A review by hollymbryan
Station Fosaan by Dee Garretson
4.0
I was really excited when I heard about this book from Month9Books. You may have noticed they’re one of my favorite indie/small publishers, and I always look forward to hearing what they’ve got in development. I love sci-fi, always have and always will, and I was eager to read Station Fosaan. It was a great book, and a great addition to YA sci-fi!
I had not read anything by Dee Garretson before, but it was pretty clear this was not her first book, because the writing was very mature. One of the biggest tells for me with a new writer (or, frankly, a not very good one) is dialogue. If it sounds stilted and unnatural, it can really ruin a book for me. But that was not an issue at all in this book. The dialogue felt both natural in itself and also natural as being that between teens, not to mention between “Earthers” and an alien race. In addition to great dialogue, the writing was very descriptive, and I felt I could see the dusty dry earth of Fosaan and the “beaches” covered by black volcanic rock. I never had trouble seeing the story in my mind as I read, which is something I value in reading, especially reading sci-fi or fantasy where the world is often completely new.
I really liked the characters, especially Quinn, Mira, and Quinn’s best friend, Lainie. The teens were really well-drawn, all believable (even Mira, the “alien”), and I loved the banter back and forth among the Earthers–Quinn, Decker, and Lainie–and how they all had each other’s backs. I loved Quinn’s little sister and her indomitable spirit, too! I also liked the fact that, even though this book was only the first in a series, the story within this one book was definitely wrapped up and I didn’t feel I was left hanging. That said, I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, or too pat, or something–it just left me a little unsatisfied. But overall, the story was excellent and the central issues were resolved, which gets points from me!
Overall, I really enjoyed Station Fosaan, and I think it will delight lovers of YA sci-fi. And even if you’re not a typical reader of sci-fi, I hope you’ll give this one a try. It’s not hard sci-fi like you may traditionally think of it; it’s almost like they’re in another country with which most of us may not be familiar but which is fairly similar to our own. Don’t be scared away by hearing that it’s sci-fi, is all I’m saying! I think you’ll find you enjoy it if you give it a read.
Thanks so much to Month9Books and Dee Garretson for allowing me to take part on this blog tour and to read an early version of the book. I enjoyed Station Fosaan very much!
Rating: 4 interplanetary stars!
I had not read anything by Dee Garretson before, but it was pretty clear this was not her first book, because the writing was very mature. One of the biggest tells for me with a new writer (or, frankly, a not very good one) is dialogue. If it sounds stilted and unnatural, it can really ruin a book for me. But that was not an issue at all in this book. The dialogue felt both natural in itself and also natural as being that between teens, not to mention between “Earthers” and an alien race. In addition to great dialogue, the writing was very descriptive, and I felt I could see the dusty dry earth of Fosaan and the “beaches” covered by black volcanic rock. I never had trouble seeing the story in my mind as I read, which is something I value in reading, especially reading sci-fi or fantasy where the world is often completely new.
I really liked the characters, especially Quinn, Mira, and Quinn’s best friend, Lainie. The teens were really well-drawn, all believable (even Mira, the “alien”), and I loved the banter back and forth among the Earthers–Quinn, Decker, and Lainie–and how they all had each other’s backs. I loved Quinn’s little sister and her indomitable spirit, too! I also liked the fact that, even though this book was only the first in a series, the story within this one book was definitely wrapped up and I didn’t feel I was left hanging. That said, I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, or too pat, or something–it just left me a little unsatisfied. But overall, the story was excellent and the central issues were resolved, which gets points from me!
Overall, I really enjoyed Station Fosaan, and I think it will delight lovers of YA sci-fi. And even if you’re not a typical reader of sci-fi, I hope you’ll give this one a try. It’s not hard sci-fi like you may traditionally think of it; it’s almost like they’re in another country with which most of us may not be familiar but which is fairly similar to our own. Don’t be scared away by hearing that it’s sci-fi, is all I’m saying! I think you’ll find you enjoy it if you give it a read.
Thanks so much to Month9Books and Dee Garretson for allowing me to take part on this blog tour and to read an early version of the book. I enjoyed Station Fosaan very much!
Rating: 4 interplanetary stars!