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The Korvali Chronicles #1
The Refugee
She's an ambitious but bored geneticist. He's a brilliant but chilly alien. When he escapes his xenophobic planet and becomes the first Korvali to ever live among humans, the repercussions are far greater than anyone imagined.
When Eshel arrives on Starship Cornelia, no one knows what to make of him or his cold, arrogant personality. Catherine, fellow scientist and the only human Eshel trusts, helps him navigate the world of "outsiders"... but she can only teach him so much. Eshel faces those who don't understand or trust him, political barriers to conducting his prized scientific work, and other challenges he never anticipated. When he crosses the line by violating one of his people's most rigid taboos, Eshel must face his own internal struggle... until he discovers that he has a far more treacherous enemy.
When Eshel arrives on Starship Cornelia, no one knows what to make of him or his cold, arrogant personality. Catherine, fellow scientist and the only human Eshel trusts, helps him navigate the world of "outsiders"... but she can only teach him so much. Eshel faces those who don't understand or trust him, political barriers to conducting his prized scientific work, and other challenges he never anticipated. When he crosses the line by violating one of his people's most rigid taboos, Eshel must face his own internal struggle... until he discovers that he has a far more treacherous enemy.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2014
34 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 16, 2017
This is an unusual science fiction story. I can't really call it a romance, though there is a relationship and "hero" and "heroine" of the story. I did enjoy the story, and how we gradually learn about the "refugee" and his differences and how they lead to misunderstandings. I also liked the main female (human) character and that she was a strong woman. I appreciated that there were no graphic scenes in the book. I did feel that the writing was a bit dry and at times slow. I'm not sure I'm compelled to read on in the series.
June 23, 2017
I often hesitate to rate a book at all when I didn't enjoy it. After all, it's mostly personal preference - maybe someone else would like it.
For me, this book reads like a report - like the author is literally reporting the action from the scene. Often, it seemed to me, the details reported on didn't enhance the reading experience, but made me skim-read many, many lines, because I didn't much care for the four sentences that described how they left the room when the conversation ended before they finally did leave. There's just no voice/personality behind the writing that I could see. Which is a shame, because the story and plot itself seemed good. So, I won't be reading the other books in the series. But if it ever makes it into a movie, I think it'd be worth seeing.
For me, this book reads like a report - like the author is literally reporting the action from the scene. Often, it seemed to me, the details reported on didn't enhance the reading experience, but made me skim-read many, many lines, because I didn't much care for the four sentences that described how they left the room when the conversation ended before they finally did leave. There's just no voice/personality behind the writing that I could see. Which is a shame, because the story and plot itself seemed good. So, I won't be reading the other books in the series. But if it ever makes it into a movie, I think it'd be worth seeing.
July 28, 2019
When Alien Worlds Interact, What Can Happen?
A great story and a great read! Stories of aliens and humans, especially taking place upon a space vessel, and the way the characters interact always attract my attention, and this one was no disappointment. In fact, I found the way the author introduced human and alien, then let the story take over, as the reader begins to understand each character, quite superior to much of the science fiction out there. With each chapter, I found myself wanting to know more about the main characters, especially the Korvali male, Eschel, and the culture that he came from. What was even more rewarding, was how the author develops each of the other characters, especially Catherine, whom I immediately empathized with, wanting her to succeed in each of her assignments. Even the captain, who seems to take a dislike to Eschel, who is taken aboard their craft when he requests asylum after he is rescued from another ship found afloat in space, but which causes all sorts of political mayhem between the Alliance and this secretive species from a planet that refuses joining their intergalactic federation. Even though the novel sounds similar to stories of Star Trek, the author presents the tale in such a way as to make the story fresh and original, but satisfies the longings of many Trekkies, like me, for more stories of exploration, adventure and knowledge of what's really out there, and how we must learn to deal with our differences between the races we will find. The developing relationship between Catherine and Eschel, and other relationships, just left me wanting to know more of what the author has in store for us in the sequels to the first in her trinity of the Korvali Chronicles.
A great story and a great read! Stories of aliens and humans, especially taking place upon a space vessel, and the way the characters interact always attract my attention, and this one was no disappointment. In fact, I found the way the author introduced human and alien, then let the story take over, as the reader begins to understand each character, quite superior to much of the science fiction out there. With each chapter, I found myself wanting to know more about the main characters, especially the Korvali male, Eschel, and the culture that he came from. What was even more rewarding, was how the author develops each of the other characters, especially Catherine, whom I immediately empathized with, wanting her to succeed in each of her assignments. Even the captain, who seems to take a dislike to Eschel, who is taken aboard their craft when he requests asylum after he is rescued from another ship found afloat in space, but which causes all sorts of political mayhem between the Alliance and this secretive species from a planet that refuses joining their intergalactic federation. Even though the novel sounds similar to stories of Star Trek, the author presents the tale in such a way as to make the story fresh and original, but satisfies the longings of many Trekkies, like me, for more stories of exploration, adventure and knowledge of what's really out there, and how we must learn to deal with our differences between the races we will find. The developing relationship between Catherine and Eschel, and other relationships, just left me wanting to know more of what the author has in store for us in the sequels to the first in her trinity of the Korvali Chronicles.
May 17, 2017
What's a Friendship?
Really liked this book. It was intelligent in talking scientific terms without the reader being overwhelmingly unable to understand them. The characters were likable, if not a bit stuck in their stereotypes. And you get to think about interspecies love and romance. Good read.
Really liked this book. It was intelligent in talking scientific terms without the reader being overwhelmingly unable to understand them. The characters were likable, if not a bit stuck in their stereotypes. And you get to think about interspecies love and romance. Good read.
October 22, 2019
Enjoyed this book and the complexity of the main characters. Had a bit of a hard time keeping track of minor characters. The story is interesting and while it’s sci-fi, the romance aspect thrown in there added to the main characters humanity and realism. I put the rest of the series on my wish list as I’d like to see what happens next.
February 9, 2020
Embora seja um livro de ficção científica, a narrativa nos mostra o lado duro de ser refugiado em um lugar estranho, tendo de falar um idioma que não domina, e conviver com pessoas e costumes que não compreende, além de enfrentar todos os preconceitos possíveis. Muito bom!
July 9, 2017
Just what I fancied reading at the time. Story of a refugee who has left his planet to live among humans on a starship, but most focuses on a human geneticist he associates with.
more to follow
more to follow
January 7, 2022
very interesting
I enjoyed the characters and the story line of the book. Very good action and unique characters have your attention throughout the book.
I enjoyed the characters and the story line of the book. Very good action and unique characters have your attention throughout the book.
April 12, 2015
Starship of Fools?
C.A. Hartman’s The Refugee
***** A No Spoilers Review *****
C.A. Hartman’s outstanding first novel, The Refugee, successfully blends myriad science fiction elements into a compelling and interesting story that recalls the genre’s early tales of exploration. There are multiple elements in the novel that that make it both a good read and great science fiction.
First, Hartman creates a world that is both engaging and interesting. It takes place far enough in the future that faster than light technology has been developed but near enough to contemporary time that many of the trappings of our society and culture remain. There is a shaky alliance that exists among four planetary systems including Earth. It is a very loose federation in which the interest of each system generally supersedes the alliance’s best interests. One of the elements in this alliance is Earth’s Starship Cornelia.
It is an USS Enterprise-like vessel; its mission a mixture of military security, exploration and scientific research. However this is where the comparisons end. As we quickly discover all is not “ship-shape” on the Cornelia or with the Alliance. The drama begins when they discover a refugee named Eshel from a nonaligned and extremely xenophobic planet called Korvalis. It is a world whose myopic focus is on researching and manipulating genes. When Eshel requests asylum and to become a crew member of the Cornelia the fun begins!
The second aspect of the story that draws us in is the sophisticated use of genetics as one of the most fascinating sub plots. The use and misuse of genetic research by a variety of people and planets plays a major role in how the story plays out. Of course the catalysts for this are Eshel and the novel’s protagonist, Catherine Finnegan. Eshel is, even among the Korvali, considered to be a brilliant geneticist. Needless to say this leads to both intrigue and action in the best traditions of the genre.
Finally, the most intriguing feature of this novel is its characters. All of the people in the world that Ms. Hartman has created are fully drawn and possess their own unique voice. The wonderful thing about this story is that the villains are just as engaging as the heroes. It’s difficult not to root for Catherine, Eshel and their comrades. It’s even more of a pleasure to see how the wonderful cast of undesirables which include Catherine’s supervisor, the ship’s Captain Ferguson, Alien thugs and politically motivated scientists try to stop them.
With reference back to Star Trek, we quickly discover that the less than competent Ferguson is no Kirk or Picard. Thus Hartman has plotted a course that is familiar to readers of military fiction. The Cornelia usually succeeds despite the efforts of its captain and because of the talent and innovation of its junior leadership. It becomes abundantly clear that the ship’s senior leadership would not last long in Star Fleet. And that too is part of the drama and fun. Notwithstanding the senior leaders, this is no ship of fools!
Ms. Hartman has created a world and story that harks back to the works of 50s-60s era SF writers and successfully made it relevant. It reminded me in tone, theme and plotting of A.E van Vogt’s, The Voyage of the Space Beagle (which was an inspiration for Star Trek the Original Series). This is a world of action, science and romance that is grounded in a believable near future.
It’s a must read for anyone who wants to go on an interesting voyage in the best tradition of Science Fiction. I hope that the second book in the series is out soon!
C.A. Hartman’s The Refugee
***** A No Spoilers Review *****
C.A. Hartman’s outstanding first novel, The Refugee, successfully blends myriad science fiction elements into a compelling and interesting story that recalls the genre’s early tales of exploration. There are multiple elements in the novel that that make it both a good read and great science fiction.
First, Hartman creates a world that is both engaging and interesting. It takes place far enough in the future that faster than light technology has been developed but near enough to contemporary time that many of the trappings of our society and culture remain. There is a shaky alliance that exists among four planetary systems including Earth. It is a very loose federation in which the interest of each system generally supersedes the alliance’s best interests. One of the elements in this alliance is Earth’s Starship Cornelia.
It is an USS Enterprise-like vessel; its mission a mixture of military security, exploration and scientific research. However this is where the comparisons end. As we quickly discover all is not “ship-shape” on the Cornelia or with the Alliance. The drama begins when they discover a refugee named Eshel from a nonaligned and extremely xenophobic planet called Korvalis. It is a world whose myopic focus is on researching and manipulating genes. When Eshel requests asylum and to become a crew member of the Cornelia the fun begins!
The second aspect of the story that draws us in is the sophisticated use of genetics as one of the most fascinating sub plots. The use and misuse of genetic research by a variety of people and planets plays a major role in how the story plays out. Of course the catalysts for this are Eshel and the novel’s protagonist, Catherine Finnegan. Eshel is, even among the Korvali, considered to be a brilliant geneticist. Needless to say this leads to both intrigue and action in the best traditions of the genre.
Finally, the most intriguing feature of this novel is its characters. All of the people in the world that Ms. Hartman has created are fully drawn and possess their own unique voice. The wonderful thing about this story is that the villains are just as engaging as the heroes. It’s difficult not to root for Catherine, Eshel and their comrades. It’s even more of a pleasure to see how the wonderful cast of undesirables which include Catherine’s supervisor, the ship’s Captain Ferguson, Alien thugs and politically motivated scientists try to stop them.
With reference back to Star Trek, we quickly discover that the less than competent Ferguson is no Kirk or Picard. Thus Hartman has plotted a course that is familiar to readers of military fiction. The Cornelia usually succeeds despite the efforts of its captain and because of the talent and innovation of its junior leadership. It becomes abundantly clear that the ship’s senior leadership would not last long in Star Fleet. And that too is part of the drama and fun. Notwithstanding the senior leaders, this is no ship of fools!
Ms. Hartman has created a world and story that harks back to the works of 50s-60s era SF writers and successfully made it relevant. It reminded me in tone, theme and plotting of A.E van Vogt’s, The Voyage of the Space Beagle (which was an inspiration for Star Trek the Original Series). This is a world of action, science and romance that is grounded in a believable near future.
It’s a must read for anyone who wants to go on an interesting voyage in the best tradition of Science Fiction. I hope that the second book in the series is out soon!
March 18, 2016
So I purchased this book from a Comic Con, I am very intrigued by space travel and wanted to read a book with an up and coming author.
First, I'd like to say the book is enjoyable. I've enjoyed timeless classics and books like Twilight, there are different modes of enjoyment.
The plot is very neat, and the author did a fairly good job developing a world (or universe really) for a short first book in a series and hope to see more development in the next two books. The author comes from a scientific background so everything felt genuine and not hokey. I like how we go to multiple characters perspectives, giving us a full scope of certain scenarios rather than just the one protagonist.
There were some confusion in the early to middle parts of the book. The book opened up with Catherine wanting her alone time with Tom. This led me to believe she had a romantic interest in him, but nothing came from it. Did I misunderstand it or was that plot dropped? The letters to the father seemed pointless, I was theorizing that since I never got to see letters back and that she kept sending them and was unable to holo with him that he was dead or something. But later it eventually turned out to be a tool that some TV shows will do at the end of an episode to summarize what we have already watched or a cheesy way to end a story rather than just telling me the solution of something.
My biggest complaint had to be the romance, it felt very forced and rushed. I have read my fair share of romance novels and even some raunchy novels so I'm not shy to those scenes. But if they were interested I doubt their first encounter would be heavy petting like that, especially when one of them can't even shake people's hands. The "sex" scene (still confused about this since I was unclear about his anatomy and vague descriptions) made me uncomfortable. Eshel was led to be fairly innocent and not seen in a sexy way so it felt like she was taking advantage of him. I couldn't help but imagining Kip from Futurama and it made me feel sad. Anyways, it ended with some brown goop on his stomach and that was it for me. I don't even think 50 Shades described semen. If so, the author should have chose a better color.
The story was interesting enough to keep me reading but I felt little was developed. For like 20 chapters nothing evolved except a breakup. They just kept reminding us how he can't talk about genetics. I had a theory they would encounter something that would make them circumvent this ban and have to use his genetics knowledge. But the book ended with the author putting another barrier where we'll hear "you can't tell me this!" Every other chapter as an excuse for lack of plot development.
First, I'd like to say the book is enjoyable. I've enjoyed timeless classics and books like Twilight, there are different modes of enjoyment.
The plot is very neat, and the author did a fairly good job developing a world (or universe really) for a short first book in a series and hope to see more development in the next two books. The author comes from a scientific background so everything felt genuine and not hokey. I like how we go to multiple characters perspectives, giving us a full scope of certain scenarios rather than just the one protagonist.
There were some confusion in the early to middle parts of the book. The book opened up with Catherine wanting her alone time with Tom. This led me to believe she had a romantic interest in him, but nothing came from it. Did I misunderstand it or was that plot dropped? The letters to the father seemed pointless, I was theorizing that since I never got to see letters back and that she kept sending them and was unable to holo with him that he was dead or something. But later it eventually turned out to be a tool that some TV shows will do at the end of an episode to summarize what we have already watched or a cheesy way to end a story rather than just telling me the solution of something.
My biggest complaint had to be the romance, it felt very forced and rushed. I have read my fair share of romance novels and even some raunchy novels so I'm not shy to those scenes. But if they were interested I doubt their first encounter would be heavy petting like that, especially when one of them can't even shake people's hands. The "sex" scene (still confused about this since I was unclear about his anatomy and vague descriptions) made me uncomfortable. Eshel was led to be fairly innocent and not seen in a sexy way so it felt like she was taking advantage of him. I couldn't help but imagining Kip from Futurama and it made me feel sad. Anyways, it ended with some brown goop on his stomach and that was it for me. I don't even think 50 Shades described semen. If so, the author should have chose a better color.
The story was interesting enough to keep me reading but I felt little was developed. For like 20 chapters nothing evolved except a breakup. They just kept reminding us how he can't talk about genetics. I had a theory they would encounter something that would make them circumvent this ban and have to use his genetics knowledge. But the book ended with the author putting another barrier where we'll hear "you can't tell me this!" Every other chapter as an excuse for lack of plot development.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2015
I don't think I have ever reviewed a piece fiction online. The web, Amazon,and Goodreads just did not exist when I last wrote about a novel. I'm pretty sure the last time that happened it was for a class in school.
Okay, so here it goes.
This book is set in the far future where interplanetary travel is a mundane technology. So mundane the aspects of such travel and the technology behind it aren't focused on.
Earth is part of an interplanetary alliance with several other humanoid species, save for one: the Korvali. These beings are a bit like the North Korea of space. Very isolationist, very xenophobic, and technologically backward except for their genetic technology. The Korvali actually excel beyond others in their knowledge of genetics.
Eshel, a member of this race defects to the interplanetary alliance.
The focus of the story is on interpersonal and political tension as Eshel tries to live among the mixed race crew of a military space ship of the Alliance.
While a brilliant scientist Eshel has zero emotional intelligence never having been exposed to other cultures or other species. I think even accounting for those factors the character of Eshel still would have been a dork and many of the characters he interacted with had a "blue collar" feel. Not deep thinkers themselves.
The other set of tension comes from whether or not Eshel will reveal his genetic knowledge. The Alliance, while eager for it, is afraid of it and they are afraid the revelations will lead to war with the Korvali government who also pursue Eshel to make sure he doesn't reveal anything.
Okay, so here it goes.
This book is set in the far future where interplanetary travel is a mundane technology. So mundane the aspects of such travel and the technology behind it aren't focused on.
Earth is part of an interplanetary alliance with several other humanoid species, save for one: the Korvali. These beings are a bit like the North Korea of space. Very isolationist, very xenophobic, and technologically backward except for their genetic technology. The Korvali actually excel beyond others in their knowledge of genetics.
Eshel, a member of this race defects to the interplanetary alliance.
The focus of the story is on interpersonal and political tension as Eshel tries to live among the mixed race crew of a military space ship of the Alliance.
While a brilliant scientist Eshel has zero emotional intelligence never having been exposed to other cultures or other species. I think even accounting for those factors the character of Eshel still would have been a dork and many of the characters he interacted with had a "blue collar" feel. Not deep thinkers themselves.
The other set of tension comes from whether or not Eshel will reveal his genetic knowledge. The Alliance, while eager for it, is afraid of it and they are afraid the revelations will lead to war with the Korvali government who also pursue Eshel to make sure he doesn't reveal anything.
January 2, 2016
This book is a complex science fiction story that will pull you in quickly. This is the first part of a trilogy and after reading this, I will be on the hunt for the next two books. The author has created a very successful start to what promises to be a great series.
I don't like to re-hash the plot, as you can easily get that by reading the back cover but the premise is interesting. A ship with dead aliens is found in space, from a planet that has refused to join the Alliance and does not tolerate outsiders. One of the aliens is not dead, but survived and wishes to join the ship. This begins the book as the subplots of politics and science are twined around the two main characters, Catherine, the geneticist onboard the ship who located the aliens and Eshel, the surviving alien.
The author has woven several successful elements into this novel, creating content that is engaging, thought provoking and rich in material. The characters are complex, and you can relate to them, their bad traits and their good. The characters evolve and change through their interactions, making for a solid plot progression that has steady action and intrigue.
In a genre that tends to be dated and full of formula driven cliche's, this book is a welcome change to the genre. My only regret is that I bought the book almost a year ago and just now read it. If you love science fiction, you will like this book. It has a lot to offer the reader.
I don't like to re-hash the plot, as you can easily get that by reading the back cover but the premise is interesting. A ship with dead aliens is found in space, from a planet that has refused to join the Alliance and does not tolerate outsiders. One of the aliens is not dead, but survived and wishes to join the ship. This begins the book as the subplots of politics and science are twined around the two main characters, Catherine, the geneticist onboard the ship who located the aliens and Eshel, the surviving alien.
The author has woven several successful elements into this novel, creating content that is engaging, thought provoking and rich in material. The characters are complex, and you can relate to them, their bad traits and their good. The characters evolve and change through their interactions, making for a solid plot progression that has steady action and intrigue.
In a genre that tends to be dated and full of formula driven cliche's, this book is a welcome change to the genre. My only regret is that I bought the book almost a year ago and just now read it. If you love science fiction, you will like this book. It has a lot to offer the reader.
January 5, 2017
Met the author at Wondercon Los Angeles, and read the first page right there at her booth before purchasing. It's so rare that a book grabs me from its opening line, but this one did, so I bought the entire series on the spot.
Hartman's writing is solid, and her storytelling is top notch. The characters are believable and behave rationally, if not always appropriately. Early in the story, the protagonist (geneticist Catherine Finnegan) faces some stiff opposition by a malignant boss, but as Hartman unfolds her story, Finnegan's problems get more intricate and subtly thorny. There are four very different cultures at play here, each with their own peculiarities, social norms, taboos, and prejudices; conflicts and cross-purposes abound in deeply interesting ways, and (at the risk of making it sound prosaic, which it isn't) it's never really clear who she (we) can trust.
Hartman's writing is solid, and her storytelling is top notch. The characters are believable and behave rationally, if not always appropriately. Early in the story, the protagonist (geneticist Catherine Finnegan) faces some stiff opposition by a malignant boss, but as Hartman unfolds her story, Finnegan's problems get more intricate and subtly thorny. There are four very different cultures at play here, each with their own peculiarities, social norms, taboos, and prejudices; conflicts and cross-purposes abound in deeply interesting ways, and (at the risk of making it sound prosaic, which it isn't) it's never really clear who she (we) can trust.
May 25, 2016
Good book but poor grammar and sentence structure
I am not a writer by any means and will probably have poor grammar throughout this post. Because of this, in order for me to be able to point it out in a book it must be really bad. I loved the plot of this book, I just wish it was written better and not in short choppy sentences. There was a lot of unnecessary information and I felt the author was often attempting to fulfill a word count without worrying about how it would affect the storyline.
I am not a writer by any means and will probably have poor grammar throughout this post. Because of this, in order for me to be able to point it out in a book it must be really bad. I loved the plot of this book, I just wish it was written better and not in short choppy sentences. There was a lot of unnecessary information and I felt the author was often attempting to fulfill a word count without worrying about how it would affect the storyline.
April 28, 2016
The refugee
An outstanding read. I would put this book on par with works by the the old masters such as Robert Heinlein and Asimov. If the rest of this series is anywhere as good as the first, then in my opinion she would have fully met that standard. I have been reading Science Fiction for more than 50 years along with other genres. I gladly look forward to reading the rest of this trilogy when it becomes available.
An outstanding read. I would put this book on par with works by the the old masters such as Robert Heinlein and Asimov. If the rest of this series is anywhere as good as the first, then in my opinion she would have fully met that standard. I have been reading Science Fiction for more than 50 years along with other genres. I gladly look forward to reading the rest of this trilogy when it becomes available.
March 28, 2016
The Reguee
A great book of adventure and action in a most unique a d incredible menacing world and viewpoint. A book you need to read.
A great book of adventure and action in a most unique a d incredible menacing world and viewpoint. A book you need to read.
April 11, 2017
I loved it. Great plot, excellent characters and good speed of action.
May 3, 2017
The "in" thing these days for authors, seems to be writing a trilogy and offering the first book free in hopes that readers will like the story and characters enough to buy the 2nd and 3rd books. I often pick up those 1st free books, yet I find I rarely care enough to read on.
This is one of those rare exceptions. While it is not a mind-blowing story, it was entertaining. The politics were believable. I can't vouch for the science because I'm horribly ignorant in that regard, but it worked for me. It seemed a little strange how the author handled the intimacies between Catherine and Eshel, but not enough for me to get too hung up on it.
I read all three books in the series and enjoyed them. This review encompasses all of them.
This is one of those rare exceptions. While it is not a mind-blowing story, it was entertaining. The politics were believable. I can't vouch for the science because I'm horribly ignorant in that regard, but it worked for me. It seemed a little strange how the author handled the intimacies between Catherine and Eshel, but not enough for me to get too hung up on it.
I read all three books in the series and enjoyed them. This review encompasses all of them.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews