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293 reviews for:
The Vela: The Complete Season 1
Becky Chambers, Rivers Solomon, Yoon Ha Lee, S.L. Huang
3.83 AVERAGE
293 reviews for:
The Vela: The Complete Season 1
Becky Chambers, Rivers Solomon, Yoon Ha Lee, S.L. Huang
3.83 AVERAGE
emotional
medium-paced
A highly recommended read for Sci-Fi fans. Seems to be a project where one author writes an episode and then the novel is passed to the next author in line for the next episode. It works incredibly well and all authors are in sync with each other. Solid storyline, few characters ( but the few are very well implemented ) and well written throughout ( Episode 5 needs some work as of time of my read through however. Lots of typos and words missing or added here and there )
All in all a good sci-fi read that's different to the usual fare and manages to use the direct opposite of what is happening to our planet as it's main theme.
Well worth your time!
All in all a good sci-fi read that's different to the usual fare and manages to use the direct opposite of what is happening to our planet as it's main theme.
Well worth your time!
TW/CW: xenophobia, racism, themes of genocide, descriptions of death/corpses
The promise of Becky Chambers and Rivers Solomon in one novel was the main draw of The Vela for me, but by the time I finished the novel, I was fully invested in all four contributors. Their talents came together so seamlessly, making for a novel that wasn’t just coherent, but downright thrilling—The Vela is sure to satisfy whether or not you’re familiar with the authors.
Out of all of the authors who contributed to The Vela , I was the most hesitant about Yoon Ha Lee; the one book I’ve read of his was one that didn’t mesh with my style (but that was also his first attempt at middle grade, so that could have been my issue). I read a sample of Ninefox Gambit ages ago and liked it, but not enough to buy it. Consider me proven wrong about him! As the author who started off the novel, he was the perfect choice. His fast-paced prose made for an opening chapter that integrated the reader swiftly and effortlessly into the world of The Vela . Later on, his battle scenes were some of the highlights of the novel; every chase sequence and dogfight is so meticulous that I questioned whether or not he’d actually been in the thick of an intergalactic war. I’ll be seeking out more of his work after this!
Becky Chambers was, by far, the author I was most excited about seeing in The Vela . I’ve fallen head-over-heels in love with her cozy sci-fi, as many other readers had. What she contributed to The Vela , however, was a sense of complication. Like The Galaxy, and the Ground Within , where she piled a series of unlikely characters together and had them clash in terms of culture, politics, and personality, Chambers excelled at complicating the relationships between each character. Her cozy agenda made me forget how well she writes cold, fascist characters; the way she wrote General Cynwrig sent chills up my spine, conveying the dull distance she has from every other character. Every interaction with her is nothing but war room strategy, and that’s why she and Niko clashed so fundamentally. While toeing over making Cynwrig sympathetic, Chambers gave us a glimpse into her mind without justifying her actions. It’s a difficult dilemma to skirt around, but one that served to develop Niko incredibly; they had a very un-nuanced view of the galaxy, and although their views weren’t changed fundamentally, it allowed them to see different sides without excusing their horrific actions.
Rivers Solomon, the other author I was looking forward to reading in The Vela , gave us the novel’s best glimpse into the mind of the protagonist, Asala. Their prose here, which combines rough-edged anger with exceptional metaphor, fleshed out Asala in ways that the other chapters did not; Solomon had the weight of sculpting all of the events that made Asala as cool and calculated as she was, and by the end, I had a vision of her that was as clear as a map, with every mountain range and river of her life writ out. Her cold disillusionment was palpable, but by the time Asala begins to move more towards purpose and determination, we can see, with incredible clarity, every step that led up to it.
S.L. Huang was the only author featured in The Vela who I was completely unfamiliar with. Now that I’ve finished the novel, I’m keen on checking out her other works, because I can’t think of many other authors who are able to write war so poetically, but never romanticize it at any point. Nothing is ever glorified (as it should be, both in general and considering the themes of The Vela ), but there’s something so silk-smooth and beautiful in the way she described battalions of ships on the horizon and the chaos of war as all of the parties scramble for a handhold. For a novel with a prominently anti-war sentiment, Huang’s prose served a valuable purpose—humanizing the consequences of war that many of the characters were unable to grasp, and writing it with such tact and heart that it bordered on poetry.
As a whole…what a timely novel, isn’t it? Surely, we couldn’t learn a thing or two from this world, where star systems and planets are being physically torn apart and destroyed because nobody considered that their enemies are also human…surely that’s not applicable to [checks notes] practically every issue we’re dealing with at the moment, no?
All in all, a seamless and cohesive sci-fi thriller that wonderfully harmonizes the unique talents of the authors that it displays. 4 stars!
The promise of Becky Chambers and Rivers Solomon in one novel was the main draw of The Vela for me, but by the time I finished the novel, I was fully invested in all four contributors. Their talents came together so seamlessly, making for a novel that wasn’t just coherent, but downright thrilling—The Vela is sure to satisfy whether or not you’re familiar with the authors.
Out of all of the authors who contributed to The Vela , I was the most hesitant about Yoon Ha Lee; the one book I’ve read of his was one that didn’t mesh with my style (but that was also his first attempt at middle grade, so that could have been my issue). I read a sample of Ninefox Gambit ages ago and liked it, but not enough to buy it. Consider me proven wrong about him! As the author who started off the novel, he was the perfect choice. His fast-paced prose made for an opening chapter that integrated the reader swiftly and effortlessly into the world of The Vela . Later on, his battle scenes were some of the highlights of the novel; every chase sequence and dogfight is so meticulous that I questioned whether or not he’d actually been in the thick of an intergalactic war. I’ll be seeking out more of his work after this!
Becky Chambers was, by far, the author I was most excited about seeing in The Vela . I’ve fallen head-over-heels in love with her cozy sci-fi, as many other readers had. What she contributed to The Vela , however, was a sense of complication. Like The Galaxy, and the Ground Within , where she piled a series of unlikely characters together and had them clash in terms of culture, politics, and personality, Chambers excelled at complicating the relationships between each character. Her cozy agenda made me forget how well she writes cold, fascist characters; the way she wrote General Cynwrig sent chills up my spine, conveying the dull distance she has from every other character. Every interaction with her is nothing but war room strategy, and that’s why she and Niko clashed so fundamentally. While toeing over making Cynwrig sympathetic, Chambers gave us a glimpse into her mind without justifying her actions. It’s a difficult dilemma to skirt around, but one that served to develop Niko incredibly; they had a very un-nuanced view of the galaxy, and although their views weren’t changed fundamentally, it allowed them to see different sides without excusing their horrific actions.
Rivers Solomon, the other author I was looking forward to reading in The Vela , gave us the novel’s best glimpse into the mind of the protagonist, Asala. Their prose here, which combines rough-edged anger with exceptional metaphor, fleshed out Asala in ways that the other chapters did not; Solomon had the weight of sculpting all of the events that made Asala as cool and calculated as she was, and by the end, I had a vision of her that was as clear as a map, with every mountain range and river of her life writ out. Her cold disillusionment was palpable, but by the time Asala begins to move more towards purpose and determination, we can see, with incredible clarity, every step that led up to it.
S.L. Huang was the only author featured in The Vela who I was completely unfamiliar with. Now that I’ve finished the novel, I’m keen on checking out her other works, because I can’t think of many other authors who are able to write war so poetically, but never romanticize it at any point. Nothing is ever glorified (as it should be, both in general and considering the themes of The Vela ), but there’s something so silk-smooth and beautiful in the way she described battalions of ships on the horizon and the chaos of war as all of the parties scramble for a handhold. For a novel with a prominently anti-war sentiment, Huang’s prose served a valuable purpose—humanizing the consequences of war that many of the characters were unable to grasp, and writing it with such tact and heart that it bordered on poetry.
As a whole…what a timely novel, isn’t it? Surely, we couldn’t learn a thing or two from this world, where star systems and planets are being physically torn apart and destroyed because nobody considered that their enemies are also human…surely that’s not applicable to [checks notes] practically every issue we’re dealing with at the moment, no?
All in all, a seamless and cohesive sci-fi thriller that wonderfully harmonizes the unique talents of the authors that it displays. 4 stars!
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’d picked this up as two authors I love are involved. The story is surprisingly smooth given the four different voices contributing. I didn’t realise this was originally released as a podcast, which explains the episodic feel to the chapters.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn't exactly... Enjoy this. I suppose it's because the chapters felt very episodic, and it was just a continued saga of bad shit that happens to the characters. If I do decide to move on to the sequel, it won't be because I liked the story.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I found this book through a reading challenge on StoryGraph. I was glad I did. Once I saw Becky Chambers & Rivers Solomon had written some of it, I immediately had to put it on my TBR list. I was so excited to read it that I read it right away.
Asala & Niko were well written. You just knew who they were and could put yourself in their place. I didn't really like Asala because I was in their head & realized I wasn't that much different than they where had I been in her position. In any position they were forced into in their life actually. Niko I just didn't like on principle. Then realized I was being an adult stuck in my childhood/teenage years (I was bullied by the rich/popular, etc despite how 'good' they were). I realized they were just a kid trying to prove themself and screwed up big time. I hope they turn it all for good, but I am afraid they will do things in the name of good, despite them being not good. Like most politicians.
Once my library has an audio version of the next book, I'll be reading it.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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:
Complicated
A space adventure full of the big questions in life. Who is your family and what do you owe to the people who have supported and saved you? Is it ethical to hurt/kill a few people to save the many? What happens when resources are few and hoarded by the rich and those in power? In many ways, what’s happening in this universe, with their star slowing dying and populations from outer planets being forced to seek refuge in the inner planets that resent them, mirrors what’s happening in our own declining society. Those that need help the most are persecuted, while those in power continue to work together to keep the wealth and resources to themselves. While on the surface, our characters are tasked with finding and rescuing a ship full of refugees, their real purpose is a race to locate a new technology that might save their populations.
I’m not sure if this story provides us with a way forward, fighting against a corrupt system, but there are some takeaways. Don’t forget about the people, each individual who matters greatly to those who love them. Keep looking for the path forward, keeping your hope alive as long as possible. As much as you’ve been hurt, try not to close yourself off to others - it’s relationships that make life worth while. Keep helping, wherever you can.
I want to briefly mention this audiobook production - I picked this one up because I have read and enjoyed both Becky Chambers and Rivers Solomon’s works in the past and was curious what kind of collaboration it would be between 4 writers. Even though each of the 10 parts was written by a different author, they flowed together really well, and I couldn’t name any one specifically that stood out as being differently. The audio production is excellent, and feels like you are listening to episodes of a radio drama. I don’t know the history of this work, so maybe it was released as a podcast first? Or in a magazine? I also really enjoyed the subtle background noise that matched the story, adding to the drama of Robin Miles’ excellent narration. this is definitely one I’d recommend to sci-fi fans and audiobook lovers. The vibes are very Battlestar Galactica.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes