Bring on the retro sci-fi erotica vibe, and I'll just pretend to ignore the fact that nothing is explained other than the lead character telling us whBring on the retro sci-fi erotica vibe, and I'll just pretend to ignore the fact that nothing is explained other than the lead character telling us why (instead of how) everything just happens to be.
It's another planet, man. I guess I'm not smart enough to be told how the nanites work. They just rearrange stuffz. Golaz people are brilliant. So advanced, in fact, that they honor ancient lion-ish mating rituals and public sex marking instead of pesky unions requiring signatures and all of that nonsense.
I'm Joffrey Baratheon Storoth, and this is how it's always been done.
[image]
Think I'm kidding? I'm really not.
"The Golaz mature slowly."
Eva was put into statis (a sleeping state) for years because she had to wait for a kid to grow into a man. Well, technically, he was a man trapped in a kid's body, but yeah...she didn't want to be hooking up with a Joffrey impersonator.
OH, AND HE'S A LION SHIFTER. What this has to do with ANYTHING, I have no clue.
I honestly figured this short story had been written back in the glory days of erotic cheese. Ya'know...like a decade or two or maybe even three ago. Publish date 2010? Whoa there. Wet heat seeping and channels clenching?
Eh, the story was still kind of amusing, even with the chuckles and complete lack of explanation for the science-y stuff. I'd put this on par with a monster porn because it wasn't all that bad for a sci-fi/paranormal/wtf-ever Sleeping Beauty in Space retelling. With sex. And toe stroking.
And this : "And now you know why I called you squirt."
Why yes, that was an awkward sexual reference. You're welcome.
If I were Eva, I still would have cut a bitch over (view spoiler)[my "future" man learning how to have sex with the woman who tried to kill me when I was sleeping. (hide spoiler)] But maybe I'm just a zero tolerance kind of gal like that.
Holy shit, this is awesome! Holy shit! Holy shit! Okay calm. Calm.
I had to wait until close to the end of the book to see that reaction fr
Holy shit, this is awesome! Holy shit! Holy shit! Okay calm. Calm.
I had to wait until close to the end of the book to see that reaction from Mark Watney.
Self-preservation mode must come with an "emotion - OFF" switch.
I will give the author his due respect though. The Martian was originally a self-pub work. Excellent job, Mr. Weir. I'm thoroughly impressed by your technical knowledge (or at least the ability to BS it so the rest of us can't tell the difference; either/or.)
The survival aspect WAS the story. Interpersonal relationships weren't needed, although it never hurts when there's some sort of back-and-forth conversation, if only for the purpose of breaking up the monotony (which is why the story picked up for me when other characters back on Earth started coming into the mix). However, I honestly didn't mind the log/journal format, and even found myself engrossed in much of the process of Mark's survival.
But since Mark didn't have much of a personality (his brand of humor always read as awkward, almost as if his stoic personality couldn't support the random interjections of lightheartedness), I soon tired of reading log after log of data. Because that's what it was - data. Day 1 - do this. Day 2 - do this. Day 3 - adjust this.
Yes, some of the processes were fascinating to read about. Mark's resourcefulness was impressive, to say the least. You all know of those internet quizzes where you try to find out if you'd survive a zombie apocalypse. I usually fail those. I'm pretty sure that survival on Mars would be about 1 billion times harder. Mark's growing potatoes with his own poop. I would be struggling to get the pre-made meal packets open.
So how could there be a problem, you ask? Everyone else thinks Mark is awesome. He complained about his lackluster t.v. predicament. He made jokes. He's so real, right?
Real is pooping your pants because you might be about to die. Oh, there was poop talk alright, but MARK'S POOP WAS USED FOR THE GREATER GOOD. POOP IS A USEFUL RESOURCE ON MARS, AFTER ALL.
The audience for The Martian is still a broad one, I will admit. It's not only tech lovers who will devour the book. Anyone who likes discovering the process of how a person gets from point A to point B is probably going to be a fan. I generally appreciate the survival experience, but there has to be something within the experience that makes me say, "what would I do if I were there?" It was harder to get into that mindset here because in NO lifetime would I ever be figuring out how to survive on Mars (at least with the zombie apocalypse, I could try to figure out how to swing a weapon or loot for supplies. I would be SoL on Mars. My air would start running out and I'd be praying to God to take me quick.) I do admit to being a character-driven reader, and I will say that many character-driven readers like myself might not fully love the read. It can be dry at times.
So I didn't love this book...but it was an interesting read 50% of the time. Yes, I did break that down into a percent. Just think how high my percent would be if the recording of Mark's log was broken up with little snippets of personal thoughts outside of all things survival. I just can't count the t.v. viewing nonsense. So much of that was tacked on at the end of chapters like an afterthought.
The movie actually seems like it might be worth a look, so I'll be checking it out. The previews already seem to be showing more color than the book did. ...more
I'm going to skim read this book again before reading book 2 and will write my review then. I feel like I'm not ready to write something down just yetI'm going to skim read this book again before reading book 2 and will write my review then. I feel like I'm not ready to write something down just yet. In the meantime : big thumbs up. It took me a few chapters to wrap my brain around things happening which seemed like they shouldn't be happening, but when I finally started to let some of my own thoughts of reality fall away, I found myself more willing to enjoy the story.
I don't have to start a rebellion. It's already begun.
3.5 stars. I'm actually happy that Book 2 of The Taking reads less like Lux t[image]
I don't have to start a rebellion. It's already begun.
3.5 stars. I'm actually happy that Book 2 of The Taking reads less like Lux this time around and more like Divergent instead. While many might argue that Divergent isn't exactly the gold standard of excellence in sci-fi, I was more than okay with the shift. At least I don't have to complain about reading another paranormal book which just happens to feature aliens.
Why the Divergent comparison? The simulations immediately brought me back to the fear sims in Divergent, even though we've traversed way beyond non-combative fears in this book. I seem to have a fascination with alternate reality and how it plays on the brain because I notice myself slowing down to read scenes such as these, even if I was reading at a break-neck pace before. *ponders why that is*
I'm really enjoying this series now that it's settled into some form of sci-fi-lite or perhaps even sci-fi-romance, as I'm more able to define what I'm reading (yes, I'm super-crazy/rabid about genre definitions). It's good to have some books lined up in the repertoire which I can recommend to friends who might struggle with a harder-edged science fiction. There's an ample amount of romance and interpersonal relationships to balance out the coming revolution. And it's a romance I'm enjoying even more with the second book, now that the characters have moved away from the typical boy-meets-girl-and-they-are-instantly-connected angle and into deeper, more volatile territory.
I used to think Jackson hid his true thoughts to be mysterious, but now I think he does it because he's seen and experienced things worse than most people and he's afraid to let on just how jacked up he might be inside.
The technology aspect is still weak but I like the ideas that West comes up with. I don't even care if a man-made wormhole being used to reroute transmissions would actually work or not. At least there are definite ideas put in place which differentiate how the human and alien planets work.
I'm also curious to know who is supposed to be trustworthy. My opinion seems to change with every few chapters. As of now, I am not betting on any one government or faction because everyone seems to be corrupted by power, which isn't a big surprise because POWER CORRUPTS. Duh. :p
The relationship between Jackson and Ari has become even more complicated. I love when relationship obstacles involve a bigger picture, instead of constantly rehashing two people and their own personal hangups (not that Jackson doesn't have some of those - mysterious creature that he is). It makes you root harder for the two people to find happiness. I am going to be right there with the others, rooting for Jackson and Ari to find happiness in the midst of chaos.
"What can I say? For me, it has always been you."
The ending = hmmm. It's definitely got me interested in book 3. Strange things are afoot at the Circle K. I can't wait to see what's up next!
Questions for those who have read the book (don't click if you don't want to read spoilers; if you end up answering in the comments section instead of by pm, please use spoiler tags) (view spoiler)[It mentioned that Jackson was nervous about Ari being able to kill Zeus because no one had gotten close to succeeding before - but this was AFTER Ari's failed attempt. If he knew it was going to fail, why did he let her go?
Also, why can't I remember how Jackson can hear Ari's thoughts? It seems like some Ancients can hear thoughts and others can't? Can Zeus? Would he be able to anticipate an attack? (hide spoiler)]
This book provided from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All quotes have been taken from the pre-published version and may be altered or omitted from the final copy. ...more
*cracks knuckles* Typing all of that out was hard work.
I've noticed that sci-fi is probably the one genre where I'm not aSpace + Survival = winning.
*cracks knuckles* Typing all of that out was hard work.
I've noticed that sci-fi is probably the one genre where I'm not always clamoring for romance, and this book was no exception. Tarver and Lilac weren't super-annoying or anything like that. However, their "coupling" wasn't what I enjoyed most about the book, so their love story turned out to be side fodder for me.
It is true though that their connection helped shaped the way the book ended in a good way. So all's well that ends well...for now. I sense more trouble up ahead. ...more
Even so, I was still kind of vibing on Gravity, in spite of there being a severe loss of interplanetary stuffs (traveling across worlds through the use of trees doesn't quite give off the same "what a massive galaxy to traverse" feel). I actually liked this book quite a bit. It was fun! My not-super-high rating is only reflective of me wishing for more sci-fi and not at all due to a lack of enjoyment!
But first, a gripe. Why have most recent YA space and/or alien books been showcasing like paranormal romance instead of sci-fi? Even though I like The Lux series, it's always bothered me that the books read like pnr and not sci-fi. Why use aliens for your creatures if you're going to write pnr?
Granted, I think that Gravity tried a lot harder than Lux did at incorporating sci-fi elements. There is something of a dystopia factor actually happening here. There was a definitive use of alternate/futuristic technology (moreso in the second half of the book), even though we aren't getting many of the technical explanations for how it all works. I'm honestly less concerned about the plausibility of it all than some other readers might be. What I mainly care about is that the author would choose to incorporate some ideas which make me feel like I'm reading the genre I had anticipated. I think we have a hit-and-miss thing happening here.
If I were to gauge the greatness of Gravity as a space or alien-themed sci-fi, the number would be low. Using the same gauge to determine dystopia or generalized sci-fi, this wouldn't be so bad (it's not like most current YA dystopia is well sketched-out these days anyway).
What works : There's a big conflict revolving around which side (humans vs. ancients) is to be trusted. Natural instinct would put the reader siding with the humans initially (go home team!), but soon enough, you start to wonder if staying loyal to the human race is the way to go.
I like the potential for what is to come. The universe has been opened up and we might get a chance to see more of the alien opinion; we might even be able to sympathize with them.
The entertainment factor is good. There are a variety of elements which keep the story moving at a decent pace - everything from romance to danger, which is leading up to a point where a showdown is bound to eventually happen.
And for the record, I did end up liking the romance element, even though I didn't think I would at first because it was handled very pnr-obsessive at the start (although I liked the way that the author chose to throw the two lead characters together). It's that darn forbidden love angle which gets me every time and makes me start to root for the characters! Jackson's a cutie with a hidden soft side.
What doesn't work : The book is split into two very distinct halves which aren't woven together as well as I'd like to see. The first half is very pnr-romancey, with a huge focus on the 'hot guy' who is hanging around Ari. Readers who were looking for sci-fi will probably put the book down before they get to the actual sci-fi part. Then, the second half starts wandering off into politics and intrigue, and the readers who were caught up in boy-meets-girl spin of the first half might end up feeling alienated (pun intended) by the second half.
The verdict : While I would have preferred less pnr and more sci-fi, I liked the book for what it was, and that's what matters most. The romance is cute and the potential is there to showcase real conflict in the future. I'll definitely be reading on to see what happens next for Ari and Jackson....more
4.5 stars. Part of me really wants to give this a 5 star, just because I was emotionally happy to be reading a GOOD story after a few less-than-satisf4.5 stars. Part of me really wants to give this a 5 star, just because I was emotionally happy to be reading a GOOD story after a few less-than-satisfying ones.
So many people know of Kenyon's other, more popular, Dark Hunters series. Given that I've only read 1 book in that particular series, it's not completely fair for me to compare the two, but when I read book 1 of the League, I found it SO much more interesting than book 1 of Dark Hunters.
I can't begin to convey just how enamored I am of the world built in The League series. Nor can I convey just how in love I am with The League's heroes. These men walk, talk and act like actual men, instead of some female author's version of how a man might behave. The characters are like a more realistic version of one of the Black Dagger Brotherhood's characters.
Plus, you really can't go wrong with copious amounts of assassins and space travel. The sexual tension is perfected in these books, since you get a lot of fun lead ins and a decent payout without it killing the actual story.
Hail to the sci-fi romance genre! I think I might hang out here more often!...more
3.5 stars. This was a hard book to rate. The first half was 4 star all the way, but something fell off a bit around the middle, and then it picked bac 3.5 stars. This was a hard book to rate. The first half was 4 star all the way, but something fell off a bit around the middle, and then it picked back up at the end.
Normally, I put a lot more effort into trying to write something worthy of the book, but my excitement about this new series can be summed up into one little sentence : It's about space, man.
That's it. Space. We don't have enough space fiction in YA. This needs to be remedied ASAP. I like where the series is going already, especially knowing that the two main characters are being thrown headfirst into a position of responsibility that is sure to be full of conflict and trials.
As of right now, the story revolves around the life of people on a ship headed to colonize a discovered inhabitable planet. The main girl has just been re-awoken after being cryogenically frozen for over centuries. She's still trying to figure out her place in this new and foreign society, all the while finding herself upset that she was unfrozen before her due time, so her parents are still snug in their little ice coffins. Will she ever see them again, or will she live and die before they are brought back to life? This we don't know yet.
Even though I wasn't able to go a full solid 4 stars, I still thoroughly enjoyed the bones of this book and am going to be psyched to pick up the next one. I hope that someday these kids get off the ship and we'll get a chance to glance at life upon the new Centauri-Earth....more
This book ranked somewhere around 3.5 for me, but since I didn't feel excited enough about it to go as high as 4, I'll have to stick with a 3 star ratThis book ranked somewhere around 3.5 for me, but since I didn't feel excited enough about it to go as high as 4, I'll have to stick with a 3 star rating.
The story itself is a fast read, and you will find yourself absorbed in the book early on. There isn't a lot of world building to have to muddle through, since the book is a standalone. I consider this both a plus and a minus. I almost wish that the author had considered a series. The plot has a good starting idea, and given the chance to develop, we could have been sucked into another universe, watching rebels on the brink of an uprising.
But, ahhh...if only. Instead, we get too much awkward silence between the main characters, and an entire book of waiting for them to accept each other and find out what's keeping them apart. Oh, young love. Must you always be so difficult?
Another thing that I was hyped about was the chance to read a YA that involved space travel and other planets. There just wasn't enough of it for me. I want more, darnit!
The book fell short in both the romance department and the sci-fi department, leaving me wanting more. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the story. I just ended the book feeling like I was "so close, yet so far" from reaching book nirvana.
This one is a tough book to categorize. It's technically sci-fi romance, but the storyline revolved around a world of assassins. The story did featureThis one is a tough book to categorize. It's technically sci-fi romance, but the storyline revolved around a world of assassins. The story did feature spaceships, other planets, and other races, but the main focus of the story shifted between the hero Nykyrian (and his tally of very detailed kills), and the woman Kiara that he was protecting.
Nykyrian is a scarred, lonely assassin who is cold and unwilling to get close to anyone. When he finds a hostage on a ship that his team was sent to destroy, he immediately feels drawn to the terrified princess that he rescued. She herself struggles to warm up to him because she has witnessed his murderous streak firsthand, but for some reason, she can't seem to completely push him away either.
Even though the book is long (500 pages plus), it was engaging the entire time. There was a lot of actual good plot/story in between the romance. I was sucked into the world of the assassins and never once got bored, even with multiple extensive fight scenes.
Stacia (the 2010 club)
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