2022 book #23. 2021. Young Lieutenant Amanda Bostick is sent to the planet Loria to determine why so many of the scientist/colonists to the planet have died. She finds a totally unexpected life form. Pretty good but too many plot twists for my liking. ( )

I do not often read this genre, but I was drawn to this novel because I’m a Davis Bunn fan, I found the cover intriguing, so, I jumped in not knowing what to expect. The chapters were short, and the story moved along as the author does his best to give readers the lay of the land and Amanda’s situation in space. I felt there was a lot of telling readers what was, and not much showing (in the way I know this author can do through his characters). But then again, it might just be me in the fact that I hardly ever read space fantasies.

I did read the entire novel. I wanted to like this book (and thought I would by the end), but I found the story and the characters hard to connect with. Their mission and how things were interrupted by space pirates were unclear. This author is still one of my favorites. I’m amazed at how versatile his writing style is. He is brilliant. This is a wonderful read if you are into space novels. I do believe it would work well for your book club pick.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org ( )