Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
4.5 Stars!, February 9, 2006
This review is from: The Ultimatum (Mass Market Paperback)
Endekian biology holds the women of Endek hostage to the men. Every other year of an Endekian female's adult life she enters into Boktai. This means that her cells begin breaking down. She must mate to regenerate her cells or die. Since the women need the men in order to survive, the men take all their females for granted and treat them badly. This is why Dr. Alara Calladar is determined to find a cure to Boktai.
Captain Xander takes Alara, against her will, to his ship. Xander's mission is to seek out the ancient Perceptive Ones to find a pure form of DNA. Only with this will the galaxy be saved from the strange virus that has invaded all life forms throughout the galaxy. To succeed, Xander needs Alara's ability to look at someone and actually see their DNA. No microscope necessary.
Alara is now trapped aboard Xander's ship. Worse, she is in Boktai. So Xander gives her an ultimatum: He will make love to Alara if she will help him find the cure for the deadly virus.
***** This sci-fi romance is set in the same galaxy as "The Challenge" and "The Dare" is. I admit that the synopsis on the book made me wary about how good the story would be, but let me tell you, this book is terrific! This novel is a story in itself, just like the other two, but the author left room for another installment if she so desires. I am very hopeful that another book will be forthcoming. And I strongly urge you to pick up a copy of this tale, if not the entire series. *****
Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating Sci-Fi Romance, February 8, 2006
This review is from: The Ultimatum (Mass Market Paperback)
My first experience of Susan Kearney books was a major plus. I've been searching for another talented sci-fi romance author since Catherine Spangler's last book came out (i.e. Shadow Fires, Shadow Crossing, etc.) and Kearney's blend of seductive romance and colorful worlds and characters is just what I've been seeking. Well, seek and you shall find an action packed tale of survival of the fittest and some pretty hot and steamy love.
Alara is an Endekian female, a women literally enslaved to her biology - one that forces her into a period called boktai where she must have sex in order to regenerate her cells. This is a condition that Alara detests since there is no choice involved. Any man that happens to be near is an excrutiating temptation for her. She is a brilliant scientist though and has dedicated her research to finding a way of suppressing the boktai curse. When Rystani warrior Xander comes in, demanding she accompany him to aid in his quest to find a cure to a deadly disease, she is horrified by this enemy of her people. When Alara won't cooperate, needing to get away from him because of her downward spiral into boktai, Xander takes matters into hand and kidnaps her. Once Xander realizes her situation he steps in and assumes the role of protector for Alara, even if it means mating with an enemy. More is at stake than their differences for billions are at risk from this deadly disease.
With the addition of several excellent secondary characters, brilliant world-building and an interesting subplot "The Ultimatum" made for a great read. Kearney inserts an underlying message of the need for social equality into the story and Xander's crew exemplifies this concept with the different cultures and people represented in it. His compassion for Alara's needs, that of cell regeneration through sex, is handled with tactful sincerity. Their complex relationship progresses from one of convenience to one of profound respect and love. I enjoyed their relationship immensely and felt it really added depth to the book. The subplot involving one of Xander's crew works well with the progressing story as well. Other interesting parts of the book were: the child-like character called Clarie (an alien that joins their search for the cure and is not all that he seems) and the multi-tasking "suits" that all the races wear, which do everything from keeping them clean (look, ma, no bath needed!) to creating outfits to wear.
I did feel that there were parts of the story I may have understood better if I'd read the series in order (check out "The Challenge" and then "The Dare"), but it was still a one hundred percent spellbinding read. If you're not already a fan of Kearney's books I recommend giving this series a try. I for one can't wait to backtrack to the two previous books. Take a chance like I did and enjoy.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
terrific stand alone science fiction romance, February 8, 2006
This review is from: The Ultimatum (Mass Market Paperback)
To live Endekian females need to mate with the men or their cells deteriorate and quickly die. These men control life literally on Endeki as every other year a woman must have a man to prevent the cellular deterioration caused by the Boktai defect. Endekian cellular research scientist Dr. Alara Calladar resents the cavalier enslaved citizenry of women and vows to find a cure for this illness.
Rystani star pilot Captain Xander abducts Alara because he is in dire need of her uncanny psychic skill of just looking at a person to typecast their DNA molecular structure. He seeks the purebred DNA of the mythological Perceptive Ones as the only potential elixir to prevent a virus from pandemic killing millions or more. However, Alara is in trouble as her biological clock is ticking so she needs what she least wants in life, a man with only Rystani available. He offers to make love with Alara in exchange for her help with stopping the deadly Terran virus. She was unprepared for her cells especially of the heart to adapt to only his lovemaking while he realizes this is his soulmate even if she is a member of an enemy species.
Though the third science fiction romance in the Kearney universe) see THE CHALLENGE and THE DARE), THE ULTIMATUM is a terrific stand alone thriller that grips the audience once readers understand Alara's dilemmas especially involving the deaths of her parents and Xander's mission to save the galaxy. The story line is action-packed, but also insures that the lead heroes are full blooded individuals with desires beyond their respective quests. As with the previous two novels, this is a must read for sub-genre fans.
Harriet Klausner
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
