"Ocean's Godori" by Elaine U. Cho is an impressive debut space opera that grabbed me right from the beginning with its rich character storylines and original premise. It is the first book in a series and a good start to it. I picked up the book on a whim because I was intrigued by the premise, and I wasn't disappointed. It is one of the best space opera novels I've read in a long time.
The book follows three main protagonists (Ocean, Teo, and Haven) and takes place in a world where Korea is the main dominating power, which, together with the help of major tech corporations, exploits planets in the solar system.
Ocean Yoon is a disgraced Korean space pilot of the Alliance, Korea’s space agency, who has to fly the Ohneul, a low-class Alliance ship, and bow to Captain Dae Song's orders. The other crew members are Maggie, a mechanic and engineer; Haven, a Mortemian and the new Medic; and Von Kent - the xenobotanist. And then we have Teo, the second son of the Anand Tech empire and Ocean's best friend. Last but not least is the soft-hearted pirate Phoenix, and his team consists of Aries, Cass, Lupus, and Gemini.
The storylines start out separately and then overlap in interesting ways. The plot thickens when Teo is framed for murder and has to run for his life. Ocean steps up to help him, and what follows is a great adventure chock full of ordeals, raiders, space chases, and even romance thrown in for good measure.
I enjoyed the book very much. It was slow to start, setting the stage, but after a bit, it picked up the pace and kept me fully engaged. I loved that the author didn't give us all the information right away or spoon-feed us. Bit by bit, the author uncovers more and more pieces, filling up the dots. I liked the writing and the way the story unfolded before my very eyes. The story-lines are well thought out and engaging.
The author provided enough information on the background stories of the characters, so it was easy to keep up with the story. Although there were multiple characters in the book, I didn’t find it difficult to keep track of all of them. The characters are well-rounded, and the author did a great job of establishing them as people. I loved the friendships, the sharp ripostes, and the interactions between them, as well as the references to Korean culture and the exploration of humanity, cultures, values, and relationships.
If I have any complaint, it is that the ending was rather abrupt, ending with a cliffhanger. There is a hint of the development of a love triangle (my least favorite trope), and I hope it fades away in the next book. Other than that, the novel was wonderfully unique and exceeded my expectations. Full stars from me! I would love to read the next book in the series. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy space opera novels, action, and strong female characters.
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* For more info about the book: "Ocean's Godori" by Elaine U. Cho
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