What do you think?
Rate this book
Silver Ships #2
Libre
The saga of the Rêveur continues in this second novel in The Silver Ships series.
The surviving Méridiens have returned to Confederation space, aided by their recently discovered cousins, the New Terrans. They expect a celebration after their 71-year absence. Instead, they’re shocked to find the silver ships have destroyed half the Confederation.
The Méridiens are fleeing in advance of the horde of alien ships. But Alex Racine and his crew didn’t come this far to run away from humanity’s enemy. They intend to hunt the silver ships. But, to succeed, they need help.
Renée de Guirnon, the leader of the Rêveur’s Méridiens, reveals a sordid secret of Méridien society: citizens who defy their House, for any reason, are stripped of their rights, declared “Independents,” and imprisoned on the planet Libre.
But the Independents aren’t everyone’s pariahs, especially if you’re Alex Racine and you’re looking for allies against the silver ships. An entire colony of independent, free-thinking radicals offers just the sort of people Alex wants on his side, and an alliance is struck.
Soon the enemy ships will swarm off the planet Bellamonde, so the race begins for Alex and the Librans. The planet must be evacuated and the military force readied before the silver ships attack. Alex knows a battle is coming, but will they have enough time to prepare?
The surviving Méridiens have returned to Confederation space, aided by their recently discovered cousins, the New Terrans. They expect a celebration after their 71-year absence. Instead, they’re shocked to find the silver ships have destroyed half the Confederation.
The Méridiens are fleeing in advance of the horde of alien ships. But Alex Racine and his crew didn’t come this far to run away from humanity’s enemy. They intend to hunt the silver ships. But, to succeed, they need help.
Renée de Guirnon, the leader of the Rêveur’s Méridiens, reveals a sordid secret of Méridien society: citizens who defy their House, for any reason, are stripped of their rights, declared “Independents,” and imprisoned on the planet Libre.
But the Independents aren’t everyone’s pariahs, especially if you’re Alex Racine and you’re looking for allies against the silver ships. An entire colony of independent, free-thinking radicals offers just the sort of people Alex wants on his side, and an alliance is struck.
Soon the enemy ships will swarm off the planet Bellamonde, so the race begins for Alex and the Librans. The planet must be evacuated and the military force readied before the silver ships attack. Alex knows a battle is coming, but will they have enough time to prepare?
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2015
675 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
S.H. Jucha
45 books470 followersFrom my early years to the present, books have been a refuge. They’ve fueled my imagination. I’ve traveled to faraway places and met aliens with Asimov, Heinlein, Clarke, Herbert, and Le Guin. I’ve explored historical events with Michener and Clavell, and I played spy with Ludlum and Fleming.
There’s no doubt that the early sci-fi masters influenced the writing of my first two series, The Silver Ships and Pyreans. I crafted my stories to give readers intimate views of my characters, who wrestle with the challenges of living in space and inhabiting alien worlds.
Life is rarely easy for these characters, who encounter aliens and calamities, but they persist and flourish. I revel in examining humankind’s will to survive. Not everyone plays fair or exhibits concern for other beings, but that’s another aspect of humans and aliens that I investigate.
My stories offer hope for humans today about what they might accomplish tomorrow far from our home world. Throughout my books, humans exhibit a will to persevere, without detriment to the vast majority of others.
Readers have been generous with their comments, which they’ve left on Amazon and Goodreads for others to review. I truly enjoy what I do, and I’m pleased to read how my stories have positively affected many readers’ lives.
If you’ve read my books, please consider posting a review on Amazon and Goodreads for every book, even a short one. Reviews attract other readers and are a great help to indie authors, such as me.
The Silver Ships novels have reached Amazon’s coveted #1 and #2 Best-Selling Sci-Fi book, multiple times, in the science fiction categories of first contact, space opera, and alien invasion.
There’s no doubt that the early sci-fi masters influenced the writing of my first two series, The Silver Ships and Pyreans. I crafted my stories to give readers intimate views of my characters, who wrestle with the challenges of living in space and inhabiting alien worlds.
Life is rarely easy for these characters, who encounter aliens and calamities, but they persist and flourish. I revel in examining humankind’s will to survive. Not everyone plays fair or exhibits concern for other beings, but that’s another aspect of humans and aliens that I investigate.
