Empaths

Well, a good beginning, and well conceived.<br />

Just not yet a five. Eagerly I wait to see. Promising, yes lets see what happens.


A question, about empathy...
When/where does common empathy become something more, no longer but a disability for an empathetic person . This story takes a few steps beyond "Empaths" a number of steps beyond to expand empathy into a powerful advantage. What if feelings, one's sensitivity, once felt can be amplified, and boomeranged not just out, but with training be focused on one or more others, persons , what's more so amplified as to drive the flight impulse to loose rational control over self preservation. Eg. Scared to death by running off a cliff, onto the freeway. This is beyond the loss of bladder control / poop your pants. I've been there in Nam. That body effect is not a cowardly response to to fear, it's how we are. Courage is what action comes next. Freeze up, fight or flight. How training helps... when your mind freezes in terror, training is what gives the body a memory to fall back on. One has reflexes.
If you are a soldier there is something our ancestors learned. If you flee your brother who need you to be there will die without you beside them. What's more when facing an armed foe; to flee is to be shot down. Your rifle is your life, when you fight /kill, that is the enemy who won't kill your buddy, and you next.
This "to be continued" novel hasn't addressed these issues. So far, "Empaths" has relied on leadership but wiser, and a shade smarter than the "bad guys," or we the reader/listeners.
commonly our shes are encouraged to flee calling for help. Guys are indoctrinated along other expectations. Except in war freeze, or flee may be a wiser choice than facing your fear for a fight. It's prevail, or get squashed, violated, or whatever it was wiser to face, and god help any male who screams, or crys for any aid. Face it, accept what comes may protect him later. Victomisers hate courage, avoid those with it.
I'm eager to have these things addressed as the story unfolds.
I eagerly await the dropping of the next shoe.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Simple and Easy Read ... Good Read

Usually not my 1st choice But I found the simplicity of this first book enjoyable and a draw to my basic Sci-fi pleasures. Good length and no drag out along the way. Will read Book 2.

Wonderful writing and performance.

The story was a little slow moving, but holds promise for future books. I live this author.

Great new series from Scott Jucha!

I loved the story and the interaction between characters in the background. Started a little bit slow but I was hooked by the 3rd or 4th chapter. If you liked the silver ships you'll like this too.

great story! can't wait to see what happens next!

Good story and interesting characters. interesting twists and turns! lures you in and leaves you wanting more!

Not yet tied to the Silver Ships series

Where does Empaths rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the top 15%. I've got 100's

What did you like best about this story?

Another Earth colony & a space resource Captain Cinders with ideals similar to Captain Racine. Maybe Alex Racine will come across this bunch later in the series. Another colony ship damaged before reaching its ideal planet, but this one has become a political subdivision of the settlement & due to the usual deceit by the elite, the original rules have thought to have been hidden by the elite who set up things the way they want. An abandoned alien site is found, probably remnants of a war long before the Earth people arrived, complete with bodies of 2 alien races. The elite get too out of control, forcing the colony ship to be made space worthy again & during the process, copies of the stolen rules are found aboard.
The real fun will probably begin in the next book, although this one has enough problems to keep one occupied.

Which scene was your favorite?

When the commandant was informed that his suspect had been found innocent, the elites who bribe him have kept vital knowledge from him again & he is told he has no authority aboard the colony ship Bell, with hints of worse to come for him & the elites.

Any additional comments?

The timeline of colony ships from Earth, put this as one of those that started the Silver Ships Series.

Tedious

What would have made Empaths better?

Editing. I don't know if this storytelling technique has a name, but it's annoying and Jucha keeps using it. He'll reveal a new plot development to the protagonists (and we the readers), then he'll re-reveal it to a second group/person, then he’ll re-re-reveal it to a third group/person and so on. I gotta say, after the third (or greater) time hearing the characters react to this same plot development I wanna scream! Really started to feel like he was trying to stretch story.


***Spoilers Ahead****

I also did not like the idea of Empaths who output good-vibes to all their friends, essentially addicting them to good emotions. Are these the protagonist??

Has Empaths turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, I love Sci Fi.

Have you listened to any of Nicole Poole’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

At times the voices she uses for males seemed cartoonish, but overall her performance was good.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It wasn’t all bad. I enjoyed the premise of the book. Following another group of humans who branched out from a struggling Earth to make a new home among the stars. (This would be the 3rd group. The New Terrans, the Meridians, and now the Pyreans.) But the execution of this story leaves a lot to be desired.

Any additional comments?

If you want to see this writers best stuff, check out the first few Silver ships novels. As for the Pyrean branch of the Juchaverse it's not starting out well. Hopefully he'll score with the second book in this series.

Only one bad comment

The need to wait for the next book. A most enjoyable story and well read by Ms. Poole.

Thoroughly enjoyable

I'm happy to say that this new storyline is as enjoyable as the author's Silver Ships series. So far nearly every book by Jucha has been worth the credit.

Empaths

It won't let me do text to speech nor go where I left off before

0 of 2 people found this review helpful