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Outer Earth #1
Tracer
IN SPACE. EVERY. SECOND. COUNTS.
Our planet is in ruins. Three hundred miles above its scarred surface orbits Outer Earth: a space station with a million souls on board. They are all that remain of the human race.
Darnell is the head of the station's biotech lab. He's also a man with dark secrets. And he has ambitions for Outer Earth that no one will see coming.
Prakesh is a scientist, and he has no idea what his boss Darnell is capable of. He'll have to move fast if he doesn't want to end up dead.
And then there's Riley. She's a tracer - a courier. For her, speed is everything. But with her latest cargo, she's taken on more than she bargained for.
A chilling conspiracy connects them all.
The countdown has begun for Outer Earth - and for mankind
Our planet is in ruins. Three hundred miles above its scarred surface orbits Outer Earth: a space station with a million souls on board. They are all that remain of the human race.
Darnell is the head of the station's biotech lab. He's also a man with dark secrets. And he has ambitions for Outer Earth that no one will see coming.
Prakesh is a scientist, and he has no idea what his boss Darnell is capable of. He'll have to move fast if he doesn't want to end up dead.
And then there's Riley. She's a tracer - a courier. For her, speed is everything. But with her latest cargo, she's taken on more than she bargained for.
A chilling conspiracy connects them all.
The countdown has begun for Outer Earth - and for mankind
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2015
65 people are currently reading
1801 people want to read
About the author
Rob Boffard
11 books110 followersRob. Thirty-one. Author. Journalist. Sound Engineer. Snowboarder. Hip-hop artist. Tall. Basketball-player-length arms. Lots of tattoos. Glasses. Bad hair. Proud South African. Born in Johannesburg. Splits time between London and Vancouver. Digs New York. Doesn’t dig Vegas. Loves New Orleans. Not a helicopter pilot.
Debut novel. Tracer. On Orbit Books. Out now. Space stations. Parkour. Explosions. Good times. Two sequels. Huzzah!
Debut novel. Tracer. On Orbit Books. Out now. Space stations. Parkour. Explosions. Good times. Two sequels. Huzzah!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
December 6, 2015
Have you ever read a book and thought: “ this is a good book, but I just can’t seem to like it?” That’s how I felt about this book. I mean I found it well-written, had a story that should have interested me, but I just couldn’t for my life GET interested in it.
I was so conflicted about the book that I just kept on reading hoping it would get to a point when I felt the familiar likening feeling of the book and in a way it came, just a bit too late I fear. The ending was good, it was then I felt for the first time that I liked the book, all the rest of the time the story had just been stuff happening that I really just didn’t care that much about. But the ending actually made me think that the next book in the series perhaps will be more to my likening?
Would I recommend the book even though I only gave it 2.5 stars? Yes I would, because in a way I think that it’s a good book for the right person. If you are a fan of dystopian sci-fi books, then go ahead read it.
Thank you Piatkus for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
I was so conflicted about the book that I just kept on reading hoping it would get to a point when I felt the familiar likening feeling of the book and in a way it came, just a bit too late I fear. The ending was good, it was then I felt for the first time that I liked the book, all the rest of the time the story had just been stuff happening that I really just didn’t care that much about. But the ending actually made me think that the next book in the series perhaps will be more to my likening?
Would I recommend the book even though I only gave it 2.5 stars? Yes I would, because in a way I think that it’s a good book for the right person. If you are a fan of dystopian sci-fi books, then go ahead read it.
Thank you Piatkus for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
July 4, 2016
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/07/04/...
Tracer is a novel that has been on my to-read list for a while, especially after author Rob Boffard wrote a fascinating and chilling guest post for The BiblioSanctum earlier this year. I had the ebook, but when I learned that the audiobook version would also be released alongside the print edition in the US, I decided to go ahead and give it a listen.
The first chapter opens with an introduction to Riley, a young woman working as a tracer on a space station. Tracers are like unofficial couriers who make the world go ‘round in such a confined environment. They deliver important packages from one point to another—climbing, leaping, and wall-running through the bowels and complex pathways of Outer Earth, an enormous station carrying the last remnants of humanity after Earth became uninhabitable. Riley prides herself on being one of the fastest and most reliable tracers; she knows the station like the back of her hand, including all the quickest possible routes, and most importantly, her patrons can always count on her to be discreet. She and her fellow tracers of the Devil Dancers are instructed to never ask questions about the packages they’re carrying, they don’t even want to know. This has made them an attractive service to a shadier subset of the clientele on Outer Earth. Assignments can’t all be as noble as transporting precious medical supplies or foodstuffs to those in need, after all.
Because of the nature of their work though, tracers often draw the attention of the station’s gangs. One day, Riley is on her way to deliver a package to Oren Darnell, Outer Earth’s most dangerous man, when she is suddenly attacked by a group of gang members. Riley manages to escape, but only because her pack was ripped in the scuffle, and her attackers took off in a panic after realizing what she had been transporting. In spite of herself, Riley could not help her curiosity. Even though all her instincts tell her not to, she takes a look for herself the mysterious item she was supposed to bring to Darnell. In doing so, she ends up setting off a chain of events that would propel the entire station and everyone on it towards certain disaster. Outer Earth is in danger, and time is quickly running out.
This was a very fast listen, because from the very first sentence, Boffard sets a very fast pace for the rest of the story. Tracer is an extremely action-oriented novel, running the full gamut of possible calamities to befall an old and rundown space station, from massive fires in the food production labs to a full-scale hostile takeover by a homicidal madman. It’s a pretty standard sci-fi thriller featuring some common genre tropes, but in spite of that there were still more than a few twists keeping things interesting. The plot also never slows down, throwing Riley and her allies into one dangerous situation after another.
While fun and very enjoyable, it’s clear that certain other aspects of the novel had to take a backseat in favor of all the explosive action. Characters were well done, but perhaps weren’t as fleshed out as they could be. Riley was the only one I really connected with, possibly because her chapters were the only ones told in first-person perspective, while the rest were told in third (come to think of it, that was an odd format choice that was neither here nor there). The book’s main villain was kind of flat; in general there was very little to the bad guys beyond the fact they were crazy and evil. As well, we get the cliché of the villain monologue at the end, making them feel very hammy besides. Riley’s love interest, a lab tech named Prakesh Kumar was a perspective character too, but he received less attention relative to the others and therefore it didn’t surprise me when their romance felt a little tacked on.
Still, this book was wildly entertaining, living up to the publisher description of “The Bourne Identity meets Gravity”, in tone if not in content. Tracer had the feel of a summer blockbuster—and that’s no bad thing. The story might not stick in your mind forever, but it’s an explosive popcorn experience and fun while you’re taking it in. Rock solid debut, great for when you need a super quick read that will keep your eyes glued to the pages (or earbuds firmly implanted in ears, in my case with the audiobook)!
Additional audiobook comments: The Tracer audiobook was narrated by Jeff Harding and Sarah Borges. Kudos for bringing in both a female and a male reader for this novel, since I don’t think it would have worked nearly as well with only one narrator. Both Harding and Borges performed very well, affecting great accents when required. My only complaint is that both readers’ voices sound a little too mature for some of the characters, namely Riley and Prakesh. In one instance, Riley informs someone that she is twenty years old, and I remember at the time feeling surprised because from Borges’ voice acting, I thought the character was older. Sometimes the chapter transitions are also very abrupt, almost like the narrators are cut off mid-sentence, but I would have to compare with a print or ebook edition to figure out whether this is an audio issue or just the way the prose is written. Overall though, I had a good time with this audiobook, and I’ll probably check out the rest of this trilogy in this format too. Would recommend.
Tracer is a novel that has been on my to-read list for a while, especially after author Rob Boffard wrote a fascinating and chilling guest post for The BiblioSanctum earlier this year. I had the ebook, but when I learned that the audiobook version would also be released alongside the print edition in the US, I decided to go ahead and give it a listen.
The first chapter opens with an introduction to Riley, a young woman working as a tracer on a space station. Tracers are like unofficial couriers who make the world go ‘round in such a confined environment. They deliver important packages from one point to another—climbing, leaping, and wall-running through the bowels and complex pathways of Outer Earth, an enormous station carrying the last remnants of humanity after Earth became uninhabitable. Riley prides herself on being one of the fastest and most reliable tracers; she knows the station like the back of her hand, including all the quickest possible routes, and most importantly, her patrons can always count on her to be discreet. She and her fellow tracers of the Devil Dancers are instructed to never ask questions about the packages they’re carrying, they don’t even want to know. This has made them an attractive service to a shadier subset of the clientele on Outer Earth. Assignments can’t all be as noble as transporting precious medical supplies or foodstuffs to those in need, after all.
Because of the nature of their work though, tracers often draw the attention of the station’s gangs. One day, Riley is on her way to deliver a package to Oren Darnell, Outer Earth’s most dangerous man, when she is suddenly attacked by a group of gang members. Riley manages to escape, but only because her pack was ripped in the scuffle, and her attackers took off in a panic after realizing what she had been transporting. In spite of herself, Riley could not help her curiosity. Even though all her instincts tell her not to, she takes a look for herself the mysterious item she was supposed to bring to Darnell. In doing so, she ends up setting off a chain of events that would propel the entire station and everyone on it towards certain disaster. Outer Earth is in danger, and time is quickly running out.
This was a very fast listen, because from the very first sentence, Boffard sets a very fast pace for the rest of the story. Tracer is an extremely action-oriented novel, running the full gamut of possible calamities to befall an old and rundown space station, from massive fires in the food production labs to a full-scale hostile takeover by a homicidal madman. It’s a pretty standard sci-fi thriller featuring some common genre tropes, but in spite of that there were still more than a few twists keeping things interesting. The plot also never slows down, throwing Riley and her allies into one dangerous situation after another.
While fun and very enjoyable, it’s clear that certain other aspects of the novel had to take a backseat in favor of all the explosive action. Characters were well done, but perhaps weren’t as fleshed out as they could be. Riley was the only one I really connected with, possibly because her chapters were the only ones told in first-person perspective, while the rest were told in third (come to think of it, that was an odd format choice that was neither here nor there). The book’s main villain was kind of flat; in general there was very little to the bad guys beyond the fact they were crazy and evil. As well, we get the cliché of the villain monologue at the end, making them feel very hammy besides. Riley’s love interest, a lab tech named Prakesh Kumar was a perspective character too, but he received less attention relative to the others and therefore it didn’t surprise me when their romance felt a little tacked on.
Still, this book was wildly entertaining, living up to the publisher description of “The Bourne Identity meets Gravity”, in tone if not in content. Tracer had the feel of a summer blockbuster—and that’s no bad thing. The story might not stick in your mind forever, but it’s an explosive popcorn experience and fun while you’re taking it in. Rock solid debut, great for when you need a super quick read that will keep your eyes glued to the pages (or earbuds firmly implanted in ears, in my case with the audiobook)!
Additional audiobook comments: The Tracer audiobook was narrated by Jeff Harding and Sarah Borges. Kudos for bringing in both a female and a male reader for this novel, since I don’t think it would have worked nearly as well with only one narrator. Both Harding and Borges performed very well, affecting great accents when required. My only complaint is that both readers’ voices sound a little too mature for some of the characters, namely Riley and Prakesh. In one instance, Riley informs someone that she is twenty years old, and I remember at the time feeling surprised because from Borges’ voice acting, I thought the character was older. Sometimes the chapter transitions are also very abrupt, almost like the narrators are cut off mid-sentence, but I would have to compare with a print or ebook edition to figure out whether this is an audio issue or just the way the prose is written. Overall though, I had a good time with this audiobook, and I’ll probably check out the rest of this trilogy in this format too. Would recommend.
July 15, 2015
Blimey. I say that when I read books like Tracer. It is so exciting you find yourself yelling out and occasionally tearing your hair out in clumps. Ok not literally but you FEEL like you are, I certainly came close.
Tracer is a fast paced thriller set in space. It has some brilliantly drawn characters, a beautifully imagined environment and will be the best fun you will have with a book all year. This was one of those reads that invoked a terrible annoyance in me every time I had to put it down. People all around me (you know, managerial types who expect me to actually work for a living) had to endure my glaring disapproval at the fact that they were taking me away from Riley and co. So the best advice I can offer with “Tracer” is to start it on a non working, nothing to do, nowhere to be day so you can avoid unneccessary disturbance.
Riley is a “Tracer” – a kind of messenger who transports things from one part of the station to the other. I imagine they took their inspiration from free runners – although you’d have to ask Mr Boffard – but that is the feeling they gave me, the descriptive style when talking about them brings that to mind. It is a dangerous job – and Riley is about to face more danger than most as she starts to uncover a conspiracy..
The writing packs punch, has a sharp ironic edge to it and a genuinely absorbing style – there are little nuances in the narrative that add to the picture in your head – good gosh and all that this will make a MOST terrific movie. Even the writing on the page comes to absolute life so goodness knows what a decent director could make of it.
Tracer has it all really – a most terrific moustache twirlingly good villain, an ensemble group of main protagonists with Riley taking point that you can really get behind (and do!), a really well constructed and beautifully twisted plot and the ability to make you tear your hair out. And round we go back to the start…
The action sequences (and there are a lot of them) are fast, furious and completely gripping, always believable within the context of the story and I loved the whole darn thing. Plus the ending. THE ENDING. Pfft. Just, you know, off to give the author a kick so he writes faster…He’s on his very own Liz countdown right now.
Every. Second. Counts.
Quite definitively Highly Recommended.
Tracer is a fast paced thriller set in space. It has some brilliantly drawn characters, a beautifully imagined environment and will be the best fun you will have with a book all year. This was one of those reads that invoked a terrible annoyance in me every time I had to put it down. People all around me (you know, managerial types who expect me to actually work for a living) had to endure my glaring disapproval at the fact that they were taking me away from Riley and co. So the best advice I can offer with “Tracer” is to start it on a non working, nothing to do, nowhere to be day so you can avoid unneccessary disturbance.
Riley is a “Tracer” – a kind of messenger who transports things from one part of the station to the other. I imagine they took their inspiration from free runners – although you’d have to ask Mr Boffard – but that is the feeling they gave me, the descriptive style when talking about them brings that to mind. It is a dangerous job – and Riley is about to face more danger than most as she starts to uncover a conspiracy..
The writing packs punch, has a sharp ironic edge to it and a genuinely absorbing style – there are little nuances in the narrative that add to the picture in your head – good gosh and all that this will make a MOST terrific movie. Even the writing on the page comes to absolute life so goodness knows what a decent director could make of it.
Tracer has it all really – a most terrific moustache twirlingly good villain, an ensemble group of main protagonists with Riley taking point that you can really get behind (and do!), a really well constructed and beautifully twisted plot and the ability to make you tear your hair out. And round we go back to the start…
The action sequences (and there are a lot of them) are fast, furious and completely gripping, always believable within the context of the story and I loved the whole darn thing. Plus the ending. THE ENDING. Pfft. Just, you know, off to give the author a kick so he writes faster…He’s on his very own Liz countdown right now.
Every. Second. Counts.
Quite definitively Highly Recommended.
February 6, 2017
Tracer is a space post-apocalyptic thriller. Earth has been uninhabitable for centuries now and people live in a space station called Outer Earth.
Riley Hales is one of Tracers. They are unofficial couriers who deliver packages not caring about contents. She is one of the most reliable tracers. One day, she is on her way to deliver a package to Oren Darnell, Outer Earth’s most dangerous man, when she is suddenly attacked by a group of gang members. When one of the gang member take a look at what is in the package they all suddenly disappear, Riley cannot help herself and look at the contents too and in doing so she ends up trying to save Outer Earth’s people from Oren Darnell a maniac.
I am really conflicted to rate this book. The plot was good and story was typical appealing space thriller but there was too much action. Too much happens in the book which causes confusion and boredom. Some of the chapters are written very well but flaws are here and there. There are pieces that seems out of place. Overall this was an ok read.
Thanks the writer for providing a copy.
Riley Hales is one of Tracers. They are unofficial couriers who deliver packages not caring about contents. She is one of the most reliable tracers. One day, she is on her way to deliver a package to Oren Darnell, Outer Earth’s most dangerous man, when she is suddenly attacked by a group of gang members. When one of the gang member take a look at what is in the package they all suddenly disappear, Riley cannot help herself and look at the contents too and in doing so she ends up trying to save Outer Earth’s people from Oren Darnell a maniac.
I am really conflicted to rate this book. The plot was good and story was typical appealing space thriller but there was too much action. Too much happens in the book which causes confusion and boredom. Some of the chapters are written very well but flaws are here and there. There are pieces that seems out of place. Overall this was an ok read.
Thanks the writer for providing a copy.
July 28, 2015
I'm inclined to give it 1 star, but seeing as I didn't technically hate it - I just really didn't like it - I can go with 2 just as well. The problem here is that as much as I liked the premise, I wasn't particularly interested in discovering what happens next. I got bored around 35% and practically forced myself to finish the rest. I haven't found anything or anyone - much less the main protagonist - to root for, which is pretty surprising considering the amount of action and intrigue. The language was very ok, but somehow it didn't carry any emotion for me. I don't feel like I got to know Riley or her friends at all, I found the main antagonist pretty caricatural and thus the whole plot rather far-fetched, and the ending - which I heard was supposed to be rewarding - boring and not at all interesting. All in all, this is my first and last encounter with this (soon-to-be) series and I can only hope I manage to pick up something much more engrossing.
June 3, 2015
INITIAL THOUGHTS
I wasn't totally sure about this one when Clara told me about it, but my daughter said she thought I might enjoy it, so I decided to give it a go. I wondered if it would be like Beth Revis' Across the Universe or Amy Kathleen Ryan's Sky Chasers series which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was hoping it wouldn't be like Star Trek like or Star Wars like because I tend to find those types of book/TV Show a little boring, and a bit mind numbing too. So I'm hoping this is a more character led, and society based.
MY REVIEW
I initially heard about this book from press officer Clara Diaz. I then requested an e-arc on Netgalley which I received free of charge in exchange for my honest review.
The cover is basically like a slightly out of focus image of outer space. The word Tracer stands out on the cover as it is bright white against the more murky background. There's a circle, which I initially thought it looked a little too sticker like, however after reading the book, I'd say it represents another planet, maybe even the sun. The red circle contains the following words "The Countdown has begun" which is a phrase used by one of the main characters in this book called Oren Darnell. In addiction to this there is also a subtitle/byline which say's "In Space, Every, Second, Counts." which is another important phrase that describes quite a few scenes and parts within the book.
So would the cover make me pick this one up from a bookstore shelf? Truthfully I'm not sure it would. The phrase "In Space, Every, Second, Counts." would pull on my curiosity, so I would then go on to read the blurb. Would the cover alone make me pick this one up from a bookstore shelf? Being totally frank, no.
The setting of this book is on a larger space station/ship called the Outer Space. Outer Earth is a very large craft that it split into sectors Apex, Garden's, Chendsi, Apogee, New Germany and Tsevya. Apex is where those in high positions live, such as the council, including the head of the council Janice Okwembu. So I suppose I need to tell you why everyone is on board this large space vessel. The Earth was ruined by the human race. The earth could no longer provide what it human residents needed so they left it, to hopefully regenerate whilst they lived on the Outer Earth. Some would say it was human's greed and their own actions that ruined earth, and that humans didn't deserve to survive and continue to thrive in the relative safely of Outer Earth.
Now to the book and plot itself. The book is told by three of the main characters, the head of the biotech lab, Oren Darnell, a man who is fairly high on the totem pole on Outer Earth. He is a scary man to get on the wrong side of. He likes the power that comes with his job and is not adverse to using his position to intimidate others around him into doing his bidding. He is a rather odd man who turns out to be even more strange and dark than his peers could ever imagine. Oren even has his own bodyguard called Reece. The second point of view is from what you would probably say more of a middle class person within the society on Outer Earth, is Prakesh Kumar. Prakesh , his mother Achala Kumar and father Ravi Kumar live in what would be considered to be in the rather well off sector os Gardens. Achala and Ravi once headed the construction teams of Outer Earth. Prakesh is a lab technician in the Food and Air Lab, so has a good steady job that he enjoys doing. He prefers to be left alone to get on with his work steering well clear of the politics and nastiness that becoming more apparent as the Outer Earth travels through space. Oren Darnell is Prakesh's boss. The third and final point of view is by Riley Hale once lived in assigned living quarters with her mother and father. Both of her parents are now dead leaving Riley alone to fend for herself, she has become a tracer. A tracer is basically a messenger/courier, that he/she delivers items or messages from one sector to another in exchange for food or items that she can barter at the market for foods. Riley is good at what she does, she was trained by the head of the Devil Dancers Amira. The Devil Dancers consist of Amira, the leader. Carver the tech guy, Kev the large muscle of the gang and his slight but almost acrobatic twin Yao. It's a small compact gang that has a good reputation of delivering as promised without question. The best Tracers never even know what they are delivering, they don't need to know. They just transport the packages without question. The dangerous part of being a Tracer is making your delivery whilst avoiding being attacked or mugged by another gang. Riley and the Devil Dancers are excellent at what they do. It's only when Tracer, Riley quite accidentally break the rules on a weird impulse after being attacked and takes a look at what she is delivering to Oren Darnell one day that everything changes and the trouble begins.
