Katya's World (Russalka Chronicles, #1) by Jonathan L. Howard

Feb 20, 2013 Penny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, grrrl-power, gods-and-monsters, marysue-protagonist, pirates, netgalley, sci-fi, ya-fiction

I had a difficult time rating this book. It's good. I like it.

...BUT it's lacking.

What is it lacking? More. It's lacking more. This story could be the beginning of an epic sci-fi series--for all I know it actually is--but from what I can gather it is a standalone. A frakking standalone! I find this frustrating because there is so much here, so much meaty goodness. There's enough here for a series and a couple different spinoff series, at least.

I want to know more! I want more!

One thing. I'm...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Mitch rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not quite sure what to think of Katya's World to be honest, and looking at the user generated genres a lot of people don't seem to have a clue either. It's certainly not dystopian or post-apocalyptic, more like hard science fiction with a young adult spin to it. Definitely light and fun, I liked this one and would wholeheartedly recommend it to readers who maybe don't have a lot of experience with serious sci-fi and want to dip their toes in the water, so to speak, but there are a couple of...more I'm not quite sure what to think of Katya's World to be honest, and looking at the user generated genres a lot of people don't seem to have a clue either. It's certainly not dystopian or post-apocalyptic, more like hard science fiction with a young adult spin to it. Definitely light and fun, I liked this one and would wholeheartedly recommend it to readers who maybe don't have a lot of experience with serious sci-fi and want to dip their toes in the water, so to speak, but there are a couple of issues for me personally that keeps me from giving this a higher rating.

But first off, the good. Howard's pacing, excellent, once I got past the prologue, basically setting up the background and stuff, the story just got going and going and going. Whether it was the mysterious sea monster, the pirates, or the mysterious sea monster again, there's not a dull moment for first time submariner Katya Kuriakova. I know a lot of science fiction can be bogged down by technobabble (and its evil big brother, hard science), but Howard makes Katya's World fun. Yes, scientific facts do get dropped here and there, but never at the expense of the plot - this is absolutely a great submarine adventure full of guns blazing, sea monster attacking, danger around every corner action. I cracked up in a couple of places too, Howard has a way of writing that makes even the firefights and shoot-ups hilariously entertaining - everything just comes together to make this the kind of book that's a breeze to read because so much is going on with plot twist after plot twist after plot twist that I absolutely just had to finish.

It helps too that Katya's surrounded by some very awesome, very hilarious supporting characters. Tasya, fierce head lady pirate, is at the top of the pile as the villain who just refuses to die (and not just because of one crazy over the top missile launcher scene), but other characters including Suhkalev, Uncle Lukyan, Kane, kept surprising me too. Unfortunately, with so many great supporting characters, Katya herself wasn't as impressive - not only did she not strike me as a very believable fifteen year old, but she didn't stand out for me nearly as much as the main supporting characters - maybe less than even Sergei, who's only in the first chapter or two - even though she had a lot to do. I guess she was a little too uptight for me the whole time, but, after her last scene, I'm gonna urge patience with her, just enjoy the ride.

My problem though, comes when I think back to the best submarine books I've read, say Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea or Hunt for Red October. I probably shouldn't, I mean, those are the classics, just being comparable to them means Katya's World’s really good in its own right, but I guess this book was just so good I expected a little more. For one, the underwater setting feels underused, yeah, there are currents and some brief mentions of sea life, but the ocean's full of mysteries, I guess I'm a little disappointed Russalka doesn't have coral reefs, kelp forests, schools of fish, or anything besides underwater mountains to add a little more spice to the scenery because, sometimes, I almost feel like the action's happening on asteroids and stations in space. And also, the suspense, while good, sort of gets dropped halfway through, as the sea monster plot segues into the bigger effect on the entire world story. Howard did a pretty good job maintaining the suspense before revealing the true nature of the Leviathan halfway through, but after that even though he tries, it just doesn't feel the same.

I guess I'm a little disappointed, but Katya's World still does a lot right. It's great, tightly plotted fun, a can't go wrong pick that gives a taste of what serious sci-fi novels or submarine adventures are about.(less)

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Aug 21, 2012 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars - I'm not sure whether this book didn't do a very good job of describing everything or whether I'm just too dumb or unimaginative, but I had a VERY HARD time picturing the ships, submarines and aircrafts and a lot of the action when everything was SO CRUCIAL to this novel. I couldn't tell if they were steampunkish or futuristic or just your normal machines we have today. And the Leviathan? I know part of it was the mystery of not knowing what it is, but I was maybe picturing the alien...more 3.5 stars - I'm not sure whether this book didn't do a very good job of describing everything or whether I'm just too dumb or unimaginative, but I had a VERY HARD time picturing the ships, submarines and aircrafts and a lot of the action when everything was SO CRUCIAL to this novel. I couldn't tell if they were steampunkish or futuristic or just your normal machines we have today. And the Leviathan? I know part of it was the mystery of not knowing what it is, but I was maybe picturing the alien in the 2012 movie "Battleship." So I spent a good deal of the book reading what was happening but not being able to SEE what was going on in my head.

But I liked that the book was unpredictable. Well, this is coming from someone who can't claim that she's read many sci-fi books, and even then, I'm not sure if they're really considered sci-fi. But back to the point, although it was a bit frustrating to not be able to picture the Leviathan, I was intrigued that there was some mystery to it and that it was hard to tell which side it was on. And not only the Leviathan but also everyone involved and whose side they are on, FMA's effectiveness (or lack thereof), the Yagizban's involvement in the whole situation and all the twists and turns leading up to the end. I will say I didn't care for the theory behind the corruption of the Leviathan's intelligence though. I know the book briefed us on it earlier, but it seem to come out of nowhere, even though I guess it was logical in a quick, glossed-over explanation.

I really like Kane. He reminded me of a less crazy - well maybe only slightly - Captain Jack Sparrow without the eccentric outfit. He was such a complex character with all his riddles and his complicated past. And you never knew what was going to come out of his mouth or what he was going to do next. And Katya was a great heroine, strong, smart, assertive and not at all annoying. The two characters to surprised me? (view spoiler)

And the end was so great because it was so powerful. So yeah, it took me a bit to get into it, and it didn't really get good until about halfway through. But it was interesting and action packed, so I did end up liking it quite a bit. I just wish I was able to see the story more clearly.
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Nov 07, 2012 Experiment BL626 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, science-fiction, young-adult, reviewed

CAUTION: Long Review

Katya’s World is a candy of hard science-fiction. It has themes, ironies, and allegories. I could easily imagine reading this in high school and discussing the book’s literary value in English class. I would have definitely preferred reading this over Ender's Game, which I liked but not as much as KW. Yes, KW was better than Ender's Game. That’s my opinion so believe it.

Now, I love romance, but I was delighted by its absolute absence in KW. Very atypical for a YA, KW had no d...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Sam Fresh Fantasy Fiction rated it 5 of 5 stars

As you may have seen from my very first Letterbox Love, this book was my very first printed advance review book. It was sent to me by Strange Chemistry who have made a trailer for Katya's World HERE

I loved this book. I even loved the book cover. I even loved the paper it was printed on. The main character is Katya, a 15 year old girl who has just started working as a co-pilot on her Uncles mini-submarine. She is a great character, super intelligent, resilient, resourceful and she has heart. You...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Katya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc-galley, favorites, kick-arse-heroines, kudos-for-the-worldbuilding, om-nom-nom, sci-fi, super-awesome, teen-lit, worth-the-hype

For this review and more, come over to The Book Lantern.

Sci-fi isn’t my favourite genre, for no other reason than perhaps the fact that I haven’t read much of it. Oh, I tried some Hamilton once, and I have some vague recollections of picking up Dune, but in terms of hard-core science fiction I have read very little.

This book was recommended to me by a friend who thought the name similarities were awesome, and now that I’ve read it… yeah, I think that this is the closest of a Philip Reeve subst...more For this review and more, come over to The Book Lantern.

Sci-fi isn’t my favourite genre, for no other reason than perhaps the fact that I haven’t read much of it. Oh, I tried some Hamilton once, and I have some vague recollections of picking up Dune, but in terms of hard-core science fiction I have read very little.

This book was recommended to me by a friend who thought the name similarities were awesome, and now that I’ve read it… yeah, I think that this is the closest of a Philip Reeve substitute that I will ever find.

For those of you not aware of my (passionate, powerful, groundbreaking) fangirldom of Philip Reeve’s books, I will just send you to read “The Mortal Engines” (not to be confused with Cassandra Clare’s series, please), and come back to the review once you’re done.

Finished?

Well, “Katya’s World” is just like “The Mortal Engines”, except it won’t rip your guts out quite in the same way that Reeve’s book does.

So what is this about? Well, in the distant, distant future, after nearly a century of anarchy and destruction, Earth enters in contact with its colony Russalka, demanding that the status quo is maintained. Unfortunately, the Russalkin don’t feel the same way, and an independence war is waged. Ten years after a shaky stalemate, Katya Kuriakova, a prodigy in navigation, goes on her very first journey, and… well, things don’t really go exactly according to plan.

Attentive readers might already notice that “Katya’s World” is Russian-themed, if not Russian-inspired, much like Leigh Bardugo’s “Shadow and Bone”. This homage is not unintentional - the Russalkin were originally selected from the same region as to avoid interracial and intercultural conflicts as much as possible, and this is just one of the few interesting pieces of worldbuilding that Jonathan L. Howard peppers throughout the story. Culture is a running motif - old culture vs new culture, cultured vs un-cultured, and what identity really means. The novel plays with those concepts to create a clever rhethoric against racial and nationalistic hatred, which I found to be particularly pleasing.

As for our heroine, Katya, if I had to place her somewhere on the badass scale, I’d say she’s a younger, more idealistic version of Hester Shaw. Or, rather, she’s what Hester might have been, if certain event had not occurred - she’s intelligent and initiative, a natural-born tactician and survivor, but she has a certain innocence about her which more hardened YA heroines lack. And while Hester is easily my favourite (because Hester is awesome), I think I prefer Katya Kuriakova to broken birds like Katniss Everdeen. Perhaps it’s because we see Katya as she slowly sheds that childhood innocence and discovers the harsher realities of the world, so her progression as a character feels more organic and therefore - more interesting.

Ultimately, in addition to being a pretty cool sci-fi, “Katya’s World” is also a novel about growing up and responsibilities, one that isn’t afraid to take chances with its characters, or to raise the stakes until they’re sky high. Definitely recommended.

Note: A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley.(less)

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Mar 08, 2013 Melinda Le Baron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, compelling, death, dramatic, dystopian-society, highly-technilogical, honorable, imaginative, kidnapping, men-with-weapons, military, murder, netgalley, political, science-fiction, subversive, twisty-turny-plot, violent, war, women-with-weapons

This is the type of book that flips everything that you think you know on its' head. In fact it does it more than once. This makes for a very exciting read. You would never know it by the opening scenes. I almost gave up on the book once, but persevered, and I am oh so glad that I did. The very beginning pages are kind of slow - so in that way it is kind of like a roller coaster; going up a hill, until it gets to the top. Once it gets there, there is no looking back.

Katya is an apprentice submar...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Tiffany rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hallelujah. A heroine without a romance! It was so refreshing to have a strong female lead, without some side romance or instalove to deal with. I absolutely love that part about this book and it may have skewed my overall opinion of it a tad. Hopefully, other authors take note and we can stop with romance stories being shoehorned into everything.

I really liked this book, even with it's flaws, and think it should have a higher average rating. There were some choppy and cumbersome moments in the...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Kevin Thomsen rated it 4 of 5 stars

An odd book for sure, kind of a blend of sci-fi and YA that feels more like Howard wanted to market a YA book but didn't want to write one. The novel begins with a fairly dry bit of background exposition; I didn't mind it so much because of how new the setting felt to me. There are very few sci-fi submarine stories that actually understand the technology.

Katya comes off a little stale, but she has a unique character trait that is most frequently had by villains or misguided side characters: her...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Silver rated it 4 of 5 stars

First of all, I do have to mention how wonderful the cover is. Fantastic design, nice and shiny, relevant to the novel.

OK, now that that's out of my system, review.

I also apologize for any incorrectly-spelt names, as I don't happen to have the book on hand (lent it to a friend). I'll do it as best as I can from memory, and correct it when I get back.

Positive!

After reading Katya's World, there are lots of things that stuck with me that I really, really adored.

