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eshurricane's review
5.0
This book is gorgeous, dense, visceral science fiction goodness. The worldbuilding is vast and the lore is perfectly woven in with the characters. Melin practically leaps off of the page, sheβs so relatable and realistic despite such a fantastical sci-fi setting. The mystery of her past and the history of the planet are so enticing and this one ends on a delicious cliffhanger that has me desperate for book two. 10/10 recommend!
tjwallace04's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"That Distant Dream" is an impressive debut novel. It is science fiction mixed with a bit of traditional fantasy, all wrapped up with a very intriguing mystery that kept me turning the pages, eager to find out what was happening.
Premise: Melin was once a galactic hero. Now she is an anomaly and an outsider. Two decades after her celebrated exploits in the Redelki Wars, her escape pod is found floating with her still inside in cryosleep. When she is awoken, she must deal with the mental, emotional, and physical trauma of the war, still fresh to her, though the rest of the world has moved on. She is drawn to a new start on the mysterious planet of Satura, where her great grandmother lived, but sadly there is no easy transition for Melin. She is quickly pulled in to the messy political situation there, and mysterious dreams and interactions with the locals hint that there is more to her connection to Satura than anyone ever expected...most of all Melin.
I thought the world building in "That Distant Dream" was really good, and the pacing of the book was excellent. It chugs right along, dropping interesting tidbits and and action sequences in a perfect breadcrumb trail. I liked sharp, tough, sardonic Melin, but she is a pretty buttoned-up MC, and I found myself wishing for a little bit more from her. I also wanted to shake her as she continued to insist to herself that her dreams were meaningless. π The ending was quite the spectacular cliff hanger, and I am very proud of myself for unknowingly timing my introduction to this author and book perfectly with the release of the sequel, "That Slow Awakening," which I will definitely be consuming soon. I am intrigued to see there will be another MC POV in that one.
Premise: Melin was once a galactic hero. Now she is an anomaly and an outsider. Two decades after her celebrated exploits in the Redelki Wars, her escape pod is found floating with her still inside in cryosleep. When she is awoken, she must deal with the mental, emotional, and physical trauma of the war, still fresh to her, though the rest of the world has moved on. She is drawn to a new start on the mysterious planet of Satura, where her great grandmother lived, but sadly there is no easy transition for Melin. She is quickly pulled in to the messy political situation there, and mysterious dreams and interactions with the locals hint that there is more to her connection to Satura than anyone ever expected...most of all Melin.
I thought the world building in "That Distant Dream" was really good, and the pacing of the book was excellent. It chugs right along, dropping interesting tidbits and and action sequences in a perfect breadcrumb trail. I liked sharp, tough, sardonic Melin, but she is a pretty buttoned-up MC, and I found myself wishing for a little bit more from her. I also wanted to shake her as she continued to insist to herself that her dreams were meaningless. π The ending was quite the spectacular cliff hanger, and I am very proud of myself for unknowingly timing my introduction to this author and book perfectly with the release of the sequel, "That Slow Awakening," which I will definitely be consuming soon. I am intrigued to see there will be another MC POV in that one.
clacksee's review
How do I rate this? I was really enjoying this story and then it just stopped.
Melin is a disabled, retired soldier. With no prospects and very little hope, she decides to relocate to the ancestral home of her great-grandmother. A decorated β but discarded β war hero, she takes a job sorting inventory.
This book has some stellar rep. The MC battles PTSD. She's got an ex-wife, so is presumably either lesbian or bi/pan. The story revolves around colonial oppression of an indigenous population. She builds a strong friendship with another disabled ex-soldier.
But it's not a book. A book has a beginning, a catalyst, some stuff happening, and then a climax and a resolution. This book has a beginning, a catalyst, some stuff happening, and then β¦ it just stops.
Can I read the next book? No, because it doesn't exist. It's not even on pre-order. Gah!
By the time it lands, will I still remember this one? Hopefully. But who knows.
Melin is a disabled, retired soldier. With no prospects and very little hope, she decides to relocate to the ancestral home of her great-grandmother. A decorated β but discarded β war hero, she takes a job sorting inventory.
This book has some stellar rep. The MC battles PTSD. She's got an ex-wife, so is presumably either lesbian or bi/pan. The story revolves around colonial oppression of an indigenous population. She builds a strong friendship with another disabled ex-soldier.
But it's not a book. A book has a beginning, a catalyst, some stuff happening, and then a climax and a resolution. This book has a beginning, a catalyst, some stuff happening, and then β¦ it just stops.
Can I read the next book? No, because it doesn't exist. It's not even on pre-order. Gah!
By the time it lands, will I still remember this one? Hopefully. But who knows.
tanouska's review
4.0
I liked the book, but the (lack of an) ending made me so frustrated! Yes, it's part of a series, but c'mon! We know basically nothing!
raychelbennet's review
4.0
This was a great first book! I'm excited to see where this trilogy will go! I'm invested in Melin and the people of Satura. The cliff-hanger was okay, especially given that I have two more books to look forward to. I'm a reader that would be happy with all three books condensed into one but I know everyone isn't like that. If this continues along the same trajectory, I could see the Satura trilogy being very highly rated from me.
My favorite parts of this were the casual references to queer identities that are built into Beckley's worlds and cultures. Same-sex relationships seem to be a normal occurrence. When Melin is describing the people around her, if she is not 100% sure of how they identify, she says she does not know if they are male, female, or gender nonconforming. They/them pronouns are used without any fuss or discussion.
I'm really excited to see where this goes!
**I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!
My favorite parts of this were the casual references to queer identities that are built into Beckley's worlds and cultures. Same-sex relationships seem to be a normal occurrence. When Melin is describing the people around her, if she is not 100% sure of how they identify, she says she does not know if they are male, female, or gender nonconforming. They/them pronouns are used without any fuss or discussion.
I'm really excited to see where this goes!
**I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!
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