What do you think?
Rate this book
Skylark in the Fog
So when the universe falls to pieces, it doesn’t mean your life has to, right? That comes later.
Jeane Blake, captain of the spaceship Skylark, makes her living by looting dead worlds, planets fallen prey to naturally occurring wormhole-like rifts plaguing the cosmos. She survives the only way she knows: avoiding commitment and arguing with her dead foster father's ghost. But when her crew stumbles upon an alien device that could collapse the wormhole network and wipe out all sentient life, they catch the hungry eyes of the Union, a tyrannical empire hunting the sinister tech.
As she flees the Union’s brainwashed agents, Jeane is forced to take on a shady mission and gets stuck assisting the runaway monarch of a technocrat planet. Queen Maura Tholis is seeking the aid of an interstellar resistance to reclaim her war-torn world, with another trouble-magnet device as her bargaining: a glove that allows her to command AI systems. Jeane couldn’t care less about the whole deal, but things become personal when the Union annexes the place she calls home. And it might be her fault.
Reluctant to become weapons in the hands of power-hungry militants and desperate rebels, smuggler and queen join forces. But to save their homes, they must redefine themselves, work with the enemy, and face personal traumas they’d buried long ago—and only stars know which challenge might break them in the end.
Jeane Blake, captain of the spaceship Skylark, makes her living by looting dead worlds, planets fallen prey to naturally occurring wormhole-like rifts plaguing the cosmos. She survives the only way she knows: avoiding commitment and arguing with her dead foster father's ghost. But when her crew stumbles upon an alien device that could collapse the wormhole network and wipe out all sentient life, they catch the hungry eyes of the Union, a tyrannical empire hunting the sinister tech.
As she flees the Union’s brainwashed agents, Jeane is forced to take on a shady mission and gets stuck assisting the runaway monarch of a technocrat planet. Queen Maura Tholis is seeking the aid of an interstellar resistance to reclaim her war-torn world, with another trouble-magnet device as her bargaining: a glove that allows her to command AI systems. Jeane couldn’t care less about the whole deal, but things become personal when the Union annexes the place she calls home. And it might be her fault.
Reluctant to become weapons in the hands of power-hungry militants and desperate rebels, smuggler and queen join forces. But to save their homes, they must redefine themselves, work with the enemy, and face personal traumas they’d buried long ago—and only stars know which challenge might break them in the end.
597 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 6, 2022
3 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Helyna L. Clove
3 books34 followersHelyna L. Clove (she/they) is a science-fiction/fantasy novelist, and a lover of all types of storytelling, hot comfort drinks, and a universe full of stars.
She was born in Hungary and raised in a small village a few miles off the shores of Lake Balaton. She was often described by her teachers as someone always having “her head in the clouds”, and she spent the first fifteen years of her life mostly consuming books from her parents’ home library, watching some great 90’s sci-fi shows, and working on her eclectic music taste. After several arduous years of obtaining her astrophysics degree, she currently lives in Wales with her small family of a wonderful boyfriend and Puddle, the tortoiseshell cat.
When not writing her stories, she can be found commandeering radio telescopes, reading, cooking, playing video games, or trying her hand at different art forms.
She was born in Hungary and raised in a small village a few miles off the shores of Lake Balaton. She was often described by her teachers as someone always having “her head in the clouds”, and she spent the first fifteen years of her life mostly consuming books from her parents’ home library, watching some great 90’s sci-fi shows, and working on her eclectic music taste. After several arduous years of obtaining her astrophysics degree, she currently lives in Wales with her small family of a wonderful boyfriend and Puddle, the tortoiseshell cat.
When not writing her stories, she can be found commandeering radio telescopes, reading, cooking, playing video games, or trying her hand at different art forms.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 23, 2023
For transparency, Helyna is a colleague of mine and I won this ebook in a giveaway!
Skylark in the Fog is a story of creating found family in the face of enormous stakes. It has Firefly vibes (without the overarching Western themes) and exists at a scope that acknowledges how vast the universe would be while avoiding an overwhelming cast of races, planets, and cultures to dial into. For me, that's the perfect setting for sci-fi. Epic but not *too epic*
The book has a strong setup, with two PoVs that show us two distinctly different lives. On jeane's side, I loved the gruff and fractured captain's life scrapping out an existence for herself, and on Maura's side, I found the exploration of civilization building through AI to be really compelling. As the story progresses, we get to see the depths of the emotions of so many characters, but the curveball was definitely Roy. I'm not an avid sci-fi reader but I'm not sure I've read a character like his before, and it left me with a lot to think about.
Skylark is perfect for readers who like chonky books that focus both on character and plot, and who enjoy things like city building, epically sized settings, and political intrigue, but don't want to be bogged down in them. There are still plenty of action scenes, harrowing personal choices, and inner demons to contend with. This is also an ace-friendly book, since the characters hinge on their platonic affections for each other, and not on an overarching romance or lust. Helyna is also going to attempt to break your heart, so watch out :P
Helyna has a strong voice and an excellent understanding of her characters. This was her debut novel, and it's exciting to think that her talent will only grow as she continues to write. I can't wait to see what else she has in the works!!
Skylark in the Fog is a story of creating found family in the face of enormous stakes. It has Firefly vibes (without the overarching Western themes) and exists at a scope that acknowledges how vast the universe would be while avoiding an overwhelming cast of races, planets, and cultures to dial into. For me, that's the perfect setting for sci-fi. Epic but not *too epic*
The book has a strong setup, with two PoVs that show us two distinctly different lives. On jeane's side, I loved the gruff and fractured captain's life scrapping out an existence for herself, and on Maura's side, I found the exploration of civilization building through AI to be really compelling. As the story progresses, we get to see the depths of the emotions of so many characters, but the curveball was definitely Roy. I'm not an avid sci-fi reader but I'm not sure I've read a character like his before, and it left me with a lot to think about.
Skylark is perfect for readers who like chonky books that focus both on character and plot, and who enjoy things like city building, epically sized settings, and political intrigue, but don't want to be bogged down in them. There are still plenty of action scenes, harrowing personal choices, and inner demons to contend with. This is also an ace-friendly book, since the characters hinge on their platonic affections for each other, and not on an overarching romance or lust. Helyna is also going to attempt to break your heart, so watch out :P
Helyna has a strong voice and an excellent understanding of her characters. This was her debut novel, and it's exciting to think that her talent will only grow as she continues to write. I can't wait to see what else she has in the works!!
February 6, 2024
Review originally on
JamReads
Skylark in the Fog is an ambitious and clever space opera novel, the debut of Helyna L. Clove as an author, a space adventure which puts the focus on the bonds between the characters and found family while also showing the vastness of the universe. Enormous stakes are in front of our characters, but that doesn't mean their own problems will disappear by an act of magic.
We have two really different POVs for the story; we have Jeane, captain of the Skylark, a bit mentally broken by the circumstances and her past, trying to get a life for her and her crew as lanehunters. She's really protective of the rest of the members, and to be fair, she's dealing the best she can even when feeling grumpy (and I don't really blame her, certain author has decided that she loves her so much, and love is pain, right?). A last mission brings her to enter in contact with Queen Maura, monarch of a world which is about to be annexed by the Union; and when the Union annexes the place Jeane called home, all become a personal matter. Maura's POV is lighter than Jeane's one, she's more optimistic by nature even when the whole world she's supposed to be leading is in shambles; Clove makes a great job balancing both perspectives.
While the overarching story about the Union fighting to get control over the maximum number of systems is a high-stakes one, this doesn't mean that we also have some smaller character arcs, which allow us to explore more about the past of our characters, putting the emphasis on the bonds we create with others, on how trauma needs to be treated and how those others, that found family, can also be part of the healing.
And let me talk a bit about the worldbuilding, because the author's enthusiasm for space is contagious. The universe shown is vast, but at the same time, Clove manages to keep it simple so it is not overwhelming; cities are welt built and transmit that futuristic sensation that you can expect of the genre, and the space scenes are also accompanied by action that keeps you on the edge of the seat.
I absolutely loved Skylark in the Fog; and these characters deserve a hug after all what they have experienced in the book. If you like epic space-operas with smaller plots that allow you to explore more of the characters, Skylark is an excellent choice; do yourself a favour, and pick it today.
Skylark in the Fog is an ambitious and clever space opera novel, the debut of Helyna L. Clove as an author, a space adventure which puts the focus on the bonds between the characters and found family while also showing the vastness of the universe. Enormous stakes are in front of our characters, but that doesn't mean their own problems will disappear by an act of magic.
We have two really different POVs for the story; we have Jeane, captain of the Skylark, a bit mentally broken by the circumstances and her past, trying to get a life for her and her crew as lanehunters. She's really protective of the rest of the members, and to be fair, she's dealing the best she can even when feeling grumpy (and I don't really blame her, certain author has decided that she loves her so much, and love is pain, right?). A last mission brings her to enter in contact with Queen Maura, monarch of a world which is about to be annexed by the Union; and when the Union annexes the place Jeane called home, all become a personal matter. Maura's POV is lighter than Jeane's one, she's more optimistic by nature even when the whole world she's supposed to be leading is in shambles; Clove makes a great job balancing both perspectives.
While the overarching story about the Union fighting to get control over the maximum number of systems is a high-stakes one, this doesn't mean that we also have some smaller character arcs, which allow us to explore more about the past of our characters, putting the emphasis on the bonds we create with others, on how trauma needs to be treated and how those others, that found family, can also be part of the healing.
And let me talk a bit about the worldbuilding, because the author's enthusiasm for space is contagious. The universe shown is vast, but at the same time, Clove manages to keep it simple so it is not overwhelming; cities are welt built and transmit that futuristic sensation that you can expect of the genre, and the space scenes are also accompanied by action that keeps you on the edge of the seat.
I absolutely loved Skylark in the Fog; and these characters deserve a hug after all what they have experienced in the book. If you like epic space-operas with smaller plots that allow you to explore more of the characters, Skylark is an excellent choice; do yourself a favour, and pick it today.
November 4, 2022
I received a free digital copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I have to say I was really excited to read this book because the premise promised everything I love in sci fi novel: interesting characters, deep space missions, battles and a bit of politics on top of it all.
Truthfully, the book was quite confusing for me at the beginning, since there are a lot of characters and a lot of places in space (outposts, planets, ships...), so I naturally thought the novel would be hard to follow. But it turns out all of those things made me like the book and it made it special.
Once I got the hang of the characters and who everyone is I really started to like all of them. They all had quite a personality with all the quirks that go along and were really well developed, so I felt like I began to know all of them. I could easily connect with many of them, even with some that were actually not human (aliens, AI), but still felt human in a certain way.
Like I mentioned before, there were also many places that the novel takes place in and it wasn't confusing at all. All the places were well developed and filled with interesting facts, rich histories, and most of the places were somehow connected to certain characters in the book, so they all felt in place and well incorporated into the plot of the story.
The story itself, when it comes to plot, is quite rich and action packed and even though it's quite a long book, I never felt it's stretched out with unnecessary data and events. Everything was in the place and plotted out nicely.
I have to say, I really enjoyed reading Skylark in the Fog and I think it's a great book for any sci-fi reader who loves deep space adventures that are filled with action.
I have to say I was really excited to read this book because the premise promised everything I love in sci fi novel: interesting characters, deep space missions, battles and a bit of politics on top of it all.
Truthfully, the book was quite confusing for me at the beginning, since there are a lot of characters and a lot of places in space (outposts, planets, ships...), so I naturally thought the novel would be hard to follow. But it turns out all of those things made me like the book and it made it special.
Once I got the hang of the characters and who everyone is I really started to like all of them. They all had quite a personality with all the quirks that go along and were really well developed, so I felt like I began to know all of them. I could easily connect with many of them, even with some that were actually not human (aliens, AI), but still felt human in a certain way.
Like I mentioned before, there were also many places that the novel takes place in and it wasn't confusing at all. All the places were well developed and filled with interesting facts, rich histories, and most of the places were somehow connected to certain characters in the book, so they all felt in place and well incorporated into the plot of the story.
The story itself, when it comes to plot, is quite rich and action packed and even though it's quite a long book, I never felt it's stretched out with unnecessary data and events. Everything was in the place and plotted out nicely.
I have to say, I really enjoyed reading Skylark in the Fog and I think it's a great book for any sci-fi reader who loves deep space adventures that are filled with action.
August 3, 2022
Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review
Despite no longer being a teenager, I usually stick to YA-range books (for reasons) and Skylark in the Fog probably falls into more of an NA or Adult range. Nevertheless, I absolutely adored this book! From page one, right through to the acknowledgements section at the back.
With a fun crew of misfits all battling their own history of demons, a universe broken into pieces by a strange system of dangerous wormholes, space “pirates” and alien races, cities with central nervous systems, and AI systems like you probably haven’t seen them before, there was so many things about this book to be excited about. It certainly has Starwars vibes, but I think Helyna L. Clove did a great job in taking the whole galactic-space-battle thing and making it unique!
This review is going to be longer than I anticipated (I have so many things I want to say!) but I’m going to try my best to keep it spoiler free. Skip to the end for the summary if you're not into long reviews.
I guess I’ll start with the one thing I didn’t like, as it’s more of a me-thing, than an actual problem with the book, and certainly quite trivial, so I’ll get it out of the road.
That is the swearing. Despite being Australian, I do not enjoy hearing or reading foul language, and that’s one of the reasons I tend to stick to YA books (though recently I’ve found I’m no longer safe, there, either, heh). This book had a few choice words sprinkled throughout its pages, and seeing them sometimes took me out of the story for a moment. In saying that, however, those words weren’t unnecessarily overused, and were mainly spoken by one character during scenes where it actually contributed to her characterisation and overall snarky personality (which I loved).
On to more of the things I loved:
The Characters!!!
There was a fair few of them (both main and side), but they were all so rich and real and deep and human (despite some of them actually being mysterious aliens and/or lovable organic robot creatures), and also very different from one another, that it was very easy to keep track of them all.
They made me feel things both for them and for the world (universe?) they live and fought within. Their friendships and interactions were all so beautiful, and heartfelt, and it was great to see them grow closer together over the period of the novel, breaking down long-standing walls, and building each other up as they fought against the rest of the galaxy.
Worldbuilding
The worldbuilding (universe-building?) was absolutely phenomenal. With so many planets and outposts and ships and bases, you’d think you’d get a little confused or lost, but much like the characters, they were all richly developed, with their own histories and ties to each other and to the people in this book, and it was delightful to travel between these places with the crew.
I found the lanes (the wormhole things that spread through and shattered the universe like a spiderweb or cracks in a mirror) so incredibly interesting, and very different to anything I’d ever read before. Not only did they provide a way to travel more quickly through the expansive region of space, but they were also incredibly unreliable, dangerous, and very crucial to the main story, so it never felt like the convenient trick I’ve seen in many other space-faring novels that didn’t want to take an eternity to travel between planets.
Plot
On to the storyline itself, it was so detailed and clever, and unbelievably exciting. This book is very big, and there are many pages and many things that happen on those pages, but absolutely none of it feels like filler. The plot is just so intricate and engaging that everything is important either to the characters or to the universe crashing around them, and you don’t even notice all those pages flying by. Many questions were raised about the characters and the worlds they went to, as well as all the interesting technologies that came into play, but for every question there was an answer (even if it wasn’t the one I’d been expecting).
The book does tie up in a very satisfying manner while still being partially open to possible future shenanigans, and I know that the events I just witnessed, and the characters I just met, will all stay with me for a very long time.
In short, this was a phenomenal book, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I can’t wait for it to be released so I can get a physical copy in my hands (also, just look at that stunning cover!!). If you like galactic wars, universe-scale world building, fancy sci-fi technology, gigantic AI systems, and heroes fighting somewhere in the grey-area for the ultimate good of humanity (and life itself), then I strongly recommend this book, it will not disappoint!
Despite no longer being a teenager, I usually stick to YA-range books (for reasons) and Skylark in the Fog probably falls into more of an NA or Adult range. Nevertheless, I absolutely adored this book! From page one, right through to the acknowledgements section at the back.
With a fun crew of misfits all battling their own history of demons, a universe broken into pieces by a strange system of dangerous wormholes, space “pirates” and alien races, cities with central nervous systems, and AI systems like you probably haven’t seen them before, there was so many things about this book to be excited about. It certainly has Starwars vibes, but I think Helyna L. Clove did a great job in taking the whole galactic-space-battle thing and making it unique!
This review is going to be longer than I anticipated (I have so many things I want to say!) but I’m going to try my best to keep it spoiler free. Skip to the end for the summary if you're not into long reviews.
I guess I’ll start with the one thing I didn’t like, as it’s more of a me-thing, than an actual problem with the book, and certainly quite trivial, so I’ll get it out of the road.
That is the swearing. Despite being Australian, I do not enjoy hearing or reading foul language, and that’s one of the reasons I tend to stick to YA books (though recently I’ve found I’m no longer safe, there, either, heh). This book had a few choice words sprinkled throughout its pages, and seeing them sometimes took me out of the story for a moment. In saying that, however, those words weren’t unnecessarily overused, and were mainly spoken by one character during scenes where it actually contributed to her characterisation and overall snarky personality (which I loved).
On to more of the things I loved:
The Characters!!!
There was a fair few of them (both main and side), but they were all so rich and real and deep and human (despite some of them actually being mysterious aliens and/or lovable organic robot creatures), and also very different from one another, that it was very easy to keep track of them all.
They made me feel things both for them and for the world (universe?) they live and fought within. Their friendships and interactions were all so beautiful, and heartfelt, and it was great to see them grow closer together over the period of the novel, breaking down long-standing walls, and building each other up as they fought against the rest of the galaxy.
Worldbuilding
The worldbuilding (universe-building?) was absolutely phenomenal. With so many planets and outposts and ships and bases, you’d think you’d get a little confused or lost, but much like the characters, they were all richly developed, with their own histories and ties to each other and to the people in this book, and it was delightful to travel between these places with the crew.
I found the lanes (the wormhole things that spread through and shattered the universe like a spiderweb or cracks in a mirror) so incredibly interesting, and very different to anything I’d ever read before. Not only did they provide a way to travel more quickly through the expansive region of space, but they were also incredibly unreliable, dangerous, and very crucial to the main story, so it never felt like the convenient trick I’ve seen in many other space-faring novels that didn’t want to take an eternity to travel between planets.
Plot
On to the storyline itself, it was so detailed and clever, and unbelievably exciting. This book is very big, and there are many pages and many things that happen on those pages, but absolutely none of it feels like filler. The plot is just so intricate and engaging that everything is important either to the characters or to the universe crashing around them, and you don’t even notice all those pages flying by. Many questions were raised about the characters and the worlds they went to, as well as all the interesting technologies that came into play, but for every question there was an answer (even if it wasn’t the one I’d been expecting).
The book does tie up in a very satisfying manner while still being partially open to possible future shenanigans, and I know that the events I just witnessed, and the characters I just met, will all stay with me for a very long time.
In short, this was a phenomenal book, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I can’t wait for it to be released so I can get a physical copy in my hands (also, just look at that stunning cover!!). If you like galactic wars, universe-scale world building, fancy sci-fi technology, gigantic AI systems, and heroes fighting somewhere in the grey-area for the ultimate good of humanity (and life itself), then I strongly recommend this book, it will not disappoint!
May 30, 2023
Skylark in the fog revolves around a band of misfits, who after finding a strange bit of scrap on an unknown planet, end up getting involved with a renegade princess, an evil empire bent on dominating the universe and a possible catastrophic end of the universe, big bang scenario.
I have to say that I enjoyed this book immensely. It was one of those books that I instantly liked. With a group of ragtag misfits that includes Jeanne, the captain of the Skylark, Klicks, the Talalan engineer, and ALU, the mysterious bio lifeform, I knew from the first page I was hooked.
On the whole, this is pretty much space opera fayre. You have the evil galactic empire that wants to rule the galaxy and you have the rebels on the other side, and then a reluctant hero getting involved. This is a trope that we all know and love, and I ain't gunna complain at that, because do you know what? The book did what it was supposed to do. It entertained me. It kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next.
I loved the characters in the story. There's hard assed Jeanne who runs the ship, who kinda reminds me of Dutch from Killjoys. Then there's Klicks who can't help tinkering with stuff and ALU, who is just so sweet. Then there's Maura, the princess who wants to do her best by her people and stop the war that has been raging for over six decades.
Whilst the story is familiar in its space operyness and you think you know what's going to happen, the story takes some surprising twists in the way that certain plot points are dealt with.
There's plenty of action throughout the book and there's definitely lots of space chases, laser gun fights and starship destroyers, so all the boxes that I know I want to read in a sci Fi book are checked and hey ho, let's go.
This is a really good debut and an impressive start to the series.
I have to say that I enjoyed this book immensely. It was one of those books that I instantly liked. With a group of ragtag misfits that includes Jeanne, the captain of the Skylark, Klicks, the Talalan engineer, and ALU, the mysterious bio lifeform, I knew from the first page I was hooked.
On the whole, this is pretty much space opera fayre. You have the evil galactic empire that wants to rule the galaxy and you have the rebels on the other side, and then a reluctant hero getting involved. This is a trope that we all know and love, and I ain't gunna complain at that, because do you know what? The book did what it was supposed to do. It entertained me. It kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next.
I loved the characters in the story. There's hard assed Jeanne who runs the ship, who kinda reminds me of Dutch from Killjoys. Then there's Klicks who can't help tinkering with stuff and ALU, who is just so sweet. Then there's Maura, the princess who wants to do her best by her people and stop the war that has been raging for over six decades.
Whilst the story is familiar in its space operyness and you think you know what's going to happen, the story takes some surprising twists in the way that certain plot points are dealt with.
There's plenty of action throughout the book and there's definitely lots of space chases, laser gun fights and starship destroyers, so all the boxes that I know I want to read in a sci Fi book are checked and hey ho, let's go.
This is a really good debut and an impressive start to the series.
December 31, 2024
The story involves a ton of world-building (as one would expect from a space opera/sci-fi book) and I think this is explored quite in-depth, involving themes such as colonization, the quandaries regarding AI, and personal hardships/insecurities due to your upbringing. It has two timelines that later on intersect, but I personally am more invested in Maura's perspective and her dilemma regarding "the glove." While it's an interesting story, it's definitely one you want to take your time with and really pay attention to because of how detailed it is.
Pacing is perfect for this kind of genre (sci-fi, space opera). Language is very clear despite the jargon including tech related stuff. And even though I don't usually read "hard sci-fi" very often, it's engaging the way a classic sci-fi book often is.
Characters are very diverse and I appreciate the different species, genders (or lack thereof), and backgrounds. Because of how many characters are introduced, especially in the last half of the book, sometimes the character development feels a bit spread too thin. It's also difficult to care about each character equally, as the story is already complicated enough.
Pacing is perfect for this kind of genre (sci-fi, space opera). Language is very clear despite the jargon including tech related stuff. And even though I don't usually read "hard sci-fi" very often, it's engaging the way a classic sci-fi book often is.
Characters are very diverse and I appreciate the different species, genders (or lack thereof), and backgrounds. Because of how many characters are introduced, especially in the last half of the book, sometimes the character development feels a bit spread too thin. It's also difficult to care about each character equally, as the story is already complicated enough.
May 15, 2025
To view more reviews, click [HERE!]
----------
I haven’t read a 500+ page book in a while and I had a hard time getting into the book at first. The beginning was a little slow for me, even with all of the action, but once we hit the midpoint, the rest of the world around me dropped away and I was transported to another universe and once I was done, I hit the reality wall rather painfully yanking me away from deep immersion. It feels like the beginning of something that can go on and I wish I could continue this journey with Jeane and her friends (I am so ready for a sequel!)
As a teen, fantasy was my jam and I hardly ever touched sci-fi. Now, it’s amongst my top favorite genres and this has been a stellar read (pun intended). The book starts off with Jeane and her crew, ALU and Kliks, having left a planet empty-handed. A lanehunter, she makes a living by looting dead planets and this unfortunately just wasn’t the place. Like paying the gas to a potential gig only to find a waste yard of empty promises. Or so she thought!
Unbeknownst to her, Kliks, a Talalan, did in fact secretly find something during their scavenge trip and has kept it hidden from his captain and fellow crew and this very discovery has placed a target on their back as brainwashed Union agents chase them through the universe.
The story was initially split between two main POVs. There’s Jeane and her crew as they find themselves endlessly on the run after having discovered the Talalan device. The agent that’s on their tail seems to have a tracking ability or whatever magic because he is relentless and seems to constantly find them. With a damaged ship, she takes temporary refuge on a planet ravaged by war where the second POV comes into play. There we join Princess Maura and her desperation to stop the war and help her people. Eventually their paths cross and their POVs sort of fuse, but occasionally you will still see their own chapters or even other people’s chapters, a peek into secondary or otherwise supporting characters and what they are doing.
I really enjoyed the writing and the world-building is top-notch, one of the best I’ve read to date. It makes sense to have such an expansive build, especially with so many worlds, because this is a multi-planet space adventure. There is the mirrored Duplex, Maura’s home and the entire lore of the war and the AI system, the planets that are Lanehunter friendly, the Ranch, the ships, the different races, the technology that isn’t just all lasers and spaceships, the races and the people, the culture, all of it.
Speaking of technology, this book has a lot of science in it, from the AI to ALU (Jeane’s crewmember that is a robot but also rather sentient and is very very adorable) to the glove that controls a planet to “lane science”. There are times I did have to scratch my head, but for a book that revolves a lot around science, I had no trouble following it. Nothing is too complicated, I never found myself lost, there was nothing I could not pronounce, and nothing I had to read over several times while squinting and going “Huh??”.
The writing itself, outside of the topic and genre, is wonderful too. The characters are so rich in character, jumping off the pages realistic. Jeane isn’t the most amazing captain but she’s real. She isn’t some super captain without flaws, and can even be hot-headed sometimes. Still, she cares about her friends, even strangers! She did not have to pull nor stick around for this rescue stunt, but she did take people under her wing and even let an unlikely person come with. She has a capable team, the supporting characters all with their own strengths, weaknesses, their lore and histories, not to mention the diversity. It is truly a ragtag band, one of my favorite tropes. I mean, an engineer and a robot creature with insect eyes, their captain, a Princess turned Queen, a bodyguard, and more. You don’t get more diverse than this. Their interactions are so fun, so witty, and their banter and chemistry fit so well together, the whole “We just met, but it feels like/acts like we’ve known each other our whole lives!” Character dialogue and interactions are one of the things I specifically look for when reading and even in my favorite books I rarely actually crack a smile (like typing lol with a bored face!) and yet here, I caught myself grinning and even laughing at times!
Despite saying that the beginning felt a tad slow, this book actually went quick. I went from slightly hesitant to very bummed when I read the last page. There was so much chaos and so much stuff happening in both Maura and Jeane’s stories in the beginning, it felt like everything was tumbling out of control (to be fair…if you asked Maura or Jeane, they probably would tell you they 100% were tumbling out of control). However, once things semi-calmed down and I got into the flow of the book, it was smooth sailing from there. I devoured the remaining ~60% of the book in a single sitting (yes my brain was buzzing by the time I looked up). I was immersed and had fallen deeply in love with every aspect of the book. I enjoyed the writing, the characters, the worlds, and to end this review, I must empathize my utter devastation that this book has come to an end (like what am I suppose to do with my life now?). I will say...sequel or no, that ending was a really GOOD ending. I'm just...I'm just ready for book two like yesteryear!
Kudos and adding yet another author on my follow list!
----------
Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. This does not impact the review and all opinions are my own.
----------
I haven’t read a 500+ page book in a while and I had a hard time getting into the book at first. The beginning was a little slow for me, even with all of the action, but once we hit the midpoint, the rest of the world around me dropped away and I was transported to another universe and once I was done, I hit the reality wall rather painfully yanking me away from deep immersion. It feels like the beginning of something that can go on and I wish I could continue this journey with Jeane and her friends (I am so ready for a sequel!)
As a teen, fantasy was my jam and I hardly ever touched sci-fi. Now, it’s amongst my top favorite genres and this has been a stellar read (pun intended). The book starts off with Jeane and her crew, ALU and Kliks, having left a planet empty-handed. A lanehunter, she makes a living by looting dead planets and this unfortunately just wasn’t the place. Like paying the gas to a potential gig only to find a waste yard of empty promises. Or so she thought!
Unbeknownst to her, Kliks, a Talalan, did in fact secretly find something during their scavenge trip and has kept it hidden from his captain and fellow crew and this very discovery has placed a target on their back as brainwashed Union agents chase them through the universe.
The story was initially split between two main POVs. There’s Jeane and her crew as they find themselves endlessly on the run after having discovered the Talalan device. The agent that’s on their tail seems to have a tracking ability or whatever magic because he is relentless and seems to constantly find them. With a damaged ship, she takes temporary refuge on a planet ravaged by war where the second POV comes into play. There we join Princess Maura and her desperation to stop the war and help her people. Eventually their paths cross and their POVs sort of fuse, but occasionally you will still see their own chapters or even other people’s chapters, a peek into secondary or otherwise supporting characters and what they are doing.
I really enjoyed the writing and the world-building is top-notch, one of the best I’ve read to date. It makes sense to have such an expansive build, especially with so many worlds, because this is a multi-planet space adventure. There is the mirrored Duplex, Maura’s home and the entire lore of the war and the AI system, the planets that are Lanehunter friendly, the Ranch, the ships, the different races, the technology that isn’t just all lasers and spaceships, the races and the people, the culture, all of it.
Speaking of technology, this book has a lot of science in it, from the AI to ALU (Jeane’s crewmember that is a robot but also rather sentient and is very very adorable) to the glove that controls a planet to “lane science”. There are times I did have to scratch my head, but for a book that revolves a lot around science, I had no trouble following it. Nothing is too complicated, I never found myself lost, there was nothing I could not pronounce, and nothing I had to read over several times while squinting and going “Huh??”.
The writing itself, outside of the topic and genre, is wonderful too. The characters are so rich in character, jumping off the pages realistic. Jeane isn’t the most amazing captain but she’s real. She isn’t some super captain without flaws, and can even be hot-headed sometimes. Still, she cares about her friends, even strangers! She did not have to pull nor stick around for this rescue stunt, but she did take people under her wing and even let an unlikely person come with. She has a capable team, the supporting characters all with their own strengths, weaknesses, their lore and histories, not to mention the diversity. It is truly a ragtag band, one of my favorite tropes. I mean, an engineer and a robot creature with insect eyes, their captain, a Princess turned Queen, a bodyguard, and more. You don’t get more diverse than this. Their interactions are so fun, so witty, and their banter and chemistry fit so well together, the whole “We just met, but it feels like/acts like we’ve known each other our whole lives!” Character dialogue and interactions are one of the things I specifically look for when reading and even in my favorite books I rarely actually crack a smile (like typing lol with a bored face!) and yet here, I caught myself grinning and even laughing at times!
Despite saying that the beginning felt a tad slow, this book actually went quick. I went from slightly hesitant to very bummed when I read the last page. There was so much chaos and so much stuff happening in both Maura and Jeane’s stories in the beginning, it felt like everything was tumbling out of control (to be fair…if you asked Maura or Jeane, they probably would tell you they 100% were tumbling out of control). However, once things semi-calmed down and I got into the flow of the book, it was smooth sailing from there. I devoured the remaining ~60% of the book in a single sitting (yes my brain was buzzing by the time I looked up). I was immersed and had fallen deeply in love with every aspect of the book. I enjoyed the writing, the characters, the worlds, and to end this review, I must empathize my utter devastation that this book has come to an end (like what am I suppose to do with my life now?). I will say...sequel or no, that ending was a really GOOD ending. I'm just...I'm just ready for book two like yesteryear!
Kudos and adding yet another author on my follow list!
----------
Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. This does not impact the review and all opinions are my own.
January 16, 2025
Originally posted on my blog
Note: I was a panelist for the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) and this was one of my reads for the final round, hence the delay in the posting of this review. This won 9th place, but this was my personal winner!
I loved this book SO MUCH.
I was initially worried by how chonky it was. Would it hold my interest? The first 10K words did. Thankfully, it was everything I could've wanted in a scifi novel and more. The years I started to REALLY be into reading, I was obsessed with the Star Wars Expanded Universe novels. This book took me right back to those times. Sure, there are no Jedi in Skylark, but there were plenty elements to enjoy.
The writing was great. I love how it never got too technical or confusing despite all the fight scenes and fictional tech and spacetime concepts.
The worldbuilding is EXCELLENT. I was prepared for space travel to just be something that's there and not explained in detail, but no, we got a cool concept instead??? And the unique worlds and races! Helyna has a superb imagination and it shows.
The narrative voice is also very enjoyable; it was easy to follow the switching POVs and there wasn't anything dull about the prose, while still being easy to read.
A+++ title too, when I finally GOT it. The story was a lot of fun. Lots of action, adventure, political intrigue... I was hooked from the chapter Maura and her glove that connects her to a city AI appeared, and her story intertwined and wrapped up well with everyone else's. There were some really surprising twists, too. Plus I could feel the stakes. I was not once bored and feeling like I wanted to stop. The resolution wasn't typical too, and while I'd love a sequel, the book also wrapped up well enough to stand alone.
The characters were fantastic. Even the robots and AI had distinct personalities. Heck, I even got sad for DIKENT at the end of part 2 despite him being an asshole when we met him LOL. I love a good story but characters are what really draw me into a book/series, and I'm spoilt for choice here! Jeane is awesome and she really shines as the protagonist. Maura is also fascinating and complex. But I think Roy might be my favorite.
I'll be reaching out to the author to purchase a signed paperback. I love this one THAT much!
Note: I was a panelist for the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) and this was one of my reads for the final round, hence the delay in the posting of this review. This won 9th place, but this was my personal winner!
I loved this book SO MUCH.
I was initially worried by how chonky it was. Would it hold my interest? The first 10K words did. Thankfully, it was everything I could've wanted in a scifi novel and more. The years I started to REALLY be into reading, I was obsessed with the Star Wars Expanded Universe novels. This book took me right back to those times. Sure, there are no Jedi in Skylark, but there were plenty elements to enjoy.
The writing was great. I love how it never got too technical or confusing despite all the fight scenes and fictional tech and spacetime concepts.
The worldbuilding is EXCELLENT. I was prepared for space travel to just be something that's there and not explained in detail, but no, we got a cool concept instead??? And the unique worlds and races! Helyna has a superb imagination and it shows.
The narrative voice is also very enjoyable; it was easy to follow the switching POVs and there wasn't anything dull about the prose, while still being easy to read.
A+++ title too, when I finally GOT it. The story was a lot of fun. Lots of action, adventure, political intrigue... I was hooked from the chapter Maura and her glove that connects her to a city AI appeared, and her story intertwined and wrapped up well with everyone else's. There were some really surprising twists, too. Plus I could feel the stakes. I was not once bored and feeling like I wanted to stop. The resolution wasn't typical too, and while I'd love a sequel, the book also wrapped up well enough to stand alone.
The characters were fantastic. Even the robots and AI had distinct personalities. Heck, I even got sad for DIKENT at the end of part 2 despite him being an asshole when we met him LOL. I love a good story but characters are what really draw me into a book/series, and I'm spoilt for choice here! Jeane is awesome and she really shines as the protagonist. Maura is also fascinating and complex. But I think Roy might be my favorite.
I'll be reaching out to the author to purchase a signed paperback. I love this one THAT much!
September 11, 2022
Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was motivated to read this book because I've been looking for a fun space opera for a long time, something that would satisfy my desire for a planet-hopping, swashbuckling, cast of characters on a grand adventure. This book absolutely nailed that and you can feel the Star Wars influence running through its veins, while completely standing on its own.
A good space opera lives and dies on its mode of space travel and the whole shattered universe and wormholes system is plenty of good fun. It feels dangerous and exciting and gives a chance for character development in transit (no sleeping in cryo-stasis here). That, plus a setting FULL of interesting planets and funky technology to see. What stands out the most for me is the care spent on presenting the characters to us. A smuggler, a queen, a soldier, and more; each character could probably be the star of their own story, but Clove finds a way to make them shine through their interpersonal interactions. If you want a book that gives you a shipload of characters to fall in love with, this is the one.
The story feels epic, the world feels lived in, the characters are rich and real; it's exactly the kind of book you want to read if you're into space-jaunt escapades as seen in Star Wars, Firefly, or The Expanse. It's a sizable book (a chonker, as some would say) if that might turn you off, but it's certainly worth the read.
I was motivated to read this book because I've been looking for a fun space opera for a long time, something that would satisfy my desire for a planet-hopping, swashbuckling, cast of characters on a grand adventure. This book absolutely nailed that and you can feel the Star Wars influence running through its veins, while completely standing on its own.
A good space opera lives and dies on its mode of space travel and the whole shattered universe and wormholes system is plenty of good fun. It feels dangerous and exciting and gives a chance for character development in transit (no sleeping in cryo-stasis here). That, plus a setting FULL of interesting planets and funky technology to see. What stands out the most for me is the care spent on presenting the characters to us. A smuggler, a queen, a soldier, and more; each character could probably be the star of their own story, but Clove finds a way to make them shine through their interpersonal interactions. If you want a book that gives you a shipload of characters to fall in love with, this is the one.
The story feels epic, the world feels lived in, the characters are rich and real; it's exactly the kind of book you want to read if you're into space-jaunt escapades as seen in Star Wars, Firefly, or The Expanse. It's a sizable book (a chonker, as some would say) if that might turn you off, but it's certainly worth the read.
September 22, 2024
I was privileged to receive an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Skylark in the Fog is a fabulous and unique space opera that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story is complex, with many layers that I’m certain will reveal new facets upon later rereadings. Skylark is definitely worth revisiting! The universe the book takes place in is rich and diverse. Helyna did a wonderful job creating a world that feels expansive and is highly detailed. There isn’t just one story lurking between the pages of this novel: the characters and places all have life to them, and they could all tell their own stories if given the chance. I’m hopeful to one day see even more material that does exactly that.
I also think Skylark would make an excellent anime! There is plenty of action and the banter between the characters is very well done. All of the characters feel unique. There are a *lot* of people in this book though, so be prepared to keep track of who’s who.
I loved this book because it reminded me of Star Wars and Firefly. It’s a chonky book, but I was never bored and never felt like anything I read was filler. I do wonder if it might have been better as two books though, especially given what happens to the Skylark itself versus the title of the novel.
The love Helyna has for this story shows on every page. Definitely recommended! I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Skylark in the Fog is a fabulous and unique space opera that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story is complex, with many layers that I’m certain will reveal new facets upon later rereadings. Skylark is definitely worth revisiting! The universe the book takes place in is rich and diverse. Helyna did a wonderful job creating a world that feels expansive and is highly detailed. There isn’t just one story lurking between the pages of this novel: the characters and places all have life to them, and they could all tell their own stories if given the chance. I’m hopeful to one day see even more material that does exactly that.
I also think Skylark would make an excellent anime! There is plenty of action and the banter between the characters is very well done. All of the characters feel unique. There are a *lot* of people in this book though, so be prepared to keep track of who’s who.
I loved this book because it reminded me of Star Wars and Firefly. It’s a chonky book, but I was never bored and never felt like anything I read was filler. I do wonder if it might have been better as two books though, especially given what happens to the Skylark itself versus the title of the novel.
The love Helyna has for this story shows on every page. Definitely recommended! I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
May 22, 2023
Let me begin this review by first apologizing to the author for taking an absolute age to finish reading this. I won an ebook of Skylark months ago, but as Jeff Goldblum says, life…uh, gets in the way (wait, he doesn’t say this?).
Thankfully, Skylark in the Fog is a much better book than I am a reader. Let’s get into it. I will endeavor to avoid spoilers in this review.
Holy cow, you guys. This sweeping epic of a tale was a ride from start to finish, with well-crafted characters and the kind of world-building you can feel. Truly, I have no idea how the author created not just one but several main settings across an entire universe—and all of them unique, with their own cultural differences. From the majestic palace of Miyoza to the Old West-esque Duplex, the settings felt authentic.
And the characters. Stars above, the characters. Skylark grows rapidly from the two leads mentioned in the synopsis to include a good-sized ensemble, all with distinct personalities and motivation. In no particular order, I’ll list some highlights for me. First, Captain Jeane Blake, the gruff and traumatized scavenger who, despite her hardened exterior, is viciously protective of her crew. Next up is Roy Philemon, the ex-Union agent who broke free of his brainwashing but still fights the pull towards the dark (if y’all know anything about me, you know this trope is my jam. Let’s not think too hard about why). Last special mention goes to Damian, devoted bodyguard and friend to Queen Maura who is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her (another character archetype that I eat up like candy).
I won’t dwell much on the plot, because frankly, it’s best experienced. Clocking in at a whopping estimated 597 pages on Amazon (and 490 on my ipad), there are more twists in this story than you can shake a stick at, as well as a one-two punch of tragedy right at the end. Safe to say, I was sat, turning pages as fast as my eyes could read them.
In short, Skylark in the Fog is a beautiful, thrilling epic that pays loving homage to the space opera genre…and you should read it immediately.
Thankfully, Skylark in the Fog is a much better book than I am a reader. Let’s get into it. I will endeavor to avoid spoilers in this review.
Holy cow, you guys. This sweeping epic of a tale was a ride from start to finish, with well-crafted characters and the kind of world-building you can feel. Truly, I have no idea how the author created not just one but several main settings across an entire universe—and all of them unique, with their own cultural differences. From the majestic palace of Miyoza to the Old West-esque Duplex, the settings felt authentic.
And the characters. Stars above, the characters. Skylark grows rapidly from the two leads mentioned in the synopsis to include a good-sized ensemble, all with distinct personalities and motivation. In no particular order, I’ll list some highlights for me. First, Captain Jeane Blake, the gruff and traumatized scavenger who, despite her hardened exterior, is viciously protective of her crew. Next up is Roy Philemon, the ex-Union agent who broke free of his brainwashing but still fights the pull towards the dark (if y’all know anything about me, you know this trope is my jam. Let’s not think too hard about why). Last special mention goes to Damian, devoted bodyguard and friend to Queen Maura who is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her (another character archetype that I eat up like candy).
I won’t dwell much on the plot, because frankly, it’s best experienced. Clocking in at a whopping estimated 597 pages on Amazon (and 490 on my ipad), there are more twists in this story than you can shake a stick at, as well as a one-two punch of tragedy right at the end. Safe to say, I was sat, turning pages as fast as my eyes could read them.
In short, Skylark in the Fog is a beautiful, thrilling epic that pays loving homage to the space opera genre…and you should read it immediately.
September 22, 2024
Skylark in the Fog is a wonderfully written story with a massive amount of heart poured into each page. Don't let it's chonky size deter you because every single page is worth your time. The setting and worldbuilding is reminiscent of Starwars and Firefly while still being its own thing and honestly is incredibly approachable if you're new to sci-fi. I would die for each and every one of these characters, yes even Dikent (he has some redeemable qualities I promise). Helyna has given such depth to each character and following their development throughout the story was such a treat. She has somehow managed to meld the epicness of a space opera with the heartfelt emotional processing of a very good therapy session.
Skylark made me laugh, cry, and gasp in anger and shock. If you're looking for a sci-fi novel with incredibly three-dimensional characters, fantastic worldbuilding, and some of the wittiest dialogue I've read in a long time, then Skylark in the Fog is the book for you.
Skylark made me laugh, cry, and gasp in anger and shock. If you're looking for a sci-fi novel with incredibly three-dimensional characters, fantastic worldbuilding, and some of the wittiest dialogue I've read in a long time, then Skylark in the Fog is the book for you.
December 24, 2022
This book took me embarrassingly long to finish. Partly that's my fault, I have trouble reading sometimes. But partly it's that this book is LONG. However, it's not one of those books that's long *winded* without much plot. It's very tightly packed with plot and characters, so if you like the premise to begin with, you can rest assured that you're getting more of a good thing.
The vibes definitely reminded me of Star Wars, especially The Mandalorian. Rogues without much organization, alien sidekicks, escapes through hyperspace, sketchy smuggling dens. There's also a big theme of friendship, found family, and recovering from trauma.
Jeane was my favorite character, but I also really enjoyed the various AIs and aliens.
The vibes definitely reminded me of Star Wars, especially The Mandalorian. Rogues without much organization, alien sidekicks, escapes through hyperspace, sketchy smuggling dens. There's also a big theme of friendship, found family, and recovering from trauma.
Jeane was my favorite character, but I also really enjoyed the various AIs and aliens.
May 4, 2023
An exciting space adventure with a few twists! We meet main character Jenna Blake, captain of the spaceship Skylark, on a looting mission. All seems to be going according to plan until she and her crew are attacked by the sinister Union, which wants control of the spoils of her latest salvage mission. Meanwhile, Queen Maura Tholis is struggling to save her homeward in the wake of her father's death, and faces nothing but peril no matter where she turns. When circumstances align and force these two into each other's path, a gripping story unfolds. Clove's rich world-building adds to this unique space opera.
May 13, 2025
Skylark in the Fog by Helyna L. Clove is an ambitious space opera, where Jeane Blake the trauma-scarred captain of the Skylark steals the show. I found Jeane's loyalty to her crew particularly compelling and the fact that we see doubts and fears, she is carrying a lot of mental baggage and trying to out a brave face on it for the sake of her ship and crew. Her reluctant heroism and emotional depth make her relatable and compelling, though her stubbornness can occasionally frustrate. I found the writing to be good, not amazing, but good and it did take me a while to settle in to it but I can see why it made it to the BBNYA finals
March 3, 2025
Fun and Quirky
The world building is fantastic, as are the characters themselves. I love how imaginative some of the cities were.
I really enjoyed the pacing of the story and thought the premise was fairly unique and cohesive.
What caught me up was the rapid change of personalities of everyone. I got the sense this all happened over the course of a couple of days and some characters seemed to change very suddenly.
I would suggest this book for world building, how fun it was, and how well the author narrated it!
The world building is fantastic, as are the characters themselves. I love how imaginative some of the cities were.
I really enjoyed the pacing of the story and thought the premise was fairly unique and cohesive.
What caught me up was the rapid change of personalities of everyone. I got the sense this all happened over the course of a couple of days and some characters seemed to change very suddenly.
I would suggest this book for world building, how fun it was, and how well the author narrated it!
May 14, 2025
It took me a while to get through it. I think it is maybe a little slow at times, but I am a fan of Jeane and it is well written. I don't feel like there is anything particularly new or any necessarily unique ideas on display but the author's main strength is her characterisations both Jeane and Maura are powerful and multifaceted and that is enough I think to keep most readers engaged.
March 29, 2023
When I started reading this book I really knew nothing about it or the author. My guess was that it would be, at best, just okay. I was wrong, it was a book that I didn't want to put down. I found it very engaging and I liked the characters. Recommended.
May 12, 2024
An excellent chonky read. Helyna Cove expertly weaves together multiple POV that all converge on the same adventure. The character interactions and dialogue are top-notch as are the internal struggles and the overarching story and worldbuilding
October 1, 2025
Find this review and more on my blog at
Worlds Unlike Our Own
.
Captain Jeanne Blake is piloting the Skylark on another routine looting mission with her crew when they are are attacked by the Union who are intent on acquiring the spoils from their latest stop. Said spoils turn out to be a mysterious alien device that has the ability to collapse the wormhole network and could be catastrophic in the wrong hands. Meanwhile on Miyoza, the Queen Maura Tholis is struggling to save her kingdom which is under threat after her father’s death. A series of circumstances see her fleeing for her life with yet another powerful technological device that can command AI systems in hopes of finding the interstellar resistance and convincing them to help her reclaim her land. Jeanne who is herself on the run from the Union agents is forced to take on a mission and finds herself unwillingly aiding the runaway queen, and they will need to learn to work together in order to achieve their goals.
💭 Initial Thoughts: I first came across this book in BBNYA 2023 and loved the first round excerpt, so I was really excited to see that it made it to the finals this time, and for the opportunity to read the full book as part of the competition. As I mentioned in one of my recent reviews, reading more sci-fi novels has been a goal of mine for a couple of years now and I was curious to see how this space opera would measure up to other novels of this genre I’d read previously.
🌎 Plot, World building & Atmosphere: This book was a complete adventure from start to finish! I loved how each setting was so well imagined and described with its own unique culture, and whether we were aboard the Skylark or in the palace of Miyoza, it was such an immersive read at every point. Honestly, the world building felt quite Star Wars-esque at times and I thoroughly enjoyed it. That extended a little to the plot too, and there were no shortage of twist and turns – it definitely lived up to the premise.
✍🏻 Writing & Narration: Skylark in the Fog drew me in right from the beginning and it was an action packed read. The pacing was pretty good throughout and the story kept moving at a fairly fast pace. However, I did feel that this book was a bit too long and it could have definitely been condensed. Perhaps it might even be better as two books because there was a shift in the plot partway through that would have been a good stopping point.
👥 Characters: The characters were all well written and the multiple POVs and arcs to follow made for some interesting reading. They were likeable and it was very easy to get invested in their stories. Despite the number of characters, I found it quite simple to keep track of them all due to the way their arcs progressed and overlapped.
🎬 Ending: I don’t know how to say much here without giving away anything important, but those last handful of chapters were a complete rollercoaster and were well worth the wait it took to get there! It was a thoroughly satisfying conclusion to this story.
❓ Final Thoughts & Recommendation: Skylark in the Fog was an amazing read and I can’t recommend it enough. This would be a good choice for those new to the science fiction genre too. I hope to read other books by this author in the future!
Captain Jeanne Blake is piloting the Skylark on another routine looting mission with her crew when they are are attacked by the Union who are intent on acquiring the spoils from their latest stop. Said spoils turn out to be a mysterious alien device that has the ability to collapse the wormhole network and could be catastrophic in the wrong hands. Meanwhile on Miyoza, the Queen Maura Tholis is struggling to save her kingdom which is under threat after her father’s death. A series of circumstances see her fleeing for her life with yet another powerful technological device that can command AI systems in hopes of finding the interstellar resistance and convincing them to help her reclaim her land. Jeanne who is herself on the run from the Union agents is forced to take on a mission and finds herself unwillingly aiding the runaway queen, and they will need to learn to work together in order to achieve their goals.
💭 Initial Thoughts: I first came across this book in BBNYA 2023 and loved the first round excerpt, so I was really excited to see that it made it to the finals this time, and for the opportunity to read the full book as part of the competition. As I mentioned in one of my recent reviews, reading more sci-fi novels has been a goal of mine for a couple of years now and I was curious to see how this space opera would measure up to other novels of this genre I’d read previously.
🌎 Plot, World building & Atmosphere: This book was a complete adventure from start to finish! I loved how each setting was so well imagined and described with its own unique culture, and whether we were aboard the Skylark or in the palace of Miyoza, it was such an immersive read at every point. Honestly, the world building felt quite Star Wars-esque at times and I thoroughly enjoyed it. That extended a little to the plot too, and there were no shortage of twist and turns – it definitely lived up to the premise.
✍🏻 Writing & Narration: Skylark in the Fog drew me in right from the beginning and it was an action packed read. The pacing was pretty good throughout and the story kept moving at a fairly fast pace. However, I did feel that this book was a bit too long and it could have definitely been condensed. Perhaps it might even be better as two books because there was a shift in the plot partway through that would have been a good stopping point.
👥 Characters: The characters were all well written and the multiple POVs and arcs to follow made for some interesting reading. They were likeable and it was very easy to get invested in their stories. Despite the number of characters, I found it quite simple to keep track of them all due to the way their arcs progressed and overlapped.
🎬 Ending: I don’t know how to say much here without giving away anything important, but those last handful of chapters were a complete rollercoaster and were well worth the wait it took to get there! It was a thoroughly satisfying conclusion to this story.
❓ Final Thoughts & Recommendation: Skylark in the Fog was an amazing read and I can’t recommend it enough. This would be a good choice for those new to the science fiction genre too. I hope to read other books by this author in the future!
July 26, 2023
Hi! This is my own book, and I love it with all my heart! :) I've been working on it for a long, long time, learned a lot in the process, both about the craft and myself, while also figuring out that guess what, this isn't going to be a one-off: I do want to tell stories, and I do want to write more novels. But Skylark is less of a book for me at this point and more of just...a part of me, honestly. I'm as attached to the characters and the world as if they were friends that I made and places I've been to, and I'm incredibly proud of what the novel has become through my own tenacity and through the support, advice, and help of many-many others. I'm sure there are mistakes, and I'm sure some stuff could be better, but I love it either way, because it's all about my own hopes, dreams, fears, darkness, and light. And you know. About some idiots flying around in space getting their asses kicked. :)
Still, I hope you will love it too, and it can give you at least some fraction of the joy and wonder it gave me.
Still, I hope you will love it too, and it can give you at least some fraction of the joy and wonder it gave me.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews