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Sorrow Falls #1
The Spaceship Next Door
Three years ago, a spaceship landed in an open field in the quiet mill town of Sorrow Falls, Massachusetts. It never opened its doors, and for all that time, the townspeople have wondered why the ship landed there, and what—or who—could be inside.
Then one day, a government operative—posing as a journalist—arrives in town, asking questions. He discovers sixteen year old Annie Collins, one of the ship’s closest neighbors, and a local fixture, known throughout the town, has some of the answers.
As a matter of fact, Annie Collins might be the most important person on the planet. She just doesn’t know it.
Then one day, a government operative—posing as a journalist—arrives in town, asking questions. He discovers sixteen year old Annie Collins, one of the ship’s closest neighbors, and a local fixture, known throughout the town, has some of the answers.
As a matter of fact, Annie Collins might be the most important person on the planet. She just doesn’t know it.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 22, 2015
463 people are currently reading
3514 people want to read
About the author
Gene Doucette
43 books435 followersGene Doucette is a hybrid author, albeit in a somewhat roundabout way. From 2010 through 2014, Gene published four full-length novels (Immortal, Hellenic Immortal, Fixer, and Immortal at the Edge of the World) with a small indie publisher. Then, in 2014, Gene started self-publishing novellas that were set in the same universe as the Immortal series, at which point he was a hybrid.
When the novellas proved more lucrative than the novels, Gene tried self-publishing a full novel, The Spaceship Next Door, in 2015. This went well. So well, that in 2016, Gene reacquired the rights to the earlier four novels from the publisher, and re-released them, at which point he wasn’t a hybrid any longer.
Additional self-published novels followed: Immortal and the Island of Impossible Things (2016); Unfiction (2017); and The Frequency of Aliens (2017).
In 2018, John Joseph Adams Books (an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) acquired the rights to The Spaceship Next Door. The reprint was published in September of that year, at which point Gene was once again a hybrid author.
Since then, a number of things have happened. Gene published two more novels—Immortal From Hell at the end of 2018, and Fixer Redux in 2019—and wrote a new novel called The Apocalypse Seven that he did not self-publish; it was acquired by JJA/HMH in September of 2019. Publication date is May 25, 2021.
Gene plans to continue writing novels for both markets (traditional and self-published) as long as that continues to make sense. His most recent self-published novel is Immortal: Last Call (2020). He is currently at work on a large science fiction world-building project taking place on his Patreon site, the result of which will be a multi-novel series.
When the novellas proved more lucrative than the novels, Gene tried self-publishing a full novel, The Spaceship Next Door, in 2015. This went well. So well, that in 2016, Gene reacquired the rights to the earlier four novels from the publisher, and re-released them, at which point he wasn’t a hybrid any longer.
Additional self-published novels followed: Immortal and the Island of Impossible Things (2016); Unfiction (2017); and The Frequency of Aliens (2017).
In 2018, John Joseph Adams Books (an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) acquired the rights to The Spaceship Next Door. The reprint was published in September of that year, at which point Gene was once again a hybrid author.
Since then, a number of things have happened. Gene published two more novels—Immortal From Hell at the end of 2018, and Fixer Redux in 2019—and wrote a new novel called The Apocalypse Seven that he did not self-publish; it was acquired by JJA/HMH in September of 2019. Publication date is May 25, 2021.
Gene plans to continue writing novels for both markets (traditional and self-published) as long as that continues to make sense. His most recent self-published novel is Immortal: Last Call (2020). He is currently at work on a large science fiction world-building project taking place on his Patreon site, the result of which will be a multi-novel series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 530 reviews
February 21, 2024
Actually, the spaceship isn't next door as much as a couple of miles down the road and behind an army roadblock, but yes, there's a spaceship in the town of Sorrow Falls, Massachusetts. The story begins with events surrounding its landing, and as might be guessed, it wasn't immediately recognized as a spaceship. Eventually, however, someone reported it to the local police:
"Sometime around 10:00 a.m., the sheriff got his hands on a bullhorn and started asking if the occupants of the ship could please come out with your hands up. This sparked a minor debate as to the likelihood that anyone inside the spaceship (a) understood English, and (b) had hands."
But the spaceship hasn't done anything in the three years it has been there, so life adjusted around it--literally. An army base is set up around around the spaceship, and an encampment of UFO fanatics grows up around them.
"The alien trailer park collective was fueled primarily by pizza delivery and salty snacks, although on weekends in the summer they liked to have a big cookout, combining the forces of all the trailer neighbors."
Events start up when Edgar, a government analyst comes to town, disguised (he thinks) as a journalist. Annie, a sixteen year-old girl who has a bicycle and an eye for people, immediately sees through the journalist disguise.
"People from the city didn’t understand that people living outside of the city didn’t really have a different style, or if they did it wasn’t a style you could arrive at by mimicking the fashion choices from a pickup truck commercial."
The narrative largely centers on Annie, side helping of Edgar, and a dollop of Sam, Army guy extraordinaire.
"There were other times in briefings when it became abundantly clear the real information had been removed and replaced with fake information. Sam and the other men of his squad called these tofu briefings, where the meat was substituted with something that only looked like meat."
The third-person narrative is full of this kind of social commentary. The tone, however, is that of gentle poking fun, not of bitterness. I ended up smiling at it a number of times. Interspersed with the fun commentary are wise notes as well: "so what could have been interpreted as a lessening of interest in reading was maybe actually a change in the way information was obtained."
Eventually, Doucette gets around to moving the plot forward, which was almost a shame. I had the strangest feeling I was reading a book by someone channeling Connie Willis in Bellwether or To Say Nothing of the Dog; really, half the fun is easing into this good-natured world playing around with the set-up. About halfway in, it does pick up momentum until it goes off the rails at the end.
At times it feels older in its references and commentary, which a young person may not appreciate (such as 'rats of unusual size'), but at other times, it is very much a young adult book ("Annie was going to run away with him one day, to live on a ranch in the hills of Virginia, and make babies and fresh vegetables. That he didn’t know any of this had surprisingly little impact on her plans.") with commensurate, overly-clear messaging at the conclusion. An engrossing and a fun way to spend a few hours; glad I have a copy to re-read.
Shout-out to Stephen for the rec! Check out his more comprehensive review here.
"Sometime around 10:00 a.m., the sheriff got his hands on a bullhorn and started asking if the occupants of the ship could please come out with your hands up. This sparked a minor debate as to the likelihood that anyone inside the spaceship (a) understood English, and (b) had hands."
But the spaceship hasn't done anything in the three years it has been there, so life adjusted around it--literally. An army base is set up around around the spaceship, and an encampment of UFO fanatics grows up around them.
"The alien trailer park collective was fueled primarily by pizza delivery and salty snacks, although on weekends in the summer they liked to have a big cookout, combining the forces of all the trailer neighbors."
Events start up when Edgar, a government analyst comes to town, disguised (he thinks) as a journalist. Annie, a sixteen year-old girl who has a bicycle and an eye for people, immediately sees through the journalist disguise.
"People from the city didn’t understand that people living outside of the city didn’t really have a different style, or if they did it wasn’t a style you could arrive at by mimicking the fashion choices from a pickup truck commercial."
The narrative largely centers on Annie, side helping of Edgar, and a dollop of Sam, Army guy extraordinaire.
"There were other times in briefings when it became abundantly clear the real information had been removed and replaced with fake information. Sam and the other men of his squad called these tofu briefings, where the meat was substituted with something that only looked like meat."
The third-person narrative is full of this kind of social commentary. The tone, however, is that of gentle poking fun, not of bitterness. I ended up smiling at it a number of times. Interspersed with the fun commentary are wise notes as well: "so what could have been interpreted as a lessening of interest in reading was maybe actually a change in the way information was obtained."
Eventually, Doucette gets around to moving the plot forward, which was almost a shame. I had the strangest feeling I was reading a book by someone channeling Connie Willis in Bellwether or To Say Nothing of the Dog; really, half the fun is easing into this good-natured world playing around with the set-up. About halfway in, it does pick up momentum until it goes off the rails at the end.
At times it feels older in its references and commentary, which a young person may not appreciate (such as 'rats of unusual size'), but at other times, it is very much a young adult book ("Annie was going to run away with him one day, to live on a ranch in the hills of Virginia, and make babies and fresh vegetables. That he didn’t know any of this had surprisingly little impact on her plans.") with commensurate, overly-clear messaging at the conclusion. An engrossing and a fun way to spend a few hours; glad I have a copy to re-read.
Shout-out to Stephen for the rec! Check out his more comprehensive review here.
October 16, 2018
I don't know how I feel about this book. I liked it well enough but I'm not sure I'm going to read the next book.
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
August 26, 2018
Annie Collins is a 16 year old girl with a mother dying of cancer and a demeanor more adult than that of most adults. She's witty and young but also extremely mature on the outside, even when she doesn't always feel that way on the inside. I really enjoyed this book, especially because of the character of Annie. The entire town knows that Annie is the person who knows everything and knows everybody. Despite the book dealing with what could be the end of the world, the book is also lighthearted and funny.
Three years ago a mysterious object landed in a field in Annie's town of Sorrow Falls. Into town comes Ed, a "reporter" who is really a government operative and he's here to find out what is going on with the mysterious object, after three years of it seeming to stand dormant in the field. Soon he has Annie working for him since she is the person who knows the most and can introduce him to everyone. Little does Annie know, Ed is also the person who has a plan for the government to destroy Sorrow Falls and the surrounding areas, if what he discovers seems too dangerous to allow to exist.
Very strange things start happening in Sorrow Falls. I've never read or watched a zombie story but I accidentally did so when I read this book. It's kind of delightful in a sick sort of way because I do enjoy this book so much and look forward to the next one (not that zombies are guaranteed to be in the next story). I want to know more about what happens to Annie and the mysterious object. I do wish the ending of the book didn't just end with Annie and Ed, without telling a little more about the other people that were with her towards the end, in Sorrow Falls. They were all interesting characters and I wish we had more information about them and how the town is getting along in the days after the strange happenings.
Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for this ARC.
Three years ago a mysterious object landed in a field in Annie's town of Sorrow Falls. Into town comes Ed, a "reporter" who is really a government operative and he's here to find out what is going on with the mysterious object, after three years of it seeming to stand dormant in the field. Soon he has Annie working for him since she is the person who knows the most and can introduce him to everyone. Little does Annie know, Ed is also the person who has a plan for the government to destroy Sorrow Falls and the surrounding areas, if what he discovers seems too dangerous to allow to exist.
Very strange things start happening in Sorrow Falls. I've never read or watched a zombie story but I accidentally did so when I read this book. It's kind of delightful in a sick sort of way because I do enjoy this book so much and look forward to the next one (not that zombies are guaranteed to be in the next story). I want to know more about what happens to Annie and the mysterious object. I do wish the ending of the book didn't just end with Annie and Ed, without telling a little more about the other people that were with her towards the end, in Sorrow Falls. They were all interesting characters and I wish we had more information about them and how the town is getting along in the days after the strange happenings.
Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for this ARC.
March 12, 2018
Ultimately, I ended up liking this book well enough. It was somewhat offputting initially due to the narrator, so reading a hard copy would probably be a different (better) experience. I felt like my grandpa was reading to me...
but in the voice of Professor Proton...
Anyway, this story centered less around The Spaceship Next Door and more around Annie Collins, a precocious 16-year-old who was on friendly terms with everyone in the small town of Sorrow Falls, Massachusetts. There is very little science fiction content, unlike what the title and summary suggests. It reads more like, "Hey, remember when that spaceship landed here and did nothing? That was crazy!" The author provides LOADS of trivial detail that I wouldn't necessarily call worthless, but which makes the story more a character-driven folk tale and less a science fiction thriller.
I considered not finishing this 11 hour and 35 minute book in the beginning, but got used to the narrator, and then was curious as to what was going to happen with the spaceship. Unfortunately, the ending was a huge disappointment and totally unbelieveable. If I had used a credit to buy this book, I would have returned it. But it was okay for $3.95.
but in the voice of Professor Proton...
Anyway, this story centered less around The Spaceship Next Door and more around Annie Collins, a precocious 16-year-old who was on friendly terms with everyone in the small town of Sorrow Falls, Massachusetts. There is very little science fiction content, unlike what the title and summary suggests. It reads more like, "Hey, remember when that spaceship landed here and did nothing? That was crazy!" The author provides LOADS of trivial detail that I wouldn't necessarily call worthless, but which makes the story more a character-driven folk tale and less a science fiction thriller.
I considered not finishing this 11 hour and 35 minute book in the beginning, but got used to the narrator, and then was curious as to what was going to happen with the spaceship. Unfortunately, the ending was a huge disappointment and totally unbelieveable. If I had used a credit to buy this book, I would have returned it. But it was okay for $3.95.
July 30, 2020
Spaceship lands in rural area near small-town Massachusetts. Habeas Corpus suspended. Martial Law. Posse Comitatus.
First contact story? Somewhat. Zombie body snatchers? Some of that, too. And just a hint of 2001 Space Odyssey.
Told in 3rd person, it's clever, heartwarming, and humorous yet somewhat suspenseful and unpredictable. An easy pace. A socially savvy 16-year-old girl helps a 34-year old government analyst figure things out. But he solves the key question himself. Other characters help. Good teamwork.
Audiobook: Fun light listening. Outstanding narration.
First contact story? Somewhat. Zombie body snatchers? Some of that, too. And just a hint of 2001 Space Odyssey.
Told in 3rd person, it's clever, heartwarming, and humorous yet somewhat suspenseful and unpredictable. An easy pace. A socially savvy 16-year-old girl helps a 34-year old government analyst figure things out. But he solves the key question himself. Other characters help. Good teamwork.
Audiobook: Fun light listening. Outstanding narration.
January 22, 2018
Three years ago a spaceship landed in the the small town of Sorrow Falls, MD…and nothing happened. No aliens. No death rays. No take me to your leader. It just sits there.
Edgar Somerville, government scientist ineptly posing as a reporter, thinks something has happened and arrives to investigate. He quickly finds himself in the orbit of sixteen year old, preceptive and precocious Annie Collins; as explained by General Morris (guardian of the spaceship), the most important person in Sorrow Falls.
“Was that Annie Collins you were sitting with?”
“That’s what she said her name was. Do you know her?”
“I know of her. We’ve never been introduced. You didn’t tell her anything, did you?”
“Of course I didn’t.”
“No offense intended, son. She has a knack, that one.”
“Does she.”
“You spent any time in a war zone, Mr. Somerville?...Every occupied village, town, and neighborhood has an Annie Collins. If you want to succeed at whatever it is you’re planning, you want to find that person.”
“To… to shoot them?”
“No, no, they’re too important. Besides, if you shoot ‘em someone’ll take their place. No, to get them on your side. My point, we know all about Annie Collins. We leave her be, and maybe someday we’ll need her for something. So what did she know?
“She knew I was going to see the ship.”
“I guess that’s okay.”
“I didn’t tell her that.”
“Never said you did, son.”
As Annie and Edgar investigate it becomes apparent that something is happening in idyllic Sorrow Falls. Something evil. Something that could mean the end not only of Sorrow Falls but the planet itself. And Annie Collins holds the key.
I liked this book a lot. Has a terrific small-town-threatened-by-alien-tech-precocoius-kid-to-the-rescue Iron Giant vibe. An endearing cast of characters, especially Annie and Edgar. Fun backstory, though the book drags in the middle as the author spends too much time fleshing out Sorrow Falls. Once the action starts, it’s fast and furious with some clever twists. . The collusion was not at all what I expected, but quite satisfying.
The above makes Spaceship sound YA. It kinda is, but it’s really more nostalgia sci-fi. Think The Iron Giant, War of the Worlds (original not Tom Cruise version), ET, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Back to the Future, Tommorowland or most any Spielberg sci-fi adventure. There’s a bit of all of these in Spaceship. Could also throw in Doctor Who. . Book references with the same warmth and wonder: The Iron Giant of course, Heinien’s juveniles like Have Space Suit Will Travel, and more recently The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.
3.5 stars. Recommended.
Edgar Somerville, government scientist ineptly posing as a reporter, thinks something has happened and arrives to investigate. He quickly finds himself in the orbit of sixteen year old, preceptive and precocious Annie Collins; as explained by General Morris (guardian of the spaceship), the most important person in Sorrow Falls.
“Was that Annie Collins you were sitting with?”
“That’s what she said her name was. Do you know her?”
“I know of her. We’ve never been introduced. You didn’t tell her anything, did you?”
“Of course I didn’t.”
“No offense intended, son. She has a knack, that one.”
“Does she.”
“You spent any time in a war zone, Mr. Somerville?...Every occupied village, town, and neighborhood has an Annie Collins. If you want to succeed at whatever it is you’re planning, you want to find that person.”
“To… to shoot them?”
“No, no, they’re too important. Besides, if you shoot ‘em someone’ll take their place. No, to get them on your side. My point, we know all about Annie Collins. We leave her be, and maybe someday we’ll need her for something. So what did she know?
“She knew I was going to see the ship.”
“I guess that’s okay.”
“I didn’t tell her that.”
“Never said you did, son.”
As Annie and Edgar investigate it becomes apparent that something is happening in idyllic Sorrow Falls. Something evil. Something that could mean the end not only of Sorrow Falls but the planet itself. And Annie Collins holds the key.
I liked this book a lot. Has a terrific small-town-threatened-by-alien-tech-precocoius-kid-to-the-rescue Iron Giant vibe. An endearing cast of characters, especially Annie and Edgar. Fun backstory, though the book drags in the middle as the author spends too much time fleshing out Sorrow Falls. Once the action starts, it’s fast and furious with some clever twists. . The collusion was not at all what I expected, but quite satisfying.
The above makes Spaceship sound YA. It kinda is, but it’s really more nostalgia sci-fi. Think The Iron Giant, War of the Worlds (original not Tom Cruise version), ET, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Back to the Future, Tommorowland or most any Spielberg sci-fi adventure. There’s a bit of all of these in Spaceship. Could also throw in Doctor Who. . Book references with the same warmth and wonder: The Iron Giant of course, Heinien’s juveniles like Have Space Suit Will Travel, and more recently The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.
3.5 stars. Recommended.
December 28, 2015
Very entertaining
I bought this for my middle school aged son after talking with the author and determining that it was age appropriate. Then I decided to read it. Sometimes young adult fiction is great (Hunger Games) sometimes it insults your intelligence (TwilIght). I don't know if Mr. Doucette set out to write a story for young adults, but it's very appealing to them because the main characters are teenagers. The plot is very original, the writing is clever and the rapid fire dialogue reminds me of a 1930's screwball comedy.
I bought this for my middle school aged son after talking with the author and determining that it was age appropriate. Then I decided to read it. Sometimes young adult fiction is great (Hunger Games) sometimes it insults your intelligence (TwilIght). I don't know if Mr. Doucette set out to write a story for young adults, but it's very appealing to them because the main characters are teenagers. The plot is very original, the writing is clever and the rapid fire dialogue reminds me of a 1930's screwball comedy.
February 12, 2016
If the Gilmore Girls found a spaceship, "The Spaceship Next Door" would be the resulting script. The book's "Sorrow Falls" is much like GG's Stars Hollow, a small town of quirky history and residents who all know each other. The main character, 16-year-old Annie, shares a sarcastic, quick-witted repartee with her best friend, army generals, and eventually an alien superintelligence. This is a book safe for middle schoolers, but enjoyable also by adults. If you're tired of gloom, doom and gore in your science fiction, but don't want sappy paranormal romance, either, check out this light-hearted, surprisingly-plotted, very funny read.
I received a free copy from NetGalley, which did not affect the content of my review.
I received a free copy from NetGalley, which did not affect the content of my review.
February 17, 2017
The Spaceship Next Door is a wholly derivative mash-up of other popular horror and sci-fi, with nothing particularly unique to merit a full novel. There were plenty of twists attempted to resurrect the story when it started dying, which was often, and mostly they were ineffective. I lost interest maybe half-way through, once the town-wide zombie chase began. While I kind of, sort of enjoyed it, I spent most of my listening time thinking "how much more is there?" and being disappointed when I realized the answer was "lots". Never a good sign.
Adding to my frustration was the fact that the audiobook production was bizarre. While listening, I often wondered if anyone actually produced this audiobook, or if some grandpa was dragged in off the street to read it cold and then leave before any edits could take place.
First off, why would you choose someone who sounds like an 80-year-old, life-long smoker to narrate a book that follows a precocious 16-year-old girl and occasionally a 30-something man? And if this particular man with a gravelly voice was the best choice, why was he allowed to mispronounce so many common words over and over again?
My favorite mispronunciations:
appo-calliptic for apocalyptic
Loo-boo-tahn for Louboutin (which should be pronounced Loo-boo-tan)
non-cor-prell for non-corporeal
Funniest, of course, was appo-calliptic, the novel's genre. You'd think, of all things, that would be a no-brainer.
Three stars, lowered to two because the audiobook was such a disappointment.
Adding to my frustration was the fact that the audiobook production was bizarre. While listening, I often wondered if anyone actually produced this audiobook, or if some grandpa was dragged in off the street to read it cold and then leave before any edits could take place.
First off, why would you choose someone who sounds like an 80-year-old, life-long smoker to narrate a book that follows a precocious 16-year-old girl and occasionally a 30-something man? And if this particular man with a gravelly voice was the best choice, why was he allowed to mispronounce so many common words over and over again?
My favorite mispronunciations:
appo-calliptic for apocalyptic
Loo-boo-tahn for Louboutin (which should be pronounced Loo-boo-tan)
non-cor-prell for non-corporeal
Funniest, of course, was appo-calliptic, the novel's genre. You'd think, of all things, that would be a no-brainer.
Three stars, lowered to two because the audiobook was such a disappointment.
April 6, 2017
Things I would rather do than read the first half of this book again:
1. Get a root canal
2. Pay my taxes
3. Catch javelins
Words are insufficient to adequately describe how s-l-o-w-l-y the first half of this book drags along. Characters meander around with no discernible purpose other than to connect with every person in the fictional town in which it is set. I'm wondering if the author was informed that every book must have a plot only AFTER he had written half of the book.
Editor: "Has anyone ever told you that a novel needs to have a plot?"
Author: "A what?"
Yes, that is how I imagine it went. This book is slower than the sloth on Zootopia, slower than me running a 5k, slower than my kids cleaned their bedrooms.Yes! That painfully slow. I only persevered because, being a Marine I am too stubborn and dumb to quit.
When the reader gets to the "good" part of this book (which is so-so anyway, I'd give the second half about 3 stars), the reader is so frustrated that he just wants to get the book done as quickly and as painlessly as possible. Fortunately for me, I was listening to this on audible and did a "forced march" listen through the rest of the book as I drove, worked out, and ran errands.
Thankfully, I finished the book just to be able to say I actually did because, hey, Marines finish what they start.
I don't understand why this book gets such good reviews because it is not a good book, although two things that were good about it:
1. The character of Annie
2. Whoever read the book for the audible version.
1. Get a root canal
2. Pay my taxes
3. Catch javelins
Words are insufficient to adequately describe how s-l-o-w-l-y the first half of this book drags along. Characters meander around with no discernible purpose other than to connect with every person in the fictional town in which it is set. I'm wondering if the author was informed that every book must have a plot only AFTER he had written half of the book.
Editor: "Has anyone ever told you that a novel needs to have a plot?"
Author: "A what?"
Yes, that is how I imagine it went. This book is slower than the sloth on Zootopia, slower than me running a 5k, slower than my kids cleaned their bedrooms.Yes! That painfully slow. I only persevered because, being a Marine I am too stubborn and dumb to quit.
When the reader gets to the "good" part of this book (which is so-so anyway, I'd give the second half about 3 stars), the reader is so frustrated that he just wants to get the book done as quickly and as painlessly as possible. Fortunately for me, I was listening to this on audible and did a "forced march" listen through the rest of the book as I drove, worked out, and ran errands.
Thankfully, I finished the book just to be able to say I actually did because, hey, Marines finish what they start.
I don't understand why this book gets such good reviews because it is not a good book, although two things that were good about it:
1. The character of Annie
2. Whoever read the book for the audible version.
July 31, 2016
sixteen year old Annie finds a spaceship and hilarity ensues.
well guess that depends on your definition of hilarity lol.
As stated in my update the first 40 % of this book, while readable enough was a bit of a slog. the saving grace was probably Annie through the first half. As the story moved along the narrative improved as not only were more breadcrumbs laid out about what was going on but stuff started to happen.
there are elements of both sci-fi as well as horror in this book which doucette blended Well, paying nice homage to some tropes and spinning others 180.
overall until I reached the halfway point I was convinced I would write a lukewarm review for this one. the second half heated it up a little but this is still not a white hot recommendation. fact is it has enough appealing elements that I can see some loving it, but it's flawed enough I can see other people hating it.
myself I would say if 325 degrees was the standard heat in an oven (can you tell I microwave and don't cook) I'd say it was 360 degrees.
well guess that depends on your definition of hilarity lol.
As stated in my update the first 40 % of this book, while readable enough was a bit of a slog. the saving grace was probably Annie through the first half. As the story moved along the narrative improved as not only were more breadcrumbs laid out about what was going on but stuff started to happen.
there are elements of both sci-fi as well as horror in this book which doucette blended Well, paying nice homage to some tropes and spinning others 180.
overall until I reached the halfway point I was convinced I would write a lukewarm review for this one. the second half heated it up a little but this is still not a white hot recommendation. fact is it has enough appealing elements that I can see some loving it, but it's flawed enough I can see other people hating it.
myself I would say if 325 degrees was the standard heat in an oven (can you tell I microwave and don't cook) I'd say it was 360 degrees.
August 27, 2018
I gobbled
The Spaceship Next Door
up. I just inhaled it! It plain seeped through my fingers, it was so good! And THEN I learned that it was independently published in 2015, and then picked up by John Joseph Adams/Mariner! Why?
Because it's just so good.
And now? I am tempted to not wait till they release the sequel and just get the self-pubbed version... BECAUSE IT WAS SO GOOD!
The Spaceship Next Door
was my kind of book through and through, and I can't wait till I get my hands on part two.
You can read this review on my blog here.
Oh My God, Where Do I Start?
I just loved this book SO MUCH. Everything about it – the rather slow pace, the nicely set atmosphere, the main characters' personalities – everything seemed written JUST FOR ME. The story is woven so well! Every little thing is revealed ever so slowly, giving you just enough to keep going. So while the story itself is slow and calm like the sleepy town it's set in, it's also got so much suspense you can't help but keep wanting to read more and more. And the funny thing, you can't really put this book in a genre – it's got a little bit of everything – the X Files mystery, the sweetness of some Sarah Addison Allen-esque characters, the helicopter view of Neal Stephenson... It's my perfect book. (You won't believe, but it's also got some )
Really Well Fleshed Out Characters, Even The Secondaries
The thing I loved the most has to be the characters. I am an absolute sucker for a great cast, I am known to fall head over heels for books that are character driven (think Six of Crows or The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet) – it was the same here. And it's not just the main characters we're talking about – the entire cast of secondaries and even unimportant side characters are all so real, so believable. And it has A LOT of those, and I mean a whole lot!! They're almost as often talked about as the main characters, which gives you the real 'show, don't tell' sort of view of the whole town. The secondaries have these little details of their lives or their characters – even if you're only meeting a certain member of the cast for a little while, you will get a little info about why they dress the way they do, what they hate or love doing or some little quirk of theirs – so you can't help but imagine them as real living human beings you have actually met. That's why I simply could not resist them.
And that's not even to speak of the main characters. I fell in love with Annie, Violet and Ed, even the secondaries – the Mad Max Lesbian post-apocalyptic chick couple, the soldier boy crush, and even Pickles, who was just a side character, really (that's a dude. Not a pet.) I had my own theories about Violet and Annie and their histories, about what's going on in the town for real, and some of them were true, some of them weren't. You just have to experience this for yourself, but I'm sure you'll fall in love with the characters as well.
It's Not Just The Mystery Either
When things get moving, they really do get moving. It's a tense whirlwind of things, and I can't tell you what it is because you'll be spoiled (although I really do want to tell you.) Let's just say there's no way you'll be expecting this when you start the book, cause the start is just so innocent – and the book is really slow for at least half of it. It's very, very good, exciting and dynamic. The plot is built so well that the moment you forget about a part of the cast that you thought was going to figure in the story... they come up. This happens multiple times! It's all just crafted so well in terms of storyline and timing.
...And Things Get Big
Just when you think it's about sleepy towns and simple people... There's this big, deep and philosophical thing that comes up. The story does dig deep in the end, and talks about friendship, the nature of consciousness and whether being 'simple' really means you're not worth as much as someone who is more 'complicated'. Whether friendship can survive these differences, and how much every kind of being needs companionship. It's also about ownership of self, of ideas and what is a self in general, even. And now I better shut up, because I'll spoil the hell out of this book for you. I'll just say that despite this whole 'bigness', it still retains the 'X next door' feeling – which is such a good play on the name. The story is simple, relatable and it could have happened to you – special things happen to normal, typical people like us. Special things happen in mundane life. And it's a beautiful concept.
Overall...
Talking about The Spaceship Next Door ... Would involve a lot of spoilers. It's just one of those stories. So I can't really tell you more! But just believe me, this was one of my favorites of the year, and I am itching to just buy that sequel already. Keep in mind that the story is slow, so if you don't like slow-paced books, it might not be for you. I did say there's a lot of stuff going on at one point, but it doesn't happen till at least half of the book. It's also generally an adult book, although it's got a teenager for the main character, so don't expect a YA tone to it. I'm sure anyone can enjoy The Spaceship Next Door though! So I wholeheartedly recommend it.
But Beware Of The Triggers
Well, there is some violence, but it's not dark. It just happens, mostly in defense. There is a family member who has cancer and is dying. Also, split up families and children that have to grow up largely dependent on themselves. But I wouldn't say the book has a lot of triggers – it's mostly mild.
You can read this review on my blog here.
I thank John Joseph Adams/Mariner Books for giving me a free copy of the book in exchange to my honest opinion. Receiving the book for free does not affect my opinion.
Read Post On My Blog | My Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
You can read this review on my blog here.
Oh My God, Where Do I Start?
I just loved this book SO MUCH. Everything about it – the rather slow pace, the nicely set atmosphere, the main characters' personalities – everything seemed written JUST FOR ME. The story is woven so well! Every little thing is revealed ever so slowly, giving you just enough to keep going. So while the story itself is slow and calm like the sleepy town it's set in, it's also got so much suspense you can't help but keep wanting to read more and more. And the funny thing, you can't really put this book in a genre – it's got a little bit of everything – the X Files mystery, the sweetness of some Sarah Addison Allen-esque characters, the helicopter view of Neal Stephenson... It's my perfect book. (You won't believe, but it's also got some )
Really Well Fleshed Out Characters, Even The Secondaries
The thing I loved the most has to be the characters. I am an absolute sucker for a great cast, I am known to fall head over heels for books that are character driven (think Six of Crows or The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet) – it was the same here. And it's not just the main characters we're talking about – the entire cast of secondaries and even unimportant side characters are all so real, so believable. And it has A LOT of those, and I mean a whole lot!! They're almost as often talked about as the main characters, which gives you the real 'show, don't tell' sort of view of the whole town. The secondaries have these little details of their lives or their characters – even if you're only meeting a certain member of the cast for a little while, you will get a little info about why they dress the way they do, what they hate or love doing or some little quirk of theirs – so you can't help but imagine them as real living human beings you have actually met. That's why I simply could not resist them.
And that's not even to speak of the main characters. I fell in love with Annie, Violet and Ed, even the secondaries – the Mad Max Lesbian post-apocalyptic chick couple, the soldier boy crush, and even Pickles, who was just a side character, really (that's a dude. Not a pet.) I had my own theories about Violet and Annie and their histories, about what's going on in the town for real, and some of them were true, some of them weren't. You just have to experience this for yourself, but I'm sure you'll fall in love with the characters as well.
It's Not Just The Mystery Either
When things get moving, they really do get moving. It's a tense whirlwind of things, and I can't tell you what it is because you'll be spoiled (although I really do want to tell you.) Let's just say there's no way you'll be expecting this when you start the book, cause the start is just so innocent – and the book is really slow for at least half of it. It's very, very good, exciting and dynamic. The plot is built so well that the moment you forget about a part of the cast that you thought was going to figure in the story... they come up. This happens multiple times! It's all just crafted so well in terms of storyline and timing.
...And Things Get Big
Just when you think it's about sleepy towns and simple people... There's this big, deep and philosophical thing that comes up. The story does dig deep in the end, and talks about friendship, the nature of consciousness and whether being 'simple' really means you're not worth as much as someone who is more 'complicated'. Whether friendship can survive these differences, and how much every kind of being needs companionship. It's also about ownership of self, of ideas and what is a self in general, even. And now I better shut up, because I'll spoil the hell out of this book for you. I'll just say that despite this whole 'bigness', it still retains the 'X next door' feeling – which is such a good play on the name. The story is simple, relatable and it could have happened to you – special things happen to normal, typical people like us. Special things happen in mundane life. And it's a beautiful concept.
Overall...
Talking about The Spaceship Next Door ... Would involve a lot of spoilers. It's just one of those stories. So I can't really tell you more! But just believe me, this was one of my favorites of the year, and I am itching to just buy that sequel already. Keep in mind that the story is slow, so if you don't like slow-paced books, it might not be for you. I did say there's a lot of stuff going on at one point, but it doesn't happen till at least half of the book. It's also generally an adult book, although it's got a teenager for the main character, so don't expect a YA tone to it. I'm sure anyone can enjoy The Spaceship Next Door though! So I wholeheartedly recommend it.
But Beware Of The Triggers
Well, there is some violence, but it's not dark. It just happens, mostly in defense. There is a family member who has cancer and is dying. Also, split up families and children that have to grow up largely dependent on themselves. But I wouldn't say the book has a lot of triggers – it's mostly mild.
You can read this review on my blog here.
I thank John Joseph Adams/Mariner Books for giving me a free copy of the book in exchange to my honest opinion. Receiving the book for free does not affect my opinion.
Read Post On My Blog | My Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
August 20, 2023
Probably more of a 4, but I love the genre and it's not often done in literary form (more a cinema thing), so I'll bump it up. Also because it's set in Massachusetts, so there's some home state pride involved (I've driven through roughly the area where Sorrow Falls would be).
Basically, this is the book-version of Stranger Things or the Iron Giant or something else in the Spielberg/80s style. It's a bit hard to place genre-wise, being a sort of Sci-Fi version of Urban Fantasy (that is to say, alien things going on, but in what is otherwise present day America), but with some strong horror elements, and a certain amount of comedy.
As for nuts-and-bolts... writing is quite good. Clear, clean, and with a distinct note of cynical but good-natured humor in the narration (it reminded me a bit of Ursula Vernon in that way, if not quite as zany). The plot is fast-paced and exciting, with plenty of twists and turns, though it takes a bit to get started, and the ending isn't entirely satisfying. Characters lean on the impressionistic side, which is to say most aren't overly deep, but they're interesting and memorable for their brief forays onscreen. Overall, a fun book.
Basically, this is the book-version of Stranger Things or the Iron Giant or something else in the Spielberg/80s style. It's a bit hard to place genre-wise, being a sort of Sci-Fi version of Urban Fantasy (that is to say, alien things going on, but in what is otherwise present day America), but with some strong horror elements, and a certain amount of comedy.
As for nuts-and-bolts... writing is quite good. Clear, clean, and with a distinct note of cynical but good-natured humor in the narration (it reminded me a bit of Ursula Vernon in that way, if not quite as zany). The plot is fast-paced and exciting, with plenty of twists and turns, though it takes a bit to get started, and the ending isn't entirely satisfying. Characters lean on the impressionistic side, which is to say most aren't overly deep, but they're interesting and memorable for their brief forays onscreen. Overall, a fun book.
August 15, 2016
Loved, loved, loved this book, and wish there were more in this 'universe'. I am currently reading one of the authors other series The Immortal, but it is so far no where near as absorbing, entertaining or amusing as this book.
A spaceship lands outside a small town, and 3 years later it is still there and nothing has happened. A military base is nearby, it is fenced off and the locals go on about their business as usual. The people who discovered it still live nearby so as to increase their earning potential with the media.
Local girl Annie cycles past every day, and she knows all of the long term campers in their RV - the 'nuts' who measure, theorize and chat about the potential inhabitants of this UFO.
A new visitor comes to visit the ship, and so the plot develops from there. I won't spoil the book by expanding on the plot, merely recommend this book, the writing, the character development and the tone of the book.
Excellent.
A spaceship lands outside a small town, and 3 years later it is still there and nothing has happened. A military base is nearby, it is fenced off and the locals go on about their business as usual. The people who discovered it still live nearby so as to increase their earning potential with the media.
Local girl Annie cycles past every day, and she knows all of the long term campers in their RV - the 'nuts' who measure, theorize and chat about the potential inhabitants of this UFO.
A new visitor comes to visit the ship, and so the plot develops from there. I won't spoil the book by expanding on the plot, merely recommend this book, the writing, the character development and the tone of the book.
Excellent.
Read
November 9, 2018The idea of this book was better than the book itself.
July 30, 2024
3.4 5 rounded up
I wasn’t expecting THAT at all. And by “that” I mean spoilers, so I’m not saying lol
I wasn’t expecting THAT at all. And by “that” I mean spoilers, so I’m not saying lol
November 8, 2017
2.5/5; 3 stars; B-
I enjoyed the tone of this lighthearted sci-fi action story. The narrator, Steve Carlson, did a good job and sounded very much like someone's father. The character, Annie, saved the story from being boring.
I really did like a lot of the characters in this story but found myself getting to the point of wishing it was over because it took a bit too long to move through all its paces.
I enjoyed the tone of this lighthearted sci-fi action story. The narrator, Steve Carlson, did a good job and sounded very much like someone's father. The character, Annie, saved the story from being boring.
I really did like a lot of the characters in this story but found myself getting to the point of wishing it was over because it took a bit too long to move through all its paces.
February 20, 2024
Enjoyable and original scifi.
Spoilers: fans of the SCP project and qntm will vibe with this
Spoilers: fans of the SCP project and qntm will vibe with this
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2018
Audiobook
This is a sci-fi book with zombies but they're good zombies (eventually). It's also a young adult book with Annie outsmarting someone which should not be possible. That's kind of where I stopped liking the book, right at the end. I will say the book did drag a little in the middle and I figured out pretty much from the start who the different person was. I think the author could have just had sleepwalkers instead of zombies because zombies added absolutely nothing to the story in my opinion. So, an average book gets an average rating.
This is a sci-fi book with zombies but they're good zombies (eventually). It's also a young adult book with Annie outsmarting someone which should not be possible. That's kind of where I stopped liking the book, right at the end. I will say the book did drag a little in the middle and I figured out pretty much from the start who the different person was. I think the author could have just had sleepwalkers instead of zombies because zombies added absolutely nothing to the story in my opinion. So, an average book gets an average rating.
April 26, 2018
I’m probably being generous giving this 3 stars. It’s probably more like 2-1/2 but I’m bumping it up (instead of down) because... well I’m not really sure why. And that kind of sums up how I felt while reading this book. I wasn’t really sure HOW to feel about it. I almost gave up on it several times because it was odd (in both style and substance) and not in a good way (at least not for me). There are lots of very positive reviews though (with over 4 stars overall), so I’m in the minority here.
As another reviewer mentioned, it feels kind of like a folk tale where you get a lot of information but nothing much happens. The audiobook sample I listened too was cute and had an “aw shucks” “quaint” feel to it, with an understated sense of humor. It worked at first but then it never stopped and the story never really started and it got old... quickly. The audiobook is 11-1/2 hours long and 3 hours in I was scratching my head wondering if anything of substance was going to happen. Things did happen, eventually, but only in small pieces, strung together by long parts of nothing much but background stories that didn’t seem to really be important. (I still feel like most of them really weren’t important.) The narrator didn’t work for me overall. He droned a bit too much, which worked for parts of the story but not for others. I switched to the kindle version partway through and that worked better for me (though still not enough to make me really like the book). I’m glad I only spent $3.95 on the audio and didn’t use a credit and I borrowed the ebook free from my library so no money lost there.
Anyone concerned about zombies... don’t be. Without ruining anything, they aren’t really zombies (at least not in the eat brains and kill people kind of way). I can’t give more details without giving any spoilers. Needless to say, this is NOT a zombie book.
The aliens are... again without spoiling anything... unusual though not completely unique for anyone who is a fan of Star Trek: Next Generation. While they might not be exactly the same as some we’ve seen in that old favorite of mine, they are close enough that I wouldn’t have been surprised to have encountered them on that show. And I am by no means so well read in science fiction as to say that something similar hasn’t been used in other books, but if they have, I haven’t read about them.
The ending was a bit “over the top” for me but at least it wasn’t a cliffhanger. I can say I finished the book but won’t be reading the second in the series. I’m just not that interested.
As another reviewer mentioned, it feels kind of like a folk tale where you get a lot of information but nothing much happens. The audiobook sample I listened too was cute and had an “aw shucks” “quaint” feel to it, with an understated sense of humor. It worked at first but then it never stopped and the story never really started and it got old... quickly. The audiobook is 11-1/2 hours long and 3 hours in I was scratching my head wondering if anything of substance was going to happen. Things did happen, eventually, but only in small pieces, strung together by long parts of nothing much but background stories that didn’t seem to really be important. (I still feel like most of them really weren’t important.) The narrator didn’t work for me overall. He droned a bit too much, which worked for parts of the story but not for others. I switched to the kindle version partway through and that worked better for me (though still not enough to make me really like the book). I’m glad I only spent $3.95 on the audio and didn’t use a credit and I borrowed the ebook free from my library so no money lost there.
Anyone concerned about zombies... don’t be. Without ruining anything, they aren’t really zombies (at least not in the eat brains and kill people kind of way). I can’t give more details without giving any spoilers. Needless to say, this is NOT a zombie book.
The aliens are... again without spoiling anything... unusual though not completely unique for anyone who is a fan of Star Trek: Next Generation. While they might not be exactly the same as some we’ve seen in that old favorite of mine, they are close enough that I wouldn’t have been surprised to have encountered them on that show. And I am by no means so well read in science fiction as to say that something similar hasn’t been used in other books, but if they have, I haven’t read about them.
The ending was a bit “over the top” for me but at least it wasn’t a cliffhanger. I can say I finished the book but won’t be reading the second in the series. I’m just not that interested.
January 13, 2016
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2016/01/1...
Publisher: Gene Doucette
Publishing Date: December 2015
ISBN: 9781519189394
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 4.6/5
Publishers Description: When a spaceship landed in an open field in the quiet mill town of Sorrow Falls, Massachusetts, everyone realized humankind was not alone in the universe. With that realization, everyone freaked out for a little while.
Review: This was a really entertaining ride down the SciFI trail with alien controlled zombies, a government risk analyst and a 16 year old girl. Throw in two militant lesbians, a guy that poops in the woods and a girl that no one seems to remember and you get a great recipe for entertainment.
Annie is a great character and develops nicely with the story line while rendering a somewhat glib, funny and sarcastic commentary on the people (past and present) of Sorrow Falls. This was hard to put down but a man has gotta sleep.
Publisher: Gene Doucette
Publishing Date: December 2015
ISBN: 9781519189394
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 4.6/5
Publishers Description: When a spaceship landed in an open field in the quiet mill town of Sorrow Falls, Massachusetts, everyone realized humankind was not alone in the universe. With that realization, everyone freaked out for a little while.
Review: This was a really entertaining ride down the SciFI trail with alien controlled zombies, a government risk analyst and a 16 year old girl. Throw in two militant lesbians, a guy that poops in the woods and a girl that no one seems to remember and you get a great recipe for entertainment.
Annie is a great character and develops nicely with the story line while rendering a somewhat glib, funny and sarcastic commentary on the people (past and present) of Sorrow Falls. This was hard to put down but a man has gotta sleep.
March 31, 2017
***Mild spoilers***
I have watched a crazy amount of Science Fiction movies in my life so I know what I'm talking about. The Spaceship Next Door uses bits and pieces from damn near every one of those films and I'm not angry. I knocked my logical self aside and delved into this book. It felt like the book Lake Wobegon Days meets movies The Day The Earth Stood Still and the movie Warm Bodies without getting too dark, violent or bloody. I also avoid tales featuring girls Annie Collins' age - yes I read The Hunger Games because I had to know what all the hubbub was all about - but TSND kept me completely engrossed giggling and drooling through it book loving every word that flew out of Annie's mouth.
Walking home tonight I was bummed I couldn't spend more time with Annie and Violet. I want to know more about Ed and everyone else and that is how I declare a winner in my book.
I have watched a crazy amount of Science Fiction movies in my life so I know what I'm talking about. The Spaceship Next Door uses bits and pieces from damn near every one of those films and I'm not angry. I knocked my logical self aside and delved into this book. It felt like the book Lake Wobegon Days meets movies The Day The Earth Stood Still and the movie Warm Bodies without getting too dark, violent or bloody. I also avoid tales featuring girls Annie Collins' age - yes I read The Hunger Games because I had to know what all the hubbub was all about - but TSND kept me completely engrossed giggling and drooling through it book loving every word that flew out of Annie's mouth.
Walking home tonight I was bummed I couldn't spend more time with Annie and Violet. I want to know more about Ed and everyone else and that is how I declare a winner in my book.
June 27, 2017
[2.5 stars]
This was a cute read that I think I probably would have enjoyed much more if I had the physical copy instead of listening to it on audiobook.
The book started off really great. The characters were fun and unique, and the story sounded super enticing. Unfortunately from there, it just went downhill. Annie's cute personality became whiny and naive, and basically the whole plot went in a direction that I just wasn't down with. This might have been a really great middle-grade book or it could have been a super great adult book, but the author chose this in between of childish aspects and intense aspects that didn't work in my opinion.
This definitely is not a bad book, but it wasn't for me.
This was a cute read that I think I probably would have enjoyed much more if I had the physical copy instead of listening to it on audiobook.
The book started off really great. The characters were fun and unique, and the story sounded super enticing. Unfortunately from there, it just went downhill. Annie's cute personality became whiny and naive, and basically the whole plot went in a direction that I just wasn't down with. This might have been a really great middle-grade book or it could have been a super great adult book, but the author chose this in between of childish aspects and intense aspects that didn't work in my opinion.
This definitely is not a bad book, but it wasn't for me.
June 9, 2018
Can a book be both entertaining snd slow at the same time? If so, then that describes this book. It’s also a tinfoil hat kind of book. People wearing them and people who laugh at them might equally get something out of it. The main character is 16, but I think it’s too slow to be a YA book. It reminds me a little of John Scalzi, but not quite.
June 30, 2019
This story is about a spaceship landing in small-town Massachusetts and then does nothing for three years, at which point it does... something. It was full of dry wit and small-town pragmatism and euphemisms. Though it takes place in present day and the setting has present-day tech, just about everything about the story is a throwback to early sci-fi film, with some parody to boot, though serious enough to be taken seriously.
The only issue I had when reading this is that, being from Massachusetts, I am not sure people talk or act like this anywhere or any place I've been in Massachusetts I've been, at least not in the modern day (though the author also appears to live in MA, so perhaps he knows places I don't - I pictured Berkeley and parts of Swansea, but we don't talk like this :). Sounded more like some midwest farming community to me. That said, we do have such communities hidden here and there (and perhaps there just hasn't been a reason for me to go to one).
A fun story with a highly likable female protagonist that I would definitely recommend to someone looking for some light yet imaginative sci-fi.
The only issue I had when reading this is that, being from Massachusetts, I am not sure people talk or act like this anywhere or any place I've been in Massachusetts I've been, at least not in the modern day (though the author also appears to live in MA, so perhaps he knows places I don't - I pictured Berkeley and parts of Swansea, but we don't talk like this :). Sounded more like some midwest farming community to me. That said, we do have such communities hidden here and there (and perhaps there just hasn't been a reason for me to go to one).
A fun story with a highly likable female protagonist that I would definitely recommend to someone looking for some light yet imaginative sci-fi.
June 12, 2019
This book has both potential and problems. Obviously, I'm gonna focus on the problems, but first I can say that this is a light and relatively fast-paced read with an entertaining narrative voice.
And that voice is actually the first problem, because it's childish enough that initially it made me think the main character was maybe 12. Well, the voice and the descriptions of her behavior and thought processes, because the second problem here is that the main character is a sixteen year old girl, and this author doesn't seem to know how to write girls. As a single example: Annie, the main character, spends a lot of time telling people how old she is, and it's explicitly stated that this is to prevent adults from hitting on her, which has become a problem since signs of puberty showed up about a year before the book starts. But, uh. Puberty starts earlier, Mr. Doucette. Adult men start hitting on girls at around 12. And I sure learned, way before 16, that leading with your age is a terrible idea because being very young actually attracts 10% of men, and they're the 10% who are most persistent and who you most need to avoid. And that's the problem with the characterization everywhere: the author is trying, but he just doesn't get his own MC.
This book is also weirdly unfocused in time. At first, I thought it was set in the 1980s, because -- among many other temporal weirdnesses -- it takes weeks for news of a spaceship landing to get to the general public. Later I discovered it's set in about 2015. Which means the landing took place around 2012ish. When everyone had cell phones and social media accounts, and the first videos and pics would have surfaced within 30 seconds. For a while I entertained the idea that maybe the aliens were responsible for the odd time bubble, but that also seems unlikely, so I guess I have to put that down to inadequate beta-reading.
My final big problem here is the plot, and this is more of a personal taste issue. I thought that, given the title and all, this would be about spaceships and aliens. In fact, it's more of a book, and I am not into those. Most of the plot twists are predictable, which is fine; this is not a suspense book. But the actual resolution occurs entirely off-screen, which means the climax of the action is elided and then described after the fact. Keeping secrets from the reader is fine, but keeping the resolution secret seems like maybe taking that too far.
So, overall: there's probably a good book in here, about two major beta-reads away. As it is, this is a mildly entertaining book that is fairly forgettable.
And that voice is actually the first problem, because it's childish enough that initially it made me think the main character was maybe 12. Well, the voice and the descriptions of her behavior and thought processes, because the second problem here is that the main character is a sixteen year old girl, and this author doesn't seem to know how to write girls. As a single example: Annie, the main character, spends a lot of time telling people how old she is, and it's explicitly stated that this is to prevent adults from hitting on her, which has become a problem since signs of puberty showed up about a year before the book starts. But, uh. Puberty starts earlier, Mr. Doucette. Adult men start hitting on girls at around 12. And I sure learned, way before 16, that leading with your age is a terrible idea because being very young actually attracts 10% of men, and they're the 10% who are most persistent and who you most need to avoid. And that's the problem with the characterization everywhere: the author is trying, but he just doesn't get his own MC.
This book is also weirdly unfocused in time. At first, I thought it was set in the 1980s, because -- among many other temporal weirdnesses -- it takes weeks for news of a spaceship landing to get to the general public. Later I discovered it's set in about 2015. Which means the landing took place around 2012ish. When everyone had cell phones and social media accounts, and the first videos and pics would have surfaced within 30 seconds. For a while I entertained the idea that maybe the aliens were responsible for the odd time bubble, but that also seems unlikely, so I guess I have to put that down to inadequate beta-reading.
My final big problem here is the plot, and this is more of a personal taste issue. I thought that, given the title and all, this would be about spaceships and aliens. In fact, it's more of a book, and I am not into those. Most of the plot twists are predictable, which is fine; this is not a suspense book. But the actual resolution occurs entirely off-screen, which means the climax of the action is elided and then described after the fact. Keeping secrets from the reader is fine, but keeping the resolution secret seems like maybe taking that too far.
So, overall: there's probably a good book in here, about two major beta-reads away. As it is, this is a mildly entertaining book that is fairly forgettable.
January 6, 2016
NetGalley. Thanks for the copy.
Aliens. No romance. Contemporary (with a dash of Sci-Fi). This story is about a spaceship that has landed in a small town of good old US of America. Three years have passed since the spaceship that has landed, and it isn't doing anything. Nothing good. Nothing bad. Nothing at all.
Or is it actually doing something? (Cue mind screw.)
The story has a great start, though the writing style is a bit odd and unusual (and alien). It's unusual, because it's different than what readers usually read (and it most definitely stands out from the hundreds of other alien books). However, the writing style and the language itself is stronger in the beginning and begins to weaken towards the ending. Told from a third person perspective, it offers viewpoints of several people including Annie, Ed, and even the US President.
The plot starts off strongly, and I slip into the story so easily. Though the pacing is slow, the bang goes off around the midpoint of the book. And it is really worth it, and I can't help but continue reading and following along with the story. (So much that when my mother came by, she asked me to get up and do some laborious work in the kitchen. I'd been sitting in my seat for hours without stopping.)
However, the ending ends anti-climatically. There are no (major) epic battles, nothing worthy of Ender's Game. Still, it's nice to see a sort-of HEA. It's a good conclusion that ties up most loose ends and can be read alone. My only beef with the ending is that it isn't explained well enough, and certain parts of it should be explored. Aliens! Aliens. Come on. It's aliens. (Up the excitement levels!)
The book is more of a mystery than an action-packed thriller. Of course, there are some moments of action and creepy, scary questions. Annie Collins isn't given too great of a character arc, but she does have her little character tics that make me smile.
In conclusion, The Spaceship Next Door is definitely for those who love aliens, a lack of a romance plot, and a tantalizing mystery. Recommended for fans of The X Files.
Rating: Three out of Five
-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com
Aliens. No romance. Contemporary (with a dash of Sci-Fi). This story is about a spaceship that has landed in a small town of good old US of America. Three years have passed since the spaceship that has landed, and it isn't doing anything. Nothing good. Nothing bad. Nothing at all.
Or is it actually doing something? (Cue mind screw.)
The story has a great start, though the writing style is a bit odd and unusual (and alien). It's unusual, because it's different than what readers usually read (and it most definitely stands out from the hundreds of other alien books). However, the writing style and the language itself is stronger in the beginning and begins to weaken towards the ending. Told from a third person perspective, it offers viewpoints of several people including Annie, Ed, and even the US President.
The plot starts off strongly, and I slip into the story so easily. Though the pacing is slow, the bang goes off around the midpoint of the book. And it is really worth it, and I can't help but continue reading and following along with the story. (So much that when my mother came by, she asked me to get up and do some laborious work in the kitchen. I'd been sitting in my seat for hours without stopping.)
However, the ending ends anti-climatically. There are no (major) epic battles, nothing worthy of Ender's Game. Still, it's nice to see a sort-of HEA. It's a good conclusion that ties up most loose ends and can be read alone. My only beef with the ending is that it isn't explained well enough, and certain parts of it should be explored. Aliens! Aliens. Come on. It's aliens. (Up the excitement levels!)
The book is more of a mystery than an action-packed thriller. Of course, there are some moments of action and creepy, scary questions. Annie Collins isn't given too great of a character arc, but she does have her little character tics that make me smile.
In conclusion, The Spaceship Next Door is definitely for those who love aliens, a lack of a romance plot, and a tantalizing mystery. Recommended for fans of The X Files.
Rating: Three out of Five
-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com
August 2, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and John Joseph Adams/Mariner Books for providing me with an ARC of The Spaceship Next Door in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gist
I was in a really good space, reading-wise when I started this book. On a book high, if you want to call it that.
I was pumped by having just finished a string of really good stories and I was eager to continue digging my nose into books and getting lost in stories that made it feel good to curl up with a book and a cup of tea.
I’m not sure what happened, but I hit a slump around the time I started this one.
The Details
It was slow. Oh, so slow. It was probably the slowest start to a story I had read in a while. It also felt like the reader should already know all the characters by the second page.
It had a very inclusive sort of feeling. If the reader isn’t quick to catch on who is who, then the reader isn’t worth it.
Certainly, very off-putting.
There really wasn’t much going on for the first half of the book and I really didn’t care about the second half.
Call me entitled, but I won’t suffer through the first half of a very slow story that really doesn’t care about its audience, just to be slightly compensated by a less slow second half of the story.
The Verdict
Overall, give me at least something to find interesting and worthwhile to keep reading 300+ pages of a book.
Sadly, this one wasn’t for me.
ElliotScribbles
The Gist
I was in a really good space, reading-wise when I started this book. On a book high, if you want to call it that.
I was pumped by having just finished a string of really good stories and I was eager to continue digging my nose into books and getting lost in stories that made it feel good to curl up with a book and a cup of tea.
I’m not sure what happened, but I hit a slump around the time I started this one.
The Details
It was slow. Oh, so slow. It was probably the slowest start to a story I had read in a while. It also felt like the reader should already know all the characters by the second page.
It had a very inclusive sort of feeling. If the reader isn’t quick to catch on who is who, then the reader isn’t worth it.
Certainly, very off-putting.
There really wasn’t much going on for the first half of the book and I really didn’t care about the second half.
Call me entitled, but I won’t suffer through the first half of a very slow story that really doesn’t care about its audience, just to be slightly compensated by a less slow second half of the story.
The Verdict
Overall, give me at least something to find interesting and worthwhile to keep reading 300+ pages of a book.
Sadly, this one wasn’t for me.
ElliotScribbles
June 17, 2019
The Spaceship Next Door by Gene Douchette, 353 pages. Mariner (Houghton), 2015 $16
Language: G (3 swears); Mature Content: PG13 (talk of romance between older man-younger woman); Violence: PG13 (zombie).
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NOT RECOMMENDED
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
A spaceship landed in Sorrow Falls, Massachusetts, and proceeded to do nothing –for years. Now its doing something interesting and a government investigator, Ed has come to check into things, in the process deciding that a local could be of help. Annie knows everyone and everything about the town. Together they interview locals. When things go horribly wrong, its apparent that the ship will do anything to capture Annie.
The bulk of the action, which is totally fun and interesting happens in the last 30% of the book, the rest is so boring and off-putting (with multiple lengthy dialogues about directions!!) that I think teen readers would set it aside before finishing it. The idea of the story is actually really great –a perfect mix of sci-fi and zombie..but getting there is a total slog. I really hated reading this book and the nasty little hints that Annie was attracting older men were just out of place. There were a plethora of characters that felt like lifeless fillers (i.e. her male childhood friends) and just took up more space. Wish I could have helped edit this book -I felt like the narrator is someone who likes to listen to themselves speak and whom others dread hearing them once they get going.
Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
Language: G (3 swears); Mature Content: PG13 (talk of romance between older man-younger woman); Violence: PG13 (zombie).
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NOT RECOMMENDED
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
A spaceship landed in Sorrow Falls, Massachusetts, and proceeded to do nothing –for years. Now its doing something interesting and a government investigator, Ed has come to check into things, in the process deciding that a local could be of help. Annie knows everyone and everything about the town. Together they interview locals. When things go horribly wrong, its apparent that the ship will do anything to capture Annie.
The bulk of the action, which is totally fun and interesting happens in the last 30% of the book, the rest is so boring and off-putting (with multiple lengthy dialogues about directions!!) that I think teen readers would set it aside before finishing it. The idea of the story is actually really great –a perfect mix of sci-fi and zombie..but getting there is a total slog. I really hated reading this book and the nasty little hints that Annie was attracting older men were just out of place. There were a plethora of characters that felt like lifeless fillers (i.e. her male childhood friends) and just took up more space. Wish I could have helped edit this book -I felt like the narrator is someone who likes to listen to themselves speak and whom others dread hearing them once they get going.
Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
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