Ben Gibson, Captain of the 5th Ranger Regiment, Bravo Company 1st Battalion, wakes up determined to have a Good Day. Think positive, and good things will happen. They must. Right?
He makes it from his hooch to the shower with no issue and confirms that the convoy which passed through FOB Leonard in book one brought eggs. Real eggs! That must be a good sign, right? Of course it is. The day is not going to end badly if he just keeps thinking positively.
Except that once Ben re-enters his hooch, in bathrobe and sandals, he finds Alacea kneeling on the floor. She is clearly waiting for him, and she opens a package to show that she has brought breakfast. Almost as soon as he realizes this, there is a pounding on his door as Lt. Patricia Kim begs to see him.
Normally, a man would enjoy having two women appear at his place at roughly the same time. Instead, Ben has a sinking feeling that this is an interrelated issue which does not bode well for him. So much for a good day….
The Story
Allowing Kim inside, Ben soon learns from her that the ritualistic bite which Alacea gave him in book one is the means by which Va’Shen females or vixens “mark” their husbands. In essence, she married him with that bite, so when she calls him “Tesho” the English translation is not “Overlord” but “husband.” When she calls herself “Myorin,” she is using the word “wife.” Kim was reading the brand new translation book bright and early this morning, which is how she figured out the miscommunication.
Incredulous at first, Ben is soon irate and blames Kim for mistranslating his early attempt to communicate with Alacea. Kim does not fight the accusation, which is not entirely accurate, since she is operating on a very limited understanding of the Va’Shen language due to the aliens’ reluctance to speak to the “Dark Ones.” Rather than argue about blame, Kim pounds home the point that they do not know if the Va’Shen have the concept of “divorce” and that until she learns more, Ben needs to go along with the marriage. Kim plans to go to Jamieson, the main base on Va’Sh, to wheedle more details out of the linguist and cultural expert whose new translation book allowed her to realize that Ben and Alacea are married by Va’Shen custom. She promises to do it in such a way that the two star general in command of Jamieson won’t find out and bring the hammer down on Ben as a result of this compromising situation. She leaves the translation book with him so that he will not be at a loss in his dealings with Pelle and especially Alacea.
Meanwhile, Sergeant Ramirez is offered a chance to go hunting with the Va’Shen huntresses. Bao Sen, the leader of Pelle’s huntresses, has decided to try to form a bond with the talkative Ranger since Alacea is reluctant to use Ben to her people’s advantage. At first disinclined to let Ramirez go, Ben eventually acquiesces because “bored soldiers throw rocks.” If Ben does not find or develop any entertainment at Leonard for his troops, they will get so bored that they might just start throwing rocks. If one of those rocks hits a snoopy Va’Shen spying on the base...well, there goes the neighborhood.
So Ramirez gets permission for his “military to military training” with the Pelle huntresses. On the way, though, one of the younger huntresses – Alzoria – complains so much about having him along that Bao Sen assigns her to be Ramirez’s hunting partner. The two split up to watch separate parts of the hill for the deer-like datsu they will be pursuing, but Alzoria is still displeased that they need to be that close.
For his part, Ramirez enjoys the sunrise before spotting a very big datsu. He raises his rifle only to feel the muzzle of a different rifle press against his skull. Partisan tods or male Va’Shen have found him, and since Pelle has no young adult male Va’Shen in town, Ramirez knows these tods are not local. When he and Alzoria are captured, he leaves enough sign for Bao Sen to find and, hopefully, to bring their predicament to Ben’s attention.
Will Ramirez and Alzoria be found in time? Can Kim complete her discreet mission without giving anything away? And can Ben find it in himself to deal fairly with the alien woman whom he unintentionally put in a very precarious position? Most important, can the villagers of Pelle and the men of FOB Leonard prevent another war from breaking out?
The Characters
For a man who just found out that he married an alien, Ben keeps his composure remarkably well. He doesn’t shout, and he does apologize to Kim later on for losing his temper with her. At the same time, he makes some understandable mistakes when he tries to deal with Alacea, revealing that he was married previously in the hopes of getting her to break their marriage off. Instead, she assumes that he hates her and married her for vengeance when he had no such intentions. It shows Ben is as human as anyone else, since he does not relish being married due to a misunderstanding and he is trying to find a way to cut Alacea loose without hurting her.
Alacea, on the other hand, is dealing with plenty of her own problems. The residents of Pelle are divided; some appreciate the sacrifice she made to save them, while others despise her and call her a traitor for marrying a “Dark One.” When she accidentally triggers Ben’s Post-Traumatic Stress and drops to her knees to apologize, she is startled to find that he is apologizing to her for scaring her. The fact that a “Dark One” shows her the respect her own people deny her leaves her wondering yet again if these really are the “Dark Ones” of history and legend.
Ramirez and especially Alzoria are thrust into a deadly situation where the younger vixen soon comes to appreciate Alacea’s position, as she is mistaken by the tods for a collaborator with the “Dark Ones.” Her strident declamations of the opposite are seen as a sign that she is in fact a collaborator, and the torture Ramirez undergoes shocks her. For his part, Ramirez demonstrates intelligence, honor, and skill while never losing his irreverent sense of humor or tendency to speak first and think later. It simultaneously proves why Ben relies on him while explaining the irritation that Ramirez elicits in everyone he meets.
The World
Va’Shen culture is expanded upon, as is the culture of humanity in this current century. With opportunities on Earth having become scarce, many young people decide to leave for the colonies, including signing up with the military. Ben’s background and Alacea’s are shown in more detail while the view of the Va’Shen commandos who are still fighting a war that has been declared over is given due weight. The commandos are not evil, just so determined to do their duty that they cannot accept that their duty may be to surrender.
Politics
None.
Content Warning
There are beatings, hair-pulling, a mention of possible dissection, sexual misconduct allegations, and foul language. Ben’s nightmares are described in enough detail to get the point across without being upsetting. The descriptions are not beyond a PG-13 rating but these are things readers may like to know before going in. Flowing from one character’s point-of-view to another is also a feature of the book, as it was in the first novel.
Who is it for?
Anime fans will love this book, as will fans of The Vixen War Bride. Those who want a culture clash on par with that seen in Stargate SG-1 would be remiss if they did not buy and read the novel, while readers looking for something lighthearted to entertain them will thoroughly enjoy the humor in this sequel. Historians and those interested in encouraging their teens to investigate history will also want it. Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and veterans of Afghanistan will not only find the book appealing, they will be able to use it as a conversation starter with family and friends, as the novel draws on recent as well as past history. Those looking for intense military SF action and solid worldbuilding will find Holdouts as much or more fun than its predecessor. Sci-fi fans who want something new to sink their teeth into will not be disappointed by this series at all. For those who wish James Cameron’s Avatar franchise made sense, this series has what they seek in spades!
Why buy it?
It is fun, exciting, and thought-provoking. All these traits are difficult to find in many modern novels. Why not grab and enjoy it today?
Did you read it or listen to the audiobook?
It's a wonderful series.