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nekoshka's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Gun violence, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Ableism and War
catsandbookstacks's review against another edition
4.0
*Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the eARC.*
Rubicon is a compelling and propulsive military sci-fi headed by a complex/conflicted MC. As expected after The Divide series, Dewes offers cinematic writing with lots of action but stays grounded by themes of mortality, artificial intelligence, ethics, and nature vs technology.
I really appreciate the depth given to Sargeant Valero to provide a lens through which to view the world of Rubicon. Someone who has been rezoned (aka "reborn") 96 times after combat would most definitely have a different outlook on life. Standout secondary characters Kato and Daroga, as well as the rest of her squadmates, breathed life back into Valero and I enjoyed seeing her reconnect both with herself and others. Valero's Rubicon (her Virtual Intelligence turned Artificial Intelligence) is sarcastic and precious - wish there would've been more page time between the two of them!
The fast pace kept me flipping those pages and I had quite a few feels even after remembering that death isn't a regular concept in this military world. I yelled at the ending. I yelled and would've slammed the book shut if I hadn't been reading off my Kindle.
Something to note, there is one character with a physical disability that falls into a stereotype. While I am not part of the disabled community, it did stand out to me. The amputee does experience phantom limb pain and has made the choice to keep their amputated limbs rather than rezoning. There is more involved to this character and plot point, but I can't say more because spoilers.
Rubicon is a compelling and propulsive military sci-fi headed by a complex/conflicted MC. As expected after The Divide series, Dewes offers cinematic writing with lots of action but stays grounded by themes of mortality, artificial intelligence, ethics, and nature vs technology.
I really appreciate the depth given to Sargeant Valero to provide a lens through which to view the world of Rubicon. Someone who has been rezoned (aka "reborn") 96 times after combat would most definitely have a different outlook on life. Standout secondary characters Kato and Daroga, as well as the rest of her squadmates, breathed life back into Valero and I enjoyed seeing her reconnect both with herself and others. Valero's Rubicon (her Virtual Intelligence turned Artificial Intelligence) is sarcastic and precious - wish there would've been more page time between the two of them!
The fast pace kept me flipping those pages and I had quite a few feels even after remembering that death isn't a regular concept in this military world. I yelled at the ending. I yelled and would've slammed the book shut if I hadn't been reading off my Kindle.
Something to note, there is one character with a physical disability that falls into a stereotype. While I am not part of the disabled community, it did stand out to me. The amputee does experience phantom limb pain and has made the choice to keep their amputated limbs rather than rezoning. There is more involved to this character and plot point, but I can't say more because spoilers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, Ableism, and Medical content
Minor: Genocide
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