Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
weird book. at first it took me like 100 pages to understand what was going on. then - the initial idea is great and i loved the parts shut body modding, exchangers & exploring. however, the rest wasn’t for me. except for nika i didn’t care for a single character, they remained blunt and especially Snow was going on my nerves so much.
also no real queer rep, it’s just alluded to. there might have been some trans* rep but the way it was discussed made me kind of uncomfortable. i’m disappointed because i was really looking forward to reading this.
oh and the book needs some tw for abusive relationships!! it was one of the new aspects is thought we’re well done, as the relationship is not glorified and the abuser is punished.
2.5 stars.
also no real queer rep, it’s just alluded to. there might have been some trans* rep but the way it was discussed made me kind of uncomfortable. i’m disappointed because i was really looking forward to reading this.
oh and the book needs some tw for abusive relationships!! it was one of the new aspects is thought we’re well done, as the relationship is not glorified and the abuser is punished.
2.5 stars.
I mean. I finished it in 2 days, so obviously it was a fun read.
That said, it deal feel like the intensity was set to 11 for most of the story. Do you like underdog stories, where they succeed against all of the odds? This is the book for you.
That said, it deal feel like the intensity was set to 11 for most of the story. Do you like underdog stories, where they succeed against all of the odds? This is the book for you.
Wow, what a great book! (If you like space operas with lots of action, that is.) Convoluted plot that draws you in, lovable characters, thought-provoking concepts of image and feelings of self. Gangsters, good guys, and pretty much everything you’d want in a rollicking sci-fi novel. I’ve immediately jumped into the next book in this duology.
Stars Uncharted releases on August 14th, 2018. I garnered the opportunity to read an Advanced Review Copy thanks to Penguin's First to Read program.
Written by the Australian sister duo of Sherylyn and Karen Dunstall, under the pseudonym of S.K. Dunstall, this sci-fi space opera is set a bit further out into the future, but has enough references to our modern-day Earth to make you realize that our planet is still in the memories of the characters. Stars Uncharted started slowly for me, as we were thrown right in the middle of this universe without any real world-building. However, once the storylines of the different POVs converged that's where the real action began and made it so I couldn't put this book down without knowing what happened.
There are quite a few cool technologies that the sisters Dunstall explore here. Body modification and the modders who are trained to use the machines can explore endless possibilities in the field from basic plastic surgery (nose job, lipo, etc), reforming a highly damaged body (think burn victims or broken bones), and even changing someone's gender. They can actually do DNA modification in this universe, which brings up a whole wealth of questions for me.
I do appreciate the exploration of the healing that body modders do, as well as just general body modification for appearance only. In addition to body modification, there's some cool engineering on the universe's spaceships including calibration, nullspacing, which read to me like faster-than-light technology, and interesting weaponry like plasma cannons, havoc bombs, ionizers, and sparkers.
This story is told from the point of view of two strong female characters - Nika Rik Terri, a universe renowned body modder on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend, and Josune Arriola, who has been aboard ship on The Road as a spy for her crew on the ship, Hassim. The rest of the cast of characters are an eclectic crew of found family whose fates inevitably entwine, as they face the Big Bads - Company Men. I caught onto a few plot twists quite a bit before their reveals, but all in all, Stars Uncharted is a great and easy summer read once you push past the opening chapters.
I would definitely recommend this book to those who love exploratory science fiction alongside their space opera. Basically, if Firefly/Serenity is your thing, you'll dig this book.
Written by the Australian sister duo of Sherylyn and Karen Dunstall, under the pseudonym of S.K. Dunstall, this sci-fi space opera is set a bit further out into the future, but has enough references to our modern-day Earth to make you realize that our planet is still in the memories of the characters. Stars Uncharted started slowly for me, as we were thrown right in the middle of this universe without any real world-building. However, once the storylines of the different POVs converged that's where the real action began and made it so I couldn't put this book down without knowing what happened.
There are quite a few cool technologies that the sisters Dunstall explore here. Body modification and the modders who are trained to use the machines can explore endless possibilities in the field from basic plastic surgery (nose job, lipo, etc), reforming a highly damaged body (think burn victims or broken bones), and even changing someone's gender. They can actually do DNA modification in this universe, which brings up a whole wealth of questions for me.
