Into the Black

September 15, 2017
The revelation of Eros' parentage in Beyond the Red (2016) leads to political intrigues and a change in his relationship with Kora.Half-human, half-Sepharon Eros, the son and heir to the Sira, is less concerned with the Sepharon than taking care of his 13-year-old human nephew, Mal, who struggles with partial blindness from the earlier attempted nanite genocide. Eros decides to take Mal to the Sepharon city Asheron to beg for medical treatment. In chapters that alternate in Kora's voice, it's revealed that to abort that genocide, all nanites were disabled, severely setting back Sepharon technology and destabilizing their civilization. Now an Emergency Council has been called to decide a new Sira, and Kora needs Eros to return and fight for his place. Her holding pattern is finally disrupted by charismatic Deimos, and the two go to find Eros--who has found human rebels who want him to become Sira, help take down the government, and bring equality to the two species. Padded exposition, endless cast introductions (including similarly named characters), and Sepharon words draw out the first act. The fun starts once Eros makes a play for the throne in earnest, a plotline with surprises. While the romance between him and Kora fizzles, he gains a new one that grows out of a friendship--and Kora gains a storyline separate from him. Most characters of either species are brown-skinned, and there's positive LGBTQ representation. The ending sets up the trilogy closer. Distracting alien language and languid first act aside, an improvement on the first outing. (Science fiction. 13-17)

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November 1, 2017

Gr 8 Up-Eros and Kora are back after Beyond the Red in a political adventure where the world ruler is dead, important technology is destroyed, and Safara is on the edge of destruction. Eros was named as the rightful heir to the world throne, but many are hesitant to accept a half-human, half-alien as their king-including Eros himself. Ex-avra Kora is determined to find Eros and have him face his destiny, but she cannot do it alone. Royalty across the territories are introduced, including Deimos, who is seemingly on team Eros, and the former ruler Ashen who will stop at nothing to keep Eros off the throne. Told in alternating perspectives, Kora and Eros are again together and torn apart as they navigate their roles as political leaders. The sequel is slower paced than the first, with many open-ended questions left for the trilogy's conclusion. The exciting world-building of an alien civilization and attention to detail makes up for the lack of action. Sexual content and mature language makes this more appropriate of older readers. VERDICT Fans of Beyond the Red will be eager to see how Kora, Eros, and their new friends evolve in this series sequel. A good choice for postapocalyptic fiction shelves.-Emily Bayci, Naperville Public Library-Naper Boulevard Library, IL

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2018
Alien Kora plays new royal-political games, backing "half-blood" (human and alien) Eros for the world's throne. Even with unexpected help from human rebels and from a former-prince bounty hunter, Eros must first convince himself that he wants the title. This second book of a trilogy (Beyond the Red) is a sensitive and poignant exploration of discrimination and the search for one's place in the universe.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)