I found myself a bit disappointed at the end of this series. I think, fundamentally, that there wasn’t enough for a three book series. Or at least not done in this style. It felt like there needed something else than first person perspective.. The first two novels had a lot more coherence, in terms of following the space race and all the various important programmes. This one had that as well, but it felt more secondary.

I think the other main problem I had is that the focus entirely shifted. There was the whole ‘take them to the stars’ sort of vibe in the first two, but this one was more about getting something off of earth. So it was a bit sad in that way. There’s reference to the progression of space exploration, but it just didn’t feel the same. It wasn’t as central and far more peripheral to how the characters interacted with the development of different space faring vehicles.

This novel focusses on Aster (Lola’s daughter, from book 2) and Samael, the last tracker. Samael continues to be different and essentially teaches Aster how to be what she is. As well, she gives her all her mother, grandmother etc journals so she understands where she came from. But even that was very brief plot points. The book zoomed all over the place – running from the US authorities who found out through her blood that she had alien DNA, to some of the aliens from their planet arriving on earth, to just hiding out, to trying to get the sphere that would bring the aliens to earth off the planet. It was very ping-pong like, so that it didn’t feel very settled.

Finally, the narrative style just got to me finally. Aster is a teenager and acts like a teenager and it’s quite annoying after awhile. It felt less self reflective and more just narrating plot rather than letting a story happen. Also I don’t quite feel the end was earned. There wasn’t a lot in Aster’s train of thought that made me feel that she could pull off what she did. But I guess she is her mother’s daughter and all that. I felt it a bit unfulfilling and sad as an ending. Also there was just a few random snippets from the first two of their kind that landed on Earth. I can sort of see why it was done, and maybe it helps with the ending being a bit more believable, but also it just felt a bit random.

Anyway, I sort of still like the series, but it definitely peaks at the first book. So, cautionary tale for those who didn’t quite jive with the first one. I think it was definitely a case of good idea, not quite solid execution over three novels.