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Alice Long #1
Perilous Waif
My name is Alice Long, and I’ve always known I was different.
When I was little I used to climb up to the highest branches of the housetree at night, and watch the starships docking at the orbital stations high above. Forty meters off the ground, watching ships thirty thousand kilometers overhead, with senses that could pick out radar pings and comm chatter as easily as the ships themselves. It all seemed perfectly natural at the time.
There were other kids with mods at the orphanage, but nothing like that. I learned fast to downplay my abilities, keep my mouth shut and try to blend in. Even as a kid I knew not to trust the Matrons. What would they do, if they realized the Adjustments that were supposed to make me a meek little herd animal didn’t do anything?
Then I messed up, and gave myself away.
Now I’m on the run, hoping against hope that the Matrons won’t try too hard to find me. Hoping to survive all the awful things that can happen to a girl on her own in space. Kidnappers, slavers, pirates and yakuza - no matter where I go, trouble always seems to find me.
Good thing I’m not as helpless as I look.
When I was little I used to climb up to the highest branches of the housetree at night, and watch the starships docking at the orbital stations high above. Forty meters off the ground, watching ships thirty thousand kilometers overhead, with senses that could pick out radar pings and comm chatter as easily as the ships themselves. It all seemed perfectly natural at the time.
There were other kids with mods at the orphanage, but nothing like that. I learned fast to downplay my abilities, keep my mouth shut and try to blend in. Even as a kid I knew not to trust the Matrons. What would they do, if they realized the Adjustments that were supposed to make me a meek little herd animal didn’t do anything?
Then I messed up, and gave myself away.
Now I’m on the run, hoping against hope that the Matrons won’t try too hard to find me. Hoping to survive all the awful things that can happen to a girl on her own in space. Kidnappers, slavers, pirates and yakuza - no matter where I go, trouble always seems to find me.
Good thing I’m not as helpless as I look.
517 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2017
About the author
E. William Brown
8 books1,514 followersHey, folks. I'm just a middle-aged American guy, writing fanfics for fun after a long day at the bit mine.
Likes: Heroes who actually go out and solve their problems instead of sitting around whining about them. Especially if they have to use their brains and do some badass level grinding along the way.
Dislikes: Clueless idiot heroes who survive on pure luck and the bad guy's mistakes. Gritty urban fantasy heroines who cause most of their own problems, and then constantly bitch at the male love interest who has to save them. Whiny little beta-boy 'heroes' who let the girls beat them up, and then wonder why the princess doesn't appreciate their awesome sensitive wonderfulness.
Likes: Heroes who actually go out and solve their problems instead of sitting around whining about them. Especially if they have to use their brains and do some badass level grinding along the way.
Dislikes: Clueless idiot heroes who survive on pure luck and the bad guy's mistakes. Gritty urban fantasy heroines who cause most of their own problems, and then constantly bitch at the male love interest who has to save them. Whiny little beta-boy 'heroes' who let the girls beat them up, and then wonder why the princess doesn't appreciate their awesome sensitive wonderfulness.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
February 5, 2017
I kicked something out of my KindleUnlimited queue to read this and IT WAS THE CORRECT CHOICE!!! The author has mastered interweaving technical descriptions with action and snark to make it beyond palatable, delicious even! There is science! Cool science! And action! Cool action! There is adorableness! It was just so freaking cool!!!! XD
June 28, 2017
Ok... I'm very conflicted about this book. I like that Alice, the main character, orphan, female, age 14, is such a super ass-kicker. But, my question is... where are all the other women? There is a brief appearance by a helms-woman who seems compelling. There are references to Alice's presumably-dead Mom and, Victoria, who is some empire ruler, but otherwise... every other woman in the book is somehow subservient to a man. The captains, the doctors, the lawyers, the engineers, the security specialists, the crime lords - they are all men while women - or more like - cute women / animal hybrids abound in great numbers serving the desires of these men. Don't get me wrong. I love a bit of fetishy, sexy women pets, but not in a universe where it is the norm and not viewed as something outrageous.
Then there is the tech... I suppose that it is really well thought out, but it just became oppressive to me. I'm not interested in keeping all the technobabble straight (so that is just my preferences, I realize). Regardless, some passages of this book read like a description of someone reporting what happens while their are playing some sci-fi / space battle / war campaign video game.
Next, the title is "Perilous Waif". I never really felt any sense of peril as I read this book. The reader is conditioned early, that no matter what happens Alice will suddenly access some super tech that will enable her to overcome. I felt like the author was setting up situations to show how clever the author was with the tech to get out of the situation.
Finally, lets examine the sexual aspects. I would like a book with super nano-tech and fetishy, bisexual fox girls and androids overcoming a programmed craving to be sexually abused. But, in this book the author, wisely, must skirt about the topics because the main character is a 14 year old pubescent girl. That the sexy stuff must be held at arms length makes the whole thing just feel a bit creepy to me.
On the plus side, there are an ample amount of good ideas in here and the writing is engaging. I could possibly be convinced to read a sequel if time has advanced and Alice is a full grown woman... Maybe... No guarantees...
Then there is the tech... I suppose that it is really well thought out, but it just became oppressive to me. I'm not interested in keeping all the technobabble straight (so that is just my preferences, I realize). Regardless, some passages of this book read like a description of someone reporting what happens while their are playing some sci-fi / space battle / war campaign video game.
Next, the title is "Perilous Waif". I never really felt any sense of peril as I read this book. The reader is conditioned early, that no matter what happens Alice will suddenly access some super tech that will enable her to overcome. I felt like the author was setting up situations to show how clever the author was with the tech to get out of the situation.
Finally, lets examine the sexual aspects. I would like a book with super nano-tech and fetishy, bisexual fox girls and androids overcoming a programmed craving to be sexually abused. But, in this book the author, wisely, must skirt about the topics because the main character is a 14 year old pubescent girl. That the sexy stuff must be held at arms length makes the whole thing just feel a bit creepy to me.
On the plus side, there are an ample amount of good ideas in here and the writing is engaging. I could possibly be convinced to read a sequel if time has advanced and Alice is a full grown woman... Maybe... No guarantees...
March 8, 2021
Very fun sci-fi super-heroine story. Everyone will love Alice. And can i have a personal assistant like hers please?
The narrator did an Excellent job with all of the voices! She definitely made this a 5 star Audiobook.
It got bogged down a time or two with technical detail that you will never need to know. I'd definitely go on to the next book, but it's not out yet.
This could go into an ff bookshelf, but i think Alice may go either way. so.... not sure.
The narrator did an Excellent job with all of the voices! She definitely made this a 5 star Audiobook.
It got bogged down a time or two with technical detail that you will never need to know. I'd definitely go on to the next book, but it's not out yet.
This could go into an ff bookshelf, but i think Alice may go either way. so.... not sure.
January 23, 2018
Good book with some interesting world building. Alice is a seriously kickass young lady.
If I had any criticisms, it's that she has a serious case of serendipity. Things tend to happen just when she needs them to happen. The first of these I can forgive for the simple fact that the plot couldn't have really started without the happenstance of running into just the right person at just the right time. Every plot has to have the equivalent of all the heroes walking into the same tavern at the right time to join up and kill the evil wizard. But Alice just grows the right tools for whatever she's about to get smacked with.
There's some danger of Alice turning into a real Mary Sue, and some people might think she's already there. I thought that a couple of times as she sailed through some of the more life-threatening situations. On the other hand, it's pretty entertaining and if she starts hitting a few limitations in the next book, it'll be worth reading.
Or maybe not reading. I read the preview of this book on Goodreads and I decided I was not too keen. Someone recommended the audiobook, and I'd have to say that the performance here added a lot to my enjoyment of the book. I think I'd want to get the next one on audio too.
If I had any criticisms, it's that she has a serious case of serendipity. Things tend to happen just when she needs them to happen. The first of these I can forgive for the simple fact that the plot couldn't have really started without the happenstance of running into just the right person at just the right time. Every plot has to have the equivalent of all the heroes walking into the same tavern at the right time to join up and kill the evil wizard. But Alice just grows the right tools for whatever she's about to get smacked with.
There's some danger of Alice turning into a real Mary Sue, and some people might think she's already there. I thought that a couple of times as she sailed through some of the more life-threatening situations. On the other hand, it's pretty entertaining and if she starts hitting a few limitations in the next book, it'll be worth reading.
Or maybe not reading. I read the preview of this book on Goodreads and I decided I was not too keen. Someone recommended the audiobook, and I'd have to say that the performance here added a lot to my enjoyment of the book. I think I'd want to get the next one on audio too.
November 18, 2017
I'm not done with this book, but I'm almost there. but this has got to be one of the worst books I have ever read. First, it is disgusting that this 14 year old is put into all these sexual situations. I don't care that she's growing faster than normal. she's supposed to be 14, and the book is full of servants willing to have sex with her. I get they live in a world where sex is not some kind of taboo, but she's FOURTEEN! There should be a limit.
Also, this girls biggest struggle is trying to be normal. Literally everyone loves her and wants to protect her but she feels like a freak because she has all these mods. When she gets into fights she has no problems winning there is no life-or-death situation. There's no drama or tension, she just wins and everything is over. it's so boring. she doesn't even struggle to use her high tech body, learning what everything does. she has the easiest life ever.
This was awful. It started awful but I gave it a chance because I read the reviews here and everyone loved it. Boy were they wrong. I'm so happy it's over and I never wanna see this book ever again.
EDIT: THIS WAS WRITTEN BY A GROWN MAN! HOW DISGUSTING! I'm also disgusted with how many people enjoyed reading about a 14 year old being horny.
Also, this girls biggest struggle is trying to be normal. Literally everyone loves her and wants to protect her but she feels like a freak because she has all these mods. When she gets into fights she has no problems winning there is no life-or-death situation. There's no drama or tension, she just wins and everything is over. it's so boring. she doesn't even struggle to use her high tech body, learning what everything does. she has the easiest life ever.
This was awful. It started awful but I gave it a chance because I read the reviews here and everyone loved it. Boy were they wrong. I'm so happy it's over and I never wanna see this book ever again.
EDIT: THIS WAS WRITTEN BY A GROWN MAN! HOW DISGUSTING! I'm also disgusted with how many people enjoyed reading about a 14 year old being horny.
July 14, 2020
Interesting worldbuilding 4.5 stars.
In the far future where spacetravel, artificial intelligence, genetic/ cybernetic-modifications and even nanotechnology are all commonplace, fourteen year old Alice Long lives in a Orphanage like so many other girls there. She however knows she is a bit different from the rest of them. Her mods seem to be far more advanced. She's stronger, faster and has an inbuilt computer just to name but a few. Knowing that her extreme mods will neither be appreciated or tolerated by The Sister who run the orphanage she is forced to flee when they are discovered. What follows is her flight from all she knew and enter a new world full of interesting and dangerous things. Think smugglers, pirates, and yakuza.
To summarize this story: Perilous waif is a decent story that makes the most out of an interesting word. Though this is an obvious pulp power-fantasy novel, it was quite interesting and kept my attention firmly. Add a thorough appendix to provide extra information and expand the world-building and you get a fun and fluffy novel.
I'll be picking up the next novel in the series.
*Re-read 6th time [7-1-2020]
In the far future where spacetravel, artificial intelligence, genetic/ cybernetic-modifications and even nanotechnology are all commonplace, fourteen year old Alice Long lives in a Orphanage like so many other girls there. She however knows she is a bit different from the rest of them. Her mods seem to be far more advanced. She's stronger, faster and has an inbuilt computer just to name but a few. Knowing that her extreme mods will neither be appreciated or tolerated by The Sister who run the orphanage she is forced to flee when they are discovered. What follows is her flight from all she knew and enter a new world full of interesting and dangerous things. Think smugglers, pirates, and yakuza.
To summarize this story: Perilous waif is a decent story that makes the most out of an interesting word. Though this is an obvious pulp power-fantasy novel, it was quite interesting and kept my attention firmly. Add a thorough appendix to provide extra information and expand the world-building and you get a fun and fluffy novel.
I'll be picking up the next novel in the series.
*Re-read 6th time [7-1-2020]
March 13, 2021
This was freaking awesome! The mystery of Alice's origins and watching her personal, physical, mental and everything else growth was cool. I loved that she treated techs and androids respectfully and with care. I'd like to think I'd be the same. I don't think I could help it.
I'm excited that there's a second book coming, but the author announced it would come out in 2019 so I'm not all that confident we're going to get it any time soon.
I'm excited that there's a second book coming, but the author announced it would come out in 2019 so I'm not all that confident we're going to get it any time soon.
May 31, 2017
3.5 stars...
Review to come
Review to come
January 9, 2018
What I expected:
- A somewhat fun Sci-Fi adventure
- Strong world building
What I did not expect:
- A series of uncomfortable sexual situations for a 14 year old girl
- Furries. Furries everywhere.
I took a gamble on this book based on a recommendation from Amazon, though I will be sure to think twice about that in the future.
I felt like this book wanted me to enjoy it but the combination of the stilted dialogue, somewhat shallow supporting cast and the aforementioned sudden sexual situations made this book feel trapped within the fan-fiction writing tropes.
It broke my immersion considerably that apparently the staggering majority of androids are built in "animal-morph" configurations with barely no explanation. We are expected to accept that of all of the ways that you could build robot workers and companions, the entire galaxy settled on making fur-sonas.
I think I would have enjoyed this considerably more if the author had been brave enough to move away from the safety of falling back on "Mary Sues", sexualization and fan-service that is endemic in the fan-fiction community.
Despite my complaints, I did still enjoy the story enough to follow it through to the end.
- A somewhat fun Sci-Fi adventure
- Strong world building
What I did not expect:
- A series of uncomfortable sexual situations for a 14 year old girl
- Furries. Furries everywhere.
I took a gamble on this book based on a recommendation from Amazon, though I will be sure to think twice about that in the future.
I felt like this book wanted me to enjoy it but the combination of the stilted dialogue, somewhat shallow supporting cast and the aforementioned sudden sexual situations made this book feel trapped within the fan-fiction writing tropes.
It broke my immersion considerably that apparently the staggering majority of androids are built in "animal-morph" configurations with barely no explanation. We are expected to accept that of all of the ways that you could build robot workers and companions, the entire galaxy settled on making fur-sonas.
I think I would have enjoyed this considerably more if the author had been brave enough to move away from the safety of falling back on "Mary Sues", sexualization and fan-service that is endemic in the fan-fiction community.
Despite my complaints, I did still enjoy the story enough to follow it through to the end.
May 14, 2017
Fun and kickass!
Hard to put down from beginning to end. A great character, funny in spots and always kept me intrigued both by the characters and the Universe. Sign me up for book two :-)
Hard to put down from beginning to end. A great character, funny in spots and always kept me intrigued both by the characters and the Universe. Sign me up for book two :-)
February 1, 2017
Alice Long is simply awesome! I want more. The technology, social interactions and worldbuilding is astounding. Now my altar has a place enshrined for this series. Just hope the next one will be here soon after Daniel Black 4!
January 18, 2018
I can say that I am definitely happy I picked up this book. This is a solid book with a lot of world building and quite solid and deep characters. The MC is a kick ass young lady and she is just awesome. I love how bold she is, but at the same time she doesn't let her abilities go to hear head. She is a balanced character that has the same issues that any other person her age is.....you know, boys, relationships, having enough hardware attached to her to be able to take out a small country and constantly worrying about if she's going to take over the known universe. You know. Day to day things. The characters in this book are well done and fleshed out. I really liked this book and I'm looking forward to seeing book two as soon as it comes out!!!!
May 1, 2017
This book had a ton of potential. I really liked all of the characters. I was never at any time offended as a "female" reader. Some of the other reviews on this book made it sound like this was some sort of soft porn type of read but I never got that impression. Hell, the heroine never even has sex and it never goes on about secondary characters getting it on either. That being said, I did find that there were some slow moving phases in this plot. At times the excursions felt a bit redundant. I will still likely give book 2 a shot.
February 10, 2017
Interesting world building in a universe of nanotechnology, fabricators, internal and external cybernetic & FTL.
I found the heroine slightly too blythe and showing off her unique qualities (then again she's a tween and barely educated). But definitely interesting enough to follow through to see where it goes.
I found the heroine slightly too blythe and showing off her unique qualities (then again she's a tween and barely educated). But definitely interesting enough to follow through to see where it goes.
July 2, 2019
Science fiction can generally be distributed across a spectrum based on the rigidity under which the story universe's rules operate: how plausible the science, how feasible the technology, how closely-adhered the laws of physics. In "soft scifi," the creator can take great liberties, using technobabble or space magic (respectively, "subspace fields" in Star Trek or "the Force" in Star Wars) to further the story.
"Hard scifi," by contrast, places constraints on the technology available or a consistent application of the laws of physics. The Martian is about as hard as scifi can get, with technology that's barely a degree removed from today's, and Watney's navigating of the technological constraints is what makes the story compelling. The Expanse, a slightly softer universe, has a couple fabricated technologies, but nothing un-feasible: characters float in zero-g, and rapid acceleration crushes them in their seats.
Perilous Waif is a near-perfect intersection of hard and soft science fiction. With perhaps a mere four "cheated" technologies, the author fleshes them out so thoroughly, logically and creatively that the resulting universe has just as deep a technical lore as Star Trek or Star Wars: a universe that's expansive and epic, yet also a universe where everything makes sense, from medicine to law to interstellar politics to military tactics.
The price paid is a spectacular abundance of exposition usually delivered by other characters, even when catastrophic issues might be at hand - which disrupts the flow of the story in the same way the Hoover Dam "disrupts" the flow of the Colorado River. If it were merely a nitpick I'd justify it with the technologically-enhanced mental speed of the characters, but the pacing does suffer.
Still, the elegant complexity of the universe is so compelling and beautiful that the more I reflect on it, and with every rereading, these expositional intermissions become an uplifting aspect of the story, instead of a blight on it. To wit, the book is appended by a detailed description of the inner workings and in-universe historical development of the critical technologies, as well as some fourth-wall-breaking explanation of their inclusion in the story.
All this is without mentioning the story itself. The plot is solid, with only one minor plot hole that, though it occurs early, isn't detectable as such until much later (at which time it swells to the size of the Chicxulub crater).
The characters are perhaps a bit too capable, which might be inevitable when half the cast are androids. However, the issues affecting them, as explored in the aforementioned exposition, makes them fascinating and intriguing in multiple dimensions.
The only real weakness is the dialogue, which isn't just a problem of mere cringiness. Had the characters' conversations been better executed, the expositional segments might have been more smoothly integrated.
Overall, this is one of my favorite books ever. Certainly not all will be as enthralled by its beautiful technical intricacy, but I count myself lucky that I was. I rarely reread books, so having read this one several times in only a few years is a testament to how engaging and immersive its world is.
"Hard scifi," by contrast, places constraints on the technology available or a consistent application of the laws of physics. The Martian is about as hard as scifi can get, with technology that's barely a degree removed from today's, and Watney's navigating of the technological constraints is what makes the story compelling. The Expanse, a slightly softer universe, has a couple fabricated technologies, but nothing un-feasible: characters float in zero-g, and rapid acceleration crushes them in their seats.
Perilous Waif is a near-perfect intersection of hard and soft science fiction. With perhaps a mere four "cheated" technologies, the author fleshes them out so thoroughly, logically and creatively that the resulting universe has just as deep a technical lore as Star Trek or Star Wars: a universe that's expansive and epic, yet also a universe where everything makes sense, from medicine to law to interstellar politics to military tactics.
The price paid is a spectacular abundance of exposition usually delivered by other characters, even when catastrophic issues might be at hand - which disrupts the flow of the story in the same way the Hoover Dam "disrupts" the flow of the Colorado River. If it were merely a nitpick I'd justify it with the technologically-enhanced mental speed of the characters, but the pacing does suffer.
Still, the elegant complexity of the universe is so compelling and beautiful that the more I reflect on it, and with every rereading, these expositional intermissions become an uplifting aspect of the story, instead of a blight on it. To wit, the book is appended by a detailed description of the inner workings and in-universe historical development of the critical technologies, as well as some fourth-wall-breaking explanation of their inclusion in the story.
All this is without mentioning the story itself. The plot is solid, with only one minor plot hole that, though it occurs early, isn't detectable as such until much later (at which time it swells to the size of the Chicxulub crater).
The characters are perhaps a bit too capable, which might be inevitable when half the cast are androids. However, the issues affecting them, as explored in the aforementioned exposition, makes them fascinating and intriguing in multiple dimensions.
The only real weakness is the dialogue, which isn't just a problem of mere cringiness. Had the characters' conversations been better executed, the expositional segments might have been more smoothly integrated.
Overall, this is one of my favorite books ever. Certainly not all will be as enthralled by its beautiful technical intricacy, but I count myself lucky that I was. I rarely reread books, so having read this one several times in only a few years is a testament to how engaging and immersive its world is.
December 22, 2017
First, let's get this out of the way...this is totally and unashamedly a Mary Sue (type of) story. Yet, Brown's take on it has enough twist to the basic concept that it's hard not to enjoy. I enjoyed every minute of the ride. Alice starts as an orphan who obviously is unlike anyone around her, but seems to have very little hope for the future. Circumstances force her to take some action, which puts her in a rough spot...which she runs away from and stumbles across an (obviously rare) group of (mostly) honest traders and manages to insinuate herself into the crew. Chaos ensues and Alice manages to survive each encounter victorious, snagging a few friends and allies along the way.
She doesn't necessarily survive unscathed, but it takes a lot to kill her. Brown is obviously a fan of David Weber, among other sci-fi. There's a part of it that actually feels like an Honor Harrington concept crossed with Harry Potter. Brown has put a lot of time into his world-building and done a decent job thinking through the implications of the science advancements he envisions.
I actually chalk the 'Mary Sue' nature of the story more up to the (blatantly) teen audience the book was intended for. This is the type of story teenagers love. If you want gritty realism...yeh, look elsewhere. This book takes on its universe with unabashed enthusiasm and positivity. With a younger YA audience seeming to be the target, the sexual "stuff" is very tame. On the other hand, Brown doesn't shy away from showing that his main character would have hormones and would be trying to figure out her own sexuality. With the universe he has painstakingly crafted including different levels of AI and very creative body mods/augmentations, it is no surprise the sexuality conveyed is rather liberal. If you're looking for a story rooted in Judeo-Christian sexual ethos, look elsewhere. There is a scene early on which seems like it could lead to rape, but it doesn't. That scene is why I would recommend this story for High School age children. After it, there's just simple sexual curiosity (hetero- and homosexual) and some gushing about a couple of "hunky" boys.
All in all an enjoyable read. It was decently paced, though I had figured out the overarching plot a few chapters in. I guess there was supposed to be a twist at the end, but if you hadn't figured out the clues by the time it happens...you might want to pay better attention to what you're reading. I look forward to reading/listening to the next one.
She doesn't necessarily survive unscathed, but it takes a lot to kill her. Brown is obviously a fan of David Weber, among other sci-fi. There's a part of it that actually feels like an Honor Harrington concept crossed with Harry Potter. Brown has put a lot of time into his world-building and done a decent job thinking through the implications of the science advancements he envisions.
I actually chalk the 'Mary Sue' nature of the story more up to the (blatantly) teen audience the book was intended for. This is the type of story teenagers love. If you want gritty realism...yeh, look elsewhere. This book takes on its universe with unabashed enthusiasm and positivity. With a younger YA audience seeming to be the target, the sexual "stuff" is very tame. On the other hand, Brown doesn't shy away from showing that his main character would have hormones and would be trying to figure out her own sexuality. With the universe he has painstakingly crafted including different levels of AI and very creative body mods/augmentations, it is no surprise the sexuality conveyed is rather liberal. If you're looking for a story rooted in Judeo-Christian sexual ethos, look elsewhere. There is a scene early on which seems like it could lead to rape, but it doesn't. That scene is why I would recommend this story for High School age children. After it, there's just simple sexual curiosity (hetero- and homosexual) and some gushing about a couple of "hunky" boys.
All in all an enjoyable read. It was decently paced, though I had figured out the overarching plot a few chapters in. I guess there was supposed to be a twist at the end, but if you hadn't figured out the clues by the time it happens...you might want to pay better attention to what you're reading. I look forward to reading/listening to the next one.
May 3, 2023
Full review: https://girlswithguns.org/perilous-wa...
Initially, I really liked this, appreciating the enormous amount of thought which has gone into the universe here. That’s clear from the multiple appendices, explaining technical aspects of how everything from interstellar travel to artificial intelligence works in this setting. I was greatly looking forward to seeing Alice rising from a lowly cabin girl to… well, wherever her skills might take her. Except, it didn’t quite work that way. Her rise is, in fact, super easy, with any impediments barely an inconvenience.
For example, this is a universe in which fabricators can be used to make anything for which there’s a recipe, and Alice becomes increasingly over-powered due to all her enhancements. No matter what the situation, it seems she has an app for that. She’s certainly the smartest person in the book, and may well be the strongest, fastest and most lethal as well. Then there’s her heritage, best described as unique. And even if she were to be killed, it’s established that people can get restored from backups into a new body. Death, where is thy sting?
Initially, I really liked this, appreciating the enormous amount of thought which has gone into the universe here. That’s clear from the multiple appendices, explaining technical aspects of how everything from interstellar travel to artificial intelligence works in this setting. I was greatly looking forward to seeing Alice rising from a lowly cabin girl to… well, wherever her skills might take her. Except, it didn’t quite work that way. Her rise is, in fact, super easy, with any impediments barely an inconvenience.
For example, this is a universe in which fabricators can be used to make anything for which there’s a recipe, and Alice becomes increasingly over-powered due to all her enhancements. No matter what the situation, it seems she has an app for that. She’s certainly the smartest person in the book, and may well be the strongest, fastest and most lethal as well. Then there’s her heritage, best described as unique. And even if she were to be killed, it’s established that people can get restored from backups into a new body. Death, where is thy sting?
March 29, 2017
One of the better treatments of a future where nanotechnology and AI are ubiquitous, including in enhancing human bodies. The book is well written and well proofed, the characters have some depth, and the plot moves well. The story also has a good deal of depth, with lots of opportunities for expansion in future stories, which I'm looking forward to reading.
September 19, 2017
I bogged down a few times when descriptions got a little technical/long for my personal tastes, but overall enjoyed the whole adventure. I really wish I had waited to read it until a second title in the series was available so I could stay in that world for a bit longer.
October 10, 2018
When Perilous Waif (Alice Long #1) was suggested to me, I immediately rolled my eyes similar to my 14-year old daughter. I expected another sex-heavy Sci-Fi story full of tired tropes.
Indie authors are inconsistent he can write one great book but then the next book sucks.
Holding my nose and expecting something truly horrible I read the preview on Amazon. The excerpt for Perilous Waif on Amazon does a very good job of hooking the reader. You wonder who is this poor orphan who is so starved she has resorted to eating vermin caveman style.
While sex is mentioned fairly commonly Perilous Waif does not contain any explicit sex. There is mention of several different sexual practices, some far outside of what polite society considers normal, but no graphic sexuality. Many characters, especially the women, appear to be comfortably bisexual. The captain and his android are a committed couple, but the chief engineer has a pack of Kitsune girls.
There is mention of slavery, both sexual and physical, but none of the MCs partake in the practice. The Square Deal run an underground railroad for escaping androids and is against the common practice of serfdom. Androids are not considered people reminding me a little of Asimov and his robot series.
I have a soft spot for Sci-Fi underdog shows such as Firefly. The crew of the Square Deal remind me somewhat (whether intentional or not by the author) of the crew of the Firefly. Same basic set up as with Firefly but the Square Deal is much more potent in a naval battle.
Alice falls in with the crew of the Square Deal as an apprentice cabin girl. I liked the fact that the crew didn’t immediately accept Alice, but kept their distance until she proved herself a useful member of the crew.
I felt that the few chapters where Alice gains her companion Embla felt forced. Unless I missed it, the crew got distracted and never completed sorting the refugee androids. I understand that the author wanted a way to integrate Embla into Alice’s and the crew’s company, but the way it is written could have used some more developmental editing.
Despite the use of the tired Lost Orphaned Royal trope the manner that Alice’s royal lineage is revealed is decent. Another tired trope I fear alluded to in the next book is the equally tired Suddenly Suitable Suitor trope, but with a nice Yakuza twist.
Perilous Waif is a good read and one that I will read again. A longer book than I expected Perilous Waif might be the start of an interesting Space Opera series where we get to watch an unusual young woman grow up and assume the throne, rule the world, or kick off the next pan-galactic civil war.
Indie authors are inconsistent he can write one great book but then the next book sucks.
Holding my nose and expecting something truly horrible I read the preview on Amazon. The excerpt for Perilous Waif on Amazon does a very good job of hooking the reader. You wonder who is this poor orphan who is so starved she has resorted to eating vermin caveman style.
While sex is mentioned fairly commonly Perilous Waif does not contain any explicit sex. There is mention of several different sexual practices, some far outside of what polite society considers normal, but no graphic sexuality. Many characters, especially the women, appear to be comfortably bisexual. The captain and his android are a committed couple, but the chief engineer has a pack of Kitsune girls.
There is mention of slavery, both sexual and physical, but none of the MCs partake in the practice. The Square Deal run an underground railroad for escaping androids and is against the common practice of serfdom. Androids are not considered people reminding me a little of Asimov and his robot series.
I have a soft spot for Sci-Fi underdog shows such as Firefly. The crew of the Square Deal remind me somewhat (whether intentional or not by the author) of the crew of the Firefly. Same basic set up as with Firefly but the Square Deal is much more potent in a naval battle.
Alice falls in with the crew of the Square Deal as an apprentice cabin girl. I liked the fact that the crew didn’t immediately accept Alice, but kept their distance until she proved herself a useful member of the crew.
I felt that the few chapters where Alice gains her companion Embla felt forced. Unless I missed it, the crew got distracted and never completed sorting the refugee androids. I understand that the author wanted a way to integrate Embla into Alice’s and the crew’s company, but the way it is written could have used some more developmental editing.
Despite the use of the tired Lost Orphaned Royal trope the manner that Alice’s royal lineage is revealed is decent. Another tired trope I fear alluded to in the next book is the equally tired Suddenly Suitable Suitor trope, but with a nice Yakuza twist.
Perilous Waif is a good read and one that I will read again. A longer book than I expected Perilous Waif might be the start of an interesting Space Opera series where we get to watch an unusual young woman grow up and assume the throne, rule the world, or kick off the next pan-galactic civil war.
November 10, 2018
Rating 3.5 stars
On my homepage, I wrote that I am both a fantasy and a Sci-fi fan. After reading this book, I have come to the conclusion that I am much more of a fantasy fan. I guess I like reading about things that I know absolutely cannot happen as opposed to things that one day could happen. Magic is something that I know does not and will not exist. Interspace travel and nanotechnology might exist some day in the future. While I still like some Sci-fi, I enjoy fantasy more.
There is one thing I need to say right off the bat, and that is Alice Long is awesome! She is a perfect mix of unsure teenage girl with a robotic badass. She is both kind and loving to her friends and ruthless to her enemies. She is probably one of the best characters I have read in a long time. The story on the other hand was a little bit lacking. I thought there was way too much technical explanations and they were pretty hard to follow. I initially thought there was something going on with the crew in the way they were treating Alice. She was a teenage girl that was trying to escape her home planet and ended up helping one of the crew complete a mission, so she was given passage off the world. She was provisionally made a cabin girl to see if she would work out. This seems like a pretty low level job. We find out through the course of the story though that Alice has some pretty advanced nanotech upgrades that allow her to do amazing things. The crew initially does not know this, and yet she is given jobs to do that are extremely difficult for her, even though she is super advanced. That made me think something was going on. A regular cabin girl couldn't have done the things she was asked to do, so why did they ask her to do those things?
Overall, it was a pretty good book. It had one awesome component (the main character) and yet the story was lacking a little and it had too much technical jargon to follow.
On my homepage, I wrote that I am both a fantasy and a Sci-fi fan. After reading this book, I have come to the conclusion that I am much more of a fantasy fan. I guess I like reading about things that I know absolutely cannot happen as opposed to things that one day could happen. Magic is something that I know does not and will not exist. Interspace travel and nanotechnology might exist some day in the future. While I still like some Sci-fi, I enjoy fantasy more.
There is one thing I need to say right off the bat, and that is Alice Long is awesome! She is a perfect mix of unsure teenage girl with a robotic badass. She is both kind and loving to her friends and ruthless to her enemies. She is probably one of the best characters I have read in a long time. The story on the other hand was a little bit lacking. I thought there was way too much technical explanations and they were pretty hard to follow. I initially thought there was something going on with the crew in the way they were treating Alice. She was a teenage girl that was trying to escape her home planet and ended up helping one of the crew complete a mission, so she was given passage off the world. She was provisionally made a cabin girl to see if she would work out. This seems like a pretty low level job. We find out through the course of the story though that Alice has some pretty advanced nanotech upgrades that allow her to do amazing things. The crew initially does not know this, and yet she is given jobs to do that are extremely difficult for her, even though she is super advanced. That made me think something was going on. A regular cabin girl couldn't have done the things she was asked to do, so why did they ask her to do those things?
Overall, it was a pretty good book. It had one awesome component (the main character) and yet the story was lacking a little and it had too much technical jargon to follow.
March 6, 2018
It was so good, I didn't even really realize until halfway through that it was YA. That by itself should speak volumes.
It was well thought out Science Fiction, with a huge amount of depth and world building. It was the kind of universe I would want to write stories about. It had the feel of hard Sci-Fi, but with the rougher edges worn off just a bit, and it was truly a pleasure to read.
My only complaints are the handful of occasions that Alice encountered "boys" and went from epic female role model and all around badass, to a TSTL gushing teenage girl. Considering she seemed to have more of an interest in girls and never reacted the same way really confused me. Compared to how seamlessly the rest of the story worked, these spots were more than a little jarring. I could practically hear the author remembering that he was marketing this as YA and forcing these little encounters into the story line to meet some sort of minimum YA trope quota.
BUT. Those moments were few and far between and if you ignore them, this is a truly fabulous Sci-Fi novel with an amazing and likable female protagonist, who has female friends and love interests that also have depth and personality, living in a rich and unique universe. Considering how many excellent Sci-Fi authors are out there, having something unique enough to stand out really is an admirable accomplishment. Having a genuinely likable protagonist is just the icing on an already truly delicious cake.
(and just to indulge my inner teenager, I totally ship Emla & Alice)
It was well thought out Science Fiction, with a huge amount of depth and world building. It was the kind of universe I would want to write stories about. It had the feel of hard Sci-Fi, but with the rougher edges worn off just a bit, and it was truly a pleasure to read.
My only complaints are the handful of occasions that Alice encountered "boys" and went from epic female role model and all around badass, to a TSTL gushing teenage girl. Considering she seemed to have more of an interest in girls and never reacted the same way really confused me. Compared to how seamlessly the rest of the story worked, these spots were more than a little jarring. I could practically hear the author remembering that he was marketing this as YA and forcing these little encounters into the story line to meet some sort of minimum YA trope quota.
BUT. Those moments were few and far between and if you ignore them, this is a truly fabulous Sci-Fi novel with an amazing and likable female protagonist, who has female friends and love interests that also have depth and personality, living in a rich and unique universe. Considering how many excellent Sci-Fi authors are out there, having something unique enough to stand out really is an admirable accomplishment. Having a genuinely likable protagonist is just the icing on an already truly delicious cake.
(and just to indulge my inner teenager, I totally ship Emla & Alice)
July 9, 2017
You think you know what a Mary Sue looks like?... You're wrong... Alice Long = Mary Sue x 1000... and in spite of all that, I enjoyed this book immensely...
The challenge will be for E. William Brown to maintain that in future books as more and more of Alice's superskills unlock...
The appendices about the worldbuilding were also interesting to read.
The challenge will be for E. William Brown to maintain that in future books as more and more of Alice's superskills unlock...
The appendices about the worldbuilding were also interesting to read.
December 15, 2020
I actually really liked this book, back when I read it a couple of years ago. Yes, the cover is truly horrific, as is the title, and I think to get that font they just searched 'space font' - but if you like sci-fi I'd say don't let that put you off (although if you read sci-fi, you're probably already used to truly, truly terrible cover art). At times the main character gets close to falling into the trap of being a Mary-Sue, but I think Brown does well to have her continuing to deal with situations where she is unfamiliar and she doesn't always have the upper hand, despite the myriad of tech implants & upgrades she has. I thought the world-building and technology were interesting & varied, and I really liked that it had an appendix at the end where Brown talked a bit more about the world & his reasoning for making it the way it was. In fact, I was surprised by how many interesting concepts this book explores. I still think about it when considering AI, because I think it presents and complex idea of what AI could be and the philosophical implications of it. And, I've read it a couple of times so it definitely has re-read potential.
After reading a couple of reviews, my main complaint is that I didn't realise that the main character is supposed to be 14?? I don't agree with complaints that she's sexualised etc. - she isn't. But still, based on her maturity and actions, I expected her to be at least 17/18. I just can't see a 14 year old being that good at customer service I guess.
After reading a couple of reviews, my main complaint is that I didn't realise that the main character is supposed to be 14?? I don't agree with complaints that she's sexualised etc. - she isn't. But still, based on her maturity and actions, I expected her to be at least 17/18. I just can't see a 14 year old being that good at customer service I guess.
January 22, 2019
A bit like Robert A. Heinlein mixed with Iain M. Banks
After reading the Daniel Black saga up to book 4 I was expecting something just as good. Imagine my surprise when this book met and exceeded my high expectations. Now I'm not sure which series I like better. There is space battle and combat action up the wazoo! What an explosive first book. Can't wait to get my hooks into book 2 (Merciful Troubleshooter) when it's finally released.
For Fans of the Daniel Black series this book is safe for work. There is sexiness, but it's a PG-13 sexiness. Although much darker things are discussed and hinted at. The space pirates and Yakuza do not play nice, none of these practices are shown and only spoken of lightly.
After reading the Daniel Black saga up to book 4 I was expecting something just as good. Imagine my surprise when this book met and exceeded my high expectations. Now I'm not sure which series I like better. There is space battle and combat action up the wazoo! What an explosive first book. Can't wait to get my hooks into book 2 (Merciful Troubleshooter) when it's finally released.
For Fans of the Daniel Black series this book is safe for work. There is sexiness, but it's a PG-13 sexiness. Although much darker things are discussed and hinted at. The space pirates and Yakuza do not play nice, none of these practices are shown and only spoken of lightly.
August 30, 2022
Not bad. Moderately woke with the MC leberating robots from slavery and biological supremacy. But the plot is fine though. To my taste, there were too much stress on technical details that don't actually matter because they are all made up.
April 8, 2017
Yea, it's YA.
solid story, dialogue, and so on. Nothing to complain about.
solid story, dialogue, and so on. Nothing to complain about.
April 15, 2022
Knock-off Bobiverse + Murderbot. Not enough adversity to generate real drama, so not enough emotional involvement with the characters and their actions.
December 16, 2017
Very good world building, and a surprisingly enjoyable book. If you're a fan of hard SF, you might want to read the notes at the end first, where the technology and some aspects of the world are explained - there is some solid work behind the explanation of tech and culture of this world and I enjoyed it even more than the book itself, I think.
I don't regret reading it, which is more than I can say for most YA :)
I don't regret reading it, which is more than I can say for most YA :)
July 26, 2024
Що годе интересна фантастика, но много бавно се точи.
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