by Aimster (link)
Genre science fiction, suspense/thriller, mystery
Pairings Isaac/Nikki, Taylor/Natalie, Zac/Kate
Length prologue and 10 chapters
Status Completed (first in the Kindred series)
It was easy to guess, from the banner alone, that The Kindred had something to do with cloning. Not having watched the television show Orphan Black, which Aimster said was her inspiration (this isn’t, however, a full-on crossover), I didn’t know what else to expect. She has recently started to write stories with less, but longer chapters, and The Kindred is no exception to that trend. As such, it does feel fairly brief, but it’s a nice series opener nonetheless.
The action starts in the prologue, which sees Taylor run down by an unknown assailant, and saved by someone he claims looks just like him. There’s no question this is going to be a unique story, and in fact, that attack itself subverts my expectations. It isn’t some nameless government agency attacking him; it’s one of the many other “Taylors” out there. Each of the clones has their own personality, leaving room for a few unsolved mysteries, as some are more forthcoming than others.
One mystery, at least, is somewhat solved by the end of the story. I say somewhat, because The Kindred ends right after a bombshell is dropped on Taylor. This bombshell will clearly play a big role in the second story in the series, which I am looking forward to reading. Although this fic didn’t capture my attention as much as some of her others, perhaps because I guessed the surprise early on, it’s still a solid story in an uncommon genre for hanfic.
Review by Bethany (website)