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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After a job gone wrong, Murdock and her gang of con artists are tithed to a sentient warship that’s styled itself into a punitive god. Escaping the ship would be hard enough - but when the Justice takes a personal interest in Murdock, the stakes only get higher.
I have been slowing dipping my toes into the space opera genre, mostly via the wonderful Becky Chambers, but I am always on the lookout for more. And the premise of this book immediately sold me - a cult surrounding an AI? A prison ship that's become its own society? A queer rivals-to-lovers romance? Sign me up!
The world-building in this book is incredible. The Justice is a huge ship and is populated by a great many people who have slowly built up their own isolated societies, and over the course of the book Murdock and the reader get to know plenty of them. Murdock may be a brash heroine, but she's also got a great wellspring of compassion, as well as a great many insecurities, which makes her viewpoint satisfyingly nuanced.
I was also intrigued by the depiction of the 'found family' of con artists, which has plenty of internal issues without ultimately giving up on the value of the relationships. Even if I felt like Hark's depiction was somewhat heavy-handed at times, it was still an interesting approach.
My main quibble with this book was the pacing, which unfortunately detracted a fair bit from my experience. After a leisurely, detailed first half of the book, things sped up unbelievably, rattling us through oodles of character development and important plot points. I wish that the author had slowed down and spaced things out better - another hundred pages or so would have allowed for much needed breathing room. I also wish we got to know Hark, Bea, and the banded faithful better in that time.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Death, Cannibalism
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
How do I review another immediately-beloved Emily Skrutskie book without just simply shrieking wordlessly and clutching it to my chest? This is her seventh novel and the seventh book of hers that I deeply, deeply love. Skrutskie's character work is immaculate, and her way of weaving foreshadowing but still surprising you when you get to the reveal is brilliant. I love her words. Skrutskie, I love your words. Thanks for sharing them with me again.
10/10, no notes. Would die for Murdock. Would claim Ham as my emotional support himbo. Would like to kiss Fitz.
10/10, no notes. Would die for Murdock. Would claim Ham as my emotional support himbo. Would like to kiss Fitz.
Great concept and characters, I just kept feeling like I was missing part of the story? I’ve checked and this is not a part of a series too
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
nothing that spectacular but overall had a pretty good time.
plot was a little bit predictable but i had really interesting worldbuilding and (mostly) strong characters!
got a sentient ai overlord so a win for me personally
a few inexplicable plot choices and all the faithful have zero personality?? also i thought we didn’t like hark..?
enemies to lovers still doesn’t fully make sense to me but i loved their relationship regardless. murdock is so butch to me.
plot was a little bit predictable but i had really interesting worldbuilding and (mostly) strong characters!
got a sentient ai overlord so a win for me personally
a few inexplicable plot choices and all the faithful have zero personality?? also i thought we didn’t like hark..?
enemies to lovers still doesn’t fully make sense to me but i loved their relationship regardless. murdock is so butch to me.
"'Faith is a strange thing, isn't it? ... You can explain all you want to a doubter, but if you want them to truly come around, you have to let them walk their own path.'"
With a group of criminals and a rogue AI on a spaceship, I thought that The Salvation Gambit would be right up my alley. And while I did enjoy some parts of it, the book fell flat for me in some places.
Most notably, I never really got invested in the plot. It wasn't slowly paced, per se, but I didn't care much for Murdock and the plot just felt a bit lackluster. The romance didn't really catch my attention and the only character backstory I found to be truly interesting was Ham's. That being said, I did like the idea of an AI being worshipped as a god and the headbands it used to communicate with its cultists looking like haloes.
Similarly, I didn't care much for the characters. Murdock was okay, but we never got time to really get to know Hark or Bea so I didn't have a connection with them. Ham was cool and I didn't mind Fitz, but none of them were characters I could really root for.
Even though The Salvation Gambit wasn't my cup of tea, I think it's a worthwhile read for readers looking for a quick space opera.
Thanks to Netgalley and the free e-ARC!
3.25/5
With a group of criminals and a rogue AI on a spaceship, I thought that The Salvation Gambit would be right up my alley. And while I did enjoy some parts of it, the book fell flat for me in some places.
Most notably, I never really got invested in the plot. It wasn't slowly paced, per se, but I didn't care much for Murdock and the plot just felt a bit lackluster. The romance didn't really catch my attention and the only character backstory I found to be truly interesting was Ham's. That being said, I did like the idea of an AI being worshipped as a god and the headbands it used to communicate with its cultists looking like haloes.
Similarly, I didn't care much for the characters. Murdock was okay, but we never got time to really get to know Hark or Bea so I didn't have a connection with them. Ham was cool and I didn't mind Fitz, but none of them were characters I could really root for.
Even though The Salvation Gambit wasn't my cup of tea, I think it's a worthwhile read for readers looking for a quick space opera.
Thanks to Netgalley and the free e-ARC!
3.25/5
adventurous
Almost a DNF. I just couldn't get that into the story.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated