annieb123's review against another edition
4.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Battle Beyond the Dolestars is a new humorous SF romp and the second book in the Battlestar Suburbia series by Chris McCrudden. Released 19th Sept 2019 by Farrago, it's 352 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is a sequel, following a cast of returning characters (human, machine, and both/neither) who are fighting to save humanity from an oppressive machine empire run by Sonny Erikzon (*groan*). There is enough backstory included to not feel terribly lost, but the reading will be enhanced by having read the prequel.
The setup and humor remind me very much of other humorous SF(ish) classics: Fforde, Fowler, Grant/Naylor, Moore, Stross, et.al. It's not derivative, not exactly, the author has a slightly different humorous slant and oh, good heavens, the puns flow like a mighty river. Whilst reading, I definitely felt like the aforementioned authors were being channeled though...
There are genuinely funny moments and the pacing is frenetic and relentless. The bad guys are boo-worthy, the good guys (mostly identifying as female) are plucky and funny and brave and the end result is enjoyably readable.
Three and a half stars, rounded up for the writing. People who loathe puns (or humorous SF) will likely not enjoy this one. Fans of Laundry Files, Red Dwarf, HHGttG, and the others will find a lot to like until the next Shadow Police novel hits the stands (if it ever does... yes, I'm lookin' at you, Paul Cornell).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Battle Beyond the Dolestars is a new humorous SF romp and the second book in the Battlestar Suburbia series by Chris McCrudden. Released 19th Sept 2019 by Farrago, it's 352 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is a sequel, following a cast of returning characters (human, machine, and both/neither) who are fighting to save humanity from an oppressive machine empire run by Sonny Erikzon (*groan*). There is enough backstory included to not feel terribly lost, but the reading will be enhanced by having read the prequel.
The setup and humor remind me very much of other humorous SF(ish) classics: Fforde, Fowler, Grant/Naylor, Moore, Stross, et.al. It's not derivative, not exactly, the author has a slightly different humorous slant and oh, good heavens, the puns flow like a mighty river. Whilst reading, I definitely felt like the aforementioned authors were being channeled though...
There are genuinely funny moments and the pacing is frenetic and relentless. The bad guys are boo-worthy, the good guys (mostly identifying as female) are plucky and funny and brave and the end result is enjoyably readable.
Three and a half stars, rounded up for the writing. People who loathe puns (or humorous SF) will likely not enjoy this one. Fans of Laundry Files, Red Dwarf, HHGttG, and the others will find a lot to like until the next Shadow Police novel hits the stands (if it ever does... yes, I'm lookin' at you, Paul Cornell).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
haljonesy's review against another edition
I really enjoyed this book! The writing style was fun and easy, without being simple. There were some moments that I laughed out loud (especially the tour through a sub Reddit), and it was cool to see an idea of what could happen to the Internet in the future.
I couldn't entirely picture the many many robots very well. I kept picturing like, a toaster with weird little cartoon hands, which I don't think was the intention. But I loved that the robot "heroes" were the everyday type of machines: a printer, a breadmaker, an alarm clock. The machine names were hilarious and punny, and I loved the question of autonomy that was brought up.
The human characters were also very entertaining, though my love for that little breadmaker is higher. I liked that the main couple was gay and it wasn't a big deal (because it isn't). And of course, they're all extremely British, which only heightened my enjoyment.
Overall, this book was a lot of fun to read and I definitely recommend it!
Also: I didn't realize this was the second book in the series and I got through just fine, so don't worry if you haven't read the first one :)
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.
I couldn't entirely picture the many many robots very well. I kept picturing like, a toaster with weird little cartoon hands, which I don't think was the intention. But I loved that the robot "heroes" were the everyday type of machines: a printer, a breadmaker, an alarm clock. The machine names were hilarious and punny, and I loved the question of autonomy that was brought up.
The human characters were also very entertaining, though my love for that little breadmaker is higher. I liked that the main couple was gay and it wasn't a big deal (because it isn't). And of course, they're all extremely British, which only heightened my enjoyment.
Overall, this book was a lot of fun to read and I definitely recommend it!
Also: I didn't realize this was the second book in the series and I got through just fine, so don't worry if you haven't read the first one :)
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.
muccycloud's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
frombethanysbookshelf's review against another edition
It's been a year since Battlestar Suburbia broke free from earth with the help of a sentient missile and broke free of its orbit to hide out in the asteroid belt.
The human rebellion is finally starting - Darren is on a top secret mission given to him by Commander Janice, Pam is trying to run for office and manage the machine-human war from earth, and Kelly is in serious danger yet again.
In the second instalment to this utterly uncompromisingly unique series, McCrudden yet again doesn't fail to deliver the most wacky, absurd world with layers of meaning just under the surface.
Balancing all-out-action, the zaniest of humour and some serious introspection about modern life, Battle Beyond The Dolestars is a laugh-a-minute journey through the universe that'll have you racing through the pages at light speed! Now I definitely can't wait to Sashay with the haphazard saviours of humanity for book three!
The human rebellion is finally starting - Darren is on a top secret mission given to him by Commander Janice, Pam is trying to run for office and manage the machine-human war from earth, and Kelly is in serious danger yet again.
In the second instalment to this utterly uncompromisingly unique series, McCrudden yet again doesn't fail to deliver the most wacky, absurd world with layers of meaning just under the surface.
Balancing all-out-action, the zaniest of humour and some serious introspection about modern life, Battle Beyond The Dolestars is a laugh-a-minute journey through the universe that'll have you racing through the pages at light speed! Now I definitely can't wait to Sashay with the haphazard saviours of humanity for book three!
ergative's review against another edition
4.0
Well, that was a ton of fun! I think it wasn't quite as much fun as the first--not because the execution of the conceit was weaker, but because the freshness wasn't as fresh in Book 2. The instantiation of the Internet on Jupiter was, I think, an attempt to introduce something new, but it didn't quite work, because its manifestation in human reality didn't have even the absurd tenuous explanation that the other elements of the world-building had. Although, I have to admit, creating exotic matter by teaching subatomic particles exotic dancing was very nicely done. That was exactly the correct amount of zaniness there. The commentary on society was, I think, a little less playful and a little more pointed, as you would expect when the issues start encompassing fascism, genocide, and the reintroduction of slavery into a society that had banned it. I don't think that was the wrong decision, but it also contributed to a reduction of the fun relative to the first.
Nevertheless, the rest of the book shows all the hallmarks of McCrudden's wit and wordplay--a wonderful one-liner about nominative determinism--and the way he juggles the moving pieces of plot construction is second to none. It's like watching a slow motion replay in reverse of an explosive demolition: all the bits and fragments of shrapnel start off flying in all directions, but then zwoop back into a coherent whole by the end of the book.
Nevertheless, the rest of the book shows all the hallmarks of McCrudden's wit and wordplay--a wonderful one-liner about nominative determinism--and the way he juggles the moving pieces of plot construction is second to none. It's like watching a slow motion replay in reverse of an explosive demolition: all the bits and fragments of shrapnel start off flying in all directions, but then zwoop back into a coherent whole by the end of the book.
aliasvalia's review
2.0
(dnf 45%)
The idea? Phenomenal
The humor? Amazing
My problem was the writing style. I had to reread all the sentences twice to understand them, so I wasn't able to connect with a single character. I'm so sorry, because I thought this was going to be a five stars.
-NetGalley
The idea? Phenomenal
The humor? Amazing
My problem was the writing style. I had to reread all the sentences twice to understand them, so I wasn't able to connect with a single character. I'm so sorry, because I thought this was going to be a five stars.
-NetGalley
dave_holwill's review against another edition
5.0
Puntastic sequel to the very funny Battlestar Suburbia. More Pams than you can shake a stick at and worth a read if only for a ridiculous blink-and-you'll-miss-it Han Solo gag.
saccalai's review against another edition
3.0
Some time in the future, the machines take over and eject the humans off Earth to live in the Dolestars, orbiting housing estates. Humans now work for them, cleaning and doing everything that we normally rely on machine to do! Eventually they have had enough and go on strike, kickstarting a huge war.
It's not easy to imagine how some of these machines get around and a lot doesn't quite make sense. But after a few chapters I decided to just go with it and still enjoyed the humour. I liked all the quirky characters, particularly Janice, who who puts the hairstyles of her customers before saving the world. Nearly everything is a pun or wordplay, it reminded me a little of Tom Holt, with a similar type of comedy.
It's not easy to imagine how some of these machines get around and a lot doesn't quite make sense. But after a few chapters I decided to just go with it and still enjoyed the humour. I liked all the quirky characters, particularly Janice, who who puts the hairstyles of her customers before saving the world. Nearly everything is a pun or wordplay, it reminded me a little of Tom Holt, with a similar type of comedy.
nursingthepages's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
anjana's review against another edition
5.0
I liked the first book in the series, as my review would show. This is the kind of second in a series that cannot be appreciated if you have not read the first. It is imperative that you read and understand the ongoing chaos on Earth and beyond as depicted in the first to relish the (mis) adventures in this instalment.
When we last left the humans, they had successfully launched an uprising, but they now had to keep it afloat. As most things about this book are, the word afloat is both literal and figurative. Each paragraph is usually littered with such references that a person with even a basic understanding of mechanics, electrical bits and pieces or even the gadgets most use daily would have great fun 'decoding'. The story is filled with a lot of action and planning, both by machines and humans (even mild help from a technically abstract cat(s)). There are spies, double-crossers and a whole lot of heroes. I am not going into more details of the situation itself because that would mean a complete revelation of the first book, and if you have not read it, you should!
It is wacky to an extreme but at the same time has an intelligence within it making it a delightful read. It took me a couple of sittings, unlike a few other genres, but on the whole, I appreciated it and had fun trying to make sure I spot all the hidden double-meaning references. We have spunky breadmakers (with a secret sourdough starter from her mother), a gun or two (and all the darker implications that go with it), cyborgs, memes as tourist destinations, a couple set on helping each other survive a war and a man who finds his inner diva to name just a few of the most random assortment of characters who make a compelling and coherent narrative.
Some lines I remembered to highlight while reading that might throw more light on the tone of the book:
"Without the right machine learning, they struggled to distinguish their needs from those of others"- apart from being insightful it actually means machines - learning
"..Spiteful, wasteful and determined to use its ingenuity to the wrong ends."- Which I think speaks louder than could be expected from just these few words.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience, and my primary degree in Engineering probably helped too.
When we last left the humans, they had successfully launched an uprising, but they now had to keep it afloat. As most things about this book are, the word afloat is both literal and figurative. Each paragraph is usually littered with such references that a person with even a basic understanding of mechanics, electrical bits and pieces or even the gadgets most use daily would have great fun 'decoding'. The story is filled with a lot of action and planning, both by machines and humans (even mild help from a technically abstract cat(s)). There are spies, double-crossers and a whole lot of heroes. I am not going into more details of the situation itself because that would mean a complete revelation of the first book, and if you have not read it, you should!
It is wacky to an extreme but at the same time has an intelligence within it making it a delightful read. It took me a couple of sittings, unlike a few other genres, but on the whole, I appreciated it and had fun trying to make sure I spot all the hidden double-meaning references. We have spunky breadmakers (with a secret sourdough starter from her mother), a gun or two (and all the darker implications that go with it), cyborgs, memes as tourist destinations, a couple set on helping each other survive a war and a man who finds his inner diva to name just a few of the most random assortment of characters who make a compelling and coherent narrative.
Some lines I remembered to highlight while reading that might throw more light on the tone of the book:
"Without the right machine learning, they struggled to distinguish their needs from those of others"- apart from being insightful it actually means machines - learning
"..Spiteful, wasteful and determined to use its ingenuity to the wrong ends."- Which I think speaks louder than could be expected from just these few words.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience, and my primary degree in Engineering probably helped too.
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