To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini |Review

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Now a New York Times and USA Today bestseller!
Winner of Best Science Fiction in the 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards!
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a brand new epic novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eragon, Christopher Paolini.
Kira Navárez dreamed of life on new worlds.
Now she's awakened a nightmare.
During a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet, Kira finds an alien relic. At first she's delighted, but elation turns to terror when the ancient dust around her begins to move.
As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn't at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human.
While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity's greatest and final hope . . .
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars more accurately to sleep through the damn book.  This was nothing like I had been expecting.  It didn’t hold my attention and very much felt like a plot that is seen through -out the genre but without any aspect of originality.  I know this is an unpopular opinion, but this nearly drove me to tears.  The characterisation suffered for the plot and it was hugely disappointing.  Although there is action within the first few chapters; it just lacked any punch or emotion, even at this point I wasn’t sure if I should plough forward. 

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is very much pretty light on the science stuff.  I have come to expect plenty descriptions of shape ships, the world and instruments in science fiction but there was a distinct lack of this.  Paolini was great at giving us descriptions but it felt like a waste of words and it didn’t add to the scene.  I think with Paolini’s work you come to get used to the descriptive writing, but it really didn’t work in this type of story. 

The characterisation was very wooden, and I can hand on my heart declare that I didn’t feel an affinity towards any of them.  The main character was very annoying and felt more like a cyborg rather than a person.  Her character is centred around being enhanced but when something disastrous happens there is almost no emotion at all.  The character just comes across as incredibly frustrating.  Actions and behaviours make no sense and I spent more time cursing under my breath at the direction the plot was taking – or no direction at all.  The inconsistences within the story is what had me nearly throwing it out the nearest window.  Just disappointing. 

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is centred around the protagonist, Kira.  She falls into a what appears to be a cave and she is overtaken by an alien suit.  She sleeps, she dreams and wakes up.  Repeat this sequence over the course of nearly 900 pages long.  The plot was neither obvious or straightforward.  I was confused and wondered why the hell this book had to last nearly 900 pages.  It was unwarranted.  This would have been a DNF had I not received a copy from netgalley. 

I spent most of the time reading it thinking about anything but the events within the book.  How much washing I needed to complete, the weekly food shopping list, when was the last time I cleaned the toilet.  Anything but what was in front of me.  This book was a train wreck, for me anyway.  This obviously is my subjective review and you may really love it but I’m very happy to be moving on to pastures new. 

ABOUT CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI

Christopher Paolini is the author of the international bestsellers Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance, as well as The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm. His debut science fiction novel, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, is now available. He resides in Paradise Valley, Montana, USA.

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