Review of Sent to Watch
Posted: 19 Nov 2023, 07:04
[Following is a volunteer review of "Sent to Watch" by David J. Lebenstein.]
“Sent to watch but not to affect.”
Such is the motto of the Interplanetary Intelligence Services’ Bureau of Exploratory Surveillance. Its agents infiltrate primitive planets, observe their development without interfering, and regularly report to their superiors if said planets are ready to be offered membership in the Confederation of Civilized Planets.
Sent to Watch follows three of these agents. Unni Vlaytork, Orishakt ‘Ori’ Svavapass, and Urelt Sraymlat are assigned to watch Earth 48. They settle on our planet Earth in early 19th-century Britain. Ori and Urelt disguise themselves as officers in the Royal Army under the aliases of Major Robert Weatherby and Lieutenant William Greenhill. Unni’s alias, Jenny Carter, is a young farmgirl who came to the city hoping to build a better life.
Soon, the surveillance team for Earth 48 (Unni, Ori, Urelt, and their fellow agents undercover in France, Prussia, or Spain) find themselves at odds with the Noninterference Protocol. Indeed, a belligerent Empire is slowly enslaving neighboring planets and reaching toward the Confederation’s members. Earth 48 is among the next worlds it will conquer. The only way to save it from slavery is to accelerate its technological development deliberately.
Will Unni and Ori succeed in opening the eyes of Earth 48’s leaders about this extraterrestrial threat? Or will their superiors find out about this plan and put it to an end? When love and revenge get in the midst of saving the world, will the agents even be able to carry out this plan successfully?
This book has everything you can look for. And when I say everything, I mean everything. David J. Lebenstein did tremendous work with his brilliant novel.
A book about aliens and interplanetary federations naturally falls under the sci-fi umbrella. The world-building is concrete and very precise. The first chapter explains the Confederation of Civilized Planets' history: how it was founded, how it recruited new planets, and why it doesn't interfere with the planets' historical development. From there on, the main plot unfolds in a fast-paced novel.
Sent to Watch is also a historical fiction. Lebenstein's research about historical settings is outstanding. The principal events from 19th-century Europe are told with such preciseness that it is no wonder the author knows his subject very well.
I enjoy how both genres intertwine. The idea that extraterrestrial beings are watching our every move, waiting for the right moment to contact us, is fascinating. I like the example of the previous breach of the Noninterference Protocol. Earlier on Earth 48, two undercover agents had a son and raised him among the natives. This child was Leonardo Da Vinci, a genius far ahead of his time due to his parents’ teachings.
Lastly, I enjoyed the touches of romance and humor Lebenstein added throughout the book. Who would have guessed I'd get so emotional while reading about an extraterrestrial relationship?
At first, understanding the different alien names and aliases took a lot of work. Yet, it hasn’t bothered me more than a couple of pages. Each character has a unique personality, so it quickly became easy to differentiate them from one another. The glossary at the beginning of the book also sums up each agent’s names and aliases. It is easy to refer back to it when an unknown name appears.
I especially enjoy the character of Ori. I relate a lot to him. At first, he is always focused and devoted to his mission for the Confederation, so much so that he tends to be oblivious to his feelings. His personality develops with time as he builds his family. His relationship with Unni is adorable. I especially like the scene when they bond on the beach. I appreciate how both characters grow as people as the story goes on.
I didn't understand why both of these characters were so determined to ‘save’ Earth 48. Multiple times, Ori and Unni could have obeyed orders and started a new life on another planet, but they stayed entitled to their mission of accelerating Earth 48’s development. While this unfailing determination gives depth and strength to the characters, I was also sometimes puzzled by their decisions to keep defying the Confederation’s orders.
I love the author's writing style. His descriptions are picturesque and vivid. Thanks to them, the reader is immediately immersed in this complex universe. Lebenstein successfully translated the thoughts and feelings of his characters into words. He created a thrilling story that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. I did not expect such an ending!
I also enjoy the fact that the chapters have titles. They are an effective way to give the reader a glimpse of each chapter.
I ended up giving Sent to Watch a perfect rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
I don't have any strong negative comments about this book that could lower my rating. It might seem all over the place, but each theme blends perfectly with the others to create a thrilling story. Mr. Lebenstein produced an excellent piece of fiction that I highly recommend to anyone who likes science fiction.
******
Sent to Watch
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
“Sent to watch but not to affect.”
Such is the motto of the Interplanetary Intelligence Services’ Bureau of Exploratory Surveillance. Its agents infiltrate primitive planets, observe their development without interfering, and regularly report to their superiors if said planets are ready to be offered membership in the Confederation of Civilized Planets.
Sent to Watch follows three of these agents. Unni Vlaytork, Orishakt ‘Ori’ Svavapass, and Urelt Sraymlat are assigned to watch Earth 48. They settle on our planet Earth in early 19th-century Britain. Ori and Urelt disguise themselves as officers in the Royal Army under the aliases of Major Robert Weatherby and Lieutenant William Greenhill. Unni’s alias, Jenny Carter, is a young farmgirl who came to the city hoping to build a better life.
Soon, the surveillance team for Earth 48 (Unni, Ori, Urelt, and their fellow agents undercover in France, Prussia, or Spain) find themselves at odds with the Noninterference Protocol. Indeed, a belligerent Empire is slowly enslaving neighboring planets and reaching toward the Confederation’s members. Earth 48 is among the next worlds it will conquer. The only way to save it from slavery is to accelerate its technological development deliberately.
Will Unni and Ori succeed in opening the eyes of Earth 48’s leaders about this extraterrestrial threat? Or will their superiors find out about this plan and put it to an end? When love and revenge get in the midst of saving the world, will the agents even be able to carry out this plan successfully?
This book has everything you can look for. And when I say everything, I mean everything. David J. Lebenstein did tremendous work with his brilliant novel.
A book about aliens and interplanetary federations naturally falls under the sci-fi umbrella. The world-building is concrete and very precise. The first chapter explains the Confederation of Civilized Planets' history: how it was founded, how it recruited new planets, and why it doesn't interfere with the planets' historical development. From there on, the main plot unfolds in a fast-paced novel.
Sent to Watch is also a historical fiction. Lebenstein's research about historical settings is outstanding. The principal events from 19th-century Europe are told with such preciseness that it is no wonder the author knows his subject very well.
I enjoy how both genres intertwine. The idea that extraterrestrial beings are watching our every move, waiting for the right moment to contact us, is fascinating. I like the example of the previous breach of the Noninterference Protocol. Earlier on Earth 48, two undercover agents had a son and raised him among the natives. This child was Leonardo Da Vinci, a genius far ahead of his time due to his parents’ teachings.
Lastly, I enjoyed the touches of romance and humor Lebenstein added throughout the book. Who would have guessed I'd get so emotional while reading about an extraterrestrial relationship?
At first, understanding the different alien names and aliases took a lot of work. Yet, it hasn’t bothered me more than a couple of pages. Each character has a unique personality, so it quickly became easy to differentiate them from one another. The glossary at the beginning of the book also sums up each agent’s names and aliases. It is easy to refer back to it when an unknown name appears.
I especially enjoy the character of Ori. I relate a lot to him. At first, he is always focused and devoted to his mission for the Confederation, so much so that he tends to be oblivious to his feelings. His personality develops with time as he builds his family. His relationship with Unni is adorable. I especially like the scene when they bond on the beach. I appreciate how both characters grow as people as the story goes on.
I didn't understand why both of these characters were so determined to ‘save’ Earth 48. Multiple times, Ori and Unni could have obeyed orders and started a new life on another planet, but they stayed entitled to their mission of accelerating Earth 48’s development. While this unfailing determination gives depth and strength to the characters, I was also sometimes puzzled by their decisions to keep defying the Confederation’s orders.
I love the author's writing style. His descriptions are picturesque and vivid. Thanks to them, the reader is immediately immersed in this complex universe. Lebenstein successfully translated the thoughts and feelings of his characters into words. He created a thrilling story that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. I did not expect such an ending!
I also enjoy the fact that the chapters have titles. They are an effective way to give the reader a glimpse of each chapter.
I ended up giving Sent to Watch a perfect rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
I don't have any strong negative comments about this book that could lower my rating. It might seem all over the place, but each theme blends perfectly with the others to create a thrilling story. Mr. Lebenstein produced an excellent piece of fiction that I highly recommend to anyone who likes science fiction.
******
Sent to Watch
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
