georgina_bawden's review against another edition
3.0
This was pretty fun, a locked room mystery in space with some interesting world building. The mystery bit wasn't as elegant as it could have been - it was just a bunch of things happening then you were presented with the unguessable solution. I wanted a bit more sleuthing (for good space mysteries go for Emma Newman's Planetfall series) or a bit more character development so I could really root for someone but all the elements here are so much fun and the pace so fast that I won't complain too much. Seems like maybe a set up for a series which could be good since there's so much introduced here and not explored, and I feel that Thompson could bring it to a really well-developed and satisfying conclusion (I base this on his generally great Rosewater trilogy).
lovelycass's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
brothena's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
Heard about this book on a podcast as a locked-room mystery in space. Read now as it fulfils a prompt in a reading challenge I'm doing, consumed as audiobook.
I don't totally feel like I can be 100% confident in this review, as I think this was a nuanced mystery and I may have missed things listening as opposed to physically reading. Overall, the concept was interesting but I lost interest about 2/3 of the way through.
I don't totally feel like I can be 100% confident in this review, as I think this was a nuanced mystery and I may have missed things listening as opposed to physically reading. Overall, the concept was interesting but I lost interest about 2/3 of the way through.
daniup's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
bonnie_bee's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Unfortunately, the writing is very cut and dry in regards to description. There's some well-worded gore, and some nice hitting action, but it's never smooth enough to carry one scene into the next. Characters come across as a little one-dimensional and the red herrings are overt, making them pointless cliffhangers at the end of chapters.
There is a cute wolf companion though, so .5 stars for wolves in space.
There is a cute wolf companion though, so .5 stars for wolves in space.
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review
3.0
Far from the Light of Heaven reminded me a lot of a closed room murder mystery. Think Agatha Christie for the Science Fiction genre. The premise was exciting, but the execution left me feeling just meh. The characters weren’t particularly memorable and as the story progressed, I wasn’t bothered about how the mystery was solved. Wooden characters and a plot that felt a little convoluted, to me at least. The threads of the story should have been tied together in an understandable spectrum of events, but I was left confused and annoyed.
The prologue got me very excited about the potential of the story. Far from the Light of Heaven gave me a lot of Alien franchise vibes. So much can go wrong in space – no one can hear you scream, even more so when you are in a deep sleep and being transported into the cosmos. As some of the crew awake, they discover that a massacre has taken place, and an investigation into the who and why must take precedence. The captain, Shell Campion is one character I enjoyed reading about, she slid into the confines of the character with practiced ease.
Shell Campion is a character with grit and determination. She carries out her duties with passion and takes her responsibilities seriously. So, when she discovers the mutilated bodies of her passengers, she knows that she must do everything she can to get to the bottom of it. She has the perfect balance between conflict and problem-solving. Like I say she was my favourite aspect of the story, unfortunately, it was hugely let down by the abrupt way the story was concluded. The pace quickened unnecessarily, and I felt the ending was just placed on the reader’s lap without any pre-warning.
As I stated previously, I wanted to enjoy this one more than I ended up doing. It had all the hallmarks of a spectacular sci-fi story but fell flat with the questionable science, unimpressionable characters and the writing came across as a bit staccato. This could be a book for you, so don’t let my review influence your enjoyment, but it was a bit hit and miss for me.
The prologue got me very excited about the potential of the story. Far from the Light of Heaven gave me a lot of Alien franchise vibes. So much can go wrong in space – no one can hear you scream, even more so when you are in a deep sleep and being transported into the cosmos. As some of the crew awake, they discover that a massacre has taken place, and an investigation into the who and why must take precedence. The captain, Shell Campion is one character I enjoyed reading about, she slid into the confines of the character with practiced ease.
Shell Campion is a character with grit and determination. She carries out her duties with passion and takes her responsibilities seriously. So, when she discovers the mutilated bodies of her passengers, she knows that she must do everything she can to get to the bottom of it. She has the perfect balance between conflict and problem-solving. Like I say she was my favourite aspect of the story, unfortunately, it was hugely let down by the abrupt way the story was concluded. The pace quickened unnecessarily, and I felt the ending was just placed on the reader’s lap without any pre-warning.
As I stated previously, I wanted to enjoy this one more than I ended up doing. It had all the hallmarks of a spectacular sci-fi story but fell flat with the questionable science, unimpressionable characters and the writing came across as a bit staccato. This could be a book for you, so don’t let my review influence your enjoyment, but it was a bit hit and miss for me.
sapphic_shroom's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.25
norachin's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the characters and the story was unique and interesting. At first after reading it I felt like maybe I didn't like it that much but after it's soaked in for a second I think I actually did! Originally it was going to be a 3 star but i bumped it up to 4 (in reality I think it was more of a 3.5). Fun and quick read, I love space!
renegadepaladin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25