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Pale Boundaries
A REFUGEE WITH A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER Caught transporting illicit cargo in Algran Asta’s harsh outback, pilot Terson Reilly is deported from the only home he’s ever known to an affluent but intolerant colony on Nivia. Shaped by life in a rough frontier, his temperament and upbringing collide with insular colonists that consider his mere presence a threat to their carefully curated society.
Terson finds a soulmate in Virene, an irreverent young woman chafing under the restrictive social demands. As they struggle to conform, circumstances draw them beyond the colony’s boundaries where they unwittingly set off a chain of events that threatens to expose Nivia’s dark secrets—secrets that both the government and a powerful criminal organization will do anything to protect. Are Terson’s skills and instincts from his previous life enough to save them?
HEIR-APPARENT TO AN INTERPLANETARY CRIME SYNDICATE Halsor Tennison only came to Nivia to get business back on track after an accident destroyed an entire quarter’s worth of production. It isn’t long before he realizes that the event was no accident and that a pair of witnesses could lead authorities to the Family’s operation. Hal must identify the saboteur, interrogate and quietly dispose of the witnesses before that happens.
Only the saboteur might be a woman he’s falling in love with, and one of the witnesses is more adept at protecting himself than expected. As events spiral out of control, Hal must complete his mission while defending his position within the syndicate. Can he do it without sacrificing his new-found love?
Buy Pale Boundaries now and find out!
Terson finds a soulmate in Virene, an irreverent young woman chafing under the restrictive social demands. As they struggle to conform, circumstances draw them beyond the colony’s boundaries where they unwittingly set off a chain of events that threatens to expose Nivia’s dark secrets—secrets that both the government and a powerful criminal organization will do anything to protect. Are Terson’s skills and instincts from his previous life enough to save them?
HEIR-APPARENT TO AN INTERPLANETARY CRIME SYNDICATE Halsor Tennison only came to Nivia to get business back on track after an accident destroyed an entire quarter’s worth of production. It isn’t long before he realizes that the event was no accident and that a pair of witnesses could lead authorities to the Family’s operation. Hal must identify the saboteur, interrogate and quietly dispose of the witnesses before that happens.
Only the saboteur might be a woman he’s falling in love with, and one of the witnesses is more adept at protecting himself than expected. As events spiral out of control, Hal must complete his mission while defending his position within the syndicate. Can he do it without sacrificing his new-found love?
Buy Pale Boundaries now and find out!
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 6, 2010
Rating: 4.8 out of 5
Diving into an excellent work of science fiction can be like swimming through a sea of red tape; it’s muddled, sometimes it can tie you down and be more than a little confusing, and yet, once you put everything together, you finally know the answer and the effort it took to get through becomes worth it.
This was my experience reading “Pale Boundaries” by Scott Cleveland.
In truth, this is the first science fiction novel I’ve read since my high-school love of the Cyberpunk micro-genre. At times I found it difficult to keep everything in order – the technical terms tripped me up occasionally and I found myself backtracking constantly, trying to stay the course and understand all that was going on – and because of this, a book whose length I can usually complete in four days took me a little over a week. Now this is not a complaint, mind you; in fact, the act of staying with a book longer than usual struck me as a cathartic experience. By the time I reached the end, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the mind that created the work.
“Pale Boundaries” is the story of Terson Reilly, a young pilot existing on a backwater planet called Algran Asta. The story follows his adventures – from his arrest on his home planet for smuggling Militia weapons, to his relocation to a gorgeous, sun-splashed world named Nivea, where pregnancy laws and environmental controls are draconian, at best. Along the way he works through the guilt of watching his friend back home die a gruesome death, finds love (with a refreshingly strong and intractable woman named Virene), begins a relationship with his probation officer, Malaan Bragg, a noble man whose ignorance of his own society’s corruption will lead him down a rather depressing path, and encounters conflict when he and Virene try and rescue the pilots of a downed shuttle, only to discover that not everything within Nivean society is exactly what it seems.
Terson, himself, is a wonderful character. He is young and brash, following a common trope among science fiction heroes, and yet he is imminently faulted and damaged. He’s prone to violent outbursts, wears his guilt like a designer suit, and is untrusting. His is a grand journey of self-discovery, awakening, loss, self-destruction, and revenge. The many scenes between he and Virene are beautifully portrayed, looping together their naiveté with their not-so-innocent animal passions for each other, bring about a sense of reality and crunchiness to the characters. If we’ve been lucky, we know the lust and dedication for each other they feel…and quite honestly, this is the sort of pragmatic relationship I’ve found lacking in many novels I’ve read recently.
Another character I found fascinating is Halsor Tennison (Hal for short), the facto leader of The Family, a criminal organization that operates out of Nivia’s other large continent. The Family is, as we find out, the real reason behind Nivea’s strict ruling guidelines, which all come about as a way to keep their pockets overflowing through illegal shipping of technology and goods and help to hold down a society of people who also inhabit the Beta Continent – an Asian/Japanese-like culture called the Minzoku. Hal and The Family are constantly at odds with the rulers of these other peoples. He is without a doubt the villain of the piece, and yet his character is fleshed out with as much caring and intensity as Terson’s. In fact, more often than not, you can’t tell he’s the baddie, at all. When he falls in love with the niece of the Minzoku ruler, Dayuki, we admire and root for their relationship as much as we root for Terson and Virene. In fact, it can be said that Hal and Terson are meant to be played against each other in a literary sense; they are mirror images of each other, each possessing strengths and faults that the other doesn’t, which suggests that, had their circumstances been reversed, they might have become each other.
The plot of this book is convoluted in the best of ways. It’s rife with deception and backward dealing, and none of the characters are privy to what the others are doing, which makes for an intriguing read. It also has emotional threads that are surprisingly strong. When Terson suffers the greatest loss of his life, my heart dropped along with his. I saw him give up, and said, “I’m right there with you, brother. I’d have done the same thing.” There is also an exploration of power and culture that makes this much more than a technological thriller. Author Cleveland disperses throughout the text little clues as to why humans have traversed space at all, why Earth is no longer their home, and it made perfect sense. The author has an insight into human behavior that allows him to create this fantastic world and make it, in every way, believable.
In this regard (and many others), this is a great book. I’ve said many times that genre fiction allows us to ingest real and potent problems under the guise of something strange and otherworldly, and Pale Boundaries accomplishes this in spades. From presenting the idea of environmental protection and its drawbacks when the fanaticism involved outlives its practicality to the dangers (both for the suppressed and the suppressors) of xenophobia, it yanks you into the world it’s created and forces you to think about your own world. The examination of mob culture and how much sway they have on our everyday lives is also an interesting thread. All one has to do is look at the history of their own country (no matter where in the world they live) and wonder how much of their society’s success and failure has been the result of the suppression and hegemony of some clandestine group. After all, conspiracy theories don’t exist in a vacuum.
In all, I loved this book. Along with being a fantastic read, it is also the most well refined self-published novel I’ve ever read. The structure is near perfect, and there are scant errors or typos, which is rare in this new world of publishing. Actually, when I look back on it, I don’t understand why this book wasn’t picked up by a publishing house. With a near-flawless construction and a potent (and concise) storyline, I would figure it would attract the attention of at least someone in the industry. I emailed the author to see if he’d ever sent the book out to agents or publishers, and he replied that yes, he had many times without a single bite. This strikes me as both odd and disheartening. If a work as brilliant as this can slip through the cracks, it doesn’t gather much confidence in the decision makers who put out books for the mainstream to read.
(As a side note, though, I feel I must mention the one problem I did have with the book. Although it is well-constructed and near perfect, I reached the end realizing that very few of the plot threads had been resolved, and there is another book due out in 2012 that will continue Terson Reilly’s adventures. This, I feel, should have been known from the start. Unfortunately, it could turn off readers, and this is something that I would find a very, very large disappointment. So please, Mister Cleveland, tell us it’s the first book in a series from the getgo. For this, I dock you (gasp!) one point in execution.)
So go out and purchase this book. It’s a dense read, but well worth it. And perhaps you’ll come out on the other side the same way I did; mystified, impressed, and feeling more than a little enlightened.
Plot - 9
Characters - 10
Voice - 10
Execution - 9
Personal Enjoyment – 10
Overall – 48/50 (4.8/5)
Diving into an excellent work of science fiction can be like swimming through a sea of red tape; it’s muddled, sometimes it can tie you down and be more than a little confusing, and yet, once you put everything together, you finally know the answer and the effort it took to get through becomes worth it.
This was my experience reading “Pale Boundaries” by Scott Cleveland.
In truth, this is the first science fiction novel I’ve read since my high-school love of the Cyberpunk micro-genre. At times I found it difficult to keep everything in order – the technical terms tripped me up occasionally and I found myself backtracking constantly, trying to stay the course and understand all that was going on – and because of this, a book whose length I can usually complete in four days took me a little over a week. Now this is not a complaint, mind you; in fact, the act of staying with a book longer than usual struck me as a cathartic experience. By the time I reached the end, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the mind that created the work.
“Pale Boundaries” is the story of Terson Reilly, a young pilot existing on a backwater planet called Algran Asta. The story follows his adventures – from his arrest on his home planet for smuggling Militia weapons, to his relocation to a gorgeous, sun-splashed world named Nivea, where pregnancy laws and environmental controls are draconian, at best. Along the way he works through the guilt of watching his friend back home die a gruesome death, finds love (with a refreshingly strong and intractable woman named Virene), begins a relationship with his probation officer, Malaan Bragg, a noble man whose ignorance of his own society’s corruption will lead him down a rather depressing path, and encounters conflict when he and Virene try and rescue the pilots of a downed shuttle, only to discover that not everything within Nivean society is exactly what it seems.
Terson, himself, is a wonderful character. He is young and brash, following a common trope among science fiction heroes, and yet he is imminently faulted and damaged. He’s prone to violent outbursts, wears his guilt like a designer suit, and is untrusting. His is a grand journey of self-discovery, awakening, loss, self-destruction, and revenge. The many scenes between he and Virene are beautifully portrayed, looping together their naiveté with their not-so-innocent animal passions for each other, bring about a sense of reality and crunchiness to the characters. If we’ve been lucky, we know the lust and dedication for each other they feel…and quite honestly, this is the sort of pragmatic relationship I’ve found lacking in many novels I’ve read recently.
Another character I found fascinating is Halsor Tennison (Hal for short), the facto leader of The Family, a criminal organization that operates out of Nivia’s other large continent. The Family is, as we find out, the real reason behind Nivea’s strict ruling guidelines, which all come about as a way to keep their pockets overflowing through illegal shipping of technology and goods and help to hold down a society of people who also inhabit the Beta Continent – an Asian/Japanese-like culture called the Minzoku. Hal and The Family are constantly at odds with the rulers of these other peoples. He is without a doubt the villain of the piece, and yet his character is fleshed out with as much caring and intensity as Terson’s. In fact, more often than not, you can’t tell he’s the baddie, at all. When he falls in love with the niece of the Minzoku ruler, Dayuki, we admire and root for their relationship as much as we root for Terson and Virene. In fact, it can be said that Hal and Terson are meant to be played against each other in a literary sense; they are mirror images of each other, each possessing strengths and faults that the other doesn’t, which suggests that, had their circumstances been reversed, they might have become each other.
The plot of this book is convoluted in the best of ways. It’s rife with deception and backward dealing, and none of the characters are privy to what the others are doing, which makes for an intriguing read. It also has emotional threads that are surprisingly strong. When Terson suffers the greatest loss of his life, my heart dropped along with his. I saw him give up, and said, “I’m right there with you, brother. I’d have done the same thing.” There is also an exploration of power and culture that makes this much more than a technological thriller. Author Cleveland disperses throughout the text little clues as to why humans have traversed space at all, why Earth is no longer their home, and it made perfect sense. The author has an insight into human behavior that allows him to create this fantastic world and make it, in every way, believable.
In this regard (and many others), this is a great book. I’ve said many times that genre fiction allows us to ingest real and potent problems under the guise of something strange and otherworldly, and Pale Boundaries accomplishes this in spades. From presenting the idea of environmental protection and its drawbacks when the fanaticism involved outlives its practicality to the dangers (both for the suppressed and the suppressors) of xenophobia, it yanks you into the world it’s created and forces you to think about your own world. The examination of mob culture and how much sway they have on our everyday lives is also an interesting thread. All one has to do is look at the history of their own country (no matter where in the world they live) and wonder how much of their society’s success and failure has been the result of the suppression and hegemony of some clandestine group. After all, conspiracy theories don’t exist in a vacuum.
In all, I loved this book. Along with being a fantastic read, it is also the most well refined self-published novel I’ve ever read. The structure is near perfect, and there are scant errors or typos, which is rare in this new world of publishing. Actually, when I look back on it, I don’t understand why this book wasn’t picked up by a publishing house. With a near-flawless construction and a potent (and concise) storyline, I would figure it would attract the attention of at least someone in the industry. I emailed the author to see if he’d ever sent the book out to agents or publishers, and he replied that yes, he had many times without a single bite. This strikes me as both odd and disheartening. If a work as brilliant as this can slip through the cracks, it doesn’t gather much confidence in the decision makers who put out books for the mainstream to read.
(As a side note, though, I feel I must mention the one problem I did have with the book. Although it is well-constructed and near perfect, I reached the end realizing that very few of the plot threads had been resolved, and there is another book due out in 2012 that will continue Terson Reilly’s adventures. This, I feel, should have been known from the start. Unfortunately, it could turn off readers, and this is something that I would find a very, very large disappointment. So please, Mister Cleveland, tell us it’s the first book in a series from the getgo. For this, I dock you (gasp!) one point in execution.)
So go out and purchase this book. It’s a dense read, but well worth it. And perhaps you’ll come out on the other side the same way I did; mystified, impressed, and feeling more than a little enlightened.
Plot - 9
Characters - 10
Voice - 10
Execution - 9
Personal Enjoyment – 10
Overall – 48/50 (4.8/5)
May 30, 2020
Gripping and intriguing
If I say it is reminiscent of Dune don't think it is a rip off of it. It is the creation of a world filled with mystery that is maintained to the end leaving you panting for more in book 2.
If I say it is reminiscent of Dune don't think it is a rip off of it. It is the creation of a world filled with mystery that is maintained to the end leaving you panting for more in book 2.
January 19, 2021
Excellent Writing
Great story with plenty of action, plot twists, and characters which don’t bring much attention initially, only to be essential later in the story. Great character development throughout the book.
Great story with plenty of action, plot twists, and characters which don’t bring much attention initially, only to be essential later in the story. Great character development throughout the book.
December 28, 2020
Very interesting book. I enjoyed the plot and look forward to the next in the series.
November 25, 2021
Review
Liked the characters and the plot. Thoroughly enjoyed th concept of the storyline. This was a very good read and I would recommend it to everyone.
Liked the characters and the plot. Thoroughly enjoyed th concept of the storyline. This was a very good read and I would recommend it to everyone.
November 24, 2022
good read
Very interesting and quite a few twist and turns through out the plot. I look forward to the next book.
Very interesting and quite a few twist and turns through out the plot. I look forward to the next book.
December 30, 2020
Some parts of this book were so good and other parts were pure drudgery.
I did like the characters.
I may try the next book in the series.
I did like the characters.
I may try the next book in the series.
March 12, 2013
In Scott Cleveland's debut novel, Pale Boundaries, Terson Reilly and his wife, Virene, are out boating when they witness a spacecraft crash into the sea. They speed over to the crash site to affect a rescue of the crew. Normally, such heroic behavior would be praised or even rewarded, but neither the government nor the owners of the spacecraft are pleased with them.
First off, the spacecraft that crashed had cargo belonging to an interplanetary crime family. They fear that Terson and Virene may have discovered incriminating evidence about them in the wreckage and feel obligated to eliminate the couple.
Terson is an involuntary immigrant to Nivia, a world with strict environmental and population control laws. On his homeworld of Algran Asta, he was an ex-cop turned helicopter pilot. An accidental run in with the wrong crowd got him booted off the planet and nearly cost him his life.
Having come from a cloudy, high gravity world, Terson's short stature and intolerance to Nivia's ample sunlight make him stick out like a sore thumb. An immigrant with a criminal record isn't exactly welcome on Nivia. Population controls dictate that his presence means one less pregnancy license will be issued. It seems like every knucklehead with a grievance is compelled to take it out on Terson. Not one to walk away from a fight, each altercation lands him behind bars.
As the couple was outside of the sanctioned coastal boundary, the authorities immediately suspected them of being poachers. Considering Terson's criminal record, the authorities doubt the credibility of his story. The one person who believes Terson and Virene is their parole officer and police captain, Maalan Bragg. While he's not blind to the couple's checkered past, he suspects that they're innocent and in over their heads.
Cleveland could've kept to the "wrong place at the wrong time" plot and it would've been fine, but there's even more going on in this story. There are sub-plots involving the crime family's members and its dealings with the government and the natives that if I write any more than this I'll be spoiling it for you. There are so many factions involved, each with its own agenda, that Cleveland must be given credit for tying it all together. It would fall apart in the hands of a less talented writer.
Cleveland also deserves praise for his skill at crafting realistic characters. While Terson is a tough guy and a loner, Cleveland shows how he came to be that way and we don't blame him. When Virene penetrates his hardened exterior, we get to see just how emotionally vulnerable he is. It lends credibility to Terson's ability to survive the physical punishment he endures.
On the other side is Halsor Tennison. He's the local head of the crime family and could very well be a two-dimensional villain. However, Cleveland takes a lesson from David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, and makes Tennsion a human being rather than some run of the mill TV bad guy. When Tennison isn't hunting down Terson, he's dealing with rival factions, both within and without, staying hidden from the part of the government his family doesn't control and his complicated love life. The latter reveals his vulnerabilities. If it weren't for the fact that he's after Terson, you'd be inclined to root for him.
As for the technicals, there are only a handful of typos, half of which occurred in the last fifty pages of the book. The dialogue is spot on and seamlessly blends with the exposition. Cleveland's writing style displays a maturity typically only seen in seasoned veterans. I can't help but wonder why this book wasn't picked up by a major publisher.
My one gripe with Pale Boundaries, and it's a small one, is that it ends unfinished. I realize a series requires individual books to leave the overall story open, but there are too many unresolved issues. While the story has a climax, I didn't recognize it until I started writing this review. It took place 60 pages before the end of the book! While Terson, Tennison and the other characters deal with important matters afterward, the dramatic tension has already abated so the end of the book comes as anti-climactic. Perhaps this extra material could've been saved for the sequel.
My one minor complaint aside, Scott Cleveland has crafted a wonderful, action-packed story with layers of sub-plots to keep readers engrossed from start to finish. His characters, whether good or bad, are all real human beings with the strengths and vulnerabilities that come with the territory. While it's evident that he did his research on the science underlying the story, the sci-fi element is downplayed enough to make Pale Boundaries accessible to readers outside of the genre. I look forward to the sequel.
First off, the spacecraft that crashed had cargo belonging to an interplanetary crime family. They fear that Terson and Virene may have discovered incriminating evidence about them in the wreckage and feel obligated to eliminate the couple.
Terson is an involuntary immigrant to Nivia, a world with strict environmental and population control laws. On his homeworld of Algran Asta, he was an ex-cop turned helicopter pilot. An accidental run in with the wrong crowd got him booted off the planet and nearly cost him his life.
Having come from a cloudy, high gravity world, Terson's short stature and intolerance to Nivia's ample sunlight make him stick out like a sore thumb. An immigrant with a criminal record isn't exactly welcome on Nivia. Population controls dictate that his presence means one less pregnancy license will be issued. It seems like every knucklehead with a grievance is compelled to take it out on Terson. Not one to walk away from a fight, each altercation lands him behind bars.
As the couple was outside of the sanctioned coastal boundary, the authorities immediately suspected them of being poachers. Considering Terson's criminal record, the authorities doubt the credibility of his story. The one person who believes Terson and Virene is their parole officer and police captain, Maalan Bragg. While he's not blind to the couple's checkered past, he suspects that they're innocent and in over their heads.
Cleveland could've kept to the "wrong place at the wrong time" plot and it would've been fine, but there's even more going on in this story. There are sub-plots involving the crime family's members and its dealings with the government and the natives that if I write any more than this I'll be spoiling it for you. There are so many factions involved, each with its own agenda, that Cleveland must be given credit for tying it all together. It would fall apart in the hands of a less talented writer.
Cleveland also deserves praise for his skill at crafting realistic characters. While Terson is a tough guy and a loner, Cleveland shows how he came to be that way and we don't blame him. When Virene penetrates his hardened exterior, we get to see just how emotionally vulnerable he is. It lends credibility to Terson's ability to survive the physical punishment he endures.
On the other side is Halsor Tennison. He's the local head of the crime family and could very well be a two-dimensional villain. However, Cleveland takes a lesson from David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, and makes Tennsion a human being rather than some run of the mill TV bad guy. When Tennison isn't hunting down Terson, he's dealing with rival factions, both within and without, staying hidden from the part of the government his family doesn't control and his complicated love life. The latter reveals his vulnerabilities. If it weren't for the fact that he's after Terson, you'd be inclined to root for him.
As for the technicals, there are only a handful of typos, half of which occurred in the last fifty pages of the book. The dialogue is spot on and seamlessly blends with the exposition. Cleveland's writing style displays a maturity typically only seen in seasoned veterans. I can't help but wonder why this book wasn't picked up by a major publisher.
My one gripe with Pale Boundaries, and it's a small one, is that it ends unfinished. I realize a series requires individual books to leave the overall story open, but there are too many unresolved issues. While the story has a climax, I didn't recognize it until I started writing this review. It took place 60 pages before the end of the book! While Terson, Tennison and the other characters deal with important matters afterward, the dramatic tension has already abated so the end of the book comes as anti-climactic. Perhaps this extra material could've been saved for the sequel.
My one minor complaint aside, Scott Cleveland has crafted a wonderful, action-packed story with layers of sub-plots to keep readers engrossed from start to finish. His characters, whether good or bad, are all real human beings with the strengths and vulnerabilities that come with the territory. While it's evident that he did his research on the science underlying the story, the sci-fi element is downplayed enough to make Pale Boundaries accessible to readers outside of the genre. I look forward to the sequel.
January 12, 2021
Thanks Scott, loved it! It's been a while since I've read a book I didn't want to put down. Great storyline and characters. A big thumbs up from me.
May 30, 2011
Concept/World
Scott Cleveland has created a big canvas which at times can be confusing; it wasn't till the end of the story that I really felt I'd got to grips with "who, what and where" about the various cultures within the world. That said, it was an interesting and well written, detailed environment and the spacetech was intriguing.
Story
The plot does tend to leap about and needs focus to keep track of what is happening. It is pretty violent at times and I could have done without characters vomiting quite as much as they did, but it is certainly action packed.
Characters
The characters are well written. I didn't find many of them sympathetic, as Nivia seems to be populated by a whole lot of self serving, amoral and ruthless people. Terson Reilly, the main protagonist, is a kind of Typhoid Mary - it isn't just that trouble and disaster seem to have plagued him from birth but as he observes himself in the book, seems to infect everyone he cares about. If this man wants to be your friend, RUN!
Presentation
The front cover is okay but could be in any genre and is far too tranquil to portray the intensity of action and complex betrayals in the story. There are a couple of minor editorial blarts of a kind which would not be picked up by a spellchecker (altar/alter, breaks/brakes) but overall the quality of editing, spelling, grammar and punctuation is excellent.
Overall
This book reminded me of Peter Benchley's books in the punchy style of the writing, action-driven story and brutal characters. I was unable to review this book on the Starships and Aliens website since it does contain swearing, sex and violence. However I liked the quality of the writing and the intriguing premise in the sample enough to buy a copy to read for myself. I found it was a bit too much of a slaughterhouse for my personal taste (I prefer more humour and less blood/vomit) but I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys well written action stories of any genre.
Scott Cleveland has created a big canvas which at times can be confusing; it wasn't till the end of the story that I really felt I'd got to grips with "who, what and where" about the various cultures within the world. That said, it was an interesting and well written, detailed environment and the spacetech was intriguing.
Story
The plot does tend to leap about and needs focus to keep track of what is happening. It is pretty violent at times and I could have done without characters vomiting quite as much as they did, but it is certainly action packed.
Characters
The characters are well written. I didn't find many of them sympathetic, as Nivia seems to be populated by a whole lot of self serving, amoral and ruthless people. Terson Reilly, the main protagonist, is a kind of Typhoid Mary - it isn't just that trouble and disaster seem to have plagued him from birth but as he observes himself in the book, seems to infect everyone he cares about. If this man wants to be your friend, RUN!
Presentation
The front cover is okay but could be in any genre and is far too tranquil to portray the intensity of action and complex betrayals in the story. There are a couple of minor editorial blarts of a kind which would not be picked up by a spellchecker (altar/alter, breaks/brakes) but overall the quality of editing, spelling, grammar and punctuation is excellent.
Overall
This book reminded me of Peter Benchley's books in the punchy style of the writing, action-driven story and brutal characters. I was unable to review this book on the Starships and Aliens website since it does contain swearing, sex and violence. However I liked the quality of the writing and the intriguing premise in the sample enough to buy a copy to read for myself. I found it was a bit too much of a slaughterhouse for my personal taste (I prefer more humour and less blood/vomit) but I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys well written action stories of any genre.
September 1, 2010
3.5 out of 5 Stars
This novel revolves around Terson Reilly, a bit of a misfit, his girl Virene, and their probation officer, Bragg Maalan. Terson finds himself transported to the planet Nivia where foreigners are openly disliked and the environmental laws are strictly enforced to the point of fanaticism. On more than one occasion Bragg helps both Terson and Virene out of tight spots with the law saving them from seeing the inside of a jail cell.
When Terson and Virene go to the aid of a spacecraft that crashes into the sea near their romantic island hideaway, they unwittingly become involved in something that is bigger than either of them could have imagined. Even Bragg has no idea initially that they have fallen on the “wrong” side of the FAMILY, a mafia type organization. This sets up the scenario for non-stop action throughout the rest of book.
I found that sometimes this author switches between plot lines too many times and with lots of different characters without any transition and I struggle to come back up to speed with what has happened earlier. It was a bit jarring. It is perhaps the reason why this was not one of my favorite books. Don’t get me wrong, it is a well-written, action-packed story that most readers will enjoy, but for me, the book fell just a bit short.
I have no problem though recommending this book to fans who enjoy action and science fiction rolled into one.
This novel revolves around Terson Reilly, a bit of a misfit, his girl Virene, and their probation officer, Bragg Maalan. Terson finds himself transported to the planet Nivia where foreigners are openly disliked and the environmental laws are strictly enforced to the point of fanaticism. On more than one occasion Bragg helps both Terson and Virene out of tight spots with the law saving them from seeing the inside of a jail cell.
When Terson and Virene go to the aid of a spacecraft that crashes into the sea near their romantic island hideaway, they unwittingly become involved in something that is bigger than either of them could have imagined. Even Bragg has no idea initially that they have fallen on the “wrong” side of the FAMILY, a mafia type organization. This sets up the scenario for non-stop action throughout the rest of book.
I found that sometimes this author switches between plot lines too many times and with lots of different characters without any transition and I struggle to come back up to speed with what has happened earlier. It was a bit jarring. It is perhaps the reason why this was not one of my favorite books. Don’t get me wrong, it is a well-written, action-packed story that most readers will enjoy, but for me, the book fell just a bit short.
I have no problem though recommending this book to fans who enjoy action and science fiction rolled into one.
August 12, 2016
Think of a world far away that has dangers we can never perceive. Think of more than one world like that. Now think of the dangerous humans that could move among the animals. So much like Earth in so many levels. This is the story of a young man grown up on a wild planet and thrust into a ‘civilized’ one that will test his sanity like nowhere else.
I am not a big science fiction reader. Yet this book had so much mystery and had enough to keep the story relatable to Earth that I couldn’t put it down. It was a great read with intrigue everywhere and mysteries that kept me guessing.
There is some language and violent scenes.
Great characters. Great plot. A very good read.
Note: I purchased this book with my own funds with no expectation of a positive review.
I am not a big science fiction reader. Yet this book had so much mystery and had enough to keep the story relatable to Earth that I couldn’t put it down. It was a great read with intrigue everywhere and mysteries that kept me guessing.
There is some language and violent scenes.
Great characters. Great plot. A very good read.
Note: I purchased this book with my own funds with no expectation of a positive review.
January 12, 2016
I enjoyed Pale Boundaries quite a bit. Scott Cleveland has a talent for setting and world building and it serves him well in this story. I like science fiction that includes crime and so I was pleasantly surprised at the corruption infesting Nivian authorities and the syndicate that flourishes in this environment. That isn't to say characterization is left out. Terson, Virene and Malaan are all well rounded characters with depth that readers will care about. I look forward to more novels in this series.
January 2, 2014
Very well written and fast paced. The characters are written like real people with histories and the author does a reasonable job of filling in backstories.
I downloaded this book to my Kindle as a free book and as soon as I finished it, I purchased the sequel and am half way through it.
I look forward to seeing this author in the future as I enjoy his writing style and attention to detail.
January 29, 2020
Well done but...
...it would have been a bit more enjoyable if the protagonist wasn't about to be killed every third page. Good writing, almost believeable characters and a problematic ending
...it would have been a bit more enjoyable if the protagonist wasn't about to be killed every third page. Good writing, almost believeable characters and a problematic ending
December 7, 2010
Great book!
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