What do you think?
Rate this book
An Accidental Goddess
Raheiran Special Forces captain Gillaine Davré has just woken up in some unknown space way station, wondering where the last three hundred years have gone. The last thing she remembers is her ship being attacked. Now it seems that while she was time-traveling, she was ordained a goddess…. Gillaine’s only hope of survival rests with dangerously seductive Admiral Mack Makarian, who suspects her of being a smuggler—or worse. But he can’t begin to imagine the full extent of it. For Gillaine is now Lady Kiasidira, holy icon to countless believers, including Mack—a man who inspires feelings in her that are far from saintly…feelings she knows are mutual. But when their flirtation is interrupted by a treacherous enemy from the past, Gillaine’s secret—and secret desires—could destroy them both….
434 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
62 people are currently reading
2,222 people want to read
About the author
Linnea Sinclair
28 books690 followersWinner of the prestigious national book award, the RITA, science fiction romance author Linnea Sinclair has become a name synonymous for high-action, emotionally intense, character-driven novels. Reviewers note that Sinclair’s novels “have the wow-factor in spades,” earning her accolades from both the science fiction and romance communities. Sinclair’s current release is HOPE'S FOLLY and, scheduled for 2010 from Bantam Dell, REBELS AND LOVERS, book #4 in the Dock Five Universe. A former news reporter and retired private detective, Sinclair resides in Naples, Florida (winter) and Columbus, Ohio (summer) with her husband, Robert Bernadino, and their thoroughly spoiled cats. Readers can find her perched on the third barstool from the left in her Intergalactic Bar and Grille at www.linneasinclair.com .
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
Shelved as 'unfinished'
April 9, 2020I'm crashing out at just over halfway. I liked both protagonists. Mack falls a bit too fast so there's some instalove involved, but I was willing to roll with it. It irks me that Gillie is so determined to withhold the truth about who she is from him, but I got her hesitation. At first.
And then she tells an outright lie, to his face, when he figures out that something is up and makes some things up to cover. And I can no longer respect her and stopped caring about the whole story. She's already "out" to one of his lieutenants (who had an accurate pre-time-jump image). That she'd willfully put him on a lower info basis than his subordinate doesn't indicate "caring", let alone "falling for" someone. It's manipulation through information withholding, which is bad enough. But it's also a unilateral decision on behalf of them as a couple, denying him the right to accept or reject her for who she is. I don't like either one in my romances and having them both is always a turn-off. And one I can seldom get past. Like this one.
No rating on this one for . . . reasons. It's complicated. Which is why there's a link...
And then she tells an outright lie, to his face, when he figures out that something is up and makes some things up to cover. And I can no longer respect her and stopped caring about the whole story. She's already "out" to one of his lieutenants (who had an accurate pre-time-jump image). That she'd willfully put him on a lower info basis than his subordinate doesn't indicate "caring", let alone "falling for" someone. It's manipulation through information withholding, which is bad enough. But it's also a unilateral decision on behalf of them as a couple, denying him the right to accept or reject her for who she is. I don't like either one in my romances and having them both is always a turn-off. And one I can seldom get past. Like this one.
No rating on this one for . . . reasons. It's complicated. Which is why there's a link...
April 23, 2022
DNF @ 20%
Insta-lust/love and world building that is just a big info dump is making me call this quits.
Insta-lust/love and world building that is just a big info dump is making me call this quits.
March 21, 2017
What if you woke up over three centuries into the future and the battle in which you sacrificed yourself has become legend and turned you into a Goddess? Your people are much more advanced but not Gods or Goddesses and at the time, the people knew this. Now... you are seeing old pictures of yourself at temples and a whole dogma follows with sayings that you, and your AI set in motion. Luckily no one recognizes you because the picture is old and the hair cut wrong. You are not supposed to alter the less advanced society's belief system. So you leave it alone. But you can help them against advanced societies like your from coming and subjugating the less advanced. That is what you did over 300 years ago, and now... you might have to do it again. But how with out destroying the beliefs of a whole society? Well you tell a lot of lies, trying to keep as close to the truth as possible. This doesn't work so well when you become close to so many people on the space port, especially the Admiral. The Admiral being a devoted to his religion but not fanatical, might understand, but can he be told anything, some, all? Especially when telling him might change the way he looks at you as a normal person?
I really liked the scifi romance. There were really good reasons for Gillie to keep her identity hidden. This is plot point in a lot of romances but in this case it was quite different. It still had the drawing out of the truth at one point that went a little further than I would have liked but the resolution, I thought was quite good. I'll definitely go to the other books of hers that are stand alones.
Updates
Just started in it and am finding it quite fun.
November 19, 2009
In An Accidental Goddess, Gillaine wakes up to one heck of a concussion. She started out in one time period and woke up over three hundred years later. And apparently now the people who've found her worship her as some kind of goddess. Now granted, Gillaine is not an ordinary person. She is a Kiasidira, a person with telepathic and extraordinary healing abilities. All she wants to do is repair her ship and get the heck out of there before someone notices the resemblence. However, some enemies from the past seem to be showing up again in the future. Of course, the handsome Admiral Mack Makarian doesn't make it any easier to leave either. What's a struggling semi-deity to do?
Okay, granted I really liked this book. But this is the third book I've read by Linnea with a short-haired blond heroine and a slightly older ultra-serious hero/love-interest. I do believe this is the first hero/love interest without some kind of genetic-experiments/robot-parts though. Not that this is a huge issue for me or anything, but it is a little weird. If you like a little light sci-fi with some adventure and strong romance Linnea Sinclair is definitely your girl. All of her books I've read so far have been excellent, this one included.
Okay, granted I really liked this book. But this is the third book I've read by Linnea with a short-haired blond heroine and a slightly older ultra-serious hero/love-interest. I do believe this is the first hero/love interest without some kind of genetic-experiments/robot-parts though. Not that this is a huge issue for me or anything, but it is a little weird. If you like a little light sci-fi with some adventure and strong romance Linnea Sinclair is definitely your girl. All of her books I've read so far have been excellent, this one included.
April 20, 2019
2.3 stars - A mildly entertaining fantasy book that masquerades as sci-fi. There is far more magic in this book and the only sci-fi thing about all of this is the space station the story happens in and space ships. But even those tend to be of a magical variety. And even technology gets upgraded via "magic". It all seemed rather thin and flimsy in explanations, and the story itself might as well have happened on a medieval fantasy island.
In fact, this is apparently a sequel/spin-off to an out of print book that doesn't have an ebook version. Which explains the feeling that I'm constantly missing an important part of a puzzle in how their societies and cultures are structured. Despite this being sci-fi there are no other species, only the human variety inhabit this space yet there are no mentions of Earth at any point of the story. So I assume it's some kind of alternate universe thing, especially how magic is so prevalent and culturally ingrained. Still, too much is left for the reader to guess and many questions were never answered or clarified.
The romance also is too insta-lovey, it's the soul mates kind of variety which I dislike in my books. The chemistry and intimacy were lacking. Their relationship was also based on a lie for too long, instead of warm feels all I got was being uncomfortable.
The magic system also is weird and not explained, all kinds of terms get dropped and all kinds of magical things impact the main plot directly yet it's often not clear what the heck that is and why it's so important. Especially that magical cabinet thingy. Again, these things might be properly introduced in the first book that is out of print so I'll never know.
Despite all its shortcomings, the book was entertaining enough. I finished it but I can't recommend it to anyone else.
In fact, this is apparently a sequel/spin-off to an out of print book that doesn't have an ebook version. Which explains the feeling that I'm constantly missing an important part of a puzzle in how their societies and cultures are structured. Despite this being sci-fi there are no other species, only the human variety inhabit this space yet there are no mentions of Earth at any point of the story. So I assume it's some kind of alternate universe thing, especially how magic is so prevalent and culturally ingrained. Still, too much is left for the reader to guess and many questions were never answered or clarified.
The romance also is too insta-lovey, it's the soul mates kind of variety which I dislike in my books. The chemistry and intimacy were lacking. Their relationship was also based on a lie for too long, instead of warm feels all I got was being uncomfortable.
The magic system also is weird and not explained, all kinds of terms get dropped and all kinds of magical things impact the main plot directly yet it's often not clear what the heck that is and why it's so important. Especially that magical cabinet thingy. Again, these things might be properly introduced in the first book that is out of print so I'll never know.
Despite all its shortcomings, the book was entertaining enough. I finished it but I can't recommend it to anyone else.
December 6, 2015
3/5; 3 stars; B
I read this book quite a few years ago and remember thinking it was pretty good. I re-read it as an audiobook recently and downgraded my rating. I liked Amy Landon, the narrator, that wasn't the problem. It seems that I never really noticed the first time how annoying Gilly's tendency to lie and whine was. She was so obsessed with being 'normal' rather than being perceived as a goddess, that she behaved in a dishonest and somewhat spineless fashion. That put me right off.
Other than that, the book still had a fun sci-fi/fantasy/space opera feel. I liked the magic system and the sentient ship. Good fun.
I read this book quite a few years ago and remember thinking it was pretty good. I re-read it as an audiobook recently and downgraded my rating. I liked Amy Landon, the narrator, that wasn't the problem. It seems that I never really noticed the first time how annoying Gilly's tendency to lie and whine was. She was so obsessed with being 'normal' rather than being perceived as a goddess, that she behaved in a dishonest and somewhat spineless fashion. That put me right off.
Other than that, the book still had a fun sci-fi/fantasy/space opera feel. I liked the magic system and the sentient ship. Good fun.
February 24, 2010
Has anyone else noticed they use the Farscape font on the covers for her books?
This book is actually fantasy in an outer space setting. Which is fine, but it's the sort of thing worth knowing before you get into it.
I liked the heroine, liked the hero, couldn't see why they were falling in love except for the fact that the author wanted it that way. I just never got the feeling of passion from either one.
I liked that some of the people who are initially set up as bad guys turn out to be decent people who just have a different agenda than our hero and heroine. That's something I think Sinclair does well. People aren't evil just to be evil - in their eyes, they're doing the right thing.
There were a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming, which pleased me. One piece of the ending, however (and I'm not going to spoil it) seemed forced and out of the blue. It needed a lot more pointers in order to be effective.
I liked this much better than Gabriel's Ghost; I'm more likely to read her other books because I read this one.
This book is actually fantasy in an outer space setting. Which is fine, but it's the sort of thing worth knowing before you get into it.
I liked the heroine, liked the hero, couldn't see why they were falling in love except for the fact that the author wanted it that way. I just never got the feeling of passion from either one.
I liked that some of the people who are initially set up as bad guys turn out to be decent people who just have a different agenda than our hero and heroine. That's something I think Sinclair does well. People aren't evil just to be evil - in their eyes, they're doing the right thing.
There were a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming, which pleased me. One piece of the ending, however (and I'm not going to spoil it) seemed forced and out of the blue. It needed a lot more pointers in order to be effective.
I liked this much better than Gabriel's Ghost; I'm more likely to read her other books because I read this one.
March 15, 2016
Captain Gillaine Davre wakes up from a coma three hundred and forty two years in the future and discovers that she has been made into a goddess by the Khalaran people. Now she is on an unknown space station, without a clue as to how she got there. She decides to keep her true identity a secret as she figures out how to get her ship back in working order and on her way. Meanwhile, she has the attention of Rynan "Mack" Makarian, admiral in the Khalaran fleet. Mack has suspicions that the strange woman may be a smuggler and that all he is hearing is lies but he can't deny his attraction to her.
Loved it! Loved the characters and the story. I really don't know what to say about it. It's science fiction so it won't appeal to everyone but it's a romance and I think many romance lovers will like it in spite of the sci-fi genre.
Loved it! Loved the characters and the story. I really don't know what to say about it. It's science fiction so it won't appeal to everyone but it's a romance and I think many romance lovers will like it in spite of the sci-fi genre.
July 13, 2010
Sinclair writes "paranormal romance" - in other words you're more likely to find her on the romance aisle than in the science fiction section. Unfortunately, this book reads that way. The heroine's eyes are described as--honest to God--"green, yet lavender" and her hair "like moonlight and starlight." The novel reads like a mash up of Star Trek and Harlequin Romance. I gave it 98 pages till the end of Chapter Seven before pulling out. There's just a lot better books out there to read.
September 9, 2020
I have good memories of my first read of this SciFi Romantic Comedy, but it did not hold up on re-listen. I’m taking off one star for that.
September 5, 2019
Review after re-reading 2015:
In this book we meet Captain Gillaine Davré – a military adviser for the Khalaran Confederation who has a liking for pub-crawling. We also meet the Kiasidira; a great sorceress from a legendary people called the Raheirans. As it happens, these two are one and the same, though not necessarily friends. Gillaine wants to be “just Gillie”, but possesses powers that she never asked for. Powers that make her feel isolated even among her own people.
When an accident flings her, and her sentient crystalship Simon, three hundred years into the future she sees a chance to have people look at her and just see her. Not a captain, not a sorceress, just a person. She sees a chance to develop normal relationships with people, most especially with one Admiral Mack Rynan. But things are not quite so easy, because three hundred years ago she saved the Khalaran people, and in the centuries since they have made her into a deity, the titular accidental Goddess. When an old enemy re-emerges Gillie has to decide if she’s willing to destroy in order to save; destroy an integral part of her adoptive people’s culture in order to face their adversary as her true, sorceress self.
An Accidental Goddess is a science fiction romance, with some elements that are arguably fantasy, and it’s a balanced blend of all those things. It’s a good science fiction story, atmospherically reminding me of Babylon 5, with culture clashes and space battles in and around the space station Cirrus One. It’s also a good romance novel, where Gillie and Mack are believable characters, their relationship moves forward with realistic bumps along the way. There are sex scenes in here, but they are well integrated, tasteful and not the main focus of the story (a mistake made by many authors who try to write science fiction romance, but end up writing science fiction erotica instead).
It’s debatable if a religion such the Khalarans belief in their Lady Kiasidira would have developed in span of just three hundred years, but I know too little of actual religion history to speak with any authority.
I love this book. It’s not perfect, but it ticked off so many of my favourite feel-good elements that I can do nothing but adore it. If you are a romance reader, I say give it a try. If you are a science fiction reader, I’d also say give this a try. It’s fun and easy, but also thought-provoking and action filled.
Original review 2014:
When I started reading this I expected it to be a good romance, and it was, but this was also a surprisingly good science fiction novel. I got some Babylon 5-vibes from the atmosphere and setting (and I love me some B5!), and I also really liked the theme about how people's perception and memory of your actions will change with time after your death (or disappearance and subsequent time-travelling, as the case might be). For our main character, Gillaine Davré, that has resulted in an unexpected Goddesshood. I'm not entirely convinced a religion, such as it is in the book, would have developed in a timespan of merely three hundred years, but it is an interesting idea nonetheless. Furthermore, I would have liked it if the author explored the cultural ramifications of Gillaine's reappearance more than she did, but I still feel the futuristic elements are sufficiently thought-provoking to appeal not only to romance genre fans, but also to a majority of science fiction fans. There were some sex scenes in the book, as is to be expected of a romance, but they were well integrated in the story and none were overly graphic or alienating to non-romance readers. Overall this is a very enjoyable book with likeable characters, exciting action scenes and some sweet moments in-between.
In this book we meet Captain Gillaine Davré – a military adviser for the Khalaran Confederation who has a liking for pub-crawling. We also meet the Kiasidira; a great sorceress from a legendary people called the Raheirans. As it happens, these two are one and the same, though not necessarily friends. Gillaine wants to be “just Gillie”, but possesses powers that she never asked for. Powers that make her feel isolated even among her own people.
When an accident flings her, and her sentient crystalship Simon, three hundred years into the future she sees a chance to have people look at her and just see her. Not a captain, not a sorceress, just a person. She sees a chance to develop normal relationships with people, most especially with one Admiral Mack Rynan. But things are not quite so easy, because three hundred years ago she saved the Khalaran people, and in the centuries since they have made her into a deity, the titular accidental Goddess. When an old enemy re-emerges Gillie has to decide if she’s willing to destroy in order to save; destroy an integral part of her adoptive people’s culture in order to face their adversary as her true, sorceress self.
An Accidental Goddess is a science fiction romance, with some elements that are arguably fantasy, and it’s a balanced blend of all those things. It’s a good science fiction story, atmospherically reminding me of Babylon 5, with culture clashes and space battles in and around the space station Cirrus One. It’s also a good romance novel, where Gillie and Mack are believable characters, their relationship moves forward with realistic bumps along the way. There are sex scenes in here, but they are well integrated, tasteful and not the main focus of the story (a mistake made by many authors who try to write science fiction romance, but end up writing science fiction erotica instead).
It’s debatable if a religion such the Khalarans belief in their Lady Kiasidira would have developed in span of just three hundred years, but I know too little of actual religion history to speak with any authority.
I love this book. It’s not perfect, but it ticked off so many of my favourite feel-good elements that I can do nothing but adore it. If you are a romance reader, I say give it a try. If you are a science fiction reader, I’d also say give this a try. It’s fun and easy, but also thought-provoking and action filled.
Original review 2014:
When I started reading this I expected it to be a good romance, and it was, but this was also a surprisingly good science fiction novel. I got some Babylon 5-vibes from the atmosphere and setting (and I love me some B5!), and I also really liked the theme about how people's perception and memory of your actions will change with time after your death (or disappearance and subsequent time-travelling, as the case might be). For our main character, Gillaine Davré, that has resulted in an unexpected Goddesshood. I'm not entirely convinced a religion, such as it is in the book, would have developed in a timespan of merely three hundred years, but it is an interesting idea nonetheless. Furthermore, I would have liked it if the author explored the cultural ramifications of Gillaine's reappearance more than she did, but I still feel the futuristic elements are sufficiently thought-provoking to appeal not only to romance genre fans, but also to a majority of science fiction fans. There were some sex scenes in the book, as is to be expected of a romance, but they were well integrated in the story and none were overly graphic or alienating to non-romance readers. Overall this is a very enjoyable book with likeable characters, exciting action scenes and some sweet moments in-between.
January 15, 2011
A fun, light fantasy/sci-fi adventure with a really cute premise. Stylistically, it's basically urban fantasy in space. As in high fantasy novels, because it isn't really our world, no explanations are needed for the magical abilities, just a basic consistency, which is sufficiently provided. The magical elements do not detract from the true sci-fi feeling. The normal mode of operation in the station and galaxy is scientific. This magical crisis is the exception to the rule, so sci-fi readers should feel comfortable with the settings and military operations. It's well-balanced.
The author does use many elements that also appear in other of her books: an admiral in his early 40's, a run-down civilian facility to be fixed, a secret telepath with mysterious powers, and more. But she writes terrific characters. Her women, Gillie included, are smart, strong, brave and fun, the kind of gals we all want to be friends with. Her men, Mack included, are also smart, brave and charming. The banter between them is funny and sweet. The are not perfect, they are human (or close enough), and fall in love, make mistakes, fight for what's right.
Sure, after reading 5.25 of her books it seems to me that her characters seem to all resemble each other and as stated, many elements repeat from book to book. My perception of this is admittedly strongly influence by just having read Games of Command, which felt to me like a hodge-lodge trial manuscript for all of the ideas bouncing around in the author's head crowded into 525 pages when it should have been edited down or expanded into series. Almost all of those elements I've now seen in later, much more polished novels.
Some authors have formulas, but it's ok when those formulas work. The trick is in writing a story that keeps the reader entertained. And this book worked for me. In my opinion, it wasn't as good as Hope's Folly, mostly because of the fantasy elements. They're fun, but Hope's Folly's focus in the people and the ship was more realistic and appealed to me more. Nevertheless, it was great fun with an original and fun premise that gave the book a fresh direction. Fans of urban fantasy and sci-fi romance will enjoy this book.
The author does use many elements that also appear in other of her books: an admiral in his early 40's, a run-down civilian facility to be fixed, a secret telepath with mysterious powers, and more. But she writes terrific characters. Her women, Gillie included, are smart, strong, brave and fun, the kind of gals we all want to be friends with. Her men, Mack included, are also smart, brave and charming. The banter between them is funny and sweet. The are not perfect, they are human (or close enough), and fall in love, make mistakes, fight for what's right.
Sure, after reading 5.25 of her books it seems to me that her characters seem to all resemble each other and as stated, many elements repeat from book to book. My perception of this is admittedly strongly influence by just having read Games of Command, which felt to me like a hodge-lodge trial manuscript for all of the ideas bouncing around in the author's head crowded into 525 pages when it should have been edited down or expanded into series. Almost all of those elements I've now seen in later, much more polished novels.
Some authors have formulas, but it's ok when those formulas work. The trick is in writing a story that keeps the reader entertained. And this book worked for me. In my opinion, it wasn't as good as Hope's Folly, mostly because of the fantasy elements. They're fun, but Hope's Folly's focus in the people and the ship was more realistic and appealed to me more. Nevertheless, it was great fun with an original and fun premise that gave the book a fresh direction. Fans of urban fantasy and sci-fi romance will enjoy this book.
August 12, 2022
4 stars
Mack was definitely my favourite character in An Accidental Goddess. He was so thoughtful, forgiving and treated Gillaine with respect. Their romance was very cute, but I hated how long it took Gillaine to open up about her true identity. It felt like she was unnecessarily deceiving Mack and it only served to create more tension and conflict later on in the plot, all which could have been avoided. Not a huge fan of this 'hidden identity' trope, especially when the hero had proved himself trustworthy so many times over.
I also felt like this book was a lot more info-dumpy than Finders Keepers, which made the start really confusing and hard to sieve through. The plot was also really strong right up until the end, and then just kind of fizzled out with a half conclusion/resolution? Considering it's a stand-alone novel, I didn't really understand why so many things were just left unanswered. Linnea could definitely have cut words from somewhere else to give us some solid conclusions.
In saying all of that, I really did enjoy the book and loved that it wasn't just chock-a-block filled with smut (rare among this genre).
Mack was definitely my favourite character in An Accidental Goddess. He was so thoughtful, forgiving and treated Gillaine with respect. Their romance was very cute, but I hated how long it took Gillaine to open up about her true identity. It felt like she was unnecessarily deceiving Mack and it only served to create more tension and conflict later on in the plot, all which could have been avoided. Not a huge fan of this 'hidden identity' trope, especially when the hero had proved himself trustworthy so many times over.
I also felt like this book was a lot more info-dumpy than Finders Keepers, which made the start really confusing and hard to sieve through. The plot was also really strong right up until the end, and then just kind of fizzled out with a half conclusion/resolution? Considering it's a stand-alone novel, I didn't really understand why so many things were just left unanswered. Linnea could definitely have cut words from somewhere else to give us some solid conclusions.
In saying all of that, I really did enjoy the book and loved that it wasn't just chock-a-block filled with smut (rare among this genre).
April 9, 2018
Sometimes the best books start off 'difficult'. For me, this was one. The author paints a vastly different world with lavish details and polished idioms, graphic portrayals of unknown cultures, governments, and people. At first it was a little hard to follow. And I admit, visualizing teenage boys wearing plaid split skirts took time, time enough that I lost the next couple of sentences after those descriptions. That visual is completely foreign to me. Regardless of my brain's less than stellar capacity to grasp the author's concepts, I thoroughly 'lost' myself in her worlds, and I hated having to leave at the end. But it was the plot/character of the story that intrigued. The title says it all. The idea of a normal (well, sort of normal) person mistaken for a God is a new one for me. Another thing I liked was the progression of the story, how the author dangled key pieces of enticement, and the layering of foundations. I found this book well crafted, extremely involving, unique, and highly entertaining. Looking forward to reading more by this author.
August 9, 2010
Somehow I never got around to this Linnea Sinclair novel until recently...and I loved it! What a refreshing change after reading several disappointing novels in a row. The heroine is smart, savvy and often funny and the hero was admirable. Their situation at times seemed hopeless--all the better to build great romantic conflict. (Oh, and Simon was pretty hot, too.)
I'd rank this as one of my top three favorites by the author.
I'd rank this as one of my top three favorites by the author.
December 31, 2014
** After multiple re-reads, I'm tempted to bump this up to 5 stars simply because I enjoy it enough to re-read it a couple of times a year **
Really enjoyable sci-fi thriller.
Not erotica. HEA. 100% set in space.
I'm definitely going to hunt down more from this author.
Really enjoyable sci-fi thriller.
Not erotica. HEA. 100% set in space.
I'm definitely going to hunt down more from this author.
December 31, 2015
An Accidental Goddess is the far-future sequel to (the out of print) Wintertide. The plot is that Gillaine Davré wakes up after a battle to find herself 342 years in the future. But worse, it seems that the people living on this space station have (unwelcome to her) made her into a goddess, turning a list of her quips and sayings into guiding principles. Among her faulty followers is Admiral Makarian, a man who is tasked with keeping an outer-rim station safe... while contending with minimal resources, spies working against him, mysterious attacks, and a beautiful, increasingly-distracting surmised smuggler.
This is the first book I've read as part of a romance book group. I was pleasantly surprised by how robust the action and sci-fi elements were; this is definitely a book that intends to merge the two genres, as opposed to borrowing a convention or two for flavor. That being said, it would have been nice if there were one or two more intimate scenes between Gillaine and Mack (though this could be because I approached it from the romance frame of mind).
Sinclair's world is generally well thought out and rings true, though no one would call it original. Coming into this story having read none of her other works or the prequel, it took me some time to orient myself to the situation. While I am extremely grateful that I wasn't coddled as a reader (does anyone else hate those snippets that are obviously stuck in just to catch readers up?), there were a couple of tidbits it probably took too long for me to piece together. Namely, why was Gillaine so worried about hiding her identity? Obviously she didn't want to be outed as a false goddess, but she also goes to great pains to mask her race. (It turns out it is because Raheirans are a more advanced race than the Khalars she is surrounded by, and their races haven't been in contact with each other for 342 years.)
The main issues stem either from lack or clarity or not enough development.
THE REST OF THE REVIEW CAN BE FOUND HERE: https://biblioboundblog.wordpress.com...
This is the first book I've read as part of a romance book group. I was pleasantly surprised by how robust the action and sci-fi elements were; this is definitely a book that intends to merge the two genres, as opposed to borrowing a convention or two for flavor. That being said, it would have been nice if there were one or two more intimate scenes between Gillaine and Mack (though this could be because I approached it from the romance frame of mind).
Sinclair's world is generally well thought out and rings true, though no one would call it original. Coming into this story having read none of her other works or the prequel, it took me some time to orient myself to the situation. While I am extremely grateful that I wasn't coddled as a reader (does anyone else hate those snippets that are obviously stuck in just to catch readers up?), there were a couple of tidbits it probably took too long for me to piece together. Namely, why was Gillaine so worried about hiding her identity? Obviously she didn't want to be outed as a false goddess, but she also goes to great pains to mask her race. (It turns out it is because Raheirans are a more advanced race than the Khalars she is surrounded by, and their races haven't been in contact with each other for 342 years.)
The main issues stem either from lack or clarity or not enough development.
THE REST OF THE REVIEW CAN BE FOUND HERE: https://biblioboundblog.wordpress.com...
October 10, 2018
4.5 stars I liked this the first time I read it, but I've enjoyed it so much more upon rereading. My only complaint and the reason it's not a five star read is that I think Gillaine hides her identity too long. I wanted to get to that drama much sooner than we did. Otherwise, this is a great story and I highly recommend it.
September 19, 2012
So far, this is my favourite book by Sinclair. I find her single titles more enjoyable than her series, largely because she spends too much time filling in backstory from previous books, and I get lost. This one, though, has none of that problem.
June 25, 2020
A gem I could happily re-read.
October 13, 2013
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/10/08/...
With Has’s Sci-Fi Romance feature last month, I realized that it’s been awhile since I’ve read my all time favorite sci-fi romance. I adore almost everything Sinclair has written, but for some reason this book just resonated with me.
Gillie wakes up in a hospital room, no idea how she got there or where she even was for that matter. When she realizes that she is 300 years in the future, and has been made into a goddess, Gillie is more than freaked and a little unsure about how to proceed. Although Gillie wants nothing more than to keep a low profile, an imminent attack by her world’s enemy forces Gillie to show her hand, and possibly ruin a religion that is hundreds of years in the making.
Mack has prayed to the Lady his whole life. When he meets Gillie, he is convinced she is a smuggler and keeps an eye on her. But that extra eye he is keeping on her turns into so much more, and the attraction between them can’t be denied. But when the truth about Gillie is revealed, Mack is torn between his love for the woman, and his devotion to his goddess.
I can’t even begin to tell you how much love I have for this book. I think it’s because of the internal conflict that Gillie has to go through with the realization that she has been made into a goddess. The struggle she has with just being normal, or “just Gillie” as she calls herself. She has always been somewhat revered by the Khalaran people, and finding out that they made her into a goddess was just too much for her to deal with. That internal struggle she had with herself, if she should come clean and ruin their entire religion was such a strong and potent theme throughout the book, I just loved it.
Sinclair is probably the best when it comes to science fiction romance, in my opinion. I love the fact that her Sci-Fi aspects are so strong. Everything is so well thought out, so developed, and explained so well that I always find myself in awe. I love the other worlds that she creates, how she mixes in the perfect blend of romance and science fiction aspects. I’m not a huge fan of really hard-core sci-fi, with long explanations of the science, and I think Sinclair has the right mix of actual science and fantasy.
The romance in this book was a little slow to develop, and was never really on stable ground. Gillie is constantly worried about revealing herself to Mack, and always has to be on guard. With the help of her AI ship, Gillie has to remain vigilant that she doesn’t spoil hundreds of years worth of religion. Once it becomes obvious that Mack and Gillie can no longer control the connection between them, there are a few good days where they are both genuinely happy. Until Gillie has to reveal her secret and Mack is stuck wondering how to balance the woman he fell in love with, and the goddess he has always followed.
I think that aspect of their romance engaged me the most. Knowing the struggle that Mack had to undertake to work out the differences between Gillie the woman, and Gillie the legend. Knowing that she is his “goddess” doesn’t make it easy for Mack to see her as a woman, and watching that struggle makes their romance all the sweeter.
All in all this is my all time favorite sci-fi romance book, even after a few re-reads. I love the romance between Mack and Gillie. The internal struggles that Gillie has to go through in regard to revealing her true self, and the conflict Mack has in reconciling the truth about Gillie’s past makes this book that much more special. Add in the threat of invasion and doom, and this is the best science fiction romance book I’ve read to date.
I give An Accidental Goddess an A+
With Has’s Sci-Fi Romance feature last month, I realized that it’s been awhile since I’ve read my all time favorite sci-fi romance. I adore almost everything Sinclair has written, but for some reason this book just resonated with me.
Gillie wakes up in a hospital room, no idea how she got there or where she even was for that matter. When she realizes that she is 300 years in the future, and has been made into a goddess, Gillie is more than freaked and a little unsure about how to proceed. Although Gillie wants nothing more than to keep a low profile, an imminent attack by her world’s enemy forces Gillie to show her hand, and possibly ruin a religion that is hundreds of years in the making.
Mack has prayed to the Lady his whole life. When he meets Gillie, he is convinced she is a smuggler and keeps an eye on her. But that extra eye he is keeping on her turns into so much more, and the attraction between them can’t be denied. But when the truth about Gillie is revealed, Mack is torn between his love for the woman, and his devotion to his goddess.
I can’t even begin to tell you how much love I have for this book. I think it’s because of the internal conflict that Gillie has to go through with the realization that she has been made into a goddess. The struggle she has with just being normal, or “just Gillie” as she calls herself. She has always been somewhat revered by the Khalaran people, and finding out that they made her into a goddess was just too much for her to deal with. That internal struggle she had with herself, if she should come clean and ruin their entire religion was such a strong and potent theme throughout the book, I just loved it.
Sinclair is probably the best when it comes to science fiction romance, in my opinion. I love the fact that her Sci-Fi aspects are so strong. Everything is so well thought out, so developed, and explained so well that I always find myself in awe. I love the other worlds that she creates, how she mixes in the perfect blend of romance and science fiction aspects. I’m not a huge fan of really hard-core sci-fi, with long explanations of the science, and I think Sinclair has the right mix of actual science and fantasy.
The romance in this book was a little slow to develop, and was never really on stable ground. Gillie is constantly worried about revealing herself to Mack, and always has to be on guard. With the help of her AI ship, Gillie has to remain vigilant that she doesn’t spoil hundreds of years worth of religion. Once it becomes obvious that Mack and Gillie can no longer control the connection between them, there are a few good days where they are both genuinely happy. Until Gillie has to reveal her secret and Mack is stuck wondering how to balance the woman he fell in love with, and the goddess he has always followed.
I think that aspect of their romance engaged me the most. Knowing the struggle that Mack had to undertake to work out the differences between Gillie the woman, and Gillie the legend. Knowing that she is his “goddess” doesn’t make it easy for Mack to see her as a woman, and watching that struggle makes their romance all the sweeter.
All in all this is my all time favorite sci-fi romance book, even after a few re-reads. I love the romance between Mack and Gillie. The internal struggles that Gillie has to go through in regard to revealing her true self, and the conflict Mack has in reconciling the truth about Gillie’s past makes this book that much more special. Add in the threat of invasion and doom, and this is the best science fiction romance book I’ve read to date.
I give An Accidental Goddess an A+
February 11, 2013
My first Sinclair and it will not be my last. I found it quite charming.
3.5 stars subdivided as follows:
+ 1 star because I have a soft spot for Sci-Fi. But beware - this is a book you should only read if you have a soft spot for (sometimes sappy) romance too. Otherwise you'll just end up frustrated. Block out the romance and it isn't complex enough for the genre.
+ 1.5 stars for the unusual premise.
+ 0.5 stars for the light language. Thankfully Sinclair never tried to be too funny. Furthermore she is of the show not tell variety and that makes for a world-building that is very well integrated in the story.
+ 1 star for the 43 year old hero I found to be very swoonworthy. I'm officially old now. He's honourable, has a dry wit and values the heroine's opinions. He even has episodes of selfdoubt about his body/age ( NOT warranted - he's practically a rugged lean jungle cat) and his bedroom performance (also not warranted).
+ 1 star for the heroine who is kickass and vulnerable.
- 1 star because as much as the two protagonists were utterly pleasing people to read about they were just too perfect. Someone mentioned their Mary Sue-esque qualities and that sounds about right.
- 0.5 stars for I know it is done to keep her on the station but it is rushed and preposterous nonetheless. Thankfully the rest of their relationship is believable, at the end this was just a minor misdemeanour.
3.5 stars subdivided as follows:
+ 1 star because I have a soft spot for Sci-Fi. But beware - this is a book you should only read if you have a soft spot for (sometimes sappy) romance too. Otherwise you'll just end up frustrated. Block out the romance and it isn't complex enough for the genre.
+ 1.5 stars for the unusual premise.
+ 0.5 stars for the light language. Thankfully Sinclair never tried to be too funny. Furthermore she is of the show not tell variety and that makes for a world-building that is very well integrated in the story.
+ 1 star for the 43 year old hero I found to be very swoonworthy. I'm officially old now. He's honourable, has a dry wit and values the heroine's opinions. He even has episodes of selfdoubt about his body/age ( NOT warranted - he's practically a rugged lean jungle cat) and his bedroom performance (also not warranted).
+ 1 star for the heroine who is kickass and vulnerable.
- 1 star because as much as the two protagonists were utterly pleasing people to read about they were just too perfect. Someone mentioned their Mary Sue-esque qualities and that sounds about right.
- 0.5 stars for I know it is done to keep her on the station but it is rushed and preposterous nonetheless. Thankfully the rest of their relationship is believable, at the end this was just a minor misdemeanour.
November 13, 2016
Don’t be fooled by the Sci-Fi setting. This is a pure romance novel and not a very memorable one. It comes with an incredible Instant-Love, in which the love interest actually asks our heroine to marry her after they've known each other for - one - week. The heroine is quite literally the most amazing female in the universe. She is astonishingly powerful, but absolutely humble and self-sacrificing. She is not an annoying character per se, but she is just too special.
The world-building is superficial and feels like an afterthought, because the romance needed some kind of setting. There’s the normal humans, who can’t do much on their own. Next, there’s the evil race, i.e. a whole magical race that is simply evil in their DNA and wants to rule the world. Then there’s the god race, also magicians basically, but the good ones. They don’t look down on humans, just because they’re immensely more powerful. Our heroine, even among these benevolent sorcerers, is an especially powerful one. She keeps saying that she's not a goddess, but seriously, many of the gods that mankind has known are probably not nearly as powerful as she is. And her mission is to protect defenseless humans from the evil magicians.
So, yes, this is barely science-fiction, but reads more like “magicians in space”. There’s constant talking about spells and magic and all the advanced technology is mostly based on magic rune and crystal stones. It left the impression that the author wanted to write fantasy, but the publisher requested science-fiction or something.
The world-building is superficial and feels like an afterthought, because the romance needed some kind of setting. There’s the normal humans, who can’t do much on their own. Next, there’s the evil race, i.e. a whole magical race that is simply evil in their DNA and wants to rule the world. Then there’s the god race, also magicians basically, but the good ones. They don’t look down on humans, just because they’re immensely more powerful. Our heroine, even among these benevolent sorcerers, is an especially powerful one. She keeps saying that she's not a goddess, but seriously, many of the gods that mankind has known are probably not nearly as powerful as she is. And her mission is to protect defenseless humans from the evil magicians.
So, yes, this is barely science-fiction, but reads more like “magicians in space”. There’s constant talking about spells and magic and all the advanced technology is mostly based on magic rune and crystal stones. It left the impression that the author wanted to write fantasy, but the publisher requested science-fiction or something.
August 9, 2015
Basically all you really need to know about this book is that the main character time travels to the future and finds out that in the time she's been gone, the people she had been helping turned her into SPACE JESUS.
The rest of the book is pretty much exactly what the cover promises. I will say there's some pretty dramatic purple prose in the middle though.
The rest of the book is pretty much exactly what the cover promises. I will say there's some pretty dramatic purple prose in the middle though.
October 13, 2016
Great story but the hiding identity thing became a bigger cluster truck than it needed to be. Then everyone decided to catch feelings while the fate of the universe was at stake. Ending was a let down and felt rushed.
January 17, 2015
Closer to 3.5 stars but the author could have shaved off about 50 pages to keep my interest.
May 19, 2018
Science fantasy romance.
Gillie wakes up three hundred years in the future to find that she has somehow become a goddess. This is her story.
I loved Gillie - even though she's extremely powerful and able to mind read, she's still stuck where she is until her ship gets better. (I wonder if Simon ever gets his starboard side back?) I appreciated her penchant for drinking, and underplaying her capabilities. The romance is cute and sweet. I liked how straightlaced Mack is.
It's a fun, light book. 3/5 stars
Gillie wakes up three hundred years in the future to find that she has somehow become a goddess. This is her story.
I loved Gillie - even though she's extremely powerful and able to mind read, she's still stuck where she is until her ship gets better. (I wonder if Simon ever gets his starboard side back?) I appreciated her penchant for drinking, and underplaying her capabilities. The romance is cute and sweet. I liked how straightlaced Mack is.
It's a fun, light book. 3/5 stars
November 20, 2020
Cute and fun scifi romance. I agree with other reviews that the MC can be a bone head about keeping things from her love interest (and the commander of the station)! No matter the reason, that just irritates me when a plot device is used that is so simple for the charecters to overcome. The reader is left to stue in the MC's ridiculous, self-made disasters. Overall this has been a fun adventure. Good reading my friends ♡
December 10, 2023
2nd reading: It didn't quite hold up compared to when I first read it 6 years ago. My tolerance for romance has decreased and the science fiction parts were barely window dressing to the romance. It didn't help that it used romance tropes that have gone out of fashion in terms of telling a compelling romance- miscommunication, secrets and lies.
June 2, 2016
As with Games of Command, I think that Goddess' new cover (the purple) has a very nifty looking space station pictured on it, but the original cover conveys more of what Gillie is like. Plus its what caught my eye and dove me into Sinclair's books. For some reason I thought it was Jem (as in Jem and the Holograms, that 80's rock cartoon) and bought it for that reason. A happy happenstance! And yes for some reason I've been convinced its 'The Accidental Goddess' not 'An Accidental Goddess'. I also think the new covers have less scifi to them and more romance (though they are now carried in the romance section, not scifi like when I got Accidental Goddess years ago).
The Accidental Goddess is fun. Pure and simple. Gillie is a sassy, clever and tough while Mack is the sort of guy girls fall over themselves for. Caring, hard working, witty, and passionate. Who doesn't want that? Their romance alternately made me laugh and sigh in exasperation as Gillie tried to work around what she couldn't tell him and he tried to work what she did tell him into a semblance of order. Simon was a welcome addition to the plight--definitely like an older brother who couldn't resist ribbing his little sister at every possible chance. I could easily see him regaling Mack with tales from Gillie's childhood that would embarrass her to no end.
For me I found it simply fascinating how the Khalaran evolved the myth of Gillie to such epic proportions. Obviously its not dissimilar to what must have happened back in the days of Ancient cultures for us. Gillie's response was perfectly understandable and what she said to Mack was true--what if in hundreds of years people are worshiping him for just doing his duty? How would he feel when faced with that?
I'd argue for a sequel/companion novel just to read about how this newest chapter in the Lady Kiasidira's legecy is effected. Gillie and Mack tried to do damage control, but there's no guarantee that it won't be taken the exact opposite way. Luckily it didn't seem as if there were any prophecies indicating that the Lady Kiasidira would return to the Khalaran people during their darkest hour. I'm not sure any amount of damage control could have helped her then!
I would have liked to see, or at least a mention of, the Raheiran's reaction to Gillie's deification and her resurrection. The end seemed to suggest they still had business with the Khalaran's even after her death, so I wonder at the fact they didn't halt the worship of her. That was their Prime Directive more or less--nurture not interfere, help don't command, wouldn't Gillie being revered as a Goddess go against those precepts?
The Accidental Goddess is fun. Pure and simple. Gillie is a sassy, clever and tough while Mack is the sort of guy girls fall over themselves for. Caring, hard working, witty, and passionate. Who doesn't want that? Their romance alternately made me laugh and sigh in exasperation as Gillie tried to work around what she couldn't tell him and he tried to work what she did tell him into a semblance of order. Simon was a welcome addition to the plight--definitely like an older brother who couldn't resist ribbing his little sister at every possible chance. I could easily see him regaling Mack with tales from Gillie's childhood that would embarrass her to no end.
For me I found it simply fascinating how the Khalaran evolved the myth of Gillie to such epic proportions. Obviously its not dissimilar to what must have happened back in the days of Ancient cultures for us. Gillie's response was perfectly understandable and what she said to Mack was true--what if in hundreds of years people are worshiping him for just doing his duty? How would he feel when faced with that?
I'd argue for a sequel/companion novel just to read about how this newest chapter in the Lady Kiasidira's legecy is effected. Gillie and Mack tried to do damage control, but there's no guarantee that it won't be taken the exact opposite way. Luckily it didn't seem as if there were any prophecies indicating that the Lady Kiasidira would return to the Khalaran people during their darkest hour. I'm not sure any amount of damage control could have helped her then!
I would have liked to see, or at least a mention of, the Raheiran's reaction to Gillie's deification and her resurrection. The end seemed to suggest they still had business with the Khalaran's even after her death, so I wonder at the fact they didn't halt the worship of her. That was their Prime Directive more or less--nurture not interfere, help don't command, wouldn't Gillie being revered as a Goddess go against those precepts?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews