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yoonka's review against another edition
1.0
Horrendous homophobic book, annoying entitled main characters, absolute trash in every possible way.
ladylizardxvii's review against another edition
5.0
I was very unsure of this book at first, mostly because it was free on Kindle, and the beginning made it seem somewhat formulaic for sci-fi. (A rag-tag freighter crew that's really [definitely] a family led by a hard-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside captain get in trouble with some bad guys and have to blast their way out of it. Oh and 1-2 crew members have to have a mysterious past.)
But I'm REALLY glad I gave it a chance and stuck with it, because this book was so much fun! The best part about it were the characters, hands down. I wasn't planning to get the next one, but I may have to just because I'm curious to see what sort of hijinks they get up to next. If you're interested in highly-developed and interesting characters, a twisty and unexpected plot, and an exciting universe, definitely pick up this book.
But I'm REALLY glad I gave it a chance and stuck with it, because this book was so much fun! The best part about it were the characters, hands down. I wasn't planning to get the next one, but I may have to just because I'm curious to see what sort of hijinks they get up to next. If you're interested in highly-developed and interesting characters, a twisty and unexpected plot, and an exciting universe, definitely pick up this book.
witchylevy's review
5.0
I don't usually read space fantasy. This universe is extremely detailed, well thought out. There are so many different beings/ or people. It's an exciting story and I like that the main character is prickly and closed off. It would be interesting to learn why the benefactor chose to help her out years previous, and I hope romance is in the air later on. I will absolutely be continuing this series! My favorite characters are the sex crazed Harat-Shar haha. I like cats and find it amusing that they seem to proposition everyone.
I received this book free for an honest review and all opinions are my own.
I received this book free for an honest review and all opinions are my own.
mary_soon_lee's review
3.0
Over the past few weeks, I've read and loved several books in Hogarth's Dreamhealers sequence. This book is the opening volume in a different story arc (known as Her Instruments) that takes place later on in the same science-fiction universe. I like the shared backdrop of the Pelted universe, with its abundance of different intellegent species, most of them co-existing happily. Where the Dreamhealers sequence has a pastoral feel, this book has more space opera elements, including space pirates. While I haven't yet fallen as hard for the characters in the Her Instruments story-arc as I did for those in Dreamhealers, I still enjoyed this book considerably, and am looking forward to reading more.
Spoilers ahead.
Overall: 3.5 stars out of 5.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
Spoilers ahead.
Spoiler
A couple of the minor characters in the book stood out for me. In particular, I like Byrer, a huge winged creature who belongs to a religion that disapproves of visible emotion, and I was distressed by the plight of Jarysh, a doctor in charge of a children's hospital beset with difficulties. And, yes, I also have a very soft spot for one of the two point-of-view characters, Hirianthial, an Eldritch. I found the other point-of-view character, Reese, captain of a merchant spaceship, likable. However, Reese's determined irritation with Hirianthial felt contrived to suit the story's convenience. I note that two scenes in the book particularly moved me: the scene involving a dangle, and the scene where Hirianthial learns of the miscarriage.Overall: 3.5 stars out of 5.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
judascomplex's review
5.0
After having read and reviewed [b:A Rosary of Stones and Thorns|13544074|A Rosary of Stones and Thorns|M.C.A. Hogarth|/assets/nocover/60x80.png|19108945] for Hogarth, I’d kicked her campaign for Earthrise – mainly because it was 1) a book 2) by an author I was familiar with 3) that was offering a signed copy of the book upon completion for an exceptionally reasonable amount of money.
Sold!
So when I finally got my copy of Earthrise after having copy-edited [b:Mindtouch|18107842|Mindtouch|M.C.A. Hogarth|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1371823136s/18107842.jpg|25429640] for her, I was ecstatic. Earthrise promised me more Eldritch and more Pelted people and more interesting times in the space world. I am a firm believer in more.
What I got was a distinct feeling of deja vu when I opened the book. It turned out I’d at least read a piece of the original online serial of Earthrise at some other point – possibly when I’d kicked the project – and had utterly forgotten. Luckily, my memory was that I was in favor of the book, and I kept reading.
That is, my friends, the exact thing to do when you’re handed a book. My father’s rule of thumb was that if a book couldn’t hook him in the first 100 pages, he wasn’t going to waste his time on it. Lots of books to read – if it’s not interesting, there are six more waiting to take its place. I’m of the same mind – and Hogarth, as usual – delivered. Reese Eddings, the captain of the wayward ship the book is named for, is a classic anti-narrator; she is gruff and rough around the edges and is a woman in a “man’s world” and is willing to kick any man that says that to her right in between the legs. But she means well, and her crew knows it. It’s a ragtag bunch on a ship that would have been junked by any other captain – but it’s Reese’s ship, and the Earthrise listens to her.
The context of the book is simple: Reese went into debt, and was bailed out by a mysterious benefactor, who said they would call on her to repay in the future. Reese has been toodling on blissfully, hoping that day is far in the future, at the beginning of the novel – when she is contacted by her benefactor and forced to pay the piper. What she is given is the name of an Eldritch – Hirianthial Sarel Jisiensire. What she doesn’t know, is who he is – or why he needs to be found, other than the fact that he’s an Eldritch far from home.
What she finds is a fight against slavers, pirates, the nature of her crew – and herself, more often than not, as she is faced with the utterly unknown.
Characters like Reese have always fascinated me. It’s exactly the type of character I love to write – the one that hates to let anyone get in, but undoubtedly has someone wheedle their way in so to find their much softer interior. Pairing a character that bristly with an Eldritch, the touch-espers who barely understand themselves (and they like it that way, thank you very much) let alone the rest of the world (and they like it that way)…and you get a kind of awkward and tense chemistry that keeps the most wary of readers intrigued. Every move is a time bomb; any altercation could be the last. Reese’s crew knows that she doesn’t really work that way – and for the most part, they’re right – but no one knows about Hirianthial. No one knows the limits of the race whose limits are apparently set so far out, their planet is barred from the rest of the universe.
And of course, Hogarth shows her finesse as a writer by not only making the central characters intriguing and engaging, but by surrounding them with a detailed and deep supporting cast. It’s easy to let friends and colleagues fall to the wayside when your interest lies somewhere else, but Hogarth doesn’t allow you to forget the rest of the crew. Sascha and Irine, the unflappable Harat-Sharii twin set with more to their history than either would normally ever let you see. Kis’eh’t the Glaseah and Bryer the Phoenix, the more somber balances to the extremes of the twins, who pop up in the most unexpected places to help center Reese. And Allacazam, the Flitzbe that reminds yours truly of an exceptionally more useful (and less…prolific) Tribble who gives Reese a safe place to be herself.
The second I heard a sequel was in the works for Earthrise, I’d started saving to held fund the Kickstarter. What Hogarth has done in this novel – and in most if not all of the rest of her work – is given a world filled with characters that the reader can’t help but fall in love with. Her grasp on plot is firm, but never overshadowed by her work with character, and she makes them work so well hand-in-hand that it becomes difficult to see where one begins and the other ends. Wherever Reese and the crew of the Earthrise are going next, I want to be there as well.
And if that doesn’t make a good writer, I don’t know what does.
This review is cross-posted from my blog.
Sold!
So when I finally got my copy of Earthrise after having copy-edited [b:Mindtouch|18107842|Mindtouch|M.C.A. Hogarth|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1371823136s/18107842.jpg|25429640] for her, I was ecstatic. Earthrise promised me more Eldritch and more Pelted people and more interesting times in the space world. I am a firm believer in more.
What I got was a distinct feeling of deja vu when I opened the book. It turned out I’d at least read a piece of the original online serial of Earthrise at some other point – possibly when I’d kicked the project – and had utterly forgotten. Luckily, my memory was that I was in favor of the book, and I kept reading.
That is, my friends, the exact thing to do when you’re handed a book. My father’s rule of thumb was that if a book couldn’t hook him in the first 100 pages, he wasn’t going to waste his time on it. Lots of books to read – if it’s not interesting, there are six more waiting to take its place. I’m of the same mind – and Hogarth, as usual – delivered. Reese Eddings, the captain of the wayward ship the book is named for, is a classic anti-narrator; she is gruff and rough around the edges and is a woman in a “man’s world” and is willing to kick any man that says that to her right in between the legs. But she means well, and her crew knows it. It’s a ragtag bunch on a ship that would have been junked by any other captain – but it’s Reese’s ship, and the Earthrise listens to her.
The context of the book is simple: Reese went into debt, and was bailed out by a mysterious benefactor, who said they would call on her to repay in the future. Reese has been toodling on blissfully, hoping that day is far in the future, at the beginning of the novel – when she is contacted by her benefactor and forced to pay the piper. What she is given is the name of an Eldritch – Hirianthial Sarel Jisiensire. What she doesn’t know, is who he is – or why he needs to be found, other than the fact that he’s an Eldritch far from home.
What she finds is a fight against slavers, pirates, the nature of her crew – and herself, more often than not, as she is faced with the utterly unknown.
Characters like Reese have always fascinated me. It’s exactly the type of character I love to write – the one that hates to let anyone get in, but undoubtedly has someone wheedle their way in so to find their much softer interior. Pairing a character that bristly with an Eldritch, the touch-espers who barely understand themselves (and they like it that way, thank you very much) let alone the rest of the world (and they like it that way)…and you get a kind of awkward and tense chemistry that keeps the most wary of readers intrigued. Every move is a time bomb; any altercation could be the last. Reese’s crew knows that she doesn’t really work that way – and for the most part, they’re right – but no one knows about Hirianthial. No one knows the limits of the race whose limits are apparently set so far out, their planet is barred from the rest of the universe.
And of course, Hogarth shows her finesse as a writer by not only making the central characters intriguing and engaging, but by surrounding them with a detailed and deep supporting cast. It’s easy to let friends and colleagues fall to the wayside when your interest lies somewhere else, but Hogarth doesn’t allow you to forget the rest of the crew. Sascha and Irine, the unflappable Harat-Sharii twin set with more to their history than either would normally ever let you see. Kis’eh’t the Glaseah and Bryer the Phoenix, the more somber balances to the extremes of the twins, who pop up in the most unexpected places to help center Reese. And Allacazam, the Flitzbe that reminds yours truly of an exceptionally more useful (and less…prolific) Tribble who gives Reese a safe place to be herself.
The second I heard a sequel was in the works for Earthrise, I’d started saving to held fund the Kickstarter. What Hogarth has done in this novel – and in most if not all of the rest of her work – is given a world filled with characters that the reader can’t help but fall in love with. Her grasp on plot is firm, but never overshadowed by her work with character, and she makes them work so well hand-in-hand that it becomes difficult to see where one begins and the other ends. Wherever Reese and the crew of the Earthrise are going next, I want to be there as well.
And if that doesn’t make a good writer, I don’t know what does.
This review is cross-posted from my blog.
soveryaary's review against another edition
5.0
It's been a long time since I had this much trouble putting a book down. The variety of races and pace of action are on point with compelling characters to boot! Small grammatical/editorial hiccups are infrequent and provide only a momentary distraction to get back to the story at hand, if you're like me and pick up on those things. I very much look forward to completing the series. :)
spetestar's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
authenticallykee's review
3.0
This was a nice beginning. I like the world and most of the characters. I enjoyed most of the story however I'm conflicted on if I want to continue the series due to one factor: Reese the main character. She was bitchy and prickly most of the time for no reason to the point of annoyance. She also made some stupid mistakes but lashed out at others for it :[, the ending was also a little lackluster. The rest of the crew makes me want to continue but I feel like Reese perpetuates the ol' angry/bitter black woman persona which she shouldn't since she's from mars and there are aliens all around.... It's just a big turn off, half of the book I wanted to throat punch her but still it was a nice beginning and an easy read.
deviki's review against another edition
5.0
Books I've read and provided detailed reviews over the years but all data is lost after accidental deletion and GD refuse to restore it back.
Adding books back to my library for my own reference and tracking purposes
Adding books back to my library for my own reference and tracking purposes
lolasreviews's review against another edition
DNF'd this one, not sure how far % as I was reading the box set.
I DNF'd this one as I couldn't stand the female main characters personality. She was argumentative and rude and pushed people away, said things she didn't mean and didn't take good care of herself and then is rude to the person who saved her. The different aliens where interesting and I also liked the male main character, but because of the female main character and the way she interacted I just couldn't enjoy this book. So setting it aside for now.
I DNF'd this one as I couldn't stand the female main characters personality. She was argumentative and rude and pushed people away, said things she didn't mean and didn't take good care of herself and then is rude to the person who saved her. The different aliens where interesting and I also liked the male main character, but because of the female main character and the way she interacted I just couldn't enjoy this book. So setting it aside for now.