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yvarg's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
dawn_marie's review against another edition
2.0
Rando Splicer is my least favorite volume of Joel Shepherd's Spiral War Series.
While there were some interesting aspects to the novel, overall it felt too disjointed for me to really enjoy it. For me, the novel did not work because of the two completely separate plot lines: (1) Phoenix crew dealing with Croma politics and (2) Major Thakur and Staff Sergeant Kono stuck on Rando - making the story feel less like a single cohesive plot and more like two novels stuck together.
The pacing was extremely slow - much slower than previous novels - other than conversations and some plotting, nothing really happens during much of the first half of the book. Oddly, there was a Lisbeth (still a very annoying character) chapter stuck in the middle of the book where she did nothing but talk at her guests for 15 pages. No, seriously. Fifteen. Pages. Of nothing but Lisbeth talking, not even a response from those around her. Worse her prattle was littered with "well," "and then", and "anyhow" and the tendency to end statements with "right?" The author tells us that Lisbeth is extremely intelligent and capable yet he fails to show us that. Ugh
This was the weakest, most disappointing offering of the series. Hopefully, now that the crew is reunited, the next volume will be more enjoyable - though that ending does not leave me hopeful.
While there were some interesting aspects to the novel, overall it felt too disjointed for me to really enjoy it. For me, the novel did not work because of the two completely separate plot lines: (1) Phoenix crew dealing with Croma politics and (2) Major Thakur and Staff Sergeant Kono stuck on Rando - making the story feel less like a single cohesive plot and more like two novels stuck together.
The pacing was extremely slow - much slower than previous novels - other than conversations and some plotting, nothing really happens during much of the first half of the book. Oddly, there was a Lisbeth (still a very annoying character) chapter stuck in the middle of the book where she did nothing but talk at her guests for 15 pages. No, seriously. Fifteen. Pages. Of nothing but Lisbeth talking, not even a response from those around her. Worse her prattle was littered with "well," "and then", and "anyhow" and the tendency to end statements with "right?" The author tells us that Lisbeth is extremely intelligent and capable yet he fails to show us that. Ugh
This was the weakest, most disappointing offering of the series. Hopefully, now that the crew is reunited, the next volume will be more enjoyable - though that ending does not leave me hopeful.
wiseard's review against another edition
3.0
This book felt like a detour from what the previous books were about.
lizziegracereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
jamestomasino's review against another edition
4.0
There's some brutal stuff in this one, but what I liked most was the major scenery changes. We got dusty for a bit. Deserts and jungles, train battles and seiges. The great story arc inches forward and the stakes keep raising. This is a really solid series.
colonelkillgore's review
adventurous
funny
tense
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? It's complicated
4.75
colossal's review against another edition
4.0
A disaster of an attack on the reeh has left Major Trace Thakur and Staff Sergeant Kono on the reeh-occupied corbi homeworld of Rando, separated from the UFS Phoenix which has retreated to croma space. The Major has to survive a world full of lethally genetically modified creatures, corbi resistance fighters and collaborators as well as reeh and their slave species. But the Major being who she is, she resolves to strike against the enormous reeh genetic lab known as the Rando Splicer to complete the mission that may save humanity.
Meanwhile in Croma space Captain Erik Debogande finds the UFS Phoenix in the middle of yet another alien species cultural upheaval as the treachery of the ruling clan of the croma is revealed. The Phoenix needs the support of the croma before they can launch a rescue mission for Major Thakur and repeat the assault on the Splicer.
This book has a few deeper elements that aren't present so much in earlier books. First, the corbi are not only the most human-like aliens that humanity has discovered (they look a bit like chimps), but their situation with the reeh is very similar to where humanity itself was in the past when Earth was occupied by the crim. This presents emotional compromise for both Trace and Erik in different ways as they feel obligated to help, even while the deadly biotech threat that is Phoenix's true mission looms.
Second, the situation that the corbi find themselves in, occupied by an immense and cruel empire, and with almost no friends, means that their people have to make the sort of compromises and decisions necessary in a war. And that's safe for nobody. The sort of decisions that humanity made a 1,000 years ago are one thing at arms length when the species was ultimately victorious, but this puts our characters right in the middle of some ugly decisions.
Up until this point in the series the Phoenix has been on a noble crusade. This one is the antidote to some of that glorification of war. Can't wait to see where it goes next.
Meanwhile in Croma space Captain Erik Debogande finds the UFS Phoenix in the middle of yet another alien species cultural upheaval as the treachery of the ruling clan of the croma is revealed. The Phoenix needs the support of the croma before they can launch a rescue mission for Major Thakur and repeat the assault on the Splicer.
This book has a few deeper elements that aren't present so much in earlier books. First, the corbi are not only the most human-like aliens that humanity has discovered (they look a bit like chimps), but their situation with the reeh is very similar to where humanity itself was in the past when Earth was occupied by the crim. This presents emotional compromise for both Trace and Erik in different ways as they feel obligated to help, even while the deadly biotech threat that is Phoenix's true mission looms.
Second, the situation that the corbi find themselves in, occupied by an immense and cruel empire, and with almost no friends, means that their people have to make the sort of compromises and decisions necessary in a war. And that's safe for nobody. The sort of decisions that humanity made a 1,000 years ago are one thing at arms length when the species was ultimately victorious, but this puts our characters right in the middle of some ugly decisions.
Up until this point in the series the Phoenix has been on a noble crusade. This one is the antidote to some of that glorification of war. Can't wait to see where it goes next.
eisn's review against another edition
3.0
This book felt like a detour from what the previous books were about.
marktimmony's review against another edition
4.0
Awesome new instalment in the Spiral Wars saga.
There was lots of action in this book, but not quite as much of the spacefaring sort I really like, nor unfortunately as much of Styx and the AI's.
This is understandable, for while the book completed a number of threads from the end of book 5 it also set up the next book (possibly story arc) really well.
Bring on book 7!
If you enjoy Peter F. Hamilton and David Weber, then I highly recommend this series.
There was lots of action in this book, but not quite as much of the spacefaring sort I really like, nor unfortunately as much of Styx and the AI's.
This is understandable, for while the book completed a number of threads from the end of book 5 it also set up the next book (possibly story arc) really well.
Bring on book 7!
If you enjoy Peter F. Hamilton and David Weber, then I highly recommend this series.