Official Review: Solaris Seeks (Solaris Saga book 2)

Poppy Drear · Post by **Poppy Drear** » 17 Mar 2018, 20:29

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Solaris Seeks (Solaris Saga book 2)" by Janet McNulty.]

4 out of 4 stars

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I'm happy to say that Solaris Seeks by Janet McNulty is a vast improvement over the first book of the series. In her second novel, McNulty improves upon many of her past shortcomings, with well-rounded character interactions and a much more intricate plot. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who didn't enjoy the first installment, Solaris Seethes. I also didn't feel like it was important to read the first book to understand plot elements, so for any avid fan of the science fiction genre, this is an excellent starting point for the series. A few conversations have mildly sexual implications, but overall, the book is appropriate for anyone the age of a middle school student or older.

In Solaris Seeks, the alien woman Rynah continues to attempt to find powerful crystals that have been scattered across the galaxy before her evil fiancé, Klanor, can use them to power a weapon of mass destruction. She is joined on her quest by four figures from various points in Earth's history, as well as her sentient ship, Solaris. The supporting cast is much stronger than in the preceding novel, and McNulty continues to impress with punchy action sequences that never failed to draw my attention.

Rynah is guided in her quest by several ancient stories, all of which are written in rhyme. This story element can feel overly prescribed at times, but I didn't find it particularly jarring. The technology throughout the novel is cliché as well, with stereotypical laser guns and teleporters. I found the illustrations to be distracting, and there are some questionably placed parenthetical asides. However, I felt that the character interactions and the overarching plot made up for these flaws.

A main theme throughout the story is Rynah's distrust of others. This was handled much better than in the first novel, and I saw real development in her character over time. Almost every main character in the novel saw some sort of depth or change, including the main antagonists. The book also did a great job of setting up the next installment, and I felt compelled to continue reading the series just to see what happens next.

Despite relying a bit too much on common tropes, Solaris Seeks is an exciting space adventure with engaging characters and a believable, if not airtight, storyline. Its action scenes were particularly well done, and there was no shortage of them. I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading it, so while it wasn't perfect, I'd rate it a 4 out of 4 stars. I'm pleased to see McNulty's work improving drastically.

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Solaris Seeks (Solaris Saga book 2)
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Ashiyya Tariq · Post by **Ashiyya Tariq** » 19 Mar 2018, 02:27

It sounds like a thrilling space adventure novel. That's good the author has focused on storyline. Thanks for your critical review.

londonmartine · Post by **londonmartine** » 19 Mar 2018, 11:35

It's great that you read the first, then read the second and found it an improvement - it must be nice to see the author's work grow. The storyline sounds fun! Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reviewing.

EllieA · Post by **EllieA** » 20 Mar 2018, 18:03

Thank you for this review! It is actually a bit of a relief for me to read your review -- I am struggling with the first book right now and it is nice to know there is so much improvement in the second. Knowing the author worked hard on the weaker elements of their storytelling to publish a stronger sequel is encouraging and makes me more excited about finishing the first book.

Poppy Drear · Post by **Poppy Drear** » 20 Mar 2018, 23:03

Sarah Tariq wrote: ↑19 Mar 2018, 02:27 It sounds like a thrilling space adventure novel. That's good the author has focused on storyline. Thanks for your critical review.

I honestly didn't go into this book with much of an expectation, since I was disappointed by the first installment. I'm really glad I gave it a fair shot, though.

Poppy Drear · Post by **Poppy Drear** » 20 Mar 2018, 23:03

londonmartine wrote: ↑19 Mar 2018, 11:35 It's great that you read the first, then read the second and found it an improvement - it must be nice to see the author's work grow. The storyline sounds fun! Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reviewing.

Honestly, it really is great watching a creator become more fluent in their medium, whatever form it takes! Even that made the experience worthwhile for me.

Poppy Drear · Post by **Poppy Drear** » 20 Mar 2018, 23:06

EllieA wrote: ↑20 Mar 2018, 18:03 Thank you for this review! It is actually a bit of a relief for me to read your review -- I am struggling with the first book right now and it is nice to know there is so much improvement in the second. Knowing the author worked hard on the weaker elements of their storytelling to publish a stronger sequel is encouraging and makes me more excited about finishing the first book.

I will say there are some things that don't improve - the pictures, for one thing, and the sheer absurdity of having a human-like race that differs only because of their purple skin and strangely colored hair. I did find the second book a lot more rewarding, though, so I'd advise you to keep at it!

Jeyasivananth · Post by **Jeyasivananth** » 21 Mar 2018, 17:07

I read the first one and felt there were too many opportunities that the writer wasted away . I am glad she has done a great job in the second book . I think I will read the second one too. Thanks to your excellent review.

Poppy Drear · Post by **Poppy Drear** » 21 Mar 2018, 22:53

Jeyasivananth wrote: ↑21 Mar 2018, 17:07 I read the first one and felt there were too many opportunities that the writer wasted away . I am glad she has done a great job in the second book . I think I will read the second one too. Thanks to your excellent review.

Again, not every problem was fixed, but it was definitely a lot less formulaic, and I enjoyed it a lot more than the first book.

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 22 Mar 2018, 22:28

I am glad to know that there is great improvement in the way the second book was handled. Maybe the third in the series would be even better.

Thanks for the well-written review, Vizivoir! I am amazed at how fast you read and churn out wonderful reviews. Welcome to the Club! I can see that you are having much fun.