Review: Prelude to Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts (Claimings 0.5) by Lyn Gala

Before Liam had a new commander who openly distrusted him, before Ondry earned his ka status, there were two traders. Ye Ondry wants to earn status, and he is curious about this new human. Liam has just arrived on the planet and he’s trying to figure out these aliens who supposedly have good metals to trade. Neither of them suspects that a chance trade and a few pots knocked off a table could lead their lives and their fates to intertwine.

Note: This free story is a prequel to the story of Ondry and Liam that details how they met. As such, it's not a romance.

This is supposed to be before Claimings #1 but I wouldn’t recommend reading it before the “proper” book. Not because I like to read series out of order, simply because after reading Claimings, you have a faithful picture of the heart-wrenching world Lyn Gala created, and you are looking to absorb more of it like a sponge. And that’s the perfect moment to choose to read Prelude.

This book is not only about the beginning of Liam and Ondry’s relationship (albeit still not in the romantic stage) but also about the culture the characters live in and about the “rules” and “mechanics” they have to apply and comply. It’s a compilation of short stories and every one can be read on their own, the order itself is not that important. The first short story is about Liam and Ondry, and the second half surprises us with episodes of isolated events in a not-so-far away place and time. These chapters that are not exactly romantic but enlightening.

Lyn Gala created a whole universe all of her own, not just planets, species, sci-fi paraphernalia and the like. She created a culture, a love for grammar and trade, a different perspective of life. Different customs, different beliefs, different everything. At first, it’s strange to dive in it all. But little by little, you embrace this new world and revel in every cutesy detail you can catch with this new mindset.

And of course, you swoon every time Liam and Ondry get to get close again. Their interactions are apparently stiff at first, but deep inside, you see something amazing sparkle, the promise of a shining future together. What we got to savour in Claimings is reflected in this Prelude. It’s a sweet homage to these unforgettable characters.

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