Allegiance of Honour. Nalini Singh

Published:Gollancz and Hachette NZ
Date: 16th June 2016
Format: Paperback
Pages: 478
Genre: Paranormal
Source: Thank you to Hachette NZ
Rating:
             

The Psy-Changeling world has undergone a staggering transformation and now stands at a crossroads. The Trinity Accord promises a new era of cooperation between disparate races and groups. It is a beacon of hope held together by many hands: Old enemies. New allies. Wary loners.

But a century of distrust and suspicion can’t be so easily forgotten and threatens to shatter Trinity from within at any moment. As rival members vie for dominance, chaos and evil gather in the shadows and a kidnapped woman’s cry for help washes up in San Francisco, while the Consortium turns its murderous gaze toward a child who is the embodiment of change, of love, of piercing hope: A child who is both Psy…and changeling.

To find the lost, protect the vulnerable—and save Trinity—no one can stand alone. This is a time of loyalty across divisions, of bonds woven into the heart and the soul, of heroes known and unknown standing back to back and holding the line. But is an allegiance of honor even possible with traitors lurking in their midst?

Allegiance of Honour is #15 in this wonderful urban fantasy/paranormal series. I have loved every book in the series and this was another winner for me. As Nalini Singh says it has an ensemble cast. Many of the characters from previous books are given updates on how life is going for them.  As I love each and every one of these characters that was a delight for me.  I took my time reading it. No skipping lines, I just wanted to savour it.

If you have never read this series, there are Psy, a race that has recently had big changes. They have just come out of Silence, a very rigid imposed regime that has left many damaged. Psy have many and varied amazing abilities.  As well there are the changelings, packs of wolves and leopards and sea creatures and so on. Added to these are are The Forgotten - Psy who left before the silence was imposed. Humans are around as well - but mostly they have been in the background.

Much of the book has Lucas the alpha of the leopards Dark River pack and his wife Sascha (Psy) to the fore. They now have a deliciously delightful little daughter Nayla - a combination of changeling and Psy. She is a first and because of this the evil elements still abroad in this world want to capture her. Following her and her story kept me happy, while I waited for the birth of Mercy (Dark River) and Riley (SnowDancer wolf pack) pubcubs. I was very patient but do admit to eventually sneaking ahead to take a peek! And their eventual arrival of course is going to mean new bonds between the two powerful changeling packs.

There is a sea changeling woman who has been kidnapped and this provides a little drama and some sense of the evil still present in this world. The Psynet is in difficulty and an unexpected reason is behind it.  

I also liked the letters from Xavier the priest who had worked with two of the Psy throughout many of the books, to right some serious wrongs, always working in the shadows.

Nalini Singh writes characters I just connect with. The values of family, love, care, growth, freedom, peace and so much more permeates the pages. The war against evil is ongoing, but the efforts of those who refuse to give into fear and the wicked plans of others to cause trouble is inspiring. If you ask me these books are very relevant to the world we live in. They invite us to respect  differences and value and trust friendships.

I am not sure where this series is going next, this one is a kind of tying up of all that has been going on, before there is a refocus somewhere else. No doubt we will be going out into a new territory next book! Whatever!  I know I will be expecting drama, great characters, humour and warmth.