"One bright night in the middle of the day, a silver ship sailed down to stay...." This catastrophe marked Doloria's first birthday and changed the course of humanity. Thirteen ships, the so-called Icons, landed on Earth, destroyed major population centers and killed billions of people by stopping their hearts with an electrical pulse. But Doloria ("Dol"), marked on the inside of her wrist, was spared for reasons beyond her understanding. Now, at age 17, she lives on Grass Mission in southern California with her best friend, Furo ("Ro"). They share a primitive life with the old Padre except for their uneasy suspicion that their marks and their uncontrollable emotions brand them as different and possibly dangerous, but to whom?
The Icons brought the House of Lords, who now rule the world, and keep humans under a cruel enslavement. They've never been seen outside of their ships. Dol and Ro discover that they are Icon Children, and find themselves swept up in dueling plots either to protect the Lords from the teens' own potential power or to strike against them in a risky bid for freedom. Their telepathic and telekinetic skills could be the Icons' undoing and humanity's salvation. Which will they choose?
Margaret Stohl (Beautiful Creatures) moves from the gothic to the realm of science fiction with this series opener. Readers may find the parallel plot structure challenging initially, but their imaginations will be quickly engaged. The cover will attract both crossover appeal and fans of both sexes. --Jessica Bushore, former public librarian and freelance writer