Review of Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)
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Review of Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)
[Following is a volunteer review of "Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)" by Janet McNulty.]
In the prologue to Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1), Janet McNulty introduces readers to her very unusual title character: "My name is Solaris. I am a ship, a vessel some consider archaic, but I have a secret – a purpose." Very soon, readers find out that Solaris is much more than just a ship. She is a futuristic spacecraft equipped with artificial intelligence, capable of logic, strategy, and emotions. And, she is in a fight for her life and the lives of her passengers.
The narrative opens with Rynah, a lab security officer from the planet of Lanyr, heading off to work, "humming merrily to herself." Her job is to safeguard a crystal, a data core used to control the integrity of her planet's magnetic fields. Newly engaged, Rynah’s world seems bright and beautiful that morning. However, her joy is short-lived when her fiancé betrays her by destroying her lab and stealing the crystal, which he plans to use as a weapon in a quest for ultimate power. With nothing else at their disposal, Rynah and Solaris must use cryptic, ancient legends to save what’s left of their planet. Dictated by those mysterious prophesies, they capture four unlikely heroes from a far-away planet (Earth) in the Terra Sector. The new crew members are Solon, a scribe from ancient Rome; Alfric, a Viking king; Brie, a modern 16-year-old girl; and Tom, an engineer from the year 2099. None of them understand what roles they are to play in Rynah’s plan to save her world. The narrative then progresses through multiple space adventures, ending with a lead-in to the next book in this series.
The biggest negative about this book is its superficial nature. Throughout the novel, I found myself constantly having to suspend my disbelief in order to progress through the reading. McNulty plows forward in the narrative, recounting one adventure after another, without bothering to slow down to explore any real character development or philosophical ideas. She does make some haphazard attempts at simplistic moral themes, but those are predictable and repetitive. In the end, I was disappointed in the novel’s lack of substance. McNulty also has a quirky writing style that detract from the drama of the novel. In her depictions of vicious battle scenes, she frequently drops in cartoonish sound effects, such as “Ker plang” and “Whap!” These sound oddly reminiscent of the old Batman television show and lessened the intensity of those scenes.
However, there were some positives. McNulty is incredibly imaginative. Her descriptions of the physical settings and characters create imagery that set an "other-world" tone right away. For example, Rynah is described as having "silky emerald hair" and "heliotrope cheeks." I also liked McNulty’s concept of a spacecraft with artificial intelligence. McNulty gives Solaris personality, far beyond what readers might expect from a spaceship long since put out of commission. Solaris becomes a passionate character in the narrative, which is a nice twist on the usual robotic nature of science fiction technology.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. While the concept is intriguing and the imagery enchanting, the book lacks depth and thematic scope.
I think some adolescent fans of fantasy and science fiction might enjoy this book. Young people might like the action sequences and simplistic style, but sophisticated readers will become impatient with the novel’s superficiality.
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Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
In the prologue to Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1), Janet McNulty introduces readers to her very unusual title character: "My name is Solaris. I am a ship, a vessel some consider archaic, but I have a secret – a purpose." Very soon, readers find out that Solaris is much more than just a ship. She is a futuristic spacecraft equipped with artificial intelligence, capable of logic, strategy, and emotions. And, she is in a fight for her life and the lives of her passengers.
The narrative opens with Rynah, a lab security officer from the planet of Lanyr, heading off to work, "humming merrily to herself." Her job is to safeguard a crystal, a data core used to control the integrity of her planet's magnetic fields. Newly engaged, Rynah’s world seems bright and beautiful that morning. However, her joy is short-lived when her fiancé betrays her by destroying her lab and stealing the crystal, which he plans to use as a weapon in a quest for ultimate power. With nothing else at their disposal, Rynah and Solaris must use cryptic, ancient legends to save what’s left of their planet. Dictated by those mysterious prophesies, they capture four unlikely heroes from a far-away planet (Earth) in the Terra Sector. The new crew members are Solon, a scribe from ancient Rome; Alfric, a Viking king; Brie, a modern 16-year-old girl; and Tom, an engineer from the year 2099. None of them understand what roles they are to play in Rynah’s plan to save her world. The narrative then progresses through multiple space adventures, ending with a lead-in to the next book in this series.
The biggest negative about this book is its superficial nature. Throughout the novel, I found myself constantly having to suspend my disbelief in order to progress through the reading. McNulty plows forward in the narrative, recounting one adventure after another, without bothering to slow down to explore any real character development or philosophical ideas. She does make some haphazard attempts at simplistic moral themes, but those are predictable and repetitive. In the end, I was disappointed in the novel’s lack of substance. McNulty also has a quirky writing style that detract from the drama of the novel. In her depictions of vicious battle scenes, she frequently drops in cartoonish sound effects, such as “Ker plang” and “Whap!” These sound oddly reminiscent of the old Batman television show and lessened the intensity of those scenes.
However, there were some positives. McNulty is incredibly imaginative. Her descriptions of the physical settings and characters create imagery that set an "other-world" tone right away. For example, Rynah is described as having "silky emerald hair" and "heliotrope cheeks." I also liked McNulty’s concept of a spacecraft with artificial intelligence. McNulty gives Solaris personality, far beyond what readers might expect from a spaceship long since put out of commission. Solaris becomes a passionate character in the narrative, which is a nice twist on the usual robotic nature of science fiction technology.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. While the concept is intriguing and the imagery enchanting, the book lacks depth and thematic scope.
I think some adolescent fans of fantasy and science fiction might enjoy this book. Young people might like the action sequences and simplistic style, but sophisticated readers will become impatient with the novel’s superficiality.
******
Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Latest Review: Justified Means by Cher Smith
