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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
Audio podcast co-written by [a:Yoon Ha Lee|3001246|Yoon Ha Lee|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1603220064p2/3001246.jpg], [a:Becky Chambers|22659598|Becky Chambers|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], [a:Rivers Solomon|16488815|Rivers Solomon|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] & [a:S.L. Huang|8057745|S.L. Huang|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1536431399p2/8057745.jpg]
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-vela/id1566383339
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-vela/id1566383339
One storyline. Four writers.
-Yoon Ha Lee: Ninefox Gambit
-Becky Chambers: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
-SL Huang: Burning Roses
-Rivers Solomon: The Deep
The main character Asala escapes her home planet and the destitute conditions of the refugee camps. She works for her "saviors", the people who took her in and trained her to be a deadly agent. However, these are the same people responsible for the slow, cold death of her home planet.
This books contains strong commentary on the ill treatment and handling of refugees. The inner planets publicly states how awful they feel on behalf of the outer-rim's refugees, but none of the planets want to open their doors to help them. Us versus Them mentality.
Queer friendly. Space Opera. Strong female leads. High action sci-fi adventure.
Thank you to Netgalley and Serial Box Publishing for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
-Yoon Ha Lee: Ninefox Gambit
-Becky Chambers: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
-SL Huang: Burning Roses
-Rivers Solomon: The Deep
The main character Asala escapes her home planet and the destitute conditions of the refugee camps. She works for her "saviors", the people who took her in and trained her to be a deadly agent. However, these are the same people responsible for the slow, cold death of her home planet.
This books contains strong commentary on the ill treatment and handling of refugees. The inner planets publicly states how awful they feel on behalf of the outer-rim's refugees, but none of the planets want to open their doors to help them. Us versus Them mentality.
Queer friendly. Space Opera. Strong female leads. High action sci-fi adventure.
Thank you to Netgalley and Serial Box Publishing for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Such a cool format; 4 of my favorite authors taking turns writing chapters ("episodes")? Yes please!
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-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
I received an ARC of this serial from Serial Box in exchange for my honest review.
I believe that I received a sort of earlier version as there were some inconsistencies that seemed like editing errors more than anything else, so I anticipate those will have been remedied before each episode comes out for general consumption. Overall, it was a fun story of environmentalism, the dangers of bigotry, and wormholes.
CONTENT WARNING: (no actual spoilers, just a list of topics)
Things to love:
-The authors involved. If you enjoy the writing of Becky Chambers, Yoon Ha Lee, Rivers Solomon, and SL Huang, you're going to be a happy camper. They each add so much of their own flavor to their episodes--Huang's were tense and action packed, Chambers' filled me with a combo of joy and dread, Lee's were funny and filled with tons of bright moments with complex characters, and Solomon's were full of allegory.
-The messages. You really don't have to dig too deeply. This is about a dying planet and other planets overlooking their own imminent demise. It's about how we choose who's "worth" saving, what allyship is and isn't, and how love changes all of us.
-The inclusion. As you might imagine from a creative team like this, there's all sorts of people with all sorts of gender identities, orientations and so on, and none of it changes the respect they are given.
-The emotional notes. All of the authors take their own time in their own way to frame something for us, and it's really neat to see what calls to them.
Things that detracted:
-Inherent format issues. Naturally, when you're all writing from scratch, consistency in tone and what information we've received is a bit bouncier than any one author would do at once. This is something I notice in every sort of episodic structure, so it's not like these authors handled it poorly or anything, just remember what you're signing up for--a story told consecutively by different people. I will say I think they all found their groove in their second installments, so it gets better as it goes. I also had difficulty with some of the discrepancies, which I'm assuming won't be there later. I particular did not like the slur used in the first half and was glad that that changed--I'd hope someone realized they were using a real life slur (accidentally, I'm sure!) and fixed it.
-Could have used a bit more action. I know this can't be easy, and it was an enjoyable story, but some episodes felt a little more direct than others. I'd have liked each episode to have felt a bit more like a TV episode, where we progress the story arc but something internal to the episode is resolved. I didn't quite get that.
3.5 stars rounded up because I haven't read Becky Chambers' books yet (though they've been on the list) and this made me need to push them a little closer to the front. I think this is fun--if you like space operas and any of these authors, I think it's definitely worth checking out.
I believe that I received a sort of earlier version as there were some inconsistencies that seemed like editing errors more than anything else, so I anticipate those will have been remedied before each episode comes out for general consumption. Overall, it was a fun story of environmentalism, the dangers of bigotry, and wormholes.
CONTENT WARNING: (no actual spoilers, just a list of topics)
Spoiler
genocide, racism, graphic violence.Things to love:
-The authors involved. If you enjoy the writing of Becky Chambers, Yoon Ha Lee, Rivers Solomon, and SL Huang, you're going to be a happy camper. They each add so much of their own flavor to their episodes--Huang's were tense and action packed, Chambers' filled me with a combo of joy and dread, Lee's were funny and filled with tons of bright moments with complex characters, and Solomon's were full of allegory.
-The messages. You really don't have to dig too deeply. This is about a dying planet and other planets overlooking their own imminent demise. It's about how we choose who's "worth" saving, what allyship is and isn't, and how love changes all of us.
-The inclusion. As you might imagine from a creative team like this, there's all sorts of people with all sorts of gender identities, orientations and so on, and none of it changes the respect they are given.
-The emotional notes. All of the authors take their own time in their own way to frame something for us, and it's really neat to see what calls to them.
Things that detracted:
-Inherent format issues. Naturally, when you're all writing from scratch, consistency in tone and what information we've received is a bit bouncier than any one author would do at once. This is something I notice in every sort of episodic structure, so it's not like these authors handled it poorly or anything, just remember what you're signing up for--a story told consecutively by different people. I will say I think they all found their groove in their second installments, so it gets better as it goes. I also had difficulty with some of the discrepancies, which I'm assuming won't be there later. I particular did not like the slur used in the first half and was glad that that changed--I'd hope someone realized they were using a real life slur (accidentally, I'm sure!) and fixed it.
-Could have used a bit more action. I know this can't be easy, and it was an enjoyable story, but some episodes felt a little more direct than others. I'd have liked each episode to have felt a bit more like a TV episode, where we progress the story arc but something internal to the episode is resolved. I didn't quite get that.
3.5 stars rounded up because I haven't read Becky Chambers' books yet (though they've been on the list) and this made me need to push them a little closer to the front. I think this is fun--if you like space operas and any of these authors, I think it's definitely worth checking out.
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Gripping plot. I had to keep reading to find out what happens next. I didn't much like the ending but it's hard to know how the authors could have done anything different.
I think the overly cynical and almost value-free constant sermonising (yeah I know that's a contradiction) in the book was wearying and also not productive. It would be better not to have a moral than to have a pendulous moral that is "all idealists are either deluded or lying and picking sides is always wrong". So basically liberal (Labor in Australia) thinking. The sort of centrists who are actually more right than they think.
I didn't mind Asala being so flawed but ....ugh. I think in some ways this reopened the wound I still have from The Old Lie by Claire G Coleman and I had nightmares based on both of them. This one was just as gripping to read and slightly less bleak except spiritually it was so much more bleak and empty. Can that level of despair even sustain life? This book promised me bread and gave me an almost paletable stone and I am NOT OK!!!!
I also did not appreciate the from the horrible dictators POV part. There is no need to see every point of view and yes some people ARE more to blame than others and yes trying to hold onto privilege is worse than trying to claw back basics. And the Israel/Palestine war might not have an innocent side but the more powerful side is more guilty than the other.
Ugh....don't like it. Why can't someone give me this level of action without horrible masculinist despair?
Mind you the numbers of disabled, refugee, trans, non-binary, etc characters in the book was good. Also women in all sorts of positions. So on an identity politics scale this was great. Individualistically (liberalism again) but as the book showed individualism is not enough to save humanity from extinction!
I think the overly cynical and almost value-free constant sermonising (yeah I know that's a contradiction) in the book was wearying and also not productive. It would be better not to have a moral than to have a pendulous moral that is "all idealists are either deluded or lying and picking sides is always wrong". So basically liberal (Labor in Australia) thinking. The sort of centrists who are actually more right than they think.
I didn't mind Asala being so flawed but ....ugh. I think in some ways this reopened the wound I still have from The Old Lie by Claire G Coleman and I had nightmares based on both of them. This one was just as gripping to read and slightly less bleak except spiritually it was so much more bleak and empty. Can that level of despair even sustain life? This book promised me bread and gave me an almost paletable stone and I am NOT OK!!!!
I also did not appreciate the from the horrible dictators POV part. There is no need to see every point of view and yes some people ARE more to blame than others and yes trying to hold onto privilege is worse than trying to claw back basics. And the Israel/Palestine war might not have an innocent side but the more powerful side is more guilty than the other.
Ugh....don't like it. Why can't someone give me this level of action without horrible masculinist despair?
