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Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This is certainly an excellent debut novel even if the third part of the book didn't work for me. The book follows three people - a ship's Captain (Nia), a scientist (Fumiko), and a mute boy who falls from the sky. Eventually the lives of all three of these people intersect and changes the world.
This really was a hard novel to classify so if any of this sounds interesting give it a shot. Though the three characters are the overall focus, the plot is not a straightforward one. In fact, the beginning of the novel showcases a minor trading planet and the life of one of its residents. How this section unfolds is beautifully written but the true significance of the setting doesn't manifest until much later in the novel. This novel is not full of action and battles like a lot of sci-fi. Instead it deals with large ideas, interpersonal relationships, and the consequences of choices interacting with the passage of time.
Part one features the introduction of all three characters. Ye have Nia who be a ship's captain (Arrr!) who runs an interstellar shipping route. The main problem is that time for her be relativistic. A trip that takes months for her is years or decades for the rest of the world. Consequently she is rather closed off and focuses on the moment. Fumiko is a brilliant designer baby whose talents literally open up the stars. However the choices she makes in terms of her career have long term impacts both professionally and personally. The boy is rescued from a crash as a sole survivor. He ends up being the linchpin between Nia and Fumiko. This section introduces the history of Earth, the pasts of Nia and Fumiko, and sets up the mystery of the boy. It was spellbinding.
Part two deals with the boy at the center. This section primarily takes place on Nia's ship and the worlds she is trading with. This part deals the most with interpersonal relationships and the ideas of found family. The ship's mission is fascinating and witnessing this time period is lovely. It feels quiet and contemplative but was never boring. Ye get answers to the mystery of the boy and watch him grow and mature. His very presence changes everyone around him for the better. I grew to love both him and the other ship's occupants.
Part three is where this book started to fail me because the plot took an abrupt left turn. Up until then I would have given this book five stars. In this section, the boy becomes a political and monetary weapon. I felt that the entire book was believable and beautifully executed until part three's very first sentence. Then the confusion began. Corporation politics is the focus and the choices they make regarding the boy were absolutely mind-boggling and strange. The events that happen to Nia and Fumiko were equally perplexing. There were good things in this section but overall the tone shifted and realism seemed to dissipate.
This book is compelling in that I continue to think about ramifications of the plot and writing long after completing the novel. In fact, the review took over a week and a half to write because I was pondering how I felt about the reading experience. Ultimately the last 10% was unsatisfying and the conclusion was horrible and I hated it. However, up until that third section, I was completely engrossed and loving it. I do believe that the author is one to watch and I will certainly be picking up whatever he writes next because I loved the first two parts.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Random House!
This is certainly an excellent debut novel even if the third part of the book didn't work for me. The book follows three people - a ship's Captain (Nia), a scientist (Fumiko), and a mute boy who falls from the sky. Eventually the lives of all three of these people intersect and changes the world.
This really was a hard novel to classify so if any of this sounds interesting give it a shot. Though the three characters are the overall focus, the plot is not a straightforward one. In fact, the beginning of the novel showcases a minor trading planet and the life of one of its residents. How this section unfolds is beautifully written but the true significance of the setting doesn't manifest until much later in the novel. This novel is not full of action and battles like a lot of sci-fi. Instead it deals with large ideas, interpersonal relationships, and the consequences of choices interacting with the passage of time.
Part one features the introduction of all three characters. Ye have Nia who be a ship's captain (Arrr!) who runs an interstellar shipping route. The main problem is that time for her be relativistic. A trip that takes months for her is years or decades for the rest of the world. Consequently she is rather closed off and focuses on the moment. Fumiko is a brilliant designer baby whose talents literally open up the stars. However the choices she makes in terms of her career have long term impacts both professionally and personally. The boy is rescued from a crash as a sole survivor. He ends up being the linchpin between Nia and Fumiko. This section introduces the history of Earth, the pasts of Nia and Fumiko, and sets up the mystery of the boy. It was spellbinding.
Part two deals with the boy at the center. This section primarily takes place on Nia's ship and the worlds she is trading with. This part deals the most with interpersonal relationships and the ideas of found family. The ship's mission is fascinating and witnessing this time period is lovely. It feels quiet and contemplative but was never boring. Ye get answers to the mystery of the boy and watch him grow and mature. His very presence changes everyone around him for the better. I grew to love both him and the other ship's occupants.
Part three is where this book started to fail me because the plot took an abrupt left turn. Up until then I would have given this book five stars. In this section, the boy becomes a political and monetary weapon. I felt that the entire book was believable and beautifully executed until part three's very first sentence. Then the confusion began. Corporation politics is the focus and the choices they make regarding the boy were absolutely mind-boggling and strange. The events that happen to Nia and Fumiko were equally perplexing. There were good things in this section but overall the tone shifted and realism seemed to dissipate.
This book is compelling in that I continue to think about ramifications of the plot and writing long after completing the novel. In fact, the review took over a week and a half to write because I was pondering how I felt about the reading experience. Ultimately the last 10% was unsatisfying and the conclusion was horrible and I hated it. However, up until that third section, I was completely engrossed and loving it. I do believe that the author is one to watch and I will certainly be picking up whatever he writes next because I loved the first two parts.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Random House!
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 . . .
In the last couple of days, I had to take a road journey and decided to listen to an audiobook on the way. I wanted something I had previously read before and saw this one was available from the library. The First Mate had never heard of it and I was appalled. I adored the 1982 movie and the book when I was little but hadn't read or watched it in over a decade or more. I got excited to revisit it.
Absolutely no disappointment here! For those who don't know the story, Mrs. Frisby is a field mouse with four children. Her son Timothy gets pneumonia and cannot be moved from their winter home. The problem is that the farmer is about to plow the fields. If Mrs. Frisby doesn't find a solution about what to do for Timothy then he will die.
When I was little I was mostly fascinated by the rats of NIMH and how they came to be. While I still enjoyed that section, this time I was much more focused in Mrs. Frisby's journey and her kindness and determination. She is just a regular mouse but her love is her strength and I was surprisingly very moved by her adventures. It was also nice to revisit old friends like Justin and Jeremy. I did think it was interesting that even in the world of rodents that the males held all the power and made all the decisions. I didn't notice that as a child. So it be even more extraordinary that a older widowed mother mouse is the hero. I was more inclined to think the rats saved the day when I was little. Now I know where the true strength lies.
I very much enjoyed the audiobook and thought Barbara Caruso did an excellent job with this one. After listening to this I very much want to rewatch the movie. I will wait until the First Mate and I are back together and order him to watch it with me. Arrrr!
Side note: Goodreads listed this as a series and I was confused. Turns out the author's daughter wrote two additional books in the series. No offense but I like this book as a standalone!
In the last couple of days, I had to take a road journey and decided to listen to an audiobook on the way. I wanted something I had previously read before and saw this one was available from the library. The First Mate had never heard of it and I was appalled. I adored the 1982 movie and the book when I was little but hadn't read or watched it in over a decade or more. I got excited to revisit it.
Absolutely no disappointment here! For those who don't know the story, Mrs. Frisby is a field mouse with four children. Her son Timothy gets pneumonia and cannot be moved from their winter home. The problem is that the farmer is about to plow the fields. If Mrs. Frisby doesn't find a solution about what to do for Timothy then he will die.
When I was little I was mostly fascinated by the rats of NIMH and how they came to be. While I still enjoyed that section, this time I was much more focused in Mrs. Frisby's journey and her kindness and determination. She is just a regular mouse but her love is her strength and I was surprisingly very moved by her adventures. It was also nice to revisit old friends like Justin and Jeremy. I did think it was interesting that even in the world of rodents that the males held all the power and made all the decisions. I didn't notice that as a child. So it be even more extraordinary that a older widowed mother mouse is the hero. I was more inclined to think the rats saved the day when I was little. Now I know where the true strength lies.
I very much enjoyed the audiobook and thought Barbara Caruso did an excellent job with this one. After listening to this I very much want to rewatch the movie. I will wait until the First Mate and I are back together and order him to watch it with me. Arrrr!
Side note: Goodreads listed this as a series and I was confused. Turns out the author's daughter wrote two additional books in the series. No offense but I like this book as a standalone!
Ahoy there me mateys! This here be a combined review of the first two books in the Imperials saga. While I try to post no spoilers, ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
So basically I have to review these books together because I literally read book one then picked up book two and read that as well. Seriously this series should have more love! The first book centers around the elite training academy of the Solar League. Okay so space training academies are rampant in sci-fi but the brilliance of this one is how the material is handled.
First of all ye follow two people from completely different backgrounds. Mercedes is the fairly spoiled daughter of the Emperor, and his heir, who is looking towards marriage. Only her father gives her an ultimatum that she must join the academy in preparation for ruling. The problem? Women are not part of the military. She will be the first. Mercedes has absolutely no interest and throws a temper tantrum. But her father and the needs of the country leave her no choice.
The other point of view is Tracy who comes from a working class background. His father is a tailor to the wealthy and wants Tracy to increase his station. Basically the only way out is to earn it and Tracy has been offered a scholarship to attend the academy. He doesn’t want to go and plans on refusing it. He hates the ruling elite and wants nothing to do with upper-class society. He wants to go to a regular university and manage his own future path. But familial duty weighs heavily as does his father’s expectations and sacrifices.
So of course they both end up going to the academy. Mercedes has to deal with being a female pioneer and the politics of her position. Tracy has to deal with internal prejudices and the intricacies of social status. Both end up wanting to tackle the challenge and thrive. But that’s not all! Add in aliens, action, and sabotage.
Besides being an entertaining book, there are also the larger pictures of racism and imperialism. The humans in this book have won control over all the alien races and have subjugated them. The society is highly stratified by class and position and gender. It harkens back to Spain in terms of culture and language. The politics seem more in line with modern American to this reader at least.
I absolutely loved the various alien cultures and want to learn a lot more about them. Also while there is romance in these novels, it doesn’t take center stage and certainly doesn’t go in the expected direction. As always, I love watching women make waves and succeed. Ultimately book one was wonderful and I loved every second.
So what about book two? Well here be spoiler territory and I will not ruin it. Let’s just say that the events of book two take place years after graduation when both Mercedes and Tracy have their assignments. One of the fascinating things is that the tone has shifted significantly. The first book dealt with coming-of-age stories filled with hope, learning, growth, and change. It felt that way. In the second installment, gone are the naive students and in place are adults reacting to the world around them and trying to influence it.
The scope of this novel is larger as well. The first book dealt with the years of training at the academy. The second spans a larger amount of time. And chaos is coming. This book is about setting up the larger conflict to come. But so much of this book is also about looking at changes in society and people as time passes. This is also book of consequences – large and small. I found both the character studies and the plot to be of equal interest. I loved the conflicts about found worlds. I loved the aliens. I love the set-up for the war to come. Ultimately I loved book two almost as much as book one!
Book three of the five books series is out now and I be planning on reading it. I wish I already had the entire series in me cabin. This be a good one so far and I recommend that the crew join me on this journey. Arrrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com
So basically I have to review these books together because I literally read book one then picked up book two and read that as well. Seriously this series should have more love! The first book centers around the elite training academy of the Solar League. Okay so space training academies are rampant in sci-fi but the brilliance of this one is how the material is handled.
First of all ye follow two people from completely different backgrounds. Mercedes is the fairly spoiled daughter of the Emperor, and his heir, who is looking towards marriage. Only her father gives her an ultimatum that she must join the academy in preparation for ruling. The problem? Women are not part of the military. She will be the first. Mercedes has absolutely no interest and throws a temper tantrum. But her father and the needs of the country leave her no choice.
The other point of view is Tracy who comes from a working class background. His father is a tailor to the wealthy and wants Tracy to increase his station. Basically the only way out is to earn it and Tracy has been offered a scholarship to attend the academy. He doesn’t want to go and plans on refusing it. He hates the ruling elite and wants nothing to do with upper-class society. He wants to go to a regular university and manage his own future path. But familial duty weighs heavily as does his father’s expectations and sacrifices.
So of course they both end up going to the academy. Mercedes has to deal with being a female pioneer and the politics of her position. Tracy has to deal with internal prejudices and the intricacies of social status. Both end up wanting to tackle the challenge and thrive. But that’s not all! Add in aliens, action, and sabotage.
Besides being an entertaining book, there are also the larger pictures of racism and imperialism. The humans in this book have won control over all the alien races and have subjugated them. The society is highly stratified by class and position and gender. It harkens back to Spain in terms of culture and language. The politics seem more in line with modern American to this reader at least.
I absolutely loved the various alien cultures and want to learn a lot more about them. Also while there is romance in these novels, it doesn’t take center stage and certainly doesn’t go in the expected direction. As always, I love watching women make waves and succeed. Ultimately book one was wonderful and I loved every second.
So what about book two? Well here be spoiler territory and I will not ruin it. Let’s just say that the events of book two take place years after graduation when both Mercedes and Tracy have their assignments. One of the fascinating things is that the tone has shifted significantly. The first book dealt with coming-of-age stories filled with hope, learning, growth, and change. It felt that way. In the second installment, gone are the naive students and in place are adults reacting to the world around them and trying to influence it.
The scope of this novel is larger as well. The first book dealt with the years of training at the academy. The second spans a larger amount of time. And chaos is coming. This book is about setting up the larger conflict to come. But so much of this book is also about looking at changes in society and people as time passes. This is also book of consequences – large and small. I found both the character studies and the plot to be of equal interest. I loved the conflicts about found worlds. I loved the aliens. I love the set-up for the war to come. Ultimately I loved book two almost as much as book one!
Book three of the five books series is out now and I be planning on reading it. I wish I already had the entire series in me cabin. This be a good one so far and I recommend that the crew join me on this journey. Arrrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . .
To those new to the crew, ye should know that horses were me first love before the sea stole me heart. So obviously the flaming horse cover drew me in. I have enjoyed this author's work in the past and I just had to read this.
Me favorite part of this book was of course the horses, known as phoenixes, in this particular world. Basically these horses were gifts from the gods, are powered by the sun, and last a day before bursting into flames and turning into ashes. The riders save the ashes and when they are set back out in the rising sun, the phoenix horse is reborn. Of course there be a catch. If ye mix certain chemicals into the ashes, the phoenix's properties can change. They can become faster, grow armor, etc. This phoenix magic was so very cool.
The plot involves a yearly competition called The Races. Eleven riders participate to see who will be champion. The winner receives fame and money. But the race is dangerous, sabotage is expected, and people have been known to die. The ashlords are the ruling elite and have the best chance of winning. But there are two other groups of people - the middle class Longhorns and the Dividians at the bottom.
This story has three points of view - racers from each of the three classes. Pippa is the daughter of two racing champions and belongs to the ashlords. She was born to win. Adrian is a Longhorn, a splinter branch of ashlords that doesn't worship the gods. Adrian is part of a group that be plotting rebellion and winning the race is part of the plot. And then there is Imelda, a Dividian, who has always dreamed of being in the Races but doesn't truly believe she will. Her goal is to spend as much time with the phoenixes as possible. One thing to note about the points of view are that they change tenses: third person, first person, second person present tense. It was a little odd at first but I got used to it.
This was a quick one setting read that I enjoyed overall. I loved Imelda from the beginning and found her choices in the race to be the most interesting. Pippa was a character that has fantastic development. I hated her in the beginning and she grew on me. Seriously, it was surprising. Adrian was the weak link for me and I didn't really like him much. I never got excited to read his POV. The other thing I really enjoyed were the gods and how they impacted the race. I would like to know more about them and how they work.
The main reason I only liked and didn't love this one was the ending of both the race and the book in general. How the race ended was a bit ridiculous. Seems to be a trend because taos lightning and the scorpio races had basically the same issues. As for the ending, well I didn't know it was part of a duology when I read it. The set-up for book two was rushed and the tone felt completely different from the rest of the book.
The author's endnotes discuss the changes made to the story from its initial inception. I wonder if the redirection led to the strange ending. I kinda wonder what the story would have been like if he had kept the original POV character. She was me favourite in the book and I was sad she was only a side character. I am not sure if I will like book two's rebellion (that I saw coming from the get-go) or the love interests that seem to be developing. But I will be reading it for more of the phoenixes cause they be awesome. Arrrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Crown Books for Young Readers!
To those new to the crew, ye should know that horses were me first love before the sea stole me heart. So obviously the flaming horse cover drew me in. I have enjoyed this author's work in the past and I just had to read this.
Me favorite part of this book was of course the horses, known as phoenixes, in this particular world. Basically these horses were gifts from the gods, are powered by the sun, and last a day before bursting into flames and turning into ashes. The riders save the ashes and when they are set back out in the rising sun, the phoenix horse is reborn. Of course there be a catch. If ye mix certain chemicals into the ashes, the phoenix's properties can change. They can become faster, grow armor, etc. This phoenix magic was so very cool.
The plot involves a yearly competition called The Races. Eleven riders participate to see who will be champion. The winner receives fame and money. But the race is dangerous, sabotage is expected, and people have been known to die. The ashlords are the ruling elite and have the best chance of winning. But there are two other groups of people - the middle class Longhorns and the Dividians at the bottom.
This story has three points of view - racers from each of the three classes. Pippa is the daughter of two racing champions and belongs to the ashlords. She was born to win. Adrian is a Longhorn, a splinter branch of ashlords that doesn't worship the gods. Adrian is part of a group that be plotting rebellion and winning the race is part of the plot. And then there is Imelda, a Dividian, who has always dreamed of being in the Races but doesn't truly believe she will. Her goal is to spend as much time with the phoenixes as possible. One thing to note about the points of view are that they change tenses: third person, first person, second person present tense. It was a little odd at first but I got used to it.
This was a quick one setting read that I enjoyed overall. I loved Imelda from the beginning and found her choices in the race to be the most interesting. Pippa was a character that has fantastic development. I hated her in the beginning and she grew on me. Seriously, it was surprising. Adrian was the weak link for me and I didn't really like him much. I never got excited to read his POV. The other thing I really enjoyed were the gods and how they impacted the race. I would like to know more about them and how they work.
The main reason I only liked and didn't love this one was the ending of both the race and the book in general. How the race ended was a bit ridiculous. Seems to be a trend because taos lightning and the scorpio races had basically the same issues. As for the ending, well I didn't know it was part of a duology when I read it. The set-up for book two was rushed and the tone felt completely different from the rest of the book.
The author's endnotes discuss the changes made to the story from its initial inception. I wonder if the redirection led to the strange ending. I kinda wonder what the story would have been like if he had kept the original POV character. She was me favourite in the book and I was sad she was only a side character. I am not sure if I will like book two's rebellion (that I saw coming from the get-go) or the love interests that seem to be developing. But I will be reading it for more of the phoenixes cause they be awesome. Arrrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Crown Books for Young Readers!
Ahoy there mateys! Aye, this be another romance so quickly after abandoning ship on the last one but this one was supposed to be different! Ye see it was described as "Jane Eyre meets Beauty and the Beast." These be two of me favorite stories. It is a steampunk fantasy romance. It has vampires and ghosts and werewolves. The main character is a female botanist. I adore retellings. Matey Zeezee gave it a wonderful review and all the other crew gave it high ratings as well. Yet again this Captain disagrees.
The main problem is that the premise and outlines of the story be great but execution faltered. Badly.
The Pros:
The Main Character: I actually mostly liked Lucy. I adored that she was a female botanist who was on a secret vampire research team. Hooray for science! She was intelligent, witty, and tenacious.
The Love Interest: I would call him more of a Mr. Darcy instead of a Mr. Rochester. He be rich and moody and secretive. A bit dismissive of everyone though he loves his brother and cares about his tenants.
The Setting: Who doesn't like a haunted, creepy manor house? This is where a bit of the Jane Eyre setting comes in.
The Steampunk: I enjoyed the idea of a steampunk Beauty and the Beast and was excited to see the elements it would involve. I enjoyed the clockwork servants.
The Ghost: She was me favorite character by far.
The Mystery: I wanted to know how the two women were murdered and why.
Audiobook: I thought the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, did a decent job with the material she was given.
The Cons:
The Main Character: While Lucy was set up to be a strong an independent women of science, she never really used the science in any realistic way to figure out the mystery of the deaths or the ghost. She reacted with strong emotion & not her brain, kept depending on the love interest for strength, and seemed to turn into a nitwit at the first sign of trouble. She also had the Mary Sue problem of being the most accomplished, beautiful, blahblahblah. Also why did she feel she could fix everything and then get herself into stupid trouble. Where is the confident women described in the beginning?
The Love Interest: While I thought the banter with Lucy worked in the beginning, a lot about his "Beast nature" was rather dumb. He grows up with a scar that supposedly scares everyone (seriously?) and has a clockwork heart. He is not actually really clockwork. Later ye find out more of his supposed secret but it was lame and I guessed it. How that was presented to Lucy was SO stupid. Also he be possessive, rude, and alpha-male-like. He treats Lucy more like an object to be possessed and not a person. I actually started to dread his point-of-view chapters.
The Setting: I like dark houses and locked doors but there is no reason that the story should have taken place there. If something is killing the cousin and she is SO sick and scared then they could have gone to their OTHER house. Lame. There also be a secret garden, forbidden gazebo, and hunting lodge that play silly somewhat pointless parts. Too many locations for no real reason.
The Steampunk: Other than a clockwork heart, some cars, airships, and the clockwork servants, the story didn't actually have a steampunk feel. It just seemed like these elements were thrown in so the servants could be used to further the plot and it could be marketed as steampunk.
The Side Characters: If I thought the two main lovers were flat and two-dimensional, all the other characters were seemingly pointless. It's bad when the dead ghost who can't speak is the most interesting and only appears a handful of times.
The Mystery: So, so lame was the answer. Also if Lucy was supposed to be investigating vampires, why did she never seem to care about the ones attacking the village? She doesn't even follow up on any of that and also misses all the signs of the ghost mystery because she is too busy lusting.
The Plot: The plot was messy, convoluted, and made no sense. The vampire, werewolf, and ghost subplots are never adequately explained and could have been removed and not changed that much of the story. In fact nothing was really ever explained to me satisfaction. What is the history of the shape shifters? If machines are so advanced why bother with horse and carriage? The reasons for the cousin's sickness seemed to be obvious. How did nobody notice? The story kept spinning in circles and got very boring at times. Lots of plot lines were begun and subsequently abruptly dropped. However, I was out and about and couldn't download something else.
Communication: The absolute worst part is that the two lovebirds NEVER really work together or make plans to solve the case or really talk about their problems. Assumptions abound. Both people try to "protect" the other one and only manage to make every situation worse. Both of them believe they are the only smart person in the room. Most of the "plot problems" were due to avoidable misunderstandings and stupidity. So much so that Miles complains at one point that Lucy has been in more danger in one month then ever in her line of work. Blech.
I get the book's appeal but it didn't work for me at all in the end. To the sharks it goes. Arrrr!
Side note: Apparently lame is the word of the day.
The main problem is that the premise and outlines of the story be great but execution faltered. Badly.
The Pros:
The Main Character: I actually mostly liked Lucy. I adored that she was a female botanist who was on a secret vampire research team. Hooray for science! She was intelligent, witty, and tenacious.
The Love Interest: I would call him more of a Mr. Darcy instead of a Mr. Rochester. He be rich and moody and secretive. A bit dismissive of everyone though he loves his brother and cares about his tenants.
The Setting: Who doesn't like a haunted, creepy manor house? This is where a bit of the Jane Eyre setting comes in.
The Steampunk: I enjoyed the idea of a steampunk Beauty and the Beast and was excited to see the elements it would involve. I enjoyed the clockwork servants.
The Ghost: She was me favorite character by far.
The Mystery: I wanted to know how the two women were murdered and why.
Audiobook: I thought the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, did a decent job with the material she was given.
The Cons:
The Main Character: While Lucy was set up to be a strong an independent women of science, she never really used the science in any realistic way to figure out the mystery of the deaths or the ghost. She reacted with strong emotion & not her brain, kept depending on the love interest for strength, and seemed to turn into a nitwit at the first sign of trouble. She also had the Mary Sue problem of being the most accomplished, beautiful, blahblahblah. Also why did she feel she could fix everything and then get herself into stupid trouble. Where is the confident women described in the beginning?
The Love Interest: While I thought the banter with Lucy worked in the beginning, a lot about his "Beast nature" was rather dumb. He grows up with a scar that supposedly scares everyone (seriously?) and has a clockwork heart. He is not actually really clockwork. Later ye find out more of his supposed secret but it was lame and I guessed it. How that was presented to Lucy was SO stupid. Also he be possessive, rude, and alpha-male-like. He treats Lucy more like an object to be possessed and not a person. I actually started to dread his point-of-view chapters.
The Setting: I like dark houses and locked doors but there is no reason that the story should have taken place there. If something is killing the cousin and she is SO sick and scared then they could have gone to their OTHER house. Lame. There also be a secret garden, forbidden gazebo, and hunting lodge that play silly somewhat pointless parts. Too many locations for no real reason.
The Steampunk: Other than a clockwork heart, some cars, airships, and the clockwork servants, the story didn't actually have a steampunk feel. It just seemed like these elements were thrown in so the servants could be used to further the plot and it could be marketed as steampunk.
The Side Characters: If I thought the two main lovers were flat and two-dimensional, all the other characters were seemingly pointless. It's bad when the dead ghost who can't speak is the most interesting and only appears a handful of times.
The Mystery: So, so lame was the answer. Also if Lucy was supposed to be investigating vampires, why did she never seem to care about the ones attacking the village? She doesn't even follow up on any of that and also misses all the signs of the ghost mystery because she is too busy lusting.
The Plot: The plot was messy, convoluted, and made no sense. The vampire, werewolf, and ghost subplots are never adequately explained and could have been removed and not changed that much of the story. In fact nothing was really ever explained to me satisfaction. What is the history of the shape shifters? If machines are so advanced why bother with horse and carriage? The reasons for the cousin's sickness seemed to be obvious. How did nobody notice? The story kept spinning in circles and got very boring at times. Lots of plot lines were begun and subsequently abruptly dropped. However, I was out and about and couldn't download something else.
Communication: The absolute worst part is that the two lovebirds NEVER really work together or make plans to solve the case or really talk about their problems. Assumptions abound. Both people try to "protect" the other one and only manage to make every situation worse. Both of them believe they are the only smart person in the room. Most of the "plot problems" were due to avoidable misunderstandings and stupidity. So much so that Miles complains at one point that Lucy has been in more danger in one month then ever in her line of work. Blech.
I get the book's appeal but it didn't work for me at all in the end. To the sharks it goes. Arrrr!
Side note: Apparently lame is the word of the day.
Ahoy there me mateys! Though this log’s focus is on sci-fi, fantasy, and young adult, this Captain does have broader reading tastes. So occasionally I will share some novels that I enjoyed that are off the charts (a non sci-fi, fantasy, or young adult novel), as it were. I received this thriller eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
I read the chalk man by this author and really enjoyed it so was looking forward to reading this. While I read this in one sitting and it was sometimes gripping, I ultimately felt it was just okay and didn't have the same punch as the author's other book.
The story follows Gabe who is driving home from work on day only to see his daughter Izzy in the car in front of him. He tries to convince himself that he was mistaken and calls home only to be told that his wife and daughter have been brutally murdered. But he saw Izzy and so knows she is alive. He is determined to find her. Even if no one else believes him.
The book has three subplots that tie together and that is where the problem lies. One follows Gabe, one follows Fran who is on the run with a girl named Alice, and one follows a waitress named Kate. There is also a three year jump after the murder reveal and a seemingly supernatural bent. Together all these elements were muddled and stretched belief. Though I liked Kate, that subplot could have been removed altogether and I think it would have strengthened the story. I also did not Gabe's secret past subplot either.
But ultimately the main dissatisfaction was with the other people themselves and how it all worked. They weren't scary or even very interesting. There are no real answers and the resolution of both the three subplots and the other people themselves didn't do it for me. There were just too many threads in this book and I would have preferred something more streamlined and realistic. I did have fun reading this book but have to admit that overall it be rather forgettable. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine!
I read the chalk man by this author and really enjoyed it so was looking forward to reading this. While I read this in one sitting and it was sometimes gripping, I ultimately felt it was just okay and didn't have the same punch as the author's other book.
The story follows Gabe who is driving home from work on day only to see his daughter Izzy in the car in front of him. He tries to convince himself that he was mistaken and calls home only to be told that his wife and daughter have been brutally murdered. But he saw Izzy and so knows she is alive. He is determined to find her. Even if no one else believes him.
