Games of Command: A Sci-Fi Novel - Perfect for Space Opera Fans & Military SF Enthusiasts | Great for Reading, Book Clubs & Gifts

NO SPOILERS or plot summaries. Recommendations included.HIGH LEVEL: This is a standalone sci-fi romance/space opera romance- not part of a series. Fans of Ms. Sinclair will LOVE this book and for anyone who is new to either this author or the genre, this is a GREAT place to start. Strong, complex characters, plot arch that moves quickly and encompasses a whole universe of possibilities, action, romance and more. This is a FUN book to read and a really heart-rendingly sweet love story. Not for nothing, but Kel-Paten just might be my favorite male love interest EVER.CHARACTERS: Voice/perspective shifts between four characters: Sass, Kel-Paten, Eden and Jace so you get to know them pretty well. Sass and Kel-Paten are BRILLIANT characters. She is as her name suggests- sassy, but not over-done. Kel-Paten is a quintessential Pinocchio archetype. Both of them are complex and realistic and infinitely sympathetic. (I wished I could just reach out and give poor Kel-Paten a hug about a dozen times!) The supporting cast is somewhat disappointing in their lack of credibility and depth, but they didn't detract from the story for me. Eden is a solid best-friend character and Jace is a decent rogue, but there was just too much going on to properly give those characters the space to develop. I honestly DID NOT CARE because the central couple are just so fantastic nothing else matters. SPECIAL FEATURE: Anyone who is a cat person will just fall in LOVE with the pets in this story. They take on a life, and even a voice, of their own and play a meaningful role and they are just the cutest thing.PLOT: Fast paced and complex. All the plot elements that seemed to be completely random were tied in at the end. The plot and the stakes of the conflict increased as the story went on. The romance blooming between our couples was ever present, but had to evolve around a very serious and deadly conflict. The secondary romance was a subplot that I could ignore as it didn't really capture my interest as much as the others. Elements of hostile aliens, technological crises, political struggles and psychic powers were incorporated. At some point it starts to get a little hard to tell what is real and what isn't and by this time you are DESPERATE for everything to work out.MAGIC/TECHNOLOGY/SEXUAL COMPONENTS: Magic is limited to psychic ability and psychic attacks. Technology plays a heavy role- this is, after all, in SPACE. Sex is limited, but passionate. The romance leads you along a tantalizing chase before you ever get to that and it is far more about the emotional connection than the lust. But when you get there- YES!BOTTOM LINE: You are NOT going to be able to walk away from this book once you get into it. Excellent read and, as many others have said, worth reading more than once.RECOMMENDATIONS:1. Anne Aguirre's Grimspace (Sirantha Jax, Book 1)- a techie space borne sci-fi series with a strong female lead and a healthy splash of unconventional romance2. Christine Feehan's Shadow Game (GhostWalkers, Book 1) - paranormal romance series that focuses on characters who have gained psychic powers through medical experimentation3. Linnea Sinclair's An Accidental Goddess (Bantam Spectra) - lightly magical sci-fi romance4. Linnea Sinclair's Gabriel's Ghost - another sci-fi romance with political intrigue, hostile aliens and a very sexy, very dangerous telepath5. Nalini Singh's Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changelings, Book 1) - romance series which features weres and psychics, but also carries plotlines with some substance