Barbarian’s Choice by Ruby Dixon (Ice Planet Barbarians #12)

The review catch-up continues (while I’m listening to IPB #14).

This book feeds into my hypothesis that I tend to best like books in this series that advance world-building.

Farli, a female blue alien that readers have watched grow up over the course of the books, could be ready to find a mate, but none of the males in her tribe interest her or cause her to resonate until a strange ship lands nearby and her symbiote begins to sing. Mardok is the same kind of blue alien as Farli but from a civilized planet. He and his ship of three other aliens have touched down on Not-Hoth for repairs and find it inhabited by an indigenous branch of their kind. Mardok, a war veteran, cannot stand to be left behind, after a traumatic battle experience and so refuses to stay on Not Hoth with Farli. She then has to decide if she will follow her pleasure mate into space and away from everything she has known, or live a life alone without him.

I love an expansion of the lives of Not Hoth. I’m so happy that Farli’s story was bigger and more fraught. She has been a secondary character favorite of mine and this book was perfect for her. This one is at the top of the heap! -Ford