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ssoravia's review against another edition
3.0
First Encounter is a fast based book with a lot of action all throughout. The writing is very well done and while the characters don’t seem to have a lot of depth, they’re explained very well. It’s very imaginative and overall I enjoyed it.
The ending was difficult for me, though. Not much was resolved before the final pages, and the entire last chapter was only there to set up a sequel, adding more questions without really giving any answers. It was like watching a tv show and getting really into it only to see “To Be Continued” show up on the screen at the very end. The only “conflict” that was resolved involved the captains wife, which was miraculously solved with no involvement of the main characters at all. It just seemed very rushed to me.
I’m on the fence about reading a sequel. Like I said, I enjoyed the story but it didn’t feel like I got any conclusion of any kind from it. I don’t know if I want to read another book like this to have the story shift drastically at the very end to set it up for another sequel.
The ending was difficult for me, though. Not much was resolved before the final pages, and the entire last chapter was only there to set up a sequel, adding more questions without really giving any answers. It was like watching a tv show and getting really into it only to see “To Be Continued” show up on the screen at the very end. The only “conflict” that was resolved involved the captains wife, which was miraculously solved with no involvement of the main characters at all. It just seemed very rushed to me.
I’m on the fence about reading a sequel. Like I said, I enjoyed the story but it didn’t feel like I got any conclusion of any kind from it. I don’t know if I want to read another book like this to have the story shift drastically at the very end to set it up for another sequel.
addypap's review against another edition
2.0
Couldn't get into it, it all just seemed a bit flat, story, dialog, and I wasn't a fan of the narration,
ja_hopkins's review against another edition
3.0
This first contact story starts shortly before one of the four ‘Forerunner’ interstellar exploration ships reaches the Trappist star system after a journey of ninety years. Captain Clayton Cross awakes to the track of a ship, which soon disappears.
A landing party soon encounters what Cross and his crew believe to be the first known complex life away from Earth (although they have no way of knowing what the other Forerunner ships may have encountered). However, all is not what it seems, and one of the crew is lost, forcing a rescue mission back out into the planet’s forests. When they find the missing crewman, who has only been gone for a few hours, they encounter what must be intelligent life, and as he fades into unconsciousness, he utters a worrying warning.
All thoughts of colonisation are forgotten, and Cross makes the decision to return to Earth immediately, a trip which will take another ninety years. However only months into the return journey, strange things happen aboard the ship, and Cross realises the alien species they met is far more advanced than humankind.
This book was a real a book of three acts, and I came very close to quitting in the middle one. The first act I really enjoyed, and the world setting was excellent. I was rather disappointed we spent so little time on the Trappist-1 planet and would love to read more about it. The second act I hated, and I really could not figure out what Scott was planning, and as I mentioned I came very close to stopping reading the book as I disliked it so much. However, the third act did redeem it somewhat, and it sets the scene the scene for the rest of a series of books. I will avoid going into too much detail as I don’t want to spoil things, but suffice to say, if I decide to read the next in the series, I hope it is more akin to acts 1 & 3 than 2 in this book. The three stars are the result of act 1 being great and act 3 being not bad.
A landing party soon encounters what Cross and his crew believe to be the first known complex life away from Earth (although they have no way of knowing what the other Forerunner ships may have encountered). However, all is not what it seems, and one of the crew is lost, forcing a rescue mission back out into the planet’s forests. When they find the missing crewman, who has only been gone for a few hours, they encounter what must be intelligent life, and as he fades into unconsciousness, he utters a worrying warning.
All thoughts of colonisation are forgotten, and Cross makes the decision to return to Earth immediately, a trip which will take another ninety years. However only months into the return journey, strange things happen aboard the ship, and Cross realises the alien species they met is far more advanced than humankind.
This book was a real a book of three acts, and I came very close to quitting in the middle one. The first act I really enjoyed, and the world setting was excellent. I was rather disappointed we spent so little time on the Trappist-1 planet and would love to read more about it. The second act I hated, and I really could not figure out what Scott was planning, and as I mentioned I came very close to stopping reading the book as I disliked it so much. However, the third act did redeem it somewhat, and it sets the scene the scene for the rest of a series of books. I will avoid going into too much detail as I don’t want to spoil things, but suffice to say, if I decide to read the next in the series, I hope it is more akin to acts 1 & 3 than 2 in this book. The three stars are the result of act 1 being great and act 3 being not bad.
nervous_brake397's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
cartwright's review against another edition
3.0
Tried so hard to deliver a refreshing idea, but it all felt a little flat. Pass.
vtubadude's review against another edition
Combine Alien with Rosemary’s Baby and you get the drift. Shallow characters acting stupidly.
johiba's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
zgml06's review against another edition
2.0
I cannot finish this book. The Captain, Clayton, is a moron, and the other characters are clichés from every Michael Crichton novel ever.
anthonybfair's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jaybatson's review
2.0
Meh - space alien stereotypes
So, this started kind of interesting. A generational space ship landing on a remote planet, encountering locals that were not friendly.
Then, it turned into a stereotype of bad aliens with advanced tech vs mere space-faring humans. Lots of tense battle-conflict, with would-be hero’s fighting, dying, or surviving, etc., and then a setup for the next book in a series.
It wasn’t enough great writing, or story, or ideas for me to buy the next book. I’m out.
So, this started kind of interesting. A generational space ship landing on a remote planet, encountering locals that were not friendly.
Then, it turned into a stereotype of bad aliens with advanced tech vs mere space-faring humans. Lots of tense battle-conflict, with would-be hero’s fighting, dying, or surviving, etc., and then a setup for the next book in a series.
It wasn’t enough great writing, or story, or ideas for me to buy the next book. I’m out.