Big concepts in this impressive SF story - in the future of
space travel, we can sense, amplify and manipulate sound
vibration to move cargoes around the universe. I don't see
how sound can create what's called an orbifold and move
physical objects light years instantly, but if I knew how
to do it I'd have a Nobel Prize. SONG OF THE NAVIGATOR
focuses on one man who works with this system, and the
changes it has wrought in his life.
Tover is one of the rare people who suit the inner ear and
throat implants - they have wrecked his voice, but the
perks are good. He's like an air traffic controller and a
pilot in one, never leaving the Harmony space station base
as he ships people and goods between planets. Tover is
justifiably celebrated. Girls flock to his parties, not
knowing that Tover prefers guys. And he's choosy.
Cruz, a structural engineer, has been Tover's
occasional partner, and the story kicks off when Cruz
apprehends Tover. They make a jump to a half-civilised
moon run by desperate men. These protestors don't want
their world to be terraformed. Tover thought he knew Cruz,
but he realises that the man was a spy. The gunmen will
keep him as a hostage or force him to work for them.
The heavy tech shows us Tover has no personal ties,
but the spot in which he finds himself is enough to engage
us fully. Pirates, smugglers, stolen files, ransom; this
story means business. We see how Tover allowed himself to
be fooled by the glib Cruz, more than once. Warning: there
is a lot of violence and strong language. And I do mean a
lot, some of the violence being gratuitous behaviour on the
part of thugs. The romance scenes are mainly in Tover's
memories as he tries to figure out how Cruz got past his
defences. Like, he's a decent guy, and one of the most
valuable people in the galaxy, and this still happened to
him.
Latino touches are a nice cultural variation, and I was
much more comfortable once the action moved to a world
where adapted people live in a carbon dioxide atmosphere.
Here we also meet a well-realised maternal female
character, Lourdes, to redress the balance. Tover loves
birds, another nice touch, and he learns that preserving
natural habitats is furthest from the minds of Harmony's
bosses. The third portion of the story deepens its
complexity, bringing in more positive female figures,
and with conflicting viewpoints of Tover's ordeal, makes
SONG OF THE NAVIGATOR
well worth the read. Astrid Amara has lived in various
locations around the world and brings her experiences to
create a real-feeling suite of environments throughout her
story. SONG OF THE NAVIGATOR is definitely for adults and
incorporates a cautionary tale as well as an absorbing male
romance.
Worst Possible Birthday: Being sold into slavery by none
other than your lover.
Tover Duke’s rare ability to move anything instantly across
light-years of space makes him a powerful, valuable asset
to
the Harmony Corporation, and a rock star among the people
of
the colonies. His life is luxurious. Safe. Routine.
He has his pick of casual hookups passing through
Dadelus-Kaku Station. His one brush with danger of any
kind—the only bright spot in his otherwise boring life—is
Cruz Arcadio, a dark-haired, hard-bodied engineer whose
physical prowess hints he’s something much more.
When a terrorist abducts Tover, hurling him into a world of
torture, exploitation and betrayal, it’s with shattering
disbelief that he realizes his kidnapper is none other than
Cruz. As Tover struggles to find the courage to escape his
bondage, he begins to understand the only way to free his
body, his mind—and his heart—is to trust the one man who
showed him that everything about his once-perfect life was
a
lie.
Warning: This story contains descriptions of extreme
violence and assault. It also contains graphic sexual
depictions. It also has a lot of birds. And pirate movies
from the future. And romance.
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