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A review by daffz
Starfall by Melissa Landers
3.0
After loving the fast-paced space adventure that was Starflight I didn't want to wait long to get into a sequel.
What I expected when i started Starfall:
- More adventures in space
- The crew as a big family
- Cassia kicking ass
- A story with the same satisfying pace and buildup as the first
- SPACE ADVENTURES! Different planets!
What I got:
- Cassia kicking ass (I'll give it this one)
- Cassia being insufferable
- A romance that was drawn out for no reason
- A predictable villain
- A veeeery rushed beginning
What mostly stands out to me about this book is that the first part of it made me feel like I was in a rollercoaster I never asked to be in. The plot goes SO FAST because the author wants to set the stage for the rest of the book. It seems to me like she wanted most of the story to center about Cassia's political struggles on her home planet, so she just rushed through the parts where she actually got her kingdom back at breakneck speed, in my opinion. It made it very hard for me to enjoy, as I hardly felt invested.
And after that rushed start, the story slows down. A lot of it takes place on Cassia's home planet, and a lot of it is focused on her and Kane. I was expecting so much more to see the entire crew together, to feel the camaraderie I felt in the first book, but it was hardly there. I didn't find the romance between Cassia and Kane very interesting, as it seemed to me like they were both being stupid, and the reveal was very predictable to me.
I did like some of it, though. My favorite part of the novel was I didn't care much about Cassia's problems on her planet, or whether or not she would keep her power. The rushed start didn't give me enough build-up to care about anyone on that planet except for occasionally Cassia or Kane. But Kane's struggles near the end did interest me.
For the most part, though, I feel like this book shouldn't have been written. Starfall is strong enough to stand on its own, and I think this book just drags it down a little. This universe didn't need expanding, at least not in this direction.
What I expected when i started Starfall:
- More adventures in space
- The crew as a big family
- Cassia kicking ass
- A story with the same satisfying pace and buildup as the first
- SPACE ADVENTURES! Different planets!
What I got:
- Cassia kicking ass (I'll give it this one)
- Cassia being insufferable
- A romance that was drawn out for no reason
- A predictable villain
- A veeeery rushed beginning
What mostly stands out to me about this book is that the first part of it made me feel like I was in a rollercoaster I never asked to be in. The plot goes SO FAST because the author wants to set the stage for the rest of the book. It seems to me like she wanted most of the story to center about Cassia's political struggles on her home planet, so she just rushed through the parts where she actually got her kingdom back at breakneck speed, in my opinion. It made it very hard for me to enjoy, as I hardly felt invested.
And after that rushed start, the story slows down. A lot of it takes place on Cassia's home planet, and a lot of it is focused on her and Kane. I was expecting so much more to see the entire crew together, to feel the camaraderie I felt in the first book, but it was hardly there. I didn't find the romance between Cassia and Kane very interesting, as it seemed to me like they were both being stupid, and the reveal
Spoiler
of the general as the moleI did like some of it, though. My favorite part of the novel was
Spoiler
Kane being trapped on that resort planet, plied with drugs. It felt like the most high-stakes part of the whole book to me, as there was finally something I cared about.For the most part, though, I feel like this book shouldn't have been written. Starfall is strong enough to stand on its own, and I think this book just drags it down a little. This universe didn't need expanding, at least not in this direction.