Dog Warrior

Ukiah Oregon #4

by Wen Spencer

Atticus Steele is en route to Cape Cod when he rescues a stranger from death at the hands of a religious cult—and is surprised to learn that the man he’s saved is Ukah Oregon, his long-lost brother. Ukiah’s membership in the Dog Warriors— a paramilitary biker gang—gives him the ability to repay the favor by assisting Atticus in an undercover assignment to purchase an elusive new designer drug.   What Atticus discovers—and can’t believe—is that the mysterious drug is an alien intoxicant specially attuned to the brothers’ shared alien biology. When the religious zealots threaten Ukiah’s life again, Atticus must learn to trust the Dog Warriors and accept his own origins if he’s to have any chance of saving his brother’s life…and his own.

Genres: Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Aliens, Mystery, Science Fiction Fantasy

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 5, 2004

About the author

John W. Campbell Award Winner Wen Spencer resides in paradise in Hilo, Hawaii with two volcanoes overlooking her home. Spencer says that she often wakes up and exclaims "Oh my god, I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific!" This, says Spencer, is a far cry from her twenty years of living in land-locked Pittsburgh.

The Elfhome series opener, Tinker, won the 2003 Sapphire Award for Best Science Fiction Romance and was a finalist for the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Fantasy Novel. Wolf Who Rules, the sequel to Tinker, was chosen as a Top Pick by Romantic Times and given their top rating of four and a half stars. Other Baen books include space opera thriller Endless Blue and Eight Million Gods.

Reviews

[Gbina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wen Spencer is my favorite author. I am no literary critic, so I don't know if her writing is technically sound, but her characters are captivating. I am a huge 'character' reader and Wen has a way of making me love every single character in the story. I never get annoyed when she switches perspective from one character to another, because I love them all and want to know what is happening to everyone.

In the fourth Ukiah Oregon book (probably the last), Ukiah discovers he has a 'brother'. Meet (and fall in love with) Atticus Steele and his friends, Ru and Kyle, while they battle the near-indestructible Ontongard with Ukiah, Indigo, and The Pack.

If Wen Spencer wrote it, I will buy and read it with no questions asked. I don't need to know what it is about. Wen Spencer will not disappoint.

[Lindig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ukiah spends much of this book exhausted or healing, and focusing on the sudden acquisition of more family. It was interesting and is a close follow-up to #3 Bitter Waters. I thought the ending was very abrupt and lots of loose ends were left dangling.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently this is the last book in the series, and it's primarily from the POV of the brother Ukiah had no idea existed.

[Text Addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final volume of the series adds Ukiah's long-lost "brother," Atticus Steele, to the toxic mix of the Ontongard, the surviving elements of the Temple of New Reason, the DEA, the FBI, and the Pack. Once again, it's hard to discuss the plot without spoiling it; it's also very complex, with parties who ought to be allied working at cross-purposes and so forth. Suffice it to say that the Ontongard are trying to bring in allies and both the Temple and the Ukiah/Atticus/Pack side want to stop them. BUT the Temple are still trying to use their captured alien tech for this purpose, which they refuse to believe won't do what they think it will do. Cue boss fight in the under-construction Big Dig of Boston.

Once could almost wish for more of this series, except I also think that would be pushing the base concepts farther than they could reasonably go. I'd like to believe that the anti-Ontongard forces finally have the upper hand at the end of this one, and the rest will just be mopping up - not the most engrossing sort of action-adventure-SF novel. It's a good series ender ... and Spencer has written quite a few other SFish books, though they're different from this series.

[Emily G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking forward to re-reading this book the most because in it we meet Atticus Steele, Ukiah's brother, who is in a gay relationship with a Japanese man called Ru. However, I didn't find myself liking Atticus that much this time round. I couldn't really understand his thinking, especially when it came to Ukiah.

Also, Atticus came across as a bit of a pseudo gay, as he isn't that comfortable making love to Ru. It gave me the overall impression that he was het really, and just in a gay relationship because he loved Ru as a person. I used to like that take on things when I realised I liked m/m relationships through yaoi, but not any more, it would appear.

The story itself is a continuation of the cult plot in Bitter Waters with Ukiah tracking down the alien bio weapons that weren't destroyed, which was entertaining enough.

Oh, but Rennie and Ukiah's relationship is still awesome, so overall, I give it four stars.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure why this is listed as syfy romance. Spencer writes good, vivid action sequences without the long emo tangents about broken hearts, abuse or dead pets that I find in bodice rippers. There is a love/sex moments but not dominating the plot. However it isn't a gory horror story so I suppose it's more feminine in taste.

No real conclusion to make this the final book although it is the last published. Brothers find each other and the crazies get mashed.

[Stonemagpie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish there was more of this series, I would love to see Atticus meeting Max, Kitt and the rest of the family!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Ukiah Oregon series by Wen Spencer. This book is a mix of Urban Fantasy and Science Fiction. Ukiah Oregon was found as a child running with a pack of wolves. He was raised by his two mothers and soon grows into young manhood. Ukiah is soon discovered to be by far the best tracker in the business. Ukiah is unequaled in following the missing and the lost. Max Bennet, a private detective, hires Ukiah to be part of the Bennet Detective agency.
In this one, Ukiah has been temporarily killed and locked in a car trunk by the Temple of New Reason religious cult. He is rescued by his brother Atticus Steele and his partner Ru. Ukiah did not know until now that he had a brother as neither did Atticus know about Ukiah.
I really liked this book. It introduces several new major characters. Firstly Atticus Steele, his partner Ru and their workmates. Together with Ukiah, Indigo, the Pack and the FBI, they will enter into the ongoing war with the Temple and Ontongard.
Unlike in the previous stories, Max Bennett and Ukiah’s family are far in the background, as is Pittsburgh itself, and the action takes place mostly in Boston and the surrounding area. This book is action packed as well as having many plot twists and turns. Although this is the last book in this series there is room for more books. It has been many years since this book was written but I would like it if Wen Spencer would one day return to this series.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth and final book in the Ukiah Oregon series, following Alien Taste, Bitter Waters, and Tainted Trail. I think you need to read at least one of the others first before tackling this one in order to get the lay of the land. Ukiah is an alien/human hybrid who was raised ferally by wolves for a while before he was adopted by two human ladies when he stumbles into one of their traps in Oregon (hence his name), and now he has a human partner in a private detective business in Pittsburgh (though this one is mostly set in Boston), and he's the best tracker in the world due to his heritage and DNA. And maybe he died at the end of the previous book, and all of a sudden there are a bunch of new characters, and he's got a brother, and this book is mostly written from a new point of view... It's complicated, but still cool and cozy, though I didn't like this one as much as the previous books because too much was left unresolved. It's still science fiction with an urban fantasy flair and flavor, but more romance this time around. It picks up the cult thread from the previous book and goes deeper into the alien narrative. It's another very engrossing read, humorous in spots, but there were too many new developments that were left hanging.

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very disheartened to read on the author's Web site that she propbably would not be doing any more Ukiah Oregon books. Too bad, it was one of my favorite urban sf series.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, I wish this series had sold better. I loved it. Unfortunately, this was the last Ukiah book that was published. Sob.

[Margaret Fisk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series. Read it too long ago to have specific comments, but remember it fondly.

[May Mostly Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

มีคนถามแม็กซ์มา (อีกแล้ว) ว่าตอนนี้ชอบนักเขียนแนวแฟนตาซี/ไซไฟคนไหนบ้าง คงต้องเริ่มด้วยการบอกว่านักเขียนที่จะพูดถึงนี่เขียนแนวแฟนตาซี/ไซไฟเป็น หลักค่ะ อาจมีโรแมนซ์บ้าง แต่ไม่ใช่จุดเด่นของเรื่อง (แม้ว่าแม็กซ์อาจจะชอบเรื่องนั้นเพราะประเด็นโรแมนซ์เป็นหลักบ้างก็มี)

ถ้าถามกลับไปสักเมื่อหกปีก่อน (ทำไมต้องเป็นหกปี ก็ไม่แน่ใจค่ะ แต่คงจะประมาณนั้นนะ) แม็กซ์คงตอบเสียงดังฟังชัดว่าลอเรล เค. แฮมิลตันเพราะเธอเป็นนักเขียนแนวนี้คนแรกที่แม็กซ์อ่านอย่างจริงจัง และชุดเมอริดิธ เจนทรี้ก็เปิดหูเปิดตาแม็กซ์ชนิดที่อีโรติกเล่มไหนทำไม่ได้เลย (ซึ่งนั่นก็เป็นอีกเรื่องนึงที่ต้องคุยกันทีหลังนะคะ)

