This series continues to entertain...! Admittedly, I miss Fran's slippery loyalties from earlier stories (she is by far my favourite character in thesThis series continues to entertain...! Admittedly, I miss Fran's slippery loyalties from earlier stories (she is by far my favourite character in these books). I still can't quite get my head around "human falls in love with robot/android/synth/whatever" trope, but this series handles it well. DaCosta churns out addictive reads and keeps the plot rolling. Neat twist at the end....more
After the way Shadow Captain ended, this final instalment unfolded in a way that threw me a little. I liked the shipboard stuff of earlier books - thAfter the way Shadow Captain ended, this final instalment unfolded in a way that threw me a little. I liked the shipboard stuff of earlier books - there is a major space battle in this one, but a hell of lot of what goes on is back in civilisation and my word, this is a hefty tome compared to the other two. The ending itself seemed rather rushed and unfinished (I got the same feeling from Reynolds' Terminal World). This trilogy is still a cracking read....more
It's good to be back in the company of Caleb and Fran again. I was hoping the series would go off in a different direction after how the last book endIt's good to be back in the company of Caleb and Fran again. I was hoping the series would go off in a different direction after how the last book ended ((view spoiler)[it didn't (hide spoiler)]), but there's enough going on to keep things interesting. What I will say though is I either read this very quickly, or it's very short......more
I really liked this. I've read later 'Culture' books so it was interesting to read this tale of an anti-hero and his motley crew on the wrong side of I really liked this. I've read later 'Culture' books so it was interesting to read this tale of an anti-hero and his motley crew on the wrong side of the conflict. The world-building, as always, is epic in every way imaginable....more
I really enjoyed this. It's lacks the complexity of his other novels but it's still a lot of fun. I'm surprised at some of the negative reviews. I'm nI really enjoyed this. It's lacks the complexity of his other novels but it's still a lot of fun. I'm surprised at some of the negative reviews. I'm not keen on first-person narratives but it seemed to work. Personally, I didn't think it came across as a YA novel (I don't think it's advertised as such) - more that Reynolds was deliberately playing with certain tropes in his own style. I look forward to reading the sequel......more
Cat and Company has a lot going on. The characters from book one have matured, and it's not all wine and roses. I liked this one much better than the Cat and Company has a lot going on. The characters from book one have matured, and it's not all wine and roses. I liked this one much better than the second, though I miss the planet-hopping adventurers of book one. The twist was neat, though not entirely unexpected (I confess that I was hoping for the original missing rogue AI mentioned in previous books to make an appearance). This book brings the action firmly back into romance territory. It's a neat and original trilogy, and a refreshing change for fans of space opera (like me)....more
I read Faring Soul, book one, ages ago. After re-reading that prior to finally finishing this trilogy, Varkan Rise wasn't what I expected at all. It sI read Faring Soul, book one, ages ago. After re-reading that prior to finally finishing this trilogy, Varkan Rise wasn't what I expected at all. It struck me as a marked departure from the first book, a fast-paced thriller of a space opera. Book two to me seemed more in the vein of a police procedural detective story, which isn't my favourite genre, but entertaining nonetheless. The story of AIs rising to consciousness was intriguing and well-imagined. On to book three......more
This final instalment wrapped up the story quite nicely. As a sci-fi fan, I found the world-building a bit sparse at times, but the complicated relatiThis final instalment wrapped up the story quite nicely. As a sci-fi fan, I found the world-building a bit sparse at times, but the complicated relationships between the main protagonists made up for this. A fun read with some genuinely well-written characters....more
I read this as part of an ebook bundle - Aliens, Battleships and Colonization: 11 Sci-fi Books Bundled Together - 11 ebooks for just $2.99, folks! AnyI read this as part of an ebook bundle - Aliens, Battleships and Colonization: 11 Sci-fi Books Bundled Together - 11 ebooks for just $2.99, folks! Anyway, Grim Repo is an entertaining (if rather short) tale of interstellar bailiffs, which makes a change from smugglers / mercenaries / bounty hunters etc. I wasn't entirely convinced of the economic case for chasing debtors' spaceships across the void, but it was a solid, fast-paced thriller....more
Like Firefly meets Reservoir Dogs. I would have preferred one big meaty novel (or is there an omnibus edition I missed?) rather than having it split iLike Firefly meets Reservoir Dogs. I would have preferred one big meaty novel (or is there an omnibus edition I missed?) rather than having it split into four, but this damn grungy world has drawn me in and I'll be reading the rest anyway......more
I'm not sure how the author does it: she somehow manages to take a bunch of characters with few redeeming features - and who are routinely quite horriI'm not sure how the author does it: she somehow manages to take a bunch of characters with few redeeming features - and who are routinely quite horrible to one another - and mixes them into what is a compelling read. I'm still not quite convinced by an AI developing 'feelings' but I'm no expert in emotional niceties so it's probably best to read what others have said. There's a lot of love for these books. On to book #4......more
Five stars because this is a very entertaining read. I love the author's works anyway - and being a Doctor Who fan I couldn't resist this (I don't usuFive stars because this is a very entertaining read. I love the author's works anyway - and being a Doctor Who fan I couldn't resist this (I don't usually read the tie-in novels). Reynolds threw away his usual hard sci-fi hat for this, but undoubtedly had a lot of fun writing it as a result. He captures the original characters well - especially the dialogue between the Doctor and the Master - and I thought it was perfectly judged as a 'third doctor' story. (view spoiler)[I liked the nods to future Who in the different incarnations of the Master, too! (hide spoiler)] So, dear BBC, any chance of asking Reynolds to write an episode or two?...more
Oh my word. More soap opera than sci-fi / fantasy, but all the better for it. This instalment is even more epic in scope than previous books - battlesOh my word. More soap opera than sci-fi / fantasy, but all the better for it. This instalment is even more epic in scope than previous books - battles, invasion, dangerous journeys, plots, double-crossing, more battles (in space!), even more plots and a huge, huge cast of characters - I'm quite breathless at the end of it all. Now I have to wait for book five......more
An enjoyable romp in the 'military sci-fi' vein. The story was a bit predictable and the dialogue a little stilted at times, but there were some nice An enjoyable romp in the 'military sci-fi' vein. The story was a bit predictable and the dialogue a little stilted at times, but there were some nice touches on the practicalities of star-system-wide battlefields. I liked the discussions around the 'rules of war' and morality....more
Another damn fine (if bloated) space-opera epic - or rather, part two of the same. The various plot strands came together well and mostly as expected.Another damn fine (if bloated) space-opera epic - or rather, part two of the same. The various plot strands came together well and mostly as expected. A minor criticism is that I thought there was too much reliance on 'Iron Man'-type antics with the hi-tech battle suits, which for me veered too far from the hard sci-fi I'd been expecting. A satisfying read though....more
Wow. Every time I pick up an Alastair Reynolds book I am swept away into space-opera heaven. This one set up loads of misdirections - the prologue thrWow. Every time I pick up an Alastair Reynolds book I am swept away into space-opera heaven. This one set up loads of misdirections - the prologue threw me, as did the vaguely familiar 'Rendezvous with Rama' start to the story - then things really started getting interesting. Full marks too for aliens that seemed, well... inhuman. Marvellous stuff....more
Here we have another story of a world-weary ex-military antihero and his trusty spaceship, making a living running suspect cargo until his life is comHere we have another story of a world-weary ex-military antihero and his trusty spaceship, making a living running suspect cargo until his life is complicated by a stowaway on the run from an evil corporation. Plus there’s the obligatory antagonistic crew mate, undercover bounty hunter and shady traders in dodgy spaceports. Sound familiar? Firefly has a lot to answer for. Girl From Above: Betrayal is very much driven by the characters, who are complex, broken people with more issues and back-stabbing ulterior motives than I could possibly shake a stick at. I did warm to Caleb and Fran, which is no mean feat on the part of DaCosta given that they have few redeeming features. As a sci-fi fan, I found the world-building sketchy and the plot relied on perhaps too many worn tropes. Also, this is not a complete story (or even book one of a series), but just the first instalment of a serial. Yet... Caleb and Fran intrigue me. I want to know what happens next......more
This Star Rebels anthology is a bit of a mixed bag, but it's an indie freebie so that's pretty much expected. I skipped or skim-read the few that didnThis Star Rebels anthology is a bit of a mixed bag, but it's an indie freebie so that's pretty much expected. I skipped or skim-read the few that didn't grab my interest. My rating is for the stories I did find engaging, of which my two favourites were: Falling by Pippa DaCosta, which I thought was rather fun in a Firefly-type way; and Luminescence by Patty Jansen, which was so beautifully written. I hope to check out more of their work at some point......more
Damn fine epic space opera, albeit a bit over-blown. There were rather a lot of characters to keep track of - I would have been lost without the cast Damn fine epic space opera, albeit a bit over-blown. There were rather a lot of characters to keep track of - I would have been lost without the cast list at the beginning of the book......more