This is the first book in Foster's The Damned trilogy. It sets up everything needed to continue the series, but it easily can stand alone as a well-crafted novel.

The premise is that there is a war waging between sentient alien races. The "bad guys" expect assimilation, while the other side wants to embrace different cultures. Neither side is adept at war, as intelligent, cultured species do not fight.

Or so they thought until they stumble across humans. The initial reaction is to not trust an inherently blood-thirsty and savage race, but the fighters realize that humans could tip the war one way or another if enlisted. Their first contact is an artistic sort (a writer) who tries to convince the aliens that humans are peaceful by nature and are working to become a peaceful society as well. The human claims that enlisting them in a brutal war would reverse any progress made toward becoming a peaceful race.

Science fiction fans are the most likely audience for this one.

Foster writes first encounters with alien races better than anyone that I have ever read. The first encounter in this novel is particularly memorable.

Foster is an excellent story teller who writes in a very palatable style. YA and adults could both read and enjoy his action-oriented and straightforward approach to writing.

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Created Oct 31, 2014 at 8:36pm • Submit your own review...