“I finished Ann Aguirre’s Aftermath with a long sigh; a sigh that was contentment, a sigh that wished for more, a sigh that was a wish I had read the first four books in the series! The aptly named book is all about “what happens next.” Like Paul Harvey’s famed radio broadcast And Now For the Rest of the Story, Aftermath follows main character Sirantha Jax as she faces the consequences of choices she’s made throughout the series to this point.
As book five in Aguirre’s Sirantha Jax series begins, Aguirre doesn’t waste time or space retelling the first four books. There is enough detail present to follow the action and catch on to the rules of her universe, but the reader has to work for it when coming in cold. The author honors those who have kept up with series by making no apologies for diving straight into the “aftermath”. It is possible to pick it up here as I did, but I would recommend starting with book one, Grimspace.
I like science fiction and read a fair amount of it. It allows me the luxury of escaping to another world when I mentally leave the one to which I’m bound. Aftermath is not casual science fiction. In my opinion, this series is on par with Frank Herbert’s Dune. Readers of books like The Host and The Martian Chronicles will not find Aftermath immediately approachable, but they would do well to make the attempt. Ann Aguirre’s storytelling is carefully crafted to actually tell a story and lovingly develop her characters, not just string together romantic interludes in space. In fact, Aftermath has only one which is not overly long or explicit as far as romance novels go.
As its title would indicate, Aftermath is reflective by nature, different than the action which characterized the Morgut War in previous books. I dog-eared several pages as I read just because I liked the way some of Jax’s musings made me think. Without giving anything away, here are three of my favorite quotes:
" I made the choices every step of the way because the consequences would have been worse if I hadn’t. But I miss the woman I was, even as I learn to accept the new creature I’ve become."
" I don’t kid myself it will change any of the harm I’ve inflicted, but it will comfort the soul Adele taught me to believe in, the quiet, smoky thing that lives at the heart of me and occasionally whispers at me that I can do better."
"'Always’ is a word that carries both magic and despair. I clutch it to my heart like a bladed fan."
We get background in this book that readers who already know and love these characters will drink up. I most relished coming to know Vel. How did a bug-like, cool, hard chitin-covered alien become one of my favorite characters? He is solid, loyal, dependable and entirely loveable. His appearance and the fact that he has wide, side-set eyes drops away under the power of his presence. Aftermath becomes a book of love told both in letters across the emptiness of space and the intimacy of challenges faced together. It is intrinsically humanly relatable in a completely alien universe. Ann Aguirre nails it as she sets us up for multiple possibilities in the final installment.
Don’t be reluctant to start this series, even if science fiction isn’t “your thing”. It is worth the time and effort. You won’t be disappointed. All I have to do now is pace the floor until the last book in the series, Endgame, is released.”
Nissanmama wrote this review Monday, October 3, 2011.
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