Some books pull you into their world gradually. Raq grabs you by the collar and throws you straight into the heat. Set in an alien society where belief, honor, and duty shape every action, it follows Lieutenant Raq, a soldier of the Hlad race, as he faces the impossible, a crashed alien ship, a survivor who isn’t like anything his people have ever seen, and a truth that could shatter everything he believes. What starts as a mission to protect his world turns into an unsettling journey of discovery, where Raq and the human survivor, David, are forced to bridge their differences to uncover something bigger than both of them.

One thing that stood out immediately was the visceral world-building. Toppin doesn’t just describe the Hlad; she immerses you in their culture. From the Fire King’s brutal rule to the structured hierarchy of warriors and scholars, every piece of their world feels lived-in. Raq, in particular, is a character torn between deep-seated faith and an uncomfortable new reality. His reaction to the humans is intense disgust, superiority, then creeping doubt. You can feel his internal struggle as he hesitates before killing a human, as he wrestles with the possibility that everything he’s been taught is a lie. There’s a moment early on when he watches the alien leader, “the Tall One,” fall back protectively in front of his injured companion. That brief hesitation, that flicker of recognition, sets the stage for his slow unraveling. It’s masterfully done.

The novel also does something many sci-fi books struggle with: making the aliens alien but still relatable. The Hlad aren’t just humans in lizard suits; they have different physical structures, customs, and ways of processing emotions. And yet, they still feel incredibly real. Their biology is fascinating, with spikes that bristle in response to emotion, mandibles that twitch when angry, a rigid class system that dictates their entire lives. The moment when Raq realizes that David, the human, is just as confused and afraid as he is, is a pivotal shift. The way language is used as a barrier between them is handled well at first, all Raq hears are strange, clipped sounds, but then David keeps repeating “I am human” until Raq starts to understand. It’s a slow, believable progression, not a convenient sci-fi instant-translation moment.

Raq is an ambitious book that takes its time unfolding its layers. The first half is gripping, packed with tension, mystery, and high-stakes conflict. Then, the pace shifts, allowing room for deeper reflection. David’s journal entries bring a rich perspective, immersing us in Earth’s forgotten history and the mission that led them to Hlad. While these sections slow the immediate action, they add depth and context, making the story feel expansive. The balance between action and introspection leans heavily toward world-building at times, but for readers who enjoy a thoughtful, layered narrative, this shift offers a rewarding look into the bigger picture.

Raq is an engrossing read for anyone who loves deep world-building and character-driven sci-fi. If you enjoy stories where different cultures clash and characters have to earn their understanding of each other rather than just getting along right away, this one’s for you. Fans of The Forever War or The Sparrow will appreciate the moral dilemmas and the slow unraveling of certainty. It’s not a light read, but it’s a rewarding one, and by the time you turn the last page, you’ll be left with that eerie, lingering question, what if we’re not as alone as we think?

Pages: 237 | ASIN: B0B913PTBG