Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga) (Volume 1) by Janet McNulty

Solaris Saga #1

by Janet McNulty

Excellent Book

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult, Amazon

Paperback

First published December 9, 2014

About the author

Ms. McNulty has published in a variety of genres, not wanting to be tied down to just one thing. She began her writing career with her fantasy series entitled Legends Lost. Since then, she has gone on to publish in the popular dystopian genre with her Dystopia Trilogy and has even published a cozy mystery series entitled Mellow Summers. Her most recent work is her space opera, science fiction adventure series: the Solaris Saga.

In addition to writing for young adults and adults, Ms. McNulty has also published several picture books for children.

Reviews

[Gavin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is, by far, the worst thing I have ever read. There is no getting around that. Taking the time to write this review is honestly putting in more time than I believe the author put into the story. However, the book was so infuriating that if I don't put in the time to get it all out, it will haunt me in a way, I'm sure of it.

I struggle to even think of analogies capable of relating this book to something. To call Solaris Seethes science fiction is like calling an episode of Scooby Doo a mystery thriller. The only difference is that one of them appears to have a writer. There is almost nothing in this book that works in my opinion, even on a fictitious level.

The plot of this book would be better served as a bad children's cartoon than a novel. The main character and her kidnapped companions must gather mysterious space crystals before the bad guy. This journey entails traveling to exotic locations like Junglara and Aquara (a jungle and water planet), as well as journey to a planet of snow as well as a desert planet. Throughout this journey every character will make bad decisions and fail to do anything of value besides provide quips for the main character to give sass to. Also, there are space pirates, because this book needed another realm of conflict beyond character incompetency.

This brings us to the writing, which in my opinion is almost unforgivably bad. I highly doubt this book was edited, much less proofread. Grammar and spelling error permeate the novel, and clunky writing style reigns unchecked. For some reason the book is filled with parenthetical narration. The author probably names 20 ways that shoes or feet "clomp" or "clink", while also mentioning how many stairs a character climbs at a time at any given opportunity. Every scene is written as if the characters are just against whatever backdrop of a setting there is. The scenes that take place underwater (featuring a shark) are the exact same as the ones that take place in the snow (featuring a sabretooth tiger), and all these are the same as the ones that take place in space (featuring terrible chase scenes). Despite having a host of settings and worlds, the author doesn't feel the need to expound on anything other than a child's book version of things: snow is cold, space has stars, water is blue. I can't say that if prompted I could actually imagine a single room or general area that is mentioned in the book. Perhaps that was the author's intent though, making us forego the setting to focus on the riveting characters she has created.

The character work in Solaris Seethes would have more relation to an 8th grader's attempt at fan fiction then anything approaching a proper story. Characters wear, and often announce, their hearts and intents on their sleeves. We are often reminded that the Viking warrior (that is somehow in this book) is tough and likes to fight. He routinely will give mention to wanting to be brave and fight. The main character is probably the worst of all the characters. Despite being a humanoid with emerald hair and "heliotrope skin", she is somehow the most bland and unremarkable character in this story. She is constantly whining, while telling others that they annoy her with her whining. She routinely acts dumbly and then immediately questions why she acted in such a way. At one point, the bad guy asks for a crystal, which she then hands to him, despite outnumbering the bad guys 5 to 3. She then proceeds to chase them down, and when one character fails to retrieve the crystal, she berates them for losing it so easily.

One of the worst portions of all of this, is the science of this science fiction. The thoughts behind some of the choices are clearly unedited, because they make no sense after 30 seconds of consideration. Take for instance one of the space "chase sequences": the ship says it can travel 3 parsecs quite quickly to get to a hiding spot. In the book this takes maybe a minute or two. A quick reference tells you that 3 parsecs is almost 9 lightyears, as in: if I move at the speed of light for 9 years I will arrive at my location then. Breaking physics wouldn't be an issue if the author could at least break them consistently. Despite moving several times faster than the speed of light, if the characters are on a planet a few miles away, it often take whatever time the plot requires for backup or the ship to arrive to save the day. Also, for some reason alien planets/societies feature some of the following for no reason: sharks, nutmeg, chicken fajitas, space waffles, Mesquite trees, and microwave ovens. The author tries at times to make alien things (a bagoon is a badger raccoon apparently), but it's so poorly done or inconsistent that the normal things stick out more than the alien things.

Sadly, this may end up being my longest review on GoodReads, which is a shame all things considered. It's often the case that we can form opinions on what we hate easier than what we actually enjoy. Please do not read this book.

[Samanthaberzina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok, where to start?
Am I the only one who thought that the writing was rather bad and the story or characters lacked any depth?

I only managed to read about a quarter of this book hoping it will get better or I might be missing something, but in reality I just kept adding everything that was wrong with it in my head.

For a story to be good, it has to be believable. I know it is science fiction, but some common sense in telling it and following the characters through has to be used.

Few examples:

The main characters dont seem phased at all suddenly being zapped out of their lives and being on a spaceship and looking at someone with purple skin and green hair. I get that each of the characters could take it differently, but not the passive reaction you get from all 4 people taken out of their lives. They have to deal with being teleported, being in space (where half of them dont even understand the concept) and they are suddenly being involved in a mission with an alien. (because that is who Rynah is to them)

They finally arrive at Lanyr, but the atmosphere is the same and everyone can breathe just fine? I know that they had some nano shots or whatever, but weren't those meant for artificial gravity on the ship? Noone has any problems breathing or anything?

People have been teleported from the past, even all the way back to ancient Greek times but have no interest in their surroundings like the ship and technology around them? Maybe Solon is too cam and philosophical and shit and doesnt care, but what about our raging Viking? Surely they should be dumbstruck by the situation?

Supposedly everything should be destroyed on Lanyr, but when everyone arrives at the mostly destroyed lab, the main computer works and has a power supply? After Rynah has made it clear that there have been storms, volcano erruptions, earthquakes, somehow we still have a working computer. And the main one at that. Awesome.

Brie is the coward of the group, always pathetically scared of everything and screaming. So how was she not scared when suddenly zapped to a spaceship with an alien in it? It just does not make any sense to me.

And what is with all the explanations in the brackets. They are so unnecessary or could have just been incorporated in the regular sentences. It just feels like a rather poor writing style. That and just the feeling in general is that the book lacks some good writing. Reading books I like to sit back and enjoy everything in my head, but with this book I could not do it, this is how nondescriptive it was.

Maybe, maybe it gets better after that quarter of the book I stopped at, but unfortunately for me it was enough to put it down and be happy I got it as a free download from Amazon.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

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A group of unlikely heroes, one world lost to the lust for greed and power, and one spaceship with the personality of your best friend, worst enemy, and even your mom! Solaris Seethes by Janet McNulty is more than action-packed young adult science fiction, it is full on fantasy with some of the greatest elements all gathered together in a tale that is larger than life and full of imagination and brilliance!

Imagine being one of the last to survive your world, only making it off because your late grandfather was a brilliant, yet secretive scientist who had created a sentient spaceship who knows you better than you know yourself. Rynah’s heart has been deceived; her new fiancé was only after a gem, long thought to be a mythological tale, that holds the power of the universe in its facets. Now it is both survival and payback time and Rynah and Solaris are just the ones to do the job! At all costs they must rally team together to save the galaxy from ultimate ruin and dictatorship. Reaching across time and space, Solaris will bring Rynah her “army” and the so the quest begins…

Rynah has some rough edges, and she must learn to celebrate the differences her team brings to the table, for only together do they stand a chance against a seasoned army. Each with their own strong point, each willing to fight for honor, each determined to finish the job and be returned to their own time and place. Follow their journey, their battles, their pain and their victories as they live each day on the edge with only Solaris to guide them.

Janet McNulty tells the kind of fantasy that allows her readers to plunge right in, and join the fray while putting their won slant on the story, almost as interactive as Solaris! No spoon feeding here, just a chance to unleash your own inner hero and fight on the side of good. Ms. McNulty never lets up on the drama, the pace, the atmosphere of desperation and determination, not even for one second.

Truly a battle for survival against evil as one young woman finally understands her past and appreciates all that was done to keep her safe by the grandfather she turned her back on. Unique characters, fierce battles, emergencies, and a coming together between these diverse players highlight this adventure as this group learns the value of each member and their place on the team. I was lost in the tale, part of the action and found myself wanting to meet Solaris, myself, because she is the unique twist in this adventure! You want heroics, tension and out of this world action? It's all here!

I received this copy from Janet McNulty in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Solaris Saga - Book 1
Publication Date: December 9, 2014
Publisher: MMP Publishing
Genre: YA/Adult Science Fiction - Fantasy
Print Length: 275 pages
Available from: Amazon |  Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really took me for a loop! The first science fiction book I have read. I truly enjoyed every minute of reading it. The futuristic activities were believable. The action was intense and left me sitting up, cheering them on to victory. The story reminded me a little like the television series, Star Trek; “To boldly go where no one has gone before!" I was amazed at the liveliness of the story, the characters, and the descriptive measurements taken to allow the reader to envision a place or activity in the world of space.

Solaris Seethes is the first book in a 3-book saga that introduces us to the characters, the plot and Solaris. There’s a battle between life and death on the planet Lanyr. The planet’s crystal is the nucleus of the planet’s survival and someone has taken it and caused the planet severe destruction. The main character, Rynah, is determine to save her planet from the destruction by any means possible and she calls on help from four of the most unlikely suspects from different genres as well as different time periods. She’s learning to rely on the assistance of these people that she has no knowledge of nor understand what makes them capable of accomplishing her mission. Together the five will work as one to in order to defeat the villain that is determined to obtain all power.

I enjoyed this book because the story moved at an accelerated pace. It started with action and ended on a cliffhanger. There was always something going on no matter what page you were on; deception, battle, arguments, learning and so forth. The author’s use of imagery narration brought these characters and the story to life. The first character with vivid description was Solaris. Solaris is a vessel that has temperaments of its own. She portrays human-like emotions and has knowledge beyond any computer system or robot. The ability of the vessel to transport people from what they're doing to the ship is amazing. Rynah displayed everyday issues just like you and I. She’s judgmental, very opinionated, confrontational, vindictive, and kind of arrogant.

What I didn’t like about the book was the illustrations. They were not needed in order for the book to conjure the readers’ imagination in the story. I thought when I completed this book the solution to the present situation would be resolved but I was left with a suspenseful need to go to Solaris Seeks Saga #2. I think the issues in this book should have been resolved before the next saga so that whatever troubled lurked ahead would be the main storyline.

I rate this book a 4 out of 4. There were a few grammatical errors but not enough to minimize the story. This story would appeal to many people but because there are certain violent and graphic sections throughout the book, I would not recommend this book to be read by anyone under the age of 13.

[Sudasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

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Intergalactic travel, otherworldly beings, special crystals, and a sentient ship are the bases of the plot of 'Solaris Seethes' (Solaris Saga Book 1) by Janet McNulty.

I enjoyed most the author’s ability to me keep me engaged with scenes full of action; I can definitely state that I was never bored while reading this novel. From the very first chapter, I was enmeshed in conflict, and I liked this, as this is an important aspect of any science fiction book. Additionally, I appreciate that the novel was fully narrated in the third person, which made it easy to follow along with the storyline and keep track of all characters.

McNulty’s overuse of parenthesis to explain and articulate characters’ thoughts and descriptions are what I liked least about this book. For example, instead of simply explaining what a mess hall is, the author delves into a lengthy explanation which was placed in brackets. Many more instances of this occurred, stopping me from getting into a natural rhythm while reading. On a more personal note, I did not particularly like Rynah as the main heroine; her treatment of the other protagonists, while simultaneously needing their help, was very unattractive.

With all the above in mind, I give 'Solaris Seethes' (Solaris Saga Book 1) a rating of 3 stars. The overarching plot and characterizations were good, but they lacked cohesion, which hindered me from easy reading. While the book never lacked action, it did leave me wanting, especially with regard to the writing style.

[Michelle Beer · Rating 2 out of 5]

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[Antonella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows an alien girl Rynah. After her fiance, Klanor destroyed her home planet and almost killed her, in an attempt to get one of six powerful crystals, she seeks refuge on the ship Solaris. But Solaris is not a regular ship. It is an artificial intelligence system that her grandfather made and left to her after he died. Rynah is now on the mission. Find the remaining crystals and save other planets from Klanor's destruction. On that mission, she doesn't go alone. Solaris provides her with four humans; Tom, Brie, Solon, and Alfric. They all are transported from different periods on planet Earth.

This book doesn't end in a cliffhanger, but the storyline stays unresolved. Even though I have an idea of what will happen, I am still curious and want to continue reading more. So, predictability aside, it is still a very interesting read. But some readers might be annoyed with the lack of any conclusion to the story. The thing I like the most is Brie's storyline and Solaris's interaction with all of the characters.

The writing style is debatable. This author loves parenthesis, which can be exhausting and crippling for the story. I enjoyed the idea of this book more than the actual execution of the storyline. I don’t know how the character’s arc develops in future books, but this book should serve as a foundation for it. Rynah, as the group leader, is very feeble and unlikable. Other characters are the mixed bag of underdevelopment. The only believable character is Brie. As with all sci-fi books, you need to have some suspended disbelief. Still, I wish that the author gave more thought to some parts of unrealistic characters’ reactions.

2,5 stars

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I need to gather my thoughts so RTC later on today or tomorrow

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solaris Seethes is the story of revenge of Rynah along with an uncommon companion, Solaris.

When Rynah finds out that her fiancé was only getting close to her to be able to steal a precious gem with enormous power, it is too late for her to do anything but flee. Her grandfather was a man with some ideas of the future and he had built a spaceship with a personality called Solaris. Solaris turned out to be the only available option for Rynah to flee. She then goes on to plot her revenge and recruits four unlikely companions in order to save her planet and its people.

It was quite a shock when I realized that the name in the title belonged not to a person or a legacy, but to a spaceship! But yes, it was fun getting to know Solaris and I feel that Solaris is our protagonist. Rynah is also a character one can empathize with. Betrayed and with her heart broken, she quickly gets back on her feet. Though her initial attention was focused on revenge, she soon realizes the larger picture and works toward it. The other companions each bring their own qualities into the fray and while each id different from the other, they make a good team.

The plot is something that I have not read about before and was quite refreshing to me. The author laid out the base of the plot pretty quickly and without wasting much time. Also, the author has used simple language to tell her story. So it was easy to get into the story. However, I do feel that a faster pace would have been better and the narration stalled at times. Interesting premise and loveable characters keep the readers’ interest, but the narration could do with some work on it.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

[i]Solaris Seethes[/i] opens with Rynah, the main character, witnessing the destruction of her home planet, Lanyr, at the hands of someone she once loved. She is hellbent on revenge and finds herself with an unlikely band of resources - Solaris, who is a spaceship with personality, and a team of four ragtag humans teleported from different times and places throughout Earth’s history to the deck of Solaris to assist Rynah on her mission to save the galaxy. Guided by ancient legends, Rynah and her allies have intergalactic battles to secure the crystals necessary to restore order to the galaxy.

There were multiple issues detracting from the reading experience. Although at times I felt like the book deserved only 1 star, it did get better in the second half of the book which made the reading experience more pleasurable, and earned it the additional star. In any sci-fi book, world building is key and it can truly make or break the story. In [i]Solaris Seethes[/i], the world building was clunky and occupied the first third or so of the book causing the pace to be quite arduous. Despite Janet McNulty’s many obvious attempts to nail it, she never quite made it, and as a result I did not feel transported to Rynah’s world. Additionally, McNulty’s chosen world building tool was an overwhelming amount of quite obvious parenthetical asides which caused the reading experience to feel very jilted and non-fluid. As an example:

"'Yes, papa,' she had said, papa being what she called Marlow.”

In this case, we had heard many stories about, and references to, her grandfather Marlow throughout the course of the story and the reader knows enough to understand that she calls her grandfather “papa” without needing that explained to us.

Additionally, the characters were very monochromatic and lacking of depth. They are strongly stereotyped - there is a warrior, a lover, a philosopher, a rude woman/jilted lover, and an inventor. The female character Brie, the lover and perpetual damsel in distress whose life is saved multiple times by the warrior, is the most obvious instance of the tired cliches that McNulty dispatches throughout the story. As a female herself, I would have expected that McNulty would be able to create deeper female characters instead of lazily relying on cliches and stereotypes.

McNulty does deserve credit for picking up the pace in the latter half of the book, and for writing a few of the war scenes well enough to make my heart rate pick up. Overall, I felt like I was reading a manuscript that was a few edits away from being a finished product, and the book definitely did not come across as having been professionally edited. McNulty had the essential elements there which made the reading experience slightly less painful, but there were many instances where I cringed internally while I was reading. Therefore, I would recommend saving yourself the time and effort necessary to read [i]Solaris Seethes[/i] and instead pick up one of the many well executed sci-fi thrillers on the market.

[Ellie Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solaris Seethes by Janet McNulty is a Sci-Fi novel quite unlike any other I’ve read. When Rynah (a lab worker from the planet of Lanyr) is betrayed by one of her own kind, she is forced to flee her dying planet in a ship built by her grandfather. A character in itself, Solaris (name of the ship as well as its artificial intelligence counterpart) boasts a sassy attitude as they guide Rynah on a perilous journey to right things on her home world.

There is a lot of travelling between alien planets, with non-stop action that had me wondering if the heroes would survive their ordeals. I found this book to be incredibly enjoyable and was curious to explore Rynah’s perspective. From Rynah’s determination to restore her planet to its former glory, to the range of quirky personalities that Solaris allows to dwell within her, there is never a dull moment.
My greatest love for this story comes with Brie’s character, a timid human girl with a big heart. Although she starts off as a somewhat shy and clumsy individual, we see her develop dramatically over the course of the novel, becoming a strong fighter who manages to prove her own self-worth to leader Rynah, as well as to the other three individuals mentioned in an ancient prophecy.

Although I liked many things about this book, there were a few areas that I found lacking, such as the amount of description that was given in some scenes. At times it came across as info-dumping and did little to enhance my experience as a reader. I also thought that the inclusion of illustrations was unnecessary and did nothing to improve the book’s layout or the reader experience.
Some scenes were not realistic, for instance, the first scene where Rynah is fleeing her home planet. In a near-death situation, for some reason she focuses on the exterior of Solaris (the spaceship) instead of running for her life. Another such example comes when the four humans first appear inside of Solaris. In a situation like this, I would expect the characters to panic as they would have no idea of their location or of how they had gotten there, or to ask questions, but no. They appeared to be oddly unphased.

Solaris Seethes is a remarkable read that held my attention from start to end, with characters that I quickly came to adore. I would recommend it to lovers of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

[Cory Firestine · Rating 2 out of 5]

“My name is Solaris. I am a ship, a vessel some consider archaic, but I have a secret—a purpose.”

Solaris Seethes is a science-fiction/fantasy novel by Janet McNulty, the first of the four-piece Solaris Saga. Taking place in a distant sector of the universe, McNulty invites us along as Rynah, a young security officer on the planet Lanyr, is tasked with protecting a crystal whose power controls the integrity of her planet's magnetic fields. When the crystal is taken by someone she trusted, Rynah's entire world crumbles. While attempting to escape the planet upon its destruction, Rynah finds a ship her grandfather built and left for her, using “Solaris” to fly into space, away from Lanyr and all she knew.

Aboard Solaris, Rynah learns her planet's crystal is actually one of six fabled crystals spread throughout multiple sectors of the universe, and when put together they create a powerful weapon that could destroy everything. Rynah is now in a feverish search for them and for the person who betrayed, someone who will stop at nothing to possess the crystals' ultimate power. To aid Rynah, she has Solaris, which is something much more than a ship: an artificial intelligence equipped with an array of abilities and an attitude equally as formidable. Adhering to an ancient prophecy and with Solaris's help, Rynah is joined on her mission by four “heroes” from Earth, each from a different region and time period. Together, the five-person team travels planet to planet, experiencing ups and downs as they always seem one step behind their nemesis. They endure unrelenting landscapes, lethal planet-life, pillaging space pirates, and major setbacks, all the while having to deal with each other's company and Solaris's stinging quips as well. “Temperamental didn't even begin to describe Solaris.”

Along with providing plenty of action and suspense to keep the reader interested the entire way, McNulty allows Solaris a charming, human-like quality in her entertaining ways of interacting with Rynah and the heroes of Earth. Though some character storylines may overshadow the main plot of the tale at times, it is Solaris and her importance to the mission that cannot be overlooked. She was commissioned and entrusted by Rynah's grandfather to oversee her and her attempt to retrieve the crystals and save the universe. Thus, she becomes protective over everyone on board, at points being a sounding board for insecurities, fears, or the need for advice, and not holding back with a bit of tough love is needed. “I wish for freedom,” stated by the vessel at one point, possessing an eerie, anthropomorphic essence.

However, though the story itself is original and even plausible in regards to the science-fiction aspects it contains, the production of the novel leaves much to be desired. Bouts of inconsistencies with the storyline, several times of reiteration, and misplaced or illogical references between the characters of different times or planetary origins lead to the assumption that the novel was not professionally edited and/or poorly executed. The overuse of parenthesis to add extra information into poorly structured sentences, some running on much longer than necessary, slow down the pace and some readers may become disinterested after only a little bit of reading. Unfortunately, even the well-placed actions and conflicts the characters must face, including a deeply emotional climax that sets up the second installment of the series nicely may be overshadowed by the poorly worded text. Once finished with the first, some may find it difficult to continue with the series, abandoning Solaris, Rynah, and the fate of the universe altogether.

Overall, I would rate Solaris Seethes 2 out of 5. The fact that the novel appears unedited, along with the inclusion of several amateur illustrations that do not add anything to the story since McNulty does a good job with descriptions herself, are hard to ignore. I would, however, enjoy re-reading the story again once it has been thoroughly edited because an intriguing, space-crusading tale lives in the pages. Different shades of each of the characters' personalities—main and secondary, alike—are visible and though one or two of the characters' backstories or traits may overcast others, or be unbalanced within the confines of the story, the plot itself has been well thought out. The jury may still be out whether or not to pick up the next novel in the Solaris Saga, but admit that I am interested to see where Solaris takes Rynah and her team of heroes, and what sarcastic pieces of guidance she has in store for them.

[Gregory Willingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting

Very intriguing and ingenious story telling. The characters are all compelling and complex. So much is alluded to with questions following. This makes the reader want more and to continue with the series in hopes that their questions will be answered. This is a fab story with expected and unexpected details. Solaris seems to be a similar take on the tarsus of Dr. Who. This is outstanding! Don’t miss out!

[Aixa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very captivating

I received this book for an honest review.

I honestly wasn’t sure about this story because of the cover, but like the saying goes, “Never judge a book by its cover” I was proven wrong.

As soon as the story starts and takes you to a world never seen before; its description would make your imagination soar. A planet not unlike Earth but different on its own way. Very captivating.

Now, Solaris Seethes is a story about betrayal, revenge and friendship. A story about a girl who was betrayed by her love and now needs the help of her grandfathers ship, a prophesy and a set of strangers to try to fix the wrong her love created.

As soon as I started reading I couldn’t put it down. The action soon starts as if the first chapter that you can’t help but to continue reading chapter after chapter. You want to be angry with the main character, you feel her heartbreak, her grieve and her hunger for revenge. But you also can’t help but despite her for the way she treat others, blaming them for things out of their control.

This book to me was outstanding and I really can’t wait to read book 2 and see where Solaries takes me in its journey. I give this book a 5 of 5 and I recommended for anyone to read.

[Devin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Solaris Seethes by Jane McNulty is the story of Rynah, a sentient ship named Solaris left to her by her grandfather, and their journey to find special crystals before the bad guys can use them to destroy the universe or something as that part wasn’t very clear or memorable. Then add in four “unlikely heroes” from different time periods on Earth and some space pirates just for fun.

I’ll admit the general idea and plot were very interesting and have the potential to be an amazing novel, but the execution, in this case, was very poor. I’d be very surprised if she had a professional editor. If she did, then she did not take their advice. There’s a lot of amateur writing style mistakes that any good editor would help an author correct. Examples include overly flowery language and overuse of Word’s right-click synonyms. Also, the frequent use of parenthesis was very distracting and added nothing to the sentences they were stuck into.

I wish there had been more effort put into world-building in a more grounded, realistic way. This book gave so much detail to pointless facts that just pull you out of the story. The example that bothered me the most is the jungle planet having a green sun. It’s a throwaway detail that I’m sure she thought sounded cool, but there are two major issues with it: green suns scientifically cannot exist and it being green doesn’t add anything to the story. Now, I get that you can say it’s just a book and doesn’t need to be scientifically accurate, but it’s marketed as science fiction. As a frequent sci-fi reader, I can tell you that facts like this are typically possible, if unlikely.

I feel like the author was trying really hard to check off a list of tropes she likes, which wouldn’t have been an issue had they all served a purpose. The worst example being the telepathic link-ups to the ship. The ship frequently speaks to the crew, so we know the link isn’t needed. The explanation could be the need to link crew members that speak different languages, but that gets taken care of by the nanobot injection that somehow is also a babel fish. The reason could be the need for faster than speech controls or something, but the ship constantly talks back and questions decisions, so that’s out too. It’s a cool idea, but it seems like a throwaway detail that just pulls the reader out of the story to question its purpose.

Overall, I think this could be a decent read with a few edits. It currently reads like a manuscript or rough draft that’s far from ready for the general public, and because of this, I couldn’t recommend it to anyone.

[Jasper Hedon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solaris Seethes is a loathsome wreck of a novel. My biggest regret is that I read it digitally. If I had a physical copy, I would have flung it at the wall. Whenever I enjoyed myself, Janet McNulty would compose a sentence that had me seething with indignation. It promised an entertaining story, but presented an amalgam of the genre’s behemoths—as if McNulty clipped frames from their film reels, and pasted them over the pages of her book. I feel deceived and betrayed.

It boggles my mind that people paid for this book, read it to conclusion, and provided a positive review. McNulty screened some Sci-Fi movies and wrote a book.

It is a blemish on the genre.

Quentin Tarantino states, “I steal from everything I’ve ever seen.” McNulty does too, but in contrast, Tarantino steals from obscure cinema and fuses the influences into groundbreaking stories. He’s a thief in the dark. McNulty is a thief in the florescent glow of a stuffed shopping mall on Black Friday wearing a clown suit screaming, “Look at me! I’m a thief!”

The titular ship, Solaris, is named after the 1972 film Solaris by director Andrei Tarkovsky. Subsequently, Steven Soderbergh re-made Solaris in 2002. I was bothered before I read one word of the book. The title is the appetizer of a seven-course meal of thievery, and if you make it to the end, McNulty will serve dessert.

The book opens with Rynah getting ready for work. She is a geo-lab security guard protecting a crystal that holds her home-planet Lanyr together. Rynah’s fiance, Klanor, proposed to her that morning. Thugs invade the lab, led by none other than Klanor. He steals the crystal and the planet collapses. Betrayal.

Rynah retreats from Lanyr on a ship she inherited from her deceased grandfather. Solaris, a sapient artificial-intelligence runs the ship. Rynah’s grandfather’s life mission was to round up the six mythical crystals hidden across the galaxy. If she doesn’t follow in her grandfather’s footsteps, Klanor will use them to create a star-destroying weapon.

The rest of the book is Rynah scrambling for the crystals before Klanor destroys the galaxy. There are four prophesied heroes: the warrior, the philosopher, the inventor, and the lover. Rynah travels to the uncharted thirteenth sector to the planet Earth. Once there, Solaris teleport-beams the prophesied-four through space and time. From there, the adventure begins.

That’s the story and the world.

In the first chapter, three people acknowledge and remark on Rynah’s engagement ring. The lab is rubble, and Klanor kicks the ring. Rynah dropped it in the tussle. Everything concerning the ring was outlandish and convenient. Every time I tried to suspend disbelief, there was another illogical zinger. It hurt my brain. I palm-slapped my face on every other page.

Klanor (Thanos).

Six crystals (Five Infinity Stones).

Star-destroying weapon (Death Star).

The drawing of four (The Drawing of the Three - The Dark Tower Series).

13th Sector (Hunger Games & Battlestar Galactica).

The warrior is a viking (Thor).

Later there is an Obi-wan-esque character named, Obiah.

That equaled seven palm-slaps.

The book wasn’t without hope.

McNulty did an okay job with the characters, though only one develops. Rynah is a dis-likable jerk, continually on the brink of tears, but her redemption is set up for the subsequent volumes. Klanor is a carbon-copy of a dozen villains. Alfric is the strongest character by far with the most interesting back story. Brie is a cowardly teen, full of angst. Tom and Solon are pleasant enough, but there is a borderline racist scene where Solon hides Tom in a closet and suggests that his dark skin will make him blend in the shadows. That was uncomfortable and out of place. Later, Alfric paints his face with black sludge to blend in with black-skinned aliens. Alfric wears black-face. I repeat, Alfric wears black-face.

Trigger Warning: this book has black-face.

The prose itself is over-worded, badly written, and painful to read. Exposition is prevalent in on-the-nose dialog. I could remove a third of the word count from this book by deleting useless filler-words. There are too many parentheses full of worthless information and retroactive continuity. There is next to no foreshadowing and characters pull items they need out of their pockets, only to explain it away in parenthesis. A professional didn’t edit this book. If one did, McNulty needs a refund.

The action sequences were forced, banal, and redundant.

The hand-to-hand combat is straight out of a Tony Jaa movie, it’s all knees and elbows. They’re attacked by some form of monster every time they land. Everyone possesses a laser pistol, and no one can hit anything, or they don’t use them. There is a scene where the characters are being assaulted by a giant creature and they all throw snowballs at it. They are all armed with laser pistols! A character almost dies because no one thinks to shoot it.

And laser pistol. It hurts every time I read it. Laser pistol.

I repeat, this book has black-face.

I rate Solaris Seethes 2 out of 4 stars. Others seem to enjoy it, but I did not. I wanted to though, and it makes me sad that it wasn’t better. The book was enjoyable when it breathed. My favorite part was when the gang was stranded on an ice planet and does nothing. Obiah, though I hate the name, was a pleasant addition to the story and it pushed through the dreaded second act. I enjoyed everything other than the prose beyond the mid-point. The book ended well, and I’m interested in the sequel, but I will opt for something better.

I recommend Solaris Seethes for anyone who doesn’t care about poor writing, grammatical errors, characters with no development, a spate of conveniences, plot holes, and craves discount house-brand Marvel Universe.

This book is a decent first-draft.

McNulty should refine a book before spitting out another.

[Rachel's Book Reviews · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give it zero I would. This book was freaking excruciating to read.

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solaris Seethes by Janet McNulty is a science fiction novel about a young woman who must search through space for several crystals to save not just her planet but many others as well. Rynah has barely escaped the destruction of her planet, after the man she loved, stole the crystal that held it all together. Rynah feels hurt and betrayed by what has happened, but she must move forward. With the help of the mysterious Solaris, Rynah must come together with four unlikely heroes to save the Lanyran people. Finding the crystals will not be easy, as there are fakes and Klanor is looking for the others as well, however, if they give it their best they will succeed.
Solaris Seethes is the first book that I have read by Janet McNulty, but being a fan of science fiction novels I was intrigued by the storyline when I read the blurb for it. Right from the beginning we are introduce to Raynah as she is reporting to work, not knowing that her world and her life is about to change in a matter of minutes. It doesn't take long for the truth to be revealed, as to who is behind the attack on her facility and what they are after. As Klanor steals the crystal Raynah can only watch as her fellow officers are killed. He does not expect her to survive the destruction of the planet, yet she does. Solaris, programmed by Raynah's grandfather, wishes to aid her in locating the four from the legend who will help her save her planet. Once they are all gathered together, they must learn to work together and become stronger if they are to succeed.
For me, this book has been an engaging, and interesting read. This book appears to have been professionally edited, and proofread. The only things that I didn't like about this book were Raynah's attitude and Brie's weakness. I felt that Raynah was always pushing too hard. I understood her drive, and need for success, but I wanted her to consider the others more. Then there is Brie, Brie is the typical scaredy-cat, who hates confrontation and would rather run than fight. There are some predictable moments with Brie, and I would have preferred her not be so predictable, in being the one who messes up or trips. I hate to say it, but it just annoyed me that she was like that.
I have to say that I love how this book immediately engaged me from the very beginning. This book lures you in almost every level. Both Raynah and Klanor still have feelings for each other, but Raynah is more focused on the betrayal. I love how the author takes us to different planets, each one unique in so many ways. Solaris is not an ordinary ship, and the author does a great job bringing that to light. Solaris strives to help Raynah, not just with flying the ship but with her relationships with the other four. I like how the others work to help each other out even though they are all dynamically different. I like the dynamics between the characters, and I enjoy the surprises and twists. I can tell that the author enjoyed writing this book because there aren't any places where the story stalls out.
I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed this book very much, and by the end, I wanted to read the next book. Solaris Seethes is very enjoyable and engaging from start to finish. The author does a good job creating interesting characters in all of them. The story leaves you with a cliffhanger, so be prepared when it happens. If you are a fan of science fiction novels and are looking for a unique book I recommend this book. Solaris Seethes brings many dynamics to the table that I'm sure many will enjoy.

[Emily Gartland · Rating 2 out of 5]

[i]Solaris Seethes[/i] by Janet McNulty is the first novel in a four part science fiction series. The novel follows Rynah and her autonomous spaceship Solaris, as they attempt to save the world from an evil villain. The story begins as Rynah starts her day as a security officer at lab housing a special crystal, which is used to regulate the magnetic field of their planet. As they shut the systems down for routine maintenance, the lab is attacked. In an attempt to save the crystal, Rynah discovers that the attackers are led by Klanor, her fiance, and that they are trying to steal the crystal to destroy the planet. Unable to stop them, Rynah barely manages to escape the exploding planet on an old spaceship of her grandfather.

This spaceship is Solaris, which her grandfather had upgraded with an artificial intelligence system. Solaris explains her grandfather's work with the crystals to Rynah, and together they begin on a quest to stop Klanor from gathering the rest of the crystals and creating a weapon to destroy everything. To help them, they essentially kidnap four humans from Earth that Solaris believes match the ancient prophesy regarding the crystals. This unlikely group then sets out to collect the crystals before Klanor can, and the rest of the novel follows their adventures.

I rate this book a 2 out of 4. The plot line I described sounds really interesting, doesn't it? I thought so too, and that is why it gets two stars instead of one. However, the execution of this book left quite a bit to be desired. The writing style was quite clunky in places. In some parts there was too much description, in others not enough. Often there were sections that were redundant, and there were multiple times where I believed the author was just stating the obvious, and it would have been more powerful just to let the reader draw the conclusion from the events that had just happened. This book definitely needed someone to come in and give it a serious editing.

The other main problem I had with the book was the characters. None of them seemed very real to me. They were all caricatures of some sort. Rynah had been betrayed by everyone in her life it seemed, which could have led to some interesting character depth. Instead she was just a thoroughly unpleasant person. Brie's only function seemed to be as a damsel in distress. Alfric was the giant scary viking who is secretly a big softie. The other main characters were slightly better, but seemed to have a much smaller role in the book and almost seemed to be forgotten about sometimes.

Overall, the book had an exciting and unique plot, but lacked depth and emotion. I found it hard to get very invested in the world and the characters. Even in the section that was clearly meant to be an emotional climax, I just didn't care that much. The conversation and flow of the novel was stilted and awkward. If you are just looking for an action packed plot in a new setting, you may enjoy this book. But if you are looking for something more, I would suggest looking elsewhere.

[Twig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was definitely not perfect, though contrary to what a lot of the other reviewers have said I actually really liked it. I feel like this book had a Jekyll and Hyde thing going on because sometimes this book can be just amazing to the point where, despite the flaws, I'm having so much fun that I want to give it a 5 stars anyways. Then the next paragraph it's just awful. Most of the time that awfulness is fairly tame with a bit of corny, cliche writing or stilted prose. Other times, particularly in regard to the character development (or lack there of) of Rynah, it's just so damn painful I want to DNF on the spot.

The thing for me though is that this premise is near perfect. Like the idea of a rag-tag group of people from different countries and eras getting teleported to a space ship where they have to use their unique skills to help find the 7 MacGuffins that are distributed throughout space, all while some evil dude tries to find them too is just a near perfect premise for me. The (mostly) likeable characters that also includes a sassy spaceship just makes it so much better.

When the book leans into the premise and the author is in the mood to write well, it is an absolute trip that I enjoy every second of. The suspense genuinely has me on the edge of my seat, heart pumping in my chest in a way I haven't experienced in other books before. Even non-action sequences are fun or emotional when they lean into the characters and the relationships they have. These sections of the book are the saving grace for me, and in my opinion, are enough to counteract most of the bad writing or abysmal character development.

This book would absolutely be one of my favourites ever written if they just had a proper editor for . One that could do something about the occasionally terrible prose, stilted dialogue, and those incredible corny scenes that have my eyes rolling to the back of my head. It's so weird how inconsistent the writing in this book is. One second it'll be this genuinely heart felt moment that's incredibly well written and pulls at your heart strings. Then later they try to do a similar scene and it's the most cringeworthy bs you've read in your life that better fits in a melodramatic Wattpad novel than a book you paid $8 for.

I'm definitely reading the other books. I mean with that ending I'm practically forced to. I hope they got an editor for those next ones cause if they did, this series is a force to be reckoned with and could genuinely end up being one of my favourites of all time. If not, I'll just be left wanting for a series with a similar premise that's as good as this book is when the author's in the mood to write well.

Overall, if the premise truly grabs you and you love a good found family space opera with an epic quest and loveable characters, read this. You might regret it sometimes but the rough patches pass and is followed by some damn good writing. If that whole premise is just okay or good to you then don't bother. It's really not worth it.

[Devyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solaris Seethes is the story of a space ship with a personality, a Lanyran named Rynah with a revenge complex, and 4 unsuspecting humans from different eras of Earth's history forced to unite and save the day. After Rynah's planet is destroyed and she takes refuge in Solaris, her grandfather's old ship, the ship's AI explains to her that the only way to save her planet is to retrieve the crystal that was stolen. Unfortunately, the same villain who stole Lanyr's crystal is now attempting to steal others, hoping to use it as a weapon. Solaris explains to Rynah that according to prophecy, the only ones that can stop him are 4 humans from the Terra Sector, each with specific and unique gifts. So begins a crazy, out of this world adventure with six crazy, out of this world characters.

These characters were so much fun. Solaris, the ship herself, was snarky, quick, and often more compassionate than most soul-baring beings. Rynah was strong, yet unfortunately quick-tempered, which caused her to snap at the four humans she had little patience for. Still, forced to work together, the humans become fast friends.

Despite coming from different times periods of Earth's history, they found they had much in common and quickly became fierce and loyal friends. There was Solon, a scribe and philosopher from ancient Greece; Alfric, a warrior and Viking with a taste for blood and a heart of gold; Brie, a teenager from modern time, and Tom, an ambitious inventor from the late 2000s.

These characters and their interactions were absolutely precious. Alfric the Viking immediately took a liking to Brie, and he became her teacher and protector. Their banter was quick and silly, something to lighten the mood in case their mission became heavy. Even stone-hearted Rynah began to warm up to her crewmates toward the end of the story, their friendship heartwarming and sweet.

There's something about the story that put off Guardians of the Galaxy vibes for me, which I loved. Characters from different places and backgrounds coming together for one common goal: it's the ultimate origin story.

I was worried in the beginning that I wasn't going to enjoy this. In the opening chapters, I was put off by how quickly the author dove into the story and how little build-up there was to the massive attack on Rynah's planet, Lanyr. I figured from then on that everything was going to move quickly and was concerned about the pacing of the story; however, there were no issues after that.

Had the beginning eased me into the story a little better, this would have been much more enjoyable. However, I enjoyed it nonetheless and I'm happy to have read this sweet, colorful story. Mythology, science, and adventure come together in this book of betrayal, humor, family, friendship and sacrifice, a book anyone could enjoy.

This review was originally posted on my website at spinelessbookwyrm.wordpress.com

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Solaris Seethes (Book 1 of the Solaris Saga), Rynah and her new friends, Tom, Alfric, Solon, and Brie, search throughout universes for six crystals – that according to Rynah’s grandfather, Marlow, and legends, will save her planet. The team fights space pirates along the way and is constantly on the run from Rynah’s nemesis and former fiancé, Klanor.
Overall, I think that Solaris Seethes was a great first book. It not only kept my attention and intrigue through the whole book, but since this was only book 1, I want to read the rest of the books in the series to see what happens to Rynah and the gang, and Solaris – the ship with her own personality and attitude whom I grew to love, adore, and miss.
There were some things that I felt could have been done better. For example: there were some moments and chapters that were rather slow. These moments felt like they were not there for moving the story further along, but only for character development. I enjoyed them on their own but they didn’t really add much to the story and didn’t’ feel necessary.
Technically, I thought that this book was very well written. There were only two errors that I noticed and they were minor errors that never distracted me from the story. (For exact errors, see error report.) Overall, I thought the character development was well written, though I also thought that the development of Klanor could have been a little bit more in depth. All I knew about him was that he was the “bad guy” and therefore we were supposed to dislike him. I would have liked a bit more. Actually, I felt this generally for most of the characters. It felt like there was a lot of time spent on character development, but not a lot of actual character development being done. What I mean by this is that there was a lot of “down time” between the characters – minor conversations and interactions that didn’t do a lot for the story – but not a lot of things that told us, the readers, important facts or information about the characters themselves or moved the story forward. This was my problem with the book, and why I didn’t give it a 4 out of 4 stars. All those conversations would have been fine – great even – if they did something other than just fill space. I wanted more from the characters.
Because of all of this, I rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars. It was a well written book that kept me wanting more and had me wanting to read the rest of the series, but still had some things that Janet McNulty could have improved on.

[Redmakesmyheartsing · Rating 2 out of 5]

Solaris Seethes by Janet McNulty begins by introducing us to Rynah. Rynah works as a Security Officer at the Geothermic Center based in an underground laboratory on the planet Lanyr. Once a year, all systems are shut down for fifteen minutes to be cleared of unnecessary data. Today just as everything is shut down, Rynah is appalled to see people from the Lunyra Movement break in, led by Klanor, her fiance! Klanor steals a crystal that controls Lanyr's magnetic fields. Without the crystal, the magnetism becomes misaligned. It causes, amongst other things, volcanoes to erupt, earthquakes, and disruptions to the weather. Rynah escapes through a secret tunnel to find that her planet is dying. All around her is carnage. She remembers a hangar where her grandfather had hidden an antiquated ship. This ship is the mysterious Solaris. It is over fifty years old but in fantastic condition. Escaping the destruction of Lanyr, Rynah must put her trust in Solaris while following an archaic story that has come down through the generations of her people. Together with four humans, each from a different time in Earth's history, Rynah tries to track down Klanor before he can find the other five crystals. Why are the crystals so important? How are humans able to help Rynah? Will the antiquated Solaris be up to the job? Furthermore, what was the argument that cut her off from her grandfather?

I liked that hidden moral lessons show the reader how to become a better person and understand their friends, seeing them for who they really are, not just the side they show the world. It was clever to make Solaris intelligent and sassy. I read about the growing friendship between Solaris and Rynah with interest. I particularly enjoyed their arguments. I love all the colorful descriptions in Solaris Seethes. For example, on page eighteen, "Rynah sat up, allowing her emerald hair to flow over her lavender-colored (a very light shade at that) skin; specks of gold accentuated her waves of dark emerald tresses, forming highlights that even the dim lighting failed to hide." Janet McNulty's descriptions, especially of Rynah, are beautiful.

Solaris Seethes is science fiction. However, I would have found it more enjoyable and interesting if it had been believable. The story is based on another planet, meaning they have different words for things, yet when Rynah is in pain, she takes aspirin. As aspirin is a word used on Earth, I think it would be unlikely that another planet would also have aspirin in its vocabulary! Also, Rynah teleports four people from Earth who have no concept of her world even existing. Solon from 751 BC, Alfric from 1163, Brie from 2014, and Tom from 2099. They are supposedly intelligent, grounded people but ask a few questions after being teleported, then go with the flow. If I had been suddenly zapped up to another ( and very different) planet, I would want to know: Why have I been chosen? What can I expect? and when will I go home?

I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars due to the dislikes mentioned. The idea for the storyline is brilliant. However, the author executes her ideas poorly, from the long-winded sentences, which make the book boring, to the unbelievable and two-dimensional characters. As this is the first in a four-part series, I hope the books get more interesting as the author progresses!

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fast-paced science fiction, particularly younger adults or older teenagers; there is some swearing but nothing sexual.

Thank you to Janet McNulty for a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.

You can read more of my reviews here http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-... on my blog https://redmakesmyheartsing.blogspot....

[Cryssie Addis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very pleased with this book. I wasn't sure what to expect, which is why I chose to read it. It intrigued me. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I enjoyed the mixture of innocence and adventure in this book. There were moments as I was reading that I felt a burst of emotions. This author did a great job of setting the infrastructure for this book series!

This is the first book in a series of sci-fi adventure stories. This story is about a young alien woman named Rynah. Rynah is betrayed by the man she loves. Rynah seeks to exact her revenge as she races against her ex-fiance, yes he's the villain, around the universe to gather crystals. There are 6 crystals which, when found and put together make the ultimate weapon that can destroy the universe!!! These crystals cannot fall into the wrong hands!

Along the way she comes across four humans from different time periods of earth who will all work together to save the universe. There is Alfric the fierce and strong viking who is courageous and brave in the midst of trouble. Solon the brilliant yet humble Greek philosopher, who struggles with being a disappointment to his father. Then there is Tom the science geek who is working on the biggest scientific discovery that will help the future. And last but not least Brie, the bullied teenager who lost her father in the Iraq war and struggles with fear.

Then there's the ship. Yes, Solaris, the sentient ship. This ship is what really attached me to this book. Solaris is a telepathic ship with a female persona. She is asked to take care of Rynah who is Solaris' former captain. This book was amazing at telling us the background of each character and then putting them together perfectly. You feel the bond start to form and grow stronger with each turning page.

I'm not normally a sci-fi reader but when I read about this book, something about it grabbed my attention and I new I wanted to read it. From the first chapter to the very end, I was hooked. There was a sense of innocence, adventure and closeness that I felt as I read about each character's personal journey. Not to mention the amazing characteristics of Solaris. Even though she was a ship, you felt something from her! She was a ship characterized as a human and it was intriguing! If you are looking for a sci-fi adventure that will capture you from the start, then I encourage you to pick up this book and be prepared to not put it down!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really action-packed story, Solaris Seethes Book #1 in the Tetralogy (or if you prefer Quadrilogy)!

It is the story of Rynah who was a pilot in the fleet of Lanyr, but now works in security for the lab housing the crystal for the planet. She is newly engaged to Klanor after a lengthy relationship! She finds out that her intended, has been using her as a means to an end; to find out about her planet's crystal, it's history and legend, and about the prophecy. There are six crystals in total, that when put together form a powerful weapon. There aren't any particular details of the how it works, but when people are hungry for power and control; they want to obtain it first and figure out the other unanswered questions later!

This legend and prophecy was her grandfather's obsession and he said that their planet was headed for destruction. She had a love/hate relationship with her grandfather, whom she called by his first name, Marlow. She believed that he killed her mother with his obsession and she didn't want to know him; yet she still had notes and thoughts written down in a notebook. This notebook was later stolen by Klanor, and aided him in his quest to obtain the crystals and the device that would grant him power.

Her planet's crystal was a data device used to keep the magnetic fields in alignment. Without it there were volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and all kinds of weather disturbances. Her planet has had control for 1500 years, but now that's all gone -- thanks to Klanor!

Solaris is Marlow's last gift to Rynah. A sentient ship, an AI, artificial intelligence that runs the ships systems, interacts and communicates (sometimes with attitude) with the crew or just Rynah; and that he built for her to finish the mission of finding the crystals and keeping anyone else from using them for evil in the galaxy!

Klanor has a head start and according to the prophecy, Rynah will need the assistance of four other persons in the galaxy. These people are Terrans from different time periods of Earth's history!

The chase is on for the crystals; with pirates, mercenaries, black marketers, and looters! When it seems like she is getting ahead there are many setbacks that could cause her to lose hope!

I'm looking forward to Book #2 Solaris Seeks, to continue the saga and find out if Rynah outsmarts Klanor, does Brie come back to life, does Rynah evade the pirates and the answer to many other questions!

[Ahnah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sci-fi adventure story that encapsulates many of the great fantasy/adventure/sci-fi books, movie's and tv show plots and premises that I have enjoyed across the years. This is the story of a young alien woman, Rynah who is betrayed by the man she loves. Predictable so far? Yes. Worth reading? COMPLETELY!

This book is the first in a series of the adventure that ensues as Rynah seeks to exact her revenge as she races against her ex-fiance (our nefarious villain) around the universe to gather crystals. There are supposedly 6 crystals which, when found and put together make the ultimate weapon that will obliterate worlds.

Along the way she gathers four humans from different time periods of earth. There is Alfric the fierce viking warrior who never stops to worry about his own life when danger calls. Solon the brilliant yet humble Greek philosopher, who is a disappointment to his father. Tom the science geek who was in the midst of the biggest scientific discovery of the future. And last but not least Brie, the bullied teenager who lost her father to the Iraq war and is scared to fight for herself. This is all very predictable sounding of course.

Honestly, I rated this book as I did because it felt and read like an old classic video game, Final Fantasy. As a matter of fact for me, I heard the FF theme music playing in my head for the first several pages. Truthfully speaking I almost gave up after the first chapter but I was invested by then because of my interest in Solaris, the sentient ship. The more I read, the more I couldn't put this book down! The plot is repetitive and has been done SO many times but I was beyond interested in that darn ship! It felt like a combination of Star Trek, Stargate, Sliders, and a mash-up of multiple other plot lines.

But I do have to confess I liked the innocence, the cleanliness as well as the adventure and the relationships that develop between characters. This is one of those "feel-good" books that takes me back to my childhood but in a refreshing way. I truly enjoyed letting myself go and not having to worry about turning the page and finding R-Rated adult scenes, unnecessary foul language or brutal over the top violence. I definitely want to read the other books in this series!!!

[Emma Van Peursem Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of Solaris Seethes in exchange for an honest review.

Solaris Seethes by Janet McNulty was a book that I found myself making excuses for. It is the first of a series, and perhaps the books deepen later on, but this book left me yearning for something with more substance and a deeper vocabulary. This novel is listed as science fiction and fantasy which I think is accurate, but I think it should be marketed toward middle grade readers. I really liked the ideas in this novel, and I also liked the characters, I just wish that they had had more depth.

We meet our main character Rynah, a security officer, with her gushing over her engagement ring, the proposal having taken place that morning. Her fiancé tries to talk her not into going into work but she goes in anyway. Things go awry immediately when Rynah is betrayed and an important crystal is stolen from her planet. Rynah rushes after the thief aboard her deceased grandfather’s sentient space vessel, Solaris.

Solaris explains to Rynah that they now have a mission. They must go and attempt to secure the other five crystals in the universe before they are taken by the same thieves. They need help in order to do this, and Solaris teleports four people from different time periods on earth onto the ship to help Rynah collect the crystals. Each of these four characters gets a short chapter describing their home life before arriving on Solaris. The book follows their travels from planet to planet searching for crystals, fighting off space pirates, developing friendships, and always overcoming their differences to work together.

The character development felt very similar to a children’s television program, teaching the viewer to talk about their problems. The characters constantly are taking turns getting into arguments with one another and then resolving them by talking out their problems. It would be a fantastic device in a middle grade book, but not this blatantly in a book listed for adults. I wish that this had been written at a higher level, as I'm intrigued by the possibilities for this story.

Overall I give Solaris Seethes 3 out of 5 stars. I wish that I had enjoyed this more, as the plot line has so much potential. The lower level vocabulary set and simple problem solving make it feel painfully childish compared to anything I would normally read. There were also several grammatical issues mostly involving run on sentences and tense inconsistencies. I’d recommend it to middle grade readers, as I think it could be the first book of its kind to many of them! This book felt like it would capture the attention of young readers, which is why I didn't give it a lower rating.

https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...

[Cadi · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this novel has the potential to be amazing: the plot structure, while cliche, is well-formed, everything else is severely lacking. The world that McNulty is trying to build simply wasn’t written out enough. Details seemed to be skipped that made me feel very distanced from the environment and the characters. I could tell that McNulty had very detailed images in her head while this was being written, but it didn’t seem to be expressed well on the page.

McNulty also loves to use parentheses. Normally this wouldn’t bother me, except that the details she puts in the parentheses shouldn’t be there in the first place. They are small details that can either be left out completely, or they can be put in a brief descriptive sentence that makes the image clearer in the reader’s head.

There are also countless shifts from past tense to present tense. Although I personally believe present tense makes for better storytelling, there are benefits to either. However, one should be chosen and used throughout the novel. Switching between tenses makes for a confusing story, and I really struggled liking his story because of it.

What bothered me the most about this novel was the lack of the “show don’t tell” principle that is vital in storytelling. We were told all of the emotions and thoughts of the characters, rather than their actions and appearance showing us. Not only would this immerse the character deeper into the story, but it would allow for the action to continue without interruption.

Overall, I found it really difficult to like this book. It felt rushed, the world building wasn’t there, and it lacked editing. Like I said, it certainly has the potential to be a wonderful science fiction epic. But it has a very long way to go before it gets there if the author decides to rewrite it for future editions.

[Sabetha · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you meet the characters involved in this story, it is obvious the story will involve deep character development. Each person brings their own personal weaknesses to the ship, and they work to over come them while facing unthinkable trials in the search for the crystals. I loved that Janet brought 6 distinct personalities together for this adventure. She does a great job at making their strengths and weakness shine without overshadowing another character. Since this is only the first book you get the notion that much more character growth will happen for each of the heroes. The main characters are all easy to relate to, it is easy to become engrossed in their stories, and how they play into the over arcing story-line.

My biggest disappointment with this book is the ending, it doesn't standalone as a story, and leaves you wanting the rest of the book. I have not read the other three yet for this saga, but if the books are the same as this one I will venture to say they should combine them into one book, instead of four parts. For me, when I read a series, I appreciate a series long arc, with small arcs within each book. This book lacks its own person arc. It does a fantastic job at building Rynahs world and making her goals clear, but otherwise doesn't finish out any pending questions.

I would recommend it to anyone interested in Science Fiction or Space Operas but only if they would commit to reading all 4 books at once. Solaris Seethes is the beginning to a thrilling adventure in a world unlike our own, and I hope to finish the series one day.

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[Nicole Dunton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rynah barely escapes from her home planet after an important crystal was stolen, causing her planet to ultimately be destroyed. If it weren't for Solaris, a spaceship left to her by her grandfather, she would have never made it off the planet. Now she's on a mission to find the rest of the crystals before the other person does. If all six are united, it could mean the end for all planets.

I really did enjoy this book. It was very inventive and witty. I adored all of the characters except Rynah. I felt that Rynah was a spoiled little brat who was prone to tantrums when she didn't get her way and talked to everybody around her like trash. Solaris was my favorite "character". She had a lot of character and spunk about her.

There was only really one major bump that I found in this story. It really alternated character's points of view rapidly in group sets. The only time it was differentiated was when it was a different group. I felt like I was kind of thrown back and forth and wasn't sure who was thinking what and when. I had to reread several sentences because of it.

All in all, I really enjoyed the story. It was very witty and humorous. It was also creative and edgy. I fully recommend it for all science fiction and fantasy fans out there. I'm even looking forward to reading the rest of the series.