Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by i_love_big_books
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I was totally immersed in this almost 900 page book that I listened to over 32 hours and enjoyed every single minute of it!
Science fiction isn't a genre I read all the time but this one was fantastic from start to end.
Be it the setting.. a future in which there is life on other planets of the solar system, the protagonist...Kira,a xenobiologist who discovers a new life form on a distant moon she is studying and finds herself propelled into the role of saviour of all of humanity or the rest of the characters...alien forms, humans with genetic hacks and implants, ship minds, marines... everything just gels together so well.
Kira finds herself on a civilian spaceship captained by the no nonsense Falconi and his eclectic crew members. Her relationship with each of these people is such a core part of what happens next. Even as they encounter aliens, fight them off and learn to work together, this bond is something that remains at the centre of the narrative.
I was amazed at how much effort has gone into making the book sound realistic with the use of known concepts to create the world it is set in. And also, while it has a lot of the technical writing necessary for the genre, it also has so many other elements.
The characters all have their own story arcs which are well integrated into the larger premise. There is emotion, humour, friendship and camaraderie that develops with the plot.
There is artificial intelligence, space weaponry, aliens of different forms and lots of fast moving action. What holds it all together is the story at the centre of it all, which has elements of heroism, proper villains and everything in between! Nothing happens without reason and it's all explained in a way that's really satisfying. There are even ethical dilemmas woven in that are fascinating.
In all, this is an entire world in itself, one that pulls you in and keeps you wrapped in a cocoon while you navigate all it has to offer. And then you come to the last page and are stunned and maybe even a little disappointed to find yourself back on Earth!
Science fiction isn't a genre I read all the time but this one was fantastic from start to end.
Be it the setting.. a future in which there is life on other planets of the solar system, the protagonist...Kira,a xenobiologist who discovers a new life form on a distant moon she is studying and finds herself propelled into the role of saviour of all of humanity or the rest of the characters...alien forms, humans with genetic hacks and implants, ship minds, marines... everything just gels together so well.
Kira finds herself on a civilian spaceship captained by the no nonsense Falconi and his eclectic crew members. Her relationship with each of these people is such a core part of what happens next. Even as they encounter aliens, fight them off and learn to work together, this bond is something that remains at the centre of the narrative.
I was amazed at how much effort has gone into making the book sound realistic with the use of known concepts to create the world it is set in. And also, while it has a lot of the technical writing necessary for the genre, it also has so many other elements.
The characters all have their own story arcs which are well integrated into the larger premise. There is emotion, humour, friendship and camaraderie that develops with the plot.
There is artificial intelligence, space weaponry, aliens of different forms and lots of fast moving action. What holds it all together is the story at the centre of it all, which has elements of heroism, proper villains and everything in between! Nothing happens without reason and it's all explained in a way that's really satisfying. There are even ethical dilemmas woven in that are fascinating.
In all, this is an entire world in itself, one that pulls you in and keeps you wrapped in a cocoon while you navigate all it has to offer. And then you come to the last page and are stunned and maybe even a little disappointed to find yourself back on Earth!