Alpha and Omega by Carol T. Luna – a Review

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Description:
Ao never believed in monsters—not after being branded one since childhood. Exiled, he lives with his adoptive guardian, Kaisei Aizawa, amidst verdant valleys surrounded by desolation. 

Humanity only had themselves to blame for the wretched landscape. Their war poisoned the seas. Their greed coveted the fertile and the green.  

Their ambition set it ablaze. 
One hundred years had passed since the war banished Talus to the skies. Doomed to chase the sun, the once proud nation survives as a floating city. But the fallen always hunger for more. 

When the Talarians descend to claim the earth as their own, Ao escapes capture—but nothing is without its price. The only man he ever saw as family, Kaisei, is imprisoned instead.  

Ao vows to rescue him, no matter the cost—even if it means taking a stand against the most powerful nation left on earth. He knows of the risks. He knows of the dangers. But never would he know that someday, somehow, he would finally believe in monsters. 

Review: 

Alpha and Omega by Carol T. Luna is the first book in her Project Blue series.  After killing his sister, Ao was banished, he would have died if it hadn’t been for the Doc, he took him, and began to teach him trapping and showed Ao how to fight, how to put that restless energy into something else. They live a simple life, going to the outpost to trade. It’s Ao’s highlight, and he has managed to get a gift for his friend and guardian. 

Not quite sure how old Ao is, I’m thinking late teens maybe. 

They are trading when it all goes horribly wrong for Ao. Talarians are seen in the distance, this land they live in isn’t to be invaded. But that’s not what happens, Ao goes to fight, and in the ensuing commotion, his beloved friend and guardian Kaisei is taken!! 

Reading the back cover, I got the distinct impression that Ao was either disfigured or looked like a monster. So are we talking metaphorically? Because he killed his sister?He’s an outcast in his village, so maybe he sees himself a monster. 

Ao needs to find and rescue Kaisei, if not for his friend, Ao would have been lost. He’s been like a father to him, but Ao has no idea where to go, so he follows the slave train in the hopes of seeing and maybe freeing Kaisei….. 

Ao is captured by the Talarian’s, but he manages to escape. Still hoping to find Kaisei, Ao never gives up hope, and there are a lot of things he has to do in order to survive…..

Ao is found and cared for by a group of freedom fighters known as the Silver Legion. He joins them in his bid to find and rescue Kaisei. There are plenty of battles to keep the bloodthirsty happy. Monsters that hunt them as well as the Talarian guards. Ao gets himself into a few scrapes, and a few close moments to dying. But his will to survive is stronger than his will to give up, he knows Doc is alive, and would be searching for him if he could. 

So does Ao find Kaisei? Will he be persuaded to join the Silver Legion? And what are the Talarian’s up to? And why do they only want the young people? A few questions that I’m hoping the next book will answer ?

Wow, that was really good. A post apocalyptic world. The author had really captured it well. The fight scenes were pretty well graphic, but brief. The characters were really well thought out, and I could picture them really easily. Daru was one of my favourite’s the trader and friend, some of his witty comebacks had me chuckling. Gen a silver legion fighter, her dry sense of humour is a good companion for Ao as they search for his guardian. The scenes flow from one chapter to another (you get some that seem to jump around too much). I’m definitely ready to read book 2. 

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy supplied for review