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Renascence
In 2072, pollution and preemptive nuclear strikes have rendered earth a desolate wasteland. Individual countries no longer exist. Earth is now divided into four quadrants and governed by a new world order that sends Zeta, the chemist, and five other young scientists, led by a former US Marine, to collect samples from the planet Arianrhod to determine its potential for colonization.
With the countdown on to complete their mission, manpower becomes critical when one of the team disappears. Suspicions arise and loyalties are questioned. Then the scientists encounter the alien species that captured their teammate, and find themselves entangled in a space exploration mystery that has persisted for over a century.
Will the team be able to return to earth in time to save the remaining population? Or will they be stranded for eternity on a hostile planet millions of light years from earth?
With the countdown on to complete their mission, manpower becomes critical when one of the team disappears. Suspicions arise and loyalties are questioned. Then the scientists encounter the alien species that captured their teammate, and find themselves entangled in a space exploration mystery that has persisted for over a century.
Will the team be able to return to earth in time to save the remaining population? Or will they be stranded for eternity on a hostile planet millions of light years from earth?
242 pages, Paperback
Published June 5, 2017
2 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Goodison
9 books28 followersLeigh Goodison grew up in British Columbia, Canada. She is the author of Limboland and The Jigsaw Man (2015), the medical thriller series in the St. Augustus Chronicles, Wild Ones (2014), a young adult novel, the nonfiction handbook The Horse Trailer Owner's Manual (2012), and Goodies from the Great White North (2013), a recipe book/cooking memoir.
Leigh's short stories, essays and poetry have appeared in Bronte Street, ByLine, Lighthouse, The Oregonian, Lake Oswego Review, and many more. Her articles have appeared in Western Horseman, The Northwest Horse Source, Northwest Rider, Rider's Roundup, and NW Family Magazine, to name just a few.
Leigh has worked in the medical and legal professions. She has owned horses since she was eight-years-old and has two purebred Arabian horses, a palomino Quarab and an Anglo-Arab. She currently lives in Washington state.
Leigh's short stories, essays and poetry have appeared in Bronte Street, ByLine, Lighthouse, The Oregonian, Lake Oswego Review, and many more. Her articles have appeared in Western Horseman, The Northwest Horse Source, Northwest Rider, Rider's Roundup, and NW Family Magazine, to name just a few.
Leigh has worked in the medical and legal professions. She has owned horses since she was eight-years-old and has two purebred Arabian horses, a palomino Quarab and an Anglo-Arab. She currently lives in Washington state.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 12, 2017
(Note: I received a review copy of this book via LibraryThing, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to publisher and author. I am glad I got a chance to read this book.)
*4.5 Stars*
Meet explorer team. 3 females Xi, Rho, and Zeta. 3 males Sigma, Omega, and Chi. Team leader, Captain Reynard. I liked the anonymity of most of the characters. Their birth names were not disclosed in the book except Reynard. Characters were complex. They were hard to understand at some points. I was impressed by Zeta and Reynard. Their development throughout the book and on and off bond between them was nicely written.
World-building in this book was amazing. I liked the description of post-apocalyptic world, changed social-political structure, planet- A, life of cosmonauts and ecosphere. Thorough and to the point information in first few chapters that required before plunging into the main theme of the book was really nice.
Read full review here
*4.5 Stars*
Meet explorer team. 3 females Xi, Rho, and Zeta. 3 males Sigma, Omega, and Chi. Team leader, Captain Reynard. I liked the anonymity of most of the characters. Their birth names were not disclosed in the book except Reynard. Characters were complex. They were hard to understand at some points. I was impressed by Zeta and Reynard. Their development throughout the book and on and off bond between them was nicely written.
World-building in this book was amazing. I liked the description of post-apocalyptic world, changed social-political structure, planet- A, life of cosmonauts and ecosphere. Thorough and to the point information in first few chapters that required before plunging into the main theme of the book was really nice.
