The Affinity Trap

The Structure Series #1

by Martin Sketchley

Vourniass Lycern - a conosq of the three-sex Seriattic race - holds the key to peace between Earth and Seriatt, and thus the continuation of the lucrative illegal arms trade conducted by General William Myson. When Lycern decamps to the Affinity Group complex on Veshc, Myson orders experienced Military Intelligence Officer Alexander Delgado to fetch her. While once respected, the changes that followed Myson's rise to power saw Delgado's position reduced in all but name, his independent character and methodologies unwelcome. But Delgado, sees the mission not as a chance to reinstate his name to the position of respect it once held, but an opportunity to engender a much greater level of change. When he comes into contact with Lycern, however, Delgado faces his greatest ever challenge, the consequences of which have the ability to change his life - and potentially the future of Earth - forever. In the first of the Structure novels, Martin Sketchley has created a vivid widescreen setting in which the boundaries between good and evil, male and female, human and non-human are often indistinguishable despite the wishes and perceptions of the startling characters he has created. Sexuality, gender roles, and the fundamental drives of every human being are explored within a gripping dynamic storyline that highlights the contrast between what humans perceive themselves to be, and what they really are.

Genres: Science Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Against my sister's recommendation, I attempted this book I randomly picked off a library shelf. I stopped wasting my time halfway through it. The characters were off-putting, the world-building was lackluster, the strength of the military theme was tedious and off-putting...

Summarily: Boring. Gratuitous. Pretentious. Male chauvinistic emphasis. Nothing to recommend it to me.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

*unfinished

Up to p.6 and hoping against hope that all this exposition means there isn't any left for the rest of the book. Would quite like some plot or maybe a girl character. I am stuck on a noisy train without my iPod and have only this to read as I finished the Brin.

Send help xo

[Beth Farrier · Rating 1 out of 5]

Finished purely because I can’t leave a book half read.
All round boring.
Average characters, bad dialogue, ridiculous plot, gratuitous.
It’s like someone had written out their military and alien sex fantasy and sold it as a novel.

[Tori · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm only 40 pages in and I hate it 🤢
Alex Delgado is an absolute arsehole. He is constantly being bitter and trying to prove himself? He clearly hates women - a receptionist is described as a complete airhead, and when she "flirts" (I'm not sure I'd call it flirting) with him he can't decide whether it's "worth the effort" to flirt back.

The main plot starts with him having to capture a conosq alien...he starts by killing someone she knows, taking his place, and she finds out. He describes her as unattractive in an appealing way??
He then tries to instigate sexual behaviour and she says No. "I will not...I cannot"...but he carries on???!!!
She immediately gives in and gets super aroused?!!!
The way it's described is honestly like a horny 16 yo boy just found porn for the first time 🙈 all voluptuous flesh, swollen breasts, wild spasms, moaning, being fully absorbed... 🤮

She's also described as being aggressive and frenzied... sadistic...Delgado was doing it because he wanted to control her and now he's "become the one controlled" he's uncomfortable?

He then states he felt "a sense of repulsion", and that her face was "monstrous" whilst she's riding him??
And to finish it he used the phrase "The tent was choked with the stench of sex and desire"...

I absolutely love a bit of smut, but this was awful. I want to wash my eyes out 😭

After looking into others' reviews...I'm not even going to bother reading the rest.

[Liz · Rating 1 out of 5]

A struggle to finish. The Author needed to build up the surrounding world more and seemed to skim over the motivation for both main characters.

I found that there were major plot holes. One that sticks in my head is where did the politician go when he showed up for his hotel room (which the main character scammed out of the hotel staff)?

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kept feeling that I had read this before.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 2 out of 5]

An out of favour officer accepts a mission to try and redeem his honour in this Sci-Fi thriller.

The story didn’t grab me and I thought the book needed a good edit.