* I got this book for the review*

I thought this was such a unique science fiction novel. This is not a super heavy science fiction novel. I really liked the duel POV characters and really liked all the side characters. The whole concept about "goddess" was really different. I also really liked the world billing and found it to fast past read. The story did not have any shocking twists and I saw some of the larger ones coming. I found the end to be exciting and def checking out book 2! ( )

* I got this book for the review*

I thought this was such a unique science fiction novel. This is not a super heavy science fiction novel. I really liked the duel POV characters and really liked all the side characters. The whole concept about "goddess" was really different. I also really liked the world billing and found it to fast past read. The story did not have any shocking twists and I saw some of the larger ones coming. I found the end to be exciting and def checking out book 2! ( )

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Goddess in the Machine series. I believe that this is supposed to be a duology. I got a copy of this book in my Owlcrate.

Story (3/5): Andra wakes up from cyonic sleep to find herself alone. Eventually she finds out she slept a thousand years rather than the hundred she was supposed to sleep. She doesn’t know any of the colonists, weirder yet they worship her as some sort of goddess. Her goal is to get back to Earth, even if it means playing the games of a Goddess in the city of Eerensed. I really liked the beginning of this book a lot. It had some very cool sci-fi elements and adventure. I loved the wandering “pockets” of destruction. I also enjoyed some of the twists and turns here. Things were a lot slower in last two thirds of the book and, when I think back on it, it just doesn't seem like much happened. The book is decently tied up with a glimpse into what the second book will bring.

Characters (3/5): I wasn’t a huge fan of the characters in here. Andra doesn’t grow much throughout the book and acts like a confused and slightly spoiled teen throughout. I just didn’t engage with her well. Zhade is more fun, witty and quick on his feet. Unfortunately, he also felt a bit hollow to me and just wasn’t filled out. I enjoyed Merit more, he is more complex but even he fell a little short as the somewhat sympathetic villain. Some of the side characters were way more interesting, like Doon or even Andra’s maid and I would love to hear their stories.

Setting (4/5): I loved the setting and some of the major twists around the setting. The world has a very desolate desert feel to it. I loved the concept of pockets of darkness that devour everything they hit (these are intriguing and well explained). Much of the story is focused on the city of Eerensed which was the least interesting part of this world to me. I wish more of this had taken place out in the wastelands beyond the city, hopefully we’ll see more of the world in the next book.

Writing/Drawing Style (3/5): This is a good effort at a unique writing style. The majority of the characters speak in a slightly different version of English language, you kind of have to sound out the words in your head as you are reading to make sense of it. This bothered me a little bit at first but I got used to it pretty quickly. I do think that this aspect is something a lot of readers will dislike though and I don’t think doing this sort of thing is necessary for a good story, it’s more distracting than intriguing. I liked the idea behind the story but it ends up moving pretty slow at points, more consistent pacing throughout would have been nice. The middle portions where Andra is supposed to be learning how to “goddess” were boring and long.

My Summary (3/5): Overall I liked the idea behind this story and really enjoyed the beginning of it and the introduction to this world. The book ends at a good spot and there are some interesting twists and turns here. I didn’t find the characters all that interesting and thought the story had very inconsistent pacing. I also think having the characters speak in modified English was unnecessary and will be flat out frustrating for some readers. I don’t plan on finishing the duology, I am fine with where it ended and don’t need to read any more. ( )

Andra, a teenager from the 2160s, is put into cryogenic stasis fulling expecting to wake up on another planet one hundred years later with her family and about a million other colonists. She is woken up in a dirty cave in 3102 by Zhade, an exiled prince. Society has devolved and the remnants of tech that remain are considered magic. Andra is considered a Goddess.
Andra must navigate palace politics and survive in this strange future. Zhade has his own agenda - taking his rightful place on the throne. This is one of the best YA sci-fi books I have every read. It is clever, intelligent and full twists. Andra is an amazing character. Faced with adversity, instead of having a massive meltdown, she problem-solves while adhering to her moral code. Goddess in the Machine makes you think about what defines humanity and what the future may hold. It is one of those books that stays with you. I'm really hoping there is a sequel. ( )

I loved this book! The premise of a young woman waking up 1000 years late out of cryosleep on a strange planet where the locals view her command of technology as magic is intriguing. Lora Beth Johnson's invention of a future dialect of English is brilliant. The main characters (Andra and Zhade) have great chemistry and the plot twists keep coming. A thoroughly enjoyable read and highly recommended for all audiences! ( )