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A review by oldwindways
Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Full Speed to a Crash Landing is the story of Ada Lamarr, a space salvager, who when we first encounter her, appears to be in over her head. What should have been a simple metal salvaging job has gone wrong, or has it? Thank goodness the spaceship Halifax is there to rescue her.
I immediately loved that the protagonist was named after two brilliant historical figures: Ada Lovelace, the 19th-century writer/mathematician considered by some to be the first computer programmer and Hedy Lamarr, the stunning actress who also invented techniques to prevent the jamming of radio signals during World War II. Ada Lamar seems to be both the beauty and the brains of a one-woman operation, and she is determined to use them in equal measure to get what she wants.
This story was a quick listen; I devoured it in a single day (listening at 2x speed). It was not a stunning work of literary greatness, nor did it have a mind-blowing twist, but it has tension throughout and left me curious about what is going on behind the actions of our characters, especially when it comes to how they fit into the larger world-building (or should I say worlds-building) that is gradually revealed during Ada's time with the crew of the Halifax. I will be looking out for Chaotic Orbits #2, How to Steal a Galaxy when it is released later this year.
I was wary of the romantic element promised by the book blurb. While that thread did not ensnare me (a matter of personal taste), it was not overdone in a way that made it feel excessive or forced. It was about the right level for a classic Carey Grant & Alfred Hitchcock thriller, only gender-swapped and set in space (which is a hell of a pitch now that I've said it). The protagonist's romantic overtures are half tongue-in-cheek and everyone in the scene seems to grok that. It provides some plausible deniability, while also building romantic tension in parallel to the mounting risks associated with Ada and the Halifax's respective missions. I am left wondering if Ada is nearly as clever as she thinks she is. So far it looks like she has pulled off her plan, but how much of that is luck and how much of that is skill?
The environmental portion of the world-building, especially the state of Sol Earth, was presented in a way that tells us something about how humanity got to where they are now without beating the listener over the head with the message of "Humans are bad, corporations are worse, and you are destroying our future". This is a potential future where we have managed to cope with what we have done to our home planet, and it is neither the apocalypse nor is everything hunky-dory.
A second narrator is portraying the target of Ada's romantic overtures, Rian, but his voice is not introduced until the action of this installment is concluded, which means there is no actual dialogue between the two narrators. Additionally, all his narration is delivered via epistolary sources, which gives it a dry/formal tone, reinforcing his straight-laced, all-about-the-mission personality (which ironically is not unlike Ada's single-mindedness, but expressed in a very different way). I liked the "official documents" approach, as it adds to the world-building and reminds us that he is part of a bureaucracy. Additionally, the way the footnotes in this section were handled was clear and effective, which is a low bar, but one that many audiobooks have trouble clearing.
All in all, it is perhaps a little bit pulpy, but I think it is a fun, almost bite-sized treat. Who doesn't want a space heist with a heroine who might have a heart of gold and not just be in it for the money?
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sharing this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I immediately loved that the protagonist was named after two brilliant historical figures: Ada Lovelace, the 19th-century writer/mathematician considered by some to be the first computer programmer and Hedy Lamarr, the stunning actress who also invented techniques to prevent the jamming of radio signals during World War II. Ada Lamar seems to be both the beauty and the brains of a one-woman operation, and she is determined to use them in equal measure to get what she wants.
This story was a quick listen; I devoured it in a single day (listening at 2x speed). It was not a stunning work of literary greatness, nor did it have a mind-blowing twist, but it has tension throughout and left me curious about what is going on behind the actions of our characters, especially when it comes to how they fit into the larger world-building (or should I say worlds-building) that is gradually revealed during Ada's time with the crew of the Halifax. I will be looking out for Chaotic Orbits #2, How to Steal a Galaxy when it is released later this year.
I was wary of the romantic element promised by the book blurb. While that thread did not ensnare me (a matter of personal taste), it was not overdone in a way that made it feel excessive or forced. It was about the right level for a classic Carey Grant & Alfred Hitchcock thriller, only gender-swapped and set in space (which is a hell of a pitch now that I've said it). The protagonist's romantic overtures are half tongue-in-cheek and everyone in the scene seems to grok that. It provides some plausible deniability, while also building romantic tension in parallel to the mounting risks associated with Ada and the Halifax's respective missions. I am left wondering if Ada is nearly as clever as she thinks she is. So far it looks like she has pulled off her plan, but how much of that is luck and how much of that is skill?
The environmental portion of the world-building, especially the state of Sol Earth, was presented in a way that tells us something about how humanity got to where they are now without beating the listener over the head with the message of "Humans are bad, corporations are worse, and you are destroying our future". This is a potential future where we have managed to cope with what we have done to our home planet, and it is neither the apocalypse nor is everything hunky-dory.
A second narrator is portraying the target of Ada's romantic overtures, Rian, but his voice is not introduced until the action of this installment is concluded, which means there is no actual dialogue between the two narrators. Additionally, all his narration is delivered via epistolary sources, which gives it a dry/formal tone, reinforcing his straight-laced, all-about-the-mission personality (which ironically is not unlike Ada's single-mindedness, but expressed in a very different way). I liked the "official documents" approach, as it adds to the world-building and reminds us that he is part of a bureaucracy. Additionally, the way the footnotes in this section were handled was clear and effective, which is a low bar, but one that many audiobooks have trouble clearing.
All in all, it is perhaps a little bit pulpy, but I think it is a fun, almost bite-sized treat. Who doesn't want a space heist with a heroine who might have a heart of gold and not just be in it for the money?
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sharing this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.