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White Hart #2
Livid Skies
A fresh start, a queer social liberal dream, and a planet that wants to kill you.
Having escaped Earth as a deadly pandemic took hold, autistic scientist Devon and her fellow colonists are hoping for a fresh start on Mars.
Mars isn’t exactly hospitable to the newcomers, though. With the weight of loss hanging heavy on them, they must overcome their differences and find a way to survive as they adjust to life alone on a hostile planet.
The group – 150 women and 10 men – are determined to get it right this time. Their society is peaceful and diverse. They accept one another’s differences and prioritise sustainability over short-term gain.
Scarcity of resources means they can’t have fully automated luxury gay space communism – so they strive for partially automated queer social liberalism.
But things aren’t always what they seem and maybe the colonists aren’t as alone as they thought.
Having escaped Earth as a deadly pandemic took hold, autistic scientist Devon and her fellow colonists are hoping for a fresh start on Mars.
Mars isn’t exactly hospitable to the newcomers, though. With the weight of loss hanging heavy on them, they must overcome their differences and find a way to survive as they adjust to life alone on a hostile planet.
The group – 150 women and 10 men – are determined to get it right this time. Their society is peaceful and diverse. They accept one another’s differences and prioritise sustainability over short-term gain.
Scarcity of resources means they can’t have fully automated luxury gay space communism – so they strive for partially automated queer social liberalism.
But things aren’t always what they seem and maybe the colonists aren’t as alone as they thought.
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Published June 1, 2021
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About the author
Si Clarke
15 books104 followersSI CLARKE is a misanthrope who lives in Deptford, sarf ees London. She shares her home with her partner and an assortment of waifs and strays. When not writing convoluted, inefficient stories, she spends her time telling financial services firms to behave more efficiently. When not doing either of those things, she can be found in the pub or shouting at people online – occasionally practising efficiency by doing both at once.
As someone who’s neurodivergent, an immigrant, and the proud owner of an invisible disability, she strives to present a diverse array of characters in her stories.
As someone who’s neurodivergent, an immigrant, and the proud owner of an invisible disability, she strives to present a diverse array of characters in her stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 14, 2021
Towards the end of this book about the establishment of the first permanent Martian colony, we have the eyebrow-raising revelation that “In the early days of planning, we had proposed bringing no men at all”. Well, that would have been a sure-fire narrative dampener, especially giving the fact that so much of the granular detail is about upholding the heteronormative ideals of marriage, domestic violence and having babies and dogs. (I would be surprised if someone didn’t print out a white picket fence somewhere).
At the beginning we have what I assume is a kind of manifesto for the colony: We can have fully automated luxury gay space communism when we find a supply of unlimited resources – until then, we’ll have to make do with partly automated queer social liberalism. This sounds pretty impressive, but when you attempt to unpack it, what does it even mean? What exactly is ‘gay space communism’, and why is it differentiated from ‘queer social liberalism’, for example?
We have an external perspective on the colony (no spoilers as to how this context comes about) when it is described as “not a military outpost but consider themselves an independent nation”. And then also: “(T)hey are a self-sufficient colony. They operate as a democratic state with a mixed economy.” Hardly utopian. Plus the name ‘Devon Island’ itself is problematic, as it makes the colony sound like a housing estate in London. Why would you want to reference an Imperial power that is not only a shadow of its former self, but accelerating its inward collapse post-Brexit? On the subject of nostalgia, I really do not know what to make of the cosy pub the ‘White Hart’.
Indeed, one could make an argument that the Mars setting is entirely irrelevant. There is not a single mention of a Martian landscape feature, or any attempt by the author to locate the colony on what is by now a quite well-known planetary surface in SF literature. Granted, Si Clarke could have been going for the tabula rasa effect of ‘The Martian Chronicles’ by Ray Bradbury, but the problem is that this colony could have been located in a post-apocalyptic wilderness on earth for all we are told about the external environment. In fact, that scenario would have made far more sense from a science-realism point of view.
As Kim Stanley Robinson points out in his benchmark Mars trilogy, any attempt to settle on another planet (or moon) has to contend with the impact of humanity on what is essentially a pristine wilderness. The crude approximation of such an approach is ‘colonialism in space’. It is a rich field of extrapolation that committed writers like Robinson have mined to great effect, and with a lasting impact on the ideological conscience of the genre, I would add.
The main ‘selling point’ of ‘Livid Skies’ is the diverse cast (including characters with neurological disabilities), and not terraforming itself as an act of social engineering. Here I felt that some of Clarke’s technical writing decisions worked against her agenda. The novel is divided into three acts, with each chapter a first-person account of a particular character. There is a cast at the beginning with brief descriptions. Not everyone has their own viewpoint chapters, and some only appear as walk-on characters. The first-person narration tends to blur the differences between the cast, meaning that the reader has to work double-time in figuring out the social dynamics.
It is one thing to tell me that Katya is Ukrainian-British, Gurdeep is British-Indian and Desmond is South African. But there are zero cultural differentiators in the novel, with Clarke simply relying on the reader to apply the appropriate (and probably highly stereotypical) cultural identifiers, which I found kind of lazy. For example, there is absolutely nothing to identify Desmond as a Saffer, apart from this description in the cast of characters. And then Devon comments at one point: “It occurred to me Desmond had to be about eight months pregnant”.
The political set-up is also very conservative, centred on a prime minister (and even lawyers). At one point the ‘Dowager-President’ of the US is mentioned, but nothing is made of this intriguing reference. Science Fiction allows for great social experiments that not only reflect on our current world, but also point the way towards future improvements or even evolutionary developments. Is the system that Clarke elaborates on here in keeping with the intent and spirit of her manifesto? (We do have a description of a ‘polyam’ relationship near the end, but does this go further say than ‘Heavenly Breakfast’ by Samuel R. Delany?)
‘Livid Skies’ is very much part of the Becky Chambers tradition of SF, where diversity and fluidity are a given, and where the world itself is messy and has a lot of sharp edges to catch us all, but where people still manage to just cope and get along and get the job done, despite their differences or how stacked the system is against them. It is probably my best kind of SF due to its vibrancy and sheer exuberance at the myriad possibilities that confront us on a daily basis: “What I like most about Devon Island is that I can stick to my routines, apply order to my daily life – but I have the freedom to do so in ways that work for me. You can do the same – the only thing you can’t do is demand others conform to your structure.”
Clarke’s reference in her manifesto to ‘unlimited natural resources’ as being the Holy Grail for any self-sustaining social experiment is a sober capstone to the novel and the future of the colony, which has to contend with the fact that the ‘RTG batteries’ it uses as its main power source have a finite lifespan. In addition, the colony’s dream of expansion is limited by the bar on human (and animal) occupation that it quickly reaches. Clarke uses a bit of a hefty deus ex machina to resolve this situation, while at the same time neatly commenting on the Manifest Destiny of the US itself. As she concludes, Either way, the future looked bright.
At the beginning we have what I assume is a kind of manifesto for the colony: We can have fully automated luxury gay space communism when we find a supply of unlimited resources – until then, we’ll have to make do with partly automated queer social liberalism. This sounds pretty impressive, but when you attempt to unpack it, what does it even mean? What exactly is ‘gay space communism’, and why is it differentiated from ‘queer social liberalism’, for example?
We have an external perspective on the colony (no spoilers as to how this context comes about) when it is described as “not a military outpost but consider themselves an independent nation”. And then also: “(T)hey are a self-sufficient colony. They operate as a democratic state with a mixed economy.” Hardly utopian. Plus the name ‘Devon Island’ itself is problematic, as it makes the colony sound like a housing estate in London. Why would you want to reference an Imperial power that is not only a shadow of its former self, but accelerating its inward collapse post-Brexit? On the subject of nostalgia, I really do not know what to make of the cosy pub the ‘White Hart’.
Indeed, one could make an argument that the Mars setting is entirely irrelevant. There is not a single mention of a Martian landscape feature, or any attempt by the author to locate the colony on what is by now a quite well-known planetary surface in SF literature. Granted, Si Clarke could have been going for the tabula rasa effect of ‘The Martian Chronicles’ by Ray Bradbury, but the problem is that this colony could have been located in a post-apocalyptic wilderness on earth for all we are told about the external environment. In fact, that scenario would have made far more sense from a science-realism point of view.
As Kim Stanley Robinson points out in his benchmark Mars trilogy, any attempt to settle on another planet (or moon) has to contend with the impact of humanity on what is essentially a pristine wilderness. The crude approximation of such an approach is ‘colonialism in space’. It is a rich field of extrapolation that committed writers like Robinson have mined to great effect, and with a lasting impact on the ideological conscience of the genre, I would add.
The main ‘selling point’ of ‘Livid Skies’ is the diverse cast (including characters with neurological disabilities), and not terraforming itself as an act of social engineering. Here I felt that some of Clarke’s technical writing decisions worked against her agenda. The novel is divided into three acts, with each chapter a first-person account of a particular character. There is a cast at the beginning with brief descriptions. Not everyone has their own viewpoint chapters, and some only appear as walk-on characters. The first-person narration tends to blur the differences between the cast, meaning that the reader has to work double-time in figuring out the social dynamics.
It is one thing to tell me that Katya is Ukrainian-British, Gurdeep is British-Indian and Desmond is South African. But there are zero cultural differentiators in the novel, with Clarke simply relying on the reader to apply the appropriate (and probably highly stereotypical) cultural identifiers, which I found kind of lazy. For example, there is absolutely nothing to identify Desmond as a Saffer, apart from this description in the cast of characters. And then Devon comments at one point: “It occurred to me Desmond had to be about eight months pregnant”.
The political set-up is also very conservative, centred on a prime minister (and even lawyers). At one point the ‘Dowager-President’ of the US is mentioned, but nothing is made of this intriguing reference. Science Fiction allows for great social experiments that not only reflect on our current world, but also point the way towards future improvements or even evolutionary developments. Is the system that Clarke elaborates on here in keeping with the intent and spirit of her manifesto? (We do have a description of a ‘polyam’ relationship near the end, but does this go further say than ‘Heavenly Breakfast’ by Samuel R. Delany?)
‘Livid Skies’ is very much part of the Becky Chambers tradition of SF, where diversity and fluidity are a given, and where the world itself is messy and has a lot of sharp edges to catch us all, but where people still manage to just cope and get along and get the job done, despite their differences or how stacked the system is against them. It is probably my best kind of SF due to its vibrancy and sheer exuberance at the myriad possibilities that confront us on a daily basis: “What I like most about Devon Island is that I can stick to my routines, apply order to my daily life – but I have the freedom to do so in ways that work for me. You can do the same – the only thing you can’t do is demand others conform to your structure.”
Clarke’s reference in her manifesto to ‘unlimited natural resources’ as being the Holy Grail for any self-sustaining social experiment is a sober capstone to the novel and the future of the colony, which has to contend with the fact that the ‘RTG batteries’ it uses as its main power source have a finite lifespan. In addition, the colony’s dream of expansion is limited by the bar on human (and animal) occupation that it quickly reaches. Clarke uses a bit of a hefty deus ex machina to resolve this situation, while at the same time neatly commenting on the Manifest Destiny of the US itself. As she concludes, Either way, the future looked bright.
May 24, 2022
I really wanted to like this more than I did. It's a sequel to: Devon's Island and I struggled with the same issues I had there, and yet also the opposite?.
This time we're actually on Mars at the colonization and at the start of life as we know it preparing there, building of the domes, the gardening, more people turning up, eventually dogs and babies are being bred... But we don't get many details, at all. Despite the first installment being hugely detail heavy - Instead we get months of time skips, jumping from far too many characters and never really being invested in any of them, because it's soon skipped over again to another set of characters months off.
Even when something dramatic and supposedly emotional happens, I just didn't feel it. So once I got to even more drama happening, I wasn't invested, and barely cared. Everything moved too quickly.
The author is brave for trying to do what they do, I just don't think either execution worked. I want character driven stories, I want to be in their minds and feelings and KNOW what they are going through. I want to see them connecting and emoting. Not just check in months later and find oh, they're fine now, after a devastating loss, and no real time or effort spent on how they got there.
I don't want to be scratching my head as to how/why certain characters decided to couple up, and be left hanging like that, not understanding and just constantly moving on to another thing, another character, another drama - where none of it is getting proper investment or payoff.
I'd suggest others pass on this one and it's previous installment, all too frustrating IMHO.
This time we're actually on Mars at the colonization and at the start of life as we know it preparing there, building of the domes, the gardening, more people turning up, eventually dogs and babies are being bred... But we don't get many details, at all. Despite the first installment being hugely detail heavy - Instead we get months of time skips, jumping from far too many characters and never really being invested in any of them, because it's soon skipped over again to another set of characters months off.
Even when something dramatic and supposedly emotional happens, I just didn't feel it. So once I got to even more drama happening, I wasn't invested, and barely cared. Everything moved too quickly.
The author is brave for trying to do what they do, I just don't think either execution worked. I want character driven stories, I want to be in their minds and feelings and KNOW what they are going through. I want to see them connecting and emoting. Not just check in months later and find oh, they're fine now, after a devastating loss, and no real time or effort spent on how they got there.
I don't want to be scratching my head as to how/why certain characters decided to couple up, and be left hanging like that, not understanding and just constantly moving on to another thing, another character, another drama - where none of it is getting proper investment or payoff.
I'd suggest others pass on this one and it's previous installment, all too frustrating IMHO.
January 19, 2021
**Updating this review just to say this is officially published!!! YAY GO SI CLARKE and go check this out :)**
WOW! This book really surprised me. The promise of a diverse cast really caught my attention, and Si Clarke ABSOLUTELY delivered.
This beautifully queer civilization on Mars was absolutely delightful to read about. I initially thought there wasn't enough action, but as I continued, I realized that my desire for more action is simply because I'm not used to just delightful sci-fi books. There WAS action, just not the kind that I expected. I was also initially overwhelmed by characters, because there were so many. By the end, however, I was so happy that there were so many characters, because they were all a practice in acceptance.
It's incredibly clear that Clarke put a lot of work and thought into this book and how the colony should work. It did not go unnoticed or unappreciated! There are references in the back about the research done to create Devon Island, which was so awesome to see and understand!
This was just a lovely story of humanity surviving and thriving socially even after we've had to leave our beautiful home on Earth. We learn to move on, and we learn to accept each other. Delightful! By the end I was just smiling to myself about all of it. :) I really felt like I was there, building the colony through the mears with them!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
WOW! This book really surprised me. The promise of a diverse cast really caught my attention, and Si Clarke ABSOLUTELY delivered.
This beautifully queer civilization on Mars was absolutely delightful to read about. I initially thought there wasn't enough action, but as I continued, I realized that my desire for more action is simply because I'm not used to just delightful sci-fi books. There WAS action, just not the kind that I expected. I was also initially overwhelmed by characters, because there were so many. By the end, however, I was so happy that there were so many characters, because they were all a practice in acceptance.
It's incredibly clear that Clarke put a lot of work and thought into this book and how the colony should work. It did not go unnoticed or unappreciated! There are references in the back about the research done to create Devon Island, which was so awesome to see and understand!
This was just a lovely story of humanity surviving and thriving socially even after we've had to leave our beautiful home on Earth. We learn to move on, and we learn to accept each other. Delightful! By the end I was just smiling to myself about all of it. :) I really felt like I was there, building the colony through the mears with them!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 16, 2021
I may not be terribly knowledgeable about science and what it takes to create a colony on another planet, but this book still felt understandable to me! As a novel that primarily surrounds the logistics and risks of colonizing another planet, it had every potential to go completely over my head. Thankfully, the author did a wonderful job of making it understandable!
My favorite aspect of the book, however, has to be the character-driven plot. The characters don’t just spend the entire novel reacting to their environment, but rather reacting to and acting with other characters. When you get a cast of characters as large as this one, it can be hard to keep the focus on any one character for even a short period of time, but the author did a fantastic job of making sure we knew who our main characters were and how they interpreted and impacted the world around them.
Speaking of characters, I especially fell in love with their diversity. I don’t always find so many diverse characters in one novel (especially in the sci-fi genre) and it was a pleasant delight to meet this cast of characters! As a member of the LGBT+ community, it was especially exciting to find so many gender and sexuality diverse characters in this novel.
All in all, I absolutely loved this novel and highly recommend it to any lover of sci-fi, especially if you’re looking for some new, diverse characters! I received a free copy of this story from Hidden Gems in an exchange for an honest review.
My favorite aspect of the book, however, has to be the character-driven plot. The characters don’t just spend the entire novel reacting to their environment, but rather reacting to and acting with other characters. When you get a cast of characters as large as this one, it can be hard to keep the focus on any one character for even a short period of time, but the author did a fantastic job of making sure we knew who our main characters were and how they interpreted and impacted the world around them.
Speaking of characters, I especially fell in love with their diversity. I don’t always find so many diverse characters in one novel (especially in the sci-fi genre) and it was a pleasant delight to meet this cast of characters! As a member of the LGBT+ community, it was especially exciting to find so many gender and sexuality diverse characters in this novel.
All in all, I absolutely loved this novel and highly recommend it to any lover of sci-fi, especially if you’re looking for some new, diverse characters! I received a free copy of this story from Hidden Gems in an exchange for an honest review.
January 14, 2021
In the midst of a deadly pandemic, Earth has only one option: the colonization of Mars. 150 women and 10 men travel to the Red Planet where they must face Nature, each other, and their own selves in order to construct a colony, plant crops, survive, and extend the human species, unknowing the fate of those left behind. LIVID SKIES is the sequel to DEVON'S ISLAND and an LGBTQ+ Science Fiction novel.
December 26, 2020
"We can have fully automated luxury gay space communism when we find a supply of unlimited resources-- until then, we'll have to make do with partially automated queer social liberalism."
Thus begins Livid Skies by Si Clarke, followed by content trigger warnings and a host of resources I needed while reading the book. Clarke also warns readers if they are TERFs, that this book is not for them. A little cheer went up in my queer heart when I read that.
Earth in the not distant future has sent its first colonists to Mars to set up Devon's Island, a colony, while a pandemic rages at home. The first colonists to Mars have already built several habitation domes (a map and schematic of each is also handily available at the beginning of the book!) while they await the ships bringing more colonists. As the colonists arrive and the colony grows, they must contend with weighty issues of criminal justice, equality, population control, and an outside menace that threatens their existence, all while the total battery storage of Devon's Island decomposes-- the colony is living on borrowed time.
This is actually the second book in a series, but it was billed as a standalone, and for the most part, it is. There is a lot of backstory I am sure I don't have, having not read the first book, so initially the large cast of characters was a bit dizzying, though I was helped by a partial list of characters that was included at the beginning of the book as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed the inclusivity of the characters in the book-- Earth (Europe, to be more precise) sent a variety of people to Mars, in sexuality, diversity of thought, and ethnicity. One of the main characters is neurodiverse (YES! Representation!), and her character is handled authentically-- we see from her innermost thoughts the struggles, small victories, and defeats that autistic folks must confront on a daily basis. The beautiful thing about the book is that everyone's diversity is celebrated and nobody is judged for who they are or whom (or how many whoms!) they love.
The themes present in the book were deftly handled, and I most appreciated the way that criminal justice was addressed: the colony had a choice to make when a heinous crime is committed, and that choice would guide their future into a very dark place, continuing what had been done on Earth, or into a gentler place where there is hope.
I did wince several times at the way the (Ugly) Americans were portrayed-- not that I disagree with it, but because, as an American, I clearly saw the contrast between the European/Asian colonists and the domineering, brash Americans. As with the rest of the characters and themes in the book, the Americans were portrayed honestly and unapologetically, which I very much appreciated.
The book is a very easy read-- the prose is expert, and the characters are fleshed out very well. Clarke has done an incredible amount of research, and as a result, the book is very, very real. It reminded me of The Martian, but thankfully Clarke did not weigh down the reader with overwrought scientific explanations-- she leaves that up to the appropriately titled "It's Science, Bitches" glossary at the end of the book.
I will definitely read the first book, and I am hoping for a continuation of this book at some point in the near future. 5 Stars!
I received an advance review copy of Livid Skies from Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thus begins Livid Skies by Si Clarke, followed by content trigger warnings and a host of resources I needed while reading the book. Clarke also warns readers if they are TERFs, that this book is not for them. A little cheer went up in my queer heart when I read that.
Earth in the not distant future has sent its first colonists to Mars to set up Devon's Island, a colony, while a pandemic rages at home. The first colonists to Mars have already built several habitation domes (a map and schematic of each is also handily available at the beginning of the book!) while they await the ships bringing more colonists. As the colonists arrive and the colony grows, they must contend with weighty issues of criminal justice, equality, population control, and an outside menace that threatens their existence, all while the total battery storage of Devon's Island decomposes-- the colony is living on borrowed time.
This is actually the second book in a series, but it was billed as a standalone, and for the most part, it is. There is a lot of backstory I am sure I don't have, having not read the first book, so initially the large cast of characters was a bit dizzying, though I was helped by a partial list of characters that was included at the beginning of the book as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed the inclusivity of the characters in the book-- Earth (Europe, to be more precise) sent a variety of people to Mars, in sexuality, diversity of thought, and ethnicity. One of the main characters is neurodiverse (YES! Representation!), and her character is handled authentically-- we see from her innermost thoughts the struggles, small victories, and defeats that autistic folks must confront on a daily basis. The beautiful thing about the book is that everyone's diversity is celebrated and nobody is judged for who they are or whom (or how many whoms!) they love.
The themes present in the book were deftly handled, and I most appreciated the way that criminal justice was addressed: the colony had a choice to make when a heinous crime is committed, and that choice would guide their future into a very dark place, continuing what had been done on Earth, or into a gentler place where there is hope.
I did wince several times at the way the (Ugly) Americans were portrayed-- not that I disagree with it, but because, as an American, I clearly saw the contrast between the European/Asian colonists and the domineering, brash Americans. As with the rest of the characters and themes in the book, the Americans were portrayed honestly and unapologetically, which I very much appreciated.
The book is a very easy read-- the prose is expert, and the characters are fleshed out very well. Clarke has done an incredible amount of research, and as a result, the book is very, very real. It reminded me of The Martian, but thankfully Clarke did not weigh down the reader with overwrought scientific explanations-- she leaves that up to the appropriately titled "It's Science, Bitches" glossary at the end of the book.
I will definitely read the first book, and I am hoping for a continuation of this book at some point in the near future. 5 Stars!
I received an advance review copy of Livid Skies from Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 13, 2020
On Earth, billions have died from a sort of medieval plague. A small group of neuro diverse people are send to Mars as a final attempt to save the human race.
There is a content warning at the beginning of the novel, which I found odd. The novel is written as a play/tragedy and starts with act one, a suicide.
Years are changed to Mears and Domes are named after named after neuro diverse characters, so we have the Thunberg Dome, the Craft, the LoveCraft Dome etc.
Language wise, we see variation and adaptations as well, from (British) use of slang, dialect and former language, as well as having changed standard concepts of time, for example, - years have changed into mears, and the use of the letter /j/ for example (not known in the Roman alphabet, - and replaced with /I/ > so therefore Julia is Iulia), the /j/ has only been known and used since the 15th century.)
There are a lot of characters in this play, we learn about ectogenesis, gravity bone loss, promession and the loss of the loved one in space, bonding, sharing, and growing fluffy puppies named Seven (Of Nine?) from jelly blobs.
What might and could have been a splendid read, didn’t work for me. There is simply too much going on, to the point of overkill. Some bits annoyed me, some were funny, but a pub and prams in space?
It was a fun read, but the author should have focussed on smaller details, instead of changing every single thing.
There is a content warning at the beginning of the novel, which I found odd. The novel is written as a play/tragedy and starts with act one, a suicide.
Years are changed to Mears and Domes are named after named after neuro diverse characters, so we have the Thunberg Dome, the Craft, the LoveCraft Dome etc.
Language wise, we see variation and adaptations as well, from (British) use of slang, dialect and former language, as well as having changed standard concepts of time, for example, - years have changed into mears, and the use of the letter /j/ for example (not known in the Roman alphabet, - and replaced with /I/ > so therefore Julia is Iulia), the /j/ has only been known and used since the 15th century.)
There are a lot of characters in this play, we learn about ectogenesis, gravity bone loss, promession and the loss of the loved one in space, bonding, sharing, and growing fluffy puppies named Seven (Of Nine?) from jelly blobs.
What might and could have been a splendid read, didn’t work for me. There is simply too much going on, to the point of overkill. Some bits annoyed me, some were funny, but a pub and prams in space?
It was a fun read, but the author should have focussed on smaller details, instead of changing every single thing.
April 25, 2021
‘Livid Skies’ is the second book in the White Hart series from SI Clarke. Following the events of ‘Devon’s Island’, the colonists have now arrived on Mars and are putting their plans into action. As well as working with the resources they have to grow and improve their new life in a sustainable way, the colonists also need to deal with the challenges of being a nascent society and independent state.
My favorite character is still Devon. I enjoy the chapters that are written from her perspective and the way the author describes what she is thinking. I particularly like how Devon’s thoughts translate into her actions, and her reactions to events over the mears. Another of the main characters, Davy, explores the qualities of the leadership amongst peers, and how leaders frequently need to deal with unexpected situations. I appreciated how the point of view switched from different characters – this allowed me to better understand their reactions to events, and it brought them all to life. They felt very real in their concerns and considerations, which pulled me into the story.
While most of the character development primarily focuses on the social aspects of the colony, there is also a thorough consideration of the use of technology to meet challenges and solve problems, and this helped move the plot and the character arcs forward – I welcomed the research effort that had been undertaken to support this, as again, it meant that the story felt ‘near-future credible’. After finishing the book, I was pleased to find links to the research material, and think it was valuable to have these included.
Throughout the book the plot kept me guessing about what was going to happen next. There were two reasons for this. The first was the continual effort of the author to challenge stereotypes. This was always done in a strikingly sensitive manner, and I found that it encouraged me to think about diversity in different ways. In particular, it has prompted me to consider how to be more inclusive in my approach to groups.
The second reason was that some of the events that occurred were classic genre tropes, such as a second military expedition arriving on Mars after the colonists have established themselves. However, the characters reactions, and the consequences of those events didn’t follow the sorts of patterns I’d come to expect.
Overall, the tone of optimism about the future of the colony contrasted nicely with some of the experiences of the main protagonists in ‘Devon’s Island’, while they were still planning on Earth.
This is a great story with well thought-out characters and I hope there will be more! I would be fascinated to learn what happens to the colony in future as other challenges start to emerge. In the meantime, there is also a short story ‘Past Imperfect’ available, that explores a specific event from the book from the perspective of a different character, and that is well worth reading.
My favorite character is still Devon. I enjoy the chapters that are written from her perspective and the way the author describes what she is thinking. I particularly like how Devon’s thoughts translate into her actions, and her reactions to events over the mears. Another of the main characters, Davy, explores the qualities of the leadership amongst peers, and how leaders frequently need to deal with unexpected situations. I appreciated how the point of view switched from different characters – this allowed me to better understand their reactions to events, and it brought them all to life. They felt very real in their concerns and considerations, which pulled me into the story.
While most of the character development primarily focuses on the social aspects of the colony, there is also a thorough consideration of the use of technology to meet challenges and solve problems, and this helped move the plot and the character arcs forward – I welcomed the research effort that had been undertaken to support this, as again, it meant that the story felt ‘near-future credible’. After finishing the book, I was pleased to find links to the research material, and think it was valuable to have these included.
Throughout the book the plot kept me guessing about what was going to happen next. There were two reasons for this. The first was the continual effort of the author to challenge stereotypes. This was always done in a strikingly sensitive manner, and I found that it encouraged me to think about diversity in different ways. In particular, it has prompted me to consider how to be more inclusive in my approach to groups.
The second reason was that some of the events that occurred were classic genre tropes, such as a second military expedition arriving on Mars after the colonists have established themselves. However, the characters reactions, and the consequences of those events didn’t follow the sorts of patterns I’d come to expect.
Overall, the tone of optimism about the future of the colony contrasted nicely with some of the experiences of the main protagonists in ‘Devon’s Island’, while they were still planning on Earth.
This is a great story with well thought-out characters and I hope there will be more! I would be fascinated to learn what happens to the colony in future as other challenges start to emerge. In the meantime, there is also a short story ‘Past Imperfect’ available, that explores a specific event from the book from the perspective of a different character, and that is well worth reading.
January 19, 2021
I would highly recommend this book to almost anyone. I think it was listed as dystopian but honestly it's not so much what you'd think of as a hard core dystopian book. It starts out with 8 people on mars building up a colony for the people of earth. They learn that they are going to have more people coming sooner then they thought because of a massive plague happening on earth. They must secure more domes to fit and feed everyone. This book goes through the growth or the colony and the relationships that grow between the colonists and how they deal with everyday life as well as the unexpected bumps in the road. I really enjoyed this book and it leaves me wanting to read more in the series. It ends in a decent place and leaves you feeling good about the ending. The author also goes on the explain the science she used and how she came up with the ideas and things she used in the book. She also give a list of the main characters and explains a little about them. If you are against lgtbq and anything but one man and one woman this book will trigger you, but I found it beautifully written.
January 16, 2021
I knew I was going to like this novel when I got to these opening lines: “We can have fully automated luxury gay space communism when we find a supply of unlimited resources-- until then, we'll have to make do with partially automated queer social liberalism." For the most part, that initial impression was dead on: there’s a lot going on, and the book will constantly keep you on your toes. It’s not just the subject matter, although a settlement of neuro diverse colonists on Mars attempting to save the human race is engrossing enough, it’s also the formal properties of the book itself: their are didactic moments, humorous moments, deeply moving moments, and lots of information about a wide range of things I’d never thought about but were absolutely germane to the events of the story. While I occasionally felt a bit lost, I was never bored, and I’d recommend this book for anyone who wants something thoughtful and unexpected.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 21, 2021
Firstly, I did not read book 1, so this is a legitimate stand-alone.
I could not put this book down! The characters are amazingly diverse (seriously, I've never read a book with such beautiful diversity) and so real! I was invested from the first sentence and found it increasingly hard to put this down. I don't care how you self-identify, this book is one to be read and cherished and learned from. There are some really wonderful lessons here about inclusivity, friendship, and how we should treat each other - on all planets.
I'd rate it PG-13 for kissing, but there is no sex (it's implied, not directly written) and no cursing. In fact, there are some bible verses. :)
I could not put this book down! The characters are amazingly diverse (seriously, I've never read a book with such beautiful diversity) and so real! I was invested from the first sentence and found it increasingly hard to put this down. I don't care how you self-identify, this book is one to be read and cherished and learned from. There are some really wonderful lessons here about inclusivity, friendship, and how we should treat each other - on all planets.
I'd rate it PG-13 for kissing, but there is no sex (it's implied, not directly written) and no cursing. In fact, there are some bible verses. :)
January 15, 2022
You find a full review of “Livid Skies” at my web site.
December 28, 2020
I really enjoyed this!! First, points for the Spaceballs reference.
This is a character-driven book with great world building. I have a clear picture in my mind of Devon’s Island and I would absolutely believe that it is a real place, or can be, one day. It’s a utopia but it’s not a paradise, and I loved the descriptions of how everything works and the day to day work of the colony. Would absolutely read other books in this series. (I think there is one previous book, not sure if there will be others.)
I do think all the explainer material at the front should be added to the back.
This is a character-driven book with great world building. I have a clear picture in my mind of Devon’s Island and I would absolutely believe that it is a real place, or can be, one day. It’s a utopia but it’s not a paradise, and I loved the descriptions of how everything works and the day to day work of the colony. Would absolutely read other books in this series. (I think there is one previous book, not sure if there will be others.)
I do think all the explainer material at the front should be added to the back.
August 20, 2021
I got hooked on SI Clarke’s work after reading “Dare vs the Doll”. I picked up “Livid Skies” because I enjoy her sense of humour, that her stories are filled with people that represent me and my communities, her geeky references, and her writing style.
However I’ve found that I have 2 issues with her stories:
Firstly, they pull you in and you want to escape in her pages and not come out (global pandemic or not). That isn’t ideal for getting things like housework and finances done, but life is uncertain so why stress about pristine houses and perfectly balanced cheque books??
Secondly, like all great things they come to an end before you want them to. This is common with a good read, but especially with Clarke’s stories. The end of “Livid Skies” caught me by surprise. While it was a natural ending, I wanted it to go on just a little bit longer (and then a bit longer again).
But seriously, I really enjoyed this story. I probably could have gotten more out of it if I’d read “Devon’s Island” first, but this is a stand-alone story that you can understand and appreciate without that background. I have since purchased “Devon’s Island” and it’s on my “read sooner than later” list.
“Livid Skies” is a good blend of humour and seriousness. It touches on serious topics such as suicide and domestic violence. It shows us their impact on a closed community and the ethical questions they can raise between rights and responsibilities. Clarke handles them well and with care. I appreciate the trigger warnings at the beginning of Clarke’s books. It doesn’t give the story away but lets people know what to expect, especially if they have mental or emotional sensitivity to those issues.
The story moves well & has a feel of believability. It is well written and well thought out. The plot follows in a logical arc but doesn’t give too much away about where it is going.
I love the diversity of characters in the story. There were times I felt I didn’t have as clear an idea of who was who, but that was probably because I’d only glanced at the character list at the beginning and skipped to the story. I’d recommend you have a good read of the characters at the start, especially if like me you hadn’t read “Devon’s Island” first.
“Livid Skies” gets the full 5 stars from me with no hesitation. I’d recommend it to anyone wanting a good sci fi read with diversity and humour to it. Definitely a recommend for fans of the sci fi genre who would get some of the references that pepper the story.
I’m rapidly becoming a fan of SI Clarke’s work. I’m glad I came across her and look forward to seeing what other worlds she builds and stories she tells.
However I’ve found that I have 2 issues with her stories:
Firstly, they pull you in and you want to escape in her pages and not come out (global pandemic or not). That isn’t ideal for getting things like housework and finances done, but life is uncertain so why stress about pristine houses and perfectly balanced cheque books??
Secondly, like all great things they come to an end before you want them to. This is common with a good read, but especially with Clarke’s stories. The end of “Livid Skies” caught me by surprise. While it was a natural ending, I wanted it to go on just a little bit longer (and then a bit longer again).
But seriously, I really enjoyed this story. I probably could have gotten more out of it if I’d read “Devon’s Island” first, but this is a stand-alone story that you can understand and appreciate without that background. I have since purchased “Devon’s Island” and it’s on my “read sooner than later” list.
“Livid Skies” is a good blend of humour and seriousness. It touches on serious topics such as suicide and domestic violence. It shows us their impact on a closed community and the ethical questions they can raise between rights and responsibilities. Clarke handles them well and with care. I appreciate the trigger warnings at the beginning of Clarke’s books. It doesn’t give the story away but lets people know what to expect, especially if they have mental or emotional sensitivity to those issues.
The story moves well & has a feel of believability. It is well written and well thought out. The plot follows in a logical arc but doesn’t give too much away about where it is going.
I love the diversity of characters in the story. There were times I felt I didn’t have as clear an idea of who was who, but that was probably because I’d only glanced at the character list at the beginning and skipped to the story. I’d recommend you have a good read of the characters at the start, especially if like me you hadn’t read “Devon’s Island” first.
“Livid Skies” gets the full 5 stars from me with no hesitation. I’d recommend it to anyone wanting a good sci fi read with diversity and humour to it. Definitely a recommend for fans of the sci fi genre who would get some of the references that pepper the story.
I’m rapidly becoming a fan of SI Clarke’s work. I’m glad I came across her and look forward to seeing what other worlds she builds and stories she tells.
November 18, 2024
“We can have fully automated luxury gay space communism when we find a supply of unlimited resources – until then, we’ll have to make do with partially automated queer social liberalism.”
loved this! i do think i prefer becky chamber’s slightly more cozier vibes - which stops this being a 5 star read - but still really enjoyed this series and look forward to getting more in this series at some point!!
as with devon’s island, it was so interesting getting to see explorations into what society is like and how we want it to be and the diverse range of characters - the inclusions of the americans was also a fun addition!
some interesting issues explored in this one - autonomy of people to choose to kill themselves, religion, food, how language changes, disability, money, living versus surviving, punishment, domestic violence, gender/sexual orientation and how we label ourselves (this book did give me a slight gender identity crisis lol idk why something just clicked), reproduction, neurodivergence, she/her being the default, respect for children
“I’ve never felt like I was a man. But I guess I always took for granted that I was a woman. It’s only recently that I’ve started to realise that most people – cis, trans, gay, straight, male, female, whatever, and what have you – most people feel a connection to their own gender… My own gender was always just there – a fact but not an important one. Not relevant to my daily life, you know?”
“I want you to understand me. It’s important… I mean I don’t understand because I have no frame of reference to relate – but I don’t need to understand, you know? I accept you for you”
“You don’t forgive someone for their benefit. Forgiveness isn’t earned – that’s redemption. Forgiveness doesn’t mitigate the wrong. It doesn’t negate or devalue it. It isn’t about her – it’s about you. It’s about letting go of the hate – it’s about you moving on with your life”
“I’m not ready to forgive her, but—’ I took a deep breath. ‘I will absolutely defend her right to exist.”
“Human rights,’ I said, slamming my palm down on the arm of the chair, ‘aren’t worth the paper they’re written on if they don’t apply universally…. Much as we might hate it, you’re right. We can’t pick and choose who gets rights”
loved this! i do think i prefer becky chamber’s slightly more cozier vibes - which stops this being a 5 star read - but still really enjoyed this series and look forward to getting more in this series at some point!!
as with devon’s island, it was so interesting getting to see explorations into what society is like and how we want it to be and the diverse range of characters - the inclusions of the americans was also a fun addition!
some interesting issues explored in this one - autonomy of people to choose to kill themselves, religion, food, how language changes, disability, money, living versus surviving, punishment, domestic violence, gender/sexual orientation and how we label ourselves (this book did give me a slight gender identity crisis lol idk why something just clicked), reproduction, neurodivergence, she/her being the default, respect for children
“I’ve never felt like I was a man. But I guess I always took for granted that I was a woman. It’s only recently that I’ve started to realise that most people – cis, trans, gay, straight, male, female, whatever, and what have you – most people feel a connection to their own gender… My own gender was always just there – a fact but not an important one. Not relevant to my daily life, you know?”
“I want you to understand me. It’s important… I mean I don’t understand because I have no frame of reference to relate – but I don’t need to understand, you know? I accept you for you”
“You don’t forgive someone for their benefit. Forgiveness isn’t earned – that’s redemption. Forgiveness doesn’t mitigate the wrong. It doesn’t negate or devalue it. It isn’t about her – it’s about you. It’s about letting go of the hate – it’s about you moving on with your life”
“I’m not ready to forgive her, but—’ I took a deep breath. ‘I will absolutely defend her right to exist.”
“Human rights,’ I said, slamming my palm down on the arm of the chair, ‘aren’t worth the paper they’re written on if they don’t apply universally…. Much as we might hate it, you’re right. We can’t pick and choose who gets rights”
October 13, 2022
Having read Si Clark’s book’s ‘Judgement Dave’ and ‘Left hand of Dog’, which I really enjoyed, I was looking forward to reading another of her books.
The premise of the book of the settlement of Mars is very Sci-Fi (which I love) so I had high expectations. Unfortunately on this occasion the story didn’t live up to them.
Although set mostly on Mars there was very little Mars specific detail or science to back up how the characters were managing to live in such a hostile environment. Where did they get enough soil and water to grow the food and materials required for that many people? This would require so many acres I just can’t understand how it could be possible in that time frame…. I’m a bit of a geek and really enjoy reading about this type of detail and also how impending problems are ‘scienced’ out by a protagonist in a really quirky way or in the nick of time, but there was none of this. In fact the story could pretty well have been about a commune in an inhospitable place on earth.
I also found that the characters lacked depth and there were too many of them. Several times I realised that I had forgotten whose P.O.V I was reading as the characters and their lives were so similar.
The story frequently jumped through time and from one character to another, which combined with very little action or storyline made it difficult to invest in the characters and left it feeling like more of a ‘fly on the wall’ than a ripping yarn… (Might make an good T. V series though 🤔)
That said, I really do love what Si Clark was trying to do here. The idea of an island where the next generation will grow up without any concept of racism, homophobia, sexism, transphobia or any of other toxic belief system sounds amazing. I would love to read more about this world if there were another instalment with more story, character development and random made up science for the inner geek!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The premise of the book of the settlement of Mars is very Sci-Fi (which I love) so I had high expectations. Unfortunately on this occasion the story didn’t live up to them.
Although set mostly on Mars there was very little Mars specific detail or science to back up how the characters were managing to live in such a hostile environment. Where did they get enough soil and water to grow the food and materials required for that many people? This would require so many acres I just can’t understand how it could be possible in that time frame…. I’m a bit of a geek and really enjoy reading about this type of detail and also how impending problems are ‘scienced’ out by a protagonist in a really quirky way or in the nick of time, but there was none of this. In fact the story could pretty well have been about a commune in an inhospitable place on earth.
I also found that the characters lacked depth and there were too many of them. Several times I realised that I had forgotten whose P.O.V I was reading as the characters and their lives were so similar.
The story frequently jumped through time and from one character to another, which combined with very little action or storyline made it difficult to invest in the characters and left it feeling like more of a ‘fly on the wall’ than a ripping yarn… (Might make an good T. V series though 🤔)
That said, I really do love what Si Clark was trying to do here. The idea of an island where the next generation will grow up without any concept of racism, homophobia, sexism, transphobia or any of other toxic belief system sounds amazing. I would love to read more about this world if there were another instalment with more story, character development and random made up science for the inner geek!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 28, 2022
Livid Skies takes the White Hart series in a slightly different direction than Devon’s Island. It moves from the planning stages to the execution of the settlement on Mars. It takes the story from the boardroom to the machine shop. I found this installment a nice mix of science, intrigue, and hope.
I appreciate that Si Clarke’s setting is less military and more about consensus. I’m Canadian, so this means a lot to me. It’s refreshing to read a story where people are (mostly) working together to build a new world. Even the military presence begins to see the way of the future, leaving the existing world mindset of trying to own as much as possible, to a cooperative standpoint.
I love the characters. They come from everywhere in the world, bringing their own expertise, hopes, dreams, and differences with them. Somehow it makes them seem much more real because they have differences. This is a huge departure from stories where there is a hero and some minions. Most get a chance shine in some way, while still having vulnerabilities.
The world follows hard science, without being “too hard” or going into extensive explanations. I love science, but sometimes in hard science fiction my eyes glaze over during explanations. The author just tells us how things are, without pushing the boundaries too much, and as a reader, I have trust in her storytelling. I guess this makes it a slightly softer science fiction, but it works when the story comes first. The story immerses you seamlessly in the world.
I liked this one. It moves you along, turning pages, wanting to find out how the story unravels. There are a couple of unfinished threads in here, but they are natural and more to setup future stories. I don’t know where Si Clarke might take us for the next installment, but I’m good to go. Five of five on Goodreads.
I appreciate that Si Clarke’s setting is less military and more about consensus. I’m Canadian, so this means a lot to me. It’s refreshing to read a story where people are (mostly) working together to build a new world. Even the military presence begins to see the way of the future, leaving the existing world mindset of trying to own as much as possible, to a cooperative standpoint.
I love the characters. They come from everywhere in the world, bringing their own expertise, hopes, dreams, and differences with them. Somehow it makes them seem much more real because they have differences. This is a huge departure from stories where there is a hero and some minions. Most get a chance shine in some way, while still having vulnerabilities.
The world follows hard science, without being “too hard” or going into extensive explanations. I love science, but sometimes in hard science fiction my eyes glaze over during explanations. The author just tells us how things are, without pushing the boundaries too much, and as a reader, I have trust in her storytelling. I guess this makes it a slightly softer science fiction, but it works when the story comes first. The story immerses you seamlessly in the world.
I liked this one. It moves you along, turning pages, wanting to find out how the story unravels. There are a couple of unfinished threads in here, but they are natural and more to setup future stories. I don’t know where Si Clarke might take us for the next installment, but I’m good to go. Five of five on Goodreads.
June 3, 2022
5 Stars - A brave new world on Mars (quite unironically, this time!)
"Livid Skies" is the second book in Si Clarke's series about founding a colony on Mars. Now that everybody has arrived, the colonists start building a truly independent colony and, well, start going about living their lives in it.
Ah, this was just the type of cozy Sci-Fi I could keep reading forever. People have come together to build a sustainable, diverse, fair, respectful society and do their best to make it work. On the way things happen and problems have to be solved and the reader gets taken along on the journey. Not all is sunshine and rainbows though, terrible things do happen, in one case by the hand of one of the colonists. It's a tragic story and I think it is important that dealing with criminal/antisocial behaviour has been included in this story. (The freebie Past Imperfect delves deeper into this particular story, if you want to know a bit more. I do recomment reading Livid Skies first, though.)
So, while the going is not always easy, things do feel hopeful ultimately - which is a feeling the current life on earth does not incur a lot these days.
Again the story is told from changing perspective, but I had the impression that this time it was a few less perspectives than with the first book, which makes it easier to follow along with events. Si Clarke again makes a point of creating a world that is as diverse and inclusive as possible, and one I would not mind being part of. This does mean though that this is not for the conservative or narrow-minded reader.
To be quite honest, this book is not objectively perfect. Sometimes I would have liked exploring the psychology of the colonists more and the solution for the energy problem was a lucky coincidence ex machina. But, as it usually is with 5-star-reads for me: I just adored this and I don't give a fork at all if it isn't perfect.
Dear Si Clarke: I would love to read more whenever you get around to it. But no pressure please, I am happy to wait as long as it takes :)
I have received an advance review copy via BookSirens and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you very much!
"Livid Skies" is the second book in Si Clarke's series about founding a colony on Mars. Now that everybody has arrived, the colonists start building a truly independent colony and, well, start going about living their lives in it.
Ah, this was just the type of cozy Sci-Fi I could keep reading forever. People have come together to build a sustainable, diverse, fair, respectful society and do their best to make it work. On the way things happen and problems have to be solved and the reader gets taken along on the journey. Not all is sunshine and rainbows though, terrible things do happen, in one case by the hand of one of the colonists. It's a tragic story and I think it is important that dealing with criminal/antisocial behaviour has been included in this story. (The freebie Past Imperfect delves deeper into this particular story, if you want to know a bit more. I do recomment reading Livid Skies first, though.)
So, while the going is not always easy, things do feel hopeful ultimately - which is a feeling the current life on earth does not incur a lot these days.
Again the story is told from changing perspective, but I had the impression that this time it was a few less perspectives than with the first book, which makes it easier to follow along with events. Si Clarke again makes a point of creating a world that is as diverse and inclusive as possible, and one I would not mind being part of. This does mean though that this is not for the conservative or narrow-minded reader.
To be quite honest, this book is not objectively perfect. Sometimes I would have liked exploring the psychology of the colonists more and the solution for the energy problem was a lucky coincidence ex machina. But, as it usually is with 5-star-reads for me: I just adored this and I don't give a fork at all if it isn't perfect.
Dear Si Clarke: I would love to read more whenever you get around to it. But no pressure please, I am happy to wait as long as it takes :)
I have received an advance review copy via BookSirens and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you very much!
November 14, 2020
Had I read the first book before, I am sure I would've been able to enjoy it even more. But now I've got a new book to be excited about.
The first thing that made me want to read this book was the cover. It's a beautiful cover and it symbolises the huge diverse cast this book is having. When I found out there was a previous book, I was worried, but luckily even the author herself reassured me that it was being readable as a standalone.
I love Si-Fi novels, especially about people moving to other planets and this one had everything I was looking for. Let's not forget the huge diverse cast, which made me unbelievably happy to read about. I think there was every part of LGBTQ represented, including mental health issues, which are seldom being mentioned in any book.
I have to cut a star though, because a) I was a bit overwhelmed with all the characters (I fear that might've also happened because I didn't read the first book so far) and b) in my opinion, the book lacked action. There wasn't much happening besides colonizing and I was hoping for more conflicts and struggles. Well, in the next book maybe, if there's going to be one.
I received a free ARC by Booksirens in exchange for an honest review.
The first thing that made me want to read this book was the cover. It's a beautiful cover and it symbolises the huge diverse cast this book is having. When I found out there was a previous book, I was worried, but luckily even the author herself reassured me that it was being readable as a standalone.
I love Si-Fi novels, especially about people moving to other planets and this one had everything I was looking for. Let's not forget the huge diverse cast, which made me unbelievably happy to read about. I think there was every part of LGBTQ represented, including mental health issues, which are seldom being mentioned in any book.
I have to cut a star though, because a) I was a bit overwhelmed with all the characters (I fear that might've also happened because I didn't read the first book so far) and b) in my opinion, the book lacked action. There wasn't much happening besides colonizing and I was hoping for more conflicts and struggles. Well, in the next book maybe, if there's going to be one.
I received a free ARC by Booksirens in exchange for an honest review.
November 9, 2020
I received this book at no charge.
This novel took an interesting route that is both a social and hard sci-fi approach. The hard sci-fi portion was a dive into starting a colony on another planet. The social sci-fi side was the story of people of similar mind trying to form a new way of living. But by far the most interesting part of the story is the way the author changes the narrative between the characters. It took me a couple of chapters to grasp the changing narration. Once I did it was a delightful change from the single point of view narratives that pervades most fiction.
I recommend this book to anyone with a desire for someone a little different. I found only a few misspelled words. Not enough to in any way detract from the enjoyment of reading.
This novel took an interesting route that is both a social and hard sci-fi approach. The hard sci-fi portion was a dive into starting a colony on another planet. The social sci-fi side was the story of people of similar mind trying to form a new way of living. But by far the most interesting part of the story is the way the author changes the narrative between the characters. It took me a couple of chapters to grasp the changing narration. Once I did it was a delightful change from the single point of view narratives that pervades most fiction.
I recommend this book to anyone with a desire for someone a little different. I found only a few misspelled words. Not enough to in any way detract from the enjoyment of reading.
November 25, 2020
I started to read this, found out there was a prequel, and so I read that first. I'm glad I did. Reading the prequel helped lay the foundation for this book and get into the rhythm of the storytelling.
This was an engrossing and enjoyable read. It's very cerebral with the science themes and the gender fluidity. The characters were undeniably human and the story is believable.
There are a couple time I was wishing for more, particularly around some of the relationships between colonists. I would have also liked a little more of the "elsewhere" and one death in particular was heart wrenching.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was an engrossing and enjoyable read. It's very cerebral with the science themes and the gender fluidity. The characters were undeniably human and the story is believable.
There are a couple time I was wishing for more, particularly around some of the relationships between colonists. I would have also liked a little more of the "elsewhere" and one death in particular was heart wrenching.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 27, 2024
So, I was in the process of moving across the state and didn't have a lot of leisure time for reading. It didn't help that most of the book was dull. Things did pick up about two thirds of the way through, but that didn't last.
I still see no point in the "content warning" in both #1 and #2 of this series. However, this story actually had characters that refused to use certain words in a way that communicates common concepts with others in an attempt to deliberately change language. This might seem reasonable if there were acceptable ways to communicate the original concept, but it seems they do not want anyone even articulating basic reality.
I still see no point in the "content warning" in both #1 and #2 of this series. However, this story actually had characters that refused to use certain words in a way that communicates common concepts with others in an attempt to deliberately change language. This might seem reasonable if there were acceptable ways to communicate the original concept, but it seems they do not want anyone even articulating basic reality.
September 10, 2021
This was a wonderful book to read quickly! It's easy to get immersed into the new world and get to know the characters. I am detracting a point because I did feel like some storylines went nowhere ( for example: the introduction of the second Mars mission was not explored enough in my opinion) but I do love the characters, the diversity, the interesting setting. Also, Si Clarke is a wonderful writer, it's a pleasure to read these words! A beautiful book!
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
October 31, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! I didn't realize there was a first book, but other than being a bit confused by all the characters, it wasn't an issue. I've read the Teapot books by this author, which are a bit silly, so reading this more serious work was a little unexpected. Even though there was some violence and mishaps, I thought the story was a bit pollyanna. However, it was well written, interesting, and I liked most of the characters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 10, 2020
I liked this book because of the mix of science and adventure. The characters were interesting and fun and thanks to the Glossary and other info they were easy to follow as the story progressed. I have an interest in Mars as long as I remember. .after Earth it's my favorite planet to see and read about. Maybe because I am an Aries and Mars is my planet? Great read that I highly and happily recommend.
December 25, 2020
Livid Skies..Interesting book on Earth sending gay people to Mars to start life there. They are not all gay but there are only 10 men and 130 women. This is a good read around bed time. It is worth a read and it is quick. Also deals with being gay very nicely. Should give people a look at another society norms.
March 27, 2021
I loved this book and the earlier one, Devon's Island Great to see such diversity and acceptance and a fabulous story, although I think the final solution was a bit deus ex machina.
August 18, 2021
A really enjoyable, well written sci fi adventure! A brilliant selection of super interesting characters & amazing situations as they set up a colony on Mars. I will definitely look for more by this writer & do recommend for all that like this genre!
March 15, 2022
Clarke is likely a decent (or better) writer. This "book" was a teaser chapter only. She seems highly motivated to share her lesbian lifestyle. I'll pass.
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