Beyond the Red

Set on an unforgiving desert planet, Jae's debut starts from a familiar premise%E2%80%94as a "half-blood," Eros is both distrusted by humans and considered an abomination by the ruling Sepharon species. Meanwhile, the Sepharon queen, Kora, struggles to rule a territory where many would prefer her brother take the throne. When Eros becomes Kora's personal slave and bodyguard, a forbidden attraction develops between them%E2%80%94an attraction that's hard to believe, considering that Kora is responsible for the death of Eros's family. Despite the clich%C3%A9d setup, Jae's smooth worldbuilding and solid pacing make this a highly readable SF romance. Furthermore, Kora and Eros, though opposites in background, share a fierce loyalty to their respective peoples and to each other. As the court intrigue ramps up and the stakes get higher, Jae engages with the brutality of her setting and doesn't spare the central characters, who suffer terrible losses. Many mysteries remain unresolved by the ending, and the future of the Kora's and Eros's romance is unclear as Jae sets up a potential sequel. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. Agent: Louise Fury, Bent Agency. (Mar.)