แต่กาลเวลาที่เปลี่ยนไป พร้อมกับรสนิยมขึ้นลงของแม็กซ์ทำให้ตอนนี้ลอเรล เค. และแม่หนูเจนทรี้ก็ตกอันดับไป ไม่ใช่ว่าไม่ชอบ แต่โดนเรื่องอื่นแซง

เวลานี้หลังจากอ่าน No Human Involved จบไปหมาด อันดับหนึ่งก็คงเป็นใครอื่นไม่ได้นอกจากเคลลี่ย์ อาร์มสตรองค์ แต่เพราะแม็กซ์สัญญากับคนอ่านบลอกไปแล้วว่าจะไม่รบกวนความสุขด้วยการพล่าม เรื่องชุดนี้อีก ก็เลยขอใช้เวลาพูดถึงอันดับสองในเวลานี้แล้วกัน

เวน สเปนเซอร์

ดูชื่อแล้วอาจนึกว่าคนแต่งเป็นผู้ชาย แต่เวนมาจากเวนดี้นะคะ ปัจจุบันเธอเขียนหนังสือสามชุด ซึ่งแม็กซ์ชอบทุกชุด แต่แน่นอนว่าย่อมมีลูกที่รักมากที่สุดนะคะ

ชุดที่แม��กซ์ชอบมากที่สุดเป็นหนังสือชุดแรกที่เธอเขียน และแม้จะไม่ได้จบชุดอย่างเป็นทางการ แต่ก็เป็นเวลาหลายปีแล้วที่ไม่มีเล่มใหม่ในชุดออกมาให้อ่านกันเลย นั่นก็คือชุด Ukiah Oregon เชื่อหรือไม่ว่า เล่มแรกในชุดมีการแปลออกมาเป็นภาษาไทยแล้ว ตอนที่แม็กซ์เห็นหนังสือเล่มนั้นที่จตุจักร ก็ยังคงมิคลาย ถ้าจำไม่ผิดชื่อไทยคือ "เอเลี่ยนพิทักษ์โลก"

เช่นเดิมคงต้องมีคำเตือนไว้ก่อน แม็กซ์กำลังจะสปอยล์หนังสือชุดนี้อีกแล้ว แต่สำหรับเพื่อนของแม็กซ์ที่มีโอกาสอ่านหรือไม่ได้อ่าน ก็คงจะพอรู้เรื่องสปอยล์ไปแล้วบ้างล่ะนะ เพราะแม็กซ์ก็กรี๊ดสลบไม่น้อยกับชุดนี้

Ukiah Oregon (อ่านว่า yoo-KAI-ah หรือสรุปว่าเขียนเป็นไทยยาก ขอให้ทับศัพท์แล้วกัน) เป็นเด็กกำพร้าที่ถูกพบในป่าซึ่งถูกเลี้ยงโดยหมาป่า โดยนักมานุษยวิทยาสาวคนหนึ่งและถูกเธอเก็บกลับมาเลี้ยงเป็นลูก ตลอดเวลาเขารู้ว่าตัวเองแตกต่างจากเด็กคนอื่นทั่วไป เพียงแต่ไม่รู้ว่าความแตกต่างนั้นมันมากเพียงไรจนกระทั่งเขาได้พบและร่วมทำ งานกับแม็กซ์ (ที่ไม่ใช่แม็กซ์คนเขียนบลอกหรอกนะ) ซึ่งเป็นนักสืบเอกชน Ukiah มีความสามารถในการแกะรอย ในคดีหนึ่งที่เขาแกะรอยคนร้าย เขาถูกยิง น่าแปลกที่เขาไม่เป็นอะไรเลยด้วยซ้ำ ทั้งที่ตอนแรกทุกคนเข้าใจว่าเขาตายแล้ว และคดีนั้นเองก็นำเขาไปสู่การพบกับชาติกำเนิดที่แท้จริงของตัวเอง

อะไรที่ทำให้แม็กซ์รักหนังสือชุดนี้ ก็เหมือนกับหนังสือ romance นั่นแหละ คือความสัมพันธ์และปฏิกริยาที่ตัวละครในเรื่องมีต่อกัน แม็กซ์รักแม็กซ์ (ที่ไม่ใช่แม็กซ์คนเขียนบลอก) ที่เขารัก Ukiah เหมือนลูก แต่ไม่เคยปฏิบัติต่อเขาเหมือนเขาเป็นเด็กเล็ก ทั้งที่ Ukiah ก็อายุเพียงยี่สิบปี แม็กซ์รัก Ukiah ด้วยความไร้เดียงสาชนิดที่เด็กผู้ชายส่วนใหญ่สูญเสียมันไปตั้งแต่อายุไม่ถึง สิบห้า แม็กซ์ชอบฉากที่อินดิโก้ (นางเอกของชุดที่อายุมากกว่า และเป็นเอฟบีไอ) ปฏิบัติการหลอกเด็ก ฉากเซ็กส์ที่ไม่ได้โจ่งแจ้งหรือบรรยายอะไรมาก แต่อ่านแล้วน่ารักมาก แม็กซ์รักที่ Ukiah ถูกเลี้ยงมาโดยแม่สองคนที่เป็นคู่เลสเบี้ยน แม็กซ์รักที่เขารับคิดเทนนิ่งลูกชายของเขามาเลี้ยงโดยไม่มีข้อแม้ (ส่วนคิดเทนนิ่งมาได้ยังไงเนี่ย มันสปอยล์มากไปหน่อยค่ะ แต่เด็กคนนี้ไม่ได้เกิดมาตามปกติที่เราคิดกันหรอกนะ)

สำหรับแม็กซ์แล้ว หนังสือทุกเล่มที่แม็กซ์ชอบจะมีพื้นฐานมาจากการเขียนตัวละครที่น่าสนใจ ความสัมพันธ์ของตัวละครที่มีต่อกันซึ้ง ๆ (ฉากที่อินดิโก้ไม่ยอมมองหน้าพี่ชายฝาแฝดของ Ukiah เพราะทำใจไม่ได้ที่ต้องเห็นหน้า Ukiah แต่กลับไม่ใช่เขา และมันตอกย้ำเธอถึงความจริงที่ว่าเขาหายตัวไป ---- ซึ้งอย่างที่ไม่ต้องบรรยายความรู้สึก) โบนัสที่ได้นอกเหนือจากสิ่งเหล่านี้สำหรับเรื่องชุดนี้ก็คือ หนังสือแนวแฟนตาซี/ไซไฟที่พล็อตเรื่องน่าติดตาม ขนาดที่วางไม่ลงเลยทีเดียว

สำหรับคนที่ทรนงตัวว่าไม่อ่านโรแมนซ์ ก็ลองอ่านชุดนี้ดูนะคะ เพราะไม่แมนซ์หรอกนะ สำหรับแฟนโรแมนซ์ แม็กซ์ก็อยากให้ลองอ่านค่ะ เพราะสนุก (ไม่รู้จะเขียนอะไรแล้วน่ะ) สนุกจริงนะคะ

[Jai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Final installment of the Ukiah Oregon series. It's been 12 years since I read book 3, so I don't remember the details of the earlier books at all, and book 4 very much feels like a continuation of what happened. I still managed to read this without a ton of confusion, it was very easy to get into the story, though the ending felt a bit quick, tying up the big loose ends but leaving the door open for more. The big thing is that Ukiah finds a missing piece in his brother Atticus (or Atticus finds him). Actually, Atticus is the main character here, with the spotlight on Ukiah only for a portion of the book.

Atticus has no idea what he is, only that he has enhanced abilities, like Ukiah. He's more of an adult, with adult boundaries and sense of suspicion, and this makes the family reunion imperfect: the trust from Atticus doesn't come easily. Atticus works with his team and is trying to find the source of a drug, and stumbles on Ukiah on the way. He learns from Ukiah what they are, and all the craziness that comes with it. This book basically has a cult, aliens, angels and demons, werewolves, and government agents. It works, somehow. Plenty of action and bad asses to go around. As I was reading this I remembered how much I enjoy urban fantasy, which is a genre that feels much less popular nowadays.

Oh and P.S. I liked that despite Atticus being portrayed as very stereotypically manly and unable to use his words, a woman magnet like Ukiah, he was in a long-term and loving relationship with a man. 💕

[Amberwitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth book in the Ukiah Oregon series is as fast paced as the previous ones, and the story as engaging.
The story's main focus is Atticus Steele who is Ukiahs older brother the same way Kittaning is Ukiahs son - that is, not really by human standards. Atticus and Ukiah are separate individuals who grew from the butchered parts of a half alien, half human. They meet when Atticus save Ukiahs dead body from the trunk of a car belonging to a group of religious cultists dedicated to combat invading aliens.
Atticus and his partners are looking for the source of a new drug, and the rescue of Ukiah disturbs a buy. The sellers are coincidentally the same cultists that abducted Ukiah.
Ukiah was taken by the cultist while hunting for them and the alien bio-weapons they plan to use to purge earth of the aliens.
The brothers mutual suspicion of each other keep them from pooling resources to get their shared target, but when Atticus attracts the attention of the invading aliens he decides to join forces with Ukiahs FBI girlfriend.
The series is revitalized by the shift in perspective, which also serves to reduce the clumsy recounting of the past somewhat. Instead of only perceiving the world through Ukiahs point of view, we now get an outside view of him as well.
The relationship between Atticus and his partner, as well as the budding relationship between Atticus and Ukiah are beautifully described.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

emotionally complex, lots of action, not really a stand-alone book

I’m not sure you can read this without the preceding books in the series, and have it feel whole. Spencer tries to fill in the necessary info, but the plot just depends too much on the reader’s understanding of all that’s gone before. Then, too, a new reader will miss too much emotional nuance, especially what’s revealed about the relationships between characters.

Given that caveat, I really liked this one. It introduces a new major character, Atticus, his lover Ru and their workmates. The new people offer lots of room for discovery, conflict and drama with Ukiah, Indigo, the Pack and the FBI, both personally and in the ongoing war with the Temple and Ontongard.

Unlike the previous stories, Max, the Bennett Agency and Ukiah’s family are far in the background, as is Pittsburgh itself, since the action takes place in the Boston area and surrounding coast. This helps makes the story feel fresh also, and gives Spencer a new canvas on which to paint. We learn a lot more both about the Ontongard themselves and their approach to conquest, and it makes them even more frightening. Earth is even more threatened than we’d known and the countdown is running fast.

[D.F. Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book of constant action populated by interesting characters and unbelievable actions. We get back all of our characters from the previous 3 books in the series, but now we add in a couple of new protagonists. The Federal government, in the form of various agencies (FBI, DEA and Homeland Security) are converging on the three constituent parties of the first books, the "Pack" a motorcycle gang known to be populated by murderers and arsonists, a religious cult and (finally) a persistent invasion of alien body-snatchers who can assume the forms and functions of humans they assimilate.
Unfortunately, the Federals all step all over each other, break the law continuously and withhold help and advice from each other, at least for a while.

This time we get alien doomsday machines, nerdy technologists, angels & demons, werewolves, and non-stop action. Fun read, but at the end of the book, leaves me thinking "Huh?" If you can let go and just roll with it, it's great.

[Adena Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's take on angels, demons and werewolves and the interaction among them is creative, original and profoundly disturbing. The cult's interpretation of Hex's invasion takes the creepy factor of the alienness of the Ontongard and Prime's Gets up several notches. Add in another "family" to Ukiah's already motley mix of outlaw bikers, indigenous relatives, and regular humans, and it is amazing how the author managed to avoid having Armageddon erupt (in Boston of all places)!

[Eloisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tremendous

I am engaged by books with good world building. I love this series as it superimposes the “alien” over the normal and then the snippets history of both sides.
Love the people. Uriah, Atticus, Rennie, Max, Indigo, Ru.

Plot line is intense, edge of the seat reading. I need to listen to them as audiobooks. Enjoy.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one felt a little disjointed and ended a bit abruptly. Which is a shame for the last book of a series. I'm going to assume that the publisher cut the series short and maybe if things had gone a different way both this book and a sequel could have been different and ended things on a beater note.

[Cynthia Slaughter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alien Urban fantasy

Ukiah was killed by the cult at the end of the last book. His body is found by Atticus and his partner. Atticus recognizes that they are alike and retrieves his body hoping he will regenerate. Soon they are involved with the cult, Ontongard and Dog Warriors in a race to prevent the use of the Ae and a signal being sent from Earth.

[Rebecca Tousey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wishing for more in this series

And hopefully movies based on these books. My favorite series by Wen (Wendy Spencer Kozak) Spencer. True science fiction with aliens, unknown tech and a well thought out plot.

[Tracy Smyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to end the series with

[Sue Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series

Each book adds new information and surprises. Some series become formulated but these books keep the information on the universe growing.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked the previous books better

#4 in the series. Not bad but it was like a Bond movie or a Mission Impossible sequel where the disasters have to be more spectacular.

[Grace]

Re-read 07-26-2022

[Trace Jefferson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ukiah learns of his brother Atticus. Enjoyed the mix of science fiction and mystery.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

3/25/07 Now I’ve read all of Wen Spencer's books! Waaah!
Atticus Steele and his partner rescue Ukiah from the trunk of a car on their way to a big drug deal of Blissfire in Cape Cod. Atticus doesn’t trust Ukiah at first, he’s wearing a pack jacket, that identifies him to Atticus as an outlaw biker. In the next book I hope Atticus gets to know Ukiah’s wonderful, loving extended family in Pittsburgh and Oregon.

In this exchange FBI agent Indigo Zheng and Atticus are talking.
“She was marrying his brother? ‘What the hell do you see in him?’
‘Only people who don’t know him ask that question.’
‘I don’t know my brother.’
‘Obviously.’ She considered him with a level look not unlike Ukiah’s. ‘I can outthink, outshoot, outfight, plain out-brass ball most men. But men have this unwritten rule: The only women allowed to be stronger than them are their mothers. If you don’t do the mothering routine, then they call you a grade- A bitch. With most men you can see it in their eyes as they try out the labels: hot babe, possible mother, bitch.’
No, we don’t have issues do we? ‘And Ukiah doesn’t.’
‘When I first met Ukiah, he looked at me, and saw me. Not the babe, the mother, or the bitch, just me. And I was hooked. The more I got to know him, the more I wanted him. He’s the gentlest, most compassionate, wisest man I have ever met.’”

[Viccy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millennia ago, the Ontongard left their home world with one directive, to reproduce. They inhabit a planet, assimilate the native species, annihilate everything and move on. Centuries ago, a space ship crashed on Earth. But one mutant Ontongard, Prime, was able to overcome the rest of the ship and prevent Earth from being overtaken. He was able to reproduce himself, but another Ontongard, Hex, was also able to reproduce himself, so the fight continues. Ukiah Oregon is a descendant of Prime, a free-thinking Ontongard from a species who possesses only a hive mind. The descendants of Hex, fight the Dog Warriors, as Prime's descendants are known. Ukiah discovers he has a brother, Atticus, who is a DEA agent. They are both on the trail of Bliss, a drug produced by the Ontongard. Mayhem and violence follow, as usual in this series. Atticus mistrusts Ukiah because he has been alone for so many years. He has to learn to accept the Dog Warriors, even though they are violent killers. Another satisfying read.

['Nathan Burgoine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world of Ukiah Oregon (do start at the beginning, with "Alien Taste") is a strange one. He's part alien, with some rather unique abilities and attributes, and he was found as a wild boy in the woods, and raised by loving lesbian parents. Now Ukiah is a private investigator, and has a partner in the PI business, and a love interest on the side who works for the FBI.

And a horde of alien creatures after him who plot his destruction, and/or use as a breeding subject. Sometimes life is harsh.

In this book, however, Ukiah stumbles upon an unknown sibling! Atticus Steele seems to be involved in something way over his head, potentially meshed in with drug gang warfare, and Ukiah isn't sure he can get him out - or warn him about what his brother really is. A really solid story, and it was nice to get into a different character's head and yet stay in the same world that Spencer has obviously worked so hard to craft.

Start at the beginning, but proceed through them all with all haste! You won't be let down.