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Alouette's Song
Two teenaged couples become close friends, beat a government conspiracy, gain the key to the stars, and explore the galaxy. There they confront bigotry, war, evil scientists, and their own personal demons.
The tears of a stranger will save a land... that's how an alien prophecy goes. Both couples face odds so high only combined valor, sacrifice, ingenuity, and prayer can overcome them to save hundreds of millions.
A gifted violinist having unshakable faith, a sensitive sculptor with a horrific upbringing, a talented tinkerer and builder, and an autistic prodigy in math will each pay a huge price to have both love and life prevail!
Front Cover Illustrator: Shoshannah Brombacher
Back Cover: Sharon Jagger
The tears of a stranger will save a land... that's how an alien prophecy goes. Both couples face odds so high only combined valor, sacrifice, ingenuity, and prayer can overcome them to save hundreds of millions.
A gifted violinist having unshakable faith, a sensitive sculptor with a horrific upbringing, a talented tinkerer and builder, and an autistic prodigy in math will each pay a huge price to have both love and life prevail!
Front Cover Illustrator: Shoshannah Brombacher
Back Cover: Sharon Jagger
380 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2014
2 people are currently reading
398 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Jonathan Fine
3 books10 followersI arrived in Camden to a Conservative Jewish Family.
I didn't learn to talk until 6, after 2 years of experimental instruction. Once I learned to start talking I never did learn how to stop; but I consider myself far more eloquent in writing than in speech.
I did what I could with the hand I was dealt, which turned out to be a form of high functioning autism. I now live in Idaho's Silver Valley, where I'm learning to forget all the grief I've ever known. Writing helps.
I didn't learn to talk until 6, after 2 years of experimental instruction. Once I learned to start talking I never did learn how to stop; but I consider myself far more eloquent in writing than in speech.
I did what I could with the hand I was dealt, which turned out to be a form of high functioning autism. I now live in Idaho's Silver Valley, where I'm learning to forget all the grief I've ever known. Writing helps.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 23, 2015
Interesting science fiction story told from first person multiple characters, each presenting his/her view of the actions of others and activities in the story. the story involves very intelligent young adults interacting with each other and multiple cultures. portrayal of characters is very ethical and moral. The interstellar involvement and design of the ship, etc. is fun to read.
May 20, 2014
Alouette’s Song by Andrew Fine is the story of four remarkable young teenagers, Margaret, Martin, Richard and Dorothy, each with unique and exceptional gifts. When their lives intersect by chance their combined talents has them pioneering space/time travel and discovering a compatible world complete with alien life.
The story’s premise is great. Innocent kid accidentally shoots object through Earth’s atmosphere into outer space. HEAL agent sent in to clean up and ensure it never happens again. HEAL agent versus four incredible teenage minds determined to make scientific history. All good sci fi stuff. And, suspending reality, the author does a good job of making it seem plausible for a group of kids to build and navigate their own spaceship. However, I found the pacing slow in places, which for a sci fi novel (ie action-based) was frustrating.
With the story being told from multiple points of view, the reader gains good insights into each character’s thoughts. But I did find this confusing at times and would have preferred fewer viewpoints. With so many points of view the story did tend to repetition. Although the ending was too drawn-out and predictable for my liking, I did enjoy the mid-book action scenes in outer space. (Trying not to add any spoilers here!)
Although on the face of it Alouette’s Song is a science fiction novel, it goes further than that. It is a fascinating exploration of autism’s limitations and potential (Margaret is autistic and operates effectively in the real world by having an outer ‘shell’ which hides and protects the far more vulnerable inner child). It is also an interesting discussion of the meaning and place of Judaism in modern society (Dorothy is a practising Jew and Richard, born Jewish, has chosen to turn his back on Judaism). I really enjoyed these aspects of the novel.
The dialogue between characters seemed a little ‘off’—I frequently found the tone or language used unrealistic or at odds with the character voicing it. And often characters made complete about-turns in their thinking, with little rationale or emotion going into it. These issues aside, I did enjoy the character development of the four teens as their backstories gradually emerged.
Ultimately, Alouette’s Song is a love story: two young couples and the odds they overcome to achieve their respective happy endings, individually and together.
The story’s premise is great. Innocent kid accidentally shoots object through Earth’s atmosphere into outer space. HEAL agent sent in to clean up and ensure it never happens again. HEAL agent versus four incredible teenage minds determined to make scientific history. All good sci fi stuff. And, suspending reality, the author does a good job of making it seem plausible for a group of kids to build and navigate their own spaceship. However, I found the pacing slow in places, which for a sci fi novel (ie action-based) was frustrating.
