Title: Outcast
Author: Alex Douglas
Genre: m/m science fiction/fantasy
Print length: 165 pages
Publication date: January 8, 2013
Rating: Three Stars
Blurb: Prez has been in the arms – or tentacles – of one too many brothel workers in his time. The memory of long-lost love is all he has, and it’s not enough. But no one in the Belaar-Andra system wants an alien half-breed for a partner, so life is as good as it can be. He’s making money, he’s going places, he’s got friends and a spaceship he loves – a decrepit cargo ship named Outcast. And now he’s got a new co-pilot, from the remote world of Aldor. Lan’s mysterious and doesn’t say a lot, but as they get to know each other, Prez starts to feel something he hasn’t felt in a long time – hope.
But the past hasn’t quite released him, and the Outcast isn’t done yet. On its final mission to deliver a mysterious cargo for the Belaari government, long-buried secrets start to stir. When his old co-pilot – and best friend – is finally himself again, Prez has a difficult decision to make, but Lan has other ideas about his own destiny. A rich man at last, can Prez finally get the things he really wants?
Review:
In some ways this was a very original story. I read the first few pages of the free sample and experienced a genuine 'what the fuck?' moment. There is something to be said about that; over two hundred m/m fiction books later, surprising me takes some skill. I liked the created world, or I suppose I should say worlds. The ship too; it kind of really grew on me. By the end of the book I didn't want the thing to go to the junk yard. There's something to be said about that too, I mean, people get attached to characters all the time but when do you get a chance to grow attached to a space ship?
Prez was cool. He's the type of rascal we're all familiar with, the dare devil pilot who likes to drink and whore. There's a good deal of depth to him too which was an unexpected bonus. Lan on the other hand never really got there for me as a character. Sure, he was a little strange but next to Prez, his personality never really developed.
The 'romance' or whatever you wanna call it was bizarro to the extreme. I won't give stuff away but I will say it was totally unexpected. Some may like it, some may not. For me it was sort of 'oohhhkkaaaay then'. The plot, aside form the romance, was well thought out and interesting. The whole thing came close to being a four star book.
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