12 Jan 2012 No Comments
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan (Audio)
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Audiobook: 8 discs
Publisher: MacMillan Audio (September 13, 2011)
Sky Chasers Series #1
What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you’d been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?
Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth’s collapse, the ship’s crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader’s efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don’t know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them…
Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he’s the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.
But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren’t all from the outside.
Science fiction novels are typically not reads I jump for the chance to read, but Glow is an exception. Ryan immediately captivates your interest from the very beginning, keeping you enthralled throughout. I checked out the print copy of Glow and read along with the audio copy I received from Macmillan Audio for review, and found the narrators to be fantastic. I’m new to audio books and thought I might have difficulty with two narrators but that wasn’t the case, thankfully.
Ryan’s characters are vibrant and exciting to follow on this fascinating journey. The spaceship setting was intriguing and very realistic, giving the reader the feeling they are on the ship with the characters. When the Emperean is taken over by people of the New Horizon, you easily feel the emotional turmoil of each person as their world and way of life are threatened. Waverly is a fantastic example of a strong female MC and I look forward to continuing to learn more about her as the series progresses. Keiran is a little on the mysterious side for me. I continually wanted more from his character but he didn’t seem to excel in the way that Waverly did.
Ryan is definitely an author I will continue to follow, and the Sky Chaser series is now one of my favorites. Glow has opened my eyes to the world of science fiction in a way that I never knew possible. Spark, the next installment in the Sky Chaser series is due to be released in July 2012 and I’m anxious to see what Ryan has in store for us. I highly recommend this series to readers that enjoy an action-packed and thrilling read that keeps you enthralled from the moment you begin reading.
Review copy courtesy of Macmillan Audio
Spark (Sky Chasers #2) by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Waverly and Kieran are finally reunited on the Empyrean. Kieran has led the boys safely up to this point, and now that the girls are back, their mission seems slightly less impossible: to chase down the New Horizon, and save their parents from the enemy ship. But nothing is truly as it seems…Kieran’s leadership methods have raised Seth’s hackles— and Waverly’s suspicions. Is this really her fiancé? The handsome, loving boy she was torn from just a short time before? More and more, she finds her thoughts aligned with Seth’s. But if Seth is Kieran’s Enemy No. 1, what does that make her?
In one night, a strange explosion rocks the Empyrean—shooting them off course and delaying their pursuit of the New Horizon—and Seth is mysteriously released from the brig. Seth is the most obvious suspect for the explosion, and Waverly the most obvious suspect for releasing him. As the tension reaches a boiling point, will Seth be able to find the true culprit before Kieran locks them both away—or worse? Will Waverly follow her heart, even if it puts lives at risk? With the balance of power precarious and the clock ticking, every decision counts… every step brings them closer to a new beginning, or a sudden end.
