Susan Kearney The Ultimatum

The Ultimatum

Susan Kearney

Tor, Feb. 2006

ISBN: 0765354489

To live, Endekian females need to mate with the men, or their cells deteriorate and quickly die. This men control life literally on Endeki as every other year a woman must have a man to prevent the cellular deterioration caused by the Boktai defect. Endekian cellular research scientist Dr. Alara Calladar resents the cavalier enslaved citizenry of women, and vows to find a cure for this illness.

Rystani star pilot Captain Xander abducts Alara because he is in dire need of her uncanny psychic skill of just looking at a person to typecast their DNA molecular structure. He seeks the purebred DNA of the mythological Perceptive Ones as the only potential elixir to prevent a virus from pandemic killing millions or more. However, Alara is in trouble, as her biological clock is ticking so she needs what she least wants in life, a man with only Rystani available. He offers to make love with Alara in exchange for her help with stopping the deadly Terran virus. She was unprepared for her cells, especially of the heart, to adapt to only his lovemaking, while he realizes this is his soul mate even if she is a member of an enemy species.

Though the third science fiction romance in the Kearney universe (see THE CHALLENGE and THE DARE), THE ULTIMATUM is a terrific stand alone thriller that grips the audience once readers understand Alara's dilemmas, especially involving the deaths of her parents and Xander's mission to save the galaxy. The storyline is action-packed, but also ensures that the lead heroes are full blooded individuals with desires beyond their respective quests. As with the previous two novels, this is a must read for sub-genre fans.