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Science fiction novels have evolved over the past twenty years into something more than just unusual aliens on vast, distant planets. The Deacon's Tale: A Sword of the Stars Novel is part of the Sword of the Stars series where these novels are based on the successful strategy computer game of which there are three novels.

The book was originally thought of back in 2007 as a teaser to a new expansion of the game called Born of Blood. In 2008, The Sword of the Stars Complete Collection was taken up by many fans of the game. Author Arinn Dembo decided to revise her original novel and this is the result complete with extensive appendices for those new to the saga.

The Deacon's Tale: A Sword of the Stars Novel combines the feel of a space opera with the military might of a full-length episode of Babylon 5 or Star Trek: The Next Generation. Arinn Dembo shows us a dark future, but one filled with a sense of hope, and the human's sense of survival in the most dangerous of circumstances. The protagonist, Cai Rui is a good humoured man who has to beat his way through adversity and all odds until he reaches his goal of taking down an alien entity calling himself The Deacon, and he threatens everything Cai stands for.

Arrin Dembo gives the reader a broad view of how the church has not progressed, even though alien species are being discovered. Cai notices that the décor has not changed in the Vatican, and in time none of their views have either. The church seems to have a deep hatred of the Tarka who the Cardinal believes have killed his curate, Turion after he went on a supposedly safe mission. The Cardinal's venomous hatred of the Tarka is obvious, even though he does not know for sure that they killed Turion. It is this hatred that leads to misunderstanding and all out war.

Unsure of what he might find, Cai wants to investigate the murder, and find who the culprit is. Once his investigation starts, Cai is drawn into a cruel world of mystery and intrigue he never thought possible.

It is a slow moving plot that makes sure the reader gets to visually see the background of the story, the essential characters and the final outcome.

Sandra Scholes has been working on her new flash fiction and in between reviewing and writing articles for Love Romance Passion, The Chronicles, Love Vampires, Romance at Heart Magazine and Literature Adult Fiction.