Humans have domesticated animals for thousands of years; in this novel, a spacefaring race descends on Earth to domesticate humankind. The Lindauzi came to Earth at the turn of the millennium with a mission to breed humans to become their emotional symbionts. Technically superior, within a generation the Lindauzi dominate the Earth, running a breeding program designed to produce humans capable of full emotional symbiosis. This is the story of Ilox, a human raised by the Lindauzi, his banishment and adoption by a tribe of wild humans, and his eventual reunion with his Lindauzi bond-mate, Phlarx. While alien invasion is a common plot in science fiction, this fresh voice breathes new life into such a story, focusing on the theme of what it means to be human.