What do you think?
Rate this book
Nova Vita Protocol #2
Memoria
Two planets are on the brink of war in
Memoria
, the thrillingsecond book in an action-packed space opera trilogy, The Nova Vita Protocol.
The Kaiser Family helped the Nova Vita system avoid a catastrophic multi-planet war, one that the Kaisers might have accidentally caused in the first place. In their wake, two planets have been left devastated by ancient alien technology.
Now, the Kaisers try to settle into their new lives as tenuous citizens of the serene water planet, Nibiru, but Scorpia Kaiser can never stay still. So, she takes another shady job. One that gives her a ship where spaceborn like her belong.
But while Scorpia is always moving forward, Corvus can't seem to leave his life as a soldier behind. Every planet in the system is vying to strip his razed home planet Titan of its remaining resources, and tensions are high. The Kaisers will need to discover the truth behind what happened on Gaia and Titan, or Corvus will be forced again to fight in an unwinnable war -- and this time, all of Nova Vita is at stake.
The Nova Vita Protocol:
Fortuna
Memoria
The Kaiser Family helped the Nova Vita system avoid a catastrophic multi-planet war, one that the Kaisers might have accidentally caused in the first place. In their wake, two planets have been left devastated by ancient alien technology.
Now, the Kaisers try to settle into their new lives as tenuous citizens of the serene water planet, Nibiru, but Scorpia Kaiser can never stay still. So, she takes another shady job. One that gives her a ship where spaceborn like her belong.
But while Scorpia is always moving forward, Corvus can't seem to leave his life as a soldier behind. Every planet in the system is vying to strip his razed home planet Titan of its remaining resources, and tensions are high. The Kaisers will need to discover the truth behind what happened on Gaia and Titan, or Corvus will be forced again to fight in an unwinnable war -- and this time, all of Nova Vita is at stake.
The Nova Vita Protocol:
Fortuna
Memoria
465 pages, Paperback
First published December 8, 2020
19 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 29, 2022
4 Stars
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
December 29, 2020
This is a great follow-up to Fortuna. As in the first book, the chapters are told alternating the POV between Scorpia and Corvus, which continues to be both effective and interesting. At the outset of the book, the siblings are planetbound and shippless, but welcomed as the heroes of Niberia; all are still processing the trauma resulting from the events that landed them there.
There continues to be a relatively quick pace and lots of action, but the emotional struggles of Scorpia and Corvus continue to provide the central context. For all of the Kaiser siblings, losing Momma has caused them to reevaluate both who they are and their place in the family. Her pervasive and threatening presence still shadows them, even as they try to move on.
Once again, the ending of Memoria closes the story neatly, and resets the stage for the final chapter. For all it has so many elements that lead to hopelessness, Memoria ultimately brings a sense that things are moving toward a place where the Kaiser family, and the Nova Vita system as a whole, can finally find peace.
There continues to be a relatively quick pace and lots of action, but the emotional struggles of Scorpia and Corvus continue to provide the central context. For all of the Kaiser siblings, losing Momma has caused them to reevaluate both who they are and their place in the family. Her pervasive and threatening presence still shadows them, even as they try to move on.
Once again, the ending of Memoria closes the story neatly, and resets the stage for the final chapter. For all it has so many elements that lead to hopelessness, Memoria ultimately brings a sense that things are moving toward a place where the Kaiser family, and the Nova Vita system as a whole, can finally find peace.
November 27, 2021
3.5 Stars
This was an enjoyable sequel within a fresh new space opera series.
I appreciated that the characters have matured a lot since the first book. In this one, they take the stakes more seriously and put aside some of their quibbling to address the bigger issue. Yet despite that, I found myself less immersed in the story. I think my challenge is that, despite the action and adventure, the tone of the story felt lighter than I prefer in my space opera.
I would recommend this series for sci fi readers looking for an entertaining, new series but you definitely need to start back with the first book, Fortuna.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher Orbit Books.
This was an enjoyable sequel within a fresh new space opera series.
I appreciated that the characters have matured a lot since the first book. In this one, they take the stakes more seriously and put aside some of their quibbling to address the bigger issue. Yet despite that, I found myself less immersed in the story. I think my challenge is that, despite the action and adventure, the tone of the story felt lighter than I prefer in my space opera.
I would recommend this series for sci fi readers looking for an entertaining, new series but you definitely need to start back with the first book, Fortuna.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher Orbit Books.
November 15, 2021
Without a ship and stuck on a planet, the Kaiser siblings are trying to rebuild their lives after the harrowing events in the previous book. When the Council asks them to investigate what had happened on Gaia, they quickly go, and discover some disturbing things about the Primus tech and its effects on Titan and Gaia, and the danger hanging all the other planets in the system.
There is a lot of action (Merbeth is great at this), and we again see the events from Scorpia's and Corvus' perspectives. All of the siblings are damaged from their mother's treatment, Scorpia in particular, and Corvus has his combat experiences on Titan contributing to his issues.
