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The Guardian Cycle #1
Refractions
A DISTANT COLONY SHROUDED IN SILENCE.
In the vast expanse of space, Bethesda – humanity's first extra-solar colony and home to a thriving population of adults and children – has ceased all communication with Earth.
A DEADLY RESCUE MISSION.
Nathalie Hart only joined the New Horizons interstellar rescue expedition to escape the pain and guilt after her sister’s senseless death. But when she’s wrenched out of cryo-sleep far too early, she realises something has gone very wrong on board…
SABOTAGE. MURDER. BETRAYAL.
As the ship's alarms blare and smoke fills the corridors, Nathalie finds herself thrust into command amidst a crew of strangers, each harbouring their own secrets. A scrawled threat in her cabin, written in a language only she knows, confirms her suspicions. Someone on board will do anything to stop them reaching the colony and revealing Bethesda’s secrets.
Surrounded by deceit, and with Earth a distant memory, Nathalie must decide who she can trust as they desperately race towards the unknown horrors of Bethesda. A deadly secret threatens everyone back on Earth. And if their mission fails, five-thousand innocent lives hang in the balance…
If you loved The Expanse and anything by Ann Leckie or Arkady Martine, you won’t be able to put down this gripping tale of betrayal and survival in the vastness of space.
In the vast expanse of space, Bethesda – humanity's first extra-solar colony and home to a thriving population of adults and children – has ceased all communication with Earth.
A DEADLY RESCUE MISSION.
Nathalie Hart only joined the New Horizons interstellar rescue expedition to escape the pain and guilt after her sister’s senseless death. But when she’s wrenched out of cryo-sleep far too early, she realises something has gone very wrong on board…
SABOTAGE. MURDER. BETRAYAL.
As the ship's alarms blare and smoke fills the corridors, Nathalie finds herself thrust into command amidst a crew of strangers, each harbouring their own secrets. A scrawled threat in her cabin, written in a language only she knows, confirms her suspicions. Someone on board will do anything to stop them reaching the colony and revealing Bethesda’s secrets.
Surrounded by deceit, and with Earth a distant memory, Nathalie must decide who she can trust as they desperately race towards the unknown horrors of Bethesda. A deadly secret threatens everyone back on Earth. And if their mission fails, five-thousand innocent lives hang in the balance…
If you loved The Expanse and anything by Ann Leckie or Arkady Martine, you won’t be able to put down this gripping tale of betrayal and survival in the vastness of space.
441 pages, Paperback
First published November 16, 2023
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478 people want to read
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July 24, 2025
At some time in the not too distant future, the Earth is in crisis. Climate change has led to cataclysmic flooding, drought, hunger, and mass migrations, and a plague has killed two billion people.
In the chaos, China led the recovery and took the economic and technological lead.....
.....and the New American Union (Union) - which has become more Christian than ever - is struggling to catch up.
In this climate, the Union is trying to establish Christian colonies on distant planets. To do this, the Union has to 'lease' Chinese interstellar ships, which are controlled by Chinese engineers. The Chinese engineers have sole access to the ships' engines and inner workings, to make sure no one steals China's technological secrets.
The Union's first space settlers were sent to establish a colony called Bethesda, which is 35 years away in space-travel time. For the first ten years, things were going well on Bethesda, with messages going back and forth between Earth and the 5,000 people on the distant colony.
The apparent success of Bethesda led to additional colony ships being launched; a ship named Gabriel was headed to join Bethesda, and other ships were sent to different planets.
Before the additional ships arrived at their destinations, Bethesda went silent. The residents stopped sending messages to Earth and no one knows why. Thus the passengers on Gabriel and the other colony ships - which have now arrived at their destinations - are being kept asleep in cryo-chambers until the situation on Bethesda is resolved.
Now a rescue ship called The Samaritan has been launched to Bethesda, with Union AND international (Russian, Kenyan, Canadian) personnel. There are doctors, nurses, scientists, security experts, and so on. The Samaritan's purpose is to find out what happened on Bethesda, and to make sure the space colony is safe for more residents. As always, The Samaritan's engineers are Chinese, and they will have sole access to the 'secret' parts of the ship.
One of the passengers on The Samaritan is a Canadian space pilot named Nathalie Hart, who's second-in-command. Nathalie is running away from a scandal on Earth and mourning the death of her sister and baby niece from a serious illness.
While The Samaritan is en route to Bethesda a fire breaks out among the cryo-chambers, and several passengers, including Nathalie, are automatically awoken.
The fire is put out, but the Captain and several other passengers perish. This makes Nathalie the new Commander of The Samaritan. When Nathalie climbs back into her cryo-chamber to resume the trip to Bethesda, she sees the word 'Sabotage' (in Russian) written inside her pod.
As the story unfolds, there are flashbacks to Earth, showing what happened before The Samaritan departed. These scenes demonstrate the after-effects of the plague; the continuing medical problems on the planet; the segregation of Earth's populations into the super-rich (mostly Chinese) elite who live in sky high orbitals......
.....and the struggling masses down below; the unrest among the economically deprived; and more.
We also learn what induced Nathalie to take a job on a colony ship that wouldn't return to Earth for at least 70 years.
When The Samaritan finally arrives at Bethesda, everyone wakes up, and messages and news reports from Earth - which have taken years to reach the spaceship - report increasingly cold relations between China and the Union. This causes friction among personnel on The Samaritan, and divisive factions form. Meanwhile, Nathalie dispatches medical, scientific, and security teams to the planet surface, to figure out what happened to the original colonists.
Nathalie has a hard time as the new Commander because she lacks experience and confidence, and other crew members don't necessarily trust her to do the job. In addition, almost everyone aboard The Samaritan is keeping secrets, and there's an underlying agenda that Nathalie knew nothing about. This leads to plenty of action and adventure, and some interesting technological jibber-jabber.
I enjoy a good space opera, and I found the first two-thirds of the book compelling (if a bit derivative of other sci-fi stories). However, the last part of the novel stretched credulity too much for my taste. In any case, I appreciate the author's intentions, which is to tell the story of a person trying to do her best in a difficult situation, and to demonstrate the negative aspects of prejudice and discrimination.
The book has a helpful glossary at the end, for techno-terms and some Chinese dialogue.
This is the first book of a planned series, and I'd be curious to see what happens next.
Thanks to Netgalley, M.V. Melcer, and Storm Publishing for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
October 22, 2023
Intergalactic travel, a rescue mission, and mystery? Count me in! I love space opera tales, and this book didn't disappoint. "Refractions" by M V Melcer is a page-turning space opera and one of the best novels I've read in a long time.
The book follows Nathalie Hart, a Canadian space pilot who lives in Kenya. When all communication with Bethesda, humanity's first extra-solar colony, stops, an interstellar rescue expedition is set. Nathalie volunteers to join the mission to escape a painful past and a guilty conscience. A few years into the voyage, she’s rudely woken out of cryo-sleep to find smoke and chaos. She finds out that, as the second in command, she is now in charge of the ship and crew, who consist of different nationalities. She isn't over-enthusiastic about it, but she is the only one the different factions will accept.
The plot thickens when she finds a message on her cryo-pod with one word: "sabotage." She doesn't know who she can trust, but she must buckle down and face the music. It appears someone will go to great lengths to keep Bethesda’s secrets, and it's up to her to unravel the mystery. If she fails, many innocent lives will be lost.
Thus starts an exciting adventure chock-full of commentary on climate change, politics, and corruption. With themes of friendship, trust, community, fallible human nature, environmental concerns, deceit, and moral conflicts, the author has woven a tale that I enjoyed reading.
The setup was interesting, and it was a fascinating way of seeing the way human nature does or doesn’t change. There’s a large cast in "Refractions," and the author did a great job of fleshing them all out. The characters are amazingly written, coming across as very genuine and fallible.
I didn't find the technical jargon too technical and found it an easy read. It wasn't preachy despite the references to the human impact on the environment and potentially scary scenarios. The narrative jumps smoothly around from the present to the past and has excellent backstories and interesting world-building. I enjoyed the present sections more than the past sections, but I still found the book to be a highly engaging read
Overall, I was very impressed with the story. It's complex, multifaceted, and thought-provoking. As with most really good science fiction novels, the true point of the story is the exploration of human nature by showing how different people act when faced with difficult choices and moral dilemmas. It certainly deserved full stars! I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. It's epic science fiction and engaging character-driven storytelling, which will appeal to devotees of the genre or just fans of excellent story-telling. Highly recommended!
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review in my Blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2023...
The book follows Nathalie Hart, a Canadian space pilot who lives in Kenya. When all communication with Bethesda, humanity's first extra-solar colony, stops, an interstellar rescue expedition is set. Nathalie volunteers to join the mission to escape a painful past and a guilty conscience. A few years into the voyage, she’s rudely woken out of cryo-sleep to find smoke and chaos. She finds out that, as the second in command, she is now in charge of the ship and crew, who consist of different nationalities. She isn't over-enthusiastic about it, but she is the only one the different factions will accept.
The plot thickens when she finds a message on her cryo-pod with one word: "sabotage." She doesn't know who she can trust, but she must buckle down and face the music. It appears someone will go to great lengths to keep Bethesda’s secrets, and it's up to her to unravel the mystery. If she fails, many innocent lives will be lost.
Thus starts an exciting adventure chock-full of commentary on climate change, politics, and corruption. With themes of friendship, trust, community, fallible human nature, environmental concerns, deceit, and moral conflicts, the author has woven a tale that I enjoyed reading.
The setup was interesting, and it was a fascinating way of seeing the way human nature does or doesn’t change. There’s a large cast in "Refractions," and the author did a great job of fleshing them all out. The characters are amazingly written, coming across as very genuine and fallible.
I didn't find the technical jargon too technical and found it an easy read. It wasn't preachy despite the references to the human impact on the environment and potentially scary scenarios. The narrative jumps smoothly around from the present to the past and has excellent backstories and interesting world-building. I enjoyed the present sections more than the past sections, but I still found the book to be a highly engaging read
Overall, I was very impressed with the story. It's complex, multifaceted, and thought-provoking. As with most really good science fiction novels, the true point of the story is the exploration of human nature by showing how different people act when faced with difficult choices and moral dilemmas. It certainly deserved full stars! I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. It's epic science fiction and engaging character-driven storytelling, which will appeal to devotees of the genre or just fans of excellent story-telling. Highly recommended!
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review in my Blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2023...
February 21, 2024
Actual rating 2.5/5 stars. This is the first instalment in the Refractions series.
I was initially enthralled and either this enjoyment was ruined by my slow reading progress, over the festive period whilst I was pretty sick and moving house, or the plot moved too slowly for me to continue to engage. Don't let this review be the deciding factor in picking the book up or not as it may have been a case of wrong timing!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, M.V. Melcer, and the publisher, Storm Publishing, for this opportunity.
I was initially enthralled and either this enjoyment was ruined by my slow reading progress, over the festive period whilst I was pretty sick and moving house, or the plot moved too slowly for me to continue to engage. Don't let this review be the deciding factor in picking the book up or not as it may have been a case of wrong timing!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, M.V. Melcer, and the publisher, Storm Publishing, for this opportunity.
November 15, 2023
This book has earned a place on my favorites shelf after reading through the more than 400 pages in one sitting.
In the near future (approx. 200 years), the world has changed in profound ways as it struggles under increasing human population until a global pandemic kills off enough to give us some time to plan. The current hegemonies were reorganized with China ascendent on earth with an aggressive American Union that has lost its way and devolved into a quasi Christian theocracy in all but name, while the powerful elites escape to space orbitals owned and run by competing business conglomerates. The advent of Chinese interstellar engines, a closely guarded monopoly, enables earth to attempt colonizing worlds in other star systems; so the Americans, with Chinese help, build and launch several colonies ships, leveraging cryogenic tech to help the crew through the decades long journeys and keep resources manageable for such a voyage. The first colony at Bethesda landed and seemed to be doing well when it suddenly goes silent. Quickly finding out what happened to the 5000 colonists may hold the key to the success of the remaining colony ships, so an international “rescue” is launched to find out.
