Shattered Veil
Tracy E. Banghart
Series: The Diatous Wars #1
Published on February 28th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Science Fiction
For Aris, a talented wingjet pilot, war means sacrificing everything: her home, her name, her face—and the one promise she swore she’d never break.
In the small village of Lux, everyone flies wingjets, but nobody flies them like Aris Haan. When she’s not dancing through the skies, she’s spending every minute with Calix, whom she’s loved since childhood. They plan to Promise, but instead he is sent to defend their dominion against a bloody invasion. Determined not to lose him, Aris follows, joining an underground network of women inside the male-only military. Using secret technology that allows her to pass as a man, she becomes “Aristos”, a Flyer in a search-and-rescue unit.
As Aris grows stronger on the battlefield and more comfortable in her guise as Aristos, her personal mission becomes less and less clear. When she and her enigmatic commander, Major Vidar, uncover an astonishing conspiracy that could destroy everything, she must make a choice that will determine not only the fate of her heart, but the future of her dominion.
REVIEW
Shattered Veil was a total surprise and even though the book started out a little slow, it only got better and better as the story went on. By the end, I was totally invested in Aris and her relationship.
OK, so this book is a new adult science fiction. That’s the perfect way to describe it too. This is absolutely a coming of age story told through the eyes of a girl who lives in a world that is technologically superior and not at all like our own.
One thing that sets this book apart from some others that might be similar is the fact that it’s not a dystopian and it’s not post-apocalyptic. Things are not perfect in Aris’ world, but they are not truly repressive politically.
Aris is a girl with a special talent – she’s a flyer. She can fly like nobody’s business. She comes from a farm and her job, the one she has and the one she’s going to be “selected’ for as an adult (that sorta reminded me of Divergent, but without all the drama and angst.) is crop dusting. The love of her life is supposed to be selected for healing. On Selection Day, her love, Calix, is supposed to ask her to be Promised to him and they have a nice HEA all planned out. But there’s a war going on, so Calix gets selected to heal in the military instead.
Dreams shattered.
Aris is offered a place in the military as a flyer, but there are no girls in the military, so she has to be hidden way under a technology veil that disguises her as a man.
She was not going to accept this position, but after Calix leaves home, she’s desperate to go find him and she figures flying for the military is a good enough way to do that.
So begins a total transformation of this girl. I loved how she progressed as a character, learned to trust herself, believe in herself, depend on the other soldiers around her, and adapt to her life as a “man”.
It certainly is a very original story. There is a lot of self-realization going on and Aris begins to realize that this person she’s pretending to be, might in fact, be the real her. Yes, she’s a woman, and she wants things that other women want, but she’s a soldier too, so she wants things that soldiers want. Most notably, to win. To fight with courage, and to be part of something bigger than herself. My favorite part was her developing relationship wither the other men in her unit, notably, one of her commanding officers. It’s difficult to pull off a romance in a SF book, and this one was handled quite well.
The only reason I don’t give this book five full stars is because I found the world-building to be confusing. It was a lot of details. There was a lot of politics. And I actually really love the politics, but only when I can get a really good first person account of how things actually relate to the main character. This one was a little distant in the third person for me, so I never really came to understand the full scope of the world.
Other than that, a remarkable book that I thoroughly enjoyed and I’m very glad it’s part of a series.
About Tracy E. Banghart
Tracy E. Banghart is a cheesy movie–loving, fantasy football–playing (go Ravens!), globe-trotting Army wife who began “practicing” her craft at the age of five, when she wrote her first story. She loves visiting the international friends she met while pursuing her MA in Publishing and spends a portion of every summer at her family’s cabin in Canada, where she finds inspiration and lots of time to relax on the dock. She lives with her husband, son, two lazy dogs and one ornery cat. When not writing or spending time with her family, she is on a mission to bake the perfect cupcake.
Shane @ Itching for Books
Good review. This one is new to me but I like the premise. Thanks for the giveaway too
Shane @ Itching for Books recently posted…Stacking the Shelves #70
Shelly S.
I’m intrigued by this book! The story sounds really interesting – another one for my wish list.
Courtney
I love stories about talented, strong women
Thanks for the giveaway!
Maria
Great giveaway!
joe hawkshaw
Book looks awesome will have to read.
Maria Malaveci
Sounds like an amazing read! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews
Julie, this sounds truly awesome! Just to have the main character be a woman AND a pilot made me interested, but the story seems to be a lot more than that, too.
Thanks for sharing.
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews recently posted…Blogtour and Giveaway: Etoile (Mannequin #1) – Olivia Besse
Lisa Kerr
I just found your blog and its awesome! I look forward to reading your book!!
Tracy
Thanks so much for being part of the tour! I’m so glad you enjoyed Shattered Veil. I particularly appreciated what you said about it NOT being a dystopian…I’m fine with it being lumped in that category but I personally never saw it that way. 😉 And it makes me so happy when readers appreciate Aris’s transformation! Yay!
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Julie
You are very welcome, Tracy! <3
Julie recently posted…$50 GIVEAWAY and REVIEW: Shattered Veil by Tracy E. Banghart
Ashley poteet
Great excerpt and giveaway
Giselle
Awesome review, hun! It does sound very unique for its genre and I find those that closely resemble ours or are very plausible make for the best reads (and most freaky!). It also seems to be deeper than most with the self realization which makes it sound very well rounded!
Giselle recently posted…Review: Half Bad by Sally Green
Maria Theresa Santos
Thanks for the giveaway
erinf1
this sounds fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing!
Victoria
usually I just like romance but this sounds like something I would really enjoy. thank you for the review and the giveaway
Deb P
Thanks for the giveaway, good luck with the book.
Seth Sinclair
thanks for the giveaway!! xoxo
Mary Preston
Great review. I think I would have passed this by otherwise.
Diana Doan
Thank you for the giveaway!
Jess d
Good review! Thanks for the promo.
Adrienne Samson
I like your review and love this site
Christine
Wow, I love the concept of this book–so different and intriguing! And the cover’s GORGEOUS.
bn100
Interesting book
Donna Reynolds
Looks great Thank you for the awesome giveaway.
Melinda Dartmann
Loving how she has been put into the spotlight as a lead female wingjet fighter!
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Rachelle
Thanks for the giveaway
Filia Oktarina
Interesting book, maybe i must try read this book.