Finally got around to reading this. Or should I say, listening to the audiobook.
Now this... was good. Really good. I really felt a connection with Olivia. I usually don't like the main character this much in Alien novels, I just don't get so emotionally attached to them even when they're written well. I get more immersed in the world and eagerly await to see which character becomes fodder for the horrible carnage the aliens bring forth.
Olivia was quite charming and felt "human". I didn't know at first why I cared so much for her as I'm a mid twenties straight white guy, but then I figured out that she acted like real teens do. Like I and my friends behaved and would've behaved. Her constant lovesick state was written, at times, a bit clumsily. It does get on the verge of being annoying, as well as her frequent thought tangents even in high risk situations. But I'll be damned if I don't admit that I wouldn't act the same way if I were in her shoes. I was just as obsessive when I was a teen in love, and the tangents are frequent when you're out of your depth and your mind tries to sway your thoughts away from horrific and painful events. For me, everything felt all too real. When normal everyday life in the Alien universe is interrupted by space horrors. Felt real, got me more engaged cause of that and everything had more weight to it when things happened.
I liked that we spent good time getting to know the characters before we get to the action. If done right, that's always needed. The character deaths were impactful, I was frequently worried who would go next. The world, the characters, the story, everything felt immersive, it got me attached to it all.
Won't go into spoilers, but IMO, the aliens were done well. I always get super aggro when the beast isn't handled correctly. I applaud the author in the way she treated them, I was more than satisfied. The Alien felt real and horrific.
I personally loved this book. Wasn't written as well as The Cold Forge and since I'm comparing it to a book I also adore, I can say that maybe the characters in Echo weren't as intriguing as the ones in The Cold Forge, but in Echo they were a lot more likable and I got more emotionally attached to them. Though that's maybe a given since the books have very different goals in portraying their characters and both achieve what they were aiming for, I'd say.
I like Olivia as much as Amanda, honestly, so I'm glad we'll be seeing more of her in the upcoming comic and game. Of course, I hope she isn't milked to death, less is more...
Not a perfect novel by any means, but quite a pleasant surprise! My score? Prime.
