“Taylor tempers his post-apocalyptic fictional world with his narrator’s energetic narration and darkly comic humor, as when the rebel Aiden, in alien form, finds himself seduced by the unwitting Ravene: “But, before you write me off as the feeblest—if possibly the sexiest—operative in rebel history, I was also hatching a back-up plan.”… The action scenes are excitingly unpredictable, and possess an emotional element, as brave, goodhearted characters face mortal danger from cruel and evil beings…Taylor handles Aiden’s growth toward self-knowledge in a moving manner; as self-centered as he’s been, he recognises those who’ve found true greatness—“that kernel deep inside, that immortal core” whose recognition “can merge, our separate selves into the person that we’re meant to be.” His mission gives him the chance to move past his restless desire for fame and become his truer self. The book is also a standout for its inventive array of alien species, who crucially assist the rebels’ mission…A thoroughly entertaining adventure with imaginative action and an appealing hero.”