Book Review
for: Planetfall
Written by:
Emma Newman
New American
Library
ISBN:
978-042528239-7
Avail: in print
and as an ebook
4 Stars
Intriguing New
World
Newman pens a
riveting tale of humanity, imagination, and science fiction with “Planetfall.”
Earth is becoming unmanageable. Lee Suh-Mi has a vision of finding God.
She strikes out with a group to find God’s planet in a spaceship called Atlas.
When Suh-Mi and
her party arrive at the planet, it’s not what they expect. Mack and Renata are
left to deal with the repercussions of “Planetfall.”
Now, 22 years
later, a stranger, Sung-Soo, interrupts the tranquil life of the colony which
Mack and Renata have built. Will his presence finally reveal God’s message or
destroy the community Suh-Mi built?
Newman’s
writing is easy to read. The story is told from Renata’s perspective and as the
reader dives deeper into the story, they dive deepter into Renata’s character.
Initially heroic and sympathetic, Renata reveals cracks that hint at the mental
illness Planetfall has done to her. The supporting cast is interesting and each
has a part to play. The actual science of the science fiction is easy to
understand and doesn’t weigh down the storytelling. The suspense builds slowly
at first then snowballs towards the end.
The book earns
a solid 4 due to the ending which is a bit disappointing, given the totality of
the story. “Planetfall” has a good blend of science fiction and
characterization that will keep the reader intrigued and turning the pages to
find out what happens next.
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