Ils ont quitté Terra pour bâtir l’avenir. Ils n’avaient pas imaginé le prix à payer.
À bord de l’Icarus, 240 jeunes Pionniers s’élancent vers Mars pour une mission sans retour. Parmi eux, Kiev Bright, une brillante biologiste prête à faire naître la vie là où elle n’a jamais existé.
Mais lorsqu’une mort survient dans des circonstances troublantes, le rêve se transforme en cauchemar. Suicide, dit la version officielle. Meurtre, murmure son instinct. Très vite, Kiev découvre un réseau de secrets et de manipulations qui met en péril l’équipage.
Propulsée malgré elle dans un rôle de leader, elle doit affronter des vérités qui dépassent la morale et les droits humains… et l’étrange fascination que lui inspire l’énigmatique Administratrice. Est-elle son alliée la plus précieuse… ou sa pire ennemie ?
My name is Laura, I'm 31 and I'm a French and Spanish woman who recently moved to London.
My universe blends anticipation, dystopia and science fiction - a way of giving voice to the uncertain futures born of the fractures in our society.
It was essential for me to write the stories I grew up missing: strong, assertive heroines and uncompromising queer characters. Stories that are accessible to all and captivating, but always driven by essential questions about the world around us.
As a neuro-atypical person, reading has often been my refuge and writing my escape. Today, I'm delighted to be able to share with you a part of this inner world.
Aside from writing, I practice street photography under the name 63bpm, compose post-punk, chase my dog when he steals something from the garbage can... and try to be a reasonably functional human being (without much success).
Thank you to everyone who will take the time to dive into my world and follow the adventures of Kiev and her friends aboard the Icarus.
Don't hesitate to subscribe to my newsletter to keep up to date with my latest news and forthcoming releases.
I had the chance to read this book early because I was an ARC reader.
I'm not much of a reader usually, but I made an exception for this book. The story is captivating and depicts a journey seen through the eyes of the main character, a young woman trying to find out who she really is during her own space Odyssey and much more.
You can see how much effort the author put in creating a coherent world without numbing the reader with too much technical details. The characters you'll encounter throughout the story won't leave you indifferent, wether it's in a positive or negative way.
I really think that this book is worth your time and that you'll have a good time exploring the universe the author depicted.
I read this book before release as part of a ARC reader
Not being a big reader or a big fan of science fiction, I wasn't expecting much from this book... Imagine my surprise when I realised that it was actually right up my street.
The way the characters and their mentalities are written makes you develop a positive or negative feeling towards each of them, which sometimes really gets to you.
Their fully human nature makes you feel completely immersed, as you can identify with them or the situations lead you to reflect on what you would have done in their shoes, or, as in a film, you want to shout ‘DON'T DO THAT!’ at them.
The main storyline is both captivating and profound without being unnecessarily complex. You can tell that the author has done a lot of research to stay true to reality without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary details.
I highly recommend this first volume, which I am sure will appeal to seasoned readers as well as readers who, like me, need to be hooked in order to enjoy it, and I eagerly await the next instalment!
Origins was like Infernal Affairs X The Martian (if you imagined it inverted) X The Memory of Empire.
There’s a murder mystery that’s being swept under the rug, a rebellion stewing in the underbelly, an evil corporation trying to take over the world, and a protagonist who seems astute at navigating human relationships while being totally clueless at the same time.
I’d love to say this is an easy 5 stars for the concept, but the pacing and writing could do with some editing :S That said, the story was entertaining, and I found myself pacing for a couple of days, thanks to that rushed, cliffhanger ending.
Nonetheless, if you like a high-stakes suspense mystery with a side of political drama, Origins: The Rise should be on your TBR!
As an ARC reader, I have to say it's a visual pleasure to read it.
This being my first sci-fi novel, I absolutely loved it. Every reading completely drew me in; the characters (especially one hihi) are incredibly endearing, the story is captivating, and it's a real pleasure to follow.
The author generously gave me an ARC of this book and I’m so happy that I got to read this! The beautiful cover really got my attention at first, but the synopsis is what truly won me over. Dystopian future, space mission, plot twists, queer characters… this story has it all!
I was lucky enough to read this book before the release!
Since I almost never read, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get into it, but I was immediately captivated by the sci-fi world and the engaging characters.
I highly recommend it to both novice and more experienced readers!
I had the pleasure and honor of reading the book in advance and I was completely captivated by the story. The book is a real page-turner, the plot is gripping, and the characters are well-developed.
(I got the chance to read the book before it's release as part of a ARC reader)
First I'd like to start saying congratulations to the author, there are only a few books that have successfully made me feel in another world, transported me to a new reality and made me forget about current issues and problems of my own life, but this book did it with excellence.
Despite the fact that I'm not a huge fan of science fiction, this story is really well written, it didn't feel overwhelming and yet it felt complete and very detailed I could picture Icarus as if it was real when I closed my eyes, I fell into an immersion so deeply, I became a character, sharing this story with them, as one would feel in a first person video game.
The story is such a mystery constantly evolving and keeping you at the edge of the seat, It kept me awake at night because I just couldn't stop reading without knowing what would happen in the next chapter, from the bottom of my heart this book was such a good read.
If you wish to forget about the real world and fall into an amazing story this is the book for you.
Incredible! Laura has found exactly the right words to take us on this journey. I loved every element: the atmosphere, the twists and turns, the characters, the relationships… Everything fits together so perfectly that the immersion is immediate.
Nothing in this book feels overdone: every emotion rings true, every scene has its purpose. I was completely drawn in from the very first pages.
I grew attached to all the characters, because whether they are "good" or "bad", they are so finely crafted that you can’t help but put yourself in their place.
A true favorite, a novel that completely absorbed me and that I wholeheartedly recommend.
So happy to be one of the ARC readers for this book! I enjoyed reading it from the first page to the last. Missed quite a few stops on the tube because of it 😄. Simply written but has depth to it. Amazingly developed characters who feel like your friends during this space adventure. Unexpected twists make this story even more exciting. Perfect flow, timing, and form. Truly loved it!
the next book could potentially be SO GOOD (or not, i have been dissapointed before). This one though, its very slow, and the writing felt a bit bland and at times kind of weirdly stilted. Maybe because it was translated? Still quite good though. What i DID wonder was about all the technicalities. So many questions apparently not explained about
I read this book months ago but, I could not find myself writing this review. It has been difficult to find the right words to describe this book and my feelings while reading it. I can think of many adjectives to describe this novel: captivating, creative, thrilling and realistic. I could not put it down, I loved diving in this sci-fi book (and I'm not much of a sci-fi reader). I also appreciated the realistic side of the story: the author depicted the greed and the love for power of men in a capitalistic world. I also admire her creativity, her knowledge and the courage of writing and publishing this book.