Jen’s review of Keir (Redemption #1) by Pippa Jay

A demon waiting to die…
An outcast reviled for his discolored skin and rumors of black magic, Keirlan de Corizi sees no hope for redemption. Imprisoned beneath the palace that was once his home, the legendary ‘Blue Demon of Adalucien’ waits for death to finally free him of his curse. But salvation comes in an unexpected guise.

A woman determined to save him.
Able to cross space and time with a wave of her hand, Tarquin Secker has spent eternity on a hopeless quest. Drawn by a compulsion she can’t explain, she risks her apparent immortality to save Keir, and offers him sanctuary on her home-world, Lyagnius. But Quin has secrets of her own.

When Keir mistakenly unleashes the dormant alien powers within him and earns exile from Lyagnius, Quin chooses to stand by him. Can he master his newfound abilities in time to save Quin from the darkness that seeks to possess her?

Book One of the Redemption series and part of the Travellers Universe. Previously released by Lyrical Press Inc. 7th May 2012.

You know that feeling where time seems to go extra fast when you’re reading a good book, and suddenly you look up and it’s been 4 hours and you haven’t done anything else you planned to do that day and you kind of feel guilty for a second but the book is so good that you happily shrug and go back to reading it anyway? That was what I, perhaps somewhat unexpectedly, got with this sci-fi romance.

Keirlan de Corizi (Keir) is an outcast in his (vaguely medieval-feeling) home of Adalucien. He is human, but he has blue skin so everyone thinks he is a cursed demon. He’s spent nearly his entire life hiding and on the run, and when the book opens he’s finally been captured by the ruler of the land and is basically moments away from dying in prison. Tarquin Secker (Quin) has traveled through time and space to Adalucien to find this “blue demon”, though she didn’t really understand what she was seeking until she meets Keir and gets thrown into prison with him. She frees them both and takes Keir back to her planet Lyagnius. She and Keir have to unravel the mystery of Keir’s origins and how he connects to Quin’s own quest, and they both get tangled up in a threat from Quin’s past that resurfaces.

If you like wounded, vulnerable heroes, Keir is going to do it for you! He has lived almost like an animal for much of his life, but (of course) he has still turned out kind, caring, and brave. It takes him time to learn to trust in others and in himself, and he has to learn that the cruelties done to him were unfair but don’t need to define the rest of his life. It was so sweet to see his building feelings for Quin and how hard he struggles to be the friend he thinks she needs. Their relationship is a bit of slow burn for a good chunk of the book, and when they finally get together, I was smiling like a fool. Quin is definitely the wiser, more experienced one in the relationship, in love as well as everything else. (Heads up to those who love virgin heroes! Ah, Keir you’re adorable.) Keir is no pushover, but Quin does most of the saving in this book, and since this is her world, not Keir’s, she’s the one who explains how it all works to him. They make a great pair.

While I did have a few issues with the mechanics of this universe (more on that later), I loved the worlds Jay created, especially Metraxi, where Keir and Quin spend the later part of the book. The Metraxians were so vividly painted, and I loved getting to know Metraxia’s queen T’rill because she was a very complex character. We didn’t get to spend tons of time with Quin’s friends on Lyagnius, but what we did see was interesting and fun. I like that both characters have complicated pasts and flaws–Quin ain’t some manic pixie dream girl who’ll heal Keir with her love! I can’t wait to learn more about this universe and these characters.

I don’t read much sci-fi romance, so perhaps my lens for critical examination is not as sharp as someone who reads more in this subgenre, but even a newbie like myself wished for a bit more explanation in places. There’s not a lot of attention given to the mechanics of Quin’s time travel or some of the other sci-fi elements, like the genetic engineering that basically set off the events leading to the book. I never fully understood Keir’s role in everything or how this “power” he possesses came to be, what it really does, how much of it he shares with Quin, or why Quin’s friends were convinced it was so dangerous. There are many such omissions in the book, and while there were enough explanations given to sustain my interest, I wanted something a bit more robust to help orient me to this world. This is only the first book in a series, so I presume there will be additional explanation later.

I was also not in love with the information Quin withholds from Keir at the end. (I’ll be vague to avoid spoilers.) First, I felt like it needed more explanation for how and why this circumstance came to be. Second, I really couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t have told Keir earlier, because her omission meant more danger for him and her. It just didn’t make a lot of sense, and I thought it was a bit patronizing toward Keir. And in fact, you get the sense that Quin is still holding back some info at the end, even after promising complete openness. I think it was just her habit of holding her cards close to her chest, so to speak, but I still wanted more for Keir.

Despite some imperfections, this book was so interesting and transportive that I couldn’t put it down. For those who hate cliffhangers like I do, rest assured this book won’t leave you feeling incomplete. I am frustrated that the next book won’t be out until late 2015/early 2016, though! I will just have to wait to rejoin Keir and Quin on their journey.

Grade: 3.75 out of 5

This book is available from Pippa Jay. You can purchase it here or here in e-format.