Read full review here
July 8, 2017
Genre - Science Fiction/Fantasy
Pages - 242
Just finished reading “Renascence” by Leigh Goodison. I would like to thank Leigh for gifting me an e-copy of this book. Although Leigh has written other books, this is her debut in the Science Fiction genre, and it was done with stunning excellence in my opinion. This was an exciting fun read dealing with space travel, exploration, colonization and discovery. The characters were well developed and the plot was original and exciting. The flow of the story was fast paced and the tempo was beautifully measured. Although the book dealt with some intelligent subjects and situations Leigh wrote it such a way that the reader does not have to do their own research to understand what’s going on. She made it simple and easy to follow from start to finish. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for anyone who love science fiction/space exploration type reads. This is my first read by Leigh Goodison, but I look forward to reading some of her other books which are in different genres.
Synopsis (from back cover): In 2072, pollution and preemptive nuclear strikes have rendered earth a desolate wasteland. Individual countries no longer exist. Earth is now divided into four quadrants and governed by a new world order that sends Zeta, the chemist, and five other young scientists, led by a former US Marine, to colonize the potentially habitable planet Arianrhod.
While collecting specimens from the planet, one of the team disappears. The others, believing their commander is responsible, take him prisoner until they can return him to earth. But as they prepare for departure they encounter the alien species that captured their teammate, and find themselves entangled in a space exploration mystery that has persisted for over a century.
Will the team be able to return to earth in time to save the remaining population? Or will they be stranded for eternity on a hostile planet millions of light years from earth?
Pages - 242
Just finished reading “Renascence” by Leigh Goodison. I would like to thank Leigh for gifting me an e-copy of this book. Although Leigh has written other books, this is her debut in the Science Fiction genre, and it was done with stunning excellence in my opinion. This was an exciting fun read dealing with space travel, exploration, colonization and discovery. The characters were well developed and the plot was original and exciting. The flow of the story was fast paced and the tempo was beautifully measured. Although the book dealt with some intelligent subjects and situations Leigh wrote it such a way that the reader does not have to do their own research to understand what’s going on. She made it simple and easy to follow from start to finish. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for anyone who love science fiction/space exploration type reads. This is my first read by Leigh Goodison, but I look forward to reading some of her other books which are in different genres.
Synopsis (from back cover): In 2072, pollution and preemptive nuclear strikes have rendered earth a desolate wasteland. Individual countries no longer exist. Earth is now divided into four quadrants and governed by a new world order that sends Zeta, the chemist, and five other young scientists, led by a former US Marine, to colonize the potentially habitable planet Arianrhod.
While collecting specimens from the planet, one of the team disappears. The others, believing their commander is responsible, take him prisoner until they can return him to earth. But as they prepare for departure they encounter the alien species that captured their teammate, and find themselves entangled in a space exploration mystery that has persisted for over a century.
Will the team be able to return to earth in time to save the remaining population? Or will they be stranded for eternity on a hostile planet millions of light years from earth?
June 22, 2017
The year 2072 sees a small crew of scientists on a voyage to bring back chemicals to a struggling Earth. Without them, all life on Earth could cease to exist. This was an imaginative science fiction read with plenty of action and head-scratching moments.
The main characters felt like a close-knit family and were all supportive of one-another. Zeta (named after a Greek letter as are all crew members) is a strong female lead with the ability to pull through for herself and others in various dire circumstances. I found myself in awe of her strong will from the start and was on the edge of my seat, hoping for her efforts to prevail.
Author Leigh Goodison does a wonderful job of conveying their Dystopian world, along with its history dating up to the year 2072. This is a world where discrimination of all kinds has been banned. This may indicate the viewpoint of the author and if so, they have my sincerest respect.
With shocking twists and great tension-building, the race was on to see if the crew would return to Earth in time to salvage what was left of the human race.
I would rate this book 5 stars.
Recommended for fans of Sci-Fi, Dystopian, and Fantasy novels.
The main characters felt like a close-knit family and were all supportive of one-another. Zeta (named after a Greek letter as are all crew members) is a strong female lead with the ability to pull through for herself and others in various dire circumstances. I found myself in awe of her strong will from the start and was on the edge of my seat, hoping for her efforts to prevail.
Author Leigh Goodison does a wonderful job of conveying their Dystopian world, along with its history dating up to the year 2072. This is a world where discrimination of all kinds has been banned. This may indicate the viewpoint of the author and if so, they have my sincerest respect.
With shocking twists and great tension-building, the race was on to see if the crew would return to Earth in time to salvage what was left of the human race.
I would rate this book 5 stars.
Recommended for fans of Sci-Fi, Dystopian, and Fantasy novels.
July 18, 2017
The idea was interesting. A woman astronaut, along with five others and a commander, goes to a planet to retrieve specimens in the hope of finding a new place for humans to live since Earth is dying. The feel of the writing is nostalgic. While it may work well in certain genres, it seemed like a strange choice for a science fiction.
There are also small disparities, or at least, to me it read as such. It almost felt as if the author had afterthoughts, edited the story, and missed things along the way. I don't want to go into details because it would become spoilers, although if you read the blurb before reading the book, you already know everything. Sadly, there is too much info in it and doesn't leave much to discover.
It was also impossible to relate to the protagonist as everything she did went against my judgments. She would come to conclusions that were hard to understand. In my opinion, they made no sense, which made me shake my head and stare at the book in disbelief.
Over all, the book is well written and imaginative so it may still be for you even if it wasn't exactly for my taste.
Disclaimer: I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
There are also small disparities, or at least, to me it read as such. It almost felt as if the author had afterthoughts, edited the story, and missed things along the way. I don't want to go into details because it would become spoilers, although if you read the blurb before reading the book, you already know everything. Sadly, there is too much info in it and doesn't leave much to discover.
It was also impossible to relate to the protagonist as everything she did went against my judgments. She would come to conclusions that were hard to understand. In my opinion, they made no sense, which made me shake my head and stare at the book in disbelief.
Over all, the book is well written and imaginative so it may still be for you even if it wasn't exactly for my taste.
Disclaimer: I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
June 7, 2017
First off, I will state that I did receive an ARC, but that's not influenced my review.
I finished this book yesterday and honestly, I'm still thinking about it. I will admit, I'm not super-into space-heavy science-fiction books, but when I read the plot, I was drawn into a "centuries-old mystery" promise, and man, did it deliver on the promise. From the very beginning, the story starts moving, with the introduction of protagonist Zeta and the dystopian world that the story takes place in, led by the shadowy and all-powerful OWL (Order of World Leaders). In this world, Earth has been plunged into ruined by nuclear wars and over-consumption. When the OWL steps in, the earth and its people are divided into 4 Quadrants and everyone on Earth speaks one language, English. In this new society, there is no racism or inequalities, which is an interesting concept, given the current socio-political landscape.
The team's mission is laid before them and then the story really starts to move. The team, consisting of Zeta and 5 other young scientists, including best friend Rho, and Captain Reynard, is tasked with travelling to another planet that has been discovered to find out if the planet could sustain other life because at the point of the mission, the earth and its people have 3 years, or rotations, as in the book, to live. They are given 3 months to complete the task of traveling and gathering samples and data for analysis. Once they board the ship, all bets are off and things start to get weird before the team even lands.
I'd love to lay out the whole books twist by twist by twist, but I don't want to ruin for anyone because it truly is a great read. There are are twists and turns that keep you riveted to the story until the very end and the promise of a great mystery is definitely met with this one. I do only give it 4 stars, because for all of the exposition about this dystopian world and how this futuristic society works, there could be a lot more character development for the rest of the team. We're given plenty with Zeta, but the rest of the team is pretty shadowed by the protagonist. HOPEFULLY(!) there will be a sequel that will flesh out more of the characters and their futures, fingers crossed!!
I finished this book yesterday and honestly, I'm still thinking about it. I will admit, I'm not super-into space-heavy science-fiction books, but when I read the plot, I was drawn into a "centuries-old mystery" promise, and man, did it deliver on the promise. From the very beginning, the story starts moving, with the introduction of protagonist Zeta and the dystopian world that the story takes place in, led by the shadowy and all-powerful OWL (Order of World Leaders). In this world, Earth has been plunged into ruined by nuclear wars and over-consumption. When the OWL steps in, the earth and its people are divided into 4 Quadrants and everyone on Earth speaks one language, English. In this new society, there is no racism or inequalities, which is an interesting concept, given the current socio-political landscape.
The team's mission is laid before them and then the story really starts to move. The team, consisting of Zeta and 5 other young scientists, including best friend Rho, and Captain Reynard, is tasked with travelling to another planet that has been discovered to find out if the planet could sustain other life because at the point of the mission, the earth and its people have 3 years, or rotations, as in the book, to live. They are given 3 months to complete the task of traveling and gathering samples and data for analysis. Once they board the ship, all bets are off and things start to get weird before the team even lands.
I'd love to lay out the whole books twist by twist by twist, but I don't want to ruin for anyone because it truly is a great read. There are are twists and turns that keep you riveted to the story until the very end and the promise of a great mystery is definitely met with this one. I do only give it 4 stars, because for all of the exposition about this dystopian world and how this futuristic society works, there could be a lot more character development for the rest of the team. We're given plenty with Zeta, but the rest of the team is pretty shadowed by the protagonist. HOPEFULLY(!) there will be a sequel that will flesh out more of the characters and their futures, fingers crossed!!
June 23, 2017
4 Stars
If you didn't read the back cover or, as in my case, the online description prior to reading
1-2 Stars
If you read description prior to reading
I'll try to explain the reason for the rating.
I love to read and I do read a lot, about every genre in fiction. But I found that book's descriptions, whether the back cover or online, often were the WORST offender in causing spoilers. Since I'm open to trying any author at least 1 or more times and I don't want the experience to start with knowing items that I'd much rather find out while reading the book I stopped reading the descriptions. I found this to be much more enjoyable and have stuck with it ever since. So how I choose a book whether to buy or to sign up for giveaways is by choosing a genre and honestly from there I choose what title or book cover interests me. When I finish a book is when I'll read the back cover or on line description mainly out of curiosity to see how much would've been spoiled if I had read it 1st. I was SHOCKED with how much Renascence's description gave away. The most shocking item was of the cosmonauts presence on the planet this was the highlight for me, it not only took me by surprise but I was captivated at that point & found it hard to put down. If I had known this before hand along with the spoilers of the missing team member, the commanders detainment and the existence of alien life then this would've held almost zero suspense and the storyline wouldn't have held my interest well enough.
I then had a problem deciding how to post my review. I'm fairly new at doing the book in exchange for a review and try not to look at reviews until I've posted my review with that in mind a few times I've mistakenly not read the description when I finished the book until I go to post the review. Sometimes it affected my review and I would have to make some adjustments but with Renascence it would've been significantly different. The reading experience would've been significantly different. After a week of trying to decide what to do I came to the conclusion to do just what I've done here.
Sorry.
If you didn't read the back cover or, as in my case, the online description prior to reading
1-2 Stars
If you read description prior to reading
I'll try to explain the reason for the rating.
I love to read and I do read a lot, about every genre in fiction. But I found that book's descriptions, whether the back cover or online, often were the WORST offender in causing spoilers. Since I'm open to trying any author at least 1 or more times and I don't want the experience to start with knowing items that I'd much rather find out while reading the book I stopped reading the descriptions. I found this to be much more enjoyable and have stuck with it ever since. So how I choose a book whether to buy or to sign up for giveaways is by choosing a genre and honestly from there I choose what title or book cover interests me. When I finish a book is when I'll read the back cover or on line description mainly out of curiosity to see how much would've been spoiled if I had read it 1st. I was SHOCKED with how much Renascence's description gave away. The most shocking item was of the cosmonauts presence on the planet this was the highlight for me, it not only took me by surprise but I was captivated at that point & found it hard to put down. If I had known this before hand along with the spoilers of the missing team member, the commanders detainment and the existence of alien life then this would've held almost zero suspense and the storyline wouldn't have held my interest well enough.
I then had a problem deciding how to post my review. I'm fairly new at doing the book in exchange for a review and try not to look at reviews until I've posted my review with that in mind a few times I've mistakenly not read the description when I finished the book until I go to post the review. Sometimes it affected my review and I would have to make some adjustments but with Renascence it would've been significantly different. The reading experience would've been significantly different. After a week of trying to decide what to do I came to the conclusion to do just what I've done here.
Sorry.
June 3, 2017
Kindle Unlimited, but if you use the link on goodreads if they don't/haven't fixed it, it will go to an error page so just look up the writer on amazon. I actually got this as one of my here's a free book we really hope you review it things {all my own opinions, nothing other than free book, etc} from librarything.
The Setup: It is 2072. Pollution and preemptive nuclear strikes have rendered Earth uninhabitable. Individual countries no longer exist. Earth is now governed by a World Order of Leaders that dispatches a team of six young scientists, led by a former Marine, to establish a base for future inhabitation on a planet with the highest Earth Simulation Index. Upon landing, Zeta, the group's chemist, discovers they have been double-crossed by Captain Reynard who, before dismantling the communications system, diverted the flight to another planet and reported back that the team did not survive the voyage. Then one of the team disappears and the others take Reynard prisoner until they can return him to Earth. But while preparing for departure they encounter the alien species that captured their teammate, and find themselves entangled in a space exploration mystery that has persisted for over two centuries. But as they prepare for departure they encounter the alien species that captured their teammate, and find themselves in the presence of the Lost Cosmonauts of the Soviet Space Program, the space exploration mystery that has persisted for over a century. Will the team be able to return to earth in time to save the remaining population? Or will they be stranded for eternity with the three immortals who won the space race of the 1950s?
It started out seeming to me to be like the Lost in Space type story, which it is, sort of, but not really, so was an interesting read, sort of a cross between that story and the Star Trek one with the God but with more so was definitely worth the read. No spoiler review so read the story already.
The Setup: It is 2072. Pollution and preemptive nuclear strikes have rendered Earth uninhabitable. Individual countries no longer exist. Earth is now governed by a World Order of Leaders that dispatches a team of six young scientists, led by a former Marine, to establish a base for future inhabitation on a planet with the highest Earth Simulation Index. Upon landing, Zeta, the group's chemist, discovers they have been double-crossed by Captain Reynard who, before dismantling the communications system, diverted the flight to another planet and reported back that the team did not survive the voyage. Then one of the team disappears and the others take Reynard prisoner until they can return him to Earth. But while preparing for departure they encounter the alien species that captured their teammate, and find themselves entangled in a space exploration mystery that has persisted for over two centuries. But as they prepare for departure they encounter the alien species that captured their teammate, and find themselves in the presence of the Lost Cosmonauts of the Soviet Space Program, the space exploration mystery that has persisted for over a century. Will the team be able to return to earth in time to save the remaining population? Or will they be stranded for eternity with the three immortals who won the space race of the 1950s?
It started out seeming to me to be like the Lost in Space type story, which it is, sort of, but not really, so was an interesting read, sort of a cross between that story and the Star Trek one with the God but with more so was definitely worth the read. No spoiler review so read the story already.
July 7, 2017
Firstly, I didn't think much of the book. On the very beginning the story sound kind of familiar. But I couldn’t be more wrong. Crew of scientists and explorers is sent to another planet to collect samples in order to revive dying earth. It’s 2072 and only one hundred thousand people on earth. Life we know will end in three rotations (years) if they don’t find a planet where people can live, or useful chemicals so life on earth can be revived. Characters are well developed and believable. When reading the book, you can imagine everything. I don’t know if facts about science are truthful but it doesn’t matter, it sounds like they are. There are really great plot twists, a lot of them. I think that’s the thing I like the most, I really didn’t know what will happen next. I think I knew, but I was wrong. When I finish the book, I was kind of sad. I really like it, it’s interesting, easy to read and unpredictable.
June 19, 2017
This is Leigh Goodison's first science fiction novel. And it's a stunning debut! I won't go into the plot as another reviewer did it so well, but this angle of the lost Russian cosmonauts is going to blow your mind. I was so surprised by this twist: if I couldn't put the book down before, I certainly couldn't after that. Her heroine is a well-rounded out character, intelligent young chemist, who faces unspeakable choices. It had me asking myself what would I do under similar circumstances? Renascence may well be a science fiction story but it crosses many genres. Readers of mystery, suspense, psychological thrillers ... all will enjoy it. Highly recommend.
June 6, 2017
Renascence is a thrilling story, unpredictable, and packed with social concepts and ideal. It plays with irony and criticises societal issues around the globe. It is a dystopian tale of a utopian world fighting against an impending apocalypse.
I really enjoyed the story and plot twists. The two main characters are well developed, with contrasting personalities that left me wondering if one was an antagonist or merely misunderstood. The science and social conclusions are speculative and unlikely but, while only a couple of the elements are crucial to the story, it is the suspense and mystery that kept me reading.
I really enjoyed the story and plot twists. The two main characters are well developed, with contrasting personalities that left me wondering if one was an antagonist or merely misunderstood. The science and social conclusions are speculative and unlikely but, while only a couple of the elements are crucial to the story, it is the suspense and mystery that kept me reading.
July 13, 2017
Exciting sci-fi story with lots of action and surprising twists. Zeta and her crew mates face harsh conditions and tension within the group trying to bring back much needed supplies to a ruined Earth. The crew encounter frightening native predators that threaten their survival, and also make a surprising discovery at their destination, Planet A.
July 8, 2017
I received a review copy of this book via LibraryThing, in exchange for an unbiased review. Many thanks to publisher and author. Thank you for this chance to read this book, my first from this author and she’s now one of my favourites.
The story setting is in far future when earth is dying and a group of six (3 male & 3 female) young scientist recruited and tasked to check Arianrhod a potential planet to colonize.
The pace moves swiftly but remains an easy read. While there are many actions and creative twists, the storyline remains intact and the characters are likeable (even the antag in the end :)) . This is a happy book for me, I love that the heroine is strong and level headed, smart and humanity is still in her heart despite everything that happened to earth and their journey. Definitely a page turner.
Join the recruits in their journey to preserving mankind!
The story setting is in far future when earth is dying and a group of six (3 male & 3 female) young scientist recruited and tasked to check Arianrhod a potential planet to colonize.
The pace moves swiftly but remains an easy read. While there are many actions and creative twists, the storyline remains intact and the characters are likeable (even the antag in the end :)) . This is a happy book for me, I love that the heroine is strong and level headed, smart and humanity is still in her heart despite everything that happened to earth and their journey. Definitely a page turner.
Join the recruits in their journey to preserving mankind!
June 26, 2017
4.5 stars: "Renanscence" by Leigh Goodison follows the adventures of a hand picked crew of scientists and explorer, who must collect samples and chemicals from an alien planet, in order to revive a dying earth. I enjoyed this more that I thought I would. There are some great plot twists, plenty of action, and the characters are generally likeable and believable. There are a few leaps of faith in terms of the science, but it is fiction after all. Imaginative, entertaining and easy to read.
June 24, 2017
(I got this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers)
The premise for the book is interesting, even if not terribly original: a dying Earth and some people sent in the space to get what could be exploited to restart things. The plot however does not live up to the expectations.
The suspension of disbelief which is needed is very high, starting from the intergalactic voyage to the subversion of the theory of relativity. But what the heck: this is science fiction and I may accept this, provided the story runs well. But this is not the case. The first chapters are really patronizing: it would have been much better to give the reader the information scattered in the book. The OWL is needed for the plot, but it remained a sort of deus ex machina even if internal feuds are hinted at. The character of Lucian is useless, but he is reminded any now and then. Reynard is depicted in several different ways, with an abrupt change from section to section and no hint - at least for me - of what are his actual reasons. Only Zeta, the narrator, is developed in a consistent way.
The result is that I found it hard to follow the story, since there was no way for me to build a general idea.
The premise for the book is interesting, even if not terribly original: a dying Earth and some people sent in the space to get what could be exploited to restart things. The plot however does not live up to the expectations.
The suspension of disbelief which is needed is very high, starting from the intergalactic voyage to the subversion of the theory of relativity. But what the heck: this is science fiction and I may accept this, provided the story runs well. But this is not the case. The first chapters are really patronizing: it would have been much better to give the reader the information scattered in the book. The OWL is needed for the plot, but it remained a sort of deus ex machina even if internal feuds are hinted at. The character of Lucian is useless, but he is reminded any now and then. Reynard is depicted in several different ways, with an abrupt change from section to section and no hint - at least for me - of what are his actual reasons. Only Zeta, the narrator, is developed in a consistent way.
The result is that I found it hard to follow the story, since there was no way for me to build a general idea.
June 30, 2018
Read for June book group.
Premise of the book is, Earth is on the cusp of catastrophic failure. A select group of seven has been chosen to travel to a planetary body to ascertain if Earth would have a future here. On the eve of their departure, world leadership tells them they have three months to complete their mission successfully, or they will be terminated upon their return. Better yet, don't bother to return of the mission is a failure. With words of doom hanging over their heads, they depart. Unbeknownst to the group, their Leader has secondary orders to follow, and what waits for them at their destination changes everything.
This book fell a bit flat for us in book group and myself as well. We finished it, but were left with more questions and comments than anything.
The FTL was not explained. Debatable if is needed to be. But if the world had access to FTL and hibernation coffins, why only build one ship and send out seven people? Build a fleet and seed the galaxy.
The premise of searching for phosphorus as part of a secret mission didn't work for me. If phosphorus is needed that desperately, have everyone looking for it. Put a secret out in the open and less people question it.
The discovery of the Russian cosmonauts, a 150 years old, dying slowly of gangrene, barely able to walk, eat, move...and then they are miraculously cured. Um. No. I can deal with the lack of FTL explanation, but this just moved into fantastical.
Three months to complete a mission or earth dies, also didn't work for me.
Nobody thought to pack a Geiger County on the ship? Could come in handy at ones final destination. Or return destination.
If this books target audience is YA, it would be spot on for the intended audience. But I didn't see any marketing as such, so while not a great read, it wasn't a total bust either. Kinda a solid, "meh". Book didn't work for me, but YA is more your inclination, it might work for you.
Premise of the book is, Earth is on the cusp of catastrophic failure. A select group of seven has been chosen to travel to a planetary body to ascertain if Earth would have a future here. On the eve of their departure, world leadership tells them they have three months to complete their mission successfully, or they will be terminated upon their return. Better yet, don't bother to return of the mission is a failure. With words of doom hanging over their heads, they depart. Unbeknownst to the group, their Leader has secondary orders to follow, and what waits for them at their destination changes everything.
This book fell a bit flat for us in book group and myself as well. We finished it, but were left with more questions and comments than anything.
The FTL was not explained. Debatable if is needed to be. But if the world had access to FTL and hibernation coffins, why only build one ship and send out seven people? Build a fleet and seed the galaxy.
The premise of searching for phosphorus as part of a secret mission didn't work for me. If phosphorus is needed that desperately, have everyone looking for it. Put a secret out in the open and less people question it.
The discovery of the Russian cosmonauts, a 150 years old, dying slowly of gangrene, barely able to walk, eat, move...and then they are miraculously cured. Um. No. I can deal with the lack of FTL explanation, but this just moved into fantastical.
Three months to complete a mission or earth dies, also didn't work for me.
Nobody thought to pack a Geiger County on the ship? Could come in handy at ones final destination. Or return destination.
If this books target audience is YA, it would be spot on for the intended audience. But I didn't see any marketing as such, so while not a great read, it wasn't a total bust either. Kinda a solid, "meh". Book didn't work for me, but YA is more your inclination, it might work for you.
July 17, 2017
I wouldn’t call myself a follower of science fiction, the plots are usually convoluted, the content usually outlandish and the characters poorly drawn. Leigh Goodison’s contribution to the genre, "Renascence," is a welcome detractor from that formula. In many ways, it felt more like some early science fiction from the likes of H. G. Wells or Frank Aubrey and was a compelling read that sustained interest throughout. I enjoyed the themes that made me conscious of the role of humanity in relation to the world and the universe, but also how that role is fraught with the shadow of mortality and corporeality.
Goodison’s narrative style is accessible and easy to read, the introduction drew me in, built interest, set the scene and gave enough information to sustain the narrative. A lot of detail was given in the introduction to support the link between the current world and the possible world of the novel and to the author’s credit it was given in such a way as to seem like the protagonist’s own musings. Goodison maintains a strong internal dialogue and presents the first-person narration convincingly.
Characterisation is complex and mostly believable with a few switches in behaviour that reflect a realistic conflict of mind when faced with uncertainty. This conflict helps to sustain the suspense in the narrative, one is never quite sure who to trust and always suspects there is something more lying beneath the surface and indeed there is.
Given that this is science fiction it is to be expected that some far-flung scientific speculation will be present, however, Goodison presents speculative science in a cloak of believability. Whether it is because the evolved language is so well developed or we so want to believe that such miracles of science are possible, I never found myself stepping back and scoffing at the unfeasibility of the science in the frame of the narrative.
Goodison’s narrative style is accessible and easy to read, the introduction drew me in, built interest, set the scene and gave enough information to sustain the narrative. A lot of detail was given in the introduction to support the link between the current world and the possible world of the novel and to the author’s credit it was given in such a way as to seem like the protagonist’s own musings. Goodison maintains a strong internal dialogue and presents the first-person narration convincingly.
Characterisation is complex and mostly believable with a few switches in behaviour that reflect a realistic conflict of mind when faced with uncertainty. This conflict helps to sustain the suspense in the narrative, one is never quite sure who to trust and always suspects there is something more lying beneath the surface and indeed there is.
Given that this is science fiction it is to be expected that some far-flung scientific speculation will be present, however, Goodison presents speculative science in a cloak of believability. Whether it is because the evolved language is so well developed or we so want to believe that such miracles of science are possible, I never found myself stepping back and scoffing at the unfeasibility of the science in the frame of the narrative.
July 31, 2017
I have a soft spot in my heart for sci-fi. It's often cheesy but usually fun. I liked the premise of this book but there were just so many little problems with it that it added up to a bit fat X in my head. I think I've got a little more grace for old sci-fi from the 50s-60s, because space travel was new. But we've advanced scientifically since then, and know more about space travel.
I couldn't put aside my problems with the story, the logistics, the emotions and the characters to enjoy the book. So much potential...but fell flat.
I couldn't put aside my problems with the story, the logistics, the emotions and the characters to enjoy the book. So much potential...but fell flat.
May 5, 2018
I received a free copy of this book in accordance with the terms of LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program.
2.7 stars
This book starts with common post-apocalyptic/dystopian setting. The Earth is dying and scientists are sent to another planet. The government has very strict rules the citizens have to obey.
But, as the story progresses, it's so different from what I expected.
The ideas are original and the facts presented are well-researched, including the encounter with lost Russian cosmonauts and some intriguing twists.
However, I found it a bit difficult to follow the story and to get into the characters minds and feelings as well as the world building.
This could be an enjoyable read with some adjustments to the way the story is written.
2.7 stars
This book starts with common post-apocalyptic/dystopian setting. The Earth is dying and scientists are sent to another planet. The government has very strict rules the citizens have to obey.
But, as the story progresses, it's so different from what I expected.
The ideas are original and the facts presented are well-researched, including the encounter with lost Russian cosmonauts and some intriguing twists.
However, I found it a bit difficult to follow the story and to get into the characters minds and feelings as well as the world building.
This could be an enjoyable read with some adjustments to the way the story is written.
October 27, 2017
I received a free electronic copy of this book through Library Thing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Although I enjoyed this book every time I picked it up, I also found I could put it down for weeks at a time and not think about it. To me, that indicates something is missing, but I can't articulate exactly what. I liked the main character, but I had a hard time connecting with the secondary characters so maybe that's why?
Overall, a decent read, but not outstanding. If you like sci-fi, you'll probably enjoy this one.
Although I enjoyed this book every time I picked it up, I also found I could put it down for weeks at a time and not think about it. To me, that indicates something is missing, but I can't articulate exactly what. I liked the main character, but I had a hard time connecting with the secondary characters so maybe that's why?
Overall, a decent read, but not outstanding. If you like sci-fi, you'll probably enjoy this one.
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