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jessicalauren22's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.25
novella42's review against another edition
I keep trying but I cannot finish this book. I wanted to like it, but the early Becky Chambers vibes devolved because the misfits never really connected with each other outside of trauma bonding. Maybe they do in the last quarter of the book.
Vague spoilers and just me being grumpy:I don't like the protagonist, I find her frustrating, alienating, and full of impulsive bad plans. I know she's in a lot of difficult situations but other than expanding my Spanish vocabulary to include better swear words than I knew before, I can't think of a single thing she's done for 280 pages that made me like her or think she's worthy of her crew.
I liked Vakar. I liked the potential of the psychic cats. I liked the honest dep ctions of PTSD and intergenerational trauma. The Fifth Element scene was enjoyable.
I tried to see this as a lighthearted homage to pulpy sci-fi, but it kept getting really dark and disconnected. I didn't buy the villain, couldn't follow the plot, and couldn't suspend my disbelief any more. </Spoiler>
I will try her more recent books and see if I can get into those.
Vague spoilers and just me being grumpy:
I liked Vakar. I liked the potential of the psychic cats. I liked the honest dep ctions of PTSD and intergenerational trauma. The Fifth Element scene was enjoyable.
I tried to see this as a lighthearted homage to pulpy sci-fi, but it kept getting really dark and disconnected. I didn't buy the villain, couldn't follow the plot, and couldn't suspend my disbelief any more. </Spoiler>
I will try her more recent books and see if I can get into those.
megany8s's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
adambgraham's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jasonpatrickg's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The impressive space odyssey set out in this book is rich in lore. For fans of sci fi, I’d heartily recommend this book! However, I think the book could have done with slightly more exposition, as the introduction of many alien species without meaningful description made it difficult to picture in the mind’s eye. Overall, I really enjoyed it and will continue to read the series!
lizryth's review against another edition
I’m only 31 pages in and this book is such a blatant Mass Effect ripoff I have trouble believing it started as anything other than fanfiction that got doctored up to be published.
So far there has been:
An alien crewmate love interest that likes to spar and has a second level of communication (in the book it’s scent, in the game garrus has subvocals)
Mass effect relays are “gates”
There is a seedy station outside of official lawed space where all the sleezeballs go called “omicron” instead of omega. It has a bar called limbo run by an alien with a name that starts with an A.
This station had a plague break out in the lower levels.
There is a multi species high council that governs their slice of space. The humans want a seat on that council and they are using a commander named Schafer to try and get it
Schafer is a spacer military brat who single handedly saved a colony from raiders
OH
And a pilot with their own body that can telepathically control/pilot the ship to the point that it is her second body
Forgot to mention that the alien race most like humans had tentacles for hair and their skin turned different colors.
Not to mention the writing is frustrating in itself.
So far there has been:
An alien crewmate love interest that likes to spar and has a second level of communication (in the book it’s scent, in the game garrus has subvocals)
Mass effect relays are “gates”
There is a seedy station outside of official lawed space where all the sleezeballs go called “omicron” instead of omega. It has a bar called limbo run by an alien with a name that starts with an A.
This station had a plague break out in the lower levels.
There is a multi species high council that governs their slice of space. The humans want a seat on that council and they are using a commander named Schafer to try and get it
Schafer is a spacer military brat who single handedly saved a colony from raiders
OH
And a pilot with their own body that can telepathically control/pilot the ship to the point that it is her second body
Forgot to mention that the alien race most like humans had tentacles for hair and their skin turned different colors.
Not to mention the writing is frustrating in itself.
davinanelson's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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? Yes
4.0
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
3.0
Wow, there was a lot going on, and for the most part this was oodles of fun. I did struggle to keep straight all the various aliens though. I loved the crew and so will likely give the second book a try.
amym84's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted at Vampire Book Club
Captain Eva Innocente has been trying to make an honest living with her crew running small cargo around the galaxy for delivery. Even though it barely pays the bills, Eva is determined to remain on the up and up. That is, until she gets a message from The Fridge—a mysterious crime syndicate—saying they have her sister and Eva better pay up or else.
Having little in the way to “pay up” with, Eva is instead forced to basically keep on doing what she’s doing, except on The Fridge’s dime while keeping the nature of the work a secret from her crew. All while also dealing with a cargo of psychic cats, the unwanted amorous affections of a fish-like powerful emperor promising revenge for her rebuttal, and the very-much-wanted but kinda creates a potential conflict of interest affections for her engineer. But as the danger and lies escalate with each new mission, Eva has to ultimately decide whose side she’s fighting on in the conflict with The Fridge.
Based on the blurb I can guarantee you that Chilling Effect is everything you think it’s going to be, plus so much more. I loved the depth with which Valerie Valdes looked into the future and the varied species and creatures that are encountered throughout Eva’s exploits. As Eva is propelled from one conflict to another, there’s no shortage of thrilling and adventurous scenes with nary a moment of downtime in between. Chilling Effect is nothing if not fast-paced.
With Eva at the helm, we’re introduced to a woman that doesn’t ever think the words I can’t. It’s pretty safe to say that Eva gets into a lot of sticky situations (sometimes literally), but she just as equally tends to find a way out, somehow, someway. She may not always make the best choices, but she always has the best intentions at heart. Even when she’s being less than honest with her crew, and is, essentially, the cause for many of the problems they face, you can’t help but like her character. She would die for those she loves, has put her life on the line numerous times…she just may also blow up the entire galaxy on her way down. Inadvertently of course.
Eva’s found-family relationship with her crew are some of the best moments of the book for me. You can certainly feel the bond between them especially with best friend Pink and romantic interest Vakar. The problem is Eva tends to isolate herself quite a bit in this first book—I think out of a sense of guilt for lying. So we don’t get as much depth to the relationships as I want, it’s less so towards the end of the book, but I hold out hope for the sequel.
I’d say the story does suffer from a lack of direction in certain places. After certain events transpire, it becomes difficult to understand Eva’s motivation where The Fridge is concerned. Eva herself even questions what it is she’s fighting for. I think it speaks to a lot of what brings people into causes and speaking up about injustices. Sometimes it’s for a very personal and passionate reason, and sometimes it’s a more roundabout way that builds up to being personal and passionate. But in this case, I had to really believe and focus on the fact that everything Eva and our characters are going through was going to lead somewhere.
Chilling Effect is set up perfectly for a continuation of the story. After everything Eva goes through in this one, I’m certainly interested to see what else Valerie Valdes can conjure up for our intrepid Captain.
Captain Eva Innocente has been trying to make an honest living with her crew running small cargo around the galaxy for delivery. Even though it barely pays the bills, Eva is determined to remain on the up and up. That is, until she gets a message from The Fridge—a mysterious crime syndicate—saying they have her sister and Eva better pay up or else.
Having little in the way to “pay up” with, Eva is instead forced to basically keep on doing what she’s doing, except on The Fridge’s dime while keeping the nature of the work a secret from her crew. All while also dealing with a cargo of psychic cats, the unwanted amorous affections of a fish-like powerful emperor promising revenge for her rebuttal, and the very-much-wanted but kinda creates a potential conflict of interest affections for her engineer. But as the danger and lies escalate with each new mission, Eva has to ultimately decide whose side she’s fighting on in the conflict with The Fridge.
Based on the blurb I can guarantee you that Chilling Effect is everything you think it’s going to be, plus so much more. I loved the depth with which Valerie Valdes looked into the future and the varied species and creatures that are encountered throughout Eva’s exploits. As Eva is propelled from one conflict to another, there’s no shortage of thrilling and adventurous scenes with nary a moment of downtime in between. Chilling Effect is nothing if not fast-paced.
With Eva at the helm, we’re introduced to a woman that doesn’t ever think the words I can’t. It’s pretty safe to say that Eva gets into a lot of sticky situations (sometimes literally), but she just as equally tends to find a way out, somehow, someway. She may not always make the best choices, but she always has the best intentions at heart. Even when she’s being less than honest with her crew, and is, essentially, the cause for many of the problems they face, you can’t help but like her character. She would die for those she loves, has put her life on the line numerous times…she just may also blow up the entire galaxy on her way down. Inadvertently of course.
Eva’s found-family relationship with her crew are some of the best moments of the book for me. You can certainly feel the bond between them especially with best friend Pink and romantic interest Vakar. The problem is Eva tends to isolate herself quite a bit in this first book—I think out of a sense of guilt for lying. So we don’t get as much depth to the relationships as I want, it’s less so towards the end of the book, but I hold out hope for the sequel.
I’d say the story does suffer from a lack of direction in certain places. After certain events transpire, it becomes difficult to understand Eva’s motivation where The Fridge is concerned. Eva herself even questions what it is she’s fighting for. I think it speaks to a lot of what brings people into causes and speaking up about injustices. Sometimes it’s for a very personal and passionate reason, and sometimes it’s a more roundabout way that builds up to being personal and passionate. But in this case, I had to really believe and focus on the fact that everything Eva and our characters are going through was going to lead somewhere.
Chilling Effect is set up perfectly for a continuation of the story. After everything Eva goes through in this one, I’m certainly interested to see what else Valerie Valdes can conjure up for our intrepid Captain.