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Star Racers: Win the Race. Save Your Planet.
The Star Racers saga begins, and way too much fun awaits you . . . .
In the year 3834, Maelae and other ruthless killers threaten Earth and thousands of planets. Earth and other planets have one hope: win a dangerous race called Grand Battle.
Quiet art gallery owner Sashi Oon trains to become a racing sponsor, but nearly everyone thinks she's unqualified to guide a battlejet pilot through the massive obstacles of the electrifying race. When Sashi chooses Rev Arden, the kid from Earth, no one gives them a chance.
Join Sashi, Rev, rockstars Stepp Gro and Krissy Frekels and their brave, lifelike warrior princess dolls, as well as Dupaon, Kaedn, Scrap Meat, Eyeball, Betsy's Lover, Little Blue, Mr. Law, and Imani from Intelligent Sources on this incredible adventure. Don't miss the fun, and don't miss the Pinky & Dux Show!
Star Racers has 65 full-page illustrations and 20 abstract sci-fi icons created by four concept artists.
In the year 3834, Maelae and other ruthless killers threaten Earth and thousands of planets. Earth and other planets have one hope: win a dangerous race called Grand Battle.
Quiet art gallery owner Sashi Oon trains to become a racing sponsor, but nearly everyone thinks she's unqualified to guide a battlejet pilot through the massive obstacles of the electrifying race. When Sashi chooses Rev Arden, the kid from Earth, no one gives them a chance.
Join Sashi, Rev, rockstars Stepp Gro and Krissy Frekels and their brave, lifelike warrior princess dolls, as well as Dupaon, Kaedn, Scrap Meat, Eyeball, Betsy's Lover, Little Blue, Mr. Law, and Imani from Intelligent Sources on this incredible adventure. Don't miss the fun, and don't miss the Pinky & Dux Show!
Star Racers has 65 full-page illustrations and 20 abstract sci-fi icons created by four concept artists.
550 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 18, 2016
1 person is currently reading
507 people want to read
About the author
Martin Felando
2 books25 followersMartin Felando is an award-winning novelist and author of thirty feature-length screenplays.
His debut novel Star Racers won IPPY's National Book Award for Best Science Fiction.
His play True was based on working in skid row for two years, and performed at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Theater Institute and the Wine Cellar Theater in Los Angeles.
He resides in NYC and currently working on his third novel.
His debut novel Star Racers won IPPY's National Book Award for Best Science Fiction.
His play True was based on working in skid row for two years, and performed at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Theater Institute and the Wine Cellar Theater in Los Angeles.
He resides in NYC and currently working on his third novel.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 13, 2016
Actual Rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5.
The worldbuilding is beyond a shadow of a doubt the strongest part of this novel. It’s everything I mentioned in the tagline, while simultaneously being something so new and fresh that I’ve never seen anything like it. I loved the use of smartphones and other semi-sentient tech, and everything from the development of the battlejets to the use of viruses and dolls—yes, dolls—in battle was genius. I could tell that the author had thought a lot about his storyworld; each piece had a very specific purpose, and he employed each element deliberately to bring his story to life as something familiar yet completely fresh. I would love to see a lot of the visual aspects—especially those portrayed by the art (THERE ARE PICTURES, PEOPLE)—made into a movie.
Also, I need a smart shirt. Just saying.
If you'd like to read the full review, you can find it on Verbosity Reviews.
The worldbuilding is beyond a shadow of a doubt the strongest part of this novel. It’s everything I mentioned in the tagline, while simultaneously being something so new and fresh that I’ve never seen anything like it. I loved the use of smartphones and other semi-sentient tech, and everything from the development of the battlejets to the use of viruses and dolls—yes, dolls—in battle was genius. I could tell that the author had thought a lot about his storyworld; each piece had a very specific purpose, and he employed each element deliberately to bring his story to life as something familiar yet completely fresh. I would love to see a lot of the visual aspects—especially those portrayed by the art (THERE ARE PICTURES, PEOPLE)—made into a movie.
Also, I need a smart shirt. Just saying.
If you'd like to read the full review, you can find it on Verbosity Reviews.
July 21, 2016
At first, I wasn't too sure if I would like it nor not because it seemed way too Scifi for me, but as I started reading it, it became really enjoyable. I like how the story developed and I especially love the two main vharacters: Sashi and Rev! I totally ship them two together. it was a really cute romance which wasn't the centre feature, which made it even better in my opinion. All the loose ends eventually made sense, which was great. After the Grand Battle started, I just could not stop reading because I just kept wanting to know what happened. it was written really really well! I almost thought that the ending was not going to happen. Also, props to the creator of those chapter illustrations. They look amazing and I have to admit that they were my favourite part
June 13, 2017
Martin Felando asked me to rad his book Star Racers: Win the Race. Save Your Planet. It is about a universe-wide space race where the winner secures protection for their planet from invaders and local warlords. I will examine Plot, Character and Polish and then assign a grade.
PLOT
"Win the race; save your planet" is the slogan for Grand Battle, the space race in question. It is also a concise summary of the plot. The people who join Grand Battle come from planets that have big problems. United Plant Coalition, the force behind Grand Battle, pledges aid to those racers that win. My problem with this set up is that the link between the two is never explained. This is not a "Show; don't tell" thing because there is a talkshow host guy (Verus) who explains things about Grand Battle and how it works, yet he skips the link between "win the race" and "save your planet". The prize's basic role is to serve a macguffin for the story; only the beginning and ending directly have to do with it.
See, this story has a In Media Res format. It begins with Rev Ardent, the protagonist, starting a draft race to qualify and then it jumps back to before he was in any position to even consider competing. The majority of the story is him acquiring the necessary equipment and then making the journey to Grand Hotel, which hosts Grand Battle. There's nothing wrong with this, in and of itself, but the set up suffers for it. The bulk of the story is made for suspense, tension, and drama yet the format guarantees certain things, which then deflates them. For instance, when Rev says that he is going to quit racing, the reader knows that it will be a Ten Minute Retirement at worst.
However, this is not to say that certain scenes are suspenseful or dramatic. The pre-Grand Battle scenes have a different cast than that at the race itself, and Verus mentions how Rev encountered a lot of trouble reaching Grand Battle, thus implying that he and Sashi are the only survivors of the previous cast. The battle abroad the starliner Stepp I is my favorite part of this story despite knowing that the two leads would survive it because it is still exciting due to the presence of other heroes whose fate is unknown and to the awesome things they do.
The setting that this story takes place in, its technology and culture, is interesting. For instance, there is a smartphone app called "JustThink" (sic) that enables the user to read someone's mind. The narration states that this app is "inexpensive" and there is nothing that one needs to do to the target in order to make it work. Here's the clincher; not only is the device legal to use, it is socially acceptable. The reporters present at Sashi's interview don't have to be covert at all. Sashi even wears a "smart shirt" that displays different messages depending on her mood, and these messages can be seen by anyone near her. This is not the only instance where private information is easily accessible by others. Just thinking about the implications of this are interesting. At the same time, the technology angle is pushed beyond my Willing Suspension of Disbelief.
An example of this is the pair of devices used by the Maelae to mind control. A needle is injected into someone's shoe, remains dormant for an unknown period of time, and when it reaches a destination, which is unknown, is can remove itself and propel itself towards a target whose location could not be known ahead of time; the needle has to find the target on its own. Then it injects liquid into the target which then quickly takes effect. This liquid makes the target berserk but, at the same time, controlled by the liquid to execute certain tasks. How in the world does it do that? There isn't even a handwave like "nanomachines".
After I read the ending, I began to think that "show, don't tell" might have been in effect, after all, regarding Grand Battle's prize. There are numerous references to charity throughout the story, like Besty's Lover promoting a charity that helps war refugees on his planet and the advertising income from one of Grand Battle's side shows goes to support the planets of racers who didn't qualify for the main event. I began thinking that, perhaps, Grand Battle itself is the universe's biggest charity event.
The ending itself is good. The conflict is closed and the premise resolved but there is still an element of And The Adventure Continues.
CHARACTERS
Rev and Sashi, the two leads, are great characters. Rev has this underdog theme matched with racing passion and Sashi has this Iron-Lady-in-training vibe. Rev is basically scared and anxious during all the combat scenes but is capable of harnessing that for impressive competence (including this really gutsy move he pulled on a Maelae destroyer-class ship). Sashi likewise has unshakable self-confidence while also being self-aware of her abilities and driven to improve them. They make a fantastic team in Grand Battle itself. It is their romance that I take issue with, specifically the beginning.
Rev is apparently head-over-heels for Sashi immediately, despite the fact that he spends little time with her at their first meeting and part of that is a private conversation with his AI sidekick. Sashi likewise even though she snubs him for his AI sidekick. Personally, it feels like Strangled By The Red String. The rest of the relationship is good but I don't get how it started.
Stepp and Kaedn don't have this problem. While the start of their relationship isn't shown, it is implied that Stepp made a decision between him and Verus, and this is implied to have been a big deal beyond the relationship itself, so I can assume that there was a good reason and a lot of thought going into it. Now about them individually.
I like Kaedn because he is a fantastic foil for Rev. He is a veteran star racer, well respected in the free city of Nightona that he lives in, and is both courageous and noble. When Rev meets him, it is really no surprise that he seriously considered quitting; Kaedn practically has "The Hero" written all over him. In particular, I like his first scene. It is a meeting with Shiemi, A.K.A. Mor the Warlord to discourage him from allying with the Maelae. On the one hand, he knows such an alliance would be devastating for Earth's free cities, but on the other hand, Shiemi is (or used to be) a good friend of his and his girlfriend and he doesn't want Shiemi to be backstabbed by the Maelae, which they are definitely going to. It is an effective Establishing Character Moment.
Stepp also has a splendid scene that establishes her character. It starts out with her on her private starliner, working on her tan and then having a childish argument with her best friend. It appears as though she is a spoiled and shallow actress, but then she gets a message that her boyfriend is in deadly peril. There's an immediate switch where she gives orders to her starliner's crew and then goes out to rescue him herself.
I could continuing writing paragraphs about the other racers in Grand Battle because they are given space to develop. Scrap Meat, for instance, has a chapter to himself that is great at developing him and his struggles. It is not out-of-place in the narrative either, because much of the story is framed as interviews for Verus' show, "Action, Please". However, this review is already far too long (that happens a lot with me).
POLISH
It looks good. I didn't find much of anything wrong with spelling or grammar.
Trickster Eric Novels gives Star Racers a B+
PLOT
"Win the race; save your planet" is the slogan for Grand Battle, the space race in question. It is also a concise summary of the plot. The people who join Grand Battle come from planets that have big problems. United Plant Coalition, the force behind Grand Battle, pledges aid to those racers that win. My problem with this set up is that the link between the two is never explained. This is not a "Show; don't tell" thing because there is a talkshow host guy (Verus) who explains things about Grand Battle and how it works, yet he skips the link between "win the race" and "save your planet". The prize's basic role is to serve a macguffin for the story; only the beginning and ending directly have to do with it.
See, this story has a In Media Res format. It begins with Rev Ardent, the protagonist, starting a draft race to qualify and then it jumps back to before he was in any position to even consider competing. The majority of the story is him acquiring the necessary equipment and then making the journey to Grand Hotel, which hosts Grand Battle. There's nothing wrong with this, in and of itself, but the set up suffers for it. The bulk of the story is made for suspense, tension, and drama yet the format guarantees certain things, which then deflates them. For instance, when Rev says that he is going to quit racing, the reader knows that it will be a Ten Minute Retirement at worst.
However, this is not to say that certain scenes are suspenseful or dramatic. The pre-Grand Battle scenes have a different cast than that at the race itself, and Verus mentions how Rev encountered a lot of trouble reaching Grand Battle, thus implying that he and Sashi are the only survivors of the previous cast. The battle abroad the starliner Stepp I is my favorite part of this story despite knowing that the two leads would survive it because it is still exciting due to the presence of other heroes whose fate is unknown and to the awesome things they do.
The setting that this story takes place in, its technology and culture, is interesting. For instance, there is a smartphone app called "JustThink" (sic) that enables the user to read someone's mind. The narration states that this app is "inexpensive" and there is nothing that one needs to do to the target in order to make it work. Here's the clincher; not only is the device legal to use, it is socially acceptable. The reporters present at Sashi's interview don't have to be covert at all. Sashi even wears a "smart shirt" that displays different messages depending on her mood, and these messages can be seen by anyone near her. This is not the only instance where private information is easily accessible by others. Just thinking about the implications of this are interesting. At the same time, the technology angle is pushed beyond my Willing Suspension of Disbelief.
An example of this is the pair of devices used by the Maelae to mind control. A needle is injected into someone's shoe, remains dormant for an unknown period of time, and when it reaches a destination, which is unknown, is can remove itself and propel itself towards a target whose location could not be known ahead of time; the needle has to find the target on its own. Then it injects liquid into the target which then quickly takes effect. This liquid makes the target berserk but, at the same time, controlled by the liquid to execute certain tasks. How in the world does it do that? There isn't even a handwave like "nanomachines".
After I read the ending, I began to think that "show, don't tell" might have been in effect, after all, regarding Grand Battle's prize. There are numerous references to charity throughout the story, like Besty's Lover promoting a charity that helps war refugees on his planet and the advertising income from one of Grand Battle's side shows goes to support the planets of racers who didn't qualify for the main event. I began thinking that, perhaps, Grand Battle itself is the universe's biggest charity event.
The ending itself is good. The conflict is closed and the premise resolved but there is still an element of And The Adventure Continues.
CHARACTERS
Rev and Sashi, the two leads, are great characters. Rev has this underdog theme matched with racing passion and Sashi has this Iron-Lady-in-training vibe. Rev is basically scared and anxious during all the combat scenes but is capable of harnessing that for impressive competence (including this really gutsy move he pulled on a Maelae destroyer-class ship). Sashi likewise has unshakable self-confidence while also being self-aware of her abilities and driven to improve them. They make a fantastic team in Grand Battle itself. It is their romance that I take issue with, specifically the beginning.
Rev is apparently head-over-heels for Sashi immediately, despite the fact that he spends little time with her at their first meeting and part of that is a private conversation with his AI sidekick. Sashi likewise even though she snubs him for his AI sidekick. Personally, it feels like Strangled By The Red String. The rest of the relationship is good but I don't get how it started.
Stepp and Kaedn don't have this problem. While the start of their relationship isn't shown, it is implied that Stepp made a decision between him and Verus, and this is implied to have been a big deal beyond the relationship itself, so I can assume that there was a good reason and a lot of thought going into it. Now about them individually.
I like Kaedn because he is a fantastic foil for Rev. He is a veteran star racer, well respected in the free city of Nightona that he lives in, and is both courageous and noble. When Rev meets him, it is really no surprise that he seriously considered quitting; Kaedn practically has "The Hero" written all over him. In particular, I like his first scene. It is a meeting with Shiemi, A.K.A. Mor the Warlord to discourage him from allying with the Maelae. On the one hand, he knows such an alliance would be devastating for Earth's free cities, but on the other hand, Shiemi is (or used to be) a good friend of his and his girlfriend and he doesn't want Shiemi to be backstabbed by the Maelae, which they are definitely going to. It is an effective Establishing Character Moment.
Stepp also has a splendid scene that establishes her character. It starts out with her on her private starliner, working on her tan and then having a childish argument with her best friend. It appears as though she is a spoiled and shallow actress, but then she gets a message that her boyfriend is in deadly peril. There's an immediate switch where she gives orders to her starliner's crew and then goes out to rescue him herself.
I could continuing writing paragraphs about the other racers in Grand Battle because they are given space to develop. Scrap Meat, for instance, has a chapter to himself that is great at developing him and his struggles. It is not out-of-place in the narrative either, because much of the story is framed as interviews for Verus' show, "Action, Please". However, this review is already far too long (that happens a lot with me).
POLISH
It looks good. I didn't find much of anything wrong with spelling or grammar.
Trickster Eric Novels gives Star Racers a B+
November 2, 2016
Review! Star Racers by Martin Felando.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars.
When I first started this book, I immediately thought of The Hunger Games: the motto of Star Racers is "Win the race. Save your planet" and I compared that with the "win the Hunger Games and your district gets more money and supplies" thing of THG. Obviously the concept can be similar but the plot is completely different, the characters are completely different and also the genre is completely different (THG is a dystopian read, while Star Racers is a Sci-fi novel). This was an interesting read, though I must say that it was difficult for me to picture everything in my mind. This book was so rich in details (from the descriptions of each character's appearance, to the technological facts, and the non-completely-living creatures computer-like that the writer created) that you could practically touch the surroundings and the characters but just for a little time, because as I turned the pages, I would always leave some pieces of descriptions behind. I also need to thank whoever made the illustrations for this novel, cause they're gorgeous and really help you understand how things and people are. I struggled a bit reading the first few chapters, but then, the part where the main characters meet came and I loved it. I was intrigued to see how the story developed, but I was a bit disappointed to see that the central theme of the novel was developed mostly in the final part of the book. Anyway, the structure of the book is fantastic: it starts in the present and then goes back in the past to let us understand how things were before the draft race and continues with jumps from present to past and vice versa. I find this way of telling facts really interesting! I loved Sashi Oon's character, she's so sweet yet you can tell that she's a badass and I adore female characters that behave like she did.
In the end: super interesting novel, if you are fan of scifi this is a recommended one!
Rating: 3.5/5 stars.
When I first started this book, I immediately thought of The Hunger Games: the motto of Star Racers is "Win the race. Save your planet" and I compared that with the "win the Hunger Games and your district gets more money and supplies" thing of THG. Obviously the concept can be similar but the plot is completely different, the characters are completely different and also the genre is completely different (THG is a dystopian read, while Star Racers is a Sci-fi novel). This was an interesting read, though I must say that it was difficult for me to picture everything in my mind. This book was so rich in details (from the descriptions of each character's appearance, to the technological facts, and the non-completely-living creatures computer-like that the writer created) that you could practically touch the surroundings and the characters but just for a little time, because as I turned the pages, I would always leave some pieces of descriptions behind. I also need to thank whoever made the illustrations for this novel, cause they're gorgeous and really help you understand how things and people are. I struggled a bit reading the first few chapters, but then, the part where the main characters meet came and I loved it. I was intrigued to see how the story developed, but I was a bit disappointed to see that the central theme of the novel was developed mostly in the final part of the book. Anyway, the structure of the book is fantastic: it starts in the present and then goes back in the past to let us understand how things were before the draft race and continues with jumps from present to past and vice versa. I find this way of telling facts really interesting! I loved Sashi Oon's character, she's so sweet yet you can tell that she's a badass and I adore female characters that behave like she did.
In the end: super interesting novel, if you are fan of scifi this is a recommended one!
August 16, 2016
I had minor difficulties with getting started with this book because I hadn't read scifi in a while and I guess with some books you have to give them a little time before the plot sucks you in. In general, I enjoyed reading this. Star Racers is fun & plot, world building and characters have a refreshing sense of uniqueness about them. Moreover, I always appreciate books with illustrations more, and here the illustrations were very fitting. One of the best indie books I have read.
June 20, 2017
This was my first real science fiction novel ever and it didn't disappoint me at all! Throughout the story you get to know the main characters really well and, to me, that's one of the most important things a books should have. The worlds in which the books took place were very well thought through and I was hooked until the very end! And oh, I almost forgot to mention the AMAZING art, just wow!
July 1, 2016
We are proud to announce that STAR RACERS by Martin Felando is a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!
December 30, 2017
My Rating: 4 / 5 spaceships
Song Choice: Bloodflood by Alt-J
Synopsis: "In the year 3834, Maelae and other ruthless killers threaten Earth and thousands of planets. Earth's only hope is to win a dangerous race called Grand Battle.
Everyone thinks Sashi Oon is unqualified to guide any battlejet pilot through the massive obstacles of Grand Battle, and when Sashi chooses the kid from Earth, rookie pilot Rev Arden, no one gives them a chance.
Join Rev, Sashi, rockstars Stepp and Krissy, hundreds of lifelike warrior princess dolls, Scrap Meat, Eyeball, Betsy's Lover, Little Blue, Pinky & Dux, and Imani from Intelligent Sources on a wildly exciting, fun adventure. Don't miss the Pinky & Dux Show.
First book in a series of epic adventures"
Review: SO. I received this book from the author via Instagram. This is the first book I have ever received from an author, so that's super awesome! Lets start off with the illustrations. I really liked them. They are so cool, I like that they kinda give you a hint of what the chapter is about. If he sold posters I'm definitely getting them. Like, I'll just use them as wallpaper. lol. And the cover is amazing. Wow! I really like this book it has a great story line, and really unique characters. I really like the way the author describes the characters, And his writing style is also fresh and classic at the same time. Thumbs up for that. I like the way the book started, but i did get confused every now and then because some times it would jump. I kinda felt like I was in a broken time machine. That's probably the only downer. If it was just like one big chunk in the present, another big chunk in the past, then the last chunk in the present, I think that would have been better. I did like the dolls and the robots, those were cool. My favourite is TST, he's adorable. He's like a mixture of R2-D2 and C-3PO. I liked the names of the characters and that they were original and that they had different personalities. I think this book would be a really cool movie or a TV series. I did have to re-read a few parts as they were kinda confusing. It's very similar to Star Wars, so if you like Star Wars you'll probably like this aswell. I liked the idea of the clothes that show your thoughts. I did enjoy it, after a got the jist of what was going on. And I did like the way he described emotions, and the surroundings. Revashi are life. As soon as i saw the name of chapter two I was like, I SHIP IT! I do think this book needs more hype. Also they have milkshakes in the future, so, um yes that's super awesome! Overall i really like this book, i just got a bit confused at some parts, also if you like sci-fi you'll probably like this. Alt-J are a really good band and their music goes great with this book (and the movie). I can't wait for the second book, wooh!
Thanks for reading this. Hopefully this is better than my last review.
Thank youuuuu, Fey <3
.
Song Choice: Bloodflood by Alt-J
Synopsis: "In the year 3834, Maelae and other ruthless killers threaten Earth and thousands of planets. Earth's only hope is to win a dangerous race called Grand Battle.
Everyone thinks Sashi Oon is unqualified to guide any battlejet pilot through the massive obstacles of Grand Battle, and when Sashi chooses the kid from Earth, rookie pilot Rev Arden, no one gives them a chance.
Join Rev, Sashi, rockstars Stepp and Krissy, hundreds of lifelike warrior princess dolls, Scrap Meat, Eyeball, Betsy's Lover, Little Blue, Pinky & Dux, and Imani from Intelligent Sources on a wildly exciting, fun adventure. Don't miss the Pinky & Dux Show.
First book in a series of epic adventures"
Review: SO. I received this book from the author via Instagram. This is the first book I have ever received from an author, so that's super awesome! Lets start off with the illustrations. I really liked them. They are so cool, I like that they kinda give you a hint of what the chapter is about. If he sold posters I'm definitely getting them. Like, I'll just use them as wallpaper. lol. And the cover is amazing. Wow! I really like this book it has a great story line, and really unique characters. I really like the way the author describes the characters, And his writing style is also fresh and classic at the same time. Thumbs up for that. I like the way the book started, but i did get confused every now and then because some times it would jump. I kinda felt like I was in a broken time machine. That's probably the only downer. If it was just like one big chunk in the present, another big chunk in the past, then the last chunk in the present, I think that would have been better. I did like the dolls and the robots, those were cool. My favourite is TST, he's adorable. He's like a mixture of R2-D2 and C-3PO. I liked the names of the characters and that they were original and that they had different personalities. I think this book would be a really cool movie or a TV series. I did have to re-read a few parts as they were kinda confusing. It's very similar to Star Wars, so if you like Star Wars you'll probably like this aswell. I liked the idea of the clothes that show your thoughts. I did enjoy it, after a got the jist of what was going on. And I did like the way he described emotions, and the surroundings. Revashi are life. As soon as i saw the name of chapter two I was like, I SHIP IT! I do think this book needs more hype. Also they have milkshakes in the future, so, um yes that's super awesome! Overall i really like this book, i just got a bit confused at some parts, also if you like sci-fi you'll probably like this. Alt-J are a really good band and their music goes great with this book (and the movie). I can't wait for the second book, wooh!
Thanks for reading this. Hopefully this is better than my last review.
Thank youuuuu, Fey <3
.
August 1, 2016
This is one of the first Science Fiction novels I have ever read, and I don´t regret it. It switches between the Grand Battle (if you win it, your planet gets saved) and the evens that occurred before the race. This switching made the book special, I don’t believe I have ever read (and if I have, I can’t remember) a book with this kind of switching. I don’t know of the events chronologically would have made a better story, since you already kind of know what is going to happen in the parts before the race. But on the other hand, what exactly is going to happen may be another way of making readers unable to stop reading. :)
It took me a while to get into this book, though. Four days to read just the first two hundred pages. But when I got to know all the characters better and things started to become clear (to me), the last two hundred pages went by too fast, especially after the start of the Battle. And after the Battle - I just wished everyone could have won (except for one specific character, of course).
Part of the end was really surprising - I loved that! And the last chapters, during the battle … the suspense! This book made me feel as if the race was really important, not just in the world portrayed in the book but also to myself, as if I lived on one of the planets that needed saving … I felt my heart beating faster, I was reading faster, and then it seemed like Rev would be safe and I just felt myself calm down, and then something happened and I felt the suspense again. Wow, not many books have been able to do that to me. Very well written!
In short: it was a fantastic novel with an original story and I can’t wait to read the sequel!
It took me a while to get into this book, though. Four days to read just the first two hundred pages. But when I got to know all the characters better and things started to become clear (to me), the last two hundred pages went by too fast, especially after the start of the Battle. And after the Battle - I just wished everyone could have won (except for one specific character, of course).
Part of the end was really surprising - I loved that! And the last chapters, during the battle … the suspense! This book made me feel as if the race was really important, not just in the world portrayed in the book but also to myself, as if I lived on one of the planets that needed saving … I felt my heart beating faster, I was reading faster, and then it seemed like Rev would be safe and I just felt myself calm down, and then something happened and I felt the suspense again. Wow, not many books have been able to do that to me. Very well written!
In short: it was a fantastic novel with an original story and I can’t wait to read the sequel!
November 20, 2016
How exciting is it to read a book without even knowing what the story is about?! For one time (or maybe even more) I tried reading Star Racers by Martin Felando, without reading some reviews. I was so exited before reading this book.
The book takes place in the year 3834. When Maelae and other ruthless killers threaten Earth and thousands of planets. Earth's only hope is to win a dangerous race called Grand Battle.
Everyone thinks Sashi Oon is unqualified to guide any battlejet pilot through the massive obstacles of Grand Battle, and when Sashi chooses the kid from Earth, rookie pilot Rev Arden, no one gives them a chance.
Firstly I have to mention the astonishing illustrations at the beginning of every chapter. They are sooooo extremely cool! Mostly I prefer books without any illustration about persons or landscapes. This is because I can imagine the persons and landscapes by myself. But, by this novel, It did't bother me.
But... (yes, there is one thing negative about this book) One thing I didn't like about Star Racers, is that are soooo extremely many characters in the story. These characters have all their own story,one chapter is about Rev, another about Mealea. It's quite clear. But, if you're like me (3 books reading at the same time), and when you're not reading this book for a while, it's quite difficult. I just forgot how every person was like, I had to re-read some important parts in the book. So, it's not so easy to read it :-(.
Star Racers blew me away and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Even though this book is more that 500 pages, I wish the book has a part two or another very long story about the Star Racers!
See my review also on my blog; www.readjunkie.wordpress.com
The book takes place in the year 3834. When Maelae and other ruthless killers threaten Earth and thousands of planets. Earth's only hope is to win a dangerous race called Grand Battle.
Everyone thinks Sashi Oon is unqualified to guide any battlejet pilot through the massive obstacles of Grand Battle, and when Sashi chooses the kid from Earth, rookie pilot Rev Arden, no one gives them a chance.
Firstly I have to mention the astonishing illustrations at the beginning of every chapter. They are sooooo extremely cool! Mostly I prefer books without any illustration about persons or landscapes. This is because I can imagine the persons and landscapes by myself. But, by this novel, It did't bother me.
But... (yes, there is one thing negative about this book) One thing I didn't like about Star Racers, is that are soooo extremely many characters in the story. These characters have all their own story,one chapter is about Rev, another about Mealea. It's quite clear. But, if you're like me (3 books reading at the same time), and when you're not reading this book for a while, it's quite difficult. I just forgot how every person was like, I had to re-read some important parts in the book. So, it's not so easy to read it :-(.
Star Racers blew me away and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Even though this book is more that 500 pages, I wish the book has a part two or another very long story about the Star Racers!
See my review also on my blog; www.readjunkie.wordpress.com
September 6, 2016
Whenever I get given science fiction novels I am always so apprehensive about them. I'm not well aquatinted with the genre at all but after reading Star Racers I feel like this genre could be like a new best friend to me.
Firstly, the illustrations at the beginning of the chapters were just gorgeous! They really helped me to visualise the novel and to accompany the rich and vivid story that was being told by Martin.
Secondly, I love a bit of romance (as you all know) and I was fully shipping Sashi and Rev all the way. I just wanted to keep on reading to known more about these two. It was also lovely to see how all the characters had been so intricately developed within the book. There wasn't a character that didn't have some kind of purpose and I felt that alone just showed the intricacy to plot and story detail Martin has provided for his readers. Word building is something which does let some books down but this was one of the strongest examples I have seen in a long time.
Star Racers has to be the most refreshing science fiction novel I have read. It ticks all the boxes for me personally and for someone who hasn't read sic-fi in a while or who hasn't at all I would recommend this book above all others.
Martin can be found at the following links below so be sure to check them out. The Instagram page shows a lot of the illustrations within the novel which are stunning, as said previously. Original review can be found at my blog www.wanderedsouls.com
Firstly, the illustrations at the beginning of the chapters were just gorgeous! They really helped me to visualise the novel and to accompany the rich and vivid story that was being told by Martin.
Secondly, I love a bit of romance (as you all know) and I was fully shipping Sashi and Rev all the way. I just wanted to keep on reading to known more about these two. It was also lovely to see how all the characters had been so intricately developed within the book. There wasn't a character that didn't have some kind of purpose and I felt that alone just showed the intricacy to plot and story detail Martin has provided for his readers. Word building is something which does let some books down but this was one of the strongest examples I have seen in a long time.
Star Racers has to be the most refreshing science fiction novel I have read. It ticks all the boxes for me personally and for someone who hasn't read sic-fi in a while or who hasn't at all I would recommend this book above all others.
Martin can be found at the following links below so be sure to check them out. The Instagram page shows a lot of the illustrations within the novel which are stunning, as said previously. Original review can be found at my blog www.wanderedsouls.com
July 24, 2016
3.5 stars.
The first thing I feel I need to say about this book is just how gorgeous all the art work at the chapter beginnings is! Those pieces are my favorite part of the whole book
I wasn't able to give this book a higher rating mostly due to confusion. There was a lot of jumping between characters and time lines with little indication it had been done. I would have liked to have a more specific idea of when everything was happening and how it tied in. But with that said I did like getting to know the main racers backgrounds, I jsut wish they were ordered and shared a little better. I think if the character field was narrowed a bit and the time line better explained I would love to read more about this incredible universe and some of its unique characters.
The plot line was fairly well established, I just had to give it time to pick up and it carried fairly well. But again it was just the jumping around between scenes without a smooth transition that made the book a little disappointing for me. None the less I would be more than willing to read more from the author, especially based in this fantastic sci-fi world.
The first thing I feel I need to say about this book is just how gorgeous all the art work at the chapter beginnings is! Those pieces are my favorite part of the whole book
I wasn't able to give this book a higher rating mostly due to confusion. There was a lot of jumping between characters and time lines with little indication it had been done. I would have liked to have a more specific idea of when everything was happening and how it tied in. But with that said I did like getting to know the main racers backgrounds, I jsut wish they were ordered and shared a little better. I think if the character field was narrowed a bit and the time line better explained I would love to read more about this incredible universe and some of its unique characters.
The plot line was fairly well established, I just had to give it time to pick up and it carried fairly well. But again it was just the jumping around between scenes without a smooth transition that made the book a little disappointing for me. None the less I would be more than willing to read more from the author, especially based in this fantastic sci-fi world.
August 2, 2016
Star Racers tells about a race species from all over the Milky Way can join to win peace on their planets. Rev joins this race to save planet Earth, Mars, Ajah and Ossi together with his love Sashi.
This book was filled with action wow, I never read anything like it and I must say, I really enjoyed it. Everything was going really fast, so fast I sometimes got confused if I was reading in the past or the present haha. I loved the way everything got described, especially the races (just want to point out real quick how amazing the illustrations in the book are!). I really liked reading about the obstacles within the races and how Rev and Sashi handled certain situations. It was refreshing to read about how they got to the race, I never read a book before that covers so much information about the "pre" part.
I really enjoyed reading this books, about the technology and the races and pretty much everything else. It was a refreshing, quick paced and action filled read!
This book was filled with action wow, I never read anything like it and I must say, I really enjoyed it. Everything was going really fast, so fast I sometimes got confused if I was reading in the past or the present haha. I loved the way everything got described, especially the races (just want to point out real quick how amazing the illustrations in the book are!). I really liked reading about the obstacles within the races and how Rev and Sashi handled certain situations. It was refreshing to read about how they got to the race, I never read a book before that covers so much information about the "pre" part.
I really enjoyed reading this books, about the technology and the races and pretty much everything else. It was a refreshing, quick paced and action filled read!
June 22, 2016
Wow. This book was absolutely amazing. This book blew me away and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. This story is Illuminae meets the Hunger Games amplified by 100. It was action packed, but also with growth of characters and relationships, whether that be friendly or romantic. The intricate detail caused this to be a slow read for me, just because I had to take my time and visualize it all. Also, there was some instalove in there, but given the dramatic situation, I understand it. Overall, this is a great read for anyone who loves sci fi or dystopian type reads. I loved this book, and I hope for more from Martin Felando soon
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January 5, 2017A Goodreads giveaway. I simply couldn't finish it or even get halfway through it. It's not that the concept was unappealing, but the en media res with significant gap filling coupled with what I can only call as over description just made it hard to pay attention. I'd finish a chapter, pick up the next day and still feel lost. There was also a chapter where the author is attempting to describe a hotel party of sorts, and while I get that he was trying to make the event seem opulent and alien, but it just sort of felt like a fever dream.
0 stars, not as a rating as to quality, but because I simply could not finish it and give a fair subjective review.
0 stars, not as a rating as to quality, but because I simply could not finish it and give a fair subjective review.
August 7, 2016
3.5/5
THIS EBOOK WAS SENT TO ME TO READ IN EXCHANGE FOR A HONEST REVIEW
Whoops this took me two months to finish.
Honestly, this book was all over the place. There were some times where the book made sense then as soon as Rev got to the museum things fell apart. With the new characters and the dolls IT DIDNT MAKE SENSE. We only got to see those characters for half of the time then Sashi came and went then came back.
Over all the book was a hard read because things don't pick up until the last 20-10 chapters of the book.
THIS EBOOK WAS SENT TO ME TO READ IN EXCHANGE FOR A HONEST REVIEW
Whoops this took me two months to finish.
Honestly, this book was all over the place. There were some times where the book made sense then as soon as Rev got to the museum things fell apart. With the new characters and the dolls IT DIDNT MAKE SENSE. We only got to see those characters for half of the time then Sashi came and went then came back.
Over all the book was a hard read because things don't pick up until the last 20-10 chapters of the book.
October 20, 2016
I liked this book. The amount of pages seem daunting but the story was sooo good I almost felt cheated there wasn't more in the end (okay, I felt a little cheated...I wanted to know more of the after). the beginning was kinda hard to follow but it gets better. The first part of the book is setting up all the drivers and their back story. There is a lot of technical future stuff that I sorta got but its a great read!
July 9, 2016
I stayed up until 5 am to finish this book ....
I'll be honest, I didn't expect much from this book, but the more I dived into it the more I liked it.
If you like Sci-Fi books , you should definitely pick up Star Racers.
I loved the characters and the plot and just everything about it. The ending was intense and kept you on the edge of your seat!
It's my favorite Sci-Fi of the year so far!!
I'll be honest, I didn't expect much from this book, but the more I dived into it the more I liked it.
If you like Sci-Fi books , you should definitely pick up Star Racers.
I loved the characters and the plot and just everything about it. The ending was intense and kept you on the edge of your seat!
It's my favorite Sci-Fi of the year so far!!
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