Review by Katelyn Scott -- Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga...
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Katelyn Scott
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Review by Katelyn Scott -- Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga...
[Following is a volunteer review of "Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)" by Janet McNulty.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Solaris Seethes--a science fiction novel by Janet Mcnulty--is a spacefaring adventure featuring a host of different planets and a cast of characters who come from different time periods on Earth. Lead by an alien named Rynah and Solaris--her sentient ship--this ragged band must race across the galaxy in a desperate search for a series of crystals whose power could be used to destroy the galaxy.
I liked the premise for Solaris Seethes as it reminded me of the British BBC Dr. Who with a ship that could transport people across time and space. It was made more interesting by Solaris herself as I've never read a book that features a sentient ship, especially one with such a sense of humor. Most of the chuckle-invoking moments I experienced came from Solaris' antics, and I found her to be the most enjoyable member of the eclectic cast. Unfortunately, everything that I liked about the book was marred by a poor plot, shallow characters, and excessive descriptions that I could've done without.
The first chapter focuses on Rynah and propels her into this galaxy saving adventure, but feels rushed. I'd barely been introduced to Rynah and what she was doing before a series of rapid events propels her into the galaxy. Background was poorly explained and characters that should've been introduced more thoroughly popped in and out as if mere afterthoughts. I understand the need to get the story going, but the backdrop could've used more fleshing out before Rynah went forth on this adventure.
The same is true for the other characters--Solon, Alfric, Brie, and Tom--that Rynah recruits for her mission. The chapters that introduce them are incredibly short and don't flesh out their background a great deal before each is--predictably--teleported onto Solaris. The characters themselves don't seem especially developed and their attempts to grasp serious issues fall short of their intended target and even left me confused at times. Alfric's character was the hardest to swallow. I couldn't decide if he was the viking king he was introduced as, or the twenty-first century shrink that he routinely emulated.
Perhaps the greatest let down for the story was the poorly handled description. Either there was too much in a place that needed less, or there was scant description in an area that needed more. This was especially apparent in the excessive use of parenthesis. These are supposed to indicate interruptions, performing a function related to, but subtly different from the main thread of a sentence--not to mention used sparingly. However, the unnecessary and lengthy information occurred so often that I felt I was suffering from information overload.
Despite these criticisms, Solaris Seethes isn't a bad book and I did enjoy it. It did an excellent job of capturing a race across the galaxy to stave off disaster and ended with a poignant note that made me feel compassion for the characters. Doubt cast upon the fate of one of the group also left me curious as to what will happen next. I give this book a 3 out of 4 stars and invite people to follow Solaris and her crew on their galaxy spanning adventure.
******
Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)
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3 out of 4 stars
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Solaris Seethes--a science fiction novel by Janet Mcnulty--is a spacefaring adventure featuring a host of different planets and a cast of characters who come from different time periods on Earth. Lead by an alien named Rynah and Solaris--her sentient ship--this ragged band must race across the galaxy in a desperate search for a series of crystals whose power could be used to destroy the galaxy.
I liked the premise for Solaris Seethes as it reminded me of the British BBC Dr. Who with a ship that could transport people across time and space. It was made more interesting by Solaris herself as I've never read a book that features a sentient ship, especially one with such a sense of humor. Most of the chuckle-invoking moments I experienced came from Solaris' antics, and I found her to be the most enjoyable member of the eclectic cast. Unfortunately, everything that I liked about the book was marred by a poor plot, shallow characters, and excessive descriptions that I could've done without.
The first chapter focuses on Rynah and propels her into this galaxy saving adventure, but feels rushed. I'd barely been introduced to Rynah and what she was doing before a series of rapid events propels her into the galaxy. Background was poorly explained and characters that should've been introduced more thoroughly popped in and out as if mere afterthoughts. I understand the need to get the story going, but the backdrop could've used more fleshing out before Rynah went forth on this adventure.
The same is true for the other characters--Solon, Alfric, Brie, and Tom--that Rynah recruits for her mission. The chapters that introduce them are incredibly short and don't flesh out their background a great deal before each is--predictably--teleported onto Solaris. The characters themselves don't seem especially developed and their attempts to grasp serious issues fall short of their intended target and even left me confused at times. Alfric's character was the hardest to swallow. I couldn't decide if he was the viking king he was introduced as, or the twenty-first century shrink that he routinely emulated.
Perhaps the greatest let down for the story was the poorly handled description. Either there was too much in a place that needed less, or there was scant description in an area that needed more. This was especially apparent in the excessive use of parenthesis. These are supposed to indicate interruptions, performing a function related to, but subtly different from the main thread of a sentence--not to mention used sparingly. However, the unnecessary and lengthy information occurred so often that I felt I was suffering from information overload.
Despite these criticisms, Solaris Seethes isn't a bad book and I did enjoy it. It did an excellent job of capturing a race across the galaxy to stave off disaster and ended with a poignant note that made me feel compassion for the characters. Doubt cast upon the fate of one of the group also left me curious as to what will happen next. I give this book a 3 out of 4 stars and invite people to follow Solaris and her crew on their galaxy spanning adventure.
******
Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
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Latest Review: "Randy Love...at your service" by Shay Carter
