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Luminous
Entry number 3333. Vanguard Station Reckoning. All systems stable. Nothing new to report.
It's been nine years since the war started; nine years since she has received acknowledgement or contact from anyone. Marooned alone on proto-colony planet Hestia, aging xeno-geologist Jyothi Agarwal still continues her routine transmissions in the hopes that someone, somewhere, is listening.
Then one day, out of nowhere, a brilliant light illuminates Hestia and something falls from the sky.
In the west, he wakes up in pain and alone. There is light everywhere. A new sense of weight. A broken body. Words. Knowing. And he realizes that against all odds, he is inexplicably alive.
On a planet far removed from everything, the last human and a fallen star find companionship in each other--and perhaps something more. Something beautiful, shining, lasting. Something luminous.
It's been nine years since the war started; nine years since she has received acknowledgement or contact from anyone. Marooned alone on proto-colony planet Hestia, aging xeno-geologist Jyothi Agarwal still continues her routine transmissions in the hopes that someone, somewhere, is listening.
Then one day, out of nowhere, a brilliant light illuminates Hestia and something falls from the sky.
In the west, he wakes up in pain and alone. There is light everywhere. A new sense of weight. A broken body. Words. Knowing. And he realizes that against all odds, he is inexplicably alive.
On a planet far removed from everything, the last human and a fallen star find companionship in each other--and perhaps something more. Something beautiful, shining, lasting. Something luminous.
43 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2015
48 people want to read
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August 18, 2015We can not star it because we published it, but WE LOVE IT, PRECIOUS. WE DO.
October 8, 2015
This story was so beautiful and moving to me. I was surprised at how much it touched me. The whole time I was reading, I kept trying to find something wrong with it, and I just couldn't, until the very end. In fact, I thought the ending cut off too quickly! I wanted MORE of the story of Jyothi and West. This is a very quick read, and I highly recommend that you read it!
July 25, 2015
A curious and totally captivating sci-fi/fantasy short story, exquisitely done!
It's available online free on The Book Smugglers site - http://thebooksmugglers.com/2015/07/l...
It's available online free on The Book Smugglers site - http://thebooksmugglers.com/2015/07/l...
September 4, 2015
I received a copy of this book from a contest at Smexy Books, this does not affect my opinion of this book or the content of my review. I had been eyeing it because Science Fiction has been hitting just right for me of late, and because I enjoy my adults a little adultier. Also, there is just something about eyes being a defining feature in a science fiction cover that makes me want to grab it up (look at that gorgeous cover), just like Lex Talionis or Dark Horse. Something about the eyes just captures my gaze and keeps me from looking away.
It is hard to know what to say about this story, it is very short, more than worth the time one needs to invest in reading. There is joy in watching the unfolding of introspection, in getting to know Jyothi, even when she is sad and lonely. And nine years is a very long time to be alone and lonely, even for a woman who had been invisible to everyone, including herself, for years before.
The premise and the world building is almost surreal, almost fantasy rather than strict science fiction. And while I was reading, all I could do was experience it. Now, having finished it, it makes me think. I could easily have read a much, much longer book (that too seems to be a theme with the science fiction I have read lately). I would have loved to see it all from the beginning, Jyothi’s life before the exploration, the time when she knew she was going to be alone, and definitely more time with her star. I would have loved that book too, but what we got was so wonderful that I can not regret the story it is, in favor of that other imaginary story. My one regret was how suddenly the story ended, but it was altogether lovely and I was satisfied that this was truly happily ever after.
https://burnsthroughherbookshelf.word...
It is hard to know what to say about this story, it is very short, more than worth the time one needs to invest in reading. There is joy in watching the unfolding of introspection, in getting to know Jyothi, even when she is sad and lonely. And nine years is a very long time to be alone and lonely, even for a woman who had been invisible to everyone, including herself, for years before.
The premise and the world building is almost surreal, almost fantasy rather than strict science fiction. And while I was reading, all I could do was experience it. Now, having finished it, it makes me think. I could easily have read a much, much longer book (that too seems to be a theme with the science fiction I have read lately). I would have loved to see it all from the beginning, Jyothi’s life before the exploration, the time when she knew she was going to be alone, and definitely more time with her star. I would have loved that book too, but what we got was so wonderful that I can not regret the story it is, in favor of that other imaginary story. My one regret was how suddenly the story ended, but it was altogether lovely and I was satisfied that this was truly happily ever after.
https://burnsthroughherbookshelf.word...
July 24, 2015
Swept away
Never before have I been so enamored with a character in so short a space. It is beautiful and sad and happy and all those things at once. I wish it was longer. Great sci fi. Great romance.
Never before have I been so enamored with a character in so short a space. It is beautiful and sad and happy and all those things at once. I wish it was longer. Great sci fi. Great romance.
September 2, 2015
A lovely, gentle, sci-fi romance, with a refreshing perspective on the nature of love and aging.
July 25, 2015
This joint review was originally published at The Book Pushers
Marlene: Luminous is a lovely and lyrical story. It’s a very short piece, and feels like both a cry out of loneliness and a paean to the power of love. The science fiction-type setting is both beautiful and very, very spare – because it’s that spareness and sparseness that sets up the story.
Lou: I’m a major fusspot when it comes to the sci-fi romance genre. It either has to grab my attention instantly from the beginning and not let go, or it has to be of pure crack. Luminous is the first–a beautiful story that had a dreamy essence and quality. Like Marlene says above, there is a sparseness to the story because the heroine, Jyothi, has been so very alone for such a long period on another alien planet.
Marlene: The story is very simple, and not, both at the same time. Jyothi’s loneliness and isolation are starkly described. We can both see and feel her descent in depression and eventual death. People need other people, and Jyothi has no one. She was part of a scientific exhibition that was intended to analyze a proto-colony planet which Jyothi, in her isolation, eventually names for Hestia, the Greek goddess of hearth and home. Hestia was also a virgin goddess, which is more appropriate than it should have been. While Jyothi had a partner back home, she left him behind in order to be part of this mission.
Lou: It was so bitter and tragic knowing that Jyothi’s love back home would never see her return. And yet it was a choice Jyothi made to help save her planet, though stranded forever alone on a planet probably nevered factored into the worst case scenarios. While on Hestia, Jyothi had her own rituals each day which seemed to have grounded and centered her. She carried on with her mission and I suspect it was also routine of habit that got her through the lonely hours, days, and years. There was a gentleness about Jyothi that ran parallel to the tone of the story.
Marlene: When war came to her home planet, all of the other scientists left Jyothi behind. They were all young enough to serve in the armed forces, and Jyothi, in her 50s, was considered past it. The war seems to have consumed everything. It’s not just that no one has come back for Jyothi, but no one is answering her mission reports. Nor have they for 9 years. She may be the last of her people. She is certainly fated to die on Hestia, alone as she has lived. Then she answers an extremely mysterious dream request to go west and follow the path of a shooting star. She rescues a young male human or humanoid from the crash, and Jyothi is no longer alone. The crash survivor names himself West. He claims to be the being at the heart of a star, and the crash was supposed to be his death. Instead, Jyothi and her medical bay instruments save his life. And West saves hers, simply by taking away her loneliness and inserting himself into her formerly empty life.
Lou: I kept wondering what had happened to the crew? Why hadn’t Jyothi heard from anyone in nine years? Though this story was short, it packed in a lot of threads that purposefully left me wondering what happened to the rest of her people and I was and am totally fine with never knowing the answer. West was a lovely character with some equally lovely worldbuilding that doesn’t dig deep but was more than enough to make it believable. The first chapter sets the tone for the entire story and I ended up adoring him. He was otherwordly but also a bit like Bambi when he falls and transforms into a human.
Marlene: There are lots of mysteries about West. While he says he is a fallen star, and he clearly must be something more than human to have survived that crash, we don’t learn much about him or his people. In a book this short, the hints we have a probably enough. West is sweet, and helpful, and sometimes a bit naive while still containing a fund of knowledge that he learned while he was a star. It’s just that being with Jyothi is the first time he’s been able to put any of his knowledge into practice. He stumbles a bit and Jyothi finds it adorable.
Lou: The hints of West’s origins were definitely enough and I didn’t find myself wanting to learn more, or how he came to be. West was a fallen star–and the author makes references to the huge balls of gas in the sky–and not the type of fallen star such as Calcifer (though Calcifer is amazing from Howl’s Moving Castle). West fell for Jyothi, which is extremely romantic and this is where my critique of the story comes in. I didn’t quite believe that Jyothi suddenly had these deep love for him and this comes down to the story’s short length. I definitely believe that West and Jyothi are going to have a wonderful and happy life together but I would have loved to have seen some of their romance play out rather than small transitions.
Marlene: We see them fall in love. As the only two beings alone in their universe, of course they do. In that kind of setting, their two options would be love or war. In this story, they choose love and start making a life together. The building of that life makes the story sweet, and we see just a glimpse into their no-longer-lonely future.
