A review by orionmerlin
Calamity by Constance Fay

adventurous emotional funny tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Characters – 7/10
Temperance? Solid. She’s got the snark, the skills, and the emotional baggage to carry a story. But the rest of the cast? They exist. Ven is so obviously a walking red flag that I can’t believe Temperance was this blindsided. Oksana is there to be young, hot, and conveniently naïve. Arcadio has “mysterious and brooding” down pat, but aside from his impressive physique and generically intense presence, he doesn’t have much going on. The supporting crew is fine, but no one really jumps off the page. They’re more like accessories to Temperance’s story than fully realized people. They do their jobs; they don’t steal the show.
Atmosphere/Setting – 6/10
The world-building is there, but it’s just… there. It does what it needs to do, but it’s not breaking any new ground. The Quest is your typical “lovable but beat-up ship” trope, and while I wanted it to feel like a character in its own right, it never quite got there. The desert world? Sure, it’s dusty and full of secrets, but I wasn’t exactly transported into the setting. Space politics? Standard fare, nothing revolutionary. The book leans heavily on established sci-fi aesthetics without giving them enough unique flavor to make them unforgettable.
Writing Style – 7/10
Fay’s prose is punchy, sometimes too much so. It’s engaging and easy to read, but the snarky dialogue gets repetitive fast. Every interaction doesn’t need to be a witty repartee contest. At some points, the humor actively undercuts emotional tension—why feel something when you can throw in another quip? It’s like Firefly but with fewer emotional gut punches and more forced sarcasm. The actual writing is smooth, though, and the balance of action and dialogue is solid. I never struggled to get through it, but I wasn’t blown away either.
Plot – 6/10
If you’ve read sci-fi adventure before, you’ve basically read Calamity. The pacing is uneven, with an engaging start, a saggy middle, and a decent-but-not-mind-blowing ending. Ven’s betrayal? So telegraphed that I was mentally checking off the “obligatory love interest deception” box before it even happened. The mission to scout the planet for a valuable mineral is compelling in theory, but the high stakes never quite feel high. It’s a serviceable plot, but I kept waiting for a twist that would genuinely surprise me. Instead, I got “Ven sucks, Family politics are ruthless, and phydium is space gold.” Groundbreaking.
Intrigue – 7/10
I was never bored, but I wasn’t exactly obsessed either. The book had just enough tension and action to keep me turning the pages, but I didn’t feel a desperate need to find out what happened next. The betrayals, the romance drama, the political maneuvering—it’s all fine, but nothing left me gasping. I wanted more depth, more layers, more anything to make the intrigue feel truly gripping.
Logic/Relationships – 5/10
Oh, the relationships. Where do I even start? The romance subplot is a mess. Ven’s duplicity makes Temperance look more gullible than she should be, and Arcadio feels more like a designated love interest than someone with genuine chemistry with her. The rest of the crew? They’re there, they function, but their dynamics aren’t particularly deep or compelling. As for the world’s internal logic—phydium is apparently the most important mineral in the universe, but no one seems to have a real plan for handling it. The Families are supposed to be hyper-intelligent power players, yet they act like impulsive teenagers with too much money.
Enjoyment – 6/10
I wanted to love Calamity. I almost did. But while it’s a fun ride, it never fully delivers on its potential. The humor wears thin, the relationships lack real weight, and the plot plays it way too safe. It’s not bad—I had a decent time—but I won’t be raving about it to everyone I know. Would I recommend it? If you like snarky sci-fi with a competent but flawed heroine, sure. Just don’t expect it to blow your mind.
Final Verdict: 6.3/10
Calamity is like a meal at a chain restaurant: enjoyable enough, but you’ve had better, and you’ll probably forget about it in a few weeks. It’s got action, humor, betrayal, and a capable heroine, but it lacks real depth in its world-building, plot, and relationships. Good for a casual read, but not a must-buy. 
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