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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What is the best way to get lost in a book you may ask? Well, Kathy Tyers certainly will help you find the answer to that question in Crystal Witness. From what I can find, Crystal Witness is a standalone book and not part of a series.
The Setting/Storyline
The best way I know how to describe the experience of this book is by likening it to a dream that you do not want to wake up from. Kathy Tyers managed to make me feel as if I were immersed in a very different world, from her detailed descriptions of everyday life to the way people looked and dressed. It was fascinating. I liked how she gave just enough background at the beginning to get you curious, without feeling lost, and make you very involved in the outcome of the character's lives and that of the world they live in. One of the best total immersions I have read in a long time. At some points in the story, I did feel a little lost as I was not quite sure how the beginning of the story connected, but it did make sense by the end.
The Characters
Kathy Tyers brought to life some great characters. I enjoyed Ming’s artistic talent and how Kathy Tyers described the 3D and calligraphy aspects of it. Ming’s reactions to waking up after 20-year imprisonment were very realistic (not that I know what it would really be like), and I enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell; I think Ming showed a very intelligent and sweet nature. Tieg her male counterpart was a cross between a bad boy spy and an emotional musician, he was a well brought to life character that I could envision in my mind while reading. Both Ming and Tieg learned different aspects of trust and doing what is right no matter the cost. The secondary characters were great additions to round out the rest of the story and I sincerely enjoyed their interactions with the main characters, each one displayed growth throughout the story and by the end, I was wishing they had their own stories too! (Hint, hint
The Setting/Storyline
The best way I know how to describe the experience of this book is by likening it to a dream that you do not want to wake up from. Kathy Tyers managed to make me feel as if I were immersed in a very different world, from her detailed descriptions of everyday life to the way people looked and dressed. It was fascinating. I liked how she gave just enough background at the beginning to get you curious, without feeling lost, and make you very involved in the outcome of the character's lives and that of the world they live in. One of the best total immersions I have read in a long time. At some points in the story, I did feel a little lost as I was not quite sure how the beginning of the story connected, but it did make sense by the end.
The Characters
Kathy Tyers brought to life some great characters. I enjoyed Ming’s artistic talent and how Kathy Tyers described the 3D and calligraphy aspects of it. Ming’s reactions to waking up after 20-year imprisonment were very realistic (not that I know what it would really be like), and I enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell; I think Ming showed a very intelligent and sweet nature. Tieg her male counterpart was a cross between a bad boy spy and an emotional musician, he was a well brought to life character that I could envision in my mind while reading. Both Ming and Tieg learned different aspects of trust and doing what is right no matter the cost. The secondary characters were great additions to round out the rest of the story and I sincerely enjoyed their interactions with the main characters, each one displayed growth throughout the story and by the end, I was wishing they had their own stories too! (Hint, hint
Science Fiction is one of my least read genres...I knew going into this book that it would be a step out of my comfort zone but I was so intrigued by the synopsis that I was willing to try it.
The story was interesting but I was immediately thrust into a completely different world and found myself very confused at times. I just continued to read through and found that things started to make sense as I kept reading. The scientific and "spacey" terms were extremely foreign to me and I often got very slowed down when running into scenes involving these unfamiliar words.
The world building was definitely my favorite part. The story is extremely atmospheric, which I love. I truly found myself on another planet as I read the story.
Overall, this was a good story with a solid plot but would be more suited for those who are into the Sci-Fi genres, this doesn't seem like a great read for Sci-Fi novices like me.
I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The story was interesting but I was immediately thrust into a completely different world and found myself very confused at times. I just continued to read through and found that things started to make sense as I kept reading. The scientific and "spacey" terms were extremely foreign to me and I often got very slowed down when running into scenes involving these unfamiliar words.
The world building was definitely my favorite part. The story is extremely atmospheric, which I love. I truly found myself on another planet as I read the story.
Overall, this was a good story with a solid plot but would be more suited for those who are into the Sci-Fi genres, this doesn't seem like a great read for Sci-Fi novices like me.
I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
As often happens to me when I read science fiction, I initially had trouble keeping track of characters and places (this is where a character list would come in handy). But once I got into the meat of the story (Part 2/Chapter C), I quickly found my bearings, and soon I was completely pulled into this world.
I loved watching Ming try to gain her footing after 20 years of suspended animation as she tried to determine whom to trust. A special bright spot was her friendship with Lyra. The romance with Tieg was a bit understated but fit well with the story. And I was constantly guessing what would happen next!
I did think the resolution felt a little quick and easy (I guess I expected a little more danger), but overall, I really enjoyed this book! I'm definitely looking forward to Tyers' sequel series.
Disclosure of material connection: I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.
I loved watching Ming try to gain her footing after 20 years of suspended animation as she tried to determine whom to trust. A special bright spot was her friendship with Lyra. The romance with Tieg was a bit understated but fit well with the story. And I was constantly guessing what would happen next!
I did think the resolution felt a little quick and easy (I guess I expected a little more danger), but overall, I really enjoyed this book! I'm definitely looking forward to Tyers' sequel series.
Disclosure of material connection: I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.
The time? Well, 20 years later than she thought it was. Ming has been in suspended animation for a crime. Okay, but she has no memory of it, at all. That's not exactly normal, even for this situation. Thus begins the who, what, where, and why's of this story. With calligraphy as her skillset, why would more than one group be seeking her out? What did Ming actually witness, and why? That just pulled me deeper into this story.
I enjoyed the aliens, the mystery, the cast, and the world-building is strong. While there's not a strong faith-based message, it isn't completely absent, or maybe that is how my mind works. It is a clean read, and a good Sci-Fi read too. I appreciate that.
My copy came from Celebrate Lit. This review is my thoughts and opinions of this book, left freely and a positive review was not required.
I enjoyed the aliens, the mystery, the cast, and the world-building is strong. While there's not a strong faith-based message, it isn't completely absent, or maybe that is how my mind works. It is a clean read, and a good Sci-Fi read too. I appreciate that.
My copy came from Celebrate Lit. This review is my thoughts and opinions of this book, left freely and a positive review was not required.
Lovely
It's been a very long time since I first read this story... And I remember how much I loved the name Abriel after reading it. This story has only recently been available as an ebook, and this rereleased version through Enclave is as gorgeous as the story itself. Stories like this... shaped what I want to write as an author. Love Ming and Tieg and Lyra and Able.
It's been a very long time since I first read this story... And I remember how much I loved the name Abriel after reading it. This story has only recently been available as an ebook, and this rereleased version through Enclave is as gorgeous as the story itself. Stories like this... shaped what I want to write as an author. Love Ming and Tieg and Lyra and Able.
Reading science fiction is always a bit of a gear shift for me—it’s not my natural habitat, literarily speaking—so bear that in mind when I say it took me a couple of chapters to settle into this read. In fact, with some of the concepts being thrown around in the first chapter, I wondered if I’d bitten off more than I could chew in terms of the story world! I’m happy to say that wasn’t the case at all; once I found my bearings, I was able to settle into Ming’s story as she navigated the new world she found herself in.
Mind you, it wasn’t the world Ming needed to navigate so much as the people. She’s caught between what essentially amounted to different political factions right from the start, and having just woken from twenty years suspended animation—with a significant part of her memory wiped, no less—she had no idea who was who and what was what. The balancing act for Ming was in sorting all of that out while simultaneously proving herself trustworthy, or at least useful, to everyone who had a competing claim on her time or skills. Certainly a fine line to walk, and an interesting one to follow.
I was fascinated by some of the details of the world-building in this story, such as the three-dimensional calligraphy Ming crafted and the way in which Tieg created and used music as a “tone poet,” and I enjoyed watching the story play out to its resolution, but overall I didn’t become as emotionally engaged as I wanted to. While the plot itself wasn’t necessarily predictable, the moments of tension, particularly as the story moved toward the climax, resolved relatively quickly, and so it felt as though there was a cycle of tension but no significant build up. But more than that, there was a lack of internal conflict for the main characters to work through, and that’s a key ingredient for me if I’m going to become emotionally invested in a story. I don’t just want to see characters succeed in their aims; I want to see them grown and change personally as a result.
But as I said, this was an enjoyable read overall, and I’m keen to check out this author’s Firebird series, which I’ve heard plenty of great things about!
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Mind you, it wasn’t the world Ming needed to navigate so much as the people. She’s caught between what essentially amounted to different political factions right from the start, and having just woken from twenty years suspended animation—with a significant part of her memory wiped, no less—she had no idea who was who and what was what. The balancing act for Ming was in sorting all of that out while simultaneously proving herself trustworthy, or at least useful, to everyone who had a competing claim on her time or skills. Certainly a fine line to walk, and an interesting one to follow.
I was fascinated by some of the details of the world-building in this story, such as the three-dimensional calligraphy Ming crafted and the way in which Tieg created and used music as a “tone poet,” and I enjoyed watching the story play out to its resolution, but overall I didn’t become as emotionally engaged as I wanted to. While the plot itself wasn’t necessarily predictable, the moments of tension, particularly as the story moved toward the climax, resolved relatively quickly, and so it felt as though there was a cycle of tension but no significant build up. But more than that, there was a lack of internal conflict for the main characters to work through, and that’s a key ingredient for me if I’m going to become emotionally invested in a story. I don’t just want to see characters succeed in their aims; I want to see them grown and change personally as a result.
But as I said, this was an enjoyable read overall, and I’m keen to check out this author’s Firebird series, which I’ve heard plenty of great things about!
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.