Author: Heather Hobson
ISBN: 1413743099

The following review was contributed by: Paul Lappen & CLICK TO VIEW Paul Lappen's Reviews

For the past couple of hundred planetary cycles, a
group of humans living on the planet Aleron have been
building a peaceful, thriving society. But the elders
have been hiding a big secret. They were exiled from
the planet Karna, their actual home, for using their
Conrad (telepathy and telekinesis) abilities.

Xavier, a hothead who wants to be the next Conrad
leader, convinces a group of young people to join him
on a mission to Karna, to ask for permission to
return, and if that doesn't work, to exact some
retribution.

Xavier rules by fear and intimidation. The basic rules
are: do what Xavier says, or die. The people of Karna
live in isolated clans, so killing them is easy.
Meantime, back on Aleron, a group of older Conrads,
followers of the Light, decide to go after Xavier's
group, to bring them back home. They help rebuild the
villages of Karna that were destroyed. Along the way,
after the first attack, Xavier's group stops on
another planet to build more ships. Xavier finds a
race of small, red, scaly animals on the planet.
Through genetic manipulation and more mental powers,
they are changed into a race of large, red, scaly
warriors whose only purpose is to follow Xavier. He
sends a plague back to Aleron, unknowingly carried by
Thera, his soul mate, that kills all the other
Conrads, except Bruner, the leader. Those who are
trying to stop Xavier see his "handiwork," up close
and personal, and are devastated. Killing another
being, especially hundreds of the small, red creatures
is totally against Conrad teaching.

This book belongs in that large gray area of Pretty
Good or Worth Reading. It is an interesting story,
perhaps a little on the "quiet" side and with room for
a sequel. Overall, the reader will not be
disappointed.