Customer Reviews

Close Encounters: An Alien Affairs Novel, Book 1 (Alien Affairs Novels)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just finished reading Katherine Allred's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS: Book 1, and I had mixed feelings about this book, so I came to Amazon to see if, as sometimes happens, reviews by others might have pinpointed already the strengths and weaknesses of this book. Unfortunately, there were only short, glowing reviews and one strongly negative review, and neither really expressed my view.

I liked a lot about this book: The relationship between Kiera and Max, the ship, and Kiera and Crigo, the rock cat; the backstory of GEP's and the relationship between Naturals and GEP's and Kiera's uniqueness as a GEP; the overall story of the Buri and where they came from; and (while trying not to give a spoiler) the discovery and transformation Kiera has in the last third of the book.

Then why do I not rate this a 4-star or 5-star book? Two things come to mind. First, something in the way the author wrote the relationship between Kiera and Thor just didn't work for me. By the time they consummated their relationship, I was so uninvolved with (unconvinced by?) them as a couple, that I found myself skimming over those pages. Perhaps it was, as another reviewer I believe said, that it all just came so easily that it didn't seem real.

Another issue I had was that as I was reading (and enjoying) the book, I was repeatedly jolted out of the story by the thought, "Ick...a 'futuristic'!" And I don't mean that in a good way. If you've been a Sci-Fi romance reader for a while, you know that "futuristics" was the label given to a subgenre of rather poorly written, retro-mentality Sci-Fi romances that have mercifully mostly been replaced by better writing, plots and depth of character.

I'm not a writer; I wish I could pinpoint just why I had that reaction. Maybe it was the awkwardness of the way the author presented Kiera's reaction to/instant acceptance of Thor's primitive possessive behavior. I know, I know, it was supposed to be connected to Kiera's lack of a family and her upbringing as a GEP and her need to be loved, but still, for whatever reason, it was enough to affect my enjoyment of the story.

As I look over my earlier words, I'm struck by the fact that when I listed the strengths of this book, I listed Kiera's relationships with Max and Crigo as more interesting than her relationship with Thor!

I was surprised to see that Katherine Allred has published several previous books, so, clearly, the writing in this book cannot be attributed to her being a first-time author.

To sum up, I would probably give this book a 3.5 star rating. Interesting story idea, definitely some room for improvement in the writing, not fabulous, but not terrible either. I'll probably give the second in the series a chance next year so I can see where the story goes.

Close Encounters takes place a few hundred years in the future. Science and technology has evolved and space travel is the norm. Cloning is also accepted and these clones are called Genetically Engineered Persons, also knows as GEPs. Natural Humans are called Naturals. When GEPs were created, there were some prejudices against them. But that stopped when the Galactic Federation Council passed the Equality Edict to stop the bigotry. But bigotry can not be erased, it just goes into hiding, so says Kiera Smith who is a GEP and quite the blonde bombshell. She is owned by the Bureau of Alien Affairs. Kiera is different from the other GEPs because she is stronger, faster, can heal quickly and is an empath. Her job is keep watch over big trade companies that try to take over a planet and the species that live there. After a new species is located and studied, Kiera will make sure they know their rights under to Equality Edict. Kiera has a lot of power in her hands because she is the one to decide if the trade company can take control of the planet or allow the species there to decide what should happen.

Kiera's boss sends her to the planet Orpheus Two where Dynatec, the largest of the independent trade companies has staked a claim to full ownership of the planet where the indigenous species are near extinction. The species on Orpheus Two are the Buri and there are barely seventy of these creatures who have an extremely low birthrate. Kiera has two months to make a decision. She has to figure out why the Buri are not having offspring and if there is anything they can do to stop their extinction. The Buri are much like the caveman of old with their loincloths and long hair. The men are big and tall but very good looking. They also have no use for technology and live off the land.

So off goes Kiera with her pet rock cat named Crigo, who reminds me of a cross between a tiger and a lion, and her ship Max who is part Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Kitt from Knight Rider. When Kiera arrives on Orpheus Two she is met by some of the crew working for Dynatec. They are not happy that she is there because she is a GEP and most of them are Naturals. Also Kiera has an extreme dislike for everything Dynatec. But since she is a professional, she will put her bias aside and do her job to the best of her ability.

Since the Buri have their own language and Kiera can't understand them, she gives the Buri nicknames such as Junior who is a very young male Buri, Brownie whose eyes and hair are a deep brown and Auntie Em, an older woman who everyone in the tribe turns to for advice. Kiera also meets their leader who she nicknames Thor. Kiera and Thor hit it off right away even with the barriers of language between them. But Kiera and Thor are intelligent enough to communicate in other ways. She becomes very attracted to Thor and because she is a bit too open and friendly with Thor, he chooses her as his mate. (I find it a bit interesting that Kiera seems so in tuned to what Dynatec is trying to accomplish, but when it comes to Thor, she is oblivious. Not until the very last moment when they are basically having their bonding ceremony does she realize she is getting hitched.)

While Kiera is making friends with the Buri and being romanced by Thor, she is also staying under the radar of the Dynatec crew so she can observe them and make sure they don't have anything nasty up their sleeves. Not only are certain Dynatec members not what they seem but Thor is keeping secrets to protect his people. He wants to trust Kiera because the Buri think she is their Shushanna which means savior. Kiera struggles inside her because for the first time in her life she has been accepted for the person she is. Will Kiera turn her back on everything she is to stay with Thor and embrace a new culture and life with the Buri?

Close Encounters started out quiet well. I was very interested in the character of Kiera. Her voice is refreshing and one you can find a connection with. Kiera is one of those heroines who takes control of a situation but doesn't rush in without thinking first. She is intelligent and has a level head. And even though she may be an artificial life form, she didn't lament on her situation or her life. She takes it at face value and deals whatever comes her way. Perhaps Kiera was a bit too perfect in that sense. When she arrives on Orpheus Two she acts if is just another day at the office. She doesn't seem uncomfortable in her surroundings. I was expecting her to be bit more wary because she is entering enemy territory from both sides with Dynatec and the Buri.

As for the Buri, they were a bit too welcoming when it comes to Kiera. Again, I expected some distance on their part. The Buri find Kiera very interesting for no reason I can think of other than that she is a female who wears pants and won't be pushed around. Kiera does gain their trust, but it happens so fast. Once they realize Kiera is female, they don't treat her like a female of the tribe. Even after she shows she can fight with the best of them, they treat her like one of good old boys. For a so-called primitive culture, it just didn't ring true to me.

Everything comes together so easily for Kiera and with her new found friends. Even with the language barrier, they understand her and visa versa. She just clicks to well with them. She especially fits in very well with Thor and his sister who welcome Kiera with open arms. Even when Kiera is able to communicate with Thor, he doesn't seem too concerned about why she is there and what she thinks Dynatec has planned. The relationship between Thor and Kiera is a bit stale for my tastes and I found their chemistry not as well rounded as I would have liked. Thor didn't really do anything for me, and I really couldn't see what Kiera saw in him and why she would want to be with him. I guess it was Thor's physique and how he looked in his loin cloth that got Kiera's blood pumping.

Towards the end of Close Encounters I found myself wanting to skim because I had become bored. I really didn't find myself having any emotional connection with the Buri and by the time I found out what secret the Buri were hiding, I was ready to put down the book.

Would I read the next book in Katherine Allred's Alien Affairs Novel? Probably not, unless another male with a stronger personality came along and saved Kiera from the hum drum life of the primitive Buri.

Katiebabs

Plot Summary: As a special agent with the Bureau of Alien Affairs, Kiera Smith travels the galaxy as a one-woman judge, jury, and executioner. Her next mission is on Orpheus Two, where the Dynatec Corporation has staked claim to the planet because the indigenous Buri are going extinct. Kiera needs to figure out what makes Orpheus Two valuable to Dynatec, and why the Buri are infertile. Kiera dubs their leader Thor, and despite the communication barrier, she is quickly accepted by the group. Kiera fears that Dynatec is willing to kill the Buri if they don't die out on their own, but neither side will share their secrets. Kiera will need to become very close to their magnetic leader Thor in order to save his people.

I think this books straddles the line between good and great, but it doesn't belong exclusively in either category. Overall it tells a very entertaining story, but if I start picking at some loose ends, pieces of the plot will fall apart quickly. I've decided to treat this book like a roller-coaster ride, and I'm going to throw my hands up in the air and enjoy myself without worrying it to death. It's like sci-fi lite, with a nice romance and a dash of adventure thrown in.

I do hope that author Katherine Allred will place her heroines under more duress in the future. It's hard to feel sympathy for a perfect being who is never in any real danger, especially when she gains additional omnipotent power by the end. Don't get me wrong; I love powerful, confident heroines, but if their only weakness is a desire to be `normal,' then I argue that's not nearly enough depth of character. Thor was also fairly one-dimensional, but I was happy to learn that he wasn't just a piece of cheesecake, and there was also more to the Buri than going shirtless with spears.

The story did satisfy my yen for starships, alien cultures colliding, and romance. It was a nice blend, and I look forward to more stories from Ms. Allred. The second novel in the Alien Affairs series, Close Contact: An Alien Affairs Novel, Book 2, will be released in May 2010.

In the distant future, humans are divided between Naturals created in the traditional way and GEPs developed to the buyer's specifications in test tubes as genetically engineered people. Each GEP is indentured to a boss until they are old enough to produce and go on their own.

Kiera Smith of The Bureau of Alien Affairs is much more evolved than the usual GEP as she is stronger, faster, heals quicker and is an empath. She is sent to the planet Orpheus Two, where the Buri race faces extinction as the natives have dropped to under 100 living. Dynatec corporation claims the planet since the Buri will be gone within 100 cycles. Buri leader Thor Sparks and Kiera are attracted to one another and he actually makes her feel she belongs to him; an alien feeling for the GEP loner. His people also welcome her as one of them rather than the usual treating her as an intrusive outsider. She will insure Dynatec adheres to the rules, but the firm wants to expedite their take-over by immediately annihilating the dwindling indigent populace. Kiera risks her life to keep her adopted people safe.

This excellent science fiction tale contains characters whether they are Naturals, GEPs or aliens that seem plausible. The audience will root for the "David" Buri to somehow triumph against the Goliath Dynatec Corporation. Kiera struggles with the awakening of new emotions as the Buri welcome her as an insider showering her with love and respect; something Naturals never have done before as she is used to being a tool to them. Thus when Thor and his people get through to her, she lowers her natural barriers for the first time in her life. Though in some ways too simplistic with the evil industrial giant trying to destroying the pristine native world, Katherine Allred provides an entertaining strong thriller as CLOSE ENCOUNTERS in this case includes the heart and soul of a GEP who never understood she had a soul and her heart that did anything besides pumping blood.

Harriet Klausner

This was a really good scifi romance. The main character really has "character" and depth. Keira's friends the ship computer Max and her rock cat are really good characters as well. I LIKE a ship computer, now thats good writing. keira's Love interest Thor is also very well written, They cant speak the same language yet I still really cared about Thor and his Buri tribe. I will definitely by more of her books.

I don't like to give synopsis and others do it much better than I ever could. This books is well written with characters that make you want to read about them forever. The romance is well built but where the book really shines is the world Allred has created. Try it! You'll like it.

Aliens? They may not be on "Old Earth", but the Buri are more like another tribe than another species. They speak a different language and are more spiritual, but they're still human in my opinion. The flora and fauna on Orpheus Two are different, though.

The summary sounds a lot like AVATAR (which in turn sounds a lot like other stuff): a big corporation wants to plunder a planet, mining all its resources and colonising it, but the natives stand in their way. Enter an agent who earns the trust of the natives, mate-bonds with their leader, becomes their closest thing to the Goddess, and together with the community defeats the corporation.

For the first half, I alternated between reading this (I own it) and a library book (which I loved). But once I switched full-time to CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, I enjoyed it more than the earlier part. I'm easily distracted by shiny, colourful things, so the geodes attracted me. They get a bit weird, though, the more we learn about them. Really weird. I don't like paranormal in my science fiction, damn it!

But keep an eye out for the massiveness the mountain is hiding - oddly appealing weird shiz, more SF than para.

The human/alien characters don't work for me, but I like AI Max and love Crigo the rock cat. The romance and spirituality elements don't work for me at all, and the too-familiar storyline seems cliché. There is good stuff here, but it's buried amongst some faff - you'll have to mine deep for it, but stick around.

I absolutely loved this story! Kiera is the ideal heroine. In less skillful hands, a Genetically Engineered Person like Kiera might have come across as too "perfect," but Ms. Allred allows the reader to identify with Kiera's flaws and fears, making her more "Natural" than a lot of romance heroines in traditional stories.

Thor is sexy and sublime. Considering there's a tremendous language barrier between the two for the first half of the book, I'm awed that Ms. Allred communicated so much heat with her prose.

Kudos to Close Encounters and you can bet I'll be pre-ordering the next book in the Alien Affairs series!

I loved this novel! I usually avoid SF and lean toward fantasy, but this author hooked me. It was a terrific ride. The setting is wonderful and the premise kept me fascinated. No skimming for me--I read every word. Sexy romance and skillful writing. In short: big win!

Loved the secondary characters, too. Ha, I dare you not to love Crigo!

Being a reader of science fiction/fantasy, I did not expect to be drawn into a heart pounding love story that made my heart race and breath catch at it's intensity. The only downside to this wonderful story was that it ended.. even though I tried very hard not to finish it in record time.