Thursday, January 20, 2011

Book Hungry: I got a review, I promise


If you have checked out the other Book Hungry club member's blogs, than you know by now that our January pick was Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.  

All I am going to say about this book-no-all I can say about this book is I didn't finish it.  The book did not hold any interest for me.  I have high hopes that, I will, in time finish the book, but as of today it has not happened.  Each time I would go back to it, I would remember other things, more important things that needed to be done.  You know, mowing the grass, painting the house, re-tiling the swimming pool.  Okay, not really, but you get the picture.  (Do I say that alot?)

Instead ladies and gentlemen I am going to talk about a book that I have read and absolutely love.  It's an older book called Promises to Keep by Janet Miller.  

Let me start by saying that this story is set in the future.  Earth as we know it has ceased to exist.  It has a more post apocalyptic feel due to a great war against a former colony called Gaia.  Hardships abound and the idea of love and marriage have been radically changed.  

Dr. Sarah Johnson is miserable.  The war between Gaia and Earth has changed everything including taking the life of one of her dearest friends.  She wants to be able to help people, but she also wants a family of her own.  Answering a planet wide call, she decides to move to the outer colonies where the promise of meeting a man seems more sure.  Unfortunately on their way to the outer colonies their ship is hi-jacked and the women are given a different choice.

Gaia has also suffered loss during the war.  Mainly in the numbers of their women.  Upon their victory, they strike up a bargain to offer Earth women the option to "mate" with a Gaian man.  The thing to understand here is a Gaian male does not reach sexual maturity until he meets his true mate.   It also happens that on this particular vessel is the dreaded General Garran Doranth.  The same evil man who is responsible for destroying the medical vessel Sarah's best friend was on.  Her dislike of him is true and bone deep.

Imagine her surprise when she learns not only is he on this ship but seems to have attached to her.  The decision to become his wife lays solely on her shoulders and isn't as easy a choice to make once certain circumstance are born.  Learning what really happened during the war threatens Sarah's sureness that her hatred is rightly placed but also offers the promise of a lifetime, all she had to do it choose to keep it.

I loved this book and have read it many times.  Ms. Miller has done four in this series and I wish she would do more. 

Of course this books is up for grabs in the book drawing this month.  If you follow my blog and post a comment you are entered.  See how simple that is.  So tell me what you think.  Want to read it?

I will announce a winner next Friday.  Check back then to see if you win a copy!

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Hmm, this sounds like something i'd like to read, which is weird because 1--this doesn't sound all that tragic and we both know that Tragedy is most often my middle name...well, thats not true. My middle name is AWESOME. B--im not usually a romance (of the historical variety which even though this is set in the future...well, that makes it historical, right? just history that hasn't happened yet?!?) sort.
and Cat--uh...what was I talking about again? oh, well...whatever. *shrugs*

abby mumford said...

this story sounds a heck of a lot more entertaining than NEVER LET ME GO. i'm glad you chose to talk about this one instead!

:)

Linda G. said...

Apparently you're not the only one not to finish Never Let Her Go. Have to admit, I am rapidly losing whatever little desire I may have had to read it.

OTOH, Promises To Keep sounds like fun! :)

Elizabeth Ryann said...

Ooh, what a great review, Kelly! Especially since I totally do judge books by their covers, and any sort of sci-fi story seems destined to end up with the oddest ones.

Jeffe Kennedy said...

Okay, I lied to Abby. But I did love "Never Let Me Go." I thought it was brilliant.

Patty Blount said...

Hmmm interesting... It sounds almost like Twilight's "imprinting" but yet... better.

I like it!