With the story being told from multiple points of view, the reader gains good insights into each character’s thoughts. But I did find this confusing at times and would have preferred fewer viewpoints. With so many points of view the story did tend to repetition. Although the ending was too drawn-out and predictable for my liking, I did enjoy the mid-book action scenes in outer space. (Trying not to add any spoilers here!)
Although on the face of it Alouette’s Song is a science fiction novel, it goes further than that. It is a fascinating exploration of autism’s limitations and potential (Margaret is autistic and operates effectively in the real world by having an outer ‘shell’ which hides and protects the far more vulnerable inner child). It is also an interesting discussion of the meaning and place of Judaism in modern society (Dorothy is a practising Jew and Richard, born Jewish, has chosen to turn his back on Judaism). I really enjoyed these aspects of the novel.
The dialogue between characters seemed a little ‘off’—I frequently found the tone or language used unrealistic or at odds with the character voicing it. And often characters made complete about-turns in their thinking, with little rationale or emotion going into it. These issues aside, I did enjoy the character development of the four teens as their backstories gradually emerged.
Ultimately, Alouette’s Song is a love story: two young couples and the odds they overcome to achieve their respective happy endings, individually and together.
July 1, 2015
In Alouette's Song, author Andrew Jonathan Fine has interwoven a love story with pure science fiction and yet somehow also has managed to thread spirituality and YA themes into it at the same time. The result is a tale both entertaining and uplifting.
Two young couples combine forces to thwart evil government entities, explore the galaxy, and -- along the way -- overcome prejudices and domineering adults to make their mark and save the world. Whew! It's a lot for a first-time author to accomplish, but Fine manages to do so with skill and imagination.
Dorothy, Richard, Martin and Margaret are the main protagonists in this science-laced coming-of-age story. They rely on each other to negotiate their way through a morass of situational dilemmas and outright adventures to get from one end of the book to the other.
I particularly appreciated the courageousness of Fine's use of an autistic character early on. Peggy captures your heart as she struggles to protect her vulnerable inner self from life's harsh realities.
As the story unfolds, the kids build a spacecraft in an old YMCA building and then fly it to Jupiter, but with one small hitch -- the bad guy, DuQuesne, has stowed away!
Events unfold and they find themselves in the middle of an alien civil war. The kids fight valiantly, but at a terrible cost -- Richard is severely injured and his life is despaired of. Much of the battle and its aftermath is seen through the eyes of the aliens, a touching and unexpected perspective.
Does Richard survive? Do the kids eventually return to Earth? And what of the nefarious DuQuesne? I won't spoil the ending, but suffice to say it's a satisfying one.
Alouette's Song is a very unique read. It's crafted like a fine Swiss watch, with the characters interplaying in synchronous rhythm, finding love and adventure in the unlikeliest of places, from one end of the solar system to the other.
The author has also taken on some ambitious themes here, tacking issues as disparate as Judaism's sometimes harsh decrees, to a gay young man's struggles with his sexuality -- and addressing them tastefully. Oh, yes, there's also sex in a couple of o places in the book, but it's treated with loving respect.
I give Alouette's $ong a solid five stars and issue a warm welcome to a talented writer.
Two young couples combine forces to thwart evil government entities, explore the galaxy, and -- along the way -- overcome prejudices and domineering adults to make their mark and save the world. Whew! It's a lot for a first-time author to accomplish, but Fine manages to do so with skill and imagination.
Dorothy, Richard, Martin and Margaret are the main protagonists in this science-laced coming-of-age story. They rely on each other to negotiate their way through a morass of situational dilemmas and outright adventures to get from one end of the book to the other.
I particularly appreciated the courageousness of Fine's use of an autistic character early on. Peggy captures your heart as she struggles to protect her vulnerable inner self from life's harsh realities.
As the story unfolds, the kids build a spacecraft in an old YMCA building and then fly it to Jupiter, but with one small hitch -- the bad guy, DuQuesne, has stowed away!
Events unfold and they find themselves in the middle of an alien civil war. The kids fight valiantly, but at a terrible cost -- Richard is severely injured and his life is despaired of. Much of the battle and its aftermath is seen through the eyes of the aliens, a touching and unexpected perspective.
Does Richard survive? Do the kids eventually return to Earth? And what of the nefarious DuQuesne? I won't spoil the ending, but suffice to say it's a satisfying one.
Alouette's Song is a very unique read. It's crafted like a fine Swiss watch, with the characters interplaying in synchronous rhythm, finding love and adventure in the unlikeliest of places, from one end of the solar system to the other.
The author has also taken on some ambitious themes here, tacking issues as disparate as Judaism's sometimes harsh decrees, to a gay young man's struggles with his sexuality -- and addressing them tastefully. Oh, yes, there's also sex in a couple of o places in the book, but it's treated with loving respect.
I give Alouette's $ong a solid five stars and issue a warm welcome to a talented writer.
March 11, 2015
The cover of this book is very misleading. I've seen another cover for the same book. So buy the one you like better. The book is more space opera than Jewish love story, though there is plenty of love too. The main characters are a math prodigy, a teen violin star and two average boys who love the girls. Well average if you don’t count one of them being super-wealthy and the other a kind of cosmic light of goodness.
What brings them together is an accident that launches a candlestick holder into space. With the math genius’ help it is as easy to build an entire space ship as another candlestick holder, so they do it. The bad guy, who wants to suppress the technology the human race isn’t read for yet, takes over the first space ship. The final remaining of the four teens on earth is given the second to go rescue them. She is made an agent of the US Marshall's Service by the President of the United States and told to go stop a guy who has long experience of black ops.
This is in the first third of the book. This is where I need to phrase things carefully. Everyone in the book talks about everything exhaustively. The conversations are exactly what they are, no sub-text, no keeping things back or beating around the bush. It gets tiring to read. There is a good reason for this, as Andrew states in his dedication, he is autistic, the math prodigy in the book is autistic. This is not a bad thing. It just is. People on the autistic spectrum have trouble with the rough and tumble of everyday conversation. Marg talks about it in the book. The problem is that there is too much information for us non-autistic people to manage. I ended up skimming much of the dialogue, hoping I wouldn’t miss anything essential.
I would love to see Andrew team up with an editor to manage the dialogue issue. It makes sense for the autistic character to be autistic, but the whole world talking that way is overwhelming.
Still, I suggest you read the book. It is not just about the dialogue. There are great characters and a fun story in there.
What brings them together is an accident that launches a candlestick holder into space. With the math genius’ help it is as easy to build an entire space ship as another candlestick holder, so they do it. The bad guy, who wants to suppress the technology the human race isn’t read for yet, takes over the first space ship. The final remaining of the four teens on earth is given the second to go rescue them. She is made an agent of the US Marshall's Service by the President of the United States and told to go stop a guy who has long experience of black ops.
This is in the first third of the book. This is where I need to phrase things carefully. Everyone in the book talks about everything exhaustively. The conversations are exactly what they are, no sub-text, no keeping things back or beating around the bush. It gets tiring to read. There is a good reason for this, as Andrew states in his dedication, he is autistic, the math prodigy in the book is autistic. This is not a bad thing. It just is. People on the autistic spectrum have trouble with the rough and tumble of everyday conversation. Marg talks about it in the book. The problem is that there is too much information for us non-autistic people to manage. I ended up skimming much of the dialogue, hoping I wouldn’t miss anything essential.
I would love to see Andrew team up with an editor to manage the dialogue issue. It makes sense for the autistic character to be autistic, but the whole world talking that way is overwhelming.
Still, I suggest you read the book. It is not just about the dialogue. There are great characters and a fun story in there.
December 2, 2015
The overall story arch was interesting and I enjoyed the mix of characters. It was refreshing to have young people as the protagonists. The first encounter with the alien was interesting and done well. The political structure of the alien planet was unique and well thought out.
I think the author was ambitious and put too into the story. This has the beginnings of a great story about a young group of people trying to find themselves, their relationships and dealing with a strong antagonist. It also can be an interesting Science Fiction story, but I think it was too aggressive putting the two stories together. From a Science Fiction perspective there was too much background about the characters's and their beliefs. From a romance perspective there was too much math and quantum theory.
I almost gave this book a lower rating. As I said above, there was essentially two books. Both had potential but by combining them I think they detracted from each other. The romance story was interesting although I think the sex was too detailed and a little unusual. Less details and more passion for young people figuring out who they are and how to work together fighting some powerful force would have been an interesting story. The SciFi story had too much math and quantum mechanic's detail. The average reader would have gotten lost early. I'm an Aeronautical Engineer with a MS and it bored me. Either separate this into two books or decide which theme you want to dominate and stick to it. Also, I expected more of a story about autism, the character has issues and I think more of the autistic challenges should be included. The story seemed to categorize it more as a multiple personality problem.
I think the author was ambitious and put too into the story. This has the beginnings of a great story about a young group of people trying to find themselves, their relationships and dealing with a strong antagonist. It also can be an interesting Science Fiction story, but I think it was too aggressive putting the two stories together. From a Science Fiction perspective there was too much background about the characters's and their beliefs. From a romance perspective there was too much math and quantum theory.
