Reviews

This was definitely interesting, and different from anything else I've read. I don't know if audio was the best way to read it, because it was hard to remember all the characters. This made it harder to really care about anyone, because it was all just a bunch of names passing through. I don't know if I would ever try to re-read it in print form, because I didn't really love it all that much, but I don't regret reading it.

emleemay's review against another edition

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4.0

I realized I might never know what really happened here. War was all about the annihilation of truth. Every good dictator and CEO knows that.

What a fabulous mind fuck.

I read this book because it came highly recommended, but I have to say I would not usually gravitate towards something called a "space opera". People and aliens fighting wars just doesn't seem that exciting to me. But this book is a thrill-ride. Seriously. It's fast-paced and compelling, it's mind-bendy and weird, and Dietz has such an interesting and endearing narrative voice that I had to know what happened.

Basically, it's the future and corporate giants rule, not only on a ruined Earth, but in space as well. Grueling training prepares soldiers like Dietz for battle against the independent settlers of Mars, who made millions of people - including Dietz's family - disappear from São Paolo.

"You accept reality," my father said. "This reality. That will keep you safe for now, my little mouse. But promise me that when you come of age you'll ask questions. Promise me you'll strive for some other future than the one we gave you."

In this future, technology allows people to travel at the speed of light. How? By breaking them down into atoms and turning them into light itself. Sound dangerous? It is. Soldiers don't always survive the journey, and others experience strange effects. Dietz is one of this latter group. After experiencing the first jump, Dietz is suddenly living the war in non-linear time.

The novel jumps around from missions that should have already happened to futures that Dietz shouldn't be experiencing. What emerges from Dietz having foreknowledge of the war is a completely different picture than the one being sold by the Corporate Corps. Piecing together the entire picture is a heart-pounding experience. I was horrified but I couldn't look away.

"It's important that we tell ourselves stories, Private Dietz. There's a theory that consciousness itself begins with story. Stories are how we make sense of the world."

Easily the most terrifying aspect of [b:The Light Brigade|40523931|The Light Brigade|Kameron Hurley|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1537977912s/40523931.jpg|62896440] is how so much of the novel hits very close to home. Time travel aside, most of what happens is already happening and is extremely relevant today. War, fake news, climate change, corporate greed... this is our own world wrapped up a compulsively-readable sci-fi thriller. Highly recommended.

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hollowspine's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I don't think I've ever read military sci-fi before. Never had an interest in stories specifically about war and soldiers, either real or fantasy etc. Sure, I've read about a lot of them, who hasn't? I've read some really great ones, like Wolf by Wolf and Leviathan about fantasy versions of WWII and WWI respectively. However for most of these books the characters were far from the frontlines and involved in plots outside the main war effort. This I think is the first book I've read that is completely from the perspective of someone from the front lines (other than Slaughter House-Five).

I'm really impressed. Not that I'm going to specifically seek out any other Military Sci-fi. Somehow I think Hurley is an outlier in the genre and I'm doubtful whether I'd start picking up any David Weber books just for a lark. However, I genuinely couldn't put this book down. For one I was afraid if I put it down I'd lose track of what the hell was going on, but also I just needed to know what the hell was going on.

There is a lot to unpack, and it might be interesting to read this title for a book group...but also depending on the political views of all the folks in the book group might lead to an overly heated discussion.

mgracie's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

4.75

This book has everything Christopher Nolan loves: the horrors of war, time travel/weirdness, and a dead wife/girlfriend. I also enjoyed

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