Scan barcode
pctek's review against another edition
2.0
What a con! The blurb says hey find a mysterious alien ship....and must navigate a diplomacy.
Half way through we suddenly get some aliens but they KNOW each other....what mysterious...
And it';s stuffed with military jargon and descriptions of weapon launching etc.....utterly boring.
Half way through we suddenly get some aliens but they KNOW each other....what mysterious...
And it';s stuffed with military jargon and descriptions of weapon launching etc.....utterly boring.
rpmiller's review against another edition
5.0
What a fun read! My eyes were actually watering up during the climax, making it hard to actually read, too. Well, all out action, some corporate intrigue in the background, even political machinations of an alien race, well, all in all a fascinating story. Too bad, or maybe too good, it sequel is necessary. The only problem I have is with some political statements in the acknowledgements. At least the take on the pandemic was somewhat reasonable, and this is the best acknowledgement of that issue I have yet read.
zzzrevel's review against another edition
4.0
I was not sure I was liking this for the first 200 pages
or so. The plot at the edge of the border between
humans and aliens was only mildly interesting, and
a secondary plot back on a planet called Lazarus was
all political/commercial and the two stories did not
come together until very late in the book.
However, once the 'surprise' battle (no spoiler) began
I was impressed and intrigued.
The only downside is that this is NOT a standalone
book. In fact, this one has a very big cliffhanger
and now I have to wait for Book #2 ("In The Red")
to come out.
Mildly recommended.
or so. The plot at the edge of the border between
humans and aliens was only mildly interesting, and
a secondary plot back on a planet called Lazarus was
all political/commercial and the two stories did not
come together until very late in the book.
However, once the 'surprise' battle (no spoiler) began
I was impressed and intrigued.
The only downside is that this is NOT a standalone
book. In fact, this one has a very big cliffhanger
and now I have to wait for Book #2 ("In The Red")
to come out.
Mildly recommended.
quirkycatsfatstacks's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of In the Black in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Patrick S. Tomlinson is back once again, diving into the world of space operas and science fiction in his newest novel, In the Black.
Captain Susan Kamala have picked up a mystery in need of an immediate investigation. Satellites sent to the far reaches of human space are going silent – suspiciously so. One would be an oddity.
If only it was one. No, what is happening is anything but a coincidence or a strange happenstance. That is why the Captain and her crew must investigate, and in doing so, they're about to find themselves over their heads.
“So, someone is not only finding out recon drones, but picking them off.”
If there's one thing I knew I could count on with In the Black, it's that it would be full of science fiction splendors and mysteries. Tomlinson's writing always is. This is a space opera through and through, with a few additional elements (such as military science fiction) to truly mix things up.
If I'm being completely honest here, the time I spent reading In the Black seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. Captain Susan Kamala and her crew faced an interesting journey here, made all the more complicated by diplomacy and human nature in general.
I think that's actually the part I loved the most about this book. It was a slow-building novel, not afraid to spend the first ten percent of the novel setting the scene. But so very quickly it seemed like it was subverting my expectations, and throwing in these delightful twists.
All of which made for a thrilling reading experience, naturally. I loved the twists, the implications, all of it. I even didn't mind the fact that In the Black essentially concluded on a cliffhanger, forcing readers to wait to find out the truth of what is really going on (naturally, it's more complicated than it appears, and I love it).
See more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Patrick S. Tomlinson is back once again, diving into the world of space operas and science fiction in his newest novel, In the Black.
Captain Susan Kamala have picked up a mystery in need of an immediate investigation. Satellites sent to the far reaches of human space are going silent – suspiciously so. One would be an oddity.
If only it was one. No, what is happening is anything but a coincidence or a strange happenstance. That is why the Captain and her crew must investigate, and in doing so, they're about to find themselves over their heads.
“So, someone is not only finding out recon drones, but picking them off.”
If there's one thing I knew I could count on with In the Black, it's that it would be full of science fiction splendors and mysteries. Tomlinson's writing always is. This is a space opera through and through, with a few additional elements (such as military science fiction) to truly mix things up.
If I'm being completely honest here, the time I spent reading In the Black seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. Captain Susan Kamala and her crew faced an interesting journey here, made all the more complicated by diplomacy and human nature in general.
I think that's actually the part I loved the most about this book. It was a slow-building novel, not afraid to spend the first ten percent of the novel setting the scene. But so very quickly it seemed like it was subverting my expectations, and throwing in these delightful twists.
All of which made for a thrilling reading experience, naturally. I loved the twists, the implications, all of it. I even didn't mind the fact that In the Black essentially concluded on a cliffhanger, forcing readers to wait to find out the truth of what is really going on (naturally, it's more complicated than it appears, and I love it).
See more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
rrice2017's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
tome15's review against another edition
4.0
Tomlinson, Patrick S. In the Black. Tor, 2020.
The blurb on Patrick S. Tomlinson’s In the Black calls it “The Hunt for Red October in space.” It certainly is that, and it is a refreshing change from space warfare as battleships exchanging fire like eighteenth-century naval vessels. Space battles as submarine-like encounters is certainly as plausible as anything in the Horatio Hornblower tradition. Tomlinson does not hide his homage to Tom Clancy: at one point he has one of his spaceships do a “crazy Ivan” turn. Tomlinson’s alien spaceship commander is a good stand-in for Clancy’s Russian sub captain. But, as Tomlinson points out in an afterword, he had more on his mind than a pastiche of Clancy. Our pandemic inspired a bioengineered plague threatening a planetary economy. He also has some sharp things to say about cultural diversity and the gap between the haves and have-nots. The relationship between corporate and military power centers is nowhere near as cozy as Clancy would have us believe. The novel does have the same three-ring structure that worked in Hunt for Red October. There are several scenes set in the alien warship that develop their culture, biology, and crew dynamics. The center ring is the pursuing human ship and its crew. In Tomlinson’s world, warships are now built and financed by private industry, and every ship is required to have a company rep on board, much as Clancy’s Russians are spied on by the KGB. The third attraction is a corporate espionage story that eventually ties all the elements of the plot together. In the espionage story, our hero is a corporate exec struggling to moderate his sense of entitlement. His interactions with a working-class scientist and his strong AI assistant are entertaining, with some surprising turns. Throughout the novel, characters are well-differentiated, the dialogue is witty, and the action well-paced. I don’t think military space opera fans will be disappointed. 4 stars.
The blurb on Patrick S. Tomlinson’s In the Black calls it “The Hunt for Red October in space.” It certainly is that, and it is a refreshing change from space warfare as battleships exchanging fire like eighteenth-century naval vessels. Space battles as submarine-like encounters is certainly as plausible as anything in the Horatio Hornblower tradition. Tomlinson does not hide his homage to Tom Clancy: at one point he has one of his spaceships do a “crazy Ivan” turn. Tomlinson’s alien spaceship commander is a good stand-in for Clancy’s Russian sub captain. But, as Tomlinson points out in an afterword, he had more on his mind than a pastiche of Clancy. Our pandemic inspired a bioengineered plague threatening a planetary economy. He also has some sharp things to say about cultural diversity and the gap between the haves and have-nots. The relationship between corporate and military power centers is nowhere near as cozy as Clancy would have us believe. The novel does have the same three-ring structure that worked in Hunt for Red October. There are several scenes set in the alien warship that develop their culture, biology, and crew dynamics. The center ring is the pursuing human ship and its crew. In Tomlinson’s world, warships are now built and financed by private industry, and every ship is required to have a company rep on board, much as Clancy’s Russians are spied on by the KGB. The third attraction is a corporate espionage story that eventually ties all the elements of the plot together. In the espionage story, our hero is a corporate exec struggling to moderate his sense of entitlement. His interactions with a working-class scientist and his strong AI assistant are entertaining, with some surprising turns. Throughout the novel, characters are well-differentiated, the dialogue is witty, and the action well-paced. I don’t think military space opera fans will be disappointed. 4 stars.
karireads's review against another edition
5.0
This action packed, fast moving military science fiction novel is heavy on plot with a good science hook to it. Strongly recommend.
claytell's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. I think 4.5. For a 5 it means I would read again and take something new the next time. This is not a complex book for that. But it was an easy and fun read. Looking forward to book 2. When RT that is.
eisn's review against another edition
4.0
It really is Hunt for Red October in space. Mostly. But it's really nice executed. Good characters and some solid plot. Fantastic space engagements.
Only minus is the way that they run from an AI. That's just a huge plothole.
Only minus is the way that they run from an AI. That's just a huge plothole.