LONG AND SHORT REVIEWS
A love that will carry the heroine across the galaxy; a
challenge that will threaten her life.
Starquest by Hywela Lyn leaps
into the deep end of galaxy right from the start, as the Jaii-onboard-computer
announces a calamity that is but moments away. The navigational corrections are
not enough, the starship’s drive is compromised; prepare to abandon ship…
Starquest kicks off with a literal bang, and you will feel your heart
thumping at the race to abandon ship. The heroine, Jestine Darnell, is setting
off on a desperate quest and does not quite know why. Her personal trajectory
is impossible to predict, as she soon finds herself in the hands of telepaths –
who are telepaths and more. Unsought friendships emerge, but can she trust
them? And can that sort of reliance (no matter how good a navigator she is)
come to matter among a large starship crew? It doesn’t help that she has to
start off with a lie, then wonders if they can see through it.
The Destiny’s crew find her competent, but they have reservations. Kerry and
Jon acknowledge her competence, and you will find yourself hoping against hope
that they will give her the benefit of the doubt. It is a troubled time; from
the Union’s stranglehold on Earth, to the
dangerous Grakk spies lurking all over the universe. Even as we hope for her to
be accepted, you will feel a thread of doubt yourself. In an amazing way, Lyn
will make you identify – even if just a little bit – with almost every
character.
Some emotions, like a somewhat shared sense of longing, are common among
these people that cannot help but remember, a little sadly, the Earth home they
left, long ago. What seems like a minor emotion – a loneliness or regret,
becomes surprisingly evocative in this tale.
Ms. Lyn does a great job making surprise characters, like Jaii and other
ships’ computers, seem ordinary. And, it’s refreshing that various characters
share a sense of pride and enthusiasm in their ships’ capabilities.
Dialogue tends to be to the point and believable. Events become more and
more unpredictable as the story moves forward. The backdrop is a universe – a
beautifully envisioned universe. It seems rare to find a story with a science
fiction bent so beautifully described. Read a little slice:
“… watching the rapidly unfolding vista of stars, like shimmering jewels
in the black velvet backcloth that was deep space. There was something about
the sheer immensity of the Universe that made her feel very insignificant and,
at the same time, very tranquil.”
The lovely, lovely descriptions never slow the action, but manage still to
convey emotion and carry the narration forward. This is an incredibly original
tale, and – for all the science fiction trappings – is truly a classic quest
for love, and the romance, which at first seems very much at the periphery,
will become not only a primary motivation, but the chief joy of the tale.
Adventure may be the main motif, but the heartwarming side will be a surprising
bonus.
Reviewed by ‘Snapdragon’
Long And Short Reviews, November 2008
***
COFFEE TIME ROMANCE
Jestine Darnell, Jess, a skilled pilot, is on a mission to save the world
from slavery when her ship suddenly goes awry. When the ship Destiny comes to
her rescue, she must find a way to continue her mission while losing her heart
in the process.
Kerry Merchant is the second in command of the ship Destiny. He does not
know whether to trust Jess or hold onto her, which makes some difficult
decisions in his life.
The fate of three people suddenly become connected when Jess finds her ship
in trouble and is transported to the ship, Destiny. She is greeted by Kerry,
who takes her aboard the Destiny, showing her to quarters, as well as getting
acquainted with the others. In no time, she learns much from Kerry, as they
slowly begin to connect. Unfortunately, he silently wonders if she is out to
steal the Destiny. After Jess meets Dahll Tarron, who has a mysterious formula
and is on his own mission, she wonders if anyone can be trusted.
I must say that Starquest takes the reader onto an awesome galactic journey.
The characters are strong and convincing. Jess is a courageous woman who brings
so much life to the story. I love her bravery and determination. One will not
find a dull moment with this story; it is loaded with action from beginning to
end. With secrets, passion and an incredible amount of trust, Jess, Kerry and
Dahll learn quickly the true value where the heart lies. Hywela Lyn weaves a
romance that is truly out of this world, as the reader grasps hold and hangs on
tightly for the exciting ride of their life. Be captivated by what the wonders
of space have to offer in an amazingly wonderful story.
Cherokee
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books
***
WRITERS
AND READERS OF DISTINCTIVE FICTION
Starquest by
Hywela Lyn is a sweet and wonderful book. It is a story of Jess who travels
across the galaxy to find the love of her life. An incident happens to her that
makes her lost her memories and the man that she loves. She woke up with
nightmares and a strong desire to find Destiny and her crew, especially the
blue-eyed man who makes her tingles and her heart ache. But her head hurts
every time she tries to remember, and she needs to find Destiny to get the last
piece of the missing puzzle in her brain.
Jess made a pact with Dahll to help her with her quest.
But she was not aware that he has his own reason to help her. He has a secret,
so deep that it can jeopardize their journey and their life. A woman with a
mission, a man hunted by a killer, little did they know the journey will test
their courage, trust, and most of all, their heart.
This is a wonderfully written book that will keep you on
your toes and end with a big smile on your face. An adventure like no other,
this is a book that you don’t want to miss big time.
Reviewed by Amylove
Eriters and Readers Of Distinctive Fiction
***
THE PEN AND MUSE
If you are looking for action, danger, romance, and love the science fiction
then look
This wonderful tale takes place in a troubled time. A time in which the Union’s stranglehold on Earth is strong and the enemy,
the Grakk's have spies lurking in every corner. Hywela's story is written
beautifully, her dialogue on point, and her descriptions magical. I really
enjoyed reading Jestine's story. Her character was outspoken, strong, and
selfless. Will Jestine complete her mission, what obstacles will she run into,
and will her heart be stolen?
Reviewed by: Denisse
The Pen and Muse
***
FALLEN ANGELS REVIEWS
Jestine “Jess” Darnell is on a humanitarian mission to find help for the
peaceful planet Phidia, which has been captured by the vicious warlord Ayandos.
But suddenly, Jess is in trouble as well, when her hyperspeedster begins to
break down in space. Luckily, Jess is saved by a passing spaceship, the
Destiny. Jess finds herself on the horns of a dilemma, for in spite of her
attraction to the ship’s second-in-command, Kerry Marchant, at first she feels
she cannot tell him the truth about her mission. When she finally does tell the
Destiny’s crew the truth, they agree to go with her to save Phidia, but the
mission goes terribly awry. Jess’s life will never be the same afterward.
Science fiction novels generally follow one of three themes, and this one is a
perfect example of the adventure theme. The heroine is on a quest for her true
love, and she travels throughout space in search of him. Along the way, she has
many adventures, which teach her things she needs to know about herself and her
companions. The author plotted the story so that everything ties together in the
end, which I like in a book. Readers will be interested in knowing that Starquest
is heavy on the science fiction and light on the love scenes; this is
definitely a “sweet” romance. I thought the characters were a bit cool and
distant, and I had to work at getting into the story at the beginning.
Fortunately, I quickly became engrossed in Jess’s adventures and finished the
book in one sitting.
Reviewed by: Jean
Fallen Angels Review
