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palerider37 's review for:
Navigating the Stars
by Maria V. Snyder
Navigating the Stars is a fascinating, beautifully written book, that is utterly engaging and enthralling at all times. There is a rather heavy component of physics at the start of the book, and at various other parts of the book, for which if this is not your thing, you may find a little daunting, but it is easy enough to compartmentalise ‘technical – don’t need to know’ and just move on with an abundant slew of story lines that cover a variety of genres, from Sci-fi, Romance, full-on Action and even a bit of Horror – this book has something for everyone.
The story follows young Lyra Daniels who is 17AU years old (AU meaning actual years because she travels through space and time – thanks to Einstein’s principles of time travel, a 90 day trip for her, will add 50yrs of time to the ‘real’ universe, so going from point A to B means that everybody else ages by 50yrs, whilst those on the ship only age by 90days – thus the rather confusing Physics aspect of the book at times).
Lyra does not want to go, wanting to stay on her current home of Xinji with her friends (one of the main ones being Lan, who she is planning, or was, to go to University with). However, a new discovery has been made on the planet of Yulin, of Terracotta Warriors, the same that were unearthed in China all those years ago, and have now been found on over 21 newly colonised planets across the Galaxy. Unfortunately (or Fortunately??), for Lyra, her Parents are the preeminent experts in Terracotta Warriors, and have been assigned the lead role in excavation of this new find. Being that Lyra is not an adult, she must go with them.
On this trip, Lyra meets a rather good looking, (but totally unsociable), 17yr old boy called Niall, who calls her out on her ‘Worming’ activities – the term used for hacking what in the future is their internet – known as the Q-Net, and what controls pretty much everything, from communications, to the ships operations. Worming allows Lyra to access things she shouldn’t, and she was taught by a boy called Jarren on Xinji, Jarren being a somewhat expert at it, but also having been caught multiple times.
Upon reaching Yulin, we learn that Niall is to be put off the ship with his father, the Chief of Security on the ship, and now Chief of Security on the Planet. Niall is also a Security Officer in Training.
During the initial stages on the planet, whilst investigating the dig site, Lyra touches a heart that has been found with the Warriors, which then crumbles, coating her arms in some substance.
It is from this point that the story goes from a lesson in physics, a slowly burning romance story, some very clever world building, and an introduction to the various characters, to a full-on action packed thrill ride in which you seriously just can’t stop reading for a minute as you have to know what is going to happen next. Snyder grabs you and takes you on this running, looking over your shoulder expecting to die any second (and some do), absolutely breathtaking, joyride that will leave you at the end sitting there going, where is the next book. If you don’t own it, you will be sitting there at 3am in the morning, trying to buy it.
Lyra Daniels is brilliant, her character is at times naïve, almost irritating in some of the silly decisions she makes in relation to her relationships, but then you remember, she is a 17yr old kid, who has been picked up and bounced from planet to planet, with this weird concept of social time in which they make kids come together for a mandatory period to interact, but it is under the watchful eye of a guardian babysitter, so it can’t be natural. Snyder has created this amazing teenage girl, who is incredibly realistic (I have one, I know), but she is highly intelligent, and responds so well, based on her upbringing. It is very clever.
Snyder’s other characters are equally as well written, from the sullen, shielded, but ultimately looking for friendship or love Niall, to the utterly broken Chief, to the Fiercely overprotective Parents (the Mother is just brilliant), and each of the security officers are wonderful. Jarren is masterful.
Whilst the physics is a little difficult, maybe not quite right, overcooked for some, too difficult for others, as a whole, the world building is not only beautiful, it is incredibly well done, and creates the perfect environment for each of the different storylines that take place.
Ultimately, this is one of the more impressive stories I have read this year, easily one of the most extraordinary, compelling, and creative stories I have read in this genre I have read in years. It is one that anyone who has any interest in Sci-Fi, regardless of your different tilt (Mi/Space Opera/etc etc) will not only get something out of, but will utterly love. Do yourself a favour and get into it.
The story follows young Lyra Daniels who is 17AU years old (AU meaning actual years because she travels through space and time – thanks to Einstein’s principles of time travel, a 90 day trip for her, will add 50yrs of time to the ‘real’ universe, so going from point A to B means that everybody else ages by 50yrs, whilst those on the ship only age by 90days – thus the rather confusing Physics aspect of the book at times).
Lyra does not want to go, wanting to stay on her current home of Xinji with her friends (one of the main ones being Lan, who she is planning, or was, to go to University with). However, a new discovery has been made on the planet of Yulin, of Terracotta Warriors, the same that were unearthed in China all those years ago, and have now been found on over 21 newly colonised planets across the Galaxy. Unfortunately (or Fortunately??), for Lyra, her Parents are the preeminent experts in Terracotta Warriors, and have been assigned the lead role in excavation of this new find. Being that Lyra is not an adult, she must go with them.
On this trip, Lyra meets a rather good looking, (but totally unsociable), 17yr old boy called Niall, who calls her out on her ‘Worming’ activities – the term used for hacking what in the future is their internet – known as the Q-Net, and what controls pretty much everything, from communications, to the ships operations. Worming allows Lyra to access things she shouldn’t, and she was taught by a boy called Jarren on Xinji, Jarren being a somewhat expert at it, but also having been caught multiple times.
Upon reaching Yulin, we learn that Niall is to be put off the ship with his father, the Chief of Security on the ship, and now Chief of Security on the Planet. Niall is also a Security Officer in Training.
During the initial stages on the planet, whilst investigating the dig site, Lyra touches a heart that has been found with the Warriors, which then crumbles, coating her arms in some substance.
It is from this point that the story goes from a lesson in physics, a slowly burning romance story, some very clever world building, and an introduction to the various characters, to a full-on action packed thrill ride in which you seriously just can’t stop reading for a minute as you have to know what is going to happen next. Snyder grabs you and takes you on this running, looking over your shoulder expecting to die any second (and some do), absolutely breathtaking, joyride that will leave you at the end sitting there going, where is the next book. If you don’t own it, you will be sitting there at 3am in the morning, trying to buy it.
Lyra Daniels is brilliant, her character is at times naïve, almost irritating in some of the silly decisions she makes in relation to her relationships, but then you remember, she is a 17yr old kid, who has been picked up and bounced from planet to planet, with this weird concept of social time in which they make kids come together for a mandatory period to interact, but it is under the watchful eye of a guardian babysitter, so it can’t be natural. Snyder has created this amazing teenage girl, who is incredibly realistic (I have one, I know), but she is highly intelligent, and responds so well, based on her upbringing. It is very clever.
Snyder’s other characters are equally as well written, from the sullen, shielded, but ultimately looking for friendship or love Niall, to the utterly broken Chief, to the Fiercely overprotective Parents (the Mother is just brilliant), and each of the security officers are wonderful. Jarren is masterful.
Whilst the physics is a little difficult, maybe not quite right, overcooked for some, too difficult for others, as a whole, the world building is not only beautiful, it is incredibly well done, and creates the perfect environment for each of the different storylines that take place.
Ultimately, this is one of the more impressive stories I have read this year, easily one of the most extraordinary, compelling, and creative stories I have read in this genre I have read in years. It is one that anyone who has any interest in Sci-Fi, regardless of your different tilt (Mi/Space Opera/etc etc) will not only get something out of, but will utterly love. Do yourself a favour and get into it.