Customer Reviews

Semper Audacia

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

 

 

For a science-fiction novella, this story is well-deserved of five stars. M.Pax convincingly creates a strange world and infuses it with mechanics that seem so real to the person living in it that it can be no less real for us. Of particular interest to me was the second skin or armor that Leda wore. It not only had intelligence but was responsible for her extreme longevity. The only thing that I don't like about the story are the things that are NOT addressed. For example, there is a huge history here that begs to be told. I hope that the author explores it in future tales. If you like your science-fiction as hard as a computer case, you will like this novel. Told in third-person, I thought that it could easily stand a place next to the works of Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Heinlein (though there is no snark in her writing as there is in Heinlein). The vocabulary and sentence structure though is definitely similar in flavor as is the sobering plot.

A space-opera you can read in a weekend. Generally I'm a full-blown novel fan and the shorter stuff isn't really for me, but M. Pax, with her approximately 13,000 words, changed my mind.

I downloaded it when I wasn't feeling well and by the next day, felt good enough to decide I needed to be reading something. This was it.

Though her main character spends a lot of time in isolation M. Pax does a great job of invoking all five senses in the reader, of drawing you into the world of this lone solider who's main company is ghost-brigades and memories. Her heroine is wonderfully human and it's easy to identify with her fears, sense of determination and struggle to do what's required of her.

Excellent read and certainly just this side of free at .99 on Kindle and other outlets.

Checkout her excellent book trailer at [...]

Well, my personal conviction that I don't review indie books seems to be going out the window. I'll at least try to keep this short.

So, in the interest of brevity - When the last warrior on the losing side of an interstellar war is confronted with the possibility of surrender, she is forced to decide it peace is worth the cost.

I so loved this novelette. This just screams "professional" at every turn. The ebook design, the formatting, the layout, the editing are all as good, or better than most professionally published ebooks.I had to go back and check the copyright page to make sure that this was indeed, self published. The product was amazing.

And prose itself was tight. the picture the author painted was of bleak, cold, and lonely universe that the main character, Leda, had to live in. I was sucked in from the beginning and my interest never wavered. I would have read this in a single setting were I not forced to put it down. I thought about the story when I wasn't reading and was anxious to find out the conclusion. I can't think of a higher compliment to give for a storyteller. I love that feeling, and I don't always get it from what I read.

The reason I gave this four stars instead of five might seem silly, but I was a bit let down about something that was revealed late in the book. Mostly because the author hints that she has a very good understanding of the genre, it's tropes, and much of the scientific underpinnings that inform of the story.

When all is finally revealed, at the story's climax, after witnessing the horrors that Leda did, I did not want the motivations for the bad guys to be what they were. Because from a science fictional point of view (not a storytelling one), I'm not sure it made perfect sense. I won't say more because I don't want to give away the ending, which is emotionally satisfying - but it broke my suspension of disbelief.

Still, that's one small complaint in an otherwise magnificent story. I will be reading all of M Pax's works in the future. She is real talent.

Semper Audacia is the story of a warrior; the last of her kind, defending her home world via an orbital outpost. The planet's population too has dwindled and is just hanging on. Their ancient foe attacks and the last guardian springs into action accompanied by a battalion of ghosts; the memories of her fallen comrades.

The odds are almost hopeless. Almost. She must try; it's what she does, it's what she is and has been all her life. But then a wrinkle - the enemy battleship transmits a valid "friendly" code even as it's powering up weapons. If the enemy are finally responding to their pleas for peace, attacking the ship would fling her people back into eternal war. If it's a ruse, her people could be exterminated. She chooses a decidedly unconventional solution.

Semper Audacia is Mary Pax's first novella, and it comes on the heels of several short stories, including Plantgirl, Translations, and Small Graces, all of which are delightful reads and are available for free from Smashwords. B&N and iTunes. Mary employs a unique writing style which I would describe as "Literary Sci-Fi". Her economical prose is tight, active, and colorfully descriptive, yet draws upon the reader to participate in the story, not just observe it. It is not the type of reading that you can skim and understand but her writing is so vital that you don't want to skim it; it implores you, like a hot bath, to slide in and immerse yourself in the experience.

Each of the stories she offers contain unique and surprising elements. Semper Audacia contained several moments that caused me to marvel at their uniqueness.

The book itself is very well written and edited. You'll find no amateurish stumbling blocks such as sentence fragments left over from an edit or transposed words that made it past a spell checker but are the wrong word for the context. Punctuation and grammar are - as far as I could tell - flawless. Her characterization and scene setting is clear and vital, but done without a single wasted word. Audacia is a professional grade release from an exciting new author.

Though I'm not normally a sci-fi reader, I wanted to branch out a bit and try something different. My friend sent me M. Pax's Plantgirl (free download at [...]) and loved it so I thought I'd give this a try. I was NOT disappointed! Not only did the author do a great job at creating a vivid, dark and intriguing world, but the plot was compelling and fast-paced. Her heroine's struggles between duty and hope were believable and full of emotion. It was a page-turner! I look forward to reading more from M. Pax.

Note: This review was originally written for my author blog at [..]

Semper Audacia, by M. Pax, is a "space-opera" novelette of roughly 13,000 words. I received a copy for free from the author for the review - and then I went out and bought it. No really, it was that good.

Let me start out this review by saying that I'm generally not a fan of shorter fiction. If it's under twenty-thousand words, most authors barely find time to squeeze in some exposition and introduce the main hook. As such, shorter works usually feel forced and one-dimensional. Now, don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that's true of all short fiction writers - some of my favorite works are shorter works of fiction (I'm looking at you, Neil Gaiman). I'm saying that it's hard, damn hard, to do it right.

That's why this novelette took me completely by surprise. Before I get into the good, though, let me touch on the few things I didn't like about it.

1. There were a few spots that needed a little polishing - a few commas, an adverb instead of an adjective, that sort of thing. I doubt your average reader would even notice, but as an ex-English teacher, those things really stick out to me. I think it says something that "Semper Audacia" was well - written enough that I was willing to overlook that; usually, I get to the second typo and feel like tossing the thing in the trash.

2.) I was a bit confused about how the races understood each other. Was there a piece of technology that did the translating? Were they bilingual?

Aaaaaannnndddd...... that's it for the bad.

Onto to the good:

***Warning, there are a few MINOR spoilers in here. If you don't want to read them, take my word for it - it's good - or download a sample and get a taste of the novelette for yourself.***

1. I think that one of the hardest things an author can do is write an engaging story in which the protagonist spends a lot of time in isolation. Human beings are social creatures and we cling to all things interpersonal. The fact that Leda is the last soldier, and largely alone, makes her part a difficult one to write. Yet M. Pax pulls it off swimmingly, largely due to the advent of the quasi-ghost brigades, the special suits, and the injection of relevant (and emotionally touching) flashbacks.

2. The language choice was excellent, as well. M. Pax creates her world through a rich combination of surprisingly accurate descriptors that invoke all five senses and convey a great sense of action, all without being overly wordy.

3. I loved the protagonist. She was complex, well - rounded, and remarkably human, and I quickly became caught up in her fears and struggles.

4. It's a good ending. I wish I could elaborate further on that, but I guess you're just going to have to read it - and at 99 cents, it's quite the steal. If you'd like to purchase your own copy, you can find it on Smashwords or Kindle.

5. OVERALL RATING: 4.5 STARS.

You can see more information about this awesome Indie author on her personal website at [..].

I didn't know what to expect in a space opera, but I honestly enjoyed this tale. Leda was a strong, brave warrior, the last defense of her world against the evil fuel sucking leeches.

I'm totally lost in this world, was able to visualize it, making me ponder what is truly out there in the vast arena of space.

I recommend this book to anyone.

I love the concepts woven into this dark science fiction story, including fabulous technology that had me engaged from beginning to end. M. Pax also has a wonderful skill of description that makes the prose rich with imagery. It carried me away to the loneliness of space and the struggles of duty and battle.

Without giving anything away, it had a bucket load of conflict and emotion, a twist in the middle, and left me feeling satisfied. This was a great read. I'd recommend this story to all lovers of scifi.

An action packed read, satisfying on multiple levels. From the high-tech gadetry and war-torn universe to the main characters somewhat shattered psyche, there is something for everyone. Not predictable and written in a very unique style I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys science fiction of the darker variety. I am eagerly anticipating M. Pax's next release.

I just finished Semper Audacia... Wow! It's full of intense feelings, drama, terrors and pathos. Relationships that were tender and loving, yet clothed in heartbreak. Courage, duty and devotion, yet also an eery technology that kind of made my skin crawl... on about 3 levels. ;-)

It was a high speed ride that kept me from going to bed until I got to the ending, which reached out and grabbed my emotions. This was NOT your typical or predictable space opera tale! I enjoy stories that surprise me, that I can't predict. I had read the short story by M. Pax titled Plantgirl, and "thought" I knew what to expect. Whoa... this was just brilliant. Beyond my expectation.

M. Pax has a descriptive yet poetic way of writing, even when talking techno-babble and describing crater pocked ugly moons! I was "there"... I could feel it, see it, almost smell it. It feels like all of your senses are involved in the story. You don't just read it... you inhale it, hear it, ingest it, live it! Can you tell I LOVED Semper Audacia?!

Yep... I highly recommend it.