Aliens in the Barn

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Review: Centauri Twilight by Cynthia Woolf

This book was great! It was so much more rugged and meaner than the first book. The situations were darker and the villains were even nastier. I really liked all of that about this book. The author can diversify well and, I must say, I'm loving the darker side.

I felt so in touch with Anton and Lara. These characters were great. I couldn't put the book down, I was so horrified by what all they had to endure and was just as equally wishing them all the best in the universe. I had to keep reading to make sure they got all the best that they so deserved. I felt so emotionally invested in them.

The world-building feels so much broader than in the first book too. It was good there, but that coupled with all we find out about Delaz and Centauri in this book just really brought it all to life for me.

There were a couple of things that didn't seem to fit, but certainly didn't dull my enjoyment of the story. For one, I wasn't fond of the term 'mind wizards.' I can understand Delaz calling psychiatrists that, but Centauri calling them that didn't make sense to me. Why would a super advanced planet of humans refer to psychiatrists or mental health specialists as 'mind wizards?'

It also didn't make sense to me that Anton was going after Jondalara for his queen, Audra. There was a very large portion of text devoted to describing his guilt over being alive, yet he felt he owed Audra for saving his life....a life he didn't want saved. It would have made more sense if he resented her at first and only went after Lara to enact revenge on the family that hurt him. Later, when he comes to terms with his situation and can find reason to be happy to be alive again, then he can be thankful to Audra for saving him and be happy he was doing something wonderful for her. But, that at the beginning felt a little contradictory.

Again, though, these things did not dull my enjoyment of the book. It's a very good story. I just think it could be a stronger story if Audra didn't have this sort of 'unconditional love' thing from all the main characters that come in contact with her.

http://www.amazon.com/Centauri-Twilight-sci-fi-romance-ebook/dp/B005U5MGVG/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344191191&sr=1-1&keywords=centauri+twilight