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alchaea's review
adventurous
emotional
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
4.0
lanid's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Genocide, Murder, Violence, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Medical content
catpewk's review
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
storiesandsours's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I’m mad I didn’t trust my instincts to DNF this one. Space crew parts were great. MC alone parts were not.
mariebrunelm's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.5
Caiden is a mechanic, living a simple life on a planet that is always the same. His community is supposed to take care of cattle and not ask questions. One day the unthinkable happens and Caiden is left barely alive on a planet he had no idea even existed, pushed to the edge by multiple traumas. To escape, and to live, he'll have to go and grow further than he ever imagined, and unveil secrets strong enough to topple a galaxy.
What a ride. Let me tell you this book is *intense*. I bought it lured by its queer and neurodivergent rep, but was a bit daunted by what seemed like complex world-building, from what the reviews suggested.
Actually, I found that the world wasn’t especially complex at its core, but it took some effort to grasp it and make my way through the story at first, because of the very lush prose. I hadn't expected such detailed descriptions and exhaustive vocabulary. It was amazing, don’t get me wrong, but also took me longer to read. My aphantasic mind (I can’t picture mental images when I read) had a really hard time with the very visual narrative the author has created. I thought it was objectively fabulous, just not something I could relax into.
But then, I was introduced to the characters and especially to the crew of misfits that take Caiden in. From then on, I was hooked. That is what found family is. Those mismatched personalities and wildly different species of being made me feel just like a Becky Chambers book can. With a liberal dose of trauma added on top. Because that book is NOT gentle. The opening chapter is very violent, and it’s only the beginning. However I didn’t find violence was gratuitous because it served a whole reflection on trauma and identity that spans the whole novel. So definitely not for the faint-hearted, but also, I think, well-handled and rewarding.
Rep : neurodivergent character, genderfluid character.
Additional trauma for eugenism.
Additional trauma for eugenism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Gore, and Death of parent
themanfromdelmonte's review against another edition
2.0
The premise of most Space Opera is that Clarke’s dictum holds. The problem comes when this is stretched to breaking point. This author casually tosses universes around as if they’re confetti. The hero goes in one and then another as if they’re just exotic ports of call. The aliens hail from early Doctor Who ie. they’re just men in rubber suits. There are ultra-baddies (that the hero can only destroy from within, natch), ancient hypertech, blah, blah, blah. I bailed at just over the half-way point because I lost interest in the whole thing.
graff_fuller's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.25
This story was a LOT different than I thought it would be, when picking up this book.
I was geared up for a space opera romp, but didn't realize the ethical ideas and sense of self that would be infused within the universe...a multi-verse in a way that I'd never even thought of.
Also, the fusing of Caiden/Winn to the Azure and vice versa.
Another HUGE plus, was the characters (and found family aspect) they provided.
Our entry point into this story...throws you into a massacre...and we are basically as lost as the main character. I don't always love this type of narrative, but this one was done SO masterfully, that I didn't want to put the book down.
There are characters in this story that you don't know are truly bad, but you also know are NOT good.
Like I said earlier, there are ethical situations that our protagonist is/was put through, plus those he's linked to (for reasons) in this story.
Honestly, I never trusted that person...and even after finishing this first portion of the trilogy, I am NOT 100% against him, nor for him. He is a variable that I would NEVER trust, though have to interact with. "The enemy of my enemy, is my friend." No more truthful, than in this relationship.
The idea of self and how it is manipulated, was really well thought out and pecked at. The idea of torture, is explored in this story. So, if you are triggered by this concept, this might not be a story that you'd enjoy. I was uncomfortable during these (many scenes), but not to the point of quiting the story. It ALL worked for the furtherance of the story, and was not gruetitace IMO.
I do have to say, that I will be putting a few books BEFORE the sequel, to "cleanse the palette", as they say...for there was a LOT deep concepts in the story, that I want to ponder, then release...BEFORE re-entering this universe.
I was geared up for a space opera romp, but didn't realize the ethical ideas and sense of self that would be infused within the universe...a multi-verse in a way that I'd never even thought of.
Also, the fusing of Caiden/Winn to the Azure and vice versa.
Another HUGE plus, was the characters (and found family aspect) they provided.
Our entry point into this story...throws you into a massacre...and we are basically as lost as the main character. I don't always love this type of narrative, but this one was done SO masterfully, that I didn't want to put the book down.
There are characters in this story that you don't know are truly bad, but you also know are NOT good.
Like I said earlier, there are ethical situations that our protagonist is/was put through, plus those he's linked to (for reasons) in this story.
Honestly, I never trusted that person...and even after finishing this first portion of the trilogy, I am NOT 100% against him, nor for him. He is a variable that I would NEVER trust, though have to interact with. "The enemy of my enemy, is my friend." No more truthful, than in this relationship.
The idea of self and how it is manipulated, was really well thought out and pecked at. The idea of torture, is explored in this story. So, if you are triggered by this concept, this might not be a story that you'd enjoy. I was uncomfortable during these (many scenes), but not to the point of quiting the story. It ALL worked for the furtherance of the story, and was not gruetitace IMO.
I do have to say, that I will be putting a few books BEFORE the sequel, to "cleanse the palette", as they say...for there was a LOT deep concepts in the story, that I want to ponder, then release...BEFORE re-entering this universe.
laroo's review
Universe was interesting just lots of shortcuts taken to storytelling that made me not care at all about the main character.
minanonim's review
Too long, got slightly repetitive at some point. I also didn't connect with the main character after a while. It feels like he never learns, never moves past the beginning point. (Maybe mild spoilers ahead) Yes, I get it, he is traumatized, but you'd think he'd learn to control his temper after the first few times he gets himself and others in big trouble because of it. Revenge is great, but use your head for a second please...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Torture, Slavery, Body horror, Excrement, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Deportation, and Blood
Minor: Ableism
theshaggyshepherd's review
5.0
Nophek Gloss // by Essa Hansen
Nophek Gloss, after having listened to it twice already at this point, is one of my favorite science fiction stories. Granted, I don't have a tonnn of experience with sci-fi so maybe it's more apt for me to say that Nophek Gloss is just one of my favorite books in general. That probably means a lot more with the amount of books I tend to read in a year. I love Essa Hansen's world-building, her characters, and her plots. The book starts out with a bang and it kept me hooked the entire way through until the end, eager to read more. It doesn't just have an informative beginning, no, it has a beginning chapter full of action that leaves you breathless and a bit shocked to be honest. I personally love that kind of start to a new series though. It gets the blood pumping and gets you hyped to continue reading.
And continuing with this book is so worth it. You can tell that Hansen has put a lot of thought into her world-building and the science behind it. While I can't claim to understand all of that science myself, I do still find the explanations well done and even when there is a bit of an info-dump, it doesn't really feel like it. My favorite part though are the characters. I love how complex they are, both the good ones and the bad ones. This series has one of my favorite villains in it because he is just so complex, which makes him fun to learn about. The characters in general have many layers that are peeled back throughout the series. But even with that focus on the characters, the action is not left behind. I found there to be a good balance between the two. The main plot of the book is wrapped up in a satisfying way but still leaves you eager to continue on with the series.
Nophek Gloss, after having listened to it twice already at this point, is one of my favorite science fiction stories. Granted, I don't have a tonnn of experience with sci-fi so maybe it's more apt for me to say that Nophek Gloss is just one of my favorite books in general. That probably means a lot more with the amount of books I tend to read in a year. I love Essa Hansen's world-building, her characters, and her plots. The book starts out with a bang and it kept me hooked the entire way through until the end, eager to read more. It doesn't just have an informative beginning, no, it has a beginning chapter full of action that leaves you breathless and a bit shocked to be honest. I personally love that kind of start to a new series though. It gets the blood pumping and gets you hyped to continue reading.
And continuing with this book is so worth it. You can tell that Hansen has put a lot of thought into her world-building and the science behind it. While I can't claim to understand all of that science myself, I do still find the explanations well done and even when there is a bit of an info-dump, it doesn't really feel like it. My favorite part though are the characters. I love how complex they are, both the good ones and the bad ones. This series has one of my favorite villains in it because he is just so complex, which makes him fun to learn about. The characters in general have many layers that are peeled back throughout the series. But even with that focus on the characters, the action is not left behind. I found there to be a good balance between the two. The main plot of the book is wrapped up in a satisfying way but still leaves you eager to continue on with the series.