Audio/Book Review of The Last Spaceship (Course of the Worlds Book 1) by J.A. Hawkings

Book Title: The Last Spaceship (Course of the Worlds Book 1)

Genre: Science Fiction/Space Opera

Pages: 99
Audio Run Time: 2 Hrs 47 Mins

Author: J.A. Hawkings

Date Published: 6 July 2015 (E-Book)

8 December 2015 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

Year 2076. The colonization of the solar system has begun. Engineer Jeff Baker and exobiologist Nicole Price find themselves on an exploratory mission. Destination: the Jovian moon of Callisto. As the two are about to land, however, their ship is compromised by a malfunction of its electrical system. Having reached the surface without serious damage, they are startled by the sight of an unknown spacecraft. It appears to have crashed. Baker, an expert in space flight mechanics, explores the ship and realizes it’s like nothing he’s ever seen before. He suspects there are only two logical explanations: it’s either some secret government project or the ship came from another star system.

Review:

The Last Spaceship by J.A. Hawkings
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This the first story in a science fiction trilogy.

I am unsure if I liked this book or not. I have mixed feelings about it.

This audiobook is narrated by Fred Wolinsky. Unfortunately, I found his narration to be extremely off putting. Although he read the story clearly, I found the slow pace of his speech and the drawl in his voice to be rather grating for my ear. I found myself switching off the book often to listen to something else, in an effort stop myself from grinding my teeth in irritation.

I normally do character breakdowns in my reviews. However, although I enjoyed meeting Jeff Baker and Nicole Price, I found them and the other characters to be rather one dimensional and lacking the spark that would have made them come alive for me.

The story is told through several points of view. It started off strongly; I love the description of the crashed spacecraft on Callisto's surface, the suspense of who the owners were had me sitting on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, the story began to go down hill from there. The captain and crew of the Nabira (sorry, not sure of spelling) ship that rescued Jeff and Nicole, and their mission, felt a little dis-organised and had me feeling confused. There are also several unresolved loose ends that promise to be revealed in the later books.

I love science fiction, but this book left me feeling confused and dissatisfied. Although this book is only two hours and forty-seven minutes long, it felt longer. I love it when a book grips me and this one, sadly, did not. I am not sure I will continue with the trilogy in audiobook format if the same narrator will be used.

J.A. Hawkings has written an intriguing start to a science fiction trilogy. I cannot say for sure that I loved his writing style, as I found it disjointed and confusing. This, in my opinion, also affected the flow.

I cannot in good conscience recommend this in audiobook format, but suggest you give the print form a go if you love space operas or science fiction. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

          

About The Author:

J.A. Hawkings always wanted to be a Star Fleet Captain in Star Trek's fictional universe. He ended up as a surveyor instead, but developed a passion for writing. He hopes that you will get as much enjoyment from reading these books as he does from writing them.
Hawkings lives in Europe. He enjoys traveling, stargazing, and dreaming about strange new worlds for his stories.

You can find J.A. Hawkings online at:

Facebook: https://goo.gl/u9wZMu
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JAHawkings

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13850124.J_A_Hawkings

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/J.A.-Hawkings/e/B00WQ4I01O/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Email: jahawkings85@gmail.com