Finding an author like Jane Lindskold and a duology like this one is both affirming and perturbing. Because it is so very exactly what I love, how have I not read it before? And what else am I missing??

I loved the animal characters and the adventure. I loved the planet. But mostly the characters.

3.5

this was not what I expected, but that's not to say that it was bad. it had an interesting concept and the characters were smart enough to make good decisions. wasn't so heavy on the romance, and it's almost a subtle love triangle since Adara (MC) has feelings for both of them but doesn't let it get in the way of her mission. I'm intrigued enough to read the sequel.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, but I'm not sure I think the part where it ended was entirely appropriate. I was shocked when I flipped to the next page (on my Kobo, so I had no idea I was so close to the end) only to find that the book was over. I'm going to view the series as one whole story for now.

The animal connection was one of the best parts of the book, never pushed off to the side but also never focused on too heavily. I would've liked to have had a greater space feel to the book, but that's a personal preference that I can accept is not in line with how the story was meant to play out so far. The love triangle/character trio was handled well, giving all characters equal agency and respect. I will be checking out the next book soon for sure.

I am in love with this book. The world building is pretty incredible, the smallest characters given personalities and motivations (even if not completely understood by the end of the book), and the events that happen are engaging enough to be fast-paced but still detailed without being a burden on the pace. Characters are flawed but heroic in their own ways. The villain is charming and likeable amidst his horrifying actions. The writing itself is easy enough to read that a teen could get through it no problem, but it does not shy away from complex plots or language. It's sci-fi but entirely different from a space opera feel despite space opera elements serving as a backdrop for the world and one of the main character's background.

I will also say, aside from my comments below, I particularly enjoy that a romantic plot exists but does not drive the story nor is the entire story. As well, Adara, despite occasionally considering herself torn between Griffin and Terrell, does not pine nor pout, nor even want a romantic interest most of the time. The way she questions if she is capable of love fleshed her character out in a way rarely seen in YA or books that involve some form of love triangle. She is mentally strong and doesn't have time for romance or the men's occasional BS, but is not dismissive, either. It's hard to explain, but ultimately I love her for her complex feelings regarding romance. And the two men, despite pursuing her to some degree, never once push beyond her boundaries.

I cannot wait to start the second book.

And, SPOILERS of the character/romantic interest aspect...















If Terrell, Griffin, and Adara aren't a happy threesome by the end of the series, I will revolt. I got giddy each time something seemed closer to them realizing the two men were more than rivals for Adara's affection (that they could be more). Bless Sand Shadow, too, for the mental image she sends Adara and planting that seed in her mind. They are perfect for each other and the author better not be teasing me only to snatch it away. I don't think she will. But seriously. I LOVE them.

5 Stars

By now, it should be no secret that I'm a big fan of Jane Lindskold's work, so when I heard she had a new series coming out, I nabbed a copy at the earliest opportunity. Needless to say from my five star rating, it's good.

Centuries ago, a powerful empire dominated the stars. With their advanced technology, they were able to accomplish seemingly the impossible, like creating an entire pleasure planet for their elite, complete with residents. When the empire and their technology were destroyed in a war, the planet, named Artemis, was lost and left to evolve on its own. Now, young archaeologist Griffin Dane has come to the planet, hoping to make the archaeological find of the century. Too bad his shuttle crashes...

There's not a lot to talk about, really. It's just a good all around book. No one thing in particular sticks out, but that's because every element is done nicely and it all blends together to create a good story that still leaves some questions unanswered and some plot threads open.

First off, this book, unlike some others, has been edited down to necessity, making it very tightly-plotted. The allows the action and the story to move along at a clipped pace and never drag.

Spoiler

The villain, the Old One Who Is Young, is not a new breed by any stretch of the imagination, but he is an effective one. When describing the horrors of the Old One's experiment/breeding program, Lindskold pulls no punches, making a great case for why this man is so unbelievably horrible he deserves to be called a villain. (Long story short, he's breeding human beings for reasons that make sense in context, and abduction, rape, and removing children from their parents is a regular occurrence). This also allows the narrative to scratch the surface of showing how Stockholm Syndrome can cause victims to victimize others, and why they shouldn't be held entirely accountable for it. He is also mentioned early enough that his importance is consistent throughout the novel, and his betrayal is effective in its surprise.

I also found the romance realistic, especially in regards to Adara and Julyan. It's a spot-on description of a young woman, caught up in the throes of first love, falling for a man whose dominant personality becomes problematic (understatement) in the future. The interactions between Griffin and Adara and Terrell and Adara (and Griffin and Terrell's friendship in spite of the "competition") turn them into real people (albeit from completely different origins) and the reader, as well as Adara, can see the good points of each. Both Griffin and Adara thinking they are not good enough for the other (for different reasons) was a nice touch. They also make a very good team. Adara herself is sufficiently badass and crafty (pretending to be stupid around the Old One so she may avoid his attentions while sneaking about on her own to investigate), joining the ranks of other similar Lindskold heroines. Her connection to the planet itself is intriguing and I'm interested to see where it will go as the story continues.

Research was clearly done on pumas in order to write Sand Shadow, and Artemis itself is an organic, fascinating world that, hopefully, will only continue to be built upon in subsequent novels. While it's been done before, the discovery of this lost world is just as mysterious and intriguing as any which came before.

Artemis Awakening is a tightly-plotted first installment of a sci-fi romp with good character relationships and a chilling villain that sets the stage for the unraveling of even greater mysteries.

A fun read that tackled some really interesting issues of contact between radically different cultures. The passage of our space traveler scolding himself for thinking his friend an "ignorant savage stereotype" was especially lovely, and I enjoyed our three leads' interactions. There's also a lot to be said for strong depictions of cultures who are not as scientifically advanced being super competent at all sorts of other technologies and skills, like animal training and brewing and food prep and horsemanship, etc. I love that our space traveler is mostly useless on this world.

That said, I was 100% with our Adara on being annoyed and exhausted of the whole "we both love you" thing. Stop it, boys. Just stop. And try as I did, I just could not take The Old One Who Was Young seriously. I doubt it was a conscious reference to Octavia Butler's Doro, but I couldn't help but see the OOWWY as a vastly inferior copy in every way. It's too bad he's sure to return in the sequel.

I am excited for the sentient planet, though. Big, sentient, non-humanoid persons are my favorite.

I really enjoyed this book and plan on getting the second one in the series. I wasn't a huge fan of the "interludes" and found myself skipping over them even after it became apparent what they were. I enjoyed the characters and the world. It was a fun and easy read.

Looking back on this book I can't help but feel that there was a lack of activity. This is not to say that I did not enjoy the book, I thought that the characters were lovely and very well developed. Most people have met someone that later turned out to be different than they originally expected and it is those hidden facets of a person's character that are too often left undiscovered. Each character in this book are more than they seem and have a rich personality that is learned over time. This makes meeting each one seem very real and gives you a feeling of friendship as you further delve into each characters life.
Back to my complaint about the book, I just don't feel like this book ended at a proper point. When you lay out the plot points it can seem like a lot happened, but in reality everything was just a trip to see a man.
Thinking about it now, I can't help but relate the entire book to The Wizard of Oz. It was very similar in pattern. Griffin gets stuck in a world to which he is, at least partially, unfamiliar with. He meets up with someone who helps him and sets him on the path to meet one who can hep him to get back home. He acquires companions and together they set off to meet the great one. Along the way they encounter some trials and learn some interesting things. Once they get to the one who can help it seems at first like he might be what they need, but then they find out that he is not what he seems.
It may be a rather loose representation of the same story, but there are definite correlations.
Overall, I thought that this book did a great job as far as developing a world and flushing out definite characters. I could have used more development as far as the plot went, but at the time of reading I was very much into the story line. In a way, the slower plot did bring you into the world as you gained a feeling of what it would be like with no modern technology.
Also, the ending of the book left no room for this review to be written as I was directly driven to start on the second book in the series, which I assure you did not disappoint.

Okay so this is nice harmless fun. It has far distant future archaeologists, dastardly villains, small snippets commentary about password management, and a cat-girl romance (...to be continued, slowly). I just couldn't shake the feeling I was reading a new version of Treasure Planet.