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colls's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this space adventure and found the protagonist to be a delightful mixture of competency and human foibles. The romance bit didn't overwhelm the book, the space opera bit didn't weigh it down, and the mystery bit kept the reader engaged. I would recommend to anyone who likes those genres blended.
crystal6's review against another edition
3.0
An okay story, but with too much detail in trivial facts, I would have enjoyed more world-building and action.
Will probably look out for the sequel.
Will probably look out for the sequel.
theredenvy's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, it read like an episode of Star Trek and it was interesting to the end.
nghia's review against another edition
2.0
The last "science fiction mystery" I read, [b:A Talent for War|352774|A Talent for War (Alex Benedict, #1)|Jack McDevitt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388585277s/352774.jpg|2944265], left me unsatisfied so I picked this one up, hoping it would do the trick.
It did not.
Before I talk about the book itself, let me remark on the overwhelming white American-ness of this book, a problem that so much published science-fiction has. I don't live in America so it always sticks out at me that hundreds of years in the future, when humanity has colonised multiple planets, everyone is named like an American, eats like an American, and talks like an American.
In this book the characters have names like late 20th century Americans: Kate, Andy, Greg, Tom, Meg, Jessica, Jake, Will, Ted, and Bob. They drink coffee like late 20th century Americans. They eat pastries like late 20th century Americans. I wish just a little more effort had been put into trying to make it seem like things were 500 years advanced. Even in just 100 years in America things like names & eating habits have changed.
Oh well.
I can almost forgive it in The Cold Between because this is only barely science fiction. As other reviewers have pointed out, this is Star Trek-level of gobbledigook and nonsensical action.
It is also a romance book, with large dollops of Harlequin romance type stuff and an extremely explicit sex scene early on, which I wasn't expecting and didn't mind too much.
Just because something is a romance-slash-Star Trek kind of book, doesn't mean it can't still be an enjoyable 3-star read. And for the first half of the book it was squarely in that territory. But during the second half of the book the plot just went a bit too bonkers for me. Too many characters made "what? why?" type decisions and there was a lot of "and then Elena figures out how to hook up the frobnium holoflux to the reverse Bleeker Field, which no one had ever done before, and they are able to escape" type things.
1. Half the crew on this military ship is willing to mutiny and disobey direct orders on pretty limited evidence.
2. The captain of a military ship leaves all of his crew behind and chases after someone in a ship on his own.
3. A civilian pleasure craft somehow mostly fights off a Shadow Ops ship with a cloaking field.
4. Wait, why does this flunky even have access to a Shadow Ops ship with a highly top secret cloaking field?
5. Why does Will put the crazy guy in charge of Engineering during the attack?
6. Why is the crazy guy still in the military anyway? Why is he crazy about the wormhole anyway?
7. Why are all the crew from the Demeter weird & hostile?
8. Why do they blow up the entire planet? Just....what?
9. How does Elena hotwire the magic element (which she's never seen before) to her ship in about 30-minutes?
It did not.
Before I talk about the book itself, let me remark on the overwhelming white American-ness of this book, a problem that so much published science-fiction has. I don't live in America so it always sticks out at me that hundreds of years in the future, when humanity has colonised multiple planets, everyone is named like an American, eats like an American, and talks like an American.
In this book the characters have names like late 20th century Americans: Kate, Andy, Greg, Tom, Meg, Jessica, Jake, Will, Ted, and Bob. They drink coffee like late 20th century Americans. They eat pastries like late 20th century Americans. I wish just a little more effort had been put into trying to make it seem like things were 500 years advanced. Even in just 100 years in America things like names & eating habits have changed.
Oh well.
I can almost forgive it in The Cold Between because this is only barely science fiction. As other reviewers have pointed out, this is Star Trek-level of gobbledigook and nonsensical action.
It is also a romance book, with large dollops of Harlequin romance type stuff and an extremely explicit sex scene early on, which I wasn't expecting and didn't mind too much.
