Heather’s Bookshelf: Inspiration
Author: David Churcher-Muria
Released: 10/27/23
Genre: Adult Sci-Fi
“Trust is something I’ve always had problems with. People have accused me of not trusting anyone, but that’s not entirely accurate. If anything, I’ve always trusted too easily. I believe people. Take them at face value. It’s caused me more pain and conflict over the years than I can remember. So I avoid it. Avoid people. Avoid getting involved in their plans. Their personal lives. I still trust, but when it’s broken there’s not so much of my life attached to get broken with it.”
“Inspiration” introduces Engineer the only engineer and second-in-command on a starship full of creatives largely more interested in their down time than their missions.
Engineer doesn’t mind it so much though, they’d much rather hide and observe than partake in social situations. Staggering their work schedule when most others are asleep, and interacting with only those they must is working just fine. They’ve got a couple of friends and are happy with their work- it’s not so bad.
But when the ship’s AI sends a mysterious message and then a shuttle almost crashes into the ship, Engineer begins to worry something may actually be wrong. A much larger disaster is imminent and they’ll be lucky to survive, especially if the culprit isn’t found soon…
Trigger Warning: violence, adult language
Overall, I enjoyed this story. Told through the POV of Engineer, an intelligent, likable and relatable character. Self talk provides comedy relief and also expands on their social awkwardness. I especially enjoyed the little comments to themself in relation to what they should say or do and how it told more of the story of their underlying anxieties. The interactions with ancillary characters like Marcus or Shara were often funny or heartfelt and added depth to Engineer’s character. The addition of the implant and the uses demonstrated throughout the book added a great Sci-Fi aspect that was smartly done. There’s also a who-dun-it aspect to the story which is enjoyable and kept me guessing with revelations throughout the tale. The last 50 pages of the story took a turn and while it had a similar tone to the rest, it didn’t seem to actually fit with the rest. It almost felt like two stories. I enjoy genre-bending stories, but this one didn’t quite translate for me. The ending does well in tying things back together. While not perfect, it felt complete and tied up any lose ends while leaving open the possibility for future adventures.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A sci-fi with a likable, intelligent and anxiety-ridden protagonist caught in the middle of a who-dun-it. The last 50 pages feels like a different book, but the ending pulls everything back together.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with David Churcher-Muria
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Find it for purchase here
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