There are some shocking events that occur in this book, and the siblings find themselves in a not great situation by the end, and the danger to the system remains, so, on to book three.
There is a lot of action (Merbeth is great at this), and we again see the events from Scorpia's and Corvus' perspectives. All of the siblings are damaged from their mother's treatment, Scorpia in particular, and Corvus has his combat experiences on Titan contributing to his issues.
There are some shocking events that occur in this book, and the siblings find themselves in a not great situation by the end, and the danger to the system remains, so, on to book three.
December 8, 2021
4.3 / 5 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
While I usually try to avoid language in my reviews, look out for that here. But if excessive language is a deal-breaker for you, you probably shouldn’t read Memoria anyway;)
After the Kaiser family helped avoid a catastrophic multi-world war that their mother helped orchestrate in the first place, they crash land on Nibiru where they are welcomed as heroes, and granted asylum. With no ship, and no way off-world, the Kaisers decide to stay, at least for a little while. Nibiru—a water planet composed of a few small archipelagos—represents an opportunity, though no two siblings seem to agree on just what that opportunity is.
Scorpia will do anything to fly again. A former criminal that just can’t bring herself to go straight, she longs for space even more than for Shey, the long-haired political exile she fell for years prior. But while neither of these seems that likely at first, it seems both may be in the cards, should she play them right.
Corvus cares little for his sister’s plans. Working as a fisherman, he attempts to leave his violent past behind all the while haunted by the nightmares from his time on Titan. The quiet, lonely days on the ocean help drown out the voices, but he remains skeptical that they will ever really fade.
When fate conspires to fling them back into space—on a mission from the Nibiru Council to explore some anomalies on the recently evacuated Gaia—the family’s opinions are divided. But when they stumble upon the truth of the destruction of Titan and Gaia, one question eclipses all others. Do they trust Nibiru’s Council with this information, or is it just something that they take to their graves?
The entire system of Nova Vita hinges on their decision.
The dueling 1st person POVs from Fortuna return in Book #2, with alternating chapters from Scorpia and Corvus. While it’s something that worked after a fashion in Book #1, Kristyn Merbeth admitted that it was something she did on the advice of her editor after the story was completed. Here in Memoria it fits together and flows much better, though if it’s the kinda thing that bothers you you still might notice some issues with it. But while I had issues differentiating the two POVs in the first installment, the siblings’ personalities and approaches are so much different in this sequel that it’s hard to confuse them; Scorpia remains hot-headed and impulsive, while Corvus is much more thoughtful and stoic.
The love-triangle isn’t very believable, particularly after the way things pan out in the first book, you can start to see something similar coming in the second. Still, it creates a believable tension that actually affects the plot in interesting ways, even after the romance is resolved.
I say “romance”, but Memoria isn’t anything approaching a romantic book. Yeah, there is some romance in it, even hints at something more in future installments, but it always plays second fiddle to the story itself. Speaking of the relationships between characters, it’s very interesting how they play out and alter the way the story wends. The love-triangle—again, if you’d call it that—has very obvious connotations for the later stages of the book, even the future of the series itself. But it’s more the subtle, non-romantic relationships that dominate the text. The familial bond between the Kaisers is one of the selling points in Fortuna, and continues throughout its sequel, with very realistic bonds being tested, explored, and strained. The Kaisers are far from the perfect family; they fight a lot—often physically, sometimes violently—but always move past it when one of their own is threatened. They have drastically different notions of what is best for the family, something that they usually don’t discuss but often work towards independently, often in direct opposition to their siblings desires. It was very interesting to see how each member is still dealing with their mother’s betrayal, and how it affects their interfamilial relationships here in Memoria.
While I was admittedly on the fence about the plot of Memoria, I have to admit it works quite well, despite a few stumbles approaching the end. There are some obvious holes in the plot—mostly after the 3/4 mark—story devices that were a bit glaring to my eye, but none of them are particularly relevant in the end. But while it took me a little to get into the story, I got quite invested before the halfway mark, to the point that these devices (an alarm that should’ve been triggered much earlier coming late and at a very opportune time, reasoning that really didn’t hold up to any kind of scrutiny) really didn’t bother me too much. At the end of it all, I was enjoying the tale too much to care.
“These political fuckers are up to some political fuckery.”
There’s definitely some “political fuckery” in Memoria. I don’t really remember this coming up at all in Fortuna. While the Book #1’s style was a lot more in-your-face, Memoria seems to have gone for a more subtle approach; more politicking, dropped hints and clues that I caught only when reading them for the second time. It’s an interesting transition that actually works quite well since the overall content doesn’t change that much, just how it’s relayed does. There’s still a heavy does of action, tension and a thorough focus on character interaction, especially the familial bonds.
TL;DR
An overall improvement on its predecessor, Memoria is a very different adventure from the science fiction thriller that came before, instead focusing on character interactions, familial relationships, and political fuckery. While there’s still more than enough action and excitement and thrill to go around, it sets a much more subtle, tense tone than Fortuna. Possessed of a much slower build than the original, Memoria took some getting used to, took me longer to buy in to the story. But once I did, wow was it good! The plot and setting and interactions sucked me in so much that not even the few missteps towards the end could slow it. I’d definitely recommend this one, and look forward to the conclusion of the Nova Vita Protocol—Discordia.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
While I usually try to avoid language in my reviews, look out for that here. But if excessive language is a deal-breaker for you, you probably shouldn’t read Memoria anyway;)
After the Kaiser family helped avoid a catastrophic multi-world war that their mother helped orchestrate in the first place, they crash land on Nibiru where they are welcomed as heroes, and granted asylum. With no ship, and no way off-world, the Kaisers decide to stay, at least for a little while. Nibiru—a water planet composed of a few small archipelagos—represents an opportunity, though no two siblings seem to agree on just what that opportunity is.
Scorpia will do anything to fly again. A former criminal that just can’t bring herself to go straight, she longs for space even more than for Shey, the long-haired political exile she fell for years prior. But while neither of these seems that likely at first, it seems both may be in the cards, should she play them right.
Corvus cares little for his sister’s plans. Working as a fisherman, he attempts to leave his violent past behind all the while haunted by the nightmares from his time on Titan. The quiet, lonely days on the ocean help drown out the voices, but he remains skeptical that they will ever really fade.
When fate conspires to fling them back into space—on a mission from the Nibiru Council to explore some anomalies on the recently evacuated Gaia—the family’s opinions are divided. But when they stumble upon the truth of the destruction of Titan and Gaia, one question eclipses all others. Do they trust Nibiru’s Council with this information, or is it just something that they take to their graves?
The entire system of Nova Vita hinges on their decision.
The dueling 1st person POVs from Fortuna return in Book #2, with alternating chapters from Scorpia and Corvus. While it’s something that worked after a fashion in Book #1, Kristyn Merbeth admitted that it was something she did on the advice of her editor after the story was completed. Here in Memoria it fits together and flows much better, though if it’s the kinda thing that bothers you you still might notice some issues with it. But while I had issues differentiating the two POVs in the first installment, the siblings’ personalities and approaches are so much different in this sequel that it’s hard to confuse them; Scorpia remains hot-headed and impulsive, while Corvus is much more thoughtful and stoic.
The love-triangle isn’t very believable, particularly after the way things pan out in the first book, you can start to see something similar coming in the second. Still, it creates a believable tension that actually affects the plot in interesting ways, even after the romance is resolved.
I say “romance”, but Memoria isn’t anything approaching a romantic book. Yeah, there is some romance in it, even hints at something more in future installments, but it always plays second fiddle to the story itself. Speaking of the relationships between characters, it’s very interesting how they play out and alter the way the story wends. The love-triangle—again, if you’d call it that—has very obvious connotations for the later stages of the book, even the future of the series itself. But it’s more the subtle, non-romantic relationships that dominate the text. The familial bond between the Kaisers is one of the selling points in Fortuna, and continues throughout its sequel, with very realistic bonds being tested, explored, and strained. The Kaisers are far from the perfect family; they fight a lot—often physically, sometimes violently—but always move past it when one of their own is threatened. They have drastically different notions of what is best for the family, something that they usually don’t discuss but often work towards independently, often in direct opposition to their siblings desires. It was very interesting to see how each member is still dealing with their mother’s betrayal, and how it affects their interfamilial relationships here in Memoria.
While I was admittedly on the fence about the plot of Memoria, I have to admit it works quite well, despite a few stumbles approaching the end. There are some obvious holes in the plot—mostly after the 3/4 mark—story devices that were a bit glaring to my eye, but none of them are particularly relevant in the end. But while it took me a little to get into the story, I got quite invested before the halfway mark, to the point that these devices (an alarm that should’ve been triggered much earlier coming late and at a very opportune time, reasoning that really didn’t hold up to any kind of scrutiny) really didn’t bother me too much. At the end of it all, I was enjoying the tale too much to care.
“These political fuckers are up to some political fuckery.”
There’s definitely some “political fuckery” in Memoria. I don’t really remember this coming up at all in Fortuna. While the Book #1’s style was a lot more in-your-face, Memoria seems to have gone for a more subtle approach; more politicking, dropped hints and clues that I caught only when reading them for the second time. It’s an interesting transition that actually works quite well since the overall content doesn’t change that much, just how it’s relayed does. There’s still a heavy does of action, tension and a thorough focus on character interaction, especially the familial bonds.
TL;DR
An overall improvement on its predecessor, Memoria is a very different adventure from the science fiction thriller that came before, instead focusing on character interactions, familial relationships, and political fuckery. While there’s still more than enough action and excitement and thrill to go around, it sets a much more subtle, tense tone than Fortuna. Possessed of a much slower build than the original, Memoria took some getting used to, took me longer to buy in to the story. But once I did, wow was it good! The plot and setting and interactions sucked me in so much that not even the few missteps towards the end could slow it. I’d definitely recommend this one, and look forward to the conclusion of the Nova Vita Protocol—Discordia.
December 7, 2020
Memoria, Kristyn Merbeth's second book of the Nova Protocol series, is another fun dive into the world of the dysfunctional Corvis family. In the first novel, Fortuna, Kristyn Merbeth introduced us to the Corvis family led by the reincarnation of Momma Fratelli from Goonies as the Momma. Momma reigned over here brood of thieves, swindlers, and smugglers with an iron fist. She was sparing of praise and love, no more so than with Scorpia Kaiser. In the first novel, Scorpia is the pilot of the family ship, Fortuna. She suffers from Middle child syndrome, where she feels not as good as her older and disappeared brother Corvus, nor does she get a pass on her actions like her younger siblings do. She spends a good part of the first novel drinking her problems away.
Corvus, on the other hand, was newly returned from the war in the first book. He left, against Momma's wishes, breaking cardinal family rules by disobeying her. The dynamics between the Kaiser family's siblings told through Scorpia and Corvus's eyes is spectacularly chaotic but changes as they grow, learn, and come into their own. Memoria, the second book of the Nova Vita Protocol series, is releasing this month. It is a continuation of the drama from the first book, again told through Scorpia and Corvus's eyes.
In the first novel, Fortuna came off as a character study of sibling dynamics and how people fold or grow under pressure. Memoria is a continuation of these developing characters coming into themselves set against the backdrop of war and vengeance, much out of their control, but they get swept up in it.
When I reviewed the first story, the main issue I had was that I did not empathize or care about the two dueling narratives. The worldbuilding was interesting and well done, the action was fast-paced, but when it came to reading about Corvus and Scropia, it held me back from falling into the story. In the first book, Scorpia was a mouthy caricature. She almost got her entire family killed twice, and none of it felt balanced by the other family members. I wanted to like her, and I wanted to cheer for her. But most of all, I wanted to slap some sense into her.
We have come a long way in Memoria.
Memoria's Scorpia and Corvus had many of the same issues that plagued them in the first series. Scorpia is a mouthy alcoholic that makes stupid impetuous choices. But this time around, the gravitas of their situation as a family and how her choices directly affect her family is changing. She is becoming a wiser leader and the Captain she has always wanted to be. Scorpia is someone I can see and understand more, and throughout the book, she comes more and more into her own. I loved that, I wanted and needed a wiser Scorpia.
Much the same can be said about Corvus. Corvus had his own set of issues to deal with in Memoria. I think much of that is Corvus is learning to stand on his own. He knows what is right, even if he has to stand against those he revered and loved. It is a great thing to see, as I have liked Corvus from the start of the series, but I like him even more now.
The plot and pacing were excellent in Memoria. The action has lulls, but those pauses give the story a more realistic feel. The action scenes are well crafted; you can tell that Merbeth appreciates tight and well-done action. One of the most exciting is a prison break out scene near the beginning of the story that is breathless with excitement.
Many of the problems I had with the first book have disappeared. The idea of the dysfunctional band of smugglers is still there. A very Firefly vibe, but Merbeth is coming into her own with these characters. It felt like a fuller and rounder story. The siblings outside of Corvus and Scorpia are not flat anymore, they have more definition, and the dynamic of how they fit into this band of misfits is more apparent.
I mentioned that I did not think I would be continuing with the series in my original review for Fortuna, but I am so glad I did continue. Memoria was a treat. A solid space fantasy with fun characters and a great plot. I think that if you hadn't read Fortuna, you could start with Memoria if you wanted to. You will miss some of the subtleties and character growth, though. So if you are interested in the Nova Vita Protocol, start with Fortuna, get introduced to Corvus and Scorpia. It will take you into Memoria, where you will have a solid foundation, and you can start loving these characters and this crazy dysfunctional family.
Corvus, on the other hand, was newly returned from the war in the first book. He left, against Momma's wishes, breaking cardinal family rules by disobeying her. The dynamics between the Kaiser family's siblings told through Scorpia and Corvus's eyes is spectacularly chaotic but changes as they grow, learn, and come into their own. Memoria, the second book of the Nova Vita Protocol series, is releasing this month. It is a continuation of the drama from the first book, again told through Scorpia and Corvus's eyes.
In the first novel, Fortuna came off as a character study of sibling dynamics and how people fold or grow under pressure. Memoria is a continuation of these developing characters coming into themselves set against the backdrop of war and vengeance, much out of their control, but they get swept up in it.
