Review of Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)

[Rachel Monica]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)" by Janet McNulty.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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For Rynah, who worked as a security officer at the geo lab, a typical working day quickly turned out to be her last. Rynah's world was shattered in a matter of minutes. Quite literally. Lanyr, her home planet, was destroyed before her very eyes, and she discovers that the man she loved was involved in the process. She boards her grandfather's 50-year-old ship, Solaris, with only the goal of escaping on her mind. Rynah had no idea when she boarded the ship that Solaris had a mind of her own, and ‘Solaris’ was not just the ship's name, but also the name of the AI her grandfather had built in anticipation of this exact day. Rynah and Solaris join forces to save their planet and exact vengeance on the man who betrayed her trust. Rynah, with the help of Solaris, teleports four beings from planet Earth in order for this plan to succeed, regardless of the fact that they see the Terra Sector, better known as Earth, as primitive and uncivilized. Alfric, Solon, Tom, and Brie, who play the warrior, the philosopher, the inventor, and the lover, respectively, come from various timelines and cultures and have completely distinct personalities. Each of them was brought into this plot by Solaris to fulfil a specific role in saving Lanyr. Rynah and Solaris, along with the four unlikely heroes, must work together to save the world, stop the man responsible for the chaos, deal with the pirates sabotaging their mission, and at the same time avoid killing each other in all this confusion. Join them on their quest to find out if they succeed in saving the universe and themselves.

Solaris Seethes is an action-packed thriller, set in the future with a unique take on science fiction. It depicts the ethnicity, culture and diversity of the unknown and unimagined planets in our enormous universe. The main character, Rynah, belongs to one such alien race, with her green hair, lavender skin and with her planet’s purple-tinged sky. The four heroes she works with are from Earth, which is represented as an undeveloped planet populated by like-minded individuals. The author provided minute details to the landscape of each planet such as terrain, weather, and smell associated with a specific location, creating a realistic effect. The in-depth details captured my interest and made me understand this new world better.

The best aspect was that the plot had so many twists and turns that it was impossible to guess what would happen next. The father-daughter relationship between Alfric and Brie was admirable, and came with an apt backstory as well. In fact, at one point or another, all of the characters portrayed friendship, care, respect and understanding towards each other. Solon's wise words, Tom's humor and curiosity, Brie's persistent struggle to face her fears, Alfric's inner and outer strength, Rynah's confidence and goal-oriented thinking, and Solaris' empathy and witty remarks gave the story a personal touch. It helps to relate to the characters and learn something new from each of them. The cliffhanger, while unpredictable, ended on a thrilling note, and had me looking forward to a sequel.

I give this book a 4 out of 4 stars rating. Each character was introduced in such a unique way that it aroused curiosity in wanting to learn more about them. The four heroes' background stories provided insight into where they came from and who they were before being pulled aboard the ship. Each individual was given a trait that was completely contradictory to that of the others, but somehow they all functioned together to form a great team. The nickname given to Solaris, as ‘the ship with an attitude,’ is a perfect fit. Solaris behaved in a way that was more than that of an AI. It sought to understand people's emotions better than the ship's inhabitants. Not to mention the dozens of emotions it experienced and the various ways it attempted to express them, such as blowing steam and pushing metal pieces down when angered. Solaris was, in general, a complete package.

Janet McNulty has done an incredible job of taking on us a wild adventure in such a short read. It is a quick read with just the right amount of humor, mystery, and action. It is centered on futuristic concepts which include time travel, alternative realities, and space exploration. I would highly recommend it to all fantasy and science fiction enthusiasts. I hope you enjoy this book and the characters as much as I did.

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Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)
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