First of all is the world itself - Ho...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Katya's World is the first novel in Jonathan L. Howard's new science-fiction series Russalka Chronicles, featuring heroine and protagonist Katya Kuriakova. Howard has also written the Johannes Cabal series, which begins with The Necromancer.

Before I go too far into writing the review for this book, I would like to mention that I did NOT finish this book. Not because it was bad, or terrible! But because as hard as I try, it's almost impossible for me to get into and enjoy science-fiction novels....more Katya's World is the first novel in Jonathan L. Howard's new science-fiction series Russalka Chronicles, featuring heroine and protagonist Katya Kuriakova. Howard has also written the Johannes Cabal series, which begins with The Necromancer.

Before I go too far into writing the review for this book, I would like to mention that I did NOT finish this book. Not because it was bad, or terrible! But because as hard as I try, it's almost impossible for me to get into and enjoy science-fiction novels. I'm constantly on the search for that one science-fiction novel that will just hook me on the genre indefinitely, but it seems like an infinite, never-ending search.

I normally don't write reviews for books I haven't finished reading, but because I contacted Angry Robot Books specifically for a review copy of Katya's World, I am following through on my promise for writing a review, which is, in fact, rather positive.

The synopsis for Katya's World is very intriguing and original, and reminded me a lot of the movie Waterworld featuring Kevin Kostner.

The prologue of Katya's World pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the book's setting, and the world of Russalka. When Earth became overpopulated and damaged by the human race, our robots sought out a new planet to call "home." However, the planet was comprised of all water and no land, so to see if there were any possibility of humans being able to live and thrive on Russalka, Earth dropped off a team of scientists to study the planet. Unfortunately, the scientists were "forgotten about" and left behind for good, so humans found a way to survive on the planet.

Years into the future, 18-year-old Katya Kuriakova is training to become an underwater submarine navigator. On her maiden voyage at the helm of the ship's controls, Katya and her uncle pick up a dangerous criminal-pirate accompanied by a law officer. When their submarine becomes directed off-course, Katya is forced to escape death, with the criminal by her side. From there, she (allegedly) encounters a series of events that open her eyes to the truth behind the planet and future of Russalka.

I made it through the first three chapters of this book before my eyes began to glaze over and my mind started wandering. My song and dance in regards to sci-fi novels is always the same - the sci-fi terminology and technology bits are way over my head, and my brain just fails to grasp anything that goes on. The premise of Katya's World is very exciting, but the day-dreamy side of me just couldn't stick with the intensity of and details behind the plot.

Adults and teenaged fans of science-fiction will most likely enjoy Katya's World. The suspense and intrigue elements are definitely present throughout the first few chapters, and set up great expectations for the rest of the novel.

For more book reviews, please visit http://dreamworldbooks.com.(less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wasn’t quite sure how to do this review, so I’ll start at the beginning, and try to explain exactly what Katya’s world is. It’s actually explained best in the prologue of the book – in just a few pages, you feel very familiar with the history of Russalka, and the people living there. To summarise though, Russalka is a colony on a distant planet, set many years into the future.

The planet is completely waterlogged, and the surface of the sea is almost inhospitable due to violent storms. On the s...more I wasn’t quite sure how to do this review, so I’ll start at the beginning, and try to explain exactly what Katya’s world is. It’s actually explained best in the prologue of the book – in just a few pages, you feel very familiar with the history of Russalka, and the people living there. To summarise though, Russalka is a colony on a distant planet, set many years into the future.

The planet is completely waterlogged, and the surface of the sea is almost inhospitable due to violent storms. On the seabed, however, are many valuable minerals, and so an underwater colony was set up to mine these minerals for other colonies.

Sadly, during this time, things seemed very unstable on Earth, and they eventually declared war on the planet. Many of the older generation on Russalka have lived through this war, as well as surviving the harsh conditions.

Katya is a 15 year old girls who’s just finished training as a navigator, and is ready for her first day working on her uncle’s submarine. She comes across as being older, but considering the harsh conditions they live under, I would expect her to be more mature than her age, and this shows as the story progresses.

This first voyage doesn’t go to plan, as they are forced to take on a prisoner and his guard. During the journey they come across a strange vessel which attacks them, and from there the story doesn’t let up for a minute! Katya finds herself in lots of different situations, and dealing with many different people, as events move swiftly. It’s soon clear that not only are Katya and those with her in great danger, but the future of the whole planet is soon to change as well.

I’ll be honest, although I do enjoy some sci-fi, the idea of submarines in an underwater world didn’t really grab me, but the fascinating prologue certainly did, and I ended up loving this book. It actually has a wide appeal – it’s not just suitable for the YA market, although they will most certainly enjoy it; it’s not just for the male species (ok, I’m sounding sexist, and I don’t mean it that way, but books with submarines and war do make me think they would appeal to men); and it’s not just for sci-fi readers.

Katya is only 15, but as I’ve already explained, she is very mature – so you have a young adult’s point of view, but it will appeal to all. There are some really good sci-fi ideas, especially in the technology used, but they are both believable and understandable, so readers won’t get swamped or lost. There are some good characters, both male and female, and covering various ages.

The vessel which attacks them at the beginning sets up a very real threat, all against the background of a changing world. The pace of the book doesn’t let up, and there are plenty of twists and turns. The story told does resolve, so there’s no nasty cliff hanger, but it’s also left open for future books set in Russalka – and I for one am very keen to see where their future takes them.(less)

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Aug 24, 2012 Doug rated it 4 of 5 stars

Katya's World is Russalka, a Russian-settled colony still reeling from a pyrrhic conflict with Mother Earth. Russalka has no land masses, and part of the novel's fun derives from the relative novelty of incorporating the claustrophobia and blindfoldedness of Das Boot or The Hunt for Red October-style submarine hide-and-seek games into a far-future/alien planet setting.

Precocious Katya, not quite old enough to drive a car in much of 21st century Earth, is on her first voyage as a full-fledged nav...more Katya's World is Russalka, a Russian-settled colony still reeling from a pyrrhic conflict with Mother Earth. Russalka has no land masses, and part of the novel's fun derives from the relative novelty of incorporating the claustrophobia and blindfoldedness of Das Boot or The Hunt for Red October-style submarine hide-and-seek games into a far-future/alien planet setting.

