Review: Of Friction by S.J. Lee

Blurb:

Decades of hostilities. A chance for peace. Caught between belligerent groups, will this operation be her last?

Sam "Valkyrie" Ryan is reeling. Struggling with her brother's recent decision to make their next assignment his last, the recon specialist fights to change his mind. But she has no time to process her emotions when they're tasked to protect a pivotal reconciliation summit between the Altered and Humans from human-supremacist terrorists.

Distracted by a charming medic, the golden-haired marine struggles to stay focused as events quickly unravel. And with the conflict becoming dangerously unpredictable, secrets from the past catch Sam by surprise as she uncovers a plot to destroy all of humanity.

Can she stop a violent and oppressive history from spiraling into a catastrophic future?

Of Friction is the fast-paced first book in the Altered Earth dystopian military speculative fiction series. If you like strong women, tense action, and slow-burn dynamics, then you'll love S.J. Lee's gripping story.

Read Of Friction to launch a critical mission today!

Review:

Talk about a whirlwind!! I want to first mention that I listened to this as an audiobook and let me just begin by saying: please consume this book via audio if that is your vibe. It is absolutely worth it and I promise you will not regret it. (I will have a little more on this later, using a DP2 format that I conjured up that compliments the CAWPILE format.)

I also knew going into this that I was going to enjoy it. So many of my trusted reader friends loved it and I am now among their ranks. So while I did have some higher expectations going into it, it easily met all those marks. 

Characters

“Of Friction” is certainly a character driven book but not in the sense that it left the plot on the back burner. The two elements blend well to round off a well-written debut sci fi novel. I immediately became completely invested in these characters, and the audiobook could definitely account for this experience. The narration added just that extra personal touch to these characters that made them pop off the proverbial page, melding them to my heart.

Their arcs had me on the edge of my seat, worrying for them and along with them, and the relationship between Sam and her brother had me hooked to them like glue. Paired with a diverse cast, these characters bring this sci-fi dystopian to life. 

Atmosphere

Thrilling? Exhilarating? Intense?

Yep, this book is all of them, and I am eager for the next installment. I have been really enjoying sci-fis of this nature lately – that is military dystopias. The pacing is fast in its own right and kept me listening from start to finish. I did have the audio at a slightly quicker listening  pace (1.7x – which is a norm for me, but still the action is PACKING.)

Writing Style

S.J. Lee has a wonderful way of weaving words and worlds. I was hooked from the start with the intricacies of the characters and the story presented. Easy to read, easy to follow, and a great debut novel. 

Plot/Logic

All the suspense in the beginning portion of the novel rounds off when the action really gets going. The “found family” trope is strong and unlike some sci fis I have read recently, there is not a large sense of suspended belief or disparity. For the most part, I could track the story and I can see a future where Altered would be created. Plus, there is a soft romance that adds a little bit of tenderness. 

Intrigue

I think it is fair to say I was intrigued, and again I think the audiobook lent to that feeling. I was on the edge of my seat and was gripped by the characters. It’s also a great set-up for the rest of the upcoming series. I found myself working and listening and pausing my work to focus on the story.

Excitement

The big question everyone wants to know the answer to: would I recommend this book? Absolutely! And I am very eager to see where this series goes. Definitely a thrilling sci-fi to add to your reading list (and to your listening library if audiobooks are your jam.) 

(Next up is a short assessment of the audiobook, with a format I haven’t used yet I don’t believe, at least not formally.)

Dialogue

I loved the way the narrator dictated this story! It’s absolutely one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. All  the various tones and voices the narrator gave to the characters formed a great performance that translated very well to audio.

Performance/Pace

A great performance that kept up with the fast pace of the story but didn’t overwhelm me while listening. It was certainly an audiobook that I could listen to while working and kept me more distracted from said work than it probably should have, but that’s a testament to how invested I was.