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From the World of Ambasadora
Greenshift
Greenshift is a tale set within the world of Ambasadora.
Mari’s rare eye color makes her a pariah within Upper Caste society, which is why she prefers plants to people…except David, the former Armadan captain who shuttles scientists around on a refurbished pleasure cruiser.
But someone else is interested in Mari and her distinctive look—an obsessed psychopath who tortures and murders women for pleasure.
When the killer chooses Mari as his next victim, the soldier inside David comes alive, but it is Mari who must fight for her own life and prove she isn’t as fragile as the flowers she nurtures.
Mari’s rare eye color makes her a pariah within Upper Caste society, which is why she prefers plants to people…except David, the former Armadan captain who shuttles scientists around on a refurbished pleasure cruiser.
But someone else is interested in Mari and her distinctive look—an obsessed psychopath who tortures and murders women for pleasure.
When the killer chooses Mari as his next victim, the soldier inside David comes alive, but it is Mari who must fight for her own life and prove she isn’t as fragile as the flowers she nurtures.
158 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 2012
7 people are currently reading
929 people want to read
About the author
Heidi Ruby Miller
22 books279 followersHeidi Ruby Miller uses research for her stories as an excuse to roam the globe. With degrees in Anthropology, Geography, Foreign Languages, and Writing, she knew early that penning fast-paced, exotic adventures would be her life. She's put her experiences and studies to paper in her far-future AMBASADORA series and her two new thriller series.
In between trips, Heidi teaches creative writing at Seton Hill University, where she graduated from their renowned Writing Popular Fiction Graduate Program the same month she appeared on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. AMBASADORA was her thesis novel there, and the multi-award winning writing guide MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT, which she co-edited with Michael A. Arnzen, is based on the Seton Hill program and was named #5 in The Writer magazine's Ten Most Terrific Writing Books of 2011.
She has had various fiction and non-fiction publications, as well as various jobs, including contract archaeologist, foreign currency exchanger at Walt Disney World, foreign language teacher, and educational marketing director for Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob. In 2012, Heidi created the Dog Star Books science fiction imprint for Raw Dog Screaming Press and was the managing editor for the line for three years.
Recently she was the Director of Professional Writing Relations for the Pennsylvania Literary Festival, an event she co-founded in 2014.
Her formal memberships include The Authors Guild, International Thriller Writers, Pennwriters, Science Fiction Poetry Association, and the SFR Brigade. Heidi is fond of high-heeled shoes, action movies, chocolate, and tea of any sort. She lives near Pittsburgh with her award-winning writer husband, Jason Jack Miller, and a sweet little kitty.
In between trips, Heidi teaches creative writing at Seton Hill University, where she graduated from their renowned Writing Popular Fiction Graduate Program the same month she appeared on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. AMBASADORA was her thesis novel there, and the multi-award winning writing guide MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT, which she co-edited with Michael A. Arnzen, is based on the Seton Hill program and was named #5 in The Writer magazine's Ten Most Terrific Writing Books of 2011.
She has had various fiction and non-fiction publications, as well as various jobs, including contract archaeologist, foreign currency exchanger at Walt Disney World, foreign language teacher, and educational marketing director for Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob. In 2012, Heidi created the Dog Star Books science fiction imprint for Raw Dog Screaming Press and was the managing editor for the line for three years.
Recently she was the Director of Professional Writing Relations for the Pennsylvania Literary Festival, an event she co-founded in 2014.
Her formal memberships include The Authors Guild, International Thriller Writers, Pennwriters, Science Fiction Poetry Association, and the SFR Brigade. Heidi is fond of high-heeled shoes, action movies, chocolate, and tea of any sort. She lives near Pittsburgh with her award-winning writer husband, Jason Jack Miller, and a sweet little kitty.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 18, 2014
Having read Marked by Light, I slid easily into Greenshift, remembering the character names and their personalities. As one who actively seeks out books where the action starts on page one, I wasn’t disappointed. The book opens with a tense standoff between the captain of a gunship, David Anlow; a civilian ship; orders from a superior officer that are contrary to David’s instincts; and an old flame who decides to commit mutiny. Action, suspense, and betrayal. It hit all my buttons.
The book then shifts to a young woman being trafficked to a misogynist psychopath who tortures women with golden-orange eyes. This scene foreshadows the imagined fate of the book’s heroine, Boston Maribu, or Mari, and sets up a visceral reaction within the reader, enticing them to tease out the book’s plot and figure out how it gets there. The pace then slows as the relationship between David and Mari develops. It’s a sweet and fulfilling journey as Miller fleshes out the characters’ backgrounds and motives, threading the branches of circumstance and desire that blossom into love. David and Mari’s strong personalities burn through the pages and it’s easy to see their relationship as believable, passionate, and enduring.
The seeds of Mari’s troubles are sown when she accepts a job as a botanist on board a freighter. Too late David learns about the true occupation of the man who employs Mari, and she is whisked away as he is about to retrieve her. Cue the chase scene. However, Mari is no wait-for-rescue woman. Although young and inexperienced, she uses her wits, specialized knowledge, and chutzpah to fight back as the killers close in, and teaches them to always use quality products.
Miller uses her degrees in anthropology, geography, and foreign languages to create a rich universe that highlights unforgettable characters, defined class distinctions, innovative technology, and desirability of genetic robustness, to name a few traits. One of my favorite technological gadgets is the mind minstrel, a floating orb that emits music and light extrapolated from a person’s emotional state and spoken conversation (fleshed out more in Book 1). The Ambasadora universe also contains a few dystopian characteristics, such as all public events, and as many as possible of privates ones, being filmed or recorded and sent to a central archive for the sake of posterity, as well as the plight of the Lower Castes, who have to endure being treated as second- or third-class citizens. In fact, I look forward to stories centered among the Lower Castes, which promise to provide grittier tales of struggle, survival, and triumph.
I am passionately awaiting further adventures in the series, to be told in Starrie and Ambasadora 2: Scarred by Light, which are both due out later this year.
The book then shifts to a young woman being trafficked to a misogynist psychopath who tortures women with golden-orange eyes. This scene foreshadows the imagined fate of the book’s heroine, Boston Maribu, or Mari, and sets up a visceral reaction within the reader, enticing them to tease out the book’s plot and figure out how it gets there. The pace then slows as the relationship between David and Mari develops. It’s a sweet and fulfilling journey as Miller fleshes out the characters’ backgrounds and motives, threading the branches of circumstance and desire that blossom into love. David and Mari’s strong personalities burn through the pages and it’s easy to see their relationship as believable, passionate, and enduring.
The seeds of Mari’s troubles are sown when she accepts a job as a botanist on board a freighter. Too late David learns about the true occupation of the man who employs Mari, and she is whisked away as he is about to retrieve her. Cue the chase scene. However, Mari is no wait-for-rescue woman. Although young and inexperienced, she uses her wits, specialized knowledge, and chutzpah to fight back as the killers close in, and teaches them to always use quality products.
Miller uses her degrees in anthropology, geography, and foreign languages to create a rich universe that highlights unforgettable characters, defined class distinctions, innovative technology, and desirability of genetic robustness, to name a few traits. One of my favorite technological gadgets is the mind minstrel, a floating orb that emits music and light extrapolated from a person’s emotional state and spoken conversation (fleshed out more in Book 1). The Ambasadora universe also contains a few dystopian characteristics, such as all public events, and as many as possible of privates ones, being filmed or recorded and sent to a central archive for the sake of posterity, as well as the plight of the Lower Castes, who have to endure being treated as second- or third-class citizens. In fact, I look forward to stories centered among the Lower Castes, which promise to provide grittier tales of struggle, survival, and triumph.
I am passionately awaiting further adventures in the series, to be told in Starrie and Ambasadora 2: Scarred by Light, which are both due out later this year.
February 14, 2012
Greenshift is a fast-moving tale set in the world Miller first introduced us to with Ambasadora. Although it does include some of the characters from that book it is a stand-alone adventure in its own right. Miller’s trademark sexy sci-fi is in full effect as the book centers on the blooming relationship between Captain David Anlow and the much younger Boston “Mari” Maribou who lives and works on the same ship as he does. Just as the two are really starting to get to know each other Mari finds herself in the most terrifying situation of her young life. And though David is a retired solider, who has lived through his share of fierce battles, knowing Mari is in danger is more frightening than anything he’s faced before.
This may sound like the set-up for countless books and movies but you won’t get the same old, tired damsel-in-distress rescue with Greenshift. I don’t want to include any spoilers here but I love the new twist that Miller puts on that played-out plot-line. As with Ambasadora, the romance angle infuses the action with a drama and immediacy that can be lacking from many thriller novels. The characters are engaging and endearing while the action keeps things moving along. I thoroughly enjoyed my 2nd trip to the Amabasadora-verse and look forward to future journeys there.
This may sound like the set-up for countless books and movies but you won’t get the same old, tired damsel-in-distress rescue with Greenshift. I don’t want to include any spoilers here but I love the new twist that Miller puts on that played-out plot-line. As with Ambasadora, the romance angle infuses the action with a drama and immediacy that can be lacking from many thriller novels. The characters are engaging and endearing while the action keeps things moving along. I thoroughly enjoyed my 2nd trip to the Amabasadora-verse and look forward to future journeys there.
August 3, 2018
Review to come!
October 16, 2012
4.5/5
Greenshift is a novella which I've enjoyed just as much as Heidi's full novel Ambasadora.
We know David and Mari from Ambasadora, and I've never particularly liked Mari or understood what David saw in her... However, her character is very charming, youthful and brave in her own story.
Mari hails from a poor mining planet as an 18-year-old scientist, some sort of environmentalist who creates greenshift - arranges for sustainable food sources, gardens on the ships in space. She is a perky, naive blonde who talks too much and who falls head over heels for the captain of her ship, ex-military, tall Armadan, David.
The couple begins their slow courtship, but Mari attracts the attention of a slaver who trades in girls with some sort of genetic abnormalities to one badass, sadistic buyer, and it will take literally all the resources and knowledge David and Mari have got to stop him.
What I love is how resourceful our heroine becomes in all sorts of tricky situations! By the end of novella I felt nothing short of admiration for her. Don't expect to find a damsel in distress, but a brave young girl whose appearance is very deceiving.
Plenty of action, a healthy dose of humour and genuine sparks of attraction. Recommended.
Greenshift is a novella which I've enjoyed just as much as Heidi's full novel Ambasadora.
We know David and Mari from Ambasadora, and I've never particularly liked Mari or understood what David saw in her... However, her character is very charming, youthful and brave in her own story.
Mari hails from a poor mining planet as an 18-year-old scientist, some sort of environmentalist who creates greenshift - arranges for sustainable food sources, gardens on the ships in space. She is a perky, naive blonde who talks too much and who falls head over heels for the captain of her ship, ex-military, tall Armadan, David.
The couple begins their slow courtship, but Mari attracts the attention of a slaver who trades in girls with some sort of genetic abnormalities to one badass, sadistic buyer, and it will take literally all the resources and knowledge David and Mari have got to stop him.
What I love is how resourceful our heroine becomes in all sorts of tricky situations! By the end of novella I felt nothing short of admiration for her. Don't expect to find a damsel in distress, but a brave young girl whose appearance is very deceiving.
Plenty of action, a healthy dose of humour and genuine sparks of attraction. Recommended.
May 22, 2014
Disclaimer: I attended Seton Hill University's Writing Popular Fiction program with Heidi Ruby Miller and consider her a friend. I purchased my copy of this book through a charity auction at the Capclave convention (2013).
Chronology note: GREENSHIFT is technically a prequel to AMBASADORA: MARKED BY LIGHT, but the two books can be read in any order.
This novel is a science-fiction/adventure/romance that is not defined by any one genre. David is a classic former-military leading man, but Mari is *never* his damsel in distress!
If read first, this novel does a wonderful job of setting the tone and level of action found in AMBASADORA: MARKED BY LIGHT. If read second, it is a treat to read about the evolution of David and Mari's relationship.
This series should be recommended to anyone who also enjoys Catherine Asaro's Skolian Empire saga for it's delightful mix of adventure, intrigue, and romance.
Chronology note: GREENSHIFT is technically a prequel to AMBASADORA: MARKED BY LIGHT, but the two books can be read in any order.
This novel is a science-fiction/adventure/romance that is not defined by any one genre. David is a classic former-military leading man, but Mari is *never* his damsel in distress!
If read first, this novel does a wonderful job of setting the tone and level of action found in AMBASADORA: MARKED BY LIGHT. If read second, it is a treat to read about the evolution of David and Mari's relationship.
This series should be recommended to anyone who also enjoys Catherine Asaro's Skolian Empire saga for it's delightful mix of adventure, intrigue, and romance.
February 20, 2012
After reading (and loving) Ambasadora, I was thrilled to read Greenshift, which delivers the fascinating back stories of David and Mari - things that were only hinted at, tantalizingly, in Ambasadora.
Here we learn what brought about David's separation form the military and we see David at his best, struggling to integrate into his non-military status aboard the Bard, giving in to his heart and allowing himself to admit just how important Mari is to him.
There's a thoroughly creepy plot which threatens Mari and allows us to see David and his brother Ben working together, and yeah, give me some more of THAT, please...
This second venture into the "Ambasadora-verse" definitely satisfies and leaves me anxious for MORE!
Here we learn what brought about David's separation form the military and we see David at his best, struggling to integrate into his non-military status aboard the Bard, giving in to his heart and allowing himself to admit just how important Mari is to him.
There's a thoroughly creepy plot which threatens Mari and allows us to see David and his brother Ben working together, and yeah, give me some more of THAT, please...
This second venture into the "Ambasadora-verse" definitely satisfies and leaves me anxious for MORE!
March 5, 2013
I couldn't stand the heroine!!! She's everything I hate in a heroine. She's stupid but she think she's intelligent, she thinks she knows better than anyone else!!! Arghhhh!!! Why, why, why authors continue to write about them????
She redeemed herself a little bit towards the end of the book, but it was too late for me to like her.
The hero was better, but I couldn't understand what he saw in her. Did he suffer from grandaddy syndrome? He's supposed to be 80 years old, but she falls for a 19 years old!!!??? OMG!!! Talk about age difference!!!
The back story was interesting and the world building nice and that's the reason for 3 stars.
I'll read the next one to see if it will be better than this one: everything ought to get a second chance! :D
She redeemed herself a little bit towards the end of the book, but it was too late for me to like her.
The hero was better, but I couldn't understand what he saw in her. Did he suffer from grandaddy syndrome? He's supposed to be 80 years old, but she falls for a 19 years old!!!??? OMG!!! Talk about age difference!!!
The back story was interesting and the world building nice and that's the reason for 3 stars.
I'll read the next one to see if it will be better than this one: everything ought to get a second chance! :D
July 25, 2016
For me "Greenshift" was an enjoyable introduction to the World of Ambasadora. This sci-fi story included an interesting plot, plenty of action and some well developed characters. I certainly look forward to reading more of Heidi Ruby Miller's work.
December 21, 2012
Short, sweet, satisfying action/romance.
June 1, 2014
Heidi Ruby Miller is a multi-talented writer. Where most would say this in reference to her roles as a wife, educator, and an author; I wish to speak only in regards to her writing. Do not discount her other roles in life; I am sure that like other authors they very much inform her writing. Rather I want the focus to be on her craft. Where most excel in one or two specific areas of writing, in my opinion with “Greenshift” she excels in all.
I will allow the description in the listing do the heavy lifting as far as a plot synopsis.
First the obvious: world building. She has been interviewed on several blogs about her gift with creating fully-fleshed out universes. The “Ambasadora-verse” as presented in “Greenshift” is an incredible example of how to do it right. It is at once alien and familiar, with recognizable concepts found in other science fiction worlds (interplanetary governance, modes of transport, energy weapons, et. al.) but made very much her own and very much a cohesive whole. She does not waste the reader's time with Clancy-level technical detail, nor do the details she does choose to include appear in one passage and then are never touched on again. The “Ambasadora-verse” feels lived-in, a believable reality.
Which brings me to the details she does include. Miller fills all of your mental senses. The tactile, olfactory, auditory, and taste sensations that she includes complement, rather than overwhelm or upstage the visuals and more importantly the story itself. When Miller writes a scene, you not only see the setting, but hear the peculiar inflections of speech, smell the gently wafting aromas, feel the sparks when the protagonists hold hands. Her writing is in a word immersive.
All of this rich setting development would be be moot if not for her beautifully conceptualized characters. Boston Maribu, David Anlow, and the rest of the cast are incredibly human. Flawed but talented. They are not superheroes (though due to some minor genetic steering, slightly super-human in some areas.) They have real problems, believable motivations, and emotionally touching interactions. The villains are not cookie-cutter bad guys, with simple goals or one-dimensional description. They are complex, and dare I say enjoyably sickening in their actions, making them all the more disturbing. Miller deftly creates a looming dread when these monsters take their places. These things certainly increase the satisfaction of learning the protagonists' triumphs over the adversaries.
Tying all of this amazing prose together is the story, which combines the best aspects of an action thriller with a satisfyingly enjoyable romance. One does not overshadow the other. The two strands work together to maintain the pleasant pace and compels the reader to keep the covers open and keep going non-stop to the end. That's not to say the pacing is monotonous, rather the ups and downs are seamlessly put together in a deceptively easy-going manner. Combat scenes are not slowed down due to excessive description, nor are the dialogues rushed. “Greenshift” achieves that Goldilocks zone of perfect pacing.
In closing, I can not wait to further explore the “Ambasadora-verse.” I am thoroughly impressed by this book. I am also comforted in knowing that while it is relatively short, the story doesn't end with the last page. “Greenshift” sets a gorgeous stage, and I would be surprised if “Ambasadora: Marked by Light” was any less well done. I tip my hat Mrs. Miller. Grab this new classic now.
I will allow the description in the listing do the heavy lifting as far as a plot synopsis.
First the obvious: world building. She has been interviewed on several blogs about her gift with creating fully-fleshed out universes. The “Ambasadora-verse” as presented in “Greenshift” is an incredible example of how to do it right. It is at once alien and familiar, with recognizable concepts found in other science fiction worlds (interplanetary governance, modes of transport, energy weapons, et. al.) but made very much her own and very much a cohesive whole. She does not waste the reader's time with Clancy-level technical detail, nor do the details she does choose to include appear in one passage and then are never touched on again. The “Ambasadora-verse” feels lived-in, a believable reality.
Which brings me to the details she does include. Miller fills all of your mental senses. The tactile, olfactory, auditory, and taste sensations that she includes complement, rather than overwhelm or upstage the visuals and more importantly the story itself. When Miller writes a scene, you not only see the setting, but hear the peculiar inflections of speech, smell the gently wafting aromas, feel the sparks when the protagonists hold hands. Her writing is in a word immersive.
All of this rich setting development would be be moot if not for her beautifully conceptualized characters. Boston Maribu, David Anlow, and the rest of the cast are incredibly human. Flawed but talented. They are not superheroes (though due to some minor genetic steering, slightly super-human in some areas.) They have real problems, believable motivations, and emotionally touching interactions. The villains are not cookie-cutter bad guys, with simple goals or one-dimensional description. They are complex, and dare I say enjoyably sickening in their actions, making them all the more disturbing. Miller deftly creates a looming dread when these monsters take their places. These things certainly increase the satisfaction of learning the protagonists' triumphs over the adversaries.
Tying all of this amazing prose together is the story, which combines the best aspects of an action thriller with a satisfyingly enjoyable romance. One does not overshadow the other. The two strands work together to maintain the pleasant pace and compels the reader to keep the covers open and keep going non-stop to the end. That's not to say the pacing is monotonous, rather the ups and downs are seamlessly put together in a deceptively easy-going manner. Combat scenes are not slowed down due to excessive description, nor are the dialogues rushed. “Greenshift” achieves that Goldilocks zone of perfect pacing.
In closing, I can not wait to further explore the “Ambasadora-verse.” I am thoroughly impressed by this book. I am also comforted in knowing that while it is relatively short, the story doesn't end with the last page. “Greenshift” sets a gorgeous stage, and I would be surprised if “Ambasadora: Marked by Light” was any less well done. I tip my hat Mrs. Miller. Grab this new classic now.
April 23, 2012
This was gifted to me by the author and I am so grateful, and pleased to have read it!
This is such a fascinating world. However, this story was a prequel to the book I read first, Ambasadora, telling a bit more of Mari & Davids love story.
David and Mari compliment each other so well, boosting the other in all the right places. And although she is a young, tiny woman with even smaller skirts, Mari is a brilliant and strong chick who gives as good as she gets. David is still a bit of a mystery but the glimpses of his past as a Captain have me intrigued and hoping for more info about his pre-Bard endeavors.
We also get more of the group of people from Ambasadora. A bit of Sean and Soli, with mentions of Kenon and Geir. Even Rainer, the smokin contractor who has a major role in Ambasadora, and with whom I have a major love/hate relationship with, gets a small mention!
Oh and lets not forget Davids younger brother Ben! I hope we get to see more of him in the future! He was a hoot, always ribbing on David and trying his best to irritate the crap out of him. He was also pretty handy in a jam and I look forward to more of their interactions.
This is such a fascinating world. However, this story was a prequel to the book I read first, Ambasadora, telling a bit more of Mari & Davids love story.
David and Mari compliment each other so well, boosting the other in all the right places. And although she is a young, tiny woman with even smaller skirts, Mari is a brilliant and strong chick who gives as good as she gets. David is still a bit of a mystery but the glimpses of his past as a Captain have me intrigued and hoping for more info about his pre-Bard endeavors.
We also get more of the group of people from Ambasadora. A bit of Sean and Soli, with mentions of Kenon and Geir. Even Rainer, the smokin contractor who has a major role in Ambasadora, and with whom I have a major love/hate relationship with, gets a small mention!
Oh and lets not forget Davids younger brother Ben! I hope we get to see more of him in the future! He was a hoot, always ribbing on David and trying his best to irritate the crap out of him. He was also pretty handy in a jam and I look forward to more of their interactions.
February 8, 2013
I read and loved Miller's debut novel Ambasadora, so I was thrilled to see that she had written a new book -- and one in the Ambasadora-Verse to boot.
If you haven't read Ambasadora, no worries, this book is a prequel, taking place one month before the events of Ambasadora (so, by all means read these books in whichever order you like).
I was very happy to see this prequel focus in on Mari and David, two of my favourite characters from Ambasadora. They deserve a book of their own and Miller gives them an exciting and romantic story that keeps the pages turning (I read this in two sittings). That's the only downside of books like these -- such quick and enjoyable reads -- I end up having to wait just that much longer for her next book.
Miller is at the top of her game with this sequel too. The writing is smooth and visceral and carries you along effortlessly. She writes in a wonderfully lean style, never getting bogged down with lengthy expository sections (all too typical of some Sci-Fi).
Highly recommended!
If you haven't read Ambasadora, no worries, this book is a prequel, taking place one month before the events of Ambasadora (so, by all means read these books in whichever order you like).
I was very happy to see this prequel focus in on Mari and David, two of my favourite characters from Ambasadora. They deserve a book of their own and Miller gives them an exciting and romantic story that keeps the pages turning (I read this in two sittings). That's the only downside of books like these -- such quick and enjoyable reads -- I end up having to wait just that much longer for her next book.
Miller is at the top of her game with this sequel too. The writing is smooth and visceral and carries you along effortlessly. She writes in a wonderfully lean style, never getting bogged down with lengthy expository sections (all too typical of some Sci-Fi).
Highly recommended!
February 28, 2012
The good:
Again, I loved the world building in this, the attention to detail and the portrayal of the characters. Heidi has a talent for making them so real. The writing is flawless and descriptive, and all the premises and reactions believable and consistent. The bad guys completely gave me the creeps, and I'm glad the torture scenes weren't more detailed - there was enough there for you to use your imagination, should you wish.
The bad:
The only reason I've rated this a touch lower than Ambasadora is because I felt the events in Greenshift hadn't carried over into the relationship in Ambasadora. I know they were written in reverse and that Ambasadora focuses on Sara Mendoza and Sean Cryer, but I felt there maybe should have been a line or two considering Greenshift takes place only a month before Ambasadora. Pure nit-picking - sorry!
In sum:
While I still prefer Ambasadora, this is a great addition to the library of any sfr fan.
Again, I loved the world building in this, the attention to detail and the portrayal of the characters. Heidi has a talent for making them so real. The writing is flawless and descriptive, and all the premises and reactions believable and consistent. The bad guys completely gave me the creeps, and I'm glad the torture scenes weren't more detailed - there was enough there for you to use your imagination, should you wish.
The bad:
The only reason I've rated this a touch lower than Ambasadora is because I felt the events in Greenshift hadn't carried over into the relationship in Ambasadora. I know they were written in reverse and that Ambasadora focuses on Sara Mendoza and Sean Cryer, but I felt there maybe should have been a line or two considering Greenshift takes place only a month before Ambasadora. Pure nit-picking - sorry!
In sum:
While I still prefer Ambasadora, this is a great addition to the library of any sfr fan.
February 28, 2012
The good:
Again, I loved the world building in this, the attention to detail and the portrayal of the characters. Heidi has a talent for making them so real. The writing is flawless and descriptive, and all the premises and reactions believable and consistent. The bad guys completely gave me the creeps, and I'm glad the torture scenes weren't more detailed - there was enough there for you to use your imagination, should you wish.
The bad:
The only reason I've rated this a touch lower than Ambasadora is because I felt the events in Greenshift hadn't carried over into the relationship in Ambasadora. I know they were written in reverse and that Ambasadora focuses on Sara Mendoza and Sean Cryer, but I felt there maybe should have been a line or two considering Greenshift takes place only a month before Ambasadora. Pure nit-picking - sorry!
In sum:
While I still prefer Ambasadora, this is a great addition to the library of any sfr fan.
Again, I loved the world building in this, the attention to detail and the portrayal of the characters. Heidi has a talent for making them so real. The writing is flawless and descriptive, and all the premises and reactions believable and consistent. The bad guys completely gave me the creeps, and I'm glad the torture scenes weren't more detailed - there was enough there for you to use your imagination, should you wish.
The bad:
The only reason I've rated this a touch lower than Ambasadora is because I felt the events in Greenshift hadn't carried over into the relationship in Ambasadora. I know they were written in reverse and that Ambasadora focuses on Sara Mendoza and Sean Cryer, but I felt there maybe should have been a line or two considering Greenshift takes place only a month before Ambasadora. Pure nit-picking - sorry!
In sum:
While I still prefer Ambasadora, this is a great addition to the library of any sfr fan.
April 21, 2016
Science fiction romantic suspense, and you could call it a short novel or a really long novella. Up front, let me say the world-building and characterization both blew me away. Everything was beautifully thought out, including the space-water dock's security system, the politics among the security guards, and the interworkings of an onboard hydroponics unit with the ship's systems. More layers here than J.K. Rowling's finest, and I loved it.
There's a bit more romance here than I normally read, but none of it's out of place. I kept waiting for the tension to ratchet up to thriller-genre levels, which would have been too intense for the story, but thankfully the author avoided that mistake. And while the story stands alone (no need to buy the sequel to learn What Happens Next), it's open-ended, leaving room for more stories.
I hope more will be coming soon. Some series you just have to follow. For me, this is one. We'll call it 4.5 stars, rounded up to five.
There's a bit more romance here than I normally read, but none of it's out of place. I kept waiting for the tension to ratchet up to thriller-genre levels, which would have been too intense for the story, but thankfully the author avoided that mistake. And while the story stands alone (no need to buy the sequel to learn What Happens Next), it's open-ended, leaving room for more stories.
I hope more will be coming soon. Some series you just have to follow. For me, this is one. We'll call it 4.5 stars, rounded up to five.
July 26, 2014
I read Heidi Ruby Miller's Ambassadora prior to Greenshift so I was familiar with the world and many of the characters. Although this story was less intricate than Ambassadora (one storyline versus many storylines converging together in a --dare I say--brilliant ending), Greenshift very much fits the series that Miller is creating. The world she's managed to create is full and complete and utilized exceptionally well in both books.
What I find most impressive with Greenshift is Miller's ability to create subtlety and complexity in her characters. She successfully does this by combing romantic elements with SOLID Science Fiction story-telling.
What I find most impressive with Greenshift is Miller's ability to create subtlety and complexity in her characters. She successfully does this by combing romantic elements with SOLID Science Fiction story-telling.
June 3, 2013
Heidi Ruby Miller has the amazing ability to make you dive into the world she created and observe like the 'voyeur' bots she conjured up for the story. Greenshift is a sort of prequel to the incredible Ambassadora tale, and it was such a treat to meet up with, and get to know more of, David Anlow and Boston 'Mari' Maribu, as well as Sean. From the get go, the pace moves! No spoilers here, but if you love planet hopping, space crafts, incredibly thought out societal pecking orders, stuff called scent bots and voyeurs, and characters you simply cannot resist rooting for...read this.
May 10, 2012
I just found out that this is a prequel so I'm excited to read the rest in this series.
I somewhat enjoy sci-fi... but if it has romance in it then I'm GAME BABY!
This definetly had romance in it and yummy (but classy) sex scenes.
I really enjoyed the main two characters Mari and David. They were strong. No Doormat Diva or Jackass Hero. These characters were really well developed.
I will definetly be checking out the rest of the series.
February 29, 2012
Excellent follow-up book to Ambasadora. This story stayed focused and flowed very nicely. I appreciated that while it is the second in a series, it did not spend much time recapping everything that was defined in Ambasadora. David and Mari’s story was better than I expected.
August 31, 2013
Great sci-fi getaway splashed with love!!! Miller has a way in pulling you in and keeping you there... I recommend this book...
December 17, 2017
Greenshift is a simple story. Descriptions can be heavy and interrupt dialogue. Dialogue can be coarse and does little to distinguish characters from one another. Protagonists and their environments are flawless and beautiful and the anatagonists are not.
A short read that only took me two days to get through, Greenshift is a conventional romance novel with a popular sci-fi environment and a heroine who saves herself after victimizing herself. I'm personally disappointed that the relationship between the hero and heroine was flawless save for one petty spat, and a lot of the characters feel like tropes removed from their humanity.
Greenshift is entertaining and interesting if you notice the background and don't analyze it too much.
A short read that only took me two days to get through, Greenshift is a conventional romance novel with a popular sci-fi environment and a heroine who saves herself after victimizing herself. I'm personally disappointed that the relationship between the hero and heroine was flawless save for one petty spat, and a lot of the characters feel like tropes removed from their humanity.
Greenshift is entertaining and interesting if you notice the background and don't analyze it too much.
June 15, 2019
This book was recommended to me for being a space opera romance with kidnappings. While it has easy-to-grasp but still memorable worldbuilding, I found it vaguely predictable and the characters fun but somewhat unmemorable. It was worth the read and might be more endearing to someone inclined toward gardening or biology. Or having read AMBASSADORA.
June 16, 2019
This book was recommended to me for being a space opera romance with kidnappings. While it has easy-to-grasp but still memorable worldbuilding, I found it vaguely predictable and the characters fun but somewhat unmemorable. It was worth the read and might be more endearing to someone inclined toward gardening or biology.
February 3, 2020
Fast paced, action packed, and fun.
October 20, 2018
Full of action and adventure - this is an excellent read. I would rarely give 5 stars, but this kept my attention throughout.
October 17, 2015
In AMBASADORA, author Heidi Ruby Miller created a fascinating, and highly detailed 'verse peopled with three-dimensional characters going about the business of surviving, falling in love, and navigating the intricacies of a complex and corrupt political overclass. Her second novel set in the same 'verse, GREENSHIFT, takes a smaller bite of her 'verse and explores the relationship between Armadan Captain David Anlow and botanist “Mari” Boston Maribu, both introduced in AMBASADORA.
Set prior to the events of AMBASADORA, GREENSHIFT starts with the incident that caused David to take an extremely early retirement from the Armada. We follow him as he adjusts to life as a civilian pilot aboard the “science” ship Bard. Where David is everything military, orderly, methodical, by-the-book, Mari is anything but. She is much like a wild woodland nymph in her own right, all riotous color and free-spirit. Naturally, David falls hard for her and she falls hard for him. I have to admit, I fell for him too.
But as in any good story, the course of true love cannot run smoothly. In Miller's deft hands, their courtship plays out in a 'verse so detailed that one can smell the scent bots, but so beautifully described that her world-building flows seamless through the story. One does not simply read Heidi Ruby Miller's stories. One lives them along with the characters, inhabiting their skin and experiencing the adventure right along with them. And by adventure, I do mean a suspenseful, action-packed adventure. From the starting block, GREENSHIFT is filled with heart-pounding action and fight scenes that will have your adrenaline flowing.
The bad guys are sadistic and brutal, and the author isn't squeamish about vivid descriptions of either. Miller takes on the seedy underbelly of her 'verse, mixing vice with a rigid caste system. The results are a spoiled privileged class that exploits its inferiors, dabbling in deviant behaviors that would have made ancient Romans sit up and take notice. With Mari targeted by human traffickers bent on sex slavery, torture, rape, and murder, a dark sub-plot weaves through the story, casting a shadow over the budding romance.
Overall, GREENSHIFT lives up to the promise in AMBASADORA, and is an excellent prequel/followup to the first book. I truly enjoyed the author's foray into side stories from her 'verse and I hope GREENSHIFT won't be the last.
Set prior to the events of AMBASADORA, GREENSHIFT starts with the incident that caused David to take an extremely early retirement from the Armada. We follow him as he adjusts to life as a civilian pilot aboard the “science” ship Bard. Where David is everything military, orderly, methodical, by-the-book, Mari is anything but. She is much like a wild woodland nymph in her own right, all riotous color and free-spirit. Naturally, David falls hard for her and she falls hard for him. I have to admit, I fell for him too.
But as in any good story, the course of true love cannot run smoothly. In Miller's deft hands, their courtship plays out in a 'verse so detailed that one can smell the scent bots, but so beautifully described that her world-building flows seamless through the story. One does not simply read Heidi Ruby Miller's stories. One lives them along with the characters, inhabiting their skin and experiencing the adventure right along with them. And by adventure, I do mean a suspenseful, action-packed adventure. From the starting block, GREENSHIFT is filled with heart-pounding action and fight scenes that will have your adrenaline flowing.
The bad guys are sadistic and brutal, and the author isn't squeamish about vivid descriptions of either. Miller takes on the seedy underbelly of her 'verse, mixing vice with a rigid caste system. The results are a spoiled privileged class that exploits its inferiors, dabbling in deviant behaviors that would have made ancient Romans sit up and take notice. With Mari targeted by human traffickers bent on sex slavery, torture, rape, and murder, a dark sub-plot weaves through the story, casting a shadow over the budding romance.
Overall, GREENSHIFT lives up to the promise in AMBASADORA, and is an excellent prequel/followup to the first book. I truly enjoyed the author's foray into side stories from her 'verse and I hope GREENSHIFT won't be the last.
November 3, 2015
Rating 4/5
Geek rating 4/5
I had so much fun reading Greenshift! The story follows a few characters, David and Mary the primary ones, through an action-packed, romance-filled story that had me guessing up to the final pages. The characters are well-rounded and realized, and the plot is tight. Miller effortlessly weaves all the essential elements of a good story together.
At the beginning, I had a tough time identifying with Mari. She felt so naïve and young that, when her situation got bad, I wasn’t sure if she’d pull through. She surprised me, though, and Mari is one of those characters that makes you truly understand that first impressions can be deceiving. Mari’s character arc is impressive, no questions.
I love David. He’s smart, tough, and has his act together. He’s everything I want and expect from a sci-fi/romance hero and more. I also really like that he isn’t the absolute loaner type. He starts off on rocky terms with the other male characters but grows past it, which is great.
This book is a look into the past of the present given us in Miller’s first novel, Ambasadora. It’s meant to show the development of Mari and David’s relationship, which is its own brilliant adventure. I just felt that the attraction was so fast. In fact, it took me a bit to realize that Mari and David had admitted feelings for one another. They seemed to be waffling, and then they were a couple. Despite this, I found their romance storyline sweet and fulfilling.
Overall, this is an awesome book. With action and romance like this, Greenshift is a must-read for fans of sci-fi with love.
Geek rating 4/5
I had so much fun reading Greenshift! The story follows a few characters, David and Mary the primary ones, through an action-packed, romance-filled story that had me guessing up to the final pages. The characters are well-rounded and realized, and the plot is tight. Miller effortlessly weaves all the essential elements of a good story together.
At the beginning, I had a tough time identifying with Mari. She felt so naïve and young that, when her situation got bad, I wasn’t sure if she’d pull through. She surprised me, though, and Mari is one of those characters that makes you truly understand that first impressions can be deceiving. Mari’s character arc is impressive, no questions.
I love David. He’s smart, tough, and has his act together. He’s everything I want and expect from a sci-fi/romance hero and more. I also really like that he isn’t the absolute loaner type. He starts off on rocky terms with the other male characters but grows past it, which is great.
This book is a look into the past of the present given us in Miller’s first novel, Ambasadora. It’s meant to show the development of Mari and David’s relationship, which is its own brilliant adventure. I just felt that the attraction was so fast. In fact, it took me a bit to realize that Mari and David had admitted feelings for one another. They seemed to be waffling, and then they were a couple. Despite this, I found their romance storyline sweet and fulfilling.
Overall, this is an awesome book. With action and romance like this, Greenshift is a must-read for fans of sci-fi with love.
January 3, 2015
Demasiado “gore” para mi gusto.
No creo que este libro se pueda leer como un stand alone. Hay demasiados detalles y demasiada información que no se sabe de dónde sale, me ha costado entender todo el universo donde se desarrolla la historia, a pesar de que este libro es (se supone) una precuela.
Los detalles tan escabrosos sobre lo que “el malo” le hace a sus víctimas y la violencia de algunas escenas me han sacado un poco de la historia. Y ese final, me ha parecido absurdo y descabellado.
Para mí no ha funcionado.
No creo que este libro se pueda leer como un stand alone. Hay demasiados detalles y demasiada información que no se sabe de dónde sale, me ha costado entender todo el universo donde se desarrolla la historia, a pesar de que este libro es (se supone) una precuela.
Los detalles tan escabrosos sobre lo que “el malo” le hace a sus víctimas y la violencia de algunas escenas me han sacado un poco de la historia. Y ese final, me ha parecido absurdo y descabellado.
Para mí no ha funcionado.
December 1, 2015
GREENSHIFT by Heidi Ruby Miller is a beautifully written blend of science fiction and romance by a skilled writer who can build worlds and transport readers to faraway realms at the turn of a page. The suspense created within the first chapter set the tone for a novel that balances the horrific within a plot that is constructed around themes of trust and empowerment. I like that Miller keeps her female characters strong and puts them in realistic scenarios where their intelligence is tested just as much as their physical nature.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
December 28, 2015
The best review I can say about this book is that it make me want to re-read book one, Ambassadora. Have let way too much time between these two book, I forgot what a great story Heidi Ruby Miller tells. She has created an intriguing world of rebels, fraggers, controlling government, and scheming personalities. She tops it off with a deliciously attractive love story which both contrasts with and enhances the intrigue. I cannot wait to read the next book.
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