Catalyst by Fletcher DeLanceyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
*I received this book from Ylva Publishing in return for a fair review.
There have been four books in the Chronicles of Alsea that have been previously published. This is both the fifth book published and not the fifth book in the series – no, this is book four in the series (the fifth entry appeared out of order earlier this year in July).
This specific book here picks up seemingly moments after the end of the third book – ‘Without a Front – The Warrior’s Challenge’. Of importance to this story – a) do not read this book here out of order or, for that matter, as a stand-alone, I do not think it actually would work as a stand-alone; b) third book ends with a wedding. Fourth, this book here, begins with the happy couple going on their honeymoon.
They do things differently on Alsea (the name of the planet). In the Earthling culture I’m most familiar with, after a wedding, a happy couple wanders off together for a period of time and lose themselves in being together – in say Paris, or Hawaii, but mostly in a bed. The Alseans add a step to that, yes, the happy couple does tend to wander off somewhere ‘nice’, but they add an extra layer – they bring their families with them. For, you see, the bonding is of two families, not just two people.
Some of what you might expect on a honeymoon does in fact still occur. The two wiggling near each other, say, in a nice setting. Some that occurs is somewhat unexpected. Like here, Salomen and Lancer Andira Tal had a bonding ceremony at the end of the previous book (third book in the series, not previous book published, which is the fifth book in the series), then went to have their honeymoon on a nice island. Their honeymoon cabin is actually something of a treehouse – surrounded by other cabins and treehouses. Housing Salomen’s father, and two of her three brothers (third is off in jail), plus Andira’s guards – including such people as Micah and Lead Guard Fianna Vellmar; plus the person who bonded the couple – Lanaril ((view spoiler)); plus (yay for pluses) Captain Ekatya Serrado of the Protectorate and Dr. Lhyn Rivers.
I mentioned in my review for the fifth book in the series, Vellmar the Blade, that there was something of a Princess Bride vibe – specifically because the Vellmar story was being told by an older person to youngsters – with them interacting in a similar way that Fred Savage and Peter Falk interacted. Well, there’s a vibe that I picked up on with this book here as well. I’m sure it is a story telling method as old as time – I think it even turns up in Beowulf, that Old English story from something like 975 A.D. I should have watched more camping films. I’m sure they had some I could have seen wherein people gathered together then told stories. But I didn’t. The story telling technique that I am referring to involves people gathering together, telling each other stories – mini-‘stories’ are shown, then back to the people gathered; which also happened in Beowulf when he visited the King in that big hall – and he, or one of his friends, I forget which now, began telling tales of how great Beowulf is – a true hero – so that story would be told (like the time went swimming and murdered a sea serpent, then back to the depressed hall where everyone is drunk and waiting to be eaten by Grendel – people do have to do something while waiting to be eaten).
Right so, the point being that the purpose of having the two families join the happy couple on the honeymoon is so that everyone can ‘join’ as one big happy family. Also to make sure the newly bonded remember to eat. And are entertained. And now we get to my ‘vibe’ tangent – they get entertained by having people tell stories. Well here we just experience two of the story tellers – Ekatya and Lhyn tell about their time back among the Gaians in the Protectorate space.
So – two, well more, but two main story threads – ‘present day’ on Alsea; and flashbacks to Ekatya and Lhyn’s two or so years back in Protectorate space. Both story lines are quite fun reads to follow. And it should be stressed that the ‘present day’ part of the story line is a lot more than just people sitting around telling stories – even if I kind of made it sound that way. ‘Stuff’ does happen.
There needs to be a Warning, though – there is some rather . . . graphic stuff that happens in this book. Sex, but I’m mostly referring to the violence part – bloody, tortuous violence.
The notes I left myself which probably should have just been reworded and made my review:
(view spoiler)
Rating: 4.88
December 1 2016
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