My stories offer hope for humans today about what they might accomplish tomorrow far from our home world. Throughout my books, humans exhibit a will to persevere, without detriment to the vast majority of others.
Readers have been generous with their comments, which they’ve left on Amazon and Goodreads for others to review. I truly enjoy what I do, and I’m pleased to read how my stories have positively affected many readers’ lives.
If you’ve read my books, please consider posting a review on Amazon and Goodreads for every book, even a short one. Reviews attract other readers and are a great help to indie authors, such as me.
The Silver Ships novels have reached Amazon’s coveted #1 and #2 Best-Selling Sci-Fi book, multiple times, in the science fiction categories of first contact, space opera, and alien invasion.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
April 11, 2017
I had a hard time getting into this book, followed by a lot of intense skimming. I liked the plot, but I did not connect with the characters. With the exception of Alex, Eric Stroheim and Fiona, they all stayed one-dimensional for me.
In the beginning there is a lot of name and info dumping. I could not keep all the characters apart. I only realized that there was a glossary, when I reached the end of the book. Maybe a brief character list in front of the first chapter would have been the way to go instead.
I wanted to read the equivalent of a SciFi blockbuster in 3D, instead it felt like watching the Making-of, with a panel of too many, interchangeable people talking about the movie in great detail, with many pages of Q&A thrown into the mix. Someone asked a question and a page of explanations followed. Then someone else asked a question and a page of explanations followed, et cetera. Too much talking, not enough action.
I started skimming fairly early on, looking for paragraphs that looked like they might bring the plot forward. Many characters to keep straight, a lot of explanations and repetition. I like plot-driven stories, so this dragged. I missed what I liked best about the first book, Alex alone in space and his first contact with an alien race.
I also found it baffling that Alex is the most intelligent, emphatic, insightful, best organised, most higly funtioning person on board. Although the others are the ones belonging to a more advanced species with higher developed technology. I was not sold. I found him to be more believable, when he was a hard working, solitary guy, mining asteroids.
Sorry, I really wanted to like this book, but it did not work for me. I like the plot idea, there are some great ideas here--the SADEs, the city ships, the mystery into the societal structure of the aliens--but I just could not get into it.
I received this copy from the author via Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, I am sorry I could not write something more positive.
In the beginning there is a lot of name and info dumping. I could not keep all the characters apart. I only realized that there was a glossary, when I reached the end of the book. Maybe a brief character list in front of the first chapter would have been the way to go instead.
I wanted to read the equivalent of a SciFi blockbuster in 3D, instead it felt like watching the Making-of, with a panel of too many, interchangeable people talking about the movie in great detail, with many pages of Q&A thrown into the mix. Someone asked a question and a page of explanations followed. Then someone else asked a question and a page of explanations followed, et cetera. Too much talking, not enough action.
I started skimming fairly early on, looking for paragraphs that looked like they might bring the plot forward. Many characters to keep straight, a lot of explanations and repetition. I like plot-driven stories, so this dragged. I missed what I liked best about the first book, Alex alone in space and his first contact with an alien race.
I also found it baffling that Alex is the most intelligent, emphatic, insightful, best organised, most higly funtioning person on board. Although the others are the ones belonging to a more advanced species with higher developed technology. I was not sold. I found him to be more believable, when he was a hard working, solitary guy, mining asteroids.
Sorry, I really wanted to like this book, but it did not work for me. I like the plot idea, there are some great ideas here--the SADEs, the city ships, the mystery into the societal structure of the aliens--but I just could not get into it.
I received this copy from the author via Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, I am sorry I could not write something more positive.
July 6, 2017
The Meridiens and New Terrans aboard the ship Reveur have arrived at the planet Libre. Alex Racine is now the Admiral in charge instead of the Captain of Reveur. Renee de Guirnon is the leader of the Meridien’s aboard Reveur. She has defied the de Guirnon House and declared themselves the House of Alexander. They are joining forces with the Independents on the planet Libre. Those people who defied their House were exiled to Libre. Soon they will be in battle with the Silver Ships.
The book is well written. The characters are well developed and interesting. I am enjoying the ship’s AI, Julian, along with the newly added AI’s to the story. There is lots of action along with the creation of a new culture and world building. I am looking forward to book three of the series.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is ten and a half hours long. Grover Gardner does an excellent job narrating the book. Gardner is an actor and award-winning audiobook narrator.
The book is well written. The characters are well developed and interesting. I am enjoying the ship’s AI, Julian, along with the newly added AI’s to the story. There is lots of action along with the creation of a new culture and world building. I am looking forward to book three of the series.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is ten and a half hours long. Grover Gardner does an excellent job narrating the book. Gardner is an actor and award-winning audiobook narrator.
July 5, 2015
After I read the first book in this series I was quite enthusiastic and eagerly awaiting the second book in the series. Having now read this second book I dont find myself feeling the same way about the third book. To be sure, I am still quite enjoying this series but I was honestly hoping for more from the second book and it's failure to deliver on some key points make me less eager to get to reading the third one. I will still get the third book once it comes out but there's no feeling of anticipation like there was after the first.
Now obviously that statement needs to be clarified. First of all this second book was, as I said, quite enjoyable but now that the 'new-series-charm' has worn off I was hoping that there would be more. What I liked about the first book was set of characters it introduced and I was hoping that this second book would develop these characters, see them struggle, make them come alive more. Sadly there was none of this to be had. If anything the characters seemed even more black-and-white than the first book. Love continues to happen at first sight, everyone is always doing the right thing and the Admiral has taken on a role that's larger than life. The author seems to try and make the Admiral seem human sometimes but never quite gets that part right. Even in his failures the Admiral is a character that seems to be able to do no wrong. Sadly the lack of depth isn't only with the characters.
The main issue in this second book is to try and save the people of Meridien from the evil Silver Ships. The problem I have is this: the Meridiens are ridiculously passive, the Silver Ships seem comically inept and the New Terrans appear to be the most brilliant people to have ever graced creation (the Admiral chief among them of course). All of this makes for a rather flaccid story and the only drama that's in the book seems to have been added into it as an afterthought to make it seem like everything isnt going perfect all the time.
The story isn't bad, I still think it has a lot of potential and I like the characters as I said before but something is clearly missing. I think the story Jucha has in his head is one worth reading but there needs to be some tweaking to the way he tells it. I'd give this book 2 stars but as Jucha is still quite new to the writing scene I will give him the benefit of the doubt and make it 3 stars. I hope he will improve in the books to come as there is certainly something about Jucha's humor and his imaginations that can make a very interesting world indeed.
Now obviously that statement needs to be clarified. First of all this second book was, as I said, quite enjoyable but now that the 'new-series-charm' has worn off I was hoping that there would be more. What I liked about the first book was set of characters it introduced and I was hoping that this second book would develop these characters, see them struggle, make them come alive more. Sadly there was none of this to be had. If anything the characters seemed even more black-and-white than the first book. Love continues to happen at first sight, everyone is always doing the right thing and the Admiral has taken on a role that's larger than life. The author seems to try and make the Admiral seem human sometimes but never quite gets that part right. Even in his failures the Admiral is a character that seems to be able to do no wrong. Sadly the lack of depth isn't only with the characters.
The main issue in this second book is to try and save the people of Meridien from the evil Silver Ships. The problem I have is this: the Meridiens are ridiculously passive, the Silver Ships seem comically inept and the New Terrans appear to be the most brilliant people to have ever graced creation (the Admiral chief among them of course). All of this makes for a rather flaccid story and the only drama that's in the book seems to have been added into it as an afterthought to make it seem like everything isnt going perfect all the time.
The story isn't bad, I still think it has a lot of potential and I like the characters as I said before but something is clearly missing. I think the story Jucha has in his head is one worth reading but there needs to be some tweaking to the way he tells it. I'd give this book 2 stars but as Jucha is still quite new to the writing scene I will give him the benefit of the doubt and make it 3 stars. I hope he will improve in the books to come as there is certainly something about Jucha's humor and his imaginations that can make a very interesting world indeed.
August 3, 2015
Only read half before giving up. If the first book got plaudits for telling an original story then the author has taken them too much to heart and decided to tell the same story again. Immediately negating the praise he earned for the first one.
The story is the same only this time the stakes are higher.. dun dun duuuun. The characters are the same, the problems are the same and the plot is the same. But this time it uses shortcuts to leave out the interesting bits of the first one. "remember those cool machines we made last time to make space ships? yeahhh of course you do, lets use them again... but this time we'll make more!"
Maybe I'm just in a bad mood after reading so many disappointing books recently, if I ever decide to finish this and I change my mind on it I'll be sure to update my review.
The story is the same only this time the stakes are higher.. dun dun duuuun. The characters are the same, the problems are the same and the plot is the same. But this time it uses shortcuts to leave out the interesting bits of the first one. "remember those cool machines we made last time to make space ships? yeahhh of course you do, lets use them again... but this time we'll make more!"
Maybe I'm just in a bad mood after reading so many disappointing books recently, if I ever decide to finish this and I change my mind on it I'll be sure to update my review.
March 6, 2022
Very good, even better than the first book. I look forward to Book 3!
July 15, 2015
While I greatly enjoyed the first book in the series, The Silver Ships, I found myself floundering in my interest in Libre. At halfway through the book the majority of the text had been in regard to communicating with the Meridian SADEs, their artificial intelligence. There is finally a bit of action around 60% into the book, but then it drags on again with preparation to depart the planet and all of the thoughts and actions associated with doing so. At 80% into the book there is some action, which actually brought tears to my eyes, but it didn't last long. The story continued to drag on with heavy emphasis on developing the SADEs personalities, the Meridian's feelings and reactions to treating their computers as living beings, and finally the exodus from the planet. By the time they do encounter the Silver Ships there is so little devoted to the actual battle that it feels anticlimactic.
In my opinion this story could be so much better if there were a little less conversation and a bit more action.
In my opinion this story could be so much better if there were a little less conversation and a bit more action.
June 30, 2015
This is the second book in a series. I enjoyed the first book (The Silver Ships) more but this sequel is worth reading and I will definitely read the third book when it is released next year. Space opera. Main character is now an admiral, and there is an alien fleet that has been invading planets, killing any life on them and looting their minerals. Much of the story was the struggle to evacuate the next planet the aliens would hit.
This review is based on an eARC from the author. The official publication will be out in August.
This review is based on an eARC from the author. The official publication will be out in August.
July 4, 2018
I was worried for no reason !
The second audiobook was just as great as the first.
It’s just to bad that I can’t move to the 3rd right away but because that I’ve became a reviewer of Audiobooks I must listen to many others if I want to keep getting them for free.
And because that I got many of my own Audiobooks which I’m dying to get through I had to make a rule like after every 5 reviews one of mine, I believe that it’s fair and won’t get me to much behind.
Any way about “ Libre “, just like book one,
“ EXCELLENT !!! “
And full heartedly recommended.
The second audiobook was just as great as the first.
It’s just to bad that I can’t move to the 3rd right away but because that I’ve became a reviewer of Audiobooks I must listen to many others if I want to keep getting them for free.
And because that I got many of my own Audiobooks which I’m dying to get through I had to make a rule like after every 5 reviews one of mine, I believe that it’s fair and won’t get me to much behind.
Any way about “ Libre “, just like book one,
“ EXCELLENT !!! “
And full heartedly recommended.
September 6, 2015
This one wasn't as interesting to me as the first one. Alex becomes way to powerful and all knowning. I would have liked to see him make some mistakes and instead of struggling with what he wasn't able to accomplish see him struggle more with himself. As for the plot it got buried in the details of getting the fighters and colony ships build. Most of which I just found to be borings. I also got tired of everyone being in awe of Alex's implant powers.
August 12, 2016
The pace is slowed down compared to the first volume. Even if it's not a huge sci-fi book I feel the author dragged the story too much; all that long, unnecessarily dialogues, didn't add any depth to the characters, they didn't developed at all. Actually the whole book is about the preparations they make to save the Libran planet from the Silver Ships encounter.
I liked the new characters and I'm still intrigued by this story, but I hope the next book will be better.
I liked the new characters and I'm still intrigued by this story, but I hope the next book will be better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2017
Too simplistic
S.H. Jucha had the technical side for writing, but lacks depth of characterisation.
The captain/colonel/admiral can't get things wrong, the good guys are too supportive, the bad guys worthless (unless they turn face). There's no complexity, nothing to draw interest.
It reads like an old pulp story, but without the brevity to excuse the failings.
S.H. Jucha had the technical side for writing, but lacks depth of characterisation.
The captain/colonel/admiral can't get things wrong, the good guys are too supportive, the bad guys worthless (unless they turn face). There's no complexity, nothing to draw interest.
It reads like an old pulp story, but without the brevity to excuse the failings.
December 8, 2018
worst mary sue ive seen in a while
Alex is smart and sexy and strong and charismatic and also smart. He always knows what to do and everyone follows him without question. I'm not even sure what the conflict in this novel was supposed to be because everything is easy for him
Alex is smart and sexy and strong and charismatic and also smart. He always knows what to do and everyone follows him without question. I'm not even sure what the conflict in this novel was supposed to be because everything is easy for him
July 14, 2015
The first "Silver Ships" was an excellent read. This second instalment, "Libre"... not so much. I'm about half done and I cannot read any further.
February 22, 2017
The Méridiens of the ship Rêveur have returned to Confederation space with their new allies, the New Terrans, expecting to be welcomed delightedly after their long absence and presumed loss. Instead, they find that the same silver ships that nearly destroyed Rêveur have destroyed half the Confederation, and the surviving Méridiens have no plan except to flee, abandoning their long-settled worlds.
This plan does not sit well with the crew of Rêveur, neither her surviving Méridien crew nor her new captain, Alex Racine, and his fellow New Terrans. Having proven the silver ships can be fought, they want to take the fight to the enemy. To do that, though, they need help, resources and volunteers who will have to come from the Méridiens, who for the most part don't believe either that fighting can be effective, or that killing is ever justified.
But Confederation society has a dark secret--a whole prison colony of "independents," people unwilling to conform to peaceful, prosperous, but mostly quiescent Confederation society.
A whole planet of independent free thinkers.
This is good, old-fashioned, space adventure, with battles with aliens, ingenuity, derring-do, and culture clashes among the different societies--the Confederation culture of most Méridiens; the "independents" of Libre, and the new society that's forming on Rêveur, blending the customs and viewpoints of both New Terrans and Méridiens, constructing a new culture capable of fighting the threat to all humanity that the silver ships represent. There's lots of danger, challenges, on-the-fly can-do engineering...
What's different from "the good old stuff" is that Jucha is writing from the social assumptions and dynamics of the 2010s, not the 1950s. Or 1930s. Both smart characters and stupid ones, good and bad, come in both male and female, as well as the range of ethnic options represented in the populations of New Terra and the Confederation. in a way that feels natural and realistic.
It's just a good, solid, enjoyable story, with pretty good characters and world-building. Both have gotten stronger since the first book, The Silver Ships, although Alex Racine is still improbably capable. Overall, this is a lot of what I want when I wish for some of "the good old stuff," without the baggage that makes me hesitate to pick up a Golden Age old favorite for fear it won't be as good as remembered.
Recommended.
I bought this book.
This plan does not sit well with the crew of Rêveur, neither her surviving Méridien crew nor her new captain, Alex Racine, and his fellow New Terrans. Having proven the silver ships can be fought, they want to take the fight to the enemy. To do that, though, they need help, resources and volunteers who will have to come from the Méridiens, who for the most part don't believe either that fighting can be effective, or that killing is ever justified.
But Confederation society has a dark secret--a whole prison colony of "independents," people unwilling to conform to peaceful, prosperous, but mostly quiescent Confederation society.
A whole planet of independent free thinkers.
This is good, old-fashioned, space adventure, with battles with aliens, ingenuity, derring-do, and culture clashes among the different societies--the Confederation culture of most Méridiens; the "independents" of Libre, and the new society that's forming on Rêveur, blending the customs and viewpoints of both New Terrans and Méridiens, constructing a new culture capable of fighting the threat to all humanity that the silver ships represent. There's lots of danger, challenges, on-the-fly can-do engineering...
What's different from "the good old stuff" is that Jucha is writing from the social assumptions and dynamics of the 2010s, not the 1950s. Or 1930s. Both smart characters and stupid ones, good and bad, come in both male and female, as well as the range of ethnic options represented in the populations of New Terra and the Confederation. in a way that feels natural and realistic.
It's just a good, solid, enjoyable story, with pretty good characters and world-building. Both have gotten stronger since the first book, The Silver Ships, although Alex Racine is still improbably capable. Overall, this is a lot of what I want when I wish for some of "the good old stuff," without the baggage that makes me hesitate to pick up a Golden Age old favorite for fear it won't be as good as remembered.