I almost gave this book a lower rating. As I said above, there was essentially two books. Both had potential but by combining them I think they detracted from each other. The romance story was interesting although I think the sex was too detailed and a little unusual. Less details and more passion for young people figuring out who they are and how to work together fighting some powerful force would have been an interesting story. The SciFi story had too much math and quantum mechanic's detail. The average reader would have gotten lost early. I'm an Aeronautical Engineer with a MS and it bored me. Either separate this into two books or decide which theme you want to dominate and stick to it. Also, I expected more of a story about autism, the character has issues and I think more of the autistic challenges should be included. The story seemed to categorize it more as a multiple personality problem.
June 17, 2014
Review of Alouette's Song by Andrew Fine
Smart kids and a crazy professor!
I never read the original version that this story is updated from, but this sci-fi adventure touches on religion, love and politics- who would have guessed all of this could be covered in one story.
Each character was telling his/her story which I like. It made me feel like Peggy, Martin, and the others were telling ME the story. Lately the stories I have read are just from one point of view so this was a nice change for me and kept me moving to the next page.
It’s not a slow paced story, so there is no getting bored with it.
Although there is a lot of adventure, I absolutely love romantic/softer parts. Like Dorothy’s desire to marry a man pleasing to both God and herself.
The way the author uses metaphors is great. You can tell this is a thinker who puts feelings into words. For example: when Richard described his peace, it seemed very poetic.
This is a good read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes an adventure.
Smart kids and a crazy professor!
I never read the original version that this story is updated from, but this sci-fi adventure touches on religion, love and politics- who would have guessed all of this could be covered in one story.
Each character was telling his/her story which I like. It made me feel like Peggy, Martin, and the others were telling ME the story. Lately the stories I have read are just from one point of view so this was a nice change for me and kept me moving to the next page.
It’s not a slow paced story, so there is no getting bored with it.
Although there is a lot of adventure, I absolutely love romantic/softer parts. Like Dorothy’s desire to marry a man pleasing to both God and herself.
The way the author uses metaphors is great. You can tell this is a thinker who puts feelings into words. For example: when Richard described his peace, it seemed very poetic.
This is a good read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes an adventure.
April 2, 2015
I was provided a free copy of Alouette’s Song, Adventure Cover, in exchange for an honest review. I easily give this story 4 stars for its wonderfully strong female characters and the disarmingly sensitive males that journey along with them. Mr. Fine fleshed out many wonderful characters that each had their own distinct role to play within the adventure. A great writer reveals their love of their work within the pages they allow us to read and I am hugely impressed with the great depth in which different cultures, races, religions, and even species were portrayed within this book.
I quickly discovered that I would be surprised time and again by the author’s use of scientific and mathematical terminology one moment, then his incredible descriptions of art, music, and culture the next. This book managed to find the perfect balance between technology and humanity, between religion and politics, that it never felt like it was becoming stagnant. The story moved forward at a good pace and took me along for a truly enjoyable adventure.
I quickly discovered that I would be surprised time and again by the author’s use of scientific and mathematical terminology one moment, then his incredible descriptions of art, music, and culture the next. This book managed to find the perfect balance between technology and humanity, between religion and politics, that it never felt like it was becoming stagnant. The story moved forward at a good pace and took me along for a truly enjoyable adventure.
April 20, 2014
Andrew Jonathan Fine's story reminded me a little of the stories written by RAHeinlein in his youth series featuring the Stone family and others with the intertwined ethics and morals with the story line. This story incorporates real science with a future. While one does not need to have any knowledge of quantum mechanics to follow this story, a little knowledge makes the quarks and strange quarks flow a little better. His ethics and morals in the story are based on Conservative/Orthodox Judaism. For those not Jewish, these values are inherent in every religion on earth, and as we find out in the story, even that in another part of the galaxy. I enjoyed the book, and am very happy to have read it. You will have to read the book to actually find out what the story is, I will not tell it away.
August 4, 2015
Free book for honest review. juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
Four teens from separate walks of life have fated encounters that will not only bring them together as lovers and friends, but as saviors. Together, they will kick open the door to humanity's settlement of the Milky Way. But only ingenuity, compassion, valor, and prayer will see them through their adventures before they can safely return home!
I liked the twist and turns in this book. All the action kept it very interesting. The story is very original and engaging!
I give it 4 Stars
Thanks,
Sarah
Four teens from separate walks of life have fated encounters that will not only bring them together as lovers and friends, but as saviors. Together, they will kick open the door to humanity's settlement of the Milky Way. But only ingenuity, compassion, valor, and prayer will see them through their adventures before they can safely return home!
I liked the twist and turns in this book. All the action kept it very interesting. The story is very original and engaging!
I give it 4 Stars
Thanks,
Sarah
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews