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Apocalypto #2
Spiderwork
The sequel to Space Junque.
Her fate was to hold the world together. His destiny was to tear it apart.
In a world threatened by sterility, Durga has spent eight years implementing the goddess’s plan for the “chalices” -- women the goddess has made fertile. As Durga approaches her eighteenth birthday, she dreads becoming a chalice herself.
Khai, the scion of Luxor, passes through Corcovado on his way to a meeting of power brokers and falls hard for Durga -- but the very laws he intends to impose will make it impossible for them to be together.
Meanwhile Char Meadowlark and Jake Ardri are deeply in love, but there’s a problem.
When Jake is about to be crowned king of the city-state he built, an enemy reveals that Jake’s unborn heir has no soul. The only hope is the hieros gamos—orgasmic sacred sex with the chalice who carries Jake’s child.
Char wants Jake to be king, but the idea of him having mind-blowing ritual sex with another woman is a bit hard to take. But if Jake’s heir is soulless, he will lose his city and fail everyone who depends on him for survival.
In flagrante apocalypto. When the veil drops between life and oblivion, only love can save them from the abyss.
Her fate was to hold the world together. His destiny was to tear it apart.
In a world threatened by sterility, Durga has spent eight years implementing the goddess’s plan for the “chalices” -- women the goddess has made fertile. As Durga approaches her eighteenth birthday, she dreads becoming a chalice herself.
Khai, the scion of Luxor, passes through Corcovado on his way to a meeting of power brokers and falls hard for Durga -- but the very laws he intends to impose will make it impossible for them to be together.
Meanwhile Char Meadowlark and Jake Ardri are deeply in love, but there’s a problem.
When Jake is about to be crowned king of the city-state he built, an enemy reveals that Jake’s unborn heir has no soul. The only hope is the hieros gamos—orgasmic sacred sex with the chalice who carries Jake’s child.
Char wants Jake to be king, but the idea of him having mind-blowing ritual sex with another woman is a bit hard to take. But if Jake’s heir is soulless, he will lose his city and fail everyone who depends on him for survival.
In flagrante apocalypto. When the veil drops between life and oblivion, only love can save them from the abyss.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
15 people are currently reading
594 people want to read
About the author
L.K. Rigel
36 books179 followersLK Rigel is the author of the Apocalypto series:
Space Junque, Spiderwork, and Firebird; and the Wyrd and Fae series: Give Me, Bride of Fae, Fever Mist, and A Glimmering Girl.
Her My Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre Retold) a retelling of the Gothic novel set in a future utopia.
Her short story Slurp is included in Deadly Treats, an anthology edited by Anne Frasier from Nodin Press. Rigel's writing has also appeared in Literary Mama and Tattoo Highway.
She lives in California.
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Space Junque, Spiderwork, and Firebird; and the Wyrd and Fae series: Give Me, Bride of Fae, Fever Mist, and A Glimmering Girl.
Her My Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre Retold) a retelling of the Gothic novel set in a future utopia.
Her short story Slurp is included in Deadly Treats, an anthology edited by Anne Frasier from Nodin Press. Rigel's writing has also appeared in Literary Mama and Tattoo Highway.
She lives in California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
January 15, 2011
The author of Spiderwork (In Flagrante Apocalypto #2) calls her series a romance, but I think that's doing it an injustice. There are bigger themes at work here – the breakdown of humanity and its rebuilding, with tyrants, political intrigue, city-states, manipulations, and the resurgence of old gods and ancient religion. In a twist of reader irony, Spiderwork's being more than a simple love story, is what frustrates me the most about this novella (perhaps the series?) even though I loved it.
Rigel has a lot of plates spinning in the air. Spiderwork is potentially a complex story, with good characterizations, including a capricious god who has no compunction against making an example (killing) her loyal followers for their very human foibles. There are characters who sacrifice power for love, and those who risk everything for power.
The redevelopment of an old religion is another pervasive theme, with two rival gods, and hints of opposing worship practices. This is precisely the flaw of the story though... too many hints, not enough words in this short-ish installment.
*mild spoilers ahead*
Some of the spinning plates are dropped. What happened to Sky and Tesla? Were they ever found, was the technology recovered? How did Alice and the bees survive Sameal's cleansing fire? Sameal's worshipers are only referenced, but clearly important, so in what way is this rival faith developing, and if it's not, why not? How is Garrick's industrial and oil-dependent city surviving in a world that has regressed to mostly pre- and early- industrial conditions? And we still know next to nothing about the Empani – who appear to be an empath/morph race or hybrid. How did they come about, and what are their motivations?*
In spite of these flaws, which mostly boil down to “TOO SHORT,” (I know! I'm harping, I'm a harpy!) I really love the story and the world-building that is occurring here. I read quite a bit of post-apocalyptic fiction, and rarely see stories where a science-based society is returning to a faith-based one. Spiderwork is more fantasy than science fiction, but it's still quite solidly in the middle of the two genres as a cross-over – with a world that is still looking to the development of technology as a survival mechanism, but has been thrown into undeniable contact with old gods, their schemes and their desires.
I'm definitely looking forward to the next piece of the tale.
*addendum: in response to some of these questions (posed here in this review, and elsewhere by other reviewers) Rigel has expanded this installment of the series. (Score one for indies, who can revise a new work if needed.) Some of the dangling plotlines are either resolved or explained - and a good job too, they weren't overdone, so it doesn't feel like a knee-jerk revision - and some seem to be left for a later volume.
Much more satifying.
