Leaning On Water

by Joan June Chen

Winner of the 13th Annual National Indie Excellence Award in Science Fiction!

A talented young pilot.
A mysterious Bionic.
A dark past that threatens the future...

LIVINTHEA PARK has the Mark of Dresden mutation, only she doesn't know about it.

When a tragic accident exposes this hidden secret, her life as Galactic's top pilot quickly unravels. The Bionics barge in and stake their claim, whisking her away from her beloved home to the otherworldly Atlas Station I.

Though these mysterious Bionics look human, with nanobots coursing through their veins, they are anything but just plain human... especially the one with the steel grey eyes.

Commissioned since the turn of the millennium with guarding the Erlion System against a dark menace, the Bionics take Livi on a cosmic journey where wonders abound, mysteries unfold, and a heroine rises.


*Latest edition available August 23, 2019.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy

516 pages, ebook

First published February 1, 2018

About the author

JOAN JUNE CHEN MD obtained her undergraduate and medical school degrees from Stanford University, then went on to complete her anesthesiology residency at UCSF. Though she may be a full-time anesthesiologist, when she's out from under the bright glare of the operating room lights, her other passions are writing and letting her creative juices flow free. She currently lives along the gently rolling foothills of the Bay Area with her husband, two children, and a pair of mischievous Ewoks.

Leaning on Water is her first novel (and third child). Don't miss its sequel, The Gravity of Stars!

Reviews

[Susan Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book! The author does such a wondrous job of building the characters. The character development is outstanding. The story has a lot of depth with a lot of action and twists. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Livi is the main character and she is a strong, willful female protagonist. I really loved her from the start! I love her stubbornness. She is strong and bullheaded, but she also has a caring nature that shines through. She is extremely loyal to her friends and she would die for them there is no doubt.

Triton is the other main character in this book. At first I'm not sure what to think of him; I'm torn. As I get to know him I love who he is and what he is about. He is also strong and willful. He is just as loyal as her. They grew up so differently and it is that which shows how different they are. Yet, they are so alike in so many ways. I love both of these characters.

Then there are a slew of additional characters that are part of this story. And they all help to make the story great. The interactions, the personalities; they help to build this into something great.

And the action! There is so much action that I didn't want to stop reading. Different variations of flying, battles, different planets. There was so much going on all the time. It was definitely one of those that you really didn't want to put down, but you knew you had to get up in the morning and go to work :)

Definitely recommend.

[Lindsay · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF'd. I could tell pretty quickly this was going to be way above my sci-fi ceiling. I decided to try anyways, and was further put off by the author's very tell-don't-show approach. So many terms and names and history factoids get thrown at you through very awkward, forced dialogue. Not for me.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compulsively readable book by a supremely talented first time author. Once you start reading, it's hard to stop! The author has done a wonderful job creating a whole new world and populating it with interesting characters to root for. The plot moves fast and is filled with humor and a little romantic intrigue, too. My only complaint is that the second book is not available. Read it! You won't regret it!

[Ina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rating: If you like Avatar or Star wars i think you would like this book. I’m gonna start off with the things i didn’t like too much about it, first the writing style just wasn’t my favorite, and also there were too many characters and names to remember for just a standalone book that i kinda just gave up and only remembered like three characters.
I did like that it was a clean book, and i do love space and anything space related too so obviously this book qualifies. That’s pretty much it i probably wouldn’t read it again but i enjoyed it and will definitely recommend it to others.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Won this in a Goodreads giveaway.

It was a fantastic read, and an awesome sci-fi story with great characters and world building. I loved how well the pacing was too. The ending obviously means a sequel, and I hope it happens soon. I need to continue following Livi's journey.

[Karen ⚜Mess⚜]

💦💦 .99 today June 21, 2021 💦💦

[Rnolter Nolter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

It started out strange and hard to figure out at first but after a bit I got a handle on it and zipped through it. One of the best SciFi books I’ve read recently. The story line is awesome. I was heartbroken that book two is not out yet. The characters are addictive. I especially like how we warm up to the Bionics over the course of the book. The droid story is quite spectacular as well.

Great job of writing!!

[Tammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A talented young pilot.
A mysterious Bionic.
A dark past that threatens the future...

LIVINTHEA PARK has the Mark of Dresden mutation, only she doesn't know about it.

When a tragic accident exposes this hidden secret, her life as Galactic's top pilot quickly unravels. The Bionics barge in and stake their claim, whisking her away from her beloved home to the otherworldly Atlas Station I.

Though these mysterious Bionics look human, with nanobots coursing through their veins, they are anything but just plain human... especially the one with the steel grey eyes.

Commissioned since the turn of the millennium with guarding the Erlion System against a dark menace, the Bionics take Livi on a cosmic journey where wonders abound, mysteries unfold, and a heroine rises.


This was one of the books we voted on a while back when we were choosing a book club read. I voted for it, but it didn't win. Of course I still wanted to read it, so it went on my to-read list. I'm glad I finally got to it because I really liked it.

This is a pretty standard space opera or space fantasy type book with different worlds and the people that inhabit them, some of whom reminded me of the Borg from Star Trek, or even the Cybermen from Doctor Who. There are also the Bionics that are like cyborgs. I kept thinking of Wolverine when they talked about the procedure of changing humans into cyborgs and was expecting something excruciating, but we never see that. The character in the book that undergoes the change is unconscious and just wakes up after the change, so that was a little disappointing. There are also, of course the humans whose origins seem to come originally from Earth. I won't say anything else about that because of spoilers.

The main character, Livi was very likable and so was Triton and several other characters. There was quite a bit of good action in the book, and I had a hard time putting it down. There is room for some romance to take root in a future book and I like that, but I also liked that the relationships and personal drama didn't overwhelm the overall plot of the story. The second book was supposed to be released in 2020, but apparently that didn't happen. I have no idea when it will be published, but I'm looking forward to it, and I hope it doesn't take too long.

[KO · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down until I was done ... and then I immediately reread some of the parts I really liked. It is easy to read and I was always eager to see what happened next. The heroine was instantly likable, and I was rooting for her every step of the way. The backdrop for the story was very imaginative and clever. And the plot had lots of surprises to keep me going to the end. The only drawback is that this is book one; I hope it doesn't take too long for book two to come out. I need to see what happens next!

[Dylanco · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author did a great job in building all of the characters and creating an amazing storyline. The book is fast paced and each page is filled with new suspense and action. The main characters, Livi and Triton make this book feel real, with relatable emotions. Set a millenium into the future, the world building is both creative and immersive. There was a bit of cliffhanger at the end, but overall I really enjoyed the book.

[Greedy Chickadee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was amazing! It had me completely absorbed throughout. There is a lot of action and the book keeps moving forward. What I like best about the book is that I can relate to the main character Livinthea Park. She is strong, creative, interesting, and solved many problems while thinking outside the box.

Not only is this book sci-fi, but there is also a touch of romance. Personally, I am rooting for Keenon.

Can't wait for the next book!

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I think of myself as a serious reader, and I so enjoyed reading this book because it was a page-turner that also engaged my mind and imagination--a scifi book that's warm. The construction of the book was wonderful, managing to be tight as a drum and yet unforced. I agree with the other reviewers, it's a hard book to put down. If there's a second book, sign me up.

[Wyvernoflight · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like strong female characters, cool science fiction, and lots of action, you will enjoy this book . Some plots and characters are reminiscent of other storylines, but there are enough unique features to keep it clever and entertaining.

[Gene Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

And the adventure continues...

I am the father of a very very young MD PhD practicing in Sacramento. We both like a good story and you gave it to us. Thank you and hope to read more soon.
Retired teacher
Gene Summers

[NoNo JoJo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preface: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review
Explicit content: some violence, death
Actual rating: 4.25 stars

This was a fun little read. It's a bit of a cadet-in-training story with a bit of space opera. Not terribly hard sci-fi, but it doesn't really try to be. It's more of a fun ride than an attempt at realism. That being said, it does this pretty well. The main characters are very different from each other and easy to sympathize with. The plot is a little unfocused at times, but ultimately enjoyable, though I wish we saw more of our hero's training with the Bionics. I really liked Triton. There's a tease of a love triangle, but honestly both leads are likable (though very different) so I'd be happy with our main character ending up with both of them, haha. The villains are initially a little generic, but become more interesting as we learn more about them. The worldbuilding is a little confusing at times - in the beginning, I assumed our main civilization spanned multiple planets, but eventually this is revealed not to be the case - but there's a lot of room for exploration in future books.

I will say I had two small gripes - one being that the ending kinda came out of nowhere (the story doesn't conclude so much as pause), and the other being our main character is just a little too special. She's good at everything she tries throughout the novel, has the typical traits of taking risks and doing stupid things but not reaping any consequences for them, gains some never-before-seen abilities along the way, etc. etc. It just felt like she never really struggles throughout the story. Even when she thinks she's struggling, like with the simulations, she's really doing better than literally anyone else before her. All of this is chalked up to her genetics, which is a bit disheartening. She's not good at things because of some innate quality of her character, but because she was basically crafted to be this way. I would have liked to see more conflict or something meatier about her character.

Overall, though, this was a satisfying read, and I'm curious where the series will go from here.

[Celeste · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boring love triangle where the heroine only has 2 clear choices to burden her heart? Check. Dependent female who gains her identity only by choosing one of them? Ch...not so fast. At least Livi asserts herself early on by breaking away from the prospect of a marriage with her best friend to pursue her own dreams, and that encourages the boy to do that as well. And when presented with a chance to be near-immortal, it's made clear that a Bionic can have many identities and careers in their long lives.
I wish it were more highlighted that they can also choose different romantic companions too, without it completely redefining their roles in society, but alas, if you choose to be Bionic you must also choose a Bionic partner, and no-one talks about what happens when Fairose Bionic gets tired of Quadblast Bionic refusing to maintain the domestic Bot or Quadblast Bionic gets sick of Fairose Bionic always sending him on Mission Impossible alone and he just wants to stay home and raise Baby Bionics.
Well wait, there is casual mention that Bionics can't make babies of their own, and that segues into another plot point of suggesting Why Livi Is Crucial To Their Survival. So I am predicting Bionic Civil War when Quadblast and every other male Bionic want to get with Livi to see if they can make babies, setting Livi against all the other female Bionics. Yay, more YA where the heroine/romantic lead is Not Like Other Girls.
But still. This is a well-told story, fast paced and engrossing, with a strong and intelligent female lead. The inclusion of some less-than-inventive colloquialisms is unfortunately what jarred me out of the narrative but at least there was an attempt to be creative. (Sorry, who the hellas has time to say infinite black holes or burning black holes in a time of crisis? Over and over again?) The idea of the Earth's people having to flee to the stars and turn some of their number into near-immortal cyborgs is a great one, though, and I look forward to a sequel.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livi (Livinthea Park) is the top pilot at the Galactic. She has an intuitive feel for flight and fine tuned reflexes that are almost too good to be true. Unknown even to Livi herself, she carries the Mark of Dresden. A rare mutation that makes it possible for her blood to assimilate nanobots that can enhance her abilities and prolong her life. When she is discovered by the Quadrati, a drone race intent on the destruction of humans, Livi must choose to remain human or become a Bionic, a human who has undergone the nanobot transformation. Friendships, loyalties, and determination are all tested as Livi is thrust into the forefront of the war and pushed to her physical and mental limits.

This is a great adventure with a twist or turn keeping the story and main character in constant motion. The plot maintains a rapid pace that engages readers in a constant thrust to know what will happen next and how each conundrum will be resolved. The character of Livi is a noble and courageous young woman who although headstrong and stubborn is extremely loyal and courageous. She pushes herself from a strong personal drive for excellence and also for those on her team. She is a great example for young women and young men as is the camaraderie found throughout the book. A possible weakness of the novel is that it feels like three distinct stories. The first ends when Livi is taken from the Galactic to live with the Bionics. The next section ends when she becomes a Bionic. It is exhausting to keep going and each section really feels distinct enough to be it's own story. Since it all ends with another cliff hanger, perhaps there are already too many books in the works. Overall this is a wonderful thrill ride that satisfies an urgent need for adventure.

*Mild violence.

For more reviews visit byucbmr.com

[Read Ng · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a GoodReads giveaway.

I thought it bad when Star Wars goofed and used the term "parsec" in place of a unit of time. At least one followup novel explained it away as more of an ever changing maze between two stars that was difficult to generate the shortest distance for the "Kessel Run". But this author's use of the term parsec really makes no sense. Okay, Chen is trying to use different terms in this universe, but she is still using parsec as a distance measure, so she should have invented an entirely new word, not attempted to re-invent an existing distance measure. (And later the use of farthing, also as a distance measure.) In my mind, it demonstrates a lack of care in the writing and more importantly for me, a huge distraction. (And her use of "parsec" is not explained away in the glossary of terms at the end of the book.)

This is not a hard science fiction book. Aside from the use of distance, I found this story to be well done. Quick paced. A clean ending, but still a bit of a cliff hanger in that it is obviously part one of a series. There are some dangling threads that obviously are left to be tied up in following books. But Chen gave this one her all. A mostly complete tale which, if I find continues into more books, I will continue to read.

This was an ebook version. I don't warm up to ebooks that same as a paper edition. But I do think I like short and quick chapters in ebooks. I think it helps me get around the feeling in a lack of progress as I read a story. Physical books, I can track my bookmark. Ebooks leave me with a progress bar, but that just doesn't feel the same. Perhaps that is part of my dislike of ebooks?

Have a GoodReads.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like I'm being more than generous with that star rating. I actually waffled over a two-star rating for a moment. The story itself is a 4-star read, a fun sci-fi plot with a quick pace and interesting characters. BUT... the book was not without its faults.

First, I have to assume it's the first book in the series? It does not have any kind of conclusion, so be prepared to be left hanging. There's a hint of a potential romance that seems to be forgotten halfway through. And honestly, it's so long that it could easily have been two books on its own.

The copy editing as well needs some serious work. There is word repetition, homophone slip-ups and punctuation issues. It left my OCD twitching like mad, and I wanted nothing more than to immerse myself in the story without being pulled out every page or two by the constant mistakes.

All of the problems aside, the book has an intelligence to the writing. It's exciting and animated. I still really enjoyed the plot; I was just left wanting... more, I suppose.

[amanda_coffee_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read

I want to start off by saying I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. In return for honest review. Now I will start off by saying that when I first starting reading this book I wasn't to interested into this book. It being my first science fiction read. I wanted to give this book a second chance and I am glad I did. This is a quick read and a lot of action. Livi a young woman who is amazing pilot. Who happens to be the one the mark of dresden. Which means that Livi must leave her home and become a Bionic. Livi then learns who these Book is are. And we are taken to learn and the world is amazing at times I felt like I was watching a movie instead of reading at times. If you like science fiction and space books. I highly recommend this book. I nice way end 2018.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free through goodreads and thoroughly enjoyed it. I love sci-fi stories anyway, but this just clicked with me. It's futuristic with humanity spread out on many planets and a ruthless enemy sending out metallic droids to destroy humans. But on the plus side there is a race of bionics, human but more, who are watching out for humanity with very little interaction between the two. So when Livi Park is discovered by the bionics as one of their own, she's taken away from everything she's ever known and thrust into a world she knows nothing about.
Add to that space travel, increased droid attacks and Livi trying to figure out what she's become and the fun begins! Looking forward to book 2!

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I recieved an Advanced Review Copy of this book."

Definitely a sci-fi type read. The MCF is a bada*s. I really loved her from the beginning of the book! She is a strong character but very stubborn which can always leave to trouble. You can also tell she is very caring. She is the type that would jump in front of a bullet for her select group of people. The MCM I'm not going to go in details on he is very mysterious and hard to understand so I'm not going to try to explain him. I overall liked this read and hope to read more.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride! I cannot wait for the sequel to come out!

The author does an excellent job of developing this new sci-fi world and creating a diverse set of characters. While I wished there was more explanation at the start of the story, we did get the explanation after about 1/4 of the story so it was not too late. There was a lot of action from the get-go, and the plot continues to thicken as the story proceeds. Livi is our protagonist who is very strong-willed and pushes herself to not only help others, but also to improve herself so that she can help others.

[PAB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overuse of made up terms

There are a great many made up words. Inferring the approximate meanings can take pages or even chapters. There is a glossary, but it is not indexed. Currently you have to go to the last chapter and page all the way through it to get to the glossary. Further, not all terms are in the glossary. It's not a bad first book, but the writing keeps pulling you out of the story.

[Jade Lauron · Rating 3 out of 5]

(spoiler) Plothole ruined book

I didn’t finish this one, and I am honestly am not sure how it won an award. It seemed like an “okay” book, not award winning.

Really couldn’t stand the “oh no mysterious stranger knows my name” when in the previous chapter protagonist was on stage at an event where they first saw stranger. At this point, hundreds of ppl know your name, bc IT WAS ANNOUNCED WHEN YOU GOT A SPECIAL AWARD. Derp.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way out there

Too much out there sci fi ideas... But surprisingly i enjoyed this book. At first it was hard to follow with all the unusual names, words and descriptions, but once you get used to it, the reading itself was easy & keeps you interested & wanting to know what happens. Pretty good book. I'm glad i read it.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although there are themes and ideas taken from other scifi stories, this book definitely kept my interest. I wanted to know what happened next. The twist toward the end was a bit predictable, but still good. I am looking forward to the next book.

[Cristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. But, I was immediately bogged down by all the made-up terminology the author uses to convey that we’re on an alien planet. It’s relentless and often without explanation. So, you have to plod on until you figure out what the character is talking about.

[C.A. Knutsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of action; lots of fun

A strong main character whose development is recognized by those around her more quickly then she herself recognizes it. I'm looking forward to the next installment. Highly recommended.

[Karla Angel · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 25%. The story’s premise is interesting and the world building decent, but the editing really turned me off. Repetitive language, odd character introductions, a lack of...something. It’s unfortunately not for me, though I might try it again later.