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The Journey Missions #1
Crystal and Flint
It’s been 300 years since humans arrived on Neophia and the planet’s intelligent species have yet to agree on how much influence humans and their advanced technology should have on the planet. With the threat of war hanging in the air, Lieutenant Commander Crystal Wolf races to finish construction of the mega submarine, Journey, in order to calm political tensions on Neophia and cement her already stellar military career.
Lieutenant Desiree Flint never dreamed she would leave Earth to serve on Neophia, but with the end of her military career in sight she doesn’t see a way around it. Determined to rebuild her reputation on Neophia, no matter the cost, she sets her sights on dethroning Commander Wolf in order to prove her own superiority.
When Journey is attacked by someone from Crystal’s past, the two women must find a way to work together to save the ship, liberate an underwater colony from an oppressive government, and prevent a war.
Lieutenant Desiree Flint never dreamed she would leave Earth to serve on Neophia, but with the end of her military career in sight she doesn’t see a way around it. Determined to rebuild her reputation on Neophia, no matter the cost, she sets her sights on dethroning Commander Wolf in order to prove her own superiority.
When Journey is attacked by someone from Crystal’s past, the two women must find a way to work together to save the ship, liberate an underwater colony from an oppressive government, and prevent a war.
- GenresScience Fiction
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 25, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 14, 2020
Crystal and Flint is a light military sci-fi novel that takes place on the planet of Neophia, where very human-like aliens have intermingled with humans from Earth, causing rifts among the species, and, of course, war.
The premise of Crystal and Flint shows a great deal of promise and has some interesting sci-fi ideas, but never really invests in them to the point that some of the mechanics of the world seem surface level. The novel takes place ~300 years in the future on an alien planet, but not only have our modern day military traditions not evolved (to the extent that the United States and the Marine Corps still exist in their current incarnation), the aliens are physically and genetically similar to us on a level that cross-breeding is possible - with a few implicit super powers that aren't entirely key to the story. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it feels like it undercuts the overarching promise of a far-future alien planet to the point where a lot of the plot could have taken place on Earth in Modern Day, saving a great deal of exposition.
The characters in the book also fall into a similar trap. Crystal Wolf is a clever workaholic and Desiree Flint is a combative loose cannon. But aside from Flint's eventual softening, the characters in the book seem very plainly drawn, with no distinct personality to their dialogue. Personal and romantic interactions feel surface level and as if they are happening between high schoolers rather than career military. It does read as distinctly YA, which is not a problem, but it was not what I expected.
The real meat of the book doesn't get underway until about 60% through the book - with the titular Journey submersible being constructed in the background. But at that point it flies with some good underwater military action. The deftness of the last part of the book makes me wish the first part - which focuses on the evolving personal relationships while Journey is forced to completion - was more integrated into the military sci-fi story and have both happening simultaneously, rather than waiting for the sub to be finished in order to make a move.
Crystal and Flint is by no means a bad book. Far from it. It's very well written, and incredibly readable with some great ground-level sci-fi ideas and good military action. But I feel Ash could have been a bit more bold with her concepts and characters, which would have elevated the whole work a great deal.
The premise of Crystal and Flint shows a great deal of promise and has some interesting sci-fi ideas, but never really invests in them to the point that some of the mechanics of the world seem surface level. The novel takes place ~300 years in the future on an alien planet, but not only have our modern day military traditions not evolved (to the extent that the United States and the Marine Corps still exist in their current incarnation), the aliens are physically and genetically similar to us on a level that cross-breeding is possible - with a few implicit super powers that aren't entirely key to the story. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it feels like it undercuts the overarching promise of a far-future alien planet to the point where a lot of the plot could have taken place on Earth in Modern Day, saving a great deal of exposition.
The characters in the book also fall into a similar trap. Crystal Wolf is a clever workaholic and Desiree Flint is a combative loose cannon. But aside from Flint's eventual softening, the characters in the book seem very plainly drawn, with no distinct personality to their dialogue. Personal and romantic interactions feel surface level and as if they are happening between high schoolers rather than career military. It does read as distinctly YA, which is not a problem, but it was not what I expected.
The real meat of the book doesn't get underway until about 60% through the book - with the titular Journey submersible being constructed in the background. But at that point it flies with some good underwater military action. The deftness of the last part of the book makes me wish the first part - which focuses on the evolving personal relationships while Journey is forced to completion - was more integrated into the military sci-fi story and have both happening simultaneously, rather than waiting for the sub to be finished in order to make a move.
Crystal and Flint is by no means a bad book. Far from it. It's very well written, and incredibly readable with some great ground-level sci-fi ideas and good military action. But I feel Ash could have been a bit more bold with her concepts and characters, which would have elevated the whole work a great deal.
November 18, 2018
Eminently readable
Yea, for more women protagonists. But when the novelty wears off, and after some misdirected writers merely substitute females for males, then we finally get books like this that simply write women as women who happen to be in positions of power, or just happen to be main characters, in imitation of no one. Crystal and Desi have diverse enough backgrounds that sparks fly even after they become friends. Such friends push each other forward.
Readers of sci fi who enjoy military based team stories and adventures will be very comfortable with this cast of characters, and more importantly, they will most certainly want to read the next in a series. The complexity of the world Neophia promises many stories to come.
Yea, for more women protagonists. But when the novelty wears off, and after some misdirected writers merely substitute females for males, then we finally get books like this that simply write women as women who happen to be in positions of power, or just happen to be main characters, in imitation of no one. Crystal and Desi have diverse enough backgrounds that sparks fly even after they become friends. Such friends push each other forward.
Readers of sci fi who enjoy military based team stories and adventures will be very comfortable with this cast of characters, and more importantly, they will most certainly want to read the next in a series. The complexity of the world Neophia promises many stories to come.
February 9, 2022
The Science Fiction genre is overflowing with unusual stories… almost to the point of saturation. So much attention is focused on space battles and the strange, weird aliens, that the possibilities of invention inside a more familiar territory are often overlooked. But this one is different.
Not since Jules Verne, can I recall such a creative approach to speculative science. The adventure takes us to another planet, sure… but the depths we explore are far more intriguing. This underwater military expedition delivers impressive cleverness page after page.
The world building and innovative technology of this book are fascinating. From the specific details of the alien races, and their formidable strengths and equally worrisome weaknesses, to the training exercises which are psychological as much as physical, the weapons detail, and transportation used to explore and fight in this environment is simply fun. Made more believable by the real-life experience Ms. Ash holds in environmental science, everything, right down to the unusual food, is assumed real. Why wouldn’t it be? This author allows us to experience the story through strong sensorial and memory triggers. Even the “new” pieces feel somehow familiar.
Added to this unique storytelling style are two powerful women as main characters. They don’t just dominate because they are “strong” women. They shine with equal brightness to their male counterparts. It was refreshing to read character development that wasn’t lopsided in psychological and physical traits. There are no weak characters in this story. Each is given ample time to grow into their roles, while still being emotionally vulnerable, intellectually evolved, and physically believable. The focus is on the morality of the situation, rather than which gender excels at that objective more effectively. A few characters are more repugnant than others – as it should be – but none is trapped in gender expectation. That alone, is a fantastic reason to read this book.
This is the first in a series of four books, and I am anticipating with delight where the next adventure will lead.
Not since Jules Verne, can I recall such a creative approach to speculative science. The adventure takes us to another planet, sure… but the depths we explore are far more intriguing. This underwater military expedition delivers impressive cleverness page after page.
The world building and innovative technology of this book are fascinating. From the specific details of the alien races, and their formidable strengths and equally worrisome weaknesses, to the training exercises which are psychological as much as physical, the weapons detail, and transportation used to explore and fight in this environment is simply fun. Made more believable by the real-life experience Ms. Ash holds in environmental science, everything, right down to the unusual food, is assumed real. Why wouldn’t it be? This author allows us to experience the story through strong sensorial and memory triggers. Even the “new” pieces feel somehow familiar.
Added to this unique storytelling style are two powerful women as main characters. They don’t just dominate because they are “strong” women. They shine with equal brightness to their male counterparts. It was refreshing to read character development that wasn’t lopsided in psychological and physical traits. There are no weak characters in this story. Each is given ample time to grow into their roles, while still being emotionally vulnerable, intellectually evolved, and physically believable. The focus is on the morality of the situation, rather than which gender excels at that objective more effectively. A few characters are more repugnant than others – as it should be – but none is trapped in gender expectation. That alone, is a fantastic reason to read this book.
This is the first in a series of four books, and I am anticipating with delight where the next adventure will lead.
March 5, 2019
In Author Holly Ash’s “Crystal and Flint”, two embittered and highly-competitive young women must find a way to work together despite their caustic rivalry. At stake is their ship, an underwater colony under the threat of an oppressive government, and the possible outbreak of an all-out war.
Ash introduces an intriguing and absorbing plotline in “Crystal and Flint” with a duo of formidable women from two separate worlds who are each opposed to each other’s values and methods. With the deadline for the completion of their ship and the training of their crew looming, the stakes are high as one seeks the means to unseat her commanding officer, putting the entire crew and mission at risk.
Ash’s story is both driven and tense—Impossible-to-meet project deadlines are constantly on the horizon, relationships are often strained to the breaking point, romances and friendships seem fleeting and elusive, and self-doubt rules the day. Readers will certainly appreciate the openness of self-reflection and candor that these characters go through to go above and beyond the call of duty to achieve their common goals while Sci-Fi fans will marvel at the civilizations Ash has created along with the technology that supports this unique futuristic world.
Ash’s characters are well-grounded and the relationships between them have great depth, however, her tale is generally limited to two women in a sea of men and her cast is notably missing any other significant women with the exception of one who has a lesser role in the plotline. I mention this point not so much as a critique but as a means of polishing this diamond in the rough, for in a novel like this that features two strong female leads, it’s an unfortunate omission that the author provides little competition from or support for any alternative females other than the aforementioned side-character and those women referenced in each protagonist’s past. As a result, alternate female role models for young women to look up to are overlooked and Crystal and Desi’s roles are greatly idealized, causing most of the entourage of males surrounding them to either cater to or fawn over them since they have basically no distraction, comparisons, or competition from any other female peers. Hopefully, as the series progresses, Ash will see fit to place more women in her new world as commanding officers, counterparts, and professionals.
“Crystal and Flint” contains some PG-rated violence and some adult romance—But, romance is not the chief aim of this story. Rather, the author depicts two incredibly strong and powerful women who must put aside their differences and resentments to come together and save a world threatened by tyranny and oppression. If you enjoy fast-paced futuristic fantasy action-adventures with likable and entertaining characters, “Crystal and Flint” certainly makes the grade. I recommend this novel for ages 15 and up.
Ash introduces an intriguing and absorbing plotline in “Crystal and Flint” with a duo of formidable women from two separate worlds who are each opposed to each other’s values and methods. With the deadline for the completion of their ship and the training of their crew looming, the stakes are high as one seeks the means to unseat her commanding officer, putting the entire crew and mission at risk.
Ash’s story is both driven and tense—Impossible-to-meet project deadlines are constantly on the horizon, relationships are often strained to the breaking point, romances and friendships seem fleeting and elusive, and self-doubt rules the day. Readers will certainly appreciate the openness of self-reflection and candor that these characters go through to go above and beyond the call of duty to achieve their common goals while Sci-Fi fans will marvel at the civilizations Ash has created along with the technology that supports this unique futuristic world.
Ash’s characters are well-grounded and the relationships between them have great depth, however, her tale is generally limited to two women in a sea of men and her cast is notably missing any other significant women with the exception of one who has a lesser role in the plotline. I mention this point not so much as a critique but as a means of polishing this diamond in the rough, for in a novel like this that features two strong female leads, it’s an unfortunate omission that the author provides little competition from or support for any alternative females other than the aforementioned side-character and those women referenced in each protagonist’s past. As a result, alternate female role models for young women to look up to are overlooked and Crystal and Desi’s roles are greatly idealized, causing most of the entourage of males surrounding them to either cater to or fawn over them since they have basically no distraction, comparisons, or competition from any other female peers. Hopefully, as the series progresses, Ash will see fit to place more women in her new world as commanding officers, counterparts, and professionals.
“Crystal and Flint” contains some PG-rated violence and some adult romance—But, romance is not the chief aim of this story. Rather, the author depicts two incredibly strong and powerful women who must put aside their differences and resentments to come together and save a world threatened by tyranny and oppression. If you enjoy fast-paced futuristic fantasy action-adventures with likable and entertaining characters, “Crystal and Flint” certainly makes the grade. I recommend this novel for ages 15 and up.
May 18, 2019
A fantastic sci-fi premise, with interesting characters and a gripping plot.
A page-turner!
A page-turner!
Want to read
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February 28, 2019
A fast-paced sci-fi adventure with competitive, clashing female leads. The story is well-crafted and delivers all the tension expected of this genre, moving both the main plot and subplots along nicely to the explosive climax and a denouement that leads into the next book in the series
So why not five stars? The setting is an earth colony, 300 years in the future, where humans have interbred with the local hominid species. Why, oh why, does almost everyone have a British-derived name? Grady. Flint. Thompson. Stiner. Cummings.Wolf. I see this as a failure of not just imagination, but of not projecting current reality into future world-building, and one that is not restricted to this book but has been apparent in other books of this genre. I'm happy to suspend disbelief to accept alien abilities to exchange oxygen through skin underwater like frogs, or to blend almost invisibly with surroundings like octopus. i'm not able to accept that all the settlers, scientists, engineers and military personnel in the future don't have names from all over the world. The cultural homogenization may have changed the expression of ethnic background, but I can't believe everyone's adopted Anglo names.
So why not five stars? The setting is an earth colony, 300 years in the future, where humans have interbred with the local hominid species. Why, oh why, does almost everyone have a British-derived name? Grady. Flint. Thompson. Stiner. Cummings.Wolf. I see this as a failure of not just imagination, but of not projecting current reality into future world-building, and one that is not restricted to this book but has been apparent in other books of this genre. I'm happy to suspend disbelief to accept alien abilities to exchange oxygen through skin underwater like frogs, or to blend almost invisibly with surroundings like octopus. i'm not able to accept that all the settlers, scientists, engineers and military personnel in the future don't have names from all over the world. The cultural homogenization may have changed the expression of ethnic background, but I can't believe everyone's adopted Anglo names.
June 15, 2019
Crystal and Flint (by Holly Ash) has been on my list for a few months, and I read most of it while on a plane back and forth between Washington DC. It’s a fun read; the premise shows promise, and the book delivers a creative, character driven narrative, leaving you hanging on a number of plot points until the last thirty pages or so.
Was the book perfect? No. We’ll see what the scores say below, but Crystal and Flint had very high “highs” and a few mediocre “lows.” However, I was never bored, and I was always thoroughly entertained when reading it . . . but there was something about the book that stuck weird in my mind as I turned its pages. More on that later. In the end, I think it’s a good thing, at least for other readers.
First, let’s talk about the novel’s premise. Crystal and Flint posits a world called Neophia connected to Earth through a gateway of some sort, though it was originally discovered via spaceflight. A fascinating concept, and while the mechanics of travel between the planets isn’t fully expounded, what’s more important is that Holly Ash uses the device to create a fascinating societal dynamics between the humans and the natives of the new planet. Fast-forward a few hundred years, and humans and the people of Neophia have interbred and created a new, dynamic culture.
Now, evolutionary questions aside (plenty of scifi allows for interbreeding of humanoid species), I do hope the relationship between Neophia natives and humans is explored in a later book. There’s lots of fun ways to do it (Stargate is my favorite). But for now, we’ll assume Ash has a clear explanation that may or may not be explored further down the line.
Through interbreeding and technological exchange, humanity intertwines with Neophia. Naturally, not everyone likes the established colonial relationship, and war comes to the people of Neophia. And in the midst of a Cold War, we follow the story of two young women, Crystal and Flint, military commanders for a super-submarine called Journey (hence the series name, Journey Missions). They’re on the same side, but their ambitions cause them to knock heads with one another. It’s a fun conflict to watch, though I was less than satisfied with its conclusion in Book 1. Fortunately, there are hints near the end that the conflict will gain new strength throughout future tales.
As their conflict waxes and wanes, romance enters the fold, too, in more ways than one. Crystal has a checkered past, and I won’t spoil how lost romances drives the building military political drama happening behind the scenes, but its well done. Yet at the same time, Crystal explores a new relationship with one of her soldiers . . . and thus we arrive at the part of the story that sat weird with me.
Crystal and Flint, at its core, is military science fiction. Holly Ash uses her environmental engineering background to explore big-picture tech concepts, through the creation of a really cool military sub, hints at complex and depressing environmental conditions on Earth, and a Cold-War-esque conflict brewing on Neophia. Yet at the same time, I felt like I was reading a Young Adult novel.
Now, that’s not a knock on Young Adult novels. As a genre, YA has a lot of great strengths, and one thing it does really well is communicate “love-triangles” and the complexities of growing older amidst conflict and strife. However, in Crystal and Flint, the main characters are all around the age of 25. The relationship sub-plots are written well (a few cringy lines here or there, but hey, romance is cringy sometimes!), but they felt out of place in the start of an otherwise military-scifi-political-epic.
But I think that’s a matter of taste for me. When I think of Military scifi, I think of books written by David Weber, 500 to 600 page behemoths about space battles occurring at millions of kilometers, or the Expanse, or even Forever War.
But I don’t think Holly Ash was trying to emulate those books. In Crystal and Flint She’s writing her own thing, and she’s created a bridge between YA and Military scifi worth applauding. So while I may not have enjoyed the mix on every page, people looking to taste military scifi should absolutely read Crystal and Flint, especially because its only 330 or so pages, as opposed to the regular length of the military scifi I read!
After that needlessly long tirade, it’s time for the scores!
Writing: 6.5/10. Holly Ash writes exceptionally clear, and it’s easy to understand. I give it higher than my usual average of “6” for writing because it communicates the story so effectively. It doesn’t go higher, though, because the writing, while clear, felt a bit wordy in certain passages.
Characters: 8/10. The dynamic rivalry between Crystal and Flint is fun, even if it wanes a little earlier than I expected. I hope it gains full force in subsequent books!
Setting: 7.5/10. This is one of those books I think could have benefited greatly from a map. The historical and scientific worldbuilding performed by Holly Ash in this novel is exceptional, but I could never establish a sense of place in my mind.
Plot: 7/10. It’s a good story. I expanded on my issues in mixing a YA romance dynamic into military scifi as not to my taste, but I think it works, and more importantly, I think it was the story Holly Ash wanted to tell, and it’s a story worth telling.
Overall: 7.25/10. Crystal and Flint earns four stars! If anyone’s been unsure about the military science fiction genre, Holly Ash’s debut novel is for you. Give it a shot, you’ll turn those pages faster than you might think.
Was the book perfect? No. We’ll see what the scores say below, but Crystal and Flint had very high “highs” and a few mediocre “lows.” However, I was never bored, and I was always thoroughly entertained when reading it . . . but there was something about the book that stuck weird in my mind as I turned its pages. More on that later. In the end, I think it’s a good thing, at least for other readers.
First, let’s talk about the novel’s premise. Crystal and Flint posits a world called Neophia connected to Earth through a gateway of some sort, though it was originally discovered via spaceflight. A fascinating concept, and while the mechanics of travel between the planets isn’t fully expounded, what’s more important is that Holly Ash uses the device to create a fascinating societal dynamics between the humans and the natives of the new planet. Fast-forward a few hundred years, and humans and the people of Neophia have interbred and created a new, dynamic culture.
Now, evolutionary questions aside (plenty of scifi allows for interbreeding of humanoid species), I do hope the relationship between Neophia natives and humans is explored in a later book. There’s lots of fun ways to do it (Stargate is my favorite). But for now, we’ll assume Ash has a clear explanation that may or may not be explored further down the line.
Through interbreeding and technological exchange, humanity intertwines with Neophia. Naturally, not everyone likes the established colonial relationship, and war comes to the people of Neophia. And in the midst of a Cold War, we follow the story of two young women, Crystal and Flint, military commanders for a super-submarine called Journey (hence the series name, Journey Missions). They’re on the same side, but their ambitions cause them to knock heads with one another. It’s a fun conflict to watch, though I was less than satisfied with its conclusion in Book 1. Fortunately, there are hints near the end that the conflict will gain new strength throughout future tales.
As their conflict waxes and wanes, romance enters the fold, too, in more ways than one. Crystal has a checkered past, and I won’t spoil how lost romances drives the building military political drama happening behind the scenes, but its well done. Yet at the same time, Crystal explores a new relationship with one of her soldiers . . . and thus we arrive at the part of the story that sat weird with me.
Crystal and Flint, at its core, is military science fiction. Holly Ash uses her environmental engineering background to explore big-picture tech concepts, through the creation of a really cool military sub, hints at complex and depressing environmental conditions on Earth, and a Cold-War-esque conflict brewing on Neophia. Yet at the same time, I felt like I was reading a Young Adult novel.
Now, that’s not a knock on Young Adult novels. As a genre, YA has a lot of great strengths, and one thing it does really well is communicate “love-triangles” and the complexities of growing older amidst conflict and strife. However, in Crystal and Flint, the main characters are all around the age of 25. The relationship sub-plots are written well (a few cringy lines here or there, but hey, romance is cringy sometimes!), but they felt out of place in the start of an otherwise military-scifi-political-epic.
But I think that’s a matter of taste for me. When I think of Military scifi, I think of books written by David Weber, 500 to 600 page behemoths about space battles occurring at millions of kilometers, or the Expanse, or even Forever War.
But I don’t think Holly Ash was trying to emulate those books. In Crystal and Flint She’s writing her own thing, and she’s created a bridge between YA and Military scifi worth applauding. So while I may not have enjoyed the mix on every page, people looking to taste military scifi should absolutely read Crystal and Flint, especially because its only 330 or so pages, as opposed to the regular length of the military scifi I read!
After that needlessly long tirade, it’s time for the scores!
Writing: 6.5/10. Holly Ash writes exceptionally clear, and it’s easy to understand. I give it higher than my usual average of “6” for writing because it communicates the story so effectively. It doesn’t go higher, though, because the writing, while clear, felt a bit wordy in certain passages.
Characters: 8/10. The dynamic rivalry between Crystal and Flint is fun, even if it wanes a little earlier than I expected. I hope it gains full force in subsequent books!
Setting: 7.5/10. This is one of those books I think could have benefited greatly from a map. The historical and scientific worldbuilding performed by Holly Ash in this novel is exceptional, but I could never establish a sense of place in my mind.
Plot: 7/10. It’s a good story. I expanded on my issues in mixing a YA romance dynamic into military scifi as not to my taste, but I think it works, and more importantly, I think it was the story Holly Ash wanted to tell, and it’s a story worth telling.
Overall: 7.25/10. Crystal and Flint earns four stars! If anyone’s been unsure about the military science fiction genre, Holly Ash’s debut novel is for you. Give it a shot, you’ll turn those pages faster than you might think.
September 2, 2021
Great off-world series
As soon as I started, I couldn’t put it down. I used every free second I had to read further. In the spirit of Seaquest and Archer’s Star Trek Enterprise, Holly Ash has created amazing world of Neophia, which she is describing beautifully through the dialogues.
For the rating, I felt being between a four and a five. Sometimes the military training sounded to me as if Crystal and Flint’s teams were enlisted to Hogwarts, school of military instead wizards. But in the end, Holly Ash kept the logic of interrelationships well in line as thy grew to next levels.
Crystal and Flint would make a great movie or a series, and it makes me really wonder, how many great authors there are to be found and put into spotlight they deserve.
Thank you Holly Ash for this read. I cannot wait to continue the series and see what the future brings for Crystal, Flint, Journey and it’s crew.
As soon as I started, I couldn’t put it down. I used every free second I had to read further. In the spirit of Seaquest and Archer’s Star Trek Enterprise, Holly Ash has created amazing world of Neophia, which she is describing beautifully through the dialogues.
For the rating, I felt being between a four and a five. Sometimes the military training sounded to me as if Crystal and Flint’s teams were enlisted to Hogwarts, school of military instead wizards. But in the end, Holly Ash kept the logic of interrelationships well in line as thy grew to next levels.
Crystal and Flint would make a great movie or a series, and it makes me really wonder, how many great authors there are to be found and put into spotlight they deserve.
Thank you Holly Ash for this read. I cannot wait to continue the series and see what the future brings for Crystal, Flint, Journey and it’s crew.
February 14, 2024
3.5 star.
A cute character-drive story, of which the majority of the book is about the two POV women and the other characters just interacting. I liked the characters, except Flint, who was too much of an immature teenager for my tastes who I would never have expected to be a hardened combat leader. Crystal is a genius - at 24ish years old, she not only designed a new submarine, but she's also a combat expert. Her only flaw is she works too hard.
I did enjoy the men of the story - the friend/love interest, the best friend, and the brother, not to mention the higher ups we get to meet.
The story is supposed to be on another planet, but that was all wallpaper. Really, it might as well have been earth as nothing is really unique or couldn't be covered by tech (such as breathing under water or camouflaging themselves).
So, a kind of cozy, literary military story which some fun interactions and nifty guy characters.
A cute character-drive story, of which the majority of the book is about the two POV women and the other characters just interacting. I liked the characters, except Flint, who was too much of an immature teenager for my tastes who I would never have expected to be a hardened combat leader. Crystal is a genius - at 24ish years old, she not only designed a new submarine, but she's also a combat expert. Her only flaw is she works too hard.
I did enjoy the men of the story - the friend/love interest, the best friend, and the brother, not to mention the higher ups we get to meet.
The story is supposed to be on another planet, but that was all wallpaper. Really, it might as well have been earth as nothing is really unique or couldn't be covered by tech (such as breathing under water or camouflaging themselves).
So, a kind of cozy, literary military story which some fun interactions and nifty guy characters.
September 3, 2019
While I enjoyed this story and will read the next one, I did find some of the military elements to be weak. Granted, it's a whole other planet but given that the military structure seemed to be similar to Earth's, I was expecting a bit more discipline and some hard and fast rules. It seemed as though the two main characters were not held to higher expectations even given their higher rank. One of them was overtly confrontational without consequence. I liked the characters for the most part but felt the development could have been a bit slower and with more in-depth reasoning for some of the on-going conflict. Overall, a good start, but in my opinion, was just a bit more "fluffy" than I had been hoping for. Still, the story was intriguing and I will definitely read the second one.
August 19, 2022
On the planet Neophia, Lt Commander Crystal Wolf, a water breathing human, designs a revolutionary submarine. When Flint arrives from Earth, the two women find themselves in conflict before they've even faced the might of their enemy: the man who murdered Crystal's parents.
Enjoyable for the careful world building involving the planets species and politics, this book shines in its 'grow on you page by page' characters, particularly the eponymous two women, which can often get lost in military style sci fi.
Moving straight on to book 2, which is always the best recommendation from a reader.
Enjoyable for the careful world building involving the planets species and politics, this book shines in its 'grow on you page by page' characters, particularly the eponymous two women, which can often get lost in military style sci fi.
Moving straight on to book 2, which is always the best recommendation from a reader.
August 24, 2019
A fast-paced military and engineering-themed science fiction adventure that takes place on a submarine, Crystal and Flint features two strong, principled female protagonists who must overcome their pasts and their differences to work as a team. The story is tightly plotted and the descriptions of Neophia make the reader want to know more about this world.
November 24, 2019
"Crystal and Flint" has the perfect balance of science and story without overwhelming the reader with minute details. The characters within it are real, intriguing, and fun, and I absolutely loved the world Holly created. I cannot wait for more!
April 1, 2020
I really enjoy Holly's writing style and the obvious passion for storytelling.
This world, characters, and story pull you in nicely and keep you there. I look forward to reading more from this wonderful author.
This world, characters, and story pull you in nicely and keep you there. I look forward to reading more from this wonderful author.
April 23, 2020
I enjoyed it!
November 10, 2021
I love everything about this book.
June 16, 2022
This is the type of book I craved as a teenager but could never find. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
January 31, 2023
An immersive read!
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