Eversion
2022 • 353 pages
Ratings32
Average rating4
15
Ratings32
Average rating4
Eversion is a superb, original Gothic SF novel. A small group of intrepid explorers are in search of a remote and mysterious artefact. It's a well-funded expedition, well organised, which is lucky as they're sailing north of Bergen on the schooner Demeter, searching for a narrow inlet which will lead them to a vast uncharted lake - and their goal-- Until disaster strikes. Doctor Silas Coade wakes from disturbing dreams, on the steamship Demeter, in pursuit of an extraordinary find almost too incredible and too strange to believe, secreted within a lagoon in the icy inlets of Patagonia. But as they come in sight of their prize he and the crew see they are not the first to come so far: there is a wreck ahead, and whatever ruined it may threaten them as well-- Shaking off his nightmares, Doctor Silas Coade joins his fellow exploders on the deck of the zeppelin Demeter and realises something has already gone dangerously wrong with their mission. If any of them are to survive, then he will have to take the exploration - and their lives - into his own hands . . .
Reviews with the most likes.
A very cleverly written tale that really makes you think. I perhaps was primed to sympathise with the main character as I too am far from home and dreaming of a white house with a garden, on a hill in Plymouth, not too close to the sea, but not too far.
TL;DR
I hated this book until chapter thirteen, which is two-hundred pages deep. The way our main character talks is just beyond annoying, I know it's because he's in the yee ol' days but it was very rough to read and I didn't like it at all. After chapter thirteen it gets better, same with the story. Interesting stuff actually happens. Average book in my opinion, not bad but it wouldn't be my first recommendation if some one was asking me about a science fiction book.
My Scoring System
I have five things I look for in a book, if the book checks all five it's a 5/5 stars book, if it checks none it's a 1/5 stars and everything else is a combination:
X - Main Story: I was pretty confused at first but as we get deeper in the story we learn more, unfortunately by the end we still have questions left unasnwered.
X - Side Stories (if it applies):
✓ - Characters: I like all the characters, there wasn't anyone who I thought was annoying.
✓ - Setting/Ambiance: We don't get to spend much time on each of these old eras but they were interesting.
✓ - Ending: Question left unasnwered but I really liked the last interaction before the book ends.
Extensive Review
Not much to say here, even though there are quite a few characters we're mainly focused on four. Thankfully they're all interesting, likeable and are part of the entire story.
Pretty light on the science fiction, excluding the obvious that they're in a spaceship pretty much the whole book happens in these old eras of time with old technology.
The story is interesting but we don't learn much in the end. We're left with quite a few questions and I don't like that, it's not vague as in "it's left up to the reader to interpret it" (if it were it would instantly be a one star rating, I hate those endings) but I would have liked some answers. The last few chapters and the ending saved the book from being mediocre.
The ending interaction between two characters in the book in my opinion we're really good.
7/10
A cool idea with a somewhat flawed execution. The first half of the book dragged a bit. It should've been about 20% shorter like many classic sci-fi stories. But the ending was worth it.
3,5/5 stars
This is a nice little mysterious adventure story that could be a great episode of Star Trek, The Orville or Stargate. Probably not something you gonna reread, since its strength is the mystery and trying to piece together wtf is going on. If you are going to read this, do yourself a favour and don't read anything about it, take and afternoon or two and enjoy a mystery.
