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Binary System #1-2
Binary System
SURVIVAL IS ALL IN THE MIND
A downed terraforming ship. An ice planet. A hostile alien race. Delia Kemp has had better expeditions.
Stranded, alone and hunted by the native Skelt for her scientific knowledge, Delia is chased across the undiscovered world of Valinda as its long winter comes to an end and a blistering summer approaches.
Strange new companions, phantasmagorical landscapes, and a death-defying dash across Valinda’s fiery equator lead Delia ever close to the valley of Mahkanda – where salvation just might be waiting…
A downed terraforming ship. An ice planet. A hostile alien race. Delia Kemp has had better expeditions.
Stranded, alone and hunted by the native Skelt for her scientific knowledge, Delia is chased across the undiscovered world of Valinda as its long winter comes to an end and a blistering summer approaches.
Strange new companions, phantasmagorical landscapes, and a death-defying dash across Valinda’s fiery equator lead Delia ever close to the valley of Mahkanda – where salvation just might be waiting…
251 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2017
14 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
About the author
Eric Brown
362 books184 followersEric Brown was a British science fiction author and Guardian critic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 7, 2017
3.5 stars
Eric Brown’s Binary System is as old fashioned as sci-fi adventure gets. Its cliffhanger thrills and heroic derring-do recall the pulp-era storytelling of Edgar Rice Burroughs and the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers comic strips of the 1930s, though the mostly hand-wavey science is convincing enough to pass the post-golden age smell test.
In the Farscape-ish setup, Cordelia Kemp is propelled through a wormhole after an accident tears her spacecraft apart. Her life raft crash lands on the planet of Valinda, 10,000 light years away from Earth and home to three distinct sentient species. Two of those species, the primate-like Fahran and the crustacean-like Vo, are native to Valinda, but live under constant threat from the oppressive Skelt, a locust-like, hive-minded race that invaded the planet several millennia before, but had devolved technologically since being cut off from their space-faring brethren. Cordelia, believing herself fated to live the rest of her life as the only human on Valinda, vows to help the Fahran and the Vo in their struggle against the Skelt. But secrets buried in the cultural history of the Fahran hint at the reason for her arrival on Valinda, and she soon discovers her fate might not be sealed after all.
Brown is the kind of writer that has an affection for the tried and true conventions of classic adventure storytelling, giving them just enough of a personal spin to keep them from coming off as tired clichés. He also has a genuine fondness for the characters and worlds he creates, and the settings and sequences are imaginative and exotically rendered. The science isn’t the only thing he waves his hand at, however – there are plot holes and contrivances peppered throughout, but nothing so egregious as to keep the reader from having a good time and desiring a return trip to the world of Valinda.
Thanks to Netgalley and Solaris Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Eric Brown’s Binary System is as old fashioned as sci-fi adventure gets. Its cliffhanger thrills and heroic derring-do recall the pulp-era storytelling of Edgar Rice Burroughs and the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers comic strips of the 1930s, though the mostly hand-wavey science is convincing enough to pass the post-golden age smell test.
In the Farscape-ish setup, Cordelia Kemp is propelled through a wormhole after an accident tears her spacecraft apart. Her life raft crash lands on the planet of Valinda, 10,000 light years away from Earth and home to three distinct sentient species. Two of those species, the primate-like Fahran and the crustacean-like Vo, are native to Valinda, but live under constant threat from the oppressive Skelt, a locust-like, hive-minded race that invaded the planet several millennia before, but had devolved technologically since being cut off from their space-faring brethren. Cordelia, believing herself fated to live the rest of her life as the only human on Valinda, vows to help the Fahran and the Vo in their struggle against the Skelt. But secrets buried in the cultural history of the Fahran hint at the reason for her arrival on Valinda, and she soon discovers her fate might not be sealed after all.
Brown is the kind of writer that has an affection for the tried and true conventions of classic adventure storytelling, giving them just enough of a personal spin to keep them from coming off as tired clichés. He also has a genuine fondness for the characters and worlds he creates, and the settings and sequences are imaginative and exotically rendered. The science isn’t the only thing he waves his hand at, however – there are plot holes and contrivances peppered throughout, but nothing so egregious as to keep the reader from having a good time and desiring a return trip to the world of Valinda.
Thanks to Netgalley and Solaris Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.
April 4, 2019
I'm an incurable romantic, you know.
So says Delia Kemp, sole survivor of a wormhole accident that left her stranded in uncharted territory, on a strange planet ten thousand light years from Earth. She might have easily succumbed to despair, but in the end:
Curiosity, however, got the better of her.
As an incurable romantic myself, I am more than thrilled to find out that planetary romance is still written today, and I can think of very few SF writers who could do it better than Eric Brown. In the best tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Leigh Brackett we have a lone human explorer discovering the perils and the marvels of an alien landscape. But there are even better, clearer analogies: The planet Valinda is a clear homage to Jack Vance's 'Planet of Adventure' (Tschai) and to Brian Aldiss' 'Helliconia'
At the furthest point from its primary, it is ten astronomical units away; at its closest, less than half an AU. The planet describes an orbit that, in Terran years, takes almost ten years to complete. Nine years of harsh winter, and one of summer.
Delia Kemp makes first contact with the Skelt, a hostile race of aliens who are only keeping her alive in order to discover the technological secrets of her escape pod. Later she would make friends with two other members of the original Valinda natives: a blue ape and a giant crab.
Mahn said, "The Skelt are 'vheer'."
"Vheer?"
"It means," the Fahran said, "a combination of 'ignorant of others', 'concerned only for their own welfare', 'wholly convinced that only they know the truth', and 'blood-thirsty'. This is a lethal combination.
Unlike the usual militarily competent hero of Burroughs or Brackett, Delia is not very good at fighting. She's in fact a bit of an emotional wreck in the first half of the novel, prone to crying fits and depression. Her ace in the sleeve in the struggle for survival is her AI assistant, a sort of Siri that is implanted in her brain instead of in her (non-existent) smartphone.
I could go on describing the adventures and the fights Delia Kemp deals with as she traverses a planet awaking to a long delayed summer season, but I think they are best discovered by readers at their own pace. The action part of planetary romance is after all only half the story. The other half, and for me maybe the most important one, is the sense of wonder, of discovery, of contact with different cultures and customs. Eric Brown really did a good job here.
Var called out in wonder, a word that is hard to translate. It sounds like siiiik! An appreciation of beauty, and awe, and at the same time gratitude that she has come upon a sight she has heard so much about.
Recommended for fans of classic science-fiction, with the mention that this is really one story that I don't understand why it was published in two separate short novels. Also recommended is Eric Brown's bittersweet and understated "Starship Seasons" series.
November 20, 2017
I've had Helix on my to-read list for a while, but not having any experience with the author I kept putting it off. Then a friend recently proposed reading this two-novella release and I thought it would be an ideal introduction to the author.
Delia is a doctor on board an starship when it undergoes a catastrophic accident during a jump maneuver. Delia finds herself the only survivor of the Amsterdam and stuck on an alien planet with three different intelligent alien species, one of whom is implacably hostile.
If I was being charitable I'd describe it as old-fashioned. Less charitably, it's a poorly thought out, poorly constructed light adventure SF novel that lacks character development, believable aliens, believable ecology and basically any reason to recommend it to anyone. It's mercifully short.
There are three alien races on this world, one of which has origins elsewhere. None of them are particularly alien except in terms of morphology, with actual human cultures on Earth having more alien view-points than any of these. They all share a sensorium with humans as well as a conceptual framework of the world as a whole. The only barrier to communication is a very simple language translation accomplished by AI analysis.
And that's all without getting to the ecology of a 9-year winter 1-year summer cycle and the impact of that on the biomass that we see here.
I think we were beyond this sort of silliness in the science fiction field decades ago. Very disappointing.
Delia is a doctor on board an starship when it undergoes a catastrophic accident during a jump maneuver. Delia finds herself the only survivor of the Amsterdam and stuck on an alien planet with three different intelligent alien species, one of whom is implacably hostile.
If I was being charitable I'd describe it as old-fashioned. Less charitably, it's a poorly thought out, poorly constructed light adventure SF novel that lacks character development, believable aliens, believable ecology and basically any reason to recommend it to anyone. It's mercifully short.
There are three alien races on this world, one of which has origins elsewhere. None of them are particularly alien except in terms of morphology, with actual human cultures on Earth having more alien view-points than any of these. They all share a sensorium with humans as well as a conceptual framework of the world as a whole. The only barrier to communication is a very simple language translation accomplished by AI analysis.
And that's all without getting to the ecology of a 9-year winter 1-year summer cycle and the impact of that on the biomass that we see here.
I think we were beyond this sort of silliness in the science fiction field decades ago. Very disappointing.
November 25, 2017
THE PRIDE OF Amsterdam was transiting the Lunar wormhole when the explosion ripped through the starship’s fusion core. One second the Amsterdam was a billion-tonne, city-sized exploration-and-terraforming vessel embarking on a routine mission to 61 Cygni A; the next, a broken-backed wreck torn apart by an expanding fireball of superheated plasma.
Nice plot idea, creat cover, looked like a great SciFi adventure when I picked it up. 10% into the book I felt mostly irritated, was rolling my eyes a lot and contemplated not to finish it.
Delia is a scientist on board of the Amsterdam. With the help of her Imp, an AI implanted in her brain, she manages to survive the explosion and to crash land on a nearby planet.
She is found and taken away by aliens. Here is where my issues with this book started. No communication attempts are made by them or her, she is unclear about her situation, so she let's her Imp sedate her to pass the traveling time. Several times. What?
Imp is a cool idea and a handy thing to have, but felt like a lazy plot device to me, so Delia can get out of tricky situations and overcome every obstacle just by asking. How convenient.
The original inhabitants of the planet do not have any apparent technology, but can recognize a depiction of their planet from space and read maps. They measure distances in kilometers. How likely is that? And how likely is it that they conceptually understand everything Delia tells them? Shouldn't they be more alien? Other planet, other developmental level, not mammals... (maybe the blue one, can't tell...)
There is no decent attempt to explore the alien cultures, the world building is very spotty. A hint here and there, a small info dump somewhere. Some fun ideas, too, but mostly this wasn't very well done.
Then there is the repetitiveness of some unusual vocabulary. What was that about? 'Favourite word of the month, let's use it a bunch of times in my current novel?'
So, bottom line, not a bad story. But the execution of it was poor. Shallow SciFi adventure with an irritating lack of world building or decent scientific backup. What a lot of wasted potential.
Nice plot idea, creat cover, looked like a great SciFi adventure when I picked it up. 10% into the book I felt mostly irritated, was rolling my eyes a lot and contemplated not to finish it.
Delia is a scientist on board of the Amsterdam. With the help of her Imp, an AI implanted in her brain, she manages to survive the explosion and to crash land on a nearby planet.
She is found and taken away by aliens. Here is where my issues with this book started. No communication attempts are made by them or her, she is unclear about her situation, so she let's her Imp sedate her to pass the traveling time. Several times. What?
Imp is a cool idea and a handy thing to have, but felt like a lazy plot device to me, so Delia can get out of tricky situations and overcome every obstacle just by asking. How convenient.
The original inhabitants of the planet do not have any apparent technology, but can recognize a depiction of their planet from space and read maps. They measure distances in kilometers. How likely is that? And how likely is it that they conceptually understand everything Delia tells them? Shouldn't they be more alien? Other planet, other developmental level, not mammals... (maybe the blue one, can't tell...)
There is no decent attempt to explore the alien cultures, the world building is very spotty. A hint here and there, a small info dump somewhere. Some fun ideas, too, but mostly this wasn't very well done.
Then there is the repetitiveness of some unusual vocabulary. What was that about? 'Favourite word of the month, let's use it a bunch of times in my current novel?'
So, bottom line, not a bad story. But the execution of it was poor. Shallow SciFi adventure with an irritating lack of world building or decent scientific backup. What a lot of wasted potential.
October 2, 2017
Originally published at Risingshadow.
Eric Brown's Binary System marks an impressive and delightful return to the classic science fiction adventure genre. It's everything that fans of the genre could ever hope for and then some, because the author has created an immersive and surprisingly intelligent story that immediately awakens the reader's interest. It's a simple yet elegant book that will resonate among those who love good old-fashioned sci-fi stories.
Binary System tells of Cordelia 'Delia' Kemp who - after a catastrophic accident and explosion on her spaceship - ends up in a remote, strange and unexplored part of space with only the Imp (the AI) as her companion. Delia finds herself on an ice planet Valinda with unknowable aliens and has to find a way to survive under challenging circumstances.
This book features some of the best characterisation and dialogue you will ever find in science fiction adventure stories. Delia is a well-created and three-dimensional character whose anguish and desperation over being stranded on an alien planet is vividly brought to life by realistic descriptions. Her feelings toward Timothy 'Tim' Green, a xeno-biologist, are explored exceptionally well. She is haunted by what has happened to him, because she was falling in love with him. Delia's interaction with the Imp, the Fahran and the Skelt are also handled well.
The worldbuilding is excellent and immersive, because the author has created a fascinating world and writes well about the planet, its geography and its inhabitants. Valinda is inhabited by the native ape-like Fahran and the crab-like Vo, but has been conquered by the insectoid and hostile Skelt. The Skelt have subjugated the Fahran and the Vo. Valinda has long winters and short, blistering summers - all life on it has adapted to its strange climate.
The exploration of an unknown and strange alien world is what makes this novel superb. The author's vision of a strange world stunningly credible and realistic, but leaves enough room for the reader's imagination to make it even more alluring. The author explores the culture and religion of the Fahran in an engaging way. He fluently writes about what the Fahran believe in and what they do.
This book has many well written scenes and suspenseful moments. Delia's escape from the Skelt is one of the highlights of the story, because she has to put her trust into the brave little Fahran who leads her away from the Skelt. I was positively surprised by this suspenseful scene, because it featured good storytelling.
Eric Brown's straightforward and elegantly flowing prose fits the story perfectly, and he effortlessly evokes a sense of excitement and discovery. He creates a fresh and enticing story by writing about how Delia feels about her situation and how she survives on Valinda.
In my opinion, it's possible to say that in this novel, Eric Brown channels certain elements from classic science fiction stories and H. Beam Piper's Little Fuzzy through the imagination exhibited by such authors as Frederik Pohl and Poul Anderson. When I began to read this book, I was instantly taken by its old-fashioned elements, because I've missed this kind of science fiction.
Eric Brown's Binary System is a deeply immersive and highly enjoyable science fiction adventure that can be seen as a tribute to old-fashioned sci-fi adventure stories, the likes of which used to be popular a few decades ago, but have now become almost extinct. It's a delightful gem of a book with plenty of adventure.
Excellent and charmingly old-fashioned science fiction entertainment!
Eric Brown's Binary System marks an impressive and delightful return to the classic science fiction adventure genre. It's everything that fans of the genre could ever hope for and then some, because the author has created an immersive and surprisingly intelligent story that immediately awakens the reader's interest. It's a simple yet elegant book that will resonate among those who love good old-fashioned sci-fi stories.
Binary System tells of Cordelia 'Delia' Kemp who - after a catastrophic accident and explosion on her spaceship - ends up in a remote, strange and unexplored part of space with only the Imp (the AI) as her companion. Delia finds herself on an ice planet Valinda with unknowable aliens and has to find a way to survive under challenging circumstances.
This book features some of the best characterisation and dialogue you will ever find in science fiction adventure stories. Delia is a well-created and three-dimensional character whose anguish and desperation over being stranded on an alien planet is vividly brought to life by realistic descriptions. Her feelings toward Timothy 'Tim' Green, a xeno-biologist, are explored exceptionally well. She is haunted by what has happened to him, because she was falling in love with him. Delia's interaction with the Imp, the Fahran and the Skelt are also handled well.
The worldbuilding is excellent and immersive, because the author has created a fascinating world and writes well about the planet, its geography and its inhabitants. Valinda is inhabited by the native ape-like Fahran and the crab-like Vo, but has been conquered by the insectoid and hostile Skelt. The Skelt have subjugated the Fahran and the Vo. Valinda has long winters and short, blistering summers - all life on it has adapted to its strange climate.
The exploration of an unknown and strange alien world is what makes this novel superb. The author's vision of a strange world stunningly credible and realistic, but leaves enough room for the reader's imagination to make it even more alluring. The author explores the culture and religion of the Fahran in an engaging way. He fluently writes about what the Fahran believe in and what they do.
This book has many well written scenes and suspenseful moments. Delia's escape from the Skelt is one of the highlights of the story, because she has to put her trust into the brave little Fahran who leads her away from the Skelt. I was positively surprised by this suspenseful scene, because it featured good storytelling.
Eric Brown's straightforward and elegantly flowing prose fits the story perfectly, and he effortlessly evokes a sense of excitement and discovery. He creates a fresh and enticing story by writing about how Delia feels about her situation and how she survives on Valinda.
In my opinion, it's possible to say that in this novel, Eric Brown channels certain elements from classic science fiction stories and H. Beam Piper's Little Fuzzy through the imagination exhibited by such authors as Frederik Pohl and Poul Anderson. When I began to read this book, I was instantly taken by its old-fashioned elements, because I've missed this kind of science fiction.
Eric Brown's Binary System is a deeply immersive and highly enjoyable science fiction adventure that can be seen as a tribute to old-fashioned sci-fi adventure stories, the likes of which used to be popular a few decades ago, but have now become almost extinct. It's a delightful gem of a book with plenty of adventure.
Excellent and charmingly old-fashioned science fiction entertainment!
May 19, 2017
It's always a pleasure to be the first to review the book AND have nice things to say about it. Nice things being...this was a lovely space adventure. It was just pure fun, almost in a throwback classic scifi way, nothing too complicated, no overwhelming tech, just a basic premise of a an explorer who finds herself on a strange new planet and must adapt/try to survive with assistance of some adorable native species. Part of the throwback vibe being the antropomorhisizing the alien creatures, but also viewing them in a somewhat paternalistic way, they are valiant, loyal and intelligent, but not quite on our level...wink wink nudge nudge, hence the cargo cult. But they really are adorable and, frankly, the best characters in the book by far. This isn't a great literary sort of scifi that raises the all important questions, this just an adventure done right, with decent writing, great pacing and terrific world building. Very imaginative, bright, light read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
July 5, 2017
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2017/07/0...
Publisher: Solaris
Publishing Date: August 2017
ISBN: 9781781085516
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 2.4/5
Publishers Description: After surviving a catastrophic starship blow-out, Delia Kemp finds herself stranded on the inhospitable, ice-bound world of Valinda, populated by the Skelt, a race of hostile aliens who will stop at nothing to obtain Delia’s scientific knowledge. Escaping from the Skelt – assisted by a friendly chimpanzee-like alien and a giant spider-crab – she travels south through a phantasmagorical landscape as the long winter comes to an end and the short, blistering summer approaches.Pursued by the Skelt, she and her companions make a death-defying dash across the planet’s inimical equator to meet up with fellow survivors from the starship, and a final journey to the valley of Mahkanda – where salvation just might be waiting.
Review: Aliens that converse like humans, Deus ex consistently showing up in dire situations, a planet that makes no sense in its ability to support the myriad forms of life and a main character lacking in depth were just a few of the problems with Binary System. I agree with one reviewers assessment that the alien societies were dichotomously represented as good vs. evil and that those societies lacked the complexities for drawing the reader into a believable world. Delia was a big problem for most of the novel as her inner whiney ruminations with the resident AI was tiresome. I just didn’t care what happened to her character as depth was never built into her.
The huge fall down in this novel was the world’s unsupportive xeno-biology. Nine years of -30 F winters and one year of summer, supports 3 sentient alien species and a plethora of flora and fauna. This planet makes no sense as it has one seasonal shift in 10 years but axial tilt (required for seasonal change) is never mentioned. So basically this world, as written, cannot exist. This ice world is possible but lacks the scientific foundation to make it plausible. There was not even an attempt to explain how the flora and fauna of this world adapted to temperature extremes other than certain species go underground for 9 years. A great opportunity was lost in creating a believable world.
While the world building foundation was abysmal with all the plot holes and lack of “alieness”, the writing was technically good.
Publisher: Solaris
Publishing Date: August 2017
ISBN: 9781781085516
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 2.4/5
Publishers Description: After surviving a catastrophic starship blow-out, Delia Kemp finds herself stranded on the inhospitable, ice-bound world of Valinda, populated by the Skelt, a race of hostile aliens who will stop at nothing to obtain Delia’s scientific knowledge. Escaping from the Skelt – assisted by a friendly chimpanzee-like alien and a giant spider-crab – she travels south through a phantasmagorical landscape as the long winter comes to an end and the short, blistering summer approaches.Pursued by the Skelt, she and her companions make a death-defying dash across the planet’s inimical equator to meet up with fellow survivors from the starship, and a final journey to the valley of Mahkanda – where salvation just might be waiting.
Review: Aliens that converse like humans, Deus ex consistently showing up in dire situations, a planet that makes no sense in its ability to support the myriad forms of life and a main character lacking in depth were just a few of the problems with Binary System. I agree with one reviewers assessment that the alien societies were dichotomously represented as good vs. evil and that those societies lacked the complexities for drawing the reader into a believable world. Delia was a big problem for most of the novel as her inner whiney ruminations with the resident AI was tiresome. I just didn’t care what happened to her character as depth was never built into her.
The huge fall down in this novel was the world’s unsupportive xeno-biology. Nine years of -30 F winters and one year of summer, supports 3 sentient alien species and a plethora of flora and fauna. This planet makes no sense as it has one seasonal shift in 10 years but axial tilt (required for seasonal change) is never mentioned. So basically this world, as written, cannot exist. This ice world is possible but lacks the scientific foundation to make it plausible. There was not even an attempt to explain how the flora and fauna of this world adapted to temperature extremes other than certain species go underground for 9 years. A great opportunity was lost in creating a believable world.
While the world building foundation was abysmal with all the plot holes and lack of “alieness”, the writing was technically good.
July 24, 2017
Full review and more up on my blog: http://bit.ly/2eHdNfT
You know what this book reminded me most of? The television series/book(s) The 100. Something about having to ascertain the hostility of a planet and encountering people/species and not knowing if they are hostile or not…there was a link there.
I actually thoroughly enjoyed this book, I wasn’t expecting to in any way shape or form but I think this is a really good example of how you write a science fiction novel that isn’t overly full of jargon or too complex for anyone without a masters degree in engineering to comprehend. The story was more about characters and about the journey and the action than about the specifics of alien worlds. That may be the exact opposite of what you want from a sci-fi novel but for me it hit right in that sweet spot.
The inclusion of an imp (a kind of implant in Delia’s head that has artificial intelligence) was a smart way of avoiding a lot of plot holes and opening a lot of opportunities in this novel. it’s quite nice not to worry about why you’re alien is able to communicate with a human when you can put it all down to AI. Rather than feeling like a cop out (which it could easily have done) this felt like a way of letting us really get to the action rather than having chapters of language learning or something like that.
There are a lot of really fun characters in this book, Delia included. I never thought I’d be finding myself saying ‘I liked the sentient spider crab alien character’ but that is indeed the case.
Bottom line this book was incredibly readable. It’s one of those titles where you just have to find out how it ends! It felt to me like a fantasy novel wrapped up in a sci-fi setting, not too dissimilar from the things I love to put me off while at the same time being new and exciting. It pulled me through and I was out the other side before I could really register what had happened. Which is certainly a good thing in my opinion as it means I was enjoying the story too much to look at how much of the book I had read/was yet to read.
My rating: 5/5 stars
By the way, I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher (Solaris) in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
You know what this book reminded me most of? The television series/book(s) The 100. Something about having to ascertain the hostility of a planet and encountering people/species and not knowing if they are hostile or not…there was a link there.
I actually thoroughly enjoyed this book, I wasn’t expecting to in any way shape or form but I think this is a really good example of how you write a science fiction novel that isn’t overly full of jargon or too complex for anyone without a masters degree in engineering to comprehend. The story was more about characters and about the journey and the action than about the specifics of alien worlds. That may be the exact opposite of what you want from a sci-fi novel but for me it hit right in that sweet spot.
The inclusion of an imp (a kind of implant in Delia’s head that has artificial intelligence) was a smart way of avoiding a lot of plot holes and opening a lot of opportunities in this novel. it’s quite nice not to worry about why you’re alien is able to communicate with a human when you can put it all down to AI. Rather than feeling like a cop out (which it could easily have done) this felt like a way of letting us really get to the action rather than having chapters of language learning or something like that.
There are a lot of really fun characters in this book, Delia included. I never thought I’d be finding myself saying ‘I liked the sentient spider crab alien character’ but that is indeed the case.
Bottom line this book was incredibly readable. It’s one of those titles where you just have to find out how it ends! It felt to me like a fantasy novel wrapped up in a sci-fi setting, not too dissimilar from the things I love to put me off while at the same time being new and exciting. It pulled me through and I was out the other side before I could really register what had happened. Which is certainly a good thing in my opinion as it means I was enjoying the story too much to look at how much of the book I had read/was yet to read.
My rating: 5/5 stars
By the way, I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher (Solaris) in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
June 12, 2017
DISCLAIMER: Review copy from NetGalley.
If I imagine a 2017 version of a sci-fi magazine in the vein of golden-era publications such as Amazing Stories or If, then it would contain stories something like this one. I've referred to this pulp-fiction feel before in reviews of Brown's work, and it's a style that I find myself liking a lot. This is because there's a big focus on the yarn for the sake of entertainment without too many words spent on character depth or excessive world-building. Much of Brown's other work shows his prowess in those areas, but this one is about straight entertainment, pure and simple. It's almost like Brown pours himself a stiff measure of his favorite liquor then sits down to write stories in his casual style that are meant to be fun, writing for his own entertainment as much as ours. This is a key reason why he's one of my favorite authors and his books usually keep me firmly hooked because they're so enjoyable. It's an excellent reminder of why we read this sort of science fiction: it’s fun!
Somewhat confusingly, the first half of this book was released late last year simply titled Binary and now here is the complete novel which includes both that first half as well as a continuation from where it left off. The story follows Delia, a scientist from an ill-fated starship voyage who becomes marooned on an unknown planet in a binary star system over ten thousand light years from Earth. Her consequent adventures begin shortly after making planet-fall. The planet has a harsh and extreme protracted climate cycle and the alien inhabitants are in a continual state of inter-species conflict. She quickly becomes caught up in this conflict and forges friendships which introduce us to some likeable alien characters. These guys are interesting yet simplistic in their nature but this is certainly okay for the type of story which is probably more driven by events than characterization. None of the characters dominate or become a distraction to the overall plot which, again, lends itself nicely to the easy-reading style. The story concludes pleasantly yet leaves space for continuation which is a welcome thought.
The world building is likewise enjoyable, with excellent descriptions of things like alien cities and wondrous creatures featuring at various points in the story. This aspect is, in my view, this novel's best feature and an aspect that makes this a fantastic escapist's book. It's what I think of as a great chill-out read that doesn't tax your mind so much, yet keeps you involved with that sense of wonder that we all love in our science fiction stories, a facet that Eric Brown customarily does very well.
To be honest, the writing style seemed to me as if it was written with mostly a young adult audience in mind and, had it not been for the liberal use of lesser-known words (I consulted the dictionary multiple times) I would say that it would be most suitable for teenage readers. My nine-year old could probably read and enjoy this aside from the big words, but I suppose that's a bit rich coming from me given that I needed the dictionary so often...
Overall the book works because of the effective use of some tried-and-true genre tropes blending together into a cohesive whole that makes a delightful read. It is equal parts adventure, drama and wonder, a combination that pulls the story along almost faster than you can keep up and provides a gratifying read. But keep up I did and discovered that Eric Brown has yet again failed to disappoint me with another entertaining story that was a real pleasure. If my descriptions match what you enjoy then I suggest that you'll be as tickled as me by this uncomplicated and engaging novel. Give it a try.
If I imagine a 2017 version of a sci-fi magazine in the vein of golden-era publications such as Amazing Stories or If, then it would contain stories something like this one. I've referred to this pulp-fiction feel before in reviews of Brown's work, and it's a style that I find myself liking a lot. This is because there's a big focus on the yarn for the sake of entertainment without too many words spent on character depth or excessive world-building. Much of Brown's other work shows his prowess in those areas, but this one is about straight entertainment, pure and simple. It's almost like Brown pours himself a stiff measure of his favorite liquor then sits down to write stories in his casual style that are meant to be fun, writing for his own entertainment as much as ours. This is a key reason why he's one of my favorite authors and his books usually keep me firmly hooked because they're so enjoyable. It's an excellent reminder of why we read this sort of science fiction: it’s fun!
Somewhat confusingly, the first half of this book was released late last year simply titled Binary and now here is the complete novel which includes both that first half as well as a continuation from where it left off. The story follows Delia, a scientist from an ill-fated starship voyage who becomes marooned on an unknown planet in a binary star system over ten thousand light years from Earth. Her consequent adventures begin shortly after making planet-fall. The planet has a harsh and extreme protracted climate cycle and the alien inhabitants are in a continual state of inter-species conflict. She quickly becomes caught up in this conflict and forges friendships which introduce us to some likeable alien characters. These guys are interesting yet simplistic in their nature but this is certainly okay for the type of story which is probably more driven by events than characterization. None of the characters dominate or become a distraction to the overall plot which, again, lends itself nicely to the easy-reading style. The story concludes pleasantly yet leaves space for continuation which is a welcome thought.
The world building is likewise enjoyable, with excellent descriptions of things like alien cities and wondrous creatures featuring at various points in the story. This aspect is, in my view, this novel's best feature and an aspect that makes this a fantastic escapist's book. It's what I think of as a great chill-out read that doesn't tax your mind so much, yet keeps you involved with that sense of wonder that we all love in our science fiction stories, a facet that Eric Brown customarily does very well.
To be honest, the writing style seemed to me as if it was written with mostly a young adult audience in mind and, had it not been for the liberal use of lesser-known words (I consulted the dictionary multiple times) I would say that it would be most suitable for teenage readers. My nine-year old could probably read and enjoy this aside from the big words, but I suppose that's a bit rich coming from me given that I needed the dictionary so often...
Overall the book works because of the effective use of some tried-and-true genre tropes blending together into a cohesive whole that makes a delightful read. It is equal parts adventure, drama and wonder, a combination that pulls the story along almost faster than you can keep up and provides a gratifying read. But keep up I did and discovered that Eric Brown has yet again failed to disappoint me with another entertaining story that was a real pleasure. If my descriptions match what you enjoy then I suggest that you'll be as tickled as me by this uncomplicated and engaging novel. Give it a try.
August 7, 2017
I like Eric Brown's books and this was no exception. This has it all. A explosion causing a trip 10,000 light years away, natives to the planet, aliens other than humans who are no good and a interesting plot line. The characters are great. The non-humans come in several types that add to the flavor of the book. The backstory is worked into the plot and the world building is excellent. A fun read that is not over long. I found it just right for a rainy Sunday afternoon.
I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
August 7, 2017
Kind of a retro throwback to John Carter-era Edgar Rice Burroughs, so if that's your bag you should like this. Otherwise, not so much...
August 6, 2017
Binary System by Eric Brown
Solaris: 8/8/17
eBook review copy; 400 pages
ISBN-13: 9781781085516
Binary System by Eric Brown is a recommended science fiction novel with a YA vibe.
Delia Kemp manages to survive the explosion of the starship she was on by getting into an escape pod on the advice from her Imp, a computer implant in her brain. With only her Imp for advice and company she makes her way to the world of Valinda where the winters are nine years long following one year of a scorching hot summer. Fortunately for her, it is nearing the end of winter and soon the year of summer will begin. She finds herself crash landing when her pod is hit by some laser or weapon. She is stranded on the ice-world and taken hostage by the Skelt, a cruel race of giant mantis/insect beings who move at incredible fast speeds. After her Imp deciphers the language of the Skelt, she discovers that they are relative newcomers to the planet too. Their race arrived thousands of years ago and they have enslaved and dominated the other two sentient races on the planet while the Skelt have digressed into a more primitive society.
The blue chimpanzee-like aliens are the Fahrans. Their people are captured and made to work for the Skelt. The giant crab/spider-like aliens are called the Vo. The Skelt use them as beasts of burden and often sacrifice them. Delia makes an ally of a Fahran, Mahn, who helps her escape from the Skelt. They later save and befriend a Vo. The three travel together trying to avoid the Skelt, heading for what looks like another downed escape pod that will hopefully contain other survivors from her starship.
This is mainly a story of Delia's extraordinary escapes and recaptures, as aided by her Imp, which has some neato, quite coincidental features tailor made for her to communicate with, survive and outwit an alien race while befriending other races and trying to make her way to the valley of Mahkanda.
Now, I'm recommending Binary System because there are plenty of readers who will enjoy the escapism and won't care one iota about any of the things that annoyed me. The ending makes up for much of the slow start and a reader can chose to ignore many of my gripes. The writing is technically excellent, descriptive and fluid. The characters jump from one adventure/escape to another while encountering all sorts of new, interesting settings and creatures. There are battles and celebrations. The good guys are all good and the Skelt are all bad. It is like a classic sci-fi/western plot.
However, there were many cons for me, including the plot, simplistic world building, aliens, characters, and the Imp. I almost stopped reading after several escapes, etc. when the alien Vo was giving Delia and Mahn a ride, and said in reply to her questioning their weight that they were as light as a fly on its back. Hello... this is an alien race and world and there are no flies here. Why on earth would an alien say that? Well, actually the aliens, other than descriptions, aren't all that alien-sounding. I'm betting the Imp humanized them for us and gave them personalities we could relate to.
The Imp is the real hero here. The Imp is the one thing that keeps Delia alive. Delia is supposed to be a doctor, but in reality, mentally, she is just in the Imps way. I'm sure if the Imp could experience human emotions, it would be just as annoyed as I was over her swooning over Tim in the beginning. It must be hard to be an Imp in an adult who acts like a teen. Perhaps the whole character of Delia could have been destroyed with the starship but the imp survives. It could set a new directive, finding a way to be mobile, making its way to a planet, communicating with the inhabitants, and escaping the bad guys.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Solaris.
Solaris: 8/8/17
eBook review copy; 400 pages
ISBN-13: 9781781085516
Binary System by Eric Brown is a recommended science fiction novel with a YA vibe.
Delia Kemp manages to survive the explosion of the starship she was on by getting into an escape pod on the advice from her Imp, a computer implant in her brain. With only her Imp for advice and company she makes her way to the world of Valinda where the winters are nine years long following one year of a scorching hot summer. Fortunately for her, it is nearing the end of winter and soon the year of summer will begin. She finds herself crash landing when her pod is hit by some laser or weapon. She is stranded on the ice-world and taken hostage by the Skelt, a cruel race of giant mantis/insect beings who move at incredible fast speeds. After her Imp deciphers the language of the Skelt, she discovers that they are relative newcomers to the planet too. Their race arrived thousands of years ago and they have enslaved and dominated the other two sentient races on the planet while the Skelt have digressed into a more primitive society.
The blue chimpanzee-like aliens are the Fahrans. Their people are captured and made to work for the Skelt. The giant crab/spider-like aliens are called the Vo. The Skelt use them as beasts of burden and often sacrifice them. Delia makes an ally of a Fahran, Mahn, who helps her escape from the Skelt. They later save and befriend a Vo. The three travel together trying to avoid the Skelt, heading for what looks like another downed escape pod that will hopefully contain other survivors from her starship.
This is mainly a story of Delia's extraordinary escapes and recaptures, as aided by her Imp, which has some neato, quite coincidental features tailor made for her to communicate with, survive and outwit an alien race while befriending other races and trying to make her way to the valley of Mahkanda.
Now, I'm recommending Binary System because there are plenty of readers who will enjoy the escapism and won't care one iota about any of the things that annoyed me. The ending makes up for much of the slow start and a reader can chose to ignore many of my gripes. The writing is technically excellent, descriptive and fluid. The characters jump from one adventure/escape to another while encountering all sorts of new, interesting settings and creatures. There are battles and celebrations. The good guys are all good and the Skelt are all bad. It is like a classic sci-fi/western plot.
However, there were many cons for me, including the plot, simplistic world building, aliens, characters, and the Imp. I almost stopped reading after several escapes, etc. when the alien Vo was giving Delia and Mahn a ride, and said in reply to her questioning their weight that they were as light as a fly on its back. Hello... this is an alien race and world and there are no flies here. Why on earth would an alien say that? Well, actually the aliens, other than descriptions, aren't all that alien-sounding. I'm betting the Imp humanized them for us and gave them personalities we could relate to.
The Imp is the real hero here. The Imp is the one thing that keeps Delia alive. Delia is supposed to be a doctor, but in reality, mentally, she is just in the Imps way. I'm sure if the Imp could experience human emotions, it would be just as annoyed as I was over her swooning over Tim in the beginning. It must be hard to be an Imp in an adult who acts like a teen. Perhaps the whole character of Delia could have been destroyed with the starship but the imp survives. It could set a new directive, finding a way to be mobile, making its way to a planet, communicating with the inhabitants, and escaping the bad guys.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Solaris.
October 8, 2017
After the Pride of Amsterdam explodes on entering the Lunar quantum lattice wormhole Cordelia Kemp finds herself shunted ten thousand light years from Earth, with only an escape pod and her implant technology (Imp) for company. Much against the odds there is a solar system nearby with a planet capable of supporting life. While descending its atmosphere the pod is shot down and Delia is soon confronted by intelligent life-forms. The locust-like Skelt turn out to be inimical, having invaded from space centuries before and conquered most of the lands of the indigenous intelligent species on what Delia learns is named Lavinda, a planet with an elongated orbit now arcing into its short summer near one of the binary system’s stars. The Vo appear like giant spider crabs and are used as beasts of burden and mounts, while the Fahran are blue-furred simian analogues allotted menial tasks. The Skelt, though lightning fast in movement, have degenerated since their conquest and no longer have space-faring capability, being now armed with only swords and crossbows. They are however in quest of technology to restore them to their former glories. Delia’s Imp is able to analyse and decipher the alien languages and so provide translation services.
With the help of Mahn, a Fahran slave, Delia escapes the Skelt and learns a little about the Fahran religion. Unusually in a Brown story this has not originated in deep time but is a recent development. Their God, Chalto, is due to rise again at the height of summer. They set out for the site of the ceremony. Along the way they travel in a gallia pod through the hundreds of kilometre long digestive system of a summer worm, and on emergence save, from a carnivorous creature known as a ghorn, a Vo called Var and are joined by it in their trek, are borne aloft by Yarm, a kind of airborne jellyfish attracted by music, and encounter Skelt patrols, while a con-trail in the sky suggests another escape craft avoided the destruction of The Pride of Amsterdam, necessitating a detour to that craft’s landing site.
Plenty of plot and incident to be going on with then, with Brown’s inventiveness and descriptive powers well to the fore alongside his facility for delving into human nature.
The unrolling of all this, the foreshadowing of the nature of the Fahran God, the suspicion that Delia’s arrival on Lavinda was not entirely coincidental are prompts to keep reading on. Brown knows how to tell a story. If I have quibbles about Binary System they encompass the rather retro feel of the ending and that the action sequences, the conflict with the Skelt, are somewhat at odds with other aspects of the narrative. But that last is the nature of the space adventure game.
With the help of Mahn, a Fahran slave, Delia escapes the Skelt and learns a little about the Fahran religion. Unusually in a Brown story this has not originated in deep time but is a recent development. Their God, Chalto, is due to rise again at the height of summer. They set out for the site of the ceremony. Along the way they travel in a gallia pod through the hundreds of kilometre long digestive system of a summer worm, and on emergence save, from a carnivorous creature known as a ghorn, a Vo called Var and are joined by it in their trek, are borne aloft by Yarm, a kind of airborne jellyfish attracted by music, and encounter Skelt patrols, while a con-trail in the sky suggests another escape craft avoided the destruction of The Pride of Amsterdam, necessitating a detour to that craft’s landing site.
Plenty of plot and incident to be going on with then, with Brown’s inventiveness and descriptive powers well to the fore alongside his facility for delving into human nature.
The unrolling of all this, the foreshadowing of the nature of the Fahran God, the suspicion that Delia’s arrival on Lavinda was not entirely coincidental are prompts to keep reading on. Brown knows how to tell a story. If I have quibbles about Binary System they encompass the rather retro feel of the ending and that the action sequences, the conflict with the Skelt, are somewhat at odds with other aspects of the narrative. But that last is the nature of the space adventure game.
August 21, 2017
This is an enjoyable sci-fi adventure. A good tale, but unlikely to convert those not already committed to SF.
Cordelia ‘Delia’ Kemp is a survivor a catastrophic starship explosion which results in her being thrown further from the Earth than anyone has ever been before.
Delia’s only companion is ‘Imp’, an AI implant that acts as counsel, computer and friend. It’s a great idea, I wished I had an ‘Imp’ to help me out too.
In the first of a series of ‘billions to one’ chances, Delia reaches an inhabited planet that is able to support human life. It struck me that it is difficult to explain a new idea or form without comparing it to something that already exists. The inhabitants of the planet are likened to monkeys, locusts and centipedes.
Eric Brown offers a number of expository ‘information dumps’ to quickly fill in the background and provide explanation for what is to come. Sci-fi readers will be used to this but it can appear quite mechanical and the writing is functional and straightforward. There are lots of recaps of where the action is and how we got there. Some of the dialogue is a little hackneyed, like it was written for a summer blockbuster action movie.
At one point, Delia has a discussion about emotions with Imp. One would suspect anyone fitted with AI would have had that exchange with the device a long time previously and it is obvious that the dialogue is for the benefit of the reader’s understanding.
This is a fun adventure/quest story with lots of good ideas if you can get past the outlandish probabilities without thinking too hard about it.
Post navigation
Cordelia ‘Delia’ Kemp is a survivor a catastrophic starship explosion which results in her being thrown further from the Earth than anyone has ever been before.
Delia’s only companion is ‘Imp’, an AI implant that acts as counsel, computer and friend. It’s a great idea, I wished I had an ‘Imp’ to help me out too.
In the first of a series of ‘billions to one’ chances, Delia reaches an inhabited planet that is able to support human life. It struck me that it is difficult to explain a new idea or form without comparing it to something that already exists. The inhabitants of the planet are likened to monkeys, locusts and centipedes.
Eric Brown offers a number of expository ‘information dumps’ to quickly fill in the background and provide explanation for what is to come. Sci-fi readers will be used to this but it can appear quite mechanical and the writing is functional and straightforward. There are lots of recaps of where the action is and how we got there. Some of the dialogue is a little hackneyed, like it was written for a summer blockbuster action movie.
At one point, Delia has a discussion about emotions with Imp. One would suspect anyone fitted with AI would have had that exchange with the device a long time previously and it is obvious that the dialogue is for the benefit of the reader’s understanding.
This is a fun adventure/quest story with lots of good ideas if you can get past the outlandish probabilities without thinking too hard about it.
Post navigation
July 13, 2017
Binary System by Eric Brown- After a catastrophic accident aboard a large space vessel trying to transition a light-year jump, one lone survivor is hurled many thousand light-years off into uncharted space. Delia manages to land on a world in a binary system with no hope of being rescued. This world rotates between two stars of different size every ten years going from very hot to very cold. Not expecting to find anything living on the surface, she is surprised when captured by a race of harsh insects, who want her only for what information they can glean from her about star flight. These military-like insects were once a star faring race but have lost their technical knowledge over time. Also they are not the original race of this world, but rather subjugate any and all the natives. Delia escapes with the help of a blue-haired chimp, and later is helped by a giant spider crab. She sets out on a quest to run from the insects, who are fiercely hunting her, and across this strange land to a place where another life raft from her ship might have come down.
Reading this I couldn't help but feel some of the awe and wonder that I experienced reading Andre Norton when I was young. It reminds me of a young adult adventure with a bit more sophistication. I don't know if the author intended that. His heroine is supposedly in her thirties, but the feeling and the almost constant action and shared danger between her and her new found friends gave me that vibe. I found it to be enjoyable in this vein, not too intense, but rewarding.
Reading this I couldn't help but feel some of the awe and wonder that I experienced reading Andre Norton when I was young. It reminds me of a young adult adventure with a bit more sophistication. I don't know if the author intended that. His heroine is supposedly in her thirties, but the feeling and the almost constant action and shared danger between her and her new found friends gave me that vibe. I found it to be enjoyable in this vein, not too intense, but rewarding.
February 27, 2022
A fairly uncomplicated hard sci-fi novel, classic in its development: an Earth ship disintegrates, a sole survivor ends up landing on an unknown planet and discovers that an alien race of galactic marauders is holding two indigenous sentient races in slavery. Obviously she decides to devote herself body and soul to their redemption, helped by the fact that the invaders, though fearsome as they are insectoids, and therefore numerous and endowed with what is called a hive mentality, have in the meantime devolved. Only she is not the only survivor and, many years earlier, another Earth spaceship landed on that planet and even managed to found a religion. There are a lot of clichés in the novel, compounded by the strangeness of a human race that has evolved to the point where it has become good, although relations between some of the Earthlings are a bit contentious at one point. Nevertheless, a decent read for a youngster who wants to approach technological science fiction for the first time.
April 8, 2019
Good space opera with alien aliens and a vividly imagined alien planet. The mysteries set up were intriguing (though the answers pretty easily guessable) and I loved the journey and growing friendship among three very different creatures.
My one main complaint was that Delia's "Imp" (the computer inside her head) was basically an ongoing easy button. I guess I would have preferred to see Delia being more clever about how to survive a hostile alien planet without an all-knowing computer to translate alien language for her, scan the whole planet so she knew exactly where she was and where she was going, tell her what's safe to eat and drink, project images to distract her enemies so she can get away, keep her in instant communication with other people even over long distances, etc. It was definitely useful, but it kind of drained most of the tension away.
My one main complaint was that Delia's "Imp" (the computer inside her head) was basically an ongoing easy button. I guess I would have preferred to see Delia being more clever about how to survive a hostile alien planet without an all-knowing computer to translate alien language for her, scan the whole planet so she knew exactly where she was and where she was going, tell her what's safe to eat and drink, project images to distract her enemies so she can get away, keep her in instant communication with other people even over long distances, etc. It was definitely useful, but it kind of drained most of the tension away.
August 8, 2018
What a brilliant story ! .... A masterpiece in pure escapism in a great tale well written. Eric Brown is a real master in his story writing i was lost in this story ,i was there with our little gang of heroes willing them on their journey and seeing what they were with the great descriptive style of Eric's !.Its definitely one of them books that you want to know what happens but you dont want to finish the story and leave your new friends behind !! ..... I do hope Eric Brown revisits these characters again and goes back and tell us how they defeat the evil Skellan ??
January 18, 2019
I first came across Eric Brown with The Serene Invasion. A book I thoroughly enjoyed, as I did this one. His style of writing is easy to enjoy and he doesn't bore you (not an opinion everyone will agree with) with too much hard sci-fi. The characters are sufficiently interesting to engage you. In short, I have become a fan. However, and it is a minor criticism, but the ending, (as in The Serene Invasion), feels a bit rushed. Don't let that put you off. Stephen Baxter is a fan of Eric Brown and if you like Stephen Baxter then you will enjoy this.
Ray Smillie
Ray Smillie
April 29, 2019
Lovely story with some unique characters. I truly enjoyed the world building and the "sciency" parts. I did find plot elements where it was glaringly obvious that something had to happen or the book simply would not work. Overall though, it was very clever.
At the beginning I was frustrated at how little the main character seemed to be able to do on her own. Literally every action and word was dictated by the "imp", but that stopped being the case as soon as she got her bearings.
At the beginning I was frustrated at how little the main character seemed to be able to do on her own. Literally every action and word was dictated by the "imp", but that stopped being the case as soon as she got her bearings.
August 3, 2018
Kept me intrigued enough to finish but Binary System is almost quaint sci-fi. With problems that you would think insurmountable being fixed or avoided conveniently while a simple adventure tale plots out. The mystery towards the end kept me going but wasn't very surprising and the reason it was a mystery so long felt forced. Not bad for campy sci-fi though!
August 23, 2019
Binary Syatem, by Eric Brown, is a rousing sci-fi novel that has kept me enthralled for over a week. I just finished it and can truthfully say that it has everything I look for in such a book - mystery, action, wonderful scenic des riptions of aliens and their planet and pathos.
I strongly recommend sci-fi fans to read it.
I strongly recommend sci-fi fans to read it.
January 16, 2020
A fun space opera. The aliens were great. The AIs were a bit too powerful, and there was absolutely no mistaking who were the Good Guys and who were the Bad Guys, and I guess I saw the big twist coming. Still, had fun all the way through the read.
August 9, 2017
This was a really fun book : ) hope there's more on the way..
October 12, 2017
This engaging science fiction adventure set on a distant planet populated by diverse species is told with compelling plot development and not a single extraneous passage.
September 14, 2018
👌
I really enjoyed this. I had hoped he would write a sequel to this. I will still look more stories from Eric Brown.
I really enjoyed this. I had hoped he would write a sequel to this. I will still look more stories from Eric Brown.
January 29, 2019
Crashing on an alien planet
Was not prepared to become so enraptured with this fabulous story. I want to visit this new world created with such vivid telling.
Was not prepared to become so enraptured with this fabulous story. I want to visit this new world created with such vivid telling.
July 12, 2019
Different
More unusual than the headspace novel. Unique characters and plot . Seems to bring characters to life and gives a good ending
More unusual than the headspace novel. Unique characters and plot . Seems to bring characters to life and gives a good ending
June 1, 2020
An interesting a friendly way description relationship with aliens
March 25, 2019
I was a bit wary about this book and it took me a while to get into it. Despite all the improbable plots lines and friendly aliens leading to another improbable rescue to home, now several weeks after finishing it, it’s stuck in my head and I keep returning to Valinda. I don’t know if this is a sign of good character development or what but I really liked the world view despite Delia’s constant insecurity and the miraculous ending. I’m not sure why I’m stuck in YA sci-fi but there is some good stuff if simplistic and predictable.
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