What do you think?
Rate this book
Planetfall #1
Planetfall
From the award-nominated author Emma Newman, comes a novel of how one secret withheld to protect humanity’s future might be its undoing�
Renata Ghali believed in Lee Suh-Mi’s vision of a world far beyond Earth, calling to humanity. A planet promising to reveal the truth about our place in the cosmos, untainted by overpopulation, pollution, and war. Ren believed in that vision enough to give up everything to follow Suh-Mi into the unknown.
More than twenty-two years have passed since Ren and the rest of the faithful braved the starry abyss and established a colony at the base of an enigmatic alien structure where Suh-Mi has since resided, alone. All that time, Ren has worked hard as the colony's 3-D printer engineer, creating the tools necessary for human survival in an alien environment, and harboring a devastating secret.
Ren continues to perpetuate the lie forming the foundation of the colony for the good of her fellow colonists, despite the personal cost. Then a stranger appears, far too young to have been part of the first planetfall, a man who bears a remarkable resemblance to Suh-Mi.
The truth Ren has concealed since planetfall can no longer be hidden. And its revelation might tear the colony apart�
Renata Ghali believed in Lee Suh-Mi’s vision of a world far beyond Earth, calling to humanity. A planet promising to reveal the truth about our place in the cosmos, untainted by overpopulation, pollution, and war. Ren believed in that vision enough to give up everything to follow Suh-Mi into the unknown.
More than twenty-two years have passed since Ren and the rest of the faithful braved the starry abyss and established a colony at the base of an enigmatic alien structure where Suh-Mi has since resided, alone. All that time, Ren has worked hard as the colony's 3-D printer engineer, creating the tools necessary for human survival in an alien environment, and harboring a devastating secret.
Ren continues to perpetuate the lie forming the foundation of the colony for the good of her fellow colonists, despite the personal cost. Then a stranger appears, far too young to have been part of the first planetfall, a man who bears a remarkable resemblance to Suh-Mi.
The truth Ren has concealed since planetfall can no longer be hidden. And its revelation might tear the colony apart�
336 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2015
591 people are currently reading
16.3k people want to read
About the author
Emma Newman
99books1,756followersEmma Newman writes short stories, novels and novellas in multiple speculative fiction genres. She is also a Hugo Award-winning podcaster and an audiobook narrator.
She won the British Fantasy Society Best Short Story Award 2015 for “A Woman’s Place� in the 221 Baker Streets anthology. 'Between Two Thorns', the first book in Emma's Split Worlds urban fantasy series, was shortlisted for the BFS Best Novel and Best Newcomer 2014 awards. Her science-fiction novel, After Atlas, was shortlisted for the 2017 Arthur C. Clarke award and the third novel in the Planetfall series, Before Mars, has been shortlisted for a BSFA Best Novel award. The Planetfall series was shortlisted for the 2020 Best Series Hugo Award.
Emma currently creates a podcast called 'Imagining Tomorrow' for Friends of the Earth. Her hobbies include dressmaking, LARP and tabletop role playing.
She won the British Fantasy Society Best Short Story Award 2015 for “A Woman’s Place� in the 221 Baker Streets anthology. 'Between Two Thorns', the first book in Emma's Split Worlds urban fantasy series, was shortlisted for the BFS Best Novel and Best Newcomer 2014 awards. Her science-fiction novel, After Atlas, was shortlisted for the 2017 Arthur C. Clarke award and the third novel in the Planetfall series, Before Mars, has been shortlisted for a BSFA Best Novel award. The Planetfall series was shortlisted for the 2020 Best Series Hugo Award.
Emma currently creates a podcast called 'Imagining Tomorrow' for Friends of the Earth. Her hobbies include dressmaking, LARP and tabletop role playing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,828 reviews
February 10, 2017
What struck me most about this traditional SF novel was the level of personal experience worked onto the page. Personal tragedy was used so well as to ring a strong measure of emotional immediacy, even anguish, into what would have been a normally decent and workmanlike novel of societal deceit and colonialism, even extreme isolationalism.
When she goes deep into the loss of her loved one, it was strong, but it became almost alien, at least to me, when the ethos of hoarding meets the needs of the society. This was definitely a character novel, but the worldbuilding was very sound and the reveals and surprises were quietly desperate and interesting.
I liked this novel quite a bit, but it was slightly slow for my tastes. That isn't to say I was ever bored.
I think the foreword to the novel went a very, very long way to charm me before I even began reading the novel. For good or ill, that knowledge probably went a very long way toward being generous, but I don't care. This level of honesty deserves a lot of praise and respect.
When she goes deep into the loss of her loved one, it was strong, but it became almost alien, at least to me, when the ethos of hoarding meets the needs of the society. This was definitely a character novel, but the worldbuilding was very sound and the reveals and surprises were quietly desperate and interesting.
I liked this novel quite a bit, but it was slightly slow for my tastes. That isn't to say I was ever bored.
I think the foreword to the novel went a very, very long way to charm me before I even began reading the novel. For good or ill, that knowledge probably went a very long way toward being generous, but I don't care. This level of honesty deserves a lot of praise and respect.
November 18, 2015
2.5 stars. It seems I'm one of the very few people who didn't like the book. I had a nagging thought while reading this that everything was very familiar and I've seen the whole setting somewhere else. Now I get it: this is Ridley Scott's "Prometheus" in a book form. Seriously, think about it: message with directions to somewhere - check, scientists going there looking for God - check, creepy alien structure - check, main character keeping faith against all odds - check. And so on. Unfortunately, as in Prometheus' case, Planetfall is also an interesting idea that suffers from poor execution and one-dimensional characters.
Characters were the biggest problem with the book, at least for me. There are probably 5-6 of them that matter, and none has more than two character traits. There's a former PR guy, he's manipulative. There's a doctor, she is kind. There's main character, she has a severe case of PTSD. There's new guy in town, he has woodcutting skills. There's annoying woman, she's annoying. None of them is interesting enough for readers to root for.
And the second big problem was "something terrible we won't tell you about" trope that is so popular nowadays. I'm not a big fan of it, to be honest, but in other books, where it serves as a way to drive plot further, it might be interesting enough. Not here, though, where this is the plot. Something terrible happened, but we will never tell you what, because it was too terrible. This was really annoying. I agree with another reviewer that this book would look much better as a short story or a novelette.
Characters were the biggest problem with the book, at least for me. There are probably 5-6 of them that matter, and none has more than two character traits. There's a former PR guy, he's manipulative. There's a doctor, she is kind. There's main character, she has a severe case of PTSD. There's new guy in town, he has woodcutting skills. There's annoying woman, she's annoying. None of them is interesting enough for readers to root for.
And the second big problem was "something terrible we won't tell you about" trope that is so popular nowadays. I'm not a big fan of it, to be honest, but in other books, where it serves as a way to drive plot further, it might be interesting enough. Not here, though, where this is the plot. Something terrible happened, but we will never tell you what, because it was too terrible. This was really annoying. I agree with another reviewer that this book would look much better as a short story or a novelette.
November 3, 2015
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum
Long story short: I loved Planetfall…except the ending. If you’ve ever enjoyed a great book that you nonetheless had serious issues with, then you’d probably know what I’m feeling. I’m still fantastically happy I read it though, because it has an amazing premise; while it does take a while for events to unfold, following along as they do was half the fun.
The story opens on a world far from Earth. Protagonist Renata Ghali is called urgently to the colony boundary when a mysterious figure is spotted heading towards the settlement. As the stranger approaches, even though Ren doesn’t recognize him, she sees that he bears a striking resemblance to her friend Suh-Mi, also known as the Pathfinder—the woman who had led their group here to this planet all those years ago to escape a polluted and over-populated Earth. But then, more than two decades have passed since they arrived here on a mission of faith and Suh-Mi had entered the gargantuan alien structure they found when they made planetfall. They called it God’s City, and everyone knows the Pathfinder is within it now, convening with a higher power in order to impart her wisdom to the colonists.
So, just who is this mysterious newcomer? He came alone, and it is astounding to think he’s survived by himself after all this time out there in the hostile alien wilderness. He’s also too young to be part of their original group to arrive on the ship to this planet. The young man claims to be the grandson of Suh-Mi, but only Ren and the colony master Cillian “Mack� Mackenzie know why that information would be dangerous. If it’s true, it could mean an end to the colony’s whole way of life, a life that they have spent years attempting to cultivate into their own little utopia.
First off, I love colonization sci-fi. I love that theme of arriving at a whole new world, establishing a territory and building a new home with your blood, sweat, and tears. I find these kinds of stories fascinating, celebrating the pioneer spirit at all levels, and sometimes the personal narratives of the characters can be very inspirational. Planetfall, on the other hand, has a darker tone, and it’s a very different and unique offering in this subgenre. I was compelled by the mysterious vibe, the way the plot slowly revealed itself in layers, often in the form of flashbacks and memories. Bit by bit, you can piece together a better picture of what’s really going on.
One issue, however, was my feelings for the protagonist. That’s the funny thing about me and characters; sometimes I can relate to them even when they’re wholly unlikeable. Their personalities can be abrasive, repulsive, or completely at odds with mine, but if they’re written well, most of the time I manage to make a connection anyway. Unfortunately, this was just not the case with Renata. When it came to Ren, I always felt like there was a gap there I couldn’t bridge. It’s not that she’s unlikeable, because she has some very sympathetic qualities. Yet I still had a hard time feeling anything for her but pity, and I hated that. Part of the reason is the way she was written, and the fact that the story places a rather large focus on her mental disorder. I think it’s important to explore these issues, but in Ren’s case, her compulsive behavior is used as a convenient plot device. I could feel the author’s hand very strongly in the story thread surrounding Ren’s struggles, and it only emphasized how unempowered the character was. It’s possible that I’m being oversensitive about this, but in any case, I wasn’t entirely comfortable with it.
My main issue though, was the ending. As I approached the final 10% of the novel, I started to feel a little nervous. Knowing beforehand that this was a standalone and that there had to be so much more left in the story to be addressed, I did wonder how the author was going to wrap everything up with so few pages left. The result was unexpected, to say the least. It felt like someone flipped a switch on this story and scrambled all its circuits. It was hard to believe I was still reading the same book. It’s difficult to describe, but everything following the climax felt like a string of non sequiturs, the tone and style and narrative veering off in a drastically unpredictable direction. Sometimes “curveballs� in a story are good, but I’m still torn about this one.
Still, Planetfall is a book I would recommend. In its finer moments the book is a thought-provoking narrative about the fear of the unknown, and how in times of uncertainty, those around you can be a comfort…or a strain. I love Emma Newman’s writing style, which gracefully highlights some of the darkness and heartbreak in the story. Slights feelings of frustration and disappointment are still lingering from that random ending and the lack of answers, but overall this was a good read.
Long story short: I loved Planetfall…except the ending. If you’ve ever enjoyed a great book that you nonetheless had serious issues with, then you’d probably know what I’m feeling. I’m still fantastically happy I read it though, because it has an amazing premise; while it does take a while for events to unfold, following along as they do was half the fun.
The story opens on a world far from Earth. Protagonist Renata Ghali is called urgently to the colony boundary when a mysterious figure is spotted heading towards the settlement. As the stranger approaches, even though Ren doesn’t recognize him, she sees that he bears a striking resemblance to her friend Suh-Mi, also known as the Pathfinder—the woman who had led their group here to this planet all those years ago to escape a polluted and over-populated Earth. But then, more than two decades have passed since they arrived here on a mission of faith and Suh-Mi had entered the gargantuan alien structure they found when they made planetfall. They called it God’s City, and everyone knows the Pathfinder is within it now, convening with a higher power in order to impart her wisdom to the colonists.
So, just who is this mysterious newcomer? He came alone, and it is astounding to think he’s survived by himself after all this time out there in the hostile alien wilderness. He’s also too young to be part of their original group to arrive on the ship to this planet. The young man claims to be the grandson of Suh-Mi, but only Ren and the colony master Cillian “Mack� Mackenzie know why that information would be dangerous. If it’s true, it could mean an end to the colony’s whole way of life, a life that they have spent years attempting to cultivate into their own little utopia.
First off, I love colonization sci-fi. I love that theme of arriving at a whole new world, establishing a territory and building a new home with your blood, sweat, and tears. I find these kinds of stories fascinating, celebrating the pioneer spirit at all levels, and sometimes the personal narratives of the characters can be very inspirational. Planetfall, on the other hand, has a darker tone, and it’s a very different and unique offering in this subgenre. I was compelled by the mysterious vibe, the way the plot slowly revealed itself in layers, often in the form of flashbacks and memories. Bit by bit, you can piece together a better picture of what’s really going on.
One issue, however, was my feelings for the protagonist. That’s the funny thing about me and characters; sometimes I can relate to them even when they’re wholly unlikeable. Their personalities can be abrasive, repulsive, or completely at odds with mine, but if they’re written well, most of the time I manage to make a connection anyway. Unfortunately, this was just not the case with Renata. When it came to Ren, I always felt like there was a gap there I couldn’t bridge. It’s not that she’s unlikeable, because she has some very sympathetic qualities. Yet I still had a hard time feeling anything for her but pity, and I hated that. Part of the reason is the way she was written, and the fact that the story places a rather large focus on her mental disorder. I think it’s important to explore these issues, but in Ren’s case, her compulsive behavior is used as a convenient plot device. I could feel the author’s hand very strongly in the story thread surrounding Ren’s struggles, and it only emphasized how unempowered the character was. It’s possible that I’m being oversensitive about this, but in any case, I wasn’t entirely comfortable with it.
My main issue though, was the ending. As I approached the final 10% of the novel, I started to feel a little nervous. Knowing beforehand that this was a standalone and that there had to be so much more left in the story to be addressed, I did wonder how the author was going to wrap everything up with so few pages left. The result was unexpected, to say the least. It felt like someone flipped a switch on this story and scrambled all its circuits. It was hard to believe I was still reading the same book. It’s difficult to describe, but everything following the climax felt like a string of non sequiturs, the tone and style and narrative veering off in a drastically unpredictable direction. Sometimes “curveballs� in a story are good, but I’m still torn about this one.
Still, Planetfall is a book I would recommend. In its finer moments the book is a thought-provoking narrative about the fear of the unknown, and how in times of uncertainty, those around you can be a comfort…or a strain. I love Emma Newman’s writing style, which gracefully highlights some of the darkness and heartbreak in the story. Slights feelings of frustration and disappointment are still lingering from that random ending and the lack of answers, but overall this was a good read.
November 9, 2015
"Am I just a mosaic of myself, held in the shape of a whole person?"
Planetfall is easily one of the most memorable books I've read this year. From the first page, it kept me captive until it wrenched my heart in two. The story is beautifully layered, with rich symbolism woven deeply into the plot. I found it incredibly difficult, yet utterly compelling. Planetfall raises intensely personal reactions, so I don't know what it will mean for you. Maybe it will provide a glimpse of the struggle of living with a disorder; maybe the agonies of being
The story starts when Ren, a visengineer colonist on an alien planet, is summoned to greet a stranger to the town. But this stranger isn't just an unforeseen survivor of one of the colony's fallen ships. He's also the grandson of the Pathfinder, the vanished visionary who led the colony. All too soon, the stranger's arrival disrupts the fragile peace of the colony and brings to light secrets that have been hidden for decades.
I can't really describe the things I loved about this book without spoilers, so forgive my vagaries. I loved Ren. She's insightful and blinded and jaw-clenchingly frustrating and achingly sympathetic. I adored her sharp little asides, such as:
~~I received this book through Netgalley from the publisher, Penguin Group Berkeley, in exchange for my honest review. Quotes are taken from an advanced reader copy and while they may not reflect the final versions, I believe they speak to the spirit of the novel as a whole.~~
Planetfall is easily one of the most memorable books I've read this year. From the first page, it kept me captive until it wrenched my heart in two. The story is beautifully layered, with rich symbolism woven deeply into the plot. I found it incredibly difficult, yet utterly compelling. Planetfall raises intensely personal reactions, so I don't know what it will mean for you. Maybe it will provide a glimpse of the struggle of living with a disorder; maybe the agonies of being
"Caught between the Scylla and Charybdis of guilt and reminiscence"will just be incomprehensible or frustrating or alien. But for me, even though the story takes place on a gloriously alien world, it was simply, utterly, heartbreakingly real.
The story starts when Ren, a visengineer colonist on an alien planet, is summoned to greet a stranger to the town. But this stranger isn't just an unforeseen survivor of one of the colony's fallen ships. He's also the grandson of the Pathfinder, the vanished visionary who led the colony. All too soon, the stranger's arrival disrupts the fragile peace of the colony and brings to light secrets that have been hidden for decades.
I can't really describe the things I loved about this book without spoilers, so forgive my vagaries. I loved Ren. She's insightful and blinded and jaw-clenchingly frustrating and achingly sympathetic. I adored her sharp little asides, such as:
"I think 'majority' is one of my least favorite words. It's so often used to justify bad decisions."The language of the story is simply lyrical, and I found myself highlighting far more quotes than I could ever include in a review. I loved the exploration of self, of the multitude of facets that make up each personality. As one character puts it,
"Where am I among all these parts? Am I just a mosaic of myself, held in the shape of a whole person? Perhaps the cracks are too tiny for people to notice."But what happens when the cracks begin to widen?
"That scared me more than anything, sometimes; the noise of my thoughts, the sense that even the space inside myself wasn't safe."One of the primary themes, which manifests itself in a multitude of ways, is trying to save the broken from destruction. As Ren says,
"We were all just little broken things, trying so hard to protect ourselves when all we were doing was keeping ourselves blind and alone."The book held me rapt from start to finish. Like the people of the colony, the story is intimately connected with its environment, yet it is also so much more. The book is so intensely personal that I don't know what it will mean for you, but I hope you find it as heartrending and achingly perfect as I did.
~~I received this book through Netgalley from the publisher, Penguin Group Berkeley, in exchange for my honest review. Quotes are taken from an advanced reader copy and while they may not reflect the final versions, I believe they speak to the spirit of the novel as a whole.~~
November 8, 2015
I wasn't sure about this book at first. It starts slow but then it builds and builds to this remarkable crescendo. Ren is a visengineer who is the master printer on a colony. But she also has a secret she shares with Mack, the colony leader. There is some fascinating world building here but a lot of this world is presented as fact. Bold authorial choice that. The ending had me breathless but it also felt rushed. There is this major twist that I wanted to see fleshed out more. Nonetheless this is an awesome book.
July 3, 2018
A handful of interesting ideas buried in a mostly boring, flat narrative.
February 3, 2016
Fascinating premise, well executed but let down by a mediocre last act and an incredibly poor ending.
Ren is a key member of a exoplanet colony founded by a cult. The people of the colony came to this world following a prophet named Lee Suh-Mi who claims that this world is where God lives. She's actually led them to a bizarre biotechnological construct that the colony refers to as God's City, but Suh-Mi hasn't been seen since very early after colonization. It's 22 years since planetfall and now Ren is a tortured individual, riddled with anxiety and under a lot of pressure, both from the day-to-day needs of the colony and the secrets she is keeping for others. The entry of Suh-Mi's grandson becomes the catalyst for everything to fall apart.
I had a similar experience last month with a book that had a fantastic windup but totally fluffed the pitch. Much of this is beautifully written with Ren's anxiety coming through brilliantly, making me feel the anxiety and claustrophobia this character is under, but narrative choices towards the end left me cold and the ultimate ending is probably one of the more dissatisfying ones I've ever read.
A sadly missed opportunity of a book.
For context these were the last three books I gave 2 star reviews to:
Ren is a key member of a exoplanet colony founded by a cult. The people of the colony came to this world following a prophet named Lee Suh-Mi who claims that this world is where God lives. She's actually led them to a bizarre biotechnological construct that the colony refers to as God's City, but Suh-Mi hasn't been seen since very early after colonization. It's 22 years since planetfall and now Ren is a tortured individual, riddled with anxiety and under a lot of pressure, both from the day-to-day needs of the colony and the secrets she is keeping for others. The entry of Suh-Mi's grandson becomes the catalyst for everything to fall apart.
I had a similar experience last month with a book that had a fantastic windup but totally fluffed the pitch. Much of this is beautifully written with Ren's anxiety coming through brilliantly, making me feel the anxiety and claustrophobia this character is under, but narrative choices towards the end left me cold and the ultimate ending is probably one of the more dissatisfying ones I've ever read.
A sadly missed opportunity of a book.
For context these were the last three books I gave 2 star reviews to:
March 24, 2015
Newman has crafted a thrilling tale of murder, mystery and madness on a world where humanity is still its own worst enemy. Horrifying and heartbreaking in equal measure, the catastrophe driving this narrative will keep you riveted until the very last page. Don’t miss this one.
June 2, 2019
Hooray for Emma Newman!
The author begins her Planetfall series with this very entertaining and original first contact story first published in 2015.
Full disclosure! I committed aggravated SF series heresy by reading these completely out of order. I read the third book first, then the second, then this one. Good news is I am now reading the most recent so I’m all caught up but in unorthodox fashion.
That said, and from an unusual perspective, I have even more appreciation for what Newman has accomplished. The first is a smooth and psychological thriller kind of SF story reminiscent of Ursula K. LeGuin, Octavia Butler or even Frederick Pohl � the later novels switch back to earth and for some cool goings on there.
We find our heroes living on a distant planet, having traveled there decades ago, following the Pathfinder � a pseudo-religious leader who brought the expedition out here to find God.
What follows is Newman’s exceptional world building. This is set in the future, maybe a hundred or so years from now, where democratic governments have collapsed and been replaced with anarcho-capitalism called “GovCorps� and individual rights have been reduced to where indentured servitude is again accepted.
Also cool is her SF. There are 3D printers capable of making most anything, including food, and so we also have a kind of Star Trek post scarcity economy working. Newman also describes a world where most everyone has chips in there heads programmed with a network of AI assistants and immersive games which seems almost indistinguishable from reality.
Very, very entertaining and I’ll be reading them all.
The author begins her Planetfall series with this very entertaining and original first contact story first published in 2015.
Full disclosure! I committed aggravated SF series heresy by reading these completely out of order. I read the third book first, then the second, then this one. Good news is I am now reading the most recent so I’m all caught up but in unorthodox fashion.
That said, and from an unusual perspective, I have even more appreciation for what Newman has accomplished. The first is a smooth and psychological thriller kind of SF story reminiscent of Ursula K. LeGuin, Octavia Butler or even Frederick Pohl � the later novels switch back to earth and for some cool goings on there.
We find our heroes living on a distant planet, having traveled there decades ago, following the Pathfinder � a pseudo-religious leader who brought the expedition out here to find God.
What follows is Newman’s exceptional world building. This is set in the future, maybe a hundred or so years from now, where democratic governments have collapsed and been replaced with anarcho-capitalism called “GovCorps� and individual rights have been reduced to where indentured servitude is again accepted.
Also cool is her SF. There are 3D printers capable of making most anything, including food, and so we also have a kind of Star Trek post scarcity economy working. Newman also describes a world where most everyone has chips in there heads programmed with a network of AI assistants and immersive games which seems almost indistinguishable from reality.
Very, very entertaining and I’ll be reading them all.
April 28, 2019
I generally don't give five stars to books that I don't guess to have a more universal appeal. But GR uses the word 'amazing' and this book is that, so here you go.
Great discussion here (my 'review' is at comment 69): /topic/show/...
Adding the next books to my to-read lists.
Second read. Intricate, shattering, and beautiful, just like the cover art promises.
Even on my second read I'm not satisfied that I sufficiently understand & appreciate it.
(Back to the discussion and sequel.)
Great discussion here (my 'review' is at comment 69): /topic/show/...
Adding the next books to my to-read lists.
Second read. Intricate, shattering, and beautiful, just like the cover art promises.
Even on my second read I'm not satisfied that I sufficiently understand & appreciate it.
(Back to the discussion and sequel.)
March 2, 2020
I began reading this book with high expectations, and mostly enjoyed the first third of it. Emma Newman’s vision of how technology might evolve so that a colony creates its society with minimal environmental impact is inspiring. And her compassionate portrayal of a narrator who’s riddled with anxiety rings true, for the most part.
But throughout, I kept chafing against the nagging feeling that Newman was manipulating the narrative, especially regarding the parceling out of information on the events that preceded the entry point of the story of the novel. Ultimately, the revelations of the events of the past, and the impact of those revelations, didn’t square for me with the decision to keep so much information at bay. And organic character development and story logic dissolved into near nonsense in the final chapters. Such a dissolution of promise in a novel is a pattern I’ve sadly seen too often in some of the more recent SFF works I’ve been reading. So this, for me, is another ambitious, misguided, often interesting, but ultimately quite disappointing, mess.
But throughout, I kept chafing against the nagging feeling that Newman was manipulating the narrative, especially regarding the parceling out of information on the events that preceded the entry point of the story of the novel. Ultimately, the revelations of the events of the past, and the impact of those revelations, didn’t square for me with the decision to keep so much information at bay. And organic character development and story logic dissolved into near nonsense in the final chapters. Such a dissolution of promise in a novel is a pattern I’ve sadly seen too often in some of the more recent SFF works I’ve been reading. So this, for me, is another ambitious, misguided, often interesting, but ultimately quite disappointing, mess.
August 6, 2019
I am not too sure what to make of this one. I only finished listening to the audio version an hour ago and I am not sure what I should even write about to be honest. And I’m not sure if that is a good or a bad thing! I feel a bit lost!
Over twenty years ago, Ren and the other colonists travelled from a dying Earth, to find a new planet. The events that led to them finding the planet appeared as though humans were destined to travel there. However, Ren is harbouring some dark secrets that could undo the very existence they travelled so far to ensure.
I have been sitting here a bit longer now. Trying to think of what to even say about this one. I loved the slow build up of tension, Newman slowly revealed piece after piece of the puzzle until things started to take shape.
I really enjoyed Ren and her story. Without spoiling anything, as the story goes on you begin to see just how bad things really are and the hole just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
The atmosphere at times really reminded me of the Netflix movie ‘Annihilation� with Natalie Portman � And the book to a lesser extent (even though I wasn’t a fan of the book and DNF). The feeling of the city and weird things that were happening made me think of that show, creepy but I couldn’t stop listening!
I wasn’t too keen on the ending. It was a bit of a ‘WTF just happened?� ending, and although I think I kind of get where she was going � it just fell flat for me. That is where my points were lost for this one. It was brilliantly written and had a really interesting atmosphere. I would be interested to read the next ones to see where she takes it.
Did I enjoy the audio version?
I loved the narration! I have listened to some awesome narrations by the author lately and this one was no exception. Loved her voice! She has narrated a few other audiobooks too according to ŷ, so she was perfect for her own one!
Would I recommend Planetfall?
It won’t be for everyone, but the plot and the writing were really smart and I really enjoyed the majority of it. I will be interested to see what happens in subsequent books. If you are a hardcore sci-fi fan you are most likely to enjoy it. I probably wouldn’t read it if you are a sci-fi novice.
I purchased Planetfall at my own expense on audible.com
For more reviews check out my:
Over twenty years ago, Ren and the other colonists travelled from a dying Earth, to find a new planet. The events that led to them finding the planet appeared as though humans were destined to travel there. However, Ren is harbouring some dark secrets that could undo the very existence they travelled so far to ensure.
I have been sitting here a bit longer now. Trying to think of what to even say about this one. I loved the slow build up of tension, Newman slowly revealed piece after piece of the puzzle until things started to take shape.
I really enjoyed Ren and her story. Without spoiling anything, as the story goes on you begin to see just how bad things really are and the hole just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
The atmosphere at times really reminded me of the Netflix movie ‘Annihilation� with Natalie Portman � And the book to a lesser extent (even though I wasn’t a fan of the book and DNF). The feeling of the city and weird things that were happening made me think of that show, creepy but I couldn’t stop listening!
I wasn’t too keen on the ending. It was a bit of a ‘WTF just happened?� ending, and although I think I kind of get where she was going � it just fell flat for me. That is where my points were lost for this one. It was brilliantly written and had a really interesting atmosphere. I would be interested to read the next ones to see where she takes it.
Did I enjoy the audio version?
I loved the narration! I have listened to some awesome narrations by the author lately and this one was no exception. Loved her voice! She has narrated a few other audiobooks too according to ŷ, so she was perfect for her own one!
Would I recommend Planetfall?
It won’t be for everyone, but the plot and the writing were really smart and I really enjoyed the majority of it. I will be interested to see what happens in subsequent books. If you are a hardcore sci-fi fan you are most likely to enjoy it. I probably wouldn’t read it if you are a sci-fi novice.
I purchased Planetfall at my own expense on audible.com
For more reviews check out my:
March 6, 2019
This is a very unusual SF novel about a group of people on a far way planet with a mission. Sounds like a well worn trope, but it is just a background, the true story is about a protagonist :) I was surprised that the book has not got nominations or awards, for it is clearly worth it.
The story starts, when the protagonist, a woman named Ren, receives an urgent message that someone arrived from outside the camp, where no one should have been. She and a group leader Mack meet that person, who has face features of people presumed dead. We are hinted from the start that there is an awful secret, which only Ren and Mack know and it (or something other?) has a serious effect on Ren’s mental health.
This is a brilliantly written internal world of a person, even if this sometimes done in expense of true SF elements.
The story starts, when the protagonist, a woman named Ren, receives an urgent message that someone arrived from outside the camp, where no one should have been. She and a group leader Mack meet that person, who has face features of people presumed dead. We are hinted from the start that there is an awful secret, which only Ren and Mack know and it (or something other?) has a serious effect on Ren’s mental health.
This is a brilliantly written internal world of a person, even if this sometimes done in expense of true SF elements.
Shelved as 'indefinitely-set-aside'
February 27, 2016ALRIGHT, let's do this!
Seanan McGuire said:
I have no idea what that means, but I really like McGuire, so *crosses fingers*
Seanan McGuire said:
“Planetfall is gripping, thoughtful science fiction in the vein of Tiptree or Crispin. Emma Newman has crafted a story that turns inward on itself in a beautiful spiral; the written equivalent of the golden mean. I have been waiting for this book for a very long time.�
I have no idea what that means, but I really like McGuire, so *crosses fingers*
June 4, 2018
Hm! That was...abrupt. The feel of this book was perfect--the protagonist's illness, her coping mechanisms for the things that haunted her, the busybody camaraderie of a new settlement. But the story itself left me wanting.
CONTENT WARNING: (no actual spoilers, just a list of topics)
Things to love:
-Ren. So sympathetic. Snarky and conflicted, strong but not invincible. You understood her completely and couldn't help but like her.
-This is how to tackle issues. YES! Visibility for mental health and bi/pan characters! Yay for women in STEM!
-The world. Wowowow was this cool. We skated past a few things, but the world in this story is neat and extremely easy to picture, despite how alien it is.
-The first 30 pages. I was sooo prepared for a much different book. The line "" gave me all the heebie-jeebies and I was gleeful at where I thought we were going to go.
Things that made me think I'd missed something:
-The foreshadowing. Really, really obvious for the most part. A lot of "but I can't dwell on my deep dark secret, now" kind of things that were a bit eyerolly.
-The plot. It uh...it doesn't happen until the last ~30 pages. The rest is a clunky "and then I go here" sort of list that we can't understand but is necessary for that plot. The rest is more or less an exploration of life on the colony and Ren's mental health. Which I'm not opposed to, it's just not the story I thought I was getting.
-It just ended. It was like world building...foreshadowing...conflict for main character...solves everything and it's over. I don't buy it. For a character as well fleshed out and a world as meticulous as this one was, the last 4ish chapters make absolutely no sense. We should have really slowed down for that. There's a lot of justifications instead of logical consequences based on what we know.
It was an enjoyable read and a quick one, but it all felt about 20 degrees off-kilter to me. Also, heads up, this may spark an anxiety attack/compulsion. The character's mental state is very well written. TBD if I continue with this series.
CONTENT WARNING: (no actual spoilers, just a list of topics)
Things to love:
-Ren. So sympathetic. Snarky and conflicted, strong but not invincible. You understood her completely and couldn't help but like her.
-This is how to tackle issues. YES! Visibility for mental health and bi/pan characters! Yay for women in STEM!
-The world. Wowowow was this cool. We skated past a few things, but the world in this story is neat and extremely easy to picture, despite how alien it is.
-The first 30 pages. I was sooo prepared for a much different book. The line "" gave me all the heebie-jeebies and I was gleeful at where I thought we were going to go.
Things that made me think I'd missed something:
-The foreshadowing. Really, really obvious for the most part. A lot of "but I can't dwell on my deep dark secret, now" kind of things that were a bit eyerolly.
-The plot. It uh...it doesn't happen until the last ~30 pages. The rest is a clunky "and then I go here" sort of list that we can't understand but is necessary for that plot. The rest is more or less an exploration of life on the colony and Ren's mental health. Which I'm not opposed to, it's just not the story I thought I was getting.
-It just ended. It was like world building...foreshadowing...conflict for main character...solves everything and it's over. I don't buy it. For a character as well fleshed out and a world as meticulous as this one was, the last 4ish chapters make absolutely no sense. We should have really slowed down for that. There's a lot of justifications instead of logical consequences based on what we know.
It was an enjoyable read and a quick one, but it all felt about 20 degrees off-kilter to me. Also, heads up, this may spark an anxiety attack/compulsion. The character's mental state is very well written. TBD if I continue with this series.
