The Best of All Possible Worlds

Mythopoeic Award winner Lord (Redemption in Indigo) dives into SF romance and produces an entertaining, optimistic novel. Only a few of the aloof but psychically gifted Sadiri survive the destruction of their homeworld. A number of their men arrive on the melting pot planet Cygnus Beta, hoping to find homes and wives and start rebuilding their population. When Grace Delarua is assigned to help Sadiri Councillor Dllenahkh survey local populations with relic Sadiri DNA for possible matchmaking, romance develops between the two despite many obstacles thrown their way. The book consciously references Bradbury's Martian Chronicles but feels closer to Star Trek in spirit, with a cheerful polyglot culture welcoming a race of emotionally reserved intellectuals. Delarua is a pleasant narrator, irrepressible in the face of what seems like impossible personal and professional challenges. (Feb.)