Review of Sent to Watch
-
Aswathy Hariharan
- Posts: 128
- Joined: 31 Oct 2019, 14:41
- Currently Reading: Messages from the Masters
- Bookshelf Size: 126
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-aswathy-hariharan.html
- Latest Review: Awakening... by Jin Lan Cera
Review of Sent to Watch
[Following is a volunteer review of "Sent to Watch" by David J. Lebenstein.]
The book Sent to Watch by David J. Lebenstein is a fictional novel set in various worlds. The book begins with an introduction to Earth—not the Earth we know, but another planet altogether. They discover another planet that has a similar history, geography, and other aspects as theirs, and the inhabitants of their planet call their planet Earth as well. So they decide to name themselves as Earth 1 and the other as Earth 2 to avoid confusion. In this manner, they discover about 52 Earths. Each of these Earths is at a different level of technological and cultural development. So the Earths, which are at higher developed stages, including Earth 1, form a Confederation. They sent secret spies to mingle and live in societies on the Earths that are at lower levels of development. They have a motto: "Sent to Watch, not to affect."
The Confederation follows a different calculation of time. The glossary in the book helps the reader greatly in registering the setup of the content. The Earth we know is Earth 48. The story revolves around Ori and Unni, whose names on Earth 48 are Robert Weatherby and Jenny Carter. They live in the 1800s, according to the calendar of Earth 48. They eventually get married. The Confederation discovers another team similar to themselves: the Vittmian Empire. Unlike the Confederation, they conquer planets and vanquish people who do not look like them. Ori and Unni are guilt-pricked, especially by this news. They decide to have a kid who will grow up to be Britain's prime minister, accelerating the process and ultimately serving as a catalyst to hasten Earth 48's entry into the Confederation. They would have a stronger defense as a result before the Vittmian took control.
The author describes several aspects in detail. History plays an important role in the novel. The post-Napoleanic period, the rise of Wellington, Princess Charlotte's tragic death, and several other incidents are narrated in a proper timeline, making it an enjoyable read. The Confederation was at much higher technological advancement compared to Earth 48. Therefore, satellites, space stations, different galaxies, and interstellar travel were all explained with physics backing up whenever required.
Almost every character in this book has a dual identity with different and difficult names. This was a confusing aspect for me while reading. Although I caught the grip of it as I dove into the book, this was the only difficulty I faced. I will not point this out as a negative aspect because this was required for the content of the book. It supported the story in every way. There were a few spelling errors that I found. I would suggest the book be proofread once again.
I would rate the book five out of five stars. I loved the story in every aspect. The author has done justice to his writing, handling quite a difficult storyline. Anyone who loves history, historical science fiction, science fiction, etc. would definitely love this book.
******
Sent to Watch
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The book Sent to Watch by David J. Lebenstein is a fictional novel set in various worlds. The book begins with an introduction to Earth—not the Earth we know, but another planet altogether. They discover another planet that has a similar history, geography, and other aspects as theirs, and the inhabitants of their planet call their planet Earth as well. So they decide to name themselves as Earth 1 and the other as Earth 2 to avoid confusion. In this manner, they discover about 52 Earths. Each of these Earths is at a different level of technological and cultural development. So the Earths, which are at higher developed stages, including Earth 1, form a Confederation. They sent secret spies to mingle and live in societies on the Earths that are at lower levels of development. They have a motto: "Sent to Watch, not to affect."
The Confederation follows a different calculation of time. The glossary in the book helps the reader greatly in registering the setup of the content. The Earth we know is Earth 48. The story revolves around Ori and Unni, whose names on Earth 48 are Robert Weatherby and Jenny Carter. They live in the 1800s, according to the calendar of Earth 48. They eventually get married. The Confederation discovers another team similar to themselves: the Vittmian Empire. Unlike the Confederation, they conquer planets and vanquish people who do not look like them. Ori and Unni are guilt-pricked, especially by this news. They decide to have a kid who will grow up to be Britain's prime minister, accelerating the process and ultimately serving as a catalyst to hasten Earth 48's entry into the Confederation. They would have a stronger defense as a result before the Vittmian took control.
The author describes several aspects in detail. History plays an important role in the novel. The post-Napoleanic period, the rise of Wellington, Princess Charlotte's tragic death, and several other incidents are narrated in a proper timeline, making it an enjoyable read. The Confederation was at much higher technological advancement compared to Earth 48. Therefore, satellites, space stations, different galaxies, and interstellar travel were all explained with physics backing up whenever required.
Almost every character in this book has a dual identity with different and difficult names. This was a confusing aspect for me while reading. Although I caught the grip of it as I dove into the book, this was the only difficulty I faced. I will not point this out as a negative aspect because this was required for the content of the book. It supported the story in every way. There were a few spelling errors that I found. I would suggest the book be proofread once again.
I would rate the book five out of five stars. I loved the story in every aspect. The author has done justice to his writing, handling quite a difficult storyline. Anyone who loves history, historical science fiction, science fiction, etc. would definitely love this book.
******
Sent to Watch
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Awakening... by Jin Lan Cera
