Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Me on Starflight

Title: Starflight
Author: Melissa Landers
Release Date: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She's so desperate to reach the realm that she's willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith. When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he's been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe...

Starflight is a dangerous race across the stars, from planet to planet, running from the authorities and searching for the truth.

Solara is technically intelligent, great at mechanics and repair work. She's not the best at interpersonal relationships or judging people. Especially considering she trusted the wrong person and she's now a known felon with a serious record. Doran is rich, pampered, secretive, and pompous. There's a skeleton or two in his closet, but his day-to-day life includes partying, making out with clueless girls, and doing whatever he feels like without question or regard for other people. The two are like oil and water, like two magnets repelling each other. Until their roles are reversed. Until someone starts shooting at them, hunting them down. Then they're forced to work together on a ship full of secrets.

How refreshing was it to read a book about bad people! Well, maybe we'll call them not good people. Because they're not. Solara is a felon by mistake, but she's rather honest when she tricks Doran into being her indentured servant, spending his money on frivolous things. Doran grew up rich and entitled, which means he has no idea how the other side lives, how it can be a struggle to make enough money to pay for food or rent or fuel, and before his life tanks, he has absolutely no interest in knowing. These two are massively flawed, there were a number of chapters when I found them unlikable. Even at the end, when most of the plot of this book was resolved, I didn't completely like them. They kept me reading, their abrasive personalities and foolish, rushed decisions.

Overall, I thought it was good. I like the outer space setting, the start on Earth and the gradual move away and into deep space where the law doesn't exist and everyone must fend for themselves. A lot of different things happened, from space pirates to bounty hunters to kidnappings to near deaths. Almost too much. But I'm curious as to what will happen next, knowing the second book will be headlined by different characters.

(I borrowed a copy of this book from the library.)

1 comment:

  1. I've been curious about this one, and I like the sound of morally gray characters, although Doran sounds like a bit of a cliche as the rich kid who's a jerk- but maybe he develops. I like the premise of this though, with the two of them having to survive on their own. Looking forward to this one.

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