Outcasts by Jonathan Staten

A futuristic blur of sci-fi and dark fantasy, Outcasts, Book 3 in the Wardens Universe, by Jonathan Staten is a page-turning installment of this universe-jumping series. When a deadly enemy from the past unleashes a shadowy slaughter and a secret heist in the city of Sephria, the Augur-augmented Wardens of the Interstellar Space Association may be the only force that can stop their destructive plans. Elizabeth Stone will have to master her new abilities in the crucible of combat, and learn to trust her centuries-old comrades, or succumb to the wrath of a vengeful monster from another world. For readers who like their science fiction with a heaping portion of darker imagery, this novel certainly succeeds in creating a dense, foreboding atmosphere, at times even veering into horror fiction, for an emotive, dramatic novel with a powerfully crafted and relatable lead character at the helm.