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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When you ask the customer what they want and they just hit you with the Aurora Passenger Stare
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
July 2025 Reread:
Reread as part of the SFFBC's book of the month, for a team competition. My thoughts toward the book have not necessarily changed - I enjoyed the story, but found the characters, particularly Claire, to be a bit unlikeable.
May 2022:
I wanted to like this science fiction-horror novel more than I actually did, which is why I'm giving it slightly above a 'meh' rating. Claire Kovalik and her small crew are out on the fringes of known space, fixing communications stations, when they hear a distant distress signal and head out to investigate. They discover the Aurora, a luxury space liner that had disappeared twenty years ago. Eager for salvage claims, they investigate the ghost ship and discover that all of the crew and passengers had died nasty, violent deaths, either self-inflicted or murder. The initial discovery and investigation of the ghost ship was probably the highlight of the book for me. Other areas were problematic.
Claire is a twit as a character. She's a lone survivor of a colony disaster during her childhood, which has scarred her for life. She has self-worth issues and problems connecting with other people. And she's a Team Leader of her crew of five? Unfortunately we the readers had to live inside of her head, as the narrative is told in first person. I became increasingly annoyed at Claire's decisions as the book progressed. I was also annoyed at the side romance she was having with one of her crew members. Why add this plot element to the story? To illustrate Claire's lack of judgment? Her immaturity? Or is the author pandering to an audience younger than me? Regardless, it didn't seem to gel for me, so again, it went to the annoyance column.
I enjoyed the ending to the story, all in all. The explanation for the ghosts and the mass paranoia was well done, and played out well also. So, 3 solid stars, and recommended for the genre.
Reread as part of the SFFBC's book of the month, for a team competition. My thoughts toward the book have not necessarily changed - I enjoyed the story, but found the characters, particularly Claire, to be a bit unlikeable.
May 2022:
I wanted to like this science fiction-horror novel more than I actually did, which is why I'm giving it slightly above a 'meh' rating. Claire Kovalik and her small crew are out on the fringes of known space, fixing communications stations, when they hear a distant distress signal and head out to investigate. They discover the Aurora, a luxury space liner that had disappeared twenty years ago. Eager for salvage claims, they investigate the ghost ship and discover that all of the crew and passengers had died nasty, violent deaths, either self-inflicted or murder. The initial discovery and investigation of the ghost ship was probably the highlight of the book for me. Other areas were problematic.
Claire is a twit as a character. She's a lone survivor of a colony disaster during her childhood, which has scarred her for life. She has self-worth issues and problems connecting with other people. And she's a Team Leader of her crew of five? Unfortunately we the readers had to live inside of her head, as the narrative is told in first person. I became increasingly annoyed at Claire's decisions as the book progressed. I was also annoyed at the side romance she was having with one of her crew members. Why add this plot element to the story? To illustrate Claire's lack of judgment? Her immaturity? Or is the author pandering to an audience younger than me? Regardless, it didn't seem to gel for me, so again, it went to the annoyance column.
I enjoyed the ending to the story, all in all. The explanation for the ghosts and the mass paranoia was well done, and played out well also. So, 3 solid stars, and recommended for the genre.
thought the plot was so much fun but i hated the characters!! they all felt pretty one note and the main character’s schtick of “i can’t get close to anyone im such a loner” wore thin so quickly. cool imagery and a quick read.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5/5
This is just Alien but, spoiler alert, tHe MoNsTeR iS CaPiTaLism.
Disappointingly simple and relies too heavily on "you have to see this" as a plot device, but I could keep the characters straight and it was intriguing enough for me to finish so that's always worth a star on its own. Ultimately I was entertained but by no means blown away (in spite of the very *explosive* ending, har har).
This is just Alien but, spoiler alert, tHe MoNsTeR iS CaPiTaLism.
Disappointingly simple and relies too heavily on "you have to see this" as a plot device, but I could keep the characters straight and it was intriguing enough for me to finish so that's always worth a star on its own. Ultimately I was entertained but by no means blown away (in spite of the very *explosive* ending, har har).
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced