Lots of action and less romance, just like The Caphenon. Loved it. ( )

*I received this book from Ylva Publishing in return for a fair review.

There have been four books in the Chronicles of Alsea that have been previously published. This is both the fifth book published and not the fifth book in the series – no, this is book four in the series (the fifth entry appeared out of order earlier this year in July).

This specific book here picks up seemingly moments after the end of the third book – ‘Without a Front – The Warrior’s Challenge’. Of importance to this story – a) do not read this book here out of order or, for that matter, as a stand-alone, I do not think it actually would work as a stand-alone; b) third book ends with a wedding. Fourth, this book here, begins with the happy couple going on their honeymoon.

They do things differently on Alsea (the name of the planet). In the Earthling culture I’m most familiar with, after a wedding, a happy couple wanders off together for a period of time and lose themselves in being together – in say Paris, or Hawaii, but mostly in a bed. The Alseans add a step to that, yes, the happy couple does tend to wander off somewhere ‘nice’, but they add an extra layer – they bring their families with them. For, you see, the bonding is of two families, not just two people.

Some of what you might expect on a honeymoon does in fact still occur. The two wiggling near each other, say, in a nice setting. Some that occurs is somewhat unexpected. Like here, Salomen and Lancer Andira Tal had a bonding ceremony at the end of the previous book (third book in the series, not previous book published, which is the fifth book in the series), then went to have their honeymoon on a nice island. Their honeymoon cabin is actually something of a treehouse – surrounded by other cabins and treehouses. Housing Salomen’s father, and two of her three brothers (third is off in jail), plus Andira’s guards – including such people as Micah and Lead Guard Fianna Vellmar; plus the person who bonded the couple – Lanaril (and yes, Lanaril and Vellmar meet in this book); plus (yay for pluses) Captain Ekatya Serrado of the Protectorate and Dr. Lhyn Rivers.

I mentioned in my review for the fifth book in the series, Vellmar the Blade, that there was something of a Princess Bride vibe – specifically because the Vellmar story was being told by an older person to youngsters – with them interacting in a similar way that Fred Savage and Peter Falk interacted. Well, there’s a vibe that I picked up on with this book here as well. I’m sure it is a story telling method as old as time – I think it even turns up in Beowulf, that Old English story from something like 975 A.D. I should have watched more camping films. I’m sure they had some I could have seen wherein people gathered together then told stories. But I didn’t. The story telling technique that I am referring to involves people gathering together, telling each other stories – mini-‘stories’ are shown, then back to the people gathered; which also happened in Beowulf when he visited the King in that big hall – and he, or one of his friends, I forget which now, began telling tales of how great Beowulf is – a true hero – so that story would be told (like the time went swimming and murdered a sea serpent, then back to the depressed hall where everyone is drunk and waiting to be eaten by Grendel – people do have to do something while waiting to be eaten).

Right so, the point being that the purpose of having the two families join the happy couple on the honeymoon is so that everyone can ‘join’ as one big happy family. Also to make sure the newly bonded remember to eat. And are entertained. And now we get to my ‘vibe’ tangent – they get entertained by having people tell stories. Well here we just experience two of the story tellers – Ekatya and Lhyn tell about their time back among the Gaians in the Protectorate space.

So – two, well more, but two main story threads – ‘present day’ on Alsea; and flashbacks to Ekatya and Lhyn’s two or so years back in Protectorate space. Both story lines are quite fun reads to follow. And it should be stressed that the ‘present day’ part of the story line is a lot more than just people sitting around telling stories – even if I kind of made it sound that way. ‘Stuff’ does happen.

There needs to be a Warning, though – there is some rather . . . graphic stuff that happens in this book. Sex, but I’m mostly referring to the violence part – bloody, tortuous violence.

The notes I left myself which probably should have just been reworded and made my review:

More than 1 thread. 'Present current' stuff takes place immediately after events at end of book 3 on Alsea. Though some of it feels like 'flashback' since I have already read book 5. 'Flashback' stuff is lengthy and takes place in Protectorate space & tells the tale of the 2 main characters from there since book 1.

Present day story: Alsean culture has the newly married couple's family go with them on their honeymoon. So that stories can be told and the two families can become one. Also, sex occurs - hmm, don't mean orgy I mean ... well ... individual couples having sex.

Flashback story: while on the honeymoon, Lhyn & Ekatya (I fix name later) tell stories of what happened between book 1 & 4. Missions, debriefings, mentions of book writing by Lhyn, plus revelation of why Lhyn keeps having 'issues' - panic attacks.

There's graphic sex, violence (bloody), and lengthy torture

Oh and that couple reconnecting in book 5? Both individuals on group honeymoon trip.

Rating: 4.88

December 1 2016 ( )

Following immediately on from “Without A Front – The Warrior’s Challenge”, “Catalyst” brings all our major players together for the Lancer’s bonding break. Set on a holiday resort island with gorgeous beaches and honeymoon cabins, Tal and Salomen are joined by their closest friends and family, including Captain Ekatya Serrado and Dr Lhyn Rivers. A happy vacation for all involved, celebrating the divine tyree bond, becomes a time for sharing recent experiences and the baring of souls.

In the two years since they defeated the Voloth everyone has changed to some degree, made tough choices, learned hard lessons. Dr Rivers, in particular, has faced tough challenges; her support of the Alseans has made her a target for right wing extremists stirring up fear of the ‘mind control’ that the telepathic Alseans could unleash on the Protectorate. As their personal stories are revealed the friends are pulled even closer by their emotional bonds.

Once again Fletcher DeLancey has produced a stunningly intricate and detailed story to add to the ongoing saga of political and actual battles, emotional growth and complex relationships between strong, intelligent characters. In some ways this is a side story, in terms of Alsea nothing happens to move the larger story arc forward. Instead we are given a lesson in the unpleasant politics of the Protectorate, the lengths individuals will go to further their own agenda, and the price others have to pay. Ultimately it all adds to the world view and will undoubtedly add to our understanding of future events, but despite being set on Alsea this is an off-world backstory.

DeLancy has achieved something not easy to accomplish in making this almost completely about the emotional growth of her major characters, yet combined it with action, adventure and horrible personal experiences. We explore the events of Serrado and Lhyn’s last two years, but all from the viewpoint of explaining the challenges they have faced internally. While Serrado has been off fighting the baddies, she has serious lessons to learn about forgiveness, and for Lhyn the preceding months have literally been both physical and mental torture, from which she must learn to move forward.

As well as our existing cast we meet two new major players who seem destined to play a major role in future tales, the feisty Dr Wells, another wonderful addition to the ‘strong women’ who take almost every major part in the epic to date, and the Machiavellian Director Sholokhov. In Sholokhov DeLancy has give us an almost perfect villainous figure to dislike and despise, and yet he appears to be on the ‘right’ side. Again two more well drawn, intriguing characters whose psyches we explore while following a thrilling plot.

Altogether a brilliant read and one that I found hard to put down. All the books in the series portray the major players with deep, complex and detailed personalities, but this one takes us to another layer of psychological exploration while we are actually reading scenes of action adventure and a dark thriller. DeLancy once again proves herself to be an expert story-teller, a wonderful writer who has a gift for the creation of extraordinarily detailed worlds and sophisticated multidimensional characters. I want nothing more than to sit in a corner and read the whole series again - i cannot wait for the next installment. ( )