Barbarian's Choice

As the books progress, you can tell right away how the author has grown as a writer.

I love Farli. She's always been an amazing being; she's thoughtful, always accepting and willing to learn anything and everything. She's just good people. I was excited to read her book and appreciated the time jump.

Positives: We finally get a more fleshed out back story as to how the Sa-khui arrived on Not-Hoth and everything else Sa-Khui. We learn more about the alien world in general. Farli is a fierce 25 year old in every way.

Negatives: I didn't feel like the book was really about Farli and her boo. It was a side story. More emphasis was placed on the origin story and how things have changed. Another thing— we have been told over and over in these books that the Khui chooses your mate for resonance. However, many have felt a connection first. Many times, it's as if the Khui is waiting for the pair to realize their feelings or come to terms with something or forgive themselves or the other person. You feel me? These folks on this planet need the Khui to survive the planet first and foremost and as a result it also leads to resonance/mating and whatnot but it has also been stressed that there is always love there between the two. Farli states that giving up the Khui breaks the connection as if there wasn't love there anyway. She also resonated without her mate having a Khui. That has never happened before. So is it the Khui doing the resonating or what? That doesn't get explained, and it's like whatever/ignored throughout the book. I'm not saying I'm not down for changes, but for however many books, this is what we've been told over and over again: that these people love each other regardless of the Khui. Farli was willing to remove hers but feared that the love wouldn't be there after it was removed. But anywho... onto the next.

Neutral: I didn't feel this crazy connection to Mardok. I guess I wanted a more epic romance for Farli.