Cat Sparks. (2017). Lotus Blue. Talos.

Cat Sparks. 2017. Lotus Blue. Talos.

Cat Sparks, Lotus Blue. Talos, 2017.

Cat Sparks. Lotus Blue. Talos, 2017.

OverDrive Product Record

images

• cover:
  • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-100/0439-1/{18D3847B-2957-4439-8A25-761E0ADDDF58}IMG100.JPG
  • type: image/jpeg
• thumbnail:
  • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-200/0439-1/{18D3847B-2957-4439-8A25-761E0ADDDF58}IMG200.JPG
  • type: image/jpeg
• cover150Wide:
  • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-150/0439-1/{18D3847B-2957-4439-8A25-761E0ADDDF58}IMG150.JPG
  • type: image/jpeg
• cover300Wide:
  • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-400/0439-1/{18D3847B-2957-4439-8A25-761E0ADDDF58}IMG400.JPG
  • type: image/jpeg

formats

1. • identifiers:
     1. • type: ISBN
        • value: 9781940456737
   • name: Adobe EPUB eBook
   • id: ebook-epub-adobe
2. • identifiers:
     1. • type: ASIN
        • value: B01N1XNSHG
   • name: Kindle Book
   • id: ebook-kindle
3. • identifiers:
     1. • type: ISBN
        • value: 9781940456737
   • name: OverDrive Read
   • id: ebook-overdrive

otherFormatIdentifiers

1. • type: ISBN
   • value: 9781945863158

mediaType

eBook

primaryCreator

• role: Author
• name: Cat Sparks

title

Lotus Blue

dateAdded

2017-05-26T17:15:00Z

contentDetails

1. • href: https://link.overdrive.com/?websiteID=141&titleID=3147833
   • type: text/html
   • account:
     • name: Sacramento Public Library (CA)
     • id: 1151

sortTitle

Lotus Blue

crossRefId

3147833

id

18D3847B-2957-4439-8A25-761E0ADDDF58

starRating

3.8

OverDrive MetaData

isPublicDomain

False

formats

1. • fileName: LotusBlue_9781940456737_3147833
   • partCount: 0
   • fileSize: 938795
   • identifiers:
     1. • type: ISBN
        • value: 9781940456737
   • rights:
     1. • type: Copying
        • value: 0
     2. • type: Printing
        • value: 0
     3. • type: Lending
        • value: 0
     4. • type: ReadAloud
        • value: 0
     5. • type: ExpirationRights
        • value: 0
   • name: Adobe EPUB eBook
   • isReadAlong: False
   • id: ebook-epub-adobe
   • onSaleDate: 3/7/2017
   • samples:
     1. • source: From the book
        • formatType: ebook-overdrive
        • url: https://samples.overdrive.com/?crid=18d3847b-2957-4439-8a25-761e0adddf58&.epub-sample.overdrive.com
2. • fileName: LotusBlue_3147833
   • partCount: 0
   • fileSize: 0
   • identifiers:
     1. • type: ASIN
        • value: B01N1XNSHG
   • name: Kindle Book
   • isReadAlong: False
   • id: ebook-kindle
   • onSaleDate: 3/7/2017
   • samples:
     1. • source: From the book
        • formatType: ebook-overdrive
        • url: https://samples.overdrive.com/?crid=18d3847b-2957-4439-8a25-761e0adddf58&.epub-sample.overdrive.com
3. • fileName: LotusBlue_9781940456737_3147833
   • partCount: 0
   • fileSize: 943149
   • identifiers:
     1. • type: ISBN
        • value: 9781940456737
   • name: OverDrive Read
   • isReadAlong: False
   • id: ebook-overdrive
   • onSaleDate: 3/7/2017
   • samples:
     1. • source: From the book
        • formatType: ebook-overdrive
        • url: https://samples.overdrive.com/?crid=18d3847b-2957-4439-8a25-761e0adddf58&.epub-sample.overdrive.com

