Book Review: The Boy Who Had Nobody by Natalie Kelda

Drowning a traumatic past in hard liquor, Adrien has no friends except the ghosts of his memories. But then the captain he works for takes on a new foster son.

GENRE: Science Fantasy Short Story

PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Storytelling and inventing new worlds has been a part of Natalie’s life since before she could read or write. Nowadays she mostly writes in English but you’ll often discover hints of her native Danish or some of the other languages she has picked up along the way.

Natalie has been an active Viking reenactor, advanced martial artist and avid horse rider. She loves to take on new challenges - especially if the activities build experiences that can help with writing the next story or the one after.

Danish by birth, Natalie now lives in the green hills of Yorkshire, UK. She spends her evenings writing, drawing and creating while only mildly hindered by her adventure cat, Barry.

Review

This is a very short, really quick read with a straightforward but heartwarming plot. I haven't read River of the Galaxy yet, of which this is a prequel, though I can say the blurb isn't lying about the story being able to stand on its own. We're introduced to Adrien, who's part of some kind of space steampunk ship crew — and from the prequel short stories and novellas I've read (and having written a couple myself) I have a feeling he'll either be important in the later, full-length installments, or he's a fan favorite.

What I also really liked was the introduction of some elements of the Inner Universe world. I think the steampunk-esque feel is unique and something I'd love to read more about. I do have the rest of the books, so I'm definitely checking them out in due time!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

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River of the Galaxy (Inner Universe Book 1)

When Merlon's parents disappeared, his world fell apart. When his best friend died, he lost the ability to enjoy life.

For Captain Merlon Ricosta, Lanier's death, two years prior, feels like yesterday. But when a map from his parents is discovered, he decides to push aside his grief to get closure and follow the route they vanished along eighteen years ago.

Despite political trouble, Merlon leads his crew into the unknowns of strange galaxies in his quest to find out why his parents never returned.

In River in the Galaxy Merlon fights to keep his crew alive and suppress his prolonged grief and depression. But he must face his own struggles in order to protect the ship and the people aboard.

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Hi! I'm Marie, a Filipino SFFH author and book reviewer currently based in the UK. I’m the co-author of The Prophecies of Ragnarok, a Norse myth new adult urban fantasy trilogy, and I also have several short stories published in anthologies and literary journals.

You can find more info about me and my books, and also subscribe to my newsletter for more content, here. And if you like what I do, please also consider supporting me on Ko-fi! 🩷 https://ko-fi.com/mariesinadjan

If you fancy a short read, I have a cozy reimagining of the Norse myths about Hel, but it's just under 70 pages and can be read in one sitting. ✨ Plus there's a swag kit coming soon! Includes a "membership card," a bookmark, a sticker, an origami dog, and an exclusive 500-word story 🫶🏼

All things end, and all must die.

But death is not always the end.

When Geiravor Lokisdottir was stripped of her name and cast out of Asgard, torn from her family and the life she had known, she thought she’d lost it all. But in the shadows of Niflheim she discovers the path to her destiny, and what it truly means to be queen.

This is a prequel short story to THE PROPHECIES OF RAGNAROK trilogy by Meri Benson and Marie Sinadjan, and a retelling of the myths involving Hel, the Norse goddess of death and the queen of the underworld.