Mind you the numbers of disabled, refugee, trans, non-binary, etc characters in the book was good. Also women in all sorts of positions. So on an identity politics scale this was great. Individualistically (liberalism again) but as the book showed individualism is not enough to save humanity from extinction!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Read because I had loved Becky Chambers and wanted to give sci fi a better chance.
Note that after I finished this book, I learned that it originally started as a narrative podcast! Makes more sense about why the recording has sound effects throughout. I will say the sound effects grew on me and did make it feel more immersive - especially when alarms or sirens would go off and the sound of them would continue playing under the dialogue until the scene ended. Minus points to the AI spider sounds (meaning the AI spiders in the book, not AI generated spider sounds) which were used waaay too much and felt like nails on a chalkboard to me, and to the random loud noises out of nowhere which made me jump while I was listening to this while driving (no cars were harmed in the listening of this book).
The story overall was lackluster to me. I didn't feel a huge draw to the characters, and the plot felt convoluted and confusing. I ha a really hard time telling apart characters, and while now knowing it was a podcast explains the episodic structure, it hurt the novel that it felt episodic, like we were picking up different strands when we had different authors writing. I did love the first chapter that Becky Chambers wrote (the reason why I picked this up) mainly for its cutaways of videos from climate refugees who were talking about their experiences.
I wish this book took a deeper stance on its main theme. It had a great chance to make some commentary about the treatment of refugees, particularly climate refugees. I think the climate disaster in this universe made a lot of sense to me and was compelling, but the responses were not. We also didn't get a lot of face time with any refugees themselves! In some ways that felt kind of exploitative.
ugh I really wanted to like either Asala or Niko, but they were both too frustrating for me. Asala was somehow extremely strong, feeling almost Mary-Sue-ish at times? And Niko also could just miraculously work on any technology and more or less have it working. The end of the novel also talks a lot about their bond they've developed, but I'm not sure I believed it.Niko's "secret" motivation of being part of a society that was against his father's regime didn't do it for me, and neither did Asala's desire to save her sister who had become an indentured soldier to an opposing army. Neither of these motivations and relationships felt developed enough for me to feel truly invested.
The technology introduced at the end felt too magical mystical for a book that I hoped would be more grounded in the day to day issues of conflict, of course with some dramatic incidents.What do you mean everyone is just going to escape using a wormhole creating device? I really don't get how it was developed and why it was on the Vela?
My main gripe with this book was just that it couldn't hold my attention. I listened all the way through, but didn't retain much at all. I didn't realize it was part of a larger series until the last 10 min of the book when I thought "wait, they can't wrap it up that fast" so I'll be giving it a listen to see where they decide to lead this.
Note that after I finished this book, I learned that it originally started as a narrative podcast! Makes more sense about why the recording has sound effects throughout. I will say the sound effects grew on me and did make it feel more immersive - especially when alarms or sirens would go off and the sound of them would continue playing under the dialogue until the scene ended. Minus points to the AI spider sounds (meaning the AI spiders in the book, not AI generated spider sounds) which were used waaay too much and felt like nails on a chalkboard to me, and to the random loud noises out of nowhere which made me jump while I was listening to this while driving (no cars were harmed in the listening of this book).
The story overall was lackluster to me. I didn't feel a huge draw to the characters, and the plot felt convoluted and confusing. I ha a really hard time telling apart characters, and while now knowing it was a podcast explains the episodic structure, it hurt the novel that it felt episodic, like we were picking up different strands when we had different authors writing. I did love the first chapter that Becky Chambers wrote (the reason why I picked this up) mainly for its cutaways of videos from climate refugees who were talking about their experiences.
I wish this book took a deeper stance on its main theme. It had a great chance to make some commentary about the treatment of refugees, particularly climate refugees. I think the climate disaster in this universe made a lot of sense to me and was compelling, but the responses were not. We also didn't get a lot of face time with any refugees themselves! In some ways that felt kind of exploitative.
ugh I really wanted to like either Asala or Niko, but they were both too frustrating for me. Asala was somehow extremely strong, feeling almost Mary-Sue-ish at times? And Niko also could just miraculously work on any technology and more or less have it working. The end of the novel also talks a lot about their bond they've developed, but I'm not sure I believed it.
The technology introduced at the end felt too magical mystical for a book that I hoped would be more grounded in the day to day issues of conflict, of course with some dramatic incidents.
My main gripe with this book was just that it couldn't hold my attention. I listened all the way through, but didn't retain much at all. I didn't realize it was part of a larger series until the last 10 min of the book when I thought "wait, they can't wrap it up that fast" so I'll be giving it a listen to see where they decide to lead this.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes