Probability Shadow

YA author Laporta (the Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek trilogy) makes a moderately successful first venture into adult SF with this tale of a well-intentioned alien ambassador. Several species, including humans and androids, refuse to cooperate even against a mutual threat. Ambassador Ungent of Grashard understands that they have little reason to trust one another, but it falls to him and Shol, his streetwise ward, to unite them as part of an unorthodox strategy for survival against an ancient enemy who would enslave them. The narrative is hit-and-miss, with jarring moments such as rapid shifts among POV characters and unexpected interjections from an omniscient narrator. Yet the characters are solid and appealing, the time-displaced enemy is a constant looming shadow, and the common mistrust and its deadly consequences are frustratingly believable. Laporta’s strength is weaving those plots into a complexity that isn’t confusing, particularly when the species (including humans) are manipulated into damaging themselves. This is a good series opener for speculative readers who like tangled story lines in which solved problems reveal even greater challenges. (Oct.)