There is a growing movement on Outer Earth that call themselves "Son's Of Earth". They believe that humans are the cause of Earth literally dying off. They think that humanity needs to be extinct, the want humans to die out. They have faith that mass voluntary euthanasia id the only way that earth will ever regenerate.
So I've sort of given you an idea about the politics and the feelings of the residents on Outer Earth. I do not wish to reveal any spoilers at all. This book does initially sort of plod along at a slow pace, a pace that I found a little too slow for me to be honest. Having said that the book is worth staying with, once the pace starts to build up, so does the suspense and then you end up flying through some of the chapters. I loved the characters of Riley and Prakesh. As well as the action, thriller, suspense side of the book you do learn a little more about their individual backgrounds as well as their friendship that has grown over the years. Could it turn into something more? Will they both survive long enough to perhaps take their feelings further into a less platonic relationship?
There is so much going on in this book, it's hard not to go on and on. I adored the ethic and "one for all" mantra that the Devil Dancers have, though there is a shock to be revealed about one member of the gang.
I think the book will appeal to both male and female readers, and as I have said it has action, drama, mystery, suspense, betrayal of trust, conspiracy and much more. I enjoyed the whole search for Grace Gardner, the desperation and lengths that Riley had to go through to find the woman, then just when she thinks she is safe and can relax things kick off again.
I also thought the showdown between Oren Darnell and Riley Hale was a real nail biter, edge of seat chapter or so.
I also just want to add that I would always say I am not a great fan of Science Fiction set on space ships. I hold my hands up I would also say I would not watch Star Wars or Star Trek, though I do remember watching Lost In Space, a more "tongue in cheek science fiction comedy" with my favourite Uncle when I was much younger (in the 70's & 80s). This book I should admit has opened my eyes a little and opened my mind a lot to the Science Fiction genre.
So Did I enjoy the book? I did eventually but to be totally truthful I did almost give up on the book. I'm now glad I read it to the end as it got much better as it progressed. Would I recommend the book? If you are willing to stick with the book through it's slower sections, and can deal with the complexities of this plot then this is a great read for you. Would I want to read a second book with these characters? This book could go either way, with how the book ended it could be a stand alone. Then again maybe there could be another book with perhaps Prakesh and Riley in higher roles on Outer Earth and together they could rebuild the society and prosper. Maybe one day returning to a regenerated earth. Would I want to read other books by this author? I would certainly take a closer look at any title written by this author.
I wasn't totally sure about this one when Clara told me about it, but my daughter said she thought I might enjoy it, so I decided to give it a go. I wondered if it would be like Beth Revis' Across the Universe or Amy Kathleen Ryan's Sky Chasers series which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was hoping it wouldn't be like Star Trek like or Star Wars like because I tend to find those types of book/TV Show a little boring, and a bit mind numbing too. So I'm hoping this is a more character led, and society based.
MY REVIEW
I initially heard about this book from press officer Clara Diaz. I then requested an e-arc on Netgalley which I received free of charge in exchange for my honest review.
The cover is basically like a slightly out of focus image of outer space. The word Tracer stands out on the cover as it is bright white against the more murky background. There's a circle, which I initially thought it looked a little too sticker like, however after reading the book, I'd say it represents another planet, maybe even the sun. The red circle contains the following words "The Countdown has begun" which is a phrase used by one of the main characters in this book called Oren Darnell. In addiction to this there is also a subtitle/byline which say's "In Space, Every, Second, Counts." which is another important phrase that describes quite a few scenes and parts within the book.
So would the cover make me pick this one up from a bookstore shelf? Truthfully I'm not sure it would. The phrase "In Space, Every, Second, Counts." would pull on my curiosity, so I would then go on to read the blurb. Would the cover alone make me pick this one up from a bookstore shelf? Being totally frank, no.
The setting of this book is on a larger space station/ship called the Outer Space. Outer Earth is a very large craft that it split into sectors Apex, Garden's, Chendsi, Apogee, New Germany and Tsevya. Apex is where those in high positions live, such as the council, including the head of the council Janice Okwembu. So I suppose I need to tell you why everyone is on board this large space vessel. The Earth was ruined by the human race. The earth could no longer provide what it human residents needed so they left it, to hopefully regenerate whilst they lived on the Outer Earth. Some would say it was human's greed and their own actions that ruined earth, and that humans didn't deserve to survive and continue to thrive in the relative safely of Outer Earth.
Now to the book and plot itself. The book is told by three of the main characters, the head of the biotech lab, Oren Darnell, a man who is fairly high on the totem pole on Outer Earth. He is a scary man to get on the wrong side of. He likes the power that comes with his job and is not adverse to using his position to intimidate others around him into doing his bidding. He is a rather odd man who turns out to be even more strange and dark than his peers could ever imagine. Oren even has his own bodyguard called Reece. The second point of view is from what you would probably say more of a middle class person within the society on Outer Earth, is Prakesh Kumar. Prakesh , his mother Achala Kumar and father Ravi Kumar live in what would be considered to be in the rather well off sector os Gardens. Achala and Ravi once headed the construction teams of Outer Earth. Prakesh is a lab technician in the Food and Air Lab, so has a good steady job that he enjoys doing. He prefers to be left alone to get on with his work steering well clear of the politics and nastiness that becoming more apparent as the Outer Earth travels through space. Oren Darnell is Prakesh's boss. The third and final point of view is by Riley Hale once lived in assigned living quarters with her mother and father. Both of her parents are now dead leaving Riley alone to fend for herself, she has become a tracer. A tracer is basically a messenger/courier, that he/she delivers items or messages from one sector to another in exchange for food or items that she can barter at the market for foods. Riley is good at what she does, she was trained by the head of the Devil Dancers Amira. The Devil Dancers consist of Amira, the leader. Carver the tech guy, Kev the large muscle of the gang and his slight but almost acrobatic twin Yao. It's a small compact gang that has a good reputation of delivering as promised without question. The best Tracers never even know what they are delivering, they don't need to know. They just transport the packages without question. The dangerous part of being a Tracer is making your delivery whilst avoiding being attacked or mugged by another gang. Riley and the Devil Dancers are excellent at what they do. It's only when Tracer, Riley quite accidentally break the rules on a weird impulse after being attacked and takes a look at what she is delivering to Oren Darnell one day that everything changes and the trouble begins.
There is a growing movement on Outer Earth that call themselves "Son's Of Earth". They believe that humans are the cause of Earth literally dying off. They think that humanity needs to be extinct, the want humans to die out. They have faith that mass voluntary euthanasia id the only way that earth will ever regenerate.
So I've sort of given you an idea about the politics and the feelings of the residents on Outer Earth. I do not wish to reveal any spoilers at all. This book does initially sort of plod along at a slow pace, a pace that I found a little too slow for me to be honest. Having said that the book is worth staying with, once the pace starts to build up, so does the suspense and then you end up flying through some of the chapters. I loved the characters of Riley and Prakesh. As well as the action, thriller, suspense side of the book you do learn a little more about their individual backgrounds as well as their friendship that has grown over the years. Could it turn into something more? Will they both survive long enough to perhaps take their feelings further into a less platonic relationship?
There is so much going on in this book, it's hard not to go on and on. I adored the ethic and "one for all" mantra that the Devil Dancers have, though there is a shock to be revealed about one member of the gang.
I think the book will appeal to both male and female readers, and as I have said it has action, drama, mystery, suspense, betrayal of trust, conspiracy and much more. I enjoyed the whole search for Grace Gardner, the desperation and lengths that Riley had to go through to find the woman, then just when she thinks she is safe and can relax things kick off again.
I also thought the showdown between Oren Darnell and Riley Hale was a real nail biter, edge of seat chapter or so.
I also just want to add that I would always say I am not a great fan of Science Fiction set on space ships. I hold my hands up I would also say I would not watch Star Wars or Star Trek, though I do remember watching Lost In Space, a more "tongue in cheek science fiction comedy" with my favourite Uncle when I was much younger (in the 70's & 80s). This book I should admit has opened my eyes a little and opened my mind a lot to the Science Fiction genre.
So Did I enjoy the book? I did eventually but to be totally truthful I did almost give up on the book. I'm now glad I read it to the end as it got much better as it progressed. Would I recommend the book? If you are willing to stick with the book through it's slower sections, and can deal with the complexities of this plot then this is a great read for you. Would I want to read a second book with these characters? This book could go either way, with how the book ended it could be a stand alone. Then again maybe there could be another book with perhaps Prakesh and Riley in higher roles on Outer Earth and together they could rebuild the society and prosper. Maybe one day returning to a regenerated earth. Would I want to read other books by this author? I would certainly take a closer look at any title written by this author.
August 15, 2015
I absolutely love scifi that creates worlds that are grungy and derelict rather than shiny and perfect. A bit of grime makes the futuristic technologies feel familiar and mundane, which in turn adds a vividness, that is absent from the standard spotless, hygienic scifi space stations. This added sense of tangibility was one reason that I was so excited to read Tracer. A decrepit space station hovering above a destroyed earth? It sounded like the perfect environment for a fast-paced, gritty thriller. Objectively, I think Tracer carried through with that.
Years ago, the earth erupted into nuclear holocaust, leaving the inhabitants of the Outer Earth space station as the only remnants of humanity. But now even Outer Earth is breaking down, fracturing into politically, and sinking into lawlessness. A growing sect even believes that humanity should voluntarily go extinct. For Riley, these are simply a few additional obstacles in her role as a Tracer, a courier who carries messages and packages from one sector of Outer Earth to another. Riley herself is carefully apolitical; she even considers it part of her policy to never know what is in the packages she carries. But when circumstances force her to peek inside of her cargo, Riley is thrown into a desperate situation that threatens all of Outer Earth.
On paper, Tracer should have been perfect for me. But somehow, I never became invested in the characters or the world. There’s nothing objectively wrong with the characters, but they just never grabbed me. Part of my sense of disconnect may be due to the narrative style, as I find first-person present peculiarly unnatural and artificial. Part of the story is also narrated from the perspective of the villains, and somehow this made the story feel all the more artificial to me. Even getting the world from their perspective failed to make their motivations seem real to me. The plot, too, should have been exciting, but the events felt so forced and unrealistic to me that I just somehow never became invested in the characters’ circumstances. Honestly, the plot is so full of nonsensical actions and self-destructive idiots that I was simply unable to suspend sufficient disbelief.
Overall, Tracer is an entertaining enough story. If you can get past the plotholes and problematic character motivations, I think the breakneck pace and action-filled plot could be a lot of fun.
I received an advanced reader copy of this ebook through Netgalley from the publisher, Redhook Books, in exchange for my honest review.
Years ago, the earth erupted into nuclear holocaust, leaving the inhabitants of the Outer Earth space station as the only remnants of humanity. But now even Outer Earth is breaking down, fracturing into politically, and sinking into lawlessness. A growing sect even believes that humanity should voluntarily go extinct. For Riley, these are simply a few additional obstacles in her role as a Tracer, a courier who carries messages and packages from one sector of Outer Earth to another. Riley herself is carefully apolitical; she even considers it part of her policy to never know what is in the packages she carries. But when circumstances force her to peek inside of her cargo, Riley is thrown into a desperate situation that threatens all of Outer Earth.
On paper, Tracer should have been perfect for me. But somehow, I never became invested in the characters or the world. There’s nothing objectively wrong with the characters, but they just never grabbed me. Part of my sense of disconnect may be due to the narrative style, as I find first-person present peculiarly unnatural and artificial. Part of the story is also narrated from the perspective of the villains, and somehow this made the story feel all the more artificial to me. Even getting the world from their perspective failed to make their motivations seem real to me. The plot, too, should have been exciting, but the events felt so forced and unrealistic to me that I just somehow never became invested in the characters’ circumstances. Honestly, the plot is so full of nonsensical actions and self-destructive idiots that I was simply unable to suspend sufficient disbelief.
Overall, Tracer is an entertaining enough story. If you can get past the plotholes and problematic character motivations, I think the breakneck pace and action-filled plot could be a lot of fun.
I received an advanced reader copy of this ebook through Netgalley from the publisher, Redhook Books, in exchange for my honest review.
September 5, 2016
12/8 - I thought this was intense and action packed. I loved the inclusion of the parkour moves into the life of a tracer and that the title actually comes from the word, traceur, for one who practices parkour.
The descriptions of the space station came though very clearly for me and made me feel quite claustrophobic. I'm fine with small spaces as long as I know I can go outside (I'm not an outdoorsy type of person, but I need to know it's there should I decide to take advantage of it) and the idea that you will never see the sky or breathe fresh air made my chest feel tight. Then the idea that water would probably never be wasted in a shower, that none of those people know what it's like to stand under a steaming hot shower (or cold, depending on the weather) made me feel all grimy on top of the claustrophobia. So while this was a great story, it wasn't a very comfortable read for me.
I'm usually not very good at imagining the way characters look, but as soon as Amira appeared I was seeing her as Melissa O'Neil playing Two/Portia Lin in Dark Matter. I could see this working as a tv show. It's after 1am, so I'll come back to this at a more convenient hour.
The descriptions of the space station came though very clearly for me and made me feel quite claustrophobic. I'm fine with small spaces as long as I know I can go outside (I'm not an outdoorsy type of person, but I need to know it's there should I decide to take advantage of it) and the idea that you will never see the sky or breathe fresh air made my chest feel tight. Then the idea that water would probably never be wasted in a shower, that none of those people know what it's like to stand under a steaming hot shower (or cold, depending on the weather) made me feel all grimy on top of the claustrophobia. So while this was a great story, it wasn't a very comfortable read for me.
I'm usually not very good at imagining the way characters look, but as soon as Amira appeared I was seeing her as Melissa O'Neil playing Two/Portia Lin in Dark Matter. I could see this working as a tv show. It's after 1am, so I'll come back to this at a more convenient hour.
November 11, 2015
I feel like this book is the platonic ideal of a 2-star novel. Its not awful. I mean, I finished it, even if a bit grudgingly after a point. There are even some really neat ideas here, but they are so underwhelmingly executed that I can't even rate it as mediocre. In a way, the suggestion of promise made it even more disappointing to me.
That promise is on full display in the early going. The writing is propulsive, perfectly befitting the somewhat gimmicky parkour premise. As the book reaches the climax of its first major set piece, I was totally sold on this world and its characters and eager to learn more, turning each page with the intensity of the novel's protagonist hurling herself forward through the space station setting. The crux of the book's flaws is that we kind of never really do learn more. Both character development and world-building just never take hold. The seeds are there and you can get the sense that the author sees a much more expansive universe these characters inhabit but it just doesn't make it to the page. Eventually it devolves into a series of utterly unearned twists that become increasingly absurd and often insulting. I frequently found myself more curious about some of the stories the book wasn't telling, but it started to feel like each of those alternate directions would get aggressively cauterized off, as if the book knew I was restlessly looking away from its main narrative. That's not even touching on the book's succession of cartoonishly broad villains who telegraphed their every fiendishly evil deed. The most disappointing thing is had the causes of the lead antagonists been treated with respect rather than as the machinations of one-note monsters, the book might have been a good deal better. There is an interesting story here in treating the villain's aims with some subtlety and empathy, but that story isn't being told here.
Obviously, for some readers those twists and turns are their own excitement, but I just felt they were all woefully hollow and lacked the development necessary for me to have really invested in them. I wanted to know more about the characters. I wanted to know more about the society. Heck, I wanted to know a lot more about the geography of the book's setting. You can tell the author has a clear picture in his head, but it just never came into focus for me which made a lot of sequences difficult to follow. The book isn't a disaster, but the blueprints for a much better story are all here which made the experience frustratingly unfulfilling. In the early going, it was the kind of story you want to see adapted into a movie because the action was so vividly drawn. In the end, it was the kind of story you want to see adapted to see if someone else can correct its many miscues.
That promise is on full display in the early going. The writing is propulsive, perfectly befitting the somewhat gimmicky parkour premise. As the book reaches the climax of its first major set piece, I was totally sold on this world and its characters and eager to learn more, turning each page with the intensity of the novel's protagonist hurling herself forward through the space station setting. The crux of the book's flaws is that we kind of never really do learn more. Both character development and world-building just never take hold. The seeds are there and you can get the sense that the author sees a much more expansive universe these characters inhabit but it just doesn't make it to the page. Eventually it devolves into a series of utterly unearned twists that become increasingly absurd and often insulting. I frequently found myself more curious about some of the stories the book wasn't telling, but it started to feel like each of those alternate directions would get aggressively cauterized off, as if the book knew I was restlessly looking away from its main narrative. That's not even touching on the book's succession of cartoonishly broad villains who telegraphed their every fiendishly evil deed. The most disappointing thing is had the causes of the lead antagonists been treated with respect rather than as the machinations of one-note monsters, the book might have been a good deal better. There is an interesting story here in treating the villain's aims with some subtlety and empathy, but that story isn't being told here.
Obviously, for some readers those twists and turns are their own excitement, but I just felt they were all woefully hollow and lacked the development necessary for me to have really invested in them. I wanted to know more about the characters. I wanted to know more about the society. Heck, I wanted to know a lot more about the geography of the book's setting. You can tell the author has a clear picture in his head, but it just never came into focus for me which made a lot of sequences difficult to follow. The book isn't a disaster, but the blueprints for a much better story are all here which made the experience frustratingly unfulfilling. In the early going, it was the kind of story you want to see adapted into a movie because the action was so vividly drawn. In the end, it was the kind of story you want to see adapted to see if someone else can correct its many miscues.
Read
June 29, 2016It’s the future, and what is left of the now-uninhabitable Earth is orbiting the planet inside a rundown space station. If mankind doesn’t find a new place to live soon, it’s lacy, gently wafting curtains for everyone. And as if the pressure of extinction isn’t enough, there’s also a villain aboard the space station with destruction on his mind. It’s up to Riley Hale to stop the chaos on the ship before it’s too late! I love this books tagline: “In space, every second counts. Who said nobody could hear you scream?”
Backlist bump: Lightless by C.A. Higgins (out in paperback July 26, but sooooooo worth it in hardcover.)
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/listen/shows/allt...
Backlist bump: Lightless by C.A. Higgins (out in paperback July 26, but sooooooo worth it in hardcover.)
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/listen/shows/allt...
April 28, 2015
Rating 5/5
Action is one of my favourite parts of a book. I like reading a novel that feels like I’m watching a movie, but is also well-written, has solid characters and a gripping plot. Getting all of those things in a book isn’t easy. But Rob Boffard manages it in Tracer.
Tracers carry things from location to location on Outer Earth, a huge ship that carries all that remains of the human race. They’re like postmen, only sometimes the things they deliver aren’t exactly legal. Riley is a Tracer, and she ends of transporting one package that involves her in a vast conspiracy.
The idea of an action thriller set on a space-station is incentive enough to read this debut novel, but Boffard also packs in plenty of twists, some great characters and quality writing. The claim on the ARC cover that this is a ‘blockbuster’ is not an understatement. Rarely a chapter went by without a chase sequence or an explosion or some other gripping action set-piece. Each one is written tightly and the action never gets repetitive.
The narrative is divided into three voices, two of them third person, one (Riley) first person. Riley is the main character and she’s a tough, feisty heroine—somewhere between Katniss Everdeen and Deckard from Blade Runner. The villain is easy to hate—and there’s not just one. Boffard makes sure it’s hard to know who to trust and the tension from this is maintained all the way until the end.
The world-building is solid, even if it is a little bit vague at times. The ship itself, Outer Earth, is awesomely conceived, reminded me of movies like Event Horizon, Aliens and Blade Runner. Boffard makes the grit and dirt of the ship palpable, and it’s not difficult to imagine what life is like on board.
The writing is sharp and punchy, just like the pace. There’s description where there needs to be description and Boffard leaves it up to use to imagine things when that’s what’s needed. Sometimes sci-fi can be heavy on description, but Boffard strikes a good balance.
Like I said, this is a science-fiction action thriller movie in book form. The pace is relentless (the definition of relentless) all the way to the twist-filled climax. The action comes thick and fast. The plot is gripping and twisty, and it’s hardly ever predictable.
This is the first in a series (not sure how many books), but it feels like a story in itself. There is something of a cliff-hanger, but it’s more an open ending. This is a satisfying read in its own right, but I’m looking forward to the sequel/s.
Some of the best action sci-fi I’ve read. Highly, highly recommended.
Thanks to Rob Boffard and Little Brown/Orbit for the review copy.
Tracer is released July 16th, and I can recommend looking out for it enough.
Action is one of my favourite parts of a book. I like reading a novel that feels like I’m watching a movie, but is also well-written, has solid characters and a gripping plot. Getting all of those things in a book isn’t easy. But Rob Boffard manages it in Tracer.
Tracers carry things from location to location on Outer Earth, a huge ship that carries all that remains of the human race. They’re like postmen, only sometimes the things they deliver aren’t exactly legal. Riley is a Tracer, and she ends of transporting one package that involves her in a vast conspiracy.
The idea of an action thriller set on a space-station is incentive enough to read this debut novel, but Boffard also packs in plenty of twists, some great characters and quality writing. The claim on the ARC cover that this is a ‘blockbuster’ is not an understatement. Rarely a chapter went by without a chase sequence or an explosion or some other gripping action set-piece. Each one is written tightly and the action never gets repetitive.
The narrative is divided into three voices, two of them third person, one (Riley) first person. Riley is the main character and she’s a tough, feisty heroine—somewhere between Katniss Everdeen and Deckard from Blade Runner. The villain is easy to hate—and there’s not just one. Boffard makes sure it’s hard to know who to trust and the tension from this is maintained all the way until the end.
The world-building is solid, even if it is a little bit vague at times. The ship itself, Outer Earth, is awesomely conceived, reminded me of movies like Event Horizon, Aliens and Blade Runner. Boffard makes the grit and dirt of the ship palpable, and it’s not difficult to imagine what life is like on board.
The writing is sharp and punchy, just like the pace. There’s description where there needs to be description and Boffard leaves it up to use to imagine things when that’s what’s needed. Sometimes sci-fi can be heavy on description, but Boffard strikes a good balance.
Like I said, this is a science-fiction action thriller movie in book form. The pace is relentless (the definition of relentless) all the way to the twist-filled climax. The action comes thick and fast. The plot is gripping and twisty, and it’s hardly ever predictable.
This is the first in a series (not sure how many books), but it feels like a story in itself. There is something of a cliff-hanger, but it’s more an open ending. This is a satisfying read in its own right, but I’m looking forward to the sequel/s.
Some of the best action sci-fi I’ve read. Highly, highly recommended.
Thanks to Rob Boffard and Little Brown/Orbit for the review copy.
Tracer is released July 16th, and I can recommend looking out for it enough.
June 9, 2016
Earth has been destroyed and is uninhabitable. The people who live on a space station called Outer Earth are the only ones left. Outer Earth is overcrowded, worn down and rife with gangs. They scrape to find methods of employment, food and other goods.
Riley is a Tracer, a member of the courier group The Devil Dancers. They spend their days delivering packages of unknown goods and the number one rule is you don’t want to know what you’re carrying. When Riley gets accosted by a gang who is trying to rob her of the package she carries, she gets a glimpse at what’s inside the package. She shouldn’t have done that! When she delivers the package all hell breaks loose. Riley and her fellow Tracers are now in danger. Every where she looks, someone is after her and all she can do is run. She’s not just running for her life, she’s running for everyone else’s too.
The POVs switch between Riley, her friend, Prakesh, and the bad guy, Darnell. Riley is a strong lead character who endures through thick and thin. Prakesh is just an awesome, supportive-as-hell guy and Darnell is one creepy dude. I wouldn’t want to be in a room for two seconds with that guy!
This book reminded me of the Wool series by Hugh Howey, in that it takes place in a dystopian habitat that is incredibly overcrowded, with a secret agenda underway. Fans of Wool will enjoy this sci-fi thriller for sure. Tracer is a great go-to book if you are looking for a harrowing, non-stop, action-packed read!
I want to thank the publisher (Redhood Books) for providing me with the ARC through Netgalley for an honest review.
Riley is a Tracer, a member of the courier group The Devil Dancers. They spend their days delivering packages of unknown goods and the number one rule is you don’t want to know what you’re carrying. When Riley gets accosted by a gang who is trying to rob her of the package she carries, she gets a glimpse at what’s inside the package. She shouldn’t have done that! When she delivers the package all hell breaks loose. Riley and her fellow Tracers are now in danger. Every where she looks, someone is after her and all she can do is run. She’s not just running for her life, she’s running for everyone else’s too.
The POVs switch between Riley, her friend, Prakesh, and the bad guy, Darnell. Riley is a strong lead character who endures through thick and thin. Prakesh is just an awesome, supportive-as-hell guy and Darnell is one creepy dude. I wouldn’t want to be in a room for two seconds with that guy!
This book reminded me of the Wool series by Hugh Howey, in that it takes place in a dystopian habitat that is incredibly overcrowded, with a secret agenda underway. Fans of Wool will enjoy this sci-fi thriller for sure. Tracer is a great go-to book if you are looking for a harrowing, non-stop, action-packed read!
I want to thank the publisher (Redhood Books) for providing me with the ARC through Netgalley for an honest review.
March 20, 2016
See my full review on my blog: http://pitchblacksky.net/review-tracer/
I'm just going to start off by saying, "Holy. Freaking. Crap." That's how good this book is. I was hooked from the very first page! It's so fast paced and there's action on every single page. If you're a fan of sci-fi or dystopian novels, do yourself a favor and please, please read this.
I'm just going to start off by saying, "Holy. Freaking. Crap." That's how good this book is. I was hooked from the very first page! It's so fast paced and there's action on every single page. If you're a fan of sci-fi or dystopian novels, do yourself a favor and please, please read this.
January 3, 2018
An entertaining SF action thriller.
December 1, 2016
If I could sum up my major grievances with Tracer in one sentence, it would be this: The villains have all the motivations of angsty teenagers who just discovered Greenpeace. Their rationale is literally: "Mankind ruined the Earth, so we don't deserve to exist anymore," followed, one would presume, by a rousing couple of Linkin Park songs with the volume cranked up to 11. But while that covers the biggest problem, it doesn't really paint the full picture.
Sure, humans in this book literally killed the planet, and if we weren't around, maybe it would recover. But the elephant in the room that nobody ever seems to acknowledge is that there isn't anyone left on Earth anymore. The story takes place on a space station where, aside from a few deep-space asteroid mining ships, the last of humanity exists. So, logically, whether the people on board the station live or die should have absolutely no bearing on Earth's recovery. And this isn't even touching on the secret antagonist revealed at the end--I'll get to that later, behind spoiler tags. (And yes, there is a twist at the end, that adds a bit of depth, and promises more interesting conflicts in the sequel, but it's too little, too late.)
Let's focus on one of the other villains for now: Oren Darnell. He's a sociopath, pure and simple, but he's also in charge of the air & food labs on the station...which I find hard to believe, when he regularly assaults random people under his employ. Now, why I find this hard to swallow is, Darnell himself doesn't actually seem to do anything--he just oversees all the people who do do important work. This would seem to suggest he'd be easily-replaceable, and the idea that he held onto his job after the first or second assault is ludicrous. And when we finally get to his reasons behind wanting to kill all of humanity, they reek of the most hackneyed, B-list Batman villain origin stories imaginable. Poor little Oren had a bad childhood, and now everyone has to pay! Yeah, seriously.
Before I move on, let's get to that secret-reveal character I mentioned above. So,
Okay, now that that's out of my system, let's focus on the other, albeit lesser problems, like internal consistency. There's the aforementioned "nobody left on Earth" problem, but other issues like being told all the shuttles and escape pods on the station had been used long ago, by people desperate to try and get back to Earth...and then later, that Darnell has stuffed a bunch of security officers in an escape pod and jettisoned them. Either they're all gone, or they're not. Or how about, after a fire when there's a bizarre focus on how excruciatingly, chronically thirsty Riley, the protagonist, is. It seems to suggest that maybe there was something really bad in that smoke, that's going to cause her serious problems later on...and then the book just forgets about it for about 100 pages, and only gives it the slightest of nods afterward. Why make such a fuss, if it turns out to be nothing? Or the fact that apparently any idiot can hammer at a control panel for a few minutes, and figure out how to run the station. Etc. and so on.
And finally, there's Prakesh, Riley's love interest. Any time the two of them interact, he comes across as a real dick. Telling Riley how she should live her life, what she should and shouldn't be doing, and at one point, flat-out telling her she's "not allowed to make this decision without me." Charming fellow. He doesn't come across as protective or romantic at all, but rather possessive and controlling. And he's really indicative of the characters as a whole: They endeavor to come across one way, but ultimately fall short. From Prakesh, to Oren Darnell ("intimidating villain" becomes "crybaby with too much power"), to Riley herself ("spunky, assertive female lead" becomes "stubborn brat"--the parts where she repeatedly refuses to share information had me practically tearing my hair out). Then there's another character who goes from "cool, capable ass-kicker" to "clearly-telegraphed traitor" pretty early on, sapping any gravitas from the eventual reveal.
The premise of the last vestiges of humanity being threatened by lunatics isn't a bad one, but you've got to do more with it than this.
Sure, humans in this book literally killed the planet, and if we weren't around, maybe it would recover. But the elephant in the room that nobody ever seems to acknowledge is that there isn't anyone left on Earth anymore. The story takes place on a space station where, aside from a few deep-space asteroid mining ships, the last of humanity exists. So, logically, whether the people on board the station live or die should have absolutely no bearing on Earth's recovery. And this isn't even touching on the secret antagonist revealed at the end--I'll get to that later, behind spoiler tags. (And yes, there is a twist at the end, that adds a bit of depth, and promises more interesting conflicts in the sequel, but it's too little, too late.)
Let's focus on one of the other villains for now: Oren Darnell. He's a sociopath, pure and simple, but he's also in charge of the air & food labs on the station...which I find hard to believe, when he regularly assaults random people under his employ. Now, why I find this hard to swallow is, Darnell himself doesn't actually seem to do anything--he just oversees all the people who do do important work. This would seem to suggest he'd be easily-replaceable, and the idea that he held onto his job after the first or second assault is ludicrous. And when we finally get to his reasons behind wanting to kill all of humanity, they reek of the most hackneyed, B-list Batman villain origin stories imaginable. Poor little Oren had a bad childhood, and now everyone has to pay! Yeah, seriously.
Before I move on, let's get to that secret-reveal character I mentioned above. So,
Okay, now that that's out of my system, let's focus on the other, albeit lesser problems, like internal consistency. There's the aforementioned "nobody left on Earth" problem, but other issues like being told all the shuttles and escape pods on the station had been used long ago, by people desperate to try and get back to Earth...and then later, that Darnell has stuffed a bunch of security officers in an escape pod and jettisoned them. Either they're all gone, or they're not. Or how about, after a fire when there's a bizarre focus on how excruciatingly, chronically thirsty Riley, the protagonist, is. It seems to suggest that maybe there was something really bad in that smoke, that's going to cause her serious problems later on...and then the book just forgets about it for about 100 pages, and only gives it the slightest of nods afterward. Why make such a fuss, if it turns out to be nothing? Or the fact that apparently any idiot can hammer at a control panel for a few minutes, and figure out how to run the station. Etc. and so on.
And finally, there's Prakesh, Riley's love interest. Any time the two of them interact, he comes across as a real dick. Telling Riley how she should live her life, what she should and shouldn't be doing, and at one point, flat-out telling her she's "not allowed to make this decision without me." Charming fellow. He doesn't come across as protective or romantic at all, but rather possessive and controlling. And he's really indicative of the characters as a whole: They endeavor to come across one way, but ultimately fall short. From Prakesh, to Oren Darnell ("intimidating villain" becomes "crybaby with too much power"), to Riley herself ("spunky, assertive female lead" becomes "stubborn brat"--the parts where she repeatedly refuses to share information had me practically tearing my hair out). Then there's another character who goes from "cool, capable ass-kicker" to "clearly-telegraphed traitor" pretty early on, sapping any gravitas from the eventual reveal.
The premise of the last vestiges of humanity being threatened by lunatics isn't a bad one, but you've got to do more with it than this.
June 2, 2015
*Copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*
Tracer is a sci-fi dystopian novel, packed with action, wrapped around some interesting characters.
The narrative centres around a slowly decaying space station, Outer Earth. The last bastion of humanity, perpetually orbiting a world eternally marked by cataclysm, its creaking environs are one of the stars of the text. The author has created a claustrophobic world, one in which merely existing is a struggle against entropy. But it’s also a world that makes sense - there’s a focus on the control of air, on food supplies, concerns over a growing population. The station that serves as the character’s world is struggling under a lot of the same concerns as our own – environmental, economic, social. It feels lived in, and it feels real. On the other hand, it doesn’t feel like a particularly nice place to live – there’s a metaphorical grime patina across everything. Systems are slowing down, or already non-functional. Flickering internal lighting shows areas of the station run as slums, gangs controlling water points. Other areas remain under governmental control, but there’s a whiff of totalitarianism about the security forces – less-than-affectionately named the ‘Stompers’ by our cast. What Boffard has created is an environment that displays enormity and fragility at the same time, and then dropped characters into it, with events that ratchet up until the whole station is a pressure cooker.
Speaking of the characters – the main focus is on one of the titular Tracers. Seemingly a cross between parkour enthusiasts and cage fighters, they run packages through the station after the demise of any more efficient postal service. The protagonist here is Riley, a Tracer who discovers more than she should about one of the packages she’s carrying. Riley manages to give the vibe of being the strong female lead – she carries off her work competently, can fight effectively in hand-to-hand combat, has a surprising amount of emotional depth. The first two of these traits cover a great many action heroes, in this post-Hunger Games world, but it’s delightful to find a heroine who is more than a cardboard cutout. Boffard shows us a relatively young girl carrying around rather a lot of emotional damage – which largely manifests as emotional distance, with a razors edge of paranoia wrapped around it. Our protagonist is not easy to get close to, in the physical or emotional sense. But this feeling of damage and distance is well crafted – Riley’s internal monologue reveals causes, explains and drives reactions, and drags the reader into her head. At the same time, her casual competence and wry humour makes for a pleasant read.
Quite the reverse is true for the villain of the piece. I won’t get into details here for fear of spoilers; however, I will say that the author has done a masterful job with his antagonist. There’s less delicacy around the motivations here, the psychology behind them made more explicit – and a little less nuanced. But at the same time, every page oozes with unpleasantness, with a kind of creeping horror and crawling sense of internal filth; it’s an absolute masterclass in unrepentant villainy, a sci-fi Othello. The sections where the antagonist features heavily aren’t a pleasant read, but they are an incredibly compelling one.
The plot suffers a little alongside the setting and the characters. It feels like a big budget action movie dropped onto the page. This isn’t a bad thing, mind you. In particular, there’s some wonderful tension in the early sections, before the later ones turn the action up to eleven. There’s decisions within the narrative which, on closer inspection, served the plot, rather than the characters – but in the heat of the moment, they also serve the narrative flow, and so are easily forgiven. There’s a fair amount of running, jumping, and struggling against impossible odds. A smattering of betrayal and personal loss. A fair amount of well described hand-to hand fighting. And a refusal to lower the stakes at any time.
Solid characters. Tight plotting. Well realised setting. It makes for a very compelling, compulsive reading experience, and one that’s thoroughly entertaining – this one’s worth picking up, if you’re in the mood for some sci-fi action.
Tracer is a sci-fi dystopian novel, packed with action, wrapped around some interesting characters.
The narrative centres around a slowly decaying space station, Outer Earth. The last bastion of humanity, perpetually orbiting a world eternally marked by cataclysm, its creaking environs are one of the stars of the text. The author has created a claustrophobic world, one in which merely existing is a struggle against entropy. But it’s also a world that makes sense - there’s a focus on the control of air, on food supplies, concerns over a growing population. The station that serves as the character’s world is struggling under a lot of the same concerns as our own – environmental, economic, social. It feels lived in, and it feels real. On the other hand, it doesn’t feel like a particularly nice place to live – there’s a metaphorical grime patina across everything. Systems are slowing down, or already non-functional. Flickering internal lighting shows areas of the station run as slums, gangs controlling water points. Other areas remain under governmental control, but there’s a whiff of totalitarianism about the security forces – less-than-affectionately named the ‘Stompers’ by our cast. What Boffard has created is an environment that displays enormity and fragility at the same time, and then dropped characters into it, with events that ratchet up until the whole station is a pressure cooker.
Speaking of the characters – the main focus is on one of the titular Tracers. Seemingly a cross between parkour enthusiasts and cage fighters, they run packages through the station after the demise of any more efficient postal service. The protagonist here is Riley, a Tracer who discovers more than she should about one of the packages she’s carrying. Riley manages to give the vibe of being the strong female lead – she carries off her work competently, can fight effectively in hand-to-hand combat, has a surprising amount of emotional depth. The first two of these traits cover a great many action heroes, in this post-Hunger Games world, but it’s delightful to find a heroine who is more than a cardboard cutout. Boffard shows us a relatively young girl carrying around rather a lot of emotional damage – which largely manifests as emotional distance, with a razors edge of paranoia wrapped around it. Our protagonist is not easy to get close to, in the physical or emotional sense. But this feeling of damage and distance is well crafted – Riley’s internal monologue reveals causes, explains and drives reactions, and drags the reader into her head. At the same time, her casual competence and wry humour makes for a pleasant read.
Quite the reverse is true for the villain of the piece. I won’t get into details here for fear of spoilers; however, I will say that the author has done a masterful job with his antagonist. There’s less delicacy around the motivations here, the psychology behind them made more explicit – and a little less nuanced. But at the same time, every page oozes with unpleasantness, with a kind of creeping horror and crawling sense of internal filth; it’s an absolute masterclass in unrepentant villainy, a sci-fi Othello. The sections where the antagonist features heavily aren’t a pleasant read, but they are an incredibly compelling one.
The plot suffers a little alongside the setting and the characters. It feels like a big budget action movie dropped onto the page. This isn’t a bad thing, mind you. In particular, there’s some wonderful tension in the early sections, before the later ones turn the action up to eleven. There’s decisions within the narrative which, on closer inspection, served the plot, rather than the characters – but in the heat of the moment, they also serve the narrative flow, and so are easily forgiven. There’s a fair amount of running, jumping, and struggling against impossible odds. A smattering of betrayal and personal loss. A fair amount of well described hand-to hand fighting. And a refusal to lower the stakes at any time.
Solid characters. Tight plotting. Well realised setting. It makes for a very compelling, compulsive reading experience, and one that’s thoroughly entertaining – this one’s worth picking up, if you’re in the mood for some sci-fi action.
August 21, 2015
Tracer is a *huge* amount of fun, a thrill ride of action-packed sci-fi that you don’t see too often. It’s set on a massive space station containing the remnants of the human race, a million souls crammed into an 18-mile long metal ring. It’s tense and claustrophobic, overcrowded and dirty out there in space, and you feel every bit of it.
The action comes thick and fast and frantic. Right from the start you’re along for the ride with Riley and the rest of the Devil Dancers, a crew of tracers – free-runner couriers who transport cargo around Outer Earth. Rob has a deft ability to put you slap-bang front and centre of the action as the crew move around the station and you get a real feel of tension as the story unfolds, with the viewpoint shifting from Riley to Darnell, Prakesh and the others.
I loved the characters and the setting. Riley is a fantastic kick-ass free-running heroine. Parkour in space – what’s not to like? Darnell is suitably evil as our bad guy and there are plans within plans within plans…
I highly recommend picking it up.
The action comes thick and fast and frantic. Right from the start you’re along for the ride with Riley and the rest of the Devil Dancers, a crew of tracers – free-runner couriers who transport cargo around Outer Earth. Rob has a deft ability to put you slap-bang front and centre of the action as the crew move around the station and you get a real feel of tension as the story unfolds, with the viewpoint shifting from Riley to Darnell, Prakesh and the others.
I loved the characters and the setting. Riley is a fantastic kick-ass free-running heroine. Parkour in space – what’s not to like? Darnell is suitably evil as our bad guy and there are plans within plans within plans…
I highly recommend picking it up.
January 4, 2017
The characters were well written and in depth. A homicidal maniac is running the station and all hell's broken loose which keeps the Tracers on the run throughout the whole story.
October 20, 2022
3.49 stars from me, so I am still rounding this down to three 😂. This novel is light on plot, and big on action. It maintains a fast pace throughout, and remains a light and fun read to the end. So that’s fair enough, but the problem for me is that there is not enough variation in pace. If a narrative only has one pace, it has no pace at all. Just as velocity in real life only feels fast when you have something to compare it against, narrative pace only gains texture when there is ebb and flow, when there are islands of calm in the maelstrom of events. And to be fair, there were. Just not as many as I would have needed.
Still, characters were well-drawn, for the most part, and Rob switched between first- and third person perspective for his main character Riley and other characters respectively, a device that kept the narrative fresh and engaging. The story was ok, but rather far-fetched if I am honest, but of course I am not going to reveal details here and spoil the fun for those who haven’t read it yet.
In the end, I think I would have enjoyed this more as a teenager.
Still, characters were well-drawn, for the most part, and Rob switched between first- and third person perspective for his main character Riley and other characters respectively, a device that kept the narrative fresh and engaging. The story was ok, but rather far-fetched if I am honest, but of course I am not going to reveal details here and spoil the fun for those who haven’t read it yet.
In the end, I think I would have enjoyed this more as a teenager.
December 31, 2024
Few books can hold the action and fast paced plot that grips my attention from start to finish. Tracer was a riot that didn't let go. I enjoyed this book immensely.
March 3, 2016
This book was provided by Redhook Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tracer was such an exciting read! The prologue was kind of vague. I didn't really understand the point of the prologue to be included until I got more than halfway into the novel, I finally understood what the prologue was all about. At the beginning, I actually was nervous I would dislike the book, but it turned out to be one of my favorite books. It had a lot of adventure. It reminded me of a movie called Tracers (same name, yes, starring by Taylor Lautner) except the movie was modern day in a New York City. It had the same excitement when the character was on the run across the roof and catwalk. That was the same in the novel except the novel was set in future and in space.
Riley Hale was an awesome character. She was a strong woman who didn't deserve to be treated like that. She survived a lot of stuff that I find it amazing she actually lived through it. The way the author describe how she ran was really well done. I could imagine myself doing the run because that was how good the author described. This book involved a lot of showing than telling. It included how the character felt, saw, tasted, and so on. Riley's POV was told in the first person, which was probably why I was able to feel what she was feeling.
It all started with a package Riley was delivering. Something inside it was what caused all of the pandemonium. The fighting scenes were so awesome. It literally felt like I was there at one of the porch, watching them fight. The author describe everything what Riley felt, heard, or saw. It helped extremely for me to be able to understand how the fighting was like. Riley's love interest was a good person for her. He had an opposite characteristic from Riley, which made them perfect for each other.
Riley's team was awesome as well. There was plenty of amazing fighting or running scenes with her team. I liked Carver the most in her team. He may be huge guy, but he had a wonderful heart for a good reason. I hope I will get to read more about him in the next book in the series.
The bad people surprised me a lot. Some of the characters that were actually a bad person caught me off guard. I was like what?! It was so impossible to believe that a certain character actually was a bad person. I supposed...once they have been brainwashed, there were nothing anyone could have done for them.
I hardly find any issue with the novel because I really enjoyed it. The prologue started out really weak, which was probably the only issue I have with the novel. I think this novel was the first novel that had so many chapters and each of chapter was really short. It didn't bother me, though, because the author focused on Riley's POV more than other character. That gave me a chance to be emotionally connected to Riley. In my book, that was a win.
All in all, I highly recommended you to give this book a shot. It was set in futuristic and it had a lot of thriller going on. It was also a fast pace type of story. It had approximately 3 to 5 different POV in the novel, but it mainly concentrate on Riley's. I am excited to start the second book soon since Riley's adventure isn't over yet!
Tracer was such an exciting read! The prologue was kind of vague. I didn't really understand the point of the prologue to be included until I got more than halfway into the novel, I finally understood what the prologue was all about. At the beginning, I actually was nervous I would dislike the book, but it turned out to be one of my favorite books. It had a lot of adventure. It reminded me of a movie called Tracers (same name, yes, starring by Taylor Lautner) except the movie was modern day in a New York City. It had the same excitement when the character was on the run across the roof and catwalk. That was the same in the novel except the novel was set in future and in space.
Riley Hale was an awesome character. She was a strong woman who didn't deserve to be treated like that. She survived a lot of stuff that I find it amazing she actually lived through it. The way the author describe how she ran was really well done. I could imagine myself doing the run because that was how good the author described. This book involved a lot of showing than telling. It included how the character felt, saw, tasted, and so on. Riley's POV was told in the first person, which was probably why I was able to feel what she was feeling.
It all started with a package Riley was delivering. Something inside it was what caused all of the pandemonium. The fighting scenes were so awesome. It literally felt like I was there at one of the porch, watching them fight. The author describe everything what Riley felt, heard, or saw. It helped extremely for me to be able to understand how the fighting was like. Riley's love interest was a good person for her. He had an opposite characteristic from Riley, which made them perfect for each other.
Riley's team was awesome as well. There was plenty of amazing fighting or running scenes with her team. I liked Carver the most in her team. He may be huge guy, but he had a wonderful heart for a good reason. I hope I will get to read more about him in the next book in the series.
The bad people surprised me a lot. Some of the characters that were actually a bad person caught me off guard. I was like what?! It was so impossible to believe that a certain character actually was a bad person. I supposed...once they have been brainwashed, there were nothing anyone could have done for them.
I hardly find any issue with the novel because I really enjoyed it. The prologue started out really weak, which was probably the only issue I have with the novel. I think this novel was the first novel that had so many chapters and each of chapter was really short. It didn't bother me, though, because the author focused on Riley's POV more than other character. That gave me a chance to be emotionally connected to Riley. In my book, that was a win.
All in all, I highly recommended you to give this book a shot. It was set in futuristic and it had a lot of thriller going on. It was also a fast pace type of story. It had approximately 3 to 5 different POV in the novel, but it mainly concentrate on Riley's. I am excited to start the second book soon since Riley's adventure isn't over yet!
November 7, 2024
Recently, I decided to give The 100 another shot. I’d given up on it by episode three when it aired on television, but I was in the mood for that sort of science fiction. I devoured both series in a matter of weeks, and I was still hungry for more. Then I saw Tracer on Netgalley, auto-approved for me, and grabbed it.
And Tracer satisfied that hunger pretty well! It begins with one of the most fast-paced action scenes I have ever read, Riley’s every leap, spin and landing painted vividly for the reader. Although the action slowed down at points, it was still there, and for me that was the high point of the novel.
Unfortunately, where the book suffered was the characters. Tracer is told from three points of view: Riley, Prakesh and Darnell. Riley’s viewpoint is first person whereas the other two are told in third person. This was an interesting technique, focusing in on Riley as the main character, but I didn’t really feel a connection to her or any one else. If, in a book, characters are faced with a life or death situation, I need to care for them, I need to hope that they make it through. I just wasn’t feeling it for any of the characters in the book.
However, the plot was really great and that’s what pulled it through, along with the fantastically written action scenes. There are a lot of science fiction novels out there which focus on the ‘last humans’, but rarely is the threat to these survivors other members of their own race, rather than an extra-terrestrial species. THAT’S what’s scary – not an alien invasion, but human beings turning on each other.
Although I would have loved some more character development, this was a really fun science fiction novel, and definitely the sort of thing I was looking for. If you’re suffering from The 100 withdrawal, you might want to give it a try too!
I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Originally posted on my former blog, Rinn Reads.
And Tracer satisfied that hunger pretty well! It begins with one of the most fast-paced action scenes I have ever read, Riley’s every leap, spin and landing painted vividly for the reader. Although the action slowed down at points, it was still there, and for me that was the high point of the novel.
Unfortunately, where the book suffered was the characters. Tracer is told from three points of view: Riley, Prakesh and Darnell. Riley’s viewpoint is first person whereas the other two are told in third person. This was an interesting technique, focusing in on Riley as the main character, but I didn’t really feel a connection to her or any one else. If, in a book, characters are faced with a life or death situation, I need to care for them, I need to hope that they make it through. I just wasn’t feeling it for any of the characters in the book.
However, the plot was really great and that’s what pulled it through, along with the fantastically written action scenes. There are a lot of science fiction novels out there which focus on the ‘last humans’, but rarely is the threat to these survivors other members of their own race, rather than an extra-terrestrial species. THAT’S what’s scary – not an alien invasion, but human beings turning on each other.
Although I would have loved some more character development, this was a really fun science fiction novel, and definitely the sort of thing I was looking for. If you’re suffering from The 100 withdrawal, you might want to give it a try too!
I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Originally posted on my former blog, Rinn Reads.
July 19, 2015
This book is constantly on the move, the characters are constantly running, it really is exhilarating as well as making me feel unfit.
Riley is a tracer, a courier who takes packages, letters, pretty much anything you want across her home, a giant space station which holds the last of humanity.
It has been in orbit for many years, Earth is uninhabitable so the remaining population lives inside the massive, decaying station, squashed together, living in squalor but they have the best scientists, incredible minds like Oren Darnell, he does have an incredible mind but the man is a total psychopath.
Riley has got a package to take to Darnell, the one thing Tracers must never do is look at their package, but after she gets attacked by a gang and sees them recoil from what is inside the package she looks.
Inside is a human eyeball, she still delivers the parcel and doesn't let on that she knows what is inside. Darnell is a clever man, he is aware that she has seen the contents and even though he lets her go, he orders her to be killed.
From then on, things start to unravel, surviving the murder attempt, Riley and her fellow Tracers start to find out what Darnell is up to, the man has bigger plans than being a scientist.
Riley quickly learns that not everyone can be trusted but she can trust Prakesh, a scientist who she has grown up with, he is her romantic interest but this book does not have any gushy lovey dovey scenes thankfully as it doesn't need it.
Tracer follows on with a frantic race against time, but to find out what that is race is against you will need to read more - no spoilers!, it has political intrigue, murder, psychopaths. crazy space setting, amazing tech and a claustrophobic atmosphere. I loved it.
Thank you to Little Brown for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review
Riley is a tracer, a courier who takes packages, letters, pretty much anything you want across her home, a giant space station which holds the last of humanity.
It has been in orbit for many years, Earth is uninhabitable so the remaining population lives inside the massive, decaying station, squashed together, living in squalor but they have the best scientists, incredible minds like Oren Darnell, he does have an incredible mind but the man is a total psychopath.
Riley has got a package to take to Darnell, the one thing Tracers must never do is look at their package, but after she gets attacked by a gang and sees them recoil from what is inside the package she looks.
Inside is a human eyeball, she still delivers the parcel and doesn't let on that she knows what is inside. Darnell is a clever man, he is aware that she has seen the contents and even though he lets her go, he orders her to be killed.
From then on, things start to unravel, surviving the murder attempt, Riley and her fellow Tracers start to find out what Darnell is up to, the man has bigger plans than being a scientist.
Riley quickly learns that not everyone can be trusted but she can trust Prakesh, a scientist who she has grown up with, he is her romantic interest but this book does not have any gushy lovey dovey scenes thankfully as it doesn't need it.
Tracer follows on with a frantic race against time, but to find out what that is race is against you will need to read more - no spoilers!, it has political intrigue, murder, psychopaths. crazy space setting, amazing tech and a claustrophobic atmosphere. I loved it.
Thank you to Little Brown for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review
July 9, 2015
What a joy, in this era of shoddily written, shoddily published fiction, to find such a wonderful SF thriller: well-written, well-edited and well-published.
The plot is a humanity-in-jeopardy from psychopath thing, but it's so beautifully worked out and the characters so consistent and the set-up so well constructed that it's a pleasure to go along for the ride. And it's a wild ride - loads of fighting, running, jumping and struggling, with tears, love and betrayal along the way, all with inventive and original twists and takes. Tolstoy it ain't, but it isn't trying to be - just a terrific thriller, with respect shown to the genre and the reader.
If I have a gripe, then it's that I could have done with a little more quiet time, but then I'm from the generation that had its movies punctuated by an ice cream in a tub with a little plastic or wooden spatula, and our books weren't quite as high-octane as this.
And how lovely that the characters aren't all defined or described in terms of their sexual attractiveness, but have actual characters.It made suspension of disbelief all the easier when I wasn't expected to care about the exact state of all the women's breasts and the men's chin dimples.
Well done to the publisher too - it's properly bound and printed in ink that isn't too pale. The first typo doesn't turn up until page 43, the second on page 114, and that's in an uncorrected proof copy. Again, this is a much higher standard than most of its peers.
I won this as a Goodreads giveaway and I couldn't be more grateful - it's top-class stuff. I can't WAIT for the film. There will be one, right? I'm going to give this copy to my best friend, who will adore it. More please. Rob Boffard, whoever you are, consider me a fan; and three thousand cheers for Orbit.
The plot is a humanity-in-jeopardy from psychopath thing, but it's so beautifully worked out and the characters so consistent and the set-up so well constructed that it's a pleasure to go along for the ride. And it's a wild ride - loads of fighting, running, jumping and struggling, with tears, love and betrayal along the way, all with inventive and original twists and takes. Tolstoy it ain't, but it isn't trying to be - just a terrific thriller, with respect shown to the genre and the reader.
If I have a gripe, then it's that I could have done with a little more quiet time, but then I'm from the generation that had its movies punctuated by an ice cream in a tub with a little plastic or wooden spatula, and our books weren't quite as high-octane as this.
And how lovely that the characters aren't all defined or described in terms of their sexual attractiveness, but have actual characters.It made suspension of disbelief all the easier when I wasn't expected to care about the exact state of all the women's breasts and the men's chin dimples.
Well done to the publisher too - it's properly bound and printed in ink that isn't too pale. The first typo doesn't turn up until page 43, the second on page 114, and that's in an uncorrected proof copy. Again, this is a much higher standard than most of its peers.
I won this as a Goodreads giveaway and I couldn't be more grateful - it's top-class stuff. I can't WAIT for the film. There will be one, right? I'm going to give this copy to my best friend, who will adore it. More please. Rob Boffard, whoever you are, consider me a fan; and three thousand cheers for Orbit.
July 21, 2015
When I first read about ‘Tracer’ I was immediately excited to read this book. It just sounded like a very exciting, thrilling and different book and I was looking forward to start reading it. The cover is simple but definitely grabs your eye.
In ‘Tracer’ we meet Riley Hale, Oren Darnell and Prakesh Kumar. Three very different characters who all life on the spaceship called ‘Outer Earth’. When Earth was destroyed years ago, some people created ‘Outer Earth’ a spaceship with all the necessities for humans to survive. But ‘Outer Earth’ wasn’t designed to exist so long, and not with so many people on it. Now, someone on the spaceship is trying to unleash complete and other chaos.
This book was definitely different than the other books I read lately. But not in a bad way. This book is exciting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Although there are some ‘slow’ parts in this book, this book mostly makes you want to keep on reading. The author created a very interesting and different world. The way the author described the setting on the spaceship and the conditions the people lived in, that was definitely interesting. For example the way people like Riley, had to look out all the time for ‘gang’ people who wanted to steel the packages she needed to deliver.
‘Tracer’ is written through the three main characters point of views. I really enjoyed that. Especially since those three characters are all very different. It definitely made this book even more fascinating to read.
The character I loved the most was Riley. From the very beginning I just really liked her character. I loved how strong she was and how she did her job as a tracer.
This book is a must read if your into Sci- fi and dystopian novels. It definitely was a fun read for me.
In ‘Tracer’ we meet Riley Hale, Oren Darnell and Prakesh Kumar. Three very different characters who all life on the spaceship called ‘Outer Earth’. When Earth was destroyed years ago, some people created ‘Outer Earth’ a spaceship with all the necessities for humans to survive. But ‘Outer Earth’ wasn’t designed to exist so long, and not with so many people on it. Now, someone on the spaceship is trying to unleash complete and other chaos.
This book was definitely different than the other books I read lately. But not in a bad way. This book is exciting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Although there are some ‘slow’ parts in this book, this book mostly makes you want to keep on reading. The author created a very interesting and different world. The way the author described the setting on the spaceship and the conditions the people lived in, that was definitely interesting. For example the way people like Riley, had to look out all the time for ‘gang’ people who wanted to steel the packages she needed to deliver.
‘Tracer’ is written through the three main characters point of views. I really enjoyed that. Especially since those three characters are all very different. It definitely made this book even more fascinating to read.
The character I loved the most was Riley. From the very beginning I just really liked her character. I loved how strong she was and how she did her job as a tracer.
This book is a must read if your into Sci- fi and dystopian novels. It definitely was a fun read for me.
August 10, 2016
Gostei muito de le este livro. Se apenas pudesse ler um livro de Ficção Científica este ano, então este seria a minha escolha. Entretanto, já saiu a continuação (Zero-G) e no final de Agosto sai o último livro da trilogia Tracer (Impact). Confesso que gosto tanto de ler os clássicos como de ler novos autores de SciFi , tal como este Rob Boffard.
A ideia subjacente ao livro não é nova (a ação decorre numa estação espacial, último reduto da humanidade , em órbita da Terra, numa versão pós-apocalíptica em que o planeta sofreu uma devastação total). Apesar e me fazer lembrar o livro "The 100" de Kass Morgan, este Tracer tem mais ação, numa narrativa que vai aumentando em crescendo, e repleta de voltas e reviravoltas que deixam o leitor preso à narrativa.
O livro oferece-nos algumas reflexões interessantes, sobretudo sobre o tipo de vida que uma geração totalmente nascida dentro de uma estação espacial em órbita da Terra poderia ter, bem como os perigos a que estariam sujeitos. Fiquei com vontade de ler os dois livros restantes dentro em breve para saber qual é o fabuloso destino de Riley!
Não me admirava que um dia destes fizessem um filme a partir deste livro, assim como fizeram uma série do "The 100".
Altamente aconselhado para todos os aficionados de Ficção Científica.
A ideia subjacente ao livro não é nova (a ação decorre numa estação espacial, último reduto da humanidade , em órbita da Terra, numa versão pós-apocalíptica em que o planeta sofreu uma devastação total). Apesar e me fazer lembrar o livro "The 100" de Kass Morgan, este Tracer tem mais ação, numa narrativa que vai aumentando em crescendo, e repleta de voltas e reviravoltas que deixam o leitor preso à narrativa.
O livro oferece-nos algumas reflexões interessantes, sobretudo sobre o tipo de vida que uma geração totalmente nascida dentro de uma estação espacial em órbita da Terra poderia ter, bem como os perigos a que estariam sujeitos. Fiquei com vontade de ler os dois livros restantes dentro em breve para saber qual é o fabuloso destino de Riley!
Não me admirava que um dia destes fizessem um filme a partir deste livro, assim como fizeram uma série do "The 100".
Altamente aconselhado para todos os aficionados de Ficção Científica.
December 31, 2015
Tracer wasn't what I thought it was going to be if I'm totally honest. But it proved to be far better than I imagined it would be.
Tracer's are people who find things, deliver things, and who try to avoid being followed or having their precious cargo stolen by rival gangs. Riley is the main protagonist and, in fact, the character who finds herself at the forefront of the action. And there is a lot of action!
Riley's 'journey' takes her to places she didn't think she would go. She discovers a lot of secrets, and also finds out she has been lied to by a lot of people. What she discovers near the end of the story shocks her to the core. She honestly doesn't know who she can trust anymore, as she is betrayed by those closest to her.
The story moves at a good pace, the characters are all well written and there is a good balance of action and descriptive work.
I was delighted to find out there will be a sequel and can't wait to read it.
Tracer's are people who find things, deliver things, and who try to avoid being followed or having their precious cargo stolen by rival gangs. Riley is the main protagonist and, in fact, the character who finds herself at the forefront of the action. And there is a lot of action!
Riley's 'journey' takes her to places she didn't think she would go. She discovers a lot of secrets, and also finds out she has been lied to by a lot of people. What she discovers near the end of the story shocks her to the core. She honestly doesn't know who she can trust anymore, as she is betrayed by those closest to her.
The story moves at a good pace, the characters are all well written and there is a good balance of action and descriptive work.
I was delighted to find out there will be a sequel and can't wait to read it.
June 24, 2016
From beginning to end, Tracer is a fast paced, action-packed, no time for idle chitchat kind of book. It reminds me of a stock Hollywood blockbuster with impressively choreographed fight scenes, explosions, a bit of romance, and a maniacal bad guy. In other words, it's good for a bit of entertainment. Don't come here looking for fleshed out characters or a meticulously drawn world; this is a plot driven novel. Of course, I couldn't put it down.
I love the premise. A centuries old space station orbiting a dead Earth, overpopulated by the last humans in the universe. Rioting, food shortages, gang violence, no place to go if/when things break down or go wrong. What does that kind of environment do to a person psychologically? What does it do generations of people? It's a self contained, completely isolated and inescapable hellhole. I would have loved the author to explore that world more.
I love the premise. A centuries old space station orbiting a dead Earth, overpopulated by the last humans in the universe. Rioting, food shortages, gang violence, no place to go if/when things break down or go wrong. What does that kind of environment do to a person psychologically? What does it do generations of people? It's a self contained, completely isolated and inescapable hellhole. I would have loved the author to explore that world more.
September 3, 2015
First things first: I share a publisher with Rob, and we've met and such like. There's an extract of my debut book ARTEFACT at the back. That doesn't stop me from writing a fair review though, so here goes.
TRACER is a non-stop thrill ride of a book, with interesting characters and an engaging plot. There's lots of jumping and running and excitement along the way; it's an active book which draws you along. I'll be glad to follow Riley in future books, and I enjoyed this one a lot. Good stuff.
TRACER is a non-stop thrill ride of a book, with interesting characters and an engaging plot. There's lots of jumping and running and excitement along the way; it's an active book which draws you along. I'll be glad to follow Riley in future books, and I enjoyed this one a lot. Good stuff.
March 30, 2021
Zuviel Action, zu viele Klischees (z.B. das Teenager-Mädchen, das superprofessionell ist und Arschtritte austeilt. Die Enttäuschung durch ein Vorbild, das sich als verräterisch herausstellt. Die Helden, die 100 Mal knapp dem sicheren Tod entkommen). Zu viele Wiederholungen (sie rennen, sie rennen wieder, sie rennen noch einmal). Zu wenig echt originelle Elemente.
Die Bösewichter sind flach und einfach nur böse. Zwar wird die Lebensgeschichte des Soziopathen Darnell erzählt, aber echte Tiefe bringt das nicht.
Gegen Schluss habe ich ungeduldig ganze Absätze übersprungen
Die Bösewichter sind flach und einfach nur böse. Zwar wird die Lebensgeschichte des Soziopathen Darnell erzählt, aber echte Tiefe bringt das nicht.
Gegen Schluss habe ich ungeduldig ganze Absätze übersprungen
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