Book Title: Axira
Author’s Name: Odette C. Bell
Series: Galactic Coalition

Spoilers Ahead!

Axira is a space opera set in the Galactic Coalition series by Odette C. Bell. It follows the titular character, Axira, as she attempts to redeem her violent past. Forced to be the mindless weapon wielded by her Master, Axira spent centuries trapped in her own body watching as another controls her form to hunt, kill and torture other lives. Eventually she is able to free herself from her Master’s control. Seeking revenge and a new beginning, Axira enrolled in the Galactic Coalition Academy. 

Oh, I forgot to mention, that Axira belongs to a species of aliens called Spacers – one of the most feared aliens in the Milky Way. And of course this is a slow-burn romance between an overly powerful female alien and a human male. 

It is a space opera. It is a fun adventure – fantasy story in space. I like that Axira, while a super-powerful alien species, still has limitations. Some are self-imposed to hide her origins. Also there is always someone stronger out there. I like the character development of Axira going from feared puppet to choosing her own future – a theme many people can relate to. 

This story is written in four episodes, each is like a mini story that string together to form a larger overarching plot. It is a common set up by this author. In the first two stories, Axira helps the Academy which has been infiltrated by enemies. They talk about a mole within the Academy and the second looks at how a few loud, negative voices can create racist, xenophobic environments that are hostile to those who disagree – a very relevant theme! These stories are undermined when you learn later that respected Admirals, high in the chain of command, actually are responsible for the leaks and moles in the Academy. While some of the characters are able to accept the glib response of inciting these events for the greater good, I find their motivation troubling. 

At the very least, the Admirals are complete asses to cause such harmful conflict that would continue to undermine the bastion of moral high ground (the Academy) for decades to come. I got the impression we are supposed to respect and admire these Admirals and the hard decisions they make. I was not swayed. Their actions, which mostly didn’t make sense to me, were despicable. 

Axira was a successfully written fantasy-romance-adventure in space. It was interesting to read, though it fell back on some modern cliches. I definitely liked it more than another story from this series. While I thought Axira was a solid character, I did struggle with the male lead, Jason, who was a bit of a weakness in the story.  Overall, I would give this 3 stars out of 5.