Shrouded Loyalties

Family and patriotism are tested in Hogan’s creative military SF adventure. In a land ravaged by war, Belzene submariner Mila Blackwood guards her nation’s greatest secret: shrouding, technology that allows the Belzenes to travel across the planet through an alternate realm without being detected by the hostile Dhavnak forces. But this secret might be exposed, as the Dhavnak spy Klara Yana is on Mila’s ship, passing precious intel to her superiors, and Mila’s brother, Andrew, is sleeping with an enemy soldier. As tensions mount between the warring nations, Mila and Klara discover they have the power to travel through the alternate realm unshielded. Put in the hands of unscrupulous Belzene scientists for experimentation, the women forge an unlikely alliance to uncover the root of their connection to this realm, learning that its very existence threatens the future of their world. Hogan writes with tangible energy, capturing the trials of divided loyalties in the midst of global war. Although some of the worldbuilding is awkward, especially the linguistic mishmash of names (“The dekatite veins, the arphanium pipes, Kheppra Isle, all of it”), Hogan creates an intriguing mythology with potential for further exploration. Fans of military SF will enjoy Hogan’s fresh take on the genre. (Aug.)