Review: Dark Space by Lisa Henry

Brady Garrett needs to go home. He’s a conscripted recruit on Defender Three, one of a network of stations designed to protect the Earth from alien attack. He's also angry, homesick, and afraid. If he doesn’t get home he’ll lose his family, but there’s no way back except in a body bag.

Cameron Rushton needs a heartbeat. Four years ago Cam was taken by the Faceless — the alien race that almost destroyed Earth. Now he’s back, and when the doctors make a mess of getting him out of stasis, Brady becomes his temporary human pacemaker. Except they’re sharing more than a heartbeat: they’re sharing thoughts, memories, and some very vivid dreams.

Not that Brady’s got time to worry about his growing attraction to another guy, especially the one guy in the universe who can read his mind. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just biochemistry and electrical impulses. It doesn’t change the truth: Brady’s alone in the universe.

Now the Faceless are coming and there’s nothing anyone can do. You can’t stop your nightmares. Cam says everyone will live, but Cam’s probably a traitor and a liar like the military thinks. But that’s okay. Guys like Brady don’t expect happy endings.

 

I loved the sci-fi parts of this book. Loved it! The Faceless were these creepy-ass aliens and, honestly, I would have loved to see more of them in the story. Maybe all the time. Having sex. I don’t know. Something. Hell, they could have been washing dishes the entire time and it would have been better than Cam and Brady. 

Because the sci-fi rocked my socks, I loved the beginning. I was ready to settle into an action packed, futuristic love story. Cam, the only person ever to return from being captured by The Faceless, returns in this pod-like thing filled with some fluid. Weird AND creepy. Loves it. I do. So, Brady and his superiors, knowing next to nothing about the Faceless, decide to just rip it open to save Cam. Abort! Abort! Bad idea! He basically died and now has to rely on another human, Brady, in order to survive.

Now! Ugh, now Cam and Brady have to touch in order for Cam to survive. How convenient. And look! It’s even better when they’re having sex. How very convenient for you both. *eyeroll* What, just because they have to touch that means they have to have chemistry? Uh… no they don’t. I didn’t feel any chemistry and didn’t believe a second of their forced relationship.  The beginning was awesome, and then Cam and Brady just lay in bed next to each other, talking telepathically, but not really saying anything since I don’t feel like I know who Cam is. Who is Cam? Besides the guy who was released by the Faceless and loves being probed by aliens? I don’t know. After the awesome beginning, not much else happened.

So, I was bored throughout most of it. I was bored and waiting for the Faceless to arrive and they did! They finally came to rescue me from my boredom! Then I realized there are only 20 pages left. NOOOO!! Where was Kai-Ren 50 pages ago? 100 pages ago? Where I could have enjoyed his weird creepiness? He used the term ‘pet’ a lot, so I’m pretty sure I would have loved him and how he dealt with his …erhm… pets. 

The ending was confusing and rushed. There was a lot left for the reader to assume and I would have liked something a little more solid. Especially, if it were to include Kai-Ren.

This was a whole lotta meh. But I’ve read and really enjoyed Lisa Henry in the past, so I am nowhere near done with her just yet.