All
books that I love have something in common - good characters. This
book, Heir of Power, is among those books. The characters are very
memorable. Each character has a set of personality flaws and
strengths; worries, fears, and insecurities; loves and hates; strong,
realistic emotions; and all the other things that makes a character
real. Things that make a
character stick out in a person's mind. Part of the enjoyment of
reading about the characters is to watch them grow and develop. The
main character, Kairma, is probably the one who changes the most, and
it only improves her life. Michele Poague does a good job with this
and I feel that by the end of her novel, all of her characters have
grown into better people.
Not
only do the characters face their internal and personal issues during
the plot of the story, but they face something greater -
circumstances that are out of their control. The civilians of the
colony of Survin, which has been hidden away in seclusion for
centuries, are suddenly being forced to interact with the outside
world, in ways that could potentially help or harm them. Because of
this series of seemingly random plot twists and events, the Survinees
are forced to adapt from their lifestyle in order to survive.
Another
thing the author has done that I liked was the subtle hints about
where and when this story takes place. Instead of telling you
outright that it takes place on, say, the moon in the year 2121
(which, for the record, isn't this novel's setting), Poague leaves
small pieces of the puzzle throughout the story, revealing something
here or there that tell you the setting of the novel. Though that
knowledge isn't necessarily critical to understanding the novel, it
is good to know, and by the end, it all mostly fits together.
Personally, as soon as I finished, I wanted to go back and start
reading it again, just to see if there were some things I might have
missed while reading it the first time that fit with the setting that
I had discovered.
The
end of the novel isn't exactly a cliffhanger, which can be a good
thing. Though there are two other books in the series, which I do
intend on finding to read, just as soon as I can, I would be content
stopping right at the end of this book and not continuing on, because
the book ends well. There are very few things left unsettled - just
enough that a second and third book can be added on to it.
Between
the interesting religion and lifestyle of the Survinees, the
characters that were placed in this world, and the series of events,
this novel kept me attached to it, reading to the very last page with
curiosity and excitement. It is a book that I would recommend to
anyone seeking a science fiction tale with adventure, romance, and
just enough mystery.
Click HERE for the link to purchase.
The link for the author's blog : http://michelepoague.com/
