A great look into what's coming! I've been a fan of Christopher Paolini since Eragon came out -- he puts a lot of thought into world building which is something I love. He's great at creating well-rounded characters, even if they die like 10 pages after you meet them, so I'm not quite sure who's going to be a main character, which isn't a bad thing? Just different and kinda fun to be kept guessing. I'm very interested to see him explore sci-fi and the many possibilities that offers!

This was my first time reading a book from the author who is famous for his Eragon series. The partial galley ‘To Sleep in a Sea of Stars’ by Christopher Paolini was offered to me on Netgalley via Macmillan Tor/Forge and caught my interest once the action started rolling.

The meat and potatoes of this story and how it hooked me to want to know more came during the last few chapters of the galley copy. The main character becomes more fleshed out and more dimensional once the shell of her former live starts to peel away. I wasn’t sure if the deeper relationships that were cemented in the first part of the story were even necessary for her to move forward. Perhaps that becomes clearer in the full version, so I’m looking forward to getting myself a copy because I do want to see how the story turns out. The world building was just starting to get interesting so I feel deprived.

Looking forward to finishing the adventure once it’s published in September.

I enjoyed the parts where Kira was interacting with other characters. I’m interested to see how the story plays out with the suit and the aliens.

I would have liked to see more of a connection and bond between Kira and her crew before they were killed or shipped off. I know they were described as like family but I would have preferred to be shown rather than told. Maybe have them reminisce, share some stories and a laugh at the farewell party. Maybe some good natured ball busting. As it was I understand that people she new died and others she’ll probably never see again, but I would have bonded with Kira if I shared her emotional attachment to her crew. Also, nothing happened for me to create an emotional bond with Kira prior to the incident when her boyfriend died and I feel this is necessary.

The frequent in depth and long scientific explanations had me feel like I was alternating between a sci fi book and a science textbook. I was getting bored and tempted to start skimming. I didn’t but I was really tempted. I appreciate some scientific explanations when they’re relevant to understanding the story but it felt excessive and I started to get bored. Maybe other readers will like that but it wasn’t for me.

In order for me to really enjoy a book I need to feel a strong attachment or interest in the characters or have the plot really draw me in. I didn’t feel much for Kira and while the plot did pull me in there were a lot of times were I was bored or confused with the scientific jargon.

Overall, if I would have grown attached to Kira early on and the science talk was edited I would have enjoyed the story a lot more. Hopefully the story picks up in the end. Maybe I’m not the target audience for this book.

I loved Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle. The characters were engaging and interesting each with distinct personalities. The pacing was great. The storyline was intricate and the world building was amazing. I didn’t feel any of that with this story.

I will post a spoiler free review on Goodreads and Amazon once I’ve read the entire book.

Since this is only a partial arc, I can only review the sample portion. But let me give that an immediate 5 stars and pending as it was so good. Paolini is such an exciting author to me and this segment does not disappoint!

Like many people, I read Eragon as a kid so I was curious to see Paolini's venture into adult science fiction, so I was excited to get approved for this preview.

I am definitely hooked! It seems like it is going to be intriguing and action packed. I definitely wasn't expecting it to have more of a horror element, if you like spooky science fiction this will definitely be something for you to check out. The beginning was a bit hard to get into at first (mostly there was a lot of romance. Kira and Alan calling each other "babe" all of the time took me out of the book a bit as it made it feel more contemporary) but I was intrigued by the world right away. I feel like Paolini is definitely going to put his own spin on the whole sentient beings thing, and I was impressed at how scientific everything seemed.

I'm looking forward to being able to read the rest in September!

Huge thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this partial galley!

I’m still not really sure how to feel about the part of the story I’ve read so far. I was a huge fan of the Inheritance Cycle when I was younger and when I saw Paolini had not only written an entirely new book, but that it was sci-fi, I was very excited. However, reading the partial galley of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars left me unsure about whether I just have higher standards for sci-fi than I do fantasy because it’s my favourite genre, or if maybe I just had much lower standards for writing when I was younger. Either way, it fell a little flat for me. So for now my rating is a nice middle-of-the-road 3 stars and that will most likely change one way or the other when I get to read the rest.

Full (spoiler-y) review here: https://wmsreads.tumblr.com/post/618326875833499648

Kira is a xenobiologist, a scientist who seeks to study what hasn't been discovered yet, alien life; that which is fundamentally different from what we know about native living systems. This is the first book in what should be a series that will speculate about humanity's ability to confront, comprehend and survive once contact is made.

The narrative begins rather benignly as Kira is part of a unexceptional mission exploring a new planet. Romance dominates the first part of the book and she has accepted a proposal of marriage from a fellow scientist and has decided to cease planet hopping for domestic bliss. She is content.

In the final few hours before it will be time to wrap up her studies Kira is asked to go to the sight of a probe that has crashed to determine the cause. While there she spot's an interesting anomaly that doesn't fit with the surrounding area. While climbing around the curious structure she trips and falls into a hole. She is injured but is intrigued by what seems to be an artificial structure. She has an ominous feeling that she can't explain.

In short order she is rescued. Rescued from the hole but not from the danger. The pace of the novel explodes from this point. She has become infected and infested by alien nanotechnology which results in a physical transformation that is parasitic but in a way that makes her close to indestructible. But the infection has also resulted in the death of her fiancé and serious injuries to others in her party.

A chain of events has now been set off that sees her physical transformation, a brutal interrogation and testing by earth's military scientists. She and her party are now considered possessed by some alien virus to be confined to the military ship until the threat is assessed and understood.

Unbeknownst to them an alien species has been alerted to their situation by some signal that was sent when Kira was injured in her fall on the planet. Suddenly, and without warning an alien ship seems to come out of nowhere and attacks the military ship she is on. Vastly superior in technology that easily overcome the military craft but not before Kira escapes from the battle with the assistance of the nanotechnology that adapts to protect her.

By the end of this first book Kira, and a few survivors, are on the way to the closest human outpost, lightyears away. Will they make it? Is the parasitic suit a permanent part of her now? What aliens manufactured it? What of the other aliens who defeated a top of the line earth military vessel, what is their intent and when and where will they strike next?

Have to believe that answers will be contained in subsequent books in the series.

When I saw that Christopher Paolini was publishing a science-fiction novel, my inner 10-year-old self started bouncing with glee. Years later, this time around, he’s traded in fantastical dragons for high-tech aliens, and I am all for it.

Xenobiologist Kira Navárez is the central focal point in this sweeping space opera. She’s about to wrap up a standard mission and settle down to a life of domestic bliss with the love of her life. That is, before she discovers an alien artifact and everything goes horribly awry...

Paolini has an effortless way of describing the ships, the planets, and space itself, transporting you easily into this beautiful yet menacing world. There’s some heavy exposition and technical jargon at first, but nothing too far from what you would expect of a sci-fi space novel of this epic scale. Fairly soon the heart-pounding action hurtles in, and it doesn’t let up. As the stakes mount, it becomes clear just how vital a role Kira has in saving the human race. She is imperfect, terrified, but ultimately brave and determined, and I am thrilled to see how she rises to the challenge.

<i>To Sleep in a Sea of Stars</i> stands on its own as a gorgeous and thrilling new sandbox for Paolini to weave intrepid adventures and craft frightening and uncertain enemies. I am riveted.

This was my first Christopher Paolini book and it was incredible! I have always wanted to read his Eragon series but haven't and now that I have read this I am going to go pick up those books. I have never been a fan of Si-Fi and since I read Brandon Sanderson's book Skyward I have reading them like crazy. If you like Skyward or Amie Kaufman/Jay Kristoff books you are going to love this! Huge Thank You to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this opportunity!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Books for the opportunity to read an excerpt from To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. This excerpt was intriguing, quickly setting the stage for an epic journey to protect humanity and further discover what xenobiologist Kira has unleashed. This excerpt did a great job with introducing the world and communicating a prevalent sense of unease as Kira learns more about what she has discovered. Parts of this excerpt felt a bit cliche to me, but I would be interested to see where the story and Kira will go next. Sentient alien life forms are always compelling, as every writer puts their own unique spin on it. I love the title for this book!

I'm not usually a dci-fi fan but I enjoyed his other series so I thought I'd give the excerpt a try. It definitely caught my attention right away and I can't wait for this to release!

I enjoyed this partial e-galley quite a bit! I was hooked from the first few pages and looking forward to reading the rest of the book in Sept!! I enjoyed the main character Kira & looking forward to see what happens to her.

It really came as a surprise to me that an author like Christopher Paolini came up with science fiction, for a time I was skeptical but after putting my hands on the first few chapters, it turned out to be great.
This book is somewhere in the year 2257 where people are capable of setting up their lives on different planets. The protagonist Kia is a xenobiologist who came on the planet named Adra to test the environment condition to mark it safe for establishing colonies.
Kia and her team were packing their bags, it's there last day on Adra but something goes wrong, a drone crashed on-site and Ivanova the team lead wants to send Kia to there to check as the drone scanned an organic material, Kia went there, unknown of what is waiting for her down there.
Paolini surely did a great work jotting down the scientific terms which somehow makes the book more realistic to read.
Really waiting for the book to release.

This is a really promising start! I've been looking for accessible, relatable science fiction that isn't exhausting to read, and this fits the bill. Excited to see where it goes next.

As this was a partial galley, my five stars may be premature but what I read was excellent. I am judging this book based solely on its ability to draw in the reader, and create believable, interesting characters and locations. I am hooked.

The story so far is kind of like Venom meets Lost in Space or Interstellar. Fans of Kristoff and Kaufman's Aurora Rising will probably like this book.

I usually read YA Fantasy, every now and then I dabble in the science fiction realm. That being said, I am not familiar with this genre. I have read the Inheritance Cycle though (over a decade ago...). Paolini could probably have written this under a pseudonym and people would not have made the connection to him whatsoever. It was very different and I want to read more.

Things I am expecting from the rest of the book (in order for it to maintain its five star rating):
1) More development of the main character - so far she's been somewhat passive and I want to see her be more proactive in driving the story
2) Development of a secondary character (besides the suit)

Review of partial galley

During a routine research mission on the Earth-sized moon Adrasteia, xenobiologist Kira Navárez makes a world-shaking discovery. Exploring new worlds has always been her dream; now it may become her lasting nightmare.

This partial “sneak peek,” encompassing the first ten chapters of the narrative, introduces the main characters, describes the discovery of the alien relic, and sets things in motion for what is to come as the story moves forward. Well-developed characters, an intriguing [albeit a tad creepy] plot, and strong world-building all work together to pull the reader into the telling of the tale from the first page.

The underlying sense of foreboding keeps the tension building as the unfolding story touches on camaraderie, romance, and fate. All but impossible to set aside, this stunning partial ARC promises readers an unforgettable tale of intrigue and wonder.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this partial galley from Macmillan-Tor/Forge; Tor Books and NetGalley
#ToSleepInASeaOfStars #NetGalley

I don't normally review books I haven't finished reading, so this isn't a review. This is a partial ARC of the novel, so these are my thoughts based on those 150 pages, or so.

I didn't know what to expect from this book. I was never a fan of Eragon. I tried to read it, but I just never got into it. The prose was clunky and it didn't gel for me at all. It just wasn't for me, I guess. Paolini was a teenager/young adult when he wrote the Eragon series, but that was the better part of a decade ago now. So, how would his writing style have changed over the years? Would I be more receptive to it now than I was as a teenager?

Well, I loved this. It's not the entire book, so I can't judge it as a whole, but I was hooked by what I read. From page one, Paolini paints a devilishly exciting picture. He's struck a better balance here with his tendency toward long descriptions, focusing more on describing what Kira is seeing and feeling. She's a compelling character and Paolini deftly develops her into someone you care about. The plot's immediately interesting, too. There are shades of other sci-fi stories - perhaps, most notably, Alien - but Paolini delivers a fresh take on some oft-tread ideas and crafts a wholly enticing story.

There's not a lot to say here. I'm just really hooked by this story. It's a great setup and I'm anxious to read the rest of it. It's well-written, well-paced, action-packed, and devilishly exciting. If the rest of the book delivers on the promises made by these first 150 pages, we're in for a fantastic read. I can't wait to read the rest.

I've never read anything by Paolini before, but I certainly will be seeking out more stories by him!

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars (LOVE that title!) was a very good match for my taste. I love worldbuilding and non-"normal" POV characters (non-human in this case).

I couldn't put this arc down. I just wish it had been the whole story! I'll be getting a copy of the book as soon as it comes out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for a partial galley of this book! Release date of the full book - September 15,2020.

I totally loved Eragon when I was younger, so as soon as I heard Christopher Paolini was coming out with a new book it became one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. I immediately requested this preview and oh my gosh I am hooked. It was the first 10 chapters, which actually ended up being over 200 pages. The entire book itself is 880 pages, which my first thought was who does he think he is, Diana Gabaldon? But then I started thinking, how many pages are most trilogies? Probably if you added all three books together they'd equal well over 880 pages. So this is really like a trilogy in one book, and I honestly do feel like the length of this was almost like reading the first book in a series. The great news about this is that I only have to wait until September to read the next "two books"!

I AM SO HOOKED on this storyline and these characters. I literally never wanted to put this down. I LOVE that Christopher Paolini decided to go sci-fi this time, and although I do get some vibes of books like Defy the Stars and Aurora Rising, I can tell this is going to be totally unique. The world is really interesting and also has some really great creep factor, and I can't wait to see where it goes. Total cliffhanger at the end of this preview!

The way I'm feeling about these first 10 chapters, I honestly can see myself giving the whole book 5 stars. Really creative, unique world. Great characters I want to know more about. Super creep factor and some interesting developments. Space and aliens. And an edge-of-your-seat storyline. I can't wait to get my hands on this entire book.

For me this novel starts off at a slow pace and was not recognisable for the authors richly detailed and pensive style seen in the inheritance cycle. However, it quickly picked up pace and introduced an interesting alien and complexity and detail appeared in the story. By the end of the sneak peak offered i was very much immersed and intrigued. Christopher Paolini's new story would make a great science fiction universe similar to John Scalzi's "Old Man's War" or the Interdependency trilogy!