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The Pioneer

(The Pioneer #1)

Bridget Tyler (Goodreads Author)

3.68 · Rating details · 398 ratings · 101 reviews

When Jo steps onto Tau Ceti E, it should be the happiest moment of her life. After all, she’s been training for as long as she can remember to be a cadet pilot in the International Space Agency. She’s dreamed of the day she and her family would leave Earth forever and begin life as pioneers on a new planet.

But now she can’t stop thinking of everything that has gone wrong o ...more

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ebook, 384 pages

Published March 5th 2019 by HarperTeen

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· 398 ratings · 101 reviews

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Mar 01, 2019 h o l l i s rated it liked it

Shelves: crime-mystery, scifi, romance, ya, 2019-reads, ebook, grief-or-loss, arc, men-in-uniform, finished-in-march-2019

When you requested a book because you were sure it was a standalone but apparently it isn't : a story of me.

Most little kids drew their families standing in front of a house. I didn't. My family portraits featured five crayon stick figures labeled Mom, Dad, Beth, Teddy, and Joanna, holding hands in front of a wobbly spaceship on a different world.

Okay, that gripe aside, THE PIONEER was so much more than I remember the synopsis teasing me with. This is a big time space adventure with lots of spac ...more

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Jan 24, 2019 Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019, g-t-future, best-of-2019, fiction-young-adult, g-a-real-combat, g-a-strong-family, genre-sci-fi, imo-great-setup, imo-suspenseful, review-wrote-add-later

Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

When Jo steps onto Tau Ceti E with her family to live life as a pioneer, it should be the happiest moment of her life. But so much has gone wrong to get them here... and now they are short one person... her beloved brother. And to make it even harder she can't be the pilot she was meant to be. As she throws herself into helping her team establish their community she falls for this amazing new world. That is threatened by a secret that could des ...more

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Oct 07, 2018 Anatea Oroz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, young-adult, love-the-cover, aliens, sci-fi, space-opera

Space-Opera kind of books have always been my favorite, which unfortunately means that I have read so many of them that I often don't find them satisfying anymore. This was not the case with The Pioneer. I kept on turning the pages and wanting to know more about this curious new world of Tau Ceti e. The way Bridget describes it is so magical that you just can't help but just wanting to go there to experience all of the sensations that the new world is giving.

I also loved the fact how romance w ...more

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May 17, 2019 Justine rated it liked it

Shelves: 2019-read

3.5 stars

This is a quick and easy read, well paced if glossing over a few parts of the plot that probably deserved a bit more attention.

The writing and characterization was ok, if not impressive, although I felt some of the dialogue was a bit weak.

Bottom line with this one is that it is an unchallenging read that definitely shows it was intended for a YA/light SF audience.

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Aug 01, 2019 Kate Willis rated it liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, cover-love

*geeks*
*geeks again*
*geeks for another six years*

WORLDBUILDING like I’ve never experienced it before. I loved just about everything about it. The author did an amazing job rooting it in concepts that exist on our planet yet somehow making it entirely its own thing. Like, crystal mountains. Twin moons. Carnivorous trees. This is a major spoiler to the plotline, but (view spoiler) *geeks*
*geeks again*
*geeks for another six years*

WORLDBUILDING like I’ve never experienced it before. I loved just about everything about it. The author did an amazing job rooting it in concepts that exist on our planet yet somehow making it entirely its own thing. Like, crystal mountains. Twin moons. Carnivorous trees. This is a major spoiler to the plotline, but (view spoiler)

I was also geeking over the tech quite a lot. ;) The harnesses, the 3d printers, even that guilting Panda AI, were fantastic. And apparently, a lot of that stuff is up to date and pretty accurate, according to my space interested brother. :D So that’s even cooler. I like what they named their space ships and shuttles too.

The characters were interesting. Not the most well-developed I’ve read, but I liked the sibling dynamics and the themes of healing and forgiveness. Also, since there’s a sequel, I’d like to declare right now--I’m not ready to lose any more of them.

I did guess nearly every plot twist there was, though that may just be because I’ve read/watched a lot of sci-fi. It was still very satisfying to see it all unfold though.

Unfortunately, there was a lot of language throughout, including a couple blasphemies, the ‘d’ word, some very personal words, and some redactions. There were also some descriptions that were a bit too violent for my taste (view spoiler) :( Just a note, there were some evolutionary and environmentalist ideologies presented. There were also a couple lesbian side characters that had a brief cameo and some teenage romance including brief, descriptive kissing.

Best quote: Leela rolls her eyes. “It was a rhetorical question, Captain Obvious.” Miguel grins, “Doctor Obvious. Technically speaking.”

“This is the third time I’ve thought you were dead in the last week, Joanna,” she says. “Don’t do it again. Please. It’s very distracting.”

Altogether...worldbuilding. Do it this creatively and fantasticly, everyone. ...more

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Mar 06, 2019 Vicky Again added it

I’ve been excited about The Pioneer ever since my first #Novel19s chat last year, and it sounded amazing and right up my alley.

And it totally was the type of book I would (and did) enjoy reading.

If you, like me, love Olivia A. Cole’s A Conspiracy of Stars (one of my favorites and only YA book I’ve read focusing on interplanetary colonialism), you’ll definitely like The Pioneer if you’re looking for something similar.

I love sci-fi (it’s my favorite genre) and The Pioneer did not fail to remind ...more

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Mar 15, 2019 Shannon (It Starts At Midnight) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, read-for-review, march-2019

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

I love adventures in space! And I like new planets and such! Especially because this one kind of reminded me of... actually I won't say, for fear of spoiling stuff (for that, not this). But suffice it to say, good stuff! Anyway, some things were hit or miss, but overall I'd definitely say more hit!

The Things I Liked:

•New planet! I mean, I guess we ruined the old one, no surprise ...more

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Aug 04, 2019 -ˋˏc a i s e eˎˊ- rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, sci-fi, library-reads, 4-stars, violence, adventure, thrillers-and-suspense, ebook, love-the-cover-omg, space

I wasn't really expecting to like this as much as I did. It was a good start, but only got better towards the ending- cannot wait for the next book!! ...more

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Jan 22, 2019 Amber (The Book Bratz) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019-reads, physical-arc, reviewed, young-adult

The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

Thank you so much Bridget for sending me an ARC to review in exchange for an honest review!

I've been interested in The Pioneer since the moment I read the synopsis and saw the cover when HarperTeen had revealed their winter 2019 books. I'm a sucker for anything space exploration and having to do with aliens. The Pioneer was right up my alley. The Pioneer was brilliant and different, Tyler created a planet and alien species that came aliv The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

Thank you so much Bridget for sending me an ARC to review in exchange for an honest review!

I've been interested in The Pioneer since the moment I read the synopsis and saw the cover when HarperTeen had revealed their winter 2019 books. I'm a sucker for anything space exploration and having to do with aliens. The Pioneer was right up my alley. The Pioneer was brilliant and different, Tyler created a planet and alien species that came alive right in front of me.

Earth is dying and their only hope is a the planet Tau Ceti E that is light years away. The Watson family has sacrificed a lot in the journey to make this beautiful planet their new home. After a horrible accident that left Jo horribly injured, her brother Teddy dead and their ship nearly destroyed and the trip to Tau pushed off several more years. Jo can't help but think of everything that has gone wrong. But it's a dream come true when they finally touch down on Tau and begin building a new life for themselves along with the rest of the E&P team. But shortly after arriving Jo uncovers secrets that have been hidden by the ISA (International Space Agency) and her own mother, the commander of this mission. Full of adventure, a swoon worthy romance and nonstop action The Pioneer swept me off my feet from the very first page.

I really enjoyed Jo's character. In the prologue she is still a cadet and living her dream of being the pilot that would bring the ship down to Tau. But within those few pages we see that ripped away from her. After the accident that killed her brother, Jo suffered damage to her heart requiring the assistance of little nanites to keep her alive. Her dream of flying was gone, the change in altitudes would cause her to pass out. We see Jo go through the aftermath of that to finding ways to be helpful on the settlement since now she is just considered a civilian.

