REVIEW: Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis

KaetrinB Reviews / Book ReviewsEdelweiss / romantic adventure / SFF / space opera1 Comments

Dear Beth Revis,

I’ve been eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the Chaotic Orbits trilogy which started in Full Speed To A Crash Landing and continued in How To Steal A Galaxy. I admit I was a little concerned when I opened the novella and saw it was only 77 pages long (on my reader at least). How would the “saving the world” plot and the romantic arc be resolved?

The answer was it wasn’t. The world was saved – hooray! The romance did not get anywhere close to a HFN, let alone a HEA – sadness!  It may be that there will be further series’ featuring this couple. It does seem like there is a lot more to be told.

I very much enjoyed seeing Strom Fetor getting his comeuppance. He strongly reminded me of a current billionaire having entirely too much say in US governmental matters and my delight at Fetor losing help me imagine it might be possible in real life too.

It definitely works in my favor that Fetor’s so pretentious that he loves artificial intelligence more than human. Then again, I suspect that artificial is the only sort of intelligence that can put up with the asshole.

As most of the action takes place on Sol Earth (ie, the OG), I learned a lot more about Ada – readers even meet her mother!

Rian and Ada continue their flirtation, but they don’t trust each other (rightly) and each is plotting against the other, even while they’re working together to stop the launch of the nanobots with the faulty code. Rian wants Ada arrested. Ada wants to escape.  Ada was not the only one bemoaning her and Rian’s lost opportunity for some sexual exercise in the time between leaving Riegel Earth and arriving at Sol Earth.

“We had a whole week in the portal pathway to get to Earth. Don’t you know how much we could have done with a whole week?”

“Ada,” he says, more moan than word.

Then his eyes clear.

“Ada,” he says again, sharper now. “I’m not going to sleep with someone who kidnaps me.”

“Oh my god, are you still on that? It was one time.” “It was literally this week! I am currently still in the process of being kidnapped!”

I roll my eyes. “You take the fun out of everything.”

Ada is spikey and a badass with a strong sense of self-preservation. I didn’t mind at all that she was five steps ahead of everyone in the series. That said, she did get a little help from some friends in this installment and I liked that too.

I really had thought the romantic arc would get more play in Chaotic Orbits and I was disappointed that his installment was so short. The way the story went though, it was difficult to see how the romance could end – either HEA or HFN – believably. Still.

Last Chance to Save the World is retailing for me at more than $15USD. That’s an awful lot for such a short book. Given the cost of living crisis we are all in, I wonder who is able to afford to buy it.

Before I can say anything, Rian steps forward, hand out, and introduces himself. Bruna shakes it earnestly, then looks at me, eyebrows raised. “Lover?”

Rian gapes at her.

“No, but only because he’s an idiot,” I say.

“I am not!”

I give him a look that clearly says, We had a week, and you didn’t make a single move.

“Okay, maybe I’m an idiot,” Rian grumbles.

Grade: B

Regards,

Kaetrin

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