Scan barcode
fiddlak's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kreppen's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
star_ansible's review
1.0
this book was so bad, it made me not want to read. i'm embarrassed to have it in my library.
jonathanpalfrey's review against another edition
3.0
This is a difficult book to evaluate. It's fluently written, and once it gets going the story is gripping: it's a page-turner. The world-building is quite good: it's not a very original future world, but the details are carefully and plausibly filled in.
On the other hand, it lacks any scenes that I particularly enjoy, and there isn't much characterization. The hero comes over as vaguely well-meaning, ingenious, prone to getting into trouble; but he doesn't make a big impression. The other characters are only lightly sketched.
We visit space habitats and stations, and also inhabited Mars; we travel through space on spaceships, cable cars, and flysticks; we meet people of various kinds and a mysterious race of powerful aliens whose motives are unintelligible.
Rather unusually these days, there's no sex in this book at all; I can't say I missed it. I mention it only as an afterthought. In this story, I think sex would be superfluous, a pointless distraction. There is violence, and violent death, although I think both are at a fairly normal and tolerable level for this kind of story.
On the other hand, it lacks any scenes that I particularly enjoy, and there isn't much characterization. The hero comes over as vaguely well-meaning, ingenious, prone to getting into trouble; but he doesn't make a big impression. The other characters are only lightly sketched.
We visit space habitats and stations, and also inhabited Mars; we travel through space on spaceships, cable cars, and flysticks; we meet people of various kinds and a mysterious race of powerful aliens whose motives are unintelligible.
Rather unusually these days, there's no sex in this book at all; I can't say I missed it. I mention it only as an afterthought. In this story, I think sex would be superfluous, a pointless distraction. There is violence, and violent death, although I think both are at a fairly normal and tolerable level for this kind of story.
felis_libris's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
rheren's review against another edition
4.0
This reminded me of the best of old-fashioned adventure science fiction. Sympathetic protagonist (does a little too much agonizing over things and bemoaning fate for me, but overall he was likeable and heroic and enjoyable to follow), interesting world-building and good plot. The story wasn't real complex, but it flowed linearly and pretty logically. The good guys won, the bad guys lost, there was tension and excitement and adventure. Good stuff. It actually could've been a terrific story even without the weird alien subplot that kind of appeared at the end, but maybe the author was setting up future stories? Not sure.
bookwyrmknits's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
I greatly enjoyed this book. If you look at my reading dates for it, you'll see that it took me 2 months to read, which might lead you to suspect the opposite... BUT. I enjoyed savoring this book. I read a chapter or two at a time, and took my time with it, and somehow that worked perfectly for me for this story. Even when the action ramped up, I still wanted to linger over the story instead of rushing along with the plot.
I had fun with the characters in the book. They had a nice variety to them, and even though we never leave Fergus's (3rd person) POV we still got to see a nice amount of the backstory and personality of the secondary characters. Mari and Bale probably got the most additional screen time, and there was some really fun interaction and dialogue between the three of them.
The setting, though very different from our real world, was nicely fleshed out and I didn't have any trouble imagining how Cernee was set up and how it worked. (I didn't exactly have a map in my head, but I understood the principle.) I appreciated getting some of the backstory of the universe without it being info-dumped, and I'm really looking forward to reading more of the series to see where else Fergus's travels take us.
I had fun with the characters in the book. They had a nice variety to them, and even though we never leave Fergus's (3rd person) POV we still got to see a nice amount of the backstory and personality of the secondary characters. Mari and Bale probably got the most additional screen time, and there was some really fun interaction and dialogue between the three of them.
The setting, though very different from our real world, was nicely fleshed out and I didn't have any trouble imagining how Cernee was set up and how it worked. (I didn't exactly have a map in my head, but I understood the principle.) I appreciated getting some of the backstory of the universe without it being info-dumped, and I'm really looking forward to reading more of the series to see where else Fergus's travels take us.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and War
Minor: Kidnapping
just_jenxi's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
tensy's review against another edition
4.0
This novel is basically MacGyver in space. MacGyver, a 1980s TV series which featured a secret agent who solves complex problems by making things out of ordinary objects, is paralleled in this Sci-Fi version with Fergus Ferguson, a repo-man or finder for items that have gone missing or stolen in the universe. Like MacGyver, he is quite resourceful and constructs useful objects out of everyday appliances to aid in his quest of retrieving the lost item. This plot moves along at a quick pace, with great characters and plenty of low-key humor. Not a lot of depth, but a fun ride.
perilous1's review against another edition
4.0
Well, this reverse heist plot was just downright fun.
I'll admit, the back of the book got me. Intergalactic Repo Man bites off WAY more than he can chew?
Sign. Me. Up.
Fergus Ferguson is a cantankerous middle-aged Scotsman; extremely displaced thanks to a traumatic upbringing he ran far FAR away from at the tender age of 15. (Emotional avoidance is kind of his thing.) He's made a promise to return a semi-sentient ship to its builders back at a Pluto-based shipyard, and he aims to keep his word. But he wasn't counting on getting caught up in a bloody civil war... never mind an alien abduction.
Though this story takes place in space, it's largely contained to a space station/lichen farm community out on the fringes of well-trafficked space--so there's a frequent sense of small-town and claustrophobia alongside the expansiveness. Palmer's prose is potent and cinematic, with solid pacing and a deft sense for well-placed bits of humor. She delivers us a reluctant hero who, despite his desire to not get involved, is quick to connect empathetically with people. His hesitation to kill anyone for any reason is almost a drawback at times--as few around him seem to have that same compunction.
The only complaint I have has more to do with some of the side characters. The belligerent teenage sidekick was just plain annoying. I think this had a lot to do with her acting like an angsty, ungrateful 14-year-old when she was allegedly 19. (Her bestie wasn't any better--or more pleasant.) Hopefully, the prominent side characters in future installments will remind me less of middle schoolers.
Strongly recommended for:
*Fans of the newish Jim Butcher series: The Aueonauts Windlass
*Anyone who enjoyed the Murderbot Diaries.
*Those who lean toward Brandon Sanderson's more sci-fi works.
*Middling fans of Becky Chambers looking for more action and intrigue.
I'll admit, the back of the book got me. Intergalactic Repo Man bites off WAY more than he can chew?
Sign. Me. Up.
Fergus Ferguson is a cantankerous middle-aged Scotsman; extremely displaced thanks to a traumatic upbringing he ran far FAR away from at the tender age of 15. (Emotional avoidance is kind of his thing.) He's made a promise to return a semi-sentient ship to its builders back at a Pluto-based shipyard, and he aims to keep his word. But he wasn't counting on getting caught up in a bloody civil war... never mind an alien abduction.
Though this story takes place in space, it's largely contained to a space station/lichen farm community out on the fringes of well-trafficked space--so there's a frequent sense of small-town and claustrophobia alongside the expansiveness. Palmer's prose is potent and cinematic, with solid pacing and a deft sense for well-placed bits of humor. She delivers us a reluctant hero who, despite his desire to not get involved, is quick to connect empathetically with people. His hesitation to kill anyone for any reason is almost a drawback at times--as few around him seem to have that same compunction.
The only complaint I have has more to do with some of the side characters. The belligerent teenage sidekick was just plain annoying. I think this had a lot to do with her acting like an angsty, ungrateful 14-year-old when she was allegedly 19. (Her bestie wasn't any better--or more pleasant.) Hopefully, the prominent side characters in future installments will remind me less of middle schoolers.
Strongly recommended for:
*Fans of the newish Jim Butcher series: The Aueonauts Windlass
*Anyone who enjoyed the Murderbot Diaries.
*Those who lean toward Brandon Sanderson's more sci-fi works.
*Middling fans of Becky Chambers looking for more action and intrigue.