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cfl97's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
nermutbundaloy's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
tense
medium-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? No
4.25
ftsell's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
marblemadness21's review against another edition
5.0
This is an awesome book for anyone interested in sci-fi or space exploration. You won't want to put it down.
mikeplewis's review against another edition
3.0
Fast passed and fun to read, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The relationships weren't that well developed and several times I had to go back to find out who he was talking about as there are over a dozen characters of importance. But, like i said, it was fun to read and would recommend if you're a sci-fi fan.
gwadej's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
tomasthanes's review against another edition
5.0
I discovered this author, [a:Daniel Suarez|1956402|Daniel Suarez|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1265394868p2/1956402.jpg], by reading his very first book "Daemon" which I was impressed used the spelling of the word which, pre-LINUX, was used by UNIX programmers to describe background processes that provided services to other programs on the computer or to neighboring UNIX computers.
Set in the 2030s when mankind should've been restlessly moving out into the cislunar area surrounding the planet, things were still mostly happening in Low Earth Orbit. I had fairly high expectations about this book and they were all met. I personally believe that this book was on par with Andy Weir's "The Martian".
There was more than enough plausible detail to satisfy most hardened Sci-Fi readers. Plus the protagonist's diver's knowledge of breathing and gasses fit well.
The “crystals” were a bit undefined in this book but the author was kind enough to expand their name in the “Critical Mass” book (second in the series): “biphasic crystal work glasses”. I assume that they were built into the visor in the "clam suits".
The "clam suits" were interesting as Peter Clines had single person entry suits that were clamped onto the outside of his lunar rovers in "Dead Moon" published in August 2019. This book was published just a few months earlier (April 2019). It would be interesting to ask both authors if either influenced the other or just uncovered the same idea in their reading through the massive repositories of NASA documentation.
There were a number of pleasant twists in the plot and only one thing left hanging at the end (but, after all, this is the first in a trilogy) (the astronauts with the red, white, and blue flag patches on their space suits).
The only detail that I would've dropped was the reference to "bang-bang controls".
The cover of the Kindle version of the book appears to be yet another example of a book cover where the artist did not read the book.
BTW, if you're curious what the Konstantin or the various mining robots looked like, the author was kind enough to provide an Appendix at the end of the book with a number of helpful renderings. I did not discover this until I'd finished reading this book.
I've easily moved onto the second book in the series "Critical Mass".
Set in the 2030s when mankind should've been restlessly moving out into the cislunar area surrounding the planet, things were still mostly happening in Low Earth Orbit. I had fairly high expectations about this book and they were all met. I personally believe that this book was on par with Andy Weir's "The Martian".
There was more than enough plausible detail to satisfy most hardened Sci-Fi readers. Plus the protagonist's diver's knowledge of breathing and gasses fit well.
The “crystals” were a bit undefined in this book but the author was kind enough to expand their name in the “Critical Mass” book (second in the series): “biphasic crystal work glasses”. I assume that they were built into the visor in the "clam suits".
The "clam suits" were interesting as Peter Clines had single person entry suits that were clamped onto the outside of his lunar rovers in "Dead Moon" published in August 2019. This book was published just a few months earlier (April 2019). It would be interesting to ask both authors if either influenced the other or just uncovered the same idea in their reading through the massive repositories of NASA documentation.
There were a number of pleasant twists in the plot and only one thing left hanging at the end (but, after all, this is the first in a trilogy) (the astronauts with the red, white, and blue flag patches on their space suits).
The only detail that I would've dropped was the reference to "bang-bang controls".
The cover of the Kindle version of the book appears to be yet another example of a book cover where the artist did not read the book.
BTW, if you're curious what the Konstantin or the various mining robots looked like, the author was kind enough to provide an Appendix at the end of the book with a number of helpful renderings. I did not discover this until I'd finished reading this book.
I've easily moved onto the second book in the series "Critical Mass".
alialliallie's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty decent hard sci-fi. A lot of trappings I love like near future, no FTL, in-system with orbital mechanics and not just burning straight for Mars, for example.
In a lot of ways it feels like a proto-Expanse setting where we're seeing the oppression of the Belters start up. I wasn't big on the first third or so (until they get to space) since it really felt like some kind of ode to Elon Musk and other startup folks. I guess it turned around into why we shouldn't let tech companies do anything that could risk human lives?
tl;dr startups in space
In a lot of ways it feels like a proto-Expanse setting where we're seeing the oppression of the Belters start up. I wasn't big on the first third or so (until they get to space) since it really felt like some kind of ode to Elon Musk and other startup folks. I guess it turned around into why we shouldn't let tech companies do anything that could risk human lives?
tl;dr startups in space
ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
5.0
Like this author a lot, and had this pre-ordered for a price well above my usual 10 Eur price limit.
Was it worth it? Just about, as I was in the mood of reading a good SF book, so, ok, but my guess is, you could wait for the price to drop, it will be SF for a few years to come and not be surpassed by real life events, even though some are currently being prepared to become reality.
Hard near-future-SF, sometimes gritty, very well thought out and detailed in its realism and world-building.
In parts not very suspenseful and also some things that happen are obvious and foreseeable, some twists though I did not guess.
Not to spoil the plot, but I was thinking at least one of the crew would be a traitor and try to sabotage the mission - well there was not.
Would have given 4 stars, but it was well rounded and had a "further reading"
section, so I gave 4.5 stars rounded to 5.
Recommended although it took too long for my liking and could have been more suspenseful.
Was it worth it? Just about, as I was in the mood of reading a good SF book, so, ok, but my guess is, you could wait for the price to drop, it will be SF for a few years to come and not be surpassed by real life events, even though some are currently being prepared to become reality.
Hard near-future-SF, sometimes gritty, very well thought out and detailed in its realism and world-building.
In parts not very suspenseful and also some things that happen are obvious and foreseeable, some twists though I did not guess.
Not to spoil the plot, but I was thinking at least one of the crew would be a traitor and try to sabotage the mission - well there was not.
Would have given 4 stars, but it was well rounded and had a "further reading"
section, so I gave 4.5 stars rounded to 5.
Recommended although it took too long for my liking and could have been more suspenseful.