Redshirts by John Scalzi – Review

Tags

4 stars, Adventure, Book Review, John Scalzi, satire, scifi, scifi adventure, scifi TV, series, space opera, Star Trek, Tabitha Lord

About Redshirts by John Scalzi

Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It’s a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship’s Xenobiology laboratory.
Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that:

(1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces
(2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations
(3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.

Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

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Review of Redshirts

I’m just going to start out by saying that if you are not a Star Trek TOS fan, you are probably not going to get Redshirts. Well, maybe you will, but only if you read the entire book! If you a fan of the original series, you will immediately grasp the way of things.

TOS fans will latch onto the plotplot very soon into the book. I just made that compound word up: plotplot. It needed to be coined. Kind of like a plot within a plot, but more like a plot that is made up of a plot. Hmmph. Yeah, that did not make sense to me as I typed it, but it does make sense to me in terms of the story of Redshirts. All I can say is, read it. And feel free to use my new word.

Redshirts have a rep. I know it. You know it. Unless you are a chief, if you wear a red shirt, your life is on the line every time you step onto that transporter pad. Ensign Dahl is a redshirt. Or as they are called in the book – ensign.

Dahl quickly learns that other crew members are somewhat aware of their very precarious place on the Intrepid and have devised a system to make life just a little bit safer. This inspires the intrepid ensign to take his scientific curiosity and apply it to his life on (and off) the Intrepid.

As a nearly life-long fan of Star Trek, I loved the references to the characters, ships, missions and monsters of TOS. Finding and anticipating the parallels became a game, to see if I was right about who was who and what was what.

The ending postludes were amusing, but I actually think I could have done without them. Rather than add to the story, they actually told different stories – which were marginally interesting.

Star Trek TOS is both revered and ridiculed by fans all over. Redshirts is like a TOS fan, reverent of the show, but also poking much fun at the series. Mostly, poking fun. Can fans who only love and adore TOS appreciate this book? Doubtful. If you read Redshirts, bring your ability to laugh at this sacred icon of science fiction television.

My review copy came from the local public library.  I had to give it back after two weeks.  This review is my honest opinion.

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Equinox (Horizon, #3) by Tabitha Lord – Review

Tags

5 stars, Adventure, Book Review, genetic engineering, romance, scifi, series, space opera, Tabitha Lord

About Equinox by Tabitha Lord

After a brutal civil war, Almagest is finally at peace, but the larger battle isn’t over. Dr. Caeli Crys has been captured by the Drokarans, feared enemy of the Interplanetary Alliance, who plan to use her unique telepathic gifts for their own sinister purposes.

Captain Derek Markham and his elite team of operatives race after Caeli, but soon find themselves trapped behind enemy lines on an occupied world. Despite the mounting danger, Derek will stop at nothing to save the woman he loves.

As events spiral toward a conflict that will define the fate of the Alliance, the Horizon team will be pushed to the limits of their strength—and discover that the greatest threat of all may come from an enemy within.

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Review of Equinox

Caeli and Derek still have so much to go through before they can relax and enjoy their life together. They find this out at the beginning of Equinox when Caeli is kidnapped by the Drokarans. When Derek and his team attempt to rescue Caeli, they learn some disturbing information. Their view of their own past is now completely upended. I like how this revelation sets off the rest of the story. There will be several more missions, lots of action, and lots of danger for the characters I have connected with in the first two books of the Horizon series.

When reading the final book of a series, I am always a little nervous. Will all the characters get a HEA? Will it even really end? Will the author wrap things up in a way that will have me saying – “That was good!”

The main thing I was looking for in the finale is the final part of the history of Almagest, which was revealed in pieces through old data files in the first 2 books. At the end of book 2, I was left to do some speculation and I can report I was pretty close on the origin of the Novali (the empaths) and the Drakorans (the physically stronger humans). I won’t say more because you will want to read that for yourself.

Beyond that, the final chapter of the Horizon series took me places I would never have imagined. It was not so much a wrap up as it was another story with a complex plot that just happens to end with no more questions. There was so much going on that the story seemed a bit rushed in places. I think the author could easily have added 50 pages and it would not have made the novel too long. On the other hand, the fast pace got me to the exciting conclusion quickly since I had a hard time putting my Kindle down.  And then I said “That was good!”

If you haven’t started the Horizon series, the first book, also called Horizon, can be purchased for the low price of $.99. This would be a great series to binge read! I highly recommend reading the series from the beginning.

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Aurora Blazing (Consortium Rebellion, #2) by Jessie Mihalik – Review

Tags

4 stars, Book Review, Jessie Mihalik, Regency, sci fi, series, space opera

About Aurora Blazing by Jessie Mihalik

Bianca von Hasenberg did her duty for High House von Hasenberg and ended up trapped in a terrible marriage. When her husband dies unexpectedly and leaves her a happy widow, she vows never to marry again. Instead, she uses her connections to save other young women. Information is power and Bianca has a network that would be the envy of the ’verse—if anyone knew about it.

After an attack, Bianca’s oldest brother, the House von Hasenberg heir, disappears from Earth without a trace. Determined to find him, Bianca leaves against orders. When she refuses to return, her father sends Ian Bishop, the director of House von Hasenberg security, to haul her home like a recalcitrant child.

Bianca leads Ian on a merry chase across the universe, but when their paths finally collide, she persuades him that they would be far more successful at finding her brother if they worked together. She will do anything to save her sibling, even if it means spending time alone on a small ship with the handsome, infuriating man who once broke her heart.

As clues lead them deep into rival House Rockhurst territory, Bianca must decide if she can trust Ian with the one piece of information that could destroy her completely. . .

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Review of Aurora Blazing

Aurora Blazing is a Regency romance/suspense story with futuristic setting. With the segmented society, a gossiping upper crust and abuse of the masses, it reminds me of one or two (or more) of the Regency romances I have read. Oh, that is not a criticism. It is an invitation to historical romance readers.

I picked up Aurora Blazing because I wanted to see where the story line went after Polaris Rising (review here). It did not go far. Rather, it relates the story of Bianca, rich, somewhat spoiled but toughened, and her adventures that lead to romance with a man she seems to detest. Not exactly enemies to lovers. More like adversaries to lovers.

I was hoping to read more of the development of the political atmosphere. Not much happened there, despite the kidnapping of an heir to one of the great houses. War still looms, just like at the end of Polaris Rising. So, what that tells you is that the story is largely character driven, with a minimum of outside interference.

As a character, Princess Bianca is not that much different from her sister Ada (from Polaris Rising). Bianca’s past may be a bit more dreadful (refer to the aforementioned toughening) but both are privileged, commanding, and very, very technologically proficient. Hence the overall tone of the story was very similar to book 1. Is that good or bad? I was looking for something different, so I was disappointed.

Like book one, the title, Aurora Blazing, refers to the ship the heroine travels in. However, unlike book 1, where the Polaris was a prototype, game-changing, technological wonder, the ship Aurora has very little to do with the plot.

Still, Ms. Mihalik tells a riveting story. Both Ian and Bianca have secrets. They are much more than they appear to be. For more than half of the story, they work under the illusion that they have the other figured out. Hmmph. There will be clash of egos, opinions and maybe even heads. Clashes are good though, because without them, Bianca and Ian would still be under the misconception that know each other. It is only when the illusions are shattered that they can truly become a team. And a couple. You know, for the happily ever after. 😊

Through Edelweiss, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Links

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Want to get caught up on this series?  As of the writing of this post, Polaris Rising e-book is on sale for $1.99.

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