PASSIONATE WARRIOR

Author: Sarah Winn ISBN: 1594260982 12/2004 SCI-FI Publisher: MUNDANIA PRESS

A terrible plague has ravaged the planet Zanthonia, killing most of the women and children, leaving only the strongest adult males as survivors. In order to facilitate repopulating his own planet, Commander Argo Stallon leads a daring raid to capture women from a distant planet, long-time enemy Alphia. But Alphia is a unisex planet where men and women are equals and reproduction is a carefully controlled laboratory procedure. Astronavigator Jena assumes leadership of the captured Alphians, determined to keep any of theme form taking part in "bestial" sexual practices. But the effects of the hormone suppressants they have been given since childhood fade and womanhood blossoms. Even Jena finds it difficult to resist the blandishments of the Zanthonian men, especially Commander Stallon. When Alphia prepares a counter-attack that would destroy them all, Alphian captives and the remaining Zanthonians must set aside cultural differences and work together to save the world.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I must say, Sarah Winn has created an interesting sci-fi romance in PASSIONATE WARRIORS. Unfortunately, I just didn't find it as romantic as I would have liked to.

Jena and the captive Alphian women are portrayed early on as basically androgynous—female, but masculine in appearance and manner—due to hormone suppressing wafers they've eaten all their lives. Sex is no longer a part of their culture, with procreation being done through test tube and incubation. The Alphians are captured and taken to an alien planet by the Zanthonians, whose female and children's population has been decimated by a devastating plague. The Zanthonians, whose views on sex and procreation are based on the good old-fashioned physical method, embark on the mission of turning their captured enemies into willing, infant-producing mates.

Sara Winn is a good writer, and I can find no fault with her style. I like the frank way she addresses the Alphians' belated puberty experiences, from uncontrollable mood swings to first periods, and her descriptions of the two opposing cultures and their differing ways of life made for some interesting reading. But the relationship between Stallon and Jena fell flat for me, especially when it came to their lovemaking (or "going up the mountain", as Stallon's species call sex). There was no connection, no emotional feeling between the two main characters that I could sense, giving their lovemaking an almost plastic feel. It didn't help either, referring to a Zanthonian's penis as a hingus; I would think a much better sounding word could have been invented. Perhaps my imagination just isn't as good as it should be, because hingus seems too close to the word fungus, and...hingus, fungus...it makes for the thought of sex with a Zanthonian just, well, yucky.

Nancy Davis