Star Child: Awakening (The Zenkoti Fables Book 1) by Petra Landon

Star Child: Awakening (The Zenkoti Fables Book 1) Reviews

• 
  Dianne

  Science fiction, space travel, daring adventures galore as Petra Landon takes us on a journey into the future and out of this world! Strap yourself in for fabulous reading entertainment with as one stowaway finds herself trapped on a swashbuckling bounty hunter’s ship and the beginning of the destiny she couldn’t have imagined in her wildest dreams!
  
  The first part of a series of wild space travel episodes, there is plenty of action, lots of daring and a crew unlikely to be the true heroes they are as they are brilliantly fleshed out page after page, scene after scene. Novi is a delightful character that grows before your eyes and this tale was a rapidfire adventure from its beginning to the end that promises more perilous times ahead!
  
  I received a complimentary copy from Petra Landon!
  
  Series: The Zenkoti Fables - Episode 1
  For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow:
  http://tometender.blogspot.com
  
  
• 
  Petra Landon

  Star Child is LIVE!
  
  
  
  Many readers have been confused by the episodic nature of the story. I'd like to clarify that Star Child - Book One - has the first seven episodes of The Zenkoti Fables.
  
  Episode 1 : Call of the Stars
  Episode 2 : Through the Looking Glass
  Episode 3 : Baptism by Fire
  Episode 4 : A Deadly Game
  Episode 5 : The Stars send a Message
  Episode 6 : An Echo from the Past
  Episode 7 : Enemy of the State
  
  News, excerpts & sneak peeks from the next installment of The Zenkoti Fables posted
  here
  
  
  
  
  An excerpt may be read
  here
  
  
• 
  Christi M

  I was not ready for this book to be over. I knew it was coming since I had been watching the percentage of book left on my tablet, but was still so sad when it did. I love fun adventure stories and this one was so nicely done with great, extensive world building, characters that are interesting, likeable, and sympathetic, and a nice plot and story.
  
  Thoughts:
  
  Star Child begins with Novi sneaking onto a ship to poke around. In doing this she discovers she is getting a little more than she bargained for as she (and us in return) are slowly introduced to the characters and shown how this world works. Within the last several years, The Guild Coalition, who was the major conglomerate of the Inner Worlds had made a major push to increase their territory, but the Rim Worlds and Renegades wished to stay independent and not have the Guild forced upon them and had fought back. Although the Guild Coalition had not seized the power they had hoped for they still had plenty to spare and knew how to use it to gain whatever advantage they want.
  
  There are several things that really made this book work for me. The crew - all professional, but human and seemed to be rather decent individuals that you'd like to get to know. The plot - I found all the nuances of the small independent groups very intriguing from a story line perspective. It continued to open up the question of "What would you do to survive if you are not a very major corporation, but don't want to join the Guild Coalition?" To be honest, this one was a huge selling point for me in the book. The action - the book strikes just the right balance of action, business, and politics. Although the world politics are vital and important, the book knew there were other aspects to explore too. The story also was not constant action or was told completely from the business perspective of the crew Novi ends up with. Then lastly, Novi - I originally found her a likeable character, but there's more to her than meets the eye and I look forward to seeing where that takes her and the crew.
  
  All in all I really enjoyed the story where time seemed to just fly by when reading it. I recommend this to those who love space action/adventures with fun crews and a bit of mystery thrown in.
  
  Rating: 5 stars
  
  Thanks to Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the advanced reader copy and the opportunity to provide an honest review.
• 
  Esther

  Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
  
  I am so glad that I've said "Yes" once to a request from Petra Landon to review one of her books. I have been hooked ever since and have had the pleasure to receive ARC's from her. This book is totally different from anything I've read and still feels like a Petra Landon book, so that's the main reason I gave it 5 stars. Of course, it's a great story, with great world building and a great set of characters... It's what I'm used to when reading one of her books. I'm spoiled like that...
  
  
  A longer review can be found at Bite Into Books
  
  I'm really grateful that I, as a blogger, am able to follow Petra Landon in her journey while writing books. I just love these books so much and I hope that by reading my blog posts, more people will pick up her books. Because she's not just a good writer, but a good person as well, always checking up on me! Thank you, Petra.
• 
  Cindy

  Star Child Awakening
  (The Zenkoti Fables #1)
  by Petra Landon
  
  A new series full of space adventures is brought to us by author Petra Landon. The heroine is Novi who follows a stranger who had been asking questions back to his ship. Unintentionally trapped when the ship starts powering up for departure, she ends up stowing away. She gets caught, of course, and ends up hitching a ride to an unexpected future on a star cruiser filled with erstwhile renegades who still have their eyes firmly on some as yet unclear prize. One of Ms. Landon’s strengths is her characterization and she touches each crew member with a vivid, but occasionally brief, brush. Since this is obviously the start of a new series, I am sure each crew member will continue to grow more distinct and even more interesting as the series progresses.
  
  Her world building is awesome. She crafts a totally consistent universe of planets and jump gates, of power and persecution, of politics and very big businesses… FYI, this is not a romance. No insta-love or insta-sex, it is more an origin story for the series than anything else as the reader is being introduced to characters and situations that set up the series. And a word about the ending: this story comes to a satisfactory conclusion but there is a very definite line thrown out to the next story. I look forward to the next installment!
  
  I received a complimentary copy from Petra Landon. I also recommend her Araloka Chronicles series (The Mercenary & The Starfarer) they’re awesome!
  
• 
  Sheena

  A fabulous odyssey across space...
  
  I love the start of a new series...I love the anticipation, stepping into the unknown... and when it is written by this author, I know it is going to take me down a new road I have never contemplated walking before.
  
  This time I have entered a dystopian, sci fi landscape...there is an inquisitive young girl who works in an ‘off world inn’, but through chance and curiosity, she ends up hitching a ride into the known and unknown, falling head first into an epic adventure.
  
  Novi, the heroine of the story, is a fascinating character ; I love her adventurous spirit and clearly she knows more, and indeed, she is more than the simple girl the reader is first introduced to. As she embarks on her unexpected odyssey, there are some truly wonderful and diverse characters she observes and encounters along the way...warriors, heroes and villains—each one is wonderfully detailed and believable.
  
  This is an intriguing, mysterious, and dangerous alternative universe, and I am completely enamoured with the premise. I look forward to seeing where this perilous journey will take me in the next instalment...I received advanced instalments of this book from the author.
• 
  Sylvia

  A great start to another sci-fi, episodic adventure, featuring out-of-this-world characters, set against a backdrop that is detailed and richly full of layers.
  
  Petra Landon really has a way of pulling you into her imagination. She has created another unique story of exploration, set against the vastness that is space. There, we meet Novi, a curious stow-away, who accidentally dares to follow a stranger. Never did she think she would find herself stuck on a ship full of renegades, rebels with a cause. Who knows what lies ahead for Novi, so I eagerly await the next episode to find out.
• 
  Happy Booker

  Star Child is a science fiction book written about a young woman named Novi. She works in the tavern and overhears a few others talking about someone and follows them onto a ship. While the adventure begins with the young woman’s curiosity, it is not all so bad. She makes friends, connections and even develops bonds.
  
  
  The events that surpass are diverse, dynamic and intriguing. As I have read other works from this author, I was expecting the same quality of literature and precision. She sure did not disappoint.
  
  
  
  The ending was unsure and this being book one of the series, I was not surprised with the way things unraveled. I believe the foundation of the storyline was solid, providing enough content and layers for it to successfully expand into more books.
  
  
  
  Novi’s personality, in particular, was brave and likable. It was easy to connect with her and the way she behaved towards the scenes.
  
  
  
  I would recommend this book to people who like science fiction and action stories.
• 
  Grant Leishman

  I’ve long been a big fan of both Petra Landon’s science fiction and fantasy novels, so when I became aware that Landon had started a new science fiction series, I was excited and first in line to receive a copy and read it. I wasn’t disappointed; Star Child Awakening (The Zenkoti Fables #1) was everything I had become used to in Landon’s writings – fast, exciting, full of mystery and intrigue, with a very human element thrown into the mix to soften the, often, weird characters. It, like so much of her work, is a real triumph.
  When Novi, a young woman living on a remote mining outpost planet, sneaks aboard a docked star ship she is thrust into a world that she had longed dreamed of. Despite her modest upbringing, Novi has always been a dreamer and her dream was to travel the heavens. When she realizes she is now a stowaway on Ilar’s Justice, under the command of the greatest renegade and freedom fighter of all time, Ryfkin Soren, she understands her life is about to change forever. Ryfkin Soren and his band of freedom fighters are notorious throughout the galaxies as the only people to take on and defeat the mightiest and ruthless army in the Universe – that of the Guild Coalition.
  When Novi is discovered aboard Ilar’s Justice she quickly realizes that the crew of renegades are not necessarily as scary as she had expected and indeed are tempered with compassion, friendliness, fun, and a heart for justice. She quickly finds herself drawn to the entire crew and determines to find a way to join them and be a part of their quest. Novi will discover, on their voyages, that she is much more than she initially believed herself to be. She will begin to understand that she has a part to play in this battle for justice and defeating the coalition. She is on a true voyage of discovery as she attempts to find out who she really is, where she really came from and what her future role is to be.
  One thing I’ve always enjoyed about Landon’s stories is that no matter how weird or outlandish the characters may be, she always manages to infuse them with a sufficient amount of humanity and emotions for us readers to identify and empathise with them. As a character, Novi is the perfect blend of wide-eyed young girl and excited young woman embarking on a mission to discover herself. I really loved the youthful enthusiasm the author managed to inject into her character. The other principal characters in the story, especially Ryfkin Soren, all had endearing features about them that made their crew into one of the most feared and legendary groups in all of interplanetary space. I’ve always loved the simple, readable style Landon brings to her books and this one is no different. It reads like a “boy’s own” adventure story from my childhood but with many powerful, female lead characters that reassert the belief that women heroes are every bit as powerful and relateable as their male counterparts. Although not specifically broached in this, Book 1, I can see some amazing opportunities in the future stories for Landon to weave some romance, in the inimitable way she does, into the next adventures.
  As a book clearly designed to set up the future Zenkoti Fables franchise, Star Child Awakening definitely hits all the right spots. We know Novi is on the cusp of discovering something vitally important to her future but also to the future of her new comrades and the inter-galactic community as a whole. I, for one, am extremely excited to see where this story goes next. Not usually a big fan of cliffhangers, I do love those that Landon leaves us with because I always know the next iteration of the story will be coming soon and it invariably will improve and expand on the current tale.
  If Science fiction is your thing, or more importantly, if well-written, clever social commentary, delivered as part of an overall plot, and fast-paced, exciting action is your thing then you won’t want to miss Star Child Awakening (The Zenkoti Fables #1) by Petra Landon. I highly recommend it – roll on book two of this series.
• 
  Sarah Daneen

  It all starts off when Novi boards a ship to spy on the crew however, she is not an assassin or part of an organised group. No, she works in tavern but she over hears men asking questions about someone so she decideds to follow them onto the ship to see if she can get any more information. And it is from here that the adventure begins.
  The story is quick paced and the author gives us background information a little at a time as the story progress so you don't feel like you have information overload. There are twists and turns with plenty of tension.
  I loved the characters, they have their own querks and I especially liked Novi. She is a character you can't help but love as well as being loyal and brave. I could see a little of myself in her because she feels like any average person but with a mystery.
  I can see a spark of romance but this is small compared to the main plot and the friendship Novi makes with the crew.
  The book ends on a cliffhanger and I am dying to find out what happens next.
  I can't wait for the next book.
  There is no profanity, sexual content or violence.
  Would highly recommend this book to all.
• 
  Neil

  I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
  This was a good fun read with a well developed world and some interesting characters.
  
  Unfortunately it was let down by the ending leaving you hanging and needing to read the next book in the series.
  
  This left it feeling incomplete and me personally disappointed.
  
  
• 
  J.D. DeHart

  I liked Petra Landon’s work so much I had to try this second read. In all honesty, the title came as a digital review copy, but I would not have spent my time checking out this title if I didn’t already enjoy Landon’s work.
  
  I appreciate the attention to detail this author provides, at no expense to character development and plot. Highly recommended for science fiction readers.
• 
  Ellie Mitchell

  ~Storyline~
  
  We’re introduced to a young girl named Novi on the mining planet, Idriko. Escaping on a rebel cruiser, Novi soon becomes involved with its renegade crew as it takes on various jobs for some mysterious new clients. There is talk of Synths wanting to blow up star portals (purely speculation), a strange lockbox emitting high energy, and sacred ‘benevolent ones’ mentioned, like ancient Gods.
  
  The story develops quickly, building toward a strange conspiracy involving The Guild (a shady
  corporation in control of the majority of inner planets) and another smaller corporation, Venn Corp.
  
  Novi is pulled into the renegade crew’s business, a true ‘star child’ at heart.
  
  
  
  ~Writing Style~
  
  The writing is steady to fast-paced, tense in the right places with a fair amount of description when necessary. I found the writing engaging, the characters strong and fun to read about, like friends you might meet in real life. There was fascinating, realistic dialogue between characters that made each of them come to life on the page.
  
  
  
  ~Characters (Favourites)~
  
  While Novi is the main character and is brave, smart, and resourceful, her character didn’t feel as well rounded as some of the others, but that’s just my personal opinion. My favourite character was actually Ryfkin Soren, the legendary renegade captain we come to learn about during the course of the story. Ryf, as he’s affectionately known by his crew is a strong, authoritative figure that takes risks and stands up for his beliefs. This willingness to fight for his beliefs (and his bravery in doing so) is something I came to appreciate about his character.
  
  
  Read my full review on my blog:
  www.bookishbeyond.com
• 
  Lance

  I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book for an honest review. And Petra once again puts out something amazing! Petra is so skilled at bringing characters to life, I find myself whole heartedly cheering for some and really not liking others. The world building in this books is fantastic you are immersed in vivid detail, not only sights and sounds but how each world smells. In the previous books I have read of Petra’s it was an urban setting in cities we know and love, so it was awesome to finally see how great of a world builder she is. This book has great pace and was really tough to put down. There is drama, twists, turns, heartbreak, triumph as well as a very intriguing mystery that starts to unravel at the end of the book. I recommend this book to any fantasy and/or sci-fi fan as you will not be disappointed.
• 
  Frances Dunning

  I'm hooked can't get enough of Novi's adventure. She becomes an unexpected stowaway on a starship of bounty hunters and is now on an adventure of a lifetime. The series
  
  Additional chapters are such a treat. I'm so enjoying this story.
  
  Just finished the lasted chapter and couldn't be more excited. Are we closer to understand Novi's origins? How will her new friends react to her latest adventure.
• 
  OneDayI'll

  Curiouser
  
  Novi went to ferret out secrets and wound up an uninvited guest on a renegade ship. Hiding is her main goal, until they take on a piece of cargo that keeps causing her to blackout. Then the hunt for secrets begins again. Although, having to hide in duct work doesn't let her discover too many of those. Landing in their laps when a grate collapses under her winds up being a good thing, though. Especially when mercs try to take control of the ship. Now she's drowning in secrets, both her own and the ones she's piecing together.
  
  Spoilers ahead.
  Ok, this starts off as a slow slog. Info is both flooding you and withheld in a frustrating dance. Some you piece together a lot faster than a certain character. It is really short, too. At 73% the story ends and the other is 3 pages of glossary and the intros to her other series. The glossary helps some but some terms are never explained and even context clues only tell you that it's bad. Not how it's bad (as in a term for excrement, a bad place in the afterlife, ...) just that it isn't a nice term. The term synth is bandied about but doesn't appear to be a term for cyborgs, nanos, droids, or anything of that nature. In fact, at that 73% mark we learn why they're called that but their original nickname makes a lot more sense. There's a war that ended but seems to still be ongoing. There's an omnipresent guild that controls more than it should and yet wants more. There's a corp that seems equally shady and has as much power. There's a mystery in their history that leaves a lot of questions involving 2 races of aliens and the presence of synths. It has the earmarks of a really interesting series. There's just very little charisma in the characters themselves. Her previous series, while skipping ahead by huge chunks of time or drawing out every... single... detail, at least you were drawn in by the characters. These were far more 2 dimensional. Maybe this is a brief prequel titled as book 1 so as to make continuity easier when searching for the next? I have read the other series and enjoyed them. I'll look for the next. I just would like to feel that draw I feel towards their previous books. But the plot is interesting and the layers provide a fun bit of mystery.
• 
  Jennifer Tooker

  
  Full disclosure, I was provided an advanced copy of this book by the author however I have voluntarily chosen to write a review. All opinions are my own.
  
  Stargazer – Stowaway – Shipmate
  
  Novia Dozanti leads a calm life on a mining outpost. As she goes about her duties in the same inn that her mother once worked, Novi can’t help but wonder what else is “out there” and why she seems to be so obsessed with finding out. But when a wrong turn lands her amid one of the most fabled renegades to ever traverse the stars she seems to have bitten off more than she can chew. As a reluctant stowaway on Ilar’s Justice, Novi only hopes to keep her presence a secret until she can sneak off the vessel and find her way back home. When she is discovered by Rifkin Soren and his crew, things seem to go from bad to worse as in a heartbeat Novi goes from stowaway to prisoner. But when a crisis arises, Novi uses her captive status to her advantage but in earning the crew’s trust, she also discovers a secret about her past.
  
  Star Child, is the beginning of a new series by Petra Landon. Originally released on her author website as a series of shorts, Starchild – The Awakening is the aggregation of all the prior episodes of the previously named Zenkoti Fables into what has shaped up to be a great start to a new series. Novi’s character is just the right mixture of curiosity, naivete, and spunk. Couple that with the renegade crew of Ilar’s Justice and their intimidating leader Rifkin Soren and Landon has crafted a world that I definitely would like to know more about. After being introduced to this cast of characters and being left with a breathless cliffhanger conclusion I am very much looking forward to the next series of episodes. Whether Landon opts to tease us with one-off episodes on her author page or makes us wait until they are all complete for a new novel, I will be there to see what happens with Novi and the crew of Ilar’s Justice.
  
• 
  John Purvis

  "Star Child: Awakening" eBook was published in 2019 and was written by Petra Landon (
  http://petralandon.com). Ms. Landon has published five novels. This is the first novel in her "The Zenkoti Fables" series. 
  
  I received an ARC of this novel through
  https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’. The story is set in the far future. The primary character is the young girl Navi.
  
  Navi is trying to find her way off of the mining world where she lives. She sneaks aboard a spacecraft while following a man who has been asking questions about her. Before she can get off the ship it unexpectedly leaves taking her with it as a stowaway. 
  
  She discovers that the ship's crew is led by the only man to have been able to successfully confront the military of the sector. Before long her presence on the ship is discovered and she becomes part of the crew, at least until they can drop her off. 
  
  Her adventure does not end there as the ship must dodge space outlaws, greedy corporations, and the powerful Guild Coalition. She is exposed to many new people, some become friends while others become deadly enemies. Along the way, she is surprised to discover some secrets of her own heritage. 
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed the 6.5 hours I spent reading this 180-page science fiction novel. I enjoy space opera like this. This is somewhat of a young adult novel but reads well. The cover art is eye-catching. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
  
  Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at
  https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/. 
• 
  Despina

  I received a copy of this book from the author for a honest review
  
  Star Child is the new book by Petra Landon, one minute I'm at 3% of the book and the next think I'm at 99% and a bomb is dropped about Novi and then I see words “The End.” How can this be? I just started! This was a fun, interesting book to read, it's not like the last two books which where romance/sci-fi books. This book is about Novi who has accidentally/on purpose got stuck on a “rebel” ship because she was trying to find out information about a friend and so the adventure begins. Most of this book is the set up for what I am assuming are the next few books. As always I enjoy the world building and character's in Ms Landon's books and I really don't want to spoil it for the reader but there is all the magic of sci-fiction in this book, a bad coalition, a spunky main character's with something “different” about her, the making of new friends, the beginning of the defeat a common enemy. All I can say is I want more.
• 
  Terez Lyle

  I received this book as a gift.
  Novi finds herself aboard the renegade cruiser, Ilar’s Justice. Curiosity brought her aboard the ship, but before she had a chance to leave the ship takes off and she finds herself a stowaway.
  I really really really enjoyed this book. It is fast paced and isn’t full of boring technical jargon. I also like how the cuss words were done in Brit. The story is well written and the characters well thought out. I find the character of Novi really intriguing, with her abilities to avoid being noticed by tech and her severe headaches in certain situations, I tried (and failed) to figure her out. The ending does leave you hanging and I can’t wait for the next installment. A great Sci-fi book and one I highly recommend.
  
  
• 
  Donna

  Petra Landon does it again. I honestly couldn't put this book down. It was such an easy read, and the story just pulled me in.
  
  We have really one main character - Novi - in this novel, but I believe the captain will play a bigger and bigger role in the coming books. She stows away on the ship, and jets across space to different locations. Although she had never meant to be on a moving ship, she's stuck and she comes to like being on the ship with these people.
  
  The crew are a mix of friendly-ish renegades and new members, but they all complement each other. It's a true team that Novi sees and likes. While undergoing their travels they pick up jobs, one in which they are asked to transport something. Apparently that something needs to remain hidden.... but people know that they have it. While trying to maneuver between evading mercenaries and figuring out what's happening, Novi finds friendship and possibly more?
  
  As said, I can't wait for the next installment. However, I have to warn you: this book ends with a cliffhanger!!! If you can manage that, then pick it up 'cause you'll enjoy it!
  
  
• 
  Frank Geimer

  This is a great start for a new author! The world building is good, character definition is well rounded and there is enough intrigue to keep you wanting more. I look forward to great stories in the future.
• 
  Eilish

  Brilliant
  
  Again this author just draws you in to her new world and the people in them. The description of the galaxy is just what to expect, exciting awe inspiring and you just want to keep on reading.