SONG OF SCARABAEUS

Author: Sara Creasy ISBN: 9780061934735 5/2010 SCIENCE FICTION/FUTURISTIC Publisher: EOS

Trained since childhood in advanced biocyph seed technology by the all-powerful Crib empire, Edie's mission is to terraform alien worlds while her masters bleed the outlawed Fringe populations dry. When renegade mercenaries kidnap Edie, she's not entirely sure it's a bad thing . . . until they leash her to a bodyguard, Finn—a former freedom fighter-turned-slave, beaten down but never broken. If Edie strays from Finn's side, he dies. If she doesn't cooperate, the pirates will kill them both. But Edie's abilities far surpass anything her enemies imagine. And now, with Finn as her only ally as the merciless Crib closes in, she'll have to prove it or die on the site of her only failure . . . a world called Scarabaeus.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

My history with science fiction in general, and science fiction romance in specific, is murky at best.  I adore Linnea Sinclair's novels as well as Kristin Landon's books.  That pretty much sums up who I love in science fiction romance.  Sara Creasy is a new author and SONG OF SCARABAEUS is her first book, and something about the synopsis made me want to read it.  Maybe it was the description of Edie; or maybe it was the cover art (done by Chris MacGrath, one of my favorite cover artists); but whatever it was, the book called to me.  And so I listened.

I'm so happy I listened because SCARABAEUS was a gripping read that had me wondering non-stop where it would all lead.  It's hard to say if there is a good or bad guy in this novel; everybody has hidden objectives and motivations, and no one has 'clean' hands.  Edie wants to get away from Crib and be free; Finn fought against Crib and is considered a criminal; Natesa is ambitious and power hungry; Cat just wants to fly, no matter the cost...the cast of characters are united in one thing, however—that Edie is the key.

Edie is a biocypher, someone who can manipulate biocyph in machines and computers to do her bidding.  She's young, she's valuable, and she has a secret she's told no one about, ever.  I liked Edie; I felt horrible for her, as we not only got to know her present circumstances, but through flashbacks saw how hopeful and innocent she was going into Crib.  She thought she was trading Hell for Heaven, but in reality, she was trading one Hell for one that was worse. 

I admit that the tech speak went over my head.  This is heavily saturated with techno-babble, political issues, and the twisted code of a mercenary.  In the latter third of the book, there is also quite a bit of grisly happenings planet side that made my skin crawl.  The ending of the book suggested a sequel in the making, which I certainly hope for and will look out for.  I want to know more about the 'Eco-Rads' (eco radical terrorists who are very much against everything Edie is or does), plus see where Edie and Finn's relationship goes, given the new complication that arises.

Alexandra Cenni