My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I began reading Unfathomable Chance I became very confused very quickly as Diana, the main protagonist, seemed too old at 23 for a YA novel, and the introductory pages felt very rushed and confusing. The text was not confusing in an intriguing way and there were passages containing clumsy expressions and strange grammar that felt naïve. A couple of spelling errors, “passed” for past and “affect” for effect, together with a few examples of tautology that I found irritating rather than curious literary style spoiled the overall effect on this reader for several early chapters. This was a pity because the fast-moving and fascinating plot that unfolded showed great promise and imaginative talent from the author.
I am not the only reader to notice that the many varied situations encountered by Diana and her companion, Kal Zed the cat (a catorian), seemed to be akin to those of Wonderland’s Alice, Oz’s Dorothy and Dr Who. This is not a negative criticism since it was very well done but much more fantastical than sci-fi. As a YA novel I would have liked to read about some more acceptable, i.e. believable, science in the book as there were repeated references to other planets, galaxies, even universes. I constantly wondered about breathable atmospheres, unimaginable gravitational forces and so on. The more simplistic “science” in this story would be acceptable in a children’s book and so I feel the emphasis would be better within the fantasy genre. Sci-fi geeks tend to look for battle-action between right and wrong or a very human story against a sci-fi back drop. K.T. Munson’s strength for me was in her ability to portray and convey the very human situations and feelings involved between Diana and her parents, her friends and the many aliens. The “blind faith” situations handled by Diana when confronted by Dimar, the love interest, and robots were both amusing and encouraging. Several references to “being laid” would not have fitted into the younger readers’ genre of course but there were many descriptive opportunities lost in the book that older readers could have enjoyed. So is it still a YA novel?
Unfathomable Chance improves tremendously after a rather shaky start and is exciting and imaginative. I found I was rooting for Diana to the end and wanted her to succeed in the greatness being thrust upon her as Empress of the Universe. Unfortunately the romantically clichéd ending to the novel came as an unexpected surprise to me, though I suppose it had to figure in it somewhere. Overall this was a well written book, albeit some more editing is required, and could attract fans for a sequel that is just as exciting and enjoyable.
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