(a) I know that the enjoyment of reading erotic scenes doesn't always depend on good writing. Here, however, it is most certainly hampered by crass writing. In addition to fairly formulaic and stereotypical erotic scenes, which constitute the bulk of this book, we often find stuff like: "He had a brief moment of doubt when he wondered if she would breed less easily because of her daintier size" (p.42); "While she never initiated their lovemaking, she had never refused his advances, except once on the first day of her monthly bleeding." (p.190) And more of the same.

(b) The emotions of the two main characters are agonies of pointless and exaggerated misunderstandings. He wants her, but is put off by her cold demeanor; she wants him, but won't yield just for the sake of it. When at last we think they understood each other and sigh with relief, the book goes right back to "he wants her, but...", as if nothing had happened. The reader often wishes the characters would have a long talk about it and move on to more interesting emotions.

(c) Although the author makes it painfully clear that the "adventure" part of the plot is as crucial to the book as the dialogue to a porn movie, I was hoping that the "mystery" would be resolved, at least. The whole thing is squeezed in the last 50 pages or so (out of 300) of the book, in which we hear about a strange city, a strange being, and a strange prophecy. At the end of the book, we sort of solve the prophecy, and find nothing about the city, the being, or why the prophecy was important in the history of that planet, for that matter.

I am sorry, but I wouldn't recommend this book, unless you really have nothing else to read on a train ride.