Steve Gibson
This novel has extremely interesting parts and slow part. I enjoyed the beginning, the part around 100 pages and the last 50 pages. The stories of the two main characters are compelling and works well when the lives of the two become entangled.
I was interested in the story of the landscape and the information about river dolphins. Like many other reviewers, I did lose patience with the 100s of pages of detail about the dolphins and nature. I do not blame the author. I think the information is not wasted, but I did not have the patience.
The characters seem full of life to me. I was interested in all of them. I even like that I am disappointed in some of them. We find that the characters are not perfect but have feet of clay.
All-in-all it is a good serious drama that is well crafted. Readers must be willing to devote a great deal of time to get through the thick book and understand the payoffs are for some characters and not everyone has a happy ending.
I enjoyed the journey of this science fantasy. There are two narrators in the story who are different in every way. They become friends and allies in the conflict for the new world.
Like other reviewers, I wish the sequel were available. I found the world and struggle in the alternate world to be compelling and interesting.
The most interesting feature of the story to me was the beginning of learning the signing language of the raccoon people. The author was very clear and realistic in explaining the difficulty in learning communication between the human and raccoon.
This book is very erudite, educated and sophisticated. I had to look up a few words in this story, which is very unusual for me. This book is probably best for very educated readers. Readers who are looking for a simple action story would likely be disappointed. The most detail in the story is the psychological relations between the different characters. There is some fighting, armed and hand-to-hand raccoon fighting, but this is just incidental to the plot.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone looking for a deep look at alternate raccoon society.
I read very little fantasy. I have read all the Vorkosigan stories by Bujold. So I thought to try this fantasy book. It starts out slowly, telling about Caz looking for a way to stay alive. But, The characters drew my attention more and more until I could not put the book down and tried to finish it without sleep.
One aspect that is important to me is the minimal inclusion of magic. While particular magical influences are integral to the plot, the story can be enjoyed for how the characters handle the challenges they face.
While the central character is a 35 year old male, there are multiple strong women characters in the story. The story follows an arc of increasing conflict, danger and complexity from beginning to end. The world building and and completeness of story is impressive.
This story seems to me to be likely entertaining to almost all readers. I am not normally a fan of fantasy, but enjoyed almost every minute of it. There are small but important romance subplots. There are a few small unit conflicts spread through the book. If you are a super animal lover, be warned, some animals are harmed in the making of the book. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to everyone.
I enjoyed this second book in the Steerswoman series. It is challenging to read them. This book continues and expands the practice of showing ordinary lives. These books are not about leading up to action payoffs every few chapters. Instead these books are written with the flow of life that seems real. A person lives life with everyday events happening, and once in a while sudden violence might happen which is a surprising interruption.
Rowan is continuing her investigation of the fallen guidestar. I am learning more about day-to-day life in an outskirter camp than I ever wanted to know.
I most enjoy learning about the Face people.
The author is frustrating me by revealing no more about the mysteries of the Guidestars and the Wizards to us readers than she reveals to the steerswoman. So we must try to put together the mystery at the same speed as the characters in the story. Very frustrating, but probably a wise writing choice.
I want to warn potential readers. There are pages upon pages of information about the life and practices of the nomadic goat herders in the Outback and the Face. Be prepared.
Now that I have finished this book, I love it. This is the first book in a series about the Steerswoman Rowan. After the first 50 pages I was not sure if I was going to finish it. I then went and looked at others' reviews. One secret revealed by another reviewer made me want to continue the book.
I started the book because a reviewer had compared the steerswomen to librarians. I would not have used that analogy. I would have compared a steerswoman to a high level analyst. She always considers all the facts she has access to in making decisions. I found the book slow going, but I am glad, and I am going to keep at it.
This book got under my skin. As I read, I liked it more and more. It was slow starting, but it may get added to my list of favorite books. The characters are constantly looking around them and smelling the air and trying to reason through what their senses and minds tell them is happening around them.
This book contains many details of life that occur in between plot action. Fictional story-telling, usually, is filled with a series of dramatic points where tension is constructed and resolved. Real life is different, our lives do not build to dramatic points on a regular basis. This book contains much more of real life that occurs between dramatic points.
Very entertaining read. This short story by D.M. Wolfenden's bring us into the story of Carly, who is in police custody. We relieve he horrible tragic incidents she has witnessed. I found myself sucked into Carly's life. Recommended for any readers who can take some violence and a scary story. The story resolves the way most of us would want. Great read.
Rereading The Emperor's Edge after reading it first one year ago. I remember thinking I liked it pretty well on my first read. I did not feel compelled to read the second in the series immediately. However, when months later I picked up the second, due to lack of other reading material, I liked it so much I sprinted straight through the other books in the series without stopping. I am enjoying my second read of this first in the series. The book has a humor as it talks of danger. I like the slow, like molasses romance hints.
This story concludes a tension filled fantasy series. Contains unexpected action which keeps the reader engaged. The series has a wonderfully developed world that feels mysterious and lived in. This book had it all, fighting, romance, and evil warlocks. The story is easy to read with some spiritual and religious under tones. I recommend it to fans of fantasy.
Collection of 22 Fantasy and Science Fiction Novels
A collection of 22 Fantasy and Science Fiction full novels from an international cast of bestselling authors. This action-packed boxset features strong-willed individuals in unusual and exciting settings. Encounter queens, witches, wizards, werewolves, shifters, angels, dragons, or shadowy nemeses. Stories are character driven and set in worlds with low or no technology. You will follow their journeys to discover magical worlds, encounter dystopian lands, space stations, and galaxies they never dreamed of before their adventures. Join us On the Horizon for these deadly and dangerous quests filled with thrilling action and adventure!
Contributors:
Aiki Flinthart
Avril Sabine
Brendan Smith
Carina Merritt
Charis Joy Jackson
Connor Sassmannshausen
Diane Morrison
Donna Maree Hanson
Erin Yoshikawa
Greg Alldredge
Jason J. Nugent
Jay Michael Wright II
Jeanette O'Hagan
J. I. Rogers
Judith Rook
Katie Salidas
Katie Taylor
Mirren Hogan
Rebekah Dodson
S. A. Gibson
Stephanie Barr
Steven Turnbull
Added by author
Cozy Mystery set in New Mexico in the world of the Protected Books
Available now, as of Nov 10, 2020
Superior to book one in the series. Space war and aliens. Lots of storylines and characters. Some deep thinking about why humans are the way we are.
Painful, but damn good. As many reviewers say, this book is a surprisingly good read. I don't often read zombie stories, but when I do I prefer to read ones like this. This book joins the apparently growing subgenre of different zombie tales.
I found the story fascinating from the first pages to the end. The shocking reveal had me gasping, but loyal to the book and the character. Well done.
This book goes into the science of the causes for humans becoming hungries, and takes a hard twist at the end that is shocking and heart-wrenching. Enjoy!
Exciting action adventure on another planet. The heroine is a scholar who is driven to rebellion. The odds are daunting, and she must learn new technology and enlist the help of aliens to drive out aliens infesting her planet. Has everything an adventure lover wants. A trek through the jungle. Complex relations with allies and enemies. Tech tools, primitive weapons, and forces of nature used to win fights. Science fiction action fans will enjoy this story.
Have finished reading Heaven's Queen for a second time. I found the first 100 pages slow for me. But, then it really kicks into high gear for me. I love when Devi goes to Nova's family's space station. I was on the edge of my seat as she approached Dark Star station.
Like some other reviewers, I also did not like how she pays back Anthony for his care and concern. But, a heroine does not have to be perfect. She can have flaws and behave in ways that we don't agree with. I forgive a great deal, because Devi has made a promise to the young girls who are being exploited that she risks everything to keep. As you see when you read this story, she is not just risking her life. She is risking much, much more. Many of the people she must fight are good people who disagree with her decision.
The part I most enjoy is the interaction Devi must go through with the alien races to accomplish her impossible mission. She talks to alien races that are so beyond human comprehension that we barely exist on the same plane of existence.
This will be a very enjoyable book for some people. There is a great deal of violence and fighting. It felt like half the book was describing fighting or the aftermath of fighting. There is some graphic romance that is a major part of the story. This is full blown science fiction, with space ships, FTL travel, planets and alien races. If you can tolerate all that, I really think you should give this series a try. You should read the 3 books in order, they are tightly interlocked through chronological events.
One of those book you lose sleep over. I think I read this one in two days. And, I couldn't stop thinking about it for weeks afterward. We think a great deal about trust, identity, and what would be important to us, if fighting for aliens was what kept humans alive.
Inspiration for writing Feeling a Way?My fiction novel, [b: A Dangerous Way 23345548 A Dangerous Way (After the Collapse, #2) S.A. Gibson https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1414348273s/23345548.jpg 42847753], related a story of the library swordsman, William Way in mid-career after many adventures across two continents. I now have to reveal a little of his origin story. So, Feeling a Way is set in California, where William Way first arrives in the future United States. Reading sequence for the series?The in-world chronology is different from the publication order of the series. So far there are two series: “After the Collapse” and “The Protected Books.” [b: Pratima's Forbidden Book 25057099 Pratima's Forbidden Book (The Protected Books, #1) S.A. Gibson https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1425333471s/25057099.jpg 44585152], book 1 of “The Protected Books,” published earlier this year, has a young William Way, as a major character. As a teenager in Rajasthan, India, he's an apprentice for libraries and has not become an expert with swords, yet. Feeling a Way, book 1 of “After the Collapse,” takes up the story of William after he arrives in California after years of sword training. A Dangerous Way, book 2 of “After the Collapse,” follows William years later in New Mexico as he wields his sword for the libraries.Who are the characters William and Kalapati.William is a scout, library investigator, and swordsman. He has traveled from India to help the local California librarians solve a mystery involving stolen Hindu religious books and kidnapped children. Kalapati is an archer from a Native-American community who makes her living contracting out her abilities for pay. Her assignment to escort a young boy across Southern California will bring her into conflict with the libraries and their scout, William.What is this woodpunk dystopia? What is this post-apocalyptic world with no modern technology?Creating future California without technology is a fun history learning endeavor. People, in this future without modern technology, need to accomplish the same things we do in our modern world. They need to produce food. They need clothing and houses. They need to travel and communicate over distances. Finally, they need to have the means to live peacefully together, or defend themselves from violent people. The historical truth is that people in the past did all those things. I researched slide rules, messenger pigeons, donkey transportation, bows, arrows, swords, and atlatls. What is the intended age range/target audience?This story would be suitable for middle-school on up. It has no sex and no cursing. There is some violence, but only to serve the needs of the plot and story. As I write, I consider the target audience, but my main goal is to recreate my own sense of excitement when I read science fiction as a teen. Young people will confront difficult subjects, in their lives, and I think about how to write about such issues.
The world of Asante's Gullah Journey. What to know before reading the book.
All my stories are set in the same world. This is a future earth where modern technology is lost. So past history is remembered. But, people live with tech like in the early 1800s.
This is the first story with these characters. So it is independent. The things to know, are that in this world, Libraries have become the most powerful force. Because they have the past knowledge. They attempt to keep the records for society and maintain order. Library scouts are the trained enforcers for the libraries. They are experts with swords and other weapons.
The other thing to know about this story is the Gullah people are real. Along the coast of South Carolina there was a group of escaped slaves who had thier own language known as Gullah or Geechee. They existed in isolated communities into 1900s. There are still some left, today. For the story I imagine the group survives into the future and keeps their culture and independence.
I enjoyed this incredible ride of a story. Set in a future world and space, with most of the time spent on an alien planet with different biology and social animals, the story was about how we communicate.
The strongest theme and storyline is about how language divides us and bridges gaps between us. This aspect of the book is fascinating to me.
This has one of the most impressive heroines in fiction. Her preferred approach to hostility is to prevent a fight with words and cultural knowledge. That is what I'm talking about. I believe the most powerful weapon humans have is language, this author wrote about that idea.
We live the story with the characters. There is a naive narrator, who contributes to us learning through her questions.
One of my favorite reads of all time. If you like hard science fiction and like to think during your reads, this is a book for you.
What is woodpunk? You ask. Woodpunk is fiction set in a time that does not have technology more advanced than those techs that were developed on the route to the use of wooden tools, equipment and structures.
Humans existed most of their time on this planet. From the beginning of using tools, humans found use for wooden implements. Clubs, bows and arrows, staffs, wagons, wheels, and thousands of other tools were made from wooden products.
The idea of an age of woodpunk implies that there are no internal combustion machinery or electricity or steam engines. A woodpunk story can be set in the future or the past. My stories, A Dangerous Way and Pratima's forbidden Book are set in an alternate future about 100 years in the future.