Recommended.
I bought this book.
July 22, 2017
Like the first book, this was an enjoyable read, but I did find parts of the story a bit slow. The evacuation planning and execution was interesting to begin with, but it did drag, there was just too much irrelevant detail.
I also found myself becoming irritated that they didn’t attempt to delay or even damage the Mother ship, I suspect I was just craving a bit more action.
Up until this part of the book the author has portrayed Alex as very clever and highly imaginative, so why was he so ineffective now. The author had already raised the possibility of hitting an object as a ship came out of FTL, the use of mines had also been mentioned. What about using damaged shuttles as automated missile platforms? In the end they did find a solution, but not without problems that could have been avoided.
Overall not a bad space opera, I just hope the next book can give a satisfactory explanation to the ending.
I also found myself becoming irritated that they didn’t attempt to delay or even damage the Mother ship, I suspect I was just craving a bit more action.
Up until this part of the book the author has portrayed Alex as very clever and highly imaginative, so why was he so ineffective now. The author had already raised the possibility of hitting an object as a ship came out of FTL, the use of mines had also been mentioned. What about using damaged shuttles as automated missile platforms? In the end they did find a solution, but not without problems that could have been avoided.
Overall not a bad space opera, I just hope the next book can give a satisfactory explanation to the ending.
August 9, 2020
Another solid entry into my expanding library, Jucha delivers a quality sci-fi adventure, which occasionally leans too heavily to the optimistic, but never ceases to be pleasing, if not particularly challenging. Not quite a military sci-fi, it is perhaps more a logistical sci-fi and is therefore all the more remarkable as it somehow continues to entertain.
September 1, 2021
Notes:
Currently on Audible +
Great narration by Grover Gardner. While the story has promise, the author relies too much on telling the reader what is happening vs showing it within the story.
Maybe read if I'm bored? As long as the series is on Audible+. Writing is a bit too rough & raw to pay for the books. I'll keep an eye out for newer work by the author.
Currently on Audible +
Great narration by Grover Gardner. While the story has promise, the author relies too much on telling the reader what is happening vs showing it within the story.
Maybe read if I'm bored? As long as the series is on Audible+. Writing is a bit too rough & raw to pay for the books. I'll keep an eye out for newer work by the author.
January 13, 2020
3.5 Stars
July 5, 2020
Tjah, andreboka i en serie jeg nok setter på vent. Førsteboka var interessant, denne grei nok..
March 19, 2019
I enjoyed the first book but this one was kind of boring.
The characters don't have enough depth and there is hardly any conflict.
This book is more about the logistics of trying to get people evacuated than anything else.
One huge problem I have is this. Alex is a super genius from a advance, space faring civilization with access to the Méridiens tech, earths history and science and Julian. But all he can come up with as far as weapons is conventional explosives. It seems like some nuclear weapons might come in handy but I guess that cant happen because the plot demands that people ignore obvious solutions.
The characters don't have enough depth and there is hardly any conflict.
This book is more about the logistics of trying to get people evacuated than anything else.
One huge problem I have is this. Alex is a super genius from a advance, space faring civilization with access to the Méridiens tech, earths history and science and Julian. But all he can come up with as far as weapons is conventional explosives. It seems like some nuclear weapons might come in handy but I guess that cant happen because the plot demands that people ignore obvious solutions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2015
Nice, but not as gripping as the first book. In Silver Ships, the main character was a captain of a tiny ship, discovering brand new things. Much of the plat was tightly centered on Alex. In this one, he as an Admiral, and almost by definition his job is to direct other people. With a wider focus, much of the action is conveyed through different points of view, and the book is far more about logistics than discovery.
The action really accelerated at the end. The very last paragraph contains a twist setting up the next novel (not a cliffhanger!). I didn't find the twist all that compelling -- if I have not been captivated by the characters and plot, I doubt I will be convinced to get the next book because of this twist. As it is, I am uncertain if I will get the next book.
The action really accelerated at the end. The very last paragraph contains a twist setting up the next novel (not a cliffhanger!). I didn't find the twist all that compelling -- if I have not been captivated by the characters and plot, I doubt I will be convinced to get the next book because of this twist. As it is, I am uncertain if I will get the next book.
October 20, 2015
While I loved the first book in the series, this one seemed to lack something. Perhaps its because the joy of discovery seems to be missing. More than anything the scope of the new rescue seems to take the personal story out of things. There are simply too many people that have to be saved and building too giant city-ships becomes less personable.
The theories developed about the Enemy and the use of gravitational force for propulsion are intriguing. But there was little in the way of actual battle. More than anything this felt like the 'tweener' book setting up more possible action in the next one.
Although the ending leaves one to suspect that the author is going to take the action in a different direction.
The theories developed about the Enemy and the use of gravitational force for propulsion are intriguing. But there was little in the way of actual battle. More than anything this felt like the 'tweener' book setting up more possible action in the next one.
Although the ending leaves one to suspect that the author is going to take the action in a different direction.
November 20, 2015
A continuation of Silver Ships (reviewed here on Zone 6), Libre keeps the action going full bore. Alex (the main character) is probably still a bit too perfect & in fact he's gotten even better now as not only is he the smartest and strongest person on his planet, his abilities have now surpassed those of the more advanced Meridians' also. The writing is easy to understand and flows well and while there aren't any awesome super battles, or huge conflagrations its interesting and fun to read. Read my full review on Zone 6.
August 11, 2015
I was sorely disappointed by this book after reading the first book of the series. After the first few chapters it turned into a showcase of the author's concept of leadership framed in a boring narrative about a build up to battle. I found myself skipping most of the middle third of the book. The author had made his point about leadership, but he kept beating that horse to death and putting me to sleep. The last third of the book was more of what I expected and provided a great ending and a cliff hanger for the third book. I may buy the third book when it comes out, but if the author gets on his high horse again, I will not finish it.
January 2, 2017
This book is the second in a seven part series. I'm beginning to see that each book is a very long, and droning section of an overall interesting story. I only wish the author could have condensed these a bit, because the long sections detailing the construction of ships and passenger transfer is kind of boring. There are also many sections where the admiral is conferencing with several SADEs (Self-Aware Digital Entities) at once, and the back and forth overall politeness gets a bit irritating after about 50 of these sessions.
I definitely am going to have to take a break from this series for a while. I may come back to it in the future, but for now, it's too much of the same.
I definitely am going to have to take a break from this series for a while. I may come back to it in the future, but for now, it's too much of the same.
November 28, 2016
First book was interesting due to the various sci-fi concepts. But I found the characters and dialogue shallow and one dimensional.
This second book has less new interesting concepts to offer, but it would have sufficed in combination with good dialogue and characters. Sadly, this is not the case. The dialogue eventually became unbearable. Conversations come across as naive, cliché filled, unrealistic and extremely emotionally repetitive. The characters are stereotypical and completely one dimensional. I can't help but compare it to Ian Douglass.
This second book has less new interesting concepts to offer, but it would have sufficed in combination with good dialogue and characters. Sadly, this is not the case. The dialogue eventually became unbearable. Conversations come across as naive, cliché filled, unrealistic and extremely emotionally repetitive. The characters are stereotypical and completely one dimensional. I can't help but compare it to Ian Douglass.
May 24, 2016
"Libre" is book 2 of the Silver Ships series. I didn't read book 1 and I suspect I missed a lot... too much to write a useful review. I can say that the ending is exciting. No cliffhangers and it is wide open for a 3rd book, which I believe already is written. I won't read it until I can pick up book 1... The Silver Ships.
June 8, 2016
I am so conflicted on this series. This one evoked more emotion than the last. However I agree that there are soooo many characters and they are very one dimensional, so differentiating between them is difficult. I also agree that a lot of the same things happened over and over and there was a lot of unnecessary explanation of building and "the plan" that could have been better spent developing the characters.
April 7, 2017
Alex seems to good to be real. He has no flaws and he is this saint like character that never does anything wrong. He is portrayed as this genius young man with a good heart and for some reason I have a hard time believing this maybe I'm way too used to seeing flawed characters and thus it's hard for me to grasp this. Give him one flaw that's all I want. I don't want him to be good at everything, I don't want him to be as noble all the freaking time.
July 4, 2015
I received an advanced copy of this book from the author, which I greatly appreciate! I thoroughly enjoyed this 2nd installment of the Silver Ships series, although I think I did like the first book a little bit more. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews