Customer Reviews

Beyond the Stars: Kataria

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Imagine, you start your ideal job for a company that promotes living in space. The crazy side of that job is you despise heights, while everyone you work with cannot wait to leave the Earth. This was the situation Samantha Gerris found herself in. She thrived on working for Space Island Group but at any thought of leaving the ground, her anxiety kicked in. She managed to avoid this fear of hers, until she meets the man she marries as one of their first dates is in a glider plane.

Samantha is a character that I feel many can identify with in the sense that so many of us seek the ideal job, family and overall life. It depends on the area, but I also share that fear of heights so I was able to truly identify with feelings expressed. Many of us have experienced a loss in our family and the grief that comes with it, whether we express it openly or bottle it up to just get through our day.

Samantha finally decides to go into space to be with her teenage children and life is escalated to another level for her. Upon her arrival, an alarm rings and all occupants are to evacuate. However, after a small mishap she finds herself aboard a Katarian space vessel that is leaving the station to go back to their home. She is stuck on-board, away from her children.

Kelly Beltz did an amazing job by taking me on the ride with her main character, Samantha throughout this entire story. I was very pleased for a tale that includes encounters of alien life forms, there was nothing overly complex to create the feel of the species introduced. I have attempted a few other stories that introduce alien beings and the language, body descriptions and even names become so overwhelming that it can be annoying when trying to visualize what you read.

This novel (which certainly has a second part coming!) was hard to put down as I was very much sucked in. For me, it has quite the punch of romance, action, adventure and science fiction. And it was a treat to learn that the Space Island Group did indeed exist! While I find that some works of fiction can be hampered when an author mixes in some parts of `reality', this idea only enhanced the tale for me.

I am not a fan of romance novels and have never read science fiction, but I love science-fiction movies. I found the combination of romance, adventure and mystery in a sci-fi theme refreshing in this enjoyable, easy read. The futuristic technological descriptions were interesting and conceivable. The romantic encounters were appropriate for teenagers, and the book would appeal to adults of all ages. The adventure and mystery will continue in the next book. A very enjoyable read!

The book was a keep you wanting more type of book. It is a book I would let my teenager read because the love scenes are not graphic. I feel that this book also can somewhat foretell the future, as I can see many of the events that happened in this novel happening in real life several generations from now. I love it and cannot wait for the next!

Excellent book! I usually don't read sci-fi, but this book also had the perfect blend of adventure, romance, and science fiction. I could not put it down. The characters are all very real and likeable. I can not wait until the adventure continues in the sequel. This is a definite read!!

I could NOT put this book down! The pace begins fast and never lets up!

The characters are easy to identify with and very likable. The story was easy to read and packed with adventure. The storyline is fresh and has a realistic feel, even though it's science fiction. It's almost as if you are there. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Do yourself a favor and get this book!

This book grabs you from start to finish. It was a wonderful mix of romance and science fiction! The characters are interesting, and you can't wait to see what happens to Samantha, the main character, page after page. One of those books I had trouble putting down.

I love this book! Since I got it, I have re-read it three times. It's like watching a favorite movie. Whenever I need to brighten my mood, I find myself picking up this book.

I read a lot of Science Fiction and often find that the story gets so bogged down by the science that the characters don't get fully developed. Thankfully, in the book "Beyond The Stars: Kataria" author Kelly Beltz manages to deliver a well balanced novel full of adventure, romance, and suspense with fleshed out characters that I actually cared about and related to.

Samantha Gerris is doing the one thing she swore she would never do, traveling into Space to assist with the completion of the space resort being built by the Space Island Group (SIG), the company she has worked for since she graduated from college. She spends the flight reflecting on the events that brought her to this point where she is facing her biggest fear and, before she knows it, she is at the space resort settling into her room.

Within a few days of her arrival at the resort there is an emergency and she ends up on an alien starship heading to the planet Kataria. On the way she visits new worlds, faces dangerous situations, falls in love and comes to realize that her fears have been holding her back, something she plans to never let happen again.

I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down. It had all the elements of a good romance novel without the graphic love scenes plus, the space technology was plausible and the characters, alien and human alike, were believable. I also appreciated the little details the author included as they helped me relate more to the characters and kept me engaged in the story. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and hope Ms. Beltz doesn't keep me waiting too long as the anticipation just might kill me!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The technical aspect was very thought provoking and the romance was such that it could appeal to a wide audience. I really can't wait for the next book. Great job Ms Beltz.

This book makes you feel like you are there. It was like being on a vacation with Samantha. I missed my football game and had a hard time putting down the book to let my dogs out. Good story with a lot of twist and great fun!