Review of ‘Essex Colony’ by Lia Cooper

I’m a little on the fence about this one. Parts of it I really enjoyed other parts felt rushed. However, it does have some potential and because this is only book one in the ‘Moon Mirror’ series, I’m hoping the series might come into its own a bit more in the next installment.

This is a lesbian sci-fi novella and what may be the first wlw story by Cooper. I apologize to her if I’m wrong but this is the only one I saw in her library of works. This is a straight-up sci-fi novel. Think of any movie you ever saw where a ship is sent to go check on a planet of colonists that have not been reporting in for days and you have the main premise. What gives this book some of its potential is a sweet lesbian romance and a little paranormal thrown in. This is a love story between basically a “werewolf” and an AI (robot). Yes, that sounds bizarre to even type, but that ended up being the best part of the book. The way the “werewolf” was done was really smart and works well in the story. The main character is an AI who is very human in her own right. This surprising potential couple actually fits together.

The problem with this story is the length. I knew it was a novella going in but while the story started well it then started to feel really rushed so that the climatic action sequence near the end was a bit of a letdown. Also, the fact that I’m left with just as many questions as to when I started, well I’m not a fan of that. I am more forgiving because this is a book one so that means the actual story isn’t over, but still I just hate ending sci-fi series books with so many questions.

My final take away is I’m glad I read this but it’s not without issues. The story has potential and I will read book 2, but this first book could have been better. If you are someone looking for more lesbian sci-fi stories, I think you will at least be entertained. If you are not really a sci-fi fan, this might not be for you. 3.25 Stars.

An ARC was given to me for an honest review.