The world building here was absolutely fantastic, with a hard science feel without the typically long, and potentially boring, tech descriptions that gave everything a natural feel. That said, this story is almost completely character driven, with just enough action to maintain the dramatic tension. The main character is an orbital pilot that was recruited at the last minute to replace the second in command for the rescue mission. As a Canadian, with a Russian brother-in-law, working at the top of a Chinese space elevator in Kenya Africa, she quickly finds her “neutrality” the key to keeping the paranoid, multinational crew of the rescue mission together after the captain dies enroute in a “suspicious” compartment fire. Everybody is keeping secrets and trying to figure out each mystery is really what drives this story forward … what happened to the colonists on Bethesda … who “sabotaged” the cryogenic chamber where 7 of the crew died and why … what are the secretive Chinese engineers (the only team allowed to maintain the interstellar drive) hiding … and who is the mysterious spy electronically watching over everything. Each character is broken in some way and this is hinted at or revealed through crew interaction (reminiscent of a good murder mystery). Some of the secrets are progressively revealed through flashbacks as we get the backstory of why the MC volunteered for the trip where everybody she knows will likely forget all about her before she returns (if they are even still alive by then). Some become red herrings and feints that totally pulled me in (well done) with some great twists at the end that I didn’t see coming. There is a light touch on a few philosophical questions on capitalism, human nature, and environmental depredation that, for me, added a lot to the story but are easily skimmed over if that is not your bag.
I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#Augmented #NetGalley
In the near future (approx. 200 years), the world has changed in profound ways as it struggles under increasing human population until a global pandemic kills off enough to give us some time to plan. The current hegemonies were reorganized with China ascendent on earth with an aggressive American Union that has lost its way and devolved into a quasi Christian theocracy in all but name, while the powerful elites escape to space orbitals owned and run by competing business conglomerates. The advent of Chinese interstellar engines, a closely guarded monopoly, enables earth to attempt colonizing worlds in other star systems; so the Americans, with Chinese help, build and launch several colonies ships, leveraging cryogenic tech to help the crew through the decades long journeys and keep resources manageable for such a voyage. The first colony at Bethesda landed and seemed to be doing well when it suddenly goes silent. Quickly finding out what happened to the 5000 colonists may hold the key to the success of the remaining colony ships, so an international “rescue” is launched to find out.
The world building here was absolutely fantastic, with a hard science feel without the typically long, and potentially boring, tech descriptions that gave everything a natural feel. That said, this story is almost completely character driven, with just enough action to maintain the dramatic tension. The main character is an orbital pilot that was recruited at the last minute to replace the second in command for the rescue mission. As a Canadian, with a Russian brother-in-law, working at the top of a Chinese space elevator in Kenya Africa, she quickly finds her “neutrality” the key to keeping the paranoid, multinational crew of the rescue mission together after the captain dies enroute in a “suspicious” compartment fire. Everybody is keeping secrets and trying to figure out each mystery is really what drives this story forward … what happened to the colonists on Bethesda … who “sabotaged” the cryogenic chamber where 7 of the crew died and why … what are the secretive Chinese engineers (the only team allowed to maintain the interstellar drive) hiding … and who is the mysterious spy electronically watching over everything. Each character is broken in some way and this is hinted at or revealed through crew interaction (reminiscent of a good murder mystery). Some of the secrets are progressively revealed through flashbacks as we get the backstory of why the MC volunteered for the trip where everybody she knows will likely forget all about her before she returns (if they are even still alive by then). Some become red herrings and feints that totally pulled me in (well done) with some great twists at the end that I didn’t see coming. There is a light touch on a few philosophical questions on capitalism, human nature, and environmental depredation that, for me, added a lot to the story but are easily skimmed over if that is not your bag.
I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#Augmented #NetGalley
October 2, 2023
Although this book broke my “I won’t read anything related to climate change” rule, I ended up thoroughly enjoying the story. The main character was well-developed, although I did get a bit confused with some of the minor characters. I would categorize this as soft science fiction or speculative fiction because the science isn’t explained in great detail, and the story is primarily character-driven. I particularly relished the “sciency” mysteries the crew faced. I’m awarding it 5 stars purely because of how much I enjoyed the story. I made an effort not to overanalyze the character motivations.
Without giving away any spoilers, I can say that I found the ending satisfying, although there were a few moments when I feared I wouldn’t. I’m definitely open to reading more from this author. I want to express my gratitude to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book, but rest assured, it did not influence my review
Without giving away any spoilers, I can say that I found the ending satisfying, although there were a few moments when I feared I wouldn’t. I’m definitely open to reading more from this author. I want to express my gratitude to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book, but rest assured, it did not influence my review
September 26, 2023
What would you do with the ultimate power to change the world? Or even worlds?
That’s the central question Melcer dishes out in bite sized pieces. We have tech bro oligarchs, we have religious leaders, and we have Nathalie (a ship pilot trying to run from the fact that she burned the ultimate bridge before she left earth), all racing to save the human race as fast as they can - even though the stakes of that race have gotten so much more complicated light years away.
We watch Nathalie struggle to become the leader they need (definitely not want) as she tries to figure out who she can trust among a xenophobic mixed crew (she’s Canadian, the future’s ‘good guy’, ergo the only one a multi national ship can trust as captain). There’s power struggles, deadly secrets, and a maniacal plan to save the world the very worst way possible through the tipping point of climate change. There’s even a mystery plague.
The ending is satisfying and still leaves you asking what’s next, which is perfect for the start of a series. As a pretty fast read, I think this would be a great entry for new scifi readers that are curious what a space opera might be like but without all the hard science of explaining propulsion systems in excruciating detail (I still love you, Expanse!). Quick, fun, mysterious.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review!
That’s the central question Melcer dishes out in bite sized pieces. We have tech bro oligarchs, we have religious leaders, and we have Nathalie (a ship pilot trying to run from the fact that she burned the ultimate bridge before she left earth), all racing to save the human race as fast as they can - even though the stakes of that race have gotten so much more complicated light years away.
We watch Nathalie struggle to become the leader they need (definitely not want) as she tries to figure out who she can trust among a xenophobic mixed crew (she’s Canadian, the future’s ‘good guy’, ergo the only one a multi national ship can trust as captain). There’s power struggles, deadly secrets, and a maniacal plan to save the world the very worst way possible through the tipping point of climate change. There’s even a mystery plague.
The ending is satisfying and still leaves you asking what’s next, which is perfect for the start of a series. As a pretty fast read, I think this would be a great entry for new scifi readers that are curious what a space opera might be like but without all the hard science of explaining propulsion systems in excruciating detail (I still love you, Expanse!). Quick, fun, mysterious.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review!
October 4, 2023
5 stars, Deceit and Profits
REFRACTIONS
by MV Melcer
In a confused state, Pilot Nathalie Hart, second in command, comes out of cryo-sleep, not understanding what is going on, or why. She and the crew of her spaceship are on a mission to the distant settlement of Bethesda, which was settled by American missionaries, to find out why the Earth colony stopped transmitting a decade ago. She finds out that the captain has died and she is in charge of the ship. A position that she does not want to be in. The ship is crewed by different factions, that do not trust one another, which will make her job more difficult.
Someone has left a mysterious message on Nathalie's cryo-pod, in a language that only she can decipher. The mystery deepens.
The story is told with dual timelines, the present and the past. Highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of #Refractions from #StormPublishing #NetGalley I was not obligated to post a review.
#diverse #SpaceOpera #ScienceFiction #scifi #dualtimelines #Greed
REFRACTIONS
by MV Melcer
In a confused state, Pilot Nathalie Hart, second in command, comes out of cryo-sleep, not understanding what is going on, or why. She and the crew of her spaceship are on a mission to the distant settlement of Bethesda, which was settled by American missionaries, to find out why the Earth colony stopped transmitting a decade ago. She finds out that the captain has died and she is in charge of the ship. A position that she does not want to be in. The ship is crewed by different factions, that do not trust one another, which will make her job more difficult.
Someone has left a mysterious message on Nathalie's cryo-pod, in a language that only she can decipher. The mystery deepens.
The story is told with dual timelines, the present and the past. Highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of #Refractions from #StormPublishing #NetGalley I was not obligated to post a review.
#diverse #SpaceOpera #ScienceFiction #scifi #dualtimelines #Greed
November 14, 2023
Release November 16.
A complex feminist deeply characterized Science Fiction novel, at its heart REFRACTIONS (first in a series) is the tale of a woman so guilt-ridden due to her well-intentioned, obsession-impelled, actions on Earth, she literally "escapes" this planet on a decades-long journey into Space. Nathalie Hart is a virtually "last-minute" choice as pilot on a "rescue ship," sent on a 43-year journey to Bethesda, Humanity's only colonized exoplanet, after communications (with a 6-year lag between Bethesda and Earth) have gone dark.
The novel impacts immediately with a progression of heartbreaking and terrifying events, hooking the reader and evoking the high level of suspense and near-constant tension which rules throughout. The author, in addition to peeling away the layers of her characters and exposing their cores, also unpacks geopolitics, the rigors of space travel, and multiple layered conspiracies sufficient to drive a mentally stable person straight into the embrace of rampant paranoia!
A complex feminist deeply characterized Science Fiction novel, at its heart REFRACTIONS (first in a series) is the tale of a woman so guilt-ridden due to her well-intentioned, obsession-impelled, actions on Earth, she literally "escapes" this planet on a decades-long journey into Space. Nathalie Hart is a virtually "last-minute" choice as pilot on a "rescue ship," sent on a 43-year journey to Bethesda, Humanity's only colonized exoplanet, after communications (with a 6-year lag between Bethesda and Earth) have gone dark.
The novel impacts immediately with a progression of heartbreaking and terrifying events, hooking the reader and evoking the high level of suspense and near-constant tension which rules throughout. The author, in addition to peeling away the layers of her characters and exposing their cores, also unpacks geopolitics, the rigors of space travel, and multiple layered conspiracies sufficient to drive a mentally stable person straight into the embrace of rampant paranoia!
February 6, 2024
It’s been some time since I’ve read a sci-fi book, and this was a lot of fun! So happy I got to join the @letstalkbookspromo book tour, and got an eARC from NetGalley.
📚 I really enjoy non-linear stories, and it was so great to hop timelines to find out what motivates Nathalie, and how it impacts the narrative, while we explore the mystery of what happened on Bethesda, billed as humanity’s first extra-solar colony and home to a thriving population of adults and children. 🕵🏻♀️
🌌 The futuristic world with a mix of cultures (and especially the use of Chinese) reminded me of Firefly, while the system malfunctions and getting pulled out of crypto-sleep early reminded me of Passengers. But that was where the similarities ended. This book was such a great mix of an exciting mystery, a thrilling adventure, and an examination of what motivates us. 💖
📚 I really enjoy non-linear stories, and it was so great to hop timelines to find out what motivates Nathalie, and how it impacts the narrative, while we explore the mystery of what happened on Bethesda, billed as humanity’s first extra-solar colony and home to a thriving population of adults and children. 🕵🏻♀️
🌌 The futuristic world with a mix of cultures (and especially the use of Chinese) reminded me of Firefly, while the system malfunctions and getting pulled out of crypto-sleep early reminded me of Passengers. But that was where the similarities ended. This book was such a great mix of an exciting mystery, a thrilling adventure, and an examination of what motivates us. 💖
November 7, 2023
A compelling read! This book starts fast and never lets up. A science fiction mystery with a great main character, and so many levels of political and social intrigue and suspense that it's hard to put it down. I particularly love how the narrative swaps between the present day and the recent past, giving me just enough background to keep surging forward while understanding what's driving Nathalie, the protagonist. And just as in real life, nothing here is black-or-white, but instead comes in shades of gray. A great book for people who like intricate plotting and high-stakes intrigue in their space-faring science fiction.
November 24, 2023
I never read anything by this author and will surely read the next as it's tightly knitted, fast paced and entertaining.
The world building is well done, the characters fleshed out and it kept my attention till the end.
Can't wait to read the next
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
The world building is well done, the characters fleshed out and it kept my attention till the end.
Can't wait to read the next
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
November 14, 2023
M.V. Melcer's debut novel begins strongly: a small crew on a generational rescue mission to a colony planet experiences an explosion during cryosleep. From there the intricately plotted story only gets better with a series of nested mysteries about the colony, a second group of colonists in orbit, and the shadowy and interconnected pasts of the rescuers themselves. The audio version is engagingly performed by Patricia Rodriguez. I received an audiobook ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2023
This was a great Science Fiction story getting closer to reality! The usual protagonists reacting to each other in the future. A great cast of characters who were brought to life very convincingly. Lots of action and tension and an excellent conclusion.
September 24, 2023
I was given an advance release copy via NetGallery for this book.
This is a near-ish future book dealing with space travel and technology. The main character Natilie has a lot of baggage and guilt she brings into space. The book begins at the base of a space elevator in Kenya (owned and run by the Chinese Government), and then quickly moves to the main character waking up in a hibernation chamber surround by smoke and alarms. Natalie then must solve a mystery of what happend to the lost colony and who wrote mysterious cyrilic writing on her cyro-tube.
This book is excellent, I recommend it to sci-fi fans and also to people who enjoy reading about inner guilt and drama.
I don't often give 5 stars, but this book deserves it.
I can't wait to see what happens in the next book as the world is fleshed out more.
This is a near-ish future book dealing with space travel and technology. The main character Natilie has a lot of baggage and guilt she brings into space. The book begins at the base of a space elevator in Kenya (owned and run by the Chinese Government), and then quickly moves to the main character waking up in a hibernation chamber surround by smoke and alarms. Natalie then must solve a mystery of what happend to the lost colony and who wrote mysterious cyrilic writing on her cyro-tube.
This book is excellent, I recommend it to sci-fi fans and also to people who enjoy reading about inner guilt and drama.
I don't often give 5 stars, but this book deserves it.
I can't wait to see what happens in the next book as the world is fleshed out more.
September 19, 2023
I find that Melcer’s strength is embedding moral dilemmas in nicely flowing writing that entails strong characters and social dilemmas, all set in a high-tech sci-fi world. These worlds look far away from us but time literally flies so they could be sooner a reality than we think. A must read for anyone who is interested in such stories. I found it hard to put down and truly engaging.
November 30, 2023
Very impressive SF thriller with a neat refresh of the classic interstellar rescue mission plot. Loved the human dynamics being explored and Melcer delivers action too. Highly recommended
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
November 11, 2023
Refractions was a book that I did not enjoy because of how confusing it got for me and for me the plot was hard to follow. I am sure that other sci fi fans would love this book but not me. The cover is amazing and I was really excited to read this. I would still suggest this book to other sci fans because they could enjoy it a lot better then I did. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for this book in exchange of my honest review.
April 8, 2024
This was just great. Everything landed. It had some really well planned world building, for both tech and geopolitics. Great characters. Super engaging thriller style plot. Cannot wait for the sequel 👌
November 13, 2023
Thank you @mvmelcer and @letstalkbookspromo for my digital copy. My thoughts are my own.
Science fiction is not my typical genre but the synopsis of this one piqued my curiosity, so I decided to delve into the world of space fiction this week!
Pilot Nathalie Hart is second in command on a spaceship headed for the distant colony of Bethesda. Her mission is to determine why the colony has stopped sending transmissions to Earth. Could there have been a pandemic?
Nathalie wakes up from a cryogenic sleep to discover that the ship’s captain has been murdered, and she is now in charge. Along with not knowing who she can trust, Nathalie must deal with a spaceship that is inhabited by different factions who all seem to have their own agendas. As Nathalie’s spaceship arrives at the distant settlement, Nathalie and her crew discover a baffling mystery, with consequences far worse than anything the crew had speculated! Soon Nathalie is involved in a fight for survival, not only for herself, but for thousands of crew members and colonists.
This suspenseful story takes place at least 2 centuries in the future. It is told in alternating timelines and through Nathalie’s perspective as she battles with guilt over choices she has made, regret for the past, and insecurity about being in charge.
The author spins a compelling tale with well fleshed out characters and complex themes of politics, trust, regret, emotional turmoil, and survival. Not being an avid sci-fi reader, I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to follow the action with limited technical terms. (A glossary is provided, just in case!) The suspense builds to a dramatic and satisfying conclusion. This one is definitely a page-turner!
Science fiction is not my typical genre but the synopsis of this one piqued my curiosity, so I decided to delve into the world of space fiction this week!
Pilot Nathalie Hart is second in command on a spaceship headed for the distant colony of Bethesda. Her mission is to determine why the colony has stopped sending transmissions to Earth. Could there have been a pandemic?
Nathalie wakes up from a cryogenic sleep to discover that the ship’s captain has been murdered, and she is now in charge. Along with not knowing who she can trust, Nathalie must deal with a spaceship that is inhabited by different factions who all seem to have their own agendas. As Nathalie’s spaceship arrives at the distant settlement, Nathalie and her crew discover a baffling mystery, with consequences far worse than anything the crew had speculated! Soon Nathalie is involved in a fight for survival, not only for herself, but for thousands of crew members and colonists.
This suspenseful story takes place at least 2 centuries in the future. It is told in alternating timelines and through Nathalie’s perspective as she battles with guilt over choices she has made, regret for the past, and insecurity about being in charge.
The author spins a compelling tale with well fleshed out characters and complex themes of politics, trust, regret, emotional turmoil, and survival. Not being an avid sci-fi reader, I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to follow the action with limited technical terms. (A glossary is provided, just in case!) The suspense builds to a dramatic and satisfying conclusion. This one is definitely a page-turner!
November 5, 2023
Refractions follows Nathalie Hart, a space pilot who volunteers to join a long space mission in order to escape her past guilt and mistakes. The book is split into two time periods, one in the past where we go through understanding why Natalie took the job and what she's trying to escape, and the other is the present where she has been woken early our of cryo-sleep along with a few other members of the crew to discover the captain of the mission dead and chaos breaking out, now forced into commend Natalie must take charge of the situation and the mission and when 'sabotage' is written on her cryo-pod she is thrown into a whole mystery of secrets and deceit. Now she must learn who to trust, uncover the truth of the mission and hope to save the thousands of lives that have now been thrown into her hands.
Overall I enjoyed this read, there wasn't too much jargon so it was easy to follow. The story was mostly a mystery in space which had some interesting characters thrown together. The main character I found likable and relatable, she was well developed. It was definitely one I didn't want to put down and wanted to keep going to found out what was going and why. I liked the mystery element and the fact that it was never obvious who the bad guys really were until it was all revealed.
If your a fan of space opera, science fiction or even a good mystery I think you will like this one.
I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next in the series.
Overall I enjoyed this read, there wasn't too much jargon so it was easy to follow. The story was mostly a mystery in space which had some interesting characters thrown together. The main character I found likable and relatable, she was well developed. It was definitely one I didn't want to put down and wanted to keep going to found out what was going and why. I liked the mystery element and the fact that it was never obvious who the bad guys really were until it was all revealed.
If your a fan of space opera, science fiction or even a good mystery I think you will like this one.
I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next in the series.
October 30, 2023
Eh, this book was okay.
The basic premise was interesting enough. A crew was sent to investigate a colony light years away that went silent. During the trip, there was a fire the kills the captain and some other members of the crew. Now, the main character is the new captain and has to hold the crew together as tensions and suspicions rise. Neat.
Unfortunately, rather than spending time focussing on the colony, the entire story is about the crew and their racist paranoia. A lot of their behavior was over the top ridiculous. It was exhausting.
Some people might be into that, but I’m not one of them.
The basic premise was interesting enough. A crew was sent to investigate a colony light years away that went silent. During the trip, there was a fire the kills the captain and some other members of the crew. Now, the main character is the new captain and has to hold the crew together as tensions and suspicions rise. Neat.
Unfortunately, rather than spending time focussing on the colony, the entire story is about the crew and their racist paranoia. A lot of their behavior was over the top ridiculous. It was exhausting.
Some people might be into that, but I’m not one of them.
July 23, 2024
Excellent space opera. And feels very near-future despite being 200 years out. Looking forward to more of this universe - and hopefully these characters. Fortunately the sequel comes out in just 3 weeks!
March 9, 2024
Audiobook. Good moral dilemma, novel plot devices. A bit heavy on internal guilt
December 1, 2023
Great whodunit in space
Remarkable first novel by M V Melcer that basically asks when the captain is killed, and an inexperienced pilot is put in charge, and the evidence points to sabotage, who can you trust?
Remarkable first novel by M V Melcer that basically asks when the captain is killed, and an inexperienced pilot is put in charge, and the evidence points to sabotage, who can you trust?
November 16, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.
The colony of Bethesda has fallen silent, and with 5,000 more colonists on route, answers are needed.
Nathalie Hart has joined a rescue mission that will take her across the galaxy, away from everyone she knows, and hopefully away from her past. With sabotage, secrets, and the predjudices they brought with them. Nathalie must figure out who to trust to make sure her mission succeeds.
This novel by M V Melcer was a compelling story in the vastness of space. Examining the things that bring us together, and the things that drive us apart. The characters were interesting, a messy combination of flaws, strengths, and motivations. I enjoyed the science aspects, with detail enough to paint this future in colour without going so far as to be a dry technical run down.
I would absolutely recommend picking this up, especially if you enjoy character driven speculative fiction.
The colony of Bethesda has fallen silent, and with 5,000 more colonists on route, answers are needed.
Nathalie Hart has joined a rescue mission that will take her across the galaxy, away from everyone she knows, and hopefully away from her past. With sabotage, secrets, and the predjudices they brought with them. Nathalie must figure out who to trust to make sure her mission succeeds.
This novel by M V Melcer was a compelling story in the vastness of space. Examining the things that bring us together, and the things that drive us apart. The characters were interesting, a messy combination of flaws, strengths, and motivations. I enjoyed the science aspects, with detail enough to paint this future in colour without going so far as to be a dry technical run down.
I would absolutely recommend picking this up, especially if you enjoy character driven speculative fiction.
November 9, 2023
I will preface this by saying I did get an advanced copy for free from the author to read and have been assisting in boosting the social media presence of the novel. This has not influenced my review in any way and I have full control over the content of this review. So on to my thoughts!
--
TLDR - "Refractions" by M.V. Melcer is a literary gem that offers a compelling blend of science, post-apocalyptic world-building, well-developed characters, and a narrative structure that keeps readers hooked. As a seasoned book reviewer, I can confidently say that this is a must-read for any fan of science fiction and a shining example of the genre. It's a book that you won't want to put down, and it will leave you pondering its themes long after you've turned the final page.
--
"Refractions" by M.V. Melcer seamlessly blends science fiction and post-apocalyptic elements to create a gripping narrative that captivates readers from start to finish. I must say that this novel left a lasting impression on me, and I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it. I attended MCM London while reading this and found myself getting lost in the pages between panels.
One of the standout features of "Refractions" is its ability to deliver believable science without overwhelming the reader with technical jargon. Melcer strikes a perfect balance, providing enough scientific background to make the world and its challenges feel real and tangible, yet never veering into the realm of excessive complexity. This approach allowed me to engage with the story without feeling bogged down by the science behind it.
The world that Melcer has crafted, a post-climate change Earth in the throes of a cold-war-like atmosphere, is not only vivid but also entirely believable and consistent. It's a testament to the author's world-building skills that the setting feels like a natural extension of our own world's potential future. This backdrop is not there without reason and adds a layer of intrigue and urgency to the story, making it all the more compelling. The use of prejudice and tension adds to the understanding of the characters involved quickly and causes you to make some assumptions as a reader. Assumptions that can be toyed with to add to the spice of the mystery unfolding.
The characters and cultures in "Refractions" are a testament to Melcer's meticulous depth of thought. Each character feels like a real person with their own motivations, fears, and desires. The cultures portrayed in the novel are explored and developed and add layers of complexity to the narrative. It's clear that the author has invested time and effort into making this world feel vibrant and multi-dimensional.
One unique aspect I enjoyed from the start was the chapter numbering system. It acted as a brilliant narrative tool that enhances the reading experience. It provides a clear distinction between the protagonist's backstory and the current timeline, allowing readers to follow almost two intertwined storylines. This clever approach creates an immersive reading experience with two mysteries to uncover and twice as many cliff-hangers to keep you eagerly turning the pages. As I switched from the "backstory" events from the months before leaving Earth to the current time I was both excited to find the next part of the story but begging for the next part of the backstory too.
The twists and reveals in "Refractions" are a testament to Melcer's storytelling prowess. They feel grounded and earned, never resorting to cheap plot devices. Yet, they are surprising and thoroughly enjoyable. The novel keeps you on your toes, and each revelation adds depth to the overall narrative. "Refractions" is not your typical superficial action story. While it offers action and tension, these elements are grounded in the complex emotions of the characters. Melcer delves into the psyche of the protagonists, making them feel real and relatable. This emotional depth adds a layer of authenticity to the story, making it all the more engaging.
I would highly recommend giving this your time and consideration.
--
TLDR - "Refractions" by M.V. Melcer is a literary gem that offers a compelling blend of science, post-apocalyptic world-building, well-developed characters, and a narrative structure that keeps readers hooked. As a seasoned book reviewer, I can confidently say that this is a must-read for any fan of science fiction and a shining example of the genre. It's a book that you won't want to put down, and it will leave you pondering its themes long after you've turned the final page.
--
"Refractions" by M.V. Melcer seamlessly blends science fiction and post-apocalyptic elements to create a gripping narrative that captivates readers from start to finish. I must say that this novel left a lasting impression on me, and I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it. I attended MCM London while reading this and found myself getting lost in the pages between panels.
One of the standout features of "Refractions" is its ability to deliver believable science without overwhelming the reader with technical jargon. Melcer strikes a perfect balance, providing enough scientific background to make the world and its challenges feel real and tangible, yet never veering into the realm of excessive complexity. This approach allowed me to engage with the story without feeling bogged down by the science behind it.
The world that Melcer has crafted, a post-climate change Earth in the throes of a cold-war-like atmosphere, is not only vivid but also entirely believable and consistent. It's a testament to the author's world-building skills that the setting feels like a natural extension of our own world's potential future. This backdrop is not there without reason and adds a layer of intrigue and urgency to the story, making it all the more compelling. The use of prejudice and tension adds to the understanding of the characters involved quickly and causes you to make some assumptions as a reader. Assumptions that can be toyed with to add to the spice of the mystery unfolding.
The characters and cultures in "Refractions" are a testament to Melcer's meticulous depth of thought. Each character feels like a real person with their own motivations, fears, and desires. The cultures portrayed in the novel are explored and developed and add layers of complexity to the narrative. It's clear that the author has invested time and effort into making this world feel vibrant and multi-dimensional.
One unique aspect I enjoyed from the start was the chapter numbering system. It acted as a brilliant narrative tool that enhances the reading experience. It provides a clear distinction between the protagonist's backstory and the current timeline, allowing readers to follow almost two intertwined storylines. This clever approach creates an immersive reading experience with two mysteries to uncover and twice as many cliff-hangers to keep you eagerly turning the pages. As I switched from the "backstory" events from the months before leaving Earth to the current time I was both excited to find the next part of the story but begging for the next part of the backstory too.
The twists and reveals in "Refractions" are a testament to Melcer's storytelling prowess. They feel grounded and earned, never resorting to cheap plot devices. Yet, they are surprising and thoroughly enjoyable. The novel keeps you on your toes, and each revelation adds depth to the overall narrative. "Refractions" is not your typical superficial action story. While it offers action and tension, these elements are grounded in the complex emotions of the characters. Melcer delves into the psyche of the protagonists, making them feel real and relatable. This emotional depth adds a layer of authenticity to the story, making it all the more engaging.
I would highly recommend giving this your time and consideration.
November 30, 2023
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
There were a few issues that made this a problematic read/listen for me. The storyline is a well-trod path that I had hoped would have a unique twist (sadly, the mysteries were mundane). But also, the audio version that I listened to had a narrator who chose to do a very overwrought performance that made the main character sound like she was one step from a nervous breakdown most of the book (making it hard to really get behind her when she sounds like a mother in law when forced to choose between Coke or Pepsi for lunch).Story: In a cold war between China and America, a Canadian like Natalie is extremely important as a 'neutral'. Fleeing a failed medicine/food/supplies protest that ended up costing the life of her sister, brother in law, and their newborn, Natalie is not coping well and hoping the position of pilot for a rescue ship will give her a new purpose in life. But when she is awakened suddenly from sleep in a full blown emergency, she will have to pull her life together, hold together a crew at odds with each other, and help not only a civilian colony transport ship in distress but also uncover the mystery as to why an established colony went silent.
The author does a good job at creating a plausible future in which America is a fundamentalist Christian state and China is a tech giant. The two have a cold war, whith China having a tight control over interstellar transport proprietary technology and United States not trusting what the Chinese are doing with it. The US has settled a missionary colony that has mysteriously gone silent, all the while another colony ship was en route. So a rescue/discovery mission is created by the Americans but with Chinese engineers, as required for the Americans to use the technology. It makes for a ship of warring ideals, mistrust, and anger.
Most of the book is Natalie (who was thrust into command after the death of the captain) dealing with the politics and holding the crew together. The Chinese communicate silently through mindlink while the Americans are militaristic and bombastic and somewhat luddite. Since Natalie's crew have been on the voyage for decades, as news starts trickling in about the current status of Earth, things begin to heat up fast. There is also the question of what happened to the colonists and what the rescuers will do about the colony ship with hundreds of colonists in cryosleep. This is in addition to an ever increasing web of intrigue as the crew on Natalie's ship find they are all mysteriously connected.
Perhaps because of the melodramatic narration or simply because I've read this story before many times, I had a really hard time getting into the book. It isn't bad and the writing is solid - I likely would have had a better impression had I read this rather than listened to the narration. It's not that the narrator was bad per se - I just felt it was too hard to really appreciate the strength of a character who sounded most of the time like a hand wringing, sweaty, nervous Nellie afraid of her own shadow. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
November 19, 2023
Refractions by M V Melcer
Narrated by Patricia Rodriguez
It's in the future and Earth is a mess. But there is Bethesda – humanity's first extra-solar colony and the hope of developing others like it. Except that the colony has stopped communicating with Earth. So a ship has been sent to Bethesda and it'll take thirty five years to get there and then thirty five more years to get back home. What kind of people would volunteer for such a mission, a mission that will mean never seeing their loved ones and friends again, a mission that means the volunteers come home to a world that is seventy years plus further along while the volunteers have been in stasis most of those years?
