Review: Refreshing, Well-Written Science Fiction Adventure
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 28, 2014
Summary: Eleanor Weber sort of inherits a mysterious vid when a travelor dies in the inn owned by El's father. The vid sets our unlikely heroine off on a quest to find out more about the previous owner. Meanwhile, Guard Adam Cole's been tasked to find El and bring her back.Neutral:- Some parts were slow (to be expected in any book) and it took a very long time for the two main storylines to intersect.Good:- This book contained very few grammatical errors. I feel that's worth mentioning because there are tons of books out there that fall short of ideal.- The end is action-packed and full of twists and turns, some heartbreaking and some satisfying. Overall, the conclusion leaves room for a sequel without sacrificing closure. That's a hard balance to find and the author hit it squarely.- I generally have very little patience for alien "bug" races, but I'll have to add this one to my acceptable exceptions list.- The dialogue's believable and the characters do develop in to people you can root for by the end.- Even minor characters are handled well.- Descriptions are thorough without seeming to be too much.- The heroine was believable. She wasn't chosen for excessive good looks or even uncharted depths of intelligence. She was chosen because circumstances conspired to bring her to a time and place where she could make a difference. When it came time to step up and fulfill a needed role, she did.- I like that you can read the story on several levels. On the surface, it's a highly entertaining adventure. On a deeper level, it has some intriguing things to say about cultural misunderstandings and a ton of other topics.Conclusion: A strong story with likeable characters and a plot that keeps things moving. While not quite a mystery, there are things to be discovered within. Recommended for those who enjoy YA sci fi, sci fi in general, and well-written adventure stories.