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gabipowell's review against another edition
2.0
👍🏼Pick It: if you’re looking for the softer, genre cousin to science fiction.
👎🏼Skip It: If you want the zip! and zing! of space and time travel.
I came for the sci-fi, I stayed for the writing. Swyler has the ability to scale a desaturated wisp to a blinding stadium of color.
The problem is, ALFOS is a mosh pit of the realistic (Challenger crash) and the fantastical.
Trying to guide readers through the “fi” of sci-fi, while maintaining the standard of prose was too daunting.
Swyler took 300 pages for the character narrative, slogging a 100-page plot through like a consequence.
I really hope Swyler’s next work is grounded (literally) in what she does best: a feelings-forward, character-focused story.
👎🏼Skip It: If you want the zip! and zing! of space and time travel.
I came for the sci-fi, I stayed for the writing. Swyler has the ability to scale a desaturated wisp to a blinding stadium of color.
The problem is, ALFOS is a mosh pit of the realistic (Challenger crash) and the fantastical.
Trying to guide readers through the “fi” of sci-fi, while maintaining the standard of prose was too daunting.
Swyler took 300 pages for the character narrative, slogging a 100-page plot through like a consequence.
I really hope Swyler’s next work is grounded (literally) in what she does best: a feelings-forward, character-focused story.
actuallyahorsereads's review against another edition
5.0
This book was incredibly unique, from its concepts, to its message, and even to its execution. It had a very Rocket Boys meets Under the Dome (the TV show) feel to it, which is a strange mix, granted, but it worked so beautifully. I loved all of the characters and the ambling nature of this story.
I honestly was not expecting to like this at all, and was blown away by how much I loved it.
I honestly was not expecting to like this at all, and was blown away by how much I loved it.
thesequoia's review against another edition
5.0
With science fiction being my all time favorite genre, I’d still go so far as to say this was one of the most interesting, thought provoking, and profound books I’ve read. I can’t say many books have made me cry but there’s something to this book that will make you feel EVERYTHING. It’s got a little bit of everything so don’t let the sci-fi categorizing scare you!
Not many books move me to tears and make me evaluate my relationships to those around me; this book will stick with me for awhile.
Not many books move me to tears and make me evaluate my relationships to those around me; this book will stick with me for awhile.
bunrab's review against another edition
5.0
This book came out before the movie Ad Astra, but I read it a couple of weeks after the movie came out. So I was primed to notice the similarities - and the differences. So I can say, if you saw Ad Astra and thought it was OK but wished it had more actual science, less Space! Pirates! On! The! Moon!, and a balanced cast of male and female characters, then this is the book for you. The major theme of "the sins of the fathers shall be visited on the children" and how a child forgives their parent(s) for twisting the child's life because of the parent's scientific ambition is there. But our protagonist is a female astronaut headed for another star. Her mother is as important to her journey as her father. The narrative switches between when she was 11, and her present (a few decades in our future) when she is on her one-way voyage to colonize another planet.
I would say, if you are already a fan of Mary Robinette Kowal's /Lady Astronaut/ books, you will probably really like this book, just as I did. There are some interesting comparisons to make there, too; this book is an alternate history of a sort, with a turning point less drastic than the meteor, and in the 1980s. I can't say much more in the way of similarities without spoilers, so I'll just say, read both Kowal's books and this one, and enjoy the journey.
I would say, if you are already a fan of Mary Robinette Kowal's /Lady Astronaut/ books, you will probably really like this book, just as I did. There are some interesting comparisons to make there, too; this book is an alternate history of a sort, with a turning point less drastic than the meteor, and in the 1980s. I can't say much more in the way of similarities without spoilers, so I'll just say, read both Kowal's books and this one, and enjoy the journey.
cathyatratedreads's review against another edition
4.0
Given that I grew up in the space shuttle era, when space seemed ever more accessible because of these new plane-like vehicles and the possibilities, the hope and excitement, they opened up, I was drawn to this story. I loved the space shuttles; I vividly remember sitting in a high school cafeteria and watching the launch and demise of the Challenger and its seven astronauts. I was thrilled and moved almost to tears when I was able to see in person the decommissioned Endeavour at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. I enjoy learning about science and I appreciated the possibilities explored in Light from Other Stars. But the beauty of the book is most at its heart, where Nedda considers her imperfect parents and her love for them, where she considers the sweet friendship she has with a young man named Denny, who is affected as well by the incident caused by Nedda’s father’s machine. She comes to understand her father and mother better and what drove them to act in certain ways. She has opportunities to begin to find peace even after experiences and revelations that affect her deeply.
This is a lovely book and I now want to read Erika Swyler’s previous novel.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/light-other-stars-fiction-book-review/
*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is a lovely book and I now want to read Erika Swyler’s previous novel.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/light-other-stars-fiction-book-review/
*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
loreleimoxon's review against another edition
1.5
-0.5 star for Theo being short for Theophilos cringe af
goo_ooder's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jennog's review against another edition
2.0
Thanks to Netgalley for this read.
This was a bit hard to get into. I was much more into Nedda’s real life vs. her sci-fi world. The sci-fi works threw me off every time when I was just getting into the other storyline. I ended up skimming a lot of scientific description to get to the plot.
Nedda’s real life story gave me A Wrinkle in Time vibes regarding her dad being a type of mad scientist and her following in his footsteps. I get that the sci-fi fantasy relates to her real life but I felt ambivalent about it.
I honestly liked Betheen’s character more than the others. I want to know more about her.
Overall, it was heartwarming even amongst the science themes.
This was a bit hard to get into. I was much more into Nedda’s real life vs. her sci-fi world. The sci-fi works threw me off every time when I was just getting into the other storyline. I ended up skimming a lot of scientific description to get to the plot.
Nedda’s real life story gave me A Wrinkle in Time vibes regarding her dad being a type of mad scientist and her following in his footsteps. I get that the sci-fi fantasy relates to her real life but I felt ambivalent about it.
I honestly liked Betheen’s character more than the others. I want to know more about her.
Overall, it was heartwarming even amongst the science themes.
carabee's review against another edition
5.0
What a wonderful break from the universe as it appears at present to contemplate worlds unseen. Though this book is a departure from THE BOOK OF SPECULATION in many ways, it cements Swyler as a master of speculative, imaginative fiction. As someone who isn’t a master of visualizing descriptions, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that this book gets some visual treatments, perhaps a graphic novel as well as tv/film. LIGHT FROM OTHER STARS made me want to be smarter, to invest in my sense of hope, and to answer the question of how I might be an explorer even half as brave as Nedda in my own tiny corner of the universe.
gretaslittlelibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
“She was looking for light, picking it apart, trying to sense the different wavelengths, searching for the familiar… light carried thoughts and hopes, the essence of what made everyone”
A beautifully written historical sci-fi novel. Written in a split timeline, between our main character in the present day on a space craft headed towards a planet in which her and her three colleagues are going to prep for colonization, and our main character as a child, who dreams of being an astronaut, in 1986 after the challenger spacecraft explosion. The prose of this novel is so gorgeous, even among the scientific and historical scenes, which were well researched and digestible. This story explores the relationships between family members, sacrifice and loss, processing grief from every angle, and women in STEM.
This book has been on my TBR for ages, I finally grabbed it after the blurb on the front said "An absorbing, propulsive story of exploration and loss" and that was the exact type of story I needed. I wish I read this sooner, however, I'm not sure I would've enjoyed it as much. This was a little slower pace a book than I usually read, however I enjoyed it so much. I savored every word, I cried, I felt comforted, and took my time reading it. I wish I had more of this story and will definitely think of it often and reread in the future. This story would be a fantastic movie and I hope the rights get picked up.
A beautifully written historical sci-fi novel. Written in a split timeline, between our main character in the present day on a space craft headed towards a planet in which her and her three colleagues are going to prep for colonization, and our main character as a child, who dreams of being an astronaut, in 1986 after the challenger spacecraft explosion. The prose of this novel is so gorgeous, even among the scientific and historical scenes, which were well researched and digestible. This story explores the relationships between family members, sacrifice and loss, processing grief from every angle, and women in STEM.
This book has been on my TBR for ages, I finally grabbed it after the blurb on the front said "An absorbing, propulsive story of exploration and loss" and that was the exact type of story I needed. I wish I read this sooner, however, I'm not sure I would've enjoyed it as much. This was a little slower pace a book than I usually read, however I enjoyed it so much. I savored every word, I cried, I felt comforted, and took my time reading it. I wish I had more of this story and will definitely think of it often and reread in the future. This story would be a fantastic movie and I hope the rights get picked up.