The story is mostly in the "future" present day although it also goes back to before Nathalie Hart, a Canadian space pilot, volunteers for the trip to check out what has happened at Bethesda. Imagine her surprise when she is not only accepted for the trip but made second in command, a job for which she is in no way qualified. She's not been trained for the job but also she understandably has PTSD from the latest events on Earth, events that she feels she is responsible for, events that killed so many.
Ha, when things go very lopsided on the ship and Nathalie ends up in charge, and then things go even more lopsided, seeing Nathalie crumbled on her floor having what seems like teenage rebellious hissy fits put fear in my heart, too, that she could not do the job. Nathalie has no confidence in herself. She just wants to sulk in her cabin and have everyone stop depending on her. But Nathalie pulls herself together, her immense guilt is something that pushes her to pull herself up by her bootstraps and at least pretend she can do the job, pretend she can lead a diverse team that is made up of hostile parties who could turn on each other in an instant.
Nathalie wins me over in the end. So do many other characters who I wasn't fond of at first. When the going gets tough, when the going gets impossible, maybe people can pull together, not all of them, but some of them. Maybe there is hope for humanity even though some super powerful somebodies would like to take everything away from anyone but the super powerful few. Patricia Rodriguez does a really good job with the narration of this space opera. There are so many characters, with various accents, and foreign words and her narration even helped me to keep track of the characters since she gives them distinctive voices.
Pub November 16, 2023
Thank you to Dreamscape Select, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
Narrated by Patricia Rodriguez
It's in the future and Earth is a mess. But there is Bethesda – humanity's first extra-solar colony and the hope of developing others like it. Except that the colony has stopped communicating with Earth. So a ship has been sent to Bethesda and it'll take thirty five years to get there and then thirty five more years to get back home. What kind of people would volunteer for such a mission, a mission that will mean never seeing their loved ones and friends again, a mission that means the volunteers come home to a world that is seventy years plus further along while the volunteers have been in stasis most of those years?
The story is mostly in the "future" present day although it also goes back to before Nathalie Hart, a Canadian space pilot, volunteers for the trip to check out what has happened at Bethesda. Imagine her surprise when she is not only accepted for the trip but made second in command, a job for which she is in no way qualified. She's not been trained for the job but also she understandably has PTSD from the latest events on Earth, events that she feels she is responsible for, events that killed so many.
Ha, when things go very lopsided on the ship and Nathalie ends up in charge, and then things go even more lopsided, seeing Nathalie crumbled on her floor having what seems like teenage rebellious hissy fits put fear in my heart, too, that she could not do the job. Nathalie has no confidence in herself. She just wants to sulk in her cabin and have everyone stop depending on her. But Nathalie pulls herself together, her immense guilt is something that pushes her to pull herself up by her bootstraps and at least pretend she can do the job, pretend she can lead a diverse team that is made up of hostile parties who could turn on each other in an instant.
Nathalie wins me over in the end. So do many other characters who I wasn't fond of at first. When the going gets tough, when the going gets impossible, maybe people can pull together, not all of them, but some of them. Maybe there is hope for humanity even though some super powerful somebodies would like to take everything away from anyone but the super powerful few. Patricia Rodriguez does a really good job with the narration of this space opera. There are so many characters, with various accents, and foreign words and her narration even helped me to keep track of the characters since she gives them distinctive voices.
Pub November 16, 2023
Thank you to Dreamscape Select, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
December 24, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! Nathalie is a starship pilot, but when the cryo-tanks she and the crew of her ship are sabotaged, she unexpectedly becomes the ship's commander and has to solve mysteries both on the ship and at the colony on the planet they have been sent to assist. While dealing with events as they unfold on the ship and at the surface, a very complicated political backstory emerges. Just about everyone on the ship is a refugee from political conflicts between Earth countries and the space stations orbiting Earth, where the very wealthy live. The ship, and the colony on the planet are from the former USA and allies, but the actual ship technology is from the former China. There is a small Chinese contingent both on the ship and on the surface, who fall under great suspicion, in no small part due to the technology they have hardwired into their brains to communicate with their computers. The former USA is now a Christian theocracy, which disallows the brain implants, making the Chinese contingent indispensable. Something has gone terribly wrong at the colony, and it's a complex, intriguing tale to get the bottom of it. This isn't a horror story, the conflicts are man-made. The characters are quite well developed, and interact in plausible and relatable ways. Overall a great, serious, imaginative, and carefully thought out story. Highly recommend!
September 25, 2023
M.V. Melcer is one of my new favorite authors! I loved Refractions, and it loosely reminded me of an Andy Weir-style book. I absolutely love science fiction centered around a high-stakes rescue mission. If you throw in relevant topics like climate change and shifting social dynamics, then it just makes the reading experience more real for me.
I think one of the strengths of Refractions is that it is character driven. Since this book leans more toward a hard science fiction rather than a space opera, it runs the risk of coming across as dry or overly clinical. Although I honestly do love those books as a nerdy STEM woman, I think Melcer has done a fantastic job of making this tome accessible for non-science people. Nathalie is an incredibly relatable character as she struggles with personal guilt and a difficult backstory while striving to complete her mission and step into a complex leadership role.
The fact that the story is also centered around a mystery enables the book to cast a wide net and appeal to more than hardcore science fiction fans. This book deserves 5 stars, and I cannot wait for the next release in the series! Thank you to the publishers at Storm Publishing and NetGalley for sending me this e-ARC treat!
I think one of the strengths of Refractions is that it is character driven. Since this book leans more toward a hard science fiction rather than a space opera, it runs the risk of coming across as dry or overly clinical. Although I honestly do love those books as a nerdy STEM woman, I think Melcer has done a fantastic job of making this tome accessible for non-science people. Nathalie is an incredibly relatable character as she struggles with personal guilt and a difficult backstory while striving to complete her mission and step into a complex leadership role.
The fact that the story is also centered around a mystery enables the book to cast a wide net and appeal to more than hardcore science fiction fans. This book deserves 5 stars, and I cannot wait for the next release in the series! Thank you to the publishers at Storm Publishing and NetGalley for sending me this e-ARC treat!
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