Archaeologist and linguist Celene Dupres arrives at her father's groundbreaking dig at an alien crash site just in time to witness his murder and betrayal by his partner and best-friend.  Clinging to the shadows, Celene watches as a government agency scours the area and removes all traces of the dig site.  Still reeling from the scenes she has witnessed, Celene realizes that the reason she hasn't been apprehended by these sanctioned thugs is that she is invisible!

  Celene vows to avenge her father, redeem his work, and discover the mysteries behind this violence and her own strange capabilities.  On her quest, Celene meet Kin Raidon, a darkly dangerous and devastating handsome, Mythos operative.  Kin seems to have the same goals as Celene, but could his motives be more sinister?  As she is drawn closer to Kin and the mystery behind her father's death and her own past become clear, Celene begins to wonder just whose side the debonair Kin Raidon is on.  Mystery, romance, action, and drama abound in this futuristic thriller. 

Celene is Lara Croft, Agent Scully, and Betty Friedan all in one!  This isn't your usual boy-rescues-girl action/adventure.  Celene Dupres is a heroine who stands on her own two feet and manages to save the day and, indeed, the planet itself.  Confronted with unpleasant secrets about her past and the persons she holds most dear, Celene bravely accepts grim truths and works to find solutions to her problems.  She's a witty, intelligent modern-day woman who loves her cat and is as comfortable in a pair of fatigues and hiking boots as she is in heels.

Kin Raidon is likewise no typical muscle-bound hero--although he's certainly not lacking in the smoldering good looks department.  He's a man who respects Celene, who makes decisions based on the facts, and whose willing to own up to his mistakes.  Together, Celene and Kin, make a dynamic set of sleuths--discovering the dark plot behind Celene's father's death and the grim danger facing the planet with finesse and tons of romantic tension. 

RELICS is a great book!  The characters are compelling and the dialogue is sparkling.  The villains (both human and alien) have foibles that make them seem real and even more dangerous for their everyday irrationalities.  The Anaz-voohri Kavak's fits of pique at Wasaw and Carrick's obsession with his assistant, Flavia, give the bad guys dimension.  By adding idiosyncrasies to the villains, Ms. Schartz gives us antagonists who live and breath and are dynamic equals to the hero and heroine.  Likewise, the support characters (including Isis the cat) are multi-dimensional and memorable.  Blanchard's unexpected sacrifice and Wasaw's pleasure at infuriating Kavak add so much to the story.  RELICS  abounds with plot twists, comic turns of event, romantic interludes, and high-speed escapes.  It has everything that a reader looks for in an action/adventure epic!  The fact that RELICS  is part of an exciting series of books is the icing on the cake. 

Anyone looking for a great summer read should check out this book!  It's an absolute page-turner and I could barely put it down.  The ending is sweet and fulfilling, the romance is steamy, and the mystery never lets the reader down.  I can't wait for the next book in this exciting series and I'm running to the bookstore for the first Operation:  Pleiades  book.  Readers of Tom Clancy, William Gibson, and Robert Ludlom will find this book enthralling--just don't expect the boys to save the day--as will sci-fi aficionados in general.  Good work, Ms. Schartz!