What do you do when you awaken from a coma, on Mars, with no memory of your life before that moment? That’s what heroine JD is set to find out in Pembroke Sinclair’s “Coming From Nowhere” when she is enrolled in the Martian military academy for training. The despotic government that controls Mars has little else in the way of choices for her.
But when her training in assassination forces her to choose between her conscience and her mission, things go awry for JD. Spirited away by the doctor who has cared for her since her awakening and a band of Martian rebels, she quickly finds herself on the run and caught up in a conflict much larger than anything she knows.
Now, with the Martian ruler’s watchdog closing in, JD will have to unlock the secrets of her past if she’s to have any chance at a future.
I really enjoyed the way the motivations of the character JD played out. Though her motivations change pretty dramatically several times in the book, and her course of action along with them, it always makes sense with what we know about her and it always moves the plot in a compelling direction.
Speaking of plot, I enjoyed that also, though perhaps not as much as I’d thought I would. There were places where I felt it moved a tad too fast, and I would have liked it to slow down just a hair so I could explore a bit more. This was a minor concern, though.
I particularly like the reveal in the second half of the book when we finally learn about JD’s origins. I’ll avoid spoilers because I don’t want to ruin it for you, but suffice it to say that the reveal brings in some very intriguing questions about humanity and free will that will keep you pondering well after you put the book down.
With plenty of action, the right not-too-much dose of romance, and a plethora of exciting locales, this book hooked me and didn’t let go. I think sci-fi fans can really sink their teeth into this one, and it easily earns four out of five stars from me.