The book has three subplots that tie together and that is where the problem lies. One follows Gabe, one follows Fran who is on the run with a girl named Alice, and one follows a waitress named Kate. There is also a three year jump after the murder reveal and a seemingly supernatural bent. Together all these elements were muddled and stretched belief. Though I liked Kate, that subplot could have been removed altogether and I think it would have strengthened the story. I also did not Gabe's secret past subplot either.
But ultimately the main dissatisfaction was with the other people themselves and how it all worked. They weren't scary or even very interesting. There are no real answers and the resolution of both the three subplots and the other people themselves didn't do it for me. There were just too many threads in this book and I would have preferred something more streamlined and realistic. I did have fun reading this book but have to admit that overall it be rather forgettable. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine!
Ahoy there me mateys! I loved the author's book beyond the bright sea and thought it was past time I read this book. It was on me list longer as it be a Newbery Honor book and I heard of it first. In comparison to her other book, this one was so different in tone. It was not light-hearted and I wasn't expecting that as I had long ago forgotten the blurb. I listened to the first part on audiobook and then switched to ebook so I could finish it faster.
This story follows Annabelle who lives on a small farm in Pennsylvania. In her twelfth year, a new girl comes to town and changes both the town and Annabelle specially. When a horrible event happens, the accusations begin. Annabelle must decide how important are friendship and the truth and what to do when no one believes you.
This is a beautiful coming-of-age story. It is also a wonderful story about the effects of bullying and prejudice and lying. Annabelle makes a believable and lovable protagonist. I adored that Annabelle's whole family is present and caring. I thought the author used the family itself as excellent insight and counterpoint to Annabelle's point of view. In addition, the world building about life on a small rural farm was lovely. Also the audiobook narrator, Emily Rankin, did an excellent job. I highly recommend both books by the author.
As Matey Milliebot says in her review:
"Let’s see…topics Wolf Hollow deals with (excellently): Bullying, standing up for what you believe is right, trauma, dealing with the consequences of your actions, lying, friendship, grief, prejudice and supporting your family. This book handles a lot of heavy topics and while it’s not an entirely easy read, I think it has the right mix of honesty, tough themes and positive moments."
Side note: Though I understand the comparison of this book and to kill a mockingbird, I feel that it does both books a disservice. Also the author has a new book coming out in April. Arrrr!
This story follows Annabelle who lives on a small farm in Pennsylvania. In her twelfth year, a new girl comes to town and changes both the town and Annabelle specially. When a horrible event happens, the accusations begin. Annabelle must decide how important are friendship and the truth and what to do when no one believes you.
This is a beautiful coming-of-age story. It is also a wonderful story about the effects of bullying and prejudice and lying. Annabelle makes a believable and lovable protagonist. I adored that Annabelle's whole family is present and caring. I thought the author used the family itself as excellent insight and counterpoint to Annabelle's point of view. In addition, the world building about life on a small rural farm was lovely. Also the audiobook narrator, Emily Rankin, did an excellent job. I highly recommend both books by the author.
As Matey Milliebot says in her review:
"Let’s see…topics Wolf Hollow deals with (excellently): Bullying, standing up for what you believe is right, trauma, dealing with the consequences of your actions, lying, friendship, grief, prejudice and supporting your family. This book handles a lot of heavy topics and while it’s not an entirely easy read, I think it has the right mix of honesty, tough themes and positive moments."
Side note: Though I understand the comparison of this book and to kill a mockingbird, I feel that it does both books a disservice. Also the author has a new book coming out in April. Arrrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from Serial Box in exchange for an honest review. Here be me honest musings. . .
Well mateys, back in the day I was surprised when a company called Serial Box contacted me out of the blue offering an advanced copy of one of their sci-fi stories. That was the vela and was an absolute treasure. For those unfamiliar with the company:
So when Serial Box's recent communique nicely offered me a copy of machina of course I said "Aye!" The talented bunch o' scribblers in this batch have written excellent yarns including: updraft – book 1 (Fran Wilde), waypoint kangaroo – book 1 (Curtis C. Chen), and all systems red – book 1 (Martha Wells **I LOVE MURDERBOT!!**). Take these writers add an AI competition and ye get an excellent combo.
On this version of Earth, climate change has brought about the beginning of the end. Humanity is looking to Mars as its future home. To accomplish that goal, companies around the world are designing AI robots to terraform the red planet. So what better way to choose the final AI system then a competition?
The focus of the story involves two AI companies - DevLok and Watchover. The leaders of these companies have different approaches and a very bad history with each other. So while the competition heats up, old rivalries get out of hand. I absolutely loved seeing what their tech could do even though early on I certainly picked the team I was rooting for.
While the competition is the focus, the characters and their interpersonal relationships are the highlight. I absolutely loved the bartender Smits and his robot dog. The Moonshot bar is excellent neutral territory and I loved pretty much every scene that took place there. Other favourites include Cameron, a non-binary coder, and Hiro, the journalist who happens to be an actual tech geek. HR head Simplicity was a hoot. There is also a romance subplot between rival factions that I found sweet and loved. I was even entertained that the corporate suit, Nico, grew on me. Watching his reactions to all the volatile personalities was fun.
I wanted to wait and listen to the episodes as they came out but once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. No patience for me! I thought the writing blend was excellent and eventually gave up tracking which author wrote which section. I love when that happens. Out of the 10 episodes, I really loved the first 8. The final competition was a bit predictable but I still enjoyed it. I can totally see meself picking up the audiobook and revisiting the story that way. The first episode releases today - go and check it out!
So me hearties, I raise me grog in toast to Serial Box and this fantastic season. May we continue to savour this truly wonderful partnership. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Serial Box!
Well mateys, back in the day I was surprised when a company called Serial Box contacted me out of the blue offering an advanced copy of one of their sci-fi stories. That was the vela and was an absolute treasure. For those unfamiliar with the company:
Serial Box brings everything that’s awesome about TV (easily digestible episodes, team written, new content every week) to what was already cool about books (well-crafted stories, talented authors, enjoyable anywhere).
Like TV, we release a new episode of our serials every week and serials typically run for seasons of 10-16 weeks. Easy to pick up, episodes are enjoyable on their own but build over the course of the season to tell a bigger story. Each episode is available in ebook and audio and takes about 40 minutes to enjoy.
So when Serial Box's recent communique nicely offered me a copy of machina of course I said "Aye!" The talented bunch o' scribblers in this batch have written excellent yarns including: updraft – book 1 (Fran Wilde), waypoint kangaroo – book 1 (Curtis C. Chen), and all systems red – book 1 (Martha Wells **I LOVE MURDERBOT!!**). Take these writers add an AI competition and ye get an excellent combo.
On this version of Earth, climate change has brought about the beginning of the end. Humanity is looking to Mars as its future home. To accomplish that goal, companies around the world are designing AI robots to terraform the red planet. So what better way to choose the final AI system then a competition?
The focus of the story involves two AI companies - DevLok and Watchover. The leaders of these companies have different approaches and a very bad history with each other. So while the competition heats up, old rivalries get out of hand. I absolutely loved seeing what their tech could do even though early on I certainly picked the team I was rooting for.
While the competition is the focus, the characters and their interpersonal relationships are the highlight. I absolutely loved the bartender Smits and his robot dog. The Moonshot bar is excellent neutral territory and I loved pretty much every scene that took place there. Other favourites include Cameron, a non-binary coder, and Hiro, the journalist who happens to be an actual tech geek. HR head Simplicity was a hoot. There is also a romance subplot between rival factions that I found sweet and loved. I was even entertained that the corporate suit, Nico, grew on me. Watching his reactions to all the volatile personalities was fun.
I wanted to wait and listen to the episodes as they came out but once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. No patience for me! I thought the writing blend was excellent and eventually gave up tracking which author wrote which section. I love when that happens. Out of the 10 episodes, I really loved the first 8. The final competition was a bit predictable but I still enjoyed it. I can totally see meself picking up the audiobook and revisiting the story that way. The first episode releases today - go and check it out!
So me hearties, I raise me grog in toast to Serial Box and this fantastic season. May we continue to savour this truly wonderful partnership. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Serial Box!
Future Tense Fiction: Stories of Tomorrow
Mark Oshiro, Annalee Newitz, Deji Bryce Olukotun, Emily St. John Mandel, Carmen Maria Machado, Maureen McHugh, Mark Stasenko, Madeline Ashby, Charlie Jane Anders, Hannu Rajaniemi, Meg Elison, Nnedi Okorafor, Paolo Bacigalupi, Lee Konstantinou
Ahoy there me mateys! Yesterday I reviewed a short story from Emily St. John Mandel commissioned by Future Tense Fiction. Future Tense Fiction is “a series of short stories . . . about how technology and science will change our lives.” It was formed in a partnership by Slate, New America, and Arizona State University. This story, mika model, was the first story of the series.
For those familiar with Paolo Bacigalupi’s work the wind-up girl, there are similarities here. This story explores an AI called a mika model and what happens when one shows up to a detective’s office with a unique problem. There are the usual elements here about sentience, liability, personhood, guilt, and responsibility. But damn this story was engaging and wonderful. It is how difficult questions are explored that make Bacigalupi’s work so compelling.
I am not sure how many stories Future Tense has written but I will certainly be seeing if there are more. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
For those familiar with Paolo Bacigalupi’s work the wind-up girl, there are similarities here. This story explores an AI called a mika model and what happens when one shows up to a detective’s office with a unique problem. There are the usual elements here about sentience, liability, personhood, guilt, and responsibility. But damn this story was engaging and wonderful. It is how difficult questions are explored that make Bacigalupi’s work so compelling.
I am not sure how many stories Future Tense has written but I will certainly be seeing if there are more. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/