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Frontier
Saints and preachers, librarians and horse thieves, lawmakers and lawbreakers, and a crash-surviving spaceborn vagrant searching for her lover on a scarred Earth.
Earth, the distant future: climate change has reduced our verdant home into a hard-scrabble wasteland. Saints and sinners, lawmakers and sheriffs, travellers and gunslingers and horse thieves abound. People are as diverse and divided as they've ever been - except in their shared suspicions when a stranger comes to town.
One night a ship falls from the sky, bringing the planet's first visitor in three hundred years. She's armed, she's scared... and she's looking for someone.
Love, loss, and gunslinging in this dazzling debut novel by Grace Curtis. For fans of Sam J. Miller, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Becky Chambers, Frontier is a heartfelt queer romance in a high noon standoff with our planet's uncertian future, full of thrills, a love story, and laser guns.
Earth, the distant future: climate change has reduced our verdant home into a hard-scrabble wasteland. Saints and sinners, lawmakers and sheriffs, travellers and gunslingers and horse thieves abound. People are as diverse and divided as they've ever been - except in their shared suspicions when a stranger comes to town.
One night a ship falls from the sky, bringing the planet's first visitor in three hundred years. She's armed, she's scared... and she's looking for someone.
Love, loss, and gunslinging in this dazzling debut novel by Grace Curtis. For fans of Sam J. Miller, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Becky Chambers, Frontier is a heartfelt queer romance in a high noon standoff with our planet's uncertian future, full of thrills, a love story, and laser guns.
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 9, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews
April 27, 2023
3.5/5
This was described to me as a sapphic sci-fi western, so of course I wanted to read it! Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an arc.
I adored the world-building, I think this desolate, climate change-ravaged Earth is the perfect setting for this story. It's our world, our Earth, but in a way we've never seen it before. It's humanity at the brink of collapse and humanity's attempts to cultivate their own salvation. It's an immensely thought-provoking look at this world of ours hundreds of years into the future and the shattered pieces of it that remain. I adored this aspect of it and every conversation that surrounded this topic. I adored the different ideologies and religions, the various methods of survival on this abandoned planet, the condemnations of the spacemen (or 'sinners') that left.
I also loved the structure of how this story was told. We follow The Stranger, however we see her journey through the eyes of the numerous people that she encounters along the way. I really liked this structure of storytelling, however I did miss some of these characters as we moved on from them. They were all fascinating, each displaying their unique lives on this scorched Earth. It was really interesting to me which aspects of our societies held true in this civilisation and which aspects were different.
Throughout the journey we get to know our main character, The Stranger. We begin to understand her past, her motivations, her relationships with others and with herself. We watch her fight. I loved the situations she got caught in, I loved the Western feel of it all, and I (obviously) loved the laser guns!
I do wish that it was longer. I would've liked if we'd stayed in scenes longer and drawn out the mysteries and the intrigue even further. As much as I liked the ending, here too did I wish we could have witnessed it for longer.
Overall, this was a very quick, easy, fun read. If you often get confused by sci-fi or bogged down in the world-building of most, I wouldn't worry, there aren't the usual technical sci-fi terms and the world-building is explained very clearly.
What I loved most of all was the message of hope. Yes, climate change is devastating our planet and if we do nothing to prevent this then things will only get worse. But simply saying that the damage is irreversible and abandoning it does not inspire change or better the world. We still have the power to change things for the better. There is still hope. There is still time to save it.
What a mess we made on that planet, what a wonderful disaster, what a sublime calamity. Just think what we could do with a little more time.
This was described to me as a sapphic sci-fi western, so of course I wanted to read it! Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an arc.
I adored the world-building, I think this desolate, climate change-ravaged Earth is the perfect setting for this story. It's our world, our Earth, but in a way we've never seen it before. It's humanity at the brink of collapse and humanity's attempts to cultivate their own salvation. It's an immensely thought-provoking look at this world of ours hundreds of years into the future and the shattered pieces of it that remain. I adored this aspect of it and every conversation that surrounded this topic. I adored the different ideologies and religions, the various methods of survival on this abandoned planet, the condemnations of the spacemen (or 'sinners') that left.
I also loved the structure of how this story was told. We follow The Stranger, however we see her journey through the eyes of the numerous people that she encounters along the way. I really liked this structure of storytelling, however I did miss some of these characters as we moved on from them. They were all fascinating, each displaying their unique lives on this scorched Earth. It was really interesting to me which aspects of our societies held true in this civilisation and which aspects were different.
Throughout the journey we get to know our main character, The Stranger. We begin to understand her past, her motivations, her relationships with others and with herself. We watch her fight. I loved the situations she got caught in, I loved the Western feel of it all, and I (obviously) loved the laser guns!
I do wish that it was longer. I would've liked if we'd stayed in scenes longer and drawn out the mysteries and the intrigue even further. As much as I liked the ending, here too did I wish we could have witnessed it for longer.
Overall, this was a very quick, easy, fun read. If you often get confused by sci-fi or bogged down in the world-building of most, I wouldn't worry, there aren't the usual technical sci-fi terms and the world-building is explained very clearly.
What I loved most of all was the message of hope. Yes, climate change is devastating our planet and if we do nothing to prevent this then things will only get worse. But simply saying that the damage is irreversible and abandoning it does not inspire change or better the world. We still have the power to change things for the better. There is still hope. There is still time to save it.
What a mess we made on that planet, what a wonderful disaster, what a sublime calamity. Just think what we could do with a little more time.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
October 2, 2022DNF 40 odd %.
I found the plot meandered far too much for me to be invested. We had too little information about who the mysterious stranger is, or what/whom they are looking for, or any real motivations/character insights etc.
We kept getting introduced to more and more new characters that came and went, and embroiled in their 'side quest' style antics. It was just frustrating, and I had no emotional investment to continue in this way.
I found the plot meandered far too much for me to be invested. We had too little information about who the mysterious stranger is, or what/whom they are looking for, or any real motivations/character insights etc.
We kept getting introduced to more and more new characters that came and went, and embroiled in their 'side quest' style antics. It was just frustrating, and I had no emotional investment to continue in this way.
Read
October 22, 2023Beautiful little book. I loved the structure, and how every vignette looped around by the end, and the western vibes. A perfect companion read would be Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens.
March 15, 2023
I picked up this book because I love a western sci-fi theme, and because of the description of a sapphic love story. While I did love a lot of the worldbuilding- a mostly abandoned earth due to climate change, leaving desolate towns, a fear of technology, and religious zealots. I was very into the first few chapters where the scene is set and we meet our MC who has just crash landed in a spaceship, I was ready for some sapphic pining ala How to Lose the Time War...
Unfortunately the structure of the book took the story in a very different direction than I expected. Each chapter is about a different person who eventually overlaps with the MC on her journey to find her lost love. But she's never the main character in these shapshots, so we really don't ever get to know her, and her lost love is only ever barely mentioned. I found this structure just impossible to connect with, I felt there was no buy-in to the main character or the supposed love story. I had expected some flashbacks so we get to know the MC and her lost love, but that never happens. We actually don't meet the lost love or learn their names until 70% into the book and they are only ever together briefly. By this time I just did not have an interest in the MC or their relationship because I was given no real reason to care throughout the story. We meet and learn about every one else in the abandoned earth except the MC and her lost love, which truthfully could be interesting to people if they get into the world, but it just wasn't enough for me. Also, at the end one of them says the other was "going Native" yikes :/
I think this unconventional story structure could work for some, the worldbuilding is definitely interesting, but it overall didn't work for me. I kept thinking how this would have worked better as a movie, where you have the visual of the MC to keep you connected in the wandering stories about other characters until it eventually connects with her.
CWs: death, murder, gun violence, grief, alcohol, injury detail, animal death, derogatory language (going Native)
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the e-advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately the structure of the book took the story in a very different direction than I expected. Each chapter is about a different person who eventually overlaps with the MC on her journey to find her lost love. But she's never the main character in these shapshots, so we really don't ever get to know her, and her lost love is only ever barely mentioned. I found this structure just impossible to connect with, I felt there was no buy-in to the main character or the supposed love story. I had expected some flashbacks so we get to know the MC and her lost love, but that never happens. We actually don't meet the lost love or learn their names until 70% into the book and they are only ever together briefly. By this time I just did not have an interest in the MC or their relationship because I was given no real reason to care throughout the story. We meet and learn about every one else in the abandoned earth except the MC and her lost love, which truthfully could be interesting to people if they get into the world, but it just wasn't enough for me. Also, at the end one of them says the other was "going Native" yikes :/
I think this unconventional story structure could work for some, the worldbuilding is definitely interesting, but it overall didn't work for me. I kept thinking how this would have worked better as a movie, where you have the visual of the MC to keep you connected in the wandering stories about other characters until it eventually connects with her.
CWs: death, murder, gun violence, grief, alcohol, injury detail, animal death, derogatory language (going Native)
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the e-advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2023
The wind blows over a parched, almost dead land. Earth was abandoned, and most fled many years earlier, with malcontents and the loners and the too poor staying, eking out an existence. Humanity expanded outwards over three hundred years, eventually forming an interstellar civilization, with no one interested in returning to a dead planet. We get this backstory through excerpts of reports and statements from someone in the Centralian Empire.
A life pod falls out of the sky one day and falls to Earth, with the survivor setting off a journey , and pursued by a murderous official. She encounters corruption, desperation, religious fervour/zealotry and a deep intolerance for spacefarers, and technology, as that is what is believed to have destroyed much of Earth in its past. Knowing this, the survivor keeps silent about her origins, only saying enough to get directions to where she believes her love might have crash landed as well.
There aren't many people left, but there are settlements ranging from insular villages, to large centres full of abandoned buildings but a thriving culture of skyscraper dwellers. The survivor meets several different kinds of people on her journey, and finds desperation, violence, connivance, kindness and curiosity amongst them.
Interestingly, as our survivor traverses the desolate land she's known by different people by a variety of nicknames: the Courier, the Traveller, Darling, the Guest, etc. (I kept thinking of lone strangers on a horses riding into dusty towns as the survivor walked across the land....) It's an intriguing choice to parcel out morsels of information about the woman, other than her desire to find the woman she loves somewhere on Earth (their romance is slowly revealed, and I loved how strong their connection was).
I really enjoyed this. Grace Curtis gave me a terrific sense of place and belief, and I could hear the wind, feel the heat rising off the sand as I read.
I'm intrigued by the snippets Curtis gives us of the human diaspora, but also how did people manage to survive on Earth for three hundred years, despite climate collapse, little to no working technology and medical treatments restricted to a minority? This book was satisfying, but also left me wanting more, whether about the survivor and her love, or what happened after, and would the Centralian Empire ever turn its eyes Earthward?
Thank you to Netgalley and to Rebellion for this ARC in exchange for my review.
A life pod falls out of the sky one day and falls to Earth, with the survivor setting off a journey , and pursued by a murderous official. She encounters corruption, desperation, religious fervour/zealotry and a deep intolerance for spacefarers, and technology, as that is what is believed to have destroyed much of Earth in its past. Knowing this, the survivor keeps silent about her origins, only saying enough to get directions to where she believes her love might have crash landed as well.
There aren't many people left, but there are settlements ranging from insular villages, to large centres full of abandoned buildings but a thriving culture of skyscraper dwellers. The survivor meets several different kinds of people on her journey, and finds desperation, violence, connivance, kindness and curiosity amongst them.
Interestingly, as our survivor traverses the desolate land she's known by different people by a variety of nicknames: the Courier, the Traveller, Darling, the Guest, etc. (I kept thinking of lone strangers on a horses riding into dusty towns as the survivor walked across the land....) It's an intriguing choice to parcel out morsels of information about the woman, other than her desire to find the woman she loves somewhere on Earth (their romance is slowly revealed, and I loved how strong their connection was).
I really enjoyed this. Grace Curtis gave me a terrific sense of place and belief, and I could hear the wind, feel the heat rising off the sand as I read.
I'm intrigued by the snippets Curtis gives us of the human diaspora, but also how did people manage to survive on Earth for three hundred years, despite climate collapse, little to no working technology and medical treatments restricted to a minority? This book was satisfying, but also left me wanting more, whether about the survivor and her love, or what happened after, and would the Centralian Empire ever turn its eyes Earthward?
Thank you to Netgalley and to Rebellion for this ARC in exchange for my review.
April 12, 2024
There’s nothing quite like the magic of opening a book and being greeted with the suspicion that you’ve found a new favourite — except turning the last page and having that suspicion crystallise in to pure certainty. And Frontier delivers on both counts. It’s a mixture of space western, lesbian romance, and eco-feminist science-fiction. But Frontier so much more than any of those things; it’s a ripping good yarn.
Centuries ago earth was abandoned after the ecosystem was devastated by climate change. Disparate settlements are scattered across the parts of the globe that can sustain human life, many remaining humans devoted to a religion built around Mother Earth. Everything to do with space is considered heretical. And when the Stranger’s escape pod crashes to Earth, she’s the first intergalactic visitor in three centuries. And the Stranger is forced to navigate a world where she’s perceived not only as an oddity, but a threat to those in power. Because above all things she wants to broadcast a message to the love she has lost.
