Member Reviews

Thank you to Alex Foster and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the idea of the futuristic dystopian circular travel and the effects on climate change and time contraction. Unfortunately the mix of multiple POV and the flip between third person and first person didn’t work for me. The plot definitely could have been executed better. Unfortunately I had to dnf but I am rating it 2 stars for the potential it has.

Was this review helpful?

Innovative concept and good execution. Some familiar tropes of sci-fi-/fiction but an engaging story nonetheless. Probably more for die-hard sci-fi fans than occasional dabblers in the genre.

Was this review helpful?

You know those books that give you a faint ache in the stomach the entire read because they are so tense? This is one of those! It's thrilling and very well written. I would love to read more from Alex Foster. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

Was this review helpful?

I was given this digital copy because the publisher reached out to me. This was a really interesting read. Thank you so much!

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to Grove Press and NetGalley for this ARC of 'Circular Motion' by Alex Foster.

'Circular Motion' is a high-concept dystopian/science fiction novel in which a new form of high speed travel has the unfortunate side effect of making the Earth spin increasingly faster and in which the immediately obvious symptom of shortening days ultimately seem the least serious of its impacts.

Focusing on a handful of interconnected characters and an evil mega-corporation we follow the degeneration of the planet and these characters, learning how they're connected, how they seek each other out, and the importance of a preppers outpost mining town in Alaska.

Although the premise is fairly innovative, the themes aren't especially original - evil capitalism, corporate greed and selfishness, global disintegration, unwitting pawns, wall-to-wall (or sky-to-sky) video ads which will be familiar from any dystopian film from Bladerunner onwards.

Given how we witness the utter lack of conviction from nation states and corporations towards acknowledging and dealing with climate change in the real world today, the least believable element of this story is how they all come together - even if it is for selfish reasons - to try to remedy the situation, or at least paper over the cracks.

While I wouldn't have expected a definitive resolution to a concept like this, unfortunately the whole thing just fizzles out at the end.

Three stars based on the originality of the idea.

Was this review helpful?

I really liked this book and enjoyed reading it! It kept me entertained and engaged. I like the story, the pacing, and the way the characters were written. The author did a good job at explaining nd keeping the pace in this book. I liked it!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Was this review helpful?

Alex Foster's Circular Motion builds tension like no other. From the onset of its premise right through the end, I felt a unique sense of dread seeing the days become shorter and shorter. Watching the detriments these new technologies bring on the world and our lives, combined with the leadership of the companies that make these technologies being more busy stroking their egos than anything else, made me feel like this is a pretty dark timeline.

Regardless, Circular Motion is more literary than sci-fi. There is no grand sweeping adventures of people trying to stop these acts from happening, but rather the reader follows them on their journey in this ever-changing world, trying to make sense of their own identities and how they fit in. Unfortunately, the book here fell flat for me; I felt like I was at a distance from these characters that you follow intimately, and ultimately I wish that I would have gotten to know them all better.

This book has an incredibly interesting premise nonetheless so I would still recommend checking it out if you want that sweet spot of a literary novel exploring a scary future.

Was this review helpful?

Circular Motion is an ambitious sci-fi debut that feels reminiscent of an Adam Roberts novel, with its original premise and cerebral tone.

The story kicks off strongly, introducing a world spinning out of control and grappling with time contraction, supported by excellent world-building and a fresh sci-fi plot
. The writing showcases a rich vocabulary and clever, amusing observations, making it a high-brow, thought-provoking read.

However, the flat characterisation lets it down; I struggled to connect with the characters and would have preferred a more character-driven narrative. Despite this, the inventive sci-fi elements make it worth exploring.

Was this review helpful?

I was intrigued by the premise of this novel, set in the near future when a company has manufactured circular vessels that allow people to travel around the world in a matter of hours. But something about the technology is causing time contraction and climate chaos, and I never really understood how that worked but the ideas were plausible.

The story focuses on people from Keber Creek, Alaska, whose disparate lives end up intersecting in this dystopian future. There is Tanner, a closeted gay man who sends fan mail to a professor in New York from his home town who offers him a job as an assistant when he takes a new role as spokesman for the company that makes the travel pods. Tanner falls for a coworker who has a crush on him.

The story then alternates with the point of view of Winnie, who is told in the third person while Tanner's story is told in the first, with other POVs from various characters in the third person. Around the 66% mark these POVs all clash at a party in a clumsy attempt at chaos and then the story just lost me from there. The POV shifts were confusing and I was never really sure who was telling the story.

It could also be that I'm really not into dystopian fiction right now because we're basically living in dystopian times, and this book got bleaker and bleaker at every turn; I was willing not to hold that against the book for a good story. It was almost grimporn in spots. I can forgive a little bleakness because that's not my thing but it may be someone else's, if the writing can pull it off.

But I think this story was too ambitious and trying to do too much and the execution would have benefited from smaller ideas, fewer perspectives or at least a tighter story concept.

I did like the character development of Winnie and Tanner, and there was some beautiful writing and thoughtful ideas about the collapse of civilization through technology and human hubris, but the story fell flat for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from the genre and the characters that were created. Alex Foster has a strong writing style and was glad I got to read this. It had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed how well the characters were in this universe.

Was this review helpful?