keywords

1. • value: Australian science fiction
2. • value: nomads
3. • value: action story
4. • value: sci fi
5. • value: female protagonist
6. • value: terminator
7. • value: Osiris
8. • value: alternate worlds
9. • value: technothriller
10. • value: Traders
11. • value: AI
12. • value: alternate universe
13. • value: Global Warming
14. • value: fantasy series
15. • value: strong women
16. • value: alternate realities
17. • value: speculative fiction
18. • value: new adult
19. • value: Australia
20. • value: Steampunk
21. • value: Science Fiction
22. • value: Climate change
23. • value: caravan
24. • value: sf
25. • value: Desert
26. • value: cyborg
27. • value: fantasy
28. • value: Alternative Universe
29. • value: apocalyptic fiction
30. • value: mad max
31. • value: wagons
32. • value: fantasy novel
33. • value: artifical intelligence
34. • value: dystopian novel
35. • value: strong female
36. • value: bio-terrorism
37. • value: post apocalyptic fiction
38. • value: dystopian fiction
39. • value: strong girl character
40. • value: world building
41. • value: apocalyptic novel
42. • value: adventure series
43. • value: fantasy books
44. • value: genre bending
45. • value: bio terrorist
46. • value: eco terrorism
47. • value: eco thriller
48. • value: genre bender
49. • value: genre blending
50. • value: near-future dystopia
51. • value: action fantasy
52. • value: apocalypse novel
53. • value: dystopia fiction
54. • value: dystopia novel
55. • value: post-apocalypse novel
56. • value: post-apocalyptic novel
57. • value: badass women
58. • value: fantasy adventure series
59. • value: fantasy literature
60. • value: Australian sci-fi
61. • value: climate fiction
62. • value: EJ Swift
63. • value: George Miller
64. • value: Julianna Baggot
65. • value: Monica Byrne
66. • value: Sandra Newman
67. • value: The Girl in the Road
68. • value: war robot

creators

1. • role: Author
   • fileAs: Sparks, Cat
   • bioText: Cat Sparks is a multi-award-winning Australian author, editor, and artist whose former employment has included: media monitor, political and archaeological photographer, graphic designer and manager of Agog! Press amongst other (much less interesting) things. She's currently fiction editor of Cosmos Magazine while simultaneously grappling with a PhD on YA climate fiction.
   • name: Cat Sparks

imprint

Talos Press

publishDate

2017-03-07T00:00:00-05:00

isOwnedByCollections

True

title

Lotus Blue

fullDescription

"Imaginative and richly rendered . . . Sparks frames all of this in haunting, near-poetic detail, such that the readers can smell the toxic red sand and perhaps taste the blood. Recommended for people who crave fresh post-apocalypse chaos—because Sparks's post-apocalyptic chaos is pretty fresh, at that."—NK Jemisin, The New York Times
Powerful war machines of the far-future collide across a barren desert world in this post-apocalyptic debut novel from award-winning Australian author Cat Sparks.
Seventeen-year-old Star and her sister Nene are orphans, part of a thirteen-wagon caravan of nomadic traders living hard lives travelling the Sand Road. Their route cuts through a particularly dangerous and unforgiving section of the Dead Red Heart, a war-ravaged desert landscape plagued by rogue semi-sentient machinery and other monsters from a bygone age.
But when the caravan witnesses a relic-Angel satellite unexpectedly crash to Earth, a chain of events begins that sends Star on a journey far away from the life she once knew. Shanghaied upon the sandship Dogwatch, she is forced to cross the Obsidian Sea by Quarrel, an ancient Templar supersoldier. Eventually shipwrecked, Star will have no choice but to place her trust in both thieves and priestesses while coming to terms with the grim reality of her past—and the horror of her unfolding destiny—as the terrible secret her sister had been desperate to protect her from begins to unravel.
Meanwhile, something old and powerful has woken in the desert. A Lotus Blue, deadliest of all the ancient war machines. A warrior with plans of its own, far more significant than a fallen Angel. Plans that do not include the survival of humanity.
Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.

reviews

1. • premium: False
   • source: NK Jemisin, The New York Times
   • content: "Imaginative and richly rendered . . . Sparks frames all of this in haunting, near-poetic detail, such that the readers can smell the toxic red sand and perhaps taste the blood. Recommended for people who crave fresh post-apocalypse chaos--because Sparks's post-apocalyptic chaos is pretty fresh, at that."
2. • premium: False
   • source: RT Book Reviews
   • content: "Australian author Sparks' first foray into full-length fiction is an unforgettable ride into dystopian, post-apocalyptic sci-fi storytelling. Her rich, hauntingly familiar yet desolate alien landscapes are filled with eons-old mutant soldiers, ancient war machines and extraordinarily scrappy and resilient characters. But it's her perfect weaving of the different plot threads into one fantastic read that rocks this debut sci-fi offering."
3. • premium: False
   • source: Gary K. Wolfe, Locus
   • content: "While there may be much that seems familiar in [Lotus Blue], with echoes not only of the Mad Max films but of Robocops, Terminators, and doomsday machines, there's also a good deal that's original . . . While this exuberance of invention is what initially draws us in to Sparks's world, her narrative energy builds admirably as we learn more about the characters' true identities and secrets . . . [A] fine first novel."
4. • premium: False
   • source: Booklist
   • content: "Sparks creates an uneasy and painfully suspenseful atmosphere with this sudden technological awakening, sweeping Star up in the burgeoning chaos as a long-dormant power from the Lotus Wars stirs, bringing with it only death."
5. • premium: False
   • source: Newtown Review of Books
   • content: "It's a monumental feat of imagination and the details build through the early chapters until you can see the ruin around you and understand the misery that created it. . . . an impressive piece of imaginative writing, and one you'll enjoy from start to finish."
6. • premium: False
   • source: Peter Watts, author of Blindsight
   • content:

     “Forget the Mad Max comparisons: Sparks is far more ambitious than that. Lotus Blue is A Canticle for Leibowitz by way of Neuromancer."

7. • premium: False
   • source: Zachary Jernigan, author of Jeroun: The Collected Omnibus
   • content: "A mythic, far-future outback populated by superhuman soldiers, house-sized reptiles, and half-crazed armored vehicles: If that doesn't sound incredible to you, you have no heart. Lotus Blue is the year's most compelling science fiction novel."
8. • premium: False
   • source: Isobelle Carmody, author of the Obernewtyn Chronicles
   • content: “Astonishingly rich in ideas and concepts and the world building is truly breathtaking in its breadth and originality. Lotus Blue is a revelation."
9. • premium: False
   • source: Starburst magazine
   • content: “Lotus Blue is sci-fi author Cat Sparks's debut novel, and for a first journey it's a hell of a ride. As intelligent and thought-provoking as it is exciting . . . From the opening paragraphs you can feel the desert heat and the sand whipping your face."
10. • premium: False
    • source: Tina LeCount Myers, author of The Song of All
    • content: “Vivid, compelling, and relentless, Cat Sparks makes you care about the soul of a mecha future as you hang onto the edge, feeling the sandy grit between your teeth."
11. • premium: False
    • source: Betsy Dornbusch, author of the Books of the Seven Eyes trilogy
    • content: “Strong-minded women to root for, self-driven, sentient war mech, and a broken, raw world make Lotus Blue the latest and greatest of recent post-apocalyptic stories. An imagined future that leaves you discomfited, but an engaging read that leaves you satisfied."
12. • premium: True
    • source:
    • content:

      January 30, 2017
      Australian author Sparks’s debut novel, set in a strange postapocalyptic world, is all middle with no beginning or end. Star is a child of the Sand Road who dreams of wealth and adventure in the port town of Fallow Heel. Quarrel is an ancient warrior who knows his current mission will be his last. Both are forced onto the Black Sea, not to seek their fortunes but to continue a war that most of the world thinks is over. Sparks demonstrates technical skill with prose, but the start of the book is a confusing jumble, fragmented by the introduction of several characters’ points of view scattered over a variety of settings. The mood is relentlessly bleak. The protagonists lack agency, which leads to a feeling of prologue rather than resolution. A satisfying conclusion is impossible; the book ends with the feeling that a stage has been set, but the story is yet to come. That promise is the only hope Sparks offers in this relentlessly grim narrative. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary.

13. • premium: True
    • source:
    • content:

      February 1, 2017
      A post-apocalyptic vision from Australia.Seventeen-year-old dreadlocked Star and her older sister, Nene, a medic and the closest thing she's got to a parent, are part of a nomadic group of travelers and traders enduring hard lives and journeys across the Sand Road, traversing a desert overrun with vestiges of rogue semi-sentient machinery and other monsters from a time and war long past. When their 13-wagon caravan witnesses a relic Angel satellite crash to Earth, a chain of events is set into motion that launches Star on a voyage far away from the familiar life she yearns to leave--but close to discovering a secret her sister has desperately tried to protect her from. As all of this takes place, an old and powerful entity has awoken in the desert: a Lotus Blue, the deadliest of all war machines of the past and a soldier with its own agenda. Star's journey crosses paths with various soldiers and survivors in this complex tale, and knowing whom to trust, including herself, may be the key to her survival. Sparks' debut is ambitious and, at times, convoluted. The worldbuilding is so detailed that language borders on repetitive and tedious, and the narrative sets up a daunting array of characters, but patient readers will find it ultimately rewarding. The epitome of a slow burn, with a drawn-out plot and leisurely pace, this jigsaw puzzle requires full attention to piece together. (Science fiction. 14 & up)

      COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

14. • premium: True
    • source:
    • content:

      March 15, 2017
      

      On an Earth that has been ravaged by war and technology, traders travel by caravan across the Sand Road. Partially sentient machines and other monsters live in the desert, and humans struggle to survive. One particular caravan carries two orphaned sisters, Star and Nene. Nene has always tried to protect her younger sibling, and of course, 17-year-old Star loves and hates her for it. But Nene's protectiveness involves secrets that Star will soon discover, when a satellite crashes to Earth, separating her from Nene and forcing her on an unexpected journey that will bring her face to face with Lotus Blue. This ancient war machine is powerful, deadly, and now awake, ready to destroy the rest of humanity. VERDICT In the spirit of the Mad Max films, Australian author Spark's debut takes reader on a journey of the intersection of human and machine. Strong characters and a vivid desert landscape bring this postapocalyptic story to life.--KC

      Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

popularity

117

links

• self:
  • href: https://api.overdrive.com/v1/collections/v1L1BWwAAAA2I/products/18d3847b-2957-4439-8a25-761e0adddf58/metadata
  • type: application/vnd.overdrive.api+json

id

18d3847b-2957-4439-8a25-761e0adddf58

starRating

3.7

images

• cover:
  • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-100/0439-1/{18D3847B-2957-4439-8A25-761E0ADDDF58}IMG100.JPG
  • type: image/jpeg
• thumbnail:
  • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-200/0439-1/{18D3847B-2957-4439-8A25-761E0ADDDF58}IMG200.JPG
  • type: image/jpeg
• cover150Wide:
  • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-150/0439-1/{18D3847B-2957-4439-8A25-761E0ADDDF58}IMG150.JPG
  • type: image/jpeg
• cover300Wide:
  • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-400/0439-1/{18D3847B-2957-4439-8A25-761E0ADDDF58}IMG400.JPG
  • type: image/jpeg

isPublicPerformanceAllowed

False

languages

1. • code: en
   • name: English

subjects

1. • value: Fiction
2. • value: Science Fiction

publishDateText

03/07/2017

otherFormatIdentifiers

1. • type: ISBN
   • value: 9781945863158

mediaType

eBook

shortDescription

"Imaginative and richly rendered . . . Sparks frames all of this in haunting, near-poetic detail, such that the readers can smell the toxic red sand and perhaps taste the blood. Recommended for people who crave fresh post-apocalypse chaos—because Sparks's post-apocalyptic chaos is pretty fresh, at that."—NK Jemisin, The New York Times
Powerful war machines of the far-future collide across a barren desert world in this post-apocalyptic debut novel from award-winning Australian author Cat Sparks.
Seventeen-year-old Star and her sister Nene are orphans, part of a thirteen-wagon caravan of nomadic traders living hard lives travelling the Sand Road. Their route cuts through a particularly dangerous and unforgiving section of the Dead Red Heart, a war-ravaged desert landscape plagued by rogue semi-sentient machinery and other monsters from a bygone age.
But when the caravan witnesses a relic-Angel satellite unexpectedly crash to Earth, a chain...

sortTitle

Lotus Blue

crossRefId

3147833

publisher

Talos

bisacCodes

1. • code: FIC028000
   • description: Fiction / Science Fiction / General
2. • code: FIC028070
   • description: Fiction / Science Fiction / Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic