Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collections
Publication
Ace (2008), 320 pages
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Science Fiction. Thriller. As the carrier of a rare gene, Sirantha Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace-a talent which makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. Then a crash landing kills everyone on board, leaving Jax in a jail cell with no memory of the crash. But her fun's not over. A group of rogue fighters frees her...for a price: her help in overthrowing the established order.
User reviews
LibraryThing member norabelle414
Sirantha Jax has a genetic mutation which makes her one of the few people who can navigate through deep space, called grimspace, which means she’s an in-demand spaceship navigator. Her spaceship crashes and she loses her memory, which means she has to meet all of her crewmates again, and is
Not a good space opera; not a good romance. Too complicated but not interesting enough to keep my attention, even in audio. It’s dated down to the minute - space of the future has marriage for straight couples but state-recognized civil unions for gay couples - slutshame-y, and includes a few instances of the ableist r-slur. The romance was not particularly compelling and felt shoehorned in. The most enjoyable parts were when Jax was re-meeting her crewmates that she already loved, but I can read Becky Chambers for that. The audiobook narrator was fine.
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blamed for the crash but can’t defend herself. Then there’s some conspiracy stuff.Not a good space opera; not a good romance. Too complicated but not interesting enough to keep my attention, even in audio. It’s dated down to the minute - space of the future has marriage for straight couples but state-recognized civil unions for gay couples - slutshame-y, and includes a few instances of the ableist r-slur. The romance was not particularly compelling and felt shoehorned in. The most enjoyable parts were when Jax was re-meeting her crewmates that she already loved, but I can read Becky Chambers for that. The audiobook narrator was fine.
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LibraryThing member Isamoor
Mar11:
Characters: Meh. I mean, Jax could be good, but she's just okay. So much better heroines. The lead guy is just too stereotypical. And nobody else is really fleshed out at all.
Plot: Yea right. It's okay. The resolution was so far fetched it pretty much ruined it for me.
Style: Just too amateur.
Characters: Meh. I mean, Jax could be good, but she's just okay. So much better heroines. The lead guy is just too stereotypical. And nobody else is really fleshed out at all.
Plot: Yea right. It's okay. The resolution was so far fetched it pretty much ruined it for me.
Style: Just too amateur.
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Not enough polish. Still, compared to the plot, I suppose I had to keep reading due to the style. Or maybe it was just because I was stuck on a 4 hour plane flight. Show Less
LibraryThing member berbels
I don't often come across a book where I am disappointed that it was written recently. I loved this story and immediately double checked the author hadn't written a score of other books. Usually when I find something this good, I go and buy any other title I can get my hands on- feeling like a
The hero was well written - clearly good at what she did, she wasn't the smartest tool in the shed and was for the most part, ok with her limitations. More real than most female protagonists who are written to come out on top, I appreciate a gal who qualifies as someone I might actually know...if I lived in a scifi novel.
I can't wait for the next book.
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glutton about to feast. The hero was well written - clearly good at what she did, she wasn't the smartest tool in the shed and was for the most part, ok with her limitations. More real than most female protagonists who are written to come out on top, I appreciate a gal who qualifies as someone I might actually know...if I lived in a scifi novel.
I can't wait for the next book.
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LibraryThing member AwesomeAud
I bought this 2008 paperback library discard through Better World Books. I both liked it and disliked it....I know that's a bit odd, but the main characters were both certifiably crazy, and there were times when the crazy crept over into stupid, and that's unforgivable.
Jax is one of the rare people
There were a couple of sequences near the beginning that especially pushed my "stupid" button: the loss of the pilot of the rescue vessel, then once they land on Lochair, there's a sort of cross country car chase that makes me roll my eyes. Surely the colonists should have found a way around this problem... but no....
Other than that, the characterisations were quite good, and the tension was kept throughout the book, because just about anybody could die at any time; Aguirre is ruthless with her characters. I will probably seek out the sequel.
Jax is one of the rare people
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who can see into Grimspace and helps starship pilots jump between stars. This makes her a valuable asset to the Corp and their monopoly on interstellar travel. When the ship she is navigating crash lands, she is blamed, although she has no memory of the crash. She is imprisoned and interrogated to the brink of insanity, when she is rescued by a mysterious man. He represents a rogue company that wants to break the Corp's monopoly by breeding a new kind of jumper. She finds herself on the run while grieving over the loss of her pilot, and trying to figure out the crash that was her downfall.There were a couple of sequences near the beginning that especially pushed my "stupid" button: the loss of the pilot of the rescue vessel, then once they land on Lochair, there's a sort of cross country car chase that makes me roll my eyes. Surely the colonists should have found a way around this problem... but no....
Other than that, the characterisations were quite good, and the tension was kept throughout the book, because just about anybody could die at any time; Aguirre is ruthless with her characters. I will probably seek out the sequel.
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LibraryThing member SophieCale
I've been long meaning to bite into the science fiction genre and I'd chosen Grimspace to cut my teeth on. I chose a series knowing it would prolong an experiment.
I wouldn't call Grimspace a "light" read, but it was certainly entertaining. It might just be me, but there was some slang that had me
If the cover didn't prove it, this series is obviously geared toward the ladies. There's some very nice sexual tension and romantic banter, but I'm glad to say that this was hardly the main focus of the plot, merely some spice for flavor.
I'm new to the genre, but even I can say this is not a perfect novel, it has some troubles, but it's so entertaining that these can be overlooked. I'm looking forward to the followup.
I wouldn't call Grimspace a "light" read, but it was certainly entertaining. It might just be me, but there was some slang that had me
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confused, but despite that I whisked through the book wondering the closer I got to the back cover how such a huge story would be wrapped up. I think Aguirre was maybe too ambitious with this first book, trying to fit far too much into one novel. The breakneck pace of the novel keeps you engaged but kind of leaves some important things behind. Like some of the characters, for instance; They're vivid and engaging and I'm sorry that the quick turning of the pages cut some of their time short. The characters are also to blame for my forgiving a rather devious plot stretch :(possible spoiler) I still wonder that no one seemed suspicious of the "Corp" once the purpose of the conference is revealed; It's one of those glaringly obvious things you have to sit through as a reader while the characters plod on obliviously. If the cover didn't prove it, this series is obviously geared toward the ladies. There's some very nice sexual tension and romantic banter, but I'm glad to say that this was hardly the main focus of the plot, merely some spice for flavor.
I'm new to the genre, but even I can say this is not a perfect novel, it has some troubles, but it's so entertaining that these can be overlooked. I'm looking forward to the followup.
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LibraryThing member MelHay
Sirantha Jax is, or was, a jumper for The Corp - until that crash happened. The one where the pilot, crew, and political members being transported where killed. It was a miracle Jax lived. But now she finds herself incarcerated in a psych ward at the hospital with constant mental testing done on
Where do I start on this book. This is a science fiction type read with the computers, technology used, and outer space setting. We go on a space exploration which kind of feels like Star Trek. But this is geared for even female readers who may not be big outer space fans. I really liked the idea of jumping. But I have to admit I had a hard time wrapping my brain around it at first. I think I was trying to hard to understand every minor detail of the idea before it was all completely spelled out for me. But once Jax was on her second jump, I was a pro to they systems and knew what was going on and loved what she saw.
The characters! Oh, I loved the way these characters where all written. I loved the whole small crew that Jax works with now. They all have their own quirks and histories. And I want to know all of it. They humor and complement each other wonderfully. As it's hard to pick my favorite character here I have to say I loved the relationship between March and Jax. In the beginning Jax torments March with cruel death thoughts of him and straight forward hate thoughts. Then when Jax realizes there has to be something special about March she does it to just get a rise out of him. And it works! They have quick comebacks that where just fun and made me chuckle and smile. And the relationship grows between these two as the book goes.
The writing is great Ann Aguirre through and through. She describes things in a way that is easy to understand and see in my minds eye. Yes, I had a little bit of troubles at first with the jumping, but I was jumping to try to understand before Ann got through describing it to us. Once she was through that I understood and could see it all working. The Chapters are short and direct. And the action never stops, which is a classic Ann Aguirre read. She kept moving with the action and the relationships constantly. I never got bored with the book. It we went fighting, we where laughing.
I will be reading the next book in this series.
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her, or maybe it's torture. Then a mysterious man shows up and breaks her out of the hospital. Jax now finds herself on a new mission that she thinks she doesn't want. But one that could start a whole new batch of jumpers for people other than The Corp. Now taken in by this new loner group; they plan on learning Jax's secrets to living through jumping for so long where others burnt out, then teach it to others to jump. A new system of renegade jumpers to eliminate the tariffs of trade and use of The Corp. But Jax soon learns this all goes deeper than that, all the way down to genetics.Where do I start on this book. This is a science fiction type read with the computers, technology used, and outer space setting. We go on a space exploration which kind of feels like Star Trek. But this is geared for even female readers who may not be big outer space fans. I really liked the idea of jumping. But I have to admit I had a hard time wrapping my brain around it at first. I think I was trying to hard to understand every minor detail of the idea before it was all completely spelled out for me. But once Jax was on her second jump, I was a pro to they systems and knew what was going on and loved what she saw.
The characters! Oh, I loved the way these characters where all written. I loved the whole small crew that Jax works with now. They all have their own quirks and histories. And I want to know all of it. They humor and complement each other wonderfully. As it's hard to pick my favorite character here I have to say I loved the relationship between March and Jax. In the beginning Jax torments March with cruel death thoughts of him and straight forward hate thoughts. Then when Jax realizes there has to be something special about March she does it to just get a rise out of him. And it works! They have quick comebacks that where just fun and made me chuckle and smile. And the relationship grows between these two as the book goes.
The writing is great Ann Aguirre through and through. She describes things in a way that is easy to understand and see in my minds eye. Yes, I had a little bit of troubles at first with the jumping, but I was jumping to try to understand before Ann got through describing it to us. Once she was through that I understood and could see it all working. The Chapters are short and direct. And the action never stops, which is a classic Ann Aguirre read. She kept moving with the action and the relationships constantly. I never got bored with the book. It we went fighting, we where laughing.
I will be reading the next book in this series.
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LibraryThing member FicusFan
This is a quick read, a first book, and the start of a new series, and clearly more of an adventure book, than an idea book.
It is about a woman who has a special gene that allows her to navigate through Grimspace, a place between here and there. where ships go when they jump using FTL to travel.
The gene has a side-effect in that it eventually burns out the person, and though they may physically come back from Grimspace, their mind/soul does not. The navigator bonds with a pilot and through the bond he can drive the ship to the beacon the navigator senses. It is never stated, but the implication is that navigators are always female, and pilots are always male.
The story is that the main character, navigator Jax is the only survivor of a crash, and the ruling corporate/military (C/M) complex wants to blame her. Rather than accept their actions, she escapes and joins the rebels who are trying to end the monopoly on jumpers/space travel that the C/M complex enforces.
The other thread running through the story is a romantic plot. Jax lost her lover/pilot, and is in mourning. One of her rescuers is a man she hates, but has an instant reaction to (ho hum). The rest of the book they play at come-here/go-away. It reminds me of a nominally SF version of the paranormal urban romance fantasy that is so popular.
The writing is good, the characters are good, and I am a sucker for FTL Jump stories. The story seems to be a hodge-podge to set up one action scene after another. The romance is predictable. Its not great, but its not terrible. I am now reading the sequel Wanderlust .
It is about a woman who has a special gene that allows her to navigate through Grimspace, a place between here and there. where ships go when they jump using FTL to travel.
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There is no real scientific explanation about Grimspace or FTL, its just a given. There is an interesting note that the navigator's ability is to sense beacons that have been left in Grimspace to mark exit and entrance points to jump. The beacons are near the locations they wish to go to, and have been left by ancient aliens, no longer around. The gene has a side-effect in that it eventually burns out the person, and though they may physically come back from Grimspace, their mind/soul does not. The navigator bonds with a pilot and through the bond he can drive the ship to the beacon the navigator senses. It is never stated, but the implication is that navigators are always female, and pilots are always male.
The story is that the main character, navigator Jax is the only survivor of a crash, and the ruling corporate/military (C/M) complex wants to blame her. Rather than accept their actions, she escapes and joins the rebels who are trying to end the monopoly on jumpers/space travel that the C/M complex enforces.
The other thread running through the story is a romantic plot. Jax lost her lover/pilot, and is in mourning. One of her rescuers is a man she hates, but has an instant reaction to (ho hum). The rest of the book they play at come-here/go-away. It reminds me of a nominally SF version of the paranormal urban romance fantasy that is so popular.
The writing is good, the characters are good, and I am a sucker for FTL Jump stories. The story seems to be a hodge-podge to set up one action scene after another. The romance is predictable. Its not great, but its not terrible. I am now reading the sequel Wanderlust .
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LibraryThing member froggykm
This was a cool book. It was a good sci-fi book with some nice romance in it. I real enjoyed it. If you liked Linnea Sinclair's books (Gabriel's Ghost and Finders Keepers) then you will love this one. The world that she has created was very cool. The characters are a nice variety. The hero, March,
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is a nice tortured hero role. And Jax is a nice combination of strength and vulnerability. This is her first book and it was great, I look forward to reading more of her books. Show Less
LibraryThing member Mardel
Grimspace is a great blend of Sci-fi, mystery and romance. The two main characters are tortured souls. Jax (written first person from Jax's pov) is a grimspace jumper- not a vocation that many last long in, they tend to lose their minds and lives because grimspace jumping is so addictive. March is
More info would be spoilers. I enjoyed the narrative voice very much, as well as the friendship and growth of the main characters as well as the secondary characters. There is quite a lot of adventure and a little romance in this novel which takes place in deep space and on a few planets. Ann Aguirre has a wonderful way with words, plots and subplots. Her secondary characters play a large role in this book, and have a wide variety of personalities and species. All the characters are slightly "damaged" in one way or another, none are angelic - all are interesting and engaging.
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a navigator with psychic powers. Jax has recently survived a horrific crash (no other survivors)which has killed her lover/navigator and the book starts with her "hospitalizatio", or recuperation that seems more like incarceration. She has lost a big chunk of memory regarding the crash and many seem to blame her for the disaster. The conglomerate company (that seems to own everything in space) has ulterior motives regarding Jax and her recuperation. More info would be spoilers. I enjoyed the narrative voice very much, as well as the friendship and growth of the main characters as well as the secondary characters. There is quite a lot of adventure and a little romance in this novel which takes place in deep space and on a few planets. Ann Aguirre has a wonderful way with words, plots and subplots. Her secondary characters play a large role in this book, and have a wide variety of personalities and species. All the characters are slightly "damaged" in one way or another, none are angelic - all are interesting and engaging.
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LibraryThing member mmillet
Futurist Earth is now part of a vast universal conglomerate where a small portion of the population are blessed with the J-gene that allows them to 'jump' between extremely long distances in space. Thus establishing new worlds and trade routes. To be honest, I kept envisioning something akin to
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Star Trek where Captain Piccard keeps saying "warp speed ahead" but let's just say this book rocked in ways no episode of Star Trek could. Told from the first-person account of Jax, a jumper who has been rescued to help undermine the power of the Corp, all I could do was sit back and enjoy this fast paced ride. Jax is intelligent and very honest -- sometimes to a fault -- and I couldn't help but love her. And then there's March. *sigh* He may be one crazy dude but he and Jax are the perfect match. Show Less
LibraryThing member Shrike58
It's a mixed bag with this space opera, featuring a Human known space dominated by a company (why yes, an evil company!) that has an effective monopoly on interstellar travel, thanks to controlling the short-lived navigators that make FTL travel possible; let's just say that the stereotypes come
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thick and fast and I don't find this reality well developed at all. What kept me from tossing the book aside is that Sirantha Jax, the disgraced navigator who is the heroine of the book, is a compelling enough figure that you want to see what happens to her, as she evolves from a rock star personality with the arrogance to match, to someone who learns how to care again. Whether that's enough to make me read more in the series is another question. Show Less
LibraryThing member flemmily
Not generally a huge fan of first person narrators anymore, but Sirantha is an interesting enough character that it works for this book.
I find the world(s) very well developed, without a lot of overly descriptive phrasing.
I also find psychics problematic in books (too powerful! too all-knowing!)
I find the world(s) very well developed, without a lot of overly descriptive phrasing.
I also find psychics problematic in books (too powerful! too all-knowing!)
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but March is also a great character, and his ability is handled really well. Show Less
LibraryThing member SunnySD
Locked up awaiting trial for disobeying landing orders and crashing her ship into a planet, killing everyone else on board, pilot Sirantha Jax is pretty sure - almost positive - she's not guilty. So when rescue arrives she gambles on freedom being better than the alternative. And winds up in the
Sirantha's a mess of mixed emotions and amazingly naive, but she catches on quick. A fast-moving, fast-talking heroine and an unlikely crew - first-class space adventure.
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middle of an interstellar war over who controls jumpers, the only ones with access to grimspace and the ability to jump between the stars.Sirantha's a mess of mixed emotions and amazingly naive, but she catches on quick. A fast-moving, fast-talking heroine and an unlikely crew - first-class space adventure.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Sirantha Jax is a jumper with the special gene that lets her travel through grimspace, guiding spaceships across vast distances—at least for a while; grimspace eventually kills all jumpers. She wakes up having lost her pilot, who was psychically bonded to her, and blamed for a crash that killed
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everyone else on board with her for her last jump. Then she’s rescued by a mysterious man with a hidden agenda, and there her troubles begin. There was worldbuilding, adventure, romance, and political intrigue, including some neat alien races, and yet for some reason I just couldn’t get into it. Maybe it was the soulbond stuff. Show Less
LibraryThing member mossjon
I rarely like stories told from the first person viewpoint, but Grimspace is the exception to my rule. I enjoyed most the character development of Jax, the protagonist. It's a no-holds barred look at her as a "rock star" jump navigator, accused mass murderer, psych ward patient/victim, fugitive,
Oddly, the romance between March and Jax or Kai, her dead pilot, and Jax, didn't sit well with me. Even though March and Jax supposedly connected psychically, I wasn't convinced of their attachment, yearning, or love.
The action and mystery are well done and the pay off at the end is satisfactory. It almost qualifies as a space opera.
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coward and finally almost martyred. Oddly, the romance between March and Jax or Kai, her dead pilot, and Jax, didn't sit well with me. Even though March and Jax supposedly connected psychically, I wasn't convinced of their attachment, yearning, or love.
The action and mystery are well done and the pay off at the end is satisfactory. It almost qualifies as a space opera.
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LibraryThing member amf0001
This is the standard motley crew banding together for a higher purpose, but it is has a better quality of writing and characterization that lifts it above the cliches. I really liked Jax. Yes she is a kick ass heroine, but her pain and disorientation is real, as is her growing dependency on March,
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who rescues her for his own purposes. The book starts with a crash and continues in a high octane way thereafter, but not losing plot points of world building. I definitely enjoyed it and have already pre-ordered the next one Show Less
LibraryThing member Capnrandm
8/11: Re-read #1, after finishing AFTERMATH I had to come back and revisit where it all started. March and Jax have an explosive start, I hard forgotten most details other than their meeting (which always reminded me of the "rescuing Leia scene from Star Wars"). I completely forgot how Vel appears,
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though I have a minor beef about him showing up in his ex-wife's attic without turning a hair, given the story as told in AFTERMATH. It's a small universe, I guess. Show Less
LibraryThing member stephxsu
Sirantha Jax, one of the rare few born with a gene that enables her to see and jump, or navigate, spaceships through grimspace, is being held by the Corp following a terrible navigation accident, supposedly her own fault, of which she is the sole survivor. Jax suspects she will be held until she
Unexpectedly, a stranger by the name of March, along with his ragtag crew, help her break out of the facility in exchange for her cooperation: they hope to create an academy of jumpers outside of Corp control. But Jax is reluctant to help them out as she realizes how bloody her involvement will be for everyone…
Jax & Co. operate in an interplanetary system that is a blend of old and new: advanced Conglomerate planets exist in deliberate ignorance of planets occupied by non-human species that have only just begun to be explored. This is more Firefly than Star Trek—but let the comparisons stop there, lest you be disappointed. Firefly has a kind of ensemble-cast, Joss Whedon-directed magic that I have yet to see translate into the written form. GRIMSPACE doesn’t quite have that magic, but is still a pretty decent read, especially if you don’t read much sci-fi.
I found the characters a little…inconsistent. Jax was supposed to be this tough but damaged woman, and yet, thinking about my favorite fictional tough-girl heroine to whom I compare everything else (Kate Daniels from Ilona Andrews’ series), Jax didn’t strike me as being consistently what she says she is. The romance felt very sudden, too, initial sparks of attraction flaming into declarations of love. Hrm. Color me unconvinced.
On a more personal note, I was quite distressed at the number of deaths in this book. I know death is a natural part of life and all, but the softie in me couldn’t help but cringe every time a character I had just begun to get to know and like ended up dying in the most terrible way. I respect a few character deaths here and there, but killing off nearly everyone but the major characters felt excessive.
Still, I enjoyed GRIMSPACE for the most part. I’m not sure I’ll continue reading the series, but the idea’s a good one, and the characters (those that are still alive by the end, that is) are pretty cool. It’s no Firefly for me, but then again, what will be?
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breaks down and admits that the tragedy was her fault, but she honestly does not remember what happened that day.Unexpectedly, a stranger by the name of March, along with his ragtag crew, help her break out of the facility in exchange for her cooperation: they hope to create an academy of jumpers outside of Corp control. But Jax is reluctant to help them out as she realizes how bloody her involvement will be for everyone…
Jax & Co. operate in an interplanetary system that is a blend of old and new: advanced Conglomerate planets exist in deliberate ignorance of planets occupied by non-human species that have only just begun to be explored. This is more Firefly than Star Trek—but let the comparisons stop there, lest you be disappointed. Firefly has a kind of ensemble-cast, Joss Whedon-directed magic that I have yet to see translate into the written form. GRIMSPACE doesn’t quite have that magic, but is still a pretty decent read, especially if you don’t read much sci-fi.
I found the characters a little…inconsistent. Jax was supposed to be this tough but damaged woman, and yet, thinking about my favorite fictional tough-girl heroine to whom I compare everything else (Kate Daniels from Ilona Andrews’ series), Jax didn’t strike me as being consistently what she says she is. The romance felt very sudden, too, initial sparks of attraction flaming into declarations of love. Hrm. Color me unconvinced.
On a more personal note, I was quite distressed at the number of deaths in this book. I know death is a natural part of life and all, but the softie in me couldn’t help but cringe every time a character I had just begun to get to know and like ended up dying in the most terrible way. I respect a few character deaths here and there, but killing off nearly everyone but the major characters felt excessive.
Still, I enjoyed GRIMSPACE for the most part. I’m not sure I’ll continue reading the series, but the idea’s a good one, and the characters (those that are still alive by the end, that is) are pretty cool. It’s no Firefly for me, but then again, what will be?
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LibraryThing member BookAddictDiary
Sirthana Jax carries a rare gene that allows her to jump spaceships through an area known as grimspace. While this makes her a prized navigator and soldier for the Corp, each jump leaves her more broken then the last, and closer to a horrible thing known only as burnout. When a crash landing kills
In this gripping science fiction novel, author Ann Aguirre weaves a fascinating futuristic world where space travel is the norm and a corrupt corporation rules much of the universe. Enter Sirantha Jax, a completely engrossing and flawed character whose failures, as well as triumphs completely pull readers in and gets them completely involved in Jax's many complexities and character flaws.
Though the world was very well constructed, the highlight of this novel for me was Jax's character. She's a strong woman, but with some realistic chinks in her armor. She's not perfect, and her imperfects lead to making some not-so-great decisions, but, just like in life, Jax deals with them and moves forward. Truly, Jax is probably one of the most honest and multi-dimensional characters I've read about in a while.
While Grimspace does have a somewhat niche audience, I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys science fiction -or even just enjoyable fiction with great lead characters and solid world building.
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everyone aboard her ship, Jax finds herself in a prison cell with no memory of the clash, even though others accuse her of being the culprit. A group of misfits frees Jax in exchange for using her jumping gift to help overthrow the Corp. -and it doesn't hurt that one of them, March, is impossible to resist.In this gripping science fiction novel, author Ann Aguirre weaves a fascinating futuristic world where space travel is the norm and a corrupt corporation rules much of the universe. Enter Sirantha Jax, a completely engrossing and flawed character whose failures, as well as triumphs completely pull readers in and gets them completely involved in Jax's many complexities and character flaws.
Though the world was very well constructed, the highlight of this novel for me was Jax's character. She's a strong woman, but with some realistic chinks in her armor. She's not perfect, and her imperfects lead to making some not-so-great decisions, but, just like in life, Jax deals with them and moves forward. Truly, Jax is probably one of the most honest and multi-dimensional characters I've read about in a while.
While Grimspace does have a somewhat niche audience, I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys science fiction -or even just enjoyable fiction with great lead characters and solid world building.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Not a bad story, in fact that both myself and my husband read. It reminds me of older sf with a smidge more romance involved. However I think the romance was the weakest part of the book.
Sirantha Jax is a grimspace navigator. One of the few. She's almost burnt out, like all navigators do,
I didn't really get that the love was truly believable, it didn't grow well enough to convince me. However I did like that the characters came across as flawed and realistic and interesting. I would read more in this series but wouldn't hunt it up.
Sirantha Jax is a grimspace navigator. One of the few. She's almost burnt out, like all navigators do,
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eventually, and is accused of something she's not sure if she's guilty or not and there are plots within plots. March comes into her life and he has a job for her, a job that could cost her her life, but with him also comes love.I didn't really get that the love was truly believable, it didn't grow well enough to convince me. However I did like that the characters came across as flawed and realistic and interesting. I would read more in this series but wouldn't hunt it up.
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LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
This is an enjoyable read, but the romance was a bit too much, and sudden. I like Sirantha Jax - she is plucky, realistic, a bit whiny, and a very likable character. The story itself is also interesting, but a bit simplistic. The romantic lead didn't feel right - Considering that Sirantha's partner
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just died, the romance felt very rushed and untrue. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheBooknerd
I really enjoyed this for the most part, but my interest did drop off towards the end. The book did not leave me interested enough to read the sequel.
LibraryThing member crazybatcow
I liked it better than I had expected at the outset. I have to agree that the romance was very sudden and not that realistic... it's like the author lost track of the fact that they just met a matter of days before, and that Jax was just getting over her lover's death. If the time frame was
The end felt a bit rushed too (even though I liked how it ended)... and I'm not sure what the whole "baby-sitting" time-out thing was all about, but it felt like it was a page-filler or perhaps just a way to extend the story's time frame without having to write any more battles or space flights.
Regardless though... I still liked the story and the concept and will read more in the series because I like Jax's character, oh, and March's too.
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extended to a couple months, then perhaps it would have felt more realistic.The end felt a bit rushed too (even though I liked how it ended)... and I'm not sure what the whole "baby-sitting" time-out thing was all about, but it felt like it was a page-filler or perhaps just a way to extend the story's time frame without having to write any more battles or space flights.
Regardless though... I still liked the story and the concept and will read more in the series because I like Jax's character, oh, and March's too.
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LibraryThing member FlanneryAC
I felt kind of like I was reading portions of Battlestar Galactica (maybe mixing in a little ST, The Matrix and Stargate) as a book--and I mean that as a total compliment. I enjoyed the space drama and the descriptions of the universe and the ships they flew, as well as the descriptions of jacking
My one major gripe was with the description of the main characters. Obviously every character has flaws--I get it--but if you keep trying to make a character sound like she is hideous (old, skinny, covered in burn scars, crazy hair, etc.) why the heck would I want to read about her getting it on? I had a hard time picturing what basically all of characters looked like.
However, the story, sense of humor and dialogue were great. I am definitely going to keep reading this series.
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in to grimspace and sharing experiences. My one major gripe was with the description of the main characters. Obviously every character has flaws--I get it--but if you keep trying to make a character sound like she is hideous (old, skinny, covered in burn scars, crazy hair, etc.) why the heck would I want to read about her getting it on? I had a hard time picturing what basically all of characters looked like.
However, the story, sense of humor and dialogue were great. I am definitely going to keep reading this series.
