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andypeloquinauthor's review
4.0
I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the characters--Isla, Cassius, Clarice, William, Munin (such bad-ass names, too!) A whole lot of snark, bitingly cynical attitudes (very much fun), and anti-heroes in a world of morally grey characters.
This book was a bit more ponderous than the last one, getting into the complex details (as to be expected from a sci-fi novel that deals with technologically-advanced races f***ing with humanity and lesser beings) of the galaxy that was a tad harder to follow than the more straight-forward "shoot-em-up" vibe of Book 1. Some of the witty retorts also felt a tad out of place--either their meaning didn't make sense (to me) or they were inserted for levity at a more serious moment.
All the same, one hell of a book, and definitely the anti-heroic sci-fi alternative to Star Wars and Firefly. Thanks to that killer ending, I absolutely have to read Book 3 to find out why (SPOILER) decided to mess with (SPOILER) by attacking (SPOILER). Excellent hook!
This book was a bit more ponderous than the last one, getting into the complex details (as to be expected from a sci-fi novel that deals with technologically-advanced races f***ing with humanity and lesser beings) of the galaxy that was a tad harder to follow than the more straight-forward "shoot-em-up" vibe of Book 1. Some of the witty retorts also felt a tad out of place--either their meaning didn't make sense (to me) or they were inserted for levity at a more serious moment.
All the same, one hell of a book, and definitely the anti-heroic sci-fi alternative to Star Wars and Firefly. Thanks to that killer ending, I absolutely have to read Book 3 to find out why (SPOILER) decided to mess with (SPOILER) by attacking (SPOILER). Excellent hook!
abeckstrom's review
4.0
Book 2 in the Lucifer's Star Saga (is it too soon to call this a "Saga"? -- I don't care, I'm calling it a saga) is even more ambitious than the first. It's got new (not really) and improved (they're pretty good and not at all worn-out) tropes as well as more of the patented C.T. Phipps quirky pop culture references and punchy humor that made Lucifer's Star so much fun.
So, where were we . . . Oh, yes! Clones? Check. Replicants? Check. Rogue AI? Check. Cyborgs and/or transhumanism? Cloned, programmable zombies? That's new. And a deeper connection to the Old Ones (sci-fi Cthulhu) that made sense.
There's plenty to enjoy here, I especially liked the homicidal/patricidal/fratricidal(?) interactions between Cassius and his dysfunctional family. The only downside for me was self-destructive behavior and attitudes evinced throughout, but once you see where Cassius came from it makes more sense.
Two books into the series and I'm still not 100% sold on Eric Burns as a narrator--at least not for this series. He's fine for the most part, but I'm not a fan of his female characterizations. I usually am against changing narrators mid-series, but I'd love to see Jeffrey Kafer get picked up for this series if Ray Porter or Luke Daniels (#dreamcasting) are too busy.
***Full Disclosure: I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
So, where were we . . . Oh, yes! Clones? Check. Replicants? Check. Rogue AI? Check. Cyborgs and/or transhumanism? Cloned, programmable zombies? That's new. And a deeper connection to the Old Ones (sci-fi Cthulhu) that made sense.
There's plenty to enjoy here, I especially liked the homicidal/patricidal/fratricidal(?) interactions between Cassius and his dysfunctional family. The only downside for me was self-destructive behavior and attitudes evinced throughout, but once you see where Cassius came from it makes more sense.
Two books into the series and I'm still not 100% sold on Eric Burns as a narrator--at least not for this series. He's fine for the most part, but I'm not a fan of his female characterizations. I usually am against changing narrators mid-series, but I'd love to see Jeffrey Kafer get picked up for this series if Ray Porter or Luke Daniels (#dreamcasting) are too busy.
***Full Disclosure: I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
tarmunvykers's review
5.0
I really enjoyed the first book in this series -- kind of like what Star Trek or Star Wars might be like if they were written exclusively for adults -- and this second book is even better. That might be because I've gotten to know the characters and the universe they inhabit better, or it may be because the authors are getting more and more comfortable with same. Whatever the case, this second novel in the series has more surprises, twists, humor, etc., and it's really fun to read. In fact, there are enough twists in this book to fill five books, but none of them seem gratuitous. Each is character or story-based and, in retrospect, seems inevitable, and that's a tough trick to pull off. As for the abundant humor, well, it's right up my alley. I could easily imagine Hawkeye Pierce, B.J. Honeycutt and Hotlips Houlihan or the cast of Seinfeld saying some of this dialogue, albeit in a different context/venue. At any rate, this is a series just begging for a TV pilot. I hope it gets one.
alwroteabook's review
4.0
The author gave me a free copy of the audiobook. However, the review was voluntary.
Lucifer's Nebula, the sequel to Lucifer's Star, which I reviewed here - (http://bit.ly/2BJ3wLb), carries on the story of the Author's "dark Star Wars," as it's often referred to.
Cassius, the hero, is a former evil noble turned arms dealer (you'll see). He's like a boozy, sweary Han Solo type with a jaded wit that will have you chuckling. He has a supporting cast of characters painted as stereotypes initially, but the author does a good job of breathing some life into them. The universe is interesting, with humans dominating, and (shock, horror!) constantly at war with each other. There's also an elder race that appears to be pulling the strings.
Cassius and Co, instead of pulling out the heroics, continually putting themselves in danger due to a misguided sense of right, or just being petty (Cassius trying to one-up his father). At times the set pieces can seem ridiculous, but way less so than taking out an evil Empire with four X-Wing fighters (I remember that shot from the original original). This being a parody, it's all good.
My favourite thing though, is the narrator. He carries the pace well, and you can almost hear the constant sighing as he churns out Cassius' lines. His best bit is the woman who butchers a Scottish accent in the belief that she's honouring her culture. Even when she wasn't saying something funny, I was chuckling.
Great story, not the author's finest, but definitely a fun read.
Lucifer's Nebula, the sequel to Lucifer's Star, which I reviewed here - (http://bit.ly/2BJ3wLb), carries on the story of the Author's "dark Star Wars," as it's often referred to.
Cassius, the hero, is a former evil noble turned arms dealer (you'll see). He's like a boozy, sweary Han Solo type with a jaded wit that will have you chuckling. He has a supporting cast of characters painted as stereotypes initially, but the author does a good job of breathing some life into them. The universe is interesting, with humans dominating, and (shock, horror!) constantly at war with each other. There's also an elder race that appears to be pulling the strings.
Cassius and Co, instead of pulling out the heroics, continually putting themselves in danger due to a misguided sense of right, or just being petty (Cassius trying to one-up his father). At times the set pieces can seem ridiculous, but way less so than taking out an evil Empire with four X-Wing fighters (I remember that shot from the original original). This being a parody, it's all good.
My favourite thing though, is the narrator. He carries the pace well, and you can almost hear the constant sighing as he churns out Cassius' lines. His best bit is the woman who butchers a Scottish accent in the belief that she's honouring her culture. Even when she wasn't saying something funny, I was chuckling.
Great story, not the author's finest, but definitely a fun read.
spazenport's review
5.0
Lucifer's Nebula (Lucifer's Star)Lucifer's Nebula, by C. T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus is the second novel in the adventures of Cassius Mass, a devilishly handsome former prince of a cruel planet that no longer exists. This is like Star Wars if it were written in a darker and more cruel (and arguably fun) universe.
Lucifer's Nebula is a sequel to the first book, Lucifer's Star, in which we learned that the universe has experienced governmental turmoil, civilizations have been ravaged, and an ancient set of beings known as the Elder Races have left their mark on the current civilization. This book picks up where the first left off in a way that doesn't make you feel like you've missed a step between the books.
We find our reluctant hero, Cassius Mass, as the hesitant Captain of the Melampus, the ship that he had been flying on during the previous book. His crew is filled with variously colorful characters, including his two lovers, the aggressive First Mate, Clarice, and the ship's medical officer, Isla. Isla is also a bioroid, which is like a fleshy C-3PO who's artificial intelligence is so advanced that it's considered (by some) to be a sentient being. Many of the bioroid's of this universe are enslaved, as most people see them less like people and more like machines. Isla's struggle, in this book and the last, reminds me of Pris from the original Blade Runner. She was made for one purpose (in Isla's case, sex), but rebels against her users to follow her true calling. At this point, that mostly consists of being a medical officer and hanging out with Cassius's pirate crew.
Most of the cast of Lucifer's Nebula (and the whole series, really) is incredibly broken or has experienced some sort of trauma. One of my favorite characters, William, had to deal with his entire world being ravaged and destroyed by one of the warring governments. Major Terra (introduced in this book) is a brainwashed soldier from that same world as William. She was kidnapped by her conquerors and brainwashed to be their loyal assassin. Everyone's broken. The Melampus wouldn't be remiss in renaming itself "The Isle of Misfit Toys."
This broken aesthetic doesn't end with just the crew, as their Captain is the most broken of them all. Inside his head he relives and can never escape the memories of all of the people that he's killed or led into a battle that's gotten them killed. One of those ghosts is his dead wife, who seems to have lost much of her humanity in her transition from living flesh to digital ghost. He's wracked with guilt and anger over who he was and what he's lost and he desperately wishes to atone for the life he's lived.
In book one, this led us into the great character arcs that Phipps and Suttkus are famous for. Phipps always manages to introduce you to an utterly broken person and show us their path toward healing. When book 1 ended, we had hope for Cassius.
Then book 2 started, and we were saddled with an uncomfortable reality. While a lot of what was broken in these characters was healed, life doesn't let you forget about the parts that you haven't fixed yet. Cassius is still addicted to his alcohol and self-destructive tendencies, and the character journeys in this book help us to see the more human side of addiction, abuse, and violence on both a global and a personal scale.
There's politics, huge twists, and adventure galore, but the big win with any book that has Phipps's name on it is the character development (and the action. Lots of great action.).
This book is an easy 5 out of 5 stars. I look forward to the next one!
Lucifer's Nebula is a sequel to the first book, Lucifer's Star, in which we learned that the universe has experienced governmental turmoil, civilizations have been ravaged, and an ancient set of beings known as the Elder Races have left their mark on the current civilization. This book picks up where the first left off in a way that doesn't make you feel like you've missed a step between the books.
We find our reluctant hero, Cassius Mass, as the hesitant Captain of the Melampus, the ship that he had been flying on during the previous book. His crew is filled with variously colorful characters, including his two lovers, the aggressive First Mate, Clarice, and the ship's medical officer, Isla. Isla is also a bioroid, which is like a fleshy C-3PO who's artificial intelligence is so advanced that it's considered (by some) to be a sentient being. Many of the bioroid's of this universe are enslaved, as most people see them less like people and more like machines. Isla's struggle, in this book and the last, reminds me of Pris from the original Blade Runner. She was made for one purpose (in Isla's case, sex), but rebels against her users to follow her true calling. At this point, that mostly consists of being a medical officer and hanging out with Cassius's pirate crew.
Most of the cast of Lucifer's Nebula (and the whole series, really) is incredibly broken or has experienced some sort of trauma. One of my favorite characters, William, had to deal with his entire world being ravaged and destroyed by one of the warring governments. Major Terra (introduced in this book) is a brainwashed soldier from that same world as William. She was kidnapped by her conquerors and brainwashed to be their loyal assassin. Everyone's broken. The Melampus wouldn't be remiss in renaming itself "The Isle of Misfit Toys."
This broken aesthetic doesn't end with just the crew, as their Captain is the most broken of them all. Inside his head he relives and can never escape the memories of all of the people that he's killed or led into a battle that's gotten them killed. One of those ghosts is his dead wife, who seems to have lost much of her humanity in her transition from living flesh to digital ghost. He's wracked with guilt and anger over who he was and what he's lost and he desperately wishes to atone for the life he's lived.
In book one, this led us into the great character arcs that Phipps and Suttkus are famous for. Phipps always manages to introduce you to an utterly broken person and show us their path toward healing. When book 1 ended, we had hope for Cassius.
Then book 2 started, and we were saddled with an uncomfortable reality. While a lot of what was broken in these characters was healed, life doesn't let you forget about the parts that you haven't fixed yet. Cassius is still addicted to his alcohol and self-destructive tendencies, and the character journeys in this book help us to see the more human side of addiction, abuse, and violence on both a global and a personal scale.
There's politics, huge twists, and adventure galore, but the big win with any book that has Phipps's name on it is the character development (and the action. Lots of great action.).
This book is an easy 5 out of 5 stars. I look forward to the next one!
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