Review: Family Law (Family Law Series Book 1) by Mackey Chandler

Family Law by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Two Races Meet

This is the first book in a continuing series, however, the book comes to a natural break and works as a standalone story. There are a few hints about future storylines to lure you into reading the next in the series. After reading this series I realised that there is a connected series that was written before this series, starting with April. I would recommend starting with that book and following that series until Book 10, after which, you should read this book. The full series list and reading order is given in this post.

In the future, there are multiple races that humanity interacts with. Some people are easier with this fact than others. Gordon is a Derf and an equal partner in an exploration expedition, alongside a human husband and wife team. They travel with their 12-year-old daughter, Lee, and Gordon has known her since her birth and has been a big part of her rearing.

The team have struck the biggest score of their lives and found a habitable living world, with plant life and mammals. It can sustain human and other animal life from Earth. This is the biggest claim to have been made in a very long time as finding a living world is unbelievably rare. However, before the final survey can be completed Lee’s parents die in an incident. According to her parent’s wishes, Gordon chooses to raise Lee as his own. Lee cannot imagine going with anyone else as she was born and raised on their exploration vessel. Gordon is her family, despite being 750kg of furry, clawed and fanged alien. To them, this is the most logical thing in the universe, but to others, having a human child being raised by another species is an abomination.

This is a wonderfully captivating book. The universe building is fantastically well realised. The social structures of the different races and even the different societies within each race area are well developed and really drive the story. As well as the different sociological explorations, the geographic and scientific descriptions are vibrant and logical and clearly thought out.

I love Lee’s character. She is very bright, curious and naive about interacting with a larger group of people, no matter their race. She is only used to being around completely trustworthy people, her family. Gordon’s explanations of what people and society are like help round out how we perceive the universe in which this story is set. As well as being naive, Lee knows how to defend herself, speaks three languages and knows how to change filters on a spaceship. She has a strangely diverse and also very specific education. She is logical and forms opinions based on information and facts as well as direct observation. She’s an engaging and interesting protagonist, despite her age.

Gordon is also a wonderful character. He’s essentially a six-limbed grizzly bear who speaks multiple languages and can slaughter his enemies with single strokes of his axe. He sees Lee as his daughter and doesn’t hesitate to take responsibility for her. He willingly ensures she learns from everywhere and all her encounters are made educational. He is intelligent and interested in people and their communities. He is kind and funny and sweet and will do anything to protect Lee. He’s also talented at applying his knowledge to diverse skill sets.

The plot of this book races along so quickly, you barely stop to breathe when you turn each page. Diving around the universe between different races and perspectives makes you desperate to know what happens next to each group of people. The story is gripping as well as intellectually stimulating. The subject matter could have been dry, as some military space operas can be, but the characters are so warm and personable you become emotionally involved as well as mentally.

This wonderful book is the first book in a series and I can’t wait to see what happens to this group of people next, as they are never boring!

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