Reviews

The Lost Signal by J.S. Fernandez Morales

tabatha_shipley's review

4.0

What I Did Like:
-The dual storyline works once you start to recognize the similarities and the connections. Plus, once SPOILER … yup, that works.
-Questionable Character. Oh, I can’t overstate how much I love this. The author chose to drop a morally questionable character into the story (hello favorite type of character, how are you) but this one is the VILLAIN. YES. This is my favorite thing in books, EVER. Give me a villain that is unquestionably bad. Then make me question it … right when I think he’s crossed too many lines. YES YES YES.
-Really, there’s a HUGE life lesson in this one about being an outcast or not being accepted anywhere if you happen to be different. It’s buried in a story about aliens and war, but it’s there for the learning and that is pretty brilliant.

Who Should Read This One:
-Science fiction fans who enjoy stories about alien races. I got Speaker for the Dead vibes from this one, which is a HUGE compliment in my book.

My Rating: 4 Stars. This one is a GREAT science fiction book that will appeal to science fiction readers. Go get this one, friends.

For Full Review (including what I didn’t love): https://youtu.be/esKRigcBZRY

wolfshine's review

4.0

In this sci-fi thriller, we see two different plotlines converge. The first is that of a group of military personnel who are trying to prepare Earth for an oncoming alien invasion. The other point of view is that of a little girl who is half human and half alien. When the aliens finally do invade, she finds herself at a crossroads of which side to defend.

This was a good, suspenseful book. Plenty of action and suspense to keep me sucked in. Characterization was done pretty well, especially with Fiona. The worldbuilding was also done particularly well.

Narration was okay for the most part though there were some background noises and other audio issues.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

squishies's review

3.0

Received a copy from BookSirens - thanks!

The premise was interesting and some of the characters were pretty fun to read (Bill was my favourite), but the story felt glacial until the last 30%, where things finally picked up.

I was glad I stuck with it though! Ending was worth the slog.

Spoiler

I was trying to work out how Fiona's story came into play with the Okinawa Six's story and as soon as Annabelle was shot, I knew she was Fiona. It was a nice reveal on how she came to be and how the Okinawa Six shotputted into Fiona's time.

Fiona not being able to face Ralph seemed a bit out of character for her, but at the same time, it is a highly charged emotional situation, so I guess I don't blame her for it. Just feels a bit cowardly considering all the shit she's been through. Though I gotta say, I did rapidly think less of Ralph after each scene he was in. He doesn't really deserve Fiona's loyalty.

I did think, however, when they talked about the almost kiss was hilarious and I'm so glad Fiona realised she wasn't in love with him in that way.

andrewspink's review

3.0

This was a well-written enjoyable read. Having said that, it was also not without its problems. There are some continuity errors - Fiona is tied up to a tree and then walking around without it being clear how that happened, and it is completely unclear ho w a young child gets to be running around a military case, for instance. The book also makes constant references to some events in Japan which occurred shortly before the beginning of the narrative. That didn't really work for me. It felt like the book wasn't the first in a series but the second and it really wasn't clear exactly what happened in Japan and why. I could see what the author was trying to do, but I guess it needed just a little more coherence and detail. There is one other point which was a little disappointing. Slavery is a strong theme throughout the book, and at one point it looked like we would get some emotional insights into what it was like to be made a slave. However, the point passed and the chance to provide understanding on how that trauma still affects communities hundreds of years later was missed. A key power of SciFi as a genre is enabling us to stand to one side and take a good look at our own society with a fresh pair of eyes, and good science fiction always manages to do that effectively.
Nevertheless, despite those reservations, I do want to say that it was a well-told and enjoyable story. Which in the end is what it is all about.

Disclosure: This review is based on a free advance copy of the book from BookSirens, in return for an honest review.

jferrell526's review

4.0

The Okinawa Six are what's left of the U. S. Star Fleet. They are going to be the lead in the coming invasion. I found this an unusual book. It is written from many points of view which most authors will not attempt. Also, the characters are really well rounded so that they are more three dimensional. Is this something that could happen now? Possibly, after all don't all books usually start with what would happen if...?

duaneponcy's review

I was intrigued by the premise, but this book is so poorly written, I wasn't able to get beyond a couple dozen pages. Gave up.

ihavereadsomebooks's review

3.0

3.5 stars out of 5.

❝Hybrid? All I see now is a warrior, don't you?❞

It took me a while to get into it but I am really glad I did! Each chapter focused on a different environment. I did end up enjoying Fiona's pov more. The world was well-built and Fiona's story was captivating.

I did find the Okinawa Six being a bit repetitive. They went through a terrible experience but we have no idea what that was. We found out general things, so it isn't fair to be constantly reminded of events that seriously affected them without us having a more detailed idea of those events.

The plot twist about her identity was something I had guessed earlier but it still took me by surprise! I think the book should have focused more on her regaining her memories slowly over time. Her remembering everything all at once kind of annoyed me. Why did she lose her memories in the first place, her bonding over with Bill and the other crew was limited. I know they were in the middle of a war and too busy to do that but still, I thought it was something important and must have been developed more.

The sequel seems promising, I can't wait to see Fiona and Kurugar again. I really enjoy their dynamic and I am glad we'll see more of it.


[ I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. ]