{"id":4804,"date":"2017-02-06T00:00:10","date_gmt":"2017-02-05T22:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/?p=4804"},"modified":"2023-06-14T15:25:25","modified_gmt":"2023-06-14T13:25:25","slug":"catalyst-fletcher-delancey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/catalyst-fletcher-delancey\/","title":{"rendered":"Catalyst by Fletcher DeLancey: Book Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Catalyst<\/a>Catalyst by Fletcher DeLancey<\/strong> is the fourth book in the Chronicles of Alsea<\/i> series. After not seeing much of the humans, Ekatya Serrado and Lhyn Rivers, who put the events into motion that introduced the planet of Alsea to the galaxy, we finally get a book dedicated to their story in the interim.<\/p>\n

Ekatya and Lhyn are back on Alsea for the first time in over a year. They\u2019re glad to be there, but not all is well with them. A lot has happened, and it has left its mark on each of them, though in different ways. Even now, when all should be safe, they find it difficult to relax. What\u2019s worse, the tyree bond that marks them as unique among humans and has given them such joy, is partly to blame for their current issues. They each tell their stories to their Alsean friends while struggling to return to a state of normalcy that may be lost to them forever.<\/p>\n

The Characters<\/b><\/h3>\n

The characters are those we\u2019ve known and loved since The Caphenon<\/i><\/a>, the first book in the series, and those we\u2019ve met in Without a Front<\/i> (books two and three). Though we still see Lancer Tal and Salomen, as well those in their personal retinues, the story is mostly about Ekatya and Lhyn.<\/p>\n

Ekatya Serrado is the no-nonsense captain of the Caphenon. Now that her ship is no more, and she\u2019s back in the Protectorate, she needs to find her way all over again. This is especially difficult for someone who thought her way in the Fleet was set once she was given command of her beloved Caphenon. She\u2019s forced to make her way all over again, but now she has no ship and she\u2019s reporting to someone whose methods and motivations make her want to throw up.<\/p>\n

Dr. Lhyn Rivers should be in her element. She\u2019s returned to the Protectorate in triumph, the first person to have studied an empathic race from within that race\u2019s own culture. Her knowledge is sought-after and she becomes an overnight celebrity. However, her separation from Ekatya has resulted in physical symptoms of duress. On top of that, a faction within the Protectorate is not happy with the revelation of empathic aliens and will do whatever they can to discredit her.<\/p>\n

The Writing Style<\/b><\/h3>\n

This story is told mostly in flashback. We\u2019re in present day Alsea, while Lhyn and Ekatya relate what\u2019s happened over the past year and a bit to their friends. It\u2019s an interesting authorial choice, but one that fits the story well. While the use of so many flashbacks could have dulled the urgency of the story, DeLancey manages to avoid that pitfall. We know the characters survive their tribulations, but their physical survival isn\u2019t the point of the story. The tension comes from the mental and emotional peril they go through, peril that still churns in them by the time they return to Alsea. Getting to see them work through that trauma against the foil of those they love and trust is the true story here.<\/p>\n

The Pros<\/b><\/h3>\n

I really liked this story, as you can probably tell. Like really, really liked! The storytelling is the same consistently high level I\u2019ve come to expect from DeLancey. Her use of storytelling methods is spot on. The story could more easily have been told in a straightforward fashion, but then we would have lost the emotional impact the events still have on Lhyn and Ekatya months later.<\/p>\n

I also love the way DeLancey subverts my expectations. There are a couple of characters I loved to hate. I mean, I loathed them and it felt so good! I\u2019m not going to tell you who they are since I don\u2019t want to spoil it, but as hateful as they were, each of them had some redemptive characteristics. Just when I thought I knew who the villain of the piece was, that got turned on its head, but in a way that had me cheering.<\/p>\n

The Cons<\/b><\/h3>\n

There are only a couple of cons here. One is the use of leading language in some of the flashbacks. A couple of times there was some foreshadowing that wasn\u2019t necessary. That pulled me out of the moment a bit. Those happen early on as the characters are telling their stories, and much less later on.<\/p>\n

Second, there are scenes of torture and abuse. While they\u2019re completely necessary to the story, they\u2019re raw and visceral. I actually count the rawness of those scenes as a plus in that they aren\u2019t sugar-coated, but for those readers for whom that might be an issue, you\u2019ve been warned.<\/p>\n

\"lise<\/a>The Conclusion<\/b><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re a fan of the Chronicles of Alsea<\/i>, this is an important and worthy addition to the series. If you\u2019re not a fan yet, but you love yourself some lesbian sci-fi, get your happy butt over to Amazon.com and order yourself a copy of The Caphenon<\/i>. Then set some money aside so you can order the next few novels, and the novella and settle in for some delicious binge-reading! It\u2019s hard for me to choose my favorite in the series as they\u2019re all so amazing, but for different reasons. Yes, you may disappear from public for a few days, but it\u2019s so worth it!<\/p>\n

Excerpt from Catalyst by Fletcher DeLancey<\/b><\/h2>\n

He glared, speechless, and she guessed that no one had spoken to him that way in a long time. Then his face went blank, the anger gone as if it had never existed. \u201cVery well, Captain. If we\u2019re fighting on the same side, then you\u2019ll have no issues with my assignment for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re altering my orders,\u201d she said in resignation. Of course he was.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly slightly. You\u2019ll still be working with Minister Staruin on his task force, and I believe that you bring some useful skills to that table. But I don\u2019t believe that Staruin is prioritizing the security of the Protectorate. He has his own agenda. You will find out what that is, then report on the activities and possible agendas of the other members of the task force.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want me to spy for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that\u2019s what you want to call it. I call it observing and reporting.\u201d She hesitated, trying to find the right words. \u201cDirector, I\u2019m not trained in infiltration. That\u2019s a specialist skill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue, but regrettably, you\u2019re what I have to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was enjoying this. She hated to twist on his hook, but she had to at least try to convince him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t you have a better chance of success if you replaced me on the task force? Surely you\u2019ve already seen that I\u2019m not good at dissembling\u2014or holding my tongue. You need someone who can play a role.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do,\u201d he said in an alarmingly cheerful tone. \u201cAnd while I\u2019ve definitely seen that you can\u2019t hold your tongue, I\u2019m not so certain about the role playing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDirector\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

His cheer vanished as he stared at her with cold eyes. \u201cYou\u2019re not doing a good job of convincing me of your loyalty, Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Get This Book On Amazon<\/b><\/h3>\n

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[tweetthis]\u201cI am not the one bringing my past love and your greatest competition on our bonding break!\u201d[\/tweetthis]<\/p>\n

Books In Chronicles of Alsea Series<\/b><\/h3>\n

The Caphenon<\/a><\/p>\n

Without A Front: The Producer\u2019s Challenge<\/a><\/p>\n

Without A Front: The Warrior\u2019s Challenge<\/a><\/p>\n

Catalyst<\/p>\n

Bits and Bobs<\/b><\/h3>\n