Beyond the Red begins with so much potential. I loved the otherworldly setting, and half-blood Eros reminded me a little of Nathan in Half Bad. The action began quickly with a kidnapping at gunpoint, a massacre, and enslavement occurring within just the first few chapters. The scene where Eros and the others are turned into slaves was especially heart-breaking and unique.
I did finish Beyond the Red, but that is largely because the beginning was so good. I kept thinking the story would surely find its feet again. By the time I decided it wasn’t going to happen, I figured I might as well finish.
SERIES: Beyond the Red, book 1
PUBLISHER: Sky Pony Press
PUBLICATION DATE: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 9781634506441
PAGES: 352
SOURCE: Edelweiss
GENRE: Science fiction, aliens
SETTING: distant desert planet far into future
GIVE IT TO: HS
SUMMARY: Eighteen-year old Eros is a half-blood, the product of a forbidden alien/human tryst. Though he never met his real parents, Eros knows most half-bloods are killed at birth so they are not allowed to “taint” either bloodline. Raised among nomads, Eros loves his foster family and his brother, Day. But when alien invaders brutally attack their their camp, Eros and others are taken as slaves to the aliens. The alien queen, Kora, recognizes Eros’s strength and loyalty, and she quickly makes him her personal guard. Soon though, Eros and Kora are accused of attempted murder and must flee their city.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT BEYOND THE RED
It’s super-high action, especially in the first few chapters. I was excited about the story right from the start.
The middle lost me in a whole lot of cliche YA tropes (see more below). Eventually, the action returns, but for me, it was too little, too late. If there is a sequel (surely, there must be–hardly anything is resolved), I do not plan to read it.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT BEYOND THE RED
My main girl Kora. Am I supposed to feel sorry for her? She is not a good queen, and she needs to be overthrown. I’ll admit that her character does show some growth, but really, girl. Kora flirts with a boy whose family her army massacred and enslaved.
Granted, Kora did not condone this, but she didn’t do a whole lot of speaking up against it, either. Are she the queen or what? How different would this story have been if Kora were a ruthless, kick-ass queen instead of a sniveling, flirtatious weakling?
Nanites. Everything impossible on earth is suddenly possible with the ever-ubiquitous nanites. Need to change your eye color to hide your identity? Nanites! Need to track down someone and kill them? Nanites! Need to tame a ferocious beast? You got it–get some nanites! I wonder, if nanites can do so much, why are slaves even necessary? Surely, the nanites can be “programmed” to do something as simple as cooking and ironing…
The chest-lust. And nipple-lust. Leg-lust. Ripped abs-lust. Floating bed lust. More breast-lust. Muscle-lust. It’s just too much and significantly detracts from the story. And seriously, Kora sleeps naked with a similarly-aged, half-naked, hunky male stranger in her room (and quickly, in her bed)? She fights without underwear on? Classy.
Eros appreciates Kora’s sexy bod, even knowing her army just slaughtered his whole family and enslaved the few survivors. I find this very difficult to believe.
Kora may not have ordered the massacre, but she is the queen. Did she punish anyone for their involvement? Did she willingly let the captured slaves go? Nope.
I can’t imagine that Eros could, just a short time later, comfort her from nightmares or think about sex with her. I would think he’d be too busy plotting to kill her.
Insta-love and a love triangle that also has insta-love? KMN.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A disappointment. It joins Nil and Defy as another disappointing Two-Face.
STATUS IN MY LIBRARY: I do not plan to order it.
READALIKES: Read Legend (Lu) or Half Bad (Green) instead.
RATING BREAKDOWN
- Overall: 2/5–it’s not all terrible, and I did finish it
- Creativity: 2/5
- Characters: 2/5–die Kora!
- Engrossing: 3/5
- Writing: 2/5
- Appeal to teens: 3/5
- Appropriate length to tell the story: 3/5
MATURE CONTENT
- Language: moderate–some F-bombs, written as “fucken”
- Sexuality: high–plenty of male and female body lust; frequent nakedness or semi-nakedness; two men caught in bed together; multiple references to erection; kissing; 2nd base is reached
- Violence: high; bloody massacre of innocent men, women, and children; torture (sleep deprivation, extreme temperatures); a man’s ear is bitten off
- Drugs/Alcohol: mild; wine; nanites are used for control and torture