I do appreciate the exploration of the healing that body modders do, as well as just general body modification for appearance only. In addition to body modification, there's some cool engineering on the universe's spaceships including calibration, nullspacing, which read to me like faster-than-light technology, and interesting weaponry like plasma cannons, havoc bombs, ionizers, and sparkers.
This story is told from the point of view of two strong female characters - Nika Rik Terri, a universe renowned body modder on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend, and Josune Arriola, who has been aboard ship on The Road as a spy for her crew on the ship, Hassim. The rest of the cast of characters are an eclectic crew of found family whose fates inevitably entwine, as they face the Big Bads - Company Men. I caught onto a few plot twists quite a bit before their reveals, but all in all, Stars Uncharted is a great and easy summer read once you push past the opening chapters.
I would definitely recommend this book to those who love exploratory science fiction alongside their space opera. Basically, if Firefly/Serenity is your thing, you'll dig this book.
Josune Arriola has been sent on a mission. Her captain has arranged a rendezvous with Hammond Royston of the ship The Road. Except the rendezvous is a secret and Josune has been dispatched undercover.
Her ship, The Hassim, arrives three days late and unresponsive to calls from The Road. Upon boarding, Josune, Royston, and the others find The Hassim has been attacked, the crew have been murdered, and only a few of those behind the hostile takeover remain.
Everyone knows exactly why The Hassim would be a target for attack. Their mission is exploration and their discoveries are legend. So the knowledge saved within the memory of the ship is of the highest value. But salvaging The Hassim leaves Royston and his crew the targets of a group of mercenaries seemingly unwilling to give up their lost bounty, leaving Josune no choice but to keep her identity secret all the while trying to discover why her captain wanted to meet with Royston in the first place!
This latest from sisters and cowriters Sherylyn and Karen, aka S. K. Dunstall, is a truly fantastic space adventure!
The Hassim has made a name for itself following in the footsteps of Goberling, a famed space explorer whose biggest accomplishment was discovering a world packed full of a Dellarine, a metal used in every kind of technology imaginable. But no one had ever found a mother lode even close to Goberling's. Unfortunately, before vanishing altogether, Goberling himself forgot where his discovery was located. And so others had taken up the mantle in search of it themselves.
The Hassim, but last account, hadn't yet discovered the world but had found many others and a record of the ship's travels is one any company would pay dearly for.
But the story doesn't begin on The Hassim. Instead, the story begins with a body modder called Nika Rik Terri, who's discovered a way to allow two people to swap minds for a period of up to 24 hours. Unfortunately for Nika, her tech is exactly what lands her on the run and on the path of Josune and Royston.
Half the fun of the book is waiting for the two groups to meet - Nika and a young apprentice she picks up along the way, and Josune, Royston, and The Road. And boy is this book some serious fun!
Stars Uncharted was like the perfect mash up of Expanse (books) style space opera and Killjoys (show, but I wish there were books!) style adventure. In other words, exactly the kind of book I'm looking for right at this moment! And though there were times when the story became a little easy to figure out, the fact that it was so entertaining and enjoyable made that totally fine with me.
Her ship, The Hassim, arrives three days late and unresponsive to calls from The Road. Upon boarding, Josune, Royston, and the others find The Hassim has been attacked, the crew have been murdered, and only a few of those behind the hostile takeover remain.
Everyone knows exactly why The Hassim would be a target for attack. Their mission is exploration and their discoveries are legend. So the knowledge saved within the memory of the ship is of the highest value. But salvaging The Hassim leaves Royston and his crew the targets of a group of mercenaries seemingly unwilling to give up their lost bounty, leaving Josune no choice but to keep her identity secret all the while trying to discover why her captain wanted to meet with Royston in the first place!
This latest from sisters and cowriters Sherylyn and Karen, aka S. K. Dunstall, is a truly fantastic space adventure!
The Hassim has made a name for itself following in the footsteps of Goberling, a famed space explorer whose biggest accomplishment was discovering a world packed full of a Dellarine, a metal used in every kind of technology imaginable. But no one had ever found a mother lode even close to Goberling's. Unfortunately, before vanishing altogether, Goberling himself forgot where his discovery was located. And so others had taken up the mantle in search of it themselves.
The Hassim, but last account, hadn't yet discovered the world but had found many others and a record of the ship's travels is one any company would pay dearly for.
But the story doesn't begin on The Hassim. Instead, the story begins with a body modder called Nika Rik Terri, who's discovered a way to allow two people to swap minds for a period of up to 24 hours. Unfortunately for Nika, her tech is exactly what lands her on the run and on the path of Josune and Royston.
Half the fun of the book is waiting for the two groups to meet - Nika and a young apprentice she picks up along the way, and Josune, Royston, and The Road. And boy is this book some serious fun!
Stars Uncharted was like the perfect mash up of Expanse (books) style space opera and Killjoys (show, but I wish there were books!) style adventure. In other words, exactly the kind of book I'm looking for right at this moment! And though there were times when the story became a little easy to figure out, the fact that it was so entertaining and enjoyable made that totally fine with me.
5 Stars
*The first in an exciting space adventure duology with awesome female lead characters and page-turning action*
I’ve been trying to read more SciFi since it’s a genre I’ve neglected of late. I came across Stars Uncharted on my library app and checked it out without much more than a cursory glance at the synopsis. And boy am I happy I stumbled across this book!
The story alternates between the third-person POV of two women. The first is Nika Rik Terri, a brilliant body modder known for creating the most cutting edge genetic modifications. Her technology advancements have unfortunately come to the attention of some very shady people who see her work as a means to their nefarious aims. The second is Josune Arriola, a promising and ambitious engineer from a treasure hunting spaceship. Her captain sends her undercover aboard a seemingly innocuous supply transport ship called The Road. But its mysterious captain Hammond Roystan and his crew are clearly hiding something, and Josune wonders if it has to do with the infamous missing treasure. Of course, it isn’t long before they are all caught up in a much bigger plot than any of them expected.
I was a little confused for the first couple of chapters until I figured out what was going on. Admittedly, that could easily have been my fault for not paying attention to the synopsis. The opening of the book actually felt more cyberpunk than space adventure. It opens on planet at Nika’s gene mod studio and starts with explaining genetic moding and the world run by evil mega-corporations called Companies. But after the first chapter or so, I was absolutely hooked and couldn’t put this book down!
The story has some major Firefly vibes:a misfit crew of varying morals trying to etch out a living end up on the run from an evil corporation. This isn’t fanfic by any means, but I would highly recommend it as a readalike.
It was so awesome that the story starred two female characters who were each badass in their own way. Nika was brilliant and never willing to diminish her skills just to protect others’ egos. And although she lacked people skills and could come off as abrasive at times, I enjoyed her no-nonsense, brainy character. (Side note: I will mention the one qualm I had about this story, and that is Nika’s enthusiasm to get everyone else to try gene moding came across as borderline body-shaming at times. Now, having read both this book and the sequel, I truly think that was never the intent. Nika truly wanted to allow people to look the way the desired, but she lacked the social skills to understand that people don’t react well when you tell them how they could look better. This really was a small part of the story, and I wouldn’t want it to discourage anyone from enjoying this amazing duology!)
Counterpoint to Nika was Josune, the badass engineer who was just as good at kicking butt as she was at fixing ships. And she was a delightful amount of trigger-happy. I loved her ambition and her strategic planning. It was so much fun having two drastically different but strong and confident women leading a story. It turns out S.K. Dunstall is actually a sister writing duo. I’m always happy to support women of SciFi. And while coauthored books often lack cohesion, this series certainly does not suffer from that fate.
The other characters were also endearing and memorable. The plot kept me guessing, and I truly couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. I won’t say more than that, because I don’t want to give anything away. This duology will definitely end up on my favorites list for the year. And Dunstall is one of my new favorite authors.
(P.S. Since I’ve already read the sequel prior to writing this review, I’ll just mention that I loved it just as much as Stars Uncharted, and it does answer those open questions from book 1.)
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 5 Stars
Writing Style: 5 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 5 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 5 Stars
Level of Captivation: 5 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
*The first in an exciting space adventure duology with awesome female lead characters and page-turning action*
I’ve been trying to read more SciFi since it’s a genre I’ve neglected of late. I came across Stars Uncharted on my library app and checked it out without much more than a cursory glance at the synopsis. And boy am I happy I stumbled across this book!
The story alternates between the third-person POV of two women. The first is Nika Rik Terri, a brilliant body modder known for creating the most cutting edge genetic modifications. Her technology advancements have unfortunately come to the attention of some very shady people who see her work as a means to their nefarious aims. The second is Josune Arriola, a promising and ambitious engineer from a treasure hunting spaceship. Her captain sends her undercover aboard a seemingly innocuous supply transport ship called The Road. But its mysterious captain Hammond Roystan and his crew are clearly hiding something, and Josune wonders if it has to do with the infamous missing treasure. Of course, it isn’t long before they are all caught up in a much bigger plot than any of them expected.
I was a little confused for the first couple of chapters until I figured out what was going on. Admittedly, that could easily have been my fault for not paying attention to the synopsis. The opening of the book actually felt more cyberpunk than space adventure. It opens on planet at Nika’s gene mod studio and starts with explaining genetic moding and the world run by evil mega-corporations called Companies. But after the first chapter or so, I was absolutely hooked and couldn’t put this book down!
The story has some major Firefly vibes:a misfit crew of varying morals trying to etch out a living end up on the run from an evil corporation. This isn’t fanfic by any means, but I would highly recommend it as a readalike.
It was so awesome that the story starred two female characters who were each badass in their own way. Nika was brilliant and never willing to diminish her skills just to protect others’ egos. And although she lacked people skills and could come off as abrasive at times, I enjoyed her no-nonsense, brainy character. (Side note: I will mention the one qualm I had about this story, and that is Nika’s enthusiasm to get everyone else to try gene moding came across as borderline body-shaming at times. Now, having read both this book and the sequel, I truly think that was never the intent. Nika truly wanted to allow people to look the way the desired, but she lacked the social skills to understand that people don’t react well when you tell them how they could look better. This really was a small part of the story, and I wouldn’t want it to discourage anyone from enjoying this amazing duology!)
Counterpoint to Nika was Josune, the badass engineer who was just as good at kicking butt as she was at fixing ships. And she was a delightful amount of trigger-happy. I loved her ambition and her strategic planning. It was so much fun having two drastically different but strong and confident women leading a story. It turns out S.K. Dunstall is actually a sister writing duo. I’m always happy to support women of SciFi. And while coauthored books often lack cohesion, this series certainly does not suffer from that fate.
The other characters were also endearing and memorable. The plot kept me guessing, and I truly couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. I won’t say more than that, because I don’t want to give anything away. This duology will definitely end up on my favorites list for the year. And Dunstall is one of my new favorite authors.
(P.S. Since I’ve already read the sequel prior to writing this review, I’ll just mention that I loved it just as much as Stars Uncharted, and it does answer those open questions from book 1.)
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 5 Stars
Writing Style: 5 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 5 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 5 Stars
Level of Captivation: 5 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
4.5!!!! I really enjoyed my time with these characters in this crazy world.
I really like multi POV books, but I think it was an excellent choice to use only two perspectives for this book. Even when Nika and Josune are in the same place, they both have very different outlooks in situations and different information that's important to the story. Overall, it was just really well done!
This is an exciting sort of book with lots of nice quiet moments; I'm not sure how I'd classify it exactly. I had the same sort of feeling while reading this as I did when reading a big ship at the edge of the universe...this is just the exact sort of space opera formula I enjoy. I like when the crew is sort of cobbled together with people from everywhere with different specialties and everyone has secrets and things to hide. There's betrayal, there's some bullshit, but mostly they're just trying to form a little found family and stay alive, you know? There's something magical about that to me.
I don't know exactly how to describe it, but I barely noticed the writing because I felt like I was IN the story. It didn't feel like reading a book - it felt like I was following these characters around during all their adventures. I can appreciate some beautiful prose when I encounter it, but I think straightforward writing suits me much better.
There were a few inconsistencies that annoyed me, but weren't a huge deal. Like how at one point Nika (I think it was her) notices how only two people were capable of standing up after everyone sustained injuries...but in the next chapter, she's pacing around. Or some moments when they decide to fix a thing on the outside of a ship, then suddenly they're out there and I felt like I missed something. Or how Nika spends the whole book saying modders have studios not shops, and then at the end she refers to one as a shop. Again, not a huge deal. But I noticed the things and they took me out of the story for a minute. Also also, idk if it was supposed to be a thing the reader should figure out...but I knew way before everyone else did...that one character... basically there's a reveal toward the end about someone's past (so to speak) and my reaction wasn't surprise like I think it was supposed to be, but like, ugh finally they figured out what I knew hundreds of pages ago. So.
Also, idk how Josune's last name (Arriola) is supposed to be pronounced, but I kept calling her Josune Nipples in my head. Yikes. But I loved her, so it was fine lol
I don't want to wait until 2020 for the next book, but this definitely wrapped up the immediate story by the end of the book. I think I'd follow these characters around for like ten more books. I def need to check out their other series!!
I really like multi POV books, but I think it was an excellent choice to use only two perspectives for this book. Even when Nika and Josune are in the same place, they both have very different outlooks in situations and different information that's important to the story. Overall, it was just really well done!
This is an exciting sort of book with lots of nice quiet moments; I'm not sure how I'd classify it exactly. I had the same sort of feeling while reading this as I did when reading a big ship at the edge of the universe...this is just the exact sort of space opera formula I enjoy. I like when the crew is sort of cobbled together with people from everywhere with different specialties and everyone has secrets and things to hide. There's betrayal, there's some bullshit, but mostly they're just trying to form a little found family and stay alive, you know? There's something magical about that to me.
I don't know exactly how to describe it, but I barely noticed the writing because I felt like I was IN the story. It didn't feel like reading a book - it felt like I was following these characters around during all their adventures. I can appreciate some beautiful prose when I encounter it, but I think straightforward writing suits me much better.
There were a few inconsistencies that annoyed me, but weren't a huge deal. Like how at one point Nika (I think it was her) notices how only two people were capable of standing up after everyone sustained injuries...but in the next chapter, she's pacing around. Or some moments when they decide to fix a thing on the outside of a ship, then suddenly they're out there and I felt like I missed something. Or how Nika spends the whole book saying modders have studios not shops, and then at the end she refers to one as a shop. Again, not a huge deal. But I noticed the things and they took me out of the story for a minute. Also also, idk if it was supposed to be a thing the reader should figure out...but I knew way before everyone else did...that one character... basically there's a reveal toward the end about someone's past (so to speak) and my reaction wasn't surprise like I think it was supposed to be, but like, ugh finally they figured out what I knew hundreds of pages ago. So.
Also, idk how Josune's last name (Arriola) is supposed to be pronounced, but I kept calling her Josune Nipples in my head. Yikes. But I loved her, so it was fine lol
I don't want to wait until 2020 for the next book, but this definitely wrapped up the immediate story by the end of the book. I think I'd follow these characters around for like ten more books. I def need to check out their other series!!
Review originally published on my blog, Musings of a Bookish Kitty: https://www.literaryfeline.com/2019/05/bookish-thoughts-stars-uncharted-by-sk.html
Stars Uncharted by S.K. Dunstall
Ace Books, 2018
Science Fiction, 416 pgs
I do not know what it is about the coming together of a misfit or ragtag group of people that is so irresistible. It is a trope that never gets old. At least not for this reader. Stars Uncharted is one such novel, and what an adventure it turned out to be! It made me want to stock my bookshelves with more science fiction of the space opera variety.
The reader is first introduced to Nika Rik Terri, a body-modification artist at the top of her field. She is known for being innovative and is well respected. She takes great pride in her work and her business. The only sore point for her is being tied to a mafia-like space company that often calls upon her services to help cover up their dirty work. As a result, her latest client’s intentions are far from above board, and Nika flees in fear of her life, picking up an inexperienced body modder along the way—much to his dismay. Snow never asked for his life to be upturned so suddenly—especially by Nika, whose true identity he does not know.
Meanwhile, on the cargo ship The Road to the Goberlings, Captain Hammond Roystan, and his crew happen upon a sight they never expected to see. The great exploration ship Hassim is not only disabled, floating in space, but appears to be unmanned. It is a huge find given the wealth of information stored in the Hassim’s databanks about the various worlds the ship has visited. Junior engineer Josune Arriola is the most recent addition to Roystan’s crew and her knowledge of the Hassim raise the captain’s suspicions. With an enemy who will stop at nothing to gain the secrets of the Hassim, Roystan and his crew are forced to go on the run and stay ahead of those who want them dead.
As Nika and Snow are trying to avoid being discovered, Roystan and his crew are attempting to repair their ship and make a hasty retreat before their enemy can catch up with them. Roystan agrees to take on Nika and Snow, all of them desperate and in need of what the other can offer.
I was hooked on Stars Uncharted from the very first page. I found myself thinking of the characters even when I was not reading, wondering what they were up to. Nika and Josune are very different and yet both resourceful, intelligent and women I would want on my side in a fight. For me, they made the novel. I also really liked Captain Roystan. It is obvious he a good leader who respects his crew. I liked how the relationships between the characters seemed to grow naturally, their coming to trust each other and depend on each other, especially given their circumstances and their hidden pasts. Even with Snow, who I wasn’t a huge fan of in the beginning, but came to respect as the novel went on.
Not too surprisingly, the world the authors created has a dystopian feel, where the wealthy corporations have the upper hand and everyone else does what they can to eke out a living and survive. I saw mention here and there that hard core science fiction fans might find the technical aspects of the book lacking. I have not read enough science fiction to say one way or the other. All I know is that I really enjoyed all aspects of the novel. Stars Uncharted was right up my alley. Great well-developed characters I connected with, fast paced action, and interesting storylines, including the main plot. I hated for Stars Uncharted to come to an end and am eager to read Stars Beyond when it comes out next year.
Stars Uncharted by S.K. Dunstall
Ace Books, 2018
Science Fiction, 416 pgs
I do not know what it is about the coming together of a misfit or ragtag group of people that is so irresistible. It is a trope that never gets old. At least not for this reader. Stars Uncharted is one such novel, and what an adventure it turned out to be! It made me want to stock my bookshelves with more science fiction of the space opera variety.
The reader is first introduced to Nika Rik Terri, a body-modification artist at the top of her field. She is known for being innovative and is well respected. She takes great pride in her work and her business. The only sore point for her is being tied to a mafia-like space company that often calls upon her services to help cover up their dirty work. As a result, her latest client’s intentions are far from above board, and Nika flees in fear of her life, picking up an inexperienced body modder along the way—much to his dismay. Snow never asked for his life to be upturned so suddenly—especially by Nika, whose true identity he does not know.
Meanwhile, on the cargo ship The Road to the Goberlings, Captain Hammond Roystan, and his crew happen upon a sight they never expected to see. The great exploration ship Hassim is not only disabled, floating in space, but appears to be unmanned. It is a huge find given the wealth of information stored in the Hassim’s databanks about the various worlds the ship has visited. Junior engineer Josune Arriola is the most recent addition to Roystan’s crew and her knowledge of the Hassim raise the captain’s suspicions. With an enemy who will stop at nothing to gain the secrets of the Hassim, Roystan and his crew are forced to go on the run and stay ahead of those who want them dead.
As Nika and Snow are trying to avoid being discovered, Roystan and his crew are attempting to repair their ship and make a hasty retreat before their enemy can catch up with them. Roystan agrees to take on Nika and Snow, all of them desperate and in need of what the other can offer.
I was hooked on Stars Uncharted from the very first page. I found myself thinking of the characters even when I was not reading, wondering what they were up to. Nika and Josune are very different and yet both resourceful, intelligent and women I would want on my side in a fight. For me, they made the novel. I also really liked Captain Roystan. It is obvious he a good leader who respects his crew. I liked how the relationships between the characters seemed to grow naturally, their coming to trust each other and depend on each other, especially given their circumstances and their hidden pasts. Even with Snow, who I wasn’t a huge fan of in the beginning, but came to respect as the novel went on.
Not too surprisingly, the world the authors created has a dystopian feel, where the wealthy corporations have the upper hand and everyone else does what they can to eke out a living and survive. I saw mention here and there that hard core science fiction fans might find the technical aspects of the book lacking. I have not read enough science fiction to say one way or the other. All I know is that I really enjoyed all aspects of the novel. Stars Uncharted was right up my alley. Great well-developed characters I connected with, fast paced action, and interesting storylines, including the main plot. I hated for Stars Uncharted to come to an end and am eager to read Stars Beyond when it comes out next year.