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To Sleep in a Sea of Stars Sneak Peek
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a brand new epic novel from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Paolini. Download a FREE sneak peek today!
Exploring new worlds is all Kira Navarez ever dreamed of doing. But now she has found her nightmare.
On a distant planet ripe for a colony, she has discovered a relic previously unseen by human eyes.
It will transform her entirely and forever.
Humanity will face annihilation.
She is alone. We are not.
There is no going back.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Exploring new worlds is all Kira Navarez ever dreamed of doing. But now she has found her nightmare.
On a distant planet ripe for a colony, she has discovered a relic previously unseen by human eyes.
It will transform her entirely and forever.
Humanity will face annihilation.
She is alone. We are not.
There is no going back.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
- GenresScience FictionFantasy
881 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 19, 2020
132 people are currently reading
864 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Paolini
91 books43k followersChristopher Paolini was born in Southern California and has lived most of his life in Paradise Valley, Montana. He published his first novel, Eragon, in 2003 at the age of nineteen, and quickly became a publishing phenomenon. His Inheritance Cycle—Eragon and its three sequels—have sold nearly 40 million copies worldwide.
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars
was his first adult novel.
Visit Paolini.net and Fractalverse.net for the latest news about this project and follow Christopher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
Visit Paolini.net and Fractalverse.net for the latest news about this project and follow Christopher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
June 2, 2020
AWESOME ! Yes this book from the wee bit I read was totally amazing ! Space fantasy, intense, adventurous, dangerous with fantastic characters and world building. I read and loved this authors Eragon series this is not like that series. No this is science fiction space drama and I don’t think it is YA. I can’t wait to get the whole book
May 24, 2020
While what I have read in this extract is not for me, I don't want to put any perspective readers off trying the book when it comes out later this year.
I enjoy science fiction. I love some of the classics, such as '2001: A Space Odyssey', and Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation' trilogy; and I love some contemporary SF too, like Andy Weir's 'The Martian' and 'Artemis' as well as 'The Themis Files' trilogy by Sylvain Neuvel.
That being said, this book (from the first few chapters I have read) isn't my sort of thing. There are some exciting elements of exploration on other planets, but apart from that I found the protagonist lacking. SF to me is all about What If? but for me, this book was too focused on a main character who isn't very interesting. I found the 'refusal to the call' a nice spin on SF but apart from that I don't think I can see myself buying the book when it comes out.
I do want to stress, however, that I am rather particular when it comes to science fiction, so please don't let my review put you off. Look at other reviews too to see what other readers, with tastes that differ to mine, say about this book.
(Thank you to the publishers for giving me a copy of the first few chapters for free on Netgally for an honest review).
I enjoy science fiction. I love some of the classics, such as '2001: A Space Odyssey', and Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation' trilogy; and I love some contemporary SF too, like Andy Weir's 'The Martian' and 'Artemis' as well as 'The Themis Files' trilogy by Sylvain Neuvel.
That being said, this book (from the first few chapters I have read) isn't my sort of thing. There are some exciting elements of exploration on other planets, but apart from that I found the protagonist lacking. SF to me is all about What If? but for me, this book was too focused on a main character who isn't very interesting. I found the 'refusal to the call' a nice spin on SF but apart from that I don't think I can see myself buying the book when it comes out.
I do want to stress, however, that I am rather particular when it comes to science fiction, so please don't let my review put you off. Look at other reviews too to see what other readers, with tastes that differ to mine, say about this book.
(Thank you to the publishers for giving me a copy of the first few chapters for free on Netgally for an honest review).
June 6, 2020
Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff has ruined people for other science fiction authors. I am people.
I wanted to like this book so badly - I was so excited for it... I mean look at the cover!
Everyone in this book is so mean to each other, even though they are so called "friends". None of the characters are relatable or even likable.
I battled to feel the chemistry between Kira and Alan unfortunately. Towards the end of the galley I found myself not really caring what happens to Kira, as I just had no connection to her.
Kira's character switches between nerdy intellectual with a soft spoken demeanor, to bad-ass space combat marine and it's really confusing.
There is one character in the book that I still don't know if it was supposed to be an actual human or an interstellar AI.
A lot of unfamiliar names and terminology was passed around like there was a story before this story. I was able to imagine the setting, but I was not able to make a connection to the setting, the world around it or the colonies.
I wanted to like this book so badly - I was so excited for it... I mean look at the cover!
Everyone in this book is so mean to each other, even though they are so called "friends". None of the characters are relatable or even likable.
I battled to feel the chemistry between Kira and Alan unfortunately. Towards the end of the galley I found myself not really caring what happens to Kira, as I just had no connection to her.
Kira's character switches between nerdy intellectual with a soft spoken demeanor, to bad-ass space combat marine and it's really confusing.
There is one character in the book that I still don't know if it was supposed to be an actual human or an interstellar AI.
A lot of unfamiliar names and terminology was passed around like there was a story before this story. I was able to imagine the setting, but I was not able to make a connection to the setting, the world around it or the colonies.
May 29, 2020
Having been a fan of this author's previous books, I was all in when this partial galley was being made available to read.
I started it this morning and finished it. Cannot wait for September! See publisher's and other reviewers for the tale's details. . . .this is my response to today's read:
So far, if you are looking for dragons, they are not here. This is SCI-FI, for sure, and although the older I get, the less I'm into sci-fi, this has my 110% attention. There's a girl and a boy on a spaceship, and when the heavy petting happens in the first chapters you know that's not a good thing (think red shirts). . . .I was concerned when all seemed lost in the next chapter and then *boom* the author blows your mind with a game changer, and I stayed in till the "to be continued, see you in Sept 2020" last line.
If you like your sci-fi off-planet, or The Martian or any of those other books where aliens possess humans, space vehicles get their own names (Dave, Ron, Sheila, Bishop, etc.) and converse freely. . . .yeah. You'll dig this.
5 stars, each wringing all 5 points as they wait for Sept 2020!
An enthusiastic thank you to Christopher Paolini, Tor Books and NetGalley for providing me an ARC to read and review.
I started it this morning and finished it. Cannot wait for September! See publisher's and other reviewers for the tale's details. . . .this is my response to today's read:
So far, if you are looking for dragons, they are not here. This is SCI-FI, for sure, and although the older I get, the less I'm into sci-fi, this has my 110% attention. There's a girl and a boy on a spaceship, and when the heavy petting happens in the first chapters you know that's not a good thing (think red shirts). . . .I was concerned when all seemed lost in the next chapter and then *boom* the author blows your mind with a game changer, and I stayed in till the "to be continued, see you in Sept 2020" last line.
If you like your sci-fi off-planet, or The Martian or any of those other books where aliens possess humans, space vehicles get their own names (Dave, Ron, Sheila, Bishop, etc.) and converse freely. . . .yeah. You'll dig this.
5 stars, each wringing all 5 points as they wait for Sept 2020!
An enthusiastic thank you to Christopher Paolini, Tor Books and NetGalley for providing me an ARC to read and review.
May 17, 2020
NOTE: I received a complimentary partial eARC of this book from Macmillan-Tor/Forge through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I need to start this review by saying that this was only a partial galley, just 150 pages from the start of an 880 page novel. Or at least, I assume it was the start; it’s hard to tell for sure because the chapters aren’t really numbered as you’d expect. So, because of that, I can’t really give a complete review because for all I know, the other 730 pages could either get much better or much worse. So for now my rating is a nice middle-of-the-road 3 stars and that will most likely change one way or the other when I get to read the rest.
**WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD**
I’ve never liked partial galleys because it seems to me if you want to create buzz for your book, you have to give people the WHOLE book to review; otherwise how are they supposed to know how to rate it? That’s like watching half of a movie and then writing a review that goes “Well I don’t know how it ended but the first half was ok”, for all you know there could be a major twist at the end that makes it your new favourite movie of all time, or it could have an ending that makes you feel like you’ve just wasted hours of your life for nothing (I’m looking at you Game of Thrones TV show).
I’m still not really sure how to feel about the part of the story I’ve read so far. I was a huge fan of the Inheritance Cycle when I was younger and when I saw Paolini had not only written an entirely new book, but that it was sci-fi, I was very excited. However, reading the partial galley of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars left me unsure about whether I just have higher standards for sci-fi than I do fantasy because it’s my favourite genre, or if maybe I just had much lower standards for writing when I was younger. Either way, it fell a little flat for me.
The story so far is a pretty standard, predictable young adult sci-fi novel. And I say young adult, because even though it’s labelled as adult, it definitely reads as young adult. I assume it’s classed as adult because the protagonist, Kira, is over 20 years old? That’s the only reason I can think of that it might be classed as adult fiction because unless something VERY graphic happens later in the book, the part I’ve read so far has no cursing, no graphic sex scenes, and Kira’s behaviour and attitude could easily be mistaken for that of someone in their late teens.
The characters in general were just okay. Most of the characters were basically just cannon fodder to move the story along and were either killed or left behind as quickly as they were introduced so you didn’t really have time to get attached to any of them. And Kira’s personality was… kind of all over the place. One minute she was defiant, stubborn, and stood up for herself, and then the next she was petulant, stupidly defiant for no reason, or had completely given up on everything and decided to mope her way to the grave instead.
The majority of the book (or the 150 pages I read) also had some SEVERE pacing issues. Some parts felt too rushed while others seemed to drag on for an eternity. Some scenes that had no bearing on the story at all went on for chapters, while others that should have had some sort of emotional impact and were crucial to the story happened far too quickly and then were forgotten just as quickly.
For example, at the start Kiara spends literal chapters internally gushing about her new fiance who she loves very much and can’t wait to give up her dream of being a great xenobiologist to settle down on a new planet with him, and her crew who have become like a family to her. But when an alien worms its way under her skin and lashes out at everyone around her because it thinks they’re a threat, and she essentially kills a couple of her family-like crew members and her beloved fiance, the whole thing happens in just a few paragraphs and then is almost completely glossed over for the rest of the book. There is practically zero mourning time for people she apparently cared about most in the world because apparently the story needs to move on RIGHT NOW.
Then at the end of the story (or the end of the part that I read, which I don’t think is the actual end) saw one scene drag on for several pages in which Kira was traveling to try to get back to her home planet. She was alone (with four other crew members in cryo), didn’t have enough food, and spent the entire time sleeping and dreaming, groping herself to find out how far the alien skin had spread, and why she loved listening to Bach. That whole thing dragged out WAY too long and the talk about Bach — aside from being completely irrelevant to the story — came off as a little pretentious.
A LOT happened in just 150 pages and it makes me a little worried about what could possibly be in the rest of the book that it’s almost 1000 pages! And I’m not even going to get started on the cliffhanger that the partial galley was ended on.
But after all of that, I’m still probably going to read the rest of the book when it comes out in September; if for no other reason than I HATE leaving books unfinished. I really hope it gets a lot better though, because I’m not sure I could handle another 730 pages of that pacing if I’m honest.
I need to start this review by saying that this was only a partial galley, just 150 pages from the start of an 880 page novel. Or at least, I assume it was the start; it’s hard to tell for sure because the chapters aren’t really numbered as you’d expect. So, because of that, I can’t really give a complete review because for all I know, the other 730 pages could either get much better or much worse. So for now my rating is a nice middle-of-the-road 3 stars and that will most likely change one way or the other when I get to read the rest.
**WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD**
I’ve never liked partial galleys because it seems to me if you want to create buzz for your book, you have to give people the WHOLE book to review; otherwise how are they supposed to know how to rate it? That’s like watching half of a movie and then writing a review that goes “Well I don’t know how it ended but the first half was ok”, for all you know there could be a major twist at the end that makes it your new favourite movie of all time, or it could have an ending that makes you feel like you’ve just wasted hours of your life for nothing (I’m looking at you Game of Thrones TV show).
I’m still not really sure how to feel about the part of the story I’ve read so far. I was a huge fan of the Inheritance Cycle when I was younger and when I saw Paolini had not only written an entirely new book, but that it was sci-fi, I was very excited. However, reading the partial galley of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars left me unsure about whether I just have higher standards for sci-fi than I do fantasy because it’s my favourite genre, or if maybe I just had much lower standards for writing when I was younger. Either way, it fell a little flat for me.
The story so far is a pretty standard, predictable young adult sci-fi novel. And I say young adult, because even though it’s labelled as adult, it definitely reads as young adult. I assume it’s classed as adult because the protagonist, Kira, is over 20 years old? That’s the only reason I can think of that it might be classed as adult fiction because unless something VERY graphic happens later in the book, the part I’ve read so far has no cursing, no graphic sex scenes, and Kira’s behaviour and attitude could easily be mistaken for that of someone in their late teens.
The characters in general were just okay. Most of the characters were basically just cannon fodder to move the story along and were either killed or left behind as quickly as they were introduced so you didn’t really have time to get attached to any of them. And Kira’s personality was… kind of all over the place. One minute she was defiant, stubborn, and stood up for herself, and then the next she was petulant, stupidly defiant for no reason, or had completely given up on everything and decided to mope her way to the grave instead.
The majority of the book (or the 150 pages I read) also had some SEVERE pacing issues. Some parts felt too rushed while others seemed to drag on for an eternity. Some scenes that had no bearing on the story at all went on for chapters, while others that should have had some sort of emotional impact and were crucial to the story happened far too quickly and then were forgotten just as quickly.
For example, at the start Kiara spends literal chapters internally gushing about her new fiance who she loves very much and can’t wait to give up her dream of being a great xenobiologist to settle down on a new planet with him, and her crew who have become like a family to her. But when an alien worms its way under her skin and lashes out at everyone around her because it thinks they’re a threat, and she essentially kills a couple of her family-like crew members and her beloved fiance, the whole thing happens in just a few paragraphs and then is almost completely glossed over for the rest of the book. There is practically zero mourning time for people she apparently cared about most in the world because apparently the story needs to move on RIGHT NOW.
Then at the end of the story (or the end of the part that I read, which I don’t think is the actual end) saw one scene drag on for several pages in which Kira was traveling to try to get back to her home planet. She was alone (with four other crew members in cryo), didn’t have enough food, and spent the entire time sleeping and dreaming, groping herself to find out how far the alien skin had spread, and why she loved listening to Bach. That whole thing dragged out WAY too long and the talk about Bach — aside from being completely irrelevant to the story — came off as a little pretentious.
A LOT happened in just 150 pages and it makes me a little worried about what could possibly be in the rest of the book that it’s almost 1000 pages! And I’m not even going to get started on the cliffhanger that the partial galley was ended on.
But after all of that, I’m still probably going to read the rest of the book when it comes out in September; if for no other reason than I HATE leaving books unfinished. I really hope it gets a lot better though, because I’m not sure I could handle another 730 pages of that pacing if I’m honest.
August 6, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for a partial galley of this book! Release date of the full book - September 15,2020.
I totally loved Eragon when I was younger, so as soon as I heard Christopher Paolini was coming out with a new book it became one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. I immediately requested this preview and oh my gosh I am hooked. It was the first 10 chapters, which actually ended up being over 200 pages. The entire book itself is 880 pages, which my first thought was who does he think he is, Diana Gabaldon? But then I started thinking, how many pages are most trilogies? Probably if you added all three books together they'd equal well over 880 pages. So this is really like a trilogy in one book, and I honestly do feel like the length of this was almost like reading the first book in a series. The great news about this is that I only have to wait until September to read the next "two books"!
I AM SO HOOKED on this storyline and these characters. I literally never wanted to put this down. I LOVE that Christopher Paolini decided to go sci-fi this time, and although I do get some vibes of books like Defy the Stars and Aurora Rising, I can tell this is going to be totally unique. The world is really interesting and also has some really great creep factor, and I can't wait to see where it goes. Total cliffhanger at the end of this preview!
The way I'm feeling about these first 10 chapters, I honestly can see myself giving the whole book 5 stars. Really creative, unique world. Great characters I want to know more about. Super creep factor and some interesting developments. Space and aliens. And an edge-of-your-seat storyline. I can't wait to get my hands on this entire book.
I totally loved Eragon when I was younger, so as soon as I heard Christopher Paolini was coming out with a new book it became one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. I immediately requested this preview and oh my gosh I am hooked. It was the first 10 chapters, which actually ended up being over 200 pages. The entire book itself is 880 pages, which my first thought was who does he think he is, Diana Gabaldon? But then I started thinking, how many pages are most trilogies? Probably if you added all three books together they'd equal well over 880 pages. So this is really like a trilogy in one book, and I honestly do feel like the length of this was almost like reading the first book in a series. The great news about this is that I only have to wait until September to read the next "two books"!
I AM SO HOOKED on this storyline and these characters. I literally never wanted to put this down. I LOVE that Christopher Paolini decided to go sci-fi this time, and although I do get some vibes of books like Defy the Stars and Aurora Rising, I can tell this is going to be totally unique. The world is really interesting and also has some really great creep factor, and I can't wait to see where it goes. Total cliffhanger at the end of this preview!
The way I'm feeling about these first 10 chapters, I honestly can see myself giving the whole book 5 stars. Really creative, unique world. Great characters I want to know more about. Super creep factor and some interesting developments. Space and aliens. And an edge-of-your-seat storyline. I can't wait to get my hands on this entire book.
August 7, 2020
I wasn't really sold at the beginning, but this is a big book so a bit of lead-up is certainly required. Based on what I've read so far, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is going to be: cinematic, descriptive, and full of crazy alien stuff. I'm absolutely here for it. In this short span of pages, we already have a conflict, a strong sense of Kira's character, and crazy alien stuff. Plus, the science portion feels smart and not just glossed over, which I certainly appreciate.
The romantic scenes were a little awkward, but they were short and served to further develop Kira's character, which I know is going to be important going forward.
By the time I reached the end of the excerpt, I was not ready for it to be over. Props to whoever decided to end it there because now I want to throw my TBR out the window and read the rest.
{Thank you Tor Books and NetGalley for the ebook copy of the excerpt; thank you Macmillan Audio for the audio excerpt}
The romantic scenes were a little awkward, but they were short and served to further develop Kira's character, which I know is going to be important going forward.
By the time I reached the end of the excerpt, I was not ready for it to be over. Props to whoever decided to end it there because now I want to throw my TBR out the window and read the rest.
{Thank you Tor Books and NetGalley for the ebook copy of the excerpt; thank you Macmillan Audio for the audio excerpt}
September 5, 2020
This is being released on September 8th!!!!
This is the first work I've read by Christopher Paolini and it has me hooked! I've had his Inheritance Cycle on my list for quite a while, but because of the length and the mixed reviews, I haven't started them yet. But this? This is good! From the very first chapter, I was already interested in what was going to happen in this story. Even in this Sneak Peek of 9 chapters plus an interlude, there were at least 2 chapters that ended in a cliffhanger of sorts. There is enough in this Sneak Peek to have an idea of things to come, but I have no idea how it's going to end. Although I generally like Fantasy a tad bit more than Sci-Fi, I am really enjoying this story! I also love all the influences I'm seeing from other sci-fi works and films that I've seen--it makes it all the more fun. I don't know how often it is that a publisher will release a sneak peek ARC of a book, but this one definitely captured my interest and I can't wait to read the full book! Which thankfully will be soon!
FTC Disclosure: Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is the first work I've read by Christopher Paolini and it has me hooked! I've had his Inheritance Cycle on my list for quite a while, but because of the length and the mixed reviews, I haven't started them yet. But this? This is good! From the very first chapter, I was already interested in what was going to happen in this story. Even in this Sneak Peek of 9 chapters plus an interlude, there were at least 2 chapters that ended in a cliffhanger of sorts. There is enough in this Sneak Peek to have an idea of things to come, but I have no idea how it's going to end. Although I generally like Fantasy a tad bit more than Sci-Fi, I am really enjoying this story! I also love all the influences I'm seeing from other sci-fi works and films that I've seen--it makes it all the more fun. I don't know how often it is that a publisher will release a sneak peek ARC of a book, but this one definitely captured my interest and I can't wait to read the full book! Which thankfully will be soon!
FTC Disclosure: Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 14, 2020
I want to cry because this book is so good but...ughhhh.
The descriptions, emotions, and characters are everything. EVERYTHING.
I'm speechless at the amount of detail poured in this book.
Something that's hard for me with books set in another world, is the difficulty to understand completely the way ships function etc. This book describes everything so ''floraly'' it is spectacular.
I wanted to join this expedition so bad 😭 JVSLFBVWERIB
But...well.. it is not clean. At all.
I didn't realize it was an adult novel. Imagine a curse word and it is probably there. There are also sex, profanity, etc.
😭😭😭😭
At one point I was like, ok I can blur out the words if I get a physical copy, but nope, too many (and the other scenes 🥴)
I'm so sadddddd I wanted to love this book but I had to dnf at 35% because I just couldn't keep reading with a clear conscience.
*sighs* Oh well, hopefully, another author ventures to write a similar book without the bad stuff.
Cleanness: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All the above-mentioned thoughts are my own and weren't influenced by the publisher or author*
The descriptions, emotions, and characters are everything. EVERYTHING.
I'm speechless at the amount of detail poured in this book.
Something that's hard for me with books set in another world, is the difficulty to understand completely the way ships function etc. This book describes everything so ''floraly'' it is spectacular.
I wanted to join this expedition so bad 😭 JVSLFBVWERIB
But...well.. it is not clean. At all.
I didn't realize it was an adult novel. Imagine a curse word and it is probably there. There are also sex, profanity, etc.
😭😭😭😭
At one point I was like, ok I can blur out the words if I get a physical copy, but nope, too many (and the other scenes 🥴)
I'm so sadddddd I wanted to love this book but I had to dnf at 35% because I just couldn't keep reading with a clear conscience.
*sighs* Oh well, hopefully, another author ventures to write a similar book without the bad stuff.
Cleanness: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All the above-mentioned thoughts are my own and weren't influenced by the publisher or author*
May 13, 2020
Review of partial galley
During a routine research mission on the Earth-sized moon Adrasteia, xenobiologist Kira Navárez makes a world-shaking discovery. Exploring new worlds has always been her dream; now it may become her lasting nightmare.
This partial “sneak peek,” encompassing the first ten chapters of the narrative, introduces the main characters, describes the discovery of the alien relic, and sets things in motion for what is to come as the story moves forward. Well-developed characters, an intriguing [albeit a tad creepy] plot, and strong world-building all work together to pull the reader into the telling of the tale from the first page.
The underlying sense of foreboding keeps the tension building as the unfolding story touches on camaraderie, romance, and fate. All but impossible to set aside, this stunning partial ARC promises readers an unforgettable tale of intrigue and wonder.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this partial galley from Macmillan-Tor/Forge; Tor Books and NetGalley
#ToSleepInASeaOfStars #NetGalley
During a routine research mission on the Earth-sized moon Adrasteia, xenobiologist Kira Navárez makes a world-shaking discovery. Exploring new worlds has always been her dream; now it may become her lasting nightmare.
This partial “sneak peek,” encompassing the first ten chapters of the narrative, introduces the main characters, describes the discovery of the alien relic, and sets things in motion for what is to come as the story moves forward. Well-developed characters, an intriguing [albeit a tad creepy] plot, and strong world-building all work together to pull the reader into the telling of the tale from the first page.
The underlying sense of foreboding keeps the tension building as the unfolding story touches on camaraderie, romance, and fate. All but impossible to set aside, this stunning partial ARC promises readers an unforgettable tale of intrigue and wonder.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this partial galley from Macmillan-Tor/Forge; Tor Books and NetGalley
#ToSleepInASeaOfStars #NetGalley
May 14, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Tor books for the opportunity to read the partial eARC galley of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars!
I was absolutely blown away by this partial ARC, The world building of planet Adra was just amazing. The main character Kira is brought to life with a detailed background and deep inner dialogue. Her relationship with Alan was very deep and believable. Kira's interactions with the crew had the realistic up's and downs of being coworkers/friends. The way the story progressed from planet based to spaceship/space was seemless with lots of action and suspense. There is so much I want to say about how amazing parts of this novel are, but I don't want to give any spoilers. This book is not one to missed! If you love sci fi, you'll love this. If you don't love sci fi, you will after you read this! I will post this review on Netgalley, Goodreads and Google play.
I was absolutely blown away by this partial ARC, The world building of planet Adra was just amazing. The main character Kira is brought to life with a detailed background and deep inner dialogue. Her relationship with Alan was very deep and believable. Kira's interactions with the crew had the realistic up's and downs of being coworkers/friends. The way the story progressed from planet based to spaceship/space was seemless with lots of action and suspense. There is so much I want to say about how amazing parts of this novel are, but I don't want to give any spoilers. This book is not one to missed! If you love sci fi, you'll love this. If you don't love sci fi, you will after you read this! I will post this review on Netgalley, Goodreads and Google play.
May 16, 2020
I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
This may have been an excerpt, but it is still a fairly big chunk of the book (I think it must be close to half?) and was more than enough for me to fall slowly in love with every word.
At first I was enjoying it, and while I was quickly invested in Kira and Alan, I wasn’t finding anything too special. But that didn’t last long! By the time everything had kicked off, I was lost to the way the tale was spun, to the relationships, to the threats and to the hope. As things change (and oh my, do they!) I just fell deeper in.
Even though some of the things I loved early on change drastically, I really enjoyed where this went and where it is promising to go next. I am eagerly awaiting the release of the full book, as I neeeeeeeeeed to know the ending!
This may have been an excerpt, but it is still a fairly big chunk of the book (I think it must be close to half?) and was more than enough for me to fall slowly in love with every word.
At first I was enjoying it, and while I was quickly invested in Kira and Alan, I wasn’t finding anything too special. But that didn’t last long! By the time everything had kicked off, I was lost to the way the tale was spun, to the relationships, to the threats and to the hope. As things change (and oh my, do they!) I just fell deeper in.
Even though some of the things I loved early on change drastically, I really enjoyed where this went and where it is promising to go next. I am eagerly awaiting the release of the full book, as I neeeeeeeeeed to know the ending!
March 11, 2022
The amount of creativity put in this is LAME.
October 21, 2020
I received an uncorrected partial galley copy of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars from a Goodreads giveaways.
I don't think I have ever been so excited to win something! I read each Inheritance cycle book as they came out and still reread and love them. When I heard that Christopher Paolini was writing a new and totally different book, I was thrilled. When I found out that I was going to be able to start reading it five months before it even came out, I lost my mind. So I'm starting this review by saying that I am in no way an unbiased reviewer - ha :) I would say that this seems to be more "adult" than the Inheritance cycle - more language and romance.
If the page count for the full novel is correct, the galley I received is the first roughly 22% of the finished book. I read TSiaSoS during the extreme self-isolation period of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is interesting to me for a few reasons. First, I've had a difficult time focusing on long-form reading (books specifically) since this started. My brain just hasn't been having it, and I've gotten way behind on my reading goals. I finally got myself to start reading the galley last night...and basically didn't stop. It was exactly what I needed to refocus and enjoy reading again. Secondly, without getting into any spoilers (hopefully), the plot of the beginning of the book parallels what's currently going on in the world in some ways. This story felt like a good companion for the current time.
I don't typically pick up very many sci-fi books, but this seems like the perfect mix of scifi-weird and real-life-relatable. I would convince myself I was reading about a dream when it wasn't, and then be sure that something was real when it wasn't. Kira is a perfectly scrappy and spunky character. I'm fascinated by the other main character that we see join her, and would happily sit down right now to keep reading about what happens. I would like to see more world-building, which I'm assuming will happen in the full copy, but loved the bit of character development that I did get to read. The details we do get about space, the planets, and the different beings that travel them were fascinating and pretty different from anything I've read before. I'm so thrilled to have been able to start TSiaSoS, but I'm also so sad that now I have to wait to finish it.
I don't think I have ever been so excited to win something! I read each Inheritance cycle book as they came out and still reread and love them. When I heard that Christopher Paolini was writing a new and totally different book, I was thrilled. When I found out that I was going to be able to start reading it five months before it even came out, I lost my mind. So I'm starting this review by saying that I am in no way an unbiased reviewer - ha :) I would say that this seems to be more "adult" than the Inheritance cycle - more language and romance.
If the page count for the full novel is correct, the galley I received is the first roughly 22% of the finished book. I read TSiaSoS during the extreme self-isolation period of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is interesting to me for a few reasons. First, I've had a difficult time focusing on long-form reading (books specifically) since this started. My brain just hasn't been having it, and I've gotten way behind on my reading goals. I finally got myself to start reading the galley last night...and basically didn't stop. It was exactly what I needed to refocus and enjoy reading again. Secondly, without getting into any spoilers (hopefully), the plot of the beginning of the book parallels what's currently going on in the world in some ways. This story felt like a good companion for the current time.
I don't typically pick up very many sci-fi books, but this seems like the perfect mix of scifi-weird and real-life-relatable. I would convince myself I was reading about a dream when it wasn't, and then be sure that something was real when it wasn't. Kira is a perfectly scrappy and spunky character. I'm fascinated by the other main character that we see join her, and would happily sit down right now to keep reading about what happens. I would like to see more world-building, which I'm assuming will happen in the full copy, but loved the bit of character development that I did get to read. The details we do get about space, the planets, and the different beings that travel them were fascinating and pretty different from anything I've read before. I'm so thrilled to have been able to start TSiaSoS, but I'm also so sad that now I have to wait to finish it.
September 21, 2020
Despite being a sci-fi and fantasy lover for much of my life, I'm embarrassed to say that this is my first foray into anything written by Christopher Paolini. His books seem to hit the right notes for me, though: first dragons, and now deep space exploration (I'm on a Star Trek streak right now).
Stories about life in the far reaches of space are not new, but from what I've read so far in this partial galley, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars promises a deeper exploration of the intertwined relationship between humans and alien beings, giving the opportunity for a more nuanced approach rather than pure acceptance or pure hatred between species. It has tinges of Star Trek Discovery meets the Ender's Game series meets The Martian. The first chapters were a bit too obvious to me (cheery near-utopic set ups are bound to be crushed!), but eventually the meticulous details of the planet and its mysteries, the hints of political and inter-species intrigue, and the start of Kira's development as a character started to pull me in.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this preview. It's not on the top of my list, but I'll likely pick up the book at some point to read the rest of the adventure.
Stories about life in the far reaches of space are not new, but from what I've read so far in this partial galley, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars promises a deeper exploration of the intertwined relationship between humans and alien beings, giving the opportunity for a more nuanced approach rather than pure acceptance or pure hatred between species. It has tinges of Star Trek Discovery meets the Ender's Game series meets The Martian. The first chapters were a bit too obvious to me (cheery near-utopic set ups are bound to be crushed!), but eventually the meticulous details of the planet and its mysteries, the hints of political and inter-species intrigue, and the start of Kira's development as a character started to pull me in.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this preview. It's not on the top of my list, but I'll likely pick up the book at some point to read the rest of the adventure.
October 23, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! Loved how detailed it was in describing its universe & setting. Very long book but kept me interested the whole way. Although the ending was a bit predictable for me & it was still worth 5 stars in my opinion.
July 8, 2020
Holy space-thriller! I requested a partial galley of this book on netgalley not really knowing what I was going to get. I've never read an "Eragon" book and had no preconceived expectations for Paolini. Furthermore, the full publication page count of OVER 800 pages really dampened any desire to read the whole thing. All I can say is boy was I wrong. It is mid-June, the book isn't published until September, and I just finished this partial galley... OMG I NEED THE REST!
This book was so good. From a classic space questing scenario where scientists are studying a planet to ultimately rehab it for human colonization, I was sucked right into the lives of those aboard, immediately worried about anyone who loved another person, immediately concerned with any last minute fixes involving trekking back out of the habitat thing ... and then things get really good. I worried about how engaged I would be with alien stuff, because sometimes that very very sci fi genre can just be too strange, but Paolini masterfully intertwined the alien situation with the person with the science, etc. that I was all in. The chapter breaks of almost vignette style - a heading with sub-chapters - really worked to release pressure/build up then begin it again or take a look from another angle. I could go on, but so far I'm very impressed. Obviously I can't comment on how the whole thing comes together in the end, but I can't WAIT to find out.
This book was so good. From a classic space questing scenario where scientists are studying a planet to ultimately rehab it for human colonization, I was sucked right into the lives of those aboard, immediately worried about anyone who loved another person, immediately concerned with any last minute fixes involving trekking back out of the habitat thing ... and then things get really good. I worried about how engaged I would be with alien stuff, because sometimes that very very sci fi genre can just be too strange, but Paolini masterfully intertwined the alien situation with the person with the science, etc. that I was all in. The chapter breaks of almost vignette style - a heading with sub-chapters - really worked to release pressure/build up then begin it again or take a look from another angle. I could go on, but so far I'm very impressed. Obviously I can't comment on how the whole thing comes together in the end, but I can't WAIT to find out.
October 8, 2020
| Review on Reader Fox Blog |
I very much screamed when I found out that Christopher Paolini was publishing a new novel. In fact, I tried incredibly hard to get my hands on an ARC of this book. Having loved this author's work since I was a young girl, there was no question that I needed to read his newest work. For much of my life, since I was 10 years old carrying around what would one day become a very battered copy of Eragon everywhere I went, this man has been a hero of mine. Now twenty-seven, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars was unquestionably a must-read for me.
But Also, Holy Hell Was This LONG
The basic premise of this book is the experience of a young xenobiologist, Kira Navárez, when she finds an alien artifact that changes the course of her life forever. Truthfully, I feel like delving any further into the premise would be to fall dangerously into spoiler territory. The truth is, there's a lot to this book and I almost feel at a loss as for where to start. I an, at least, say this:
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars was too long.
Now, don't get me wrong. I love long novels. I can sit for hours reading. Authors who are able to write more and more content for brilliant characters are amazing. In other words, long stories can be wonderful. Much to my dismay, as I journeyed further and further into this one I kept feeling astounded at how much time I'd spent with it and how much time I had still further to go. Hours in and I just stared at it, wondering how I had 60% left of the book to go.
I was proven wrong every time I felt certain the book was about to reach a climax and soon, conclusion. In a sense, it almost felt as though Paolini was trying to drag out his story for no reason. But, at the same time, I also really enjoyed the intricacies of the plot he created. If there's anything about this story superbly well done, it was the plot. There are so many interwoven pieces to it that you can't help leaving the book feeling impressed. The plot, by far, is this novel's greatest strength.
So, if incredible (almost suffocating) length is what I have to pay in order to have a brilliant plot? Hey, I'll pay it.
The Characters
Perhaps it's ironic, but my biggest gripe with To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is the characters. On the one hand, they're excellent. They have incredible personalities and you have ample time to get to know them. At times, you truly feel like they could be real people. But despite having a brilliant plot and incredibly well-written action sequences, Paolini utterly fails at portraying emotion.
I find it admirable that a massive amount of research went into Paolini's writing process for this novel. The fact that he wanted to tell a science fiction story with as much scientific accuracy has he could is nothing short of amazing. But, if he's going to do that much research on science, why the hell couldn't he do so for psychology?
It's funny, because he does a little bit with the shipmind,Gregorovitch. What Paolini did here was actually rather impressive (I loved him). And it's all based around the trauma of isolation. The problem is that it's so minute in comparison with everything all the other characters go through. The most stark of these issues lies with main character, Kira herself.
What's Wrong With Kira
Point blank, Kira never truly seems to deal with traumatic events in the way a real person would. As a result, it becomes incredibly difficult to believe that she cares about anything. We're told that she loves Alan and her team members. We're told that she cares about a lot of things. Unfortunately, so often I found that the telling of these things came alongside a useless lack of showing. And though it is like this through the whole book, the most egregious comes in the beginning as Kira has almost no true emotional response to an incredibly traumatic loss.
There was absolutely no hatred either for the alien relic that she could have blamed for the event. Nor was there any self-hatred for her role in the event. At times there were brief moments of grief, but even those were glossed over. And it's not as though Paolini didn't have time to delve more deeply into potential responses a person might have to such trauma. The book is 880 pages!
But, instead of having his main character react to this event in a realistic and emotional way, he had her briefly freak out, have a few very short moments of sadness, and...become concerned with whether or not she'd ever be able to have sex or masturbate again. I don't need to point out why this is problematic, do I?
Narrator!
Okay, so the only way I was able to get myself a copy of this book was thanks to the wonderful people at Macmillan Audio who auto approved me for their audiobooks. As it stands, I don't have a lot to say about the audio other than that it worked well for the story. Jennifer Hale did an excellent job. I have no complaints.
To Wrap Things Up
So, yes. I liked this book.
But, as even Paolini pointed out, it's not without flaws.
I almost feel as though this would have worked better as a tv show. It would account for the length and result in multiple writers available to address the issues. Namely, the biggest issue being the lack of realistic emotion in 90% of the main character and a good portion of the book. Women would have been (hopefully) involved to decrease the problems that often seem to arise when men write them. And, finally, there would have been previous little (again, hopefully) telling instead of showing.
So, good book? Sure. But it's got some problems.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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I very much screamed when I found out that Christopher Paolini was publishing a new novel. In fact, I tried incredibly hard to get my hands on an ARC of this book. Having loved this author's work since I was a young girl, there was no question that I needed to read his newest work. For much of my life, since I was 10 years old carrying around what would one day become a very battered copy of Eragon everywhere I went, this man has been a hero of mine. Now twenty-seven, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars was unquestionably a must-read for me.
But Also, Holy Hell Was This LONG
The basic premise of this book is the experience of a young xenobiologist, Kira Navárez, when she finds an alien artifact that changes the course of her life forever. Truthfully, I feel like delving any further into the premise would be to fall dangerously into spoiler territory. The truth is, there's a lot to this book and I almost feel at a loss as for where to start. I an, at least, say this:
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars was too long.
Now, don't get me wrong. I love long novels. I can sit for hours reading. Authors who are able to write more and more content for brilliant characters are amazing. In other words, long stories can be wonderful. Much to my dismay, as I journeyed further and further into this one I kept feeling astounded at how much time I'd spent with it and how much time I had still further to go. Hours in and I just stared at it, wondering how I had 60% left of the book to go.
I was proven wrong every time I felt certain the book was about to reach a climax and soon, conclusion. In a sense, it almost felt as though Paolini was trying to drag out his story for no reason. But, at the same time, I also really enjoyed the intricacies of the plot he created. If there's anything about this story superbly well done, it was the plot. There are so many interwoven pieces to it that you can't help leaving the book feeling impressed. The plot, by far, is this novel's greatest strength.
So, if incredible (almost suffocating) length is what I have to pay in order to have a brilliant plot? Hey, I'll pay it.
The Characters
Perhaps it's ironic, but my biggest gripe with To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is the characters. On the one hand, they're excellent. They have incredible personalities and you have ample time to get to know them. At times, you truly feel like they could be real people. But despite having a brilliant plot and incredibly well-written action sequences, Paolini utterly fails at portraying emotion.
I find it admirable that a massive amount of research went into Paolini's writing process for this novel. The fact that he wanted to tell a science fiction story with as much scientific accuracy has he could is nothing short of amazing. But, if he's going to do that much research on science, why the hell couldn't he do so for psychology?
It's funny, because he does a little bit with the shipmind,Gregorovitch. What Paolini did here was actually rather impressive (I loved him). And it's all based around the trauma of isolation. The problem is that it's so minute in comparison with everything all the other characters go through. The most stark of these issues lies with main character, Kira herself.
What's Wrong With Kira
Point blank, Kira never truly seems to deal with traumatic events in the way a real person would. As a result, it becomes incredibly difficult to believe that she cares about anything. We're told that she loves Alan and her team members. We're told that she cares about a lot of things. Unfortunately, so often I found that the telling of these things came alongside a useless lack of showing. And though it is like this through the whole book, the most egregious comes in the beginning as Kira has almost no true emotional response to an incredibly traumatic loss.
There was absolutely no hatred either for the alien relic that she could have blamed for the event. Nor was there any self-hatred for her role in the event. At times there were brief moments of grief, but even those were glossed over. And it's not as though Paolini didn't have time to delve more deeply into potential responses a person might have to such trauma. The book is 880 pages!
But, instead of having his main character react to this event in a realistic and emotional way, he had her briefly freak out, have a few very short moments of sadness, and...become concerned with whether or not she'd ever be able to have sex or masturbate again. I don't need to point out why this is problematic, do I?
Narrator!
Okay, so the only way I was able to get myself a copy of this book was thanks to the wonderful people at Macmillan Audio who auto approved me for their audiobooks. As it stands, I don't have a lot to say about the audio other than that it worked well for the story. Jennifer Hale did an excellent job. I have no complaints.
To Wrap Things Up
So, yes. I liked this book.
But, as even Paolini pointed out, it's not without flaws.
I almost feel as though this would have worked better as a tv show. It would account for the length and result in multiple writers available to address the issues. Namely, the biggest issue being the lack of realistic emotion in 90% of the main character and a good portion of the book. Women would have been (hopefully) involved to decrease the problems that often seem to arise when men write them. And, finally, there would have been previous little (again, hopefully) telling instead of showing.
So, good book? Sure. But it's got some problems.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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August 22, 2020
I have the Sneak Peek version of this book. I got it from the publisher through Netgalley. I don't usually like reading either sneak peeks or ebooks, but for this book, I made an exception. I am blown away.
I am aware of the author's previous books about dragons. There are no dragons per se in this story. We do have aliens. One is a blob circle with lots of tentacles labeled a Grasper. The other we aren't so sure of because it may just be a semi-aware artifact of a bipedal or not lifeform. What we have is a suit sort of thing that has bonded with our main character, Kira Navarez. The suit is trying to communicate with Kira. Kira is trying to communicate with the suit.
When Kira first finds the suit alien, it is a pile of dust. There are no signs around the pool of dust saying "stay away". Kira is contaminated by accident. But coming into contact with the dust somehow releases a signal to the Graspers, who destroy the ships the humans have sent to investigate the Alien ruins and the dust and the suit that now covers Kira. Kira has to send a message that there are hostile aliens back home. Trouble abounds.
I like adventurous science fiction. I will definitely need to get a full length version of this book, so I can finish it.
I am aware of the author's previous books about dragons. There are no dragons per se in this story. We do have aliens. One is a blob circle with lots of tentacles labeled a Grasper. The other we aren't so sure of because it may just be a semi-aware artifact of a bipedal or not lifeform. What we have is a suit sort of thing that has bonded with our main character, Kira Navarez. The suit is trying to communicate with Kira. Kira is trying to communicate with the suit.
When Kira first finds the suit alien, it is a pile of dust. There are no signs around the pool of dust saying "stay away". Kira is contaminated by accident. But coming into contact with the dust somehow releases a signal to the Graspers, who destroy the ships the humans have sent to investigate the Alien ruins and the dust and the suit that now covers Kira. Kira has to send a message that there are hostile aliens back home. Trouble abounds.
I like adventurous science fiction. I will definitely need to get a full length version of this book, so I can finish it.
April 11, 2021
This is my first Sci-Fi book to read. Honestly I read it because of the title (To Sleep in a Sea of Stars). I like some Sci-Fi TV (Star Trek, movie the Passenger,, etc.).
The book is well written: Creative, imagery, concepts of space and use of language. You are introduced to a woman named Kira who is a xenologist and lives in her space station with her fiancee exploring other forms of life in the universe. On an expedition to a planet _____, Kira encounters a foreign life which inhabits her body. From that point forward, worlds collide and she must learn how to control this xeno , but not before she loses her intended mate. Now the author takes us to worlds unknown to man and we travel with Kira who is defending the universe form the creatures her mind has created (nightmares) with the xeno who inhabited her body. They are called the nightmares, the jellies are waging a war and the League (FTL) is included.
I would recommend this book and would like to see the artists renderings of Kira and the crew of the Wallfish (a civilian space cruiser). The crew and the ship's mind become
Kira's new family. Falconi, Neilson etc and Gregorowich the ship's mind. Fantastic book--quick read at 860 pp. in many sittings. The book has some lengthy chapters--I like short ones. In the final chapters Kira with the help of the xeno, creates a peaceful station called Unity where all the inhabitants of the universe/world can visit (without prejudice and no weapons allowed). She is a peaceful person and when this xeno inhabits her body and war is waging, she struggles with the fighting aspect (she is not a warrior). Ultimately she is a hero and like any super hero is fighting on the side of good and justice for all.
August 28, 2020
The author Christopher Paolini is a popular writer in the science fiction world. I’ve decided to read more in this genre, so I thought this book would be a good place to start. And it was!
The story takes place several hundred years in the future. It is now possible to travel faster than the speed of light, so human colonies have been established across many galaxies. Kira is the main character. When the story begins, she is a scientist working for a company that scouts planets and moons in preparation for new colonies. Her team which includes her boyfriend are finishing this job and will be traveling to a new place, somewhere in the far-flung heavens. Kira and her boyfriend decide to get married; their future looks bright…until…
…an organism appears and wreaks havoc on Kara and her team. Are there intelligent aliens trying to take over?? The thrills and excitement begin and speed us to the moment when the fate of the human world rests on Kira. Is Kira more than a scientific geek? Is she more than a human?
I liked that this book quickly got to the romance and then the exciting parts, with a minimum of world building or intricate tech. The plot is swift and easy to understand. Kira is an appealing character and I wish her well. I don’t know how the story ends, because this was a partial advance galley. Looking forward to the publication of this book! Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge
The story takes place several hundred years in the future. It is now possible to travel faster than the speed of light, so human colonies have been established across many galaxies. Kira is the main character. When the story begins, she is a scientist working for a company that scouts planets and moons in preparation for new colonies. Her team which includes her boyfriend are finishing this job and will be traveling to a new place, somewhere in the far-flung heavens. Kira and her boyfriend decide to get married; their future looks bright…until…
…an organism appears and wreaks havoc on Kara and her team. Are there intelligent aliens trying to take over?? The thrills and excitement begin and speed us to the moment when the fate of the human world rests on Kira. Is Kira more than a scientific geek? Is she more than a human?
I liked that this book quickly got to the romance and then the exciting parts, with a minimum of world building or intricate tech. The plot is swift and easy to understand. Kira is an appealing character and I wish her well. I don’t know how the story ends, because this was a partial advance galley. Looking forward to the publication of this book! Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge
February 15, 2021
Didn't read the preview but did read some of the actual book. I am still angry at the waste of my money on it.. Just dreadful. Read like a teenager's composition homework. Although somewhere in the narrative was an interesting idea, it was swamped by terrible dialogue, silly romance and very poor writing. So this book is my first DNF in a very very long time. I pride myself on completing a book even when it's not to my taste. This novel has the distinction of being a rarity in that respect. That's how bad it was. I simply could not face ploughing through the rest of the vast tome and had already lost interest in the weird 'virus on the planet' mystery that was hanging about on the sidelines of the space soap opera. I do like science fiction, but the way, but only when it is good literature first and foremost. There is too much out there that is just silly space fantasy, geekdom dressed up as the genuine article.
One star for the great cover art-although maybe I should blame that for tricking me into buying the darn book in the first place!!!
One star for the great cover art-although maybe I should blame that for tricking me into buying the darn book in the first place!!!
May 4, 2021
I was a little disappointed in this one. I really liked Eragon and the rest of the Inheritance Cycle growing up, but I was excited to read something new and more geared towards adults from the author now that I have grown up myself. However, it felt like there were many different storylines which could have been interesting, but were never explored in depth enough to really draw me in. The storylines also never really coalesced the way I hoped they would, so many aspects of the story felt disjointed. The author still tried to make connections between them, but they ended up feeling contrived and uninteresting. The premise for the story seemed good, but the final product ended up reading like a mishmash of different ideas without depth to any particular storyline. The extremely transparent reference to the author's previous work in a throwaway character at the beginning of the story was also unappealing and seemed a bit self important to me.
May 28, 2023
I've read the actual book, borrowed from our local library.
It's a large book, and my initial impression was that perhaps it would turn out to be too large. But in fact, it was just right. It is a splendid book that draws one in with a story that is gripping from the start, and then grows and grows.
There is the usual meeting up with a space ship full of weirdos, all of whom turn out to be friends for life. There's the resident evil in various forms, ancient and new, and a nice twist in which the newest of the evil folk turn out to be in part constructed by the protagonist.
And it has a properly magical ending, which fits with my view, which is that well constructed science fiction becomes magical.
It's a large book, and my initial impression was that perhaps it would turn out to be too large. But in fact, it was just right. It is a splendid book that draws one in with a story that is gripping from the start, and then grows and grows.
There is the usual meeting up with a space ship full of weirdos, all of whom turn out to be friends for life. There's the resident evil in various forms, ancient and new, and a nice twist in which the newest of the evil folk turn out to be in part constructed by the protagonist.
And it has a properly magical ending, which fits with my view, which is that well constructed science fiction becomes magical.
June 1, 2020
I adored Christopher Paolini's work as a kid. And while I am still waiting on a fifth Eragon book, I am so glad that this book exists. Firstly, it's an adult book! I may have read Eragon as a kid, but like many of his first fans, I guess I am an adult now so it's nice to get a sci-fi book without a teen MC. Secondly, it has a female MC. I was a little nervous at first, men writing women can be strange (and has a whole reddit sub dedicated to the weird things say about women's bodies), but the sampler I read seemed fine to me.
Plot-wise, so far it reminds me of Venom. Kira gets infected? absorbed? infested? attached-to? a symbiotic organism that protects her from harm.
Plot-wise, so far it reminds me of Venom. Kira gets infected? absorbed? infested? attached-to? a symbiotic organism that protects her from harm.
August 29, 2023
I liked that it is packed with action, never letting me to have a break. I consumed the story almost without a break and I enjoyed it a lot!
I missed, however, a bit of deeper relationship between characters and even the depth of the main character itself.
I was listening to an audio version. The language seemed a bit complicated, some parts, dreams or descriptions, I needed to rewind and go through again, and still I was sometimes confused about what was the meaning of that section, why it is here, what it gives to the main story.
The audio version was fantastic! The reader put in a lot of effort to create all the characters and it sounded amazing!
I missed, however, a bit of deeper relationship between characters and even the depth of the main character itself.
I was listening to an audio version. The language seemed a bit complicated, some parts, dreams or descriptions, I needed to rewind and go through again, and still I was sometimes confused about what was the meaning of that section, why it is here, what it gives to the main story.
The audio version was fantastic! The reader put in a lot of effort to create all the characters and it sounded amazing!
January 2, 2021
It's a good story idea, and has some interesting and likable characters; but, after 500 pages of Murphy's-law-expanded-into-an-I-Love-Lucy-episode level of mishaps, I began to think that the book was going to have about 200 pages too many. I was right. 825 pages was more than was necessary, and more than I had patience to enjoy. I usually love big books, and hate for them to end, but To Swim in a Sea of Stars didn't come to its conclusion fast enough.
August 29, 2020
Infused with an alien skin
Great Sci-fi premise! The woman biologist falls into an alien base and absorbs a “blob” that mutates into an indestructible alien bodysuit. The suit can learn, adapt, protect, communicate in pictures and dreams. It responds to her emotions, and is space-worthy! Can’t wait to see where the story goes from here! A fascinating and believable world.
Great Sci-fi premise! The woman biologist falls into an alien base and absorbs a “blob” that mutates into an indestructible alien bodysuit. The suit can learn, adapt, protect, communicate in pictures and dreams. It responds to her emotions, and is space-worthy! Can’t wait to see where the story goes from here! A fascinating and believable world.
January 28, 2021
An intriguing taste of things to come in To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. At the onset, I found it a bit challenging to keep track of the all the many characters. But the story takes off and I couldn’t put it down. This is only a partial galley of the story and I was sorry when I got to the end of it. There is so much more that I need to know!!
July 25, 2021
Really disappointing. I never found myself carrying too much about any of the characters and def not the protagonist. It’s an interesting enough premise but the whole story felt too intellectual, like it was a challenge that paolini wanted to fulfill. I felt that overall, it lacked heart. And fir a book this long to not capture my heart - that’s not worth the read.
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