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Defying Gravity
This isn't a book with lots of violence, war or death in it. There's enough of that in real life, and if you're into that kind of thing, then there's plenty of other books out there for you.
This is a story about the stuff that we don't have enough of in real life. Love, tolerance, bravery and leadership. And its a story about humanity's first attempt to live in space, and how two young women save us all from our own stupidity.
Oh, it also features zero gravity, inter-racial, lesbian lovemaking.(Because there isn't enough of that in real life either)
3 pages, Audible Audio
Published April 1, 2020
About the author
Davi Mai
13 books3 followersI write transgressive novellas across Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Paranomal Genres.
Most of the stories contain themes that some readers might find offensive, and are recommended for open-minded adults only. I lack a filter, but try to make stuff fun.
You'll find them on all the usual platforms.
Several have been professionally narrated as audiobooks.
Most of the stories contain themes that some readers might find offensive, and are recommended for open-minded adults only. I lack a filter, but try to make stuff fun.
You'll find them on all the usual platforms.
Several have been professionally narrated as audiobooks.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 9, 2020
“Defying Gravity” got my attention for two reasons: (1) the promise of “zero gravity lesbian lovemaking”, and (2) narrator Keira Grace, who has become one of my favorite lesfic narrators! Keira’s narration didn’t disappoint; but there was no “zero gravity lesbian lovemaking”! Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Okay, there is a six-minute (their time, now ours) shower scene, but they have their magnetic boots on, so it’s not really Zero G. Actually, other than a shower and a jacuzzi, our MCs are quite chaste.
The story itself is pretty standard sci-fi: MC wants to escape controlling political parents, other MC arrives to help, political animosity between earth and spacers.
In “Defying Gravity”, 18yo Amari runs away to avoid an arranged marriage, and when her escape pod is running out of power it sends a distress call. That call is assigned to 23yo MC socially insecure Lana, who captains a solo cargo ship, with the help of her hilarious AI, Ank.
Over the course of a day or so, Amari and Lana shower, plan how to keep Amari free, and declare their undying love for each other. Will earth and her parents get Amari back? Will Lana’s friends, the 25% Japanese and 75% Vietnamese, pole-dancing twins get the lesbian foursome they offer? Will Lana and Amari ever get that Zero G lovemaking? Only a sequel will provide answers.
This is a pretty lightweight sci-fi with instalust and instalove between two likable MCs. I rate the story 3.5*, the characters 4* and the narration 5*. Overall, “Defying Gravity” is an enjoyable short story (3 hours, 2 minutes), and I recommend it with 4*
Okay, there is a six-minute (their time, now ours) shower scene, but they have their magnetic boots on, so it’s not really Zero G. Actually, other than a shower and a jacuzzi, our MCs are quite chaste.
The story itself is pretty standard sci-fi: MC wants to escape controlling political parents, other MC arrives to help, political animosity between earth and spacers.
In “Defying Gravity”, 18yo Amari runs away to avoid an arranged marriage, and when her escape pod is running out of power it sends a distress call. That call is assigned to 23yo MC socially insecure Lana, who captains a solo cargo ship, with the help of her hilarious AI, Ank.
Over the course of a day or so, Amari and Lana shower, plan how to keep Amari free, and declare their undying love for each other. Will earth and her parents get Amari back? Will Lana’s friends, the 25% Japanese and 75% Vietnamese, pole-dancing twins get the lesbian foursome they offer? Will Lana and Amari ever get that Zero G lovemaking? Only a sequel will provide answers.
This is a pretty lightweight sci-fi with instalust and instalove between two likable MCs. I rate the story 3.5*, the characters 4* and the narration 5*. Overall, “Defying Gravity” is an enjoyable short story (3 hours, 2 minutes), and I recommend it with 4*
April 13, 2020
This book would easily have been 4 stars if not for the completely unrealistic timelines predominantly in the second half of the book. Everything happened unrealistically fast. And if someone I knew was acting that way in real life I would be seriously concerned for them, and yet we are supposed to be pleased about it. It's a shame, it started off really well, and I liked where it was going. Sadly this is another of those books where I wish another writer could re-do it, focusing on more natural character development and stretching the timeline out in places but keeping much of the plot. It needs to be a book of at least twice (possibly three times the size) to do the idea justice.
