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Dare Mighty Things #2
One Giant Leap: A Gripping YA Sci-Fi Thriller Where Alien War Threatens Humanity's Survival
When Cassandra Gupta was chosen to be the youngest member of a top-secret mission to the far reaches of the universe she knew to expect the unexpected. But nothing could have prepared her for the catastrophic events that would occur once she left Earth.
Cassie and the rest of the crew have found themselves in the middle of a conflict between two alien civilizations hell-bent on destroying each other . . . and anyone else who gets in their way. What was supposed to be a reconnaissance mission soon becomes a fight for their lives. But Cassie knows that it isn’t enough to simply survive. The war is coming to Earth, and only she has the information that can possibly stop the devastation it will bring. With humanity’s fate in the balance, Cassie must decide who she can trust and who she is willing to sacrifice in order to complete her mission.
Cassie and the rest of the crew have found themselves in the middle of a conflict between two alien civilizations hell-bent on destroying each other . . . and anyone else who gets in their way. What was supposed to be a reconnaissance mission soon becomes a fight for their lives. But Cassie knows that it isn’t enough to simply survive. The war is coming to Earth, and only she has the information that can possibly stop the devastation it will bring. With humanity’s fate in the balance, Cassie must decide who she can trust and who she is willing to sacrifice in order to complete her mission.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 23, 2018
21 people are currently reading
1720 people want to read
About the author
Heather Kaczynski
2 books176 followersHeather grew up in the shadow of the Saturn V rocket in Huntsville, Alabama. After spending four years buried in lab reports and memorizing all 206 bones in the human body, she gratefully returned to her first love of books and now works in a library near Marshall Space Flight Center - where she quietly fangirls anytime an astronaut walks in to read the newspaper. She lives with her amateur astronomer/pizza-franchisee husband, their young daughter, and a cat named Circe. Heather is a card-carrying member of the Planetary Society and can neither confirm nor deny the existence of aliens in her books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
January 13, 2019
I didn't enjoy this as much as the first. I was expecting the story to go in a totally different direction then what it did so that kind of threw me off. Plus I didn't care for all of the alien communication crap like Sunny and Pinnacle and the whole Megobarri LiteBrite system they had going on. It was just too much and overshadowed the story.
October 31, 2018
This book was a hot mess. Neither the plot nor the characters received the time or attention that they needed. There were too many parts that would have been cool on their own. I thought Kaczynski actually did a decent job creating intelligent species that were somewhat different from humans. The Vrag were really interesting! I would have enjoyed seeing more world-building. Really, that's the problem with the plot: there's not enough contextual infrastructure to fully support it.
The points that I was hoping would be further addressed and more deeply explored in this book were not. I wanted to see Cassie explore her asexuality more - but instead her sexuality remained superficial and insignificant (which is completely fine, but if you're going to take the time to explicitly say that Cass is asexual, I'd expect you to spend a little more time exploring what that actually means and how that might more fully affect her character).
This book really suffers from superficial diversity all around. Cass is asexual, but it's barely explored beyond a cursory, "oh, you might be asexual" remark after she gets flustered by the mention of sex. Cass is a bi-racial, Indian American woman, but these components of her identity never go beyond her last name (Gupta) and a shallow depiction of her Indian grandmother. There are a few other sprinkled in mentions of Cass being a POC, but they were insubstantial. Really, she could have been any race or ethnicity and it would have no effect on the story. I guess this is fine, but I still wanted more. Let's get more representation that has substance and weight!
All of these characters suffer from this superficial treatment. Mitsuko is Japanese, but that has no bearing on her character beyond one moment where she reads the Japanese news. Hanna is German (am I remembering that correctly? I just know that she's from somewhere in Northern Europe).... no relevancy to her character. Emilio is latino. Again, no relevancy (plus he gets criminally little air time in book two). And Luka is ~kinda~ Georgian, though I'll excuse the lack of rep since he's technically an alien. But still. He supposedly spent time growing up in Georgia and learned about the culture to more authentically play the role of human. I'm not saying that the lack of depth in these characters is wrong, just that I wanted more. If you're looking for a YA scifi with diverse representation that actually impacts the characters, sadly this series will only let you down.
Going beyond the impact of ethnic identity on these characters, aside from Cassie, no one really had any character depth. Luka was two-dimensional in Dare Mighty Things and he remained two-dimensional in One Giant Leap. For being such an important and central character (not to mention, Cassie's love interest) he was about as interesting as a clump of dirt on the side of the road. And he had the personality to match. In fact, he became even less interesting in this book than the previous one. How is that possible??
Last complaint: The resolution was too easily won.
All in all, a disappointment :( YA needs more inter-galactic scifi, because I keep being disappointed when all I want is a decent story about teenagers in space with aliens.
The points that I was hoping would be further addressed and more deeply explored in this book were not. I wanted to see Cassie explore her asexuality more - but instead her sexuality remained superficial and insignificant (which is completely fine, but if you're going to take the time to explicitly say that Cass is asexual, I'd expect you to spend a little more time exploring what that actually means and how that might more fully affect her character).
This book really suffers from superficial diversity all around. Cass is asexual, but it's barely explored beyond a cursory, "oh, you might be asexual" remark after she gets flustered by the mention of sex. Cass is a bi-racial, Indian American woman, but these components of her identity never go beyond her last name (Gupta) and a shallow depiction of her Indian grandmother. There are a few other sprinkled in mentions of Cass being a POC, but they were insubstantial. Really, she could have been any race or ethnicity and it would have no effect on the story. I guess this is fine, but I still wanted more. Let's get more representation that has substance and weight!
All of these characters suffer from this superficial treatment. Mitsuko is Japanese, but that has no bearing on her character beyond one moment where she reads the Japanese news. Hanna is German (am I remembering that correctly? I just know that she's from somewhere in Northern Europe).... no relevancy to her character. Emilio is latino. Again, no relevancy (plus he gets criminally little air time in book two). And Luka is ~kinda~ Georgian, though I'll excuse the lack of rep since he's technically an alien. But still. He supposedly spent time growing up in Georgia and learned about the culture to more authentically play the role of human. I'm not saying that the lack of depth in these characters is wrong, just that I wanted more. If you're looking for a YA scifi with diverse representation that actually impacts the characters, sadly this series will only let you down.
Going beyond the impact of ethnic identity on these characters, aside from Cassie, no one really had any character depth. Luka was two-dimensional in Dare Mighty Things and he remained two-dimensional in One Giant Leap. For being such an important and central character (not to mention, Cassie's love interest) he was about as interesting as a clump of dirt on the side of the road. And he had the personality to match. In fact, he became even less interesting in this book than the previous one. How is that possible??
Last complaint: The resolution was too easily won.
All in all, a disappointment :( YA needs more inter-galactic scifi, because I keep being disappointed when all I want is a decent story about teenagers in space with aliens.
May 15, 2019
I will say this went not at all where I thought it would go.
I really love the science used in this book -- no idea how accurate anything is lol, but the creativity used to create these scenarios was really fun to read. I loved the twists, the aliens, the obstacles the characters need to overcome.
I will say I read the audiobook & I 100% missed out on some things bc I was distracted lol oops. Maybe I'll reread this series again in the future with the physical or ebook
Just fyi this is def more sci-fi-y than the previous book in this duology. If you're only here for sci-fi lite, this probs isn't the book for you.
We have space travel, aliens, the and all of the delicious political turmoil that those things bring with them. I've kind of been on a sci-fi binge recently, and I think my brain is a little fried. aka i'm having a hard time reviewing this lol
The romance in this book was kind of meh for me -- in that it seemed unnecessary and the book would have been fine without it. I feel like sometimes romance is used as a motivation for characters in books -- which is fine -- but I feel like this would have been a good opportunity to say romance is not the only way ppl care about each other & that platonic relationships are just as important (as the mc here is ace and possibly somewhere on the aro spectrum??) and powerful in ppls lives. Idk it wasn't like atrocious or anything and didn't ruin the story for me, but I don't think it added anything either (??)
I really love the science used in this book -- no idea how accurate anything is lol, but the creativity used to create these scenarios was really fun to read. I loved the twists, the aliens, the obstacles the characters need to overcome.
I will say I read the audiobook & I 100% missed out on some things bc I was distracted lol oops. Maybe I'll reread this series again in the future with the physical or ebook
Just fyi this is def more sci-fi-y than the previous book in this duology. If you're only here for sci-fi lite, this probs isn't the book for you.
We have space travel, aliens, the and all of the delicious political turmoil that those things bring with them. I've kind of been on a sci-fi binge recently, and I think my brain is a little fried. aka i'm having a hard time reviewing this lol
The romance in this book was kind of meh for me -- in that it seemed unnecessary and the book would have been fine without it. I feel like sometimes romance is used as a motivation for characters in books -- which is fine -- but I feel like this would have been a good opportunity to say romance is not the only way ppl care about each other & that platonic relationships are just as important (as the mc here is ace and possibly somewhere on the aro spectrum??) and powerful in ppls lives. Idk it wasn't like atrocious or anything and didn't ruin the story for me, but I don't think it added anything either (??)
June 16, 2020
I did not expect to love this duology THIS much! It honestly blew me away. The pacing is slow enough to get fully invested in the characters and the story, but quick enough to stay engaging. And I would die for Cassandra Gupta, I just love her so much! She went through sooo much character development, and I love how it was shown that coming to terms with her asexuality was a journey and she wasn't yet done with that at the end of the book.
Rep: Indian asexual MC, Asian side character, bisexual side character, Latinx side character.
CW: genocide.
Rep: Indian asexual MC, Asian side character, bisexual side character, Latinx side character.
CW: genocide.
December 22, 2018
This book made me remember why I love sci-fi books
February 13, 2021
I loved this duology so much!
January 12, 2019
Finding this sci-fi duology was a really nice surprise and One Giant Leap was a nice satisfying ending. I received book 1, Dare Mighty Things, as a Xmas gift and loved the storyline of a group of young adults aged 18 to 25 competing for a coveted spot on a space mission along with 4 other experienced astronauts. NASA, astronaut training, space, spaceship!! All the things I love!! I bought book 2 about halfway in just so I could binge read the duology.
Book 2 was a continuation, but now the 5 astronauts are on their mission. What I loved so much about book 1 wasn't in book 2, but it was still a good story. I'm happy that the lovable characters I adored were back and helping Cassie to save Earth, and humanity.
This was a pretty fast paced story with lots of adventure and space travel. I look forward to seeing more from this author.
Book 2 was a continuation, but now the 5 astronauts are on their mission. What I loved so much about book 1 wasn't in book 2, but it was still a good story. I'm happy that the lovable characters I adored were back and helping Cassie to save Earth, and humanity.
This was a pretty fast paced story with lots of adventure and space travel. I look forward to seeing more from this author.
May 20, 2019
Actual Rating: 4.5/5 Well, that really took you on a ride to the moon and back. I did not see 99% of what went down coming, and it was a really great sequel. RTC
dnf
March 25, 2022Though I enjoyed book one, I'm bowing out 20% into book two. Dare Mighty Things had a strong plot structure from the competition for the position to go to space, and that kept the plot moving and entertaining without substantial investment in the cast. In book two, as often happens to me if I try to continue a series with insufficient characterization, I hit a wall.
With them all being in competition, I think it made a certain amount of sense that you didn't get many details, because Cass was trying not to think about her family, and she was also trying not to get overly attached to the competition. They were all withholding and focused on a goal and trying to beat one another. It could be excused.
At this point, though, I really need to understand more about Cass' motivations, particularly her motivation for trusting Luca. And I've just got nothing. Decisions are abrupt and without motivation, driven by the plot. Much is puzzling. Admittedly, it's a completely wild ride, so I think it would be really fun for the right reader, but that reader is not this one.
Also, as a side note, Luca's lived in the country of Georgia all his life, and she constantly remarks about him sounding Russian, which seems somewhat offensive, since Russia has conquered Georgia throughout history. This is particularly frustrating to read in 2022, but still pretty thoughtless when it was written I think. This is a very petty grievance but hey. It's an example of how surface level so much of this is; the story aims for diversity and yet.
With them all being in competition, I think it made a certain amount of sense that you didn't get many details, because Cass was trying not to think about her family, and she was also trying not to get overly attached to the competition. They were all withholding and focused on a goal and trying to beat one another. It could be excused.
At this point, though, I really need to understand more about Cass' motivations, particularly her motivation for trusting Luca. And I've just got nothing. Decisions are abrupt and without motivation, driven by the plot. Much is puzzling. Admittedly, it's a completely wild ride, so I think it would be really fun for the right reader, but that reader is not this one.
Also, as a side note, Luca's lived in the country of Georgia all his life, and she constantly remarks about him sounding Russian, which seems somewhat offensive, since Russia has conquered Georgia throughout history. This is particularly frustrating to read in 2022, but still pretty thoughtless when it was written I think. This is a very petty grievance but hey. It's an example of how surface level so much of this is; the story aims for diversity and yet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2020
I would never have read this book if it weren't the sequel to a book with a much better premise.
Some things I liked from the first book were back in the sequel. The cast of characters is great, and it was fun to watch them continue to develop. The character relationships continued to shine as well. The writing style keeps me engaged. The pacing makes me want to turn pages without feeling breakneck and ridiculous.
But the competition, the mystery, the enclosed environment? Only in the first book. The scale felt too large here. No longer was this about a group of teenagers, but The characters I knew and loved didn't feel that important in the grand scheme of things.
Not to mention, the scene pretty much functions as an info-dump, which always gets on my nerves. I didn't totally buy it, and I wished these ideas had been introduced more naturally. They were interesting, but it felt very rushed.
Not a bad book, just less interesting to me than the first one. Still worth reading to find out how the story ends, but not something I would have recommended in its own right.
Some things I liked from the first book were back in the sequel. The cast of characters is great, and it was fun to watch them continue to develop. The character relationships continued to shine as well. The writing style keeps me engaged. The pacing makes me want to turn pages without feeling breakneck and ridiculous.
But the competition, the mystery, the enclosed environment? Only in the first book. The scale felt too large here. No longer was this about a group of teenagers, but The characters I knew and loved didn't feel that important in the grand scheme of things.
Not to mention, the scene pretty much functions as an info-dump, which always gets on my nerves. I didn't totally buy it, and I wished these ideas had been introduced more naturally. They were interesting, but it felt very rushed.
Not a bad book, just less interesting to me than the first one. Still worth reading to find out how the story ends, but not something I would have recommended in its own right.
February 7, 2019
"When his arms pulled me against him, I felt stronger somehow. Maybe I don't like kissing, but I do like this"
I loved the first book so much . I felt like this was a decent sequel but I was expecting more. I liked how the author didn't immediately force Cassie and Luka in a relationship. They worked together as partners first to save the planet and their lives and there wasn't much drama in between like in most books where they have the main characters in a romance trying to save the world or something. I really wish there were more crew interactions before . I liked the plot twist with the megobari and the vrag. However with the way the Vrag were described it made it hard to believe that they were . In general the book felt slightly rushed in some places. Towards the beginning and when they were moving the weapon away from earth.
Overall I thought this was a pretty good sequel!
I loved the first book so much . I felt like this was a decent sequel but I was expecting more. I liked how the author didn't immediately force Cassie and Luka in a relationship. They worked together as partners first to save the planet and their lives and there wasn't much drama in between like in most books where they have the main characters in a romance trying to save the world or something. I really wish there were more crew interactions before . I liked the plot twist with the megobari and the vrag. However with the way the Vrag were described it made it hard to believe that they were . In general the book felt slightly rushed in some places. Towards the beginning and when they were moving the weapon away from earth.
Overall I thought this was a pretty good sequel!
November 1, 2018
Torn between a 3 or 4 star rating.
Overall this series was such a nice read. I loved the setting of space and the impending doom that the characters attempt to escape.
Overall this series was such a nice read. I loved the setting of space and the impending doom that the characters attempt to escape.
August 4, 2021
2.5 stars
September 26, 2021
Some nice twists and turns through space and saving the world.
Read
June 13, 2019Graded By: Stephanie
Cover Story: Jump To Hyperspace
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 3
Talky Talk: Overdrive
Bonus Factors: Artifical Intelligence, Aliens
Relationship Status: Let’s Part As Friends
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Jump To Hyperspace
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 3
Talky Talk: Overdrive
Bonus Factors: Artifical Intelligence, Aliens
Relationship Status: Let’s Part As Friends
Read the full book report here.
January 20, 2019
Round up to 4.5 stars.
July 26, 2020
"I felt sick. This wasn't what I wanted to do. I suddenly wanted to go back. Back to when space was a grand adventure of scientific achievement and we'd return to Earth as heroes for the ages. Not as the four horseman of the apocalypse."
This quote sums my entire experience with this sequel. The writing is not bad... if anything it feels improved on compared to the first book. But the tone, atmosphere and content of this book is so completely different from the first, it just wasn't what I signed up for. It was like I came in the theater to watch "Interstellar" and they started playing "Men In Black". In this way it was a complete disappointment and difficult to get into because it just felt disjointed from the first.
I also felt that it lacked so much logic compared to the first. The first book had me excited, in wonder of discovery, dreaming of the future... everything about this plot felt convoluted and messy. The twists weren't all the surprising, more exasperating then anything. Cassie is quick to speak for three different species and wraps the end up much too quickly and conveniently. It doesn't feel like the plot has consequences or reason. Things just happen in the plot to escalate drama and tension. For a bunch of super-smart aliens they all end up sounding stupid. We're introduced to an antagonist, and then they're immediately nerfed, but wait, there's still a big evil threatening to destroy everyone for no clear reason whatsoever!
This might be a book you would enjoy, but it just wasn't something I could enjoy in combination with what the first book set me up for.
This quote sums my entire experience with this sequel. The writing is not bad... if anything it feels improved on compared to the first book. But the tone, atmosphere and content of this book is so completely different from the first, it just wasn't what I signed up for. It was like I came in the theater to watch "Interstellar" and they started playing "Men In Black". In this way it was a complete disappointment and difficult to get into because it just felt disjointed from the first.
I also felt that it lacked so much logic compared to the first. The first book had me excited, in wonder of discovery, dreaming of the future... everything about this plot felt convoluted and messy. The twists weren't all the surprising, more exasperating then anything. Cassie is quick to speak for three different species and wraps the end up much too quickly and conveniently. It doesn't feel like the plot has consequences or reason. Things just happen in the plot to escalate drama and tension. For a bunch of super-smart aliens they all end up sounding stupid. We're introduced to an antagonist, and then they're immediately nerfed, but wait, there's still a big evil threatening to destroy everyone for no clear reason whatsoever!
This might be a book you would enjoy, but it just wasn't something I could enjoy in combination with what the first book set me up for.
November 5, 2018
I absolutely loved this book and thought it did an incredible job of wrapping up the duology but also giving readers an entirely different atmosphere than the first book. Heather throws us into a whirlwind of a space adventure making the reader question whose side they should be on, what are the limits and faults of humanity, and what to do in the existence of a whole new race. If you want a sci-fi novel that will hook you from start to finish, pick up Dare Mighty Things and then read One Giant Leap.
November 8, 2018
I want more books like this!
I highly recommend this fast-paced and exciting sequel to Dare Mighty Things. This book concludes Cassie’s journey to the stars and beyond. Our favorite characters from DMT are joined by some new characters and new places to bring the story to an exciting conclusion.
I highly recommend this fast-paced and exciting sequel to Dare Mighty Things. This book concludes Cassie’s journey to the stars and beyond. Our favorite characters from DMT are joined by some new characters and new places to bring the story to an exciting conclusion.
January 8, 2019
Not nearly as much fun as the second book. I truly struggled. The first book was so much fun, moment to moment always going. I felt like this one just had too much set up, but not enough actually happening, and the twist, while I didn't see it, persay, wasn't really that much of a twist. Overall, not terrible, but not great.
October 29, 2018
Such a great book, I really enjoyed the shift in genre, a little bit, because the first one was a competition to go to space, and this book is actually in space and aliens and such! Such a great read, and I loved how things came together!
September 18, 2018
I got to read an early version of ONE GIANT LEAP, and it's an exciting, riveting, and sometimes mesmerizing follow-up to DARE MIGHTY THINGS! Loved it!
February 19, 2021
Cassandra Gupta awakes with her crew members on a foreign planet to hear the truth about life beyond Earth. It turns out that the Vrag and Megobari alien species have been at a brutal war for many years, and there is very little of the Megobari civilization left. The Vrag is only hungry for more power and already has its sights set on Earth as its next new target for destruction. But after a terrible surprise attack by the Vrag, Cassandra and Luka realize they’re the only ones left that can warn and save the human race. They swiftly return back to Earth, only to find that the Vrag has beaten them to it, and to make matters worse, the Vrag has deceived world politicians into forming alliances with them, and a heavy bounty has been ordered on Cassandra and Luka’s heads. Can Cassandra and Luka convince their people of their true enemy, enough to save their planet from the horrible fate that befell the other planets for it?
This novel is for readers age 13-18. This is some mild swearing, as well as destruction and death. Nothing is overly graphic or gruesome.
This is the sequel to Kacynski’s Dare Mighty Things. This was a great follow-up to Dare Might Things. While Dare Mighty Things was only the background story to set the foundation, One Giant Leap proved to the be the real deal. For the first time, it introduced a near and urgent fear of extraterrestrial war, and the danger and thrill was much more heightened than the last book. While the last book did have thrill as well, much of that excitement was merely for the rigorous training that Cassandra had to endure. Now, she was faced with newer and real challenges of physically being in space.
I really liked the development throughout the story. There were ups and downs, but the plot didn’t fail to excite me. What’s great is that there were also appearances of some familiar friends and faces during the training program Cassandra attended from the last book. It only further increases Cassandra’s realization of how much she means to people and how much they mean to her, which strongly contrasts with her initial sentiments of the value of friendship at the very beginning of the series. One Giant Leap was more conclusive and had a more satisfying and warm ending, compared to Dare Mighty Things. I liked that the end felt light and kind of playful, which contrasted with the imminent danger throughout the book before the resolution. In the end, I was left wondering curiously about what the world would be like if we could explore beyond our galaxy and find more to the endless dark space. This feeling that I was left with felt intentional and I’m glad it ended like this.
One Giant Leap marks the end of the “Dare Mighty Things” duology, and it was a stunning storyline of thrill, urgency and courage. I liked that the author took the possibility of “What if?” and vividly descripted visions of things that could literally be unimaginable and yet feel so real and understandable. I enjoyed this book a lot and I feel that readers who enjoy astronomy, science fiction and thrillers would love this book as well.
This novel is for readers age 13-18. This is some mild swearing, as well as destruction and death. Nothing is overly graphic or gruesome.
This is the sequel to Kacynski’s Dare Mighty Things. This was a great follow-up to Dare Might Things. While Dare Mighty Things was only the background story to set the foundation, One Giant Leap proved to the be the real deal. For the first time, it introduced a near and urgent fear of extraterrestrial war, and the danger and thrill was much more heightened than the last book. While the last book did have thrill as well, much of that excitement was merely for the rigorous training that Cassandra had to endure. Now, she was faced with newer and real challenges of physically being in space.
I really liked the development throughout the story. There were ups and downs, but the plot didn’t fail to excite me. What’s great is that there were also appearances of some familiar friends and faces during the training program Cassandra attended from the last book. It only further increases Cassandra’s realization of how much she means to people and how much they mean to her, which strongly contrasts with her initial sentiments of the value of friendship at the very beginning of the series. One Giant Leap was more conclusive and had a more satisfying and warm ending, compared to Dare Mighty Things. I liked that the end felt light and kind of playful, which contrasted with the imminent danger throughout the book before the resolution. In the end, I was left wondering curiously about what the world would be like if we could explore beyond our galaxy and find more to the endless dark space. This feeling that I was left with felt intentional and I’m glad it ended like this.
One Giant Leap marks the end of the “Dare Mighty Things” duology, and it was a stunning storyline of thrill, urgency and courage. I liked that the author took the possibility of “What if?” and vividly descripted visions of things that could literally be unimaginable and yet feel so real and understandable. I enjoyed this book a lot and I feel that readers who enjoy astronomy, science fiction and thrillers would love this book as well.
January 8, 2019
I gave this sequel 4 stars, again, like the first book, because of the writing, but I still struggled with connecting with and relating to Cassie, the main character. There are a few mentions of this future society being very progressive as far as sexual orientation, and Cassie is noted in the first book to be asexual, but then there are instances of Luka kissing her and Cassie developing some mild feelings for him, though at the end of this book she states that she will never want anything more than kissing from him, so I struggled with understanding that type of attitude. There are also quite a few instances of strong language in this book, where there was pretty much no strong language in the first book.
There were a few times I struggled with the plot as well and where it seemed to be going, and it often felt like things were random and not connected or organized very well, as well as the advanced technology seemingly thrown in because the time frame for the book is supposed to take place in the fairly near future (around 2050), so it was hard for me to follow that at times, the connections between present-day technology and the more advanced technology for this future world. That could have just been my comprehension though, but it still felt to me as though the technology was advanced but then it wasn't in many ways, a little confusing to follow.
Overall, I liked how the story resolved and how the humans and two different alien species were able to mainly come to a resolution (there are still a few loose ends at the book, but we're told that things are expected to resolve peacefully at the upcoming peace talks. However, this book doesn't have a cliffhanger and appears to bring an end to the series, although I can see where the author does have room to continue with more, but it doesn't appear that she means to.
Interesting resolution in this book and interesting duology, probably a 3.5 stars average.
There were a few times I struggled with the plot as well and where it seemed to be going, and it often felt like things were random and not connected or organized very well, as well as the advanced technology seemingly thrown in because the time frame for the book is supposed to take place in the fairly near future (around 2050), so it was hard for me to follow that at times, the connections between present-day technology and the more advanced technology for this future world. That could have just been my comprehension though, but it still felt to me as though the technology was advanced but then it wasn't in many ways, a little confusing to follow.
Overall, I liked how the story resolved and how the humans and two different alien species were able to mainly come to a resolution (there are still a few loose ends at the book, but we're told that things are expected to resolve peacefully at the upcoming peace talks. However, this book doesn't have a cliffhanger and appears to bring an end to the series, although I can see where the author does have room to continue with more, but it doesn't appear that she means to.
Interesting resolution in this book and interesting duology, probably a 3.5 stars average.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2021
3.5 Stars...
I thought the writing was good and the story itself was easy to follow even with all the science-computer talk. I was glad to see some of the characters from book 1 back in the story. I loved the friendship between the group and the fact that at the beginning of book 1 Cassie had no friends and was an outcast trying to prove herself, but by the end of book 2 she evolved into someone stronger, more self-confident, and instead of trying to prove herself, she pretty much found herself. Yeah, I really liked that.
Overall, Cassie was a great MC and I really liked Luka too. I know some people complained about the romance, but I'm glad there really wasn't any in this because way too much was already going on and to add a deep romance on top would have been a terrible idea (and honestly a romance with an alien---just seems hmmm...).
With all of that said, I think even though the story was very creative, this sequel was not as good as the first one. I will admit I am not a big sci-fi person, it's just not ma thang, but I didn't think book 2 would have gone so far into sci-fi especially since book 1 only went knee deep. I didn't like the whole Sunny vs Pinnacle thing, nor the whole god-mother weird creature that has such a basic primitive form, but is so advance. Why do aliens always have to look or be presented like monsters or some primitive looking being yet have such great technology? I mean really. the vrag had "tentacles", no eyes, climbed up trees (sighing). And yes I understand that Luka and his kind took on human forms, but why can't these highly sophisticated beings ever appear as something greater than humans (more advanced in appearance)? Just saying.
Anyway, as unrealistic as this series turned out, I did enjoy it and I am glad I get it a chance.
Content: No sexual content at all. Just hand holding/squeezing. Next to no romance.
Language: Not too much, but there is some scattered throughout.
I thought the writing was good and the story itself was easy to follow even with all the science-computer talk. I was glad to see some of the characters from book 1 back in the story. I loved the friendship between the group and the fact that at the beginning of book 1 Cassie had no friends and was an outcast trying to prove herself, but by the end of book 2 she evolved into someone stronger, more self-confident, and instead of trying to prove herself, she pretty much found herself. Yeah, I really liked that.
Overall, Cassie was a great MC and I really liked Luka too. I know some people complained about the romance, but I'm glad there really wasn't any in this because way too much was already going on and to add a deep romance on top would have been a terrible idea (and honestly a romance with an alien---just seems hmmm...).
With all of that said, I think even though the story was very creative, this sequel was not as good as the first one. I will admit I am not a big sci-fi person, it's just not ma thang, but I didn't think book 2 would have gone so far into sci-fi especially since book 1 only went knee deep. I didn't like the whole Sunny vs Pinnacle thing, nor the whole god-mother weird creature that has such a basic primitive form, but is so advance. Why do aliens always have to look or be presented like monsters or some primitive looking being yet have such great technology? I mean really. the vrag had "tentacles", no eyes, climbed up trees (sighing). And yes I understand that Luka and his kind took on human forms, but why can't these highly sophisticated beings ever appear as something greater than humans (more advanced in appearance)? Just saying.
Anyway, as unrealistic as this series turned out, I did enjoy it and I am glad I get it a chance.
Content: No sexual content at all. Just hand holding/squeezing. Next to no romance.
Language: Not too much, but there is some scattered throughout.
June 27, 2023
Cassie wakes up disoriented, on a different planet, and immediately meets an alien species. A very cool start to the "teenagers in space" I had anticipated after reading book 1. And we get not one, but two alien species, who have been trapped in a war for untold ages.
It bounces between who's good and who's bad, so you're never sure which side is truly good. You feel Cassie's near-hopelessness, the teenager who is the only hope for them to not blow up each other—and everyone else. It's a very cool and engaging plot, though a little hard to get into. The real drama starts about 1/3 of the way in, and then you need to keep going.
There's a little too much emphasis on humans being evil, how we're destroying our planet, etc., while at the same time marveling over how beautiful Earth is from space. But the alien tech is cool, and Earth's tech is just advanced enough that it could realistically be the near-future. I adored the alien languages, too, and how they weren't just another kind of written speech with weird characters. Honestly, I'm mostly here for the world(s) building and science. The ending was fine, but I just want to go back to space.
It bounces between who's good and who's bad, so you're never sure which side is truly good. You feel Cassie's near-hopelessness, the teenager who is the only hope for them to not blow up each other—and everyone else. It's a very cool and engaging plot, though a little hard to get into. The real drama starts about 1/3 of the way in, and then you need to keep going.
There's a little too much emphasis on humans being evil, how we're destroying our planet, etc., while at the same time marveling over how beautiful Earth is from space. But the alien tech is cool, and Earth's tech is just advanced enough that it could realistically be the near-future. I adored the alien languages, too, and how they weren't just another kind of written speech with weird characters. Honestly, I'm mostly here for the world(s) building and science. The ending was fine, but I just want to go back to space.
January 8, 2019
Kaczynski, Heather. One Giant Leap. Dare Mighty Things No. 2. Harper Teen, 2018.
I missed the first number of this series, but one does not need it to read One Giant Leap. Cassandra Gupta, a high school senior, lands a spot on an interstellar probe based on alien technology because she has a brain that is compatible with an AI implant. There is a mysterious romantic alien. There are scary planet-destroying aliens. There is a secret planet destroying weapon. There is a smart group of culturally diverse teenage friends and rivals. A good writer could do something with this material. But the book has a fatal flaw—it talks down to its teen audience. Cultural diversity does not extend much beyond the character names. There is only the most minimal discussion of artificial intelligence, the technology of space travel, or the nature of alien biology or mentation. Where are Ender and Podkayne when you need them?
I missed the first number of this series, but one does not need it to read One Giant Leap. Cassandra Gupta, a high school senior, lands a spot on an interstellar probe based on alien technology because she has a brain that is compatible with an AI implant. There is a mysterious romantic alien. There are scary planet-destroying aliens. There is a secret planet destroying weapon. There is a smart group of culturally diverse teenage friends and rivals. A good writer could do something with this material. But the book has a fatal flaw—it talks down to its teen audience. Cultural diversity does not extend much beyond the character names. There is only the most minimal discussion of artificial intelligence, the technology of space travel, or the nature of alien biology or mentation. Where are Ender and Podkayne when you need them?
December 10, 2018
When Cassandra Gupta and the rest of the crew of Odysseus, NASA’s first starship, come out of cryogenic hibernation five hundred light-years from Earth, after a journey of less than six months, they discover that they’ve arrived in a war zone. Two alien races have already destroyed each other’s home worlds, and Earth may be next. After a disastrous fire fight, Cassie and one other member of her mission team flee back to Earth with a secret weapon they hope will save the planet and the rest of humanity.
Kaczynski’s sequel to Dare Mighty Things is as suspense-filled and full of surprises as its predecessor. The action is non-stop. In addition to scary alien invaders bent on planetary destruction, it also highlights the excesses, fears, and short-sightedness of earth’s dominant species.
Kaczynski’s sequel to Dare Mighty Things is as suspense-filled and full of surprises as its predecessor. The action is non-stop. In addition to scary alien invaders bent on planetary destruction, it also highlights the excesses, fears, and short-sightedness of earth’s dominant species.
March 16, 2021
I would actually give this book 3.5 stars. Mostly because the main character was an Indian girl and I liked seeing an Indian girl like myself as the main character for once. She could've easily been replaced for a girl of any other race and it wouldn't change the story; I'm not sure how I feel about that.
To be fair, I didn't read the first book. I didn't realize that this book was actually a sequel but I wasn't too confused and I don't feel a need to read the first book.
The author's view of humanity definitely shined through the writing and we both have similar views. I liked hearing about how the God-Mother was actually the victim and how both Cassie and Luka were lied to. It was kind of cheesy though in that her friends were so eager to help her and at the end when she was surrounded by her family at her birthday.
To be fair, I didn't read the first book. I didn't realize that this book was actually a sequel but I wasn't too confused and I don't feel a need to read the first book.
The author's view of humanity definitely shined through the writing and we both have similar views. I liked hearing about how the God-Mother was actually the victim and how both Cassie and Luka were lied to. It was kind of cheesy though in that her friends were so eager to help her and at the end when she was surrounded by her family at her birthday.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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