Reed is a lower-class citizen scraping by in a world ruled by immortal beings called Aetherians. While working at the shipyard, an unexpected delivery brings about the attention of the vile Devlin Serridan, the ruler of the Aetherians who seeks to destroy a rising rebellion among the humans.
Shaken out of his apathy, Reed finds himself embedded as an upper-class spy among the Aetherian military. During his clandestine facade, he builds relationships with some Aetherians, and finds his boiling hatred turn to bewilderment as he gets to know a commanding but benevolent Aetherian girl. This double-sided life leads him to discover hidden truths about their Gods, their mortality, and the lies that led to the foundation of their society. Reed becomes a symbol of the rebellion to take Devlin off of his throne, seek retribution, and restore what was taken from humanity.
This was a fantastic debut novel! It gave me Enders Game vibes with just the right amount of sci-fi mixed with dystopian elements. I thought the main character was well developed and the story line flowed well. The battle scenes were very well played out. My favorite parts were the little twists and turns you didn't see coming.
I really enjoyed reading this! It’s not a genre I typically choose to read, but I was so impressed that my friend’s husband wrote this and I thought it was very well done!
A well laid out storyline, with a multilayered plot and a rather sudden, an unexpected twist in the eventual denouement at the end. The book finishes with a question and an unknown future, rather than a definitive resolution. Character development is acceptable, and supporting cast is varied and entertaining. Overall a decent story though one with more bloody battles than might be expected.