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Proxima Five
Geologist Dr. Leah Warren wakes after extended cryogenic hibernation to discover she’s crash-landed on a foreign planet. The sole survivor of her crew, she struggles to piece together what went wrong. Leah ventures from the ship in search of signs of life only to be captured by desert raiders.
Keegan, a clan warrior, discovers Leah, weak and barely alive. Her kindness and affection for Leah seem in direct conflict with her tough and emotionally remote façade, and Leah’s attraction for the reserved warrior grows. Unfortunately, Tiago, the clan’s volatile chieftain, is a tyrant who wants Leah for himself. Keegan will have to relinquish Leah or challenge Tiago. Will love give Keegan the strength to defeat him?
Keegan, a clan warrior, discovers Leah, weak and barely alive. Her kindness and affection for Leah seem in direct conflict with her tough and emotionally remote façade, and Leah’s attraction for the reserved warrior grows. Unfortunately, Tiago, the clan’s volatile chieftain, is a tyrant who wants Leah for himself. Keegan will have to relinquish Leah or challenge Tiago. Will love give Keegan the strength to defeat him?
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 11, 2018
20 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
About the author
Missouri Vaun
24 books143 followersMissouri Vaun is a two-time Golden Crown Literary Society award-winning lesbian romance writer published by Bold Strokes Books. FOREVER'S PROMISE is Vaun's latest, a historical romance. Wes dresses as a man for property rights. Will she risk it all for love?
Vaun spent a large part of her childhood in southern Mississippi, before attending high school in North Carolina and college in Tennessee. Strong connections to her roots in the rural South have been a grounding force throughout her life. Vaun spent twelve years finding her voice working as a journalist in places as disparate as Chicago, Atlanta and Jackson, Miss., all along filing away characters and their stories. Her novels are heartfelt, earthy; speak of loyalty and our responsibility to others.
She and her wife live in Northern California.
Vaun spent a large part of her childhood in southern Mississippi, before attending high school in North Carolina and college in Tennessee. Strong connections to her roots in the rural South have been a grounding force throughout her life. Vaun spent twelve years finding her voice working as a journalist in places as disparate as Chicago, Atlanta and Jackson, Miss., all along filing away characters and their stories. Her novels are heartfelt, earthy; speak of loyalty and our responsibility to others.
She and her wife live in Northern California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
August 29, 2018
3.25 Stars. I was excited about this read. I’m a Vaun fan and I love sci-fi. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. It was a decent read; it just didn’t work for me like I had hoped. I would put this in a sci-fi, dystopian, lesfic-romance category.
I really struggled with the beginning of this book. To be completely honest I did not like it to start with. As the book went on I finally connected more and it was a bit better for me. Part of this was my fault. I didn’t read the blurb carefully enough, I just thought sci-fi and jumped. I wasn’t prepared for a very unlikable world where 80% of the women are abused, slaves or worse. I have to prepare myself to read books where a strong independent woman is suddenly thrown into a situation where she has no power. I didn’t realize it was coming so I was just angry instead of immersed into the read. There was also an almost dubious-consent sex scene that was just turning my stomach. Luckily Vaun didn’t go through with it. Reading it I was worried she would use the excuse that the character was a little turned on, even though she was saying no, to make it okay. Thankfully it didn’t happen because if it did with the power imbalance of the relationship I would have DNF.
This is the ninth book I have read by Vaun. I like the way Vaun writes. I think part of my issue was I didn’t feel like this was really a Vaun book. It felt like a different author to me. Even the romance and sex scenes didn’t feel like Vaun to me. I felt like I was reading about two women getting close, but I didn’t feel like I was reading about them falling in love. The sex scenes were good, but it seemed like the characters where just fucking. I love some good sex scenes as much as the next person, but I hope to see the characters bond grow stronger. This might sound sappy but I want my characters, in a romance, to be intimate and actually make love. I didn’t feel like that ever happened here, so I never believed in their connection beyond just that they liked each other.
I mentioned when the book shifted, about half way through, I started to like it more. I felt the story was more interesting and I liked the small twist about one of the mains. The book kept building up for an exciting ending. Once again I was a little disappointed. While the ending was fine, it seemed to wrap up too easily. I kept looking at the percentage complete on my Kindle and was like “how can the story finish in time?” It was way too rushed and too easy for what I had hoped for.
When it comes down to it, I was most interested in what would happen after the book ended. Just when I wanted to know more, the story is over. I don’t know if Vaun plans a sequel, but I would want to read it. I would want to see the characters growing into a believable couple and what would happen next in their world. There are two side characters that would make interesting possible mains. While I think this story was only a bit better than okay, I could see the possibilities here and would read more. I think some people might like this book more than I did. This book just took me by surprise and bothered me a bit, which is my fault for not reading the blurb.
An ARC was given to me by BSB for a honest review.
I really struggled with the beginning of this book. To be completely honest I did not like it to start with. As the book went on I finally connected more and it was a bit better for me. Part of this was my fault. I didn’t read the blurb carefully enough, I just thought sci-fi and jumped. I wasn’t prepared for a very unlikable world where 80% of the women are abused, slaves or worse. I have to prepare myself to read books where a strong independent woman is suddenly thrown into a situation where she has no power. I didn’t realize it was coming so I was just angry instead of immersed into the read. There was also an almost dubious-consent sex scene that was just turning my stomach. Luckily Vaun didn’t go through with it. Reading it I was worried she would use the excuse that the character was a little turned on, even though she was saying no, to make it okay. Thankfully it didn’t happen because if it did with the power imbalance of the relationship I would have DNF.
This is the ninth book I have read by Vaun. I like the way Vaun writes. I think part of my issue was I didn’t feel like this was really a Vaun book. It felt like a different author to me. Even the romance and sex scenes didn’t feel like Vaun to me. I felt like I was reading about two women getting close, but I didn’t feel like I was reading about them falling in love. The sex scenes were good, but it seemed like the characters where just fucking. I love some good sex scenes as much as the next person, but I hope to see the characters bond grow stronger. This might sound sappy but I want my characters, in a romance, to be intimate and actually make love. I didn’t feel like that ever happened here, so I never believed in their connection beyond just that they liked each other.
I mentioned when the book shifted, about half way through, I started to like it more. I felt the story was more interesting and I liked the small twist about one of the mains. The book kept building up for an exciting ending. Once again I was a little disappointed. While the ending was fine, it seemed to wrap up too easily. I kept looking at the percentage complete on my Kindle and was like “how can the story finish in time?” It was way too rushed and too easy for what I had hoped for.
When it comes down to it, I was most interested in what would happen after the book ended. Just when I wanted to know more, the story is over. I don’t know if Vaun plans a sequel, but I would want to read it. I would want to see the characters growing into a believable couple and what would happen next in their world. There are two side characters that would make interesting possible mains. While I think this story was only a bit better than okay, I could see the possibilities here and would read more. I think some people might like this book more than I did. This book just took me by surprise and bothered me a bit, which is my fault for not reading the blurb.
An ARC was given to me by BSB for a honest review.
September 4, 2018
This is an ARC I received from Bold Strokes Books & Netgalley.
I believe I already mentioned this in a status update: this is kind of a post apocalyptic Conan the Barbarian type book set on a different planet than earth.
Like the previous book I read: earth is dying, certain groups are attempting to save humanity by fleeing in space ships. The book opens with Leah waking up in a spaceship on another world. A world with breathable air but locked with one part of the planet always facing the sun while the other only knows the night. Mercury is like that (I believe) - locked part not breathable atmosphere.
Leah wakes up as the sole survivor of her ship - but there were nine other colony ships that had set out from earth to this planet. Leah desires to find the colony/or possibly colony sites. So she leaves her ship and is promptly captured by humans but not any she had ever meet before (and she does have some knowledge of the other colonists). Some time later Leah is 'saved' by the female verison of Conan - the other main character Keegan. A commander in the Tenth (and ruling) clan.
I've used the term/shelf 'culture clash' for many books. But Leah truly does not understand the culture that she meets/finds herself interacting with; and while Keegan 'knows that Leah is something 'different' (for one: Leah is just too pale to have lived long on the sun side), she still expects reactions of her culture and is not getting it and so gets frustrated.
An overall interesting and good book. That had a somewhat riveting build up to conclusion but kind of fizzled there at end.
Last thought: I said female verison of Conan instead of referencing Xena because Keegan really did d'sseem more female Conan than Xena.
Rating: 3,82
September 3 2018
I believe I already mentioned this in a status update: this is kind of a post apocalyptic Conan the Barbarian type book set on a different planet than earth.
Like the previous book I read: earth is dying, certain groups are attempting to save humanity by fleeing in space ships. The book opens with Leah waking up in a spaceship on another world. A world with breathable air but locked with one part of the planet always facing the sun while the other only knows the night. Mercury is like that (I believe) - locked part not breathable atmosphere.
Leah wakes up as the sole survivor of her ship - but there were nine other colony ships that had set out from earth to this planet. Leah desires to find the colony/or possibly colony sites. So she leaves her ship and is promptly captured by humans but not any she had ever meet before (and she does have some knowledge of the other colonists). Some time later Leah is 'saved' by the female verison of Conan - the other main character Keegan. A commander in the Tenth (and ruling) clan.
I've used the term/shelf 'culture clash' for many books. But Leah truly does not understand the culture that she meets/finds herself interacting with; and while Keegan 'knows that Leah is something 'different' (for one: Leah is just too pale to have lived long on the sun side), she still expects reactions of her culture and is not getting it and so gets frustrated.
An overall interesting and good book. That had a somewhat riveting build up to conclusion but kind of fizzled there at end.
Last thought: I said female verison of Conan instead of referencing Xena because Keegan really did d'sseem more female Conan than Xena.
Rating: 3,82
September 3 2018
September 12, 2018
Leah Warren climbs out of her stasis chamber after her cryogenic sleep to find all her shipmates are dead and she’s not entirely sure where she is. When she ventures out she’s finds she’s in a hot desert but realises she’s gone too far when she’s captured and caged by some type of raider. She’s rescued by a tall, muscular woman (Keegan) who turns out to be a commander of one of the warrior clans that inhabit Haydn City. Keegan is the same rank as Tiago, the chief’s son, but Tiago knows that taking over from his father could be challenged by Keegan. Animosity between them is growing.
I’ve read a number of books by Vaun but this is my first of hers in the sci-fi genre. One of the things I love most about her work is that the environment she creates is powerful and immersive. Usually I can feel the wind, taste the dust and hear the thunder but I didn’t get that from “Proxima Five”. The environment, culture and people felt very generalised and indistinct. Leah finds herself on a planet which is not earth where the people not only speak English but they speak the same English as her. So while it makes for easy reading, it also causes a loss of atmosphere and tension.
The story is heavy on the romance and the main characters’ relationship is a little insta-love-y. There also isn’t enough on-page communication for me to entirely believe the romance. But, it’s not a bad read in spite of everything I’ve said. It has good pace and the story line has a lot of potential. I had a strong sense that this would have worked better if it was double the length (possibly split into two books) to give it the depth and nuance that it needed.
I would highly recommend this for readers who are not sci-fi fans but would like to give the genre at try. The jargon in sci-fi can be quite overwhelming and often becomes a stumbling block to good pace. “Proxima Five” doesn’t have this problem; it’s accessible. Also the romance would make it more appealing to non-sci-fi readers. I need more from my sci-fi reads.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
I’ve read a number of books by Vaun but this is my first of hers in the sci-fi genre. One of the things I love most about her work is that the environment she creates is powerful and immersive. Usually I can feel the wind, taste the dust and hear the thunder but I didn’t get that from “Proxima Five”. The environment, culture and people felt very generalised and indistinct. Leah finds herself on a planet which is not earth where the people not only speak English but they speak the same English as her. So while it makes for easy reading, it also causes a loss of atmosphere and tension.
The story is heavy on the romance and the main characters’ relationship is a little insta-love-y. There also isn’t enough on-page communication for me to entirely believe the romance. But, it’s not a bad read in spite of everything I’ve said. It has good pace and the story line has a lot of potential. I had a strong sense that this would have worked better if it was double the length (possibly split into two books) to give it the depth and nuance that it needed.
I would highly recommend this for readers who are not sci-fi fans but would like to give the genre at try. The jargon in sci-fi can be quite overwhelming and often becomes a stumbling block to good pace. “Proxima Five” doesn’t have this problem; it’s accessible. Also the romance would make it more appealing to non-sci-fi readers. I need more from my sci-fi reads.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
October 16, 2018
I’ve only read Missouri Vaun’s Nash Wiley adventures and I really liked those. So with that in mind I started this new sci-fy dystopian romance set on a distant planet with rather high hopes. And although Proxima Five wasn’t a bad read, it wasn’t a high flyer either. I sure liked her contemporary stuff better.
Geologist Dr. Leah Warren wakes up from what she assumes a 20-year hibernation to get her and her crew to Proxima B., a planet 4 light years away from Earth. Hers was the 5th in a group of 10 colony ships that left with a mission to give humanity a second chance. Leah’s ship was knocked off course and arrived later than planned… much much later. Now she has to find her way to civilization, whatever that may be.
The sci-fy part in this story was inside Leah’s ship, outside everything was pretty Mad Max meets Tatooine with a warrior clan society. Muscle ruled and women were more or less chattel (unless you had muscles). Leah gets captured the moment she ventures out to get the lay of the land. Keegan saves her from what would be a short trip to the slave market and brings her home. And so the story begins.
I thought it became more interesting in the second part of the story after Keegan drops her cave woman attitude towards Leah and begins to see her as equal. The plot was not very sophisticated (for instance, I knew who Solas was from the get go). The bad guy was of the moustache twirling variety and the romance felt rather bloodless (they hardly talk but still there is this insta-love thang). It was an okay story but it could have been so much more.
f/f
Themes: I wonder how those protein bars were still edible considering how long they were in space
3.3 stars
* A free copy was provided by Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc. for an honest review.
Geologist Dr. Leah Warren wakes up from what she assumes a 20-year hibernation to get her and her crew to Proxima B., a planet 4 light years away from Earth. Hers was the 5th in a group of 10 colony ships that left with a mission to give humanity a second chance. Leah’s ship was knocked off course and arrived later than planned… much much later. Now she has to find her way to civilization, whatever that may be.
The sci-fy part in this story was inside Leah’s ship, outside everything was pretty Mad Max meets Tatooine with a warrior clan society. Muscle ruled and women were more or less chattel (unless you had muscles). Leah gets captured the moment she ventures out to get the lay of the land. Keegan saves her from what would be a short trip to the slave market and brings her home. And so the story begins.
I thought it became more interesting in the second part of the story after Keegan drops her cave woman attitude towards Leah and begins to see her as equal. The plot was not very sophisticated (for instance, I knew who Solas was from the get go). The bad guy was of the moustache twirling variety and the romance felt rather bloodless (they hardly talk but still there is this insta-love thang). It was an okay story but it could have been so much more.
f/f
Themes: I wonder how those protein bars were still edible considering how long they were in space
3.3 stars
* A free copy was provided by Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc. for an honest review.
September 14, 2018
Who knew I’d get so into sci-fi novels... but it's become my new thang.
Leah has woke up on the wrong planet, or so she thinks. She escaped earths pending mass extinction due to the extreme global warming deterioration and was heading to a new planet to create a new colony. Her ship is the only one of ten that was set off course and didn’t arrive at the new planet for mankind. So where is she now? And how long has she been asleep? When she’s captured by raiders and thinks it’s all over, Keegan comes to her rescue. Keegan is tough, strong and resembles some sort of military personnel but when they are alone she’s kind and nurturing. Leah is confused by her feelings and Keegan knows she wants Leah but for a change, she wants more than her body. When they are both threatened by Keegan’s ultimate opponent and Leader of the new world who wants Leah for himself, can they find a way to stop him?
Missouri Vaun just keeps surprising me. One minute she’s writing these beautiful romance novels set in the idyllic countryside and then the next book is set on another planet. I mean the versatility alone needs to be acknowledged. Kudos Missouri Vaun, you're really knocking them outta the park.
Great premise indeed, especially the global warming aspect... because it’s happening and it's scary.
I was quite taken with Keegan from the first moment she appeared on the page and her overwhelming need to protect Leah was quite a change from her normal behaviour but there is something between these two from the very beginning. I think what I loved (and it left me feeling empowered) was that both women are strong and independent. I was expecting Leah to need Keegan to protect her and she does to a certain extent but she also protects Keegan in a whole other emotional way.
The sex scenes are extremely steamy and left me a little hot under the collar. I reckon the sexual tension was close to combustible with Leah and Keegan.
The connection between the characters is undeniable and even in the moments they are second guessing their feelings you know this love between them is one of epic proportion. I really want more from them and I’m hoping Missouri Vaun turns this story into a series because it’s has such big potential to be a phenomenal series.
Without a doubt a 5 star novel.
Leah has woke up on the wrong planet, or so she thinks. She escaped earths pending mass extinction due to the extreme global warming deterioration and was heading to a new planet to create a new colony. Her ship is the only one of ten that was set off course and didn’t arrive at the new planet for mankind. So where is she now? And how long has she been asleep? When she’s captured by raiders and thinks it’s all over, Keegan comes to her rescue. Keegan is tough, strong and resembles some sort of military personnel but when they are alone she’s kind and nurturing. Leah is confused by her feelings and Keegan knows she wants Leah but for a change, she wants more than her body. When they are both threatened by Keegan’s ultimate opponent and Leader of the new world who wants Leah for himself, can they find a way to stop him?
Missouri Vaun just keeps surprising me. One minute she’s writing these beautiful romance novels set in the idyllic countryside and then the next book is set on another planet. I mean the versatility alone needs to be acknowledged. Kudos Missouri Vaun, you're really knocking them outta the park.
Great premise indeed, especially the global warming aspect... because it’s happening and it's scary.
I was quite taken with Keegan from the first moment she appeared on the page and her overwhelming need to protect Leah was quite a change from her normal behaviour but there is something between these two from the very beginning. I think what I loved (and it left me feeling empowered) was that both women are strong and independent. I was expecting Leah to need Keegan to protect her and she does to a certain extent but she also protects Keegan in a whole other emotional way.
The sex scenes are extremely steamy and left me a little hot under the collar. I reckon the sexual tension was close to combustible with Leah and Keegan.
The connection between the characters is undeniable and even in the moments they are second guessing their feelings you know this love between them is one of epic proportion. I really want more from them and I’m hoping Missouri Vaun turns this story into a series because it’s has such big potential to be a phenomenal series.
Without a doubt a 5 star novel.
October 11, 2018
Great Read
This is the 5th book I’ve read and I’ve enjoyed every one,it’s the first sci-fi and I will definitely read the others.Full of the usual feisty women who don’t take no shit from the men and fight for their right to be respected and treated fairly as individuals and human beings.Strong independent women and a wonderful love story I hope there is a follow up book there is plenty of material for one
This is the 5th book I’ve read and I’ve enjoyed every one,it’s the first sci-fi and I will definitely read the others.Full of the usual feisty women who don’t take no shit from the men and fight for their right to be respected and treated fairly as individuals and human beings.Strong independent women and a wonderful love story I hope there is a follow up book there is plenty of material for one
December 17, 2021
3.8 star rating
This seems an uncomplicated storyline. I mean if one is looking for a simple companion sci-fi entertaining F&F story I think this will be it. Its world building wasn't great for my imagination, the realisation of the spaceship in relation to the planet was quite a revelation and I really liked that but I wish there was more information to fill in the time gap to make us really understand how they got to the situation in the present. The F&F relationship and the ending though felt to me like Lancelot with King Arthur's wife😀.
All the same entertaining read.
This seems an uncomplicated storyline. I mean if one is looking for a simple companion sci-fi entertaining F&F story I think this will be it. Its world building wasn't great for my imagination, the realisation of the spaceship in relation to the planet was quite a revelation and I really liked that but I wish there was more information to fill in the time gap to make us really understand how they got to the situation in the present. The F&F relationship and the ending though felt to me like Lancelot with King Arthur's wife😀.
All the same entertaining read.
September 5, 2018
With every single Missouri Vaun book I've read, I've only become more and more of a fan. I don't usually seek out to read and enjoy any kind of science fiction but I read this because I'm a fan of Missouri Vaun, and I LOVED it! I think because this is also less of a sci-fi book and more of a futuristic apocalyptic situation.
Leah wakes up alone on her spaceship, after years of hibernation. She ventures out into the dessert to try an gain some understanding of where, and when, she is. But she's captured only to be saved by Keegan, a soldier, for the Tenth Clan. Leah and Keegan's attraction grows, while pressures and politics threatens the city and their lives.
The world this takes place is in brutal and unjust, and is tough to read at some points, but only because Vaun is so brilliant at describing and showing the world. I felt like I was there, I was so invested in this book. Proxima was such a fascinating environment.
I loved the characters - they were strong and fierce and good. In a brutal world, its the goodness you see in the people that can show you the light and can keep you reading through tough situations. The relationship between Keegan and Leah was steamy, and they make a great team!
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Leah wakes up alone on her spaceship, after years of hibernation. She ventures out into the dessert to try an gain some understanding of where, and when, she is. But she's captured only to be saved by Keegan, a soldier, for the Tenth Clan. Leah and Keegan's attraction grows, while pressures and politics threatens the city and their lives.
The world this takes place is in brutal and unjust, and is tough to read at some points, but only because Vaun is so brilliant at describing and showing the world. I felt like I was there, I was so invested in this book. Proxima was such a fascinating environment.
I loved the characters - they were strong and fierce and good. In a brutal world, its the goodness you see in the people that can show you the light and can keep you reading through tough situations. The relationship between Keegan and Leah was steamy, and they make a great team!
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2021
decimated and all-but destroyed by our own greed, planet Earth is barely habitable. leah is part of a group of scientists, the fifth ship in a fleet of ten, who set off light-years away to Proxima B, a habitable planet that's humanity's last chance.
but when leah lands, something is wrong. she's landed in the desert rather than the habitable green zone of the planet, but that's the least of her worries - the cryogenics in the ship have suffered a catastrophic failure and everyone on board except her has perished. what's worse, when she finally finds some other people after trekking through the bone-dry, white-hot desert, they're nothing like she's expected. she's landed in a barbarous, regressed civilisation where women are commodities and people settle their scores in a fight to the death.
so what the hell has happened?
the message of this book is quite heavy-handed - we're destroying the Earth and unless we get our shit together we're all going to die, and even if we do manage to found an extraterrestrial colony we'll probably fuck it up again - and a few years ago, i'd probably have criticised such heavy-handedness even though i agree with the message. but now? we're shouting from the fucking rooftops and people still aren't listening, so yeah, heavy-handedness can't go amiss right now.
despite the post-apocalyptic dystopian setting, there is hope, and a reminder that although humanity might revert to its basest instincts in extremis, there's always people who are looking to a brighter future, who refuse to give up even when it seems like all is lost. and just sometimes, they even win.
i liked the relationship with leah and keegan a lot; it would have been extremely easy to make it insta-love or dependent or for the power imbalance to sour the whole thing, but vaun manages not to fall into any of these traps and create a multi-layered, flawed, realistic and beautiful relationship between the two women.
the only reason i'm not giving it five stars is because most of the plot twists i could see coming, and sometimes the writing was a little tell-not-showy or basic. but this didn't change the fact that i really enjoyed this, and i'd definitely recommend it to fans of sci-fi and post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction, as well as people who want a fantastic f/f romance in their stories.
but when leah lands, something is wrong. she's landed in the desert rather than the habitable green zone of the planet, but that's the least of her worries - the cryogenics in the ship have suffered a catastrophic failure and everyone on board except her has perished. what's worse, when she finally finds some other people after trekking through the bone-dry, white-hot desert, they're nothing like she's expected. she's landed in a barbarous, regressed civilisation where women are commodities and people settle their scores in a fight to the death.
so what the hell has happened?
the message of this book is quite heavy-handed - we're destroying the Earth and unless we get our shit together we're all going to die, and even if we do manage to found an extraterrestrial colony we'll probably fuck it up again - and a few years ago, i'd probably have criticised such heavy-handedness even though i agree with the message. but now? we're shouting from the fucking rooftops and people still aren't listening, so yeah, heavy-handedness can't go amiss right now.
despite the post-apocalyptic dystopian setting, there is hope, and a reminder that although humanity might revert to its basest instincts in extremis, there's always people who are looking to a brighter future, who refuse to give up even when it seems like all is lost. and just sometimes, they even win.
i liked the relationship with leah and keegan a lot; it would have been extremely easy to make it insta-love or dependent or for the power imbalance to sour the whole thing, but vaun manages not to fall into any of these traps and create a multi-layered, flawed, realistic and beautiful relationship between the two women.
the only reason i'm not giving it five stars is because most of the plot twists i could see coming, and sometimes the writing was a little tell-not-showy or basic. but this didn't change the fact that i really enjoyed this, and i'd definitely recommend it to fans of sci-fi and post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction, as well as people who want a fantastic f/f romance in their stories.
December 28, 2019
Having not read any other books than this one from Missouri Vaun, I often judge reading a book on its cover, I know it's silly, but that's how I act. I can't compare this one with her other books but I found this book amazing, really. It's both sci-fi, an area I like a lot, a very beautiful romance, fantasy and dystopian...You will tell me that's such a mixture is unusual and bizarre.... Yes, but...
To make short, Leah Warren, after a long sleep after a cryopreservation in a space shuttle, and being the only survivor of this journey, arrives on an unknown planet, and meets Keegan leader of a clan, minority in her community and facing Tiago, another clan leader to save Leah.
At the very beginning, Leah's arrival, everything was fine, then I had a little trouble getting into the story, because of the names of clans and people, everything I don't like Game Of Thrones, that I must be the only one, not to watch on tv. But after getting used to, I could not let go of this book, devouring it from end to end.
This romance is everything I love, a beginning where Leah is opposed to Keegan and little by little, are attracted to each other despite their difference.
The sci-fi, fantasy and dystopian part mix perfectly, giving it all its originality.
But why so many authors of lesfic, we always props ends condensed stories, too fast, giving us the impression of a rush after the writing, and leave us on an impression of dissatisfaction and frustration?
Here, the cover, very beautiful, also gives full meaning to the story.
I will not say more, for fear of spoiler.
This book is a mix of emotions, suspense, and reflection, all that I love. I urge you to read it, and appreciate its essence and its universe.
To make short, Leah Warren, after a long sleep after a cryopreservation in a space shuttle, and being the only survivor of this journey, arrives on an unknown planet, and meets Keegan leader of a clan, minority in her community and facing Tiago, another clan leader to save Leah.
At the very beginning, Leah's arrival, everything was fine, then I had a little trouble getting into the story, because of the names of clans and people, everything I don't like Game Of Thrones, that I must be the only one, not to watch on tv. But after getting used to, I could not let go of this book, devouring it from end to end.
This romance is everything I love, a beginning where Leah is opposed to Keegan and little by little, are attracted to each other despite their difference.
The sci-fi, fantasy and dystopian part mix perfectly, giving it all its originality.
But why so many authors of lesfic, we always props ends condensed stories, too fast, giving us the impression of a rush after the writing, and leave us on an impression of dissatisfaction and frustration?
Here, the cover, very beautiful, also gives full meaning to the story.
I will not say more, for fear of spoiler.
This book is a mix of emotions, suspense, and reflection, all that I love. I urge you to read it, and appreciate its essence and its universe.
September 20, 2018
I requested this book on NetGalley because I really like sci-fi and, honestly, it reminded me a bit of the premise for The 100 (which I think has wasted a lot of its potential). This was my first Vaun book, and I'd probably read more in the future.
The premise is that Leah crash-lands on a planet called Proxima B after decades in cryogenic suspension. Her ship was one of ten, and it's the planet they were aiming for. Unfortunately, none of the rest of her crew survived and Proxima B isn't quite as uninhabited as she'd expected. Keegan, a military commander, finds Leah out in the desert and rescues her by taking her back to Hadyn City, where they get caught up in political struggles as well as their growing feelings for one another.
Honestly, I'm still having trouble rating this book. There were aspects I enjoyed and aspects I didn't, and I'm still not sure which side wins out. The beginning was a bit slow. Leah's POV is a bit discombobulated (on purpose, I think, to represent her coming out of cryo), and her decision-making is slightly suspect. These moments might have been more believable if the scenes--and Leah's internal dialogue--were fleshed out a bit.
Keegan is a character I tend to like--a badass warrior who doesn't handle emotions well. I liked her when she was doing her thing as a military leader. I liked her less when she was interacting with Leah. Actually, their relationship is the weakest aspect of the book. It starts out kind of weird and non-consensual. Even though they're both physically attracted to each other, there's definitely a power imbalance. At one point, Leah is grateful that Keegan doesn't act on her attraction, and my note there just says, "You don't get points for not raping someone." This definitely improves as the book goes on, but I wish the relationship had been handled differently at the beginning.
However, after the halfway point, this book really picked up for me. It focused a little less on the relationship and a little more on the plot, and that shift really worked. I found myself much more interested in the story line of the two different settlements and the power struggle in Hadyn City. Vaun also makes some interesting points about humanity and strength.
For me, the writing was okay, but I do tend to be very specific in what I like. Although sometimes POVs were separated by scene breaks, other times, Leah's and Keegan's POVs would slide right into one another, which was a little distracting. I was occasionally disappointed by scenes Vaun left out, like one important moment where Keegan is left for dead. Mainly, I wish the book had been longer so certain scenes and relationships could be fleshed out. I think there's a lot that could be done with the societies Vaun introduces. It ends rather abruptly, too, when Vaun could have taken more time to wrap things up. I liked some of the secondary characters, particularly Yates and Hardy, and if there's another book, I'd read it.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books, and Missouri Vaun for the e-copy.
The premise is that Leah crash-lands on a planet called Proxima B after decades in cryogenic suspension. Her ship was one of ten, and it's the planet they were aiming for. Unfortunately, none of the rest of her crew survived and Proxima B isn't quite as uninhabited as she'd expected. Keegan, a military commander, finds Leah out in the desert and rescues her by taking her back to Hadyn City, where they get caught up in political struggles as well as their growing feelings for one another.
Honestly, I'm still having trouble rating this book. There were aspects I enjoyed and aspects I didn't, and I'm still not sure which side wins out. The beginning was a bit slow. Leah's POV is a bit discombobulated (on purpose, I think, to represent her coming out of cryo), and her decision-making is slightly suspect. These moments might have been more believable if the scenes--and Leah's internal dialogue--were fleshed out a bit.
Keegan is a character I tend to like--a badass warrior who doesn't handle emotions well. I liked her when she was doing her thing as a military leader. I liked her less when she was interacting with Leah. Actually, their relationship is the weakest aspect of the book. It starts out kind of weird and non-consensual. Even though they're both physically attracted to each other, there's definitely a power imbalance. At one point, Leah is grateful that Keegan doesn't act on her attraction, and my note there just says, "You don't get points for not raping someone." This definitely improves as the book goes on, but I wish the relationship had been handled differently at the beginning.
However, after the halfway point, this book really picked up for me. It focused a little less on the relationship and a little more on the plot, and that shift really worked. I found myself much more interested in the story line of the two different settlements and the power struggle in Hadyn City. Vaun also makes some interesting points about humanity and strength.
For me, the writing was okay, but I do tend to be very specific in what I like. Although sometimes POVs were separated by scene breaks, other times, Leah's and Keegan's POVs would slide right into one another, which was a little distracting. I was occasionally disappointed by scenes Vaun left out, like one important moment where Keegan is left for dead. Mainly, I wish the book had been longer so certain scenes and relationships could be fleshed out. I think there's a lot that could be done with the societies Vaun introduces. It ends rather abruptly, too, when Vaun could have taken more time to wrap things up. I liked some of the secondary characters, particularly Yates and Hardy, and if there's another book, I'd read it.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books, and Missouri Vaun for the e-copy.
September 16, 2020
A fascinating Sci-Fi adventure!!!
Leah wakes up in her ship to discover she is alone and it has crash landed on a strange planet. She ventures out into the unknown only to find herself captured. Keegan is part of the military and rescues Leah who is in desperate need of help. Taking Leah into the city, they have a strained relationship until Leah begins to realise Keegan is not the enemy, and the truth about her destination, she embarks to help save Keegan from the fate Tiago has in store for her and their companionship only blossoms into an attraction and love for one another.
So exciting and intriguing, joining Leah on her discover of new people, a new planet, and a new ways of life. Despite everything, Leah eventually adapted to her current situation really well but I loved how Missouri realistic portrayed the need to fight against what seemed scary and to try and escape the situation rather than just accept it. Leah was so strong willed and despite all she’d been through I admired how well she did adapt to life with Keegan even if she wasn’t keen on the ideals behind finding herself there.
Keegan was such a strong character and I admired her greatly. All she faced and fought against was a challenge and ultimately survival was what it came down to. She really did the right thing where Leah was concerned and she hadn’t had to do that, so it showed how amazing she was in terms of integrity and understanding. Leah and Keegan were a fantastic team who you just know will do amazing things.
There was an underlying amount of heart-break behind this story which was emotional but terribly realistic. It was frightening to think just how realistic this could be, especially in the future and it really did build into a terrific sci-fi adventure. I adored the story, the characters, and everything else that made it such an exciting adventure. It was quite light on being too sci-fi in terms of content and jargon but really fitted the genre as it was certainly met all the requirements I expected from such a story.
It would be great to see more of Keegan and Leah in future and I hope we do. If you love sci-fi already this book will have everything you want, and if you are new to sci-fi this would be a great story to introduce yourself to the genre. I highly recommend this story and, as this was my first Missouri Vaun story I am excited to read more!
Leah wakes up in her ship to discover she is alone and it has crash landed on a strange planet. She ventures out into the unknown only to find herself captured. Keegan is part of the military and rescues Leah who is in desperate need of help. Taking Leah into the city, they have a strained relationship until Leah begins to realise Keegan is not the enemy, and the truth about her destination, she embarks to help save Keegan from the fate Tiago has in store for her and their companionship only blossoms into an attraction and love for one another.
So exciting and intriguing, joining Leah on her discover of new people, a new planet, and a new ways of life. Despite everything, Leah eventually adapted to her current situation really well but I loved how Missouri realistic portrayed the need to fight against what seemed scary and to try and escape the situation rather than just accept it. Leah was so strong willed and despite all she’d been through I admired how well she did adapt to life with Keegan even if she wasn’t keen on the ideals behind finding herself there.
Keegan was such a strong character and I admired her greatly. All she faced and fought against was a challenge and ultimately survival was what it came down to. She really did the right thing where Leah was concerned and she hadn’t had to do that, so it showed how amazing she was in terms of integrity and understanding. Leah and Keegan were a fantastic team who you just know will do amazing things.
There was an underlying amount of heart-break behind this story which was emotional but terribly realistic. It was frightening to think just how realistic this could be, especially in the future and it really did build into a terrific sci-fi adventure. I adored the story, the characters, and everything else that made it such an exciting adventure. It was quite light on being too sci-fi in terms of content and jargon but really fitted the genre as it was certainly met all the requirements I expected from such a story.
It would be great to see more of Keegan and Leah in future and I hope we do. If you love sci-fi already this book will have everything you want, and if you are new to sci-fi this would be a great story to introduce yourself to the genre. I highly recommend this story and, as this was my first Missouri Vaun story I am excited to read more!
Read
September 15, 2018This is a high energy Sci-Fi Romance full of action and adventure on a dystopian world. When a scientist wakes up from cryo-sleep to find she is the only one of her crew who has survived she has no idea whether the other 5 ships on the mission arrived at their “new world” colony destination. Captured by rough bandits who surprisingly speak English, she begins an adventure which will eventually reveal what has happened while she has slept.
The characters are interesting, the social structure that has evolved made for an exciting scenario and the two main characters’ fights for survival give them both battles to survive, literally and emotionally.
Fast-paced, full of interesting characters and with a well created and evocative world this felt very different from other Missouri Vaun novels. The first half was harsh at times, with women as slaves, concubines and property, and the early sexual interaction between the main characters was slightly to close to ‘forced’ for comfort. The “romance” was a little U–haul for me, although its typical of the genre and fits well into the story.
However, as the women start to take a stand and their relationship unfolds it became a more forgiving read. As the characters develop and the plot progresses it all comes together into a high octane ending.
The characters are interesting, the social structure that has evolved made for an exciting scenario and the two main characters’ fights for survival give them both battles to survive, literally and emotionally.
Fast-paced, full of interesting characters and with a well created and evocative world this felt very different from other Missouri Vaun novels. The first half was harsh at times, with women as slaves, concubines and property, and the early sexual interaction between the main characters was slightly to close to ‘forced’ for comfort. The “romance” was a little U–haul for me, although its typical of the genre and fits well into the story.
However, as the women start to take a stand and their relationship unfolds it became a more forgiving read. As the characters develop and the plot progresses it all comes together into a high octane ending.
October 6, 2021
I kind of enjoyed this book. It's futuristic. Also alarming
Leah is the sole survivor of a colony ship, and wakes up to find she has no power as a woman. It's male dominated.
Until she meets Keegan. A warrior of sorts.
The book reminds me of the original Planet of the Apes. Because the ending is similar. Except there are no apes.
As the book ended I became more annoyed. Because the end is where I'd like it to start again. I want more from the ending than the beginning to be honest. Is there a sequel? I hope so.
Enjoy!I kind of enjoyed this book. It's futuristic. Also alarming
Leah is the sole survivor of a colony ship, and wakes up to find she has no power as a woman. It's male dominated.
Until she meets Keegan. A warrior of sorts.
The book reminds me of the original Planet of the Apes. Because the ending is similar. Except there are no apes.
As the book ended I became more annoyed. Because the end is where I'd like it to start again. I want more from the ending than the beginning to be honest. Is there a sequel? I hope so.
Enjoy!
Leah is the sole survivor of a colony ship, and wakes up to find she has no power as a woman. It's male dominated.
Until she meets Keegan. A warrior of sorts.
The book reminds me of the original Planet of the Apes. Because the ending is similar. Except there are no apes.
As the book ended I became more annoyed. Because the end is where I'd like it to start again. I want more from the ending than the beginning to be honest. Is there a sequel? I hope so.
Enjoy!I kind of enjoyed this book. It's futuristic. Also alarming
Leah is the sole survivor of a colony ship, and wakes up to find she has no power as a woman. It's male dominated.
Until she meets Keegan. A warrior of sorts.
The book reminds me of the original Planet of the Apes. Because the ending is similar. Except there are no apes.
As the book ended I became more annoyed. Because the end is where I'd like it to start again. I want more from the ending than the beginning to be honest. Is there a sequel? I hope so.
Enjoy!
April 3, 2022
It started off a bit slowly as it had to set the premise for a bit of action, but it picked up speed along the way until I was at the end and wanted more. Not a lot is happening but it feels complete. I do love the fact that it revolves around the age old problem of humanity's greed which we really need to fucking learn once and for all is our downfall, but there is also hope for us even if we would to start over on a new planet. All in all, a good read.
June 16, 2019
I've read and really enjoyed Vaun's contemporary romances and when I saw she had a new SF out, I was stoked. Vaun is a great writer and lays out an interesting premise in Proxima Five that has action, intrigue and romance (all set on a distant world); but, the really strong characterization and great romance that I've seen in her other books seems to have been sacrificed to shoe-horn in the SF elements. This left me with the feeling that neither aspect was as fully developed as I would have hoped.
There's almost a Mad Max feel to this book - the desert landscape, vehicle chases and the structure of the society. Bleak and gritty - a world where the sun never sets (or never rises if you're on the other side of the planet), populated by an almost tribal society, based on one's position in the 9 Houses, that values strength and power over everything else. It was a great setting. I would have loved to spend more time delving into how the original colonists ended up devolving into this type of society rather than evolving and how those who didn't fit in managed to survive/thrive.
Proxima Five starts off with the idea that Earth had passed the point of no return and the only viable solution was to colonize a new planet (Proxima) and start over. As part of one of the advance teams, Dr Leah Warren and a group of scientists have been travelling in cryo sleep to Proxima to prepare the planet for the eventual migration of humanity. Leah wakes when the ship lands on Proxima and finds herself the sole survivor of her crew (based on all the SF books and movies I've come across, cryo seems to malfunction half the time - if I were a SF character I'd probably pass on it). Unable to contact the colonists who had arrived before her, she sets out on foot (first of many poor decisions) on a pretty inhospitable desert-like planet to figure out what has happened.
In the meantime, we meet up with Keegan, the strong and brooding alpha female warrior, who is leading a scout team that has found a settlement massacred by a rebel force. She splits her team and goes after the rebels on her own. After dispatching the rebels and dragging Leah back to the city with her ('cause Keegan "claims" her as spoils) Keegan has a confrontation with the leader's son (the villian) who is positioning himself for a power grab and has a bit hate-on for Keegan. Things spin out from there - with the building relationship between Keegan and Leah, Leah's trying to figure out what the hell is going on, and then onto some intrigue and action as the story continues.
For the romance - I had some mixed feelings about it. At the beginning, there's a really lopsided power dynamic and the interactions between Keegan and Leah are just this side of non-consensual.
The feel of the relationship improves as the story progresses, but it didn't do a lot to make me like Keegan at the start and that carried over. Leah's character seemed to be a champion at making poor decisions and she spent most of the book reacting rather than acting.
For me, the pacing was off - the first half seemed slow as it focused on establishing the relationship between Leah and Keegan and world building but it picked up in the latter half as the intrigue and action started to heat up and then it just rushed into the big finale. I almost wish Vaun had expanded the book into two or three and spent a bit more time with how the Proxima society evolved to this point, more on the rebels who live on the dark side and spun up the intrigue and action a bit more.
There's almost a Mad Max feel to this book - the desert landscape, vehicle chases and the structure of the society. Bleak and gritty - a world where the sun never sets (or never rises if you're on the other side of the planet), populated by an almost tribal society, based on one's position in the 9 Houses, that values strength and power over everything else. It was a great setting. I would have loved to spend more time delving into how the original colonists ended up devolving into this type of society rather than evolving and how those who didn't fit in managed to survive/thrive.
Proxima Five starts off with the idea that Earth had passed the point of no return and the only viable solution was to colonize a new planet (Proxima) and start over. As part of one of the advance teams, Dr Leah Warren and a group of scientists have been travelling in cryo sleep to Proxima to prepare the planet for the eventual migration of humanity. Leah wakes when the ship lands on Proxima and finds herself the sole survivor of her crew (based on all the SF books and movies I've come across, cryo seems to malfunction half the time - if I were a SF character I'd probably pass on it). Unable to contact the colonists who had arrived before her, she sets out on foot (first of many poor decisions) on a pretty inhospitable desert-like planet to figure out what has happened.
In the meantime, we meet up with Keegan, the strong and brooding alpha female warrior, who is leading a scout team that has found a settlement massacred by a rebel force. She splits her team and goes after the rebels on her own. After dispatching the rebels and dragging Leah back to the city with her ('cause Keegan "claims" her as spoils) Keegan has a confrontation with the leader's son (the villian) who is positioning himself for a power grab and has a bit hate-on for Keegan. Things spin out from there - with the building relationship between Keegan and Leah, Leah's trying to figure out what the hell is going on, and then onto some intrigue and action as the story continues.
For the romance - I had some mixed feelings about it. At the beginning, there's a really lopsided power dynamic and the interactions between Keegan and Leah are just this side of non-consensual.
The feel of the relationship improves as the story progresses, but it didn't do a lot to make me like Keegan at the start and that carried over. Leah's character seemed to be a champion at making poor decisions and she spent most of the book reacting rather than acting.
For me, the pacing was off - the first half seemed slow as it focused on establishing the relationship between Leah and Keegan and world building but it picked up in the latter half as the intrigue and action started to heat up and then it just rushed into the big finale. I almost wish Vaun had expanded the book into two or three and spent a bit more time with how the Proxima society evolved to this point, more on the rebels who live on the dark side and spun up the intrigue and action a bit more.
September 2, 2018
Review excerpted from my blog post over at FanSciHist (https://fanscihist.wordpress.com/2018...)
My Rating: 4 stars
Library recommendation: Recommended for public library Romance, Speculative/Science Fiction, and/or LGBTQIA collections.
Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.
____________________________
Number of titles I have read by this author: 1
Love story speed: Medium burn
Relationship dynamics: The Educated New Planet Colonist (h1) / The Tough Military Commander (h2)
Sexual content: Some. Sex is romantic, “onscreen” and explicit
Triggers: Violence against women (including against both h1 and h2); a smidge of dubious consent.
Grammar/Editing: A few grammatical and spelling errors. As I read an advance review copy, I would hope that these will be taken care of in the published version.
Review: The writing style is typical of the genre (straight forward and a couple of steps up from gritty) and the pacing is fairly brisk. There were a couple of sections that caused a bit of confusion and needed a re-read for understanding. The world building is good; the physics are consistent and believable. The amount of terminology to learn is minimal, so this would make a good starter book for readers who want to sample Science Fiction or Speculative Fiction in general, but don’t want to dive right into the deep end with a bunch of alien civilization names and reams of other terminology.
Leah and Keegan are well-developed characters, on the whole, and they are very cute together, if a little bit saccharine at times. I enjoyed that they were both clever, strong and resilient in their own ways. The one troublesome thing is that Keegan is, shall we say, “well-liked” by most of the supporting characters and therefore has some genuine confusion about boundaries with Leah (hence the dubious consent trigger warning). She learns quickly, however, and the book doesn’t more than put a toe over the dubious consent line. The supporting characters were well-enough developed for the plot, but for the most part aren’t terribly memorable.
Overall, a fairly enjoyable read and I will certainly be looking into other books by Missouri Vaun.
Boozy Version: Coffee Liqueur meets Whiskey on the rocks in a lightly shaken, but ultimately smooth embrace. Expect a mildly exotic flavour created from familiar ingredients.
Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating: 4 stars
Library recommendation: Recommended for public library Romance, Speculative/Science Fiction, and/or LGBTQIA collections.
Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.
____________________________
Number of titles I have read by this author: 1
Love story speed: Medium burn
Relationship dynamics: The Educated New Planet Colonist (h1) / The Tough Military Commander (h2)
Sexual content: Some. Sex is romantic, “onscreen” and explicit
Triggers: Violence against women (including against both h1 and h2); a smidge of dubious consent.
Grammar/Editing: A few grammatical and spelling errors. As I read an advance review copy, I would hope that these will be taken care of in the published version.
Review: The writing style is typical of the genre (straight forward and a couple of steps up from gritty) and the pacing is fairly brisk. There were a couple of sections that caused a bit of confusion and needed a re-read for understanding. The world building is good; the physics are consistent and believable. The amount of terminology to learn is minimal, so this would make a good starter book for readers who want to sample Science Fiction or Speculative Fiction in general, but don’t want to dive right into the deep end with a bunch of alien civilization names and reams of other terminology.
Leah and Keegan are well-developed characters, on the whole, and they are very cute together, if a little bit saccharine at times. I enjoyed that they were both clever, strong and resilient in their own ways. The one troublesome thing is that Keegan is, shall we say, “well-liked” by most of the supporting characters and therefore has some genuine confusion about boundaries with Leah (hence the dubious consent trigger warning). She learns quickly, however, and the book doesn’t more than put a toe over the dubious consent line. The supporting characters were well-enough developed for the plot, but for the most part aren’t terribly memorable.
Overall, a fairly enjoyable read and I will certainly be looking into other books by Missouri Vaun.
Boozy Version: Coffee Liqueur meets Whiskey on the rocks in a lightly shaken, but ultimately smooth embrace. Expect a mildly exotic flavour created from familiar ingredients.
Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2018
This review first appeared on the blog Ally's Appraisals: https://wp.me/p37L0Q-138
My Thoughts: I absolutely loved Proxima Five! The sci-fi setting mixed with the love/hate romance of the two leads combined to create a novel that I couldn’t put down. I adored the story, the characters, and the vivid story telling of Vaun – Proxima Five was a novel that I devoured and loved ❤
The story starts off with Geologist Dr. Leah Warren waking up from cryogenic hibernation to find that nothing in her mission has gone right. The discovery of the rest of her crew, the barren landscape, and her journey to find more information, start the novel off on its action packed adventure. Pretty much from this point on, the story kept an amazing pace with my attention not wavering once.
What really had me tapping page after page, was the mystery behind the story. Just as Leah doesn’t understand the society that she finds herself in, neither does the reader. Did Leah fly off course? Is this planet the one she was meant to land on? I found myself constantly looking for clues to the larger mystery of Proxima Five.
Outside of this fantastic pacing and storytelling, were the characters Leah and Keegan. The pair start off on uneven footing, Keegan is in a position of power and Leah is alone in an unknown place and time. To say the start of the pairs relationship is a bit rocky is an understatement, however from the very start there is the constant desire.
In some ways Keegan is a simple character, sure of what she wants, her place, and her desires. However as more is revealed about Leah’s past, so too does Keegan show more emotional depth. On the other side Leah is a nuanced character, she is intelligent and from another world. Often Leah points out the short comings of the world around her, prompting Keegan to begin to question the way things are done. As a pair, they fit well together and they were a pleasure to read.
Proxima Five is an emotional journey between Leah and Keegan as they not only overcome the power imbalance in their relationship but as they start to truly see each other. Once they do though, the results had me smiling down at the book.
The mystery of the novel combined with the non-stop action and romance had me flying though the book. Proxima Five is the first novel I’ve read of Vaun’s and the first from Bold Strokes Books, however I will be seeking more from both!
Best Bits:
*The world building – Vaun has created an intricate world in Proxima Five. Not only do we have a sci-fi story but we have a loaded backstory for the world. As more information is revealed to us, many other aspects of the story make sense. All the puzzle pieces fall into place to create a huge history for the planet and Leah’s mission.
*Leah and Keegan’s relationship – I said it before but I really enjoyed the love/hate relationship of the two. While not a traditional love to hate love story, the pair circle each other as they work to understand each other more. By the end I really loved the dynamic between and relationship of the pair.
Recommendations:
Proxima Five is an excellent and entertaining read and I would really recommend that everyone pick up this book and give it a go. However if you’re a fan of:
*Sci-fi
*Romance
*Lesbian relationships
or any combination of the above, then I would definitely recommend you read Proxima Five.
Please note: I received a copy of 'Proxima Five' from NetGalley.
My Thoughts: I absolutely loved Proxima Five! The sci-fi setting mixed with the love/hate romance of the two leads combined to create a novel that I couldn’t put down. I adored the story, the characters, and the vivid story telling of Vaun – Proxima Five was a novel that I devoured and loved ❤
The story starts off with Geologist Dr. Leah Warren waking up from cryogenic hibernation to find that nothing in her mission has gone right. The discovery of the rest of her crew, the barren landscape, and her journey to find more information, start the novel off on its action packed adventure. Pretty much from this point on, the story kept an amazing pace with my attention not wavering once.
What really had me tapping page after page, was the mystery behind the story. Just as Leah doesn’t understand the society that she finds herself in, neither does the reader. Did Leah fly off course? Is this planet the one she was meant to land on? I found myself constantly looking for clues to the larger mystery of Proxima Five.
Outside of this fantastic pacing and storytelling, were the characters Leah and Keegan. The pair start off on uneven footing, Keegan is in a position of power and Leah is alone in an unknown place and time. To say the start of the pairs relationship is a bit rocky is an understatement, however from the very start there is the constant desire.
In some ways Keegan is a simple character, sure of what she wants, her place, and her desires. However as more is revealed about Leah’s past, so too does Keegan show more emotional depth. On the other side Leah is a nuanced character, she is intelligent and from another world. Often Leah points out the short comings of the world around her, prompting Keegan to begin to question the way things are done. As a pair, they fit well together and they were a pleasure to read.
Proxima Five is an emotional journey between Leah and Keegan as they not only overcome the power imbalance in their relationship but as they start to truly see each other. Once they do though, the results had me smiling down at the book.
The mystery of the novel combined with the non-stop action and romance had me flying though the book. Proxima Five is the first novel I’ve read of Vaun’s and the first from Bold Strokes Books, however I will be seeking more from both!
Best Bits:
*The world building – Vaun has created an intricate world in Proxima Five. Not only do we have a sci-fi story but we have a loaded backstory for the world. As more information is revealed to us, many other aspects of the story make sense. All the puzzle pieces fall into place to create a huge history for the planet and Leah’s mission.
*Leah and Keegan’s relationship – I said it before but I really enjoyed the love/hate relationship of the two. While not a traditional love to hate love story, the pair circle each other as they work to understand each other more. By the end I really loved the dynamic between and relationship of the pair.
Recommendations:
Proxima Five is an excellent and entertaining read and I would really recommend that everyone pick up this book and give it a go. However if you’re a fan of:
*Sci-fi
*Romance
*Lesbian relationships
or any combination of the above, then I would definitely recommend you read Proxima Five.
Please note: I received a copy of 'Proxima Five' from NetGalley.
October 12, 2018
Another fantastic novel by Missouri Vaun. Science fiction meets romance in a terrific story about a lost explorer who finds not only a whole new world, but the love of her life. Dr Leah Warren awakens from cryogenic sleep to discover that her ship has landed successfully, but that all of her crew is dead. Establishing that she has indeed landed on the correct planet, she leaves her ship to see if she can learn the whereabouts of the other nine ships that had left the failing Earth in hopes of building a new world on Proxima B. She is captured by armed men, who much to her surprise speak English. Keegan, one of the commanders of the Tenth Clan, rescues Leah, and, as is expected in their society, claims her as her property. Keegan has been brought up by the leader of her Clan. She was a lost child unaware of her heritage and is now faithful to the Clan and the leader who raised her. The son of the clan leader is a power hungry monster who envies the regard that Keegan enjoys from his father and considers her a rival for the leader role. Outside rebels threaten the safety of the city that they all call home, and Keegan strives to keep them at bay. In the meantime she struggles with an attractive to this unusual and interesting woman she rescued. Leah, of course, chafes at the idea of being anyone's property and manages to escape from Keegan's quarters, only to be quickly arrested and thrown into a cage. It is there that she realizes the depth of protection that Keegan had offered her, and when Keegan successfully rescues her, a shift begins to occur within their relationship. I won't say anymore about the story. The plot is very compelling, the characters are extremely well drawn. I would love to see more stories set in this world.
January 13, 2019
Proxima Five by Missouri Vaun is a dystopian/sci-fi novel about human nature and how love and friendship can inspire the courage to challenge injustice.
Life on Earth is no longer sustainable. In a last-ditch effort to ensure the survival of the human race, 10 colony ships are dispatched to establish a new home on planet Proxima B. Dr. Leah Warren is a geologist on the 5th ship which houses the science crew. However, when she awakens from stasis, she discovers something has gone terribly wrong. Her ship has landed; but she isn’t sure where and she is the sole survivor of the journey.
When she leaves the safety of her ship to investigate her new surroundings, she is captured by a rough group of men who intend to auction her off to the highest bidder. Their nefarious plans are thwarted, however, when Commander Keegan, a tall and muscular clan warrior, rescues her from their clutches.
Unsure if she’s truly been rescued or simply swapped captors, Leah must now navigate the culture and politics of a new world along with a growing desire for the woman who saved her. Meanwhile a storm is brewing as the clan’s leader lay dying. His son, Tiago is formulating a dark plot that could see Keegan destroyed, Leah enslaved, and the remainder of the planet’s population plunged into utter destitution and fear.
For my full review, please click here: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/?s=p...
Life on Earth is no longer sustainable. In a last-ditch effort to ensure the survival of the human race, 10 colony ships are dispatched to establish a new home on planet Proxima B. Dr. Leah Warren is a geologist on the 5th ship which houses the science crew. However, when she awakens from stasis, she discovers something has gone terribly wrong. Her ship has landed; but she isn’t sure where and she is the sole survivor of the journey.
When she leaves the safety of her ship to investigate her new surroundings, she is captured by a rough group of men who intend to auction her off to the highest bidder. Their nefarious plans are thwarted, however, when Commander Keegan, a tall and muscular clan warrior, rescues her from their clutches.
Unsure if she’s truly been rescued or simply swapped captors, Leah must now navigate the culture and politics of a new world along with a growing desire for the woman who saved her. Meanwhile a storm is brewing as the clan’s leader lay dying. His son, Tiago is formulating a dark plot that could see Keegan destroyed, Leah enslaved, and the remainder of the planet’s population plunged into utter destitution and fear.
For my full review, please click here: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/?s=p...
September 10, 2018
While the romance is okay in this story, I was more interested in the dystopian world created by Vaun for this story. In fact the romance could have been even less prominent and this story would have been just as good.
It is the standard sci-fi story where the earth is dying and humanity must flee the planet to preserve itself. Leah is the sole survivor of her ship of scientists that was heading to a new planet along with nine other ships. Her ship has crash landed in the middle of the desert. Where she is captured before her ship's systems can come back online and let her know if she has indeed landed on the correct planet or some other planet in a different system. And where are the rest of the colonists?
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
It is the standard sci-fi story where the earth is dying and humanity must flee the planet to preserve itself. Leah is the sole survivor of her ship of scientists that was heading to a new planet along with nine other ships. Her ship has crash landed in the middle of the desert. Where she is captured before her ship's systems can come back online and let her know if she has indeed landed on the correct planet or some other planet in a different system. And where are the rest of the colonists?
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
March 20, 2019
This is the first Vaun book i've read and it was predominately picked because i'd heard that it coincidentally followed on well from Brey Willows Chosen.
It certainly lived up to that reputation and the two books whilst very different compliment each other well.
On the whole i enjoyed Proxima Five and i would be open to reading other books in Vaun's collection.
The only negative for me was that some areas of the book felt a little rushed for example when Keegan is left to die and/or when Keegan and Tiago fight to the death.
I think the second half of the book was stronger plot wise but this was where things felt skipped over a little, whilst the start of the book seemed to spend too much time on Keegan's and Leah's discontent with each other leaving little room for the plot to be filled out later.
That being said, i would like to see a sequel/prequel to this, there's plenty of areas left to explore - Yates story, the rise of the Tenth House, Keegans back story, the other colonies and their experience colonizing a new planet. The list is endless, so i would definitely look to read any future works involving Proxima Five from Vaun.
It certainly lived up to that reputation and the two books whilst very different compliment each other well.
On the whole i enjoyed Proxima Five and i would be open to reading other books in Vaun's collection.
The only negative for me was that some areas of the book felt a little rushed for example when Keegan is left to die and/or when Keegan and Tiago fight to the death.
I think the second half of the book was stronger plot wise but this was where things felt skipped over a little, whilst the start of the book seemed to spend too much time on Keegan's and Leah's discontent with each other leaving little room for the plot to be filled out later.
That being said, i would like to see a sequel/prequel to this, there's plenty of areas left to explore - Yates story, the rise of the Tenth House, Keegans back story, the other colonies and their experience colonizing a new planet. The list is endless, so i would definitely look to read any future works involving Proxima Five from Vaun.
October 29, 2018
This book sounded like one I would love to see as a movie (just the kind of film my wife and I love) and so I had to read this one and it haven't disappoint me.
It's the story of Leah, a geologist who stranded on a foreign planet. She has to examine her surroundings and finds a community where women are mainly abused and enslaved. And there's Keegan, a clan warrior who saves Leah in the first place. Their Connection between these two women grows during the story and I really liked the romance in this book and the characters and their way to get through this dangerous world and the begin of a change. The end is - like it has to be - a fulminat one. The writing itself is straight forward and sometimes kind of gritty which I really liked.
Overall I highly enjoyed this book. So if you like science-fiction and romance than this is the right choice for you.
It's the story of Leah, a geologist who stranded on a foreign planet. She has to examine her surroundings and finds a community where women are mainly abused and enslaved. And there's Keegan, a clan warrior who saves Leah in the first place. Their Connection between these two women grows during the story and I really liked the romance in this book and the characters and their way to get through this dangerous world and the begin of a change. The end is - like it has to be - a fulminat one. The writing itself is straight forward and sometimes kind of gritty which I really liked.
Overall I highly enjoyed this book. So if you like science-fiction and romance than this is the right choice for you.
October 2, 2018
I really like this book mostly because dystopian is my favorite and I liked the premise. but some things didn't make sense to me. Like how can they know someone died of cancer when they aren't even familiar with what an iv is or antibiotics? And then their religion is like oh that's not true to like what 3 people and they are just like whatever. It would be so much more than what it was. And if women or weak people or whatever it was can be property how do they end up having a relationship where it's all about love? Don't get me wrong I liked the relationship but it didn't make sense to me in context. Also the ending was very abrupt. And I guessed what happened to Leah in like the first chapter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2018
Missouri Vaun has created an amazing new land with this novel.
We start with Leah on her ship, but with all of the crew dead, Leah takes matters into her own hands to understand the way forward. It doesn't take long until she crosses paths with Keegan and this is where things escalate.
As a reader, I felt very uncomfortable with one initial scene between Leah and Keegan. This hovers on the edge of force and it didn't sit well with me.
Vaun brings it back to the reader though as Leah and Keegan join forces.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
We start with Leah on her ship, but with all of the crew dead, Leah takes matters into her own hands to understand the way forward. It doesn't take long until she crosses paths with Keegan and this is where things escalate.
As a reader, I felt very uncomfortable with one initial scene between Leah and Keegan. This hovers on the edge of force and it didn't sit well with me.
Vaun brings it back to the reader though as Leah and Keegan join forces.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
May 15, 2019
No spoilers, but if you enjoy alternate universe/sci-fi type stories, this one is definitely for you. Keegan is a bad-ass futuristic butch and Leah is the unwilling recipient of her attention. Sadly, I can see the possibility of the fate this scenario being a real possibility for generations to come.
All in all well-developed, thoughtfully crafted characters with a good amount of tension thrown in. I highly recommend it, even if you aren't into futuristic, crafted worlds, the characters will pull you in.
Bravo, Missouri. You've done it again.
All in all well-developed, thoughtfully crafted characters with a good amount of tension thrown in. I highly recommend it, even if you aren't into futuristic, crafted worlds, the characters will pull you in.
Bravo, Missouri. You've done it again.
August 30, 2018
I've always liked Missouri's books, and this is no exception.
The main characters have great personal journeys as well as a romantic one, and I found myself resenting the real world's intrusion when I had to stop reading to do something else.
I like that this novel shows what could happen when we leave our world to begin again, only to find that people are still... people. Missouri writes great butch/femme pairings, which is something I always love to find in books.
Highly recommend.
The main characters have great personal journeys as well as a romantic one, and I found myself resenting the real world's intrusion when I had to stop reading to do something else.
I like that this novel shows what could happen when we leave our world to begin again, only to find that people are still... people. Missouri writes great butch/femme pairings, which is something I always love to find in books.
Highly recommend.
December 10, 2023
4.25*
This story made me think of both John Carter and The Planet of the Apes. I really enjoyed everything about the journey. Keegan and Leah took longer to understand each other than necessary. Hello, communication! The ending was a bit rushed, and a little surprising at the very end. It did not take long to figure out why everyone on the new planet spoke English. Overall, I enjoyed this tale but would have liked a bit more of this new world.
This story made me think of both John Carter and The Planet of the Apes. I really enjoyed everything about the journey. Keegan and Leah took longer to understand each other than necessary. Hello, communication! The ending was a bit rushed, and a little surprising at the very end. It did not take long to figure out why everyone on the new planet spoke English. Overall, I enjoyed this tale but would have liked a bit more of this new world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2018
A great unique story and very well written. I really got into this and was a little disappointed when it ended. A dystopian, sci-fi setting that was believable and enjoyable. I really like the way the story unfolded and came together. Great romantic lead characters that were relatable and well developed. A good bit of escapism.
Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
September 13, 2018
As sci fi novels go this is a fairly simple tale, but that was in some ways part of its charm. I enjoyed the story and the romance. The Proxima world was evocatively described and I liked the link back to the Roman armies and the human condition. I think the book is intended as a stand alone, but it could be developed into a decent series with stories about the Fain or Yates.
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