What do you think?
Rate this book
Starfolk
Starfolk follows humanity’s first potential contact with an alien a telescope makes a chance sighting of an abandoned, partially constructed Dyson Sphere. Earth forms a Directorate with the sole intention of reaching the mysterious technology, who send an interstellar colony in two parts across the cosmos. Aliens, forgotten civilizations, and even monsters all become one beyond the star. The novella archives the history of a solar colony turned solar command, their attempt to complete the megastructure, and the dangers they encounter when the original designer returns to the Sphere.
137 pages, Paperback
Published February 29, 2024
1 person is currently reading
7 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 14, 2024
Unfortunately this story didn’t hit the mark for me. I really liked the idea, but I struggled with the story itself. The first page and a half honestly didn’t make sense to me. I understand the concept of Dyson Spheres, but couldn’t visualize what the author was trying to describe here. It seems to be referencing planets/places the reader has no knowledge of. So I didn’t like feeling so lost right at the start of the book.
I also kept struggling with some of the sentence structures, descriptors, imagery, etc. It made it hard to read as I was constantly jumping back to see if u missed something, looking up references, and just rereading sentences to try and reframe my understanding.
My opinion for new sci fi authors is, if you’re trying to cater to a general audience, make the story interesting and easy-ish to follow. If there are concepts/places/history that need to be understood by the reader before diving into the story, create a prologue and/or appendix. I think this is the simplest option for world building knowledge that needs to be referenced by the reader.
I also kept struggling with some of the sentence structures, descriptors, imagery, etc. It made it hard to read as I was constantly jumping back to see if u missed something, looking up references, and just rereading sentences to try and reframe my understanding.
My opinion for new sci fi authors is, if you’re trying to cater to a general audience, make the story interesting and easy-ish to follow. If there are concepts/places/history that need to be understood by the reader before diving into the story, create a prologue and/or appendix. I think this is the simplest option for world building knowledge that needs to be referenced by the reader.
April 11, 2024
Let me start my review by saying this is only the second sci-fi book I've ever read, so some of the terms and descriptions were a little lost on me. I'm sure a more seasoned sci-fi reader would've been able to understand it a little easier, but I still enjoyed this book overall. 3.5 stars.
We meet a wide cast of characters in Starfolk, all of whom were well rounded and well thought out, in my opinion. Dialogue (which is always a huge factor for me) was written well and in such a way that it was natural and believable.
The plot in this story is definitely something. After reading the author's acknowledgements at the end, he tells us he wanted to write a character-driven story, which he definitely delivered, but I would have liked more from the actual plot. There were many times when I felt he could've done more with the story. There were big discoveries and revelations that happened and then kind of fizzled out and were not brought up again. I just wanted MORE! I'd love for certain plot points (🐛+🤖) to be explored more. If the author ever decides to add to this book, rewrite it, or write a sequel, I'd definitely check it out! With that being said, I was happy with what we were given and I enjoyed reading this book. I will be reading more from this author and can't wait to see what he does next!
Thank you Zack for the free copy of your book in exchange for my honest review. On to the next!
We meet a wide cast of characters in Starfolk, all of whom were well rounded and well thought out, in my opinion. Dialogue (which is always a huge factor for me) was written well and in such a way that it was natural and believable.
The plot in this story is definitely something. After reading the author's acknowledgements at the end, he tells us he wanted to write a character-driven story, which he definitely delivered, but I would have liked more from the actual plot. There were many times when I felt he could've done more with the story. There were big discoveries and revelations that happened and then kind of fizzled out and were not brought up again. I just wanted MORE! I'd love for certain plot points (🐛+🤖) to be explored more. If the author ever decides to add to this book, rewrite it, or write a sequel, I'd definitely check it out! With that being said, I was happy with what we were given and I enjoyed reading this book. I will be reading more from this author and can't wait to see what he does next!
Thank you Zack for the free copy of your book in exchange for my honest review. On to the next!
April 9, 2024
I really enjoyed this short, fast read. Graham covers a ton of ground in a very short amount of time. The story reads like a whittled down history or extraterrestrial exploration and colonization. It’s a smart, concise sci-fi story that could easily be expanded into a larger series. Graham quickly builds a rich world, throwing layer upon layer at almost frightening speed. At one point he’s got you thinking this is 2001, then Pitch Black to John Carter to Aliens to Sunshine to possibly Jurassic Park. Each new layer has you thinking the story is going to drastically change, and it’s done well. Personally I would love to see things just touched on expanded in subsequent stories, as Graham sets up so many possibilities. His story also speaks to the creativity, perseverance, ingenuity and indomitableness of the human spirit. Overall a fun read and enjoyable read.
April 7, 2024
A story of human perseverance
This latest novel by Zack follows the beginnings of human life on the frontier.
After humanity finds a half finished sphere they set out into the stars to claim in for themselves. They never imagined the original architect would return. Earth writes their distant colony off as a lost investment and leaves them to figure it out. Can this small population fend off the threats of deep space? Find out for yourself.
This was a great sci-fi story. The dangers Zack creates are visceral and the mission he builds the story around is one everyone could dream of. Creating a life for yourself and those you love.
If you enjoy sci-fi check out Starfolk.
It could have used one more round of line edits. Just a few minor typos.
I would love to read more stories of the people within/on the Dyson Sphere. It seems like the beginning of a whole world of sci-fi stories.
This latest novel by Zack follows the beginnings of human life on the frontier.
After humanity finds a half finished sphere they set out into the stars to claim in for themselves. They never imagined the original architect would return. Earth writes their distant colony off as a lost investment and leaves them to figure it out. Can this small population fend off the threats of deep space? Find out for yourself.
This was a great sci-fi story. The dangers Zack creates are visceral and the mission he builds the story around is one everyone could dream of. Creating a life for yourself and those you love.
If you enjoy sci-fi check out Starfolk.
It could have used one more round of line edits. Just a few minor typos.
I would love to read more stories of the people within/on the Dyson Sphere. It seems like the beginning of a whole world of sci-fi stories.
March 31, 2024
Starfolk is an absolute delight. The cast of characters is wildly diverse, and each more lovable than the last. The story is a rotating POV from the different departments, including a biologist high out of her mind free floating. There are many different types of space creatures, and Graham beautifully describes each one- He really made me feel like I was there observing them. There’s excitement, tragedy, combat, space manta rays, bat creatures, saddled centipedes, but above all, hope. It’s not often I read science fiction so optimistic, and it was a wonderful change of pace. The whole vibe of the book reminded me of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Children of Time, which really says something. Definitely worth a read!
April 20, 2024
Imagine a world where an entire universe could exist within the confines of an alien Dyson sphere- that is the setting for Starfolk. We meet an interstellar colony that has been working to finish the sphere amidst attacks from interstellar bats, when the sphere's creator returns and throws the whole future of the colony into jeopardy. Some flee back to Earth, a home they've never even seen, while the rest decide to stay and fight for everything they've invested in- their futures and livelihood. This is a story where the resilience and faith of the human race triumph when disaster strikes. There is an incredible cast of characters and creatures in this novella. Starfolk is a fun read that provides a glimpse into a world that deserves exploring.
April 24, 2024
Very fun. Zack Graham is one of those up-and-coming authors who is always a delight to read. "Starfolk" was no different, this time being a sci-fi story instead of horror.
My only complaint is that I wish this was a longer book. The world-building behind it practically screams for my pages, and I hope that Zack adds more to this universe, be it short stories, more novellas, or even a novel or two.
My only complaint is that I wish this was a longer book. The world-building behind it practically screams for my pages, and I hope that Zack adds more to this universe, be it short stories, more novellas, or even a novel or two.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews