In the first book of the Kan Ingan Archives, Sinner, we were left with Aric kan Ingan having been sentenced to Exile from his beloved planet, Arcanis for treason. In the last scene of the book, we see Aric taking his vows as a non-person, vowing to spend his life in chastity, poverty and personal deprivation until he is forgiven by the both the AllFather and his uncle Deroes, and allowed to return to Arcanis. Exile begins ten years later on the recreation planet of Syriakis where Aric has landed.
Life has been difficult for Aric, accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he has become addicted to both nicotine and caffeine, both of which are illegal. He has acquired a pet guardian spider, Niki, who has become his only companion in his exile. While on the planet of Syriakis Aric gets a job as a pilot for a Terran mining colony on the planet of Pyras. Before leaving Syriakis, Aric will meet prostitutes (both male and female), Christian ministers and even a little thief, all of whom will play a part in life on Pyras.
On Pyras, Aric learns he will work as pilot and guard for the resident doctor Susan Moran, flying her to the outposts and doing odd jobs for her around the clinic. Aric also learns he will have a roommate, and imagine his surprise when he meets him, to discover that his roommate is none other than his Uncle Deroes’ wife (and Aric’s lover) Elizabeth’s brother Miles. Aric and Miles get off to a rocky start, but eventually forge a bond that is much closer than friendship and that will be tested time and again.
Ms. Sweeney is one of those talented author’s that writes in multiple genres and always manages to give the reader a story to keep them right on the edge of their seats the entire time they are reading. Sometimes the second book in a series doesn’t live up to the standards of the first book, or is just written as a bridge between the first and third books. Not so in the case of Exile, in my humble opinion this book exceeded the first by leaps and bounds. I liked Sinner, I loved Exile. Aric has grown out of his self-absorbed narcissism into a humble, kind, and caring man. I was conflicted with him in Sinner, not so in Exile, I fell in love with him and wanted him to have a happy ending.
The core set of characters Aric interacts with are a rich and varied group of people. Dr. Moran is a strong woman, she has been hurt in the past but there is something about Aric that she finds intriguing. She is a champion for him, and he couldn’t have asked for a better employer and friend. Her two assistants, Lindy and Karen, give us many moments of comic relief with their antics of trying to seduce Aric and introducing him to Terran customs. Miles is not the most likeable person in the beginning, but he does grow on Aric and the reader as the story progresses.
This book had everything the reader could possibly ask for in a story. I shed more than one tear, I laughed out loud, I worried, and I cheered and in the end was completely satisfied. One warning, there is a cliffhanger at the end of the book. I’m not a fan but it was necessary and so I forgive Ms. Sweeney and can’t wait to read the next book to see what happens. There is some violence, some sex, and some drugs and let’s go for it, some rock and roll. All work well in the story and none are offensive.
You don’t have to have read Sinner to enjoy this book, but it certainly would help, so you know exactly where Aric is coming from. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good romance, a good science fiction story or just a plain ole good read chock full of scary monsters, cute kids, hunky men and sexy doctors.
Reviewed as a Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Dual Review Team