Sci-Fi & Scary

Terra Nova was a mixed bag of a read for me. I don't know if it's how the writing ws split between the two authors or what. While I was super interested in the first 30 percent or so, and thought I was in for a treat, by the time I had hit 50 percent, I had completely lost interest in what I was reading. I pushed on for a bit after that, and luckily it picked back up, but I never quite regained my former interest in it.

I liked the setup for Terra Nova. I think that the authors did a great job of giving us an interesting crew. There was some instant drama with the inclusion of a lead Pathfinder at the last moment who was not someone the captain would have chosen.

The idea of going to a colony that's supposed to be thriving is not a new one, but the creepiness factor cannot be denied. When the Pathfinders first landed at the colony, I was very intrigued and eagerly reading to find out what was going on. Even the 'aliens' were interesting and I couldn't wait to see where they were going with it. However, shortly after this, with the plans that are made and trips that are taken, everything started to fall apart.

I think the point where I really lost interest in Terra Nova was the introduction of the human slave/leader that had a connection to someone aboard the newly arrived ship. When that particular piece of drama started up, I just sighed. There are really no new ideas anymore, but there are some that just need to be left alone for a while. That particular occurence was one of them.

The dialogue and pacing for Terra Nova were fine. The authors are good for giving you a grounded, well-described setting. The attacks were fun to read. I loved the idea of the "Doughboys".

Overall, Terra Nova wasn't really a bad book, but the middle was a slog to get through. If you can tough that out, the other parts are worth it.