The Ex-Pacifist

The Ex-Pacifist was a book I couldn't put down. I had to know what would happen next. The first few chapters grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. The main character, Vera, starts as a teen with heavy responsibility and a clear life path to follow. What happens in the first chapter means her life changes in ways that she can't imagine. Absolutely, she can't begin to conceive of what her life will become. She can't know, and the reader can't imagine.

The world that is created is a clever balance between space opera futuristic worlds and well-drawn realistic communities. The events and locations that Vera finds herself in from chapter to chapter are striking and creatively unusual. I found the human reactions believable. The feelings between Vera and her bodyguards rang true.

The book was an enjoyable read as I followed Vera's story in first-person past-tense POV. Most chapters held surprises for the characters and readers. I especially enjoyed how Vera began the story as a naive teen who followed orders and had to transform herself to stay alive and protect the others around her.

I think the readers most likely to enjoy this book are middle grade and YA readers who enjoy science fiction adventure stories with romance.