This book started off with some promising aspects. The main character, Jory, has been revealed as as half-alien, half-human on a xenophobic Earth and kicked out. Her mother was a member of a spaceship crew that was kidnapped by slavers. Seven of the female crew members were impregnanted by their captors. Eventually they were freed. Jory's mother chose to go to Earth, the others stayed on their home planet. Jory returns to her mother's home to find the other children (all grown now) and tell them the truth of their origins.

On the way there she is offered an intriguing proposition regarding a school of assassins, the very select "Blade Dancers." After meeting with the other children of slavery, who have been mistreated by their home clans, they all decide to go with her to the school of the assassins, and then they will try to wreak vengence on their fathers.

This is the part of the plot that I had the highest hopes for, but once they reach the school the book descends into the depths of cliche. I would call it juvenile, except for the extremely explicit sex scenes, which seemed a little out of place. In the latter half of the book, Jory becomes self-absorbed to the point of idiocy, and seems to completely revert to adolescence in every way, including romantically. It became quite annoying.

The ending has a nice climactic battle, and one interesting plot twist regarding the purpose of the school, but at the same time the cliches start falling fast and furious. The line "{Blank}, I am your father" makes an appearance, and just about sent me over the edge.

I would call this fun young adult reading, except that it is written for adults. I recommend avoiding this particular book.