Customer Reviews

When the Sky Fell (Sky Chronicles)

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

 

 

Although the description says that the reading level is Young Adult, this is certainly a very adult novel. It deals with themes like responsibility,forgiveness, dealing with regrets, and hope and faith in God. It is a Christian novel (although someone who is not a believer will still enjoy it) with a very spiritual over-arching theme and at the same time, an excellent space opera! It has star cruisers, space fighters, alien enemies and allies and all the good elements of the genre, yet it tells a very human story with a main character (Yamane) who is far from the two-dimensional heros that often are found in novels like this. The characterization is very in-depth and the hero comes off as a very real and flawed individual. That being said, it is also a very fun novel. Fun and spiritual. I hope these authors explore this genre more and I look forward to reading more from these men. Great first novel form both writers!

(This review is written by our 15-year-old daughter)

All science fiction fans, get a hold of this book at once!

Set in August of the year 2217, "When the Sky Fell" is an outer-space novel following the adventures of Frank Yamane (ya-MA-nee) as he battles an alien fleet that appears to have one goal in mind: the complete destruction of the human race. Chapter 1 opens with Yamane and his friend Stan Kershaw on a routine patrol over settlements on Saturn's moon Titan. Recalled early, they hear some astonishing news: a tracking station has discovered a "spacecraft of unknown origin". The alien Deravans appear to be here specifically to contact us.

Unfortunately, they also plan to wipe us out.

Fleeing a sudden, lethal attack, Yamane heads for Earth, only to be forced to escape again from another attack--one that leaves Earth completely vulnerable. Yamane has only one choice: seek help from another race, the Antarans. But the Antarans have every reason to hate Earth--ten years before, they were devastated and defeated in a war against us.

Yamane's journey is complicated by treachery, long-buried grief, and life-threatening damage to his ship from the recent battles. And when--if--he reaches the end of it alive, it might have all been for nothing...

"When the Sky Fell" is Mike Lynch's first full-length novel, and it's a good one. It's a space adventure, but it is also a novel full of lifelike characters who a reader will grow to care about. Beware: some parts might make you cry, gasp, or cheer; other parts will probably make you snicker. Recommended for teenagers up, because people do die, and the aliens are shooting at us. There is nothing sexually inappropriate and no foul language.

The authors of this book did not compromise. They stuck to what they set out to write--a book complete with all the elements of a classic hard sci-fi and none of the fluff. Tight writing, loads of technology, alien invasions...

It is consistent and action-packed. I normally don't read hard sci-fi, but I love watching it, so I wanted to give this book a shot. I admit I personally have to read it early in the day--my mind just can't wrap around the techie descriptions if I'm tired. But if you're a tech-minded reader, get your hands on When the Sky Fell, and strap yourself in for a serious ride!

Ever hear a Lenny Kravitz tune that sounded weirdly familiar? You'd swear your listening to some previously unreleased Beatles, Led Zep, or Hendrix song. Lenny denies it vehemently, but he has a well-deserved reputation for borrowing too much and presenting the results as new material.

Unfortunately, the same holds true for When the Sky Fell. Almost everything is head-shakingly similar to an old Battlestar Galactica or Star Trek script. Huge ships launch little dart-like fighters, fire the equivalent of photon torpedos, and are defended by invisible shields. Seriously? The plot includes an alien-induced holocaust, tenuous alliance with a former enemy, a heroic finish, and finally, foreshadowing of exciting future events. I swear I'm not making this stuff up...and neither is the author! There is the potentially interesting introduction of a "greater presence" but this is such a painful copy of New Testament rhetoric that one is left wondering if it's intended to be funny.

The character development involves a tragic personal history straight out of a Hollywood sci-fi flick (the name escapes me), foreshadowed with the subtlety of an AC/DC concert. Interpersonal tension is meticulously sprinkled in, as is the rote development of personality (does a feisty engineer loyal to a strong but conflicted captain sound familiar?). Heck, even the character's names sound painfully constructed.

I hate to give such a bad review, but someone needs to counter shiny 5 star reviews with a bit of reality. Maybe the whole thing is an inside joke on how closely one can re-tread existing stuff and still get published. If not, this fledgling writer needs an experienced and honest editor to point out the importance of originality in plot, character development, and writing style.

On the plus side, if you're a fan of classic sci-fi, this definitely fits in that genre. The near-earth local and near-future timeframe are a fun choice, and the plot is easy to follow and develops at a nice tempo. Kudo's to the author for his persistence in getting a full novel published after a long career in other fields.