Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
the stars now unclaimed (Drew Williams)
Title: the stars now unclaimed
Author: Drew Williams
Publisher: Macmillian-Tor/Forge
Publication Date: TODAY!! (hardback/ebook)
ISBN: 978-1250186119
Source: NetGalley
Well mateys. I have to admit that this was just an okay read. One of me crew, Sarah @ theillustratedpage’s review, accurately described it as:
“The majority of The Stars Now Unclaimed is action scenes. I really can’t emphasize how much of this book is action. You mainly get a few paragraphs or pages between various huge action set pieces, which doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for anything other than action. It was a bit like a Hollywood blockbuster in book form.”
Hollywood action film indeed. The characters are fun. Ye have the hardened snarky daredevil female fighter pilot, an analytical robot, the ship AI, and the rescued orphan girl with telekinetic powers who might one day save the world. Later ye add in the traitor who happens to be the soldier’s ex-lover and the spy. But while I liked them, there is very little depth to any of them. The dialogue is full of catchy one-liners but nothing of major substance. The bad guys are all literally interchangeable faceless guys in suits with no names, no real intellectual reasoning, and no goals other than to take over the universe.
The science-fiction part is also Hollywood-lite. There was a “pulse” which was a science experiment gone wrong. It knocked out the technology in the universe with very little rhyme or reason. Some places keep their technology and other places have gone back into the stone age. The threat of the pulse is still out there and it’s gonna come back. There is no real explanation for how it works. The main characters says things like “I can’t walk you through it all that well, I’m not a – I don’t do science – ” and “do I look like I’m wearing a lab coat? I know what the scientists tell me . . .” The use of the technology doesn’t really make sense either. Things work or don’t work depending on what the author needed to happen to forward the plot. Logic doesn’t really suffice.
Actually that was me major problem with this read – the sheer unbelievably of the plot in general. There are the many, many lucky coincidences that happen throughout. There is the last-ditch, one-chance effort against all costs. There is the main character who is charmed and somehow evades death at every possibility – despite poison, bullets, overwhelming legions of enemies, and everything but the kitchen sink. The battle is saved through the actions of a single person. Remove the main character and the universe is doomed.
Me most recent science fiction reads have had depth of character, plot, and world-building. In comparison, this be a pleasant, if forgettable read. I will not be reading any more of the series. I might have enjoyed it more in movie format.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Macmillian-Tor/Forge!
Goodreads’ website has this to say about the novel:
Jane Kamali is an agent for the Justified. Her mission: to recruit children with miraculous gifts in the hope that they might prevent the Pulse from once again sending countless worlds back to the dark ages.
Hot on her trail is the Pax–a collection of fascist zealots who believe they are the rightful rulers of the galaxy and who remain untouched by the Pulse.
Now Jane, a handful of comrades from her past, and a telekinetic girl called Esa must fight their way through a galaxy full of dangerous conflicts, remnants of ancient technology, and other hidden dangers.
And that’s just the beginning . . .
To visit the author’s twitter go to:
To buy the novel go to:
the stars now unclaimed – Book
To add to Goodreads go to:
Sounds like our opinions were very similar. And thanks for the shout out! “Mindless” is probably another good description for this one.
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Yes. Good for when ye want some sci-fi mindless fun. Welcome for the shout out. I was having trouble formulating me thoughts for this one and yer review made it click into place. I needed the nudge. Thanks matey.
x The Captain
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Thank you! That gives me an excellent idea of exactly where this book stands… Have a great week, Cap:)
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Have an even better weekend matey!
x The Captain
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And you, Cap – and you!
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Good review! I agree, though, I still want some believably in my sci-fi and fantasy reads. They don’t have to be realistic, but they have to be believable! At least it sounds like it was a fun book, if not the greatest.
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It was fun and I have no regrets. It just pales in comparison to some other top-notch sci-fi I have been readin’ these days. I was able to go with it. Ye readin’ this one?
x The Captain
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I haven’t decided yet. I might, but I hadn’t heard of it before your review, so I’m not sure.
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Fair enough!
x The Captain
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Thank you for an excellent review, Cap. It gives me a good idea of what the book is about. There are times when I enjoy constant action, and it sounds as if this would the book for that mood. Thank you:)
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It was very fun and I very much enjoyed it. I just don’t think I would reread it. And the way it ended left me satisfied to treat it as a standalone. It’s just when ye compare it to Emma Newman or Becky Chambers or Elizabeth Moon, it lacks. Had I not been reading so much of their work, I think I wouldn’t have noticed the lack so much in this one. Though I do think ye would like it 🙂
x The Captain
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