Review of Vallar by Cindy Borgne

This story tells the tale of a colonized Mars where everyone wants to get back to Earth and feels that the way to do so is amalgamate all the corporate factions into one. It is told through the eyes of Ian Connors, one of a pair of psychics used by a rather dour Admiral Beacon. Expansion through subjugation seems to be the order of the day here, which sets up a back-plot of conflict between the gentle Ian and authority. Oh, and there's a mysterious girl involved as well.

Vallar has all the ingredients of a light Sci-Fi tale, and I would guess this is more of a YA novel in outlook. No great or shocking technology, aliens or unexplainable science.

The downloaded sample, this was one from my Pitch Me! thread too, starts off a little slowly for me, but picks up from Chapter Two onwards, until by the end of the read I was engaged. My nitpick, if any, is that from a personal viewpoint the gentleness of the tale did only that, engage me. There was no grabbing me by the collar and dragging me along, or unexpected twists and hidden challenges leaping out to shock me. Yes, I know, as a reader perhaps I am a little strange.

So, for me THREE out of FIVE - a nice, gentle tale, to while away the hours.