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megadeathvsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This was pretty good. Really hard sci-fi and sometimes I got buried in the numbers, but all in all it was well written and paced. I'd been wanting to read it for quite some time.
charlottej's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
quiraang's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting ideas, but the plot contains some fairly unrealistic, and convenient, juxtapositions of characters and their relationships.
Overall the writing is a rather flat, and the characters are rather shallow. I'm guessing this is a translation?
However, I actually enjoyed the tale.
Overall the writing is a rather flat, and the characters are rather shallow. I'm guessing this is a translation?
However, I actually enjoyed the tale.
diesmali's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting story that is plot and science driven but not with very strong characters. But a decent enough read.
musluk's review against another edition
3.0
While the plot itself is shallow and characters wooden, the premise of near-future space exploration is a favorite subject of mine, so the book was enjoyable.
theartolater's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a major slog for me.
New technology for things in orbit become what is essentially a national/worldwide security issue, and this story follows the discovery and the science and whatnot behind it. It balances the harder science aspects with some of the discovery ones, and it keeps the pacing moving pretty well.
Why doesn't this work? I can't tell if the translation is a little lifeless or if this just feels a little too sterile and/or detached to truly make an impact. I really wanted to love this book, since the idea really pings my interests, but I just had a lot of trouble getting into and sticking with this book. I can't recommend.
New technology for things in orbit become what is essentially a national/worldwide security issue, and this story follows the discovery and the science and whatnot behind it. It balances the harder science aspects with some of the discovery ones, and it keeps the pacing moving pretty well.
Why doesn't this work? I can't tell if the translation is a little lifeless or if this just feels a little too sterile and/or detached to truly make an impact. I really wanted to love this book, since the idea really pings my interests, but I just had a lot of trouble getting into and sticking with this book. I can't recommend.
tarabyt3's review against another edition
4.0
Lots of feelings about this one. It was a fast-paced and fun sf space tech thriller with some great and varied characters. I think the plotting was a little too slick in some places but overall a great read.
jessicaaaaaaa's review against another edition
3.0
Glad I read a book about LEO (low earth orbit) and it was quick enough despite its size, but... Characters were flat and story was plot-driven in a sort of unsatisfying way. It was moving toward one obvious, happy-ending kind of ending. Didn't say anything really aside from the plot and the bit of science in there. The science was the most satisfying part for me personally, cause this was completely new for me. It was chock full of a few tropes I can't stand - unlikely characters called in to save the world and crazy-mushy super-supportive team work to save the world. So, overall, glad I read it, but will not be picking up this author again.
colossal's review against another edition
4.0
A techno-thriller with thin but likable characters dealing with hostile action in Earth orbit and an international cast of entrepreneurs, terrorists, government and military.
In Japan in 2020 the proprietor of a small web company dedicated to tracking objects in orbit notices some debris moving very strangely. Across the Pacific, NORAD investigates it as well. Something very strange is going on and as more parties get involved it becomes clear that something is happening in orbit that threatens the whole world.
Wide-reaching, with a cast of characters from Japan, the US, Iran, China and Korea, the book is a hard science espionage thriller with lots of action and politics. There's also a lot of commentary on the state of the aerospace sector, from the careers of engineers in this sector to the roles of JAXA and NASA and how private companies are moving forward into that space and why. Unfortunately all of the commentary and background information (particularly around aerospace and IT) along with a fast-moving plot leaves little space for character. As such, while entertaining and likable, most of the characters here get very little development.
Realistically this is probably a 3.5 star book, but I'm bumping it to 4 because of how much I enjoyed reading it. This is squarely in my wheelhouse of interests so gets a bonus there.
In Japan in 2020 the proprietor of a small web company dedicated to tracking objects in orbit notices some debris moving very strangely. Across the Pacific, NORAD investigates it as well. Something very strange is going on and as more parties get involved it becomes clear that something is happening in orbit that threatens the whole world.
Wide-reaching, with a cast of characters from Japan, the US, Iran, China and Korea, the book is a hard science espionage thriller with lots of action and politics. There's also a lot of commentary on the state of the aerospace sector, from the careers of engineers in this sector to the roles of JAXA and NASA and how private companies are moving forward into that space and why. Unfortunately all of the commentary and background information (particularly around aerospace and IT) along with a fast-moving plot leaves little space for character. As such, while entertaining and likable, most of the characters here get very little development.
Realistically this is probably a 3.5 star book, but I'm bumping it to 4 because of how much I enjoyed reading it. This is squarely in my wheelhouse of interests so gets a bonus there.
quaelegit's review against another edition
5.0
If you liked The Martian by Andy Weir, you'll probably like this book! It's a bit more of a thriller with international intrigue and spies, but the focus is on technology and the brilliant people who work together to solve life-and-death issues in space.
Edit: I rated this 5 stars because for me personally it hit a lot of specific things I liked (space science; engaging technical explanation; competent people working together), but it has its flaws. This book is light on character development (like The Martian), and the only character who has any sort of development is one of villains, oddly enough. I found the technical explanations interesting and mostly easy to follow, but there were some mistakes (that I caught as a non-expert -- if you're actually working in space stuff you might notice more). Overall the things I liked far outweighed these issues for me, but YMMV.
Edit: I rated this 5 stars because for me personally it hit a lot of specific things I liked (space science; engaging technical explanation; competent people working together), but it has its flaws. This book is light on character development (like The Martian), and the only character who has any sort of development is one of villains, oddly enough. I found the technical explanations interesting and mostly easy to follow, but there were some mistakes (that I caught as a non-expert -- if you're actually working in space stuff you might notice more). Overall the things I liked far outweighed these issues for me, but YMMV.