When I reviewed the first story, the main issue I had was that I did not empathize or care about the two dueling narratives. The worldbuilding was interesting and well done, the action was fast-paced, but when it came to reading about Corvus and Scropia, it held me back from falling into the story. In the first book, Scorpia was a mouthy caricature. She almost got her entire family killed twice, and none of it felt balanced by the other family members. I wanted to like her, and I wanted to cheer for her. But most of all, I wanted to slap some sense into her.
We have come a long way in Memoria.
Memoria's Scorpia and Corvus had many of the same issues that plagued them in the first series. Scorpia is a mouthy alcoholic that makes stupid impetuous choices. But this time around, the gravitas of their situation as a family and how her choices directly affect her family is changing. She is becoming a wiser leader and the Captain she has always wanted to be. Scorpia is someone I can see and understand more, and throughout the book, she comes more and more into her own. I loved that, I wanted and needed a wiser Scorpia.
Much the same can be said about Corvus. Corvus had his own set of issues to deal with in Memoria. I think much of that is Corvus is learning to stand on his own. He knows what is right, even if he has to stand against those he revered and loved. It is a great thing to see, as I have liked Corvus from the start of the series, but I like him even more now.
The plot and pacing were excellent in Memoria. The action has lulls, but those pauses give the story a more realistic feel. The action scenes are well crafted; you can tell that Merbeth appreciates tight and well-done action. One of the most exciting is a prison break out scene near the beginning of the story that is breathless with excitement.
Many of the problems I had with the first book have disappeared. The idea of the dysfunctional band of smugglers is still there. A very Firefly vibe, but Merbeth is coming into her own with these characters. It felt like a fuller and rounder story. The siblings outside of Corvus and Scorpia are not flat anymore, they have more definition, and the dynamic of how they fit into this band of misfits is more apparent.
I mentioned that I did not think I would be continuing with the series in my original review for Fortuna, but I am so glad I did continue. Memoria was a treat. A solid space fantasy with fun characters and a great plot. I think that if you hadn't read Fortuna, you could start with Memoria if you wanted to. You will miss some of the subtleties and character growth, though. So if you are interested in the Nova Vita Protocol, start with Fortuna, get introduced to Corvus and Scorpia. It will take you into Memoria, where you will have a solid foundation, and you can start loving these characters and this crazy dysfunctional family.
February 10, 2023
Compared to its predecessor, this one is a bit of a slight Sophomore Slump, but it still works well as a blazing fast fun sci fi read. Scorpia and Corvus and their misfit allies start learning a bit more about their Primus precursors than they bargained for, including that they may have been some pretty squishy wet amphibians (which just about everyone concerned agrees is gross as they have to navigate the moisture they left behind.) Indeed, though, what disappoints me the most about this book isn’t the book itself, but the fact that no library in Portland or Vancouver carries the third and final book of the trilogy. YET. But soon, soon I shall finally finish this trilogy of wild adventures in space and synthwave (seriously, get me the cover artist who worked on this trilogy stat. Lisa Marie Pompilio knows what the hell she’s doing.)
June 24, 2024
I liked the development all the characters had from the first book till now. The world also got a lot bigger with more history and cultures.
Excited for the 3rd one!
Excited for the 3rd one!
October 23, 2020
I really like this under-the-radar series! I'll try to write some more soon to convince more people to give it a look.
June 5, 2023
This is a nearly perfect sequel.
In Memoria we build on what came before, even if we don't realize it at first. We see a little more of some of the side characters from the first book, delving deeper into their stories as our POV characters from the first book make a return and deal with new challenges, both in the plot and on a character level. It's fun at first and then slowly begins to take a darker turn. We learn more about the past aliens of these worlds than I expected to and that is when things begin to pick up.
The first half of this book moves a little slow, building up characters and establishing the new normal after the events of the last book. It's okay and Merbeth's fantastic character work keeps me reading, but I was starting to get a little bored with the crew stuck in the same place for so long. But when the plot kicks in this book becomes hard to put down. Most chapters end on a note that makes it hard not to keep going, staying up long after I should have gone to bed and telling myself just one more chapter. I can't wait to read the last volume in this trilogy and see how it all ends!
In Memoria we build on what came before, even if we don't realize it at first. We see a little more of some of the side characters from the first book, delving deeper into their stories as our POV characters from the first book make a return and deal with new challenges, both in the plot and on a character level. It's fun at first and then slowly begins to take a darker turn. We learn more about the past aliens of these worlds than I expected to and that is when things begin to pick up.
The first half of this book moves a little slow, building up characters and establishing the new normal after the events of the last book. It's okay and Merbeth's fantastic character work keeps me reading, but I was starting to get a little bored with the crew stuck in the same place for so long. But when the plot kicks in this book becomes hard to put down. Most chapters end on a note that makes it hard not to keep going, staying up long after I should have gone to bed and telling myself just one more chapter. I can't wait to read the last volume in this trilogy and see how it all ends!
Want to read
October 27, 2024Two planets are on the brink of war in
Memoria
, the thrillingsecond book in an action-packed space opera trilogy, The Nova Vita Protocol.
The Kaiser Family helped the Nova Vita system avoid a catastrophic multi-planet war, one that the Kaisers might have accidentally caused in the first place. In their wake, two planets have been left devastated by ancient alien technology.
Now, the Kaisers try to settle into their new lives as tenuous citizens of the serene water planet, Nibiru, but Scorpia Kaiser can never stay still. So, she takes another shady job. One that gives her a ship where spaceborn like her belong.
But while Scorpia is always moving forward, Corvus can't seem to leave his life as a soldier behind. Every planet in the system is vying to strip his razed home planet Titan of its remaining resources, and tensions are high. The Kaisers will need to discover the truth behind what happened on Gaia and Titan, or Corvus will be forced again to fight in an unwinnable war -- and this time, all of Nova Vita is at stake.
The Nova Vita Protocol: FortunaMemoria
The Kaiser Family helped the Nova Vita system avoid a catastrophic multi-planet war, one that the Kaisers might have accidentally caused in the first place. In their wake, two planets have been left devastated by ancient alien technology.
Now, the Kaisers try to settle into their new lives as tenuous citizens of the serene water planet, Nibiru, but Scorpia Kaiser can never stay still. So, she takes another shady job. One that gives her a ship where spaceborn like her belong.
But while Scorpia is always moving forward, Corvus can't seem to leave his life as a soldier behind. Every planet in the system is vying to strip his razed home planet Titan of its remaining resources, and tensions are high. The Kaisers will need to discover the truth behind what happened on Gaia and Titan, or Corvus will be forced again to fight in an unwinnable war -- and this time, all of Nova Vita is at stake.
The Nova Vita Protocol: FortunaMemoria
August 14, 2021
Think of my review as more of a 2.5-3. But I feel that my opinons on this book are the most exemplified by the "it was ok" tag that comes up when rating books on goodreads, so 2 it is. I really liked the first book, Fortuna, because of the characters. I still think that the characters are the biggest draw for these books. It gets a little fuzzy when plot stuff doesn't make that much sense? Or trying to make me care about the Titans when they were the ones to declare war on a planet that is just harboring refugees? (*insert that Steve Rogers meme* Titan, you CHOSE to do that.) Those are the book's week points, as well as I think a change in the writing style that I didn't particularly enjoy.
I think that the first book is worth a read, this one less so. If the next book seems like more of a adventurous romp with the characters rather than a space politics book, I might continue the series, but if it seems that space politics have won, I think I'm going to have to give book 3 a pass.
I think that the first book is worth a read, this one less so. If the next book seems like more of a adventurous romp with the characters rather than a space politics book, I might continue the series, but if it seems that space politics have won, I think I'm going to have to give book 3 a pass.
July 18, 2022
Read this review and other Science Fiction/Fantasy book reviews at The Quill to Live
I don’t know what’s in the water that some of these newer authors have been drinking, but boy am I jealous. Almost every sequel I’ve read in recent memory has been an absolute treat. Sometimes they just completely blow the debut out of the water, and others continue the legacy of the first, making no excuses. Just don’t let me get my hopes up too high now, or I might enjoy something for once. Memoria, by Kristyn Merbeth, is no exception to this rule. Fortuna, the first book in the Nova Vita Protocol, was an absolute delight, and I’m happy to report that the sequel did not falter. Memoria is an emotional rollercoaster that avoids the middle book slump with finesse.
It’s going to be hard to avoid spoilers for the first book here, so if you’re thinking about picking it up, turn back now. Memoria follows soon after the catastrophic events of Fortuna. The planet Titan is once again a cold dead wasteland, its population wiped out by a Primus bomb delivered by Auriga Kaiser herself on behalf of Gaia, a planet that was speedrunning it’s isolationist measures. Gaia itself was also turned into a wasteland due to latent alien technology, and it’s citizens were evacuated to Nibiru, which has caused some tension to say the least. The Kaisers are grounded without a ship, and Scorpia is feeling antsy, while Corvus is helping the rest of the family settle into life on Nibiru. However, an opportunity to get a ship comes up, and Scorpia takes it, even if it means taking it to Gaia to study the alien technology that has made it inhabitable. What they find sets her on edge, and makes Corvus think that the fight is only about to begin.
Let’s get this out of the way first. Merbeth’s characters are the highlight of the story. I fell in absolute love with them in the first book, and it was easy to slip into the Kaiser’s drama the second time around. They feel even more alive after having some time to sit and think about the events of the first book. Scorpia is trying to deal with her alcoholism, and Corvus, well…he’s being Corvus. Their siblings are also dealing with the events of the past, especially since they unknowingly had a hand in it. Scorpia wants to fly, while everyone else just wants to live where they can find a home. Needless to say, the tension is high between the members of the family and it won’t take much to tip the scales. It feels like Merbeth set up a pressure cooker filled with dynamite and beans, plugged the release valves, and stepped back to see what would happen. The drama and fights feel real, earned, and heartbreaking. Without the glue of their tough love mother, Auriga, it’s up to Corvus and Scorpia to hold them together, and they are failing.
The writing is still top notch. While I loved Scorpia in the first book, there was a sense of sadness I got whenever I read her sections this time around. She was still her charismatic, bumbling self, but there were times where she felt she didn’t quite believe in herself and had to put up a front for the rest of her family. It made it more heartbreaking everytime she thought about meeting oblivion at the bottom of a bottle. She’s still my favorite of the characters, and her journey just wrecks me. And oh boy, is Corvus being the most absolute Corvus he can be. He’s still detached, cold, and doesn’t know how much he should hold onto his old world. Even around his family he can’t seem to let go, and really ties himself to his Titan heritage. But even though he gets stuck in his own head, afraid to talk to others, he rarely fails to act when he’s needed. Everytime he goes out to do something he hates, I could feel his emotional armor cloak him until it was all over. And everytime it happened it hurt even more.
The stakes are even higher this time around, and Merbeth actually got me to buy in a little harder this time. My main complaint about Fortuna was that the events felt too big, and I had no real sense of scale. It’s still somewhat the case here, but it feels more purposefully nebulous. I mean, how can one capture a whole war through the eyes of two family members? The conflict is far more drawn out, with politicking and pressures building on the various factions within the story. Repercussions from Fortuna hang on every sentence that demands action. People died in fits and spurts here, on and off screen and everyone of them felt tangible. It certainly helps you get to see aspects of it through Corvus’ eyes, a veteran of the constant struggle on Titan. He brings a grim framing that feels like a horrible job that doesn’t necessarily need to be done, but he follows through anyway. It really made the war scenes pop in a way I wasn’t expecting. Plus, the Kaiser’s as a family never felt completely safe. Merbeth splits them up and it was incredibly nerve wracking as I waited for several of them to never come back.
I don’t know how many more times I’m going to have to end a review this way, but I hope it’s many more times to come. Memoria is a spectacular follow up to Fortuna. The characters feel like they went through some sewers in the first book, only to find themselves stuck in the waste treatment plant, with even less friends on their side. The writing separating the chapters was still tight, allowing each character to feel their own, and give different perspectives on the tasks ahead. And the family stakes were more cleverly intertwined with the grand stakes. There was a solidness to the events that made the war feel like a war. I am honestly afraid of what Merbeth has in store for readers in the next book, because I don’t think the Kaisers will ever catch a break.
Rating: Memoria 9.0/10
-Alex
An ARC of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts on this book are my own.
I don’t know what’s in the water that some of these newer authors have been drinking, but boy am I jealous. Almost every sequel I’ve read in recent memory has been an absolute treat. Sometimes they just completely blow the debut out of the water, and others continue the legacy of the first, making no excuses. Just don’t let me get my hopes up too high now, or I might enjoy something for once. Memoria, by Kristyn Merbeth, is no exception to this rule. Fortuna, the first book in the Nova Vita Protocol, was an absolute delight, and I’m happy to report that the sequel did not falter. Memoria is an emotional rollercoaster that avoids the middle book slump with finesse.
It’s going to be hard to avoid spoilers for the first book here, so if you’re thinking about picking it up, turn back now. Memoria follows soon after the catastrophic events of Fortuna. The planet Titan is once again a cold dead wasteland, its population wiped out by a Primus bomb delivered by Auriga Kaiser herself on behalf of Gaia, a planet that was speedrunning it’s isolationist measures. Gaia itself was also turned into a wasteland due to latent alien technology, and it’s citizens were evacuated to Nibiru, which has caused some tension to say the least. The Kaisers are grounded without a ship, and Scorpia is feeling antsy, while Corvus is helping the rest of the family settle into life on Nibiru. However, an opportunity to get a ship comes up, and Scorpia takes it, even if it means taking it to Gaia to study the alien technology that has made it inhabitable. What they find sets her on edge, and makes Corvus think that the fight is only about to begin.
Let’s get this out of the way first. Merbeth’s characters are the highlight of the story. I fell in absolute love with them in the first book, and it was easy to slip into the Kaiser’s drama the second time around. They feel even more alive after having some time to sit and think about the events of the first book. Scorpia is trying to deal with her alcoholism, and Corvus, well…he’s being Corvus. Their siblings are also dealing with the events of the past, especially since they unknowingly had a hand in it. Scorpia wants to fly, while everyone else just wants to live where they can find a home. Needless to say, the tension is high between the members of the family and it won’t take much to tip the scales. It feels like Merbeth set up a pressure cooker filled with dynamite and beans, plugged the release valves, and stepped back to see what would happen. The drama and fights feel real, earned, and heartbreaking. Without the glue of their tough love mother, Auriga, it’s up to Corvus and Scorpia to hold them together, and they are failing.
The writing is still top notch. While I loved Scorpia in the first book, there was a sense of sadness I got whenever I read her sections this time around. She was still her charismatic, bumbling self, but there were times where she felt she didn’t quite believe in herself and had to put up a front for the rest of her family. It made it more heartbreaking everytime she thought about meeting oblivion at the bottom of a bottle. She’s still my favorite of the characters, and her journey just wrecks me. And oh boy, is Corvus being the most absolute Corvus he can be. He’s still detached, cold, and doesn’t know how much he should hold onto his old world. Even around his family he can’t seem to let go, and really ties himself to his Titan heritage. But even though he gets stuck in his own head, afraid to talk to others, he rarely fails to act when he’s needed. Everytime he goes out to do something he hates, I could feel his emotional armor cloak him until it was all over. And everytime it happened it hurt even more.
The stakes are even higher this time around, and Merbeth actually got me to buy in a little harder this time. My main complaint about Fortuna was that the events felt too big, and I had no real sense of scale. It’s still somewhat the case here, but it feels more purposefully nebulous. I mean, how can one capture a whole war through the eyes of two family members? The conflict is far more drawn out, with politicking and pressures building on the various factions within the story. Repercussions from Fortuna hang on every sentence that demands action. People died in fits and spurts here, on and off screen and everyone of them felt tangible. It certainly helps you get to see aspects of it through Corvus’ eyes, a veteran of the constant struggle on Titan. He brings a grim framing that feels like a horrible job that doesn’t necessarily need to be done, but he follows through anyway. It really made the war scenes pop in a way I wasn’t expecting. Plus, the Kaiser’s as a family never felt completely safe. Merbeth splits them up and it was incredibly nerve wracking as I waited for several of them to never come back.
I don’t know how many more times I’m going to have to end a review this way, but I hope it’s many more times to come. Memoria is a spectacular follow up to Fortuna. The characters feel like they went through some sewers in the first book, only to find themselves stuck in the waste treatment plant, with even less friends on their side. The writing separating the chapters was still tight, allowing each character to feel their own, and give different perspectives on the tasks ahead. And the family stakes were more cleverly intertwined with the grand stakes. There was a solidness to the events that made the war feel like a war. I am honestly afraid of what Merbeth has in store for readers in the next book, because I don’t think the Kaisers will ever catch a break.
Rating: Memoria 9.0/10
-Alex
An ARC of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts on this book are my own.
January 10, 2021
Book number two in the Nova Vita Protocol continues where the first left off, the Kaiser family dealing with the loss of Momma as new “heroes” on Niberia. Alternating back and forth, Corvus and Scorpia do what they can to keep the family together while battling their own personal conflicts, the Nibiran government, Titans, and what the future has in store for them. Looking forward to the third installment.
February 2, 2023
Be warned, this series has the same tonal arc as Becky Chambers trilogy.
Book 1: fun moral adventures of misfits in space with minimal hard feelings
Book 2: behold, the horrors of war inflicted on your favorite characters
I know this demonstrates each author growing as a writer. But I haven't grown as a reader, though, and want the happy space opera I signed up for back!
Book 1: fun moral adventures of misfits in space with minimal hard feelings
Book 2: behold, the horrors of war inflicted on your favorite characters
I know this demonstrates each author growing as a writer. But I haven't grown as a reader, though, and want the happy space opera I signed up for back!
July 27, 2021
*4.5* great sequel! Other than Scorpia being a bit stupid/obnoxious at times, I can’t think of much I would change! (Yes, I understand that’s how her character is meant to be, but it was a little too much for me at time) The first half was a little slow, but the second half really picked up and made up for it.
February 17, 2025
Usually, sequels fall flat on their face and barely reach the quality of their predecessors. In this instance, it is not the case. Memoria expanded on the story woven in Fortuna, creating more complex and twisting situations and relationships that concluded in the best way possible! I can't remember when I enjoyed a series as much as I have Nova Vita Protocol.
July 9, 2023
MORE PEOPLE NEED TO READ THIS SERIES!
Why is this not a sci-fi that everyone and their momma is talking about?
Family drama, found family, war, trauma, love? It’s everything I want in an amazing book.
Why is this not a sci-fi that everyone and their momma is talking about?
Family drama, found family, war, trauma, love? It’s everything I want in an amazing book.
July 14, 2024
A light, fun read despite the heaviness of the issues: war, treason, refugees, survival, and so on. I enjoy the imperfect characters who don't fit the hero mold but make the right decisions when it matters.
January 30, 2021
No better than the first one. No likeable characters. Most of the plot driven by people knowing that they are behaving irrationally but are unable to help themselves.
February 11, 2021
Loved it. I really enjoy this series. Though it took me half the book to finally be reminded of everything important in the first book. After reading book 2 I almost want to read book 1 over again.
Read
February 25, 2021I got this as an audiobook through the Libby library platform. The recording was incomplete! I hope to listen to the last hour sometime when they get it straightened out.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews