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The Moon's Shadow (book 8 of the Skolian
Empire series) by Catherine Asaro check out website: www.tor.com
That being said, it's not difficult to catch on to what's happening: the writing is elegantly lucid and gives sufficient detail for even the uninitiated to enjoy the book. In the Eubian Empire, empaths and telepaths are kept as slaves by the Aristos and called 'providers' - for one simple but appalling reason: their pain provides exquisite pleasure for their masters.
And all telepaths are by definition slaves... To say he's in a difficult situation is to put it mildly. In constant personal danger, having to keep his mind tightly under control at all times, thrown in the deep end to face political machinations, financial scheming and the intricate social manoeuvrings of his fellow Aristos...even the convoluted modes of communication in his court are a source of incomprehension and danger to him. Yet he finds allies in unexpected places in the attempt to make peace between Eube and Skolia. The book is a fine, complex read, broad in scope and beautifully detailed, full of vibrant, extremely memorable characters. My only quibble is with the sex scenes, which seem oddly hesitant, as though the author feels awkward about writing them into the book - which I'm sure isn't true given the erotic nature of some of the non-graphic action and the overall fluidity of the prose. This might just be me, however, and shouldn't be allowed to put you off reading the book! Joules Taylor
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OTHER REVIEWS - March 2004
Chasing Science by Frederick Pohl Wolves Of The Calla by Stephen King and illustrated by Bernie Wrighton The Mammoth Book Of Native Americans edited by Jon E. Lewis Changing Planes by Ursula Le Guin Red Star Rising: More Chronicles Of Pern by Anne McCaffrey Three Hearts And Three Lions by Poul Anderson Downward To The Earth by Robert Silverberg Buffy: Seven Crows by John Vornholt The Dragon Of Despair by Jane Lindsjold Gunpowder Empire by Harry Turtledove Barry Trotter And The Unnecessary Sequel by Michael Gerber Fitcher’s Brides by Gregory Frost Mammoth Book Of Best New Horror 2003 The Moon’s Shadow by Catherine Asaro Which Way To The Future: Selected Essays From Analog by Stanley Schmidt
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This
was my introduction to Catherine Asaro and the Skolian Empire epic
and, strictly speaking, it would have been very useful to have read
at least some of the preceding seven books in the series in order
to have an idea of the history.
And
now seventeen-year-old Jai (more correctly Jaibriol Qox) - son of
Jaibriol II, Emperor of Eube and Soz Valdoria, warrior queen of
the Skolian Empire, Eube's greatest enemy - has ascended the Carnelian
Throne of Eube. Jai, however, is a telepath. 
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