While this book is in the same world as The Dark Wing, it’s set 80 years later. The cultures have changed in the interval; Zor and Human are used to interacting, though resentment is still present.
This book centers around Jackie and Ch’k’te, who react to the discovery/invasion of strange aliens– the Ghuls. There’s a lot of confusion given the alien’s powers of deception. Along the way, Jackie looses control of her base and gets drug into complex Zor plans. She’s seen as the current incarnation of Qu’u and is dragged into events to replicate those of legend.
Despite a more personal viewpoint throughout and good characterization, it’s frustrating to be as lost as Jackie. The book doesn’t really end– unlike the Dark Wing, this is clearly a chunk of a larger book and doesn’t have a satisfying ending. I checked out the next book in the series and hope that it’s more rewarding in the end.