Sci-Fi Romance Review: Shifter Planet by D.B. Reynolds
Shifter Planet by D.B. Reynolds
Egalley thanks to Entangled Publishing
Synopsis from Goodreads
Specialist Amanda Sumner is one of the first to make contact on the Earth-like planet Harp and discovers she's the only Earthling, who can hear the trees sing in the strange forest. Determined to remain and learn more of the planet’s secrets, Amanda sets out to become part of the elite Guild there...
But there is a secret involving some Guild members–one that could get her killed.
Shifter Rhodry de Mendoza wants the Earthlings off his planet before they destroy it—even if that means denying what he feels for the fierce and lovely Amanda. The pair is thrown together in what becomes a fight for their lives. And they might just lose everything–including each other–in their battle for the right to live in peace.
Amazon kindle US/UK
8.5/10
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"You did a lot of walking today, " she said softly, moving in close. "And you'll need your strength." His eyes opened wide as her hand grazed up his thigh. He grinned and started to reach for her, then howled in outrage when she pressed her fingers directly into the still tender knife wound in his groin.
"Damn it, woman! What kind of healer are you?"
"Not kind at all," she said smugly. "Now go inside and rest while I find us a snake."
Women power! *shakes fists* I love D.B. Reynolds for her exceptionally stubborn, clever and wilful heroines. Throughout the whole book I was grinning and cheering for Amanda, while she was acing her trials and thumbing shifters' noses.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. As far as I know D.B. Reynolds hasn't written anything else in sci-fi genre, so Shifter Planet must have been a first for her, and it was done exceptionally well.
Amanda was born on a space ship and all her life has been dreaming about living on a planet. She is a specialist in first contact, so when a new planet is discovered (or shall I say, planet which dropped out of circulation for 500 years) she is beyond excited to relocate and start researching it.
There is a bit of Avatar theme going on, as the flora and fauna of the planet is extremely hostile to humans, and first Earthlings had to create a new species by splicing the gene and combining it with human genome to become more attuned to the planet itself. Not everyone has the right genes, but those who have can shift into animals and become members of the Guild - an organisation which provides protection to people travelling through the forests and which listens to the needs of the environment itself.
Amanda, all fresh eyed and excited learns that she has a special connection to that same environment and tries to enroll into The Guild. Of course, everyone is in uproar because she is (shockingly) a girl and is not a shifter.
"What if you're not the only non-shifter who can do that? What if you're the first of many? You don't only have to fail, Amanda, you have to fail spectacularly so that no norm will ever try again."
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," she said in disgust. "If norms were going to line up to join the Guild, don't you think they'd have done it before now? And if that's the kind of thinking going on in the Guild, then I'm worried for the planet because it's being run by a bunch of furry idiots with dicks."
So the whole book is about Amanda getting ready for the trials to qualify as The Guild member and going through them. And that woman, ladies and gents, kicked some ass. She was amazing, so get ready not only for some spectacular action, but for some sexy times in between.
I loved this book and solidly recommend it to all the fans of UF, sci-fi and strong heroines in any genre.
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Я очень люблю Д.Б. Рейнольдс за её упрямых, упорных и очень сильных героинь, и Планета Оборотней в этом плане - не исключение. Даже то, что автор впервые написала книгу в жанре научной фантастики, нисколько её не портит, так как вышло у неё всё сногсшибательно.
Аманда Сомнер родилась и провела всю свою жизнь на космическом корабле, мечтая переселиться на какую-либо планету. Да и профессия у неё как раз рассчитана на такой случай - она специалист по первому контакту. И вот когда её корабль находит планету переселенцев с Земли, которая была утеряна на 500 лет, свой шанс она наконец получает.
Тут идёт немного аватаровский сюжет, так как сама планета это большой и сложный организм, и в начале была настолько сурова своей окружающей средой, что переселенцам пришлось проэкспериментировать с инженированием днк, соединив его с планетарной системой коммуникации, чтобы попросту выжить.
Теперь часть населения планеты с особым днк - оборотни и состоят в Гильдии, которая делает всё возможное, чтобы защищать людей, путешествующих через громадные леса планеты и держит её наиболее опасных хищников вдали от населённых пунктов.
Естественно, Аманда, которая почему-то может слышать планету, решается вступить в Гильдию, и вся книга - это её подготовка и непосредственное участие во вступительном экзамене, где она ко всеобщему удивлению не только получает высшую оценку, но ещё и делает это вопреки мисогинистскому заговору, который, если бы она не оказалась сильной бабой, в живых её бы не оставил.
Я улыбалась всю книгу, так как у героини сильный голос, и читается Планета Оборотней просто как песня. Очень советую всем поклонникам сильных героинь!
