Fiona Rawsontile's Blog
October 25, 2013
The Starlight Fortress - Portland Book Review
Rating: 4 out of 5.
In The Starlight Fortress, young Queen Geneva of the Alliance battles it out with the Imperial Forces while navigating through a life filled with the various suitors and pregnancies. The story opens in the middle of a conflict between the two forces. which represent the forces of good, The Alliance, or democracy, represents the forces of good and the Empires represents the evil totalitarian state. Geneva, although a queen, has limited power--her state is more a republic than monarchy. The backstory emerges gradually. Geneva and her allies and enemies are descendants of humans who destroyed the Earth, scattered throughout the universe and have been engaged in various battles since. Geneva leads the “good guys” and the mysterious Pompeii the “bad guys,” or the Empire. In addition to the various aggravations that the tirelessly diplomatic and compulsive eater Geneva has to deal with is “A Second Chance,” an environmental group intent on limiting the RA’s abilities to destroy another planet or planets. Geneva remains a skilled and brave soldier throughout, working with the various forces to broker peace.
The novel is well-written. The author has a skillful style and knows how to build scenes and conflicts. Her characters are also three-dimensional, not cartoons representing good and evil. The plot, although well-worn, takes on some variation in its conflicts, and a powerful statement about peace is made. However, one area of concern is how busy and complicated the plot becomes. It is very hard to keep track of all of the characters, their interests and cultures and the conflicts involved. I was well into the first quarter of the novel before sorting out the major RA-Empire conflict. This may be endemic to the genre, however when a reader opens a fantasy novel, she enters a new culture that she must acclimate to--even though its inhabitants also go on shopping trips and celebrate Christmas.
In The Starlight Fortress, young Queen Geneva of the Alliance battles it out with the Imperial Forces while navigating through a life filled with the various suitors and pregnancies. The story opens in the middle of a conflict between the two forces. which represent the forces of good, The Alliance, or democracy, represents the forces of good and the Empires represents the evil totalitarian state. Geneva, although a queen, has limited power--her state is more a republic than monarchy. The backstory emerges gradually. Geneva and her allies and enemies are descendants of humans who destroyed the Earth, scattered throughout the universe and have been engaged in various battles since. Geneva leads the “good guys” and the mysterious Pompeii the “bad guys,” or the Empire. In addition to the various aggravations that the tirelessly diplomatic and compulsive eater Geneva has to deal with is “A Second Chance,” an environmental group intent on limiting the RA’s abilities to destroy another planet or planets. Geneva remains a skilled and brave soldier throughout, working with the various forces to broker peace.
The novel is well-written. The author has a skillful style and knows how to build scenes and conflicts. Her characters are also three-dimensional, not cartoons representing good and evil. The plot, although well-worn, takes on some variation in its conflicts, and a powerful statement about peace is made. However, one area of concern is how busy and complicated the plot becomes. It is very hard to keep track of all of the characters, their interests and cultures and the conflicts involved. I was well into the first quarter of the novel before sorting out the major RA-Empire conflict. This may be endemic to the genre, however when a reader opens a fantasy novel, she enters a new culture that she must acclimate to--even though its inhabitants also go on shopping trips and celebrate Christmas.
October 9, 2013
Midwest Book Review - The Starlight Fortress
The Starlight Fortress is a science fiction novel revolving around gaming, battles, and epic confrontations, telling how different nations attempt to survive war. At the heart of the story are an ineffective queen and an emperor who is a wicked gamer clever with war machines and technology.
The Starlight Fortress is the one device which could change the rules of such a game: it's a giant space structure with the capability of becoming the ultimate weapon and the powers it wields will prove enough to change the face of combat strategies.
Time travel, treachery and military confrontation permeate a saga that begins with political posturing and very different personalities but soon evolves into not just a multi-faceted novel of cat-and-mouse war games, but an examination of the roots of war in the personalities of its participants.
What keeps The Starlight Fortress from being another predictable military fiction story is its focus on the human elements involved in war, strategy, and the efforts of both sides to win in conflict: "War is about the people who fight it. When they fight together with the same belief, they form a single entity. That’s why heroes are never singular events; they are always followed, repeated, exceeded. I have hope because once the fire has started, it’ll stop at nothing until it takes over. I need to say no more. The game is on. We’ve made our choice. Everyone’s effort will count, every hope will open a possibility, and every pain we’ve suffered … will add to our strength.”
There are changing scenarios with allies on all sides and there are battles between groups - but there are also efforts on the part of Queen Geneva to understand changing sides, the roots of aggression, and changing relationships and techniques of confrontation.
From murder attempts to lives changed by parenthood, The Starlight Fortress dances deftly between the personal and the political, drawing neat lines of connection between the two and creating scenarios in which key players are changed by each other's perspectives and goals.
Readers will ideally be versed in and appreciative of military science fiction, and will find the protagonists and changing perspectives of The Starlight Fortress provide an engrossing saga that moves beyond military might and strategy alone to probe the heart of war's origins.
The Starlight Fortress is the one device which could change the rules of such a game: it's a giant space structure with the capability of becoming the ultimate weapon and the powers it wields will prove enough to change the face of combat strategies.
Time travel, treachery and military confrontation permeate a saga that begins with political posturing and very different personalities but soon evolves into not just a multi-faceted novel of cat-and-mouse war games, but an examination of the roots of war in the personalities of its participants.
What keeps The Starlight Fortress from being another predictable military fiction story is its focus on the human elements involved in war, strategy, and the efforts of both sides to win in conflict: "War is about the people who fight it. When they fight together with the same belief, they form a single entity. That’s why heroes are never singular events; they are always followed, repeated, exceeded. I have hope because once the fire has started, it’ll stop at nothing until it takes over. I need to say no more. The game is on. We’ve made our choice. Everyone’s effort will count, every hope will open a possibility, and every pain we’ve suffered … will add to our strength.”
There are changing scenarios with allies on all sides and there are battles between groups - but there are also efforts on the part of Queen Geneva to understand changing sides, the roots of aggression, and changing relationships and techniques of confrontation.
From murder attempts to lives changed by parenthood, The Starlight Fortress dances deftly between the personal and the political, drawing neat lines of connection between the two and creating scenarios in which key players are changed by each other's perspectives and goals.
Readers will ideally be versed in and appreciative of military science fiction, and will find the protagonists and changing perspectives of The Starlight Fortress provide an engrossing saga that moves beyond military might and strategy alone to probe the heart of war's origins.
September 20, 2013
San Francisco Book Reviews --- The Starlight Fortress
Star Rating: 4 out of 5
Taking place far in the future, long after the earth has been destroyed, The Starlight Fortress focuses on an ongoing war between planets. Our protagonists are the queen of Sunphere, Geneva, and her newly appointed military assistant, Sterling Presley. Both are considered too young for their jobs, and both are about to prove that age has nothing to do with talent.
As the war with the greedy, rapacious Pompey intensifies, so does the relationship between Geneva and Sterling. Dramatic, edge-of-your-seat space battles are intermixed with quiet scenes involving flirtation, jealousy, and growing attachment. These scenes play nicely off each other. There is never too much fighting or too much time without it; there is a beautiful balance here. Also, we get to see the queen in her official role as statesman and then contrast that with her private self, raising interesting questions about power and the responsibilities that come with it.
Mostly, though, this book is just fun. The first chapter has a massive space battle. The discussions of military tactics introduce brilliant plans of attack. The queen is so darn likable, with her insecurities and her love of food. My only complaint is that things happen a little too quickly. There isn’t any downtime between plot events, and the rapid pace with which things happen feels a little overwhelming. The book could benefit from additional descriptive passages, more narration, or something else that would simply slow down the story just a bit. This would make the characters, and thus their struggles, seem more real and more meaningful.
While this isn’t a book that’s likely to inspire deep emotional connection with the characters or extended musings on life, that’s ok. In fact, that’s wonderful! The Starlight Fortress is a fast, entertaining read that feels a bit like a roller coaster, pulling you along at breakneck speed through twists and turns that you never saw coming. In the end, you are a bit disoriented and fully exhilarated. This is Space Mountain in book form, and it’s fantastic.
Taking place far in the future, long after the earth has been destroyed, The Starlight Fortress focuses on an ongoing war between planets. Our protagonists are the queen of Sunphere, Geneva, and her newly appointed military assistant, Sterling Presley. Both are considered too young for their jobs, and both are about to prove that age has nothing to do with talent.
As the war with the greedy, rapacious Pompey intensifies, so does the relationship between Geneva and Sterling. Dramatic, edge-of-your-seat space battles are intermixed with quiet scenes involving flirtation, jealousy, and growing attachment. These scenes play nicely off each other. There is never too much fighting or too much time without it; there is a beautiful balance here. Also, we get to see the queen in her official role as statesman and then contrast that with her private self, raising interesting questions about power and the responsibilities that come with it.
Mostly, though, this book is just fun. The first chapter has a massive space battle. The discussions of military tactics introduce brilliant plans of attack. The queen is so darn likable, with her insecurities and her love of food. My only complaint is that things happen a little too quickly. There isn’t any downtime between plot events, and the rapid pace with which things happen feels a little overwhelming. The book could benefit from additional descriptive passages, more narration, or something else that would simply slow down the story just a bit. This would make the characters, and thus their struggles, seem more real and more meaningful.
While this isn’t a book that’s likely to inspire deep emotional connection with the characters or extended musings on life, that’s ok. In fact, that’s wonderful! The Starlight Fortress is a fast, entertaining read that feels a bit like a roller coaster, pulling you along at breakneck speed through twists and turns that you never saw coming. In the end, you are a bit disoriented and fully exhilarated. This is Space Mountain in book form, and it’s fantastic.
