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A review by reading_rainy
Planet Zero by Lydia Hope
4.0
Planet Zero is about a spaceship crash survivor on an incredibly inhospitable planet (there’s no water!) referred to as TY75734b. I think 'Planet Zero' rolls off the tongue much easier. I adore this kind of storytelling, the reader is plopped down on this planet after Addie has been there for two years. Information is dolled out in increments as the journey goes along.
I absolutely loved Lydia Hope previous story, [b:Homebound|50337348|Homebound|Lydia Hope|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578359200l/50337348._SY75_.jpg|75278340]. Hope writes characters that slowly learn about each other, no insta-lusting here. I wouldn’t classify this as a sci-fi romance, it’s more science fiction with a dash of romance. Addie is a wonderful heroine. She’s your average Earth woman, struggling to understand a new planet, it’s different inhabitants, and how to stay alive.
Zoark is a somewhat swoony asshole hero. He is a “For" male, that is the type of species he is, a For. This confused the heck out of me until I understood it wasn’t an editing issue, but a type of alien. Zoark is worthless to his tribe. He had previously broken his leg and it never healed properly, so he walks with a limp and isn’t allowed to hunt with the tribe. Not being allowed to contribute seriously wounds his pride. He is further ostracized for other reasons, later explained in the story.
This is an alien story with an actual alien.
This story reminded me slightly of [b:The Last Hour of Gann|18589656|The Last Hour of Gann|R. Lee Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380286253l/18589656._SY75_.jpg|26331984] Where enemies slowly become friends and then lovers. Just like the Gann story, the male character is a complete and utter ass to the female character for a good chunk of the book.
I want to give this story five stars simply for being the kind of story I LOVE to read, but it felt so disorganized at times and some things just didn’t make any sense. Was the author being vague on purpose, so we felt as confused as Addie? The language barrier and how that was explained seemed unrealistic. The story really drags in the middle, with nothing much happening and I felt it was a lost opportunity for character growth.
Just as Addie and Zoark’s relationship starts to take off, the book ends. ARUGH, I hate that! It really needed a long epilogue or a second book to complete their story. The way it ends does leave it wide open for a second book, so fingers crossed.
My favorites parts of the story is early on when Addie is living alone, learning to weave baskets, hunt and bath in that odd sand. It was kinda like [b:The Valley of Horses|40493|The Valley of Horses (Earth's Children, #2)|Jean M. Auel|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1324059760l/40493._SY75_.jpg|630903], where the reader is learning alongside the main character. Highly recommended for fans of exploratory science fiction with a side of alien romance.
I absolutely loved Lydia Hope previous story, [b:Homebound|50337348|Homebound|Lydia Hope|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578359200l/50337348._SY75_.jpg|75278340]. Hope writes characters that slowly learn about each other, no insta-lusting here. I wouldn’t classify this as a sci-fi romance, it’s more science fiction with a dash of romance. Addie is a wonderful heroine. She’s your average Earth woman, struggling to understand a new planet, it’s different inhabitants, and how to stay alive.
Zoark is a somewhat swoony asshole hero. He is a “For" male, that is the type of species he is, a For. This confused the heck out of me until I understood it wasn’t an editing issue, but a type of alien. Zoark is worthless to his tribe. He had previously broken his leg and it never healed properly, so he walks with a limp and isn’t allowed to hunt with the tribe. Not being allowed to contribute seriously wounds his pride. He is further ostracized for other reasons, later explained in the story.
This is an alien story with an actual alien.
He wasn’t handsome. If anything, the animal aspect was more pronounced in his high, flat cheekbones, in the large tiger nose with sharp nostrils that quivered, in the twin slashes of his heavy browns. His wide mouth was downturned at the corners and curiously petulant, even cute. Until he bared his teeth.I wish there had been more details on the population, it all felt very unclear. I couldn’t quite picture them, I think they had furry bellies and cat-like ears?
This story reminded me slightly of [b:The Last Hour of Gann|18589656|The Last Hour of Gann|R. Lee Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380286253l/18589656._SY75_.jpg|26331984] Where enemies slowly become friends and then lovers. Just like the Gann story, the male character is a complete and utter ass to the female character for a good chunk of the book.
I want to give this story five stars simply for being the kind of story I LOVE to read, but it felt so disorganized at times and some things just didn’t make any sense. Was the author being vague on purpose, so we felt as confused as Addie? The language barrier and how that was explained seemed unrealistic. The story really drags in the middle, with nothing much happening and I felt it was a lost opportunity for character growth.
Just as Addie and Zoark’s relationship starts to take off, the book ends. ARUGH, I hate that! It really needed a long epilogue or a second book to complete their story. The way it ends does leave it wide open for a second book, so fingers crossed.
My favorites parts of the story is early on when Addie is living alone, learning to weave baskets, hunt and bath in that odd sand. It was kinda like [b:The Valley of Horses|40493|The Valley of Horses (Earth's Children, #2)|Jean M. Auel|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1324059760l/40493._SY75_.jpg|630903], where the reader is learning alongside the main character. Highly recommended for fans of exploratory science fiction with a side of alien romance.