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The Undefeated
Una McCormack's The Undefeated is a thrilling space opera adventure featuring a no holds barred heroine on the front lines of an intergalactic war...
She was a warrior of words.
As a journalist she exposed corruption across the Interstellar Commonwealth, shifting public opinion and destroying careers in the process.
Long-since retired, she travels back to the planet of her childhood, partly through a sense of nostalgia, partly to avoid running from humanity’s newest—and self-created—enemy, the jenjer.
Because the enemy is coming, and nothing can stand in its way.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
She was a warrior of words.
As a journalist she exposed corruption across the Interstellar Commonwealth, shifting public opinion and destroying careers in the process.
Long-since retired, she travels back to the planet of her childhood, partly through a sense of nostalgia, partly to avoid running from humanity’s newest—and self-created—enemy, the jenjer.
Because the enemy is coming, and nothing can stand in its way.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
110 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 13, 1957
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1450 people want to read
About the author
Una McCormack
103 books359 followersUna McCormack is a British writer and the author of several Star Trek novels and stories.
Ms. McCormack is a New York Times bestselling author. She has written four Doctor Who novels: The King's Dragon and The Way through the Woods (featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory); Royal Blood (featuring the Twelfth Doctor and Clara), and Molten Heart (featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan and Graham). She is also the author of numerous audio dramas for Big Finish Productions.
Ms. McCormack is a New York Times bestselling author. She has written four Doctor Who novels: The King's Dragon and The Way through the Woods (featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory); Royal Blood (featuring the Twelfth Doctor and Clara), and Molten Heart (featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan and Graham). She is also the author of numerous audio dramas for Big Finish Productions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
June 29, 2020
PSA: We need more speculative fiction with mature (50+) female protagonists. The Undefeated is an example of this, but the only other book I can think of with an older female in the lead is Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon (which is a book that I love and think about quite often—go read it). I know more books like this exist, but these are the only ones I have encountered. Age should bring wisdom, and that may not always be the case, but age does bring more experience and thus a different and valuable perspective. All the young protagonists in science fiction and fantasy end up having to be educated by their elders about the world’s history, etc. But what if the protagonist already knows the history of their world and can then make educated choices? That would be interesting. Obviously there is a lot of sexism and misogyny in the realm of speculative fiction, especially in the publishing and marketing department, so in the past it would have been harder to publish a book with a mature female lead—but times are changing and more perspectives should be experienced. We need more Black/POC experiences, more female experiences, and more non-binary experiences in speculative fiction and fiction in general.
Thanks, have a great day.
...she had known what it meant to be alive because of another person’s whim. To be entirely in someone else’s power.
To be jenjer.
The Undefeated is contemplative science fiction. Monica has 60 years of experience in a universe of humans and jenjers. We come into the story as she visits her home world and reflects on her past. Monica lived a life of privilege borne from family money, and her privilege and education allowed her to become an esteemed journalist thanks to the opportunities that opened up for her. Her fame came from showcasing the truth about the Commonwealth’s expansion and ravaging of worlds, and the results of enslaving a people. It is not specifically made clear, but jenjers appear to be bioengineered/manipulated humans. The jenjers are strong and intelligent slaves that are allowed to exist through bonds: i.e. you work for me, then you get the medication that keeps you alive. The jenjers have extreme metabolisms that can kill them if not kept in check. That is until things start to change...and war comes. Now, Monica must decide on how she wants to face the coming storm and the downfall of an empire.
The Undefeated is worth the read because of the themes that are explored, but I do wish there was more depth in the examinations of the past or in the tension of the present day. This is a novella with great ideas that could easily be fleshed out into a full-length novel.
Thanks, have a great day.
...she had known what it meant to be alive because of another person’s whim. To be entirely in someone else’s power.
To be jenjer.
The Undefeated is contemplative science fiction. Monica has 60 years of experience in a universe of humans and jenjers. We come into the story as she visits her home world and reflects on her past. Monica lived a life of privilege borne from family money, and her privilege and education allowed her to become an esteemed journalist thanks to the opportunities that opened up for her. Her fame came from showcasing the truth about the Commonwealth’s expansion and ravaging of worlds, and the results of enslaving a people. It is not specifically made clear, but jenjers appear to be bioengineered/manipulated humans. The jenjers are strong and intelligent slaves that are allowed to exist through bonds: i.e. you work for me, then you get the medication that keeps you alive. The jenjers have extreme metabolisms that can kill them if not kept in check. That is until things start to change...and war comes. Now, Monica must decide on how she wants to face the coming storm and the downfall of an empire.
The Undefeated is worth the read because of the themes that are explored, but I do wish there was more depth in the examinations of the past or in the tension of the present day. This is a novella with great ideas that could easily be fleshed out into a full-length novel.
May 19, 2019
What a cool story!
This brief sci-fi tale follows writer Monica Greatorex, a worlds-famous journalist who's spent her life on the front-lines of inter-planetary battles for conquest, as the Commonwealth expanded and expanded to take over and absorb the planets on the periphery.
Now in her 60s, Monica heads back to her home planet of Sienna, going against the tide of desperate humans fleeing the outer planets for the supposed safety of the Commonwealth core. Monica is accompanied by her companion Gale -- a jenjer, a genetically engineered human whose people were originally created as an indentured servant class.
And now, the jenjer are ready to rise up, and it's becoming clear that nothing can stand in their way.
In The Undefeated, Monica's trip to Sienna brings up memories of her childhood, and in particular, a key occurrence that led to her family's flight from their home to the structured, wealthy, bland life of the Commonwealth. Her reminiscences about her youth and everything that came after are fascinating, and are key to understanding the fear and inevitability of the story's main sequences.
This is a short piece, but really captivating, with excellent world building and character development. Highly recommended!
This brief sci-fi tale follows writer Monica Greatorex, a worlds-famous journalist who's spent her life on the front-lines of inter-planetary battles for conquest, as the Commonwealth expanded and expanded to take over and absorb the planets on the periphery.
Now in her 60s, Monica heads back to her home planet of Sienna, going against the tide of desperate humans fleeing the outer planets for the supposed safety of the Commonwealth core. Monica is accompanied by her companion Gale -- a jenjer, a genetically engineered human whose people were originally created as an indentured servant class.
And now, the jenjer are ready to rise up, and it's becoming clear that nothing can stand in their way.
In The Undefeated, Monica's trip to Sienna brings up memories of her childhood, and in particular, a key occurrence that led to her family's flight from their home to the structured, wealthy, bland life of the Commonwealth. Her reminiscences about her youth and everything that came after are fascinating, and are key to understanding the fear and inevitability of the story's main sequences.
This is a short piece, but really captivating, with excellent world building and character development. Highly recommended!
June 4, 2019
Monica Greatorex is a war correspondent, famous for her writing of the Commonwealth's last great expansion as it absorbed countless worlds. Now, the Commonwealth itself is under threat as the bio-engineered slave class that they created turns on it. Monica travels to her homeworld, destined to be one of the first to fall to the oncoming jenjer, with her own jenjer servant in tow.
It's an interesting perspective to chronicle the fall of an empire by following the person who chronicled its rise. Despite the clarity with which Monica saw those conflicts, and the approaching one, it's also interesting to see how privilege and fear blinds even her as to the reasons behind it all, even when she perpetuates them herself with her own servant.
Melancholy, with a sinister tone.
It's an interesting perspective to chronicle the fall of an empire by following the person who chronicled its rise. Despite the clarity with which Monica saw those conflicts, and the approaching one, it's also interesting to see how privilege and fear blinds even her as to the reasons behind it all, even when she perpetuates them herself with her own servant.
Melancholy, with a sinister tone.
January 16, 2022
Nice existentialist novella by McCormack and a very quick read. Monica, just turned 60, is a star journalist of the Interstellar Commonwealth, going to the 'front lines' if you will and playing a role in shaping popular opinion. Now, she travels back to the planet she was born on, which once again is on the frontier of war.
For generations, people in the Commonwealth have bred genetically modified humans to use as basically slaves, selling their 'bonds' when no longer needed. It seems, however, that these folks, called jenjers, have had just about enough. So Monica, along with her own jenjer, heads back to her almost deserted home town, a former luxury resort, to await what will come. While there, she reflects upon her life and her choices.
This is a very quiet, unassuming novella, but one laced with a sense of 'things fall apart', and perhaps a subtle jab at the wealthy who treat ordinary people life serfs. 3.5 stars, rounding up.
For generations, people in the Commonwealth have bred genetically modified humans to use as basically slaves, selling their 'bonds' when no longer needed. It seems, however, that these folks, called jenjers, have had just about enough. So Monica, along with her own jenjer, heads back to her almost deserted home town, a former luxury resort, to await what will come. While there, she reflects upon her life and her choices.
This is a very quiet, unassuming novella, but one laced with a sense of 'things fall apart', and perhaps a subtle jab at the wealthy who treat ordinary people life serfs. 3.5 stars, rounding up.
March 23, 2022
3.5*
A famous, retired, and wealthy journalist decides to return to her childhood home planet. Nothing too weird about this, if it weren’t for the fact that society around her is under threat of war and on a major exodus. At first, the narrative just follows Monica’s trip but once she reaches her old town, a ghost town, we are given a look at events that shook her as a child, events that are tightly connected to the present and the jenjer, generically engineered people used as indentured servants.
Thought provoking and melancholic.
A famous, retired, and wealthy journalist decides to return to her childhood home planet. Nothing too weird about this, if it weren’t for the fact that society around her is under threat of war and on a major exodus. At first, the narrative just follows Monica’s trip but once she reaches her old town, a ghost town, we are given a look at events that shook her as a child, events that are tightly connected to the present and the jenjer, generically engineered people used as indentured servants.
Thought provoking and melancholic.
May 20, 2020
Hmmm ... I'm not sure what do to with this one.
There are some very interesting concepts and approaches there. But somehow I had the feeling that the story structure was too unbalanced. Events that I would have found worth investigating deeper where waved away, while half of the novella was about the mc's childhood. This was an important time for her development, but it took up too much space (or the rest too little).
So it sums up to my typical 3 star "hmm?" read.
There are some very interesting concepts and approaches there. But somehow I had the feeling that the story structure was too unbalanced. Events that I would have found worth investigating deeper where waved away, while half of the novella was about the mc's childhood. This was an important time for her development, but it took up too much space (or the rest too little).
So it sums up to my typical 3 star "hmm?" read.
June 11, 2019
A melancholic tone suffuses this tale of the life of a privileged woman of the Commonwealth. Monica Greatorex has been able, thanks to her great wealth, to live and do as she likes. She spends many years writing about the rise and actions of the Commonwealth, gaining fame and acclaim for her work. After many years, she finally returns to her former home on an outer planet of the Commonwealth, , Sienna, to await an army coming to take on the Commonwealth.
What is gradually revealed is this army is made up of jenjers, genetically modified humans who function as servants/slaves for the Commonwealth. Monica herself has a long time jenjer servant whom Monica forced to come with her to Sienna.
Much of the novella is Monica reminiscing about her childhood, and the incident that took her and her mother into the heart of the Commonwealth.
It's interesting that Monica is on Sienna to chronicle the oncoming invasion by the jenjer; she sees it as yet another opportunity for herself to write about interesting events. She is oddly, though perhaps it's really not that odd, considering her privileged life, thanks to gobs of money and the services of myriad jenjer, unable to fully grasp the reasons driving the advancing jenger force. The author leaves you with a small feeling of menace at the story's close.
What is gradually revealed is this army is made up of jenjers, genetically modified humans who function as servants/slaves for the Commonwealth. Monica herself has a long time jenjer servant whom Monica forced to come with her to Sienna.
Much of the novella is Monica reminiscing about her childhood, and the incident that took her and her mother into the heart of the Commonwealth.
It's interesting that Monica is on Sienna to chronicle the oncoming invasion by the jenjer; she sees it as yet another opportunity for herself to write about interesting events. She is oddly, though perhaps it's really not that odd, considering her privileged life, thanks to gobs of money and the services of myriad jenjer, unable to fully grasp the reasons driving the advancing jenger force. The author leaves you with a small feeling of menace at the story's close.
May 9, 2019
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
This is going to be a short review, since it is a short book. I mean goodness, I don't want to tell you everything, right? Right. So I am basically going to break it into two parts: The World, and The Characters. Because one was mostly a hit and one was rather a miss, and that sums up my feelings on this one. Let's do it!
The World:
The world was really interesting, and I was eager to learn more about it. Our main character, Monica, is trying to get back to her childhood home at basically the end of humanity. An enemy is coming, threatening to wipe out whatever is left of humans. And apparently, they have the chops to do it. The concept of the jenjer, the modified humans who are enslaved and treated as "less than" is intriguing and I do wish we got more of their story. If I have one complaint about the world, it's that I'd want a bit more of it, but perhaps that's an unfair complaint for a novella, though it's more to say, I enjoyed this aspect.
The Characters:
I just felt nothing for Monica, and that basically is my biggest issue with this story. I wanted to understand where she's coming from, but to me she read rather unlikable. And that is okay I suppose, except when she is one of the only characters we encounter, it makes it hard to actually care if she survives the end of the human race. She doesn't seem to have a lot of sympathy for the jenjer, even though one is currently her companion. To be fair though, she doesn't seem to have much sympathy for anything, and seems quite apathetic about the end of humanity, too.
Bottom Line: Certainly a cool world and concept, perhaps needing a bit more emotional pull to feel fully immersive.
This is going to be a short review, since it is a short book. I mean goodness, I don't want to tell you everything, right? Right. So I am basically going to break it into two parts: The World, and The Characters. Because one was mostly a hit and one was rather a miss, and that sums up my feelings on this one. Let's do it!
The World:
The world was really interesting, and I was eager to learn more about it. Our main character, Monica, is trying to get back to her childhood home at basically the end of humanity. An enemy is coming, threatening to wipe out whatever is left of humans. And apparently, they have the chops to do it. The concept of the jenjer, the modified humans who are enslaved and treated as "less than" is intriguing and I do wish we got more of their story. If I have one complaint about the world, it's that I'd want a bit more of it, but perhaps that's an unfair complaint for a novella, though it's more to say, I enjoyed this aspect.
The Characters:
I just felt nothing for Monica, and that basically is my biggest issue with this story. I wanted to understand where she's coming from, but to me she read rather unlikable. And that is okay I suppose, except when she is one of the only characters we encounter, it makes it hard to actually care if she survives the end of the human race. She doesn't seem to have a lot of sympathy for the jenjer, even though one is currently her companion. To be fair though, she doesn't seem to have much sympathy for anything, and seems quite apathetic about the end of humanity, too.
Bottom Line: Certainly a cool world and concept, perhaps needing a bit more emotional pull to feel fully immersive.
March 8, 2022
C/W:
The Undefeated was a captivating story that kept me hooked from start to finish. The narrative slowly unfurls new layers in a way that was truly masterful, particularly given The Undefeated's short page count. This is a book I'd highly recommend going in not knowing much about in order to fully savor the journey McCormack takes you on. I know I'll be thinking about this puzzle box of a novella for a long time.
The Undefeated was a captivating story that kept me hooked from start to finish. The narrative slowly unfurls new layers in a way that was truly masterful, particularly given The Undefeated's short page count. This is a book I'd highly recommend going in not knowing much about in order to fully savor the journey McCormack takes you on. I know I'll be thinking about this puzzle box of a novella for a long time.
May 22, 2019
This review and others can be read on my blog, Black Forest Basilisks.
THIS ARC WAS PROVIDED COURTESY OF Tor Publishing via NetGalley IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
The Undefeated is a novel that fails to live up to an interesting premise. I was excited to read about a “warrior of words” and “no holds barred” journalist – the blurb mentions front-line war zones, courageous exposés on corruption, scandal, et cetera. I came in expecting a thrilling space opera with excitement and action.
Unfortunately, that’s not the book I found myself reading. If you’re looking for a book that’s a bit slower and reads similarly to a succinct memoir, this might be a good choice. Personally, it didn’t scratch my itch for space opera, nor did I find it to be particularly engaging. Monica, the narrator, simply did not particularly interest me as a person – or least not as she was portrayed. The portions of her life which did intrigue me were given very little screen time.
While it’s not a bad book, per se, it’s nothing new or insightful. It’s merely a bit… bland. If we take a step away from the blurb and examine the content of the book itself, this would be a better description:
Humanity has both colonized the universe under the mantle of the Commonwealth government and discovered a way to give humans extra strength and longevity, but only with expensive medicine. This treatment is used on convicts to create a slave class, called the jenjer. The jenjer are essentially just normal humans narratively speaking, as we never actually see them use any of their abilities. Entirely off-screen, the jenjer have figured out a way to avoid the need for medicine and have formed an uprising. There are no jenjer point of view characters. The narrator, along with her jenjer slave, have traveled to her homeworld, where her slave leaves her and she decides she will wait there for the war to come. They do not do anything on Torello other than look at abandoned town she grew up in. There are no scenes whatsoever from the war itself, and she is certainly not on the “front lines” of anything.
Although ostensibly this is a book set in a time of war, this premise seems divorced from the primary plot arc. The main character, who is not a jenjer, only has her young life detailed out. We learn some about her adult life, but all of the genuinely interesting parts are glossed over. There are only a few short sentences about her career as a war zone journalist writing exposés on corruption and poverty. Mostly, we see the mundane aspects of her life. She’s not particularly sympathetic – when her mother was dying, she was mostly antsy to get away again. We don’t get to see many of her emotions, it’s very impersonal, and simply… not engaging. There is a bit of information regarding the process the Commonwealth used to destabilize existing worlds and take control of their governments, which I did enjoy in all fairness. However, toxic colonization is nothing new, and it was not a clever or new take on the subject.
Similarly, the novel doesn’t have a particularly interesting take on slavery. The narrator seems mostly okay with the jenjer being slaves, albeit with a few pangs of empathy – which is kind of screwed up. She’s quick to pat herself on the back for feeling even a little bad for their situation, but she’s certainly not harkening back to her early days and speaking out against the injustice she sees occurring or campaigning for jenjer emancipation.
We don’t get to see the true day to day life of the jenjer pre-rebellion – but couldn’t we at least get some interesting points of view within the rebellion itself now that it’s happening? Or at least more information on the actual threat and how they’re organized? A little more information on how it built up? It was unsatisfying how little we knew about what is ostensibly the premise of the book and primary threat to the established government.
The writing style is clipped and distant. While this is an effective stylistic choice given that the narrator is a journalist, it’s not personally my cup of tea. It caused a novel that was already low on emotion and impact to become even moreso. The prose is minimal and doesn’t waste any words or time – if you enjoy reading NPR for the prose, this may be more up your alley.
The Undefeated is a short novel at only 112 pages. I think that if this had been fleshed out to a 300-400 page book, it would have worked better. Including more detail about the main character’s career as a journalist (or better yet, having her act as a journalist during the upcoming jenjer war!), adding a jenjer point of view, and providing more information on the rebellion would have made this a more compelling story. As it is, the novel simply lacks both soul and substance.
THIS ARC WAS PROVIDED COURTESY OF Tor Publishing via NetGalley IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
The Undefeated is a novel that fails to live up to an interesting premise. I was excited to read about a “warrior of words” and “no holds barred” journalist – the blurb mentions front-line war zones, courageous exposés on corruption, scandal, et cetera. I came in expecting a thrilling space opera with excitement and action.
Unfortunately, that’s not the book I found myself reading. If you’re looking for a book that’s a bit slower and reads similarly to a succinct memoir, this might be a good choice. Personally, it didn’t scratch my itch for space opera, nor did I find it to be particularly engaging. Monica, the narrator, simply did not particularly interest me as a person – or least not as she was portrayed. The portions of her life which did intrigue me were given very little screen time.
While it’s not a bad book, per se, it’s nothing new or insightful. It’s merely a bit… bland. If we take a step away from the blurb and examine the content of the book itself, this would be a better description:
Humanity has both colonized the universe under the mantle of the Commonwealth government and discovered a way to give humans extra strength and longevity, but only with expensive medicine. This treatment is used on convicts to create a slave class, called the jenjer. The jenjer are essentially just normal humans narratively speaking, as we never actually see them use any of their abilities. Entirely off-screen, the jenjer have figured out a way to avoid the need for medicine and have formed an uprising. There are no jenjer point of view characters. The narrator, along with her jenjer slave, have traveled to her homeworld, where her slave leaves her and she decides she will wait there for the war to come. They do not do anything on Torello other than look at abandoned town she grew up in. There are no scenes whatsoever from the war itself, and she is certainly not on the “front lines” of anything.
Although ostensibly this is a book set in a time of war, this premise seems divorced from the primary plot arc. The main character, who is not a jenjer, only has her young life detailed out. We learn some about her adult life, but all of the genuinely interesting parts are glossed over. There are only a few short sentences about her career as a war zone journalist writing exposés on corruption and poverty. Mostly, we see the mundane aspects of her life. She’s not particularly sympathetic – when her mother was dying, she was mostly antsy to get away again. We don’t get to see many of her emotions, it’s very impersonal, and simply… not engaging. There is a bit of information regarding the process the Commonwealth used to destabilize existing worlds and take control of their governments, which I did enjoy in all fairness. However, toxic colonization is nothing new, and it was not a clever or new take on the subject.
Similarly, the novel doesn’t have a particularly interesting take on slavery. The narrator seems mostly okay with the jenjer being slaves, albeit with a few pangs of empathy – which is kind of screwed up. She’s quick to pat herself on the back for feeling even a little bad for their situation, but she’s certainly not harkening back to her early days and speaking out against the injustice she sees occurring or campaigning for jenjer emancipation.
“She saw few jenjer, of course, and was curious to see how people managed with that support absent. . . Gale [Monica’s jenjer slave] had also noticed their glaring absence and had attracted some thinly veiled hostility: sharp angry glances; the occasional muttered curse. On the surface he was unruffled, but she promised herself that they would not remain here very long, and even felt a little proud of her sensitivity.”
We don’t get to see the true day to day life of the jenjer pre-rebellion – but couldn’t we at least get some interesting points of view within the rebellion itself now that it’s happening? Or at least more information on the actual threat and how they’re organized? A little more information on how it built up? It was unsatisfying how little we knew about what is ostensibly the premise of the book and primary threat to the established government.
The writing style is clipped and distant. While this is an effective stylistic choice given that the narrator is a journalist, it’s not personally my cup of tea. It caused a novel that was already low on emotion and impact to become even moreso. The prose is minimal and doesn’t waste any words or time – if you enjoy reading NPR for the prose, this may be more up your alley.
The Undefeated is a short novel at only 112 pages. I think that if this had been fleshed out to a 300-400 page book, it would have worked better. Including more detail about the main character’s career as a journalist (or better yet, having her act as a journalist during the upcoming jenjer war!), adding a jenjer point of view, and providing more information on the rebellion would have made this a more compelling story. As it is, the novel simply lacks both soul and substance.
November 11, 2019
Back in the Roman Empire, a bill before the Senate to require slaves to wear distinctive clothing was voted down, under the practical reasoning that “it would be a mistake to show the wretches how numerous they truly are.” Massive empires, especially those where the systemic violation of human rights is baked right into the cake, usually fall because they’re a lot more fragile than they let on. They expand too far too fast, so that they can no longer defend their borders effectively. Or, there’s a vast populace who have made up their minds they’ve been too long oppressed, and they are just 100% done with the whole thing.
The Undefeated is a quiet and introspective novella that explores the theme of colonialism through the lens of a protagonist who grew up as a child of privilege and is only, late in life, coming to terms with her own complicity in a system that she has nonetheless dedicated her life to confronting. Monica Greatorex grew up in the wealthy enclave of Torello on the planet Sienna. Sienna is located deep in space in a system facing annexation by the all-consuming Interstellar Commonwealth, which conquers independent worlds not by force of arms, but through destabilization of local governments and economies.
Una McCormack devotes much care and detail to Monica’s character development. We first meet Monica as she is returning to Sienna at the age of sixty, after a lifetime dedicated to a thriving career in advocacy journalism, the result of a personal awakening upon seeing the effects of the Commonwealth’s expansion on the poorest citizens of outlying worlds.
But there’s an even greater threat looming now. Human society in this future is, to put it bluntly, a slaveholding society. The jenjer are a genetically engineered class of bonded servants. For at least fifty years, they have been breaking free of those bonds — specifically, the drugs that their human masters use to help keep their metabolisms from overloading due to their enhancements — and rumor has it that vast, merciless armies of them are sweeping across the Commonwealth, bent on inexorable revenge. (cont'd)
The Undefeated is a quiet and introspective novella that explores the theme of colonialism through the lens of a protagonist who grew up as a child of privilege and is only, late in life, coming to terms with her own complicity in a system that she has nonetheless dedicated her life to confronting. Monica Greatorex grew up in the wealthy enclave of Torello on the planet Sienna. Sienna is located deep in space in a system facing annexation by the all-consuming Interstellar Commonwealth, which conquers independent worlds not by force of arms, but through destabilization of local governments and economies.
Una McCormack devotes much care and detail to Monica’s character development. We first meet Monica as she is returning to Sienna at the age of sixty, after a lifetime dedicated to a thriving career in advocacy journalism, the result of a personal awakening upon seeing the effects of the Commonwealth’s expansion on the poorest citizens of outlying worlds.
But there’s an even greater threat looming now. Human society in this future is, to put it bluntly, a slaveholding society. The jenjer are a genetically engineered class of bonded servants. For at least fifty years, they have been breaking free of those bonds — specifically, the drugs that their human masters use to help keep their metabolisms from overloading due to their enhancements — and rumor has it that vast, merciless armies of them are sweeping across the Commonwealth, bent on inexorable revenge. (cont'd)
September 17, 2019
I saw this book in a display at the library. I had not heard anything about this story or the author in general, but the synopsis seemed interesting. I expected a space opera - one more focused on journalism than space battles, but still with plenty of action.
The Undefeated is not a space opera. I would describe it as a memoir in third person. It is entirely about Monica Greatorex reflecting on her life. The story covers her return to her hometown after 50 years abroad. The whole world is evacuating in fear of a coming invasion, but Monica chooses to stay and relive her past. The result is a quiet, personal story. Like life, it has no dramatic beginning and no sharply defined end.
The story itself exists in an in-between space for Monica - looking back to her life, and anticipating some existential threat that will turn the Commonwealth on its head. I would say there is no action in the present tense in this story. The action is described in flashback, or foreshadowed in dialogue. The result is a narrative calm before the storm.
McCormack really nails the atmosphere. The story starts without much explanation or framing, creating a languid feeling, a sense of unhurried wandering. Once Monica reaches Torello, it recreates the timelessness of a vacation in a secluded cabin. As she reveals her past, feelings of muted tension and loss grow. It gets across that Monica is struggling with an important decision without directly confronting it. I found it all very natural and emotional, if a little mundane.
I don't think this story will stick with me much. It was written well, but it did not connect with me. The themes of imperialism and slavery and privilege are handled subtly, but not uniquely enough to stick in my memory. More importantly, I had trouble relating to Monica. Her lifelong privilege insulated her from the threat that chases others from Sienna. While I believe her as a character, it was a barrier to my investment in the world.
The Undefeated was not a bad experience, even as it leaves me wanting more. It demonstrates real talent from McCormack. I am also sure many readers would enjoy the atmosphere and connect to the world more easily than I. Personally, I want to see what McCormack can do with meatier subject matter.
The Undefeated is not a space opera. I would describe it as a memoir in third person. It is entirely about Monica Greatorex reflecting on her life. The story covers her return to her hometown after 50 years abroad. The whole world is evacuating in fear of a coming invasion, but Monica chooses to stay and relive her past. The result is a quiet, personal story. Like life, it has no dramatic beginning and no sharply defined end.
The story itself exists in an in-between space for Monica - looking back to her life, and anticipating some existential threat that will turn the Commonwealth on its head. I would say there is no action in the present tense in this story. The action is described in flashback, or foreshadowed in dialogue. The result is a narrative calm before the storm.
McCormack really nails the atmosphere. The story starts without much explanation or framing, creating a languid feeling, a sense of unhurried wandering. Once Monica reaches Torello, it recreates the timelessness of a vacation in a secluded cabin. As she reveals her past, feelings of muted tension and loss grow. It gets across that Monica is struggling with an important decision without directly confronting it. I found it all very natural and emotional, if a little mundane.
I don't think this story will stick with me much. It was written well, but it did not connect with me. The themes of imperialism and slavery and privilege are handled subtly, but not uniquely enough to stick in my memory. More importantly, I had trouble relating to Monica. Her lifelong privilege insulated her from the threat that chases others from Sienna. While I believe her as a character, it was a barrier to my investment in the world.
The Undefeated was not a bad experience, even as it leaves me wanting more. It demonstrates real talent from McCormack. I am also sure many readers would enjoy the atmosphere and connect to the world more easily than I. Personally, I want to see what McCormack can do with meatier subject matter.
March 17, 2019
This is a wonderful, accomplished book. More detail after my other reviewing commitments end. read it. You won't be disappointed!
September 6, 2020
The author is very successful in creating a air of melancholy and nostalgia here, but the more you think about it the creepier this nostalgia is, because this nostalgia is for a life of privilege and naivete that is dependent upon the enslavement of other people. And in fact it seems that the main character has really not learned anything, as she is still a slave-owner at the end of the book. So to me the book ends up feeling a bit like a sci-fi "Gone With the Wind", asking the reader to mourn for a world that doesn't deserve to be missed.
September 27, 2021
I am writing this a few months after reading it and I can honestly say I don't have many strong memories or impressions. I liked learning about the characters past but didn't find anything she was going through interesting. I found the state of the universe more compelling and reminded me of stories like Foundation or Hyperion but on a less epic scale and not with a character I would want to see these events though. But I think it accomplished the goal it wanted but it wasn't a story I was very interested in and didn't stick with me.
September 21, 2022
A brilliant short little novella. It took a bit to really get into it but by the end I was hooked and wanted more. 5 ⭐.
August 24, 2019
"The Undefeated" is a beautifully crafted novella about unconscious privilege, ubiquitous slavery and their consequence, seen through the eyes of a memorable, if not always reliable, narrator.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the way Una McCormack slowly built up my understanding of the central character, Monica Greatorex, both by showing me how she sees her current and past self and by letting me see the things about her to which she is mostly blind.
Monica, in her sixties, is returning for the first time as an adult, to her childhood home on Savanah, a periphery world, once proudly independent and now part of the Commonwealth. She is travelling with a Jenjer companion that she paid a great deal for. She is travelling against the flow, with most people fleeing (although they would deny that description) to the core worlds.
Much of the novella is spent understanding Jenjers, why people are fleeing, and why Monica is heading in the opposite direction. Much of this is revealed in the childhood memories Monica immerses herself in,, often recalling with shame the thoughts and actions of her childhood self.
The novella seems to me to be about the corrupting effects of slavery on a society whose wealth depends on the work of slaves but whose sense of worth is maintained only by denying the humanity of those slaves. It looks at how blind the wealthy and powerful become to the reality of their situation, how hatred and the need not just for justice but for vengeance builds in the enslaved and how neither side will willing acknowledge this.
Although the story is set in a far future in which humanity has expanded its reach to many planets, the tone of the story seems to me to be Edwardian. This unusual juxtaposition of setting and tone made me look harder at what was going on.
From the beginning, I saw Monica Greatorex as one of those wealthy, independent, Edwardian women who travelled the world on a bicycle, absorbed in collecting butterflies, eschewing the conventions of Society but still benefitting from the protection of wealth and privilege that they so took for granted that they were unaware of it. I think this is clear from the first sentence of the novella:
"MONICA GREATOREX HAD, in her sixtieth year, resisted acquiring dependents but had (in that easy way we may observe in the rich wherever and whenever we are) accrued considerable wealth without particular effort on her part. Money begot money, and this miraculous alchemy had eased Monica’s passage through life, a life which she would be the first to admit had been blessed—with adventure, travel, lovers of all persuasions, and, above all, the liberty to do whatever she chose. Looking back over her six decades, she was satisfied that she had not, on the whole, squandered either her talents or her resources."
As we can see, Monica thinks well of herself. She sees herself as a warrior with words whose writings from the frontlines of Commonwealth expansion have helped to awaken a social conscience in Society and shape policy. She is alone and likes her solitude, provided her comforts are arranged for her by her Jenjer.
As she stands in the what's left of the town she was raised in and confronts childhood memories through an adult's eyes, she readjusts her picture of herself and her situation, finally allowing herself to acknowledge what is going on, how she has contributed to it and what it is going to mean.
I ended the book liking her a little more and admiring her courage and her dignity.
I was very impressed with this novella. I hope that it does well and the Una McCormack gifts us with more work like it.
As an aside, this novella is one of those where I'm left wondering if the publisher didn't understand what they were publishing or didn't have the courage to market it for what it is. Here's the publisher's summary:
"Una McCormack's The Undefeated is a thrilling space opera adventure featuring a no holds barred heroine on the front lines of an intergalactic war...
She was a warrior of words.
As a journalist she exposed corruption across the Interstellar Commonwealth, shifting public opinion and destroying careers in the process.
Long-since retired, she travels back to the planet of her childhood, partly through a sense of nostalgia, partly to avoid running from humanity’s newest—and self-created—enemy, the jenjer.
Because the enemy is coming, and nothing can stand in its way."
This isn't a space opera. Monica is not a "no holds barred heroine". She's a grown woman finally coming to understand that she was once a privileged little princess and to understand and be ashamed of the sources of that privilege. To me, that makes "The Undefeated" much more interesting than a pocket-sized space opera.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the way Una McCormack slowly built up my understanding of the central character, Monica Greatorex, both by showing me how she sees her current and past self and by letting me see the things about her to which she is mostly blind.
Monica, in her sixties, is returning for the first time as an adult, to her childhood home on Savanah, a periphery world, once proudly independent and now part of the Commonwealth. She is travelling with a Jenjer companion that she paid a great deal for. She is travelling against the flow, with most people fleeing (although they would deny that description) to the core worlds.
Much of the novella is spent understanding Jenjers, why people are fleeing, and why Monica is heading in the opposite direction. Much of this is revealed in the childhood memories Monica immerses herself in,, often recalling with shame the thoughts and actions of her childhood self.
The novella seems to me to be about the corrupting effects of slavery on a society whose wealth depends on the work of slaves but whose sense of worth is maintained only by denying the humanity of those slaves. It looks at how blind the wealthy and powerful become to the reality of their situation, how hatred and the need not just for justice but for vengeance builds in the enslaved and how neither side will willing acknowledge this.
Although the story is set in a far future in which humanity has expanded its reach to many planets, the tone of the story seems to me to be Edwardian. This unusual juxtaposition of setting and tone made me look harder at what was going on.
From the beginning, I saw Monica Greatorex as one of those wealthy, independent, Edwardian women who travelled the world on a bicycle, absorbed in collecting butterflies, eschewing the conventions of Society but still benefitting from the protection of wealth and privilege that they so took for granted that they were unaware of it. I think this is clear from the first sentence of the novella:
"MONICA GREATOREX HAD, in her sixtieth year, resisted acquiring dependents but had (in that easy way we may observe in the rich wherever and whenever we are) accrued considerable wealth without particular effort on her part. Money begot money, and this miraculous alchemy had eased Monica’s passage through life, a life which she would be the first to admit had been blessed—with adventure, travel, lovers of all persuasions, and, above all, the liberty to do whatever she chose. Looking back over her six decades, she was satisfied that she had not, on the whole, squandered either her talents or her resources."
As we can see, Monica thinks well of herself. She sees herself as a warrior with words whose writings from the frontlines of Commonwealth expansion have helped to awaken a social conscience in Society and shape policy. She is alone and likes her solitude, provided her comforts are arranged for her by her Jenjer.
As she stands in the what's left of the town she was raised in and confronts childhood memories through an adult's eyes, she readjusts her picture of herself and her situation, finally allowing herself to acknowledge what is going on, how she has contributed to it and what it is going to mean.
I ended the book liking her a little more and admiring her courage and her dignity.
I was very impressed with this novella. I hope that it does well and the Una McCormack gifts us with more work like it.
As an aside, this novella is one of those where I'm left wondering if the publisher didn't understand what they were publishing or didn't have the courage to market it for what it is. Here's the publisher's summary:
"Una McCormack's The Undefeated is a thrilling space opera adventure featuring a no holds barred heroine on the front lines of an intergalactic war...
She was a warrior of words.
As a journalist she exposed corruption across the Interstellar Commonwealth, shifting public opinion and destroying careers in the process.
Long-since retired, she travels back to the planet of her childhood, partly through a sense of nostalgia, partly to avoid running from humanity’s newest—and self-created—enemy, the jenjer.
Because the enemy is coming, and nothing can stand in its way."
This isn't a space opera. Monica is not a "no holds barred heroine". She's a grown woman finally coming to understand that she was once a privileged little princess and to understand and be ashamed of the sources of that privilege. To me, that makes "The Undefeated" much more interesting than a pocket-sized space opera.
November 14, 2019
For such a slender book, there's a heck of a lot crammed into it. Right from the cover, which riffs so heavily on Friedrich's early 19th century painting The Wanderer Above The Sea Of Fog, and McCormack's deliberate choice to seat the story in a sort of 19th century narrative, we're told that this history of the life of Monica Greatorex is a vision of an uncertain future. And the Undefeated is definitely the Life of Monica, the narrative revolving around a few carefully selected events to make certain points.
War is coming to the Commonwealth - an enemy that casts a long shadow over wealth, tradition, and privilege. And as Monica revisits the now near-abandoned world of her childhood, McCormack carefully steers us into realising who and what that enemy is. The heart of the action is a memory from that childhood, a single summer that presages all the changes to come. This part, book-ended by the story of Monica's journey to this point, holds the suppressed violence of a Leone movie. But it's the details submerged in the rest of the story that should make the reader shiver - what humanity has sown and reaped by their creation and subsequent treatment of the jenjer.
A couple of reviewers seem to have missed the point of the book, expecting action! action! boom! rebellion! But The Undefeated doesn't need to do that, not when it can critique empire, privilege, and slavery in a quiet, forceful voice that compels you to listen.
War is coming to the Commonwealth - an enemy that casts a long shadow over wealth, tradition, and privilege. And as Monica revisits the now near-abandoned world of her childhood, McCormack carefully steers us into realising who and what that enemy is. The heart of the action is a memory from that childhood, a single summer that presages all the changes to come. This part, book-ended by the story of Monica's journey to this point, holds the suppressed violence of a Leone movie. But it's the details submerged in the rest of the story that should make the reader shiver - what humanity has sown and reaped by their creation and subsequent treatment of the jenjer.
A couple of reviewers seem to have missed the point of the book, expecting action! action! boom! rebellion! But The Undefeated doesn't need to do that, not when it can critique empire, privilege, and slavery in a quiet, forceful voice that compels you to listen.
September 3, 2021
This short sci-fi story was very interesting. Monica is a 60 year old war journalist going back to her home planet for answers. The world-building is just enough for the reader to know the world-building is not important here. The focus is on Monica, almost like this book is her autobiography, and the Jenjer - genetically modified humans that citizens have turned into slaves.
I wish the focus were a little more on the Jenjer, or maybe the world, or maybe just some more detail in other aspects? The autobiographical nature was a little bland with the exception being her story of when she was 12 and the "world changed." I hoped that the feel of discovery of what happened and will happen would drive the book but it fell a little flat around the 70-90 page mark. Still, a very interesting short story and I will probably look for more for this author - I feel like her stories would be better in a fleshed out novel.
I wish the focus were a little more on the Jenjer, or maybe the world, or maybe just some more detail in other aspects? The autobiographical nature was a little bland with the exception being her story of when she was 12 and the "world changed." I hoped that the feel of discovery of what happened and will happen would drive the book but it fell a little flat around the 70-90 page mark. Still, a very interesting short story and I will probably look for more for this author - I feel like her stories would be better in a fleshed out novel.
May 15, 2019
A subtle and mesmerizing story that tells more in what it doesn't say than it what it says outright. My full review at the New York Journal of Books:
https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book...
https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book...
December 19, 2019
Boring and literary social commentary thinly disguised as science fiction. But it's not. Science fiction, I mean. It just has some spaceships and colony worlds, is all.
Plus, at least half was a long, long flashback, and I hate that. I really liked the beginning, too, but it just dragged on and on, and considering that it's very short, that's saying something. I wanted to give it one star, but it is too well written for that. It will probably win awards, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
A couple of hours I will never get back. You've been warned.
Plus, at least half was a long, long flashback, and I hate that. I really liked the beginning, too, but it just dragged on and on, and considering that it's very short, that's saying something. I wanted to give it one star, but it is too well written for that. It will probably win awards, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
A couple of hours I will never get back. You've been warned.
September 2, 2019
This is a short but thoughtful and compelling study of slavery, with some musings about colonialisme too, told through the reminiscences of a 60 years old former war correspondant who returns to her near abandoned birth planet. Beautifully written, engaging and easy to read.
It was my first book by Una McCormack, but definitely not my last.
It was my first book by Una McCormack, but definitely not my last.
April 26, 2019
Una McCormack's science fiction novella was a thought-provoking surprise. Monica Greatorex, a famous journalist, is contemplating the six decades of her life, the condition of the world she grew up in, the changes that have taken place, the politics of the known worlds...and their repercussions.
She's traveled widely, reporting on wars, migration, and suffering, and now she is returning to the almost abandoned world that sheltered and cosseted her until she was twelve.
As millions of refugees are fleeing to the Commonwealth and the Core, Monica heads the other way, despite knowing that "they are coming." She is accompanied by her jenjer Gale, a genetically modified human being, Monica has a one-way ticket to Sienna, and from there, she will go to Torello, her small hometown.
The jenjer are mentioned, but not truly explained. They are indentured servants, taken for granted, reliant on medication. Until the conclusion, they are kept quite vague. The technique works well--I was immediately curious, wanting more information, and subtly prepared for what would come.
On Monica's arrival to her childhood planet and small hometown, her memories immediately surface, giving her more clarity, more detail of past circumstances, and more understanding of how the Commonwealth insured its own decline. The reflection on her childhood understanding of events has had a subconscious effect on her life that she only confronts and clearly comprehends at sixty.
McCormack's understated approach to Monica's life refuses to give an overly emotional account of what will be the end of the worlds as Monica has known them. Monica the journalist is in action, not writing and recording, but prepared to bear witness.
The beginning is slow and cryptic, but as soon as Monica and Gale arrive in Torello, the story takes a curious and more intriguing turn as we view events through the eyes of twelve-year-old Monnie.
I definitely want more of Una McCormack.
NetGalley/MacMillan-Tor/Forge
Science Fiction/Contemporary relevance. May 14, 2019. Print length: 112 pages
She's traveled widely, reporting on wars, migration, and suffering, and now she is returning to the almost abandoned world that sheltered and cosseted her until she was twelve.
As millions of refugees are fleeing to the Commonwealth and the Core, Monica heads the other way, despite knowing that "they are coming." She is accompanied by her jenjer Gale, a genetically modified human being, Monica has a one-way ticket to Sienna, and from there, she will go to Torello, her small hometown.
The jenjer are mentioned, but not truly explained. They are indentured servants, taken for granted, reliant on medication. Until the conclusion, they are kept quite vague. The technique works well--I was immediately curious, wanting more information, and subtly prepared for what would come.
On Monica's arrival to her childhood planet and small hometown, her memories immediately surface, giving her more clarity, more detail of past circumstances, and more understanding of how the Commonwealth insured its own decline. The reflection on her childhood understanding of events has had a subconscious effect on her life that she only confronts and clearly comprehends at sixty.
McCormack's understated approach to Monica's life refuses to give an overly emotional account of what will be the end of the worlds as Monica has known them. Monica the journalist is in action, not writing and recording, but prepared to bear witness.
The beginning is slow and cryptic, but as soon as Monica and Gale arrive in Torello, the story takes a curious and more intriguing turn as we view events through the eyes of twelve-year-old Monnie.
I definitely want more of Una McCormack.
NetGalley/MacMillan-Tor/Forge
Science Fiction/Contemporary relevance. May 14, 2019. Print length: 112 pages
September 13, 2020
"The Undefeated" is an interesting piece of speculative fiction that has a unique premise and a slowww story. If this was much longer I would have lost interest early on but it manages to hold just enough interest to keep the pages flipping. I think the story needed a little spice, a little more action here and there; it became a bit more like a quasi-memoir, and that didn't really work because the reader doesn't have enough time to get to know the main character, Monica, before being thrown back in time. I just felt like I was being held at a distance from the whole story.
That being said, again, the overall premise is interesting! The idea of the jenjer uprising and coming back for justice provides a constant source of stress and excitement for the reader, and the story does a good job at letting you know what happens after the pages run out - there is such a solid sense of inevitability. I would have liked to see Monica in a longer story, but this was a decent afternoon read as it is.
That being said, again, the overall premise is interesting! The idea of the jenjer uprising and coming back for justice provides a constant source of stress and excitement for the reader, and the story does a good job at letting you know what happens after the pages run out - there is such a solid sense of inevitability. I would have liked to see Monica in a longer story, but this was a decent afternoon read as it is.
January 31, 2025
A short little novella about our MC, Monica, a 60-year old reporter who returns to her home planet and contemplates her life. Well written, told in a series of reminisces - this novel is about privilege in the face of systematic oppression and how it governs our life. In this, the oppressed are the Jenjer - bio-engineered slaves who are coming.
The blurb makes this the book seem more action packed than it is - this is more contemplative, especially since the MC has more perspective and insight into her life and events. It was not sad exactly; the tone is matter-of-fact, but the act of looking at one's life lends itself to regret and reflection.
The world building is a good accent - we have a galactic Commonwealth, space travel, etc etc - but the author kept that simple. It's an accent and not the point of the story. I liked that. I found this very well told - I am not sure it was complex thematically, but seeing this from the eyes of someone older made it different and I quite enjoyed that.
Need more older MC please.
The blurb makes this the book seem more action packed than it is - this is more contemplative, especially since the MC has more perspective and insight into her life and events. It was not sad exactly; the tone is matter-of-fact, but the act of looking at one's life lends itself to regret and reflection.
The world building is a good accent - we have a galactic Commonwealth, space travel, etc etc - but the author kept that simple. It's an accent and not the point of the story. I liked that. I found this very well told - I am not sure it was complex thematically, but seeing this from the eyes of someone older made it different and I quite enjoyed that.
Need more older MC please.
May 28, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley for this book!
The Undefeated is a novella, following war journalist Monica Greatorex. The story itself does not concern her time on the front lines, but begins when she’s in her 60s, visiting the near-abandoned planet of her youth. The defining moment of her life is revealed through her memories, as well as her struggle to reconcile how her privileged life contributed to the threat now heading towards humanity and its many colonized worlds.
Despite the amount of backstory required to understand the universe Monica exists in, the novel does not dump exposition on us. In fact, we are given choice details about humanity’s place in the universe and the “jenjer” slave class as the story progresses. The way the information is parceled out is quite fun with a few interesting reveals.
Despite being quite short, the novella packs in some interesting takes on outer world expansionism and the class effects of such. The reclamation of old abandoned earth by the wealthy was an intriguing detail.
Yet, while I appreciated the non-heavy-handed, or at least roundabout, rumination on slavery, the jenjer situation required more explanation. How did a modern government allow for this? We’re given no indication how such treatment of human beings could pass legislation, especially given humanity’s history with slavery. Then again, certain rights you would think should be set in stone today are still contested in parts of the first world, let alone the rest of it. The slavery aspect would have been more poignant had we been given a history of how the jenjer’s rights were taken away or never created.
It was a beautifully written short novel. Monica was an interesting, rather sympathetic character despite her place of privilege. I enjoyed the way the novella interwove the themes and stories from the present to the past. It was well-executed and enthralling.
Shameless Plug!
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The Undefeated is a novella, following war journalist Monica Greatorex. The story itself does not concern her time on the front lines, but begins when she’s in her 60s, visiting the near-abandoned planet of her youth. The defining moment of her life is revealed through her memories, as well as her struggle to reconcile how her privileged life contributed to the threat now heading towards humanity and its many colonized worlds.
Despite the amount of backstory required to understand the universe Monica exists in, the novel does not dump exposition on us. In fact, we are given choice details about humanity’s place in the universe and the “jenjer” slave class as the story progresses. The way the information is parceled out is quite fun with a few interesting reveals.
Despite being quite short, the novella packs in some interesting takes on outer world expansionism and the class effects of such. The reclamation of old abandoned earth by the wealthy was an intriguing detail.
Yet, while I appreciated the non-heavy-handed, or at least roundabout, rumination on slavery, the jenjer situation required more explanation. How did a modern government allow for this? We’re given no indication how such treatment of human beings could pass legislation, especially given humanity’s history with slavery. Then again, certain rights you would think should be set in stone today are still contested in parts of the first world, let alone the rest of it. The slavery aspect would have been more poignant had we been given a history of how the jenjer’s rights were taken away or never created.
It was a beautifully written short novel. Monica was an interesting, rather sympathetic character despite her place of privilege. I enjoyed the way the novella interwove the themes and stories from the present to the past. It was well-executed and enthralling.
Shameless Plug!
Do you like Book Reviews? Do you like Analyses of Novels? Do you like pugs? Check out my Booktube Channel Sound and Fury for a deeper dive into this novel!
August 14, 2022
Story mainly about slavery (and their consequences). Very disappointing if you're looking for a sci-fi story. Good writing though.
May 20, 2019
How do writers manage to get so much plot and characterization in so little space? Ugh, I need to learn how to do that...
November 26, 2023
Excellent story about the effects of slavery, told from a different point of view. I know the summary says it’s a space opera, but really it’s more of a Western set on another planet than anything.
May 26, 2019
Really impressed by this tale of an older protagonist returning home and making sense of a pivotal childhood moment
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
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