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MY ⭐️ RATING: 4.25/5
Format: Kindle Whispersync
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Earth That Was has faded into myth. After millenia spent wandering, humans are no longer nomads. Twelve tribes stand allied under the United Tribal Axis; but there is a signal in the darkness that threatens to destroy everything.
All Skyla wanted after leaving the Navy was to be left alone. Just her ship, the stars, and a new adventure. But when a strange virus disables her ship, she is thrown into the middle of a conflict she doesn’t understand, forcing her to take on responsibilities she swore she never would again.
Hinata always followed the rules, honor above all else. He always won, until he didn’t. Sentenced to exile for his failures, he is determined to prove himself, until a mysterious woman arrives on his station and chaos threatens to break already fragile alliances.
Freyja was always angry, an outcast, playing the part of admiral and black ops operative. But she is tired of being a pawn in the Empress’ games and when she’s stranded on the wrong side of enemy lines after a vengeful battle, she’s forced to ally with her adversaries to clear her name.
MY REVIEW
Brace for impact: Toro’s debut, Umbra, thrusts you into a character-driven space opera, told through three POVs: a rogue running from her past, an exiled commander looking for redemption, and an ostracized admiral seeking justice. Umbra unleashes a moderately paced intergalactic thrill ride, fusing Firefly with a modern spin. It seamlessly integrates hard sci-fi with a romantic subplot that deals with humanity on the brink of war. It’s packed with intense sword clashes and epic ship battles, layered with political intrigue as houses cause dissension among the Order, and a cliffhanger that sets the stage for the sequel, Parallax.
When I jumped into this story, I wasn’t sure how I’d handle the romance angle, since I’m not a big fan of that stuff in novels. So naturally, I approached it with some hesitation, though the “slow-burn romance” label eased my nerves a bit. Still, I wouldn’t call it “enemies to lovers romance” since they were never actually enemies. If anything, Hinata and another character, given their backstory, would’ve fit that label more. To me, the romance angle was closer to a forbidden love or star-crossed lovers, a Montague-Capulet vibe straight out of Romeo & Juliet, given the tension between the houses. The slow-burn built nicely, budding throughout. But the actual sex scene? I don’t care for it in novels, implied works just as good. In my typical form, I skipped over it. It’s there for the fans of it, not me, and they’ll likely eat it up.
The cover of Umbra hooked me instantly, it’s one of those “read me now” types. The cover done by David Gardias speaks volumes to what the story is about, and frankly, it’s flawless, trad publishing should be sweating. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of his work. Then there’s the name Umbra, which is Latin for shadow or shade, which also tells its own subtle story. Finally, I discovered the dual narration by Megan Carver & Benjamin Farmer. One thing that is always scary is, what if one doesn’t stack up to the other? That was not the case, they both made Toro’s story come to life even better than I had hoped for.
I found the characters compelling and the world easily immersive. Toro did a good job of creating a diverse cast of flawed characters while weaving in historical elements to their Earth That Was ancestors. While I thought some of this hit home greatly, one really stuck out to me for a different reason that I’ll mention at the end of this review. While Skyla, Hinata and Freyja were all great characters and we got a dive into who they were and what made them tick, I felt like there was more that could have been added to their backstories, maybe it’s saved for later.
The side characters nearly steal the spotlight, like Freyja’s berserkers Kylian & Tristan, whose witty banter was a key ingredient that helped the crew with their infectious energy, while Gabriel and the Empress deliver chills. Pele, Skyla’s sentient warship, and the unique bond they share is the real standout. Echoing Captain Malcolm Reynolds loyalty to his ship Serenity (minus the sentience) and Calen & Valerys’s bond in The Bound and the Broken (fresh off book 4’s ARC). The world-building’s just as gripping, one planet, Medina stood out, not just for its vivid presence, but every time it strutted onto the page, I was ready to slap on some neon shades, crank up Tone Loc’s Funky Cold Medina to the max and moonwalk across the galaxy like a retro space king!
Yet beneath the trek through the universe, the machinations, the battles and star-crossed lovers longing over one another, Umbra digs into duty’s weight and parental scars. This underlying message hits hard and reveals the story’s deeper core values.
I had a lot of fun reading this, and I’m excited for its sequel, but I do have a minor critique: Hinata wears his katana on his back, which looks undeniably cool, thanks to its popularity in films and gaming, but it’s not very practical, especially during combat. Drawing or sheathing from that position is awkward and near impossible, something movies typically gloss over, by cutting away and cutting back. Traditionally the katana is worn at the hip in a saya, even in non-combat situations for easy access. Larger swords like the odachi and the naginata were worn on the back because they were too long to wear at the hip, or they were carried by a helper. There are also conflicting times where he puts it in his coat to conceal it or in “his belt.” It’s minor, but it’s a detail I noticed.
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