A review by readyourbookshelf
Antimatter Blues, by Edward Ashton
adventurous
hopeful
medium-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
4.0
✨Review✨
Antimatter Blues by Edward Ashton
ARC from NetGalley
Pub Day: 3/14/23
Mickey Burnes has always been expendable. Literally. There have in fact been a half-dozen Mickeys before this particular Mickey came on the scene. After a run in with the only other known sentient species on this colony world a couple years ago, Mickey decided it was time to retire, but when he sees another Mickey walk past him in the hallway Mickey7 knows something is up. And if they are pulling new Mickeys again, it can’t be good.
This is a sequel and I have not read the first book, but when the widget for this novel was sent to my email, I was intrigued. I’m a chaotic reader and while I am a completionist, I’m also not afraid of dropping into a story in the middle. Ashton did a solid job of giving enough information and context clues that I never felt lost. I quickly came to understand who and what Mickey was, his relationships with those around him and the outline of what I assume happened in the first book. That said it did take about 50 pages for me to really start to get into the narrative, but once I did I was in for the ride.
This was a fun, quick little sci-fi story. The world and science were interesting and my favorite part of the plot. Expendables are a classification of people who go out on colony ships , so that when something dangerous has to be done, the crew can literally just throw this person at the problem and rebuild them from scratch when they inevitably die. What happens when that person retires? This book explores ideas of personhood in some fun and interesting ways, all wrapped up in a fun sci-fi adventure.
Antimatter Blues by Edward Ashton
ARC from NetGalley
Pub Day: 3/14/23
Mickey Burnes has always been expendable. Literally. There have in fact been a half-dozen Mickeys before this particular Mickey came on the scene. After a run in with the only other known sentient species on this colony world a couple years ago, Mickey decided it was time to retire, but when he sees another Mickey walk past him in the hallway Mickey7 knows something is up. And if they are pulling new Mickeys again, it can’t be good.
This is a sequel and I have not read the first book, but when the widget for this novel was sent to my email, I was intrigued. I’m a chaotic reader and while I am a completionist, I’m also not afraid of dropping into a story in the middle. Ashton did a solid job of giving enough information and context clues that I never felt lost. I quickly came to understand who and what Mickey was, his relationships with those around him and the outline of what I assume happened in the first book. That said it did take about 50 pages for me to really start to get into the narrative, but once I did I was in for the ride.
This was a fun, quick little sci-fi story. The world and science were interesting and my favorite part of the plot. Expendables are a classification of people who go out on colony ships , so that when something dangerous has to be done, the crew can literally just throw this person at the problem and rebuild them from scratch when they inevitably die. What happens when that person retires? This book explores ideas of personhood in some fun and interesting ways, all wrapped up in a fun sci-fi adventure.