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LibraryThing member les121
Grimspace immediately drew me in with its action, mystery, complex world building, and intriguing characters. Then something irritating and unexpected occurred: it turned into a romance novel. Normally I enjoy a romantic subplot, but, in this case, the romance between Jax and March happens way too
Not only is the romance unrealistic, but it also detracts from the main storyline. Instead of investigating the mysterious crash that’s at the heart of the entire plot, Jax spends all her time thinking about March. It was frustrating because I wanted Jax to ask questions and find out the truth, but she doesn’t do a single thing to unravel the mystery that first drew me into the story. The truth is revealed eventually, through no fault of her own, and Jax still doesn’t do anything about it. All she does is react to the events that happen around her and obsess over March.
I suppose it was interesting to read about a heroine who’s kind of an asshole. Seriously, Jax does some incredibly cold-hearted things that made me want to punch her in the face. But even though she’s not always likable, I do sympathize with her. Everyone does things they’re not proud of, and Jax at least knows when she acts like a terrible person. I had various other problems with the characterization of March and the supporting cast, but it would take too long to explain. Suffice to say that Aguirre could use some improvement in the art of establishing and growing her characters in a realistic manner.
Also, do not read this book if you dislike emo characters. Jax’s inner thoughts consist of loving/hating March, missing her dead lover, considering how screwed up she is, wondering when she’s going to die, and other equally depressing subjects. She and March are undoubtedly two of the most angst-ridden characters I’ve ever encountered.
Thankfully, the story is rescued by a decent ending. In the last forty pages, Jax manages to redeem herself, overcoming her imperfections and past mistakes. She shows that she’s changed from a selfish little girl into a true hero who’s willing to give up everything for the people she loves. We also meet a new character who turns out to be awesome and pretty much saves the day. The ending is well done and it definitely elevated my rating of the book.
All things considered, I did enjoy certain aspects of Grimspace, including the world building, the heart-pounding beginning, and a better ending than I expected. Since I finished it in a day, I guess you could also say that it’s a page-turner and it kept me entertained. However, the flawed romance and disappointing plot make Grimspace fall far short of its potential. Never say never, but it’s not likely that I’ll continue with this series.
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quickly and takes up so much page time that I couldn’t help wondering, “When are we going to get to the actual plot here people?” Their early interactions are full of contradictions and their sudden feelings for each other don’t even make sense to me - it comes out of nowhere!Not only is the romance unrealistic, but it also detracts from the main storyline. Instead of investigating the mysterious crash that’s at the heart of the entire plot, Jax spends all her time thinking about March. It was frustrating because I wanted Jax to ask questions and find out the truth, but she doesn’t do a single thing to unravel the mystery that first drew me into the story. The truth is revealed eventually, through no fault of her own, and Jax still doesn’t do anything about it. All she does is react to the events that happen around her and obsess over March.
I suppose it was interesting to read about a heroine who’s kind of an asshole. Seriously, Jax does some incredibly cold-hearted things that made me want to punch her in the face. But even though she’s not always likable, I do sympathize with her. Everyone does things they’re not proud of, and Jax at least knows when she acts like a terrible person. I had various other problems with the characterization of March and the supporting cast, but it would take too long to explain. Suffice to say that Aguirre could use some improvement in the art of establishing and growing her characters in a realistic manner.
Also, do not read this book if you dislike emo characters. Jax’s inner thoughts consist of loving/hating March, missing her dead lover, considering how screwed up she is, wondering when she’s going to die, and other equally depressing subjects. She and March are undoubtedly two of the most angst-ridden characters I’ve ever encountered.
Thankfully, the story is rescued by a decent ending. In the last forty pages, Jax manages to redeem herself, overcoming her imperfections and past mistakes. She shows that she’s changed from a selfish little girl into a true hero who’s willing to give up everything for the people she loves. We also meet a new character who turns out to be awesome and pretty much saves the day. The ending is well done and it definitely elevated my rating of the book.
All things considered, I did enjoy certain aspects of Grimspace, including the world building, the heart-pounding beginning, and a better ending than I expected. Since I finished it in a day, I guess you could also say that it’s a page-turner and it kept me entertained. However, the flawed romance and disappointing plot make Grimspace fall far short of its potential. Never say never, but it’s not likely that I’ll continue with this series.
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Subjects
Language
Original publication date
2008-02-24
ISBN
9781101208762