The One by John Marrs is great science fiction, where a scientist has found a gene that links you to one over person on the planet that you’re supposed to be with, your one and only love. That scientist of course cashed in and makes it a website that you send your DNA to get the results. This premise gets Black Mirror-ed showing the horrors and doubt that can arise with this technology. It gets you the reader to wish this technology exist then shows the horrors that go with it. We follow five people that use the website, some in reluctance , some eager, and some with trepidation. What I enjoyed is that the stories all have twist some come right at the beginning, some in the middle and some at the end. So as one story will slow down another will have a huge twist and totally change it. The One has been made into a Netflix show, that I can’t wait to check out. This the 4th book I have read by John Marrs and it did not disappoint in the least. The technology in The One is mentioned in The Passengers and The Minders which are books about future technologies, that hackers try to hack and manipulate. The book does have an LGTBQ storyline which is done really well
The Plot: A gene is found that links you to the one you are to belong to, your one true love. A website is started where you can send in DNA to have it analyzed. We follow five people, Mary who has been showing everyone her match, but something happens before they can meet, Jade who lives in England is matched with a Australian farmer with a catch, Christian is a serial killer of women that has just been matched, Nick and his bride to be dare each other to take it, when Nick does he’s matched with a man, and A super rich women with no time to date, becomes matched with a regular guy, she must keep secrets to see if this is real.
What I Liked: The premise and the story arcs are great. I liked that the characters never meet each other, it would have been to much of a stretch to make this happen. The characters are great and you know and understand them in the end. The twist are really good, each story has a major twist, and they are all plausible. My favorites were Christian, Mary, and Nick. Their are some happy endings and some truly messed up endings. The end twist was a great one that made you question every thing and every couple.
What I Disliked: The only tale that I never connected with was Jade’s, I did enjoy the twist but it took a while.
Recommendation: I really enjoyed this story as I have enjoyed all John Marrs so far. If you have never checked out his work I would recommend this story The One and What Lies Between Us. Marrs is If he king of domestic thriller, every book he writes is a page turner. I rated The One by John Marrs 5 out of 5 stars.
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse is a tightly wound thriller at an isolated hotel with it’s own horrific past. The thriller gets off to a fast start with a murder. we later learn the significance of it and when it happened. This is a novel of a lot of twist that will mess with your head as to is behind all this. The setting is unique a former Sanatorium that treated female tuberculosis patients that is turned into a swanky hotel in the Swiss Alps. This book was on Reece Witherspoon’s book club which gave it some extra hype. The Sanatorium is a solid mystery, with easy to remember character’s. I did guess the killer, but it wasn’t for the reasons that I thought, my guess was more a shot in the dark, so the narrative was still fun. The killer’s lament was too long and didn’t have the reason I felt were grounds to murder so many. I enjoyed it the ending could of been a little more satisfying, but all together a solid mystery from Sarah Pearse.
The Plot: A former sanatorium that treated female tuberculosis patients in 1920’s is getting turned into a swanky new hotel in the Swiss Alps. The town people protest the remodel and want know one to take it over, one of the builders checks out the construction as he is stalked and stabbed by someone in a old gas mask and a rubber suit, like the doctors wore when treating the TB patients. Is this a former patient, an angry townsperson, or someone else with a grudge. Despite the murder the hotel is opened on time Elin Warner is a detective on leave that got invited to celebrate her estranged brother Issac who is engaged to her childhood best friend she stopped speaking to. Elin is a brilliant detective but suffers panic attacks thanks to her last case, since going on leave. The meeting is awkward because of a past trauma that Elin believes that her older brother killed her younger brother when they were younger. Issac’s fiancé goes missing and an avalanche snows them in Elin is left to investigate, but can she do it. A body then bodies start piling up with nowhere to go Elin has to find out the truth.
What I Liked: Elin was annoying at first but I grew to really like her character and her observations. The other characters are interesting enough that I could remember who they were when the mystery really starts. I do like how the culprit was caught what feature lead Elin to them. The pace is really fast, and made a pretty good little page turner. I liked the killers garb and the connection to the past. The hotel’s backstory was really interesting. I liked that the hotel found out that Elin was on leave and not in fact a detective.
What I Disliked: The killer’s lament was too long and it ruined the past of the hotel, that the was interesting and was made to be so important, was really diminished.
Recommendations: I recommend you to check out this fun little isolated thriller. This was Sarah Pearse’s debut and it is a good one. If you like thriller that make you isolated, and can’t trust the detective’s sanity, then you will like this mystery. I rated The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse 4 out of 5 stars.
Later by Stephen King is a really fun ghost story, about a boy who can see ghosts and talk to them is it a gift or a curse. I would say it is the Sixth Sense meets combined with a short story he wrote in if it bleeds Mr. Harrigan’s phone, this story went in another direction and it was good. Later was part of the Hard Case Crime series, that not really a series but more of a style of books. This is my fourth so far and favorite. I have read the three that Stephen King wrote and one by Brian DiPlama. Later is a good fun ride that gets exciting and a little gruesome. When rating Stephen King books you can’t help but compare to his other works. I have read 26 King books so far, and this one is good. When looking at the 2000’s King books it looks better. King will always create characters that you can connect instantly to and Jamie the lead is no exception. The pacing is fast I was able to read it in a day and had moments where I could not put it down. I really enjoyed the neck out of this book.
Jamie Conklin is writing about his life as a child through teenager, he will explain some things now and somethings later, hence where the title comes from. Jamie can see and talk to ghosts, he has some power where the ghost always have to tell the truth. He uses this power for good the only one who knows about this is his single mother. His mother starts dating a cop who Jamie generally liked but in desperation his mom reveals the secret to save her career as her client dies while completing his last manuscript in the series. Jamie talks to him and gets the plot points. He fills bad about this one, and doesn’t want to use this power anymore until he is forced to.
What I Liked: This novel is so fun and easy to read. I liked the connections other books to IT through the ritual of Chud and to Different Seasons with the descriptions of Shawshank Prison. Jamie the lead character you were so easily connected to and cared about. I like that King acknowledges that Jamie is just like the kid in the Sixth Sense, he acknowledges right at the start then moves on. I liked the gruesome moments and how they were described where I could get a good mind picture. The climax was exciting, I knew where it was going but was still surprised in parts. The structure and how it kept building, It was like small short stories about Jamie building up to the conclusion. The novel within this novel about Roanoke sounds so interesting I kind of low key want Stephen King to write it with all the tawdry details.
What I Disliked: This novel was focused more than most, but their was some details that were not needed. I really disliked the ending after the conclusion, I felt that could have gone a different way.
Recommendations: Read this really fun Stephen King Novel. With his big catalog of books and me reading 26 I would say this in the top 15. He has so many five stars this on was close. I rated Later by Stephen King 4 out of 5 stars.
The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier is where there is a whole city of the dead that are still remembered by the living, which sounds a lot like Pixar’s film Coco. This is no Coco. There is a plague that wipes out all of existence except one person to our knowledge who is isolated the city of the dead shrinks to one city where all are connected in some ways. The story is more metaphorical than straight linear. The words written are beautiful, but man does this story get boring, the last person doesn’t seem to want to do really anything that makes sense. Mostly it’s wondering and you get to know her character through the people she knew. I thought it was an interesting story, but it could’ve been something more. The dead world was interesting and a metaphor for living your best life even if you’re dead. Really bad pacing problem stops what could have been a great novel. The novel flips back and forth between the city of the dead and The last human? Maybe Laura. The city of the dead is way more interesting.
The Plot: Laura is on a base in Antarctica working on a campaign for Coca-Cola. They want to go back to have penguins enjoying a coke. Laura’s team go out to meet the other team after they can not get contact. The city of the dead, is a city made up of people who live because they are remembered by the living, well everyone in this city starts disappearing, those that come to the city speak of a plague wiping out all of humanity. Laura starts losing power at her station and decided to find her team at the other station. The city of the dead is shifting and people start realizing they’re connected to Laura. Everybody who comes through wants to know about Laura. Is she humanity’s hope?
What I Liked: The word used to describe city’s and I’ve of Antarctica are beautiful. I don’t know if I liked Laura but I liked the dead’s memories of her. I did think it interesting the look of religion that went on in the city of the dead. I liked the restaurant worker who always wanted to run a restaurant they way he wanted but had no means, but got to in the city of the dead and was so happy about it. I liked that the dead had a newspaper about what the recently dead reported on. I do like the drum beat you hear when you died compared to Earth’s heartbeat. I like what it says about human interaction, and how we need more of it to live our best life.
What I Disliked: The pacing is really bad the city of the dead is fun and Laura is all ice and survival, there is a rare flashback thrown in which was always welcomed. I felt we needed three city of the dead chapters for every Laura chapter not switching back and forth where nothing happens. The end is metaphorical it is okay, but I wanted concrete as well.
Recommendation: While I find the afterlife interesting, and this is a unique take on it for sure, I cannot recommend this book. If you want a book that is beautifully written and described but lacking in story and substance then this might be your book. I rated The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier 3 out of 5 stars. It was close to 2.5 but the descriptions and metaphors are really well done.
April 2021 TBR Last month I read all seven books, but upped it to 9 this month. I have my one hold over from the past two month that I kept switching out will get read. I’m reading my first Stephen King of the new year with Later. I’m reading my first Mary Kubica with Local Woman Missing she has been recommended a lot. I have a lot of fun reads in store for myself.
Later by Stephen King is his newest novel and a part of the Hard Case Crime series. I have read the first two the Colorado Kid which I hated and Joyland which I did enjoy. A couple of people I trust said Later is the best of the bunch. With King I will always get a little enjoyment out of it and am guaranteed to connect to a couple of characters. Later is about a kid that can see and talk to ghosts.
The One by John Marrs is one that I’ve wanted to read for sometime I have enjoyed the three John Marrs books I’ve read so far. The One is about a match-making site that can tell you who the one is with out question, until hackivists take it over and make who they want a match. The One has been turned into a Netflix series that I really want to watch but will wait until I read the book first.
Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica the author has been recommended to me a lot with her last novel the Good Girl. I got and ARC to Local Woman missing and can’t wait to dig in. The tagline is: People just don’t disappear without a trace. ARC thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin published on May 18
Goblin by Josh Malerman is a rerelease that features 6 novellas in one book. I have read 3 Malerman novels 2 five stars and 1 three stars. I like his ideas; they are always one of a kind. Bird Box is what he’s most famous for. Copy Thanks to Netgalley and Random House
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse is about a isolated getaway in the Swiss Alps called Le Sommet, a detective need a break and comes to her estranged brothers engagement party. On the night of the storm the finance goes missing. This book is part of Reece Witherspoon’s book club.
The Apocalypse Seven by Gene Doucette has the tagline: This is the way the world ends,. Not with a bang, but with a whatever. The description sounds pretty crazy I can’t wait to read this ARC. This ARC is thanks to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin it is published on May 25th .
Girl in the Walls by A. J. Gnuse has a good description: A mesmerizing and suspenseful coming-of-age novel about an orphan hiding within the walls of her former family home—and about what it means to be truly seen after becoming lost in life. ARC is thanks to Netgalley and Ecco. Girl in the Walls is published on May 11.
he Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier my other holdover form last month it reminds me a lot of the plot of Pixar’s Coco. Where there is a whole city of the dead that are still remembered by the living. But the City has started rapidly shrinking. It has been on my TBR for a while, and I’m committed to reading it, and already started it.
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spiderman Volume 4 by Stan Lee is full of new and old villains. I features the unmasking of the original Green Goblin. I has on of of the most famous panels featured on the cover where Spiderman uses all the strength he has to save himself and Aunt May. It features Doc Ock and Kraven the Hunter.
Dear Readers, April was a good month for reading and catching up on my TBR, I read 7 books this month. I exchanged Instinct for The Brief History of the Dead for Instinct because was released this month and I missed it when making my TBR, The Brief History of the Dead will be read next month as I am half way done with it. I read no graphic novels this month, 3 books in a series, 2 dark mysteries, 1 classic, 5 advance reader copies (thanks to Netgalley). I read 6 books published this year. I only started 1 new series Starwars the High Republic and finished all books published in The Murderbot Diaries.
Five Star Reviews:
Network Effect by Martha Wells is Murderbot Diaries number five. This is the only full novel in the series with the rest being novellas. I have read and loved the character of Murderbot for 4 previous novels. The series has had highs and lows, I felt the formula was getting a little predictable, then Network Effect came out and changed the narrative making this book my favorite in the series so far. It took the best parts, intense action, witty dialogue, human interaction, and character growth, and expand them. The pace of this book is pretty fast it slows down a little in the middle but after intense scene after intense scene I welcomed the slow down. Network Effect brought back my favorite character from the series ART (an acronym for “Asshole Research Transport”) from Artificial Condition book 2.
Four Star Reviews:
The Lost Village by Camilla Sten Is a atmospheric horror that is slightly unnerving. The Lost Village is a Swedish book that has been translated to English. The descriptions make it feel like characters are constantly being watched by the village, it makes the reader feel pretty unnerved. The mystery is pretty captivating, and the way the story is told by amateur documentarians, really works since they bring their own problems, to a place that feeds off those problems. The Lost Village reminded me of parts of Shirley Jackson’s short story The Lottery meets the film The Blair Witch Project. I was slightly underwhelmed my the climax, but the rising action to it was so cool I thought of all these other cool scenarios that would have made it epic, and the climax was just good. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press through Minotaur books for letting me have early access to this title. The Lost Village by Camilla Sten was published in Sweden in 2019 and translated/published in America on March 23 2021.
Light of the Jedi (Star Wars: The High Republic) by Charles Soule is a fantastic introduction to a new timeline taking places 200 before the Phantom Menace. This is the first book in the new cannon (that started when The Force Awakens came out) that has told a new story not involving events that film and television have touched on. Yoda is the only character from the Skywalker Saga. The book starts out introducing a dizzying amount of characters all dealing with a crisis, thankfully it slows down and lets you get to know the characters a little. This is an ensemble piece with no main character, which got on my nerves at first, but it worked well at the end. The villain’s plan is pretty genius, the way it unite people through manipulation and lies. The new Jedi I came away having some mixed feelings
Near the Bone by Christina Henry is one part Emma Donoghue’s Room and the other part The Relic by Preston and Child. This off mix of kidnapping slash survival works really well to the theme of one woman beating her demons literally and physically. This is the third Henry that I have read and this one was my favorite so far. I enjoyed it but there is a lot of trigger warnings on domestic abuse, kidnapping, child endangerment, and manipulation/gaslighting. This is a really fast paced novel, that is deeply psychological. Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley books for the advanced reader’s copy, Near the Bone by Christina Henry is published on April 13th 2021.
The Dinner Guest by B. P. Walter is a good who done it? mystery. You know right up front there was a murder, and you know the who said they did it is lying. The narrative moves really fast supplying the reader with a little bit more information at each turn. This is not a big twist novel but a series of twist that add up to tension and betrayal. The novel does look at the British class system which I found the weakest part of the novel. I haven’t read a mystery in a while and this novel was just what I needed a good quick mystery that kept me guessing. I’m really liking these domestic mysteries that focus on a small knit family that is driven apart by a dark secret. The Dinner Guest is very LGBTQ friendly as the family that is torn apart is a gay couple. Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK , One More Chapter for giving me this ARC. The Dinner Guest was published on April 1st 2021.
Three Star Reviews:
Instinct by Jason M. Hough is small town thriller. Where small town folks start to suddenly lose their survival instinct, like a person that never goes outside will go on a massive hike, and the guy scared of animals will face down a bear. It reminded me of Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter where in the last 25 % of the book goes to a crazy place. The finale is good but it is one slow build up to that point. The character’s are quirky with conspiracy theories running deep until the town is in one. Instinct is a good idea, but the execution is lacking. The end is fun but I don’t know if everyone will get there with every beat of action and odd occurrence nothing happens in between; we don’t spend enough time with these characters to see them acting out of place. Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books – Skybound Books for the opportunity to read Instinct. Instinct by Jason M. Hough was published on April 6th 2021.
Two Star reviews:
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells is Murderbot Diaries book 6. This time Murderbot plays detective investigating a murder at Preservation Station that only it can solve. After the epic Network Effect that was my favorite in the series comes the sadly lackluster Fugitive Telemetry that is my least favorite so far. The plot is okay, it’s not really a murder that can be solved but the right beats are there, The problem with this one is Murderbot doesn’t have that much interaction with anyone, and the action is really limited. This has been one of my favorite series but this book just didn’t gel with me. I read Fugitive Telemetry through advanced readers copy curtesy of Netgalley and Macmillion-Tor/ Forge books. Fugitive Telemetry is published on 4-27-21.
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells is Murderbot Diaries book 6. This time Murderbot plays detective investigating a murder at Preservation Station that only it can solve. After the epic Network Effect that was my favorite in the series comes the sadly lackluster Fugitive Telemetry that is my least favorite so far. The plot is okay, it’s not really a murder that can be solved but the right beats are there, The problem with this one is Murderbot doesn’t have that much interaction with anyone, and the action is really limited. This has been one of my favorite series but this book just didn’t gel with me. I read Fugitive Telemetry through advanced readers copy curtesy of Netgalley and Macmillion-Tor/ Forge books. Fugitive Telemetry is published on 4-27-21.
The Plot: Murderbot discovers a body on Preservation Station. He’s the main suspect for a while thinking he got hacked, but Murderbot convinces and works with the local security to solve the crime. Murderbot has vowed not to hack his way into security, so this case is going to be harder than he thought.
What I Liked: The couple glimpses of Murderbot personality are good. The plot was not that bad. I did enjoy the twist reveal, and what the killer turned out to be. The Murderbot and Dr. Mensah still works and is still the most interesting. I liked the couple call backs to past novels.
What I Disliked: When we last saw Murderbot he was staying on a transport with ART saying he must go away, so I was pretty shocked to see him already back on Preservation Station with Dr. Mensah who he just told was leaving. This novel felt like it was the Murderbot before he was changed at end of the last book. Not enough witty Murderbot scenes.
Recommendations: This is the only Murderbot book that I have not recommended. There’s not much character development in this one the lowest amount so far. It seems this was an experiment it just didn’t work out for me. I still love this series and eagerly await the next installment. I rated Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells 2 out of 5 stars. I raked the 6 book series so far in order from best to worst: Network Effect, Artificial Condition, All Systems Red, Exit Strategy, Rogue Protocol, and Fugitive Telemetry.
Near the Bone by Christina Henry is one part Emma Donoghue’s Room and the other part The Relic by Preston and Child. This off mix of kidnapping slash survival works really well to the theme of one woman beating her demons literally and physically. This is the third Henry that I have read and this one was my favorite so far, I have read Alice and The Ghost Tree before this. Where I always have appreciated Henry’s overall story, this novel felt very real, and raw. I enjoyed it but there is a lot of trigger warnings on domestic abuse, kidnapping, child endangerment, and manipulation/gaslighting. This is a really fast paced novel, that is deeply psychological. Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley books for the advanced reader’s copy, Near the Bone by Christina Henry is published on April 13th 2021.
The Plot: Mattie lives with William on top of a cold mountain. William is a controlling terrifyingly frightening man that treats Mattie like a slave than a wife. He keeps her locked up and beats her regularly so Mattie is docile. William is a monster, but what they find in the woods terrifies even him, a fox ripped in half most of it organs and none are missing, with big tracks leading to it, then nothing. They investigate and find a cave that has piles of various organs and skulls. William is determined to kill it but, he’s not the only one who discovered the creature, when a group of college kids find William and Mattie in the woods, they thought was abandoned. Mattie and one the college kids Griffen has a connection with Mattie and swears he knows her from somewhere. Mattie tells them to leave but it starts her own spiral in finding out who she is and what the creature really is.
What I Liked: the mixing of genres, it was interesting, it kind of reminded me of the movie 10 Cloverfield Ln. I liked Mattie and how we got to see her find her inner strength. William was a monster, that was terrifying to read. As for the real monster, I liked the descriptions my mind was trying to fill in the gaps since no one really gets a good view of it. I like the flashbacks, especially the bathroom scene, which is so raw and you really get into Mattie’s psychology early that she cares about others and fears for them more than herself because she can take the abuse.
What I Disliked: William’s blank holes filled me with so many questions, did he want Mattie’s mother to join him on the mountain. We never found out if Heather, Mattie’s sister, is still alive.
Recommendations: This is the only Christina Henry book that I have recommended. Near the Bone is a wild ride both emotionally and scary. It has two horrors in it, each just as dangerous. I rated Near the Bone by Christina Henry 4 out of 5 stars.
Network Effect by Martha Wells is Murderbot Diaries number five. This is the only full novel in the series with the rest being novellas. I have read and loved the character of Murderbot for 4 previous novels. The series has had highs and lows, I felt the formula was getting a little predictable, then Network Effect came out and changed the narrative making this book my favorite in the series so far. It took the best parts, intense action, witty dialogue, human interaction, and character growth, and expand them. The pace of this book is pretty fast it slows down a little in the middle but after intense scene after intense scene I welcomed the slow down. Network Effect brought back my favorite character from the series ART (an acronym for “Asshole Research Transport”) from Artificial Condition book 2. I do think you have to read all the books to understand all the relationship, and just to see how far Murderbot has come. I read this because I received an advanced readers copy from Netgalley for book six Fugitive Telemetry I plan on reading it soon as it comes out on April 27.
Plot: Murderbot is back with the first science team that he saved and was released by. After Murderbot spent time on self discovery, and looking for evidence to back the scientists claims. He found the evidence and had to save the crew once again, and now he is back living among them as part of the crew. Dr. Mensah entrust Murderbot with her most valuable thing, her daughter Amena, which don’t get along it could be that he doesn’t listen to her or the fact that he almost killed her boyfriend reading him as a threat. Murderbot, Amena, and other members are on a scouting mission, right after they enter a wormhole the ship his hit and invaded, some of the member escape but Amena stayed behind, and so did Murderbot to rescue her. Murderbot takes the invaders down who are looking for a weapon, he starts to notice the other ship is his old buddy ART who he stowed away on to get a way last time. ART helped change his identity and gave Muderbot some of his code. Murderbot finds that ART has been purged from the ship and finds a way to bring him back, with ART telling him he sent the hostiles here to grab you. Murderbot is the Weapon they want.
What I Liked: The action and humor are great and the highlights of this book. Murderbot becoming more human, everybody telling him to sit down and think that he is becoming emotionally compromised, but Muderbot can process thought so fast he doesn’t get while people are telling him to sit down. ART and Muderbot’s relationship goes through so much to loss, happiness, confusion, and anger. Muderbot’s relationship with Amena is a great one as well as they figure out how to communicate with each other, Murderbot going after the hidden boyfriend is great. The twist and turns in this book are great. I like the other SecUnits so you can see how far Murderbot has come.
What I Disliked: The descriptions could have been a little tighter, I had a hard time following all the action especially the drone action scenes. I can’t picture how big the drone is, I’ll read another passage and think it is smaller.
Recommendations: This book is amazing if you’ve started this wonderful series you have to read up to this point. If you’ve never read this series then you’re in for a treat. Start with All Systems Red the first four books are short novellas and easy to read in a day. I totally recommend this series. I rated Network Effect by Martha Wells 5 out of 5 stars, my highest rating so far for the series. I raked the 5 book series so far in order from best to worst: Network Effect, Artificial Condition, All Systems Red, Exit Strategy, and Rogue Protocol.
Light of the Jedi (Star Wars: The High Republic) by Charles Soule is a fantastic introduction to a new timeline taking places 200 before the Phantom Menace. This is the first book in the new cannon (that started when The Force Awakens came out) that has told a new story not involving events that film and television have touched on. Yoda is the only character from the Skywalker Saga. The book starts out introducing a dizzying amount of characters all dealing with a crisis, thankfully it slows down and lets you get to know the characters a little. This is an ensemble piece with no main character, which got on my nerves at first, but it worked well at the end. The villain’s plan is pretty genius, the way it unite people through manipulation and lies. The new Jedi I came away having some mixed feeling, just because you don’t spend that much time with them, sense it bounces around so much. I came away liking 3 out of the 7 that were introduced.
The Plot: The Legacy Run, a starship, is destroyed in a hyperspace accident sending shards and debris though out the galaxy. The Jedi and the republic work together to stop the debris that heads for stars, moons, and planets. The Jedi search for how this is possible as the responsible party , The Nihil, seek to destroy all evidence. The Nihil are space pirates operating on the outer rim, and see their reign come to an end as the Jedi set up the first of many beacons on the outer rim. The Nihil will do anything to maintain their power.
What I Liked: The intro was really intense and keeps ramping up the action, it felt like it was more of a Justice League crisis than Star Wars but I enjoyed it. The range of Jedi powers, we have seen them communicate through telepathy but not on this scale which was cool, also there is one Jedi who uses the force of nature which I liked seeing. The twist and turns with the Nihil’s master plan was amazing to see it work out for a leader I felt was weak at first to be so good at plotting and seeing the endgame. The character sacrifices are felt through out and did evoke a emotion from me.
What I Disliked: There was one line where forensic science was brought up that took me right out of the book, there could have been some made up word where we would have understood the science being talked about, but forensic science took me right out of the book. We don’t spend enough time with the characters to form a bond.
Recommendation: This book is a good intro to a star wars series with a lot of potential. I have read probably 15 Star Wars novels in my lifetime and this is one of the better ones. This is a Jedi of one mind which we haven’t seen before, and the villains are smart and pose a good future threat. I’m for sure going to check out the next book, I got a good sample the characters but now I want a taste. I rated Light of the Jedi (Star Wars: High Republic) by Charles Soule 4 out of 5 stars.
