Worlds Collide

St. John’s third Warriors of Risnar space opera (after Not of This World) has plenty of heady, steamy alien-human romance and sex but is light on successful worldbuilding. Dedicated Risnarish warrior Jape Bolep, a quasifeline humanoid with limited shape-shifting abilities, is burdened by the pain of battlefield losses against the pernicious Monsuda, and is convinced that Earthlings are allied with Risnar’s enemies. Human engineer Velia Farrah is working on a military base so secret it’s called Camp Noname, constructing a giant spaceship with incomplete assistance and directives from the Monsuda, and aspiring to unlock the secrets of an alien portal that’s reputed to transport beings to Risnar. When Jape arrives at Camp Noname on a mission of destruction, he unexpectedly encounters Velia and escapes back to Risnar with her as a hostage. St. John moves Velia and Jape briskly from mutual distrust to friends with benefits to united lovers battling known enemies and corruption among allies. Numerous plot gaps won’t bother readers who are here for the dramatic space battles (“Pandemonium. Screams. Blood.”) and imaginative sex play incorporating alien cultural norms and physiology. Agent: Tricia Skinner, Fuse Literary. (Nov.)