Just because something is a romance-slash-Star Trek kind of book, doesn't mean it can't still be an enjoyable 3-star read. And for the first half of the book it was squarely in that territory. But during the second half of the book the plot just went a bit too bonkers for me. Too many characters made "what? why?" type decisions and there was a lot of "and then Elena figures out how to hook up the frobnium holoflux to the reverse Bleeker Field, which no one had ever done before, and they are able to escape" type things.
Spoiler
1. Half the crew on this military ship is willing to mutiny and disobey direct orders on pretty limited evidence.
2. The captain of a military ship leaves all of his crew behind and chases after someone in a ship on his own.
3. A civilian pleasure craft somehow mostly fights off a Shadow Ops ship with a cloaking field.
4. Wait, why does this flunky even have access to a Shadow Ops ship with a highly top secret cloaking field?
5. Why does Will put the crazy guy in charge of Engineering during the attack?
6. Why is the crazy guy still in the military anyway? Why is he crazy about the wormhole anyway?
7. Why are all the crew from the Demeter weird & hostile?
8. Why do they blow up the entire planet? Just....what?
9. How does Elena hotwire the magic element (which she's never seen before) to her ship in about 30-minutes?
gyeranbbang's review against another edition
5.0
What is The Cold Between? It's a sci-fi space opera and space military book, but also a romance, and also a thriller with bits of time traveling (apparently) and military conspiracy.
I feel Bonesteel just grabbed a bag, threw pieces of paper inside with the genders she wanted to write about, and then just decided to say fuck it and mix them all. And well, it worked. I guess. I mean, I'm giving this a 5 stars and the sole reason why I wouldn't is a VERY uncomfortable comment about rape and how all the bad guys were misogynist twats (who said thinks that made me gag).
Anyhow, this book reminded me of [b:The Eight|113310|The Eight (The Eight #1)|Katherine Neville|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388263286l/113310._SY75_.jpg|268923] by Katherine Neville in that it is preposterous and ridiculous, yet it is well written and has a thrilling story going on. The romance was a big fat cheap drama and I still do not like Elena and Trey's relationship (insta love is just dumb), but Foster is a big yes on my book. Big yes. I must say this fangirling is a relevant part of my review since this book is mostly romance than space-y hullabaloos.
I'm SUPER intrigued about what it's going on with the space opera-side of the story, I must say. I will be continuing this series if I ever get my hands on the rest of the books, I lowkey spoiled myself of the begining of the second book and I'm already asking myself HOW and WHY and WHAT DID I(they?) MISS.
Also: guys read this, she loses her gun and starts using A ROLLING PIN as a weapon. A rolling pin. A GODDANG ROLLING PIN. Ok. I'll stop. But this made me laugh so hard every single time.
I feel Bonesteel just grabbed a bag, threw pieces of paper inside with the genders she wanted to write about, and then just decided to say fuck it and mix them all. And well, it worked. I guess. I mean, I'm giving this a 5 stars and the sole reason why I wouldn't is a VERY uncomfortable comment about rape and how all the bad guys were misogynist twats (who said thinks that made me gag).
Anyhow, this book reminded me of [b:The Eight|113310|The Eight (The Eight #1)|Katherine Neville|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388263286l/113310._SY75_.jpg|268923] by Katherine Neville in that it is preposterous and ridiculous, yet it is well written and has a thrilling story going on. The romance was a big fat cheap drama and I still do not like Elena and Trey's relationship (insta love is just dumb), but Foster is a big yes on my book. Big yes. I must say this fangirling is a relevant part of my review since this book is mostly romance than space-y hullabaloos.
I'm SUPER intrigued about what it's going on with the space opera-side of the story, I must say. I will be continuing this series if I ever get my hands on the rest of the books, I lowkey spoiled myself of the begining of the second book and I'm already asking myself HOW and WHY and WHAT DID I(they?) MISS.
Also: guys read this, she loses her gun and starts using A ROLLING PIN as a weapon. A rolling pin. A GODDANG ROLLING PIN. Ok. I'll stop. But this made me laugh so hard every single time.
rixx's review against another edition
4.0
Genuinely enjoyable space opera with a bit of mystery and romance, where everybody has a brain, and a character, motivations and grievances, and different opinions on each other (which is nice with multiple POV characters).
Not quite a replacement for Bujold, but maybe getting there? Convincing as a first book, in any case, with strong characters, a very interesting backdrop, a mature adult relationship and several good friendships, while also having a decent mix of action, diplomacy and politics. The love interest is perhaps overly dreamy and too close to mature and perfect, but so is Aral (in later Vorkosigan books, at least).
The general arc of the story was a bit predictable (or maybe that's me reading too much Bujold), but since the friendships and personal developments were more important, that's fine. It's not high art, but with Vorkosigan over and done, I'll take what I can get.
Not quite a replacement for Bujold, but maybe getting there? Convincing as a first book, in any case, with strong characters, a very interesting backdrop, a mature adult relationship and several good friendships, while also having a decent mix of action, diplomacy and politics. The love interest is perhaps overly dreamy and too close to mature and perfect, but so is Aral (in later Vorkosigan books, at least).
The general arc of the story was a bit predictable (or maybe that's me reading too much Bujold), but since the friendships and personal developments were more important, that's fine. It's not high art, but with Vorkosigan over and done, I'll take what I can get.
zzzrevel's review against another edition
1.0
Well I will give that this one has a nice hook in the
beginning -- a mysterious evacuation near a wormhole
that ends up as an explosion that kills a pilot son's
mother. I wanted to find out what happened.
Then there is the rest of the book.
After a clumsy sex scene to start, this book certainly
went YA very quickly in my opinion. Further, there
was so much Man(and Woman)-splaining dialogue
that it lost all its thrills. Cumbersome arrest and
torture scenes with alot of insubordination between
ship officers. Ugh.
Finally there are some events that actually happen
in space (after all it was supposed to be space opera)
but I thought they were rather lame and unexciting.
Lastly, the explanation for the explosion/wormhole
sequence was fairly limp too.
Add that character development beyond making
goo-goo eyes at someone was near missing.
Not recommended.
beginning -- a mysterious evacuation near a wormhole
that ends up as an explosion that kills a pilot son's
mother. I wanted to find out what happened.
Then there is the rest of the book.
After a clumsy sex scene to start, this book certainly
went YA very quickly in my opinion. Further, there
was so much Man(and Woman)-splaining dialogue
that it lost all its thrills. Cumbersome arrest and
torture scenes with alot of insubordination between
ship officers. Ugh.
Finally there are some events that actually happen
in space (after all it was supposed to be space opera)
but I thought they were rather lame and unexciting.
Lastly, the explanation for the explosion/wormhole
sequence was fairly limp too.
Add that character development beyond making
goo-goo eyes at someone was near missing.
Not recommended.
slc333's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. It would have been 4 stars except I wasn't happy with ending. It is a good space opera/romance with an interesting backdrop and gvt conspiracy story and enough action to keep me turning pages. I really liked Trey and Elena together. I especially liked Trey. I also really liked Jess. I am not a fan of the Captain, Greg. I was quite worried when it became obvious that Greg had feelings for Elena, especially as it seemed that he was likely to be one of the heroes given the prologue and how we get a lot of his POV
Spoiler
so I was so happy when Elena called him on his bullshit treatment of her and picked Trey. I was much less happy with how it ended with them going their separate ways as she was off with the military and he stayed on a planet in a sector she wasn't in. Very unhappy. I am reasonably sure that this means a romance will develop between Elena and stupid ass Greg in the future which really disappoints meSpoiler
Will probably read the next one but aside from Jess I am not looking forward to for the reason mentioned in the spoiler. But hopefully I am wrong.generubin's review against another edition
4.0
A review of this book is really a review of the series of 3 books; The Cold Between, Remnants of Trust, and Breach of Containment. These books would be classified, in my humble opinion, as a military space opera... and a pretty good one at that. A little unrequited love, some sex, but mostly military strategy and the inevitable lack of morality within the military command structure coupled with corporate greed. Overall rating for the series.... 4 stars.