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The Sectors #0.5
Wreck of the Nebula Dream
A reimagining of the Titanic disaster set in the far future among the stars…
Traveling unexpectedly aboard the luxury liner Nebula Dream on its maiden voyage across the galaxy, Sectors Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson is ready for ten relaxing days, and hoping to forget his last disastrous mission behind enemy lines. He figures he’ll gamble at the casino, take in the shows, maybe even have a shipboard fling with Mara Lyrae, the beautiful but reserved businesswoman he meets.
All his plans vaporize when the ship suffers a wreck of Titanic proportions. Captain and crew abandon ship, leaving the 8000 passengers stranded without enough lifeboats and drifting unarmed in enemy territory. Aided by Mara, Nick must find a way off the doomed ship for himself and several other innocent people before deadly enemy forces reach them or the ship’s malfunctioning engines finish ticking down to self destruction.
But can Nick conquer the demons from his past that tell him he’ll fail these innocent people just as he failed to save his Special Forces team? Will he outpace his own doubts to win this vital race against time?
Traveling unexpectedly aboard the luxury liner Nebula Dream on its maiden voyage across the galaxy, Sectors Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson is ready for ten relaxing days, and hoping to forget his last disastrous mission behind enemy lines. He figures he’ll gamble at the casino, take in the shows, maybe even have a shipboard fling with Mara Lyrae, the beautiful but reserved businesswoman he meets.
All his plans vaporize when the ship suffers a wreck of Titanic proportions. Captain and crew abandon ship, leaving the 8000 passengers stranded without enough lifeboats and drifting unarmed in enemy territory. Aided by Mara, Nick must find a way off the doomed ship for himself and several other innocent people before deadly enemy forces reach them or the ship’s malfunctioning engines finish ticking down to self destruction.
But can Nick conquer the demons from his past that tell him he’ll fail these innocent people just as he failed to save his Special Forces team? Will he outpace his own doubts to win this vital race against time?
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2012
21 people are currently reading
705 people want to read
About the author
Veronica Scott
91 books243 followersUSA Today Best Selling Science Fiction & Paranormal Romance author.
Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.
MISC FACTS ABOUT VERONICA
Seven time winner ~ SFR Galaxy Award
Proud recipient ~ NASA Exceptional Service Medal but must hasten to add the honor was not for her romantic fiction!
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt – I’ll improve your process (mwahahahaa)!
Elvis Presley’s best friend once serenaded Veronica on a local TV telethon…now that could be a novel…
Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.
MISC FACTS ABOUT VERONICA
Seven time winner ~ SFR Galaxy Award
Proud recipient ~ NASA Exceptional Service Medal but must hasten to add the honor was not for her romantic fiction!
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt – I’ll improve your process (mwahahahaa)!
Elvis Presley’s best friend once serenaded Veronica on a local TV telethon…now that could be a novel…
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
October 19, 2015
No time this week for a lengthy review. Just have to say, whewwww. I need a vacation after this sci-fi romance adventure. Parallels to the Titanic in space. Just incredible action sequences and SUCH imagination in the tech. Mild romance, but who has time in this story? Trust me, you'll be out of breath when you finish this one.
April 16, 2017
3.5 stars. Fun scifi adventure inspired by the Titanic disaster. Heroine was very under-developed so the mild romance was not engaging.
April 13, 2012
This review was originally posted at http://www.readingreality.net/2012/04...
A passenger liner is launching with technology so advanced that everyone is just positive it will break all the speed records for the route! Lots of money is riding (yes, pun intended) on her making port on a record-breaking date.
And in order to get her out of her docking berth, she's launched with untested technology. Oh, she's ahead of her time, alright, but even advances ahead of their time need shakedown cruises.
If all this sounds just a little familiar, it should. With a little tweaking this could be an introduction of the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. The 100th anniversary of her first, and last, voyage is this week.
But this is a book review of a slightly different story. The ship is the Nebula Dream, and her maiden voyage is a space flight. She's still a passenger liner, and many of the conditions are intentionally the same. The Titanic disaster served as inspiration for this absorbing science fiction adventure.
Wreck was definitely inspired by the original events, but it is not slavishly devoted to them. Disasters make for great drama. They bring out the best in people...and the worst.
The Wreck of the Nebula Dream by Veronica Scott is the story of the maiden voyage of the passenger cruise ship Nebula Dream.
Instead of being an ocean-going vessel, the Nebula Dream cruises the space-lanes. Like the Titanic before her, the maiden voyage of the luxury Nebula Dream also includes some of the wealthiest people in her corner of her universe. They plan to be part of her record-setting trip.
But space and other factors make Nebula Dream's story a bit different from Titanic's, although not much less disastrous.
A chunk of that "less disaster" quotient is because the Nebula Dream's story is also the story of Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson. He's on board because his career has already crashed, and this trip is his last hurrah. Except that what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation turns out to be a mission unlike anything he ever undertook in his service career.
His last service mission was behind enemy lines. This vacation, well, this so-called vacation may not be as far from his last mission as it was supposed to be.
But from the minute that the luxury cruise starts heading towards disaster, Nick learns he's not alone in this accidental adventure. The woman he's been watching for days, the ice-cold business executive he was sure would think a simple Special Forces Captain wasn't worth her time, well, she turns out to be the best partner he could want in this crisis. And maybe after...
If there is any after.
