Other Systems

Other Systems #1

by Elizabeth Guizzetti

Without an influx of human DNA, the utopian colony on Kipos has eleven generations before it reaches failure. With Earth over ninety light-years away. Time is short.

On the over-crowded Earth, many see opportunity in Kipos's need. After medical, intelligence, and physiological testing, Abby and her younger siblings, Jin and Orchid, are offered transportation. Along with 750,000 other strong young immigrants, they leave the safety of their family with the expectation of good jobs and the opportunity for higher education.

While these second-generation colonists travel to the new planet in stasis, the Kiposi, terrified that Earthlings will taint their paradise, pass a series of indenture and adoption laws in order to assimilate the savages.

When Abby wakes up on Kipos, Jin cannot be found. Orchid is ripped from her arms as Abby is sold to a dull-eyed man with a sterilized wife. Indentured to breed, she is drugged and systematically coerced. To survive, Abby learns the differences in culture and language using the only thing that is truly hers on this new world: her analytical mind. To escape, she joins a planetary survey team where she will discover yet another way of life.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Aliens

460 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2012

About the author

Elizabeth Guizzetti currently lives in Seattle, WA with her husband. When not writing, she loves hiking and birdwatching.

Reviews

[Midu Hadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book for free, in exchange for an honest review from Making Connections. Get your copy here.

What I liked:

loved the description of flora & fauna, as well as the space terms

that the rapist got what was coming

that Abby didn’t end with Mark or Harden.

I understood why Abby’s parents could let her go-the conditions on Earth weren’t going to improve and trusting the strangers was the only option they had, if they wanted their kids to survive.

What I didn't like:

there was nothing about the religious sects & I had been so looking forward to meet them.

I would have liked Harden’s POV,especially when, according to his dad, Abby looks like she needs a hug.

nothing about the other AI who had left-the way the author mentioned them felt like we would be meeting them later.

there wasn’t much about why Earth was the way it was or why India became a super power-it would have added more depth to the story.


Good sci-fi-ish novel and I didn’t want to put it down without finishing it.

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[Denise DeSio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a Sci-Fi reader. I read Other Systems because Guizzetti is a cyber-friend and I was curious about what goes on in her bizarre brain. I can tell you that my original assessment was right on the money. Bizarre she is, and yet, as another reviewer said, "believable." Time and again I kept thinking, "Whoa! How many months, maybe years, of research did she have to do to come up with this stuff?"

I have to admit, some of it went right over my head, but Sci-Fi fans and Geeks should be right in their element. Guizzetti not only builds one different world, but does a great job describing several other planets. When she calls her book Other Systems, she means it. She treats us to 455 pages of red-eyed rodents with triple prehensile tails, crystal trees, gelatinous purple sea masses that can reach up and grab birds out of the air. You name it; She thought of it.

But sci-fi aside, my favorite parts involved Abby, the earthling librarian who dreamed of a better life than being crammed into a one-room apartment with her whole family, which will probably happen to all of us sooner or later in America after the Republicans completely do away with the middle class. But I digress.

Brave little Abby, her sister, brother, and a boy crush climb aboard a space ship seeking both adventure and upward mobility, pun intended. This decision sets off a whole series of unintended events reminiscent of Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" one of my favorite literary novels. For the literary among you, that's a bit of a spoiler. For the rest of you, oh well! You'll have to read the book to find out what that means.

At 455 pages it was inevitable to find some typos and a couple of grammar issues, but all in all it was a well-written book. My favorite line was spoken by Abby's sister, Orchid: “What a load of crap. I’m really sick of people saying ‘God’s will’ just because they don’t know the answer.”

As I said, I have absolutely no qualifications to review Sci-Fi, and this review is sort of coming out of my ass, so to be fair to the author, I'm giving it 4 stars, and here's the breakdown: 1 because I actually finished reading it, 1 for Abby's storyline, 1 for Guizzetti's crazy rich imagination, 1/2 for Orchid's astute little rant about "God's will," and 1/2 for Guizzetti's fearless use of the word fuck.

And I forgot to mention the beautiful illustrations!

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Other Systems
Reviewed for Making Connections Goodreads Group

I reviewed an ebook copy of “Other Systems” provided to me by the author, Elizabeth Guizzetti, on July 30 2012, in exchange for my fair and impartial review.

As a child and adolescent, science fiction was one of my favoured genres. Then in adulthood, for some reason I diverged and only read it occasionally (in my 30’s I devoured Star Trek novels-go figure). But on the rare occasions lately when I do pick up a sci fi story, I remember how much I love the genre and why. Perhaps I should better term this “speculative fiction,” because good sci fi (or horror or Supernatural, paranormal, fantasy, etc.) asks THE BIG QUESTIONS. Such is the case in “Other Systems,” author Elizabeth Guizzetti’s debut novel, which sets those philosophical, social, and cultural queries against a background of intense, complex, delightful world-building. There are a number of different “environments” constructed here: from a futuristic Earth (mostly, but not entirely, Seattle) to outer space (life lived in relative time, meaning very sloooooowww aging), to an extraordinary planet in an “other system,” a planet whose populace interacts with an overgrown Earth, in ways that purport to be beneficial and pleasant-but oh what a surprise when that’s not so.

[Jill Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Other Systems is a wonderful coming of age novel, set in the future and spans light years. Abby, the heroine, leads us through a journey not only through time and space, but through discovering herself. I enjoyed the development of each character, learning their history, and learning about each race, animal, and planet. Even the political climate was well developed with intricacies and depth. This novel is longer than most, but every page is worthwhile. I recommend this book to everyone, even those who don't typically gravitate to science fiction. Overall wonderfully written, and I hope to see a sequel!

[R.L. King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without spoilers, this book is nerdy, die-hard sci-fi, and a family saga that stands the test of time. I read this book over a weekend, and had to come back and read it again. I am in the middle of reading it again, and I can already tell, I will be reading this book over and over for years to come.

Warning! This book pulls you in with the very first paragraph and does not let go.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Warning:

This review will contain spoilers.

The Review:

Thank you to the author for a review copy of this novel.

Science-fiction is a genre that I haven’t shunned, it’s just that I haven’t read as much of it as I would have liked. When I was younger I read Star Trek and Doctor Who novels but I never branched out; which is a shame, because there are some great science fiction novels out there, and it is certainly genre I will look at in the future – starting with this e-book by Elizabeth Guizzetti: Other Systems.

We begin with a prologue filled with intrigue – there is mention of a world where children are terminated because of their defects, or because there are rules as to how many children a family may have. There’s mention of suicide, making this novel somewhat dark in its beginning; so that the reader is left to continue to see where these characters can go from here.

A problem I came across in the prologue is the mass of world-building. There’s quite a large info-dump that could turn readers off, and I think that this could have perhaps been included later, so that the reader could enter straight into the story, rather than have to wade through backstory. It’s an interesting idea of characters moving faster through time until they can find somewhere where the law has changed for the better.

Guizzetti’s craft has the reader feeling emotionally involved with the characters almost immediately. In the prologue we are introduced to Cole, the man who strives to find somewhere to keep his children safe. In the first chapter, we are introduced to Abby, a young Earthling, set a few hundred years after the prologue. Both of these characters are instantly linked because of their familial issues.

Abby is introduced as a character who worries about her family, and realising that life seems to move too quickly. She wants to get married and have her own family, but the man she wishes to marry doesn’t seem to notice her, and her job pays her minimum wage. Here, Abby seemed to be something of a dystopian Cinderella – in that she seems to notice everything but no one seems to notice her plight.

It is this theme of family that drives the novel – readers able to sympathise with the idea of parents having to let their children go to a new life, and with children trying to make sure the family that goes with them will be all right.

She is a character that readers can empathise with – the feeling of being too small in a world that’s expanded across the universe. There’s a scene quite early in the novel where Abby is searching through newspaper storylines, and after reading an article she searches for the story through other papers until she understands the story fully. Although this was only a small vignette – blink and you’ll miss it – this scene shows the reader the type of character Abby is, and the way Guizzetti handled it was beautiful.

As we approach the end of the first chapter, Abby arrives home to discover news of ships returning to Earth. Although we aren’t shown horrific events that are mentioned, Guizzetti is able to convey the terror the characters are feeling through their actions, and how they reiterate the events to the protagonist.

Abby is a character who is unable to control her destiny. When she believes that she has control of a situation someone will come along and quash her dreams. Once she and her sister reach Kipos there is a twist that left me shocked. I thought that perhaps she would be shown some kindness, but she finds her promises immediately broken and her idealistic view of this new world to have been entirely misconstrued.

It is once she is on Kipos that the themes become somewhat darker than they were in the prologue. Something happens that leaves you feeling shocked. Guizzetti lulls the reader into a false sense of security – up until now, the characters have all had everything handed to them on a plate. They’ve all been looking towards something, only for the truth to be a lot worse than the idea; with scenes reminiscent of Lauren DeStefano’s Wither.

One criticism I have about Guizzetti’s writing style is that at points it can seem a bit stale. There isn’t much variation; action scenes have no pace meaning they have no tension. Although you can empathise with the character’s plight, you’re not able to be enveloped by the story.

This is not me saying that I want more explicit scenes. The suggestion that certain things have happened is enough to make the reader cringe. It’s the stylistic choice to write your readers into a lull where it seems as though nothing happens, when in fact these scenes should be tense. Abby should seem scared but she comes across as spoilt – as though she should be thankful for what she’s got.

It’s this choice that made me, as a reader, feel as though I wasn’t being shown the whole story.

Another criticism I have is Guizzetti’s dialogue – character’s speech patterns continually change with no similarity between scenes. Characters should have certain ways of saying things, but these seem to change dependant on the scenes.

Character voice also seems to change in the actual writing of the novel as we progress. The writing is no longer eloquent, but becomes condescending and quite childish in its tone. It feels as though Guizzetti forgot how old Abby was, thinking that because she was eighteen she wouldn’t be strong-minded. Instead, this character has become weak, and with her driving force gone, we soon lose sight as to what Abby’s story is all about.

In the beginning the familial storyline drove the novel, however, Guizzetti soon loses sight of her character’s driving force, merely referencing it every now and again. She wishes Mark would enter her and in the next moment she is missing her brother and sister.

I think that some time was wasted in this novel – if Guizzetti had moved from Abby leaving Earth to her trapped in a drugged state on Kipos, it would have saved some time. The author missed out pivotal scenes to the character’s development that would emphasise what life on Kipos was really like.

Abby meets the Alekos family and seems to gain some form of salvation. As their stories join together, the reader is able to see how she fills some void within their ranks, also wondering how she’s going to be able to grow from what she has experienced at the hands of the Kipos people.

Although I was a bit annoyed that as soon as she sees Mark she wants to let him enter her. It isn’t because she was raped before – it’s that it’s that direct, as though there’s nothing better he could do. It’s the fact that throughout this entire novel whenever Abby seems to meet a new man he is immediately a love interest – look at Rory and Robert. Even with the older members, Eli and Harden she is wondering about her relationships with them. Every man is considered for his sexual worth rather than his characteristics, which brought the tone of the novel down for me.

I felt that as a genre it became rather wishy-washy. The romantic sub-plots felt as though they had been forced into the novel so that it would be like other Young Adult writing at the moment. I understand that Abby’s sexual plight is the inciting event that gets her to meet the Alekos family, it’s just that if there is to be a romantic sub-plot, the author needs to provide the reader with some reason as to why Abby immediately falls for someone; especially when it seems completely out of character.

However, in the last two-hundred pages, the romantic sub-plot comes into its own. The reader gains a better understanding of Abby’s plight, and once again wish her the best.

On Earth she states that she wants a man to be her husband before she has sex, before going on to see each man as a sex object. Some would try and write this off as character progression, however, there doesn’t seem to be any room for character progression. Guizzetti has tried to squash too many themes into the first two-hundred pages.

One thing that does come from this though, is how Abby views herself as a woman. After the rape, she begins to see herself as this awful whore who if she has sex will only be emphasising that fact. This point is one of those that strikes a chord with readers, and would have impacted much more if Guizzetti had sculpted the rest of the writing so well.

As Abby becomes a member of the Alekos family, she gains experience, yet she is now treated as a child by those around her. She is no longer seen as a competent adult, and has to prove herself to those around her. Yet it is here that the driving force of the novel – the idea of family – is brought back to the forefront of the novel.

Although Guizzetti conveys some of the clichés associated with families in literature, there is still the added heartache – this family has suffered loss, they live on a different time scale, and they have a mountain of history Abby doesn’t know about. Here, Abby becomes a conduit for the reader, representing their questions and feelings.

Personally, it felt to me as though the story didn’t really begin until two hundred pages in when Abby and the Alekos’ discovered one another. This was the inciting event of both of their stories – yet there didn’t seem to be much plot. They are travelling through space taking samples. Once again, everything seems a bit too easy once Abby arrives on the Revelation – it would have been nice if there had perhaps been some struggle, but Guizzetti glossed over these facts. It’s almost as though Abby has forgotten about the loss of her family.

As we progress towards the end of the novel both storylines seem to converge – Abby’s past and present collide and Guizzetti raises the tension considerably. As a reader, I found myself tearing through the pages to find out how everything would pan out. Linking back to Guizzetti’s earlier writing in the novel she lulls you into a false sense of security before pulling the rug out from under you.

At the start of this novel I loved the writing, towards the middle I thought it became wishy-washy and in the end Guizzetti pulled it altogether in the end.

Altogether though, I did enjoy the novel, I just think it could have benefitted from a few reminders as to what storyline we’re following so that it is clear for the readers. Characters all had secrets they wished to keep hidden, and in the end these secrets were revealed to create an intriguing storyline.

It isn’t until the end however, that I became aware that all my qualms about plot were possibly redundant. This is a novel about the pursuit of happiness, and how, a young woman can overcome adversity to take control of her life.

I commend the author for this thought-provoking novel.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

THANKS TO: Elizabeth Guizzetti for providing an e-copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book is truly exciting, I took one look at it was immediately hooked! I haven’t read a lot of science-fiction novels before, but it’s a genre that continues to intrigue me. I was excited to dive straight into Abby’s story, which is why I was a little confused to be reading about someone named Cole, and his children. Although Cole’s story was fascinating, I did not really like the jumps between his perspective and Abby’s. I honestly found that while it was good background information, Cole’s chapters added nothing to the story once I look back at it. It could very easily have been incorporated later on.

A few chapters in, we finally get to the nut and ball of what was described in the synopsis. We are introduced to Abigail Boyd Lei, a mixed girl living on an overpopulated Earth with her family. We are shown what life is like on this futurist Earth, and it certainly doesn’t sound inviting. When Abby and her siblings are offered the chance to visit a colonised planet called Kipos, they jump straight at the opportunity. I mean, who wouldn’t when your life is so monotonous and dull on Earth? Of her three siblings, only the two youngest follow Abby and the Kiposi to a new life, leaving everyone else behind. I felt that while the farewells with her family was moving, it could have been a lot more emotional than it was. For people that Abby would never, ever see again, I had hoped that she would express a deeper understanding of loss, yet we never get to see that. All we were given were a prompt goodbye and then off the siblings go to the awaiting spaceship. I kept wondering why the rest of the family couldn’t follow them and farewell them from there.

As Abby and her siblings traverse through deep space, we are once again back with Cole and his kids. We get some more background information until we’re back again with Abby as she wakes up. It has been a hundred years since they left Earth, so everyone they have ever known is gone. I quite liked the fact that Abby was able to keep her composure in front of Orchid, in order to not scare her. I saw the inspiring older sister qualities in her character at that point. As we progress along, we learn that the Kiposi is extremely worried that the Earthlings would taint their paradise (even though they are Earthlings technically), so they introduced a set of indenture and adoption laws. Abby is ripped away from Orchid, and her younger brother is no where to be seen at all.

Abby is taken to a place where horrible things are done to her. She is alone, scared and have no idea what’s going on. As part of the indenture laws, she has to provide the Kiposi family who bought her ‘bond’ with three children or serve them for seven years. This part of the story is where things get a little confusing for me. Perhaps this was due to my erratic reading patterns for this novel, but I was continuously wondering how Cole’s story even fit in with Abby’s. We were given so much background information, but then we jump to Abby and it’s like he didn’t even exist. In fact, this part of the novel was probably the hardest to get through because I failed to see the link between the two characters and I was frustrated with Abby’s silly personality. She was continuously moaning about loving this person, or that person. I saw her as such a weak ‘Earthling’, which reflectively I now believe was the author’s intention in the first place. But honestly, I could not stand her at all during this section.

However, she does grow and becomes stronger as a person. Abby manages to escape from her bonded buyers and finds her way to a spacecraft docking area (FINALLY), where she happens upon the Alekos crew (Cole’s children). They generously take her on as an intern even with all the risks of losing their licences. I guess this is where the background information finally fits in – although I still think it was unnecessary. While I enjoyed this part of the novel a lot more – seeing Abby grow stronger, more independent and smarter – I felt it was quite lacking of a plot. I kept wondering if Abby would leave and embark on a journey to free all her indentured Earthlings but no such thing happened. We hear a little about the Earthlings back on Kipos revolting, but that’s as far as it goes. In Abby’s case however, she remains on the spaceship and explores new planets. I have to admit that that was pretty boring. I hoped she would at least lead a rebellion, fight to get her sister back, or take revenge on the people that killed her brother … but unfortunately, none of that happened. We see a lot of Abby adjusting to her new life, which is great and all, but not all that exciting.

I think I must commend Ms Guizzetti on creating some very believable and three dimensional characters. However, a novel that is 460 pages long needs to have a discernable and exciting plot. I found myself wondering more than once about where the story was heading, and kept waiting for that one scene where Abby turns into a hero and frees her fellow Earthlings.

Overall, a well written novel with some very interesting explanations of other systems in the universe.

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[Ashen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been dragged up on science fiction and epic fantasy, I tend to keep my eyes open for any promising new authors in those genres. I do that so I don't inadvertently miss something really impressive, or inspirational, or exciting. Other Systems by Elizabeth Guizzetti is all of those - and more. I truly believe she is one of the greatest new talents in science fiction today - and here is why...

Science fiction is both one of the most difficult and one of the most maligned genres in which an author can work. Why do I say that? Because the task of the author has additional multiple challenges that other genres don't have. Biggest of these, and usually the most ridiculed, is the ability to make and keep the "science" believable, understandable, and realistic within given laws of astrophysics. Fail on any of these three facets, and your readers will lose interest, and your critics lambast you with your egregious errors.

Then there is the challenge of building and populating not one, but multiple "worlds", and keeping each one distinct enough to avoid confusion and make them interesting enough to register with the reader. The term "worlds" here doesn't just mean different planets, because, essentially, every space craft out there is its own unique world, with different "lands" - bridge, engine room, labs, sick bays - did you ever watch Star Trek? Novelists in other genres usually only have one world to deal with - Earth.

And then there is the back story and plot. Yes - these are challenges for all novelists, but it's very easy for the sci-fi author to compromise on the quality and scope of their storylines by getting too involved in their other challenges, resulting in a weak plot strung together on the other elements.

In Other Systems, Elizabeth Guizzetti brings all of these facets, and more, together in a superb new masterpiece of the genre. Her world-building skills are phenomenal, as she takes us to not just one or two, but a whole series of new and unique worlds, some highly populated with homo sapiens and various descendant species, and others populated with true alien life-forms. Then there is her science - sharp, detailed, deep, and understandable. Yes, there's the jargon - but it's kept to a minimum, and what is there is clearly explained so the reader doesn't feel either overwhelmed OR under-informed. These achievements alone make the story interesting and complex.

And then we have the story itself. This builds on themes introduced by Arthur C. Clarke (yes - it's that good) in The Songs of Distant Earth, dealing with the interactions between new worlds populated by Humankind on their exodus from an otherwise compromised home planet, and that home planet. On a hugely over-populated Earth, we meet Abby Boyd Lei and her family, whose daily routines are suddenly disrupted by the arrival of a fleet of transport ships from the distant colony of Kipos, where they are seeking a huge influx of human genome in order to prevent their civilization from dying out. Abby and her siblings and friends are sold a story of a wonderful new life, that will give them the opportunity to grow and develop in a rich, new world that will provide them all the pleasures and joys they could never hope to find on the over-crowded, decaying Earth.

As is to be expected, the reality is far from the truth. After their sub-light speed voyage to Kipos, Abby is ruthlessly torn from her younger sister, and her brother and friend are no where to be seen. She is taken by one of the elite families of the civilization, as breeding stock, and is abused and humiliated, kept in a drugged and duped state. I will not detail all of Abby's horrors here - buy the book if you want to know the full story - but she eventually escapes to join a deep space exploration ship, and build her way into their lives and their love, showing her true worth. This part of the book is reminiscent of Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis, as we encounter numerous new worlds and new life forms, all the while with the spectre of betrayal or discovery, which would send her back to Kipos, and the life she had escaped from - or worse.

Guizzetti's writing is stimulating and interesting, and her ability to knit all of her back stories together is both skillful and inspiring. Her story brings us back to the considerations that will be faced by a future, aging, over-populated Earth, and the achievements, and the perils, that await us. A wonderful, wonderful book, well worth the read.

[Stefani Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

Don’t let a three star rating fool you, I enjoyed this book a lot. The story was good, the characters were solid, the structuring was all good. Unfortunately, the book had some issues that I couldn’t quite get past and this effected the overall rating that I gave it. So let’s go through this point by point.

When I look back on the synopsis of this book in hindsight, it confuses me a little. Yes, this book was about Abby and her journey to Kipos and a new life in this “utopia” she was presented. The synopsis would have you believe that this was the whole of the story. But in reality this discovery and journey was really only about 1/3 of the book. The rest hardly touched on this at all and so the synopsis didn’t apply that much to the majority of the book. The story I got was good, but it was far different than the story I expected. What I got was a story of perseverance, daring, courage, and having the strength to make something better out of your circumstances. This was a great story and I wish it was closer to what I had been pitched!

Now, the rest of this may be a bit spoiler heavy, so consider yourself warned. There was an event that takes place on Kipos that was supposed to be heavily emotional and increase my empathy for Abby. Mostly it horrified me, but then confused me. So basically Abby is raped in order to have her conceive a child. Now, this is awful and horrifying. But Abby’s reaction to this event really puzzled me. She displayed no knowledge or understanding of her body or sex at all. When her hymen is perforated, she thinks they are performing surgery on her. She seems to have no idea what’s going on with her body or how sex functions. But then later she starts having sexual fantasies about her guards and masturbating. Um, that doesn’t really make sense to me. Yes, I realize some girls become sexually promiscuous after a rape to take their power back, but she had never masturbated before and didn’t seem to understand sex at all so this move was confusing. She also shows extreme naivety about her pregnancy, such as thinking that she is going to be raising this baby and allowed to be a mother to it. Also, she doesn’t seem to have any ambivalence about the baby which is very common for babies conceived through rape.

Alright, enough about that, let’s move on to the next part. I really loved Abby’s interaction with the crew of the Revelation. I loved that she found her place and discovered something that she really enjoyed doing. The characters were excellent and their interactions made me really interested to see what would happen. The only thing that bothered me about this whole section was Abby. She never thought to talk to anyone about anything before she came to a conclusion about their behavior and instead just decided that her conclusion was right and acted accordingly. This alienated her from her companions and served to alienate me from them as well.

My last tiny little gripes, I promise. Some of the more scientific aspects of this book confused the hell out of me. I consider myself to be reasonably intelligent, but 2 relative weeks, 3 relative months, tachyon engine this, it just made my eyes cross. The only way I knew how much time had passed is by looking at the dates at the beginning of the chapters. Otherwise, I was clueless. Also the ending of the book was rather anti-climactic. The author built up some amazing tension in the plot for many chapters, and then when we got to that moment it was just…..over. There was minimal drama and it was resolved within a few pages. That was a bit disappointing. But the ending after that was excellent and well planned out. Abby may not have found her utopia on Kipos, but she did find it by the end of the book. Overall I enjoyed this book a lot but there were a handful of things that prevented me from truly loving it as much as I could have. But it is a fun read and I would encourage anyone who’s a fan of the sci-fi genre to read it, and new fans to the genre should give it a try.

Read this and other great reviews at my blog Stefani's World of Words

[Kelsea David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Now, I was really excited for this book because something about Scifi makes me itch with impatience (Why haven't we achieved any of this stuff yet??). For the most part it was a fulfilling adventure about a girl who grows as she is thrust is circumstances beyond her control. She has to deal with leaving her planet and knowing that everyone she knew and loved on earth would die before she ever reached the new planet. Then once at the new planet she had to deal with being separated from her only family and basically made a slave. When she finds her way to freedom with a flight crew of hybrid humans she has to deal with the time space continuum and how she will stay the same while everyone she knows planet side could age decades while she is gone.

While there was romance in to book, it wasn't what I craved from the book, from the way it was set up I was expecting something different than what ended up happening. But thinking back on it and looking at it from a mature angle instead of a sex crazed one, I realize that the way things are is probably how they should be, Abby needs time to recover and grow into who she truly is.

The book was well written, though at times I felt myself drifting because sometimes it just seemed dense with the description of the space things. Or I would want to see the relationships develop between characters and instead I would end up with Abby on a new planet describing plant life. So I hope there is a second one because I want to see where these characters end up. I think that I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars, because sometimes I just couldn't focus on it, it would lose me.

Now some Spoilers, so proceed with caution!

With all the focus on Mark and Abby it seemed like the author was setting them up to be together. I understand why they didn't get together... She was traumatized from her rape and he was getting over his relationship with Pat. But that was one of the things that pissed me off. This whole weird love triangle thing. They were so good together, but then Pat shows up and Mark takes him back after Pat had ditched him for a woman. I mean if he wanted to be a dad they could have adopted, there were so many humans that needed homes. But I mean thinking like a mature adult, I get it, though I wish that they were together I get it.

Then for a crazy moment I was thinking that she was going to get with Harden, but then he took the role of her dad, which I really liked. But ho emotionally unstable is Harden, I mean Abby cries and he thinks she is going to go commit suicide, I know that happened to his wife but how fragile is his mind that he thinks everyone is going to do that. I also was a bit confused about the breeding laws and why so many pregnancies were terminated. If the planet was having a population problem (and they were, they were going to die out) then why were they terminating so many pregnancies and sterilizing people? I mean that is just dumb.

Then finally there is the whole individual time line thing. Like, in space time passes differently so when you return planet side everyone you have known is either super old or dead. That is just hard to think about. Not because it is hard to grasp, but because that is such a painful thing to have to face. Like, when she contacts the planet to talk to her sister and Orchid is in her 30s and has kids and has grown up and has her own life, and Abby is still a teenager.

It was a very cool story, and I will definitely keep looking for new books by Elizabeth Guizzetti.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

tl;dr - |✭✭✭✭✩| Overall, I kind of loved this book. Not to say that it was perfect, or didnt have moments where I was frustrated with the characters. But I found myself wishing there was more when I finished the story.

Description (from Goodreads) Without an influx of human DNA, the utopian colony on Kipos has eleven generations before it reaches failure. Earth is over ninety light years away. Time is short. On the over-crowded Earth, many see opportunity in Kipos's need. After medical, intelligence, and physiological testing, Abby and her younger siblings, Jin and Orchid, are offered transportation. Along with 750,000 other strong immigrants, they leave the safety of their family with the expectation of good jobs and the opportunity for higher education. While the Earthlings travel to the new planet in stasis, the Kiposi, terrified the savages will taint their paradise, pass a series of indenture and adoption laws in order to assimilate them. When Abby wakes up on Kipos, Jin cannot be found. Orchid is ripped from her arms as Abby is sold to a dull-eyed man with a sterilized wife. Indentured to breed, she is drugged and systematically coerced. To survive, Abby learns the differences in culture and language using the only thing that is truly hers on this new world: her analytical mind. In order to escape her captors, she joins a planetary survey team where she will discover yet another way of life.

I picked this book up at my work because it was part of the local authors/ signed copies endcap. I had started reading it at the register one slow night, and was intrigued. I bought it, then months later finally got to reading it. Its hard to describe this book (not just because I finished it like 3 months ago), because it was so different than what I was expecting, and I don't want to ruin that for people. It was kind of enjoyable to see the story unfold the way it did, wondering where it was going to go next, and surprise me. 

Our main character, Abby, was at times absolutely infuriating to follow. But her story felt real, its something that has definitely happened to people immigrating to a new society, and in this book's case, literally a new world. Perhaps thats why I got so frustrated to her. I didn't want the things to happen to her like they were, but as a reader we are powerless to stop it. So we have to go on the same journey she does, and it isn't exactly a pleasant journey. 

This book is definitely more science fiction than fantasy. There is a lot of talk about the different technology used, the space ships and the physics involved in their space flight. Sometimes it went over my head, but overall it was interesting and felt as though it made the read a little more challenging. I definitely enjoyed this book and the story telling, as I mentioned in my little blurb at the beginning, I finished the book and was sad there wasn't more to read and explore. I would suggest this book to others who enjoy the scifi/space travel genre. 

[Stephanie Moakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a sci-fi fan. I’m not familiar with space stations, wormholes, deep space, or the solar system and aliens and the like do not appeal to me in any way but throw in a teenage girl, a bunch of heartache and a space crew looking for a planet to call their own and I was hooked. This book was nothing like I imagined it would be. It was a hundred times better. Guizzetti’s writing is really stunning and despite not understanding a lot of the terminology, it was an easy and enjoyable read. The way in which Guizzetti covered issues such as rape, suicide, homosexuality and abuse was breath-taking and I believe that this book required an impressive amount of research to complete and I have nothing but praise for her. Guizzetti created a completely new and believable world and her descriptions are beautiful, I could see every detail in my mind’s eye. I almost believe that Kipos is out there somewhere just waiting to be found.


Abby Boyd Lee was a character that completely blew my mind because despite all the suffering she endured and all of the heartache, she still came out on top as a strong independent woman and I have nothing but respect for her. Guizzetti wrote her beautifully and she was a believable and lovable character. In the beginning I couldn't help but be annoyed with how naive she was and how unrealistic her dreams for the future were but I realised that without her naivety the plot would have fallen apart. She dreamt of a better future for herself and made the ultimate sacrifice by leaving her family behind to travel through the stars. Unfortunately for her, not everything was quite as it seemed. She suffered trauma, loss and heartache before she found the space crew that would ultimately become her family. It took a long time for her to truly see herself as others saw her and be at peace with everything she went through.


Harden was one of my favourite characters and I couldn't help but love him, despite the fact that he barely shows any emotion besides anger and annoyance. He has suffered in different ways to Abby but like her, he came out on top. I believe this is why he forms such a sweet relationship with her. She looks to him as a father figure, always seeking his approval and in the beginning it seems that he wants nothing to do with her and despises her for even being allowed to become a part of his crew but in the end he treats her like a daughter, he protects her and tries to get her to reach her full potential. I love how this book became very much about him and Abby as opposed to being solely focused on Abby. The ending is sweet and emotional and shows a completely different side to Harden that I didn’t expect.


I really loved that this book was NOT a love story, there is romance and Abby has quite a few crushes (some that are really strange) but it isn’t solely based on two people falling in love and living happily ever after. Abby finds that although it was her dream to find a husband that loved her, she found something she never realised she needed. A family. Every character in this book is relevant and although they weren’t always at the centre of everything and some were only mentioned briefly, they were the elements that really made this book really come to life. I loved each and every one of them.

[Lisa Hapney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please note that this review is directly from my blog therefore references to links and the like obviously won't be valid.

The difference between a good book and a mediocre or awful book is the amount of time that seems to be involved. A great book will fly by until you find yourself at the last page not wanting to read the last paragraph because it will be over. Last week I read one that I had to struggle to finish. Fortunately, a good book much like a cold beer on a hot summer day will find you at the end of it surprised that you are already done and that's how this book was. I will freely admit that Other Systems isn't a love it so much I'll read it over and over yearly book; however it is a good book that covers some disturbing subjects.

I received a request to read this book and participate in a blog tour for it, but to be clear I don’t receive any compensation for anything I write here. Since I found it to be a good read I'm going to give the lady her due and hook the links up on the right in my links list so you fine people can find it without too much trouble.

As far as I'm concerned what's listed in the official synopsis doesn't quite give the flavor of the book. In my opinion what the synopsis describes is the actual build up for where the story really begins, the background if you will. For me the action part of the story really began at the last line of the synopsis where she joins the planetary survey team.

I have no idea at this point why the author chose to begin this story in quite the way she did, but maybe we'll find out. As part of the blog tour there will also be a Q&A section following the review when I publish it on July 6th as part of the tour, but I haven't done that part yet. Today is June 19th and I'm writing while it is fresh. Today, having just finished the book I have no idea why she went the way she did with the story, but in the end I would have to say it worked out fine. It is not only a story about awakening to a similar yet divergent culture where it seems things have gone terribly wrong, but a coming of age story for Abby who becomes an explorer of both the universe and who she wants to be. It's a story about how families are not only born, but made from the friends we collect and keep throughout the journey of life.

Some of the beginning is pretty dark. That it is dark didn't bother me at all. As it turned out to be partially a story about coming of age and acceptance that was done pretty well while out exploring alien landscapes and a different culture, in some ways I kind of think it is a shame that it's not a book I would be able to share with too young of an audience due to some of the subject matter. Nevertheless, it was a good read. I truly enjoyed the story of Abby's rise out of servitude and adventurous explorations to strange new planets with the survey team. It flowed smoothly and the story kept my interest enough to leave me wondering about it when I wasn't reading. The characters had depth and were believable. If you're looking for a good story and have a bit of free time you might want to give it a try.

This review originally posted at http://tjhapney.wordpress.com/

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am in no way qualified to write about sci-fi. I have never read a sci-fi novel, I have never watched star trek or anything like that, and I find them to be boring. With that said, Guizzetti asked me to read her novel. So I decided to give it a shot cause she made it sound so promising.

I had a hard time with this novel I’m not going to lie. I was a science nerd and I know about all the planets and the physics of everything. I still had a hard time, I found the language in the beginning to be a little more complicated then I’m used to.


I couldn’t help but get immersed in Abby’s story. She was an earthling in the year 3062, she was a librarian and the only thing she worried about was finding a husband. She lived in a cramped apartment building with four other siblings, and then they were informed that there was a ship landing from another planet. When the other people arrived they promised the earthlings a better life on their planet Kipos. Abby was excited she could go and maybe go back to school. They got all the necessary testing and then they were off, Her and her two siblings went to the new planet. There were the things the people didn’t tell the earthlings, and when Abby gets to Kipos she finds herself in a difficult situation.


Guizzetti, talks about major things such as suicide and rape, but she portrays it so beautifully, that I didn’t find myself offended by the situation. She shows you that no matter where you go there are people that won’t always be nice.

Abby finds herself running, to find a new way of life on this planet. She finds someone who is willing to help her and Abby gets the life she always dreamed of.


Guizzetti describes the environments of different planets beautifully and I had no trouble imagining what they would look like.

Abby is strong and independent. Even though she lost everything by traveling to Kipos, she still manages to pull through and overcome the things that have been done to her. She does what’s right for her, even though she was dealt a really bad hand; she manages to find everything she ever wanted. She is also timid, emotional, and that’s what makes her story so easy to fall in love with.

I have to say that, if I liked it then you probably will too even if you have never read a sci-fi novel before. When I went into this book, I was expecting something lite and fluffy, it was the farthest thing from my expectation, it was intense, and it was hard to put down. Most of all it was believable I found myself, thinking maybe one day this might actually happen, or that maybe there are other planets out there that could be discovered.

Overall I found I really loved this book, I don’t recommend it for younger readers, but if Guizzetti can make a believer out of me. I’m sure she can make you a believer too.


Find this and other reviews at Moms Reading Corner

[Hecate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me preface this review with three facts:

I’m on the fence with sci-fi books because sometimes they’re not fully thought out.
I’m a very picky reader.
It’s very difficult for me to turn off my “scholar” brain when reading a book.
Now, with that out of the way, all I can say is that Other Systems is something I would highly recommend to everyone. The general problem I have with science fiction and futuristic books is that you have to come up with a universe that makes sense within your story and somewhat holds a believable explanation. I understand you can make up your own things (technology, alien species, etc), but they have to make sense on their own. Upon reading Guizzetti’s Other Systems, I was extremely pleased to discover that the universe in which she set her story was thoroughly planned out. I felt confident that Guizzetti knew exactly where she wanted her universe to go, and I was more than happy to allow her to take me on for the ride.

I started out reading this novel hoping that it would be a fun adventure from the get go. However, I was very wrong. I had immediately attached myself to the protagonist, Abby, and I had high hopes for her future in the new world. But I was mistaken. Like Abby, I felt betrayed by the Kiposi. How could they do this to her? How could Guizzetti do this to me??? That’s how it was. I’d completely let go of the intellectual part of my analysis and felt myself falling into a “fangirl” state of mind. That is not something that can be easily done. That was just a testament to how good I found the book.

I had to put the book away for a day and reset my mind or else I wouldn’t be able to write a review that I believe the book deserved. There were such complex issues ranging from technological advances, race and social disputes, and figuring out what can really make a family. It took a while to wrap my mind around the time differences, but I came to accept it as a norm.

I devoured this book in a matter of hours (ignoring the hours when I had to go to work) and I honestly yearn for more. Although things didn’t happen the way I wanted them to when it came to character relationships, I can’t say that I was unhappy with it. There were a few open ended questions but I learned that there will be a sequel and I really want it to come quickly.

The characters were really thought out and well rounded. There wasn’t a character that I couldn’t relate to somehow. I found Guizzetti’s universe to be believable and amazingly planned out – and I’m very happy about that. I am confident that the next installment will be just as engaging as this book. This was one of the first books that made me honestly wish I could live in that sort of universe where I could explore the stars (and not succumbed to space death).

So would I recommend this book? Most definitely.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Abby Boyd Lei and her siblings, Jin and Orchid, are given the opportunity to leave Earth and take up studies on the planet Kipos. It is a dream come true for Abby, who has dreamed of a world outside of her own. Unfortunately for her, this dream trip comes at a high cost, when she is separated from her family and sold to breed with a rich Kiposi. Cole Alekos is captain of his ship of explorers and is raising his three children. His family and team are in charge of finding a suitable planet to live on, otherwise there culture will be lost for good. Harden and Helen are piloting a ship, when a runaway, Abby. finds them and pleads for their help.

Elizabeth Guizetti builds an intense world in this sci-fi novel. The planets and space travel is filled with so many details that readers will feel as though they are with Abby in her billet. This book covers more mature topics of rape, population explosions, and the meaning of family. The more emotional, "human" scenes are glossed over, so readers don't experience too many gruesome details, but at times this may cause readers to feel as though they missed something. The points-of-view rotate between Cole and Abby, despite the fact that they hardly interact. The last thirty percent of this book is thrilling and readers will not be able to put the book down, at that point.


Sci-fi is not a subject that I read too often. My head tends to have trouble keeping up with light-years and aging times in space. I was grateful that this book had chapters that marked the year and kept reminding me of how old each character is, during that time. Abby is a complex character, who on Earth is ready for adulthood, seems to welcome a "new" childhood in space. There were a few minor grammatical errors, but they weren't overwhelming to the storyline. The plot is a bit slow for the majority of the book and I kept waiting for something more to happen, but around the seventy-percent mark, I couldn't put the book down. (I stayed up until 2am finishing the book and wanted to know more about Abby and the Alekos family after I was finished.)


Notes:

A copy of this book was provided by the author for me to review.
This review was originally posted on the Ariesgrl Book Reviews site.

[Raelyn Falkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Book provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

I never realized until recently that I’m not a big fan of science fiction. I always assumed that I liked both scifi and fantasy (seeing as how they are usually clumped together), but I realized that I hadn’t read very many scifi books. So, I was afraid that I wouldn’t like this book but I took the chance anyway since it sounded very interesting. It also came with high recommendations from my two best friends.

The writing is very well done. So well done, in fact, that oftentimes I started to feel exactly what the characters were feeling (which is rather hard to do). I really loved the science parts interspersed with the story. Instead of just describing aliens and technology, Guizzetti actually explained it scientifically which I really enjoyed. Her imagination to create this story and these species is incredible. And it was so easy to picture it with the way she wrote it down.

The plot was interesting, though I can’t say I was really surprised by the turn of events. I really enjoyed the second half of the book with the new worlds and species. I loved seeing the interaction between the crew members and their friends off ship.

WARNING: The first half of the book is really intense. It contains explicit rape and mention of rape. This book could be very triggering to certain people. I personally had a hard time reading through those parts and even after it took me a while to sort through my thoughts and feelings on it. It is not for the faint of heart.

One of my favorite parts of the novel was the fluid sexuality. I loved how the fact that fluid sexuality was a norm and that it wasn’t a huge focus of the novel was refreshing. It was nice to see that it was a part of the book without having a huge spotlight focused on it. Actually, their outlook on sexuality and sex in general was really nice and I wish that our society was like it.

Like my fellow nerds, I would highly recommend this book to fans of science fiction. However, I do have to warn that it isn’t for the faint of heart and it could be really upsetting for some people.

[T.M. Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this Dystopian, Sci-Fi world Guizzetti has created earth is over populated so mankind is seeking refuge on Kipos. An ‘other systems’ planet, Kipos promises more opportunities for our children and teenagers than are readily available on earth. But when Abby wakes up from stasis on Kipos she finds a completely different world than the one she was promised.

While Abby and her family were sleeping and traveling through space to Kipos, the people of this planet decided to make a few changes in their laws. Separated from her family and sold off to a man whose wife has been sterilized so she can breed for them, Abby must acclimate to this new world and find the will to survive.

Abby is emotionally overwrought, yet fiercely independent as she fights to regain control of her life. She came to Kipos with dreams of a future she couldn’t have on earth, family, husband and security. Although it’s a long, hard road and at times difficult to travel with her; she makes it out the other side a better person and finally gets what she was looking for.

Guizzetti has created a descriptive dystopian society on Kipos that is beautifully written and conveyed. This promised Utopia in actuality is nothing more than a farce, a society that demoralizes young adults. But Abby and her companions fight for their rights and freedoms. There is a love triangle of sorts, but the basis of this story is not the romance. The will to survive, overcoming the odds and being human.. that’s what this story is about.

I give this one 4/5 as it was definitely engaging, the reality that the author created is not only plausible, but believable. The characters were three dimensional, not just names in the story. There were a couple times I was a little lost with some aspects, and the termination of pregnancies thing threw me for a loop. I didn’t understand why when their society is close to extinction, would they make the decisions they were making. But overall this is an intoxicating read that will keep you turning the pages to see how the stories pan out.

[Ruth B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a sci-fi fan but if you would say that based only on one book I could say that I love that genre. Other Systems present an original story, that never goes according to what you think should happen.

Other Systems is the story of Abby, a young girl living in a future Earth trying to live according to what is expected. Things change when descendants from people that was sent out in space returns with the promise of a better world full of opportunities.

What would you do if someone offers you the opportunity of getting to know another planet? As Ally I would go without second thoughts. But everything comes with a price and as result everything in Ally’s life change.

Kipos is the name of the new Planet and since the moment she arrives is obvious something isn’t right. And from that point on the book is AMAZING.

The space and all the planets are described in detail and even a person like me that doesn’t know nothing about it, can picture everything and you almost feel the same excitement that Abby is feeling. The creatures, the landings, everything is breathtaking. It was like seen a movie or even as being inside a spaceship.

The best part of the book is the characters. They are well written, amazingly described and some of them are really cute.

Abby is probably one of the best characters I had the lucky to read about. She has to deal so much and in so little time that it’s incredible the way she gets through everything without giving up. At times I almost cry because of what she was living and I nearly punch at my computer :).

The story never lack emotion, because between the travelling through space, the crew on the revelation and Abby’s mind you are always reading something new and having fun reading.
I’m so glad about how it ended, I’m only going to say that I couldn’t have think in a better ending. It’s truly an amazing book.

(I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review).

[Robert Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Guizzetti’s Other Systems is a lean, gritty immigrant’s story that also happens to be a sci-fi epic. And a coming of age story. And a kick-ass adventure. Fortunately, Guizzetti wields the author’s keyboard as deftly as her heroine Abby handles the stick and throttles of a Revelation shuttle, maneuvering through horrific obstacles and accelerating to escape velocity with split-second timing. While a degree in science fiction isn’t a prerequisite for this accelerated course in galactic exploration, the sci-fi intelligentsia will revel in the precision and granularity of Guizzetti’s futuristic universe. Those of us who are mere interns in the genre will be amazed by the mind-blowing new worlds and the fantastic plausibility of it all while we latch onto a gripping story as old as sentient life itself. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle and John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath come immediately to mind: folks in dire straits sacrifice everything for the promise of a new, beautiful world and then scrap and fight for their lives when the illusions fall by the wayside one by one. Life is vicious and brutal and even when you finally find folks willing to lend you a hand, you can expect a slap upside the helmet when you screw up. Even hardened veterans struggle to overcome daily challenges but Guizzetti tempts fate with an idealistic, sheltered heroine more comfortable in the safe stacks of a futuristic library than the dystopian streets of thirty-first century Seattle. And yet…deep inside the youngster beats the heart of an explorer whose intelligence and determination grab us by the our environmental suit collar and yank us out of our comfortable twenty-first century world into other systems.

[Madison Keller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't normally read sci-fi, but someone loaned me a copy of this book for Kindle. This isn't quite what I expected - this is more of an immigrant's tale set in space than a space opera.

The first half of the book is very slow, and I struggled to follow along with what appeared to be two separate narratives and two separate sets of characters (Abby and Cole) who interact only twice during the course of the book. Contributing to the confusion are the disparate timelines and aging timelines. In the book, people who travel using FTL will only age months for years or decades happening planetside.

The book deals with some very sensitive subjects like immigration, rape, slavery, and discrimination. The author is careful not to go too graphic, however, this means that the intensity of the emotions the characters feel sometimes doesn't make sense to the reader who didn't really get a full grasp at the time of what the characters went through.

The descriptions of space travel, space ships, and the different planets are very detailed and intriguing, but I felt that sometimes the POV was lacking emotional depth and description. This improves towards the end of the book, as Abby final starts overcoming her PTSD and dealing head-on with her emotions.

The narrative evolves from an immigrant story into almost a space travel narrative by the end. I feel the author could have done a bit more to tie the two halves together. The ending seems to come out of the blue, and as a result feels a bit heavy handed. Yet it was a satisfying conclusion, tying up the dangling thread of Abby's escape and her new life aboard the Revelation into one satisfying package.

Three stars, although I have a feeling that someone who enjoys sci-fi more might enjoy this more than I did.

[Beza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was given to me by the author for an honest review.
Wow! This book is really intense, I was expecting a YA book with a light fluffy story about space. Boy was I wrong! This book deals with topics such as rape, and homosexuality, there is also a lot of cussing in this book. I would not recommend it for a younger reader, or a reader who has not reading mature books.

Abby is timid and scared and I got easily frustrated with her, but then I realized that after such a traumatizing experience I can't expect her to be 100% normal. As the story goes along she becomes more confident and more fun to read. As for the romance... there isn't one!



Its such a relief to find a sci-fi book that's not all about romance! I mean don't get me wrong I love romance book as much as the next girl, but its nice to have the book be all about Abby and her struggles on this new planet than about Abby and her romantic life. It's also really nice because instead of Abby finding a guy and living happily ever after she finds something even better- a family. Don't except a happily ever after in this book, the people that go to Kipos will forever have to live with their consequences but things will get better and sometimes that's all you can ask for.

[Melysah Bunting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other Systems by Elizabeth Guizzetti is a sci-fi story about a teen girl named Abby Boyd Lei. Abby works in a library. She lives on a commune with her family. One day chaos breaks out as strange ships appear in the sky broadcasting a friendly message. Can these beings be trusted?

In the year 3062 Earth isn't so livable. Perhaps these foreign beings can help. They offer to transport health humans to their planet. Abby Boyd Lei, her brother, sister and a friend pass the health tests and are taken to Kipos.

Kipos isn't what the humans thought it would be. They are bought and sold to the locals. Abby is bought by a high ranking official who is desperate to conceive a child. Orchid, Abby's younger sister, is adopted by a loving family. Jin, Abby's brother, and Rory, a friend, is sent to do manual labor.

Abby is forced to birth a child by her master. Once the child is born Abby has no use, so they let her escape. What happens now?

This is a story of adventure to new planets. New discoveries are made. A tale of facing adversity, survival, and family.

I really liked the ebook as a whole. The sci-fi element is interesting. There are detailed accounts of planets, beings, and more. Abby is a teen, so it could also appeal to a YA audience. But there are subjects such as rape and slavery which may be not be suitable for some.

I loved the characters. There are quite a few characters, but they all have defining qualities. The story is clearly written. The pace moves right along. I love space, aliens, finding new species, and stories about teens, so this was right up my alley.

[Read Ng · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a GoodReads giveaway.

I really enjoy hard science sci-fi. This one does not get bogged down in the small details, but does adhere fairly well and in a readable manner with the physics of space travel as we currently understand it. It glosses over sub-light space travel, because it is not pertained to the story line. (There was one small chapter date reference early in the story that was inconsistent. Not important, except early in the story, I was still trying to determine if the tale followed a linear time sequence, or was making flashbacks or time jumps. It stuck to a linear time line. Perhaps this is just an early proof reader copy oversight?) This story is not about the technology (a space elevator in Seattle?), but really about how human civilizations/behavior might change, but still remain the same over many centuries. Most of us cherish our families and our sense of self worth. Good stories have strong characters that must find themselves and overcome difficult challenges. I will be looking for more writing from Guizzetti.

[Rabid Readers Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Other Systems” is a very unique sci-fi story. The Earth is dying when aliens arrive looking for immigrants to their planet where reproduction is a problem. The author paints a stark picture of what Seattle has become. There’s overpopulation and Abby and her family live in what they call a “commune” which is actually an overcrowded slum with whole families living by the thousands in rooms in a building. The newcomers paint a lush paradise and the testing and actual technical savvy conveyed to get these immigrants to their new planet is quite detailed and vivid. There are so shimmery waves that take you up to a ship and into space. The aliens build elevators with robotics. They take the best and the brightest. Abby learns over time who the aliens are and how much they actually knew. The writing style flows well and the story unfolds in such a way that the reader has a need to see the character helped and to flourish and to reach in the pages and give her a hug.

[WiLoveBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other Systems follows Abby from Earth as she makes the decision to leave some of her family, knowing she will never see them again, in search of a better life. Before leaving home, Abby is very idealistic and naive. She is 17 and thinks she is ready for a husband and children. She is not prepared for what her new life has in store for her and she has a lot of growing up to do. There is some mature subject matter, including rape, but it is handled well and without being graphic. Sci-fi lovers will appreciate all of the information about space travel, new organisms, different species of humans, and discovering new planets.

[Derek White · Rating 4 out of 5]

*A Copy of this Book Was Given To Me By The Author In Exchange For An Honest Review*

This has the scope of a typical Arthur C Clarke novel but unfortunately there are two or even three tales here to tell and I would have preferred it if, for example, the whole story had concentrated on Abby’s perspective.
Nevertheless readers are treated to a wide range of emotions and, towards the end, travels to other worlds. Persevere though, when you start reading - - although the start is slow, it is worth the effort.

Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official.
For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***

[Kristen Tarzwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
This was a stunning debut novel from Elizabeth Guizzetti, Other System’s is wonderfully imagined and written. This is an easy Science Fiction novel to get into if you’re looking to wet your feet in the adult genre, nothing will be over your head and too hard to imagine. All the world building, and space travel are easy to understand, nothing is too technical or advanced to the point of being frustrating to read or hard to understand.

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[Cellardoorians · Rating 3 out of 5]

Other Systems, by Elizabeth Guizzetti, follows Abby, an Earthly teen/young woman who gets an opportunity to go on a grand adventure. It just turns out that it’s not what she was expecting. But we learn early on that Abby has a thirst to explore, so while her road may be bumpy, she’s not deterred by or afraid of the unknown. And that makes her someone you want to see succeed. [Read full review at http://cellardoorians.com/other-syste...].

[S.M. Blooding · Rating 4 out of 5]

The descriptions were good. I would have liked a little more history on how we got to this point. Not a lot, mind you, but just s a smidge more would have been awesome! The characters were all well-written and three-dimensional. The plot hit me in the gut! I couldn't stop reading, but at the same time, I wanted to just because this world is so not fun. If I'd been thrown into the situation Abby was, I think the book would have ended bloody. I'm just saying.

Well done!