This novel came to be on my queue almost by accident. I have no memory of putting it on my wishlist, and I imagine that I must have done so one day while scrolling through an Audible.com recommendation list. Regardless, it was on my wishlist, and I did purchase it in audiobook format.
The download sat in my phone for weeks. I had plenty of other things to listen to, and I really wasn't quite sure what to expect from this novel based on its blurb. Sometimes in life, you really don't want to take a chance -- you just want to be comfortable.
Planetfall wasn't what I thought I needed, but I was wrong. This novel took me on a strange journey, and at the end of it, I felt the better for it.
Admittedly, this story had a slow start, so I was a bit bored at the beginning. However, once it got going, it really got going! It is not an action novel, so don't expect chases and fights galore (although there are some).
Instead, this story's movement focuses on the internal and external environs of the characters. Our protagonist reveals herself to the reader over time, and the community at large takes shape as the dark secret of its leaders are exposed. In the end, many mysteries established at the beginning of the tale are explained, but just enough remain to keep the reader thinking long after the telling is over.
*Disclosure: Purchases made through links on this review may result in compensation for The Modern Minerva. All opinions expressed here are based on my personal experience. The Modern Minerva is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
If I sound like I'm being vague, I am. The genius of this story is in the moments when the reader thinks they understand what it going on and has those suspicions challenged, shattered, or upheld. I would never ruin it for you. Just trust me -- it is weird in the best possible way, and it will thrill even the most jaded reader of space colonization tales.
One thing I will reveal about this story: 3D Printing! If you've always wished the world could have a Star Trek replicator, or if you've been reading about the actual advent of 3D printing, this aspect of the story will fascinate you! The protagonist is a master printer, and her love/hate relationship to the work and its role in the community is a central component of the plot. As 3D printing is still a relatively new technology, it is cool to see one's author's imagination play with the possibilities that this product opens up!
In short, was it a perfect book? Not really. Was it a sad, haunting, intriguing, joyful, fascinating, and inspiring book? Totally. Pick it up. You won't regret it.
Have you read Planetfall? Let me know what you think in the comments below!