Official Review: The Optical Lasso by Marc Corwin

[kandscreeley]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Optical Lasso" by Marc Corwin.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Optical Lasso by Marc Corwin is an intriguing science fiction book with elements of aliens, space travel, and even theological (or mythological depending on your belief system) creatures like Satan. This is the first book in a series, and, as such, it ends on a cliffhanger. The book does contain violence and sexual situations; though none of it is excessive, the book would not be appropriate for anyone under the age of 16.

The planet Vixus, most known for being able to reverse its rotation, has unexpectedly reappeared after having gone missing for 74 years. Whatever power makes the planet able to reverse rotation could greatly aid the human race in their technology, and the Galactic Corps would love to find out what exactly it is. Unfortunately, there is a magnetic field around the planet which prevents scans; therefore, they must send a ship out to investigate. But what exactly is this planet? Where did it go for 74 years?

An unknown entity is torturing Commander Jason Cody. They want his knowledge, but he isn't willing to divulge anything. When Janet "Cat" Miles shows up in the same cell, he thinks it might be another mind game. Is she real? If so, will the two be able to escape?

The story is told from the third person perspective, and it follows several different arcs. The perspective changes were easy to follow. The story moves between the past and the present; this wasn't a problem, though, as all the dates are given at the start of each chapter. The author used this as a means to build suspense, leaving the reader to put everything together him or herself.

The characters were diverse and interesting. Commander Jason Cody and Cat made a great team, and their interactions were often humorous. I loved the much needed levity in the middle of more serious moments. So too, I enjoyed the non-human characters. It added another level to the plot.

The plot moves at a fast pace, and I found myself wanting to continue reading to solve the riddle of the book. Having said that, I'm not sure I ever quite understood what the "optical lasso" was exactly. Though the descriptions of the aliens and worlds allowed me to picture the scene, the details surrounding the title item were lacking.

In addition, though there weren't many errors, there were at least 10. Mostly, it consisted of wrong or missing words. They were not distracting during reading and shouldn't be a reason not to read this.

I do need to give fair warning, though, the story contains Biblical elements. I wouldn't say this is a religious story, but passages from the Bible showed up in the course of the plot. Also, as I stated earlier, Satan is a character in the book. The author wasn't making a religious statement (at least it didn't seem so to me). If the reader keeps in mind that this is a fictional story, it shouldn't be offensive. Still, there are those that probably won't appreciate these Biblical aspects.

Overall, this was a fun read for me that was right up my alley. I can only give The Optical Lasso 3 out of 4 stars due to the few grammatical errors. This was a great start to a series that all science fiction lovers would enjoy reading. If religious elements or cliffhanger endings are off-putting, though, this wouldn't be for you. The ending was a bit of a surprise to me, and I can't wait to see how the story continues in book two.
https://play.google.com/store/books/det ... OQDwAAQBAJ

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The Optical Lasso
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[Amberlily]

Sounds like fun! Although I always find it a shame when I finish reading a book and the title still doesn't make sense to me. That may have been a poor choice. But I don't let that dissuade me from reading it.

[NetMassimo]

This series has a peculiar set of foundations, and I have mixed feeling about that. I'm curious about the story, though. Thank you for your review!

[kandscreeley]

Sounds like fun! Although I always find it a shame when I finish reading a book and the title still doesn't make sense to me. That may have been a poor choice. But I don't let that dissuade me from reading it.

It was still a good book. I just didn't quite understand the concept of the optical lasso. Perhaps someone smarter than me could figure it out. It's definitely worth reading, though.

[kandscreeley]

This series has a peculiar set of foundations, and I have mixed feeling about that. I'm curious about the story, though. Thank you for your review!

I understand, but I did enjoy the story. It's worth reading in my opinion. Thanks.

[That Reviewer]

This sounds like a thriller. On another note, I think there's an editing issue if you captured up to10 errors.

[kandscreeley]

This sounds like a thriller. On another note, I think there's an editing issue if you captured up to10 errors.

It definitely could use another round of editing. Still, it was an interesting story. Thanks!

[That Reviewer]

This sounds like a thriller. On another note, I think there's an editing issue if you captured up to10 errors.

It definitely could use another round of editing. Still, it was an interesting story. Thanks!

You're welcome.

[Nisha Ward]

Sci-fi with Satan as a character? That's certainly new, though I can't quite see how that fits in with the rest of what's going on here.

[kandscreeley]

Sci-fi with Satan as a character? That's certainly new, though I can't quite see how that fits in with the rest of what's going on here.

I guess you'll have to read it to find out. It's fairly well done. I just wish I understood more about the lasso. Thanks!

[Leen282]

I am not too fond of books ending with a cliffhanger unless the next books are immediately available .

[Amy+++]

Space travel does not interest me, so, I am going to pass on this one.

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

This is an interesting science fiction novel highlighting violence, technological advancement, sexual situations, torture, escape, and suspense. The book has a free sample on Amazon Kindle and an awesome OnlineBookClub review. Congrats @theopticallasso on the BOTD selection.

[Noor Bella]

Honestly, I enjoyed it!! Rarely you find a book thrilling right from the 1st chapter

[Drakka Reader]

Seems like an interesting book with a rather strange way of doing things if a biblical character can show up and properly contribute to the plot! I don't know where this story could go, but it seems like a strange journey!

Thank you for the review!