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A review by paradoxically
Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach
3.0
While entertaining, Fortune's Pawn was a bit lighter than I thought it would be and a lot more heavy on the romance as well. Still, I did enjoy reading about Devi's adventures in space, even though I sometimes cringed at some thoughts or actions. But, yes, this is a lighter sci-fi that's very heavy on the character interactions between Devi and her love interest, Rupert, with a plot that seems to be slowly knitting itself together in the story.
What I liked about Devi was how motivated she was to get what she wanted. She wants to be the best of the best. She wants to be a Devastator. She doesn't want to wait the usual amount of time to become one just because she doesn't have nearly as much experience--she's good as she is. That said, becoming a Devastator seemed more like an ideal than anything else because we don't get all that much information on them other than they're the 'best' of the Paradoxian army. In fact a lot of information is rather sparse (again, lighter sci-fi that has details that are kind of glossed over).
One of the things that irritated me greatly when I finished the book was all the emphasis on how great Devi is, how kick-ass she was, and yet time and time again we keep getting Devi having her butt handed to her (after handily kicking some butt, I would have to admit) and then needing to be saved. This happens almost every major battle. It's frustrating. It wouldn't have been so bad if it didn't happen so often. It just seems that Devi does something great, but then at the last second things go to hell and whoops, back to the infirmary we go.
But I really liked Devi's attitude. Her forthrightness about her life, her plain attitude about sex, the way she goes for what she wants with nothing held back. I really enjoyed her as a character. The romance, on the other hand, seemed to come a little bit out of nowhere. And by romance I mean feelings because we could all see that Devi wanted to climb Rupert like a tree at first glance. I think I would have liked it more if the emotions had been stretched out more, where Devi and Rupert would be this casual thing that slowly turns into something more. Instead we get a start up of feelings that happens very, very fast. So fast that I almost got whiplash.
The plot was interesting, what little we saw of it. You get a couple of answers, but you're left with a whole mess load of questions and an ending that makes you want to hit something because of course it ended like that. It does do a serviceable job as a lead in to the next book (for example, I am going to start reading the next book very soon), but you just kind of want more. Which is... probably good on the author's part. Mixed feelings.
A lot of the little details don't make all that much sense and the author, as I said above, doesn't do much explaining. I wish there was just a bit more about the setting and about the places and about what's going on around them. I love Devi, I like the fact that we're centered on her, but what the author wrote is so limited in scope.
The plot is a little sparse and the story a bit aimless. There's too much romance for my liking, or at least the emotional aspect happened way too quickly. I wanted to soak into the world (worlds) better, but details were light. But for all of that, I really loved Devi. Good thing she's most of the book. 3 stars.
What I liked about Devi was how motivated she was to get what she wanted. She wants to be the best of the best. She wants to be a Devastator. She doesn't want to wait the usual amount of time to become one just because she doesn't have nearly as much experience--she's good as she is. That said, becoming a Devastator seemed more like an ideal than anything else because we don't get all that much information on them other than they're the 'best' of the Paradoxian army. In fact a lot of information is rather sparse (again, lighter sci-fi that has details that are kind of glossed over).
One of the things that irritated me greatly when I finished the book was all the emphasis on how great Devi is, how kick-ass she was, and yet time and time again we keep getting Devi having her butt handed to her (after handily kicking some butt, I would have to admit) and then needing to be saved. This happens almost every major battle. It's frustrating. It wouldn't have been so bad if it didn't happen so often. It just seems that Devi does something great, but then at the last second things go to hell and whoops, back to the infirmary we go.
But I really liked Devi's attitude. Her forthrightness about her life, her plain attitude about sex, the way she goes for what she wants with nothing held back. I really enjoyed her as a character. The romance, on the other hand, seemed to come a little bit out of nowhere. And by romance I mean feelings because we could all see that Devi wanted to climb Rupert like a tree at first glance. I think I would have liked it more if the emotions had been stretched out more, where Devi and Rupert would be this casual thing that slowly turns into something more. Instead we get a start up of feelings that happens very, very fast. So fast that I almost got whiplash.
The plot was interesting, what little we saw of it. You get a couple of answers, but you're left with a whole mess load of questions and an ending that makes you want to hit something because of course it ended like that. It does do a serviceable job as a lead in to the next book (for example, I am going to start reading the next book very soon), but you just kind of want more. Which is... probably good on the author's part. Mixed feelings.
A lot of the little details don't make all that much sense and the author, as I said above, doesn't do much explaining. I wish there was just a bit more about the setting and about the places and about what's going on around them. I love Devi, I like the fact that we're centered on her, but what the author wrote is so limited in scope.
The plot is a little sparse and the story a bit aimless. There's too much romance for my liking, or at least the emotional aspect happened way too quickly. I wanted to soak into the world (worlds) better, but details were light. But for all of that, I really loved Devi. Good thing she's most of the book. 3 stars.