In the climax of the story, we find Jyothi holding back for reasons that seem superficial, particularly under the circumstances. While West was able to provide a solution that worked for the story, this was also the one thing about the story that rubbed me a bit the wrong way. If she truly loved the real “West”, and she did, then their relative appearances shouldn’t have mattered quite so much. This is my personal 2 cents and I think that it won’t bother other readers the same way.
Lou: I can see why Jyothi would have her reservations since West is such a new person in her life in circumstances that are so out of the norm (stranded on an alien planet would tick that box :D). Maybe if the story had been a little longer, she would have gotten over those reservations as we got to see her and West fall in love in real time so speak. I mean, West had been a star who might have been thousands, or even millions of years old. Much, much older than Jyothi so his transformation was a little superficial but maybe some time would have eased Jyothi’s worries considering she had been so alone on the planet. I also think Jyothi had a fear of rejection, especially since she was fully aware she was the oldest member of the crew, and snstead of having that crew member stay with her, Jyothi was left alone.
Marlene: In summary, Luminous is a sweet romance of a science fiction romance story that uses its science fiction setting in a way that is crucial to the plot but doesn’t get in the way of the romance or the characters.
I give Luminous a B+
Lou: The ending is a small critique for me but overall Luminous is a romantic short story that I’ll remember for all the right and lovely reasons. Not only does it have some awesome sci-fi worldbuilding, it also manages to give off the feel of a fairytale in space which is all sorts of wonderful. If you’re looking for a quick sweet romance in space then this is a short story I’d recommend.
I also give Luminous a B+ (I debated very hard between the B+ and an A)
Marlene: Luminous is a lovely and lyrical story. It’s a very short piece, and feels like both a cry out of loneliness and a paean to the power of love. The science fiction-type setting is both beautiful and very, very spare – because it’s that spareness and sparseness that sets up the story.
Lou: I’m a major fusspot when it comes to the sci-fi romance genre. It either has to grab my attention instantly from the beginning and not let go, or it has to be of pure crack. Luminous is the first–a beautiful story that had a dreamy essence and quality. Like Marlene says above, there is a sparseness to the story because the heroine, Jyothi, has been so very alone for such a long period on another alien planet.
Marlene: The story is very simple, and not, both at the same time. Jyothi’s loneliness and isolation are starkly described. We can both see and feel her descent in depression and eventual death. People need other people, and Jyothi has no one. She was part of a scientific exhibition that was intended to analyze a proto-colony planet which Jyothi, in her isolation, eventually names for Hestia, the Greek goddess of hearth and home. Hestia was also a virgin goddess, which is more appropriate than it should have been. While Jyothi had a partner back home, she left him behind in order to be part of this mission.
Lou: It was so bitter and tragic knowing that Jyothi’s love back home would never see her return. And yet it was a choice Jyothi made to help save her planet, though stranded forever alone on a planet probably nevered factored into the worst case scenarios. While on Hestia, Jyothi had her own rituals each day which seemed to have grounded and centered her. She carried on with her mission and I suspect it was also routine of habit that got her through the lonely hours, days, and years. There was a gentleness about Jyothi that ran parallel to the tone of the story.
Marlene: When war came to her home planet, all of the other scientists left Jyothi behind. They were all young enough to serve in the armed forces, and Jyothi, in her 50s, was considered past it. The war seems to have consumed everything. It’s not just that no one has come back for Jyothi, but no one is answering her mission reports. Nor have they for 9 years. She may be the last of her people. She is certainly fated to die on Hestia, alone as she has lived. Then she answers an extremely mysterious dream request to go west and follow the path of a shooting star. She rescues a young male human or humanoid from the crash, and Jyothi is no longer alone. The crash survivor names himself West. He claims to be the being at the heart of a star, and the crash was supposed to be his death. Instead, Jyothi and her medical bay instruments save his life. And West saves hers, simply by taking away her loneliness and inserting himself into her formerly empty life.
Lou: I kept wondering what had happened to the crew? Why hadn’t Jyothi heard from anyone in nine years? Though this story was short, it packed in a lot of threads that purposefully left me wondering what happened to the rest of her people and I was and am totally fine with never knowing the answer. West was a lovely character with some equally lovely worldbuilding that doesn’t dig deep but was more than enough to make it believable. The first chapter sets the tone for the entire story and I ended up adoring him. He was otherwordly but also a bit like Bambi when he falls and transforms into a human.
Marlene: There are lots of mysteries about West. While he says he is a fallen star, and he clearly must be something more than human to have survived that crash, we don’t learn much about him or his people. In a book this short, the hints we have a probably enough. West is sweet, and helpful, and sometimes a bit naive while still containing a fund of knowledge that he learned while he was a star. It’s just that being with Jyothi is the first time he’s been able to put any of his knowledge into practice. He stumbles a bit and Jyothi finds it adorable.
Lou: The hints of West’s origins were definitely enough and I didn’t find myself wanting to learn more, or how he came to be. West was a fallen star–and the author makes references to the huge balls of gas in the sky–and not the type of fallen star such as Calcifer (though Calcifer is amazing from Howl’s Moving Castle). West fell for Jyothi, which is extremely romantic and this is where my critique of the story comes in. I didn’t quite believe that Jyothi suddenly had these deep love for him and this comes down to the story’s short length. I definitely believe that West and Jyothi are going to have a wonderful and happy life together but I would have loved to have seen some of their romance play out rather than small transitions.
Marlene: We see them fall in love. As the only two beings alone in their universe, of course they do. In that kind of setting, their two options would be love or war. In this story, they choose love and start making a life together. The building of that life makes the story sweet, and we see just a glimpse into their no-longer-lonely future.
In the climax of the story, we find Jyothi holding back for reasons that seem superficial, particularly under the circumstances. While West was able to provide a solution that worked for the story, this was also the one thing about the story that rubbed me a bit the wrong way. If she truly loved the real “West”, and she did, then their relative appearances shouldn’t have mattered quite so much. This is my personal 2 cents and I think that it won’t bother other readers the same way.
Lou: I can see why Jyothi would have her reservations since West is such a new person in her life in circumstances that are so out of the norm (stranded on an alien planet would tick that box :D). Maybe if the story had been a little longer, she would have gotten over those reservations as we got to see her and West fall in love in real time so speak. I mean, West had been a star who might have been thousands, or even millions of years old. Much, much older than Jyothi so his transformation was a little superficial but maybe some time would have eased Jyothi’s worries considering she had been so alone on the planet. I also think Jyothi had a fear of rejection, especially since she was fully aware she was the oldest member of the crew, and snstead of having that crew member stay with her, Jyothi was left alone.
Marlene: In summary, Luminous is a sweet romance of a science fiction romance story that uses its science fiction setting in a way that is crucial to the plot but doesn’t get in the way of the romance or the characters.
I give Luminous a B+
Lou: The ending is a small critique for me but overall Luminous is a romantic short story that I’ll remember for all the right and lovely reasons. Not only does it have some awesome sci-fi worldbuilding, it also manages to give off the feel of a fairytale in space which is all sorts of wonderful. If you’re looking for a quick sweet romance in space then this is a short story I’d recommend.
I also give Luminous a B+ (I debated very hard between the B+ and an A)
September 28, 2017
Unexpectedly beautiful.
September 9, 2015
Summary:
Jyothi Agarwal left her love behind to work on a research team out in space, feeling she could help out humanity. The team determined the proto-colony was habitable, but war broke out before further preparations could be made. The others on the team returned home for war, taking their ship with them, and they haven't reported back. She's been alone on the station for nine years, making daily logs and surveying the land. One day, during her terrain survey, she finds an injured man on the barren planet. Where did he come from and what shall she do with him?
-----
Older people with older bodies find love, too. They don't cease to love uncomfortably, to be free of sharp, ugly feelings. This is the first love story I can remember reading with a sixty-plus year old human as a protagonist. Jyothi is something of a paragon and has most of her act together by her age. When her age becomes an issue for her, Ash resolves this in a way that I appreciated because it wasn't the glamorous ending.
The writing felt gentle, the prose almost Impressionist: even scientific reports, first aid, cargo bays, and speeders became muted and softened. The story gave me a hug. Loneliness is a powerful theme for me. Most of the books I've read that touched me in the amygdala reference loneliness and how we cope with it. I bawled for a while afterwards because Luminous made me feel things that swept me in with the tide.
This is a quick read. It made me feel warm and hopeful inside. Possibly also luminous. I shall reread it whenever I want to evoke that mood.
Jyothi Agarwal left her love behind to work on a research team out in space, feeling she could help out humanity. The team determined the proto-colony was habitable, but war broke out before further preparations could be made. The others on the team returned home for war, taking their ship with them, and they haven't reported back. She's been alone on the station for nine years, making daily logs and surveying the land. One day, during her terrain survey, she finds an injured man on the barren planet. Where did he come from and what shall she do with him?
-----
Older people with older bodies find love, too. They don't cease to love uncomfortably, to be free of sharp, ugly feelings. This is the first love story I can remember reading with a sixty-plus year old human as a protagonist. Jyothi is something of a paragon and has most of her act together by her age. When her age becomes an issue for her, Ash resolves this in a way that I appreciated because it wasn't the glamorous ending.
The writing felt gentle, the prose almost Impressionist: even scientific reports, first aid, cargo bays, and speeders became muted and softened. The story gave me a hug. Loneliness is a powerful theme for me. Most of the books I've read that touched me in the amygdala reference loneliness and how we cope with it. I bawled for a while afterwards because Luminous made me feel things that swept me in with the tide.
This is a quick read. It made me feel warm and hopeful inside. Possibly also luminous. I shall reread it whenever I want to evoke that mood.
August 25, 2017
I got a free copy of this novella from the Book Smuggler (I think, it was a while ago) and finally got around to reading it.
I have to say whilst I liked it, I don't get the adoration that it has received from other reviewers. It reminded me in some ways of some of Robert E Heinlein's short stories.
Jyoti is alone on the planet Hestia, the last member of the exploration team. Every day she performs the same tasks, sending her reports on the flora, fauna and planet into the ether not knowing if anyone hears it. The rest of the team left the planet nine years ago when they were recalled to fight in the war.
One day a strange dream leads her to a canyon where she finds a naked man ...
As I said, I liked this, it didn't follow the usual formula and for a short story it packed in a hell of a lot of detail.
I have to say whilst I liked it, I don't get the adoration that it has received from other reviewers. It reminded me in some ways of some of Robert E Heinlein's short stories.
Jyoti is alone on the planet Hestia, the last member of the exploration team. Every day she performs the same tasks, sending her reports on the flora, fauna and planet into the ether not knowing if anyone hears it. The rest of the team left the planet nine years ago when they were recalled to fight in the war.
One day a strange dream leads her to a canyon where she finds a naked man ...
As I said, I liked this, it didn't follow the usual formula and for a short story it packed in a hell of a lot of detail.
November 8, 2016
A sweet, gentle story with an older heroine. Jyothi has been alone on a planet for nine years. Her routine never varies, she makes her report despite the silence that answers, and continues conducting scientific sampling. Until a man crash-lands on the planet and upsets her life in the best way possible.
To be honest this story wasn't what I was expecting. I somehow missed the fact that it's novella-length. (My bad.)
To be honest this story wasn't what I was expecting. I somehow missed the fact that it's novella-length. (My bad.)
July 14, 2015
"Her heart beat strongly, a fiery nova of purpose and hope and yearning, just as it had when she had been a girl."
You will glide through her prose like a dream. There is loss and sadness. There is hope and light. And they will all converge in this beautiful piece.
This is a story that will make you want to close your eyes and savor the feelings it conjured in you at the end. Such a gift.
You will glide through her prose like a dream. There is loss and sadness. There is hope and light. And they will all converge in this beautiful piece.
This is a story that will make you want to close your eyes and savor the feelings it conjured in you at the end. Such a gift.
July 19, 2015
A gorgeous short story. A heroine left alone on a planet for nine years and a very unique hero.
I didn't mind the short story format, but the end felt a little unfinished. But I very much enjoyed this.
Review coming
I didn't mind the short story format, but the end felt a little unfinished. But I very much enjoyed this.
Review coming
August 3, 2015
A dreamy and romantic short story with an amazing heroine. It left me wanting a little more towards the end but otherwise a perfect short read. Review posted at The BookPushers.
July 17, 2015
I absolutely adored this short story. A.E.'s world is richly drawn, the characters compelling, and the themes deeply moving.
November 2, 2015
4.5 stars. Reviewed for Dear Author. http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/ov...
July 22, 2015
I liked this one a lot. Very sweet and lovely.
July 25, 2015
Lovely, sweet short SF story or novelette.
July 30, 2015
Beautifully written and moving
August 3, 2015
Well done, AE Ash.
Luminous is a short scifi story that captured my attention and brought me to tears.
http://thebooksmugglers.com/2015/07/l...
Luminous is a short scifi story that captured my attention and brought me to tears.
http://thebooksmugglers.com/2015/07/l...
February 11, 2016
Honestly, Jyothi Agarwal was such a cool character, she did not need a man.
July 22, 2015
I really liked this much more than I expected to. Engrossing and sweet.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews