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Infinite Horizons #1
Escaping Gravity: A Space Opera Adventure
Dillon Mackey has always wanted to travel the stars...
When brilliant scientist and inventor Sherisza Rousilarru offers him an apprenticeship aboard her starship, he leaps at the chance to escape a boring future in the law.
But she's not the last of her kind for no reason. Dillon finds himself caught up in intrigue and adventure across systems, empires, and alien worlds he'd only dreamt of ever seeing.
Just what other secrets does his reclusive mentor hide? And will being her apprentice make him a target of her enemies?
Book 1 in the Infinite Horizons Space Opera Series from debut author J.D. Sullivan.
When brilliant scientist and inventor Sherisza Rousilarru offers him an apprenticeship aboard her starship, he leaps at the chance to escape a boring future in the law.
But she's not the last of her kind for no reason. Dillon finds himself caught up in intrigue and adventure across systems, empires, and alien worlds he'd only dreamt of ever seeing.
Just what other secrets does his reclusive mentor hide? And will being her apprentice make him a target of her enemies?
Book 1 in the Infinite Horizons Space Opera Series from debut author J.D. Sullivan.
- GenresScience Fiction
330 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2022
179 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 15, 2022
Whether you will enjoy this book depends on what you think when you hear "space opera." If you're looking for (or even just open to exploring) a reasonable PG/PG-13 coming of age story with classic SF plot elements then give it a chance. If you require a shot of grim darkness mixed into your stories, this is not the novel you're looking for.
As I went through it I kept finding things that annoyed me, while also finding parts I would have loved reading when I was 13 or 14. Often those were the same things. An example is Sullivan's treatment of love, emotions and inter-species romance. The author has tried to balance an emerging human-vulpine romance brokered by an AI with sketchy ideas about romance with a painful commitment to keeping everything PG or PG-13. My parents would have disapproved of this just enough to make me want to read it as a teen. To post-teen me, it was clumsy and felt contrived.
On the positive side, I thought this had many of the basics in place. The world-building is solid, the plot's fit for purpose, there's at least a hand wave in the direction of explaining how space travel got waivers from the laws of physics, and the writing is pretty decent. On the minus side, the characters are pretty much one-dimensional. Dillon's "mentor" comes across as essentially a human with fur and a tragic backstory. It's a missed opportunity to inject a different perspective into the story. The plot could have delivered more suspense and impact.
Reading Escaping Gravity as straight-up regular space opera, I struggled to stay immersed, thus two stars off. As YA (or YA-adjacent, if that's a thing) it would work much better. I'm just not sure who Sullivan was writing for.
Note: I originally got this as an ARC, then bought a copy.
As I went through it I kept finding things that annoyed me, while also finding parts I would have loved reading when I was 13 or 14. Often those were the same things. An example is Sullivan's treatment of love, emotions and inter-species romance. The author has tried to balance an emerging human-vulpine romance brokered by an AI with sketchy ideas about romance with a painful commitment to keeping everything PG or PG-13. My parents would have disapproved of this just enough to make me want to read it as a teen. To post-teen me, it was clumsy and felt contrived.
On the positive side, I thought this had many of the basics in place. The world-building is solid, the plot's fit for purpose, there's at least a hand wave in the direction of explaining how space travel got waivers from the laws of physics, and the writing is pretty decent. On the minus side, the characters are pretty much one-dimensional. Dillon's "mentor" comes across as essentially a human with fur and a tragic backstory. It's a missed opportunity to inject a different perspective into the story. The plot could have delivered more suspense and impact.
Reading Escaping Gravity as straight-up regular space opera, I struggled to stay immersed, thus two stars off. As YA (or YA-adjacent, if that's a thing) it would work much better. I'm just not sure who Sullivan was writing for.
Note: I originally got this as an ARC, then bought a copy.
April 12, 2022
( Format : ebook )
"Keep an open mind ... And a closed mouth."
A beautiful, mysterious last of her kind cat woman, who owns a unique warship and is offering the opportunity of a lifetime, an inexperienced teenage law student looking for adventure - er, excuse me, this is a recipe for romance. Yes, a bit of politics, parental interference, a couple of assassination attempts, a battle or two and the pathos of a lost family, this book was simply written, easy to read but, for someone no longer in the younger adult age group, annoyingly overburdened with a teenage boy's lustings. A lot of words for too little story or character building. A pity because, beneath it all, the story was a good one.
"Keep an open mind ... And a closed mouth."
A beautiful, mysterious last of her kind cat woman, who owns a unique warship and is offering the opportunity of a lifetime, an inexperienced teenage law student looking for adventure - er, excuse me, this is a recipe for romance. Yes, a bit of politics, parental interference, a couple of assassination attempts, a battle or two and the pathos of a lost family, this book was simply written, easy to read but, for someone no longer in the younger adult age group, annoyingly overburdened with a teenage boy's lustings. A lot of words for too little story or character building. A pity because, beneath it all, the story was a good one.
February 15, 2025
This is a weird book. At first glance it's a standard issue Space Opera - aliens are just lumpy humans, cat-humans, or reptile-humans. Not earth shakingly imaginative, but that can be fun, so you start reading. At first it seems well written, with very few of the awkward phrasings or grammatical issues that normally marks poor writing. But then you start to notice that one level up from the sentences absolutely nothing hangs together. The plot doesn't quite make sense - events happen without the necessary scene-setting or logical consequences. The characters are weirdly wooden, and their motivations and reactions are always just a little bit off, just a bit inhuman. It's really quite unsettling.
If it was written 2 years later, I'd immediately suspect that it was written largely by an AI, but 2022 is just a little too early for that.
If it was written 2 years later, I'd immediately suspect that it was written largely by an AI, but 2022 is just a little too early for that.
April 13, 2022
I give a book 3 chapters to grab my attention and get me to care about 1. the characters 2 the story line. unfortunately I made it 11% or into chp 4 where we find out the fate of his parents and planet before I realized I care about neither. I was at first intrigued as it sounded like a cross between a hitchers guide and a Dr Who kinda story.. but it is missing that spark that keeps one reading. It's true I am not a writer or editor but only an avid reader. maybe I gave up too soon and everything picks up after they get to the first job but it felt like it was more about the political stuff and it was missing details that would help me draw mind pictures and that I'm not interested in.
July 28, 2022
Just finished reading Lori Garver’s book: ‘Escaping Gravity.’ It is a cautionary tale. A great example of how succesful organizations can become rigid bureaucracies and lose their competitive edge. And it is even worse when politicians and their self serving interests enable such organizations to feed off taxpayers. She offers a blueprint to fix this waste of our country’s resources and a look at a possible future of space exploration when real capitalistic competition is allowed. This is not a new phenomenon: Garver compared it to the Wright brothers’ win over the government sponsored Smithsonian disaster championed by Samuel P Langley..
April 17, 2022
I liked the main character, Dillon Mackey right from the start. But eventually came to the conclusion that I wasn't actually in the right audience for this coming-of-age story... To me it was too info dumpy, and the action didn't take me to the edge... I never really believed that Dillon was ever in danger, or any of the other characters for that matter. Which in turn spoiled the big finish...
The book wasn't bad for the tale it tells, but as I said, I was just wasn't right!
The book wasn't bad for the tale it tells, but as I said, I was just wasn't right!
June 5, 2022
Great sci fi adventure
The worldbuilding is excellent, the humor is appropriate, and the non-human sapients are fascinating. The romance is believable and captivating. There is a high count. The story is definitely a page-turner with many enjoyable character interactions. Dillon is a great narrator. Although one of my least favorite sci fi tropes shows up, I thoroughly enjoyed Gravity and look forward to book 2.
The worldbuilding is excellent, the humor is appropriate, and the non-human sapients are fascinating. The romance is believable and captivating. There is a high count. The story is definitely a page-turner with many enjoyable character interactions. Dillon is a great narrator. Although one of my least favorite sci fi tropes shows up, I thoroughly enjoyed Gravity and look forward to book 2.
June 6, 2022
Simplistic- the world this author created is very simplistic, a boy with not technical experience is chosen out of 1000’s to mentor with the last of her species, ship owner……in days and weeks this 19 year old is preforming wrap drive updates, and piloting a starship. I also was not interested in the Christianity topics that flowed in the book. I’ll pass on the rest of the series. Take out the cross species mating and it would be a book for children.
June 11, 2022
Sullivan, J. D. Escaping Gravity: A Space Opera Adventure. Infinite Horizons No. 1. Kindle, 2022.
A cat-woman, who is the last of her species and an engineering genius, takes on a young human as an apprentice engineer and sole crewman on her starship. Adventure and romance follow. It is not quite as bad as all that sounds. The world-building is not bad, and the characters only make you raise your eyebrows in disbelief every page or two. 3 stars.
A cat-woman, who is the last of her species and an engineering genius, takes on a young human as an apprentice engineer and sole crewman on her starship. Adventure and romance follow. It is not quite as bad as all that sounds. The world-building is not bad, and the characters only make you raise your eyebrows in disbelief every page or two. 3 stars.
April 16, 2022
Diamond in disguise
An awesome read. I loved the characters and the storyline, it was never boring. A most exciting book I have read in a while. I’m soooo looking forward to reading the next book! Outstanding!
An awesome read. I loved the characters and the storyline, it was never boring. A most exciting book I have read in a while. I’m soooo looking forward to reading the next book! Outstanding!
April 16, 2022
Interesting story. Not at all what I expected, but a decent story nonetheless. Not really bothered by the human/alien relationship, actually think in this case it adds to the story, especially the big reveal at the end.
Anyway, scifi fans should mostly like the story well enough.
Anyway, scifi fans should mostly like the story well enough.
Read
April 21, 2022I love sci-fi
Great read. I could barely put it down each day. This books story was so well written. I moved thru the book faster than any other I have been reading. I can't wait for the next in the series to come out on May 10th.
Great read. I could barely put it down each day. This books story was so well written. I moved thru the book faster than any other I have been reading. I can't wait for the next in the series to come out on May 10th.
April 15, 2022
What a marvelous story!
Thank you for this story J.D.! Love reigns…and great twisty story! I can hardly wait to read A Glimpse Beyond!
Thank you for this story J.D.! Love reigns…and great twisty story! I can hardly wait to read A Glimpse Beyond!
April 18, 2022
amazing
The characters Dillon and Sherisza beg you to love them a well written tale that I
Hated to see end
The characters Dillon and Sherisza beg you to love them a well written tale that I
Hated to see end
April 28, 2022
Several fresh new idea's, good clean fun, yet moments of tension both emotional and physical.
Enjoy
Enjoy
dnf-not-for-me
June 5, 20221/10: Couldn't get past the first few chapters; not for me.
August 5, 2022
Possibly the best Science Fiction I’ve ever read! My emotions have been engaged by the characters and their actions. I like some characters, love some, and hate a few. INCREDIBLE BOOK!!!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews