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Gaia has
won their independence from Earth in a long, bitter war that has left
their
people short of women for returning soldiers to settle down with,
conversely,
the men of Earth are increasingly less willing to commit to marriage
and
family.
The
infamous Gaian military strategist, General Garran Doranth,
pragmatically sees
an expedient solution to the problem, highjack the carefully selected
Earth
women destined as potential mail-order brides to join men of the Outer
Colonies. Obstetrician Sarah Johnson has grown disillusioned with Earth
and the
tedious, lonely life she leads there, until she attends an
informational
meeting on the New Life Collective.
I
enjoyed the unfolding of this story. With a very credible viewpoint of
those
left behind at the end of a war, how it colors Sarah's perceptions and
those of
her fellow mail-order brides, Ms. Miller rivets her audience. They are
forced to
confront the man whom they believe is their worst enemy and a people
they were
lead to believe had committed untold atrocities during the recent war.
They are
also challenged with the truth about the Gaians, and their very futures.
While
the women rescued from the Dove do not immediately accept their Gaian
hosts or
the situation, most are willing to listen to reason and keep a fairly
open mind
as most reasonable folks are capable of doing. They, like Garran and
Sarah,
learn to compromise and discover the unexpected in their Gaian mates.
I find
myself curious about Gaia and the fate of some of Sarah's friends, as
there is
the sense that there is more than just one story to tell here, and I
eagerly
anticipate more. This book is going on the recommended list due to a
well
crafted story and excellent characterization of both characters and the
cultures that shaped them. I know this will be going into my
to-be-reread
folder!
Reviewed by Niniri
Theriault for The
Road to Romance
June 16, 2004
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