Precocious Katya, not quite old enough to drive a car in much of 21st century Earth, is on her first voyage as a full-fledged navigator when her sub encounters something no one on Russalka is prepared for. From there it's a non-stop ride, with battles, captures, escapes, and plot-twists a-plenty. The general theme of an unreasonably young person drawn into both armed conflict and dawning consciousness draws on a long tradition including works like Treasure Island and Johnny Tremaine as well as Scott Westerfeld's more recent and science-fictional Leviathan series; Katya's World is a worthy addition.

A few quibbles: character development is a little thin throughout, and Katya, despite flashes of realistic emotional immaturity, is generally so smart and collected that she strained my credulity a bit. I didn't find Howard's world-building entirely satisfactory; although it's set many generations in the future, and some of the tech is nearly-magical, a lot of it has scarcely evolved from what we have today. I also question opening the novel with such an atypical and exposition-heavy first chapter (although that's certainly a venerable SF tradition).

But mostly I was turning pages too breathlessly to nitpick. I give Angry Robot's new YA-imprint Strange Chemistry big ups for defying the conventional publishing wisdom that boys won't read books with female leads and that girls won't read action-oriented sci-fi books. And although Katya's World is a solid, stand-alone novel -- no last chapter cliffhangers here -- I'd be happy to read more from Howard set in this intriguing milieu.

(Rounding up from 3.5 stars for non-sexism.)(less)

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Oct 01, 2012 sj rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: end-of-the-world-challenge, egalley, the-motherfucking-future

Man, when I was growing up, I would have KILLED for a book like Jonathan L. Howard's Katya's World. I read a lot of adult sf because the stuff that was out there for younger readers was mostly just crap (or non-existent). There were a few exceptions, yes, but I found most of them either a. boring or b. condescending.

Katya's World is neither of those things. I was hooked from the prologue on. In a nutshell, Earth set up numerous colonies on various worlds, populating them with people of the same...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Phoebe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, intergalactic-academy-reviews

Full review at the Intergalactic Academy.

Katya’s World isn’t my usual cup of tea–it’s undoubtedly military SF (of a naval variety), and though it’s also undoubtedly YA, it’s light on the yummy romance that I love and instead focuses on action sequences and battles. While this sea-based science fiction is the type that I’m eager to recommend to my husband (because he’s really into Cold War submarine films), it still holds a certain nostalgic appeal. Howard’s work is particularly redolent of 1970s...more Full review at the Intergalactic Academy.

Katya’s World isn’t my usual cup of tea–it’s undoubtedly military SF (of a naval variety), and though it’s also undoubtedly YA, it’s light on the yummy romance that I love and instead focuses on action sequences and battles. While this sea-based science fiction is the type that I’m eager to recommend to my husband (because he’s really into Cold War submarine films), it still holds a certain nostalgic appeal. Howard’s work is particularly redolent of 1970s space opera–but in all the best ways.

It’s the story of Katya Kuriakova, newly an adult an embarking on her very first submarine mission, but it does not start with her. Instead, Howard opens with an extended prologue about the history of Russalka, an ocean planet. It’s an undeniable infodump, but it’s also a lively one, which gets us quickly up to speed: the water planet would have never been colonized if not for its mineral wealth. But then Terrans forgot about it, only to return far later and kick up a civil war. In less skilled hands, this would have been dry or unnecessary (prime fodder for skimming), but Howard makes it work with his smooth, confident prose and effortless worldbuilding.

And the world really does work, quite well. This is Russian inspired, but never feels like an appropriation. Howard’s world is fleshed out and effectively seamless. This allows us to follow Katya on her first crew experiences, told through nicely controlled, third-person prose.

Now, I’m a hard sell on third-person in YA. I suspect that modern YA first needs to appeal to a reader’s desire to identify, and first-person prose is an easy short-cut for identification. But I never doubted Howard’s choice to do otherwise. Katya is a bit of a chilly heroine, whose past is informed by trauma but who has chosen to very deliberately move on from that trauma. For her to be fully-realized, we need the narrative distance that only third-person provides. The use of third-person in Katya’s World is a strong reminder that there are very valid reasons to make certain (even unpopular) narrative choices. Though I’m not sure that most readers will be aware of Howard’s choices–because they’re smoothly executed enough to not be very noticeable–I appreciated the skill evident in them.

It’s different from my usual reads in other ways, too. This is a YA tale wholly lacking in romance. But it does not lack in human relationships. Katya’s relationships with the older men around her–her Uncle Lukyan and the pirate Kane–are touching and complex. Because Katya is a girl primarily defined by her desire for adult respect and recognition, these relationships, in lieu of romantic exchanges, made a whole lot of sense.

Still, the plot didn’t particularly appeal to me to the end–we’re treated to one action sequence after another, as the crew of the Baby find pirates and an artificial sea beast called the Leviathan. This action is fairly relentless, and might be a touch dry for those readers (like me) who aren’t action fans. But it’s worth reading through them. Ultimately, the Leviathan is a complex SF villain and technology both, and the difficulties it poses push Katya to her emotional limit. The climax reveals quite a bit about a strong-heroine who has withheld so much from readers–and it’s really quite a touching story in the end.(less)

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Dec 10, 2012 Hollowspine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Although this book could fit in with all the other dystopian YA fiction that seems to have a hold on the YA world right now...Katya's world is a breath of fresh air (despite taking place on a world of endless oceans and storms raging in the skies).

I've been reading, well, tons of the stuff lately, partly because I do like Sci-Fi, partly because it is very predominant in YA lit right now. I've been both surprised by how formulaic it can be, and amazed at some of the worlds that are created, the...more Although this book could fit in with all the other dystopian YA fiction that seems to have a hold on the YA world right now...Katya's world is a breath of fresh air (despite taking place on a world of endless oceans and storms raging in the skies).

I've been reading, well, tons of the stuff lately, partly because I do like Sci-Fi, partly because it is very predominant in YA lit right now. I've been both surprised by how formulaic it can be, and amazed at some of the worlds that are created, the ideas that spring out unexpected and delightful. I've read both really bad and really great stories. When I saw that Jonathan L. Howard, author of the Johannes Cabal series which I enjoyed quite a bit, was joining the fray with his own take, Katya's World I was intrigued, but a little nervous. YA can be a tricky genre to write and I wondered how he would take it on.

I needn't have worried. From the first page of the book any thought I had about genres, YA lit, or any sort of 'form' disappeared. Katya's World would challenge anyone trying to place it in a box, what it is, is a well written and engrossing story about a girl who faces off with a host of different perils, from environmental factors, political threats, and moral dilemmas. There is nothing formulaic about the story, except that it follows in the footsteps of all great writing, it has a protagonist that readers can care about, villains who are as complex, interesting and occasionally sympathetic, it has a world that seems real and a plot that had me, at least, on the edge of my seat.

One of the differences that I especially enjoyed was that, as of yet, there is no romance in the series. Instead of worrying about some ridiculous love-triangle Katya spent her time being much more creative with her thoughts, not to mention that at no point in the book does the action ever let up (which is awesome). Howard provides his audience with something much more realistic and gritty, quite a nice change from the form most YA authors seem to choose. Finally, a book that will appeal to both boys and girls, yet still has a young girl as the protagonist. The book certainly does not fail in terms of gender equality creating a cast of strong characters of both genders.

Katya's World could be described as YA Dystopian Lit. It could be described simply as Science Fiction, but the most true description I can think of for it is storytelling at it's best.

For fans of Howard's previous books, there is some bits of inspiration from Lovecraft here, but this is much different than Cabal, and different from anything else I've read, so there are a few nods here and there (One character describes the planet as 'benighted') it holds more surprises than that. I kept waiting for the mythos to appear, but Howard showed me that he's no one-trick pony, and for that I will come back again and again.

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Jul 09, 2012 Simon rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to read an advance copy of Jonathan L. Howard's Katya's World from new publishing imprint Strange Chemistry from Angry Robot Books.

Like their elder brother, Strange Chemistry titles will principally be SF and Fantasy works, with plenty of cross-over and genre-bending novels too from the looks of their forthcoming publications. However SC will be focusing on young adult works.

Katya's World is a really great book. I know we should never judge a...more I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to read an advance copy of Jonathan L. Howard's Katya's World from new publishing imprint Strange Chemistry from Angry Robot Books.

Like their elder brother, Strange Chemistry titles will principally be SF and Fantasy works, with plenty of cross-over and genre-bending novels too from the looks of their forthcoming publications. However SC will be focusing on young adult works.

Katya's World is a really great book. I know we should never judge a book by its cover, but this is a beautiful cover! It also immediately establishes, before a word has been read, some of the background setting to the novel. Now, I hate spoilers in reviews so I will try my hardest not to give too much away here. But as all of the following can be gleaned from the back cover I reckon I'm fairly safe in revealing it!

The novel is set on the colony world of Russalka, a planet with no land masses. As such the action takes place almost entirely in sub-marine settings. This allows for the author to imperil the characters in several interesting and unusual ways. Mr Howard's attention to detail is evident in his descriptions of setting, action, and behaviour and it is clear that he has invested a great deal of time in ensuring believability for his technology and the world in which it functions.

His writing style is flowing and very easy to follow, with dialogue that rarely feels stilted and helps add to the realism of the overall setting. Mr Howard manages to avoid the pitfalls of the 'info dump' in a number of very clever and subtle ways, giving the reader enough information to understand the plot while not overburdening the text with too much unnecessary detail.

One of the biggest problems that faces YA writers is how to construct, and then tell, a story that is engaging for the target audience and does not patronise them. Mr Howard is very successful in these regards and has created a story which is engaging for the reader (I found it very absorbing).

Central to the plot, of course, are the characters and it will probably come as no surprise that the main protagonist for Katya's World is the titular heroine, Katya Kuriakova. Katya is drawn very much in the mould of the current crop of female teenage leads but bears far more in common with, say, Katniss Everdeen, than Bella Swan - this is a very good thing! Katya is exactly the kind of heroine who takes the plot and helps guide the reader through it. She is brave but is still a teenager and Mr Howard has pitched her perfectly. Following her progress and development throughout the novel is as rewarding as the plot itself.

And what a plot it is. Twisting and turning just as you think you've figured out what it's going to be. This reads like a very fast-paced action film and this is to the credit of the story. Developments keep you turning the pages and I honestly found the book very hard to put down.

Overall then, I highly recommend this title. If you liked The Hunger Games I suspect this will be just the cup of tea. I'd also happily give it as a gift to a teenage reader. Mr Howard does not shy away from dealing with difficult and challenging concepts and I believe that this will broaden its appeal to a wide audience.

Strange Chemistry are to be commended for publishing this title and I, for one, will be eagerly scouting out future titles from this new imprint.(less)

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Aug 27, 2012 Sue Heraper rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, science-fiction, adventure

Wow! I can imagine this book as a film. All the action takes place within about four days.

“Katya’s World”, the first part of The Russalka Trilogy, is due to be published in November. It takes place a few centuries in the future on the oceanic colony world of Russalka where Katya Kuriakova was born and raised against a background of hardship and war. The only “land” on Russalka is its ice caps, and the surface is ravaged by almost constant storms, so the colonists live in submerged habitats and t...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Daniel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-books, scifi-fantasy, young-adult

Writing a review of this book is more challenging than most reviews I've written.

Basically, I liked the book, but I really wanted it to be much better than it was.

Let's start with the title: Katya's World. this book isn't so much about Katya's world as it is about Katya herself. And then again...it is about the world and the part Katya plays in it. Hmmm...I see the first problem...what IS this book about...?

I'll admit, the title is the first thing that attracted me to this book, but then, I have...more Writing a review of this book is more challenging than most reviews I've written.

Basically, I liked the book, but I really wanted it to be much better than it was.

Let's start with the title: Katya's World. this book isn't so much about Katya's world as it is about Katya herself. And then again...it is about the world and the part Katya plays in it. Hmmm...I see the first problem...what IS this book about...?

I'll admit, the title is the first thing that attracted me to this book, but then, I have a niece by the name of Katja, so it's not a big surprise that I was drawn to this.

I was also drawn to this because it is a YA novel, which I often enjoy reading, and for its SciFi/Fantasy nature...a genre that I typically enjoy. It helped, too, that the publisher was having an e-book sale which I wanted to support (so, yes, I read the ebook version).

So let's get to the story...a girl, born on a planet that was colonized despite terrible odds and after much struggle, has just come of age to pilot a vessel (a water vessel, as most of this planet is under water). On her maiden voyage, the ship is commandeered by a government official trasporting a famous war criminal. Ship attack. Destruction. Loss. Thrust in to the middle of a cold war about to errupt. Katya grows up in the heat of battle.

What works here is that Katya is a rather unique character. As other Goodreads reviewers point out, there is no stereotypical love interest, which is a nice change of pace for this sort of story. There is also some very nice world-building and just the right amount of history tossed in which makes it all very credible.

What doesn't work:

It's easy to believe that Katya is above average and a little better than most ... if she weren't we wouldn't be reading her story ... but she still comes across as being a little too good to be true. She takes fantastic leaps in logic or physical prowess that don't seem appropriate for someone her age.

While the world-building is well done, the details on the more intimate spaces are lacking. It's difficult to differentiate one place from another. All places seem the same -- from the inside of Katya's sub, to the inside of the Leviathan, to the inside of the station. Sometimes I had to go back and look to see where we were now because they were all so similar. Part of this comes with the challenge that Jonathan L Howard set up for himself by setting his world under water.

It is nice that, while part of a planned series, this book does have it's own beginning, middle, and end, and if I never read another "Russalka Chronicles" book, I don't feel cheated.

However, I liked it enough, and was intrigued enough, that I would probably buy the next book in the series.(less)

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Aug 23, 2012 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley

It's all action and then more action. The absence of a romantic plot is one that I commend because this one relies on its characters and what they had to do given it being set in a place that’s quite unique. The planet colony Russalka is just getting over its violent past. It’s a place that allowed for some interesting messes for them to get out of. I mean how exactly does one escape when they were where they were?

The place has allowed the Russalkin to adapt. They’re sturdy people, gung ho abou...more

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May 02, 2013 John rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-ya, sf-fantasy

A juvenile hard SF novel in the Heinlein tradition, set on a colonial water world recovering from a vicious war with a more technologically advanced Earth that has temporarily stalled and featuring a teenager who really is pretty cool---both in her attitudes, and literally, in the way she really kicks it up a notch under pressure.

Money quotes: "There goes Katya Kuriakova, the best navigator in the water, they'll say. She concentrated on trying to make her blue eyes steely, her chin determined,...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Elondel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Elondel by: Amanda

Shelves: first-reads, own, read-2012

3.5/5 - Rounded up because I was pleasantly surprised.

I received this book as part of the GoodReads giveaway programme, so I would like to start with saying thank you to GoodReads for making this possible and of course to Amanda, who created this specific giveaway.
This is my second GR-giveaway and one in a long list of books I’ve won. Continuing the trend set by every other of these books, this one also was a leap in the dark in the way that I hadn’t heard of the author prior to receiving the bo...more 3.5/5 - Rounded up because I was pleasantly surprised.

I received this book as part of the GoodReads giveaway programme, so I would like to start with saying thank you to GoodReads for making this possible and of course to Amanda, who created this specific giveaway.
This is my second GR-giveaway and one in a long list of books I’ve won. Continuing the trend set by every other of these books, this one also was a leap in the dark in the way that I hadn’t heard of the author prior to receiving the book. I was excited after I won this particular book, cause it seemed like a pretty neat dystopian with an underwater society and all. It didn’t really turn out that way, but nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised by Katya’s World.

In a distant future, the human race colonised other planets in order to escape a corrupted Earth where war was raging. One of those planets is Russalka. The only problem with it, is that it is just one big ocean. People managed to inhabit the planet, build a firm society and even survived a war. Ten years after the war, fifteen-going-on-sixteen Katya Kuriakova is about to make her first submarine voyage. Little does she know that in the deep Russalkan sea a monster slumbers and once awakened, will destroy everyone and everything.
As I mentioned before, I was expecting a dystopian novel but instead it turned out to be Science-Fiction. Nothing wrong witht hat though, cause I really enjoyed this book, despite my love-hate relationship with the average Sci-Fi-novel. What made this one different, is definitely the world where it takes place. No spaceships or hard technology, but rather submarines and an endless ocean. The setting of this book really appealed to me but I have to say that it felt a bit blank. Whereas I was fascinated by the underwater aspect of the novel, the actual underwater world was disappointingly empty. It’s merely water, currents and underwater mountains. Where are the fish? Where is the ocean life? Hell, I would have even liked Jaws to make a cameo just to make the sea come to life. It’s details like these that make the world way more worth remembering.
Granted, though, the plot did make up for it a lot. Right after the prologue you get drawn into the story and things start happening pretty fast without being rushed. I really liked how the plot developed itself and took certain turns that I didn’t see coming. I won't be giving anything away about the big danger that's hidden beneath the waves, but let me say that it turned out to be slightly more gruesome than I expected - nothing too extreme though - and was taken aback by the extreme use of technology. Didn't see that one coming!
There was a nice balance between the lighter moments and scenes filled with tension and there is also a good dose of action and shooting, but it’s never too much and appropriately used – as in: they don’t pull their guns when they shouldn’t etc. The main part of the book took place in small, confined spaces which gave it all a slightly claustrophobic feel at times, which really added to the scenery. Seeing as this book is marketed as Young Adult, I was pleasantly surprised by the story, cause it didn’t shy away from violence and death and the main character didn’t have a love interest. At all. I found this really refreshing considering the abundance of love triangles and other stickysweet tripe that tends to be YA. In fact, the only thins about Katya’s World that did have a YA-feel about it, was the main character because she’s a fifteen-years old girl. As for the rest, I found this book more bordering on adult than purely YA, which I highly appreciated.
As far as the characters go, I have to admit that I didn’t really like Katya. She came across as really mature for her age and closed-off. While I understand that Russalka does that to you, it made it hard to like her. I never disliked her and warmed up to her towards the end, but I think the side characters really give some flavour to it all. Tasya, Kane and Suhkalev were really unique individuals in this story that brought their own personality to the table and made for an excellent team surrounding Katya.
Another thing worth mentioning is the writing. Despite that Science-Fiction isn’t really my genre of preference, I breezed through this book and this is all due to the exciting story and excellent writing of Howard. It’s very fluently written and the pacing is excellent. It was never rushed but even the less action-minded scenes never dragged. I also really liked how there was technology present, but that information was never dumped upon the reader. Instead, it was understandable – and not the scientific psycho-babble you tend to encounter in these kind of novels – and gradually released whenever the situation called for it.

