layawaydragon
Written on Nov 26, 2016
The Jakkattu Vector is an awesome Sci-Fi work featuring 5 variations of humanoids with beautifully flawed humanity. We’ve got the human reservations, the two types of hybrids living in the Menza cities, the Feral, Sabaal, and the Menza lording above them all.
The noob interloper audience stand-in is a non-issue as they all are in various ways. I love how it’s different groups of people converging to piece together the truth. The “why are they speaking English?” problem is dealt with in a clever way that fits the story perfectly and makes it more immersive.
Not only do we get perspectives from Sabaal and Julip, who are named in the blurb, but several other players have chapters throughout and there’s even journal entries. It all works together without losing track of who’s who and builds to keep you reading, guessing, turning the pages as fast as you can.
Sabaal is readily my favorite character for everything, but I quickly became attached and absorbed with them all. All their voices, including the dialects they speak in, felt right. It takes a minute to adjust, but that works since others around them are adjusting to it too, so it’s immersive not disruptive.
The e-book clocks in at 300 pages but it took me a week and felt like Sci-Fi epic. The best kind, the kind that dissects, examines, and illuminates human issues like religion, class, sexism, and racism. Plus, no damn Magical Space Minority or scantily glad humble-brag goddess or alpha males or condescending Space Racism.
It felt like a long book, because every POV, every passage brings it. It’s not simple mindless entertainment with laser swords or bedding alien babes. I was hooked but this is not a book you fly through. You sit. Savor. Think. Twist and Untwist it around and around. And dive back in eyes open. Until the last 10-20% OMFGWTFBBQ!!!!!!! Happens.
I will ABSOLUTELY be continuing and I cannot wait until the next installment. One click, no brainer. Looks like I’m forever waiting with Tyler. *sigh* At least I have some backlog to catch up on….
Did I mention all the quotes I love? Fantastic writing!