Surrogate Species
Brainycat's 5 "B"s:blood: 2
boobs: 4
bombs: 0
bondage: 4
blasphemy: 3
Bechdel Test: FAIL
Deggan's Rule: FAIL
Gay Bechdel Test: FAIL
A very short story. It is written at a YA level (small words, short sentences, obvious plot) but the subject matter is for the older [read: of legal majority] crowd. I like the topics it raises, but the story was so short and the writing so undeveloped I don't think I can recommend this. The author tells rather than shows throughout the story, which pretty much iced what could be some hot alien on human m/m action.
As a lifelong scifi fan, there were some issues with the mechanics of the scenario. First and foremost, the two "established" species had no trouble understanding the vocalizations of the newly discovered species sans the benefit of any type of interpreter. Secondly, the aliens weren't very alien - you had a species of Glorious Noble Warriors and their buddies The Cybernetic Nerds. Neither imaginative nor believable. And there wasn't enough story around them to convince me, the dear reader, to suspend my disbelief.
Also, the whole story hinges on Instant All Consuming Attraction which I'm not a fan of. It's not squicky, it just always reeks of lazy writing to my eye. Unless, of course, there's a succubus involved but that's a whole different genre. I think a few passes through a skilled editor and another few pages to allow both the background and characters to develop more would benefit this story greatly.
Please note: I don't review to provide synopses, I review to share a purely visceral reaction to books and perhaps answer some of the questions I ask when I'm contemplating investing time and money into a book.