January 25, 2020
When a podcast guest recommended another book in this series, she said I didn't have to start at the beginning but I did anyway. It's about a colony on an alien planet, a engineer/builder named Ren who specializes in 3D printing and has fashioned most of the colony herself, and secrets that she's kept for years. It all unravels in interesting ways leading to a conclusion I couldn't have seen coming and makes me very curious about the next book. There is a unique look at mental illness here that grew more nuanced as the story went on, and the author writes about it very compassionately.
December 4, 2015
Planetfall is generally a good novel, but was also a frustrating read for me. I liked the novel's protagonist and narrator, Renata Ghali, and the way she interacts with her environment while managing a severe anxiety disorder is engrossing.
But Planetfall is also a mystery story, and this is where I have problems. The novel is set in a distant space colony, and the main mystery revolves around what happened during the titular event years before. Something went wrong, people died. A complex lie was constructed around it. All of which is fine, except that our protagonist is one of the architects of that lie, and the coy way she indulges in flashbacks and reminiscences from before planetfall while dancing around any actual revelations is annoying and off-putting.
It may be a personal preference, but I like the kind of mystery that reveals its secrets while opening up new ones, leading you toward the essential revelation that you never saw coming. Planetfall is the kind of mystery that just strings you along by withholding a crucial piece of information that you already knew you needed at the beginning - the long tease. It's like the difference between having a lover that keeps finding new ways to surprise you, or having one that is selfish and guarded to the point that even telling you they love you is a form of abuse.
The final revelation is nonetheless powerful, and the resolution satisfying enough to make the trip worth it if you focus on the novel's positive attributes. For me, Planetfall - taken as a whole - is a mixed bag.
But Planetfall is also a mystery story, and this is where I have problems. The novel is set in a distant space colony, and the main mystery revolves around what happened during the titular event years before. Something went wrong, people died. A complex lie was constructed around it. All of which is fine, except that our protagonist is one of the architects of that lie, and the coy way she indulges in flashbacks and reminiscences from before planetfall while dancing around any actual revelations is annoying and off-putting.
It may be a personal preference, but I like the kind of mystery that reveals its secrets while opening up new ones, leading you toward the essential revelation that you never saw coming. Planetfall is the kind of mystery that just strings you along by withholding a crucial piece of information that you already knew you needed at the beginning - the long tease. It's like the difference between having a lover that keeps finding new ways to surprise you, or having one that is selfish and guarded to the point that even telling you they love you is a form of abuse.
The final revelation is nonetheless powerful, and the resolution satisfying enough to make the trip worth it if you focus on the novel's positive attributes. For me, Planetfall - taken as a whole - is a mixed bag.
December 23, 2017
Prior to reading “Planetfall� I’d heard it described as intelligent science fiction � having finished it I think that is probably the best way of putting it. Planetfall is at it’s very heart a character study examining the human condition � the fact that it is set on an alien planet just brings that home rather than setting it apart � in a beautifully emotional prose Emma Newman shows what happens when a community is both brought together and ripped apart.
Ren is a purely fascinating character � she pops from the page, the secret she is hiding slowly coming out into the light from her inner darkness � having lived a lie for a long long time, a stranger holds the key to unlocking her painfully hidden secrets. Around that we get the story of an epic quest to find “God� and an often dreamlike narrative that tells the tale of humans reaching out for answers into an unknown universe.
I loved it, immersed myself in it and cried like a baby at the end � Planetfall has a dual sense of feeling to it � the very entertaining and clever imaginative side, plus the very very human side. Themes of religious fervour, mental illness, friendship and love all mixed up with ingenious world building and sense of place make Planetfall both a page turner and a thought provoking social study.
Beautifully written, masterfully plotted and with an ending to touch the soul, Planetfall comes highly recommended from me.
Ren is a purely fascinating character � she pops from the page, the secret she is hiding slowly coming out into the light from her inner darkness � having lived a lie for a long long time, a stranger holds the key to unlocking her painfully hidden secrets. Around that we get the story of an epic quest to find “God� and an often dreamlike narrative that tells the tale of humans reaching out for answers into an unknown universe.
I loved it, immersed myself in it and cried like a baby at the end � Planetfall has a dual sense of feeling to it � the very entertaining and clever imaginative side, plus the very very human side. Themes of religious fervour, mental illness, friendship and love all mixed up with ingenious world building and sense of place make Planetfall both a page turner and a thought provoking social study.
Beautifully written, masterfully plotted and with an ending to touch the soul, Planetfall comes highly recommended from me.
June 28, 2020
I was prepared to give this two stars but the story finally picked up (or I started to get it) in the final third. Absolutely enjoyed the technology, the organic BDO aspect (also getting some Vandermeerian feel here) and most of all, the way the MC was written. I was not expecting to read about depression, anxiety, PTSD, and a bunch of mental health issues I was not able to identify. That part was engaging. Plus, I always have a soft spot for an older/mature woman as MC.
My problem with the book was mostly the disorienting flashbacks that caught me unprepared. The ending was an interesting one. Haven't I seen it somewhere? Did it pay off the whole mystery thing? No definitive answer for me.
For those who have read the sequels, are they better?
My problem with the book was mostly the disorienting flashbacks that caught me unprepared. The ending was an interesting one. Haven't I seen it somewhere? Did it pay off the whole mystery thing? No definitive answer for me.
For those who have read the sequels, are they better?
March 5, 2017
“Am I just a mosaic of myself, held in the shape of a whole person?�
Planetfall is not an easy book to review. At first glance, this is a scifi story focusing on a small human colony on another planet. Slowly, we are introduced to the technology that allows them to live there, which is fascinating, from their methods of communication to their living quarters.
However the novel is much more than that. From the first page, we follow Renata, the 3-D engineer, who is key to the group’s survival. The first person narration locks us in her head, or rather we see what she sees, get some of her perceptions, but never have free access to all her thoughts. Very quickly, it becomes apparent that Newman is in fact giving us a deeply psychological tale. We see Ren, we see the rest of the colony, we see how they react to the arrival of Suh’s grandson, while all the time, there is this layer of buried secrets and repressed feelings, barely contained, that threaten to explode at any time.
“I think “majority� is one of my least favorite words. It’s so often used to justify bad decisions.�
Between this, and the author’s writing style, I became totally immersed in this book. It might not be to everyone’s taste, especially the way Newman orchestrates the plot, but it is definitely a book that will stay with me.
Planetfall is not an easy book to review. At first glance, this is a scifi story focusing on a small human colony on another planet. Slowly, we are introduced to the technology that allows them to live there, which is fascinating, from their methods of communication to their living quarters.
However the novel is much more than that. From the first page, we follow Renata, the 3-D engineer, who is key to the group’s survival. The first person narration locks us in her head, or rather we see what she sees, get some of her perceptions, but never have free access to all her thoughts. Very quickly, it becomes apparent that Newman is in fact giving us a deeply psychological tale. We see Ren, we see the rest of the colony, we see how they react to the arrival of Suh’s grandson, while all the time, there is this layer of buried secrets and repressed feelings, barely contained, that threaten to explode at any time.
“I think “majority� is one of my least favorite words. It’s so often used to justify bad decisions.�
Between this, and the author’s writing style, I became totally immersed in this book. It might not be to everyone’s taste, especially the way Newman orchestrates the plot, but it is definitely a book that will stay with me.
November 14, 2015
4.5 stars
This book is quite deceptive in the way it lures you in with thinking there's just something in the past that is this tragic secret, bla bla omg, and the author just doesn't want you to know it yet to build tension, and that is going to be the only story line of note. Not that there aren't tragic secrets, there are tragic secrets galore, but as reader you go from 'yeah, yeah, just tell me already so we can move on' to 'what the fuck is going on here?'. And meanwhile, almost without realizing it, the tension builds and builds until in the last quarter it almost strangles you and there's no fucking way you're going to put this book down until it's done.
Taking off half a star for the ending that is a little too 'wait, what?' and the slow start, but this is really one of the best SF novels I've read in a while. I hope the Sad Puppies won't interfere with the awards next year, because woman author with black gay female protag wouldn't cut it for them and this deserves some recognition at least.
This book is quite deceptive in the way it lures you in with thinking there's just something in the past that is this tragic secret, bla bla omg, and the author just doesn't want you to know it yet to build tension, and that is going to be the only story line of note. Not that there aren't tragic secrets, there are tragic secrets galore, but as reader you go from 'yeah, yeah, just tell me already so we can move on' to 'what the fuck is going on here?'. And meanwhile, almost without realizing it, the tension builds and builds until in the last quarter it almost strangles you and there's no fucking way you're going to put this book down until it's done.
Taking off half a star for the ending that is a little too 'wait, what?' and the slow start, but this is really one of the best SF novels I've read in a while. I hope the Sad Puppies won't interfere with the awards next year, because woman author with black gay female protag wouldn't cut it for them and this deserves some recognition at least.
September 10, 2020
4 'why-didn't-i-read-this-sooner' stars
When, as a rule, you don't read book blurbs, it seems silly to say a book isn't what you expected. However, that is my overwhelming feeling about this book.
I thought we'd face colonizing, engineering and social challenges, but the challenges are much more psychological in nature. Instead of getting a better understanding of the new planet humanity has discovered, the reader is firmly placed in the head of Ren...and what an interesting and unsettling place that can be.
When, as a rule, you don't read book blurbs, it seems silly to say a book isn't what you expected. However, that is my overwhelming feeling about this book.
I thought we'd face colonizing, engineering and social challenges, but the challenges are much more psychological in nature. Instead of getting a better understanding of the new planet humanity has discovered, the reader is firmly placed in the head of Ren...and what an interesting and unsettling place that can be.
February 4, 2016
3.5 that I am rounding up to 4 stars, because I totally loved numerous aspects of this book. The science, the colony, characters, the underlying mystery - but I felt that it was also a tad uneven and I simply wanted more from the plot. The resolution was not entirely satisfactory to me.
December 4, 2018
Da se čiča ateist Ridley Scott primio adaptacije ovog djela umjesto Prometheusa i Alien: Covenanata za kiddyse, mislim da bi većina filmofila bila itekako zadovoljna, jer 95-postotnoj hollywoodskoj bagri tj. scenaristima, producentima i režiserima još uvijek nije došlo iz dupeta u glavu da će pisci knjiga uvijek imati bolje ideje nego kad oni idu nešto osmišljavati.
Planetfall je blast od knjige, jedna koja će mi ostati u pamćenju dugo, of kors. Kad želim čitati sf obično želim smart brodiće, slijetanje i naseljavanje raznih planeta, prikaze naprednih tehnoloških koncepata i slično što čovjeka veseli, ali ova knjiga to daje na minimum jer je centar knjige iznimno kompleksan 'bolestan' lik Renate Ghali (zamišljam ju kao kratkokosnu Mary Elizabeth Winstead).
Renata je dio tisuć-ljudne ekspedicije doputovale na neimenovani planet slijedeći viziju tzv. Pathfinderice Lee Suh-Mi, koja je na Zemlji udahnula sjeme nepoznate biljke, zatim pala u dugu komu i kad se probudila izbljuvala je niz brojki koje su zapravo koordinate planeta za koji vjeruje da tu živi sam Bog i da mu treba ići u susret. Za neke mesija ili vizionarka, za druge luđakinja.
Kolonisti su se smjestili podno misteriozne građevine nazvane God's City, 'žive' građevine čija se unutrašnjost konstantno mijenja i puna je sobica s nepoznatim artefaktima. Lee-Suh je je s nekolicinom ušla u tvorevinu i dogodilo se nekoliko spoilera o čemu neču pričati, i kolonisti svake godine ritualno isčekivaju poruku od Boga preko Lee-Suh i to ih drži na okupu. No već ranije u knjizi čitatelj shvati da Renata i Mack, njihov kapetan, čuvaju tajnu o pravom događaju u tvorevini, tajnu koja bi definitivno upropastila svrhu kolonije, i još k tome u koloniju dolazi mladić koji tvrdi da je unuk Lee-Suh, mladić koji po svemu ne bi trebao postojati jer su mu roditelji nastradali u drugom slijetanju na planet. Ili su barem trebali. Holy shit ovo je dobro!
Renata ima posao održavanja 3D printera, dakle printanja stvari potrebnih za život kolonije i čak i cijelih nastambi, kao i 'mljevenje' otpadnih stvari u materijal potreban za ponovno printanje. Kad joj je dosadno, ima povremene tajne izlaske nepredvidive hodnike God's City-ja. Kolonisti posjeduju naprednu tehnologiju za komuniciranje s virtualnom tipkovnicom, umreženi su stalno, a Renata, koja pati od pretjerane anskioznosti radi iznimne težine nošenja s krivnjom, a i smrti vlastitog djeteta, samo želi biti sama i posvetiti se ritualnom popravljanju potrganih stvari. Ovdje čitatelj ima rijetku šansu iz prvog lica doživljavati njeno tmurno raspoloženje i stalnu anskioznost o baš svačemu.
Znači knjiga ima misterioznu vanzemaljsku građevinu, koloniste koji to istražuju, mračnu tajnu koja može razoriti ekspediciju i glavnog lika Renatu koja progresivno puca po šavovima od pritiska i paranoje toliko da je u sjećanju potisnula strašnu stvar koja se nalazi u njenoj kući u crnom sarkofagu - 'What's in the booox?' pitao bi Brad Pitt.
Planetfall je blast od knjige, jedna koja će mi ostati u pamćenju dugo, of kors. Kad želim čitati sf obično želim smart brodiće, slijetanje i naseljavanje raznih planeta, prikaze naprednih tehnoloških koncepata i slično što čovjeka veseli, ali ova knjiga to daje na minimum jer je centar knjige iznimno kompleksan 'bolestan' lik Renate Ghali (zamišljam ju kao kratkokosnu Mary Elizabeth Winstead).
Renata je dio tisuć-ljudne ekspedicije doputovale na neimenovani planet slijedeći viziju tzv. Pathfinderice Lee Suh-Mi, koja je na Zemlji udahnula sjeme nepoznate biljke, zatim pala u dugu komu i kad se probudila izbljuvala je niz brojki koje su zapravo koordinate planeta za koji vjeruje da tu živi sam Bog i da mu treba ići u susret. Za neke mesija ili vizionarka, za druge luđakinja.
Kolonisti su se smjestili podno misteriozne građevine nazvane God's City, 'žive' građevine čija se unutrašnjost konstantno mijenja i puna je sobica s nepoznatim artefaktima. Lee-Suh je je s nekolicinom ušla u tvorevinu i dogodilo se nekoliko spoilera o čemu neču pričati, i kolonisti svake godine ritualno isčekivaju poruku od Boga preko Lee-Suh i to ih drži na okupu. No već ranije u knjizi čitatelj shvati da Renata i Mack, njihov kapetan, čuvaju tajnu o pravom događaju u tvorevini, tajnu koja bi definitivno upropastila svrhu kolonije, i još k tome u koloniju dolazi mladić koji tvrdi da je unuk Lee-Suh, mladić koji po svemu ne bi trebao postojati jer su mu roditelji nastradali u drugom slijetanju na planet. Ili su barem trebali. Holy shit ovo je dobro!
Renata ima posao održavanja 3D printera, dakle printanja stvari potrebnih za život kolonije i čak i cijelih nastambi, kao i 'mljevenje' otpadnih stvari u materijal potreban za ponovno printanje. Kad joj je dosadno, ima povremene tajne izlaske nepredvidive hodnike God's City-ja. Kolonisti posjeduju naprednu tehnologiju za komuniciranje s virtualnom tipkovnicom, umreženi su stalno, a Renata, koja pati od pretjerane anskioznosti radi iznimne težine nošenja s krivnjom, a i smrti vlastitog djeteta, samo želi biti sama i posvetiti se ritualnom popravljanju potrganih stvari. Ovdje čitatelj ima rijetku šansu iz prvog lica doživljavati njeno tmurno raspoloženje i stalnu anskioznost o baš svačemu.
Znači knjiga ima misterioznu vanzemaljsku građevinu, koloniste koji to istražuju, mračnu tajnu koja može razoriti ekspediciju i glavnog lika Renatu koja progresivno puca po šavovima od pritiska i paranoje toliko da je u sjećanju potisnula strašnu stvar koja se nalazi u njenoj kući u crnom sarkofagu - 'What's in the booox?' pitao bi Brad Pitt.
February 7, 2017
Well...this book blew my mind in a few different places. I went into this with the expectation of enjoying the book becuase so many of my friends who have read it and have similar taste to me have already said it was great. I also had heard that this story dealt with sci fi, mystery and mental health, and stood on its own as a story - that's quite an impressive claim - and I do think it does all of these things!
In this story we follow a character called Renata who has travelled with a group of individuals off of Earth to a new planet where they set up an entirely new colony. This colony is very advanced at the point where we join the story. They are able to co-exist without violence, they can 3-d print food, clothing and even houses, and there is even a religion that everyone follows which helps them to believe in better. It's a peaceful existence and has been for decades...until a man suddenly shows up on their planet and claims he's the son of one of their lost ships...
The thing I most liked about this book was certainly Ren as a character. I think the way that Ren deals with life on the planet and the problems she faces (having anxiety in a society where there's a fair few gatherings etc.) was excellently handled. I know Emma Newman herself has spoken about having anxiety before, and the way she wrote this character to be approachable and understandable (even though I don't have anxiety myself) made this a really moving book at times.
I will say that there are some REALLY HORRIBLE moments that Ren has to face in this book. There's a particular character (or two) who I just intensely HATED by the end of this book, and this character does some cruel and very damaging things to Ren's possessions and life. These scenes almost felt as invasive as a rape to me, so I would beware if this is something you might be sensitive about.
With that said, Emma Newman has an intense ability to make me really, really care about her characters without even realising. At first I thought the first half of the book was a bit slower than I liked, but before I knew it I was eagerly listening on (I had the audiobook narrated by Emma) and LOVING every minute of it.
The climax to this story is gripping and thrilling and I can't quite believe just how much went on. Ren's life and everyone's on the colony is completely changed, and I loved seeing the way that the mysteries uncovered in the book were all wrapped up fairly nicely. I felt like this could easily have been the standalone it started as, but I am also very happy to know that After Atlas is another sci-fi Newman book I can pick up very soon.
I think if you're looking to read a book which deals really well with anxiety and combines that with Space and cool tech then this is a book you need to try out. Fantastic second half and the first half kept me very interested too, 4*s from me :)
In this story we follow a character called Renata who has travelled with a group of individuals off of Earth to a new planet where they set up an entirely new colony. This colony is very advanced at the point where we join the story. They are able to co-exist without violence, they can 3-d print food, clothing and even houses, and there is even a religion that everyone follows which helps them to believe in better. It's a peaceful existence and has been for decades...until a man suddenly shows up on their planet and claims he's the son of one of their lost ships...
The thing I most liked about this book was certainly Ren as a character. I think the way that Ren deals with life on the planet and the problems she faces (having anxiety in a society where there's a fair few gatherings etc.) was excellently handled. I know Emma Newman herself has spoken about having anxiety before, and the way she wrote this character to be approachable and understandable (even though I don't have anxiety myself) made this a really moving book at times.
I will say that there are some REALLY HORRIBLE moments that Ren has to face in this book. There's a particular character (or two) who I just intensely HATED by the end of this book, and this character does some cruel and very damaging things to Ren's possessions and life. These scenes almost felt as invasive as a rape to me, so I would beware if this is something you might be sensitive about.
With that said, Emma Newman has an intense ability to make me really, really care about her characters without even realising. At first I thought the first half of the book was a bit slower than I liked, but before I knew it I was eagerly listening on (I had the audiobook narrated by Emma) and LOVING every minute of it.
The climax to this story is gripping and thrilling and I can't quite believe just how much went on. Ren's life and everyone's on the colony is completely changed, and I loved seeing the way that the mysteries uncovered in the book were all wrapped up fairly nicely. I felt like this could easily have been the standalone it started as, but I am also very happy to know that After Atlas is another sci-fi Newman book I can pick up very soon.
I think if you're looking to read a book which deals really well with anxiety and combines that with Space and cool tech then this is a book you need to try out. Fantastic second half and the first half kept me very interested too, 4*s from me :)
May 13, 2019
Intense, memorable, and deeply captivating, Planetfall manages to be character-driven and idea-filled without sacrificing action and suspense. The story involves space travel, an off-Earth colony 20-some years after its establishment in the shadows of a (mostly) abandoned alien structure, the biology-linked religious beliefs that inspired the colony’s creation, a first person narrator coping with and trying to hide her anxious obsessions, and life enhanced (or maybe diminished) by advanced technology that includes 3D printers, which create everything the colony needs from homes to cups, and implanted chips, which connect every person to the web and each other--making it difficult for the main character to keep her psychological challenges off the grid and out of sight. Being inside the head of a character struggling with compulsive behaviors was unsettling and fascinating, and felt uncomfortably close to some of my own mental processes. The ending is unlike anything I’ve read, savage, visceral, cosmic and sublime.
November 4, 2015
One chapter into Planetfall, two things were abundantly clear: this book was going to be very different from the Split Worlds books and Emma Newman had leveled up as a writer. The first proved to be true, and although I found the Split Worlds books more enjoyable and satisfying, I admire Newman for stretching herself here.
Planetfall looks into a future where 3-D printing can be used for just about anything (even food, though some people prefer cooking the old-fashioned way) and social media/online communication has been integrated into our very brains. That worldbuilding alone drew me in, but also we're on another planet, in a colony, and there's a strange visitor to this colony even though no one else is supposed to be here.
Renata Ghali, our narrator, reacts particularly strongly to this visitor because he reminds her of her friend and lover Lee Suh-Mi, the Pathfinder, the woman who brought them to this planet two decades ago (unlike most science fiction novel protagonists, Renata is in her late seventies, though I usually forgot this, as she is fairly spry and active and doesn't act much older than middle-aged). This man may find out...her dark secret. Something happened at first Planetfall, and the book spirals around this secret for hundreds of pages before finally revealing the truth, doling out pieces here and there so that you can mostly put it together as you go along. I found this narrative technique a bit frustrating and disorienting, as it was sometimes hard to tell when we were slipping in and out of flashbacks, but I can't deny that it kept me reading because I was curious to know the full story. Even though the umpteenth repetition of Renata and Mack's "We have to tell them!!"/"They're not ready to know THE TRUTH!!!" conversation wore on me after a while, like I don't give a shit if you tell them, just tell ME, Christ. (Then tell them. Because that's good plot fodder, obvs.)
This book isn't actually plot-focused, though. It's far more about character and ideas. I found Ren fascinating, even though I didn't always like her. The first-person present narration puts us right in her head, and the interplay between her current situation and her memories helps create a picture of who she is and why she is. Her relationships with other characters define her as well: her friend and co-conspirator Mack, her doctor and ex Kay, the mysterious visitor Sung-Soo. A subplot about her dangerous hoarding habit is especially interesting because we see it from her perspective, and she doesn't see the problem, even though we can. Ren as a character is a piece of work, and she, like the worldbuilding, is one of the strengths of the book.
The ideas engaged me less so, partly because they were so tied up in the ~*mystery*~ of the ~*dark secret*~. We learn early on that the colony is next to something called "God's city," and they came to this planet to find God or whatever. And the book plays with the idea of faith in relation to the Big Lie that Renata and Mack are keeping from the colony. But looking for God in space and searching for the origins of humanity are well-trodden topics in science fiction, and I didn't think the answers Newman provided were very fresh or satisfying. I loved the general idea of the Pathfinder and how Lee Suh-Mi was brought to God's city, but if you're looking for concrete answers about what happened, you won't find them here. For some, that metaphysical ambiguity will be a feature; for me, it was a bug. Especially in the last few pages: everything ramps up considerably in the last several chapters and I was hoping for a build-up to some amazing cosmic payoff and...not really.
In the end I'm left with mixed but mostly positive feelings about Planetfall because I dig its ambition and overall vibe. It asks Big Questions and hints at Answers, but at its heart it's about one woman's journey: into space and into herself.
Planetfall looks into a future where 3-D printing can be used for just about anything (even food, though some people prefer cooking the old-fashioned way) and social media/online communication has been integrated into our very brains. That worldbuilding alone drew me in, but also we're on another planet, in a colony, and there's a strange visitor to this colony even though no one else is supposed to be here.
Renata Ghali, our narrator, reacts particularly strongly to this visitor because he reminds her of her friend and lover Lee Suh-Mi, the Pathfinder, the woman who brought them to this planet two decades ago (unlike most science fiction novel protagonists, Renata is in her late seventies, though I usually forgot this, as she is fairly spry and active and doesn't act much older than middle-aged). This man may find out...her dark secret. Something happened at first Planetfall, and the book spirals around this secret for hundreds of pages before finally revealing the truth, doling out pieces here and there so that you can mostly put it together as you go along. I found this narrative technique a bit frustrating and disorienting, as it was sometimes hard to tell when we were slipping in and out of flashbacks, but I can't deny that it kept me reading because I was curious to know the full story. Even though the umpteenth repetition of Renata and Mack's "We have to tell them!!"/"They're not ready to know THE TRUTH!!!" conversation wore on me after a while, like I don't give a shit if you tell them, just tell ME, Christ. (Then tell them. Because that's good plot fodder, obvs.)
This book isn't actually plot-focused, though. It's far more about character and ideas. I found Ren fascinating, even though I didn't always like her. The first-person present narration puts us right in her head, and the interplay between her current situation and her memories helps create a picture of who she is and why she is. Her relationships with other characters define her as well: her friend and co-conspirator Mack, her doctor and ex Kay, the mysterious visitor Sung-Soo. A subplot about her dangerous hoarding habit is especially interesting because we see it from her perspective, and she doesn't see the problem, even though we can. Ren as a character is a piece of work, and she, like the worldbuilding, is one of the strengths of the book.
The ideas engaged me less so, partly because they were so tied up in the ~*mystery*~ of the ~*dark secret*~. We learn early on that the colony is next to something called "God's city," and they came to this planet to find God or whatever. And the book plays with the idea of faith in relation to the Big Lie that Renata and Mack are keeping from the colony. But looking for God in space and searching for the origins of humanity are well-trodden topics in science fiction, and I didn't think the answers Newman provided were very fresh or satisfying. I loved the general idea of the Pathfinder and how Lee Suh-Mi was brought to God's city, but if you're looking for concrete answers about what happened, you won't find them here. For some, that metaphysical ambiguity will be a feature; for me, it was a bug. Especially in the last few pages: everything ramps up considerably in the last several chapters and I was hoping for a build-up to some amazing cosmic payoff and...not really.
In the end I'm left with mixed but mostly positive feelings about Planetfall because I dig its ambition and overall vibe. It asks Big Questions and hints at Answers, but at its heart it's about one woman's journey: into space and into herself.
May 5, 2016
4.5 stars.
Let's start with technology which in this book feel realistic.Two technologies that are main focus here.3-D printers didn't get lot of screen time in other books but here they are used for making practically anything and that makes sense, while 3-D printed medicine and food seem bit far fetched but more general use isn't that hard to imagine since they are used today to make machine parts, tools and many other things.Augmented reality on the other hand featured in many other books (most noticeably Old man's war) but here it's used in way that is much more relatable. It's probably most realistic use of AR I seen in any sci-fi book so far.
All that makes believable stage for what is main focus and that is protagonist anxiety disorder worsened by pressure of guilt.This book realistically portrays OCD in form of hoarding and social anxiety. Renata with her inner monologs, with her fears, anxieties and lies she tells to herself, is central star of the show, mystery part feels more like sub-plot.
-0.5 is because ending and mystery resolution feel rather underwhelming.
Let's start with technology which in this book feel realistic.Two technologies that are main focus here.3-D printers didn't get lot of screen time in other books but here they are used for making practically anything and that makes sense, while 3-D printed medicine and food seem bit far fetched but more general use isn't that hard to imagine since they are used today to make machine parts, tools and many other things.Augmented reality on the other hand featured in many other books (most noticeably Old man's war) but here it's used in way that is much more relatable. It's probably most realistic use of AR I seen in any sci-fi book so far.
All that makes believable stage for what is main focus and that is protagonist anxiety disorder worsened by pressure of guilt.This book realistically portrays OCD in form of hoarding and social anxiety. Renata with her inner monologs, with her fears, anxieties and lies she tells to herself, is central star of the show, mystery part feels more like sub-plot.
-0.5 is because ending and mystery resolution feel rather underwhelming.
February 17, 2022
It was an Ok book, nothing really awesome or extraordinarily. The pace was slow and more focused on the human interactions between a colony of people outside earth, the lies and consequences. Also didn’t like the ending, it came out of nowhere and seemed like the writer just wanted to close the story somehow!
Those of you who have read the whole series, does it worth it to read them?
Those of you who have read the whole series, does it worth it to read them?
October 26, 2015
Review from The Speculative Herald:
Planetfall is tense and addictive. It is the story of a colony of humans who fled earth in pursuit of God’s city on a faraway planet. This was supposed to be an answer for humans from earth, where things are not going so well. Since this is not simply the exploration of a new planet, but also a pilgrimage, religion and faith both factor heavily into this society. For me it was an interesting dynamic to have a people so technologically advanced, and also so faithful to this God and city they journeyed to. I honestly kept waiting for more of a scientific approach to explain some of their religious beliefs, perhaps because that is my personal inclination. So as a reader, some of the things that the society referred to as religious fact, I couldn’t help but want to know more, I almost craved an alternative explanation and wondered how the characters could accept things so blindly. Honestly, this aspect of the book fascinated me in a good way.
Planetfall also examines the relationships between people as it shows how even surrounded by people, how easy it is to feel isolated and alone. The idyllic community the settlers tried to create sounds wonderful, but as with pretty much every attempt at utopia, it is has flaws. There are secrets, and these secrets are on the verge of surfacing. And evidently, they have the potential to shake these people to their core and destroy the world as they know it. I don’t think this was a fast paced book, but it was gripping and was very hard to put down.
The technology is all based off of 3D printing. Manufacturing and production has been simplified to simply starting a print job for whatever is needed when it is needed, including food, medicines, clothes, houses (printed in components since the printers are not quite large enough yet for an entire house�. at least not yet). You name it, they print it. Our protagonist, Ren, is the main 3D Printing Engineer for the the community. She is smart and respected, but also a bit of a loner.
They have also developed a very cool technology that allows people to communicate and send information through chips that are implanted in them. This can be used to summon medical help, trigger a neurological response or to chat with people or send messages. Can I just tell you how often I have wished for such a technology that could let me send a message straight from my mind? Granted, it is usually when I want to send a snarky comment to someone when it would be completely inappropriate to pull out a phone and text, so maybe I’m better off without it, but I am still incredibly envious!
Ren may be a loner, but her one constant goto person is Mack, also known as the “Ringmaster�, as he is able to sway people to his will, convince them of an idea, sell them on whatever it is he gets in his head he wants done. He’s an intriguing character, and the more you learn about him the more interesting he becomes.
Planetfall was full of the unexpected for me. I was surprised by an element of mental illness in this. It was unexpected and changed how we saw and understood the character that was suffering from it. There were twists and motives that I didn’t see coming but understood as they were revealed. This is not a light, feel good type of book but it was one that fascinated me and left me grateful I decided to pick it up.
Planetfall is tense and addictive. It is the story of a colony of humans who fled earth in pursuit of God’s city on a faraway planet. This was supposed to be an answer for humans from earth, where things are not going so well. Since this is not simply the exploration of a new planet, but also a pilgrimage, religion and faith both factor heavily into this society. For me it was an interesting dynamic to have a people so technologically advanced, and also so faithful to this God and city they journeyed to. I honestly kept waiting for more of a scientific approach to explain some of their religious beliefs, perhaps because that is my personal inclination. So as a reader, some of the things that the society referred to as religious fact, I couldn’t help but want to know more, I almost craved an alternative explanation and wondered how the characters could accept things so blindly. Honestly, this aspect of the book fascinated me in a good way.
Planetfall also examines the relationships between people as it shows how even surrounded by people, how easy it is to feel isolated and alone. The idyllic community the settlers tried to create sounds wonderful, but as with pretty much every attempt at utopia, it is has flaws. There are secrets, and these secrets are on the verge of surfacing. And evidently, they have the potential to shake these people to their core and destroy the world as they know it. I don’t think this was a fast paced book, but it was gripping and was very hard to put down.
The technology is all based off of 3D printing. Manufacturing and production has been simplified to simply starting a print job for whatever is needed when it is needed, including food, medicines, clothes, houses (printed in components since the printers are not quite large enough yet for an entire house�. at least not yet). You name it, they print it. Our protagonist, Ren, is the main 3D Printing Engineer for the the community. She is smart and respected, but also a bit of a loner.
They have also developed a very cool technology that allows people to communicate and send information through chips that are implanted in them. This can be used to summon medical help, trigger a neurological response or to chat with people or send messages. Can I just tell you how often I have wished for such a technology that could let me send a message straight from my mind? Granted, it is usually when I want to send a snarky comment to someone when it would be completely inappropriate to pull out a phone and text, so maybe I’m better off without it, but I am still incredibly envious!
Ren may be a loner, but her one constant goto person is Mack, also known as the “Ringmaster�, as he is able to sway people to his will, convince them of an idea, sell them on whatever it is he gets in his head he wants done. He’s an intriguing character, and the more you learn about him the more interesting he becomes.
Planetfall was full of the unexpected for me. I was surprised by an element of mental illness in this. It was unexpected and changed how we saw and understood the character that was suffering from it. There were twists and motives that I didn’t see coming but understood as they were revealed. This is not a light, feel good type of book but it was one that fascinated me and left me grateful I decided to pick it up.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,828 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.