I’m an old-school sci-fi gal…I grew up reading Asmov and other authors who really created this category. One of the things that really stands out for me with those first pioneers is how they focused on characters as much as any of the science they invented in their worlds.
The Calypsis Project was therefore a true delight. This story has equal parts character and science-based plot elements. Set far in the future, it follows one primary alien character and one important human character as they form an alliance across war lines to save the galaxy from a hideous conspiracy. Their individual motivations are provided in a clear way, and are not lumped into a single segment but are drawn out across the book. This kind of feeding smaller bits to readers really enhances the reading experience.
And the science is also well developed without bogging down in a slew of details that provide too much information, as some other sci-fi writers might do. This author really has a hand in this category, and interweaves character and plot very well.
The only exception I found was that the use of modern slang terms and references to today’s cultural elements felt inaccurate to this world. It was difficult to believe that so far in the future certain slang terms would still be used, so that was a touch distracting. But the other strengths shown by this author will very likely eliminate those kinds of tiny errors with her next book, so I’m looking forward to reading other novels from her.
Overall, this was a great read and one worth the time. Clips along very nicely and provides a lot to think about along the way.
4 stars!