Crystalline Space

Dark Stars Series, Book 1

By: A.K. DuBoff

Narrated by: Kristin James

Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

"Do-overs" are possible.

The crystalline network allows reality to be reset to past moments in time....

After a routine reset on her homeworld, Elle instead awakens on a spaceship. Her body is different, she has new magical abilities, and she’s told that the fate of known civilization is in her hands.

An alien Darkness is corrupting the crystalline network across the settled worlds.

Elle and a team of talented companions - strangers imbued with special abilities like her own - must embark on an interstellar quest to seal the Master Archive, their only hope of restoring the infected planets.

With only vague clues to guide them, Elle and her new friends must gather legendary artifacts to protect the Archive. But if they can’t unravel the ancient secrets in time, their worlds and loved ones will be lost in shadow forever.

The Dark Stars trilogy offers a fun blend of sci-fi and fantasy adventure with a sleek high-tech skin on traditional magic, perfect for fans of Final Fantasy, Star Ocean, and Xenosaga. This series will transport you to a universe where second chances are real. Start?

©2018 A.K. DuBoff (P)2018 A.K. DuBoff

Great start to a new sci fi series

I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a great sci fi/fantasy story with a strong main character and excellent world building. The narration was well done too. All in all, this was a great start of a new series. It's one I will definitely follow!

Unique start to a good YA sci-fi/fantasy adventure

I really enjoyed the start of this book; being able to reset time? Yes, please! But, and I believe it's because I don't usually delve down into YA, I found myself kind of bored with the story and characters.

From a YA standpoint, I do believe teens would enjoy this book, plot, and characters. It's a great coming of age story, the characters work together to understand and use their abilities (for good!) while working to save the world. There's budding romance, an almost hint at LITRPG with the ability to at least "upgrade" their equipment, and of course spaceships and battles! I really wanted it to, but for some reason, this one just didn't resonate with me.

I really enjoyed Kristin James' voice in this, and I think she did a great job narrating.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

This is the start of a great series

Highly entertaining. Fleshed out characters. I'll be back for more in the next book. I recommend this book and series. Now for the obligatory: "I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

Protector's

This story is written so it can be enjoyed by both adult and young adults. No silly teenage banter, just some growing and learning as they work to protect their new world.
This audio was given to me free, and I voluntarily gave this review.

A True Sci-Fi Fantasy adventure

This one would definitely fall under the category of a Young Adult coming of age story.
This story is a complete adventure in itself while setting you up for the next adventure that will continue the story.
An interesting blend of science fiction that almost completely explains the very fantasy nature of this adventure.
I enjoyed this one as it was fast paced and drew you in immediately. Also keeps your interest to the end.
Well worth the time and the credit.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

only 1st part finis

the narrator does a decent job, but the book is 1st in a set where the 2nd and 3rd are unmade.

good example of "I never finish anyth"

Absolutely the best space opera!

Man, Amy really came through this time! The way this was written was sheer brilliance! This now is running neck and neck with my favorite space opera by Amy DuBoff, which is The Cadicle Series and we’re only on Book one of this. I really didn’t like Maris at first, then as Amy told me, “Then I did my job, wait to see if she gels with the team then pass judgment”, of course she grew on me and Elle is awesome being the protagonist as well as Kaiden whom I see a relationship of the love variety developing there as a slow burn. Overall this book was un-put-downable (my new phrase). Thanks Amy, this should be optioned for film.

If Ready Player One was a space adventure

First, let me just say the worldbuilding in this book is amazing. I've never seen anything like the blend of magic and science here, especially on such a grand scale--reality resets! It's almost like the universe is a simulation, but still real. This lends this book a bit of a gamer feel, and I love that.

The main story is about a small group of people who were pulled from an imminent threat to become heroes and save their worlds and possibly reality. The main character, Elle, is a bit of a daredevil, and dives into danger at every turn--sometimes literally--and pulls the story along nicely. There's a hint of romance, a healthy dose of RPG-style fighting, and an epic quest complete with dragons. And snark! Some good honest-to-goodness soul-searching, too. I really loved the character or Torin, who grounded the story in a big way.

The ending was great, wrapping up the quest nicely, but leaving things open for what looks like a much grander task in the next book.

I loved the narration as well, the narrator did a fantastic job.

Overall, a highly enjoyable space fantasy adventure story!

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

good ideas but average

The execution left a lot of be desired. The plot could have used some tightening. The narration was good especially with what they had. But overall i can't say i can recommend this book, i hope the book sequel does better.

Clean, outer space adventure

*I was given this free review copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Kristin is one of my favorite narrators. I enjoy her multiple personalities and voices. She switches between the characters with ease, and creates the characters in voice for me. Their vocal tones fit the characters, and flow with their emotions as the story goes. Kristin makes listening to the story a pleasure!

This universe is interesting! The Crystals that can back up time to have a redo, yet there are rules in place with them too. I love this! And that it feels as though people do not take advantage of this. Really cool. Then there's the Darkness. I'm just as curious about this as our trio is.

Elle is our main POV in the story, seeing everything through her eyes. I love the trio that has a heavy weight on their shoulders, to figure out how to save their friends and families...and the universe. I love the team. Elle joins Toran and Kaiden, then Maris joins them. They all have different personalities and where things feel balanced they change slightly when Maris joins. They find a way to get all personalities to work together along with each person bringing something new to the group in view point.

There is a hint of a closer budding relationship too. It feels sweet. It's not the focus of the story, the story is about sealing the main archive to save their families, but people grow close in times like these as they lean on each other. The friendships here also grow stronger and feel as though they are a great group of people.

The story description indicates it's a blend of Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and Xenosaga. Though I've not played or seen Xenosaga, I do see how the other two games influence the story. Very cool!

I enjoyed the story as it was an adventure and some fighting, but it all felt clean as though adults and young adults could enjoy it. The story moved forward quickly for me, not feeling to slow down, each scene important to the end goal. We do get to the original end goal here, but we also learn that things aren't going to end there, which I kinda figured with the more I learned. I'm totally cool with this! I want to keep going with these characters and this world.