Aubade

Science Fiction FTW!

This should be a spoiler-free review, but I’m sleep-deprived, so read at your own risk!

Aubade begins with the protagonist, Sara, waking from stasis aboard a spacecraft with no knowledge of how she got there. And she has no idea what’s happened to her family on Earth.

Sara finds her bearings among the conscripted and volunteer colonists as they settle on a distant world. The expedition is divided between civilians and a defense team. Theoretically, they should have the same goals. But in practice, theory and practice aren’t the same.

This novel reminded me at times of the films Gattaca (1997), Equilibrium (2002), and The Searchers (1956).

The Old Coast

Sara’s primary role is as a librarian and historian for the new colony, permitting her at times to delve into her individual or humanity’s collective origins.

For better or worse the past often follows people, raising the question of whether history is the result of earlier circumstances or something inherent to our nature. The future could be a predestined experience awaiting us.

Of Stars and Sands

Ironically, the colonists land on a planet with no known hostile life, relegating the entire defense team into a metaphorical appendix. Meanwhile, most of the civilians are on a regular regimen of emotion-suppressing medications.

Are constructive human emotions such as love enough to balance out the drawbacks of anger, jealousy, and the rest? Or are they redundant in humanity’s future?

As a species we can be our own worst enemies. Or we could find salvation.

Inside the Author’s Studio

From M.K. Weaving’s bio on Goodreads:

“M.K. Weaving was born and raised in the misty forests of Finland in a very small village with no street lights. She now lives in Florida with her husband and their adorable goldendoodle. She collects seashells and takes photos of the tropical beaches in Southern Florida. M.K. loves sci-fi and classic films, and has always loved writing and all things creative. Many of her story ideas originate from dreams. Her favorite sci-fi heroes are Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor. M.K.’s special skill is driving on crazy freeways.”

(NOTE: Anyone who lists driving in Florida as a special skill is either fearless or takes emotion-suppressing medication)

Where to Find Aubade

Aubade on Amazon

Book Blurb

You just woke up and find yourself onboard the spaceship Aubade escaping Earth. Forever. Last thing you remember is going to bed. On Earth.

Sara wakes up onboard the interstellar spaceship Aubade and realizes she’s lost everyone and everything she’s ever loved back on Earth. Forever. As she begins to adapt to her new life as the Historian onboard Aubade, she is determined to find out who selected her against her will.

Once the crew of Aubade land on a foreign planet tensions rise and suspicions grow between the defense team and the engineering team. Commander Stapleton recruits her to unravel a crucial situation within the defense database, and despite her lack of expertise, Sara reluctantly agrees to help. As relationships develop and Sara finds out more and more about this mission, she must confront her fears and navigate the complexities of her new life.

• A space opera for all you sci-fi fans who love Ripley and Sarah Connor and all the strong female leads in action movies.

• A dystopian sci-fi adventure distilled through a strangely romantic and pulpy lens.

• This book is like that TV-series you binge. It’s a combo of all the sci-fi movies you’ve seen, mixed with romance and futuristic technology we barely understand, and characters you end up rooting for!