Tag: space colonization

Categories
Romance Science Fiction

Read Blown Away

Read Blown Away (Cyborg Force, #1)

Breeze O’Day
Windswept, sandblasted Sajave isn’t every astrogeologist’s dream assignment, but it’s been my safe zone from a dangerous past, and now I’m about to announce a game-changing discovery. But on the way to finalize my research, my hovercraft gets caught in a violent sandstorm and crashes. Unfortunately, my rescuer is Tack Grayson, an ill-mannered, bad-tempered mammoth of a man who’s made it perfectly clear saving me is a huge imposition. Well, no worries. I’ll soon be on my way to finish my top secret project, and our paths need never cross again.

Tack Grayson
If I had wanted company, I wouldn’t be living in a cabin hundreds of miles from nowhere. But I’m a cyborg with C-Force and rescuing people is what I do, even if they are idiots who should know better than to venture out in a sandstorm. Now I’m stuck with Breeze O’Day until this storm blows over.

But as I learn more about Breeze and her research, I begin to worry our association won’t end anytime soon. She’s in danger. Serious danger, and she’s going to need my help.

Heroine and hero’s tough romantic histories allow them to connect and trust each other. Always love a scientist heroine. Cyborg has some interesting abilities, like turning his epidermis into armor.

Trust fast to build but I was fine with it. Climax a little underwhelming, though that is probably linked to me watching the progress percent, and since there’s a preview of the next book at the end, the percentage appeared that there would be a lot more story. Would read more in this series.

First person past tense alternating POV. Some voicey direct thoughts indicated in italics.

Categories
Science Fiction

Watched The Expanse S6E6

Watched Babylon's Ashes from m.imdb.com

Inners and Belters fight side by side with the crew of the Rocinante in a last, massive, desperate battle with Marco and his Free Navy, with the fate of the Solar System, the Ring Gates, and of all humanity hanging in the balance.

Classic Holden at the end.

Rolled my eyes at the very symbolic handmade dinner after a season of internal strife 🙄

Not thrilled about the Inaros men’s endings, I had a way I thought would be better.

The space paratrooper attack was not great. Bobbie’s bit was cool even if it didn’t make sense with the show’s internal logic.

Categories
Science Fiction

Watched The Expanse S6E4&5

Watched Redoubt from imdb.com

A controversial decision puts Holden at odds with his crew. On Ceres, Avasarala struggles to contain an escalating humanitarian crisis. Drummer's growing faction stage a daring raid. Filip makes an unexpected discovery.

This is dragggggging. Apparently even worse if you’ve read the books.

Wait is there seriously only one more episode? Uhhhhh….

 

Categories
Science Fiction

Watched The Expanse S6E3

Watched Force Projection from m.imdb.com

Avasarala, with the Combined Fleet of Earth and Mars, takes the war to Marco. Filip and Marco’s relationship is tested. The war becomes more perilous and personal for Holden and Naomi when the Rocinante is suddenly forced into a battle.

Marcos Inaros is not a nuanced character apparently. Won’t take long to turn the belt against him if he follows this path. His new second in command already thinks he’s an idiot.

The previous episode still irritates me — the ship is that strategically vital and a single Mars marine can take it? You don’t have an autodestruct plan in place? For real?

Called it on the Laconia plotline 🙄 Not sure where it goes next though 🤷‍♀️

Categories
Science Fiction

Watched The Expanse S6E1&2

Watched Strange Dogs from m.imdb.com

The Rocinante crew make a startling discovery on an asteroid. Avasarala and Bobbie contend with the devastation on Earth. Drummer and her family must make a heartbreaking decision. On Ceres, Marco and Filip’s struggles turn inward.

Feeling meh so far, hopefully after a few more episodes we’ll get back into it. Too many plotlines, too much politics that’s hard to follow, especially since I continue to struggle with the belter accent. Marcos Inaros struggling to keep that accent in some spots. Having a hard time keeping tabs on this many spaceships. Our spaceship family on the Rocinante is fraying at the seams, frustrating to see them all squabbling.

CGI looking not great. But at least Avasarela’s outfits are still on point. Some of the action happens too quickly for me to follow and I have to get DH to tell me what just happened. At once point I thought there were three spaceships in a scene rather than two because I couldn’t track the movement of one of them.

I really don’t care about the little girl who accidentally killed a baby “bird,” it can’t compete with the other scenes in places we know with people we care about, and the child actor is not up to the same standard as the adults — please stop dragging out this storyline and get to the point. I imagine it would be even duller if I didn’t have a vague idea from DH why that planet is important.

Categories
Science Fiction

Re-watched Dune

Watched

First watched last fall.

I feel like I noticed a lot more of the visual details this time. This director is so good at the atmospheric shots, and the way spice is shown, floating and glittery, looks cool. The lighting is used to excellent effect — apparently they went and shot some desert footage in the Empty Quarter which probably shaped the look.

Lots of symbolism. The mouse was overplayed (and that CGI won’t stand the test of time). I don’t get what the bull was supposed to symbolize. Too many flash forwards IMO.

Continue reading “Re-watched Dune”
Categories
Science Fiction

Watched Lost in Space S1E1

Watched Impact from m.imdb.com

On the way to a space colony, a crisis sends the Robinsons hurtling towards an unfamiliar planet, where they struggle to survive a harrowing night.

Hmm, never saw the original series, is it Swiss Family Robinson in space? Don’t think I’ll watch another episode.

This family would never have passed a psych screening to earn a ship if they’re that in demand.  Parents on the verge of divorce, son with serious self-esteem problems, the “perfect” and the bitter daughter…

What dystopic hellscape only allows families to evacuate from an alien attack and allows anyone unmarried to die? That was a huge damn ship, you could definitely fit more than five people.

Categories
Romance Science Fiction

Read Colonist’s Wife

Read Colonist’s Wife by Kylie Scott

It’s 2088, and having testified in a gangland murder trial, nowhere on Earth is safe for Louise. Witness Protection has organized a new identity and a marriage contract for her on the mining colony of Esther, one of the moons circling Jupiter. The man who meets her there is not the groom she expected.

Adam Elliot is neither sweet nor sincere, and he looks like he was hosed off a barroom floor. But soon a memorial service reveals Adam’s soft underbelly. Throw some stellar sex into the mix and the two decide that maybe marriage to each other might not be so bad after all.

But an assassin is already at work. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues on the planet’s frozen surface. Louise is determined to live long enough to draw the maniac away from the husband she might just have fallen for.

I liked the idea of witness protection in space, and combined with being a mail-order bride really highlights her desperation.

I wish they’d taken a little more time to fall in love. Their backstories were both kept very loose and I think would have helped their character growth if they’d been explored more. Ending felt abrupt.

Categories
Romance Science Fiction

Read Her Cyborg Champion

Read Her Cyborg Champion (The Drift: Haven Colony, #2) by Susan Hayes

She risked everything to escape from Earth – but her new life came with a cost.

Haven colony is Maggie’s new home and her one chance at freedom. Clean water, free air… As far as she’s concerned, it’s paradise. But getting here meant leaving her best friend behind.

It doesn’t take long for her to learn Haven is surrounded by hidden dangers—and the most dangerous of all is a sexy, scarred cyborg named Striker.

Humans took everything from him. His family, his friends, even his voice. Why would he trust one of them with anything?

Striker just wants to live quietly. The wild places beyond the colony are his sanctuary, a place he can go to forget about his past and the ones he failed to protect.

He intended to stay clear of the human colonists. Then, one of them started entering his woods. Maggie isn’t like the others. She’s determined, beautiful, and unaware of the dangers prowling the forest.

He never wanted to be responsible for anyone again, but the flame-haired beauty needs him more than she knows… and he might need her more than he thinks.

My first Susan Hayes book, but won’t be my last! Was in the mood for a cyborg story so I decided to give this a shot. Thought it was well-written and enjoyed the characters and the world.

Categories
Comics Science Fiction

Read House of Women

Read House of Women by Sophie Goldstein

In this graphic novel, science fiction meets psychosexual drama when four women try to bring “civilization” to the natives of a remote planet on the fringes of the known universe. Something dark is growing in Mopu. The only question is whether the danger that will undo the women’s delicate camaraderie is outside the gates―or within.

The art is exceptional, influenced strongly by the starkness and sensuality of Aubrey Beardsley, with a dash of Harry Clarke and maybe a hint of early Hope Larson? It’s an interesting mashup of influences — it’s a retelling of a 30s novel / 40s movie about colonialism set on a new world that gives it a sci-fi pulp feel, with an element of horror. The story itself is sparse, relegating storytelling to art and Mood, but I think not enough time was given to the villain’s descent into madness. It happened too quickly, with hints very early on, and I didn’t understand what was driving her besides lust.

I read the book through twice to try to get a better handle on it, but still feel like I didn’t quite get what was going on. The dream sequences are lost on me too. I find that a lot with Fantagraphics books — beautiful art but the story is too literary and goes a little over my head. But, I think this book is more about the aesthetics and ambiance, which it does very well.