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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
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:
No
There’s a lot to like about this sci-fi mystery: the characters, the worldbuilding, the isolated setting.
I really enjoyed the science that was incorporated; the practical ways it was infused into the story kept the plot moving along at a fairly quick pace and I never felt bogged down by any of the explanations behind the science.
But I think the murder mystery aspect really just fell short for me. The plot was really just not strong in comparison to everything else.
And it’s not that it was written poorly or anything like that. It’s just that it really didn’t wow me at all. I never felt that there was a lot of action that propelled the story forward and kept things interesting. It was more so like things were happening and the plot was chugging along but the quality of the things that were occurring never really felt all that inspiring or engaging to be honest. I kept wanting to really like where the story was going and what was going on, but it just never happened for me.
The main characters of Shal and Tesla were strong characters, and I especially loved the relationship dynamic of the two and their honeymoon period that just wasn’t going as planned. As a premise, it worked so well for me and I adored how their characters as individuals brought so much to the table and how well they complemented one another in such positive and sweet ways.
I didn’t end up loving but I wouldn’t deter anyone from picking it up if they were interested.
And an extra shout-out to Gimlet, because she was adorable and the disability rep she was tied to worked really well for me.
I really enjoyed the science that was incorporated; the practical ways it was infused into the story kept the plot moving along at a fairly quick pace and I never felt bogged down by any of the explanations behind the science.
But I think the murder mystery aspect really just fell short for me. The plot was really just not strong in comparison to everything else.
And it’s not that it was written poorly or anything like that. It’s just that it really didn’t wow me at all. I never felt that there was a lot of action that propelled the story forward and kept things interesting. It was more so like things were happening and the plot was chugging along but the quality of the things that were occurring never really felt all that inspiring or engaging to be honest. I kept wanting to really like where the story was going and what was going on, but it just never happened for me.
The main characters of Shal and Tesla were strong characters, and I especially loved the relationship dynamic of the two and their honeymoon period that just wasn’t going as planned. As a premise, it worked so well for me and I adored how their characters as individuals brought so much to the table and how well they complemented one another in such positive and sweet ways.
I didn’t end up loving but I wouldn’t deter anyone from picking it up if they were interested.
And an extra shout-out to Gimlet, because she was adorable and the disability rep she was tied to worked really well for me.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I liked The Spare Man, but not as much as the author's Lady Astronaut books which I *really* like. What worked for me was the setting - a multiple-ringed luxury cruise spaceship! - and the way it creates a 'locked room' around the murder mystery. I also liked how Kowal represented a future where sharing pronouns is normalized (and using gender neutral pronouns and honorifics when unknown is the default). I appreciated the representation of disability. What didn't entirely work for me were the characters - many felt rather flat. I thought there was some effective misdirection and a few great twists in the plot, but a few too many brand new elements, some of them rather cliche, were introduced right at the very end to make the mystery work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Classism
Moderate: Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Spare Man is a murder mystery set on a glamorous interplanetary cruise ship. I loved the rich world Kowal created that brimmed with details like including one's pronouns in an introduction is considered standard and the rich are the only ones with access to food printers in their staterooms but are the ones least likely to eat printed food. The characters were relatable and lovable with believable flaws. The pacing was a bit uneven for me but I overall enjoyed The Spare Man.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Police brutality, Murder
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Everything I loved about this book wasn't necessarily the actual plot and writing....
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Gaslighting
Minor: Deadnaming, Sexism, Torture, Police brutality
I absolutely loved this sci-fi retelling of The Thin Man, set on an interspace cruise ship. Inventor and heiress Tesla Crane is on her honeymoon with retired detective Shal, cruising from the Moon to Mars with her service dog, the adorable Gimlet, in tow. When they stumble onto a dead body and Shal is accused of murder, Tesla and Shal have to use all their resources and knowledge to solve the mystery as the bodies pile up. The cast of characters is fantastic, with both intriguing and infuriating people at every turn. Everyone has secrets they're hiding, and I was completely engrossed in the story. Even if you're not a science fiction fan, if you like a good locked-room mystery you'll enjoy this. Once it's published, I will be picking up the audiobook for a reread with my husband. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for a digital review copy.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Kowal is the rare author who prefers to write about happily married couples. I've read several of her other books and only in [b:Shades of Milk and Honey|8697507|Shades of Milk and Honey (Glamourist Histories, #1)|Mary Robinette Kowal|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1377579650l/8697507._SX50_.jpg|8624218] is the main pair not already ensconced in blissful matrimony - and Milk and Honey's several sequels did take place after the couple had wed. It's a real shame, too, because I loved the romantic tension in Milk and Honey and the ability to write that romantic tension shouldn't go to waste.
Tesla Crane - a Tony Stark level of rich celebrity/tech genius - is on her honeymoon on a luxury space cruise with her brand new husband, ex-detective Shal. Accompanying them is Tesla's adorable service dog, Gimlet. Tesla needs Gimlet because of a deadly accident that left her with PTSD and chronic back pain. Tesla and Shal are traveling on the cruise incognito to avoid the crowds of fans who flock to Tesla. A few days into their honeymoon, another passenger is murdered and Shal is picked up as the prime suspect. So, of course, Tesla and Shal (and Gimlet) must discover who the real killer is before they reach Mars.
It's an Agatha Christie style semi-cozy locked room (spaceship) mystery that is thoroughly enjoyable. It is also very pointedly [b:The Thin Man|80616|The Thin Man|Dashiell Hammett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1321111302l/80616._SY75_.jpg|1336952] in space, with Tesla and Shane acting as Nick and Nora, a married crime solving high society duo. It is mostly delightful and occasionally very aggravating. Tesla and Shane are very much in love and, like all Kowal heroes, Shal is unendingly supportive of his brilliant and more successful wife, and utterly in awe of her and her intelligence. It is sweet to see such a healthy couple who are so in love, but at times they gave off a big That High School Couple Who Were Obsessed with Each Other and Kept Making Out On Top of Your Locker When You Were Just Trying To Get Your Chemistry Textbook energy. Tesla nibbles Shal's earlobe while they are in a crowded room and people are openly watching them. I don't care if it is for cover or for comfort - it's cringey and their constant PDA is exhausting. We get it! They are deeply in love and can't keep their hands off each other! But they can keep it in their pants for the 30 seconds they are out in public.
I was also very much hoping this would be more 1930s retro future vibe, given the Nick and Nora nod and the book's cover art. I am very much interested in more retro future sci fi, because there is barely any of it on the market right now. Alas, despite the constant cocktail drinking, it feels very modern with no retro future tech. Where are the ray guns and the dinosaurs on Mars? While Kowal does some nice futuristic slang (soaking!), there are also plenty of very of-the-moment slang words/phrases that I guarantee you will not last through the years and especially not up until the time we have spaceship tourism ("Byeeeeeeeeee!"; "surprised face"; "So....retrograde amnesia. Wheee."). It also made Stal and Tesla sound much younger than their 30-something, established careers would indicate. Sometimes they sound like world weary adults and sometimes they sound like teenagers texting.
Tesla's shark of a lawyer, Fantine, is supposed to be comic relief (I think) but her over-the-top rants and swearing quickly become obnoxious. It is even worse because Kowal shows the effects of time dilation (which I appreciate in theory but not in practice when it comes to Fantine) - Fantine is further and further behind the times as the ship moves further away from Earth, so by the time her rants have begun the events she is ranting about are already over and the narrative has moved on. Which makes her empty threats even more aggravating (she actually cannot do anything in the moment, and the people in power on the ship don't listen to her, and while she does manage to sway some things through their corporate bosses, it's not very much and makes sitting through her tirades even more unnecessary). She is also wildly unprofessional. She would have been a much more threatening presence if she was all cold fury and ruthless efficiency.
Another critique is that although Shal and Tesla are supposedly smart and capable, at times they were frustratingly impulsive. Especially Tesla. Tesla repeats Shal's advice to her many times which is never go somewhere without telling someone where you're going so if the bad guy snatches you, there will be some sort of lead. And, of course, the climax depends on Tesla doing exactly the opposite of that. Tesla also often goes to chat up a suspect or witness and then...gets nowhere and drops the conversation. I get that it is not realistic for everyone to spill their guts to her just by her showing up, but it felt like the first half stalled because Tesla got nowhere with her investigations.
Kowal does do an excellent job portraying a character with PTSD, panic attacks, and chronic pain. She also does a good slow reveal of what happened that caused her injuries. I liked the setting, even if I wanted it to have a more Art Deco feel, and the cocktail recipes included in the book were intriguing. For all my complaints, I did enjoy this book, and there was even a moment in the climax where I was truly shocked by a reveal, which rarely happens.
If Shal and Tesla turned their handsiness down by like ten notches, I would be completely on board with more books about them. I feel like Nick and Nora in Space has a lot more mysteries to solve.
Tesla Crane - a Tony Stark level of rich celebrity/tech genius - is on her honeymoon on a luxury space cruise with her brand new husband, ex-detective Shal. Accompanying them is Tesla's adorable service dog, Gimlet. Tesla needs Gimlet because of a deadly accident that left her with PTSD and chronic back pain. Tesla and Shal are traveling on the cruise incognito to avoid the crowds of fans who flock to Tesla. A few days into their honeymoon, another passenger is murdered and Shal is picked up as the prime suspect. So, of course, Tesla and Shal (and Gimlet) must discover who the real killer is before they reach Mars.
It's an Agatha Christie style semi-cozy locked room (spaceship) mystery that is thoroughly enjoyable. It is also very pointedly [b:The Thin Man|80616|The Thin Man|Dashiell Hammett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1321111302l/80616._SY75_.jpg|1336952] in space, with Tesla and Shane acting as Nick and Nora, a married crime solving high society duo. It is mostly delightful and occasionally very aggravating. Tesla and Shane are very much in love and, like all Kowal heroes, Shal is unendingly supportive of his brilliant and more successful wife, and utterly in awe of her and her intelligence. It is sweet to see such a healthy couple who are so in love, but at times they gave off a big That High School Couple Who Were Obsessed with Each Other and Kept Making Out On Top of Your Locker When You Were Just Trying To Get Your Chemistry Textbook energy. Tesla nibbles Shal's earlobe while they are in a crowded room and people are openly watching them. I don't care if it is for cover or for comfort - it's cringey and their constant PDA is exhausting. We get it! They are deeply in love and can't keep their hands off each other! But they can keep it in their pants for the 30 seconds they are out in public.
I was also very much hoping this would be more 1930s retro future vibe, given the Nick and Nora nod and the book's cover art. I am very much interested in more retro future sci fi, because there is barely any of it on the market right now. Alas, despite the constant cocktail drinking, it feels very modern with no retro future tech. Where are the ray guns and the dinosaurs on Mars? While Kowal does some nice futuristic slang (soaking!), there are also plenty of very of-the-moment slang words/phrases that I guarantee you will not last through the years and especially not up until the time we have spaceship tourism ("Byeeeeeeeeee!"; "surprised face"; "So....retrograde amnesia. Wheee."). It also made Stal and Tesla sound much younger than their 30-something, established careers would indicate. Sometimes they sound like world weary adults and sometimes they sound like teenagers texting.
Tesla's shark of a lawyer, Fantine, is supposed to be comic relief (I think) but her over-the-top rants and swearing quickly become obnoxious. It is even worse because Kowal shows the effects of time dilation (which I appreciate in theory but not in practice when it comes to Fantine) - Fantine is further and further behind the times as the ship moves further away from Earth, so by the time her rants have begun the events she is ranting about are already over and the narrative has moved on. Which makes her empty threats even more aggravating (she actually cannot do anything in the moment, and the people in power on the ship don't listen to her, and while she does manage to sway some things through their corporate bosses, it's not very much and makes sitting through her tirades even more unnecessary). She is also wildly unprofessional. She would have been a much more threatening presence if she was all cold fury and ruthless efficiency.
Another critique is that although Shal and Tesla are supposedly smart and capable, at times they were frustratingly impulsive. Especially Tesla. Tesla repeats Shal's advice to her many times which is never go somewhere without telling someone where you're going so if the bad guy snatches you, there will be some sort of lead. And, of course, the climax depends on Tesla doing exactly the opposite of that. Tesla also often goes to chat up a suspect or witness and then...gets nowhere and drops the conversation. I get that it is not realistic for everyone to spill their guts to her just by her showing up, but it felt like the first half stalled because Tesla got nowhere with her investigations.
Kowal does do an excellent job portraying a character with PTSD, panic attacks, and chronic pain. She also does a good slow reveal of what happened that caused her injuries. I liked the setting, even if I wanted it to have a more Art Deco feel, and the cocktail recipes included in the book were intriguing. For all my complaints, I did enjoy this book, and there was even a moment in the climax where I was truly shocked by a reveal, which rarely happens.
Spoiler
Where the Big Bad makes it seem like he's actually Shal and I was so impressed that Kowal had actually turned her doting husband character into a bad guy and turned the trope she always wrote on its head. Of course, that turned out to be a feint and Shal was never the actual bad guy, but it did give me a good jolt.If Shal and Tesla turned their handsiness down by like ten notches, I would be completely on board with more books about them. I feel like Nick and Nora in Space has a lot more mysteries to solve.
I feel really bad rating this as low as I did, because I found this book extremely easy to read, and I loved the dog. The mystery itself was fine, I guess. Red herrings, multiple suspects, etc. etc. The solution to the extra 75kg in the matter recycling system was a bit too obvious to merit the full two pages of delay in explaining it, plus the drama-enhancing end-of-chapter placement. But, fine, the mystery was fine.
It was the rest of the book that fell flat. I have great difficulty getting behind a main character who is FABULOUSLY WEALTHY and POWERFUL and INFLUENTIAL and is being WRONGED by the current security forces who keep getting in her way in her attempt to investigate murders all by herself and solves most of her problems by throwing money around. Like, 1930s era cocktails and fashion and wealth is a nice kind of set dressing, but if you're putting it in space you can't just import wholesale that kind of obscene power differential that underwrote all those elegant cigarette holders and expect it to be equally charming. The Thin Man was 1934--Great Depression, remember? And our main character is fucking named TESLA of all things . If I didn't know Kowal better, I'd feel like this was written from a place of Elon Musk hagiography--but even back in 2020 and 2021, when the book was being written, I think we all knew Musk was a douchebag, so wtf?
It's not as if Kowal isn't ideologically opposed to everything Muskish. It was right there on the page--but that, too, fell flat. All of the little additional details that Kowal does to show her progressive bona fides felt forced, rather than natural. The pronouns as part of the introductions, the careful attention to disability accommodations, the way everyone calls out gendered insults as antiquated and tiresome--the seams of the worldbuilding were so prominent that they extended their threads back into the modern world, highlighting the current state of The Culture Wars by the box-ticking exercise in showing how the future no longer contains those problems. I appreciate the attempt---truly, I do---but it didn't work here. The prominent seams just made the clothes itchy.
Also, the repeated bits of sexual innuendo between our newlyweds got very tiresome. Especially because, in multiple occurrences, they're making out in the next room while MURDER INVESTIGATORS are just waiting for them to get dressed. Like, wait for the plot to pause a bit before you start getting frisky!
To be fair, I read the book in a day. Kowal's writing is very easy to read, flows smoothly, and keeps me engaged. It just was used to tell a story I didn't particularly care for.
Great cover, though.
It was the rest of the book that fell flat. I have great difficulty getting behind a main character who is FABULOUSLY WEALTHY and POWERFUL and INFLUENTIAL and is being WRONGED by the current security forces who keep getting in her way in her attempt to investigate murders all by herself and solves most of her problems by throwing money around. Like, 1930s era cocktails and fashion and wealth is a nice kind of set dressing, but if you're putting it in space you can't just import wholesale that kind of obscene power differential that underwrote all those elegant cigarette holders and expect it to be equally charming. The Thin Man was 1934--Great Depression, remember? And our main character is fucking named TESLA of all things . If I didn't know Kowal better, I'd feel like this was written from a place of Elon Musk hagiography--but even back in 2020 and 2021, when the book was being written, I think we all knew Musk was a douchebag, so wtf?
It's not as if Kowal isn't ideologically opposed to everything Muskish. It was right there on the page--but that, too, fell flat. All of the little additional details that Kowal does to show her progressive bona fides felt forced, rather than natural. The pronouns as part of the introductions, the careful attention to disability accommodations, the way everyone calls out gendered insults as antiquated and tiresome--the seams of the worldbuilding were so prominent that they extended their threads back into the modern world, highlighting the current state of The Culture Wars by the box-ticking exercise in showing how the future no longer contains those problems. I appreciate the attempt---truly, I do---but it didn't work here. The prominent seams just made the clothes itchy.
Also, the repeated bits of sexual innuendo between our newlyweds got very tiresome. Especially because, in multiple occurrences, they're making out in the next room while MURDER INVESTIGATORS are just waiting for them to get dressed. Like, wait for the plot to pause a bit before you start getting frisky!
To be fair, I read the book in a day. Kowal's writing is very easy to read, flows smoothly, and keeps me engaged. It just was used to tell a story I didn't particularly care for.
Great cover, though.