Where Peace Is Lost

A wonderful sci-fi tale about a woman who compromised with evil to try to save her people and culture, only to find herself confronted with that same evil years later. The greatest conflict in this book is internal, as Kel has trouble deciding how and when to use her power. That story is excellent, and it gives us the phrase I quoted in the title of this review. She has several calming mantras that she uses to help clear her mind, and that is one of my favorites.

The backdrop of the story and the secondary characters are excellent too. I especially enjoyed the depiction of Kel's adopted planet, which appears to be an anarchist society where nature and the planet itself are given legal rights.

Thoroughly recommend. Kel's indecisiveness drags on for a bit, but the ultimate payoff when she finally makes her choice is worth it.

A universe rich in planets, cultures, and languages, the world created in Where Peace Is Lost, is a troubled one. With the Pale trying to take over the known worlds and people fighting back, news that an old Pale war machine has been reactivated and a motley, and unlikely do, land on a hidden planet where the flora and fauna have rights of their own, startle a young mechanic and an old soldier with secrets, out of their complacency.

I immediately connected with our main character, and the nonbinary secondary character was a lovely touch, as was the description of the animals and the world that seems like one in which I'd like to live. The excellent storytelling pulled me into a far away world, where I wanted to stay, and I hope to look and see if the author has written other stories in this 'universe' and also look forward to these characters' adventures being furthered, should the author choose to do so.

With all of the world building, characterization and description that this science fiction fan loves, I greatly enjoyed this story.