Jai

An otherworldly woman discovers her unique destiny in this novel.

Deep within the Tibetan Himalayas, a young woman named Jai stands naked, cold, and very afraid. A skilled student in a remote Himalayan monastery, she is a survivor of a brutal attack that left the temple in ruins and everyone else dead, including her beloved teacher Jinhai. Weakened by illness, Jai barely withstands the ordeal. Rescued by a wise and mysterious woman, Jai is taken to a mystical land, where she meets the A Ma, who facilitates her recovery. The A Ma also reveals that her people are part of a species of aliens. Jai’s mother was an alien sent to Earth to mate with a human. Now, Jai’s people face serious threats to their existence, and she has been chosen to find and eliminate those dangers. She is aided in her quest by several key assistants, including Makeen, a handsome karate teacher, and Amira Moreau, a gifted scientist. Together, they cross the globe, encountering sinister enemies and discovering helpful allies. Meanwhile, Jai finds herself drawn to both Makeen and Amira, setting the stage for powerful and erotic relationships. Stitz’s (Capturing the Moments of a Contemplative Life, 2011) tale is a genre-bending pastiche of sci-fi, paranormal action adventure, and erotic romance. The strongest elements are its heroine and the vivid depictions of her homeland and her globe-trotting task. Jai is a singular and memorable character. Half-alien, half-human, part Chinese, part Japanese, she was left to fend for herself on the streets of Macao after her stepfather sent her away to be sold on the open market. Rescued from a brothel and taken to a Tibetan monastery, she quickly becomes a top student thanks to her skills in martial arts and lung-gom. Stitz skillfully introduces Jai’s back story through a series of flashbacks that offer additional details and context to her trajectory without detracting from the primary narrative. The tale moves at a brisk pace, aided by bracing and suspenseful sequences as her mission grows more menacing.

An audacious adventure anchored by a memorable half-alien heroine and a healthy dose of action.