Review: Skip Trace

New authors to me. Caught my interest and now on my watch list @jeralibu @kmkjensen
Skip Trace by Jenn Burke

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Space opera lovers, here is another series for you. Full disclosure, I did not read the first two books in the series. SKIP TRACE can be read as a standalone and the reader can still understand what is going on. It is recommended though to read the first two because I feel like I missed some of the back story to make this tale more enjoyable.

Zander Anatolius is a treasured son of a powerful family, even if he is supposedly estranged from them. He is not the oldest and he is not the best in business. Instead, he excels in the military. When he dies, his family and his lover mourn him. In this book, he returns from the dead and everyone is shocked. Not only are they shocked by him being alive, but by what he suffered to cause his death.

The world building in this book works really well for me. I liked it and want to now go back and read the first two books. I liked this mysterious alien race and how they have "tagged" Zander. This type of storyline appeals to me because I love wet work operatives who are not angry psychopaths. Instead, they have loyalty and want to do the right thing. Is it a romanticized view of trained killers with a natural disposition to destroy? Perhaps, but I still like it.

Zander's folly was to be part of the super-soldier program which destroys every member who partook in the program. His healing is nothing short of miraculous and helps drawn in a more powerful and protective alien race. I want to learn more about these aliens. It makes me want to read the next book in the series too. This story is a pageturner and keeps me interested with plenty of action from both physical and political aspects.

The characters in this book are great, too. I loved Zander's entire family. They may be rich and powerful but they aren't snobs. Felix is a loveable partner to Zander. His uncertainty and feeling a bit less worthy because of his background is well captured and exhibited. The authors do a good job of showing his concern without making him a pitiful whiner. The secondary characters who all support Zander's goal to find his old team and help them is fabulous. The sense of camaraderie and "sticking it to the man" tickles me. My favourite part is when Zander does his best to get out of the hell hole he's being held. As a side note, I cannot stand the sadistic doctor and only wish for her to be tortured for years and denied death. Authors Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen make a great writing team and I'll be keeping my eye for more books written by them.

This space opera is recommended to m/m readers who enjoy a good plot, hot men and rooting for the underdog.



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