Escape Rating A-: I wanted this to be just a little bit longer. I also wanted to slap one of the side characters upside the head, or shake some serious sense into her. (Read the book and you'll figure out exactly who I mean)
Wreck of the Nebula Dream is a terrific mix of science fiction, action adventure, and just the right touch of romance. I loved that there was both an alpha male and an alpha female! The heroine does not wait to be rescued, and she's not just rescuing herself, she's helping to rescue other people. The hero can either help or get out of her way!
The awesome assassin/sidekick from the mysterious Brotherhood was extra-special cool. I think the extra bit of story I want is where he came from, where he's going, and are there any more like him at home? I'd like a sequel with his story.
A passenger liner is launching with technology so advanced that everyone is just positive it will break all the speed records for the route! Lots of money is riding (yes, pun intended) on her making port on a record-breaking date.
And in order to get her out of her docking berth, she's launched with untested technology. Oh, she's ahead of her time, alright, but even advances ahead of their time need shakedown cruises.
If all this sounds just a little familiar, it should. With a little tweaking this could be an introduction of the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. The 100th anniversary of her first, and last, voyage is this week.
But this is a book review of a slightly different story. The ship is the Nebula Dream, and her maiden voyage is a space flight. She's still a passenger liner, and many of the conditions are intentionally the same. The Titanic disaster served as inspiration for this absorbing science fiction adventure.
Wreck was definitely inspired by the original events, but it is not slavishly devoted to them. Disasters make for great drama. They bring out the best in people...and the worst.
The Wreck of the Nebula Dream by Veronica Scott is the story of the maiden voyage of the passenger cruise ship Nebula Dream.
Instead of being an ocean-going vessel, the Nebula Dream cruises the space-lanes. Like the Titanic before her, the maiden voyage of the luxury Nebula Dream also includes some of the wealthiest people in her corner of her universe. They plan to be part of her record-setting trip.
But space and other factors make Nebula Dream's story a bit different from Titanic's, although not much less disastrous.
A chunk of that "less disaster" quotient is because the Nebula Dream's story is also the story of Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson. He's on board because his career has already crashed, and this trip is his last hurrah. Except that what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation turns out to be a mission unlike anything he ever undertook in his service career.
His last service mission was behind enemy lines. This vacation, well, this so-called vacation may not be as far from his last mission as it was supposed to be.
But from the minute that the luxury cruise starts heading towards disaster, Nick learns he's not alone in this accidental adventure. The woman he's been watching for days, the ice-cold business executive he was sure would think a simple Special Forces Captain wasn't worth her time, well, she turns out to be the best partner he could want in this crisis. And maybe after...
If there is any after.
Escape Rating A-: I wanted this to be just a little bit longer. I also wanted to slap one of the side characters upside the head, or shake some serious sense into her. (Read the book and you'll figure out exactly who I mean)
Wreck of the Nebula Dream is a terrific mix of science fiction, action adventure, and just the right touch of romance. I loved that there was both an alpha male and an alpha female! The heroine does not wait to be rescued, and she's not just rescuing herself, she's helping to rescue other people. The hero can either help or get out of her way!
The awesome assassin/sidekick from the mysterious Brotherhood was extra-special cool. I think the extra bit of story I want is where he came from, where he's going, and are there any more like him at home? I'd like a sequel with his story.
September 11, 2019
Once I got past the beginning chapters, the story line picked up and grabbed my attention! I like a good action packed story!
December 17, 2020
A luxury space liner hit by a meteor in enemy territory. The corporate villains were a bit over the top, but Nick and Mara are awesome and Lady Damaris heartbreaking. I would have liked an epilog that provided the comeuppance of the corporate villains.
January 21, 2018
If you like lots of action in a disaster setting, THIS is your book! The characters went from the frying pan to the fire again and again (which is pretty realistic). If you're looking for pure romance, this doesn't have quite as much as some of Ms. Scott's other works, but the story still gets a satisfactory resolution.
February 9, 2015
Well, I wouldn't quite call this Titanic in space. Yes, it is a luxury liner on its first trip. It is expected to break speed records as well. However, when everything goes wrong, there is a lot more that goes wrong than on the Titanic. The lead is a Special Forces captain who is battle-weary and depressed after a difficult job. He doesn't fit with the rest of the passengers, and finds himself intervening in a couple of emergencies just because he is prepared. There are some interesting future cultures and abilities that come into play for a hodgepodge group to survive. They really are diverse, and each plays a part in their efforts.
I really enjoyed this book, and felt that the only real weakness was that I didn't have a good feel for the universe until things started to happen. So, I was unaware of some significant facts until they became relevant to the story. However, I think the broad setting in which the action is set would have provided more depth to the story for me. However, since this is one book of many set in the same universe, I don't know how much the lack of world building was due to the author trying to prevent being repetitive across books. I'll definitely have to check out the others in the series.
I really enjoyed this book, and felt that the only real weakness was that I didn't have a good feel for the universe until things started to happen. So, I was unaware of some significant facts until they became relevant to the story. However, I think the broad setting in which the action is set would have provided more depth to the story for me. However, since this is one book of many set in the same universe, I don't know how much the lack of world building was due to the author trying to prevent being repetitive across books. I'll definitely have to check out the others in the series.
July 2, 2016
The first in Veronica Scott's A Sectors SF Romance series. Captain Nick Jameson is one of over 8,000 passengers on the maiden voyage of the Nebula Dream. Nick is Special Forces but after a mission gone wrong, the future looks bleak. He will muddle through this cruise and accept the consequences. There he meets Mara Lyrae, a businesswoman, who he finds attractive and would like to spend some time. But Myra doesn't seem to be interested. When the ship is obviously in trouble, Nick does his best at helping where he can. He teams up with Mara and a couple of other passengers to save as many as possible, including themselves. They discover they are in sector 17 and not sector 16 as expected. Sector 17 is enemy territory and bad news for all.
I read one other book in the series and enjoyed it and decided to check out more by this author. The story is told in third person but follows Nick. We don't really get to know exactly what the other characters think or feel but I didn't mind much.
I read one other book in the series and enjoyed it and decided to check out more by this author. The story is told in third person but follows Nick. We don't really get to know exactly what the other characters think or feel but I didn't mind much.
May 29, 2012
SFR Reading Challenge 2012 Book 13
3.5*
Grade B
This was a very enjoyable SFR. Wreck of the Nebula Dream is a retelling of the Titanic disaster with a futuristic space setting. The story is very well done and the plot moves quickly. The group trying to survive came upon realistic obstacles throughout. It kept me interested and reading. The main character, Nick, is well drawn and capable. He's a talented Special Forces officer, but he's not perfect. Mara is less well developed, but she's a sympathetic character. The secondary characters are well done, even the children.
I would have liked to see more development in the relationship between Nick and Mara, although what was there was sweet. I do appreciate the author not having the couple fall into bed during a major crisis. The short moments of tenderness between the leads were believable and appropriate to the story. Don't let the lack of overt sex scenes keep you from reading. It's a good story.
3.5*
Grade B
This was a very enjoyable SFR. Wreck of the Nebula Dream is a retelling of the Titanic disaster with a futuristic space setting. The story is very well done and the plot moves quickly. The group trying to survive came upon realistic obstacles throughout. It kept me interested and reading. The main character, Nick, is well drawn and capable. He's a talented Special Forces officer, but he's not perfect. Mara is less well developed, but she's a sympathetic character. The secondary characters are well done, even the children.
I would have liked to see more development in the relationship between Nick and Mara, although what was there was sweet. I do appreciate the author not having the couple fall into bed during a major crisis. The short moments of tenderness between the leads were believable and appropriate to the story. Don't let the lack of overt sex scenes keep you from reading. It's a good story.
January 12, 2022
After loving each of the author’s contributions to the Pets In Space Anthology featuring standalone novellas from the world of this series, I always meant to go back and read the series in order. The blend of futuristic sci-fi space, romance and character development as well as a goodly amount of intrigue and action make this series one there was no doubt I would enjoy.
Wreck of the Nebula Dream is the first of the series in release and chronological order, but it is a true standalone. There are a couple later books that revisit characters introduced in this book. This is touted in the blurb as ‘the reimagining of the Titanic Disaster set in the far future among the stars’. Did it live up to the claim? Yes, it did. Like the historical Titanic, this is a luxurious space liner on its maiden voyage out to set a speed record with several of the galaxy’s elite in first class and the average joes in the space version of steerage. The early scenes and set up to the disaster feel like the calm before the storm because the story really takes off once the disaster strikes.
I loved that the central figure is a weary, battle-hardened special forces military man who thinks his days of service and duty are over when he is called on to be a hero during a mega disaster. Nick Jameson is wry, but capable and he sees beyond the glitz and glamour of the pleasure cruise ship and its occupants so when disaster strikes he goes into action quite superbly. He isn’t alone, though. He pulls into his orbit a dedicated, no-nonsense business woman who caught his eye earlier and the attractive woman is all he imagined and more. Then there is the secretive monk-like Red Lady warrior who hitches himself to Nick’s star, the socialite who is more than the hair-brain she seems, and then there are the terrified but intrepid kids and the elderly woman with surprising powers to help. They all work to rescue others, keep alive, fight off space pirates, looters and, did I mention keep very alive? after the Nebula Dream is left adrift and dying in space far from help.
The plot built to some great twists and a riveting climax. The romance was secondary, but there as they worked together as partners, but I liked that other relationships among their ragtag group were important too. Oh, and the villains on top of the survival situation had me flying through the pages to see how the trusty survivor group was going to make it.
All in all, this was a fab intro to the series and did the job of making me want to come back for more. Though the next books are with different characters and different places in The Sectors, the style of the writing and the futuristic world are plenty to keep me enthused for more. This is a definite recommend for sci-fi romance fans.
Wreck of the Nebula Dream is the first of the series in release and chronological order, but it is a true standalone. There are a couple later books that revisit characters introduced in this book. This is touted in the blurb as ‘the reimagining of the Titanic Disaster set in the far future among the stars’. Did it live up to the claim? Yes, it did. Like the historical Titanic, this is a luxurious space liner on its maiden voyage out to set a speed record with several of the galaxy’s elite in first class and the average joes in the space version of steerage. The early scenes and set up to the disaster feel like the calm before the storm because the story really takes off once the disaster strikes.
I loved that the central figure is a weary, battle-hardened special forces military man who thinks his days of service and duty are over when he is called on to be a hero during a mega disaster. Nick Jameson is wry, but capable and he sees beyond the glitz and glamour of the pleasure cruise ship and its occupants so when disaster strikes he goes into action quite superbly. He isn’t alone, though. He pulls into his orbit a dedicated, no-nonsense business woman who caught his eye earlier and the attractive woman is all he imagined and more. Then there is the secretive monk-like Red Lady warrior who hitches himself to Nick’s star, the socialite who is more than the hair-brain she seems, and then there are the terrified but intrepid kids and the elderly woman with surprising powers to help. They all work to rescue others, keep alive, fight off space pirates, looters and, did I mention keep very alive? after the Nebula Dream is left adrift and dying in space far from help.
The plot built to some great twists and a riveting climax. The romance was secondary, but there as they worked together as partners, but I liked that other relationships among their ragtag group were important too. Oh, and the villains on top of the survival situation had me flying through the pages to see how the trusty survivor group was going to make it.
All in all, this was a fab intro to the series and did the job of making me want to come back for more. Though the next books are with different characters and different places in The Sectors, the style of the writing and the futuristic world are plenty to keep me enthused for more. This is a definite recommend for sci-fi romance fans.
July 29, 2015
TracingTheStars.com received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a solid four-star read for me. Great plot, great characters, excellent world building an enough romantic elements to make me smile without making me feel gooey. There were elements, however, that just didn't quite reach the 'this this total awesomesauce!' five star territory for me. It was close, but I don't give half-stars. Let me explain.
The world building in this book is done through mild contextual clues, well written details and subtle asides, and there is a lot of world-building in this book. The reader starts off on an unfamiliar planet in an unfamiliar galaxy, which I can only assume is somewhere far-far-away. The situation, however, is one the reader can probably relate to - being stuck on a plane that has been delayed take-off for over an hour. The plane is a surface-to-orbit starship, but the idea and feelings are the same. Disgruntled passengers, people worried about missing their connecting flights (in this case, it's worrying about making it on board the Nebula Dream cruise ship that is waiting in space), parents dealing with kids, and flight attendants dolling out the complimentary drinks to try and appease.
I appreciated these little familiar bits, even if everything had an alien twist. The delayed take off gives the author a chance to introduce the main character, Nick, and we learn that he is not getting on the Nebula Dream by choice. He is a special forces captain who has been discharged and is being sent home by the quickest route possible, which just happens to be on the maiden voyage of the Nebula Dream, a cruise ship that is planning to break a speed record despite it's less than complete state of construction.
Sound familiar? A common man among rich people and nobility boarding, by chance, a ship trying to go too fast on it's maiden voyage despite being incomplete. Yes, Wreck of the Nebula Dream is a loose retelling of the Titanic story. Luckily, Nick is a much stronger character than DiCaprio's Jack. So, what about Rose? You can't have a Titanic story without a girl, right?
We meet Mara on the same delayed flight, but unlike the socialite Rose who is trying to pander to her parent's wishes while rebelling against them, Mara is a self-supporting business woman with brains to go right along with her beauty. That beauty and her business demeanor stands out to Nick from the beginning, and he admires her from a far and through a couple of brief conversations. There aren't any sparks, possessive callings, tingles or love-at-first-sight tropes you often get with SFR, and I appreciated this. Their relationship develops naturally, by chance, and as they are thrown together to work through a crisis.
So far so good, right? And it is! There were just some bumps, mostly to do with the pacing, flow and dripping detailed world building that had me holding back on five stars.
Although there is action during the delayed flight via a crazy pregnant lady wielding a knife, it felt like it took forever for them to actually reach the Dream. Once on board, it seemed like Nick wandered around the ship a bit lost for a while before anything interesting happened. This did give the reader some set up as to the incomplete state of the ship, but it just felt like it dragged a little in places. I think it might be because some of the descriptions felt heavy to me, but I am admittedly a dialogue and character reader.
Some of the world-building was also a little jarring. This is a complex and unique universe, heavy in history, different alien cultures, technology and customs. There was no hand holding as far as the world building goes. You are dumped into the deep end with a couple pool-noodles as contextual clues, and asked to swim. You experience things as Nick experiences them, with Nick's knowledge of his universe intact. Sometimes this worked really well, but other times I felt myself floundering a little and having to reread sections after figuring out what Nick already knew to be understood.
All in all, this is a very strong science fiction read with a believable romantic element, an interesting plot, well constructed universe and characters you can easily appreciate and relate to.
This was a solid four-star read for me. Great plot, great characters, excellent world building an enough romantic elements to make me smile without making me feel gooey. There were elements, however, that just didn't quite reach the 'this this total awesomesauce!' five star territory for me. It was close, but I don't give half-stars. Let me explain.
The world building in this book is done through mild contextual clues, well written details and subtle asides, and there is a lot of world-building in this book. The reader starts off on an unfamiliar planet in an unfamiliar galaxy, which I can only assume is somewhere far-far-away. The situation, however, is one the reader can probably relate to - being stuck on a plane that has been delayed take-off for over an hour. The plane is a surface-to-orbit starship, but the idea and feelings are the same. Disgruntled passengers, people worried about missing their connecting flights (in this case, it's worrying about making it on board the Nebula Dream cruise ship that is waiting in space), parents dealing with kids, and flight attendants dolling out the complimentary drinks to try and appease.
I appreciated these little familiar bits, even if everything had an alien twist. The delayed take off gives the author a chance to introduce the main character, Nick, and we learn that he is not getting on the Nebula Dream by choice. He is a special forces captain who has been discharged and is being sent home by the quickest route possible, which just happens to be on the maiden voyage of the Nebula Dream, a cruise ship that is planning to break a speed record despite it's less than complete state of construction.
Sound familiar? A common man among rich people and nobility boarding, by chance, a ship trying to go too fast on it's maiden voyage despite being incomplete. Yes, Wreck of the Nebula Dream is a loose retelling of the Titanic story. Luckily, Nick is a much stronger character than DiCaprio's Jack. So, what about Rose? You can't have a Titanic story without a girl, right?
We meet Mara on the same delayed flight, but unlike the socialite Rose who is trying to pander to her parent's wishes while rebelling against them, Mara is a self-supporting business woman with brains to go right along with her beauty. That beauty and her business demeanor stands out to Nick from the beginning, and he admires her from a far and through a couple of brief conversations. There aren't any sparks, possessive callings, tingles or love-at-first-sight tropes you often get with SFR, and I appreciated this. Their relationship develops naturally, by chance, and as they are thrown together to work through a crisis.
So far so good, right? And it is! There were just some bumps, mostly to do with the pacing, flow and dripping detailed world building that had me holding back on five stars.
Although there is action during the delayed flight via a crazy pregnant lady wielding a knife, it felt like it took forever for them to actually reach the Dream. Once on board, it seemed like Nick wandered around the ship a bit lost for a while before anything interesting happened. This did give the reader some set up as to the incomplete state of the ship, but it just felt like it dragged a little in places. I think it might be because some of the descriptions felt heavy to me, but I am admittedly a dialogue and character reader.
Some of the world-building was also a little jarring. This is a complex and unique universe, heavy in history, different alien cultures, technology and customs. There was no hand holding as far as the world building goes. You are dumped into the deep end with a couple pool-noodles as contextual clues, and asked to swim. You experience things as Nick experiences them, with Nick's knowledge of his universe intact. Sometimes this worked really well, but other times I felt myself floundering a little and having to reread sections after figuring out what Nick already knew to be understood.
All in all, this is a very strong science fiction read with a believable romantic element, an interesting plot, well constructed universe and characters you can easily appreciate and relate to.
April 6, 2015
Overall I really enjoyed this ride.
I have to preface this with saying that I went into this thinking it was a sci-fi romance. It was recommended to me as such. The cover kind of also implies ti would be a romance.
It doesn't work as a romance though as there is almost no development of a couple and they go from barely having looked at each other to starry eyes and probing tongue. There is no sex going on, just kissing. :)
The POV is from the hero only so there isn't really much of the inner workings of the heroine. Not sure what else to call her, but again, this is not a romance. Its a fast action space adventure with some romantic elements. But barely.
So if I don't try to look at it what I thought it was, it was non stop fun and edge of seat for me. It was a fun motley crew that has to fight against odds after odds once the cruise ship space liner goes to the dogs.
What I found so great here was the way the author made me feel I was there, the urgency of fighting your way through obstacles and enemies. This read like a fun sci fi adventure movie for me and for that I loved it.
But now I have to go back and again try to find sci fi romance that actually is sci-fi romance. They are so hard to find.
I will be reading more of this author, I just won't be going in expecting sci-fi romance anymore. :)
I have to preface this with saying that I went into this thinking it was a sci-fi romance. It was recommended to me as such. The cover kind of also implies ti would be a romance.
It doesn't work as a romance though as there is almost no development of a couple and they go from barely having looked at each other to starry eyes and probing tongue. There is no sex going on, just kissing. :)
The POV is from the hero only so there isn't really much of the inner workings of the heroine. Not sure what else to call her, but again, this is not a romance. Its a fast action space adventure with some romantic elements. But barely.
So if I don't try to look at it what I thought it was, it was non stop fun and edge of seat for me. It was a fun motley crew that has to fight against odds after odds once the cruise ship space liner goes to the dogs.
What I found so great here was the way the author made me feel I was there, the urgency of fighting your way through obstacles and enemies. This read like a fun sci fi adventure movie for me and for that I loved it.
But now I have to go back and again try to find sci fi romance that actually is sci-fi romance. They are so hard to find.
I will be reading more of this author, I just won't be going in expecting sci-fi romance anymore. :)
December 5, 2012
I won a copy of this book months ago from the author, and I finally found a convenient way to read it that didn't involve reading it on my laptop. I'm so glad I did, because it's a very enjoyable read! While this is billed as a re-imagining of the Titanic disaster and it shares similarities, I felt it had many more moments in common with Star Wars than the Leonardo DiCaprio/Kate Winslet film.
The book is action packed, and the characters are engaging and likable, with the exception of one socialite, whom I wanted to smack upside the head a few times. The beginning drags a bit, perhaps because we have to meet the entire cast of characters before disaster strikes, but once the ship is floundering in space, you won't be able to put the book down.
Definitely recommend this one for readers of Sci-Fi romance or just romance in general. This is the second book I've read by Ms. Scott, and I very much look forward to reading more of her work in the future!
The book is action packed, and the characters are engaging and likable, with the exception of one socialite, whom I wanted to smack upside the head a few times. The beginning drags a bit, perhaps because we have to meet the entire cast of characters before disaster strikes, but once the ship is floundering in space, you won't be able to put the book down.
Definitely recommend this one for readers of Sci-Fi romance or just romance in general. This is the second book I've read by Ms. Scott, and I very much look forward to reading more of her work in the future!
July 4, 2016
This has a wonderful action adventure as our hero and heroine fight to save this ship and her passengers
The world building is great. I could have used more love story but this is a fun read. .
The world building is great. I could have used more love story but this is a fun read. .
February 5, 2018
4 stars.
Practically non-stop action throughout, except of a couple of small lulls towards the beginning.
This was like Die Hard on the dying cruise ship in space. The hero had to fight so many different bad guys, from drunken rapists, opportunistic looters, alien pirates to enemy forces, it makes sense that there were only a couple of short kisses between him and the heroine. The story is told mostly from his POV and to me, the heroine is probably not as fleshed out.
A very exciting read. I'd recommend anyone who's after an action-packed SF adventure.
Practically non-stop action throughout, except of a couple of small lulls towards the beginning.
This was like Die Hard on the dying cruise ship in space. The hero had to fight so many different bad guys, from drunken rapists, opportunistic looters, alien pirates to enemy forces, it makes sense that there were only a couple of short kisses between him and the heroine. The story is told mostly from his POV and to me, the heroine is probably not as fleshed out.
A very exciting read. I'd recommend anyone who's after an action-packed SF adventure.
February 21, 2017
I enjoyed this book...
February 28, 2015
Goodreads rating scale - 2 stars = it was okay.
If you're looking to read a romance, this isn't going to do it for you, I don't think - the romance was just a weird insta-love thing that actually detracted from the main story, for me. (And don't get me started on the female characters who are barely more useful than the very young children).
As an action book? I don't know. I have trouble getting too involved in action books most of the time, so possibly I'm just not a great audience for this one. But I think there were some aspects of the book that made it even harder for me to appreciate the action. Like, the main character having a tendency to give fairly long speeches at times when he's supposed to be either fighting for his life or totally exhausted after performing some miraculous feat. If he's got the breath for all those words, clearly the danger wasn't all that pronounced. And honestly, I think the romance took away from the action, too. When I think of a good action-romance combo, I think of the movie Speed - we're vaguely aware of a sort of respect/attraction thing happening between the leads, but they're too damn busy saving lives to do much of anything about it until the very end when we know they're safe. In this book, the characters are making out and declaring themselves, all within a couple days of meeting, and all while still dealing with the action. It was another thing that made me think the danger wasn't really all that dangerous.
So... as a romance, no way. There was no real romance, no character development, nothing. As an action book? I'm not sure. It wasn't gripping for ME, but might be better for others.
If you're looking to read a romance, this isn't going to do it for you, I don't think - the romance was just a weird insta-love thing that actually detracted from the main story, for me. (And don't get me started on the female characters who are barely more useful than the very young children).
As an action book? I don't know. I have trouble getting too involved in action books most of the time, so possibly I'm just not a great audience for this one. But I think there were some aspects of the book that made it even harder for me to appreciate the action. Like, the main character having a tendency to give fairly long speeches at times when he's supposed to be either fighting for his life or totally exhausted after performing some miraculous feat. If he's got the breath for all those words, clearly the danger wasn't all that pronounced. And honestly, I think the romance took away from the action, too. When I think of a good action-romance combo, I think of the movie Speed - we're vaguely aware of a sort of respect/attraction thing happening between the leads, but they're too damn busy saving lives to do much of anything about it until the very end when we know they're safe. In this book, the characters are making out and declaring themselves, all within a couple days of meeting, and all while still dealing with the action. It was another thing that made me think the danger wasn't really all that dangerous.
So... as a romance, no way. There was no real romance, no character development, nothing. As an action book? I'm not sure. It wasn't gripping for ME, but might be better for others.
September 27, 2020
This was actually a really fun, action-packed story. Not haha-fun, but exciting-fun. No need for character development here. My only complaint is the romance.
Until the very end, the things this couple said to each other were just... so corny and disgustingly flowery. Pretty much all of their romantic dialogue to and about each other felt weird, like it was taken straight from a bodice-ripper and then somehow made even more melodramatic. It didn't belong in this setting with these characters. The development of the romance was great - wasn't too fast or anything. And they didn't stop in the middle of a crisis and have sex, so that was nice! It's just every time the hero was like "I feel like I've known her forever!" or the heroine said she missed him after they exchanged like 5 sentences with each other, I wished the author had written something slightly different. I actually sneered a few times thinking "People don't say that to each other past the 1700s!"
So, -1 star for all that nonsense, which really wasn't much. The focus here really isn't on the romance, though the hero does spend a good bit of time ruminating on the heroine - they're too busy trying to survive to do much about it. And I really enjoyed that. This was a nonstop story after an initial world-building and I read it cover-to-cover in one sitting.
ANd now that I've acknowledged that I've been sitting here for hours, I have to pee SO FUCKING BAD OMG I MIGHT NOT MAKE IT
It's okay, I made it.
Until the very end, the things this couple said to each other were just... so corny and disgustingly flowery. Pretty much all of their romantic dialogue to and about each other felt weird, like it was taken straight from a bodice-ripper and then somehow made even more melodramatic. It didn't belong in this setting with these characters. The development of the romance was great - wasn't too fast or anything. And they didn't stop in the middle of a crisis and have sex, so that was nice! It's just every time the hero was like "I feel like I've known her forever!" or the heroine said she missed him after they exchanged like 5 sentences with each other, I wished the author had written something slightly different. I actually sneered a few times thinking "People don't say that to each other past the 1700s!"
So, -1 star for all that nonsense, which really wasn't much. The focus here really isn't on the romance, though the hero does spend a good bit of time ruminating on the heroine - they're too busy trying to survive to do much about it. And I really enjoyed that. This was a nonstop story after an initial world-building and I read it cover-to-cover in one sitting.
ANd now that I've acknowledged that I've been sitting here for hours, I have to pee SO FUCKING BAD OMG I MIGHT NOT MAKE IT
It's okay, I made it.
July 27, 2016
Lightning review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Wreck of the Nebula Dream is a fun science fiction adventure romance. While it’s inspired by the Titanic disaster, it reminded me more of Indiana Jones crossed with The Poseidon Adventure– lots of action and derring do. Also space pirates!
There’s nothing groundbreaking about this story, and it’s not going to stick in your head long after you read it (hence the C+ grade). The characters are pretty stock (military guy with trauma, wise older woman, flaky socialite, two plot moppets, love interest, mysterious alien dude). However the characters are also likable, the plotting is clever, and the adventure is a heck of a lot of fun. It’s a good, quick, entertaining read for when you need a pulpy space adventure fix.
- Carrie S.
Wreck of the Nebula Dream is a fun science fiction adventure romance. While it’s inspired by the Titanic disaster, it reminded me more of Indiana Jones crossed with The Poseidon Adventure– lots of action and derring do. Also space pirates!
There’s nothing groundbreaking about this story, and it’s not going to stick in your head long after you read it (hence the C+ grade). The characters are pretty stock (military guy with trauma, wise older woman, flaky socialite, two plot moppets, love interest, mysterious alien dude). However the characters are also likable, the plotting is clever, and the adventure is a heck of a lot of fun. It’s a good, quick, entertaining read for when you need a pulpy space adventure fix.
- Carrie S.
March 2, 2013
Scott's "Wreck of the Nebula Dream" was entertaining from beginning to end. With her great world-building, I could see the scene, but the world building was never taken to the level of tedium. Her characters were well-developed. I would have hugged a couple of them and slapped one silly. The pacing was steady, the tension built nicely. Not too much romance--the book tipped the scales toward scfi without losing itself in explaining the plausibility of imagined future technologies--which I enjoyed.
The best part for me? Scott's use of the tragic history of the Titanic as inspiration for the Nebula Dream. Five stars.
The best part for me? Scott's use of the tragic history of the Titanic as inspiration for the Nebula Dream. Five stars.
May 2, 2017
Plot: 4/5
Characterisation: 4/5
Prose: 4/5
How much I enjoyed it: 5/5
Characterisation: 4/5
Prose: 4/5
How much I enjoyed it: 5/5
June 4, 2017
I don't usually read Sci-Fi, but
This book came highly recommended. I'm glad I risked it.
The premise was just complex enough to keep me engaged.
The characters are, to me, the most important. Nick is the archetypical Hero. Flawed, but ultimately good.
Mara is a almost unbelievable Wonder Woman, but the characters works here.
My favorite is Khevvan, who becomes an unassuming hero, sacrificing what was most important to him to save others. I
The story projects all known human foibles a thousand or more years into the future, with little improvement. Human nature doesn't evolve.
This book came highly recommended. I'm glad I risked it.
The premise was just complex enough to keep me engaged.
The characters are, to me, the most important. Nick is the archetypical Hero. Flawed, but ultimately good.
Mara is a almost unbelievable Wonder Woman, but the characters works here.
My favorite is Khevvan, who becomes an unassuming hero, sacrificing what was most important to him to save others. I
The story projects all known human foibles a thousand or more years into the future, with little improvement. Human nature doesn't evolve.
December 3, 2021
This is pretty much my first sci-fi read. The author is a friend of mine who gave me a signed copy of her book right after I purchased the Kindle version. I only waited nine years to read it, sigh...
The book was FABULOUS! It kept me interested in every page. I was thoroughly engaged in Nick and Mara's devastating journey on their doomed ship. Their personal interplay was totally believable and charming, and I kept rooting for their HEA every step of the way. Glad I headed into the stars with this choice.
The book was FABULOUS! It kept me interested in every page. I was thoroughly engaged in Nick and Mara's devastating journey on their doomed ship. Their personal interplay was totally believable and charming, and I kept rooting for their HEA every step of the way. Glad I headed into the stars with this choice.
April 5, 2019
Essentially a Titanic like story set in space. A luxury starliner that can supposedly beat all known time records sets out on a journey. The ship is half finished in places, and is not as luxury as described (several items are re-used from other ships). In an effort to maintain the record pace they're hoping to achieve, the captain steers the liner into enemy territory, and eventually abandons the ship after sabotaging it.
May 17, 2023
Veronica Scott's "Wreck of the Nebula Dream" was an absolute gem to read. I was completely sucked into its gripping storyline and bold characters, especially the enigmatic Captain Nick and courageous Mara. The plot was action packed with unexpected twists, and the world-building was exceptional. She painted a vivid and immersive universe that brought every scene to life. It's a must read for scifi action romance fans!
June 29, 2019
This is a real page-turner! Just when it seemed things couldn't possibly get any worse . . . they did. It was fun seeing how Our Hero and his team managed to overcome each escalating predicament. I listened to the audiobook, and the performance was also terrific. Highly recommended.
November 24, 2020
My second Scott book! Enjoyable!
I started reading V.S. recently and discovered a new series. What fun!
I love her fully developed characters and they make realistic decisions that make the stories flow. Lovely details and plausible outcomes.
Fun to read!
I started reading V.S. recently and discovered a new series. What fun!
I love her fully developed characters and they make realistic decisions that make the stories flow. Lovely details and plausible outcomes.
Fun to read!
July 3, 2023
AWESOME
OMG this was fantastic to read. This was an oppsie buy…was wanting a book on nebulas in space and this was on the list as I purchased multiple books. Best Buy ever. A must read for everyone. Sucked me in and at the end purchased all of this author’s books.
OMG this was fantastic to read. This was an oppsie buy…was wanting a book on nebulas in space and this was on the list as I purchased multiple books. Best Buy ever. A must read for everyone. Sucked me in and at the end purchased all of this author’s books.
December 2, 2018
This was one exciting read. I have others in this series in random order lol, so ya they can be stand alone books.
May 27, 2016
My original Wreck of the Nebula Dream audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson is aboard the Nebula Dream, a colossal spaceship on its first trip. This spaceship is one of a kind, with luxurious entertainment and full with rich passengers in their way to Sector Hub. Suddenly one night Nick is shaken awake, and after several deceptions from the captain of the ship, things go south and then it is clear that the Nebula Dream does not have all the safety measures in order. And some want to take advantage of this.
The first part of the book would be a parallel story to the Titanic's and it is the one I found more entertaining. Despite the feeling that I was listening to a tale about the Titanic, due to the similar descriptions, I think it was an interesting idea. Here we also get the characters' introductions, and we learn that Nick is a Special Forces Captain, always alert and very efficient at his job. This was not done very subtlety though, since it seems Nick is always in the middle of every issue happening on the ship, and he is always the one saving the day. At the beginning of the book we also meet Mara, a businesswoman with more than one ability, that will be later on beside Nick trying to save what is left from the wreck.
The second part of the book is about what happens after the incident, and despite being interesting and being well written too, this is the part I least enjoyed. The characters had zero evolution and the romance seemed somehow forced. I do not really need a romantic story when I am reading science fiction (or any other genre for that matter), but I do not dislike it if it is done in a proper way. I need to see some character depth, some evolution, otherwise I just do not care about the characters and whether they get involved in a romantic relationship or not. There is just some hugging and kissing, no erotic scenes, since they were busy enough fighting for their lives. But I wonder, how did they have the time for romance under these circumstances?
Mara spent too much time trying to show how capable she was, and Nick had an arrogant attitude towards civilians in general and women in particular. This and the shallow romance made me roll my eyes several times, and I was surprised that although this book is written by a female writer, there were too many damsel in distress moments. Mara was very capable but her character was so plain that I did not connect to it.
Michael Riffle's narration was very clear but his reading rhythm was something I had to get used to. He made so many pauses, that there seemed to be more punctuation signs than the ones meant by the author, making the reading a bit artificial and distracting at first. It was correct enough and the voices were distinct, but it seems Riffle's heart was not in it. The rhythm improved a bit along the way but it still felt unnatural. There were some subtle noises at the beginning of the book, which reminded me of turning pages or fingers rubbing against paper. They disappeared after a while.
I was really captivated by the world created by Veronica Scott, but I just missed some character's depth and evolution. With this it could have been a five start book.
Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson is aboard the Nebula Dream, a colossal spaceship on its first trip. This spaceship is one of a kind, with luxurious entertainment and full with rich passengers in their way to Sector Hub. Suddenly one night Nick is shaken awake, and after several deceptions from the captain of the ship, things go south and then it is clear that the Nebula Dream does not have all the safety measures in order. And some want to take advantage of this.
The first part of the book would be a parallel story to the Titanic's and it is the one I found more entertaining. Despite the feeling that I was listening to a tale about the Titanic, due to the similar descriptions, I think it was an interesting idea. Here we also get the characters' introductions, and we learn that Nick is a Special Forces Captain, always alert and very efficient at his job. This was not done very subtlety though, since it seems Nick is always in the middle of every issue happening on the ship, and he is always the one saving the day. At the beginning of the book we also meet Mara, a businesswoman with more than one ability, that will be later on beside Nick trying to save what is left from the wreck.
The second part of the book is about what happens after the incident, and despite being interesting and being well written too, this is the part I least enjoyed. The characters had zero evolution and the romance seemed somehow forced. I do not really need a romantic story when I am reading science fiction (or any other genre for that matter), but I do not dislike it if it is done in a proper way. I need to see some character depth, some evolution, otherwise I just do not care about the characters and whether they get involved in a romantic relationship or not. There is just some hugging and kissing, no erotic scenes, since they were busy enough fighting for their lives. But I wonder, how did they have the time for romance under these circumstances?
Mara spent too much time trying to show how capable she was, and Nick had an arrogant attitude towards civilians in general and women in particular. This and the shallow romance made me roll my eyes several times, and I was surprised that although this book is written by a female writer, there were too many damsel in distress moments. Mara was very capable but her character was so plain that I did not connect to it.
Michael Riffle's narration was very clear but his reading rhythm was something I had to get used to. He made so many pauses, that there seemed to be more punctuation signs than the ones meant by the author, making the reading a bit artificial and distracting at first. It was correct enough and the voices were distinct, but it seems Riffle's heart was not in it. The rhythm improved a bit along the way but it still felt unnatural. There were some subtle noises at the beginning of the book, which reminded me of turning pages or fingers rubbing against paper. They disappeared after a while.
I was really captivated by the world created by Veronica Scott, but I just missed some character's depth and evolution. With this it could have been a five start book.
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