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calissa's review against another edition
3.0
Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review contains spoilers for previous books.
At the end of Aurora: Meridian, Corporal Carrie Welles discovers she has been unknowingly impregnated with fraternal twins by an evil scientist. I admit I was a bit sceptical about how this would play out, feeling it was beginning to veer a bit into the territory of melodrama. However, I feel Aurora: Centralis handles its material deftly.
Centralis marks the halfway point for the Aurora series, being the fourth of eight expected books. As such, it is a transitional book and suffers a little bit from middle book sag. It's a bit of slow, with lots of waiting around. Those expecting a lot of action will be disappointed. While there is some, the focus is mostly on the characters as they deal with their changing lives and relationships. I found this gave it a stronger space-opera feel. Centralis widens the scope of the series; more time passes than throughout the other books and we begin to see the bigger picture, the bigger threat. The stakes become higher.
Prior to this book, the plot threads involving the private lives of Captain Harris and Corporal Welles remained fairly separate; now, they begin to weave together. I enjoyed seeing this convergence. Until now, their intimacy has been more one of soldiers risking their lives for each other while nevertheless maintaining the appropriate distance as soldier and commander. In Centralis, they begin to see each other more as human beings... though perhaps not quite yet as friends.
I did have a couple of issues with the story, though these are difficult to discuss without giving too much away. I was rather disappointed in the treatment of Lieutenant McKinley. I felt his attitude was treated as misguided and something that must inevitably change. Only one person actually respected his wishes and that person had no power over the situation.
There were also some messages regarding children and parenthood I'm not entirely sure I was comfortable with.
On the whole, I found it an interesting set-up to the second half of the series. The ending packed quite an emotional punch and I'm keen to see how things play out from here.
This review first appeared on Earl Grey Editing.
At the end of Aurora: Meridian, Corporal Carrie Welles discovers she has been unknowingly impregnated with fraternal twins by an evil scientist. I admit I was a bit sceptical about how this would play out, feeling it was beginning to veer a bit into the territory of melodrama. However, I feel Aurora: Centralis handles its material deftly.
Centralis marks the halfway point for the Aurora series, being the fourth of eight expected books. As such, it is a transitional book and suffers a little bit from middle book sag. It's a bit of slow, with lots of waiting around. Those expecting a lot of action will be disappointed. While there is some, the focus is mostly on the characters as they deal with their changing lives and relationships. I found this gave it a stronger space-opera feel. Centralis widens the scope of the series; more time passes than throughout the other books and we begin to see the bigger picture, the bigger threat. The stakes become higher.
Prior to this book, the plot threads involving the private lives of Captain Harris and Corporal Welles remained fairly separate; now, they begin to weave together. I enjoyed seeing this convergence. Until now, their intimacy has been more one of soldiers risking their lives for each other while nevertheless maintaining the appropriate distance as soldier and commander. In Centralis, they begin to see each other more as human beings... though perhaps not quite yet as friends.
I did have a couple of issues with the story, though these are difficult to discuss without giving too much away. I was rather disappointed in the treatment of Lieutenant McKinley. I felt his attitude was treated as misguided and something that must inevitably change. Only one person actually respected his wishes and that person had no power over the situation.
There were also some messages regarding children and parenthood I'm not entirely sure I was comfortable with.
On the whole, I found it an interesting set-up to the second half of the series. The ending packed quite an emotional punch and I'm keen to see how things play out from here.
This review first appeared on Earl Grey Editing.
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