Tyler's world building was amazing. Tau Ceti E came a live right in front of my eyes. The vibrant vegetation, the overall development of the land and technology, I had a clear image of this planet and its wild life. I knew this book was going to include aliens, but imagine my surprise when there were two alien species living on Tau (well, they belong there. So, that would make humans the aliens.) Bringing the two alien species to life with their differences, their ways of communicating and appearances as well as both being intelligent species was amazing. In YA we often read books where aliens are invading earth, but this is a book with humans are invading another planet. It brought a lot of things into question for Jo and the rest of the gang.

I loved the romance aspect in this book. I am a sucker for swoon worthy boys with smooth lines and that is exactly what Tyler included in The Pioneer. I am really excited to see more of Jay in the next novel and where his and Jo's new relationship is going to go.

Overall I really loved The Pioneer and I can't wait to see what Tyler has in store for us all next. Also, this just may be me but I would love to see The Pioneer as a movie, I think it would be amazing! ...more

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Sep 27, 2019 Karen rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, ya, dystopia-utopia, science-fiction, adventure

That was SO GOOD.

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Feb 12, 2019 gelowmichael rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, sci-fi, young-adult, 2019-reads

It seems that I was so invested in this story because it looks promising and appealing. A 100 meets Alien: Covenant vibe. Who wouldn't want a science exploration to a new planet?

Honestly, that prologue was a total bomber because it hooked me from the start. It is like The Martian in the prologue and I told myself to invest in this story.

Jo with his parents and friends were the next in line to inhabit the new planet called Tau Ceti E. The crew boarded the ship called Pioneer and their job was to ...more

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Aug 01, 2018 Ashley rated it really liked it

Shelves: e-arc, arc

Quick read and awesome ending!

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Mar 04, 2019 USOM rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

(Disclaimer: I received this book from Edelweiss. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

The Pioneer starts off right in the middle of the action, firmly telling us readers that in space, the consequences are so much higher. Dealing with her grief, but also her change in status, everything has changed for Jo. But it doesn't matter now that they're on their new home, right? But soon Jo figures out that there are secrets being hidden from them, secrets that could destroy the ...more

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Mar 04, 2019 Marzie rated it really liked it

3.5 stars boosted because of the way cultural/species sensitivity issues handled

The Pioneer is a science fiction novel aimed at young adults/teens. It sort of loosely falls into the space opera genre owing to its taking place in another solar system, its spirit of adventure (pioneering!) and light melodrama aspects. It's not tech-heavy sci-fi. There's a bit of handwaving about the way travel from earth to Tau Ceti e is accomplished, and the young pilots charged with shuttling people and cargo ar ...more

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Mar 04, 2019 Kara rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019-releases

I loved this. That cliffhanger majorly sucked though. I used to get pissed about that, no I just roll my eyes. I am seriously side-eyeing this book.

That said, I loved the world-building to pieces, and I thought the pacing and storytelling were wonderful. The Pioneer definitely kept my attention what with the new planet, the apex, man-killing predators, the lies, the drama of new species coming in contact for the first time, etc.

I'd give it 5 stars because I really did love it but I can't help t ...more

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Mar 16, 2019 Kat rated it liked it · review of another edition

Well, this took a lot of turns. It's a solid 'earth is doomed and humans have to populate other planets' sci-fi story, with decent but not great world building. I didn't really love it because there is a lot of death, it kind of bummed me out. It does end on a cliff hanger so I would probably read a sequel just out of curiosity but not because I loved this book. ...more

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Jun 04, 2019 Enigma rated it liked it

Shelves: like-it, fantasy-sci-fi-favs, read-in-2019

3.5/5

To be honest, when I heard about this book, I had no idea what direction the book would go. But, I still decided to give it a try since I really enjoy sci-fi. Guess what, the book was amazing! This book is a fast-paced sci-fi book that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

The book starts right off with action. Jo meets an accident on a shuttle that causes her to lose her brother and leave her unable to fly. The book then continues with events taking place a few years later and Jo is j ...more

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May 07, 2019 Andria Potter rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

That ending though. Grrr. Need next book ASAP please.

The action, light romance, and humor throughout this book was wonderful. Book two is now on my anticipated reads list due to that very open ended ending.

Highly recommend for all SciFi fans!

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Nov 04, 2019 Sade rated it it was amazing

Talk about a page turner!!! There was never a dull moment in the book.

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Sep 01, 2018 Danielle Hammelef rated it it was amazing

I'll just start this review with the first word out of my mouth when I finished this book--"Wow!" Bridget Tyler has written one of my new favorites and most memorable books I've ever read. I honestly can't think of any cons to this book, with the exception that I need book 2 NOW, so you know I absolutely loved, loved my time inside these pages. Here are my favorites aspects of this novel:

1) The world-building: The fresh and 3D world of Tau Ceti e comes to life with flora and fauna and landscapes ...more

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Sep 24, 2019 Amanda added it

Shelves: all-ya

One part Star Trek
One part pre-Stormlight Archives Roshar history
A double portion of humans are evil, deceptive, and wantonly destructive beings
And a whole lot of death

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Mar 20, 2019 Rae rated it really liked it

ARC Provided via trade for a fair and honest review

You can find this review and others like it on the blog here:
http://vicariouslyvoraciously.com/rev...

Sometimes I get in a mood for a certain type of book, and at the moment when I read The Pioneer it was exactly what I was looking for. I had just finished reading Skyward by Brandon Sanderson and was blown away by how much I loved it and was in a space odyssey type of mood. So when I was given the opportunity to read The Pioneer I jumped all ov ARC Provided via trade for a fair and honest review

You can find this review and others like it on the blog here:
http://vicariouslyvoraciously.com/rev...

Sometimes I get in a mood for a certain type of book, and at the moment when I read The Pioneer it was exactly what I was looking for. I had just finished reading Skyward by Brandon Sanderson and was blown away by how much I loved it and was in a space odyssey type of mood. So when I was given the opportunity to read The Pioneer I jumped all over it. This book was so different from other scifi books that I've read recently. In most others, they follow the story line of life on some sort of giant space craft, or in a colony already built, but never have I read a book where you follow the story of humans as they actually find a planet that can sustain life and all the complications that come along with starting over on a new planet. And what happens if there is life already on that planet and us humans are the aliens? This was such a different take on the whole space genre than anything I've read before and because of that I thought it was great!

The Pioneer reads from the POV of Jo, a girl who has grown up on the spaceship called The Pioneer for most of her life. She has family on Earth but her parents run the program in search of a new planet that can sustain life since Earth has been corrupted beyond repair. When finally the planet Tau Ceti E is discovered, the mission to begin life elsewhere and continue the human species on a new planet takes priority and Jo finds that her life long dream to be the first humans on a new planet will soon be more than a dream. Even with everything that has happened to deter them from making it to Tau, she still hopes that things can right themselves with a bright future for humans to begin anew. As secrets reveal themselves, Jo starts to realize that things aren't as they seem, and her mother has been keeping things from her that could change everything they know about their new planet.

The setting to this book was actually really well done, I feel like most space odyssey books take place on one space ship and it starts to feel claustrophobic after a while. That's not at all the case here. Here we get to learn a whole new planet, Tau Ceti E. Where there are plants that eat meat, prism like mountain ranges, flowing rivers, and so much to learn and explore. The imagery of the sun setting and casting a rainbow of light like the northern lights was a big selling point for me. Count me in, I'd love to visit this beautiful sounding planet, and I'm usually against space travel myself! I loved the feeling of getting to experience a new planet along with the characters in the book. The mystery of newness everywhere and the opportunities to explore and discover something that has never been seen before. It was all so exciting to read about even if it was fiction, it still felt very realistic in a sense that maybe this is what finding another world would be like.

I found myself reading through this book pretty quickly wanting to know what secret would be uncovered next, or what would pop up at every turn. There was so much to find out that it was hard not to fall right into the plot and get swept away to another planet along with the crew of The Pioneer. I loved that they had the 3D printers to build pretty much everything that they would need on their new planet, down to every dish and wall and window. I can see that being the future of space adventure, less to have to transport with us if we ever did find a planet that could provide us with a new home to run to. Not only was the plan realistic, but the issues that pop up throughout the book seemed completely plausible. There are bound to be problems no matter how many minute details you try to work out ahead of time, things will inevitable change or something will happen that causes the plan to need a little rethinking.

While some of the characters unfortunately fell a little flat to me, the main character and her closer friends were easy to imagine and I felt a connection with their little crew. I wanted for things to work out for them and to find a way to live peacefully on this strange planet without losing any of the already limited amount of human life that they arrived with. Jo was especially interesting to see go through all the stages of grief and anger and then resolving into forgiveness and remorse as she worked through all of the unfortunate incidents that kept her from being able to fly, knowing that she only worked towards being a pilot her whole life you can imagine the disappointment in not being able to physically bring the first ship to land on their new planet because of something that is completely out of her control. I would have the same amount of resentment and jealousy that she experienced had I been in the same situation. I felt like Jo was an easy main character to relate to, given that I've never been in any of the same situations. Her character development is fun to follow as the story progresses, she becomes someone that you want to stand behind and root for.

I'm eager to find out what happens next after the ending pretty much blew my mind. I'll be waiting to read the next installment when it is published! This was a fun adventure and I highly recommend it to all of those who want something a little different in their Sci-fi adventure. This was unique and at the same time familiar. I think that this book might even be interesting for non sci-fi fans because it doesn't all take place in a space ship and so much happens once they venture out onto this new planet. You might be as pleasantly surprised as I was! ...more

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Mar 29, 2020 Shorouk Abd Elhamid rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook_read

I listened to a large portion of this on audio and it was so good. The narrator did a great job and added more to the story.

I really loved the prologue. I wish it continued like that (view spoiler). I loved the thriller-ish parts. I didn't except much cause I didn't read the whole synopsis as my normal but I totally liked that.

I liked the main character and the group. As the story progressed, I felt that I knew them more and more.My favourites are Tarn , Joanna and ...more

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Feb 29, 2020 Claude's Bookzone rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult-book, family, great-world-builing, friendships, engaging-storyline, survival, sci-fi-aliens, sci-fi-space-exploration, sci-fi-futuristic-world-tech

3.5 Stars

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Jul 28, 2018 Jennifer Guest rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dystopian-fantasy-and-sci-fi

The Pioneer is a Y.A. sci-fi book that totally nails the world building, has a complex main character with depth, throws some unexpected twists at you, features terrific pacing, and is a great read. The Pioneer grabbed my interest right from the beginning and kept it all the way to the end. I devoured it in one sitting. :-)

Joanna is a wonderful main character. The author is fantastic at conveying Joanna's feelings and any inner conflict she experiences along with some wonderfully written family The Pioneer is a Y.A. sci-fi book that totally nails the world building, has a complex main character with depth, throws some unexpected twists at you, features terrific pacing, and is a great read. The Pioneer grabbed my interest right from the beginning and kept it all the way to the end. I devoured it in one sitting. :-)

Joanna is a wonderful main character. The author is fantastic at conveying Joanna's feelings and any inner conflict she experiences along with some wonderfully written family and team dynamics. Joanna's been training for as long as she can remember and is a brilliant pilot. A moment that goes terribly wrong not only kills her brother but also destroys her ability to fly. It changes her role in the team who is settling on Tau Ceti E, a pristine and beautiful planet that is hiding some unexpected secrets. I want to be careful not to have any spoilers in my review, so I'm not going to focus on what happened...but suffice it to say that I'm usually really good at figuring out twists ahead of time. I didn't see some of these coming. At all. The story is a well-crafted puzzle that comes together with every piece falling into place and keeps you wanting to read more until the ending that leaves you with your mouth hanging open and needing the 2nd book NOW. I wish I could discuss more of the details of the plot, but it's better left for you to experience it yourself without being polluted by anything that could ruin the surprises. :-)

Joanna and her friends experience the gamut of emotions throughout the story: wonder, excitement, grief, fear, uncertainty, confusion...Tyler conveys every feeling with enough detail to make you care about the characters and adds depth to the story.

I totally fell in love with Tau Ceti E. The descriptions of the life forms on the planet were innovative and well-fleshed out as well as beautiful. Everything is realistically and imaginatively handled. It's just wonderful to read about because you can totally picture the world - I LOVE the glittering mountain range and what some creatures do with the light. Tyler spends time allowing you to see the planet through Joanna's eyes and doesn't skimp on details. At the same time, she manages to make everything believable and nothing feels contrived. She also deals with some ethical dilemmas concerning the planet where there are no pat and easy answers.

It's not often that I manage to find a Y.A. sci-fi type of book that is well-fleshed out and REALISTIC as well as character driven. The Pioneer has the right pacing, detail, emotion, and adventure as well as an ending and ethical dilemmas that will leave you really wanting to dive into the rest of the story (via the 2nd upcoming book).

Parent portion of my review: There is minor but infrequent cursing (including the F bomb that is cut off), a bit of romance (with a kiss but nothing more), gay characters who are mentioned but don't really play much of a part in the story (a boy has 2 moms), violence, and death.

...more

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May 20, 2019 Lauren AKA randomreader rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2-star-sadness, sci-fi-dystopian, series-i-won-t-finish, anticipated-books-of-2019

Ugh, my sci fi loving heart is heavy. I was really ready to go gaga over this book during the first chapter, but my admiration for the technology and space opera themes dwindled the more I read.
The action scenes were badass, I'll admit it. Those earned this book those 2 stars because they were gory, gross, and effectively gave some "risk" to the characters. A common mistake in YA is the authors seem to make it too easy for the characters to survive because they are just that strong, or that t Ugh, my sci fi loving heart is heavy. I was really ready to go gaga over this book during the first chapter, but my admiration for the technology and space opera themes dwindled the more I read.
The action scenes were badass, I'll admit it. Those earned this book those 2 stars because they were gory, gross, and effectively gave some "risk" to the characters. A common mistake in YA is the authors seem to make it too easy for the characters to survive because they are just that strong, or that talented, or that attractive. YA books just seem to make the chance of survival too great, and it's not that I want my favorite characters to die, but I do want there to be some sort of suspense. The Pioneer made me fear for the characters' lives, so on that regard, Tyler won.
The risk would have been better though if I actually cared for the characters. The main character was flat, and replicated every other YA heroine I've read about. I'm all for female empowerment. Strong female characters kicking butt is one of my favorite parts about being a YA reader, but this one didn't take it anywhere special. I don't even remember the main character's name because of how undistinguishable she was. The author seemed to rely too much on the worldbuilding to drive the plot, that the characters were underdeveloped and lacked true flavor. It could have been a forgiveable mistake if the story wasn't so focused on, "will these characters survive this new planet?"
I also found the dialogue to be very choppy, especially when it came to swearing, or the lack of it. I'm not saying that I want my books to be laced with swearing on every page, but if someone is on the brink of death and says, "crap", I don't find that to be very realistic. If the main character wasn't scared of fighting a killer alien species, I don't think she'd be terrified to say a couple swears in front of someone. Either go for the swear, or don't say words like, "crap" or ," darnit". Those insertions just made the writing seem very juvenile.
Overall though, the worldbuilding was flawless. The atmosphere was handsdown the best aspect of this book. I was fascinated by the new planet, and loved learning about the extraterrestrial life and dangers held within it. I was never confused when it came to the world, and that gives this series a lot of promise. Characters are difficult to master, but worldbuilding is even more difficult to write. It wasn't info dumpy, so yay Bridget.
I can't give this book a high rating because I didn't particularly enjoy it, but I can weigh the pros and cons and acknowledge that there were some places that The Pioneer really shined, but also a lot of places it didn't. I'd recommend this to readers who love space operas, but who aren't fans of character driven stories, because those are typically more my speed. ...more

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Feb 25, 2019 Rosaria Munda rated it it was amazing

I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy of Bridget Tyler's The Pioneer and it was a delight from start to finish.

There were a lot of reasons I loved this book. First of all, because it took me back. All the way back to when I wanted to be an astronaut and see the stars and walk on new worlds. Tyler captures that wonder and fills you up with it. It's too rare to experience a book that delights in sheer wonder, much less one that can pull it off without feeling sappy or indulgent. This book do I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy of Bridget Tyler's The Pioneer and it was a delight from start to finish.

There were a lot of reasons I loved this book. First of all, because it took me back. All the way back to when I wanted to be an astronaut and see the stars and walk on new worlds. Tyler captures that wonder and fills you up with it. It's too rare to experience a book that delights in sheer wonder, much less one that can pull it off without feeling sappy or indulgent. This book does. Joanna's love of flying, of being a pioneer, of exploring are infectious. But her no-nonsense approach everything life throws at her--and it throws a lot at her--keeps the book grounded.

Specifically, her new planet throws a lot at her. Of alien planets I've seen in fiction before, some are scary, some are otherworldly, some are beautiful, and some are tragic. Tau Ceti e is all of these. I fell completely in love with it. And I loved watching Joanna and her friends fall in love with it too, even as they experienced danger, loss, and grief at its hands. On Tau Ceti e they struggle to survive, they fall in love, they laugh, they mourn, they grow. There is just so much life in this book.

The pacing is like a well-oiled machine. You know that satisfying moment when the set up begins to pay off, and you're not just glued to your seat but appreciating how perfectly put together each piece of the puzzle has been to get you to this point? That's how I felt for the end of this book. Tyler knows how to set up a story, how to tell it, how to finish it. I was reaching for metaphorical popcorn for the entirety of the explosive finale.

And then there were just so many details that made The Pioneer feel fresh and smart. The use of technology is unnusually innovative, current, and prescient. The problems of colonialization, species preservation, and differences between authoritarian and liberal cultures are explored with nuance and compassion. It's the first book I think I've ever seen referencing not just gay parents but gay grandparents. There's an Asian male love interest. Even the gender roles are subtley reversed, with Joanna's strong, loving family, and the pioneer team they're a part of, helmed by her mother rather than her father. It is refreshing to watch someone question the morality of their parent as a leader--such a common theme in father-son stories--shifted to a mother-daughter relationship. It works well.

The Pioneer is a heartfelt, fast-paced, smart space romp, and it left me feeling good after reading it. I wish there were more books out there like this. Keep an eye out for it, folks. ...more

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Jan 30, 2019 Kathy Martin rated it it was amazing

This excellent space adventure introduces readers to Joanna Watson. Jo has been training to be a pioneer for all of her life. Her parents are involved in the program to resettle on a newly discovered planet as are her sister and brother. Jo is a cadet pilot when the story begins. Of course the story also begins with a near tragedy on their spaceship which results in the death of her brother Teddy and enough damage to Jo's heart and lungs that she can never be a pilot again.

Jo has to readjust he This excellent space adventure introduces readers to Joanna Watson. Jo has been training to be a pioneer for all of her life. Her parents are involved in the program to resettle on a newly discovered planet as are her sister and brother. Jo is a cadet pilot when the story begins. Of course the story also begins with a near tragedy on their spaceship which results in the death of her brother Teddy and enough damage to Jo's heart and lungs that she can never be a pilot again.

Jo has to readjust her plans when she can no longer do the job she has trained for. She is still excited about the beauty of their new home on Tau Ceti e. She's fascinated with the flora and fauna. But things are not as Jo believed them to be. According to their charter, they are not supposed to settle on a planet that already has sentient life.

When Jo goes off exploring with her sister Beth, young Marine Jay Lim, and Chris, she doesn't expect to find the remainders of the first group to explore the planet. She believed, and was told, that they were off exploring further after okaying the planet for settlement.

Finding a flex (wrist computer) left by the first explorers, Jo is determined to explore it to find out what happened to them. Following the clues lead to a clearing with three graves, leaving questions only about what happened to Dr. Lucille Brown. While at the gravesite, they are attacked by heavily camouflaged predators and rescued by another group of aliens.

Dr. Brown was also rescued by the same group and has sworn allegiance to the leader of these underground dwellers who use sound and echolocation to navigate their dark underground world. The leader Ord has a plan. Dr. Brown knows that Jo's sister Beth has developed a genetically tailored bacteria to make the planet more ready for earth-based plants. What none of the new arrivals knows is that the Stage Three bacteria will kill the phytoraptors who are the enemy of Ord and his people. Of course, then it will likely go on and kill the trees Ord's people depend on but Ord won't see that part.

Jo has to prevent the Stage Three bacteria from getting into Ord's hands, save the phytoraptors, and save her fellow pioneers. She doesn't know why her mother agreed to carry on with the settlement when she must have known about the intelligent life already on the planet. There's a reason that changes everything.

This was exciting and filled with action. It even has a little romance. It also has a lot of growing up for Jo and her friends. I enjoyed it very much. ...more

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Jun 15, 2019 Madeline (The Bookish Mutant) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-stars, science-fiction, jaw-dropper, cover-love, shook, big-feels, romance

Real rating: 4.75 stars

Let me start off this review by saying...

Can we please give a massive round of applause to Bridget Tyler for not making the aliens in this book look like humans with slightly different features? AT LAST! Creatively made, fascinating aliens in YA sci-fi! WOOHOO!!!

/Users/Madeline/Desktop/Miscellaneous/Gifs/kazoo kid.gif

I absolutely ADORED the design from the Sorrow. There was a clear, massive amount of thought put into them--everything from how they evolved, the hierarchy of Real rating: 4.75 stars

Let me start off this review by saying...

Can we please give a massive round of applause to Bridget Tyler for not making the aliens in this book look like humans with slightly different features? AT LAST! Creatively made, fascinating aliens in YA sci-fi! WOOHOO!!!

/Users/Madeline/Desktop/Miscellaneous/Gifs/kazoo kid.gif

I absolutely ADORED the design from the Sorrow. There was a clear, massive amount of thought put into them--everything from how they evolved, the hierarchy of their society, their physical characteristics, their rituals...everything was covered. Beyond that, the main Sorrow characters (mostly just Ord and Tarn) were both very likeable, but...okay, no spoilers, but for the former...erm...weeeeell, let’s just say that how you might think of him might just change drastically. I’ll leave it at that.
Beyond that, the flora and fauna of Tau Ceti E was absolutely STUNNING. There was so much attention to detail for every living thing on the planet, and I immensely enjoyed immersing myself into the rich, intricate world.
The writing was a marvelous combination of lavish prose and gripping, holding-onto-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense. Although I didn’t quite get attached to any of the characters (partially why “The Pioneer” didn’t *quite* garner a five-star rating from yours truly), the writing still managed to make me care for them, on some level. I...well, I sort of liked all of the characters. Most of the protagonists seemed to me to be a little like clones of one another, and the ones that weren’t/had some quirks of their own either a) got on my nerves or b) got killed off. A shame, really; however, that was the only real low point for me throughout this entire book.
Lastly (I’ll try to get my point across without spoiling anything, because for a book as incredible as this, I’d hate to ruin the surprise), THAT ENDING. I loved the deception that the resolution seemed to be nice and wrapped up, but all hopes of a peaceful, workable solution (for the humans) was quickly shattered with a few sentences, leaving us on an absolute WHOPPER of a cliffhanger.
WHOOOOOOWEE, THAT CLIFFHANGER...
And here I was thinking that this book was a STANDALONE...noooope, not gonna happen with an ending like THAT...
And honestly, I’m happy for it. We could all use a little more of Tyler’s unique, creative brand of sci-fi. All in all, a nearly flawless book that I enjoyed tremendously. :) ...more

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Sep 10, 2018 Jennybeast rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, scifan, survival, science-fiction

Excellent YA sci-fi, about a family who's been training to run an exploratory vessel to pioneer a settlement on Tau Ceti. Really cool thought experiments about what near-future space colonization might look like, with a sophisticated political situation and a thoughtful consideration about first contact with intelligent alien species. Be warned, Bridget Tyler is not messing about when she wants it to be realistic -- characters die. There's an awful lot of 3D printing as a mechanism for building, ...more

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About Bridget Tyler

Bridget Tyler

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I grew up in Berkeley, California in a house filled with books. I started telling stories before I could read, so my mother took dictation until I learned how to turn the words in my head into words on a page. She knew I was going to be a writer when I grew up, but it took me a while to catch up.

THE PIONEER is about a young woman struggling to deal with the loss of her beloved big brother while h ...more