science fiction

Book Review: Dragon and Herdsman

Posted by

0

Dragon and Herdsman by Timothy Zahn

Dragon and Herdsman (Dragonback, #4)
by Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)

4.5 out of 5 stars

In this fourth book of the series, Jack and Draycos visit a distant planet with their friend, Alison Kayna. They discover a herd of creatures called Phooka that appear similar to K’da like Draycos. However, the creatures are insentient, unintelligent, slow, and behave like animals with no language. Draycos wonders if his people, the K’da, could have evolved from this lower animal form. He questions what that could mean for his species in the future.
The mercenaries from the Malison Ring track Jack and Draycos to the planet, forcing them all to flee into the dense forest. Jack must herd the Phooka through miles of dangerous terrain to save them from being slaughtered by the mercenaries.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Beyond the Stars

Posted by

0

Beyond the Stars by Doreen D. Berger

Beyond the Stars (The Captain’s Daughters, #2)
by Doreen D. Berger (Goodreads Author)

3.5 stars
Diane and Robin are thrown into another adventure in this second book in the series, when they befriend Jannel, the future ruler of a planet under quarantine. Jannel is a girl their own age, who comes aboard their spaceship for safety away from the virus that is threatening her planet. The girls try to help Jannel overcome her fears for her future, but they wind up in terrible trouble.

I liked the world-building for this new planet that we visit with Diane, Robin, and Jannel. I appreciated that there is a history of politics that has led to the current unrest on the planet, and the way the virus plays into that is really interesting. We also get to learn a little bit about the wild flora and fauna of the planet!

Continue reading →

Book Review: Dragon and Slave

Posted by

0

Dragon and Slave by Timothy Zahn

Dragon and Slave (Dragonback, #3)
by Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

Jack and his friend/symbiont Draycos are looking for information about who attacked Draycos’ people. They try to infiltrate a mercenary compound by posing as slaves, certain that they will be able to escape later. However, things take a nasty turn when Jack becomes a slave for real, and is sent to work in the fields with the other slaves.

The plot is full of non-stop action, and I was very interested in the world-building of the planet Brum-a-dum. Jack and Draycos meet so many different types of aliens, and they are all really imaginative and memorable! I love the writing style, the characters, the plot twists, and everything!

Continue reading →

Book Review: Dragon and Soldier

Posted by

0

Dragon and Soldier by Timothy Zahn

Dragon and Soldier (Dragonback, #2)
by Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

Jack and Draycos are searching for information from a mercenary group, so Jack joins the group as an indentured soldier, hoping to sneak into their computer systems. After only ten days of training, Jack and his fellow teen soldiers are sent into battle. Things appear to be safe enough on the edges of the war and Jack is given sentry duty, but betrayal and danger are lurking in the shadows. Only Draycos, a poet warrior of the K’da, can help Jack to escape!

Continue reading →

Book Review: Dragon and Thief

Posted by

0

Dragon and Thief by Timothy Zahn

Dragon and Thief (Dragonback, #1)
by Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

I was really surprised by this book! I was expecting your typical dragon story, but this is completely different from anything I’ve ever read about. It’s half dragon-fantasy, part science-fiction space wars, part murder mystery, with a smattering of corporate espionage.
The writing is fast-paced and perfectly crafted. Difficult to put down once you’ve started reading.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Roswell High The Outsider

Posted by

0

The Outsider by Melinda Metz

The Outsider (Roswell High, #1)
by Melinda Metz (Goodreads Author)

3 out of 5 stars

When Liz gets shot and is bleeding out, only Max can heal her with his alien powers. He puts himself and his friends in danger, and now Sheriff Valenti is hunting for an alien in Roswell. Can Liz and Max learn to trust each other before it is too late?

I loved the Roswell TV show when I was a teenager, and it was so fun to rediscover this story through the books! I don’t think I would have enjoyed the books nearly as much now as an adult if I didn’t already have the nostalgia of the TV show.

Continue reading →

Book Review: The Forgotten Memories of Vera Glass

Posted by

0

The Forgotten Memories of Vera Glass by Anna Priemaza

The Forgotten Memories of Vera Glass
by Anna Priemaza (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars

Vera has this strange empty feeling inside her, as if something is missing from her life, but she can’t remember what is missing. She finds herself crying at odd things. She seems to half-remember random objects, but can’t remember why they are important. When Vera realizes that her family and some of her classmates are also experiencing that same empty feeling, she begins to investigate what she can’t remember.

This plot completely broke my brain! It was so exciting and masterfully constructed. It was amazing to see how the plot unfolded, since the reader CAN remember all the people and things that Vera is gradually forgetting. The reader has so much more information than Vera does, and that made it really interesting to see how Vera tries to reconstruct the facts from what is left over after a memory is gone.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Promises and Prophecies

Posted by

0

War of the Realms by Lee Watts, Th. D.

War of the Realms: Promises & Prophecies
by Lee Watts, Th. D.
3.5 stars
SYNOPSIS: Alexander is fighting a massive war against the Ramillie. With enemies on every side, he is desperate to make some allies. He gambles everything on one last surprise attack that could mean the end of the war.
Sosimo Larouche, the pirate captain, is closer than ever to finding the lost treasure of the famed Vault Keeper. With his first mate, Mei, he makes a daring plan to steal the final clue, a massive gem.
The angelic guardian, Merrick, tries to undo his mistakes from centuries before. He races against time to stop demonic forces from entering the world.

All the characters and their story lines from the first two books come together in this final epic book in the trilogy. The entire fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance, and each soul must decide whether they will accept the forgiveness and grace of God, or side with the evil forces.

Continue reading →

Book Review: The Captain’s Daughters

Posted by

0

The Captain's Daughters by Doreen D. Berger

The Captain’s Daughters
by Doreen D. Berger (Goodreads Author)
3 out of 5 stars

Diane and Robin are kidnapped by an alien race to be sold as slaves on a far-away planet. Their father, a starship captain, is searching the galaxy for them, but he will have to travel farther than anyone thought possible in order to rescue his daughters. However, Diane and Robin are not sitting around waiting to be rescued. They take matters into their own hands, and try a daring escape.

I enjoyed this book! The plot is a fun adventure and has some interesting twists. There were a couple of times when lucky coincidences in the plot made it a little unbelievable. I feel like the plot could have been a bit tighter in a few places. But those were few and far between, so I still liked the story a lot!

The writing is really good! I immediately connected with the story and with the characters. The pacing is excellent, and the scenes have a lot of suspense. I laughed several times at some of the funny dialogue! Those girls are so sassy!

Continue reading →

Poetry Review: I Wish I Had a Wookie

Posted by

0

I Wish I Had a Wookiee by Ian Doescher

I Wish I Had a Wookiee: And Other Poems for Our Galaxy
by Ian Doescher (Goodreads Author), Tim Budgen (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars

I wish I had a Wookie,
To keep the monsters out.
If nightmares came to get me,
You’d hear Chewbacca shout…

This adorable book has poems about Star Wars for children. Some of them are funny, some of them are a little more serious. Some are short or long or in between. They all have cute illustrations! I just love the light-hearted style of these poems, and the art style reflects that silly and playful mood.

Most of the poems deal with every day childhood things like scraping your knee, playing sports, caring for a pet, going to school, hanging with grandparents, and things like that. It’s so cute to see these things through the perspective of beloved Star Wars characters, or children who dress up in costume as their favorite character.

This book would be so much fun to read together with young Star Wars fans. What a delight!

This short poem is one of my favorites…
“Trash Compactor”
My dad yells, “Mae! What have you done?”
He bursts in with a crash.
But how can I create the scene
Unless I use real trash?

Haha! This book will definitely get you laughing!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.