Rigel has a lot of plates spinning in the air. Spiderwork is potentially a complex story, with good characterizations, including a capricious god who has no compunction against making an example (killing) her loyal followers for their very human foibles. There are characters who sacrifice power for love, and those who risk everything for power.
The redevelopment of an old religion is another pervasive theme, with two rival gods, and hints of opposing worship practices. This is precisely the flaw of the story though... too many hints, not enough words in this short-ish installment.
*mild spoilers ahead*
Some of the spinning plates are dropped. What happened to Sky and Tesla? Were they ever found, was the technology recovered? How did Alice and the bees survive Sameal's cleansing fire? Sameal's worshipers are only referenced, but clearly important, so in what way is this rival faith developing, and if it's not, why not? How is Garrick's industrial and oil-dependent city surviving in a world that has regressed to mostly pre- and early- industrial conditions? And we still know next to nothing about the Empani – who appear to be an empath/morph race or hybrid. How did they come about, and what are their motivations?*
In spite of these flaws, which mostly boil down to “TOO SHORT,” (I know! I'm harping, I'm a harpy!) I really love the story and the world-building that is occurring here. I read quite a bit of post-apocalyptic fiction, and rarely see stories where a science-based society is returning to a faith-based one. Spiderwork is more fantasy than science fiction, but it's still quite solidly in the middle of the two genres as a cross-over – with a world that is still looking to the development of technology as a survival mechanism, but has been thrown into undeniable contact with old gods, their schemes and their desires.
I'm definitely looking forward to the next piece of the tale.
*addendum: in response to some of these questions (posed here in this review, and elsewhere by other reviewers) Rigel has expanded this installment of the series. (Score one for indies, who can revise a new work if needed.) Some of the dangling plotlines are either resolved or explained - and a good job too, they weren't overdone, so it doesn't feel like a knee-jerk revision - and some seem to be left for a later volume.
Much more satifying.
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March 22, 2020🎁 Books 1 & 2 in the Series are FREE on Amazon today (3/22/2020)! 🎁
June 21, 2011
Spiderwork is the second book in L.K. Rigel’s Apocalypto series, and it being the sequel to Space Junque, the comparison arises. I thought as Space Junque was Char’s story, Spiderwork would be about Durga, but was pleasantly surprised to see that although she was certainly one of the main characters, there was enough time and space to focus on others as well: we got to revisit some characters we got to know in the first book like Char, Jake and Magda and a whole new set of characters were introduced: emerging leaders of the new empires/settlements, chalices and the inhabitants of the settlement Jake and Char have built.
I confess that I didn’t like Durga in Space Junque and because of that wasn’t really looking forward to Spiderwork, but she grew up to be a quiet and serious young woman who made me forget about the precocious little girl who irritated me with her arrogance and know-it-all attitude. It was good to see she had a more human side behind the mask of mission and that despite being the chosen one feared and respected by all she still had human emotions and needs.
The world setting became even more complex and detailed and thanks to L.K. Rigel’s writing my biggest concern and fear regarding sci-fi and fantasy (namely that I won’t be able to picture the abnormal settings/creatures/things) wasn’t realized here. Everything was described in great detail and even though I consider myself not too imaginative when it comes to sci-fi, I saw the extraordinary settings and strange species clearly.
Though the Apocalypto series has strong romance storylines and love is interwoven all through the story this series has many other focal points: it explores tyranny, democracy, politicians’ unethical behaviour, environmental issues, religious beliefs, love and one of the most important ones: reproduction. (but fear not, despite these serious issues it is most certainly not dull or boring!)
I have to confess that I was in turmoil over this specific aspect of the Apocalypto series. In this faraway future women are infertile, so when a goddess resurfaced and assembled a dozen girls giving them fertility and long life (they will live until they are 150 years), they were also given a mission: they have to populate the Earth and provide men with children. Of course through this construction these women become breeding machines, having no say in choosing the fathers or how many children they give birth to. They can’t have bonds with their babies as it would make the separation harder. The whole procedure reminded me of mail order purchases: the rulers of the settlements chose their chalice based on what kind of baby they wanted and then got the baby after the pregnancy. This inhuman and cruel, impersonal breeding upset me.
As one of the characters said:
"Not every woman who bleeds longs to become a glorified prostitute"
And that is exactly what I thought of these poor women, I didn’t see them as revered and being in enviable positions :-/
What makes L.K. Rigel’ sci-fi series very enjoyable even to sci-fi newbies like me is that despite the rich extraordinary world she creted she explores in depth her characters and their thoughts and feelings, and it is these emotional layers which make the story whole.
"Sometimes when I look at her my heart feels like it's been torn out of my chest. It hurts."
Jake about his love for Char
Verdict: I found Spiderwork even better and more vibrant than Space Junque and am looking forward to Bleeder, to see where L.K. Rigel is taking the characters and the big arch of the storyline in the third book.
This section of a song sang in the story describes the series perfectly:
"And if the old world has died, then let a new world arise
He'll live out his days, and hold her so long, hold her so strong
He doesn't even wonder now.
And he'll remain a man though the gods are changing"
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 8/10
Cover: 10/10
I confess that I didn’t like Durga in Space Junque and because of that wasn’t really looking forward to Spiderwork, but she grew up to be a quiet and serious young woman who made me forget about the precocious little girl who irritated me with her arrogance and know-it-all attitude. It was good to see she had a more human side behind the mask of mission and that despite being the chosen one feared and respected by all she still had human emotions and needs.
The world setting became even more complex and detailed and thanks to L.K. Rigel’s writing my biggest concern and fear regarding sci-fi and fantasy (namely that I won’t be able to picture the abnormal settings/creatures/things) wasn’t realized here. Everything was described in great detail and even though I consider myself not too imaginative when it comes to sci-fi, I saw the extraordinary settings and strange species clearly.
Though the Apocalypto series has strong romance storylines and love is interwoven all through the story this series has many other focal points: it explores tyranny, democracy, politicians’ unethical behaviour, environmental issues, religious beliefs, love and one of the most important ones: reproduction. (but fear not, despite these serious issues it is most certainly not dull or boring!)
I have to confess that I was in turmoil over this specific aspect of the Apocalypto series. In this faraway future women are infertile, so when a goddess resurfaced and assembled a dozen girls giving them fertility and long life (they will live until they are 150 years), they were also given a mission: they have to populate the Earth and provide men with children. Of course through this construction these women become breeding machines, having no say in choosing the fathers or how many children they give birth to. They can’t have bonds with their babies as it would make the separation harder. The whole procedure reminded me of mail order purchases: the rulers of the settlements chose their chalice based on what kind of baby they wanted and then got the baby after the pregnancy. This inhuman and cruel, impersonal breeding upset me.
As one of the characters said:
"Not every woman who bleeds longs to become a glorified prostitute"
And that is exactly what I thought of these poor women, I didn’t see them as revered and being in enviable positions :-/
What makes L.K. Rigel’ sci-fi series very enjoyable even to sci-fi newbies like me is that despite the rich extraordinary world she creted she explores in depth her characters and their thoughts and feelings, and it is these emotional layers which make the story whole.
"Sometimes when I look at her my heart feels like it's been torn out of my chest. It hurts."
Jake about his love for Char
Verdict: I found Spiderwork even better and more vibrant than Space Junque and am looking forward to Bleeder, to see where L.K. Rigel is taking the characters and the big arch of the storyline in the third book.
This section of a song sang in the story describes the series perfectly:
"And if the old world has died, then let a new world arise
He'll live out his days, and hold her so long, hold her so strong
He doesn't even wonder now.
And he'll remain a man though the gods are changing"
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 8/10
Cover: 10/10
July 14, 2012
Expect my review on April 18, 2011 on my website: http://reenajacobs.com/blog/2011/04/n...
Where I would call Space Junque a science fiction space opera, Spiderwork is more of a post-apocalyptic dystopian fantasy. The earth is jacked up royally, animal products we take for granted are a rarity, and humans are a dying species. Interesting enough, much of the technology from Space Junque novel is gone… gone… gone.
This was one of those books I had mixed feeling about. A lot had to do with my belief system. You see, I’m a huge advocate for women’s sexual health and rights. Spiderwork kind of trampled all over that. Even as I type this, I know it’s a huge part of the storyline, and without this aspect of the novella much of the forward momentum would be nonexistent. Still, the idea of young women (girls, even) being exploited didn’t sit well with me. Furthermore, the thought of my lover getting it on with another… well I let’s just say it doesn’t give me the warm fuzzies.
Even so, on a cultural level, the belief system of the characters was interesting. Though I’m American, drenched in American values, I can envision that kind of behavior going on in other parts of the world and taken as normal. Yes, it rubbed me all sorts of wrong, but at the same time it was completely realistic.
Because the concepts were foreign to me, the entire book was unpredictable. It was enjoyable to read a book and not know what to expect. I remember thinking this is not the way a romance is supposed to go. Guys and gals… this is not a romance with your happily ever after. Not a bad thing if you’re like me, a lover of realistic endings rather than the cozy everything turns out perfect ones. And I have to say, I absolutely loved this ending… enough to move on to the sequel, Bleeder.
From the rumors, I get the feeling Bleeder has a happily ever after. So perhaps the entire series will appeal to romance readers as a whole.
Other than going into culture shock, I think I would have liked if this work had a bit more meat to it. Not that the work was too short. Novellas work for me. It just would have been nice to explore each event a little more thoroughly. As it was, I felt like I was on a race to the end with each scene. I think I mentioned in the Space Junque review, Ms. Rigel isn’t one to waste words. Same thing here. She has a story to tell, and she tells it… no added fluff. After some of the comments folks have made about Shadow Cat, I definitely could use some lessons from Ms. Rigel.
Where I would call Space Junque a science fiction space opera, Spiderwork is more of a post-apocalyptic dystopian fantasy. The earth is jacked up royally, animal products we take for granted are a rarity, and humans are a dying species. Interesting enough, much of the technology from Space Junque novel is gone… gone… gone.
This was one of those books I had mixed feeling about. A lot had to do with my belief system. You see, I’m a huge advocate for women’s sexual health and rights. Spiderwork kind of trampled all over that. Even as I type this, I know it’s a huge part of the storyline, and without this aspect of the novella much of the forward momentum would be nonexistent. Still, the idea of young women (girls, even) being exploited didn’t sit well with me. Furthermore, the thought of my lover getting it on with another… well I let’s just say it doesn’t give me the warm fuzzies.
Even so, on a cultural level, the belief system of the characters was interesting. Though I’m American, drenched in American values, I can envision that kind of behavior going on in other parts of the world and taken as normal. Yes, it rubbed me all sorts of wrong, but at the same time it was completely realistic.
Because the concepts were foreign to me, the entire book was unpredictable. It was enjoyable to read a book and not know what to expect. I remember thinking this is not the way a romance is supposed to go. Guys and gals… this is not a romance with your happily ever after. Not a bad thing if you’re like me, a lover of realistic endings rather than the cozy everything turns out perfect ones. And I have to say, I absolutely loved this ending… enough to move on to the sequel, Bleeder.
