tense scenes and compelling plots from the start, but I will say that to understand the story even more so you need to read the rest of the books before this one

Gear is an expert writer, building tense scenes and compelling plots from the start. I wasn’t able to finish as I ran out of time to read the first two books and couldn't keep up without that context, but what I made it through was well written and exciting.

I posted a review on my blog (spoiler: I love this series) and will submit the link to the publisher in the next round of the process.

What a fun return to Donovan in this third and final volume of W. Michael Gear’s sci-fi adventure series about the trials and tribulations of settling an untamed new world! That the planet was named for the first person to die on its surface just moments after stepping off the original colonization ship seems apt somehow, for Donovan is home to innumerous species of native flora and fauna that can kill you in more ways than you can imagine. As a result, those who managed to survive quickly developed a healthy respect for the local wildlife and learned not to take anything in life for granted, for you never know what can happen on Donovan. Over time, this also meant that a whole new system of traditions and beliefs have evolved, one that is very different from those in the Solar System, so needless to say, whenever fresh meat arrives on Donovan it’s always interesting to watch.

In the first book, Outpost, we saw what happened with the arrival of the Turalon, the first ship to make it into Donovan’s orbit in more than six years. These newcomers either stayed and adapted, or they chose to brave the risky return trip back home to Earth. The second book Abandoned focused on how those who had decided to stay on Donovan managed to cope as they continued to carve out their own path in this new society and assimilate into the local population, while those who didn’t or couldn’t simply perished. And now in Pariah, a second group has arrived on Donovan, though this time, due to the strange provenance of the new ship, things are a bit more complicated and highly unusual.

In this last book, readers finally get answers to the questions surrounding the missing ships that never made it to Donovan, as well as details about the creepy ghost ship that suddenly appeared in the planet’s orbit carrying nothing but a pile of the original crew’s bones. Part of the explanation lies in the arrival of the Vixen, a Corporation ship that disappeared fifty years ago but has now reappeared at Donovan, its passengers having no idea that so much time has passed. To them, they made the years-long trip to the planet in the blink of an eye. Now they find themselves out of their own time, trapped on a wild and undeveloped alien planet, and surrounded by a population of colonists using technology considered primitive even to those who are half a century out-of-date. Didn’t I tell you this was going to be fun?

Again, as with the previous books, the character list was what made Pariah so irresistible and compelling. Two main POVs were added from the Vixen, one being Dortmund Weisbacher, a scientist whose belief in his own theories of conservation practically borders on zealotry, but of course, he also has no idea that all his methods have been discredited and proven failures in years he’s been gone. Not that knowing would have changed his mind anyway. Donovan was supposed to be his planet to study and conserve, and arriving fifty years too late to find it already teeming with colonists and industry is enough to send him into a raging fit. And then there’s Tamarland Benteen, also known as the scorpion—a nickname he earned while serving as the consort and personal assassin for one of the most powerful politicians in the Solar System. And being out of his own time and on a strange planet bothers him not one bit. To Benteen, all people are the same—they can be manipulated, controlled, and threatened…all you need to know is what buttons to push. Whether it’s their safety, livelihoods, or their families, everyone has a weakness. He may have left the Solar System an exile, but Benteen is determined to be in power again, and he’s not above imprisoning and killing the local Donovanians to do it. Hard to believe there could be a slimier, more dastardly character than Dan Wirth, but hey, there you go.

And speaking of Dan Wirth, a whole bunch of familiar characters also make their return. Wirth himself has established himself as the local kingpin, running the lucrative casino and gaining more money and power by keeping everyone in his pocket. My favorite character, Corporation supervisor Kalico Aguila, has also become a beloved figure on Donovan, a far cry from the early days when she first marched into town thinking she could bend the colonists to her will. Then of course there are the locals, including Talina Perez, who is essentially the most vital figure in the entire series. However, in Pariah, Tal is a bit of a mess. Her personal war with the quetzals continues to rage on in the field as well as inside her own body, as her very DNA is threatened by alien genetic code trying to take over.

In the end, I just loved how all these character threads came together to fall under a unifying theme, which also lead to an all-important lesson—that those who want to mess with Donovan do so at their own peril. From Dortmund’s attempts to “save” Donovan and Benteen’s desire to take over Port Authority, we got to see in a most satisfying way how the planet and its people will always fight back. Those like Aguila have already been cowed and humbled. And when it comes to Talina’s problems, the book keeps us wondering just who will eventually prevail in this battle of wills, for not even those who have embraced Donovan are spared.
Perhaps my only criticism of this novel is that it felt somewhat scattered and disjointed, weakening the overall story. For instance, I felt the plot spent way too long on Talina’s internal struggle, represented by her time in some strange Mayan dreamscape. I confess that I skimmed most of these chapters. Pariah was also the first time I didn’t feel as connected to Tal’s sections, preferring to read about the other characters instead. As a result, the pacing suffered, since some parts dragged while others felt rushed.

That said, Pariah was a rewarding end to a fantastic trilogy, even if I felt this was the weakest of the three books. Simply put, too many different things going on probably hurt the overall story’s pacing and cohesiveness, though ultimately we got some stunning answers into the mystery surrounding the missing ships as well as some fascinating details into the science of Donovan. I still would not hesitate to recommend this trilogy to anyone who loves sci-fi action and adventure, especially if you enjoy stories related to space travel and colonization. I’m very excited at the possibility of more books set in this universe.

Pariah is about the intense struggle between humans and all their adversaries – the hazards of space travel, alien flora and fauna, and of course, other humans. The colonization of the planet Donovan (named for the first man that was eaten by a quetzal upon landing) serves as the foundation to the gripping illustration of these human struggles. Spoiler — humanity doesn’t always win.

Throughout the series, there has been a deplorable lack of characters to empathize with. The exceptions for me are Talina and Kylee. Talina has remained the stalwart anti-heroine, but in Pariah, the quetzal TriNA in her system has her having waking dreams that are a danger to those around her. So Talina sets out for Mundo base, and hooks up with Kylee, the only other character that I empathize with. These two make an interesting team, even if they don’t quite mesh. It’s a short-term partnership. But right now, they don’t have any other options. Talina and Kylee share the quetzal connection which also makes them the most interesting characters as they grow into their hybrid status.

Shig and Yvette are not bad characters, but there is not much depth to those characters. Their background and motivation lack details. Shig is an interesting spiritual man and the story could do with a little more Shig. While these two do have critical roles in Pariah, they remain mostly in the background. In the meantime, corporate leader Kalico has grown into the leader we always hoped she could be. Still on the other side of the fence from the original settlers, but finding wisdom in working things out. She may be the one to watch in future installments.

With Pariah, two more fairly despicable characters are added to the mix. Tamarland Benteen, aka, the Scorpion. Killer, plotter, ruthless, truly evil. And Dortmund Weisbacher, the highly-educated biological conservationist with a gigantic ego and absolutely no common sense. These two make the bad guy from books 1 and 2, Dan Wirth, look like a nice guy.

Character-driven, the author has given us an amazing crowd of individuals to focus on in Pariah. But I really needed more of the book to focus on characters I liked. By the time I was done reading Pariah, I was pleased I did not have to put up the reprehensible anymore.

From the first book, this series always reminded me of the SyFy TV show Defiance. Both display a lack of city planning in the scrabbled together buildings, seemingly innocuous leader(s), security with an attitude, cash/trade business, and multiple people playing games for power in a true frontier atmosphere.

Despite the lack of characters to connect with, I still give Pariah a 5-star rating. I realize a lot of people love to hate the bad guys. And I appreciate the fact that Donovan’s plan for success is constantly being threatened makes the story difficult to put down. Captivating, haunting, breathtaking and imaginative, Pariah is a frontier tale for the SciFi genre.

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The quetzals are more than they seem and both Talina and Kylee are playing a much larger role on Donovan . There is a new bad guy making some people unexpected on the same side. I did get bogged down on the Maya stuff but still a interesting read. I thought this was book three in a trilogy but seems there is much more to find out doubt Donovan.

This... this series cannot actually be over, right? RIGHT!? Straight up this is one of the only series I have started and finished in the last few years- because I couldn't not finish it, which has to say something. And it was absolutely worth it.

But if it does have to be over, this is the way you end a series. With permanently high stakes, incredible character development and growth, and plenty of twists along the way. With just as many shocking moments as when the series started, as when it first hooked me . I knew I was invested in the world and the plot from the start of the series, but I didn't know how much I'd grow to love the characters, and even Donovan itself.

It's always hard to write a review for a third book in a series. How do you not spoil stuff while still giving readers a hint of what to expect? So I'll tell you why you should start the series if you haven't: Intense (and often brutal) action-packed life on a planet previously uninhabited by humans. Messy relationships, political turmoil, yet little rays of hope. Tons of gray morality and thought provocation. Really jacked up alien life forms. If you like gritty sci-fi, do not miss this series.

And if you have started? Trust that you'll want to finish. This series improved with each installment, and I think that you'll find this one incredibly satisfying. (And, you'll be surprised at who you still love to hate, and who you actually... sort of just plain love.)

Bottom Line: I'll just leave this here: While the ending was satisfying enough to be a completely legit ending... there is still room for more exploration, as this is a hugely vast world with an amazing cast of complex characters. Just saying, I promise I'd buy a 4th book ;)

Satisfying end to the Donovan trilogy that just leaves me wanting more. On a planet like Donovan you can expect death and pain and yet at the same time some amazing things. Donovan is as big a character in the book as any other, and just as mysterious. I am ever so happy to have discovered this series. Reminds me in some ways of Grass by Sheri Tepper and The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. I'm looking for more books with the same "feel."
Thanks so much for the early read. I will be recommending these books to our patrons.

I love this series and can't wait for the next book !!!! This is the third book in the series about a group of people who colonize a hostile planet after arriving there in a spaceship which has inverted from our solar system. Their colony has survived in sort of a wild west type existence using what equipment they brought with them and what they have been able to work with on the planet. The planet is rich in minerals and lethal plant and animal life. After 10 years a second ship arrives, the Turalon, with a whole new set of people and problems. The planets's animal life primarily the quetzals, a dinosaur/dragon /kangaroo type animal which has sharp teeth and a penchant for either eating human outright or occasionally sharing molecule with certain humans by sticking their tongues in their mouths similar to french kissing. These is the way these creatures learn. A third ship shows up but they find it has been lost in the inversion for 120 years and everyone is dead and something strange and creepy has happened and gone wrong on board. A fourth ship arrives in this book; it has been 50 years since it left earth and the first three ships arrived before it. It was supposed to be the initial survey ship and the crew is really upset to find the thriving colony.
The characters are vibrant and the storyline is fabulous. While it does need to be read in order, they are really good reads and leave you wanting more of this crazy planet and his inhabitants!!!!

I was not expecting a new rotten character to show up on Donovan. While the Scorpion was a deadly character, he was definitely in a different league than Dan. Dan is pond scum, still wanted him to die, but the other was just deadly and you can say rash. He never took the time to learn about the culture he was in living in. Appreciated the comeuppance in the end though. Once again, the character development of the annoying, arrogant, and stupid Doctor Weisbacher was beautiful.
Tal’s transformation while engaging and intriguing with the blend of the Mayan culture with the Donovan way of life, was a bit slow for me. After book two where so much happened the pace of this book actually slowed down for me. The most action and excitement happened at the end. However, I am still enjoying learning about the deep culture of a new world and all the struggles the people are dealing with in order to survive and thrive. Great discussions to come with my friends who are also enjoying this series.