Beyond the Red

Ava Jae

Mar 2016 · Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

About this ebook

Alien queen Kora has a problem as vast as the endless crimson deserts. She’s the first female ruler of her territory in generations, but her people are rioting and call for her violent younger twin brother to take the throne. Despite assassination attempts, a mounting uprising of nomadic human rebels, and pressure to find a mate to help her rule, she’s determined to protect her people from her brother’s would-be tyrannical rule.

Eros is a rebel soldier hated by aliens and human alike for being a half-blood. Yet that doesn’t stop him from defending his people, at least until Kora’s soldiers raze his camp and take him captive. He’s given an ultimatum: be an enslaved bodyguard to Kora, or be executed for his true identity—a secret kept even from him.

When Kora and Eros are framed for the attempted assassination of her betrothed, they flee. Their only chance of survival is to turn themselves in to the high court, where revealing Eros’s secret could mean a swift public execution. But when they uncover a violent plot to end the human insurgency, they must find a way to work together to prevent genocide.

Ratings and reviews

I knew I was intrigued, but this book really surprised me. It isn't often that a book grabs me right from the beginning and has me wondering what is going to happen next. But Beyond the Red did just that. It was fast-paced and action-packed right from the start. I found myself very interested in the world that I was thrust into, inhabited by humans and an alien race with multicolored eyes and swirling patterns on their skin. This world was nothing like anything I had ever read before and I wanted to know more, more, more. One slight disappointment I had when reading Beyond the Red was the love triangle. It wasn't introduced until about halfway through the book, and I just found it to be unnecessary. I was totally hooked on the story without the love triangle, and it didn't seem to serve much of a purpose in driving the plot line. That being said, it wasn't an overbearing and annoying love triangle like those we can sometimes encounter in YA literature. It was definitely a love triangle that I could handle, and I liked all of the characters involved, but I didn't really see the point of having it in the story. I have seen a lot of people talking about the ending of this book and how it was a major disappointment for them. I can totally understand where they are coming from, because as the story ended, I found myself thinking, "That can't be it! I need more! What happens now????" But upon a bit of reflection, I am ok with the ending of the book. Yes, I would love some more answers, but I won't deduct stars from my rating for the ending. However, if a sequel is ever released, I will be snatching it up because I really want to see what happens to all of the characters. Right now it appears that Beyond the Red is a standalone, but I would definitely pick up a sequel if Ava Jae ever decides to write one. All in all, I really enjoyed Beyond the Red a lot more than I thought I would. I wasn't sure what I was getting into with an alien book, but it destroyed any preconceived notions I had and really impressed me. I would absolutely read another book set in this world or following the same characters after the events at the end of the Beyond the Red.

About the author

Ava Jae is a Latinx tomboy who writes YA speculative fiction featuring marginalized characters grappling with identity. When they aren’t working on their next book, completing freelance editorial work, or buried under their TBR pile, you’ll likely find them on Twitter at @Ava_Jae, where they talk about the importance of representation and throw book recommendations at anyone who will listen. They are also the author of the upcoming Into the Black, the second book in the Beyond the Red trilogy. They reside in Boston, MA.