Review - River by C.J. Dragon

Earth was a dying planet when the Guardians arrived and took over. They ended all wars. Polluting industries and the billionaires who perpetuated them were eliminated. Everyone has a guaranteed basic income and the freedom to pursue their interests. But the Guardians permit no dissent. Those who do speak out tend to disappear. River works in the diplomatic service for the Guardians, dealing with other aliens who come to Earth. He’s very good at his job but growing restless. River decides to seek an off-world assignment and is offered the role of Ambassador to Drakonis to help solve a dispute between the two races that live on the planet. The Drakos are an advanced race whose earlier visits to Earth gave rise to the vampire legends. It’s a risky assignment, but one River doesn’t think he can refuse.

“River” combines two popular science fiction “what-ifs” - what if an alien race took over the Earth to save us from ourselves, and what if vampires really exist on another planet. The book nicely melds the two ideas into a cohesive story that’s just the start of a new series. This first book ends in a good place, although it’s clear there is more to River’s story to come.

Most of the story is told from River’s point of view. As a main character, River is a bit of a blank slate. That seems to have been intentional. The Guardians may have saved humanity from itself, but in the process they’ve taken away the challenges that people need to overcome to achieve great things. River is a perfect example. He has no real wants or needs, but feels unsettled. Of course, in classic fashion, there’s more to River than it seems.

River’s love interest is Eris, prince of the Drakos. Their relationship gets off to a rocky start, and I get the feeling there are a few more bumps on the road to their happily ever after. There are a lot of secrets that come out about the Drakos and their “food” the Draas. Some of them are truly shocking to River, and they seem destined to be the seeds of more conflict between River and Eris.

“River” is available from Smashwords or see BookBub for other online sources where you can buy a copy.