Impossible to sum up in such a short paragraph, Bonnie Milani's Home World combines elements of sci-fi, romance and action-adventure for a book that's sure to grab readers from multiple genres. A truly epic story, the book spans the galaxy both inside and out, using a pinch from many different tropes, including space travel, warring species, and intruders in cyberspace. Ultimately the tale focuses on the Great Family Van Buren and their need to create a truce between their Commonwealth and the Lupans. Jezekiah, next in line for a throne he doesn't wish to ascend, has a plan to marry off his sister, Letticia, to Strongarm, head of the Lupans. Only one problem: Letticia hates Jezekiah and refuses to marry for the sake of his treaty. Add to the mix a spirited Samurai-trained warrior, Keiko Yakamoto, who's stolen both Strongarm and Jezekiah's hearts and you've got one big snafu on the path to peace.

Milani pulls in pieces of many beloved sci-fi stories to create her own unique space opera, including a domineering ring that rules all the Van Burens, Letticia's hacker skills, and half-human/half-animal genetic variants battling in space. Whether you're drawn in by the book's political intrigue (of which there's a ton, and much of which was fairly confusing for me to follow), the cyber-drama or the romantic plots, there's a bit of something for everyone in Home World. Combining Hawaii and outer space is something of a feat in and of itself, but convincingly drawing readers into both Home World's dramas and those of the planets Jezekiah must visit to create a truce requires plenty of room to spread out and weave this complicated tale. In a galaxy filled with "types," genetically bred for distinct purposes, it's interesting to see how each character works within their own hardwired limits -- but even more rewarding when they rise above them. Home World's unusual characters and the novel's vast scope will keep readers guessing until the final page.