the Tah’Narian starship captain Keyno, Dale has adapted to life with an alien, space travel, and having his body mutated so he can carry a young. He’s closed the chapter on his old life.
Living on Tah’Nar, Dale has a loving mate and good friends. He’s helped cement peace with the Onfre. Sure, being double-dosed during his harvest led to some serious drama, but that’s over. Dale’s happy.
But life is never that simple.
Even though Dale loves Keyno, he still struggles with the way the Tah’Narians harvest young males as mates. Dale finds himself hijacked by his own body, courtesy of his extra dose of Tah’Narian DNA. Then there’s the devastating secret his mate, Keyno, has hid all this time. And if all that isn’t enough, outside forces threaten to rip Dale’s hard-won peace apart as well.
Join Dale for a non-stop adventure and a love that crosses several worlds and transcends space.
Kimi’s thoughts: Yup, m-preg storyline. I have to say this is exceedingly well done as Church has designed an alien biology around it so that it feels plausible. It’s a sequel and not one that stands on its own, so you need to read book one first. Not that that was any hardship as it was quite an enjoyable read in itself, which is why I made grabby hands when this one came out.
Writing a science fiction story set primarily in an alien culture is not an easy task in itself, but Church gives us not one alien world but two and she builds the universe around them fairly well. This story mainly follows Keyno and Dale but actually has a wider cast of characters who really come into their own this time around.
Sadly, the author has indicated this is the last book in the series. I’m hoping this isn’t true as she has left so much open. For example, we are given tantalising glimpses of Dale’s best friend’s Harvest and since that couple plays a very important part in dale’s adaptation to his new life, it’s a tale begging to be told (puppy dog eyes). Likewise we hear of harvests from other worlds, including Kia’s and again, it made me simply itch at getting to read it in its entirety. The book also ends in a rather open ended manner and I have to say that what with the special abilities and connections Dale’s children have with him and the young of his friends, I can foresee the road ahead for Dale and the gang to not be an easy one as the young mature. I’m sure that the foundations of Tah’narian society are going to be rocked not only by the change in how they find their mates but by the very existence of these particular children and their fathers (particularly Dale as he inadvertently turns things upon their head).
Life on earth is likewise forever changed because of the harvests but no doubt more so after Dale and Keyno revisit the whole Harvest thing. The first lot of mates after this happens are real game changers and I admit to wondering what it would be like to be a young man from this next generation of Harvested. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see where Church takes us (or doesn’t), as it’s certainly not in my power to wave a magic wand and have another book in the series appear.
Rating: 