In the end this is a very well-written Science-Fiction novel set in an interesting world. I doubt that this will be the only Russalka novel cause despite the subtitle being a dead giveaway and this story nicely wrapped up, it just doesn’t really have that finished feel about it. if a sequel does happen, I’d be glad to give it a go, because I feel like taking another trip to Russalka.(less)

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Dec 10, 2012 Rrain rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, science-fiction

I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit, despite my criticisms. It was a quick and compelling read, and I liked the protagonist (although she tended towards the too perfect--a few flaws would make her a lot easier to relate to). What it was lacking, for me, was a lot more sense of place and culture. The colony was descended exclusively from Russian settlers, but we don't see any of that in anything but the names; the book explains that the people don't relate to their Earth ancestors anymore, b...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Leo Elijah Cristea rated it 5 of 5 stars

My big brother received this ARC from Strange Chemistry the same way I received The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke. Naturally, I yoinked it as soon as I could, since he’s busy being all “psychology-student-y” and I’d already devoured my own ARC.

Katya’s World, the first of the Russalka Chronicles by Jonathan L. Howard is YA sci-fi at its best. Alright, so there’s not exactly much good, current YA science fiction for it to compare with, but why should that matter? Katya’s World is a fir...more My big brother received this ARC from Strange Chemistry the same way I received The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke. Naturally, I yoinked it as soon as I could, since he’s busy being all “psychology-student-y” and I’d already devoured my own ARC.

Katya’s World, the first of the Russalka Chronicles by Jonathan L. Howard is YA sci-fi at its best. Alright, so there’s not exactly much good, current YA science fiction for it to compare with, but why should that matter? Katya’s World is a firm step towards what YA sci-fi should be and it delivers everything offered—and everything I’ve come to expect from Strange Chemistry.

Set on a far-flung Russian colony—I must admit, the book had me at “Russian”, since I’ve a soft spot for my Eastern European ancestry—where life is lived beneath mineral-rich oceans and existence on the surface is impossible, with no dry land in sight, Katya’s World is a submarine science fiction adventure with a grand vision and a lot of heart.

At fifteen-going-on-sixteen Katya Kuriakova has just passed her examination for her navigator’s card, which will open doors to the adult world and let her take her first post as crew on her Uncle Lukyan’s minisub, Pushkin’s Baby. She’s a bright star and when she’s not trying too hard to make herself seem older and sterner, Katya is an asset to any crew; with a sharp mind and a cool demeanour under pressure, she’s got just what it takes to survive in the harsh climate of Russalka’s deep, mysterious oceans. I loved Katya’s narrative: she reads simultaneously as a nervous teenager and a competent adult. She reads wonderfully and she’s a representation of what it’s like to be a young adult on the unforgiving world of Russalka—tough, strong-minded and committed.

When her first voyage—a routine cargo delivery—is commandeered by a pushy, jumped-up FMA officer, demanding they travel via the most direct route, which is naturally, the most dangerous, to deliver his prisoner, Katya’s world is turned upside down.

The prisoner is Havilland Kane, suspected pirate and criminal, and although he seems nothing like the monster she’s heard about, there is something about Kane that sets her on edge and makes her ask questions. Despite the protests of the crew, the arrogant FMA officer insists they travel straight through the Weft; the stretch of sea that people sensibly avoid. Without a choice, Katya sends the Baby right through it.

At first it seems as though it’ll just be a rough ride that’ll send them more off-course than the roundabout route would have, until the sensors pick up something. Closer examination suggests that it is an ore deposit and those aboard the Baby are about to be very rich. However, when they send out probes to get a closer look, it vanishes and begins a whole nightmare of secrets, lies and half-truths. Before Katya knows it, she’s been snatched from her only remaining family and her life saved by a pirate: from there she swings between interloper on an FMA vessel and prisoner on a pirate sub—and then to navigator on one carrying crew from both sides.

In the deep, dark oceans of Russalka, something has been lying in wait, something that has been waiting for its missing part. It was denied what it needed once and has lain dormant since, waiting. But when it is discovered and its secrets revealed, it will not wait as long a second time.

Down in the depths Katya must steel herself against danger and death; she must accept the word of those she’s been taught and raised to loathe, and understand that trust and treason are relative concepts when you don’t know which side you’re on. In this dark world with no sky and only the harsh seas buffeting Katya from either side, she will learn to trust only herself and her own judgement if she wants to survive.

This new enemy, with its dark purpose, will push Katya beyond her limits and she must stay focussed and true to herself if she’s to survive what comes next. But Katya is strong and capable, and if anyone understands the harsh world she lives in, it’s Katya.

The pacy tension of Howard’s narrative, coupled with the engaging characters of Katya and Kane, makes Katya’s World read like the beginning of a true science-fiction epic. With events that could change the very nature of the world and real, human characters caught in the middle, facing difficult decisions and caught between both their own natures and prejudices, Howard has presented a tightly-woven and exciting story that will effortlessly bridge the gap between YA science fiction and science fiction epic. With its superb and nail-biting ending, I am eagerly awaiting more from Katya, Howard and the Russalka Chronicles.(less)

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Mar 30, 2013 Britta rated it 2 of 5 stars

I just don't understand... That is exactly how I felt about most of this novel. It started off really interesting and I was immediately hooked, but the action - and my attention- just kind of fizzled out. It attempted to build back up and there was a climax-esque finale, but by that point I didn't really care that much. I had a difficult time following the backstories and history of Russalka, the planet that this novel takes place on. I couldn't get a grasp for the rules of the world, and there...more I just don't understand... That is exactly how I felt about most of this novel. It started off really interesting and I was immediately hooked, but the action - and my attention- just kind of fizzled out. It attempted to build back up and there was a climax-esque finale, but by that point I didn't really care that much. I had a difficult time following the backstories and history of Russalka, the planet that this novel takes place on. I couldn't get a grasp for the rules of the world, and therefore found myself in a suspended state of confusion.

This novel take place way into the future, when planet Earth has colonized other distant planets. But after a war and years with no communication from Earth, Russalka believes that it have gained its independence. However, the threat of war looms over them, and they must be prepared for the next strike. It soon becomes evident that the threat is already there.

It sounds interesting, right? That's what I thought too. I wanted so badly to like this book, and maybe I would have if I just got it more. The planet is supposed to be completely covered in water. Like no land at all. I got this concept abstractly, as most of the novel takes place within ships, but there are also times in the novel where it seems as if they were on land, in dry air. But then there were times when they get off their ships... and where are they now? How are they breathing? What? In addition, the characters are decedents of Russian ancestry, and while I understood the need to have realistic names, I found it hard to follow who was who. Not only did they have names like Lukyan, Tasya, Petrov, Takarov, and Suhkalev, but they have nicknames and are sometimes called by their last names and sometimes called by their first names - all of which are somewhat difficult to pronounce. I had trouble remembering who was who and the role that they played.

The action starts off pretty quickly, and there is a lot of action towards the end, but the middle was kind of flat. There was a lot of planning and thinking, which is important, but definitely slow. Also, there were aspects of a character's prior life that were alluded to and all of a sudden it would become a big deal. Like some small detail led the characters from point A to point Z... The reader (and by that, I mean me... perhaps I was the only one?) misses all the steps in between. I was confused at how such a realization was made so quickly. I didn't know enough about the world to fully grasp the implication of creation things.

So all in all, it was mostly confusion that kept me from connecting with this one. (less)

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Sep 24, 2012 Rebecca McKinnon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Strange Chemistry (the publisher) has been wonderful enough to give me a copy of this book, if I'll write what I honestly think of it.

Complete honesty: This is one of those books that I finished, put aside, picked back up, thumbed through again, and just could NOT stop thinking about. Oh, and I absolutely love the cover.

When I was reading it, I was completely engrossed, and cringed when I had to put the book down to do something "real". The story is very well-spun, and the characters are very re...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, dystopian, netgalley, own, young-adult, reviewed

*I received an eARC of Katya's World in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Not the best book I've ever read (because it's pretty hard to beat Patricia Briggs or Ilona Andrews), but this is a fantastic sci-fi/dystopian. A lot of elements stood out to me and I love that I couldn't predict what would come next.

Katya was so refreshing to read about. She's 15, but because of the harsh world she grew up in she's had to grow up very quickly and it shows. She's always calm, mature,...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Kimberly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, young-adult

Katya is really mature (throughout the whole book I kept having to remind myself that Katya is 15.) She's also really smart, kind of unbelievably smart. She comes up with most of the solutions to their problems and she's the most calm out of all the adults.I did not like Kane. He was annoying and secretive. (view spoiler)

There were a lot of twists...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Ranting Dragon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: rebecca

http://www.rantingdragon.com/review-o...

Jonathan L. Howard, author of the humorous Faustian series Johannes Cabal, ventures into new waters with Katya’s World, the opening to a new science fiction series aimed at young adults. As the title implies, this book follows fifteen-year-old Katya of the planet Russalka, a world with no landmasses aside from its polar ice caps. Ever since the original Terran settlers arrived from Earth, humans have lived underwater in pressurized environments and travele...more http://www.rantingdragon.com/review-o...

Jonathan L. Howard, author of the humorous Faustian series Johannes Cabal, ventures into new waters with Katya’s World, the opening to a new science fiction series aimed at young adults. As the title implies, this book follows fifteen-year-old Katya of the planet Russalka, a world with no landmasses aside from its polar ice caps. Ever since the original Terran settlers arrived from Earth, humans have lived underwater in pressurized environments and traveled by submarine—a difficult life, but one they take pride in. As the book opens, Katya has just become an adult according to Russalkin law, and she’s embarking on her first submarine voyage as a member of her uncle’s crew rather than as a passenger. Their journey unexpectedly takes them into unfamiliar waters, where Katya encounters pirates and war criminals and witnesses the awakening of an unstoppable monstrosity.

Science fiction worldbuilding
Even from the first pages, the worldbuilding was one of my favorite aspects of Katya’s World. The prologue, though essentially a big history infodump to start the story off, reads like a grizzled grandfather narrating the past century of Russalkin history, relating their origins from Earth, the colonization of their planet, and then finally their war with Earth. The information dumped on the reader is all interesting and feels fairly relevant to the backstory, with the old storyteller’s voice keeping the pace with its simple, unassuming narration. And then, throughout the rest of the novel, further details about this strange planet and different culture are revealed. All in all, Russalka feels like a believable planet with a rich, if brief, history, and I feel like there’s more left to learn in the future volumes—not just about Russalka, but about Earth and about the science of the universe.

Viewpoint flaws
The book starts with Katya’s viewpoint and stays exclusively with her for much of the novel. But even when we’re in Katya’s head, Howard keeps many of her thoughts secret from us. The moment when Katya has a sudden epiphany and goes to talk to another character about it only to be distracted by his circumstances and apparently forget all about the questions she had for him was maddening! For chapters after that, I paid close attention, waiting to hear what Katya thought she’d figured out.

The last portion of the novel adopts a more global viewpoint and follows several different characters. This is abrupt and really quite disorienting at first; I think the book would have been stronger for either sticking to Katya throughout or starting with multiple viewpoints from the beginning. It is possible that my disorientation was worsened by the rough formatting on my e-ARC, though; I do look forward to rereading this as a physical book.

Young adult
This is a young adult novel with a teenaged female protagonist. Of course there’s going to be romance, probably even a love triangle, right? Refreshingly, no! There wasn’t a hint of romance throughout the book. In this story of Katya’s coming-of-age, she faces many challenges and life-changing events, but there is no time or place for romance. I do enjoy romance in stories, when it belongs; but in this case I was thoroughly glad with its absence. If Howard had tried to include it, it would have devalued the rest of the story.

Why should you read this book?
This is a quick, engaging read—so engaging that I stayed up too late to finish it. Every twist caught me off-guard and drew me further into the story. If there were any major issues with the writing, aside from my complaint about viewpoint, I was too engrossed in reading it to notice—which is praise in and of itself. This book is certainly suited to young adults, but adults will also find enjoyment in it. The characters aren’t forced into roles for the sake of fulfilling tropes, and the worldbuilding is tops. I certainly recommend Katya’s World to anyone who enjoys reading about life on imaginary planets, especially those who are sick of the abundance of love triangle stories in young adult fiction today.(less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

I wish I could rate this higher, but for much of the novel, I was lost in a sea (no pun intended) of technical jargon and far too much action. While I apprecite the fact that the author really knew what he was talking about, there was just too much for me to wrap my head around. What I really wanted to know was -- what about the society? I wanted to see how people lived and worked and loved under the endless ocean.

For a book with the title of Katya's World, we rarely got inside Katya's head. And...more

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Katya's World (Russalka Chronicles #1)

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