REVIEWED BY J.A. KENNEY

Review: 4.00 Stars

Summary:

The Tide of War by Lori A. Witt is book 1 in the Defending Epsilon Series.

Lieutenant Commander Kyle West is one of Earth Fleet’s greatest fighter pilots. Each day he leads his squadron into battle over Earth’s cities in a seemingly endless war against a vicious alien race, defending his home and his loved ones.

Millions of miles away, the Fleet’s Elite Squadron attacks from another angle, engaging the enemy on its home turf. Casualties are high, and the Squadron needs more of the Fleet’s very best. But joining the Elite is a death sentence—a surety Kyle isn’t willing to face. Until a devastating attack wipes out the family he refused to leave.

Commander Andrei Dezhnyov, an Elite Squadron gunner, isn’t sure what to make of the cocky new American pilot. Kyle is equally uncertain about the snarly Russian, but as they warm up to each other, their tentative alliance becomes a deep bond—one that endangers them both when a daring and disobedient rescue reveals secrets that call into question everything they’ve ever believed about their enemy. Secrets that their superiors would kill to protect.

Positives: 

The Tide of War was a bit of surprise for me. I’m not sure exactly what I expected, maybe a standard gay soldier story that was based in the future, or a starship troopers’ style sci-fi war story, it was both and yet neither.

There are four separate relationships in the story, two M/M, one M/F, and one platonic partnership/friendship. So, instead of being a single love story it weaves in and out of these different relationships.

The plot is very interesting. An interstellar war has been raging across the Earth for decades, killing tens of thousands a year. The aliens raid random cities, blowing up civilians, structures, and whole cities. The United Earth military fights back both on Earth, and on a distant base around the alien’s home planet. But nothing is what it seems.

Negatives: 

There is romance in the book, and it does greatly influence the plot, but this is not a romance in the traditional sense. Nor is it in any way erotic.

It is Science Fiction pure and simple, which may take some readers by surprise. Particularly readers of Lori’s other three personalities L.A. Witt, Lauren Gallagher, and Ann Gallagher.

Even though I was not sure what I was getting into I still enjoyed it a great deal. BUT if you need those things to enjoy a book, this might not be for you.

My only TRUE regret was that the major plot twist was obvious to me far too early in the book. I would have liked to maintain the illusion much longer, and have the reveal be more of a shock.

Overall:

The Tide of War by Lori A. Witt is a unique science fiction drama driven by romance!

Keep Reading!

J.A. Kenney

Genre: LGBT Science Fiction (M/M & M/F relationships)

Publication date: June 22nd, 2015

Length: 320 Pages

Blush Quotient: Pink

Disclaimer: This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair review.