Martin Sketchley, The Affinity Trap

The Affinity Trap

Martin Sketchley

PYR (Prometheus), Sep 2005, $15.00

ISBN: 1591023394

In the twenty-fourth century, under the previous regime of General Smythe, former military intelligence officer Alexander Delgado was a hero highly regarded by all, as earth served as an "intergalactic arbitrator". However, when a bloody coup made General William Myson the earth's Commander Supreme, Delgado fell from grace and the planet became an "intergalactic bully". To solidify his control of the planet, Myson needs an alliance with the tri-gendered alien species Seriatt, as they live near a wormhole that provides access to another species, the Sinz whom he sells weapons to. He has begun his efforts with a deal that led to his fathering a child with Vourniass Lycern, a Seriattic Royal Household child bearer.

When Lycern flees to Vulsc, the home planet of the Affinity Group, Myson orders Delgado to bring her and the baby to him, as he believes their presence will secure the alliance as he anticipates an intergalactic war exploding. Delgado sees this as the first step to destroying Myson. What he never expected was the attraction to his prisoner, who after sharing intimate relations has infected him with her secretion assissius that makes him emotionally and physically dependent on her for his release.

The descriptions of a toxic earth in which those of wealth and power live above the crippled surface where the masses reside, feel genuine, and the other species in the galaxy are developed enough so that they appear real. Especially intriguing is the close look at gender identity in light of the Seriattic species, which also leads to intimate relations as a key ingredient in the exhilarating plot, especially as Delgado finds himself in "bondage" to Lycern. Not for everyone, this is a dark science fiction thriller with extremely close encounters of the fourth kind.

Harriet Klausner