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medea_jade's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Let down, yet again, by a BioWare tie in novel. This book was clearly written by someone who loves Mass Effect, but I think that beta readers (if there were any) were too supportive and not critical enough and editors phoned it in.
The biggest problem with the book was the pacing. It was far too slow. Not until very briefly at almost the end of the book did I feel like there was a sense of crisis, which considering the premise of the book, I should have felt from the get go.
I am all for character development, but what happened in this book felt more like character study. It was too much, too involved, for so short a book and was a huge part of what slowed the pace down. So much of what is told about the characters was irrelevant to the plot.
Something else that really bothered me was the inconsistency in character names. Sometimes they were called by their full name, sometimes only first or last, sometimes nicknames, sometimes first and middle names. It made it really hard for me to nail down which character was which. The narrator at the very least should be consistent in what the character is called. It constantly pulled me out of the story trying to figure out who was the subject at what moment.
The cast of this book is entirely alien and yet the characters frequently reference Earth plants and animals or use human phrases. This is where a beta reader would have sat up and said hmm is there another way this idea could be communicated instead of having a Batarian call another Batarian a dog.
As I said, this book was clearly written by someone who loves Mass Effect. In particular, I loved the in depth exposition about Batarians and their caste system, something I always wished the game had gone into more. But overall the book was disappointing.
The biggest problem with the book was the pacing. It was far too slow. Not until very briefly at almost the end of the book did I feel like there was a sense of crisis, which considering the premise of the book, I should have felt from the get go.
I am all for character development, but what happened in this book felt more like character study. It was too much, too involved, for so short a book and was a huge part of what slowed the pace down. So much of what is told about the characters was irrelevant to the plot.
Something else that really bothered me was the inconsistency in character names. Sometimes they were called by their full name, sometimes only first or last, sometimes nicknames, sometimes first and middle names. It made it really hard for me to nail down which character was which. The narrator at the very least should be consistent in what the character is called. It constantly pulled me out of the story trying to figure out who was the subject at what moment.
The cast of this book is entirely alien and yet the characters frequently reference Earth plants and animals or use human phrases. This is where a beta reader would have sat up and said hmm is there another way this idea could be communicated instead of having a Batarian call another Batarian a dog.
As I said, this book was clearly written by someone who loves Mass Effect. In particular, I loved the in depth exposition about Batarians and their caste system, something I always wished the game had gone into more. But overall the book was disappointing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit and Terminal illness
Minor: Child death
megparsec's review against another edition
4.0
When I read Catherynne Valente's Space Opera last year, one of my favorite things about it was how memorably it brought to life a whole galaxy full of unique alien races, coloring in each species' eccentricities with equal parts heart and humor. I remember having the same thought almost every chapter at the time: "I'd LOVE to see what this author could do in the Mass Effect universe."
Well, now I know, and I'm happy to report that it's every bit as delightful as I expected. The story of Annihilation focuses on the quarian ark, somewhere deep in intergalactic space on its way to Andromeda and populated by all of the Milky Way's more obscure alien species: the quarians, the drell, the hanar, the elcor and the volus. All of those species were my favorites in the original Mass Effect trilogy (and I sorely missed their presence playing Andromeda), and Valente brings them to life magnificently here.
The core ensemble cast features one representative of each species, and they're all unique and memorable personalities, from a secretive drell detective to a fashion designer volus to a fabulously cantankerous quarian matriarch to a beleaguered elcor who just wants everyone to appreciate his Shakespeare references. Their characterizations draw heavily on Mass Effect lore (there are a lot of satisfying deep-cut references), but at the same time, it feels refreshingly original to have a science fiction novel written almost entirely from alien perspectives, with no obligatory humans sticking around to be the audience stand-in.
The story that unfolds here basically follows the architecture of a disaster movie, with a plague taking hold on the Ark and threatening its entire cryo-frozen population, and the protagonists racing against time to figure out a cure. The plot lends a great sense of claustrophobic urgency to the novel, and leads to a surprisingly poignant finale (one that made me choke up in the same way the best moments of the original Mass Effect games did). You may never look at Hamlet the same way again.
All told, if you miss the colorful alien personalities that populated the Mass Effect franchise's Milky Way, and want to join them for one more adventure, this is definitely the book for you.
Well, now I know, and I'm happy to report that it's every bit as delightful as I expected. The story of Annihilation focuses on the quarian ark, somewhere deep in intergalactic space on its way to Andromeda and populated by all of the Milky Way's more obscure alien species: the quarians, the drell, the hanar, the elcor and the volus. All of those species were my favorites in the original Mass Effect trilogy (and I sorely missed their presence playing Andromeda), and Valente brings them to life magnificently here.
The core ensemble cast features one representative of each species, and they're all unique and memorable personalities, from a secretive drell detective to a fashion designer volus to a fabulously cantankerous quarian matriarch to a beleaguered elcor who just wants everyone to appreciate his Shakespeare references. Their characterizations draw heavily on Mass Effect lore (there are a lot of satisfying deep-cut references), but at the same time, it feels refreshingly original to have a science fiction novel written almost entirely from alien perspectives, with no obligatory humans sticking around to be the audience stand-in.
The story that unfolds here basically follows the architecture of a disaster movie, with a plague taking hold on the Ark and threatening its entire cryo-frozen population, and the protagonists racing against time to figure out a cure. The plot lends a great sense of claustrophobic urgency to the novel, and leads to a surprisingly poignant finale (one that made me choke up in the same way the best moments of the original Mass Effect games did). You may never look at Hamlet the same way again.
All told, if you miss the colorful alien personalities that populated the Mass Effect franchise's Milky Way, and want to join them for one more adventure, this is definitely the book for you.
eviltidings's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
errogal's review against another edition
3.0
Really solid start, super interesting characters but the ending was kind of a mess. I will never get tired of the Mass Effect universe though!
rphalange's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A bit complicated with all the science but really enjoyable for those who are intimately familiar with the Mass Effect universe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness
misprints's review
5.0
4.5/5
What a ride! If you thought that your Mass Effect: Andromeda experience was lacking certain space nomads (and floating jellyfish, and lumbering Shakespeare fanatics), you owe it to yourself to pick up this book. Despite a few overly-long passages and a somewhat abrupt ending, it's a page-turner and a thoroughly enjoyable read — especially for fans of the series, who will find a lot to love in the author's faithful representation (and careful expansion) of the lore. Two thumbs up from this reader.
What a ride! If you thought that your Mass Effect: Andromeda experience was lacking certain space nomads (and floating jellyfish, and lumbering Shakespeare fanatics), you owe it to yourself to pick up this book. Despite a few overly-long passages and a somewhat abrupt ending, it's a page-turner and a thoroughly enjoyable read — especially for fans of the series, who will find a lot to love in the author's faithful representation (and careful expansion) of the lore. Two thumbs up from this reader.
lairedae's review against another edition
I went into this because I like Catherynne M. Valente, and Mass Effect and figured the two combined could only be an enjoyable read. I was not disappointed.
I loved the dialogue and the character building. Yorrick, the Shakespeare loving Elcor was particularly divine. Honestly, I love the whole Elcor theatre movement in general.
If you like Mass Effect, and locked room mysteries, and the non-council races, then I can definitely recommend.
I loved the dialogue and the character building. Yorrick, the Shakespeare loving Elcor was particularly divine. Honestly, I love the whole Elcor theatre movement in general.
If you like Mass Effect, and locked room mysteries, and the non-council races, then I can definitely recommend.
narzibenoucdel's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
rcollins1701's review
4.0
I ask you: what's not to love about a wise-cracking, Shakespeare-quoting Elcor ear nose and throat doctor?