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I’m rounding up the rating because while it wasn’t as good as the first in the series I really enjoyed reading the book.
As Ia advances through the ranks of the Terran Space Force she continues to walk that very thin line between lie and deceit in the best interest of all humanity. It takes her to the Navy Academy and pilot school… and I lost count on how many things I’m misrepresenting in my review. Military isn’t my forte.
The world of future is still there, only expanded and further explored. The ever changing character gallery introduces new faces and names all the time while rotating a couple of familiar names to focus for a while. There were some I’d missed but didn’t see, and there were some I hadn’t missed but glad to see all the same.
What’s different to the first book is the shifting focus onto Ia’s character growth. Johnson doesn’t switch genres in the middle of a series but she does spend some time on illuminating through the interactions with her family who Ia was before she became hell bent on saving the galaxy, and who she could be if she wasn’t so stubborn to not allow anything for herself.
And that’s where this book’s greatest weakness lies.
Ia does find her Achille’s heel, which was something I’d been waiting to see from the very start. Just as Johnson, Ia doesn’t quite know what to do with it, but she tries. And it would have worked—adequately—hadn’t that revelation discussion been botched. In my opinion Johnson fails to hit that precious balance between avoiding repetition and doing justice to the character—Ia’s blind spot in this case. What I read was rushed and unsatisfactory instead of a poignant scene between two people facing and accepting a personal tragedy. I am glad, though, that the heel wasn’t completely forgotten and I’m hoping that as the series progresses the character gets a chance to pervade Ia’s life just as Bennie has.
I like Bennie and hope to see much of her in the future. August can’t come soon enough.
4 stars
Series: Theirs Not to Reason Why #2
Pages: 439 (paperback)
Publisher: Ace
ISBN: 9781937997690
Published: July 31th 2012
Source: Bought
OK, I am definitely reading this series soon! ;)
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll like it.
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed this series. I do like the covers.
ReplyDeleteI like the covers too but I think the model should be a bit more muscular based on Johnson's description of Ia. Or what I remember of it from the first book.
DeleteI am in two minds about it but thanks for a great review nevertheless!
ReplyDeleteI can see why you would be ambivalent. And thanks.
DeleteAs always kiitos :)
ReplyDeleteKuten aina, olkaa hyvä.
DeleteDoesn't sound like it was too bad of a problem for you. Knowing you want that next book bodes well for this series. Need to read this one.
ReplyDeleteNo it wasn't, but I'm aware that not all think alike. It also helped that I've learned to take little notes even while reading a paperback novel. I can highlight things on ebooks but having a list of names I thought might become important later and page numbers helped.
DeleteThe cover is nearly the same as the previous one, at first i thought it was the same book!
ReplyDeleteIt's similar but it's not the same and I like that the cover model is the same for both books. I remember pictures better than I remember titles.
DeleteI really need to read this series! Glad you still enjoyed this one even though it wasn't as strong as the first one.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll like it.
DeleteI really would like to give this series a try.
ReplyDeleteAnd I hope you do.
DeleteI'll have to check out the first book. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSome series can be read out of order, but this isn't one of those.
DeleteI don't know about this series, I just read Linda's review and let me thinking about first book and now your review adds to that...
ReplyDeleteI really liked the first book, but I can see why Linda didn't. I've reviewed it but it's on Goodreads only.
DeleteThe military and academy stuff are well done, again, as are her precog moments. Johnson also expounds on Ia's family a bit.
I need to check this series out, and the fact that there is character growth is always a plus.
ReplyDeleteIt's a slow process but it's there. The character growth I mean.
DeleteYou are a reading machine!!! Even though this one doesn't sound like my cup of tea I enjoyed reading a bit about it.!
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteNice review Rameau, glad you want to read the next one. What did you think of the Lottery? That was a fun part, and especially how it was handled to keep it out of the hands of greedy governments.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I liked it. It didn't quite go as I thought it would, which is always a plus, but part of it felt little deus ex machina-like. Then again, these books are about a precog manipulating the galaxy's future so that's to be expected.
DeleteIt is quite heavy on the military stuff but it sort of builds over what's known from the first book. There's a logic to it that I've almost grasped.
ReplyDeleteHmm, you've caught my eye. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a series that I really need to try! I'm definitely adding the first book in this series to my TBR list :)
ReplyDelete