A Review of Tigra

Tigra is a good old fashioned Science Fiction story. Released by Zumaya Publications' Otherworlds imprint, Tigra is the debut novel by author R.J. Leahy. Dr. Leahy is able to weave a compelling tale with a well-developed plot. With vivid imagination R.J.Leahy brings the planet Ararat to life, and introduces an original race of creatures and memorable characters.

With the universe thrown into the chaos of a civil war which has lasted for nearly a century, Captain Jeena Garza finds herself captured behind enemy lines and must face the horrors of becoming a POW. Through a series of incidents, Captain Garza is able to escape from her prison, steal a ship, and begin to make her way back to Earth. Unfortunately, she soon finds herself shipwrecked on the out of the way planet of Ararat.

Lonely and still recovering from the physical and mental abuse she suffered at the hands of her captors, Jeena befriends an orphaned tigra cub. At first she treats the cub which she has named Samson, as little more than a pet. That is until he starts speaking. Realizing this tigra is something special she begins teaching Samson how to speak, read, and write. As Samson grows into adulthood, he and Jeena learn his race has been hunted to near extinction by the religious fanatic colonists on Ararat.

Wanting nothing more than to try and find an inner peace and to explore her growing feelings for Samson, Jeena soon finds herself at war yet again. This time she, along with a separate group of colonists, is fighting for the tigras' existence and their own freedom. Along the way, she and Samson are able to discover the secret the planet Ararat has held for generations, and Jeena is able to find love and a true home.

What I liked about this book was even though it is science fiction; Dr. Leahy does not bury the story in technical jargon. He keeps the concepts simple which in turn makes them more believable. I can definitely see the influence of Frank Herbert's Dune and the Man-Kzin Wars series, and fans of both will enjoy Tigra as well. R.J. Leahy's entertaining first novel, Tigra, is a well put together traditional science fiction novel, and I am looking forward to his next work.

Previously published in the May 2007 issue of The Writer's Post Journal.

Shawn Oetzel has had short stories published in The Writer's Post Journal and Universe Pathways. A short story earned an Honorable Mention from the National Fantasy Fan Federation in 2005. He has published several articles along with an interview with fantasy author B.T. Robertson with Associated Content. He also writes movie, book, and DVD reviews which have been published at the the online media sources, Associated Content, Static Multimedia, and Fractal Matter as well as Ascent Aspirations Magazine, The Writer's Post Journal, and Tales of the Talisman.

Email: Shawn Oetzel

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