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A review by kortnireads
Empyrean by Nicole L. Bates
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
I would like to first thank Nicole L. Bates for sending me a free copy of her book to review! I am very thankful for the opportunity to review and share this book with more readers!
I think this was an interesting take one what feels like a classic sci-fi set-up: emergency crash onto new planet with different species. This was a unique take on this in that the humans meet the new species but only through a "Chosen One" envoy, of sorts.
While I enjoyed the idea of this, it ended up not appealing to me as much as I thought it might. As always, I am learning more and more what I like from certain genres and as I read more science fiction, I see what appeals to me more. I don't think the writing was the reason for this, more so just the story that was told. I wasn't invested or connected to the characters which made it hard to be invested in the plot. Things moved along predictably, but quickly, sometimes too quickly? As in, a complication would arise, then resolved off-page, leading to a lack of struggle throughout. In addition, there wasn't a clear adversary, besides maybe battling nature. It read more to be a story of survival, community, and melding of cultures. I suppose I have learned that isn't the type of story for me, because I found myself searching for the challenge or the enemy to work against while reading when the focus lies elsewhere for this book.
There is a set up for a romance, but it wasn't the focus of the story, which I appreciated. So in short, this was for sure a case of this wasn't for me, but has its own audience out there! So if a story of survival on an alien planet and the tasks that come with humans intermingling with another species (with the potential for an interspecies romance) interests you, do give this one a go!
I think this was an interesting take one what feels like a classic sci-fi set-up: emergency crash onto new planet with different species. This was a unique take on this in that the humans meet the new species but only through a "Chosen One" envoy, of sorts.
While I enjoyed the idea of this, it ended up not appealing to me as much as I thought it might. As always, I am learning more and more what I like from certain genres and as I read more science fiction, I see what appeals to me more. I don't think the writing was the reason for this, more so just the story that was told. I wasn't invested or connected to the characters which made it hard to be invested in the plot. Things moved along predictably, but quickly, sometimes too quickly? As in, a complication would arise, then resolved off-page, leading to a lack of struggle throughout. In addition, there wasn't a clear adversary, besides maybe battling nature. It read more to be a story of survival, community, and melding of cultures. I suppose I have learned that isn't the type of story for me, because I found myself searching for the challenge or the enemy to work against while reading when the focus lies elsewhere for this book.
There is a set up for a romance, but it wasn't the focus of the story, which I appreciated. So in short, this was for sure a case of this wasn't for me, but has its own audience out there! So if a story of survival on an alien planet and the tasks that come with humans intermingling with another species (with the potential for an interspecies romance) interests you, do give this one a go!