Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 stars)
This book has been sitting on my shelf for a really long time, and I finally had a chance to buddy read it with Jonny @Jaunts & Haunts
Here’s how our chat went down:
Jonny: I’ve never flown a plane before, but I figure it can’t be much harder than driving a car, right?
Gigi: I’m afraid of heights, so I’d be too afraid to fly a plane (even though I’ve been on one a few times). 😜
Jonny: Yeah, I’d need to strap some pillows on me for reassurance, haha! Alright, on to the buddy rant!
Jonny: So how did you like this book? This was my first time reading Brandon Sanderson, and I think he did a pretty great job!
Gigi: It was my first time reading his work as well. Overall, I enjoyed it. But it wasn’t quite the 4 or 5 star read I was hoping for it to be.
Jonny: Well I’m glad it wasnt a total disappointment for ya. We talked about this during our read, but the first half of the book’s pacing was kind of here and there. One chapter would have great developments, then the next would be a little slow for my taste. Rinse and repeat.
That being said, after that the pacing was really good, enough so for me that I think it redeemed itself.
Gigi: I agree. The beginning was a little rocky. It had some great moments & revelations, but then it would lose momentum. The second half was the best part and what really kept me going. I wanted to see if I was right about Spensa’s dad.
Spoiler alert: My theory was that something else happened but got covered up. I didn’t believe he was truly a coward.
Jonny: Oh yeah, the truth behind her dad’s death was a big part of it for me too.
Did you like Spensa in general? I did like her spunky, scrappy demeanor. Characters like that usually win me over pretty quickly, but I actually liked M-bot better with it’s odd humor and personality. ‘I hate your shoes!’
I actually wish she would’ve spent even more time with the ship, so I’m hoping the next one has tons of M-bot.
Gigi: I like her initially, but her arrogance ruined it along with the constant use of the word ‘scud’.
I really liked M-bot too! He kinda reminded me of AIDAN from Illuminae, even though they’re completely different.
Jonny: Yeah, I do think that she could’ve been a bit less arrogant, but I do think she had some good progression along the way.
Haha, I agree! I didn;t mind the use of scud, but if they came up with more swear words to switch out it would’ve been less repetitive.
I actually haven’t read Illuminae yet. Hmm, the best comparison I can make is that he’s kinda like a mix of Ax and the Helmacrons from Animorphs. The humor and personality was super unique and I loved every second of it, especially his little rivalry with Rodge.
Did any other characters stick out to you?
Gigi: I actually liked Jerkface (aka Jorgen). It was easy to judge him for being privileged, and I really liked that we got to see the other side of him. As with real life, it’s so easy to judge others without knowing their background.
How about you? Who else did you like? Or not like?
And omg. You need to go read Illuminae! Coolest book you’ll ever come across! You need to get your hands on a physical copy!
Jonny: Haha, deal once my TBR settles down a smidge. I actually liked Kimmalynn a lot. She reminded me of my high school friend Michelle. Talented, but has a hard time accepting it sometimes.
I didnt like the admiral Ironsides, but I think that was what the author wanted. Even after we learn all the knitty gritty I still felt like ‘Nah, I still dont like you very much’, but it can be hard for me to forgive characters after some shady business.
Gigi: I didn’t like Ironsides either! She was really petty.
Yes! I liked Kimmalynn too. She had a good heart. Loved when she gave Spensa a dinner roll in one of the chapters!
I did like the flight training and all the scenes with them flying the ships and fighting the Krell. I too, liked that we weren’t overwhelmed with info!
Jonny: I know, right? Even though things were more complicated than meets the eye, I think she could’ve led her people better and strived to be a better person.
Totally! That and Kimmalynn had a cute sense of humor. ‘Bless your stars’, haha! She definitely gets miss congeniality award in this book.
Yeah, some of those fights were insane and action-packed, just like I like it. Would you consider reading other Sanderson books in the future? I have a copy of the first book in the Reckoners series that I’m just dying to give a try!
Gigi: 😂 Yeah..Kimmalyn was a sweet heart.
Hmm.. I don’t know to be honest. I might try a different series of his down the road, just to give it another chance. But I know for this particular series, I’m going to leave it.
How about you?
Jonny: Most definitely!
That’s fair. His novels span a good many genres, so who knows what may work for you a bit better down the line.
I think I’ll continue with the next book in this series in a little bit. I think he even has a third coming out this year if I’m not mistaken. Definitely going to try out some other stuff of his in the future.
Thanks so much for reading this with me! I can’t wait for our next adventure!
Gigi: Yes, the 3rd in this series is supposed to release this year!
You are so welcome! I’m so glad we read this one together. As always, it was fun! I’m looking forward to our next read!! ❤️
So..What did you think? Have you read this one?
Defeated, crushed, and driven almost to extinction, the remnants of the human race are trapped on a planet that is constantly attacked by mysterious alien starfighters. Spensa, a teenage girl living among them, longs to be a pilot. When she discovers the wreckage of an ancient ship, she realizes this dream might be possible—assuming she can repair the ship, navigate flight school, and (perhaps most importantly) persuade the strange machine to help her. Because this ship, uniquely, appears to have a soul.
