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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Very engaging space adventure novel. I liked the premise and the 'universe' Warren creates.
Merged review:
Very engaging space adventure novel. I liked the premise and the 'universe' Warren creates.
Merged review:
Very engaging space adventure novel. I liked the premise and the 'universe' Warren creates.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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:
Yes
When I was first offered a copy of Vick’s Vultures for review, the press release promised a mix of Firefly and Mad Max. That was enough to catch my interest. When I had a chance to talk with Scott Warren about the book, he also mentioned Discworld having influenced his tone. That was enough to pique my interest. When I actually sat down to read it, I discovered that its Firefly sense of roguish adventure was cut with a good deal of Star Trek vibes. That was enough to sustain my interest.
I loved the concept of this right from the start. Humanity has progressed to the point where we’re a legitimate star-faring race, but in doing so we’ve discovered how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. Races like the Malagath, the Dirregaunt, and the Kossovoldt have been around for eons, progressing far beyond anything to which we could aspire. They are the forces of power in the universe, with each of them controlling thousands of worlds. In order to compete, we have legitimized a form of interstellar piracy, scavenging alien ships for whatever technology and secrets we can, making our own ships into mechanical monstrosities of mismatch technology.
Culturally, those races have progressed beyond us as well, although that’s actually to our advantage. While they may have the advantage of numbers, and may outclass us in terms of speed and firepower, they lack our passionate edge. When it comes right down to it, none of them are prepared for how sneaky, how clever, or how self-sacrificing we can be – and our backwards technology has actually led us to being something of a spacewalker bogeyman. It’s something of a running joke in the novel, but it’s also a lot of fun.
The story begins with Captain Victoria Marin and her crew discovering a derelict Malagath ship. As surprised as they are to find survivors on board, they are even more surprised to find that First Prince Tavram, heir apparent to the Malagath, is among of them. What began as a salvage operation turns into something of a rescue, albeit one for which they expect to be paid well. Complicating matters is pursuit by the same Dirregaunt ship that betrayed the Prince, aided by the hive-mind Graylings, who have a particular hatred (and hunger) for humanity. When late-breaking orders from Earth threaten to undermine everything Captain Marin has accomplished, things get even more intense.
I know, it sounds nothing like Star Trek’s happy optimism, but it does capture the vibe of Enterprise exploration, Original Series adventure, and Deep Space Nine grimness – along with Mad Max’s inspired scavenging, and Firefly’s roguish culture. There’s a lot of space opera action here, mixed with equal amounts humor and horror. The pacing is just this side of breakneck, and more jaded readers will be pleased to know that it never devolves into unnecessary romance. As for the aliens, they are fantastic creations, falling anywhere recognizably bipedal to six-legged monstrosities. There’s enough science to really establish the gap between human and alien technologies, and some really inventive ways our backwards methods and primitive tools are put to use.
All-in-all, Vick’s Vultures is a lot of fun, and a book that completely delivers on its premise. It subverts a lot of our expectations, and does so to make for a stronger, more enjoyable story.
Originally reviewed at The Speculative Herald
Merged review:
When I was first offered a copy of Vick’s Vultures for review, the press release promised a mix of Firefly and Mad Max. That was enough to catch my interest. When I had a chance to talk with Scott Warren about the book, he also mentioned Discworld having influenced his tone. That was enough to pique my interest. When I actually sat down to read it, I discovered that its Firefly sense of roguish adventure was cut with a good deal of Star Trek vibes. That was enough to sustain my interest.
I loved the concept of this right from the start. Humanity has progressed to the point where we’re a legitimate star-faring race, but in doing so we’ve discovered how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. Races like the Malagath, the Dirregaunt, and the Kossovoldt have been around for eons, progressing far beyond anything to which we could aspire. They are the forces of power in the universe, with each of them controlling thousands of worlds. In order to compete, we have legitimized a form of interstellar piracy, scavenging alien ships for whatever technology and secrets we can, making our own ships into mechanical monstrosities of mismatch technology.
Culturally, those races have progressed beyond us as well, although that’s actually to our advantage. While they may have the advantage of numbers, and may outclass us in terms of speed and firepower, they lack our passionate edge. When it comes right down to it, none of them are prepared for how sneaky, how clever, or how self-sacrificing we can be – and our backwards technology has actually led us to being something of a spacewalker bogeyman. It’s something of a running joke in the novel, but it’s also a lot of fun.
The story begins with Captain Victoria Marin and her crew discovering a derelict Malagath ship. As surprised as they are to find survivors on board, they are even more surprised to find that First Prince Tavram, heir apparent to the Malagath, is among of them. What began as a salvage operation turns into something of a rescue, albeit one for which they expect to be paid well. Complicating matters is pursuit by the same Dirregaunt ship that betrayed the Prince, aided by the hive-mind Graylings, who have a particular hatred (and hunger) for humanity. When late-breaking orders from Earth threaten to undermine everything Captain Marin has accomplished, things get even more intense.
I know, it sounds nothing like Star Trek’s happy optimism, but it does capture the vibe of Enterprise exploration, Original Series adventure, and Deep Space Nine grimness – along with Mad Max’s inspired scavenging, and Firefly’s roguish culture. There’s a lot of space opera action here, mixed with equal amounts humor and horror. The pacing is just this side of breakneck, and more jaded readers will be pleased to know that it never devolves into unnecessary romance. As for the aliens, they are fantastic creations, falling anywhere recognizably bipedal to six-legged monstrosities. There’s enough science to really establish the gap between human and alien technologies, and some really inventive ways our backwards methods and primitive tools are put to use.
All-in-all, Vick’s Vultures is a lot of fun, and a book that completely delivers on its premise. It subverts a lot of our expectations, and does so to make for a stronger, more enjoyable story.
Originally reviewed at The Speculative Herald
I loved the concept of this right from the start. Humanity has progressed to the point where we’re a legitimate star-faring race, but in doing so we’ve discovered how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. Races like the Malagath, the Dirregaunt, and the Kossovoldt have been around for eons, progressing far beyond anything to which we could aspire. They are the forces of power in the universe, with each of them controlling thousands of worlds. In order to compete, we have legitimized a form of interstellar piracy, scavenging alien ships for whatever technology and secrets we can, making our own ships into mechanical monstrosities of mismatch technology.
Culturally, those races have progressed beyond us as well, although that’s actually to our advantage. While they may have the advantage of numbers, and may outclass us in terms of speed and firepower, they lack our passionate edge. When it comes right down to it, none of them are prepared for how sneaky, how clever, or how self-sacrificing we can be – and our backwards technology has actually led us to being something of a spacewalker bogeyman. It’s something of a running joke in the novel, but it’s also a lot of fun.
The story begins with Captain Victoria Marin and her crew discovering a derelict Malagath ship. As surprised as they are to find survivors on board, they are even more surprised to find that First Prince Tavram, heir apparent to the Malagath, is among of them. What began as a salvage operation turns into something of a rescue, albeit one for which they expect to be paid well. Complicating matters is pursuit by the same Dirregaunt ship that betrayed the Prince, aided by the hive-mind Graylings, who have a particular hatred (and hunger) for humanity. When late-breaking orders from Earth threaten to undermine everything Captain Marin has accomplished, things get even more intense.
I know, it sounds nothing like Star Trek’s happy optimism, but it does capture the vibe of Enterprise exploration, Original Series adventure, and Deep Space Nine grimness – along with Mad Max’s inspired scavenging, and Firefly’s roguish culture. There’s a lot of space opera action here, mixed with equal amounts humor and horror. The pacing is just this side of breakneck, and more jaded readers will be pleased to know that it never devolves into unnecessary romance. As for the aliens, they are fantastic creations, falling anywhere recognizably bipedal to six-legged monstrosities. There’s enough science to really establish the gap between human and alien technologies, and some really inventive ways our backwards methods and primitive tools are put to use.
All-in-all, Vick’s Vultures is a lot of fun, and a book that completely delivers on its premise. It subverts a lot of our expectations, and does so to make for a stronger, more enjoyable story.
Originally reviewed at The Speculative Herald
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.
Merged review:
When I was first offered a copy of Vick’s Vultures for review, the press release promised a mix of Firefly and Mad Max. That was enough to catch my interest. When I had a chance to talk with Scott Warren about the book, he also mentioned Discworld having influenced his tone. That was enough to pique my interest. When I actually sat down to read it, I discovered that its Firefly sense of roguish adventure was cut with a good deal of Star Trek vibes. That was enough to sustain my interest.
I loved the concept of this right from the start. Humanity has progressed to the point where we’re a legitimate star-faring race, but in doing so we’ve discovered how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. Races like the Malagath, the Dirregaunt, and the Kossovoldt have been around for eons, progressing far beyond anything to which we could aspire. They are the forces of power in the universe, with each of them controlling thousands of worlds. In order to compete, we have legitimized a form of interstellar piracy, scavenging alien ships for whatever technology and secrets we can, making our own ships into mechanical monstrosities of mismatch technology.
Culturally, those races have progressed beyond us as well, although that’s actually to our advantage. While they may have the advantage of numbers, and may outclass us in terms of speed and firepower, they lack our passionate edge. When it comes right down to it, none of them are prepared for how sneaky, how clever, or how self-sacrificing we can be – and our backwards technology has actually led us to being something of a spacewalker bogeyman. It’s something of a running joke in the novel, but it’s also a lot of fun.
The story begins with Captain Victoria Marin and her crew discovering a derelict Malagath ship. As surprised as they are to find survivors on board, they are even more surprised to find that First Prince Tavram, heir apparent to the Malagath, is among of them. What began as a salvage operation turns into something of a rescue, albeit one for which they expect to be paid well. Complicating matters is pursuit by the same Dirregaunt ship that betrayed the Prince, aided by the hive-mind Graylings, who have a particular hatred (and hunger) for humanity. When late-breaking orders from Earth threaten to undermine everything Captain Marin has accomplished, things get even more intense.
I know, it sounds nothing like Star Trek’s happy optimism, but it does capture the vibe of Enterprise exploration, Original Series adventure, and Deep Space Nine grimness – along with Mad Max’s inspired scavenging, and Firefly’s roguish culture. There’s a lot of space opera action here, mixed with equal amounts humor and horror. The pacing is just this side of breakneck, and more jaded readers will be pleased to know that it never devolves into unnecessary romance. As for the aliens, they are fantastic creations, falling anywhere recognizably bipedal to six-legged monstrosities. There’s enough science to really establish the gap between human and alien technologies, and some really inventive ways our backwards methods and primitive tools are put to use.
All-in-all, Vick’s Vultures is a lot of fun, and a book that completely delivers on its premise. It subverts a lot of our expectations, and does so to make for a stronger, more enjoyable story.
Originally reviewed at The Speculative Herald
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.
3.5 stars from me. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It sounded a little pulpy from the description but proved to be more "sophisticated" (for lack of a better word) than that.
I can't say I liked the main character, Victoria Marin. She felt a little flat to me, but the rest of the viewpoint characters were well drawn. As for plot, it was a wild and exciting ride. Very enjoyable. I was really moved by the Tessa and Aimes subplot too.
I hope he writes some more stories in this world.
I can't say I liked the main character, Victoria Marin. She felt a little flat to me, but the rest of the viewpoint characters were well drawn. As for plot, it was a wild and exciting ride. Very enjoyable. I was really moved by the Tessa and Aimes subplot too.
I hope he writes some more stories in this world.
A 3.5 starrer
A quick engaging entertaining read that is different from a host of other pretenders in the way the book portrays humanity. Humanity is portrayed as one of the lesser, younger races and a very minor and insignificant race as compared to the some of the older civilizations. Humanity survives by feeding on the scraps, literally and figuratively accrued from the warring of these older civilizations and its right in the middle of a proposed peace talk, that humanity or more specifically, a spaceship gets caught in
What follows pretty much is a deadly cat and mouse game as the human spaceship is hunted by a technologically superior spaceship and its relentless commander. Visions of Ahab and Moby Dick but in space abound even as each species learns something new about the other. In the midst of all this, is another party that wishes all harm on the humans. Its as exciting as its non-stop
In the quieter moments, the inter-species conversations, prejudices and discoveries comes to fore even as humans display why they have survived so long. You cant help but cheering. Its also quite awesome that unlike the standard SF trope, the captain of the human ship is a grizzled, hardened, take-no-shit female.
Its a fairly predictable book, some of the twists have a whiff of dues-ex-machina to them even as the writing isnt exactly subtle.
Merged review:
A 3.5 starrer
A quick engaging entertaining read that is different from a host of other pretenders in the way the book portrays humanity. Humanity is portrayed as one of the lesser, younger races and a very minor and insignificant race as compared to the some of the older civilizations. Humanity survives by feeding on the scraps, literally and figuratively accrued from the warring of these older civilizations and its right in the middle of a proposed peace talk, that humanity or more specifically, a spaceship gets caught in
What follows pretty much is a deadly cat and mouse game as the human spaceship is hunted by a technologically superior spaceship and its relentless commander. Visions of Ahab and Moby Dick but in space abound even as each species learns something new about the other. In the midst of all this, is another party that wishes all harm on the humans. Its as exciting as its non-stop
In the quieter moments, the inter-species conversations, prejudices and discoveries comes to fore even as humans display why they have survived so long. You cant help but cheering. Its also quite awesome that unlike the standard SF trope, the captain of the human ship is a grizzled, hardened, take-no-shit female.
Its a fairly predictable book, some of the twists have a whiff of dues-ex-machina to them even as the writing isnt exactly subtle.
A quick engaging entertaining read that is different from a host of other pretenders in the way the book portrays humanity. Humanity is portrayed as one of the lesser, younger races and a very minor and insignificant race as compared to the some of the older civilizations. Humanity survives by feeding on the scraps, literally and figuratively accrued from the warring of these older civilizations and its right in the middle of a proposed peace talk, that humanity or more specifically, a spaceship gets caught in
What follows pretty much is a deadly cat and mouse game as the human spaceship is hunted by a technologically superior spaceship and its relentless commander. Visions of Ahab and Moby Dick but in space abound even as each species learns something new about the other. In the midst of all this, is another party that wishes all harm on the humans. Its as exciting as its non-stop
In the quieter moments, the inter-species conversations, prejudices and discoveries comes to fore even as humans display why they have survived so long. You cant help but cheering. Its also quite awesome that unlike the standard SF trope, the captain of the human ship is a grizzled, hardened, take-no-shit female.
Its a fairly predictable book, some of the twists have a whiff of dues-ex-machina to them even as the writing isnt exactly subtle.
Merged review:
A 3.5 starrer
A quick engaging entertaining read that is different from a host of other pretenders in the way the book portrays humanity. Humanity is portrayed as one of the lesser, younger races and a very minor and insignificant race as compared to the some of the older civilizations. Humanity survives by feeding on the scraps, literally and figuratively accrued from the warring of these older civilizations and its right in the middle of a proposed peace talk, that humanity or more specifically, a spaceship gets caught in
What follows pretty much is a deadly cat and mouse game as the human spaceship is hunted by a technologically superior spaceship and its relentless commander. Visions of Ahab and Moby Dick but in space abound even as each species learns something new about the other. In the midst of all this, is another party that wishes all harm on the humans. Its as exciting as its non-stop
In the quieter moments, the inter-species conversations, prejudices and discoveries comes to fore even as humans display why they have survived so long. You cant help but cheering. Its also quite awesome that unlike the standard SF trope, the captain of the human ship is a grizzled, hardened, take-no-shit female.
Its a fairly predictable book, some of the twists have a whiff of dues-ex-machina to them even as the writing isnt exactly subtle.
I legitimately can’t tell if this book is terrible or intentionally campy. As such, I’m going to write this review as of it is an intentionally campy trope-ridden comedy.
If this book were a movie, it would belong on Mystery Science Theater 3000. It is perfect to over-analyze every little thing and laugh at how stilted the dialogue is. Really, anything related to people just comes off as so hilariously bad it is enjoyable when you’re not worried about injuring yourself with eye-rolls. That said, the things not related to people are made up of some pretty decent ideas, like war-like humans being sneakier than the ancient alien civilizations. Are these ideas well executed? Not really, but see above.
Ummm, I’m not sure who I’d recommend this to, but if the above sounds good to you, go for it?
If this book were a movie, it would belong on Mystery Science Theater 3000. It is perfect to over-analyze every little thing and laugh at how stilted the dialogue is. Really, anything related to people just comes off as so hilariously bad it is enjoyable when you’re not worried about injuring yourself with eye-rolls. That said, the things not related to people are made up of some pretty decent ideas, like war-like humans being sneakier than the ancient alien civilizations. Are these ideas well executed? Not really, but see above.
Ummm, I’m not sure who I’d recommend this to, but if the above sounds good to you, go for it?
Wow, this is really good. I liked how the plot was laid out, the character development, and the action. This is an old-school type of book.
This would be a good start to a TV series.
This would be a good start to a TV series.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An entertaining, albeit short, sci-fi adventure story. Warren has set up an interesting vision of the universe with humanity (and host of other aliens) mere flies on the wall to three great alien empires currently at war. Humanity survives, and advances, by scavenging the wrecks of other more-advanced races and maintains a tenuous neutrality by ferrying survivors back to their home systems.
Solid space adventure. Some tropes but really straight forward and a good page turner.