The X-Variant by Rosemary Cole

First Impresson: I really appreciate well-done covers, and this one is intriguing!

Characters: The future humanoids are advanced in some ways, and like children in others. They learn complex emotions from humans, and provide advanced technologies in return. I wanted to see more character development...to care about Kala and her team more.

World Building: Most of the story focuses on interaction and dialog. However, there are pieces mixed in of a believable old and new Earth. The symbionts' origin story and description are fascinating, almost as if they are separate characters in the story.

Writing Style: Cole has a honed ability using metaphor and imagery to paint a picture. This was the main feature that stood out to me, and I think it could be used to develop the characters and relationships a bit more.

What I Enjoyed: The dystopian, post-apocalyptic meets zombie survival story mixed with enough science to be plausible if yet fiction. The symbiotic host factor was interesting...I would have like to know more about where Kala's came from, but I suspect that is reserved for the second installment.

Deal Benders: I didn't care about the characters, so I give this book a solid three stars. Hopefully as the story progresses we will get to know them better. I also found myself with more questions than answers.