UNIFIED SOULS

Author: Candice Gilmer ISBN: 0978740106 8/2006 SCI-FI Publisher: APHRODITE'S APPLES

Cyborgs do not show emotion. Cyborgs are more machine than actual humanoid. By all intent and purpose they are perfect. Then a viral anomaly appears in their programming, and the cyborgs wipe each other out. Surviving by sheer accident, Jasmine Storm escapes the civil war and is propelled into the humanoid world. She spends her days as a security officer on Webster's Casino, observing humanoids and trying to understand their bizarre, emotional behavior. Then she starts having emotions as well; feeling and memories that are not hers, or are they? They come not from her neural implants, but from some mysterious source – a source that Storm doesn't understand. Devin Cartell, a rebel in the Uprising against the oppressive, war- bent Regime, came to Webster's to buy a splitter card to help him in the rebels' newest offensive; instead, he meets Jasmine Storm, and everything he knows is turned upside down. Cartell is binded to his Kerabal, Mashlia Mayd, as was determined when they both were children. Yet he feels more emotion, more fire in the spiritual plane with cyborg Jasmine. Trapped between what he wants to do and what he should do, Cartell learns that Storm may very well hold the key to defeating the Regime. Can Jasmine Storm's past be the key to their future?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Candice Gilmer did a remarkable job combining a raging science fiction story with streaks of a fervent romance in her book, UNIFIED SOULS. Although I am not a big fan of this genre and it took me a bit longer than usual to read it, I can honestly say that in the end, I applaud Ms. Gilmer for turning me into a semi sci-fi fan.

The heroine, cyborg Jasmine Storm, kicks butt! She's strong, sexy and unfortunately overridden with an influx of emotions. At times, it was really hard to remember that she wasn't fully human. I loved the complexity of her character and how Gilmore managed to make her emotionally hard and soft almost at the same time. She becomes most vulnerable when she is with Devin Cartel.

The hero, Devin Cartel, is a complete equal to Jasmine. He's emotionally and physically strong, loyal and honorable. As the story develops, he begins to question his loyalties and his heart—which he is slowly losing to Jasmine.

I loved the intricacy of Jasmine and Devin's relationship. In the end, it was that relationship that kept me thoroughly involved with reading the book. Of course it would be their romance that I enjoyed most, even though there is a war going on all around them!

UNIFIED SOULS is a very good blend of action, adventure, fantasy and romance. Gilmer did a great job adding all these elements to her book. The story itself was easy enough to follow, and for a science fiction plot, it was easy enough to understand. If this genre of book is to your liking, then I think UNIFIED SOULS is just the book for you.

Julie Kornhausl