For parts of the book we see the Stranger through the eyes of people she travels with, and for the remainder we see the world through her lens. And Curtis has created a stunning, unique patchwork of narrative voices. Every account gives fresh insight into both the Stranger and the world she finds herself in. Razor sharp insight into human nature enables characterisation that is bright, entertaining, and always convincing. And for all the challenges these characters face, there’s a scrappy and beautiful hope alive in each of them that keeps Frontier from becoming too bleak.
Frontier has a remarkable atmosphere, especially for a debut novel. And Curtis is an exquisite writer. Her prose is just the right balance of lyrical and lively to enchant the reader while driving you on, desperate to answer the question that’s the engine of story: what happens next?
Centuries ago earth was abandoned after the ecosystem was devastated by climate change. Disparate settlements are scattered across the parts of the globe that can sustain human life, many remaining humans devoted to a religion built around Mother Earth. Everything to do with space is considered heretical. And when the Stranger’s escape pod crashes to Earth, she’s the first intergalactic visitor in three centuries. And the Stranger is forced to navigate a world where she’s perceived not only as an oddity, but a threat to those in power. Because above all things she wants to broadcast a message to the love she has lost.
For parts of the book we see the Stranger through the eyes of people she travels with, and for the remainder we see the world through her lens. And Curtis has created a stunning, unique patchwork of narrative voices. Every account gives fresh insight into both the Stranger and the world she finds herself in. Razor sharp insight into human nature enables characterisation that is bright, entertaining, and always convincing. And for all the challenges these characters face, there’s a scrappy and beautiful hope alive in each of them that keeps Frontier from becoming too bleak.
Frontier has a remarkable atmosphere, especially for a debut novel. And Curtis is an exquisite writer. Her prose is just the right balance of lyrical and lively to enchant the reader while driving you on, desperate to answer the question that’s the engine of story: what happens next?
Read
December 7, 2023With her debut novel Frontier, Grace Curtis weaves various elements from popular sci-fi and western-influenced fiction into something wholly new. There are echoes here of the worlds of Mad Max and Stephen King’s Dark Tower, of the charming hopefulness of Becky Chambers stories, of John Ford’s 1939 classic movie Stagecoach, and much more. But Frontier manages to feel original and unique, in spite of all these similarities.
Like Star Wars before it Frontier is a sci-fi western set on an Earth of the future, devastated by climate change. While most of our species left for the stars, some remained in the form of a religious group who worship the planet itself. Our protagonist is a stranger who crashes to Earth and heads out in search of someone. A woman. That’s all we know at first.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/best-sci-fi-b...
Like Star Wars before it Frontier is a sci-fi western set on an Earth of the future, devastated by climate change. While most of our species left for the stars, some remained in the form of a religious group who worship the planet itself. Our protagonist is a stranger who crashes to Earth and heads out in search of someone. A woman. That’s all we know at first.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/best-sci-fi-b...
January 25, 2023
I feel pretty guilty, because I approached this knowing that the more space-opera loaded a sci-fi novel is, the more I struggle to resonate with it, but then again I'm the weakest at resisting a pretty cover, so here I was.
Frontier is marketed as a space western, which feels pretty appropriate. Set in the distant future, our planet has been reduced to a massive wasteland (hello climate change!). In this version of our world, it has led us to being ruled by sheriffs, horse bandits and lawbreakers once more, but what they've all got in common is that they get suspicious when a life pod falls from the sky and brings the first visitor in three hundred years to town. And this person is who we follow on her quest to ... well, for a long time we don't even really know what.
Curtis did a good job at capturing the essence of the western genre and applying it to a science fiction setting. I liked her version of the world – there was a surprising Red Dead Redemption feel to it, a video game that stood out for its immersive Wild West setting. The wasteland is dominated by the corrupt lawlessness of it and I always thinks it's funny when visions of the future feel like a past long gone, with in this world technology as we use it today being pretty much abandoned.
The lone stranger trope was too dominant to keep me emotionally engaged. So the thing is, the stranger who falls from the sky one day remains a stranger to us readers, too. As she traverses the wasteland, meeting kind and cruel people alike, she receives a variety of nicknames that never let us fully comprehend her. The one thing we do find out with certainty is that she is here to find the woman she loves, who is somewhere on Earth. They're connection gets revealed to us bit by bit, which is something that might work for some (and as a general idea appeals to me, too), but for some reason kept me at arm's length the whole time. To me personally, the mysteriousness of her character didn't go well with an emotionally sentimental agenda.
It would have been fun to find out a bit more about how the world ended up like this. With so little technology and medical help, how did people manage to survive for that long if the climate is that harsh as well? Getting to technical isn't the aim of this novel and probably would have ruined the vibe of it all, but this is the Star Wars kind of "science fiction" that isn't very much concerned about the science. It's reminiscent of novels like Ocean's Echo or Becky Chambers' work, so if this is your kind of thing you're likely to have a good time with this!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an Advanced Reading Copy of this to review!
Frontier is marketed as a space western, which feels pretty appropriate. Set in the distant future, our planet has been reduced to a massive wasteland (hello climate change!). In this version of our world, it has led us to being ruled by sheriffs, horse bandits and lawbreakers once more, but what they've all got in common is that they get suspicious when a life pod falls from the sky and brings the first visitor in three hundred years to town. And this person is who we follow on her quest to ... well, for a long time we don't even really know what.
Curtis did a good job at capturing the essence of the western genre and applying it to a science fiction setting. I liked her version of the world – there was a surprising Red Dead Redemption feel to it, a video game that stood out for its immersive Wild West setting. The wasteland is dominated by the corrupt lawlessness of it and I always thinks it's funny when visions of the future feel like a past long gone, with in this world technology as we use it today being pretty much abandoned.
The lone stranger trope was too dominant to keep me emotionally engaged. So the thing is, the stranger who falls from the sky one day remains a stranger to us readers, too. As she traverses the wasteland, meeting kind and cruel people alike, she receives a variety of nicknames that never let us fully comprehend her. The one thing we do find out with certainty is that she is here to find the woman she loves, who is somewhere on Earth. They're connection gets revealed to us bit by bit, which is something that might work for some (and as a general idea appeals to me, too), but for some reason kept me at arm's length the whole time. To me personally, the mysteriousness of her character didn't go well with an emotionally sentimental agenda.
It would have been fun to find out a bit more about how the world ended up like this. With so little technology and medical help, how did people manage to survive for that long if the climate is that harsh as well? Getting to technical isn't the aim of this novel and probably would have ruined the vibe of it all, but this is the Star Wars kind of "science fiction" that isn't very much concerned about the science. It's reminiscent of novels like Ocean's Echo or Becky Chambers' work, so if this is your kind of thing you're likely to have a good time with this!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an Advanced Reading Copy of this to review!
February 6, 2023
This was a very enjoyable, fast-paced quick read. I was a bit concerned that it might not be my cup of tea, as the blurb mentioned gunslingers and love – Westerns and Romance being my least favourite genres – but it also mentioned a space ship and dystopian future world, so I decided to give it a go. And, was very glad I had.
The dystopian world is Earth, populated by the religious fanatics who decided to stay on the devastated near-dead planet when everyone else was evacuated. They wanted to remain close to the Earth God Gaia, and saw space flight as a sin.
The book opens with a crashed space ship, and the rather dodgy individuals who find it. They don’t last long.
Then we meet the main character. We don’t discover her name until well into the book – she is only given a designation relating to her activity in the current chapter: Courier, Stranger, Darling, Guest, Lover. We do know she is from off-planet, and is looking for someone (but not whom) and access to a communications device. Was she on the crashed ship? Is she part of a rescue mission, or in need of rescue? Why did the ship come to Earth, where it was clearly not going to be welcome?
Each chapter is another stage in the MC’s road journey. It is not always clear how she gets from one point to the next, but that does not spoil the story. She meets a number of different and quite unique characters. Some are given names, others just a designation. Most are helpful. They appear, then disappear, and for most we never know what becomes f them after they lose contact with the MC. The exception being Deputy Seawall – the baddie of the piece.
About 70% of the way through the book, there is a flashback which answers some of the questions about the main character and her quest. But, even at the end of the book, there are still many outstanding questions. The author is to be congratulated for not padding out the book. It could have been a lot longer – but really everything that needed to be said, was.
I can fully recommend this beautifully crafted book, with no wasted words, that claims your full attention throughout.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by either the author or publisher.
The dystopian world is Earth, populated by the religious fanatics who decided to stay on the devastated near-dead planet when everyone else was evacuated. They wanted to remain close to the Earth God Gaia, and saw space flight as a sin.
The book opens with a crashed space ship, and the rather dodgy individuals who find it. They don’t last long.
Then we meet the main character. We don’t discover her name until well into the book – she is only given a designation relating to her activity in the current chapter: Courier, Stranger, Darling, Guest, Lover. We do know she is from off-planet, and is looking for someone (but not whom) and access to a communications device. Was she on the crashed ship? Is she part of a rescue mission, or in need of rescue? Why did the ship come to Earth, where it was clearly not going to be welcome?
Each chapter is another stage in the MC’s road journey. It is not always clear how she gets from one point to the next, but that does not spoil the story. She meets a number of different and quite unique characters. Some are given names, others just a designation. Most are helpful. They appear, then disappear, and for most we never know what becomes f them after they lose contact with the MC. The exception being Deputy Seawall – the baddie of the piece.
About 70% of the way through the book, there is a flashback which answers some of the questions about the main character and her quest. But, even at the end of the book, there are still many outstanding questions. The author is to be congratulated for not padding out the book. It could have been a lot longer – but really everything that needed to be said, was.
I can fully recommend this beautifully crafted book, with no wasted words, that claims your full attention throughout.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by either the author or publisher.
January 11, 2023
Thank you to Pride Book Tours and Solaris for a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review and promotion. All opinions are my own.
Frontier follows a mysterious main character. We don’t know anything about this person. Not her name, past or why she’s on the ravaged Earth planet. Most humans left Earth long ago, but the ones who stayed have to deal with a Wild West environment: technology renounced and widespread lawlessness. The book alternates perspectives, but we’re always following our stranger who fell back to Earth separated from the rest of her ship.
I spent a fair amount of this book confused, but it felt very intentional. Think Gideon the Ninth type of confusing. Things were happening, but I didn’t always understand why or how it was important. But when things are finally revealed everything makes sense! The reveal had a great payoff in the end for me.
Even though I was confused at times, I really liked our main character. She was fascinating and always getting into trouble. All we know about her at the beginning is she’s an expert sharpshooter. And gosh does that come in handy through the book! Overall, this was such a fun ride and I would highly recommend it especially for fans of space gays or people who enjoy books with environmental themes.
Rep: Sapphic cis female MC with amnesia, sapphic cis female SC.
CWs: Cursing, death, murder, gun violence, blood, grief, alcohol consumption, injury/injury detail, animal death. Moderate: spaceship crash (car accident), suicide.
Frontier follows a mysterious main character. We don’t know anything about this person. Not her name, past or why she’s on the ravaged Earth planet. Most humans left Earth long ago, but the ones who stayed have to deal with a Wild West environment: technology renounced and widespread lawlessness. The book alternates perspectives, but we’re always following our stranger who fell back to Earth separated from the rest of her ship.
I spent a fair amount of this book confused, but it felt very intentional. Think Gideon the Ninth type of confusing. Things were happening, but I didn’t always understand why or how it was important. But when things are finally revealed everything makes sense! The reveal had a great payoff in the end for me.
Even though I was confused at times, I really liked our main character. She was fascinating and always getting into trouble. All we know about her at the beginning is she’s an expert sharpshooter. And gosh does that come in handy through the book! Overall, this was such a fun ride and I would highly recommend it especially for fans of space gays or people who enjoy books with environmental themes.
Rep: Sapphic cis female MC with amnesia, sapphic cis female SC.
CWs: Cursing, death, murder, gun violence, blood, grief, alcohol consumption, injury/injury detail, animal death. Moderate: spaceship crash (car accident), suicide.
May 30, 2023
I loved the world building in this book. It captured exactly the vibe and energy of a frontier town and there was a wild range of characters. However, I found the story confusing, rambling- rally hard to see what was going on. It was an imaginative and original story but the delivery failed. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
February 5, 2024
This was fun, fast and action packed, if a little bit silly. It reads like a slapstick Mad Max.
The joy of Frontier is in the diverse range of quirky characters. It is through these people and their stories, that we learn about our protagonist. A woman has crash landed on a burned and barren Earth, a place where only a few hardy souls have stayed while everyone else fled to other planets. She is searching for someone. As she does so, she will become The Stranger, The Stowaway, The Traveller, and many other things to those whose paths she crosses.
With nods to classic westerns, Frontier is an original SF read, that doesn't take itself too seriously.
The joy of Frontier is in the diverse range of quirky characters. It is through these people and their stories, that we learn about our protagonist. A woman has crash landed on a burned and barren Earth, a place where only a few hardy souls have stayed while everyone else fled to other planets. She is searching for someone. As she does so, she will become The Stranger, The Stowaway, The Traveller, and many other things to those whose paths she crosses.
With nods to classic westerns, Frontier is an original SF read, that doesn't take itself too seriously.
February 26, 2023
4.5*
I have been trying to write this review for close to a month now, and it isn't going well. Not because I didn't like the book; quite the opposite. Because I think it is quite lovely, but I don't exactly know how to tell you why it was lovely, because of the spoilery nature of many of the lovely bits. I'll try though, because I have to.
Okay so. The main character is... I can't tell you who it is, is the thing. The Stranger is obviously not from around here, and "here" is a mess. It's basically what is left of a messy, abandoned Earth, years after humanity as a whole decided to up and leave. It tracks, basically: ruined one planet, so we went to find more to ruin. Anyway, we're still being crappy on Earth, obviously. But what its dwellers do not expect is someone who left to come back.
It's described as a "Space Western", and it absolutely has those vibes. The atmosphere is absolutely on point, and frankly, if I had landed there I'd be reluctant to hang out in this place either. But the Stranger is not just here for funsies and to assess the dying planet. She's there to find her love, which makes the story that much more compelling and emotive. There is also a lot of humor and charm infused throughout the story. I also was quite fond of some of the side characters we encountered along the journey, they certainly added to the story.
The worldbuilding was fascinating, and though I'd have liked to know even more of the things, I get that it isn't really possible in the length of one novel. I did love the background we got, as well as the world building of the current time/location. I also absolutely loved the ending of this story. It's one of the best and most fitting book endings I've encountered, and it made the reading experience feel even more worth it.
Bottom Line: Loved the atmosphere and concept, and that it was truly a love story at its core while still being really well developed and exciting.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I have been trying to write this review for close to a month now, and it isn't going well. Not because I didn't like the book; quite the opposite. Because I think it is quite lovely, but I don't exactly know how to tell you why it was lovely, because of the spoilery nature of many of the lovely bits. I'll try though, because I have to.
Okay so. The main character is... I can't tell you who it is, is the thing. The Stranger is obviously not from around here, and "here" is a mess. It's basically what is left of a messy, abandoned Earth, years after humanity as a whole decided to up and leave. It tracks, basically: ruined one planet, so we went to find more to ruin. Anyway, we're still being crappy on Earth, obviously. But what its dwellers do not expect is someone who left to come back.
It's described as a "Space Western", and it absolutely has those vibes. The atmosphere is absolutely on point, and frankly, if I had landed there I'd be reluctant to hang out in this place either. But the Stranger is not just here for funsies and to assess the dying planet. She's there to find her love, which makes the story that much more compelling and emotive. There is also a lot of humor and charm infused throughout the story. I also was quite fond of some of the side characters we encountered along the journey, they certainly added to the story.
The worldbuilding was fascinating, and though I'd have liked to know even more of the things, I get that it isn't really possible in the length of one novel. I did love the background we got, as well as the world building of the current time/location. I also absolutely loved the ending of this story. It's one of the best and most fitting book endings I've encountered, and it made the reading experience feel even more worth it.
Bottom Line: Loved the atmosphere and concept, and that it was truly a love story at its core while still being really well developed and exciting.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
February 10, 2023
What a beautiful book! The experience of listening to Frontier over the past week or so has been incredible, and I’m so pleased I requested a review copy.
Incredible Science Fiction
The worldbuilding is fantastic. We are on Earth in the distant future, but it’s not a good one. Climate change has made the planet essentially a dystopia.
This makes for a very cool story, with Western-vibes. The sense of place is incredibly well done, without unnecessary exposition.
The plot is a little meandering, but I actually enjoyed that aspect of the book. I would just be washing the dishes, or going for a walk with the baby in the pushchair, and disappearing into the world.
Frontier is an experience; I don’t know how else to describe it.
As a final thought, I haven’t mentioned the cover… that was what drew me to the book immediately and essentially made me request it! It’s beautiful!
Blog | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Incredible Science Fiction
The worldbuilding is fantastic. We are on Earth in the distant future, but it’s not a good one. Climate change has made the planet essentially a dystopia.
This makes for a very cool story, with Western-vibes. The sense of place is incredibly well done, without unnecessary exposition.
The plot is a little meandering, but I actually enjoyed that aspect of the book. I would just be washing the dishes, or going for a walk with the baby in the pushchair, and disappearing into the world.
Frontier is an experience; I don’t know how else to describe it.
As a final thought, I haven’t mentioned the cover… that was what drew me to the book immediately and essentially made me request it! It’s beautiful!
Blog | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
March 21, 2023
This is an episodic, sci-fi, sapphic, western and honestly it was a great time. Set on a ravaged Earth, post climate change, we follow a traveller from space, and the people she meets along the way (good, bad, and everything inbetween), as she tries to get back to the woman she loves.
There was such an interesting religious element to this book, as the people who originally remained on Earth took to worshipping it, and took on the hardships that climate change dealt as a punishment to meekly accept, and deeming those who left for space as sinners and traitors to Gaia. I loved the episodic element of it, seeing how various different characters lived on this changed world, the attitudes among them, and how they interacted with our main character.
This book is pretty fast paced, coming in at around 250 pages, but I still felt like everything was well fleshed out. It wasn’t needlessly padded, and I still came to care for the characters, even the ones that only showed up briefly on the journey, and got to grips with the world they were dealing with.
This book was adventurous, and didn’t shy away from the gritty western feel. Overall, pretty enjoyable, and I look forward to reading more from the author in future!
Thank you to Netgalley, and Hodder Books, for the copy to review!
There was such an interesting religious element to this book, as the people who originally remained on Earth took to worshipping it, and took on the hardships that climate change dealt as a punishment to meekly accept, and deeming those who left for space as sinners and traitors to Gaia. I loved the episodic element of it, seeing how various different characters lived on this changed world, the attitudes among them, and how they interacted with our main character.
This book is pretty fast paced, coming in at around 250 pages, but I still felt like everything was well fleshed out. It wasn’t needlessly padded, and I still came to care for the characters, even the ones that only showed up briefly on the journey, and got to grips with the world they were dealing with.
This book was adventurous, and didn’t shy away from the gritty western feel. Overall, pretty enjoyable, and I look forward to reading more from the author in future!
Thank you to Netgalley, and Hodder Books, for the copy to review!
March 12, 2023
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The way this book is structured almost feels like a collection of short stories, all featuring the same main character, who remains unnamed for most of it and is instead known by a different nickname in each chapter/section. The fact that the protagonist remains the same prevents the story from feeling completely disjointed; however, I did feel confused a few times, wondering if we were still following the same person, or the woman she was looking for. The intentional withholding of the character's name didn't help with that.
That said, the scenarios the protagonist finds herself in were all interesting to read about, and told me a lot about this version of Earth. Through her and the people she meets along the way, we get to find out about the dominant religion, how law & order works, how much Earth and its people have changed since a part of humanity abandoned the planet, and how in other ways, they haven't changed at all. I really liked a lot of the side characters that we meet as well, and wish there had been time to explore some of them a bit further.
I don't think I would call this a romance, since it takes a good while for our main character to find the person she's looking for, but if you're looking for a scifi Western, give this a go.
The way this book is structured almost feels like a collection of short stories, all featuring the same main character, who remains unnamed for most of it and is instead known by a different nickname in each chapter/section. The fact that the protagonist remains the same prevents the story from feeling completely disjointed; however, I did feel confused a few times, wondering if we were still following the same person, or the woman she was looking for. The intentional withholding of the character's name didn't help with that.
That said, the scenarios the protagonist finds herself in were all interesting to read about, and told me a lot about this version of Earth. Through her and the people she meets along the way, we get to find out about the dominant religion, how law & order works, how much Earth and its people have changed since a part of humanity abandoned the planet, and how in other ways, they haven't changed at all. I really liked a lot of the side characters that we meet as well, and wish there had been time to explore some of them a bit further.
I don't think I would call this a romance, since it takes a good while for our main character to find the person she's looking for, but if you're looking for a scifi Western, give this a go.
July 23, 2024
I'm really glad I read this author's second book first, because this book was a bit of a mess, and I would have taken much longer to get to Floating Hotel, which was easily a five star read. This story feels much more meandering and unsure of itself, with moments that feel almost painfully slow, but with an ending so rushed I was slightly confused as to what was happening.
Following a traveller, looking for her lover across a desert wasteland, this introduces us to the different characters who she meets by switching the POV over to them, and we see her through their eyes, young and old. Sometimes, the story will then switch over to traveller. Confusingly, it would often switch to her POV too.
Much like Floating Hotel, we slowly piece together the story as the chapters progress, but unlike Floating Hotel, I have absolutely no clue why we couldn't have found out what happened right at the beginning of the story. When we did get the answers in the end, I still wasn't sure what happened. I was truly just confused for most of this book to be honest.
Following a traveller, looking for her lover across a desert wasteland, this introduces us to the different characters who she meets by switching the POV over to them, and we see her through their eyes, young and old. Sometimes, the story will then switch over to traveller. Confusingly, it would often switch to her POV too.
Much like Floating Hotel, we slowly piece together the story as the chapters progress, but unlike Floating Hotel, I have absolutely no clue why we couldn't have found out what happened right at the beginning of the story. When we did get the answers in the end, I still wasn't sure what happened. I was truly just confused for most of this book to be honest.
December 17, 2022
This is the first book I’ve read (that I can remember) where you don’t find out the main characters name until the book is nearly finished, and honestly, I kinda dig it. It’s a move. This fast paced book has a little something for everyone in this genre, villains, lovers trying to get back to each other, a broken planet, and the classic divide of those who want technology for everyone and those who want the power of that to themselves. This book had me at sapphic western sci-fi and it kept me immersed in a broken world longing for a happy ending.
Thank you to Hodderscape for sending me a proof of this gorgeous book that’s releasing March 9th.
Thank you to Hodderscape for sending me a proof of this gorgeous book that’s releasing March 9th.
October 3, 2023
Das Raumschiff, das vom Himmel fiel von Grace Curtis, übersetzt von Maike Hallmann, wird als sapphischer Space Western mit Herz, für Fans von Mary Robinette Kowal und Becky Chambers, vermarktet. Leider ein Versprechen, das meiner Meinung nach nicht gehalten wird.
Die Protagonistin, eine „Sternengeborene“, hat, wie der Titel verrät, mit ihrem Raumschiff eine Bruchlandung auf der postapokalyptischen Erde hingelegt. Ihr Ziel ist es, ihre Geliebte irgendwo in den Weiten der USA zu suchen. Auf ihrer Reise trifft sie auf unterschiedliche Figuren, die ihr mehr oder weniger wohlgesonnen sind.
Das Buch wird durchweg von den Randfiguren erzählt, das heißt, man erfährt in episodenhaften Abschnitten die verschiedenen Umstände dieser Figuren, während man nebenbei die Geschichte der Protagonistin mitbekommt. Anfangs war ich noch fasziniert, denn ich fand den Ansatz interessant und hoffte auf ein spannendes World Building. Doch leider hat sich schnell herausgestellt, dass diese Erzählweise so gar nicht für mich funktioniert, denn ich wurde konstant auf Distanz zu den Figuren und insbesondere der Protagonistin, gehalten.
Nicht einmal nach der Hälfte des Buches erfährt man ihren Namen, geschweige denn irgendwelche Charaktereigenschaften. Sie und ihre Mission blieben mir bis zum Ende komplett egal. Außerdem habe ich nicht verstanden, warum mir diese Randfiguren eigentlich wichtig sein sollten: sie waren einfach nur da, die Welt zu erklären, aber um ehrlich zu sein, hätte ich mir auch hier mehr gewünscht. Mehr neue, frische Ideen, denn so eine Reise durch ein postapokalyptisches Amerika bietet doch so viel, oder? Ich fand zwar, dass der „Western“-Charakter ganz gut rüberkam – überall gibt es Outlaws, coole Shoot Outs, korrupte Sheriffs – aber im Endeffekt habe ich Space Western in anderen Medien schon kreativer und mit mehr Witz bearbeitet gesehen: Cowboy Bebop, The Mandalorian, Outer Worlds…
Das angepriesene „Herz“ dieser Geschichte habe ich bis zum Schluss nicht gefühlt. Auch den Vergleich mit Becky Chambers, deren Geschichten so sehr von den vielschichtigen Figuren und Gesellschaften leben, sehe ich nicht. Leider kann ich an dieser Stelle nur 2.5 ⭐ vergeben.
Schade, das Buch war leider nichts für mich, obwohl ich mich sehr gefreut habe, dass hier eine queere Science-Fiction übersetzt wurde. Diese negative Rezension sollte daher als Anreiz gesehen werden: Ich wünsche mir mehr queere SF auf dem deutschsprachigen Buchmarkt!
Vielen Dank an den Verlag und das Bloggerportal für das Rezensionsexemplar.
Die Protagonistin, eine „Sternengeborene“, hat, wie der Titel verrät, mit ihrem Raumschiff eine Bruchlandung auf der postapokalyptischen Erde hingelegt. Ihr Ziel ist es, ihre Geliebte irgendwo in den Weiten der USA zu suchen. Auf ihrer Reise trifft sie auf unterschiedliche Figuren, die ihr mehr oder weniger wohlgesonnen sind.
Das Buch wird durchweg von den Randfiguren erzählt, das heißt, man erfährt in episodenhaften Abschnitten die verschiedenen Umstände dieser Figuren, während man nebenbei die Geschichte der Protagonistin mitbekommt. Anfangs war ich noch fasziniert, denn ich fand den Ansatz interessant und hoffte auf ein spannendes World Building. Doch leider hat sich schnell herausgestellt, dass diese Erzählweise so gar nicht für mich funktioniert, denn ich wurde konstant auf Distanz zu den Figuren und insbesondere der Protagonistin, gehalten.
Nicht einmal nach der Hälfte des Buches erfährt man ihren Namen, geschweige denn irgendwelche Charaktereigenschaften. Sie und ihre Mission blieben mir bis zum Ende komplett egal. Außerdem habe ich nicht verstanden, warum mir diese Randfiguren eigentlich wichtig sein sollten: sie waren einfach nur da, die Welt zu erklären, aber um ehrlich zu sein, hätte ich mir auch hier mehr gewünscht. Mehr neue, frische Ideen, denn so eine Reise durch ein postapokalyptisches Amerika bietet doch so viel, oder? Ich fand zwar, dass der „Western“-Charakter ganz gut rüberkam – überall gibt es Outlaws, coole Shoot Outs, korrupte Sheriffs – aber im Endeffekt habe ich Space Western in anderen Medien schon kreativer und mit mehr Witz bearbeitet gesehen: Cowboy Bebop, The Mandalorian, Outer Worlds…
Das angepriesene „Herz“ dieser Geschichte habe ich bis zum Schluss nicht gefühlt. Auch den Vergleich mit Becky Chambers, deren Geschichten so sehr von den vielschichtigen Figuren und Gesellschaften leben, sehe ich nicht. Leider kann ich an dieser Stelle nur 2.5 ⭐ vergeben.
Schade, das Buch war leider nichts für mich, obwohl ich mich sehr gefreut habe, dass hier eine queere Science-Fiction übersetzt wurde. Diese negative Rezension sollte daher als Anreiz gesehen werden: Ich wünsche mir mehr queere SF auf dem deutschsprachigen Buchmarkt!
Vielen Dank an den Verlag und das Bloggerportal für das Rezensionsexemplar.
May 4, 2024
While this book wasn't consistently 4 star worthy, by the end, I was really endeared to it. This was a cozy, heartwarming read with a collection of eclectic characters and considered world building. While it wasn't particularly political or philosophical, the themes of community and perseverance were consistent, and I thought what it said about religion, though not notable, was well thought out. The more I read, the more I enjoyed it, and it was definitely a nice palate cleanser after finishing Dune.
April 6, 2023
Headlines:
Gunslinging planetary standoffs
Sapphic connections
Technology evils
This was a quick read with western vibes in a sci-fi setting. Earth was a slightly recognisable wasteland in a dystopian future of suspicion and survival. All that said, the tone of this book had a lightness to it at times.
The MC was somewhat elusive and the story was told in looping POVs that circled back to the MC. It was an unusual approach to storytelling but it mostly worked for me once I realised how it was structured.
The civilisation on Earth was interesting with a religious zealotry related to the evils of technology; guns were okay though... The stories that connected to the overall story presented an eclectic bunch of characters but I really enjoyed getting the juice on the MC and their search for their beloved.
At interesting concept with a fresh feel. Thank you to Pride Book Tours and Hodder Books for the review copy.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
Gunslinging planetary standoffs
Sapphic connections
Technology evils
This was a quick read with western vibes in a sci-fi setting. Earth was a slightly recognisable wasteland in a dystopian future of suspicion and survival. All that said, the tone of this book had a lightness to it at times.
The MC was somewhat elusive and the story was told in looping POVs that circled back to the MC. It was an unusual approach to storytelling but it mostly worked for me once I realised how it was structured.
The civilisation on Earth was interesting with a religious zealotry related to the evils of technology; guns were okay though... The stories that connected to the overall story presented an eclectic bunch of characters but I really enjoyed getting the juice on the MC and their search for their beloved.
At interesting concept with a fresh feel. Thank you to Pride Book Tours and Hodder Books for the review copy.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
March 13, 2024
✨️ As the inside of the book exclaims.."Love,loss, and laser guns!" A perfect blend of a western style dystopian world hundreds of years in the future. Earth is a wasteland consumed by pollution and drought inhabited by those left desperately clinging on to what they can scavenge. A Boderlands game 🎮 style world and in it a young soldier desperate to find her lost love ❤️ Would make a cracking TV series.
April 25, 2023
Beautiful, intricate world-building that left me wanting more... but the main character lacks drive and identity.
From the moment I saw this book, I was instantly interested. The presentation of the hardcover was inviting, and I was interested in the author's history within games and how that would influence their writing. I was even lucky enough to pick up a signed copy!
But I had mixed feelings about the book itself.
I really feel like this book would work well as a video game. The main character's story is sort of told through 'side quests' and encounters with other people within the world. We get a lot of great world-building and I thought the Western and sci-fi mix felt very original and interesting. There is a lot of opportunity to build upon this. We get to find out about a number of other characters and their motivations within the universe Grace Curtis has invented. As I say, this would work so well as a video game, with the character having these little mini-quests as she moves through the world.
However, what I think this book lacks is a sense of drive. It feels exhausting to read this story without that level of emotional attachment to set us on our way.
I felt that even when we found out who the character was and why they were motivated on their journey, it wasn't really enough to justify their actions.
To reiterate, this would work well for a video game, and I wonder if maybe Curtis was hoping that the reader would form their own motivations and conclusions while reading this story. Having that sense of interaction in a game fills in these gaps for us. But in a book, I am not so sure...
I read through the entire book, and towards the middle, I felt a little exhausted by its format, and the lack of direct interpretation of the main character's thoughts and emotions. They feel like a stranger in this entire story, which shouldn't really be the case when you are trying to get your reader to hold some sort of emotional attachment to the protagonist. But I am glad I read it fully as While the main character felt a little underwhelming, I loved the world building and I would be interested in little spin-off stories or any artwork surrounding this world.
But for me, character-building is just too important to fall short on. And that is why I have rated this a 2/5.
I think Curtis has a lot of potential and a superb, intricate writing style. If they were to nail the emotional focus of their writing, it would increase it tenfold. I am looking forward to maybe seeing more of this universe, though.
From the moment I saw this book, I was instantly interested. The presentation of the hardcover was inviting, and I was interested in the author's history within games and how that would influence their writing. I was even lucky enough to pick up a signed copy!
But I had mixed feelings about the book itself.
I really feel like this book would work well as a video game. The main character's story is sort of told through 'side quests' and encounters with other people within the world. We get a lot of great world-building and I thought the Western and sci-fi mix felt very original and interesting. There is a lot of opportunity to build upon this. We get to find out about a number of other characters and their motivations within the universe Grace Curtis has invented. As I say, this would work so well as a video game, with the character having these little mini-quests as she moves through the world.
However, what I think this book lacks is a sense of drive. It feels exhausting to read this story without that level of emotional attachment to set us on our way.
I felt that even when we found out who the character was and why they were motivated on their journey, it wasn't really enough to justify their actions.
To reiterate, this would work well for a video game, and I wonder if maybe Curtis was hoping that the reader would form their own motivations and conclusions while reading this story. Having that sense of interaction in a game fills in these gaps for us. But in a book, I am not so sure...
I read through the entire book, and towards the middle, I felt a little exhausted by its format, and the lack of direct interpretation of the main character's thoughts and emotions. They feel like a stranger in this entire story, which shouldn't really be the case when you are trying to get your reader to hold some sort of emotional attachment to the protagonist. But I am glad I read it fully as While the main character felt a little underwhelming, I loved the world building and I would be interested in little spin-off stories or any artwork surrounding this world.
But for me, character-building is just too important to fall short on. And that is why I have rated this a 2/5.
I think Curtis has a lot of potential and a superb, intricate writing style. If they were to nail the emotional focus of their writing, it would increase it tenfold. I am looking forward to maybe seeing more of this universe, though.
August 30, 2023
Decent writing, didn't much like the characters. 3.5 ⭐
November 5, 2023
A cosy sapphic space Western with a lot of charm and personality. The kind of book you can reread.
September 20, 2022
Ah. Interesting. A strangely compelling blend of western and science fiction. At first, it’s one of those classic stranger-with-no-name and a gun--comes-to-town situations. But then the town is outer space and a remote one at that, not used to strangers, so that’s already different. Or maybe not. Frontier is frontier be it wild wild west or space, the final…
Anyway, the stranger is on then mission to get back to the love of her life, left behind…somewhere. The stranger needs communication devie to send a message but the two’s tech leaves a lot to be desired. And then, the stranger gets embroiled in the local goings on which is a mess, because of course it is.
And then, the narrative rotates and rotates like a spaceship in a screwed up gravity field and the narrative flips around from person to person and that’s a different kind of mess too.
Disclaimer: to be fair, I read this novel on a very, very sleepy day, so some of the plot confusion might have been of my own making/perception.
Be that as it may, the novel read kind of all over the place, but it was so well written, so interesting, with such engaging characters, that you kind of end up going along for the ride and enjoying it. Solid world building too.
So yeah, fun was had. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
Anyway, the stranger is on then mission to get back to the love of her life, left behind…somewhere. The stranger needs communication devie to send a message but the two’s tech leaves a lot to be desired. And then, the stranger gets embroiled in the local goings on which is a mess, because of course it is.
And then, the narrative rotates and rotates like a spaceship in a screwed up gravity field and the narrative flips around from person to person and that’s a different kind of mess too.
Disclaimer: to be fair, I read this novel on a very, very sleepy day, so some of the plot confusion might have been of my own making/perception.
Be that as it may, the novel read kind of all over the place, but it was so well written, so interesting, with such engaging characters, that you kind of end up going along for the ride and enjoying it. Solid world building too.
So yeah, fun was had. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
March 21, 2024
Grace Curtis's Frontier is a satisfyingly strange debut novel that augments its SF setting with western vibes. It opens when an escape pod crashes into the parched landscape of a future Earth, and our protagonist steps out into an unfamiliar land. As she searches for a way to communicate with Noelle, the lover she left behind, she encounters drug-carrying tortoises, threatening saints, complex barter systems and apartments built within the ruins of an old spaceship. Curtis constructs the novel through a series of vignettes, and we often see our protagonist through the eyes of other characters. This kind of quest narrative rarely works for me, but it does here because Curtis uses it as a way of letting us walk through the world she's created, and explore the different societies people have built up since the vast majority of the population left Earth. Despite the devastation caused by climate change and the presence of fundamentalist religion, this novel feels bright and fun rather than grim: Curtis enjoys playing with western tropes, and the focus is on how we rebuild rather than on how we destroy. It's the atmosphere of this world that will remain with me rather than the specifics of the story, but I look forward to whatever Curtis writes next.
I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
February 16, 2024
It's pretty rare that you read a book where you don't know the Protagonists name until the second to last chapter. But Frontier is written so wonderfully that it doesn't matter. With whip-smart characters and a series of events that would border on absurd if it wasn't such a perfect setting, Grace Curtis shows us that sometimes the basics are over-rated, and there's something about just going with the flow.
At first, I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into. An Earth struggling after the fallout of climate disaster, a main character we know literally nothing about, a plot that at first seems completely random. But the Earth has surprisingly detailed world-building, the main character is fascinating and intelligent, and the plot works itself towards a satisfying conclusion.
A kaleidoscope of settings, wacky characters and laugh-out-loud moments, Frontier is an easy read that anyone with an interest in sci-fi or westerns would definitely enjoy! And I look forward to see what Grace Curtis puts out next!
A massive thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.
At first, I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into. An Earth struggling after the fallout of climate disaster, a main character we know literally nothing about, a plot that at first seems completely random. But the Earth has surprisingly detailed world-building, the main character is fascinating and intelligent, and the plot works itself towards a satisfying conclusion.
A kaleidoscope of settings, wacky characters and laugh-out-loud moments, Frontier is an easy read that anyone with an interest in sci-fi or westerns would definitely enjoy! And I look forward to see what Grace Curtis puts out next!
A massive thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.
May 21, 2023
This book intrigued me at first, with the mysterious main character and the worldbuilding, and I found the writing really effective and evocative. The writing remained good throughout, but the worldbuilding didn't really go anywhere after the first couple of chapters and it all got old real quick... The main character being nameless for two thirds of the book didn't work for me at all (and it has in the past, I read a book that did this exceptionally well a couple of months ago...), and the fragmented structure of the story was very frustrating. It just felt pointless, like the author was trying to do all these cool things with the narrative but didn't know why. It picked up a bit towards the end, when I was let in on what the hell was going on and why, but overall this was a complete waste of time to me. The only thing I can compliment is the writing, the rest was not for me at all.
March 24, 2023
This is a difficult one for me to reconcile. I loved the book. I loved the story, the different voices, it's meandering plot that had you wondering where it was heading. I loved the different viewpoints, how they were used not only to flesh out character, but also some immersive world building. It exactly what you expect from a post climate disaster Earth.
My difficulty comes from it being pitched at me as similar to Beck Chambers. Yes, it is space opera. Yes, it is queer. No, it's not Becky Chambers. That made it hard for me to fully enjoy it in the beginning. It took me some time to get there.
In short, this is a fantastic book. Read it if you love a space opera. It's a great one, and it is its own thing.
My difficulty comes from it being pitched at me as similar to Beck Chambers. Yes, it is space opera. Yes, it is queer. No, it's not Becky Chambers. That made it hard for me to fully enjoy it in the beginning. It took me some time to get there.
In short, this is a fantastic book. Read it if you love a space opera. It's a great one, and it is its own thing.
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