DRACUS (Lunar Uprising 4) by Cyndi Friberg-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 17, 2022

Can a war-weary commander win the heart of his independent mate before the Pylorians silence her forever?

Dracus has known nothing but war. With Morax hostilities escalating and a rebellion brewing among his own troops, he doesn’t see that changing any time soon. Then Addison visits Lunar Prime. Now he is in the grip of bonding fever and all he can think about is claiming his mate. She is stubborn and independent. Good thing he thrives on challenge.

Addison is brought to Lunar Prime when her life is threatened, but secrets draw her back to Earth. Her attraction to Dracus is instant and powerful. Still, she is not willing to redefine her life to please a male. Even one as tempting as Dracus.

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REVIEW: DRACUS is the fourth instalment in Cyndi Friberg’s adult LUNAR UPRISING sci-fi, romance series. This is lunar raider Commander Dracus Soons, and human female/podcaster/bar owner Addison Doherty’s story line. DRACUS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is an ongoing premise throughout.

SOME BACKGROUND: Approximately eight years earlier, six Pylorian spaceships arrived on Earth asking for asylum claiming they were fleeing their immortal enemy, the wolf-like Morax, but in the ensuing years, the Pylorian began to take control, using their considerable powers to force the governments of Earth to do their bidding. In an effort to protect Earth, the Pylorian’s claim to have cultivated aka created the lunar raiders, a hybrid of three alien species (Morax, Pylorian, Dox Tory) one of which reacts instantly when their destined mate is near.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Dracus and Addison) DRACUS follows two pathways: the building romance and relationship between Addison and Dracus, and the ongoing war between the Morax, the Pylorians, the Lunar Raiders, the rebels, several outlying species, and the humans of Earth. The Pylorians have begun inhabiting Earth making humans dependant upon Pylorian technology but a new face has arrived in the war between worlds, a species offering hybrid weaponry capable of destroying warships and cities. When close to forty percent of the Guardians have deactivated from the Lunar Raider ‘collective’, Dracus and the his team must uncover the truth, leaving his mate behind.

Meanwhile, Addison Doherty struggles in the face of ‘abandoning’ her life on Earth for a romance and relationship with a hybrid male but Addison’s ‘choice’ is taken away when the Rebels target everything she left behind, taking our heroine prisoner in an attempt to take down the people in charge. Distraught and disheartened, Addison returns to Lunar Prime where she will fall in love with the mate of her heart but an attack leaves Dracus fighting for his life, as the Lunar Raiders must consider from whom and where the betrayal began.

The relationship between Addison and Dracus is one of fated mates, immediate attraction. Dracus knows Addison is his mate but Addison struggles in the face of her humanity, and leaving everything behind. Initially, a little TSTL, Addison returns to Earth believing all would remain the same but Addison is now a target, taking aim at our story line hero. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We welcome the return of Leko and Julia, Zorak and Cat, Rogar and Marisol, as well as Leko’s guardian Numid, Commander Vosic, Dr. Benlon and Pylorian whistleblower Olarra Kreth. The requisite evil has many faces.

DRACUS is a story of betrayal and vengeance, discrimination and specieism, secrets and lies, understanding and acceptance, desperation, family, friendships and love. The fast paced premise captivating and entertaining-a combination of Star Wars™ and Star Trek™ technology, AI and sentient ships: the characters are powerful, energetic and strong; the romance is passionate and fated.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Zorak
Rogar
Leko

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy