Aftershock | Book Review

Thank you, J. J. Blacklocke for sending me the eARC of Aftershock, book 2 of The Tradepoint Saga, in exchange for my honest review.

I read Refuge, the first book of The Tradepoint Saga, last year and really enjoyed it, so I immediately requested an ARC for the sequel. You can read my full review of the first book right here. Aftershock picks up right where book one left off and it did not disappoint.

This is a sci-fi series set in a trading station called Tradepoint, where several different alien races come together to trade their goods. However, this time it is different for the Vennans. As they send a bigger delegation to Tradepoint to celebrate the anniversary of the first time they made the trip, the young translator named Gredin gets a message from the Power: their world was destroyed and it's up to her to guide the Vennans now.

What I love the most about this series is the characters and the intricacies of each alien race. Blacklocke does a fantastic job of making everything seem real as if it's right in front of us. Her descriptions of the alien beings, the food and, my favourite, the clothes, makes for an incredibly rich experience. Whereas book one felt like a set up to the series and quite introductory, it's in book two that the story really comes together. The plot falls into a nice organic flow and, although I love some action, I still deeply enjoyed this slower-paced book.

I will say, this felt a bit repetitive at times, and I wish it explored some of the twists with more depth. I feel like it dwelled on some things I didn't particularly care about while it left me craving for some other things to take longer to be explained.

The Tradepoint Saga is very much a character-driven story, with small plots throughout. It makes you really connect to the characters and understand their actions, as well as sympathize with their grief. I did love that this also expands a bit more on the Vennan culture. It was something I wanted Refuge to touch upon and, even after reading the prequel novella Vennan, I still craved more, and this delivered.

I gave this book 3.25/5 ⭐️. I can't wait to read book three and find out how this story ends. Aftershock introduced some great friendships that I hope will get more page time in The Bereft, and it ended on a cliffhanger I'm dying to see how unfolds. If you want to read this amazing sci-fi series, books one and two are currently out, and book three comes out on April 13th.

Love,

N.

X