This book reads more like an historical romance rather than a futuristic. It seems to me the Author just added the mininum words, so it would be classified as a futuristic, but the "feel" just wasn't there.

Ashlynne is the young (17) daughter of the ruling family of Tierde, a mining planet. She's always led a sheltered life and when she sees how slaves are beaten and treated like animals, she begins to look at her life differently. She is still a spoiled brat thru most of the book and doesn't really become a likable person till the very end of the book. She finds the slave, branded as Number Four, intriguing as well as intimidating and Ashlynne finds herself experiencing conflicting emotions.

Falkon is a mercenary fighting against the Romarians, who are trying to conquer all the planets. Tierde is the only free mining planet left. Falkon's pride keeps him from breaking under the cruelty, and he deeply resents Ashlynne's taunts. Then Tierde is attacked and Ashlynne's parents and best friend are killed. Falkon uses this attack to gain his freedom and he takes Ashlynne with him. He then resume his plans of revenge against the man he holds responsible for the deaths of his family. While he helps to save Ashlynne from the invaders, he still allows her to keep him captive (he wears a slave collar and Ashlynne has the controller). Falkon who is a highly regarded mercenary fighter, makes no move to get the controller away from this 17 year old girl. Makes no sense to me.

If you like historicals, you will probably enjoy this book, but if you're looking for a true futuristic, I'd look somewhere else.

GOOD