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Ahoy me mateys! Grab your grog! Here be book 1 of the ninth installment of the 3 Bells trilogy showcase. Arrrr!!!
the cold between (Elizabeth Bonesteel)
This be an impromptu 3 Bells Showcase. I have been meaning to read the Central Corps trilogy ever since Matey Sarah brought it to me attention. So not too long ago I checked out the entire series from the library via interlibrary loan. Then it sat and waited patiently for me to get to it. Time passed and on Sunday I realized the books are due back at the end of the week. Crunch time!
I am very glad that I did not return book one unread. This book follows the crew of the CCSS Galileo. The ship is finally able to take some shore leave on the colony of Volhynia after an extra-long deployment. What is supposed to be a short pleasurable trip goes wrong when one of the crew is murdered. But it seems like someone is trying to do a cover-up. The members of the Galileo be determined to find the truth and avenge their dead comrade.
The first thing to say about this book is that it had an absolutely amazing prologue. The action takes place about 25 years before the main plot but dang was it an explosive start. It does eventually tie the plot together but the mystery of what happened is a cool subplot through the novel.
After the delightful prologue, I was surprised that the story seemed to focus on a lustful one-night stand with sex scene included. But I promise it does make sense in the long run and the relationship does not overwhelm the greater story. I did love the characters in this. I have a soft spot for well run ships and quirky crews that (mostly) get along. In this novel, there are many points of view.
The first major point of view is Elena Shaw, a pilot and mechanic. I adore her. She is intelligent, competent, and has a temper. Another point of view is Captain Greg Foster of the Galileo. He is a bit of rule breaker but is always trying to do what's right for the ship and his crew. Then there be retired PSI Captain Treiko Zajec. PSI and Central don't get along but the murder investigation inadvertently draws them together. Besides the main three, I also grew to love side character, Jessica. She annoyed the hell out of me at first but as the plot evolves, she begins to play a larger role and I discovered her strengths.
While the character relationships are the highlight of the book, I also enjoyed the world building of this one. Humans have been trying to settle the galaxy and Earth would like everyone to believe that it is going great. The colony of Volhynia be one of their star attractions. The reality is that many colonies are failing. Terra-forming is the key to survival but doesn't always work. On the fringes of space supplies run out, people die, and politics are fraught. Central, PSI, and Syndicate raiders all have various ideas on how the Sectors should be run. Every colony seems to work slightly differently. I very much enjoyed the set-up.
There were some negatives. Captain Foster does seem to be a bit rogue a little too often. He and Elena are in the midst of a rather annoying fight that could have been solved by communicating and the continual angst often annoyed me. The bad guys were stereotypical and obvious as soon as they arrived on the page. The politics are only lightly explained and much of the backstory of the internal conflicts between PSI, Central, and the Syndicate aren't adequately explained. I wanted a bit more world building and a better resolution for the two main mysteries.
But ultimately I loved the action and characters and especially the ending. I even ended up enjoying the romance and its realistic ending. I can't wait to find out what happens next. Check in tomorrow for what me thinks of book two. Arrrr!
the cold between (Elizabeth Bonesteel)
This be an impromptu 3 Bells Showcase. I have been meaning to read the Central Corps trilogy ever since Matey Sarah brought it to me attention. So not too long ago I checked out the entire series from the library via interlibrary loan. Then it sat and waited patiently for me to get to it. Time passed and on Sunday I realized the books are due back at the end of the week. Crunch time!
I am very glad that I did not return book one unread. This book follows the crew of the CCSS Galileo. The ship is finally able to take some shore leave on the colony of Volhynia after an extra-long deployment. What is supposed to be a short pleasurable trip goes wrong when one of the crew is murdered. But it seems like someone is trying to do a cover-up. The members of the Galileo be determined to find the truth and avenge their dead comrade.
The first thing to say about this book is that it had an absolutely amazing prologue. The action takes place about 25 years before the main plot but dang was it an explosive start. It does eventually tie the plot together but the mystery of what happened is a cool subplot through the novel.
After the delightful prologue, I was surprised that the story seemed to focus on a lustful one-night stand with sex scene included. But I promise it does make sense in the long run and the relationship does not overwhelm the greater story. I did love the characters in this. I have a soft spot for well run ships and quirky crews that (mostly) get along. In this novel, there are many points of view.
The first major point of view is Elena Shaw, a pilot and mechanic. I adore her. She is intelligent, competent, and has a temper. Another point of view is Captain Greg Foster of the Galileo. He is a bit of rule breaker but is always trying to do what's right for the ship and his crew. Then there be retired PSI Captain Treiko Zajec. PSI and Central don't get along but the murder investigation inadvertently draws them together. Besides the main three, I also grew to love side character, Jessica. She annoyed the hell out of me at first but as the plot evolves, she begins to play a larger role and I discovered her strengths.
While the character relationships are the highlight of the book, I also enjoyed the world building of this one. Humans have been trying to settle the galaxy and Earth would like everyone to believe that it is going great. The colony of Volhynia be one of their star attractions. The reality is that many colonies are failing. Terra-forming is the key to survival but doesn't always work. On the fringes of space supplies run out, people die, and politics are fraught. Central, PSI, and Syndicate raiders all have various ideas on how the Sectors should be run. Every colony seems to work slightly differently. I very much enjoyed the set-up.
There were some negatives. Captain Foster does seem to be a bit rogue a little too often. He and Elena are in the midst of a rather annoying fight that could have been solved by communicating and the continual angst often annoyed me. The bad guys were stereotypical and obvious as soon as they arrived on the page. The politics are only lightly explained and much of the backstory of the internal conflicts between PSI, Central, and the Syndicate aren't adequately explained. I wanted a bit more world building and a better resolution for the two main mysteries.
But ultimately I loved the action and characters and especially the ending. I even ended up enjoying the romance and its realistic ending. I can't wait to find out what happens next. Check in tomorrow for what me thinks of book two. Arrrr!
Ahoy me mateys! Grab your grog! Here be book 2 of the ninth installment of the 3 Bells trilogy showcase. Arrrr!!!
remnants of trust (Elizabeth Bonesteel)
This be an impromptu 3 Bells Showcase. I have been meaning to read the Central Corps trilogy ever since Matey Sarah brought it to me attention. So not too long ago I checked out the entire series from the library via interlibrary loan. Then it sat and waited patiently for me to get to it. Time passed and on Sunday I realized the books are due back at the end of the week. Crunch time!
Greg and Elena have survived their court martial after the events in book one but their punishment is to be banished to the empty Third Sector. What is supposed to be a boring posting becomes a disaster when a sister ship the Exeter is attacked. With a lost ship and many dead, the Central Government wants revenge. The Galileo is assigned to clean up the mess. But it looks more like sabotage . . .
I actually liked this book better than book one. Much of the delight of this one comes from the new characters. Ye get insight into a PSI ship and life onboard. I really loved Captain Guanyin. She be fierce and I don't feel like I have ever read about a very pregnant ship captain before! The highlight though is Captain Çelik. He is basically a jerk who rules with sarcasm and spite. Yet he be intelligent and competent and even respected. His wish for revenge for the lost Exeter and how he manipulates and fights for his goal is admirable. I rather love the dastardly captain. It was fun to see the differences of how Captain Foster and Captain Çelik run their ships and deal with the Central Government.
The plot was also lots of fun. I really enjoyed the politics of this one and thought they made a lot more sense. I can't really get into it because of major spoilers but I ended up being very satisfied by how everything worked out. I especially liked went down on the planet. I didn't even mind the big cliff hanger which makes me excited for the next book.
Small gripes with this book include that I immediately knew the traitor as soon as they appeared. Plus the Elena / Greg angst continues and I just don't care. I don't like the romance vibes and wish it would go away. I do happen to care about all of the characters individually though. Besides Captain Çelik, I continued to love Jessica and Elena in this one.
I can't wait to find out what happens next. Check in tomorrow for what me thinks of book three. Arrrr!
remnants of trust (Elizabeth Bonesteel)
This be an impromptu 3 Bells Showcase. I have been meaning to read the Central Corps trilogy ever since Matey Sarah brought it to me attention. So not too long ago I checked out the entire series from the library via interlibrary loan. Then it sat and waited patiently for me to get to it. Time passed and on Sunday I realized the books are due back at the end of the week. Crunch time!
Greg and Elena have survived their court martial after the events in book one but their punishment is to be banished to the empty Third Sector. What is supposed to be a boring posting becomes a disaster when a sister ship the Exeter is attacked. With a lost ship and many dead, the Central Government wants revenge. The Galileo is assigned to clean up the mess. But it looks more like sabotage . . .
I actually liked this book better than book one. Much of the delight of this one comes from the new characters. Ye get insight into a PSI ship and life onboard. I really loved Captain Guanyin. She be fierce and I don't feel like I have ever read about a very pregnant ship captain before! The highlight though is Captain Çelik. He is basically a jerk who rules with sarcasm and spite. Yet he be intelligent and competent and even respected. His wish for revenge for the lost Exeter and how he manipulates and fights for his goal is admirable. I rather love the dastardly captain. It was fun to see the differences of how Captain Foster and Captain Çelik run their ships and deal with the Central Government.
The plot was also lots of fun. I really enjoyed the politics of this one and thought they made a lot more sense. I can't really get into it because of major spoilers but I ended up being very satisfied by how everything worked out. I especially liked went down on the planet. I didn't even mind the big cliff hanger which makes me excited for the next book.
Small gripes with this book include that I immediately knew the traitor as soon as they appeared. Plus the Elena / Greg angst continues and I just don't care. I don't like the romance vibes and wish it would go away. I do happen to care about all of the characters individually though. Besides Captain Çelik, I continued to love Jessica and Elena in this one.
I can't wait to find out what happens next. Check in tomorrow for what me thinks of book three. Arrrr!
Ahoy me mateys! Grab your grog! Here be book 3 of the ninth installment of the 3 Bells trilogy showcase with a minor spoiler about the end of book two. Arrrr!!!
breach of containment (Elizabeth Bonesteel)
This be an impromptu 3 Bells Showcase. I have been meaning to read the Central Corps trilogy ever since Matey Sarah brought it to me attention. So not too long ago I checked out the entire series from the library via interlibrary loan. Then it sat and waited patiently for me to get to it. Time passed and on Sunday I realized the books are due back at the end of the week. Crunch time!
In book two, Greg, Elena, and the crew of Galileo accomplished the mission given to them by Central. However, Central did not approve of exactly how the crew decided to execute orders. Part of the "punishment" at the end of book two was to transfer Elena off the ship she considers home. This makes everyone unhappy.
In this book, the crew of the Galileo are sent on a diplomatic mission to broker peace on the planet of Yakutsk which be experiencing civil war. Of course there be complications. One is that hated Admiral Herrod is chief diplomat and is now living on the Galileo. Two is that the PSI are sending their own task force to Yakutsk. Three is that a mysterious artifact has been discovered on Yakutsk and people will kill to get it. Four is that Ellis Systems still seems to be playing power games. It be a delightful mess.
I actually loved how much time has passed between books two and three and the consequences of that. I loved getting more insight into Admiral Herrod and why he be such a jerk. I actually felt sympathy for his bad choices even if I still kinda hate him. I liked where Elena has ended up and how the switch off the Galileo has impacted her life choices. She is still her lovely sometimes silly self. I continued to enjoy getting Jessica's point of view. I loved the cat. And I really adored the new character, the scavenger Dallas.
But the best part of this book by far was Captain Bayandi. I absolutely loved everything surrounding the PSI ship and its captain. I even cried about part of this story. That does NOT happen to me often. I can't get into it because of spoilers. In fact, I can't really get into any more of this story because of spoilers. The pieces tie together in interesting ways and I do think each book in the series was subsequently better. The ending of the trilogy was just awesome and I wasn't expecting any of it.
I hope that the author writes more in this world and be sad that this adventure is over. But a new adventure can’t start until the last one ends. I do encourage the crew to take a journey to read these fun novels and share ye tales of the experience with yer Captain . . .
breach of containment (Elizabeth Bonesteel)
This be an impromptu 3 Bells Showcase. I have been meaning to read the Central Corps trilogy ever since Matey Sarah brought it to me attention. So not too long ago I checked out the entire series from the library via interlibrary loan. Then it sat and waited patiently for me to get to it. Time passed and on Sunday I realized the books are due back at the end of the week. Crunch time!
In book two, Greg, Elena, and the crew of Galileo accomplished the mission given to them by Central. However, Central did not approve of exactly how the crew decided to execute orders. Part of the "punishment" at the end of book two was to transfer Elena off the ship she considers home. This makes everyone unhappy.
In this book, the crew of the Galileo are sent on a diplomatic mission to broker peace on the planet of Yakutsk which be experiencing civil war. Of course there be complications. One is that hated Admiral Herrod is chief diplomat and is now living on the Galileo. Two is that the PSI are sending their own task force to Yakutsk. Three is that a mysterious artifact has been discovered on Yakutsk and people will kill to get it. Four is that Ellis Systems still seems to be playing power games. It be a delightful mess.
I actually loved how much time has passed between books two and three and the consequences of that. I loved getting more insight into Admiral Herrod and why he be such a jerk. I actually felt sympathy for his bad choices even if I still kinda hate him. I liked where Elena has ended up and how the switch off the Galileo has impacted her life choices. She is still her lovely sometimes silly self. I continued to enjoy getting Jessica's point of view. I loved the cat. And I really adored the new character, the scavenger Dallas.
But the best part of this book by far was Captain Bayandi. I absolutely loved everything surrounding the PSI ship and its captain. I even cried about part of this story. That does NOT happen to me often. I can't get into it because of spoilers. In fact, I can't really get into any more of this story because of spoilers. The pieces tie together in interesting ways and I do think each book in the series was subsequently better. The ending of the trilogy was just awesome and I wasn't expecting any of it.
I hope that the author writes more in this world and be sad that this adventure is over. But a new adventure can’t start until the last one ends. I do encourage the crew to take a journey to read these fun novels and share ye tales of the experience with yer Captain . . .
Ahoy there me mateys! So along with me love of the sea, I also have a fierce love of dragons. This be graphic novel. I never read a graphic novel before as I am not a visual person and wasn't sure if the medium would work for me. But the cute cover and subject matter kept luring me back to looking at this one. Then I read this post by milliebot @ milliebotreads. She does an awesome series where she does, in fact, judge books by their cover and showcases some of the stunning books that she owns. I was convinced that I had to read it.
And I have to say that the artwork in this book is absolutely fabulous. I loved the world that the author has created. Tea dragons are adorable and I kinda want one. Look at how cute they are:
The artwork alone was worth reading this for me. The only downside is that I thought the story that went with it was odd. There didn't seem to be an actual through-line. The tea dragons were adorable but didn't really do anything. The main character, Greta, was charming and kind and I liked her. The themes of friendship and hard work were also lovely. I was able to understand what was happening in the book as the visuals were clear. There was just no plot or exploration of character. It seemed to be more of vignettes with no exploration or answers. So I treated it like an art book and just enjoyed the visuals in the way that I enjoy perusing art museums.
I am not sure if this is usual for graphic novels or is just a side-effect of this particular one having begun its life as a webcomic. I don't mind me books having pictures but I have to say that I prefer me stories to be told in words.
And I have to say that the artwork in this book is absolutely fabulous. I loved the world that the author has created. Tea dragons are adorable and I kinda want one. Look at how cute they are:
The artwork alone was worth reading this for me. The only downside is that I thought the story that went with it was odd. There didn't seem to be an actual through-line. The tea dragons were adorable but didn't really do anything. The main character, Greta, was charming and kind and I liked her. The themes of friendship and hard work were also lovely. I was able to understand what was happening in the book as the visuals were clear. There was just no plot or exploration of character. It seemed to be more of vignettes with no exploration or answers. So I treated it like an art book and just enjoyed the visuals in the way that I enjoy perusing art museums.
I am not sure if this is usual for graphic novels or is just a side-effect of this particular one having begun its life as a webcomic. I don't mind me books having pictures but I have to say that I prefer me stories to be told in words.