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The Shoreless Sea

(Liminal Sky: The Ariadne Cycle #3)

J. Scott Coatsworth (Goodreads Author)

4.43 · Rating details · 23 ratings · 14 reviews

As the epic trilogy hurtles toward its conclusion, the fight for the future isn’t over yet. It could lead to a new beginning, or it might spell the end for the last vestiges of humankind. The generation ship Forever has left earth behind, but a piece of the old civilization lives on in the Inthworld—a virtual realm that retains memories of earth's technological wonders and ...more

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Paperback, 400 pages

Published October 15th 2019 by DSP Publications

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Oct 17, 2019 Joyfully Jay rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: veronica

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.5 stars

The books are all well-written and the pace is brisk as we jump from mind to mind in this menagerie of POV story. It’s a masterful job to keep all the storylines working together and building upon one another. Like The Rising Tide, The Shoreless Sea has three parts that span three timeframes and three existential threats to the humans and virtual entities aboard Forever. It’s an epic story with a firm foot in the sci-fi genre. I really enjoyed the ethical and mora ...more

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Nov 09, 2019 Kristin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Rounded up to 4.5 stars.

This is not a romance book or series. There are GLBTQ romantic elements, but this is predominantly science fiction.

As with the other two books, this is divided into three parts. Part One is established the characters and plot. Part Two moves the threat forward in time. Part Three is end/beginning of a new era. Each part advances the time line by a decade. Reading the first two books would be integral in establishing why everyone is on this ship and the impetus behind th ...more

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Oct 19, 2019 A.M. Leibowitz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-star, bi-book-recs, favorite-authors, series, blog-review, family, fiction, friendship, lgbt, science-fiction

This entire trilogy has been a wild ride. It’s science fiction, yes, but there’s an element of magic in it too. The technology in this future world is living and breathing, and many of the inhabitants have developed gifts. The world building is wonderful and detailed. It really does help to have read previous installments to have a better grasp on it, though I would also recommend starting from the beginning for the sheer fascination of watching it all unfold.

One of my favorite types of story is This entire trilogy has been a wild ride. It’s science fiction, yes, but there’s an element of magic in it too. The technology in this future world is living and breathing, and many of the inhabitants have developed gifts. The world building is wonderful and detailed. It really does help to have read previous installments to have a better grasp on it, though I would also recommend starting from the beginning for the sheer fascination of watching it all unfold.

One of my favorite types of story is multi-arc ensemble cast, and this delivers in every way. The series spans several generations, and each book’s story follows a lengthy period in successive generations’ lifetimes. We see the characters grow and develop over the course of their narratives. I felt that this kept the plot going, but I sometimes also felt as though I was playing catch-up and missed whatever was unspoken in the gaps. It does require some concentration to follow it. Skipping segments where little is happening helps keep the plot flowing, but it also can feel frustrating when there are gaps.

There’s a lot of diversity packed in here. In any other story, that might feel a bit like pick-a-mix or like an attempt to sound more inclusive than the story actually is. But in this case, I think we would expect the future to have a more diverse population, especially when the idea is rebuilding from scratch. So instead of feeling like a bit much, it comes across more as idealism than as diversity-stuffing.

I’m honestly not sure how well I can speak to the individual representation. First of all, I only know what’s similar to my own experiences. Second, even those are highly personal. And third, this all takes place in a fictional, futuristic world where people’s self-identification and expression differ from 21st century Earth. On the whole, the characters lean toward being people first, rather than cardboard cut-out stand-ins.

Which brings me to another aspect of the people. While this does have an overarching plot and plenty of action, especially toward the end, it’s actually heavily character-driven. The ups and downs of their relationships with each other are the most significant part of the story, and that all comes into play as they hurtle toward facing the Big Evil that threatens their world’s security.

I thought the final battle, if that’s even the right word, was well done. That was the point at which I became completely absorbed in the narrative. The carefully developed world-building all leads to this point, and it’s vital to have a full understanding of it or readers risk confusion. It’s hard to say more without giving spoilers.

Overall, this book is an excellent conclusion to the series. I’m giving it 4.5 stars, rounded up, only taking off a little for the places where it felt like lost time in between major events and for my lack of knowledge regarding how some characters are represented. ...more

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Sep 02, 2020 Heena Rathore P. rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-requests, sci-fi-fantasy, science-fiction, science-fantasy

4.5/5

The Shoreless Sea by J. Scott Coatsworth is the 3rd book in the series Liminal Sky and my third book by author J. Scott Coatsworth.

Wow! What a smashing ending to a brilliant series! If I have to sum up this series in a single sentence, I would say that all the time I put into reading this series was well worth it and I am really happy that I read it. For some reason (and a valid one too) I am a little sceptical when I am offered a series to review because more often than not, authors tend t 4.5/5

The Shoreless Sea by J. Scott Coatsworth is the 3rd book in the series Liminal Sky and my third book by author J. Scott Coatsworth.

Wow! What a smashing ending to a brilliant series! If I have to sum up this series in a single sentence, I would say that all the time I put into reading this series was well worth it and I am really happy that I read it. For some reason (and a valid one too) I am a little sceptical when I am offered a series to review because more often than not, authors tend to either completely blow it, or fail to keep up with the one best book in the series. Both of which are pretty irritating and sad, to be honest. But I am so, so happy that this series did not turn out to be one of those: the story grew steadily, and the characterisation along with it, as the series progressed further with each book ending in a way that made perfect sense.

I loved this book because it answered all the questions and tied pretty much all loose ends making it a perfect end to such an epic journey. And thankfully, it lived up to my expectations from it based on its prequels as a reader, so I was left very satisfied. The most amazing part is, I could see the improvement and growth, which is only natural, in the entire series, and this book turned out to be the best one. I loved the plot, the action and the politics involved were well structured and executed.

I loved how the author made use of subtle and well-placed indirect metaphors and juxtaposition to get the bigger point across; we, humans, are indeed scared of things and concepts we do not understand or fail to understand for some reason and therefore are very quick to form an opinion against that concept or thing forgetting, very conveniently, that we are, in the end, beings of evolution and thus will have to accept the changes that we as a species and the overall nature has to undergo or experience.

I'd definitely recommend not only this book but the entire series to all sci-fi and fantasy lovers. And if you're looking for a new series to explore, I highly recommend Liminal Sky series as this series begins on a great note and ends at an even better note. Go for it, it is well worth the time and money!

You can also read this review on thereadingbud.com ...more

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Mar 25, 2020 Keith Lane rated it it was amazing

I admit I had not heard of J. Scott Coatsworth before I discovered Queer Sci Fi through a Facebook post from someone else. I checked out the website and signed up for the newsletter and in so doing received three books from authors being featured that month.

Of course, being the inquisitive person I am and always looking for potential guests for our podcast, I wrote to Scott and asked a number of questions. We went back and forth (I am sure he thought I was crazy at first, maybe still does) and f ...more

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Nov 10, 2019 Xanthe rated it it was amazing

We come to the final book in this amazing trilogy! Twelve different time periods, so many characters, relationships and plots that bring together the overall story arc of Liminal Sky and the journey through space of Forever, humanity’s chance at survival. Again the book is split into three parts, focusing on separate events that have a huge impact on the population of Forever and their possible future.

In part one, 2207AD, Forever has expanded after attaching itself to another asteroid. There is We come to the final book in this amazing trilogy! Twelve different time periods, so many characters, relationships and plots that bring together the overall story arc of Liminal Sky and the journey through space of Forever, humanity’s chance at survival. Again the book is split into three parts, focusing on separate events that have a huge impact on the population of Forever and their possible future.

In part one, 2207AD, Forever has expanded after attaching itself to another asteroid. There is now more land, bigger towns and a growing sea. The population has developed but with some forgetting or being told that Old Earth did not exist. We dive straight into the action with a new generation of main characters though we do still interact with Andy and Shandra. There are new liminals, characters who can interact with the world and world mind, and a lot going on for them all. A surprising new foe comes to light and it’s a really interestingly thought out plot, from somewhere I was not expecting! I love how the author writes teamwork and allows characters to grow in strength and build relationships whilst also carrying on with the action and a well thought out story line. There are some scary moments for several people and I felt right there with them as they were going through everything but it’s also balanced out with some lighter moments including the chance of new friendships and romance. The end of part one leaves you wondering how the MC’s will recover and move forward but also what could possibly be next for Forever.

In part two, 2212AD, we are with a lot of the MC’s from part one with a couple of new young people. This time, the characters have to travel towards the trouble site in the hopes of saving the people of Forever from a once defeated enemy. There are arguments for and against what they are trying to do and it’s interesting reading why they are doing this. One character from part one has really struggled since and is using this crusade to give herself a fighting chance, especially with going up against the enemy that they have put down once before. This is such an interesting concept as the liminals have to travel into a biomind, basically going to a world within the world that they currently exist on, to try and repair it before the enemy has a chance to escape and take physical form on Forever. It’s like one big adventure as everyone has their own role, bringing their own history and talents into play as they fight in different areas to find one person and bring them back. Whilst it sounds quite complicated and busy, it’s really easy to follow and there is a lot going on to hold your attention as anticipation builds to a climatic end for all of the characters involved.

And so we come to the final part of the trilogy, 2229. Forever and it’s inhabitants have been on a great journey and it’s not quite over as one more person sees fit that they know better than everyone else and attempts to show that might is right. They never really counted on the reaction of Andy, the world mind and the community of liminals that have been born over the years. There are less MC’s that we focus on in this part but we still interact with a vast number of people, most that we know and a couple of new, including a young boy with a never before seen gift which makes him of special interest to those in charge. Of course, Andy’s caring nature draws him into the folds of her family. Whilst this is light on the action, there is definitely a heavier message in what people have forgotten about Old Earth and the lessons that can be learned from the mistakes that humanity made once before.
There may have been a tear or two as we come to the end of such an astounding journey with this world and community that has been built within it. Characters have come and gone with life and death, love and friendship alongside fear and hate. There has been drama, action, tensions and peace. So much unfolds across three books which are then split into three parts and the structure works so well, allowing the story to flow through the characters with different plots per part but with an overall story arc that carries us through the series. Though this is a work of science fiction, I can also see parallels to the real world and a future that could very well be possible for earth, what with wars, climate change, pollution, disease etc affecting everyone world over. J. Scott Coatsworth is a new to me author and this is a series I never would have thought of picking up to read but I’m thankful that I have and I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. This book is inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ community and I love how it becomes the norm rather than something surprising or different. It’s not something pushed on you, it’s just something that is. For fans of Science Fiction and/or Fantasy, this is a must read book and for those that are indifferent, give it a go. I was hesitant and the series is one of my favourite reads this year. ...more

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Oct 29, 2019 Anne Barwell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ebook, lgbtq

As with all the books I’ve read by this author, the world building is fabulous, and well thought out. One of the reasons I’ve enjoyed this series so much is the glimpses of a world over several generations as it’s grown from its beginning as a seed to a rich society and world. I love the idea of a fully realised world on a generation ship powered by a world mind. I also thought the idea of the Inthworld was very clever, especially with its exploration of the definition of reality not just in reg As with all the books I’ve read by this author, the world building is fabulous, and well thought out. One of the reasons I’ve enjoyed this series so much is the glimpses of a world over several generations as it’s grown from its beginning as a seed to a rich society and world. I love the idea of a fully realised world on a generation ship powered by a world mind. I also thought the idea of the Inthworld was very clever, especially with its exploration of the definition of reality not just in regard to that world but the people who inhabit it. The infrastructure of Forever is very well thought out, and I love the idea of using a balloon to deliver mail etc.

As an aside, I love the maps.

The other reason is seeing the characters grow, and following their lives from childhood into old age. I would recommend reading this series in order to fully appreciate the character arcs and growth. I enjoyed the references to characters in previous books who have since passed on, and meeting the latest generation in this story. I liked the different perspectives and thought that added to the story. I enjoy seeing characters through others’ eyes as well as their own.

I liked that the author tackled the idea that psychic powers can come with a very undesirable down side, and how he also used one character’s attempt to block her powers as a positive part of the plot in another context. I thought Destiny’s power was a very cool idea, and liked that the author didn’t shy away from the downside of ser ability. Thierry’s power stood out as very different too, especially with how dangerous he could be if influenced by the wrong people.

The plot kept me turning pages, and I particularly liked the strong connection to the history of Forever, and the link back to Jackson Hammond, and not just through his descendants. Lilith comes across as a very real threat, as is the political adversary in the latter part of the story, which has scary echoes of present day. Good SF has always used the setting of different worlds as commentary on current society and extrapolated where it might lead us, and The Shoreless Sea follows that trend in a very powerful way.

I also liked the subtle references/easter eggs to the author’s other series. I’m glad he’s writing more in this universe. I thought the hint of that at the ending of this story was very clever. I did have a chuckle over the name of the moon base as it brought back memories of Space 1999. Not sure whether that was intentional on the part of the author or not.

This story reminds me of why I enjoy science fiction, and I found it a very satisfying ending to a great series. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy detailed world building, and fabulous layered characters.
...more

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Oct 25, 2019 Pixie Mmgoodbookreviews rated it it was amazing

Reviewed by Pixie for MM Good Book Reviews Follow the link for J. Scott Coatsworth blog tour giveaway! (ends 29th October 2019)

The Shoreless Sea starts in 2207AD 19yrs after the end of The Rising Tide. The Shoreless Sea is spilt in three parts with the last part set in the year 2229AD. The first two parts are concentrated on the threat from the Inthworld while the third part is centered on the threat from the Government.

The Shoreless Sea is not a book that can be read as a standalone it must be Reviewed by Pixie for MM Good Book Reviews Follow the link for J. Scott Coatsworth blog tour giveaway! (ends 29th October 2019)

The Shoreless Sea starts in 2207AD 19yrs after the end of The Rising Tide. The Shoreless Sea is spilt in three parts with the last part set in the year 2229AD. The first two parts are concentrated on the threat from the Inthworld while the third part is centered on the threat from the Government.

The Shoreless Sea is not a book that can be read as a standalone it must be read in order, the previous two books, The Stark Divide and The Rising Tide has the world building and some events that lead to this book, it will also help to understand the circumstances of characters when they later appear in the book.

Andy is again a central figure throughout the book, with her children Kiyrn & Belynn leading the charge in both part 1 & 2. There are an assortment of characters that we are introduced to throughout the story who add their own unique experiences to the storyline.

I’d love to go into great detail about this wonderful story but I think my head would explode so I’ll give you the basics, the Inthworld is dying and Lilith is determined to survive, she leads an uprising and it’s up to the Liminals to stop her (it is so much more intricate than that but like I said head explodes). Then there’s Government trouble where a bitter person decides that the Liminals are the reason for all their woes.

The story is wonderfully written dragging you into a situation far in the future, filled with characters who are diverse and unique. The world building is yet again exceptional; descriptions are written in such a way that you can imagine being there experiencing events along with the characters.

The one thing that stuck in my mind more than everything else is humanity just can’t seem to break its cycle. I mean here’s what is left of humanity in an ever growing world with a complete fresh start and in less than a hundred years there’s orphan kids living on the streets, drunks passing out in front of pubs and politicians trying to crush those that they hate. I would hope that humanity would learn its lesson but I have a fear that J. Scott Coatsworth is just a bit prophetical.

I’d recommend this to those who adore science fiction, love epic storylines, amazing characters, intricate plots and brilliant endings. ...more

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Oct 18, 2020 MariF rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A great conclusion to the series. I've got confused a few times with all the intricate inthworlds created by Jackson and how they have overlapped each other and were spilling into the worldmind of the current new world.
It was a wonderful adventure and I'm sad it's over though I'm very happy with the conclusion.
I loved these series and can see now how they somewhat connected to Oberon's Cycle series I've read before starting this trilogy.
I love SciFi and I'm a fan of Scott's writing, so I've enjo ...more

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Oct 14, 2019 Joscelyn Smith rated it it was amazing

The author caught my attention with book one, The Stark Divide, then doubled down and totally hooked me with book two, The Rising Tide, and now book three, The Shoreless Sea has provided me with an amazing conclusion to this engaging series. I'm sad that this is the end but I have no doubt that I will be revisiting this compelling story world by rereading the series over and over again. I highly recommend this entire series that chronicles mankind's fight to survive and make a future for the las ...more

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Oct 21, 2019 Erica Robyn Metcalf rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, honest-review-exchange

If you’re looking for an amazing fantasy filled with action and wonderfully diverse characters and relationships, The Shoreless Sea by J. Scott Coatsworth is a must read for you!

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my review in any way.

Have I mentioned how much I love when authors recap what has happened in the series to catch the reader up to speed?! This author added a wonderful recap to get the readers back ...more

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Oct 20, 2019 Chris rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, arcs-and-beta-reads, book-tour-reviews, wicked-faeries-reviews, bisexual, dystopian, fantasy-sci-fi, gender-fluid, kindle-reads, lgbtq-fiction

4.5 out of 5 stars

Description ~
As the epic trilogy hurtles toward its conclusion, the fight for the future isn’t over yet. It could lead to a new beginning, or it might spell the end for the last vestiges of humankind.

The generation ship Forever has left Earth behind, but a piece of the old civilization lives on in the Inthworld—a virtual realm that retains memories of Earth's technological wonders and vices. A being named Lilith leads the uprising, and if she succeeds in setting its inhabitant 4.5 out of 5 stars

Description ~
As the epic trilogy hurtles toward its conclusion, the fight for the future isn’t over yet. It could lead to a new beginning, or it might spell the end for the last vestiges of humankind.

The generation ship Forever has left Earth behind, but a piece of the old civilization lives on in the Inthworld—a virtual realm that retains memories of Earth's technological wonders and vices. A being named Lilith leads the uprising, and if she succeeds in setting its inhabitants free, they could destroy Forever.

But during the generation ship's decades-long voyage, humanity has evolved. Liminals with the ability to connect with the world mind and the Inthworld provide a glimmer of hope. They'll have to face not only Lilith’s minions, but also the mistrust of their own kind and persecution from a new government as homotypicals continue to fear what they can't understand.

The invasion must be stopped, the Inthworld must be healed, and the people of Forever must let go of their past and embrace what they’re meant to become.

My Review ~

The Shoreless Sea is the penultimate book in the Liminal Sky series. This book packs in a lot of information in it's pages, so be prepared for a lot of storytelling.

It's no secret that I'm sci-fi/fantasy book addict and am always looking for the next good read to devour. This series has more then filled that need for a well written book, with highly developed world building, and characters that are constantly developing. While this series does feature multiple couples, this is not a romance. These stories are straight up dystopian science-fiction, with a healthy dash of fantasy woven within.

The Shoreless Sea features 3 separate timelines events that feature the same characters at different points in their lives, their relationships, and their abilities. This is not a book to devour in one sitting. Which is actually what I did, but I feel like it needs more than that because of the depth to the story. Really there is a LOT of storyline packed into each of the timelines, and it needs to be savored vs devoured in this case.

The characters in this book are extremely well developed, and have complex POVs, that carry into the story as they weave their parts into the full story. Again t his is not a book to skim, this is one you have to pay attention to every word on the page. Yes I do keep repeating that because honestly, if you blink, or skim the page, you're going to miss something that might impact a later part of the story.

I don't want to share the elements of the story because that may ruin your enjoyment. I do want to encourage everyone to pick up this book if you've read the rest of the series, or the whole series if you've never read it. It's so worth it!!

I look forward to many more stories from this author. I thoroughly enjoy his 'voice' in storytelling, and his world building is on par with that of the old sci-fi masters. So if you have some free time, pick up this book or this series and enjoy!!

...more

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Oct 27, 2019 E.M. Hamill rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A brilliant ending to the trilogy.

This series is fantastic science fiction. Coatsworth writes amazing characters and a fascinating look at generation ships, artificial intelligence, and building a new society after the fall of Earth as we knew it. This third book is just as exciting as the first two, with some of our old beloved friends from the first two books as well as new characters who must find a way to subvert a dangerous, out of control AI who wants to destroy Forever and its citizens i ...more

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Oct 16, 2019 Melanie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5
For the full review, visit https://wp.me/p220KL-i6h

From that review:
I have been waiting to see how this very talented author was going to wrap up his Liminal Sky trilogy. The preceding stories (The Stark Divide #1 and The Rising Tide #2) were both marvelous feats of LGBTQIA science fiction, carrying me along a journey of epic proportions. So what would the conclusion bring? A finale to a story that, for the author, has re ...more

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About J. Scott Coatsworth

J. Scott Coatsworth

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Scott lives with his husband in a leafy Sacramento, California suburb, in a cute yellow house with a pair of pink flamingoes in the front yard.

He has always been in the place between the here and now and the what could be. He started reading science fiction and fantasy at the tender age of nine, encouraged by his mother. But as he read the golden age classics and more modern works too, he started ...more