From the rumors, I get the feeling Bleeder has a happily ever after. So perhaps the entire series will appeal to romance readers as a whole.
Other than going into culture shock, I think I would have liked if this work had a bit more meat to it. Not that the work was too short. Novellas work for me. It just would have been nice to explore each event a little more thoroughly. As it was, I felt like I was on a race to the end with each scene. I think I mentioned in the Space Junque review, Ms. Rigel isn’t one to waste words. Same thing here. She has a story to tell, and she tells it… no added fluff. After some of the comments folks have made about Shadow Cat, I definitely could use some lessons from Ms. Rigel.
July 25, 2011
Set several years after Space Junque, many of the characters reappear. Durga, a young woman chosen by the goddess Asherah must serve as a chalice, one of the few fertile women in the world. She must conceive a child with a political leader to help repopulate the world with souls. But love isn't supposed to be part of the deal. Jake heads a city-state with Char at his side. The political situation dictates he must have a child with a chalice to further develop his city. Can he survive the political waters, and will his relationship with Char survive?
Another short novella, this one managed to tell both Durga's story, as well as Jake and Char's. I preferred reading about Jake and Char, only because I found Durga offsetting. She wasn't a very likable character, and I had a hard time believing her capable of love.
I found the further development of the world very interesting. It was easy to see how the situation had evolved from the first book. It was interesting, and yet slightly repulsive as fertile women were basically become prostitutes. Even though they were supposedly picked by the goddess to be honoured, it felt like a poorly dealt hand for the women.
I found the reactions of some of the non-fertile women to be amusing. Particularly Char's view on child birth. Living in a world without natural childbirth, she found the idea of it horrifying. When she expressed her thoughts on the subject, I found myself giggling because really, if you only heard about it as tales from the distant past, it could be discribed as horrible.
This was a great second book. Complete in itself, yet part of the larger story. Can't wait to read more.
Another short novella, this one managed to tell both Durga's story, as well as Jake and Char's. I preferred reading about Jake and Char, only because I found Durga offsetting. She wasn't a very likable character, and I had a hard time believing her capable of love.
I found the further development of the world very interesting. It was easy to see how the situation had evolved from the first book. It was interesting, and yet slightly repulsive as fertile women were basically become prostitutes. Even though they were supposedly picked by the goddess to be honoured, it felt like a poorly dealt hand for the women.
I found the reactions of some of the non-fertile women to be amusing. Particularly Char's view on child birth. Living in a world without natural childbirth, she found the idea of it horrifying. When she expressed her thoughts on the subject, I found myself giggling because really, if you only heard about it as tales from the distant past, it could be discribed as horrible.
This was a great second book. Complete in itself, yet part of the larger story. Can't wait to read more.
March 23, 2011
If the beautiful cover doesn't make you want to read this, the summary will definitely suck you into this gripping story. After I read "Hero Material," I knew I had to find out what was in store for Char and Jake as well as what was left of the population. It has been a ride I would recommend anyone take. Don't let the science-fiction feel of "Hero Material" deter you from this series because it has so much to offer.
"Spiderwork" picks up where "Hero Material" (formerly "Space Junque") left off. Jake's ship, the Space Junque, crashed. The rebuilding of the world has begun and Jake is front and center in the effort. Char has been discarded by the goddess and she soon realizes that Jake is to be saved by one of the marked chalices. This definitely caused me to raise my eyebrows and think, WTF.
Overall, Rigel created one hell of a world filled with characters that you could really get attached to. The world itself is still in the beginning stages of being rebuilt and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next. I would definitely recommend this series to readers that are curious about science fiction but don't want to get all Star Trekky. The romance really brings this series to a whole new level, leaving the sci-fi factors in the dust, so to speak.
"Spiderwork" picks up where "Hero Material" (formerly "Space Junque") left off. Jake's ship, the Space Junque, crashed. The rebuilding of the world has begun and Jake is front and center in the effort. Char has been discarded by the goddess and she soon realizes that Jake is to be saved by one of the marked chalices. This definitely caused me to raise my eyebrows and think, WTF.
Overall, Rigel created one hell of a world filled with characters that you could really get attached to. The world itself is still in the beginning stages of being rebuilt and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next. I would definitely recommend this series to readers that are curious about science fiction but don't want to get all Star Trekky. The romance really brings this series to a whole new level, leaving the sci-fi factors in the dust, so to speak.
dnf
July 11, 2015no...
June 2, 2018
Great part 2 of apocalyptic storyline
Females rule even when they may not be the top of the world. Great characters & hear storyline. A compelling read - on to the next!
Females rule even when they may not be the top of the world. Great characters & hear storyline. A compelling read - on to the next!
July 12, 2016
SPIDERWORK is a gritty novel of action and political intrique with a healthy serving of romance mixed in. Fans of Space Junque* will be happy to return to the futuristic world imagined by Ms. Rigel. Newcomers will be fascinated by her paranormal romance, as well.
Set about 10 years after the events of Space Junque*, SPIDERWORK is a bit of a "bridge" novel. Jake is now a lord with his own settlement, and he and Char are still together and still in love, which is nice to see. I always love revisiting couples in a series, just to kind of "check in" on them, so to speak. It makes the world feel more alive to me.
The main romance is between Durga and Khai, however. Durga is a prophet, a chosen one of the Goddess. When we first meet her in SPACE JUNQUE*, she's just a child. Now she's fast approaching her eighteenth birthday, and Khai fascinates her. The ruler of Luxor is darkly handsome, a political genius and just an all-around great guy. It's easy to see why Durga falls for him. Even though they were good together and I loved their interaction, there was a bit of a shadow hanging over them because of their stations.
The other issue I had with the book is the whole "chalice" thing. Only a handful of females are chosen by the goddess to be fertile, and in order to rule, a man must have two natural-born heirs. The practical part of me gets why the chalices are necessary and I certainly don't think
badly of them, but I feel sorry for them. Love doesn't seem to be something that most of them will experience, or if they do, it will end badly. Even the children they bear are taken and given to their fathers. However, the issue of the chalices is something that is integral to the world setting - there is no getting away from it. Time will tell how much of a part it plays in the series as a whole.
SPIDERWORK is a great read. The world-building is fascinating. We're basically getting to see the past which leads up to the setting of BLEEDER, Miss Rigel's upcoming novel set in the same world. My understanding is that BLEEDER will be the first story to take place in the "present day" of the series. It's definitely a unique approach to building a series, and I am eagerly awaiting the next novella, BLUE AMBER, along with the first full-length novel, BLEEDER. Just to clarify, both SPACE JUNQUE* and SPIDERWORK have been stand-alone stories. Like an intricate meal, each individual course will fill you up, but when taken together they each build upon the other to make a unique experience.
SPIDERWORK is a deftly written, bitter-sweet romance that will definitely whet the appetite for more.
* SPACE JUNQUE will be renamed and receive a new cover. Its new title will be Hero Material. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews.
Set about 10 years after the events of Space Junque*, SPIDERWORK is a bit of a "bridge" novel. Jake is now a lord with his own settlement, and he and Char are still together and still in love, which is nice to see. I always love revisiting couples in a series, just to kind of "check in" on them, so to speak. It makes the world feel more alive to me.
The main romance is between Durga and Khai, however. Durga is a prophet, a chosen one of the Goddess. When we first meet her in SPACE JUNQUE*, she's just a child. Now she's fast approaching her eighteenth birthday, and Khai fascinates her. The ruler of Luxor is darkly handsome, a political genius and just an all-around great guy. It's easy to see why Durga falls for him. Even though they were good together and I loved their interaction, there was a bit of a shadow hanging over them because of their stations.
The other issue I had with the book is the whole "chalice" thing. Only a handful of females are chosen by the goddess to be fertile, and in order to rule, a man must have two natural-born heirs. The practical part of me gets why the chalices are necessary and I certainly don't think
badly of them, but I feel sorry for them. Love doesn't seem to be something that most of them will experience, or if they do, it will end badly. Even the children they bear are taken and given to their fathers. However, the issue of the chalices is something that is integral to the world setting - there is no getting away from it. Time will tell how much of a part it plays in the series as a whole.
SPIDERWORK is a great read. The world-building is fascinating. We're basically getting to see the past which leads up to the setting of BLEEDER, Miss Rigel's upcoming novel set in the same world. My understanding is that BLEEDER will be the first story to take place in the "present day" of the series. It's definitely a unique approach to building a series, and I am eagerly awaiting the next novella, BLUE AMBER, along with the first full-length novel, BLEEDER. Just to clarify, both SPACE JUNQUE* and SPIDERWORK have been stand-alone stories. Like an intricate meal, each individual course will fill you up, but when taken together they each build upon the other to make a unique experience.
SPIDERWORK is a deftly written, bitter-sweet romance that will definitely whet the appetite for more.
* SPACE JUNQUE will be renamed and receive a new cover. Its new title will be Hero Material. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews.
August 27, 2011
I wasn't in love with the first book in this series but I thought it had a lot of really interesting concepts and there was something about it that wormed its way into my brain. I pretty much knew that I was going to be reading this book at some point but I still wasn't entirely sold on whether or not I'd like it. While I did end up liking the overall flow of this book a lot more than I liked book 1, I still thought some of the action was a little choppy (as in, things would sometimes happen and I'd have to go back and reread the last few sections because I felt like I missed something). However, the characters and the world more than made up for it.
In book 1, Durga was the creepy mouthpiece for the Goddess. Frankly, she gave me the willies. Fast forward 8 years and she's grown up. She's still got a little bit of a creep factor but the idea that she's had to give up everything for her Goddess is sad and made me feel for her. Her revelation that she'll have to basically live her life alone because she can't afford to let her emotions get tangled up as she and the chalices set about repopulating the planet... that was the moment she came alive for me. To have someone who could love her unconditionally standing before her and for her to know that she was going to have to walk away was hard to read.
Meanwhile, Char and Jake are dealing with their own challenges. Jake's working on building his city into something worthwhile. Char is jealous that he has to have children with someone who isn't her. The world is screwed up and dangerous and their enemies are waiting in the wings to pounce and take what they've worked so hard for from them.
It really is a fascinating world that L.K. Rigel has created. Deadly at the best of times, sucking the hope out of them at the worst, this damaged world is slowly (very, very slowly) righting itself. The scope of the story feels big - years pass from the beginning of the story to the end - and there's some interesting setup for book 3 in the epilogue.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
In book 1, Durga was the creepy mouthpiece for the Goddess. Frankly, she gave me the willies. Fast forward 8 years and she's grown up. She's still got a little bit of a creep factor but the idea that she's had to give up everything for her Goddess is sad and made me feel for her. Her revelation that she'll have to basically live her life alone because she can't afford to let her emotions get tangled up as she and the chalices set about repopulating the planet... that was the moment she came alive for me. To have someone who could love her unconditionally standing before her and for her to know that she was going to have to walk away was hard to read.
Meanwhile, Char and Jake are dealing with their own challenges. Jake's working on building his city into something worthwhile. Char is jealous that he has to have children with someone who isn't her. The world is screwed up and dangerous and their enemies are waiting in the wings to pounce and take what they've worked so hard for from them.
It really is a fascinating world that L.K. Rigel has created. Deadly at the best of times, sucking the hope out of them at the worst, this damaged world is slowly (very, very slowly) righting itself. The scope of the story feels big - years pass from the beginning of the story to the end - and there's some interesting setup for book 3 in the epilogue.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
July 24, 2013
I was given this book for an honest review.
Hmmm wow, this story was definitely something else. That's what I can tell you right from the start. Sadly I had no idea that this was book 2 in a series, so I was little lost on some of the things but not much. This book did include a lot of info from the first book so it looks like I didn't miss out on to much here. Now the characters were very interesting. At times there was a lot going on with them so it would take me a minute to catch up but in the end I got it. Oh lord and poor Char, what that chick had to endure for Jake made her a strong ass woman in my book. I don't think I could name one person that would of been able to do the same in her place. She acted far better than I would have, I would have been a selfish b**ch through the whole thing lol. And oh sweet boy Jake, I just wanted to squeeze him, he really did love her. So sweet, I feel I may need a tissue. And Durga now that child was a little strange and often times ran me in circles. So as you can tell I liked the characters.
Now for the story itself. Like I said this story was something else, and that is probably the best words I can use to describe it. I really did find it interesting, seeing how I haven't read to many stories like this one. I found a few misspelled words and sometimes there were words left out in a sentence. And the writing was very rough and choppy. The story would start flowing along and bam it would just all of a sudden change course or would just stop all of a sudden. Especially close to the end of the chapter, I just felt like there was a lot left off or something. Even though the story was a little rough I still found it enjoyable and like I said I really liked the characters and their crazy lives. So that made it all work for me.
Hmmm wow, this story was definitely something else. That's what I can tell you right from the start. Sadly I had no idea that this was book 2 in a series, so I was little lost on some of the things but not much. This book did include a lot of info from the first book so it looks like I didn't miss out on to much here. Now the characters were very interesting. At times there was a lot going on with them so it would take me a minute to catch up but in the end I got it. Oh lord and poor Char, what that chick had to endure for Jake made her a strong ass woman in my book. I don't think I could name one person that would of been able to do the same in her place. She acted far better than I would have, I would have been a selfish b**ch through the whole thing lol. And oh sweet boy Jake, I just wanted to squeeze him, he really did love her. So sweet, I feel I may need a tissue. And Durga now that child was a little strange and often times ran me in circles. So as you can tell I liked the characters.
Now for the story itself. Like I said this story was something else, and that is probably the best words I can use to describe it. I really did find it interesting, seeing how I haven't read to many stories like this one. I found a few misspelled words and sometimes there were words left out in a sentence. And the writing was very rough and choppy. The story would start flowing along and bam it would just all of a sudden change course or would just stop all of a sudden. Especially close to the end of the chapter, I just felt like there was a lot left off or something. Even though the story was a little rough I still found it enjoyable and like I said I really liked the characters and their crazy lives. So that made it all work for me.
January 26, 2011
Hmmmm. First thing - the cover is gorgeous and the dress in the cover does play a part in the story. Just as I felt Space Junque was a little too short, I feel like this one is too. There's *so much* going on, and it's really interesting stuff, but I felt that it was a little bit glossed over at times. That being said, it was great to see Char, Jake, and Durga again, especially now that Durga is a young adult. I also enjoyed the ghost, Alice, and I'm very intrigued by the idea of ghosts in general. I hope we get to learn more about them as the series progresses. I'm also curious about the whole soul thing....strange, but interesting.
And that epilogue...I hope we aren't left totally hanging! Important things obviously happened between the end of the final chapter and the epilogue, and I want to know more! I look forward to Bleeder and anything else set in this world. We're given enough bits and pieces to follow what's happening immediately, but I definitely felt like I didn't understand the big picture, and I can't wait to learn more.
This is a very disjointed review, but my thoughts about this novella are all over the place right now. I liked it, but other than that, I don't know what to think. Maybe once I've digested it some more, I'll have more coherent things to say. Or maybe not.
Note: Received this free from the author for being one of the first to sign up for her newsletter. Score!
And that epilogue...I hope we aren't left totally hanging! Important things obviously happened between the end of the final chapter and the epilogue, and I want to know more! I look forward to Bleeder and anything else set in this world. We're given enough bits and pieces to follow what's happening immediately, but I definitely felt like I didn't understand the big picture, and I can't wait to learn more.
This is a very disjointed review, but my thoughts about this novella are all over the place right now. I liked it, but other than that, I don't know what to think. Maybe once I've digested it some more, I'll have more coherent things to say. Or maybe not.
Note: Received this free from the author for being one of the first to sign up for her newsletter. Score!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2011
Spiderwork is the 2nd book in the Apocalypto series. I think the cover is beautiful and is perfect for the storyline. This book is a novella like the first, but I think this one is more fantasy where the first was more science-fiction oriented. In this story, the world is trying to rebuild and start fresh. Not only are they rebuilding towns, they are trying to rebuild the population.
I really liked Jake and Char from the first book, and was glad to see that they had a large part in this book as well. This book is centered mostly around Durga though. Durga is the chosen one – it is her mission to save the world from extinction. She is basically in charge of the chalices – the women who are fertile and must get pregnant by various men to help restore the population. As Durga turns 18, it is her turn to become a chalice.
There are a lot of interesting things going on here. The author delves deeper into the topic of souls – which is intriguing and confusing at the same time. I would have like to see more of Durga and Khai. It was a bittersweet romance. The writing, plot, and characters are all wonderful. For whatever reason, I just didn't fully connect with the book which is mainly what is keeping me from giving it 4 stars. I have read Bleeder prior to writing this review. If you read Space Junque, and are debating on continuing with the series – I would recommend it!
I really liked Jake and Char from the first book, and was glad to see that they had a large part in this book as well. This book is centered mostly around Durga though. Durga is the chosen one – it is her mission to save the world from extinction. She is basically in charge of the chalices – the women who are fertile and must get pregnant by various men to help restore the population. As Durga turns 18, it is her turn to become a chalice.
There are a lot of interesting things going on here. The author delves deeper into the topic of souls – which is intriguing and confusing at the same time. I would have like to see more of Durga and Khai. It was a bittersweet romance. The writing, plot, and characters are all wonderful. For whatever reason, I just didn't fully connect with the book which is mainly what is keeping me from giving it 4 stars. I have read Bleeder prior to writing this review. If you read Space Junque, and are debating on continuing with the series – I would recommend it!
July 21, 2011
This is a continuation of the story begun in "Space Junque." It follows the main characters as they try to reestablish civilization in the face of environmental disaster.
It took a somewhat strange turn when it talked about people having souls (some don't). How they get a soul is through connection to the All during the last trimester of pregnancy - if they can have, like, the ultimate orgasm. Really weird stuff and it bogged down the overall storyline.
The live births are still through the "chalices," women who have been blessed with menstruation. People out in the cities don't have this. The chalices are reserved for the kings/rulers of the city-states so they can continue their ruling line.
This story lays out the beginnings of real civilization and the importance of the Red City (where the chalices live).
It was a good story. I enjoyed it. Looking forward to the third book, "Bleeder."
Great cover art. I loved this cover in particular. It's beautiful.
It took a somewhat strange turn when it talked about people having souls (some don't). How they get a soul is through connection to the All during the last trimester of pregnancy - if they can have, like, the ultimate orgasm. Really weird stuff and it bogged down the overall storyline.
The live births are still through the "chalices," women who have been blessed with menstruation. People out in the cities don't have this. The chalices are reserved for the kings/rulers of the city-states so they can continue their ruling line.
This story lays out the beginnings of real civilization and the importance of the Red City (where the chalices live).
It was a good story. I enjoyed it. Looking forward to the third book, "Bleeder."
Great cover art. I loved this cover in particular. It's beautiful.
October 20, 2011
It's years after Space Junque has gone back to Earth. Jake and Char are lovers, still, and he is now head of his domain. Durga, as the chosen one of Ashera, has taken her "chalices" and they are trying to replenish the population of Earth. They are the Bleeders.
We watch the interplay between the different domains, some good, some bad, but Garrick, the main problem with the old world has been chosen by the god, Samael, and therefore is very powerful, although it's the main pollution problem of Earth.
Follow along as rules are put into place, ruling the Chalices.
The Chalices are basically fertile females who are "rented out" to give the various kingdoms a male and a female heir. We discover that some people have souls, and some do not, and they have to have a soul to be worthy. Explicit sex pick up in this book.
We watch the interplay between the different domains, some good, some bad, but Garrick, the main problem with the old world has been chosen by the god, Samael, and therefore is very powerful, although it's the main pollution problem of Earth.
Follow along as rules are put into place, ruling the Chalices.
The Chalices are basically fertile females who are "rented out" to give the various kingdoms a male and a female heir. We discover that some people have souls, and some do not, and they have to have a soul to be worthy. Explicit sex pick up in this book.
September 27, 2013
At times this reminded me of Atwoods Handmaids Tale, the concept of a select group of fertile women leaving their own home to have children for communities outside of their own after an apocalyptic event being similar in concept.
But aside from that similarity this was very much its own work, the world drawn by the author was engaging and realistic.
This is the second book in the series but the first I downloaded to my Kindle and while there were moments in the early part when I felt that I was missing something having not read the first book overall this is a good standalone novel.
I was very happy to realised that I actually had bought the whole series at the same time as I bought Spiderwork as on finishing I was keen to go back to the beginning and get to know the characters better, and follow their continuing story in the subsequent books.
But aside from that similarity this was very much its own work, the world drawn by the author was engaging and realistic.
This is the second book in the series but the first I downloaded to my Kindle and while there were moments in the early part when I felt that I was missing something having not read the first book overall this is a good standalone novel.
I was very happy to realised that I actually had bought the whole series at the same time as I bought Spiderwork as on finishing I was keen to go back to the beginning and get to know the characters better, and follow their continuing story in the subsequent books.
October 26, 2011
In a way Spiderwork is less confusing, than Space Junque but less interesting as well. The story continues in the new world 8 years later. Little girl Durga possessed and chosen to lead the world by the goddess, is now 18 and starts changing her own life and views on chalices as soon as she falls in love with Khai.
Again there is not enough world-building, instead there are glimpses of what's happening. The storyline jumps between Durga and Char and Jake's struggles for their love and the city they built.
There is also a hint of another prophecy about a girl who will ruin everything Durga built... A guess next book will be about her. A mish-mash of stories and images, and I still couldn't see the whole picture.
Again there is not enough world-building, instead there are glimpses of what's happening. The storyline jumps between Durga and Char and Jake's struggles for their love and the city they built.
There is also a hint of another prophecy about a girl who will ruin everything Durga built... A guess next book will be about her. A mish-mash of stories and images, and I still couldn't see the whole picture.
January 14, 2012
I am so confused. Apparently I downloaded this as a free Nook Book, and didn't have it clearly marked as book 2. Through the beginning of the book I kept feeling like the author was not doing a very good job of setting up the world, and she mentioned history very vaguely. Now that I go to mark it as 'read' - it is a sequel! Well now that makes more sense. I also apparently do have book 1 on my Nook as well so I guess that's what I will read next.
Even having said that, this book was a little odd. I didn't like the pacing much and it had a strange religion which was referred to often but didn't feel well developed even so. A solid 3 stars, but not highly recommended, in my opinion.
The cover is gorgeous though!
Even having said that, this book was a little odd. I didn't like the pacing much and it had a strange religion which was referred to often but didn't feel well developed even so. A solid 3 stars, but not highly recommended, in my opinion.
The cover is gorgeous though!
April 19, 2012
This is a great follow up to L.K. Rigel's Space Junque. I thoroughly enjoy the world this writer has created. The vision is unique. I feel like there are a lot of aspects to this book. It is deep and thought provoking. The plot of the story weaves a web of love, sex and duty. The writer takes us on a journey about the connection between all three. It is at times beautiful and heartbreaking. I love the writing and the cover is phenomenal. This series is one of the best I have read. Looking forward to the next installment in the Apocalypto Series!
September 25, 2013
A great follow up book to Space Junque. It was fun to follow along as the key players involved struggle to form a new world order after catastrophic events destroy the world as we know it. As with Space Junque, I found myself re-reading paragraphs- but more because I didn't want to miss anything than from a lack of understanding events.
This is a story packed full of interesting characters, a unique plot line, and thought provoking ideas of what our world could someday look like. I enjoyed reading it (for the second time) very much.
This is a story packed full of interesting characters, a unique plot line, and thought provoking ideas of what our world could someday look like. I enjoyed reading it (for the second time) very much.
April 16, 2012
My own fault: I didn't realize this book was the 2nd book in a series. I was fairly confused at first but was able to carry on. Some of my confusion was also with how the author handled some of the end of the world stuff and kept tossing names of people, cities, etc around. Still, an interesting read. I really enjoyed some of the secondary characters. I may go back and read the first book but I am planning on reading the third.
Having now gone back and read Space Junque, I enjoyed Spiderwork more. A lot of the story made more sense and the plot didn't seem quite so choppy.
Having now gone back and read Space Junque, I enjoyed Spiderwork more. A lot of the story made more sense and the plot didn't seem quite so choppy.
March 1, 2015
Apparently I am a glutton for punishment! I had already purchased this second when I purchased the first in the series so I figured it was short enough to finish quickly and I might enjoy this one better than the last. The world building in this one is a little better and the story is a little better but really these are subpar books that to me are akin to something that might be a first draft. It is in no way up to my standards and while I enjoyed this one a little more then the first one it didn't improve enough to make me want to purchase the next one.
October 28, 2011
Spiderwork is the follow up book to Space Junque. It is the second book in the Apocalypto series. LK is a master at pacing her stories. She gives great details all the while your being whisked on a wonderfully exciting adventure. The world building, story, and characters are all first class. I haven't enjoyed a series this much since I read Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials. I can't put these books down once I start them.
This book has the best cover work I have ever seen.
This book has the best cover work I have ever seen.
July 30, 2011
I think the second in the series was even better than the first. They all leave you wanting more and so I rushed out and downloaded the third one as soon as I was done with this. A little more sexually explicit, this book started to go down the path of a romance novel more than a fantasy novel. Not a bad thing, unless you are really against romance novels. It was definitely more about love than survival. Still a good, fast read.
October 13, 2011
Spiderwork reminded me of a sci-fi version of The Handmaid's Tale, but I have to say that the writing was absolutely atrocious. At times the author seemed to rush through the dialog without a clear indication of a character switch, and as a result, it ended up confusing the beejesus out of me. I also did not enjoy how nonchalant the characters acted towards the events going on around them, the entire book just felt extremely distant and rushed.
May 9, 2013
This book felt jumpy and rushed, even more than the first one. I would have liked to see more character development, descriptions of the various cities and in-depth conversations between the characters. A lot of the action goes on "off-stage" and those scenes could have improved the flow of the story. I would rate it 3 stars, but the songs Khai sings made me cry and that rarely happens when I read, so I added a star back in.
to-ponder
October 21, 2011http://dearauthor.com/features/indust...
"Author LK Rigel’s self published book, Spiderwork, has a gorgeous cover. So gorgeous that HarperCollins contacted the artist to purchase it from her. The artist refused. No matter, thinks HarperCollins. (Updated: the cover art for Bewitching will now be changed)"
"Author LK Rigel’s self published book, Spiderwork, has a gorgeous cover. So gorgeous that HarperCollins contacted the artist to purchase it from her. The artist refused. No matter, thinks HarperCollins. (Updated: the cover art for Bewitching will now be changed)"
April 28, 2012
When I started this book, I had forgotten it was a sequel. The first book, Space Junque, was a book I really liked when it started, but liked less at the end. This book I liked more at the end than at the start. Something about the writer's style kept me from connecting to the main characters. However, by the end, I found I liked Durga and was beginning to connect with her.
April 28, 2015
I loved this book! I loved that it took the main characters from the first book & incorporated them into the second book, which introduced two new main characters. Both story lines blended seemlessly. It's a quick read; I would've loved to have had a longer, more developed story. Still this will be a series I reread.
December 11, 2011
This book was okay -- not bad by any stretch, but not outstanding. There are a few really awkwardly written bits (think unedited fan-fic-style writing) at the beginning, but the author gets into her (his?) groove and it smooths out. I liked the story, it is kind of an unusual idea.
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