More than a century after aliens colonized Earth, seventeen-year-old Donovan is an exo (a human "Hardened" with alien zhree technology) in the "cooperationist" human government. His kidnapping by resistance group Sapience threatens the uneasy truce. The fully realized world is painted in shades of gray; no group has the clear moral ground. Sympathetic characters take opposing sides in this absorbing, unpredictable coming-of-age drama propelled by high-stakes action.

Sometime in the future, a young soldier working for the extraterrestrials who have conquered Earth fights a rebel group but learns that he has family ties to someone he sees as a criminal.Seventeen-year-old Donovan Reyes wants only to be a good soldier, even though he's the only child of the Prime Liaison, West America's ambassador to the zhree, who conquered Earth a century earlier. When he was a child, his dad had him Hardened, transforming his human skin into flexible armor plating called an exocel, rather like the zhree. Donovan gets along well with the fairly benign zhree, as does much of humanity, but a band of rebels remains determined to expel them from the planet. Captured by the rebels, Donovan soon learns that one of their leaders has a connection to him. He also meets the pretty rebel Anya and finds himself far too attracted to her. While in captivity Donovan begins to see rebels as individuals rather than criminals, while some of them struggle with the notion that despite his armor plating, Donovan is still human. When a new threat appears readers are left to wonder whether humanity's life with the zhree might be a good development. Lee keeps her science fiction credible, effectively building this future world and establishing its rules efficiently. Racial differences are mentioned, though Donovan and Anya both appear to be light-skinned. Believable, suspenseful science fiction. (Science fiction. 12-18)

Seventeen-year-old Donovan Reyes has it all: his father is the -Prime Liaison- between humanity and the alien zhree, who conquered Earth a century ago, and Donovan himself, a technologically enhanced -exo,- is part of SecPac, enforcing the law and dealing with human insurrection. When he-s captured by the resistance group Sapience, he-s thrust into unfamiliar and dangerous territory, which grows even more complicated after he discovers a personal connection to one of its members. Still loyal to the zhree and to his father, Donovan is conflicted; determined to preserve peace and lives on both sides, he disobeys orders, questions procedure, and eventually stumbles on terrible hidden truths. Lee (Shadowboxer) constructs a plausibly alien future society and uses the premise to offer thought-provoking questions on occupation and colonization, placing her hero in a murky state of morality as she explores divided loyalties and conflicting obligations. Things perhaps come a bit too easily to Donovan at times, but the story-s open-ended conclusion begs for further development and exploration. Ages 12-up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret. (Jan.)

Gr 7 Up-After becoming a colony of an alien race, Earth has seen peace for 100 years. When certain children reach age five or six, they receive an exocel, or hard alien skeleton fused into their bodies. Donovan, 17, is an exo, and his erze marking designates him as an enhanced human soldier, indoctrinated since age 12 into training for SecPac, the colony's security force. His human father is Prime Liaison, the lead diplomat between the human government and erze oversight in West America. A human revolutionary group called Sapience instigates hatred toward SecPac by encouraging people to kill anyone who is erze-marked. During a shoot-out with suspected Sapience members, Donovan is captured by the group. After being tortured, he expects to be executed, but he becomes Sapience's bargaining chip after they learn who his father is. Even as he realizes that his father is not willing to negotiate for his release, he falls for a young Sapience member, Anya. The fate of Earth rests on his survival because if Sapience kills him, it could spark another intergalactic war. Donovan discovers how his choices and actions can have devastating results, and his loyalties are torn among SecPac, his warring estranged parents, Sapience, and Anya. This action-packed novel asks readers to consider alien technology, what it means to be human or nonhuman, and the gray areas in war, where neither side is completely good or evil. VERDICT Ethical questions add complex layers to this exciting sci-fi offering. For large YA collections. Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton

From the start of the narrative, readers are introduced to a society in conflicthumans with opposing stances regarding zhree, the alien species, rule over Earth. Protagonist Donovan Reyes, a patrol officer with alien body armor called an "exocel," runs a regular neighborhood patrol when he is tipped off about a possible covert operation run by a terrorist group. Donovan's father, the Prime Liaison, is an important political figure among humans and zhree, and Donovan hopes to follow in his father's footsteps and make him proud. As Donovan and his crew corral the suspects in question, Donovan ends up being seized by them, which could be a major political move for the terrorists. His survival might mean the difference between war and peace among humans and aliens. Meanwhile, Donovan faces inner conflicts that differ from his original views about who the criminals really are in his world.This is not the usual aliens-conquering-Earth plotline. In lieu of an ominous alien species coming onto Earth and destroying every aspect of the human race, these aliens are present in every day human life. Lee thoroughly establishes the different worlds, painting vivid pictures for readers to imagine. Donovan is a well-rounded character and even though his story takes place in a science-fictional world, he has real-life conflicts revolving around following in a parent's footsteps and making sense of the world around him. Science fiction fans will love this title.Lauren Straub.