February 9, 2023
There’s only so much story authors can fit into a novella, only so much they can explore the characters, only so many twists and turns, only so much worldbuilding, and there are only so many themes they can touch upon. Novellas ofteb miss the mark because they summarise the story’s events, rushing through to the end. That Defying Gravity packs so much in is a crowning achievement.
Defying Gravity does all this at a leisurely pace that draws the reader into the world. As it tells the story of two women, starship captain, Lana Sumeti and daughter of the President of the United Nations of Earth, Amari Omehia, it presents a meditative tone, slowly unveiling the world and its characters. Predominantly set in space, the tone captures its stark beauty and a feeling of loneliness.
Yet it casts an inviting tone, making it easy to pick up and digest. Complementing its meditative tone is a wonderful sense of humour, which comes through in the plot, through its characters, and through the author’s prose. At points, the reader feels the emptiness of space, while at others, the'll laugh out loud. And at other points throughout it, the reader will have both reactions simultaneously.
The plot starts simply enough, introducing readers to Lana and Amari. As it unveils who they are as characters, their paths soon cross, and over time, they develop feelings for one another. The characters navigate a journey, with a plot that throws some surprises at the reader, and the story being told entertains. However, of all Defying Gravity’s elements, this plot is the least developed. It takes a backseat to its characters and atmosphere, to its humour and its themes. It’s engaging, but isn’t where this novella truly shines.
One aspect that does truly shine is in its characters, particularly Amari and Lana. The reader gains an intimate understanding of who these women are and what makes them tick. Both characters are beautifully drawn, and following their exploits is a joy. Not only do they form the narrative backbone, they also form the novella’s heart. The other characters are less defined, but this isn’t their story. While I generally like all characters in books to have a strong throughline, the author made the correct decision in not focusing on these side characters. While they mightn’t have a great level of depth to them, they are each highly enjoyable to read, offering some of the book’s greatest moments. The wit the author uses to describe characters who briefly appear is wonderful, and on more than one occasion, reminded me of Terry Pratchett.
The prose is easy to follow as it creates a comfortable atmosphere. It’s understated, showing the reader what they need to know without providing massive amounts of detail. It conjures the imagery of the story while letting the reader’s imagination do the rest of the work. Various errors filter through into the text, usually punctuation errors and excess words that could have been cut to streamline it. They don’t majorly detract from the narrative and the feelings it elicits.
Defying Gravity elicits feelings throughout its pages, from its tone, to its characters, to its prose, most of them pleasant. Its themes also elicit these emotions, as it presents them in a resonant way. It's is a love story between these characters, presented in a way that evokes love itself more than romance. Set almost two hundred years from now, the universe it offers isn’t a utopia, and is subject to many of the prejudices we live with today. But it’s also a future where tolerance, bravery and leadership shine brightly, and one where humanity’s forays into space offer an even brighter future.
Through its meditative tone and pace, its story, its characters and its humour, Defying Gravity is a book full of resonant themes about hope and love. While it features various errors in its writing, it remains a story that is as humorous as it is resonant.
My full review will be available on my website from 8 March 2023. To read it, reviews for some of the author's other works— Mother's Little Angels , Ravenous , and Proxima Bound —and a host of other reviews, click here.
Defying Gravity does all this at a leisurely pace that draws the reader into the world. As it tells the story of two women, starship captain, Lana Sumeti and daughter of the President of the United Nations of Earth, Amari Omehia, it presents a meditative tone, slowly unveiling the world and its characters. Predominantly set in space, the tone captures its stark beauty and a feeling of loneliness.
Yet it casts an inviting tone, making it easy to pick up and digest. Complementing its meditative tone is a wonderful sense of humour, which comes through in the plot, through its characters, and through the author’s prose. At points, the reader feels the emptiness of space, while at others, the'll laugh out loud. And at other points throughout it, the reader will have both reactions simultaneously.
The plot starts simply enough, introducing readers to Lana and Amari. As it unveils who they are as characters, their paths soon cross, and over time, they develop feelings for one another. The characters navigate a journey, with a plot that throws some surprises at the reader, and the story being told entertains. However, of all Defying Gravity’s elements, this plot is the least developed. It takes a backseat to its characters and atmosphere, to its humour and its themes. It’s engaging, but isn’t where this novella truly shines.
One aspect that does truly shine is in its characters, particularly Amari and Lana. The reader gains an intimate understanding of who these women are and what makes them tick. Both characters are beautifully drawn, and following their exploits is a joy. Not only do they form the narrative backbone, they also form the novella’s heart. The other characters are less defined, but this isn’t their story. While I generally like all characters in books to have a strong throughline, the author made the correct decision in not focusing on these side characters. While they mightn’t have a great level of depth to them, they are each highly enjoyable to read, offering some of the book’s greatest moments. The wit the author uses to describe characters who briefly appear is wonderful, and on more than one occasion, reminded me of Terry Pratchett.
The prose is easy to follow as it creates a comfortable atmosphere. It’s understated, showing the reader what they need to know without providing massive amounts of detail. It conjures the imagery of the story while letting the reader’s imagination do the rest of the work. Various errors filter through into the text, usually punctuation errors and excess words that could have been cut to streamline it. They don’t majorly detract from the narrative and the feelings it elicits.
Defying Gravity elicits feelings throughout its pages, from its tone, to its characters, to its prose, most of them pleasant. Its themes also elicit these emotions, as it presents them in a resonant way. It's is a love story between these characters, presented in a way that evokes love itself more than romance. Set almost two hundred years from now, the universe it offers isn’t a utopia, and is subject to many of the prejudices we live with today. But it’s also a future where tolerance, bravery and leadership shine brightly, and one where humanity’s forays into space offer an even brighter future.
Through its meditative tone and pace, its story, its characters and its humour, Defying Gravity is a book full of resonant themes about hope and love. While it features various errors in its writing, it remains a story that is as humorous as it is resonant.
My full review will be available on my website from 8 March 2023. To read it, reviews for some of the author's other works— Mother's Little Angels , Ravenous , and Proxima Bound —and a host of other reviews, click here.
January 14, 2023
Defying Gravity by Davi Mai
I've never read YA nor YA+SciFi but this story moves along quickly, engrossing the reader in its excellent description of worlds in conflict, space flight and light sexual interactions.
The characters were well constructed and easy to follow.
From power plays with politicans to the intimacy of a nuclear powered cargo ship with a quirky AI, the story brings you into the environment of awakening and excitment.
I've never read YA nor YA+SciFi but this story moves along quickly, engrossing the reader in its excellent description of worlds in conflict, space flight and light sexual interactions.
The characters were well constructed and easy to follow.
From power plays with politicans to the intimacy of a nuclear powered cargo ship with a quirky AI, the story brings you into the environment of awakening and excitment.
June 9, 2025
DEFYING GRAVITY is a short sci-fi novella about a young woman running from an arranged marriage, only to find herself rescued by a lonesome courier. The highlight for me was Davi Mai's knack for fantastical setting and imagery, for which there is plenty of window dressing to give vivid impressions of where each event unfolds. In an age where the internet force-feeds us bad news by the bucketload, this book is a lighthearted imagination teaser for readers keen on instalust/instalove interracial lesbian coupling, uncaring politician parents, smart-mouthed AI, and detailed environment descriptions and exposition, all delivered with levity and humour.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews