A WOMAN ON THE RUN. A CAPTAIN ADRIFT IN SPACE. ONE OF THEM IS INFECTED WITH AN ALIEN PARASITE. In this dark science fiction thriller, a young woman must confront her past so the human race will have a future.Rosalyn Devar is on the run from her famous family, the bioengineering job she’s come to hate, and her messed-up life. She’s run all the way to outer space, where she’s taken a position as a … where she’s taken a position as a “space janitor,” cleaning up ill-fated research expeditions. But no matter how far she goes, Rosalyn can’t escape herself. After too many mistakes on the job, she’s given one last chance: take care of salvaging the Brigantine, a research vessel that has gone dark, with all crew aboard thought dead.
But the Brigantine’s crew are very much alive–if not entirely human. Now Rosalyn is trapped on board, alone with a crew infected by a mysterious parasitic alien. The captain, Edison Aries, seems to still maintain some control over himself and the crew, but he won’t be able to keep fighting much longer. Rosalyn and Edison must find a way to stop the parasite’s onslaught…or it may take over the entire human race.
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Elegant and inevitable, this is the prose equivalent of playing a survival horror game. Each piece feeds perfectly into the next. Beautifully written.
Salvaged is riveting and brutal, a study in scars. The masterful writing and bittersweet beauty of these characters will haunt you long after you finish reading.
Madeleine Roux’s Salvaged is the fantastic sci-fi “Beauty & the Beast” story you’ve always needed in your life.
An out of control parasite vs. a janitor
It is the year 2269 and the people of Earth have conquered space travel.
Bioengineer Rosalyn Devar leaves her rich father’s company after being attacked and not believed and ends up as a crew and ship salvaging job – basically a space janitor.
She get back from cleaning up the remains of two ship’s crews and is sent out right away to a third ship that has broadcast that all the crew are dead.
Things go wrong from the beginning and Rosalyn soon finds herself battling more than she ever expected.
The first part of this story was really slow to me, almost to the point I did not finish it (which happens very rarely for me). The action did pick up about the halfway point but I’m still not entirely sure I’m glad I finished the book.
I wanted more in-depth character development of the main characters in the book. I wish there hadn’t been half a book of dull reading.
There were some good sections, which is why I gave the three star rating. So make your own decision.
I received this book from Berkley Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
Madeleine Roux’s Salvaged is a breathless, claustrophobic twist on the SF thriller, full of deep space dread, conspiracies, and malevolent alien spores, with a woman at the center whose courage was forged in all too human trauma. This is the ALIEN we need right now.
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars. I don’t read a lot of science fiction. But, I enjoyed Salvaged. It was a unique and well thought out story. By the end of the book I was rooting for Rosalyn and Edison. If you like science fiction definitely check it out.
Salvaged is the perfect novel for fans of The Expanse. Following a deeply flawed character, the novel has an evenly paced story, albeit a slow beginning. It is not clear the direction of the novel as it begins by drawing allusions to the character’s past in brief snippets. While slow, the snippets do allow the reader to connect to Roslin. Her biggest flaw is her alcoholism, which is the catalyst for why she is on this salvage mission. It is her last chance to prove to her employer that she can get clean and do the job. What she does not expect is to get caught up in a power struggle between humans and an alien parasite.
Once the direction of the novel becomes clear, the pacing of the story and the tension rise, this leads to an engaging narrative and intriguing character dynamics. Roslin may be the main protagonist, but her perspective is not the only one explored. By giving insight into other perspectives, the author creates a well rounded and diverse cast. The author ensures that these characters resonate off the pages. She makes it easy to follow the progression of the story through the eyes of these characters.
As a Sci-Fi adventure, the novel is quite successful. It has not only incredible tension but also has superb character development. Salvaged is exceptionally paced and thoroughly engaging.
A bit let down… was expecting something different.
Pretty bored throughout the book. Really had to force myself to finish. Wish I skipped this one.
Roux delivers a feminist SciFi with plot twists, gut-punches, and a female lead with the strength of resilience.
Roux’s Salvaged is a tale of creeping horror and daring love, heavy with the weight of loss and trauma. Spooky fungus in space, devastatingly intimate hive minds, terrifying resource management, and shockingly sweet romance combine in this love letter to redemption and recovery (and mushrooms).
Salvaged scared the hell out of me, and I write horror for a living! Madeleine Roux conjures real darkness with a brilliant novel that any fan of ALIEN will simply devour. Brava!
ALIEN meets THE EXPANSE in this nonstop thrill ride. Rosalyn is a reluctant heroine on the run from her past; trapped on a ship with a terrifying alien presence, her resourcefulness and courage lend this unconventional space opera depth and heart.
The rich description dumps you right into the world of Salvaged and won’t let you go. Roux engages all senses; this is sometimes a good thing, sometimes bad, always brilliant… I loved it!