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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Love the characters! Slow in parts and a bit too heavy on the politics for my taste, but very well written.
Off Armageddon Reef is one of those rare books that mix sci-fi and fantasy well and in the right amount. The use of both elements is well explained and justified. The sci-fi aspect of the book comes through history, the setting, and transformation. It has a significant role in world-building and motivations for the story. The fantasy element is the world with its krakens, lizard monsters, and swords. It's where the characters interact. The fantasy period is hard to define. It's not medieval, nor is it yet the era of the Industrial Revolution. Maybe it mimics our 17th century.
So what is the book about? The human race is almost wiped out by a mysterious, aggressive alien race, Gbaba. The remaining humans have settled into an Earth-like planet, Safehold. The only catch is that they cannot use technology as it's the way Gbaba can detect them. So the leaders of the last space fleet built a religion that forbids sinful technology. They wiped the memory of the first settlers and installed them this image of a world order where the church has a final saying of how things proceed. Christianity heavily influenced the used religion. All this is revealed on the first pages (80+), which are full of world-building and setting up the stakes as Weber has a habit of doing. Weber writes this weird mix of world-building and dialogue-driven text. He loves info-dumps. Weber is meticulous in his logic. Thusly, the first pages were a chore to get through. At times, the entire book was. He tells the story from multiple perspectives, concentrating on the political aspects of what is going on. For example, there's no hint of romance.
The book's central characters are King Haarahld and Crown Prince Cayleb, who are somewhat progressive when it comes to technology. Their country, Charis, is an old pirate nation that has gone legitimate. They are a great naval power, and some of the other countries see them as a thread. Thusly, there are political schemes against them. King Haarahld and Crown Prince Cayleb both represent the fantasy side of the book. I liked them. They are the leaders most of us would want to run our countries. But as characters, they are functional, serving the story. Still, they have personality and history, but it's this mechanical kind, as if Weber made a list of characteristics a good protagonist should have and what appeals to the reader and made them from that mold. So I found it hard to form an attachment to them. Then we have their trusted advisor, Merlin. S/he (Merlin is a male, but Nimue is a woman) is an android who has former Lieutenant Commander Nimue Alban's humanity dashed into the body. Her goal is to crumble the power the Church of God Awaiting has on Safehold, and she uses Haarahld and Cayleb for that. We get to live through her eyes and hear her inner thoughts, unlike with other characters we flip through. I like her. She brings the philosophical aspect to book. She asks questions like should religion hold power over politics? What should be the right call for humanity? Is it inevitable for religion to have a conflict with technology? Plus, does power corrupt? Do leaders forget why they are in their position or not? What makes a good leader? She feels more like a love child of idea a writer has for a central character, a tad less mechanical than Cayleb and Haarahld and other characters (priests, political opponents, trusted commanders, and so on.) Following her actions was the best part of the story.
I have mixed feelings about the book. While I love the concept and how Weber uses fantasy and sci-fi together, the book often feels mechanical in how I already described it with the characters. Also, to enjoy the book, you have to like world-building. It's the most crucial aspect of the story. It's where Weber shines. Weber is a prolific military sci-fi writer and has defined the genre. He's very set in his writing style, and the quality of his work is always high, and the series and books long. However, I'm not entirely sure he's a writer for me. There's something in his books that isn't for me. I love the concepts he plays with, the questions he asks through his writing, with other series he plays with our history in space (evil empires and whatnot), but I need the messy bits if that makes sense at all. All that said, Off Armageddon Reef is a good book. It dares to concentrate on politics and building this strange universe. I do not know where the second book will lead. Most likely, it's a grand installment, and at some point, there will be space battles with Gbaba. That's my guess. I'll find out.
Thank you for reading and have a great day!
So what is the book about? The human race is almost wiped out by a mysterious, aggressive alien race, Gbaba. The remaining humans have settled into an Earth-like planet, Safehold. The only catch is that they cannot use technology as it's the way Gbaba can detect them. So the leaders of the last space fleet built a religion that forbids sinful technology. They wiped the memory of the first settlers and installed them this image of a world order where the church has a final saying of how things proceed. Christianity heavily influenced the used religion. All this is revealed on the first pages (80+), which are full of world-building and setting up the stakes as Weber has a habit of doing. Weber writes this weird mix of world-building and dialogue-driven text. He loves info-dumps. Weber is meticulous in his logic. Thusly, the first pages were a chore to get through. At times, the entire book was. He tells the story from multiple perspectives, concentrating on the political aspects of what is going on. For example, there's no hint of romance.
The book's central characters are King Haarahld and Crown Prince Cayleb, who are somewhat progressive when it comes to technology. Their country, Charis, is an old pirate nation that has gone legitimate. They are a great naval power, and some of the other countries see them as a thread. Thusly, there are political schemes against them. King Haarahld and Crown Prince Cayleb both represent the fantasy side of the book. I liked them. They are the leaders most of us would want to run our countries. But as characters, they are functional, serving the story. Still, they have personality and history, but it's this mechanical kind, as if Weber made a list of characteristics a good protagonist should have and what appeals to the reader and made them from that mold. So I found it hard to form an attachment to them. Then we have their trusted advisor, Merlin. S/he (Merlin is a male, but Nimue is a woman) is an android who has former Lieutenant Commander Nimue Alban's humanity dashed into the body. Her goal is to crumble the power the Church of God Awaiting has on Safehold, and she uses Haarahld and Cayleb for that. We get to live through her eyes and hear her inner thoughts, unlike with other characters we flip through. I like her. She brings the philosophical aspect to book. She asks questions like should religion hold power over politics? What should be the right call for humanity? Is it inevitable for religion to have a conflict with technology? Plus, does power corrupt? Do leaders forget why they are in their position or not? What makes a good leader? She feels more like a love child of idea a writer has for a central character, a tad less mechanical than Cayleb and Haarahld and other characters (priests, political opponents, trusted commanders, and so on.) Following her actions was the best part of the story.
I have mixed feelings about the book. While I love the concept and how Weber uses fantasy and sci-fi together, the book often feels mechanical in how I already described it with the characters. Also, to enjoy the book, you have to like world-building. It's the most crucial aspect of the story. It's where Weber shines. Weber is a prolific military sci-fi writer and has defined the genre. He's very set in his writing style, and the quality of his work is always high, and the series and books long. However, I'm not entirely sure he's a writer for me. There's something in his books that isn't for me. I love the concepts he plays with, the questions he asks through his writing, with other series he plays with our history in space (evil empires and whatnot), but I need the messy bits if that makes sense at all. All that said, Off Armageddon Reef is a good book. It dares to concentrate on politics and building this strange universe. I do not know where the second book will lead. Most likely, it's a grand installment, and at some point, there will be space battles with Gbaba. That's my guess. I'll find out.
Thank you for reading and have a great day!
heroine dies in battle, wakes up in android body centuries later
I have looked at this book so many times in stores and in libraries. Picked it up and read a little and let it fall by the wayside. This time I picked it up and read and couldn't put it down. This is very well done. Combine the epic history spanning world building of Asimov's Foundation and add Patrick O'Brien to the mix and you have the beginning of the Safehold series. I am so excited that I have more story to read.
The story is epic and human and all things that make for great adventures in reading.
I cannot recommend this highly enough. Well Done Mr. Weber!
The story is epic and human and all things that make for great adventures in reading.
I cannot recommend this highly enough. Well Done Mr. Weber!
Mini-Review:
4 Stars for Audiobook, 3.5 Stars for Story
4 Stars for Great Narration by Oliver Wyman
4 Stars for Characters (Fun Mix)
3 Stars for Foundation Background/Religion/Current Society
3 Stars for Chunky Progression
3.5 Stars for Battles
The book was written in 2007 but the phrasing definitely feels like an older piece that could have come from the 80's. I had to double check the published date because I could have sworn it was before 2000.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. It felt like one of those old epic fantasy tales with daring heroes. The setting and characters are drawn in clean lines of good and bad. There's no guessing on who is on what side. The broad outlines of the plot are simple but the details that make them come to life were varied and layered. The characters were the strong point for sure.
I wanted more depth to the plot/characters/etc but realized that this isn't that kind of story. It's more of a what if game with a handful of conditions. All of the elements have been configured and tossed into the ring. I can sit back, enjoy the ride and see how it collides. I'm okay with that.
Sometimes, I read the book blurb to re-check names/etc while I write the review. I'm glad I didn't read it before reading the story because it basically summarizes the whole plot for Off Armageddon Reef. LOL
4 Stars for Audiobook, 3.5 Stars for Story
4 Stars for Great Narration by Oliver Wyman
4 Stars for Characters (Fun Mix)
3 Stars for Foundation Background/Religion/Current Society
3 Stars for Chunky Progression
3.5 Stars for Battles
The book was written in 2007 but the phrasing definitely feels like an older piece that could have come from the 80's. I had to double check the published date because I could have sworn it was before 2000.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. It felt like one of those old epic fantasy tales with daring heroes. The setting and characters are drawn in clean lines of good and bad. There's no guessing on who is on what side. The broad outlines of the plot are simple but the details that make them come to life were varied and layered. The characters were the strong point for sure.
I wanted more depth to the plot/characters/etc but realized that this isn't that kind of story. It's more of a what if game with a handful of conditions. All of the elements have been configured and tossed into the ring. I can sit back, enjoy the ride and see how it collides. I'm okay with that.
Sometimes, I read the book blurb to re-check names/etc while I write the review. I'm glad I didn't read it before reading the story because it basically summarizes the whole plot for Off Armageddon Reef. LOL
Actual Rating 0,5 Stars
I gave it several hours and could not get into it. I will give it another try in 2018. It sounds like an interesting story so it might get better on a second read.
I gave it several hours and could not get into it. I will give it another try in 2018. It sounds like an interesting story so it might get better on a second read.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
i enjoyed this book but it took me forever to read. and the author refers to a person in one sentence by their title, in another sentence by their first name, and in another sentence by their last name. it was really frustrating trying to keep track of who was who.
With the long winded prattle of the characters, endless loop of thoughts, and politics and conversations about things without actually doing anything, I only made it to page 266 of this book before I decided not to waste my time when I have 50 other books that are a lot more interesting than this one to read. It held such promise too.
As background: I generally enjoy sci-fi, fantasy, and quasi-historical fiction, and have a degree in naval history. A friend recommended this book on those grounds, which I understand. I wish he hadn't! I finished it in large part because I hate to abandon a book that has been recommended to me, but I did not enjoy the slog.
There are potentially some spoilers for the book in the review that follows, though I've tried to speak to broader themes rather than specific events, and so have not tagged them as spoilers, per se.
The premise behind the book is that humanity has expanded outward into the stars, whereupon they encounter a genocidal alien race that beats them back. With their backs against the wall, humanity sends a last, desperate mission out with a colony. The goal is to ensure the survival of humanity by limiting their technological progress to pre-industrial levels and ensure the aliens never find them. Okay! Pretty interesting premise.
It's all downhill from there, I'm afraid.
Weber falls into the classic "I'm going to make my character names weird to make them seem different" trope, which has the effect of making them unreadable rather than interesting. Similarly, there are so many characters and their naming conventions are so dumb (my kingdom for a character without a double vowel or a y in it) that it honestly made it hard to follow. This, combined with the almost total lack of character development, made it simply not worth the time to try to pay attention to who all these people were. Bouncing around between viewpoints can be effective, but if you're just giving me a glimpse of a cartoonishly evil villain every now and again whose name is indistinguishable from the other villains, I'm going to stop caring (and I did).
The main character performs as a literal deus ex machina. Merlin (sigh) is an android that can do anything, be anywhere, and know nearly everything, while remaining morally virtuous and... that's about it, I guess. This is a good demonstration, in some sense, of the maxim that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, and this might have been an interesting setting/premise to explore that, but instead the result is that Merlin's presence and stated goals make the story utterly, tiresomely predictable, and remove any and all stakes from the story. We don't need to worry if the protagonists succeed because how could they not?
The flatness of the development of the characters simply serves to bring two more flaws to light: first, the protagonists are almost completely without moral blemish, making them boring, and second, there are no women in this book. Merlin is ostensibly a woman, in that he is actually an android version of Nimue Alban, but he becomes a male because society is male-dominated and he needs to be a man to operate in it. So, aside from the first few sci-fi chapters that establish the book's premise, there is nary a woman to be seen. I mean this almost literally - there are essentially no women in this book *at all* once you get to the Safehold part of the story until near the very end.
Aside from the fact that this is stupid, it is unrealistic (there are women in the real world, I promise!), and it is a-historical. For a book obsessed with the minutiae of technological details, the total abandonment of an entire gender just seems stupid. Maybe he didn't want to write women? Maybe he felt like making Merlin a woman-not-woman was good enough?
The intrigue that takes place in the book is deeply uninteresting, because we, as the readers, know that Merlin is using technology to make success for anyone else essentially impossible. Uninteresting, too, because the intrigue is clumsily done. The potentially interesting premise of the book is undone over time, as it becomes clear that the author just wants to write an 18th century naval epic, with a villainous stand-in for the Catholic Church on the one side, and a glorious stand-in for England on the other. As someone who normally enjoys both those things as topics of fiction and non-fiction, I found their depictions here derivative and exhausting.
When Merlin does finally get around to introducing new technology, it is explained in excruciating detail. It very much seemed like the author wanted to demonstrate how very much research he'd done to get all these things right. However, aside from being absolutely miserable to read, it also made the rest of the books unrealism stand out. I'm perfectly willing to suspend disbelief, but if you insist on rubbing my nose in how accurate these tiny details are, I'm going to start questioning whether or not you know anything about the bigger picture you've presented. The situation becomes more and more unrealistic as the book goes on - we're expected to believe, for example, that an invincible android is here to force a society industrialize (fine, I'll go along with it), while at the same time accepting completely preposterous strategic and naval scenarios (you really want me to believe that a fleet of non-ocean-faring galleys is going to make a trip of ten thousand miles?).
This book doesn't know what it wants to be. It's a book desperately in need of an editor. The technological advances could've been done with a montage. The character development is absent. There are no women in this story (!!). Everyone is neatly divided between good and evil. The premise is interesting and ultimately collapses under its own weight. There's a naval epic at the end that is undermined by its own ridiculousness. There are no stakes, because one side has a nigh-omniscient, omnipotent robot.
I cannot recommend this book in good conscience. It is a mess, and it is a slog. It is entirely possible that Weber has virtues as an author, but none of them are on display here.
There are potentially some spoilers for the book in the review that follows, though I've tried to speak to broader themes rather than specific events, and so have not tagged them as spoilers, per se.
The premise behind the book is that humanity has expanded outward into the stars, whereupon they encounter a genocidal alien race that beats them back. With their backs against the wall, humanity sends a last, desperate mission out with a colony. The goal is to ensure the survival of humanity by limiting their technological progress to pre-industrial levels and ensure the aliens never find them. Okay! Pretty interesting premise.
It's all downhill from there, I'm afraid.
Weber falls into the classic "I'm going to make my character names weird to make them seem different" trope, which has the effect of making them unreadable rather than interesting. Similarly, there are so many characters and their naming conventions are so dumb (my kingdom for a character without a double vowel or a y in it) that it honestly made it hard to follow. This, combined with the almost total lack of character development, made it simply not worth the time to try to pay attention to who all these people were. Bouncing around between viewpoints can be effective, but if you're just giving me a glimpse of a cartoonishly evil villain every now and again whose name is indistinguishable from the other villains, I'm going to stop caring (and I did).
The main character performs as a literal deus ex machina. Merlin (sigh) is an android that can do anything, be anywhere, and know nearly everything, while remaining morally virtuous and... that's about it, I guess. This is a good demonstration, in some sense, of the maxim that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, and this might have been an interesting setting/premise to explore that, but instead the result is that Merlin's presence and stated goals make the story utterly, tiresomely predictable, and remove any and all stakes from the story. We don't need to worry if the protagonists succeed because how could they not?
The flatness of the development of the characters simply serves to bring two more flaws to light: first, the protagonists are almost completely without moral blemish, making them boring, and second, there are no women in this book. Merlin is ostensibly a woman, in that he is actually an android version of Nimue Alban, but he becomes a male because society is male-dominated and he needs to be a man to operate in it. So, aside from the first few sci-fi chapters that establish the book's premise, there is nary a woman to be seen. I mean this almost literally - there are essentially no women in this book *at all* once you get to the Safehold part of the story until near the very end.
Aside from the fact that this is stupid, it is unrealistic (there are women in the real world, I promise!), and it is a-historical. For a book obsessed with the minutiae of technological details, the total abandonment of an entire gender just seems stupid. Maybe he didn't want to write women? Maybe he felt like making Merlin a woman-not-woman was good enough?
The intrigue that takes place in the book is deeply uninteresting, because we, as the readers, know that Merlin is using technology to make success for anyone else essentially impossible. Uninteresting, too, because the intrigue is clumsily done. The potentially interesting premise of the book is undone over time, as it becomes clear that the author just wants to write an 18th century naval epic, with a villainous stand-in for the Catholic Church on the one side, and a glorious stand-in for England on the other. As someone who normally enjoys both those things as topics of fiction and non-fiction, I found their depictions here derivative and exhausting.
When Merlin does finally get around to introducing new technology, it is explained in excruciating detail. It very much seemed like the author wanted to demonstrate how very much research he'd done to get all these things right. However, aside from being absolutely miserable to read, it also made the rest of the books unrealism stand out. I'm perfectly willing to suspend disbelief, but if you insist on rubbing my nose in how accurate these tiny details are, I'm going to start questioning whether or not you know anything about the bigger picture you've presented. The situation becomes more and more unrealistic as the book goes on - we're expected to believe, for example, that an invincible android is here to force a society industrialize (fine, I'll go along with it), while at the same time accepting completely preposterous strategic and naval scenarios (you really want me to believe that a fleet of non-ocean-faring galleys is going to make a trip of ten thousand miles?).
This book doesn't know what it wants to be. It's a book desperately in need of an editor. The technological advances could've been done with a montage. The character development is absent. There are no women in this story (!!). Everyone is neatly divided between good and evil. The premise is interesting and ultimately collapses under its own weight. There's a naval epic at the end that is undermined by its own ridiculousness. There are no stakes, because one side has a nigh-omniscient, omnipotent robot.
I cannot recommend this book in good conscience. It is a mess, and it is a slog. It is entirely possible that Weber has virtues as an author, but none of them are on display here.