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Ternary
Elora isn’t a robot, but she isn’t human either. She’s an abominable combination of the two, a cyborg. For this offense, she must face judgment in a court of law. There, it will be decided if she’s a person, owed the same rights as any other, or an object, owed no rights at all.
But when a last-ditch effort to demonstrate her humanity backfires, Elora is faced with an element of human nature she always hoped to avoid: love. The consciousness of a dead man is accidentally downloaded into her cybernetic brain, and she becomes infatuated with his still-living husband—whether she wants to or not.
For Elora, making her way in a solar system that fears and hates her has been hard enough. Now, she must do it as an intermediary between lovers while keeping her own heart in check. With the trial fast approaching, and anti-robot protesters demanding her head, Elora can’t afford to get swept up in someone else’s love story.
But when a last-ditch effort to demonstrate her humanity backfires, Elora is faced with an element of human nature she always hoped to avoid: love. The consciousness of a dead man is accidentally downloaded into her cybernetic brain, and she becomes infatuated with his still-living husband—whether she wants to or not.
For Elora, making her way in a solar system that fears and hates her has been hard enough. Now, she must do it as an intermediary between lovers while keeping her own heart in check. With the trial fast approaching, and anti-robot protesters demanding her head, Elora can’t afford to get swept up in someone else’s love story.
345 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2021
5 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Kristin L. Stamper
1 book10 followersKristin L. Stamper is a speculative fiction author. Her love of storytelling began as a child playing pretend in the backyard. Once society had successfully pressured her into knocking that off, writing became her new creative outlet. After high school, she spent seven years as an Information Systems Technician in the US Navy, gaining experience in computers and robotics. When not writing, she is a teacher and mother (basically a full-time child-wrangler).
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 22, 2021
"On the outside, I'm a perfectly ordinary, unspoiled, twento-two-year-old woman from Kauai. My tan skin and long, mud-brown hair are indistinguishable from any of my neighbors'. Although, the red prison jumpsuit isn't in fashion."
Meet Elora Cussons, one of the main protagonists.
She's on board of the Aidos, a spaceship that was assigned to deliver her to the Minos Justice Station for her trial.
As she tells to the readers (she regularly breaks the fourth wall):
"There's been a great deal of discussion over what exactly I am - ranging from papers published in scientific journals to angry rants on internet forums - but the term "half-robotic abomination' would seem to apply. I prefer Metal-American."
As you've been able to derive, Elora is a cyborg.
On the trial people will define if she's human (with all the associated rights of self-disposal) or if she's a robot (with no rights whatsoever).
That she won't go down without a fight, is clear from the beginning.
Her sarcastic remarks jump off the pages and make her the life of the party.
"Hmm, what? I was busy calculating the meaning of the universe with my extremely advanced robotic brain, and I wasn't able to compute whatever stupid thing you were saying."
Although a sassy heroine can lift the story to a higher level, in this case there's sometimes a bit of an overkill.
In the end her almost constant negativity has the tendency to become rather annoying at times.
Which doesn't mean that there aren't any positive notes in her reactions.
Especially her intern dialogues with Bertie bring some lightness.
"It appeared in space above Earth a little more than a year ago. Everything else about it is a mystery."
The Great Compass is a strange object floating in space. The human crew of the Aidos has the task to gain more information about it. During one of their explorations Commander Albert "Bertie" Fuentes disappeared. When his husband, Lieutenant Gareth "Gary" Fuentes, went to look for him, he didn't came back either.
That's where Elora comes in. As she's a cyborg, apparently she's got a better chance of success. And she does indeed manage to get back Gary.
But at the same time she also gets the consciousness of Bertie inside her own brain.
"Even though it's my body, it's still Bertie's gentle laugh that comes out. He bites my lip and holds his hand out for Gary to take once more. "I love you," he says."
Although this aspect of two different souls in one body could be very confusing, the author did a very good job in giving Bertie and Elora a total different voice and personality.
What follows is a mix of action and romance. We get to know more about the relationship of Bertie and Gary. And at the same time we see how Elora tries to find an equilibrium in this strange situation between the three of them.
Revealing more about the plot would contain too much spoilers.
So if you're in for a sci-fi romance that's different from other reads, just try this entertaining story for yourself!
********************************************
Kristin L. Stamper is a writer of YA and adult science fiction.
You can read more about her on following website: https://kristinlstamper.com/
Ternary is her first book, but she also wrote two novelettes The Bonded Pair and Carrier which are available for free if you subscribe to her newsletter. For more info go to: https://kristinlstamper.com/works/
NineStar Press is an LGBTQA+ ePublisher located in New Mexico (USA) that was founded in 2015.
It's owned and managed by LGBTQA+ people and offers mainly romance and erotica.
But they also have an enormous interest in showcasing amazing literary works about characters less represented in fiction: ace, aro, trans, nonbinary, genderfluid, bi, pan, etc.
Furthermore they like genre-bending fiction, fusion genre and stories that don’t quite fit into a particular category.
If you want to learn more about the books they publish, you can head over to https://ninestarpress.com/
*Thanks to NetGalley and NineStar Press for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2021
This was such a fun time! I remember seeing this book pitched on Twitter and being excited to read it. The characters were snarky and cute and human (yeah, even/especially the cyborg). The plot was quite the ride - by the trial scene, I couldn't put it down.
There were a couple of rushed transitions where I wanted to see more described, but overall, this was a solidly enjoyable read. Can't wait to see what's next from this author!
There were a couple of rushed transitions where I wanted to see more described, but overall, this was a solidly enjoyable read. Can't wait to see what's next from this author!
did-not-finish
January 6, 2022The writing is okay for the most part and the story had me curious, but the unrelenting, unexamined internal misogyny¹ of the main character got to me. She also has a lack of common decency, refusing to call someone by their preferred name. Her sarcasm is fine, even earned, but these two points, plus some body horror, plus the literal line "Just like that, it's over" to finish off a battle that's only halfway done? Nah, I'm good.
DNFing at 56%.
¹ "Hm, okay, that's good," I say. "Try it again, but this time, not like a little bitch."
also
"You've been moody all night," I point out. "Are you on your period or something?"
(both to masc characters)
DNFing at 56%.
¹ "Hm, okay, that's good," I say. "Try it again, but this time, not like a little bitch."
also
"You've been moody all night," I point out. "Are you on your period or something?"
(both to masc characters)
May 24, 2021
Living Post AI Human War. Elora, an illegal half android on her way to a trial for her life stumbles into something that changes everything.
(I was given this book as a ARC or Advanced Reader Copy given through NetGalley for an honest Review. All of these thoughts are mine and at no point was I pressured or swayed in my opinion)
Trigger warnings:
This book contains: Physical Assault, Graphic Violence, Medical Harm, Character Being Treated As ‘Other’/Less Than Human, Physical Restraint, and Torture
This is a solid 4.5/5
Ternary is a sci fi book with prominent LGBTQ characters in the cast. They coming in the form of both a gay character, and a Bi one. Both playing important roles in the story.
What can I say except that this book kept me hooked the whole way through. Consequently, at no point while reading this was a bored or pulled out of the story. I never felt the need to put this book down.
Elora Cussons our sarcastic snarky protagonist
On her way to a trial to determine her humanity, Elora is not willing to put up with others bullshit. She has enough of her own to deal with thank you very much.
This trial will determine if she is giving the right to be seen as alive. To be seen as something worth having free will. Therefore you can say she’s a little bitter.
In other words, can you blame her for being snarky when everyone around her clearly sees her as some object? a ‘Tin-Man’ if you will. Or sees her as some type of object to get something they want.
Like saving a crew member that has got themselves stuck in a place that humans can’t reach.
But saving Lieutenant Fuentes leaves some complications
Well she finished the mission to save Lieutenant Fuentes. All under duress of it being good for character moral for the trial. Of Course Elora is now in a predicament that leaves her in some trouble.
Sure Elora saved the day, became the hero of the hour. Whoop Dee Doo.
However, the mission didn’t go perfectly smooth. And it left Elore coming out of this mission with some complications that she can’t shake.
And these complications? They leave her already rocky life spirling as she gets caught up in someone else’s love story.
Above all, none of this she has any time for. Not when her life hangs on the opinion of a mass that believes that she is an abomination.
This book kept me hooked
throughout this book I was unable to look away needed to know what was going to happen. I was at no point pulled away from the story or wanted to put it down.
This book had me on edge throughout. Action pact moments leaving me tense as I read, needing to find out what was going to happen.
I felt the anger at characters for their actions toward Elora. Them seeing her as less than and a danger to society as whole.
Not to mention the author’s great job of writing Elora. Which left me able to see how this affects Elora and feel for what she is going through.
Speaking of Elora, She was a thoroughly enjoyable character to be with
Elora was a very in depth character, with her flaws on display just as much as her virtues. I can say that Elora is a complex character that was very well written.
What I enjoyed most about Elora was that she always has something to say. Most of the time in the form of a snarky or sarcastic comment.
Elora never misses a moment to say something, and it left me entertained while reading this book. Her tirade of constant remarks making a entertaining read.
But don’t be fooled into her not having her soft spots. Because she has those too, just waiting for a moment that she can let them free.
Now if only the world could quite beating her down she could let them loose more often.
Speaking of the world, The world building was alive and ripe with things to discover.
This book was filled with world building and and things. All of which adds to the story.
At no point while reading this did I feel like the information was redundant or filler not their advance anything. moreover all the information added up to make the world that I was experiencing more real and lived in.
This world lived and breathed and I enjoyed my time with it to the very last page.
By the end of the journey with this book I wanted more
To clarify I very much enjoyed my time with this book. And reaching the end of the book left me satisfied with the characters arc and how it concluded.
But This book did leave me lingering, wanting more.
I wanted to stay and continue to live with these characters even at the end.
In short, I can say that this is a book that I can recommend. Especially if you are a fan of Sci Fi and enjoy prominent LGBTQ characters. And great complect characters all wrapped around a snarky protagonist.
(I was given this book as a ARC or Advanced Reader Copy given through NetGalley for an honest Review. All of these thoughts are mine and at no point was I pressured or swayed in my opinion)
Trigger warnings:
This book contains: Physical Assault, Graphic Violence, Medical Harm, Character Being Treated As ‘Other’/Less Than Human, Physical Restraint, and Torture
This is a solid 4.5/5
Ternary is a sci fi book with prominent LGBTQ characters in the cast. They coming in the form of both a gay character, and a Bi one. Both playing important roles in the story.
What can I say except that this book kept me hooked the whole way through. Consequently, at no point while reading this was a bored or pulled out of the story. I never felt the need to put this book down.
Elora Cussons our sarcastic snarky protagonist
On her way to a trial to determine her humanity, Elora is not willing to put up with others bullshit. She has enough of her own to deal with thank you very much.
This trial will determine if she is giving the right to be seen as alive. To be seen as something worth having free will. Therefore you can say she’s a little bitter.
In other words, can you blame her for being snarky when everyone around her clearly sees her as some object? a ‘Tin-Man’ if you will. Or sees her as some type of object to get something they want.
Like saving a crew member that has got themselves stuck in a place that humans can’t reach.
But saving Lieutenant Fuentes leaves some complications
Well she finished the mission to save Lieutenant Fuentes. All under duress of it being good for character moral for the trial. Of Course Elora is now in a predicament that leaves her in some trouble.
Sure Elora saved the day, became the hero of the hour. Whoop Dee Doo.
However, the mission didn’t go perfectly smooth. And it left Elore coming out of this mission with some complications that she can’t shake.
And these complications? They leave her already rocky life spirling as she gets caught up in someone else’s love story.
Above all, none of this she has any time for. Not when her life hangs on the opinion of a mass that believes that she is an abomination.
This book kept me hooked
throughout this book I was unable to look away needed to know what was going to happen. I was at no point pulled away from the story or wanted to put it down.
This book had me on edge throughout. Action pact moments leaving me tense as I read, needing to find out what was going to happen.
I felt the anger at characters for their actions toward Elora. Them seeing her as less than and a danger to society as whole.
Not to mention the author’s great job of writing Elora. Which left me able to see how this affects Elora and feel for what she is going through.
Speaking of Elora, She was a thoroughly enjoyable character to be with
Elora was a very in depth character, with her flaws on display just as much as her virtues. I can say that Elora is a complex character that was very well written.
What I enjoyed most about Elora was that she always has something to say. Most of the time in the form of a snarky or sarcastic comment.
Elora never misses a moment to say something, and it left me entertained while reading this book. Her tirade of constant remarks making a entertaining read.
But don’t be fooled into her not having her soft spots. Because she has those too, just waiting for a moment that she can let them free.
Now if only the world could quite beating her down she could let them loose more often.
Speaking of the world, The world building was alive and ripe with things to discover.
This book was filled with world building and and things. All of which adds to the story.
At no point while reading this did I feel like the information was redundant or filler not their advance anything. moreover all the information added up to make the world that I was experiencing more real and lived in.
This world lived and breathed and I enjoyed my time with it to the very last page.
By the end of the journey with this book I wanted more
To clarify I very much enjoyed my time with this book. And reaching the end of the book left me satisfied with the characters arc and how it concluded.
But This book did leave me lingering, wanting more.
I wanted to stay and continue to live with these characters even at the end.
In short, I can say that this is a book that I can recommend. Especially if you are a fan of Sci Fi and enjoy prominent LGBTQ characters. And great complect characters all wrapped around a snarky protagonist.
May 20, 2021
In a future where humans fear robots, a cyborg is on her way to the trial of her life. Does she deserve the same rights as humans, or will her existence be reduced to the robotic parts keeping her body alive? Hated and constantly hurt by those who surround her, Elora has built a shell around her heart. However, opening herself to trust might be the very thing that saves her.
Ternary is a heart-warming Sci-Fi novel that will ignite a storm of emotions in everyone who reads it. From devastating moments to the more lighthearted ones, Kristin L. Stamper elevates the cyborg story to its most human level yet. This novel made me cry, laugh, and get angry always in the right moments. I binge-read it in just two days.
An exploration of human nature, Ternary delivers us characters so well-developed they jump out the pages. The three main characters are all very distinct from each other, and their clashing personalities are what tie in their relationship so well. Even when one of them is trapped in Elora's brain, his consciousness turns distinctive from hers to the point even the way she moves changes.
All characters are great. My favorite one was Elora with all her sarcastic snark. Her emotions always swept me up until I was either crying with her or laughing with her. Her ability to remain resilient and strong despite all the terrible things that happened to her was admiring. I couldn't help to feel identified with her way to see the world. Ternary is written in first-person from Elora's perspective, and believe me when I tell you is never a dull moment with her! The way her personality bounces off Bertie's drives the story forward. And don't get me started on their chemistry with Gary!
I must confess I'm not a fan of romance, but Ternary is one of those cases where there's romance revolving around an exciting plot. It kept me glued to the pages. You have Elora's upcoming trial, her questions about human identity, and a mysterious alien vessel that suddenly appeared above Earth. She must face all of this while also surviving the mob who hates her and keeping the other character safe. Also, the way the relationship between Elora, Bertie, and Gary grows is so natural with all its ups and downs and despite everything happening to them. It's a struggle! But a good one.
The writing quality is impeccable. A lot of thought went into its editing. Stamper has a seamless, easy to read way to convey Elora's voice. It is deep and thoughtful, making it a joy to read from start finish. This, combined with how the world is built, paints a clear picture of everything that's happening and why.
There's a believable reason for humans to fear robots. There's a history behind that. One of my favorite parts of the novel was how the mysterious alien ship tied in with Elora's plight in the end. It was a great way to explore her personality, and it gave me all the feels. I especially enjoyed the scenes spent on this ship. It's not the typical alien story. The originality behind it (from its appearance to how it communicated) was a delight to my Sci-Fi loving heart.
I recommend Ternary to every Sci-Fi reader who's ever questioned where our humanity starts and ends. Are we the sum of our parts? Are just that constant synapsis between our neurons? Do we only reside on our organic vessels? Stamper does a great job of exploring all these questions in an engaging way. If you enjoyed The Host by Stephanie Meyer, you will love Ternary. It's similar in premise, but Ternary dares go way beyond. Pick it up! You won't be disappointed.
Ternary is a heart-warming Sci-Fi novel that will ignite a storm of emotions in everyone who reads it. From devastating moments to the more lighthearted ones, Kristin L. Stamper elevates the cyborg story to its most human level yet. This novel made me cry, laugh, and get angry always in the right moments. I binge-read it in just two days.
An exploration of human nature, Ternary delivers us characters so well-developed they jump out the pages. The three main characters are all very distinct from each other, and their clashing personalities are what tie in their relationship so well. Even when one of them is trapped in Elora's brain, his consciousness turns distinctive from hers to the point even the way she moves changes.
All characters are great. My favorite one was Elora with all her sarcastic snark. Her emotions always swept me up until I was either crying with her or laughing with her. Her ability to remain resilient and strong despite all the terrible things that happened to her was admiring. I couldn't help to feel identified with her way to see the world. Ternary is written in first-person from Elora's perspective, and believe me when I tell you is never a dull moment with her! The way her personality bounces off Bertie's drives the story forward. And don't get me started on their chemistry with Gary!
I must confess I'm not a fan of romance, but Ternary is one of those cases where there's romance revolving around an exciting plot. It kept me glued to the pages. You have Elora's upcoming trial, her questions about human identity, and a mysterious alien vessel that suddenly appeared above Earth. She must face all of this while also surviving the mob who hates her and keeping the other character safe. Also, the way the relationship between Elora, Bertie, and Gary grows is so natural with all its ups and downs and despite everything happening to them. It's a struggle! But a good one.
The writing quality is impeccable. A lot of thought went into its editing. Stamper has a seamless, easy to read way to convey Elora's voice. It is deep and thoughtful, making it a joy to read from start finish. This, combined with how the world is built, paints a clear picture of everything that's happening and why.
There's a believable reason for humans to fear robots. There's a history behind that. One of my favorite parts of the novel was how the mysterious alien ship tied in with Elora's plight in the end. It was a great way to explore her personality, and it gave me all the feels. I especially enjoyed the scenes spent on this ship. It's not the typical alien story. The originality behind it (from its appearance to how it communicated) was a delight to my Sci-Fi loving heart.
I recommend Ternary to every Sci-Fi reader who's ever questioned where our humanity starts and ends. Are we the sum of our parts? Are just that constant synapsis between our neurons? Do we only reside on our organic vessels? Stamper does a great job of exploring all these questions in an engaging way. If you enjoyed The Host by Stephanie Meyer, you will love Ternary. It's similar in premise, but Ternary dares go way beyond. Pick it up! You won't be disappointed.
August 2, 2021
I fell in love with this book very quickly and stayed up all night to read it in full. I could not put it down. It is not my normal genre, but it is my favourite setting; sci-fi! The book is actually a romance in an excellent sci-fi setting, complete with future tech, space stations and well, space. Three of my favourite things. As a romance, it follows all the conventions and delivers all the obligatory scenes one might expect, and want, in a good romance, but most importantly all this is conveyed in an extremely witty, well written and not-too-sappy way. I fell in love with the protagonist, Elora, from the first page and her antics, wit and sarcasm did not stop even though she did grow immensely as a character. The novel itself is cleanly written, without extraneous words or too much distracting descriptions. It read very smooth, and at no time was I ever confused about the world-building.
I would consider this book a light romance because it doesn't get descriptive about the sexual parts, which is more up my ally as a non-romance reader. The internal conflict of the protagonist, and other characters is spot on and even parallels some modern day issues, all the while following an external conflict that plays well with the theme of the book. Some of the progressive complications were solved a little to quickly and uneventfully, but I don't think they were the main objective of the story. Which is to say, things didn't drag out once the reader understood/learned all they were going to about the characters in a situation and how they react, make choices and deal with pressure and adversary. Because this is not an action-adventure story as it's primary genre, that's okay. Ternary does not forget it is a romance, yet still manages to keep the action that is present, moving forward at the right pace with just the right amount of satisfaction in the end. I highly recommend this book.
I would consider this book a light romance because it doesn't get descriptive about the sexual parts, which is more up my ally as a non-romance reader. The internal conflict of the protagonist, and other characters is spot on and even parallels some modern day issues, all the while following an external conflict that plays well with the theme of the book. Some of the progressive complications were solved a little to quickly and uneventfully, but I don't think they were the main objective of the story. Which is to say, things didn't drag out once the reader understood/learned all they were going to about the characters in a situation and how they react, make choices and deal with pressure and adversary. Because this is not an action-adventure story as it's primary genre, that's okay. Ternary does not forget it is a romance, yet still manages to keep the action that is present, moving forward at the right pace with just the right amount of satisfaction in the end. I highly recommend this book.
July 4, 2021
Elora is an easy character to like, not in spite of, but because of her abrasive personality-- in a world that has done her absolutely no favors-- that hates her and persecutes her for things she has no control of, she’s brave, confrontational, and resilient. The novel does an excellent job of helping readers feel how relentless society’s opposition to her is: discrimination at best, violence and murderous rage at worse, she’s learned the hard way that most peoples’ default setting is to deny her basic humanity and to hurt her, either in small ways or deadly ones, for the crime of even existing. It’s frustrating, and maddening, and overwhelming-- which makes her ability to keep going that much more impressive.
It’s a deliberate irony, I think, that the thing that has caused humanity to reject her-- her cyborg status-- is the thing they need her for, and her hybridity lands her in the middle not just of a scientific marvel (a dangerous one, but still) but also a beyond complicated relationship: as one might expect from suddenly sharing a body with a whole new consciousness, and trying to navigate a relationship (relationships?) with his still-living spouse. It’s a tangle of powerful emotions-- fits and starts, missed opportunities and beautiful moments of connection, and both Gareth and Bertie are fascinating characters. The three of them together takes work, luck, care and faith, which, of course, they have to fight against the larger world just for a chance to have. I liked the blend of genres here: there’s scifi, romance, adventure, and, woven throughout it all, some gentle, and not-so-gentle, assertions about the nature of love, of humanity, and even existence itself. Well worth a read.
*I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily composed an honest review.
It’s a deliberate irony, I think, that the thing that has caused humanity to reject her-- her cyborg status-- is the thing they need her for, and her hybridity lands her in the middle not just of a scientific marvel (a dangerous one, but still) but also a beyond complicated relationship: as one might expect from suddenly sharing a body with a whole new consciousness, and trying to navigate a relationship (relationships?) with his still-living spouse. It’s a tangle of powerful emotions-- fits and starts, missed opportunities and beautiful moments of connection, and both Gareth and Bertie are fascinating characters. The three of them together takes work, luck, care and faith, which, of course, they have to fight against the larger world just for a chance to have. I liked the blend of genres here: there’s scifi, romance, adventure, and, woven throughout it all, some gentle, and not-so-gentle, assertions about the nature of love, of humanity, and even existence itself. Well worth a read.
*I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily composed an honest review.
June 12, 2021
I don't know what I expected when I bought this book; I really don't. But what I discovered instead was a fresh and thoroughly engrossing take on take on what it means to be human and on what it means to belong.
Elora isn't supposed to exist. In a world ravaged by an AI vs human war, robots have been outlawed. But Elora isn't a robot – at least not entirely. On the way to court to try to prove she's a person, she gets waylaid by a man in need of rescuing. And maybe, just maybe, she'll save herself along the way.
This book slayed me. I woke up this morning with a hell of a book hangover. Is this book going to be part of a series? I don't know, but I know I need it to be.
The most obvious comparison for this book is the Murderbot series. Take Murderbot and make it female and angry. And then add in a heaping ladleful of Hugh Culber and Paul Stamets. And then make them all go through Data's trial in Measure of a Man. And maybe then, you'd get something like this book.
Elora isn't supposed to exist. In a world ravaged by an AI vs human war, robots have been outlawed. But Elora isn't a robot – at least not entirely. On the way to court to try to prove she's a person, she gets waylaid by a man in need of rescuing. And maybe, just maybe, she'll save herself along the way.
This book slayed me. I woke up this morning with a hell of a book hangover. Is this book going to be part of a series? I don't know, but I know I need it to be.
The most obvious comparison for this book is the Murderbot series. Take Murderbot and make it female and angry. And then add in a heaping ladleful of Hugh Culber and Paul Stamets. And then make them all go through Data's trial in Measure of a Man. And maybe then, you'd get something like this book.
May 24, 2021
Ternary was my first step into the world of SciFi I had always been apprehensive but I’m glad I gave it a shot. This book was so effortlessly inclusive, artistic, intriguing, and an overall worthwhile read.
I’m a big fan of romance and this checked all my boxes. The main character is so witty and feisty and that leads to such a fun experience watching her grow into a whole new person over the course of the book. Bertie was such a character, I absolutely LOVED the friendship they created. Gary was such a cool character as well, I don’t want to reveal too much but the way he loves is so pure despite the baloney he’s gone through.
I was also a little apprehensive about the unique romance style this book presented but I think it was very tastefully executed, it is the future after all!
I binged this book in one day and I truly think it’s worth checking out. I’ll be excited to read what else Kristen L. Stamper puts out.
I’m a big fan of romance and this checked all my boxes. The main character is so witty and feisty and that leads to such a fun experience watching her grow into a whole new person over the course of the book. Bertie was such a character, I absolutely LOVED the friendship they created. Gary was such a cool character as well, I don’t want to reveal too much but the way he loves is so pure despite the baloney he’s gone through.
I was also a little apprehensive about the unique romance style this book presented but I think it was very tastefully executed, it is the future after all!
I binged this book in one day and I truly think it’s worth checking out. I’ll be excited to read what else Kristen L. Stamper puts out.
October 11, 2021
This grabbed my interest from the first sentence to the last. Ternary, by Kristin L. Stamper, is a creative, masterfully written page-turner. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but this delighted me at every step. The lead character, Elora, is a terrific blend of smart-aleck and sensitive. The book has humor, suspense, and thrills in an engaging science fiction setting. Without giving too much away about the terrific plot, Stamper’s underlying theme relates to what it means to be human and how we relate to each other -- written in an insightful, funny manner. I have read a lot of science fiction, and this ranks with the best of them, as well as any genre. A promising young writer. The book was a great journey.
June 13, 2021
Good science fiction, to me, brings a little of modern times and puts it in the future. Stamper deals with love and acceptance in a way that is timeless. What Elora is going through will happen in the future, I am certain. Is a cyborg human or AI? How do we know? What rights would such a being have?
And then there's the amazing love story that brings together three people in a way my society-compressed brain never conceived of. Love makes us human, shows that we're alive. It is organic, it is messy, but it is amazing. And Stamper has written one hell of a love story that I've never seen anywhere else. I can't wait to see what else she has to offer.
And then there's the amazing love story that brings together three people in a way my society-compressed brain never conceived of. Love makes us human, shows that we're alive. It is organic, it is messy, but it is amazing. And Stamper has written one hell of a love story that I've never seen anywhere else. I can't wait to see what else she has to offer.
August 24, 2021
Kristin can write. Omg can she write. This book was a great balance between sci-fi action and character driven drama, and I was floored by the vision, the plot, and the real pain she was able to bring through the story. There was also a great deal of sharp wit. A truly unique story that I’ll be thinking about for a while.
May 24, 2021
Although it felt like it might have been aimed more at the YA market with a sassy main character, I found this book very well thought out and it had a different feel to other books I've read of late. I really enjoyed it. It was a fun ride!
#Ternary #Netgalley
#Ternary #Netgalley
June 10, 2021
A well written book. Pulled you in from the beginning and flowed through the end. Fell in love with the characters and ached for more at the end of the book. Can't wait to read another from this author.
August 4, 2021
Unique plot + well-developed characters + snappy writing = a highly entertaining read! I wanted a fun beach read, but I couldn't put this book down and blazed through it in just a couple of days. There's a good blend of romance and sci-fi, so it's perfect for fans of that combination!
May 8, 2022
I really liked this book. I clicked with the style as soon as I started and I found the narrator to be refreshingly irreverent without being obnoxious. The story is about a cyborg woman who gets someone else's consciousness put into her brain and the two of them have to work out how to live in one body. A further complication is that one of them is married. I would say that I pretty much loved the first half of the book. However, I did have a few issues with the story that got in the way the longer I read it. Partly I found the other characters to lack depth, and I wasn't really invested in the romance aspect - I found Gary to be rather toxic and never redeem himself. The main issue though was that I have an intense dislike of stories where characters submit to having others coerce them into relationships, and unfortunately this theme does come up in this book. I can't really discuss it without spoilers, but this book skated too close to something that I find upsetting for me to be able to enjoy the story. I would definitely read more by this author because I love the style of writing, it is just that this particular plot contained elements that make me personally uncomfortable.
June 5, 2021
I have received a digital ARC via Netgalley in return for my honest opinion, Thank you.
4 stars - Unlikely romance in space
Elora is part human, part cyborg and in a post-IA-war society sentient AIs are illegal. She is constantly fighting for being aknowledged as human and one last trial will be held to come to a final decision.
On her way to the space station housing the court she has the chance to do a good deed - and we all know how that can backfire. And so, she saves not only the life of Gareth Fuentes but incidentally the consciousness of Gareth's husband Albert gets downloaded into her and cannot be easily removed.
First she struggles with the situation of having a man who was declared dead in her head and having to deal with his grieving husband who unexpectedly finds himself again with a version of his beloved husband. However, a rather unconventional romance starts to bud and it is all sorts of confusing. Add to that the constant struggle with the often hostile crew of the ship she is travelling with and Elora has a lot on her plate.
Elora has not had an easy life, most of it having been filled with pain and struggle. And it shows. She is a total snark-monster and often acting in a way that will harm herself and the people around her. I liked that her snark was not self-serving for some cheap laughs but rather fit in perfectly with her personality. Because she is not only snarky and self-destructive, she is also tough as nails, smart, witty and compassionate. Just don't tell her that to her face.
I also liked personable Albert and prickly Gareth, the other two protagonists in this love triangle. They come across as fully formed personalities who complement each other (and Elora) perfectly. (Also, was anybody else strongly reminded of Star Trek Discovery's Stamets and Culber with those two?!)
I cannot say I could emotionally truly undertand how those three together become a love story and thought the romance was a bit constructed. In general, the story did feel plot-driven rather than character-driven most of the time, with some very convenient plot devices thrown in here and there. Still, I really enjoyed this romance that explored a relationship that would be just impossible outside of a SF setting.
However, as in any good romance, there is a happy end that will make you all fuzzy inside, but be warned - the road to that end does have some pretty dark spots. If that sounds like your cup of tea - give it a try!
January 15, 2023
I bought this book ages ago, and I'm annoyed at myself for waiting so long to read it. Elora is a hilariously snarky cyborg prisoner whose predicament of being stuck on a spaceship gets even worse when she ends up with the consciousness of a dead crewmate trapped inside her mind.
I'm all for this kind of mental forced proximity, especially when queer romance is also involved!
Stamper's prose is my favorite kind - breezy and inviting, with easily accessible sci-fi elements that keep the characters at the focus. Also it's super gay. And there's poly rep. And witty dialogue.
If you're looking for your next queer sci-fi romance, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
I'm all for this kind of mental forced proximity, especially when queer romance is also involved!
Stamper's prose is my favorite kind - breezy and inviting, with easily accessible sci-fi elements that keep the characters at the focus. Also it's super gay. And there's poly rep. And witty dialogue.
If you're looking for your next queer sci-fi romance, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
July 2, 2022
I like the premise and the array of characters. The main character's snark is refreshing (for a time) and there's a good balance between action and character work. And yet, I found myself hesitating.
Overall, this feels more like a sketch, a first draft, than something fully realised. The antagonists are straw men (an evil scientist, rioters, the cyborg-opposed society at large) - they lack complexity.
The main characters don't really fit together - Elora is too immature to date a fully grown man, if he wants anything more than sex.
Elora and Bertie settle into their new situation too quickly - would you so easily give up half of your life and your bodily autonomy and the privacy of your thoughts? Would you so easily accept being in a completely different body, of a different sex? All we get about Bertie's experience is that it's hard to walk on heels.
Neither does Gary seem to have any issues with his taller, stronger husband now being in the body of a young woman. Let's just make out. Nothing's changed.
I still made it nearly 200 pages into the book because I wanted to see where the story was going. In the end, however, I felt myself slow down more and more, unable to ignore the issues.
Overall, this feels more like a sketch, a first draft, than something fully realised. The antagonists are straw men (an evil scientist, rioters, the cyborg-opposed society at large) - they lack complexity.
The main characters don't really fit together - Elora is too immature to date a fully grown man, if he wants anything more than sex.
Elora and Bertie settle into their new situation too quickly - would you so easily give up half of your life and your bodily autonomy and the privacy of your thoughts? Would you so easily accept being in a completely different body, of a different sex? All we get about Bertie's experience is that it's hard to walk on heels.
Neither does Gary seem to have any issues with his taller, stronger husband now being in the body of a young woman. Let's just make out. Nothing's changed.
I still made it nearly 200 pages into the book because I wanted to see where the story was going. In the end, however, I felt myself slow down more and more, unable to ignore the issues.
September 30, 2022
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Ternary
Author: Kristin L. Stamper
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 7/10
Cover: 0/5
Of the 15 readers:
11 would read another book by this author.
0 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
11 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 3 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 2 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
15 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
11 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“An interesting sci-fi novel with a thought-provoking theme regarding AI and sentient rights. Although it´s written in the present tense, which I always find difficult, the author works hard to develop Elora, who, for a cyborg, is sarcastic and often difficult. I enjoyed the story, and the ending was strong.” Male reader, aged 54
“Forget the cover. It´s awful. I thought it was a book on flowers! Anyway, the plot of this cyborg love story is skilfully plotted, and the protagonist is (mostly) highly amusing. The author´s strength is dialogue; there´s excellent banter here. Although Elora´s consistent sarcasm gets a little weary after a bit.” Female reader, aged 37
“Easy to follow, accessible sci-fi with an interesting premise in terms of cyborgs and love! But the protagonist’s contempt for everything and everybody got so annoying that I simply stopped rooting for her/it. However, the internal conflict she battled with in the second half of the novel was interesting.” Male reader, aged 36
“A sold romance with a cyborg twist to it. Well-written, easy to follow, mostly plot driven. I liked it for the most part. I did laugh at a lot of Elora´s snarky comments. Also, the futuristic world is interesting and, thankfully, not overly described.” Male reader, aged 44
To Sum It Up:
‘A skilfully plotted sci-fi with a memorable cyborg protagonist.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Ternary
Author: Kristin L. Stamper
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 7/10
Cover: 0/5
Of the 15 readers:
11 would read another book by this author.
0 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
11 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 3 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 2 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
15 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
11 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“An interesting sci-fi novel with a thought-provoking theme regarding AI and sentient rights. Although it´s written in the present tense, which I always find difficult, the author works hard to develop Elora, who, for a cyborg, is sarcastic and often difficult. I enjoyed the story, and the ending was strong.” Male reader, aged 54
“Forget the cover. It´s awful. I thought it was a book on flowers! Anyway, the plot of this cyborg love story is skilfully plotted, and the protagonist is (mostly) highly amusing. The author´s strength is dialogue; there´s excellent banter here. Although Elora´s consistent sarcasm gets a little weary after a bit.” Female reader, aged 37
“Easy to follow, accessible sci-fi with an interesting premise in terms of cyborgs and love! But the protagonist’s contempt for everything and everybody got so annoying that I simply stopped rooting for her/it. However, the internal conflict she battled with in the second half of the novel was interesting.” Male reader, aged 36
“A sold romance with a cyborg twist to it. Well-written, easy to follow, mostly plot driven. I liked it for the most part. I did laugh at a lot of Elora´s snarky comments. Also, the futuristic world is interesting and, thankfully, not overly described.” Male reader, aged 44
To Sum It Up:
‘A skilfully plotted sci-fi with a memorable cyborg protagonist.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
February 17, 2022
Ternary, by Kristin L Stamper, is a story about the cyborg Elora Cussons. Despite her not asking to be turned into a cyborg, she is brought to trial, Cussons vs. Humanity, to determine if she is human or machine. In an attempt to show she’s human, Elora accidentally traps a dead man’s consciousness in her cybernetic brain. Now, she has to be an intermediary between him and his husband while keeping her own heart out of it. And in a world where she faces fear and hate, Elora learns the true meaning of love and what it means to be human.
Stamper does a great job of dropping the reader into the action and into Elora’s head. We get to know her through what she sees, says, and actions. While I’m not a fan of the first-person perspective, I believe that Stamper did a great job with it. There’s the love story between Gareth and Bertie, and this is a big part of the whole novel. But when it comes down to it, Ternary is Elora’s story. I genuinely believe that the third-person perspective wouldn’t have done this story justice, especially if Stamper switched POV’s like some authors do.
I enjoyed reading this story. It flowed well. Stamper showed a world where humans have made technological advances over what we have today. We are shown that humans are now tolerant of marriage between men. They are even tolerant of a close relationship between three people. Though Stamper handles this in an unusual way, with the consciousness of one person sharing a body with another person, and they marry or remarry the man they both love.
But on the other hand, humans still fear and hate what is considered alien to them. Stamper doesn’t go into much detail about the Great Human-AI War that happened. Because of this war, AI’s, robots, and cyborgs are feared and hated. Enough that mobs and vigilantes attack Elora and try to kill her. Stamper brings an intriguing future alive that explores fear, hate, and mobs. It’s about dealing with someone who is different than us but still loves and can be hurt.
Ternary is a highly original novel that has action, romance, and philosophy mixed in with the drama. The cyborg and technology aspects will entertain readers of science fiction.
Stamper does a great job of dropping the reader into the action and into Elora’s head. We get to know her through what she sees, says, and actions. While I’m not a fan of the first-person perspective, I believe that Stamper did a great job with it. There’s the love story between Gareth and Bertie, and this is a big part of the whole novel. But when it comes down to it, Ternary is Elora’s story. I genuinely believe that the third-person perspective wouldn’t have done this story justice, especially if Stamper switched POV’s like some authors do.
I enjoyed reading this story. It flowed well. Stamper showed a world where humans have made technological advances over what we have today. We are shown that humans are now tolerant of marriage between men. They are even tolerant of a close relationship between three people. Though Stamper handles this in an unusual way, with the consciousness of one person sharing a body with another person, and they marry or remarry the man they both love.
But on the other hand, humans still fear and hate what is considered alien to them. Stamper doesn’t go into much detail about the Great Human-AI War that happened. Because of this war, AI’s, robots, and cyborgs are feared and hated. Enough that mobs and vigilantes attack Elora and try to kill her. Stamper brings an intriguing future alive that explores fear, hate, and mobs. It’s about dealing with someone who is different than us but still loves and can be hurt.
Ternary is a highly original novel that has action, romance, and philosophy mixed in with the drama. The cyborg and technology aspects will entertain readers of science fiction.
May 11, 2022
What I Did Like:
-Love triangle with the ultimate SciFi twist? Ummmm yes please! Probably the most satisfying romance arc I've seen in a long time.
-Space and science and artificial intelligence all in one book. I mean this one is just LOADED with everything I love about science fiction.
-Well written action scenes. They move fast, they’re believable, and not everyone can hit everything they’re aiming for all the time. Realistic and amazing.
-Flawed characters. My personal favorite is snarky, grumpy Elora. As evidenced by my obsession with The Secret Garden, grumpy MCs will always have my heart.
Who Should Read This One:
-YA Science Fiction fans, get this one. It’s packed with everything you’ll love in one complex situation.
-YA Fantasy fans there’s enough to please you too! You’ll love the way this world is presented and the problems our MC finds herself in.
-Heck if you’re a fan of romance books that don’t play up the typical here are two perfect people in a typical heterosexual relationship angle, you’ll like this one too!
My Rating: 5 Stars
I just really liked how all the aspects of this one smoothly came together into one amazing book that will appeal to so many. Give this one a read!
For Full Review: https://tabathashipleybooks.com/2022/...
-Love triangle with the ultimate SciFi twist? Ummmm yes please! Probably the most satisfying romance arc I've seen in a long time.
-Space and science and artificial intelligence all in one book. I mean this one is just LOADED with everything I love about science fiction.
-Well written action scenes. They move fast, they’re believable, and not everyone can hit everything they’re aiming for all the time. Realistic and amazing.
-Flawed characters. My personal favorite is snarky, grumpy Elora. As evidenced by my obsession with The Secret Garden, grumpy MCs will always have my heart.
Who Should Read This One:
-YA Science Fiction fans, get this one. It’s packed with everything you’ll love in one complex situation.
-YA Fantasy fans there’s enough to please you too! You’ll love the way this world is presented and the problems our MC finds herself in.
-Heck if you’re a fan of romance books that don’t play up the typical here are two perfect people in a typical heterosexual relationship angle, you’ll like this one too!
My Rating: 5 Stars
I just really liked how all the aspects of this one smoothly came together into one amazing book that will appeal to so many. Give this one a read!
For Full Review: https://tabathashipleybooks.com/2022/...
January 23, 2022
This book was so much fun! I’m a total sucker for the what makes a human discussion especially in romance. And the whole twist on a throuple was a lot of fun to follow as well.
Elora is snarky and out spoken almost to the point of cliché but I’m also a sucker for “unlikeable” women so this worked for me. Birdy was an absolute charmer and true cinnamon roll and Gary oh Gary. lol what a grump.
I loved 95% of this story so much. The 5% that put me off was 1) the sex was SUCH a missed opportunity for either sexiness or expressing some big internal stuff but someone managed to do neither of this and just teased what could have been with another joke and 2) Gary needed to apologize to Elora for being a bigot to her as some misguided form of flirting.
I received a copy of the audiobook from the author and overall it was a delight to listen to. The narrator did an excellent job.
Elora is snarky and out spoken almost to the point of cliché but I’m also a sucker for “unlikeable” women so this worked for me. Birdy was an absolute charmer and true cinnamon roll and Gary oh Gary. lol what a grump.
I loved 95% of this story so much. The 5% that put me off was 1) the sex was SUCH a missed opportunity for either sexiness or expressing some big internal stuff but someone managed to do neither of this and just teased what could have been with another joke and 2) Gary needed to apologize to Elora for being a bigot to her as some misguided form of flirting.
I received a copy of the audiobook from the author and overall it was a delight to listen to. The narrator did an excellent job.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2022
Super engaging and fast-paced!
I read Ternary quickly, but I enjoyed the journey of each character. Elora, Bertie, and Gary have such a wonderful and intriguing relationship, and their growth over the course of the novel—the three of them together and individually—made reading this a fun ride. A great stand-alone and debut!
I read Ternary quickly, but I enjoyed the journey of each character. Elora, Bertie, and Gary have such a wonderful and intriguing relationship, and their growth over the course of the novel—the three of them together and individually—made reading this a fun ride. A great stand-alone and debut!
December 27, 2025
I had zero expectations for this book, so I was pleasantly surprised. It has a lot going on: a cyborg who ends up in a strange throuple situation, said cyborg trying to prove her humanity, and there’s an alien ship that the humans are trying to figure out.
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