Planetfall (Planetfall, #1) in Do Better: SFF without Sexual Violence

Jun 28, 2020 Silvana rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: series-and-trilogies-i-completed, female-nonbinary-authors, sci-fi, z-2020-wotf-challenge, space-the-final-frontier, sff-2020-reading-challenge, hugo-nominees-2020, lgbtqia, z-2020-sf-novel-novella, mine-mine-mine

I was prepared to give this two stars but the story finally picked up (or I started to get it) in the final third. Absolutely enjoyed the technology, the organic BDO aspect (also getting some Vandermeerian feel here) and most of all, the way the MC was written. I was not expecting to read about depression, anxiety, PTSD, and a bunch of mental health issues I was not able to identify. That part was engaging. Plus, I always have a soft spot for an older/mature woman as MC.

My problem with the book ...more

21 likes · Like · see review

Jul 31, 2020 Beige rated it really liked it

Shelves: zread-1-scifi

4 'why-didn't-i-read-this-sooner' stars

When, as a rule, you don't read book blurbs, it seems silly to say a book isn't what you expected. However, that is my overwhelming feeling about this book.

I thought we'd face colonizing, engineering and social challenges, but the challenges are much more psychological in nature. Instead of getting a better understanding of the new planet humanity has discovered, the reader is firmly placed in the head of Ren...and what an interesting and unsettling plac ...more

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Mar 05, 2019 Kaa rated it really liked it

Shelves: seven-kingdoms, group-buddy-reads, queer-sff, sffbc-ratb

Absolutely incredible depiction of anxiety, grief, and guilt. I thought the development of Ren as a character was beautifully done.

The plot was quite a bit weaker, and the ending in particular felt rushed and out of place. Nevertheless, overall I thought it was an excellent book (I also really enjoyed the world-building), and I will probably read the next.

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Sep 24, 2019 Ryan rated it really liked it

Even better on the reread. As expected.

A highly immersive and grounded scifi story that has its intentionally uncomfortable moments. If only everyone took as much care and diligence in writing about ************ as the brilliant Emma Newman!

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Jan 24, 2024 Kristenelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2024-tbr

I really enjoyed this story about a group of humans who have founded a colony on a distant planet. Space colonization is one of my favorite tropes. I also loved the mysteriousness of the storytelling where you are learning little by little what exactly the situation is. The world-building and atmosphere really worked for me.

This isn't five stars because there was too much internal turmoil and anxiety for my taste. I really dislike when a story is slowed down by spending a lot of time in a chara ...more

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Dec 31, 2019 Leticia rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, read_all_the_books, older-women-in-sf-f

This was a very suspenseful, and character-driven science fiction.

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May 28, 2018 Caroline rated it liked it

This book stuck in my head for a long time--still there! Fascinating merger of mental illness, colony life, fungal something, and figuring out all the things, including recovery from trauma. If the main character had retained agency, and been able to fight the slow collapse, I would have enjoyed it much more.

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