iffer's review
2.0
This wasn't bad, but it didn't captivate me. There's potential in the setting and the family dynamics, but I wasn't interested in where the story was going, nor did I have a lot of fun reading it.
some_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Death
Moderate: Violence and Drug use
hardscifi's review against another edition
5.0
A pleasent surprise
I was expecting, from the summary, something like Alien Nation and a buddy flic. However, I went with the comments by other authors and am glad I did. Very character driven, interesting aliens, fast paced, and compkex people tgat weren't explained to death, making me interested in the sequels. I recommend.
I was expecting, from the summary, something like Alien Nation and a buddy flic. However, I went with the comments by other authors and am glad I did. Very character driven, interesting aliens, fast paced, and compkex people tgat weren't explained to death, making me interested in the sequels. I recommend.
pattydsf's review
3.0
“What.” Mel grimaced. “Hell, yes, this is Homicide Task Force. Don’t you know who you’re calling? He grinned at David. “Naw, Silver ain’t here. This is Burnett.” p. 10
This novel begins like many crime novels. The story starts out with a victim escaping a serial killer and the protagonists trying to figure out how to capture the killer. If you read mysteries, this is not unusual. However, Hightower throws her readers and detectives a curve by including alien life forms in this mystery. The Elaki have come to earth and actually solved some of our problems. They are not usually concerned with deciphering criminal cases, but for some reason they are interested in this one.
I am glad I tried this story. I had listened to one of Hightower’s stories over seven years ago, but this is a different series. The aliens added several twists to the tale which kept me interested in a fairly average mystery.
Hightower has invented a future world with similarities to the place we live in now. So she could drop her readers into this new world without needing to explain everything that is different. This is not a cozy mystery, but it was fine. There was violence, but nothing that bothered me.
If you are a mystery reader and want some fun, light reading, you may want to try this book. If you like it, there are a few more stories about Silver, Burnett and the Elaki.
(After writing all this down, I went to Hightower’s webpage. It looks like this series was originally marketed as science fiction. Although there are aliens, I really thought of this as crime fiction. It shows you what preconceptions will do. The book I read earlier by Hightower was a mystery. The reprint of this book does not have a single alien on the cover. So I took the aliens as secondary to the crime fiction. Oh well, I still believe that mystery readers would enjoy this as well as those of us who read speculative fiction.)
This novel begins like many crime novels. The story starts out with a victim escaping a serial killer and the protagonists trying to figure out how to capture the killer. If you read mysteries, this is not unusual. However, Hightower throws her readers and detectives a curve by including alien life forms in this mystery. The Elaki have come to earth and actually solved some of our problems. They are not usually concerned with deciphering criminal cases, but for some reason they are interested in this one.
I am glad I tried this story. I had listened to one of Hightower’s stories over seven years ago, but this is a different series. The aliens added several twists to the tale which kept me interested in a fairly average mystery.
Hightower has invented a future world with similarities to the place we live in now. So she could drop her readers into this new world without needing to explain everything that is different. This is not a cozy mystery, but it was fine. There was violence, but nothing that bothered me.
If you are a mystery reader and want some fun, light reading, you may want to try this book. If you like it, there are a few more stories about Silver, Burnett and the Elaki.
(After writing all this down, I went to Hightower’s webpage. It looks like this series was originally marketed as science fiction. Although there are aliens, I really thought of this as crime fiction. It shows you what preconceptions will do. The book I read earlier by Hightower was a mystery. The reprint of this book does not have a single alien on the cover. So I took the aliens as secondary to the crime fiction. Oh well, I still believe that mystery readers would enjoy this as well as those of us who read speculative fiction.)
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