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halonoid1's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
electrosailor's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mangocult's review against another edition
3.0
This was a strange and interesting read. Space horror - especially space horror featuring an infectious agent or supernatural adversary - works so well for me because it creates additional artificial confines not only of literal occupiable (or fleeable) space, but of necessary life-sustaining resources like food, water, atmosphere, warmth, and sanity. I had high hopes going into this one, but something about the threat itself didn't quite settle with me. I tend not to have much love for ex post facto prequels, but in this case, I think a good #0.5 to posthumously set the stage would do a world of good for both my curiosity and my overall feelings about Salvation Day.
The most interesting pieces of this story - the unhinged cult leader, the infectious threat and its origins, the discoveries that preceded and ultimately led to the launching of the Mournful Evening Song probe - seem to be the pieces that call for the most but are given the least amount of backstory or deeper exposition.
Though the book wasn't overall a huge hit for me, I do have to admit that the ethical dilemma faced by Jas & co. makes for an intriguing and truly thought-provoking ending.
The most interesting pieces of this story - the unhinged cult leader, the infectious threat and its origins, the discoveries that preceded and ultimately led to the launching of the Mournful Evening Song probe - seem to be the pieces that call for the most but are given the least amount of backstory or deeper exposition.
Though the book wasn't overall a huge hit for me, I do have to admit that the ethical dilemma faced by Jas & co. makes for an intriguing and truly thought-provoking ending.
Spoiler
Where does the line between the pursuit of knowledge and the safety of the homeland/species lie?tuckeralmengor's review against another edition
4.0
Many thanks to Berkely for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
Instead of writing a full review, I'm going to make gif-review because my depression and OCD are being b*tchy. Sooo...
On the first page:
When I met the characters:
When they entered the spaceship:
When sh*t started happening:
(Like seriously, every night I read this before bed, it was hard to fall asleep because of was buzzing with the thrill of a food book)
When all was revealed:
That's all I have. to be honest, I'm truly ashamed of how awful this review is and I
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jenpaul13's review against another edition
4.0
An abandoned spaceship is haunted by a deadly viral past, but the wide-spread orders for citizens to remain away from it make it seem as if it could be a relatively safe harbor from governmental interference in Kali Wallace's Salvation Day.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
A decade ago, House of Wisdom, a large exploration vessel was abandoned after a deadly outbreak of a virus that infected and killed nearly everyone aboard in a matter of hours. The lone survivor, Jaswinder has spent the last decade of his life haunted by the horrors he witnessed aboard the ship as everyone he knew was dying from the unknown virus. Zahra and her chosen family led by a charismatic man named Adam have devised a plan to commandeer the ship to serve as their new home away from governmental influence so they can live in peace, which includes kidnapping Jaswinder in order to unlock the ship with his genetic signature. Upon entering the ship, the terrifying secret obscured for years by the government threatens everyone's lives as the virus awakens from within the already used dead bodies with the promise of new, living bodies to overtake.
Navigating between two perspectives of the young people directly connected to and personally impacted by the deadly events of ten years past on the abandoned spaceship, as well as interspersed snippets of historic documentation of the crew's last moments, this story offers a compelling tale for readers that explores the complex decisions and political games that have shaped this potential future of Earth and its space colonies. Dealing with a variety of topics prominent today that still carry over into this projected future version of society, as is a common trait in science fiction stories, the novel has a close focus on relations between governments and refugees while also including the frightening concept of alien beings that can control humans. With the numerous secrets being kept from society at large, as well as the smaller group of characters who comprise the focus of the story, there could have been more offered in building the world and providing context for a greater understanding of the background events that led to the current situation that served to drive the characters' actions forward.
Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
A decade ago, House of Wisdom, a large exploration vessel was abandoned after a deadly outbreak of a virus that infected and killed nearly everyone aboard in a matter of hours. The lone survivor, Jaswinder has spent the last decade of his life haunted by the horrors he witnessed aboard the ship as everyone he knew was dying from the unknown virus. Zahra and her chosen family led by a charismatic man named Adam have devised a plan to commandeer the ship to serve as their new home away from governmental influence so they can live in peace, which includes kidnapping Jaswinder in order to unlock the ship with his genetic signature. Upon entering the ship, the terrifying secret obscured for years by the government threatens everyone's lives as the virus awakens from within the already used dead bodies with the promise of new, living bodies to overtake.
Navigating between two perspectives of the young people directly connected to and personally impacted by the deadly events of ten years past on the abandoned spaceship, as well as interspersed snippets of historic documentation of the crew's last moments, this story offers a compelling tale for readers that explores the complex decisions and political games that have shaped this potential future of Earth and its space colonies. Dealing with a variety of topics prominent today that still carry over into this projected future version of society, as is a common trait in science fiction stories, the novel has a close focus on relations between governments and refugees while also including the frightening concept of alien beings that can control humans. With the numerous secrets being kept from society at large, as well as the smaller group of characters who comprise the focus of the story, there could have been more offered in building the world and providing context for a greater understanding of the background events that led to the current situation that served to drive the characters' actions forward.
Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
burningupasun's review against another edition
5.0
This was so good. I really enjoyed it. It was a bit slow to start but once things started to get going, it picked up. This was sort of like a zombie story meets Aliens, meets... I don't know, haha. The aliens were really just the set up for the overlaying story, which was about Earth and how we treat the poor and the outsiders, and what they're willing to do just to have a home and be safe.
I really enjoyed the plot itself for the creepy alien stuff, but also the character development and progression. (Also, for the LGBT rep tag, one of the two MC's is gay!)
I really enjoyed the plot itself for the creepy alien stuff, but also the character development and progression. (Also, for the LGBT rep tag, one of the two MC's is gay!)
katiescho741's review against another edition
3.0
A good Sci-Fi Horror story, although things go off track a bit later in the book.
I really liked the dead spaceship with secrets aspect of the book - a very Event Horizon vibe. The fact that the ship became a tomb that was ravaged by a mystery disease, made for a haunted house feel, and, at first, I liked the interwoven story of the cult of Adam. I found the cult storyline more and more distracting as the story went on, though, and it ruined the final chapters of the book in my opinion.
The two main characters were easy to empathise with, and I liked the peek into the different parts of future society that we got from them.
Overall, a good book, although I think it could have been shorter. Things felt a little stretched out, although I liked the world building and lore that were added via the documents in-between chapters.
I really liked the dead spaceship with secrets aspect of the book - a very Event Horizon vibe. The fact that the ship became a tomb that was ravaged by a mystery disease, made for a haunted house feel, and, at first, I liked the interwoven story of the cult of Adam. I found the cult storyline more and more distracting as the story went on, though, and it ruined the final chapters of the book in my opinion.
The two main characters were easy to empathise with, and I liked the peek into the different parts of future society that we got from them.
Spoiler
My one criticism of the characters is that I thought Zahra switched from cultist to free thinker pretty quick, considering she'd been under Adam's wing for a decade.Overall, a good book, although I think it could have been shorter. Things felt a little stretched out, although I liked the world building and lore that were added via the documents in-between chapters.
emily_gaynier's review against another edition
4.0
This is now my second book by this author and I enjoyed it more then Dead Space, but both fell flat for me. But I recommend this book to anyone who didn't like the horde of infected people or the found family in Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey
I found the virus part of this story to be boring. It felt too realistic and because of that it wasn't scary. I did like the bit with Adam and his cult. I think I would've liked this better if there was an extra 50 pages to make the ship more atmospheric and give the virus more time to be an issue
So far Wallace has written books that sound like they'll be right up my alley, but hasn't met the mark yet. I might give her another shot in the future, but not anytime soon
Read Infinity and Beyond - UFO: Read a book with a kidnapping or abduction in it
I found the virus part of this story to be boring. It felt too realistic and because of that it wasn't scary. I did like the bit with Adam and his cult. I think I would've liked this better if there was an extra 50 pages to make the ship more atmospheric and give the virus more time to be an issue
So far Wallace has written books that sound like they'll be right up my alley, but hasn't met the mark yet. I might give her another shot in the future, but not anytime soon
Read Infinity and Beyond - UFO: Read a book with a kidnapping or abduction in it
celiapowell's review against another edition
4.0
Zahra and her team are taking over the immense spaceship House of Wisdom, on behalf of their "Family", who are following behind them, relying on them to provide them with a safe home. The House of Wisdom is not safe at all, as they and their hostages gradually realise, and now they need to figure out a way to leave. [I realised part through that this was going to have some zombie-esque elements (I'm not a zombie fan), but they're really only very lightly zombie adjacent.]