Sirens

Title: Sirens
Author: T.L. Zalecki
Genre: Science Fiction
Source: Kindle eBook
Rating: 2.5 out of 5


Not everything is as it seems.  The ocean levels are rising, cities are being lost to the tide.  The earth is becoming overpopulated and the human race depends on genetic research and tools to alter their appearances and abilities including the development of aquatic abilities as the threat rises.  Lorelei Phoenix takes on a job as a marine biologist, but finds herself research an unknown species of algea and its origins. Sirens exist and are hidden away from the human eye, but a young siren Mello believes the two can live in harmony and decides to test things by stricking a deal with the corporation DiviniGen, Inc.  But soon finds out the company is not everything he thinks it is.  It is far more dangerous, now Mello and Lorelei race against time to discover their truths as well as their pasts.

This book was not at all what I was expecting it to be.  I knew science fiction has a lot of science in it, but this had a lot of science and some politics in it as well.  There is so much potential in this story and I was excited to read it, but was slightly disappointed in it.  The ideas and concepts are rather interesting and I think a lot can still be done with them and hope they will be in later novels, but there are things that brought my interest in this novel down considerably.  The first being no clear timeline, the novel jumps around quite a bit, it takes place in the present but also have multiple flashbacks that take away from the story at hand.  I found myself confused at what was going on and when.  While the characters go through the motions nothing really happens until towards the end when you think something big is going to happen, but then it ends and you are left feeling a bit unsatisfied.

I would have loved to have seen the book focus more on either Lorel or Mello, but instead it jumped between the two and Mello's portions were more flashback than pushing his story along.  I wanted more from the Sirens rather than a brief history and idea that they have the algae the corporation wants.  Make me care about the characters, make me be on the edge of my seat, this book did not do that for me.  The characters didn't have much depth and were almost laughable the idea that the sirens have a black streak in their silver hair seemed odd to me, and Mello's last name as Seaward, come on there could have been a better idea for his last name.   The story itself comes to a halt it just ends not dwindle down, not satisfactory ending.  It just stops, I literally said out loud "that's it," just when it was starting to get some substance.



It feels more like an information dump than an actual story.  The reader gets so much information thrown at them that they cannot bond with the characters properly.  I would like to read the second novel in  hopes that the story is better and progresses more with development and depth of character and actually see where this story is supposed to be headed.  While I may not have enjoyed reading this book and struggled with it someone else might, so I would recommend it and would pick up the second book when I have the chance.




Was there ever a book you were so excited about because it seemed so different and out of the ordinary?  If so let me know in the comments and I will add it to my list!


Happy Reading!