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This is the fourth installment of a series where Ethan, the Continuum Dealer, bestows the citizens of various planets with their "true names." He also struggles with choosing a mate and solving the mystery of the previous Continuum Dealer's death in the first novella. In the second installment, The Brethren, a shadow group tried to destroy Ethan, too, as he continued his mission. The Clones continued with the Brethrens' efforts to destroy Ethan by manipulating the robotic clones. This fourth book brings multi-world healers together on one planet for the first time, but they aren't united in their motives or their approach to granting healings.
While this metaphysical sci-fi story stands alone to a great degree, reading the entire series would help explain some of the character traits, story motifs, and the fictional cosmology not explored in the current volume. The writing is tight and crisp. The spiritually focused push and pull between greed and true compassion, delusions and truth, and the emphasis on characters learning their "true name" that influences their destiny are captivating concepts. The brevity of descriptions in some scenes will please readers with vivid imaginations. The characters often behave predictably but are still fully rounded. These traits have the effect of making this thriller-paced read a bit quieter and less splashy than some sci-fi/fantasy works, though a surprise ending sets the course for another installment and makes the read worthwhile. The novella-length allows readers to consume the tale in one sitting, a boon for busy young adults daunted by lengthy doorstop-sized epics.