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Ahoy there mateys! This be the third book in the ship breaker series. I loved books one and two. However I cannot get into this one even though it stars one of me beloved characters. I have no idea why. I tried this one at least four times in both hardback and audiobook format. None of them would stick. I do think this is a case of me and not the author. Cause I love his work and even featured him in me Broadside No. 17. So this is just chalked up to being a miss. I will not be attempting to read it again. Though I am looking forward to seeing what the next Bacigalupi book will be. Arrrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I heard about this sci-fi book because it was a Booker Prize Nominee for Longlist (2019). This novel is about what happens when climate change has raised the water levels of our planet. It takes place on an island surrounded by the Wall which basically exists to keep all Others out.
Kavanagh is a young man who is about to serve his time on the Wall as a Defender. All citizens have to do their two-year stint. The consequence for letting someone over the Wall is to be thrown out on the other side to become an Other yerself. I really enjoyed Kavanagh as a character.
The society at first seems rather benign. All citizens have a chip and are guaranteed shelter, food, and clothing. Ye also get a say into what yer job will be in the future. Sure, ye might die on the Wall but once ye serve yer two years, it be fairly smooth sailing. But reality of course is that there be a rather fierce class system where it be hard to work yer way up. There are slaves even though they aren't called that. No one wants to bring children into the world so one of the ways ye can work yer way up is by being a Breeder. And above all there is always the fear of the Others getting in and taking precious resources and getting caught up in the consequences.
I thought the premise was excellent, the world-building was interesting, and I particularly liked the ending of this one. Those who want solid answers might want to stay clear. I keep reading these books about rising water levels because of where our planet seems to be headed. I be interested in what authors can do to showcase the possibilities, as scary as they are. Because remember the planet has been through this before. Just look at Doggerland:
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/maps/doggerland/
This was an engrossing and quick read that I can recommend. Arrrr!
Kavanagh is a young man who is about to serve his time on the Wall as a Defender. All citizens have to do their two-year stint. The consequence for letting someone over the Wall is to be thrown out on the other side to become an Other yerself. I really enjoyed Kavanagh as a character.
The society at first seems rather benign. All citizens have a chip and are guaranteed shelter, food, and clothing. Ye also get a say into what yer job will be in the future. Sure, ye might die on the Wall but once ye serve yer two years, it be fairly smooth sailing. But reality of course is that there be a rather fierce class system where it be hard to work yer way up. There are slaves even though they aren't called that. No one wants to bring children into the world so one of the ways ye can work yer way up is by being a Breeder. And above all there is always the fear of the Others getting in and taking precious resources and getting caught up in the consequences.
I thought the premise was excellent, the world-building was interesting, and I particularly liked the ending of this one. Those who want solid answers might want to stay clear. I keep reading these books about rising water levels because of where our planet seems to be headed. I be interested in what authors can do to showcase the possibilities, as scary as they are. Because remember the planet has been through this before. Just look at Doggerland:
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/maps/doggerland/
Doggerland was an area of land, now submerged beneath the southern North Sea, that connected Britain to continental Europe. It was flooded by rising sea levels around 6500–6200 BC. Geological surveys have suggested that it stretched from Britain's east coast to the Netherlands and the western coasts of Germany and the peninsula of Jutland. It was probably a rich habitat with human habitation in the Mesolithic period, although rising sea levels gradually reduced it to low-lying islands before its final submergence, possibly following a tsunami caused by the Storegga Slide.
This was an engrossing and quick read that I can recommend. Arrrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! Here I take a second look at a previously enjoyed novel and give me crew me second reflections, as it were, upon visitin’ it again . . .
It's Sci-Fi Month!! I enjoyed me reread of ancillary justice so much that I didn't read anything on me actual ports for plunder list but immediately hopped right into revisiting the Imperial Radch and reading the other two books of the trilogy back to back. Minor spoilers may abound so read at yer own peril. Basically Matey Nikki summed up this series well when she said:
"Every time, it surprises me how quiet these books are really — most of it is not civilisations crashing into each other, or high octane combat: it’s Breq drinking tea, talking to people, managing relationships. There is an action-filled climactic scene . . . but this isn’t sensawonder space battles, and it’s even less so than the first book. Which is a thing I enjoy, but is possibly another reason some people don’t get along with these books. You expect something earthshaking, but Breq’s not going to bring down the Radch alone, and doesn’t even want to try. She’s lit the fuse, but now she’s off in another system protecting those important to her and letting what will happen go on without her."
Book two has Breq going with a new ship and new commands to Athoek Station. Her stated purpose is to secure the system. Of course Breq has ideas about how to accomplish this. What I was reminded of in book two is how much narrower the scope is. There be one time frame and basically Breq's single perspective. Now this perspective is still influenced by Breq's connectivity with the ship and her implants so the feel of Breq being an ancillary is still going strong. On me first read the advancement of the plot was such that I thought it was more of a character study. However it only seems that way because, though subtle, the threads are very much being set up for the next book. On this read, I particularly loved the alien translator and Lieutenant Tisarwat. Following Tisarwat in the beginning especially had some great foreshadowing as to consequences of the overall conflict. Plus many of their sections made me laugh. I had forgotten how little Seivarden appears in the book and I missed them. I think of this book as a larger exploration of the Radchaai society's culture as a whole and as such a commentary on the viewpoints of superiority and greater good.
I love this series so much. Arrrr!
It's Sci-Fi Month!! I enjoyed me reread of ancillary justice so much that I didn't read anything on me actual ports for plunder list but immediately hopped right into revisiting the Imperial Radch and reading the other two books of the trilogy back to back. Minor spoilers may abound so read at yer own peril. Basically Matey Nikki summed up this series well when she said:
"Every time, it surprises me how quiet these books are really — most of it is not civilisations crashing into each other, or high octane combat: it’s Breq drinking tea, talking to people, managing relationships. There is an action-filled climactic scene . . . but this isn’t sensawonder space battles, and it’s even less so than the first book. Which is a thing I enjoy, but is possibly another reason some people don’t get along with these books. You expect something earthshaking, but Breq’s not going to bring down the Radch alone, and doesn’t even want to try. She’s lit the fuse, but now she’s off in another system protecting those important to her and letting what will happen go on without her."
Book two has Breq going with a new ship and new commands to Athoek Station. Her stated purpose is to secure the system. Of course Breq has ideas about how to accomplish this. What I was reminded of in book two is how much narrower the scope is. There be one time frame and basically Breq's single perspective. Now this perspective is still influenced by Breq's connectivity with the ship and her implants so the feel of Breq being an ancillary is still going strong. On me first read the advancement of the plot was such that I thought it was more of a character study. However it only seems that way because, though subtle, the threads are very much being set up for the next book. On this read, I particularly loved the alien translator and Lieutenant Tisarwat. Following Tisarwat in the beginning especially had some great foreshadowing as to consequences of the overall conflict. Plus many of their sections made me laugh. I had forgotten how little Seivarden appears in the book and I missed them. I think of this book as a larger exploration of the Radchaai society's culture as a whole and as such a commentary on the viewpoints of superiority and greater good.
I love this series so much. Arrrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! Here I take a second look at a previously enjoyed novel and give me crew me second reflections, as it were, upon visitin’ it again . . .
It's Sci-Fi Month!! I enjoyed me reread of ancillary justice so much that I didn't read anything on me actual ports for plunder list but immediately hopped right into revisiting the Imperial Radch and reading the other two books of the trilogy back to back. Minor spoilers may abound so read at yer own peril. Basically Matey Nikki summed up this series well when she said:
"Every time, it surprises me how quiet these books are really — most of it is not civilisations crashing into each other, or high octane combat: it’s Breq drinking tea, talking to people, managing relationships. There is an action-filled climactic scene . . . but this isn’t sensawonder space battles, and it’s even less so than the first book. Which is a thing I enjoy, but is possibly another reason some people don’t get along with these books. You expect something earthshaking, but Breq’s not going to bring down the Radch alone, and doesn’t even want to try. She’s lit the fuse, but now she’s off in another system protecting those important to her and letting what will happen go on without her."
Book two has Breq going with a new ship and new commands to Athoek Station. Her stated purpose is to secure the system. Of course Breq has ideas about how to accomplish this. What I was reminded of in book two is how much narrower the scope is. There be one time frame and basically Breq's single perspective. Now this perspective is still influenced by Breq's connectivity with the ship and her implants so the feel of Breq being an ancillary is still going strong. On me first read the advancement of the plot was such that I thought it was more of a character study. However it only seems that way because, though subtle, the threads are very much being set up for the next book. On this read, I particularly loved the alien translator and Lieutenant Tisarwat. Following Tisarwat in the beginning especially had some great foreshadowing as to consequences of the overall conflict. Plus many of their sections made me laugh. I had forgotten how little Seivarden appears in the book and I missed them. I think of this book as a larger exploration of the Radchaai society's culture as a whole and as such a commentary on the viewpoints of superiority and greater good.
Book three continues to deal with Athoek Station and the many prior complications lingering effects. Those missing Anaander Mianaai get to see them and the consequences of their actions. The fun element of the novel on this read was how badly Breq seemed overwhelmed and likely to fail despite their ancillary background. Before it seemed that Breq was always a step or two ahead or at least able to problem solve on the fly. But Breq is a mess and plots are failing everywhere by everyone. I loved the messiness of the situation and how the liabilities of the characters get involved. I adored the alien translator in this read. I adored the addition of Sphene. I still loved the ending for both how it resolved some things and created new problems. I love Breq and the rest of the found family.
Now I just need to read the two novellas and reread the standalone book set in the same universe. I love this series so much. Arrrr!
It's Sci-Fi Month!! I enjoyed me reread of ancillary justice so much that I didn't read anything on me actual ports for plunder list but immediately hopped right into revisiting the Imperial Radch and reading the other two books of the trilogy back to back. Minor spoilers may abound so read at yer own peril. Basically Matey Nikki summed up this series well when she said:
"Every time, it surprises me how quiet these books are really — most of it is not civilisations crashing into each other, or high octane combat: it’s Breq drinking tea, talking to people, managing relationships. There is an action-filled climactic scene . . . but this isn’t sensawonder space battles, and it’s even less so than the first book. Which is a thing I enjoy, but is possibly another reason some people don’t get along with these books. You expect something earthshaking, but Breq’s not going to bring down the Radch alone, and doesn’t even want to try. She’s lit the fuse, but now she’s off in another system protecting those important to her and letting what will happen go on without her."
Book two has Breq going with a new ship and new commands to Athoek Station. Her stated purpose is to secure the system. Of course Breq has ideas about how to accomplish this. What I was reminded of in book two is how much narrower the scope is. There be one time frame and basically Breq's single perspective. Now this perspective is still influenced by Breq's connectivity with the ship and her implants so the feel of Breq being an ancillary is still going strong. On me first read the advancement of the plot was such that I thought it was more of a character study. However it only seems that way because, though subtle, the threads are very much being set up for the next book. On this read, I particularly loved the alien translator and Lieutenant Tisarwat. Following Tisarwat in the beginning especially had some great foreshadowing as to consequences of the overall conflict. Plus many of their sections made me laugh. I had forgotten how little Seivarden appears in the book and I missed them. I think of this book as a larger exploration of the Radchaai society's culture as a whole and as such a commentary on the viewpoints of superiority and greater good.
Book three continues to deal with Athoek Station and the many prior complications lingering effects. Those missing Anaander Mianaai get to see them and the consequences of their actions. The fun element of the novel on this read was how badly Breq seemed overwhelmed and likely to fail despite their ancillary background. Before it seemed that Breq was always a step or two ahead or at least able to problem solve on the fly. But Breq is a mess and plots are failing everywhere by everyone. I loved the messiness of the situation and how the liabilities of the characters get involved. I adored the alien translator in this read. I adored the addition of Sphene. I still loved the ending for both how it resolved some things and created new problems. I love Breq and the rest of the found family.
Now I just need to read the two novellas and reread the standalone book set in the same universe. I love this series so much. Arrrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I am sorry to say that yet another book has been abandoned. I really, really wanted to like this one. It has an awesome cover. The cover says "Kidnappers. Alien emperors. Psychic cats. And she's out of coffee." The psychic cats were of course what led me to pick up the book. It certainly started out strong. The first chapter was perfect. I liked the crew. I liked the premise of bad girl gone good only to have to go bad again to try and save her kidnapped sister. I enjoyed the silly tone at first. So the problem?
The first problem is that the main character, Eva, spends the entire book going from one bad situation to another and getting out of them seemingly based purely on luck and shooting her way out. It was fun at first but never seemed to progress towards the stated purpose of getting her sister back. For someone who is supposed to have all these "bad guy times" in her past, Eva came across as being naive and lacking common sense. Where was the cunning and logic? Where was the planning? This continued for the almost two-thirds of the book and the hopping around with no real purpose annoyed me. Also I am not down with so much lying to herself and her crew.
The second problem was the flatness of the book. There was too much focus on the supposed humor of the characters and their improbable situations. From of the cover blurb, I expected fluffy lightness but the humor fell flat most of the time. The character development, world building, and politics seemed practically nonexistent and the little there was made no sense. The Fridge and BOFA seemed to operate with no real method to the madness. Ye really didn't get enough of the other crew member's personalities either. I don't always want other POVs but in this case I did want them. I wanted to know more about the cool, quirky crew who lived on the ship.
The third problem that is not the book's fault was the Spanish. The author is Cuban-American and I am all for diversity in books. I am not saying it shouldn't be there cause it should. I just found meself getting more upset that I knew I was missing jokes and nuance because I didn't know the words. I wondered if the book would have been funnier if I spoke Spanish. If the book's language has made up words then I assign them meanings and move on. Because it is actually in another real language, in this instance I tried to Google translate and used slang dictionaries to try to remedy me lack of understanding. Not much could be directly translated by me (probably cause I suck). I wanted to know what the chapter titles, bickering, and endearments meant!
The fourth problem with this book was the plot twist. I didn't like it at all. I think others totally would but I just wanted something different. By page 286, I was just not feeling it and getting completely frustrated with Eva.
But the real problem? I know this is silly but I was promised psychic cats. There are 20 of them. And after the first chapter they do nothing. Literally nothing. The "leader" sits on some laps for scratches a couple times. What? I really wanted them to be part of the action, so I did something I don't normally do and skimmed to page 317 until the cats reappeared. Again they do nothing and are just mentioned.
Had I not had so many other issues with the book, I would have gotten over the lack of cat contributions. But that was the final straw. Do they ever get used as anything but a macguffin? I couldn't bring meself to finish and find out. I do think there be readers that would enjoy this. I really am devastated that I didn't. Arrr!
Matey Mogsy's review shows that she liked this book better than I did:
"But while I am glad that the story wasn’t over-the-top in its silliness, a part of me still wishes it had been more memorable. You’re not going to get a whole lot of world-building, character development, or to be honest, any kind of explanation for what’s going on. Still, nothing wrong with this one being a pure escapism read, so long as you go in knowing what to expect."
The first problem is that the main character, Eva, spends the entire book going from one bad situation to another and getting out of them seemingly based purely on luck and shooting her way out. It was fun at first but never seemed to progress towards the stated purpose of getting her sister back. For someone who is supposed to have all these "bad guy times" in her past, Eva came across as being naive and lacking common sense. Where was the cunning and logic? Where was the planning? This continued for the almost two-thirds of the book and the hopping around with no real purpose annoyed me. Also I am not down with so much lying to herself and her crew.
The second problem was the flatness of the book. There was too much focus on the supposed humor of the characters and their improbable situations. From of the cover blurb, I expected fluffy lightness but the humor fell flat most of the time. The character development, world building, and politics seemed practically nonexistent and the little there was made no sense. The Fridge and BOFA seemed to operate with no real method to the madness. Ye really didn't get enough of the other crew member's personalities either. I don't always want other POVs but in this case I did want them. I wanted to know more about the cool, quirky crew who lived on the ship.
The third problem that is not the book's fault was the Spanish. The author is Cuban-American and I am all for diversity in books. I am not saying it shouldn't be there cause it should. I just found meself getting more upset that I knew I was missing jokes and nuance because I didn't know the words. I wondered if the book would have been funnier if I spoke Spanish. If the book's language has made up words then I assign them meanings and move on. Because it is actually in another real language, in this instance I tried to Google translate and used slang dictionaries to try to remedy me lack of understanding. Not much could be directly translated by me (probably cause I suck). I wanted to know what the chapter titles, bickering, and endearments meant!
The fourth problem with this book was the plot twist. I didn't like it at all. I think others totally would but I just wanted something different. By page 286, I was just not feeling it and getting completely frustrated with Eva.
But the real problem? I know this is silly but I was promised psychic cats. There are 20 of them. And after the first chapter they do nothing. Literally nothing. The "leader" sits on some laps for scratches a couple times. What? I really wanted them to be part of the action, so I did something I don't normally do and skimmed to page 317 until the cats reappeared. Again they do nothing and are just mentioned.
Had I not had so many other issues with the book, I would have gotten over the lack of cat contributions. But that was the final straw. Do they ever get used as anything but a macguffin? I couldn't bring meself to finish and find out. I do think there be readers that would enjoy this. I really am devastated that I didn't. Arrr!
Matey Mogsy's review shows that she liked this book better than I did:
"But while I am glad that the story wasn’t over-the-top in its silliness, a part of me still wishes it had been more memorable. You’re not going to get a whole lot of world-building, character development, or to be honest, any kind of explanation for what’s going on. Still, nothing wrong with this one being a pure escapism read, so long as you go in knowing what to expect."
Ahoy there mateys! I liked this book better when I first read it because of the imagery of the writing. But there is a graphic, horrible rape scene that could have been avoided altogether so I am changing me rating. The more I think about the book the more that scene has taken over the entire plot and left me with a nauseous stomach. Seriously I can't remember anything else about the story. Arrrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! This novel is the fifth (and last!) in the Lightbringer series. If ye haven't read any of this series then ye might want to skip this post and go read the first book, the black prism. Worth the read. If ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
I read books one to three in this series before I had a blog and so I have no reviews on them. I did give them five stars on Goodreads. Book four was a bit of a letdown because it felt like a placeholder book even though there was a lot to love there. I still needed to know what happened next so it was with both excitement, sadness, and trepidation that I got me mitts on this last book. The thoughts on this book will have spoilers because I want to record what I am feeling now for the future. These are in no particular order but rather as they occur to me:
- This book was long (almost 1000 pages) and I sat for two whole days to read through it. I was annoyed that I had to sleep. I do have to admit that the pacing in this first part of the book was very choppy though.
- I needed the recaps to jog the memory and yet within two pages of the new material I was completely engrossed in the book. It was crazy how quickly I was absorbed back into the story.
- I did not think the author's explanation before the book of his writing choices involving timelines and writing choices was necessary. It made it seem like a bigger problem than it ended up being. I think the writing is excellent even if I didn't agree with all of the author's plot choices.
- I adored the extra stories at the end and how they were put in almost as fun secrets. I know I was surprised and that last page was perfect even if I didn't end up loving the bonus story online.
- Teia be without a doubt me favourite character. She really did have the worst possible journey and yet how it ended was kinda perfect. I do hope she manages happiness in the future given all that she went through. I wouldn't mind many future stories about her (please!). There is a tie for best Teia moment - when ye realize the dog tooth trick and her giving up her life to poison the Order. She is always in the background and gets no recognition but deserves the most.
- Gavin's chapters were interesting and annoying at the same time. Too much philosophy for me but he still had me rooting for him. Gunner still is insane and I found more enjoyment in his wordplay this time. The journey up the tower was kinda plodding and the fight at the top was kinda boring. However, I did enjoy watching him reflect on his past choices. Oh and I still love his obnoxious yet endearing attitude. Though if I met him in real life I would want to punch him in the face.
- Karris' sections were interesting only up until the midnight execution. I really didn't care about her after that. I found that surprising given that she had been one of the characters I cared about most.
- Kip started out being one of the best characters for me in book one but by the end of the series was one of the worst ones. I am not quite sure why. I just got tired of his thoughts on basically everything. I also feel like his leaps of intuition were rather arbitrary and sometimes ridiculous.
- I thought the forest chi sub-plot was kinda stupid.
- I still like the Mighty individually but not their dumb jokes when they are together. Winsten might have become me favourite. I especially liked how hard he was on himself about fighting the bane.
- I want more short stories about Liv Danavis' future. She is crazy and awesome. I enjoyed how her section ended even if she made the wrong choices leading up to it.
- Watching Andross be wrong (finally!) made me happy. However he did not get his comeuppance and that was weird and yet perfect. I hated him this whole time and then the ending made me kinda respect him. But I still hate him. The final card game scene was great fun.
- This book is not a five star read because the philosophy and religion was just too much. It completely bogged down entire sections of the book and felt more like a morality lesson for the reader. In the second half of the book it became overwhelming and kinda silly.
- I also didn't like the deus ex machina (literally) coming down and fixing things. Dead people should have stayed dead rather than having happy ever after. I don't even understand the white / black luxin junk at the end. The solutions to the war were both kinda lame and nonsensical. After such a great set-up for the war ending, it just stopped and poof! fixed. And no Kip and Gavin should not have gotten their magic back. It only solidified that ye have to be a magic user to matter. What about all the non-magic users?
- I did love that ye can choose who yer Lightbringer is.
A decent end overall to the series and lots of plot twists I wasn't expecting. I be very interested to see what the author will come up with in the future. Arrr!
I read books one to three in this series before I had a blog and so I have no reviews on them. I did give them five stars on Goodreads. Book four was a bit of a letdown because it felt like a placeholder book even though there was a lot to love there. I still needed to know what happened next so it was with both excitement, sadness, and trepidation that I got me mitts on this last book. The thoughts on this book will have spoilers because I want to record what I am feeling now for the future. These are in no particular order but rather as they occur to me:
- This book was long (almost 1000 pages) and I sat for two whole days to read through it. I was annoyed that I had to sleep. I do have to admit that the pacing in this first part of the book was very choppy though.
- I needed the recaps to jog the memory and yet within two pages of the new material I was completely engrossed in the book. It was crazy how quickly I was absorbed back into the story.
- I did not think the author's explanation before the book of his writing choices involving timelines and writing choices was necessary. It made it seem like a bigger problem than it ended up being. I think the writing is excellent even if I didn't agree with all of the author's plot choices.
- I adored the extra stories at the end and how they were put in almost as fun secrets. I know I was surprised and that last page was perfect even if I didn't end up loving the bonus story online.
- Teia be without a doubt me favourite character. She really did have the worst possible journey and yet how it ended was kinda perfect. I do hope she manages happiness in the future given all that she went through. I wouldn't mind many future stories about her (please!). There is a tie for best Teia moment - when ye realize the dog tooth trick and her giving up her life to poison the Order. She is always in the background and gets no recognition but deserves the most.
- Gavin's chapters were interesting and annoying at the same time. Too much philosophy for me but he still had me rooting for him. Gunner still is insane and I found more enjoyment in his wordplay this time. The journey up the tower was kinda plodding and the fight at the top was kinda boring. However, I did enjoy watching him reflect on his past choices. Oh and I still love his obnoxious yet endearing attitude. Though if I met him in real life I would want to punch him in the face.
- Karris' sections were interesting only up until the midnight execution. I really didn't care about her after that. I found that surprising given that she had been one of the characters I cared about most.
- Kip started out being one of the best characters for me in book one but by the end of the series was one of the worst ones. I am not quite sure why. I just got tired of his thoughts on basically everything. I also feel like his leaps of intuition were rather arbitrary and sometimes ridiculous.
- I thought the forest chi sub-plot was kinda stupid.
- I still like the Mighty individually but not their dumb jokes when they are together. Winsten might have become me favourite. I especially liked how hard he was on himself about fighting the bane.
- I want more short stories about Liv Danavis' future. She is crazy and awesome. I enjoyed how her section ended even if she made the wrong choices leading up to it.
- Watching Andross be wrong (finally!) made me happy. However he did not get his comeuppance and that was weird and yet perfect. I hated him this whole time and then the ending made me kinda respect him. But I still hate him. The final card game scene was great fun.
- This book is not a five star read because the philosophy and religion was just too much. It completely bogged down entire sections of the book and felt more like a morality lesson for the reader. In the second half of the book it became overwhelming and kinda silly.
- I also didn't like the deus ex machina (literally) coming down and fixing things. Dead people should have stayed dead rather than having happy ever after. I don't even understand the white / black luxin junk at the end. The solutions to the war were both kinda lame and nonsensical. After such a great set-up for the war ending, it just stopped and poof! fixed. And no Kip and Gavin should not have gotten their magic back. It only solidified that ye have to be a magic user to matter. What about all the non-magic users?
- I did love that ye can choose who yer Lightbringer is.
A decent end overall to the series and lots of plot twists I wasn't expecting. I be very interested to see what the author will come up with in the future. Arrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! This be the sixteenth book in me Ports for Plunder - 19 Books in 2019 list. I found this book in the 2016 treasure haul from Maine and then never read it. That's why it made this year's 19 in 2019 list. And in a weird coincidence, it happens to be a book that's being read as part of a Sci-Fi Month read-along. Talk about good timing! I ended up reading the whole thing at once but will be following the weekly discussions surrounding this book on Goodreads.
Basically this book is about a group of eight humans sent by Jesuits to make first contact with aliens on another planet. Four are Jesuit priests and four are civilians. The prologue states "They went ad majorem Dei gloriam: for the greater glory of God. They meant no harm." So how were the humans going to screw this up? I thought the concept of Jesuits going for scientific pursuits was kinda awesome. Ye know very early that the trip was a disaster but through the course of the book ye find out the reasons why.
The book has multiple POVs and two timelines. There is the present timeline (2059) where ye meet with the sole survivor. There is the history of how contact was made (beginning 2019!) and what happened on the other planet, Rakhat. And there be snippets of the lives of the travelers before they went to space woven in both timelines. But most of the focus in both timelines be on the survivor Father Emilio.
This book was beautifully written and highly engaging. I particularly enjoyed the found family aspects of the group who goes to Rakhat. The best character by far was Father Emilio himself. I loved pretty much everything about him. I hated his suffering in the present and I loved the juxtaposition of his personality before the mission. There were four other very strong characters that I loved. Sophie and D.W. were the two other humans on Rakhat who felt the most real and I loved their personalities. In the present there were two men John and Edward who helped Father Emilio in his struggles. I loved how caring and compassionate they were. The other characters were developed to a lesser extent but I thought all of the characterization was well done.
I actually really enjoyed the planet Rakhat and the descriptions of life there. I loved how life evolved on the planet. I thought the first contact scene was different and excellent. The languages on the planet and how they worked were cool even if I didn't quite understand all the ramifications. How the planet was described made me want to visit and see all the flora and fauna. I thought the politics of the world were set up well. Also I was surprised at how the alien music turned out.
There were several downsides in this book which immensely lessened me overall enjoyment. First were the rather rushed endings of both the time on Rakhat and with the Jesuit investigation back on Earth. Though the set-ups for the each timeline were immersive and extensive, the resolutions were compressed into 50 pages and personally unsatisfying. There is a massive theme of rape in this book that was distasteful in the extreme. It was gratuitous and superfluous. I believe it could have been written out altogether without changing the message. And lastly how the investigation was carried out was demeaning and harsh towards Emilio and for no real purpose. It felt like he was tortured by both the ruling aliens and then the ruling Jesuits. The ending in particular was both horrifying in how the trauma was dismissed and annoyingly ambivalent about what happens to Emilio next. Moreover I felt it was fundamentally dishonest about the healing process with regards to PTSD.
The issues I had with the ending took this from a five star read to just an okay read. Though I do have to say that the experience so far with the read-along has enriched me enjoyment of the book and I am glad that stars aligned for the timing of experiencing this book. Arrrr!
Side note: Only three books left in the 19 in 2019! Also Sci-Fi Month is hosted by Matey Lisa of Dear Geek Place and Matey Imyril of One More. Check out their blog links for more info and join the fun!
Basically this book is about a group of eight humans sent by Jesuits to make first contact with aliens on another planet. Four are Jesuit priests and four are civilians. The prologue states "They went ad majorem Dei gloriam: for the greater glory of God. They meant no harm." So how were the humans going to screw this up? I thought the concept of Jesuits going for scientific pursuits was kinda awesome. Ye know very early that the trip was a disaster but through the course of the book ye find out the reasons why.
The book has multiple POVs and two timelines. There is the present timeline (2059) where ye meet with the sole survivor. There is the history of how contact was made (beginning 2019!) and what happened on the other planet, Rakhat. And there be snippets of the lives of the travelers before they went to space woven in both timelines. But most of the focus in both timelines be on the survivor Father Emilio.
This book was beautifully written and highly engaging. I particularly enjoyed the found family aspects of the group who goes to Rakhat. The best character by far was Father Emilio himself. I loved pretty much everything about him. I hated his suffering in the present and I loved the juxtaposition of his personality before the mission. There were four other very strong characters that I loved. Sophie and D.W. were the two other humans on Rakhat who felt the most real and I loved their personalities. In the present there were two men John and Edward who helped Father Emilio in his struggles. I loved how caring and compassionate they were. The other characters were developed to a lesser extent but I thought all of the characterization was well done.
I actually really enjoyed the planet Rakhat and the descriptions of life there. I loved how life evolved on the planet. I thought the first contact scene was different and excellent. The languages on the planet and how they worked were cool even if I didn't quite understand all the ramifications. How the planet was described made me want to visit and see all the flora and fauna. I thought the politics of the world were set up well. Also I was surprised at how the alien music turned out.
There were several downsides in this book which immensely lessened me overall enjoyment. First were the rather rushed endings of both the time on Rakhat and with the Jesuit investigation back on Earth. Though the set-ups for the each timeline were immersive and extensive, the resolutions were compressed into 50 pages and personally unsatisfying. There is a massive theme of rape in this book that was distasteful in the extreme. It was gratuitous and superfluous. I believe it could have been written out altogether without changing the message. And lastly how the investigation was carried out was demeaning and harsh towards Emilio and for no real purpose. It felt like he was tortured by both the ruling aliens and then the ruling Jesuits. The ending in particular was both horrifying in how the trauma was dismissed and annoyingly ambivalent about what happens to Emilio next. Moreover I felt it was fundamentally dishonest about the healing process with regards to PTSD.
The issues I had with the ending took this from a five star read to just an okay read. Though I do have to say that the experience so far with the read-along has enriched me enjoyment of the book and I am glad that stars aligned for the timing of experiencing this book. Arrrr!
Side note: Only three books left in the 19 in 2019! Also Sci-Fi Month is hosted by Matey Lisa of Dear Geek Place and Matey Imyril of One More. Check out their blog links for more info and join the fun!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
Andy Weir's newest book was a super fun read. He is a versatile writer in that overall this book has a completely different feel than the martian. And that's a good thing. But the areas that made the martian a success are present here. Snarky intelligent character. Check. Science and physics facts that are accessible for physics hating people. Check. World building so good that ye feel ye could step off the spaceship onto the planet, or in this case moon. Check.
This book was a fast-paced adventure heist that kept me rapidly turning pages until the end. The main character, Jazz, is super intelligent but lacks common sense. She continues to make one bad decision after the other. At 26 she seems destined to be stuck in a low-level job on the margins. Then an enticing offer comes along that could give her a lot of money and move her into a lifestyle of comfort. Of course it's another bad choice and the consequences impact more than just her. Can she fix it or will the moon as she knows it change for good?
Jazz as a character was the weak point of the book for me in that she is just such a mess. She does read younger than 26 at times and is so annoying at others. But she slowly won me over by the end. I loved that her father is present and a good parent. Her family is diverse. She is a Muslim of Saudi Arabian descent. Actually, the moon is full of people of different backgrounds. I also loved how the moon is portrayed as dangerous and how the citizens police themselves. It was both funny and made logical sense.
Overall I thought this was a great book by Mr. Weir and I will certainly be reading whatever he writes next. If ye have a hankerin' to visit the moon then I suggest ye pick this one up. Just be prepared that it's a crazy time to visit.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Crown Publishing!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Andy Weir's newest book was a super fun read. He is a versatile writer in that overall this book has a completely different feel than the martian. And that's a good thing. But the areas that made the martian a success are present here. Snarky intelligent character. Check. Science and physics facts that are accessible for physics hating people. Check. World building so good that ye feel ye could step off the spaceship onto the planet, or in this case moon. Check.
This book was a fast-paced adventure heist that kept me rapidly turning pages until the end. The main character, Jazz, is super intelligent but lacks common sense. She continues to make one bad decision after the other. At 26 she seems destined to be stuck in a low-level job on the margins. Then an enticing offer comes along that could give her a lot of money and move her into a lifestyle of comfort. Of course it's another bad choice and the consequences impact more than just her. Can she fix it or will the moon as she knows it change for good?
Jazz as a character was the weak point of the book for me in that she is just such a mess. She does read younger than 26 at times and is so annoying at others. But she slowly won me over by the end. I loved that her father is present and a good parent. Her family is diverse. She is a Muslim of Saudi Arabian descent. Actually, the moon is full of people of different backgrounds. I also loved how the moon is portrayed as dangerous and how the citizens police themselves. It was both funny and made logical sense.
Overall I thought this was a great book by Mr. Weir and I will certainly be reading whatever he writes next. If ye have a hankerin' to visit the moon then I suggest ye pick this one up. Just be prepared that it's a crazy time to visit.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Crown Publishing!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from Goodreads Giveaways. Arrrrr! In return I will write an honest review. So here are me honest musings . . .
I have been meaning to read this author's work for a while now. I heard about this book from Matey Sarah. The gorgeous cover and the mention of the spaceship being "insides of a spacefaring beast" is what made me click this cover and enter the giveaway. And then I won! This book was quite an experience. I really enjoyed this introduction to the author's writing with some quibbles.
I loved:
- The ship of course! I enjoyed the concept of the ship being inside a live creature and how organic it felt. People worked or lived in all areas of the ship from the heart to the stomach to the rectum. Ichor, fluids, wastes, etc. are described in (sometimes icky) detail. The ship felt alive and real.
The world building - Besides the awesome ship, I liked getting some backstory into how the society, politics, and culture of the ships had changed over the generations.
- The familial structures - I really liked the idea of the matriarchal political structures and how each child was raised by multiple adults of both genders. I thought the significance constellations and family lines in terms of hair-braiding was cool.
- The characters - I particularly enjoyed the character of Adala and kinda wish she had been the main focus. She had the most interesting character development and I loved watching her grow into her own person.
- The diversity - I loved that this story focused on the black experience and had f/f, and polyamorous in addition to hetero-normative relationships.
- I loved the other ships in the fleet and differences that entailed. I wouldn't have minded more exploration of these issues.
I didn't love:
- The main character - While I was cheering for Seske in the beginning, she wore on me by the end. She felt resourceful and yet did not live up to her earlier potential.
- The characters in general - Besides the main couples, ye really did not get enough of a feel for any of the other people onboard. They felt a little two-dimensional.
- The writing structure - The majority of the book was engrossing and fun. But towards the end, a lot of the story fell apart and shattered me verisimilitude. Characters acted in manners contrary to earlier behavior, several major plot lines were dropped (rebellion, embryos, sisterkin), and the resolution just felt rushed. This book should have either been restructured a bit to remove the dangling plot points or made into a duology to better explore some of the issues involved.
- The romance - I did not enjoy how the f/f romance turned out at all. It was too convenient and unbelievable.
- Alien tentacle sex. Aye, I was warned about it so it didn't shock me but there were several different plot choices that could have been made that would have a) made more sense; and b) furthered the narrative in a more appropriate fashion. Alternatively the author could have made the ship more alien and its motives more mysterious to the protagonists but that choice would have changed the tone to more of erotic body horror maybe.
A lot of me thoughts about the ending are summed up in Matey Nella's review:
"the problem . . . is the lack of catharsis. We have this huge amount of build-up - complex, flawed characters with complicated dynamics, and a beautifully created world - and then shit hits the fan and everything get Bad, and none of it gets the time needed for a satisfactory finish. The last third of the book feels almost like checking off a list, with way too much stuff that doesn't get properly dealt with."
That said, I am glad I got this book and was able to read it because the ship itself was so cool.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Goodreads Giveaways and Harper Voyager!
I have been meaning to read this author's work for a while now. I heard about this book from Matey Sarah. The gorgeous cover and the mention of the spaceship being "insides of a spacefaring beast" is what made me click this cover and enter the giveaway. And then I won! This book was quite an experience. I really enjoyed this introduction to the author's writing with some quibbles.
I loved:
- The ship of course! I enjoyed the concept of the ship being inside a live creature and how organic it felt. People worked or lived in all areas of the ship from the heart to the stomach to the rectum. Ichor, fluids, wastes, etc. are described in (sometimes icky) detail. The ship felt alive and real.
The world building - Besides the awesome ship, I liked getting some backstory into how the society, politics, and culture of the ships had changed over the generations.
- The familial structures - I really liked the idea of the matriarchal political structures and how each child was raised by multiple adults of both genders. I thought the significance constellations and family lines in terms of hair-braiding was cool.
- The characters - I particularly enjoyed the character of Adala and kinda wish she had been the main focus. She had the most interesting character development and I loved watching her grow into her own person.
- The diversity - I loved that this story focused on the black experience and had f/f, and polyamorous in addition to hetero-normative relationships.
- I loved the other ships in the fleet and differences that entailed. I wouldn't have minded more exploration of these issues.
I didn't love:
- The main character - While I was cheering for Seske in the beginning, she wore on me by the end. She felt resourceful and yet did not live up to her earlier potential.
- The characters in general - Besides the main couples, ye really did not get enough of a feel for any of the other people onboard. They felt a little two-dimensional.
- The writing structure - The majority of the book was engrossing and fun. But towards the end, a lot of the story fell apart and shattered me verisimilitude. Characters acted in manners contrary to earlier behavior, several major plot lines were dropped (rebellion, embryos, sisterkin), and the resolution just felt rushed. This book should have either been restructured a bit to remove the dangling plot points or made into a duology to better explore some of the issues involved.
- The romance - I did not enjoy how the f/f romance turned out at all. It was too convenient and unbelievable.
- Alien tentacle sex. Aye, I was warned about it so it didn't shock me but there were several different plot choices that could have been made that would have a) made more sense; and b) furthered the narrative in a more appropriate fashion. Alternatively the author could have made the ship more alien and its motives more mysterious to the protagonists but that choice would have changed the tone to more of erotic body horror maybe.
A lot of me thoughts about the ending are summed up in Matey Nella's review:
"the problem . . . is the lack of catharsis. We have this huge amount of build-up - complex, flawed characters with complicated dynamics, and a beautifully created world - and then shit hits the fan and everything get Bad, and none of it gets the time needed for a satisfactory finish. The last third of the book feels almost like checking off a list, with way too much stuff that doesn't get properly dealt with."
That said, I am glad I got this book and was able to read it because the ship itself was so cool.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Goodreads Giveaways and Harper Voyager!