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emilyeliz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.0
taliesinhall's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
3.0
You had me up until the very last scenes. I feel quite betrayed by the rest of the book because of it. I was originally going to give other works by J.S. Dewes a shot but after that i can't trust them as a writer to not give surprise tragedy when none was advertised.
wontstopreading's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
What a mindfuck
barlinsbooks's review
5.0
In 2021, I was blown away by J.S. Dewes's debut novel The Last Watch, and equally impressed by her sequel The Exiled Fleet. While I enjoy science fiction, it isn't generally what I find myself reading. But with Dewes, as I wrote at the time, the novels "hit the sweet spot of something grounded in actual scientific principles without being hard science," and her ability to craft compelling, unpredictable plots with memorable characters made both of those novels among my favorites that year.
So when I saw a new novel was due out this year from Dewes, I was excited. I also immediately assumed it was Book 3 in the series. Instead, I found that she had veered in a different direction (as she does so often in her novels) and had written a stand-alone novel unrelated to the previous two books.
Rubicon is set at some point in the future, with the human race (or an equivalent approximation) embroiled in a prolonged conflict with a race of sentient machines they refer to as "Mechan". With humanity's home planet of Mira on the brink of being uninhabitable, they are in search of new planets that they can colonize. As part of that colonization effort, they send teams of soldiers to scout potential spots, searching for viable habitats.
The story centers on one such scout, a soldier named Adriene Valero. Valero has the dubious distinction of being "rezoned" 96 times. What's a "rezone"? Four years prior, humans had finally perfected the technology to allow them to "rezone" into a new "husk" (body) upon their death, essentially creating immortality for these soldiers. While you might think that it would be the greatest invention in the history of humankind, in many ways it's had the opposite effect. Rezoning is a pretty horrible process that takes its toll on a person, and while it's a nice safety net, no one looks forward to it.
Against that creative setup, Dewes crafts a really interesting story. She tackles questions about immortality (after dying 96 times, Valero's greatest wish is actually to be able to live without the ability to rezone), the role of AI and whether we should place limits on it, and the meaning of humanity in general. When death doesn't actually mean dying, it changes people and their perception of a lot of things.
Those who saw the Tom Cruise movie Edge of Tomorrow will certainly see similarities in the setup here -- humans with the ability to be reborn, fighting a dominant alien race -- but Dewes crafts a story that has tons of originality as well, creating an environment that she manages to fully bring to life in under 500 pages. She also has a knack for referring to things that don't exist -- be it new technology, "historical" events, etc. -- and then gradually allowing the reader to understand what they are in the context of the story, rather than stopping to explain what such-and-such is, or just never explaining it. It's hard to thread that needle, but Dewes is a master seamstress.
The characters in Rubicon have depth and are well-realized, and while the plot has fewer misdirections than The Divide series, it still keeps the reader guessing where things are ultimately headed. Valero's arc as a main character is truly compelling, and it's an enjoyment for the reader to watch her evolve from a shell of a human, exhausted from continuous deaths and rebirths, into a place where she begins to rediscover her humanity. The moral questions are compelling, and the exploration of the role of AI is certainly topical. Like all good science fiction, it uses scenarios set in the future to force us to evaluate our present, and as tech leaders like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak warn of the risks of continued development of AI systems without constraints, Dewes smartly handles the different directions AI could take.
While I was already a committed fan after The Last Watch and The Exiled Fleet, Rubicon further confirms for me that future books from Dewes will be on-release must-reads. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
So when I saw a new novel was due out this year from Dewes, I was excited. I also immediately assumed it was Book 3 in the series. Instead, I found that she had veered in a different direction (as she does so often in her novels) and had written a stand-alone novel unrelated to the previous two books.
Rubicon is set at some point in the future, with the human race (or an equivalent approximation) embroiled in a prolonged conflict with a race of sentient machines they refer to as "Mechan". With humanity's home planet of Mira on the brink of being uninhabitable, they are in search of new planets that they can colonize. As part of that colonization effort, they send teams of soldiers to scout potential spots, searching for viable habitats.
The story centers on one such scout, a soldier named Adriene Valero. Valero has the dubious distinction of being "rezoned" 96 times. What's a "rezone"? Four years prior, humans had finally perfected the technology to allow them to "rezone" into a new "husk" (body) upon their death, essentially creating immortality for these soldiers. While you might think that it would be the greatest invention in the history of humankind, in many ways it's had the opposite effect. Rezoning is a pretty horrible process that takes its toll on a person, and while it's a nice safety net, no one looks forward to it.
Against that creative setup, Dewes crafts a really interesting story. She tackles questions about immortality (after dying 96 times, Valero's greatest wish is actually to be able to live without the ability to rezone), the role of AI and whether we should place limits on it, and the meaning of humanity in general. When death doesn't actually mean dying, it changes people and their perception of a lot of things.
Those who saw the Tom Cruise movie Edge of Tomorrow will certainly see similarities in the setup here -- humans with the ability to be reborn, fighting a dominant alien race -- but Dewes crafts a story that has tons of originality as well, creating an environment that she manages to fully bring to life in under 500 pages. She also has a knack for referring to things that don't exist -- be it new technology, "historical" events, etc. -- and then gradually allowing the reader to understand what they are in the context of the story, rather than stopping to explain what such-and-such is, or just never explaining it. It's hard to thread that needle, but Dewes is a master seamstress.
The characters in Rubicon have depth and are well-realized, and while the plot has fewer misdirections than The Divide series, it still keeps the reader guessing where things are ultimately headed. Valero's arc as a main character is truly compelling, and it's an enjoyment for the reader to watch her evolve from a shell of a human, exhausted from continuous deaths and rebirths, into a place where she begins to rediscover her humanity. The moral questions are compelling, and the exploration of the role of AI is certainly topical. Like all good science fiction, it uses scenarios set in the future to force us to evaluate our present, and as tech leaders like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak warn of the risks of continued development of AI systems without constraints, Dewes smartly handles the different directions AI could take.
While I was already a committed fan after The Last Watch and The Exiled Fleet, Rubicon further confirms for me that future books from Dewes will be on-release must-reads. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
belghast's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Wow, do I have some mixed feelings about this book. At a most basic level, it is very much what happens if you mix Old Man's War with Battlestar Galactica. There is nothing terribly unique about the plot or the characters... and in truth, if you had told me the main character was Jane Sagan (From Old Man's War) I would have believed you. It was a mechanically enjoyable novel right up until the ending... then in the last few chapters, it essentially ruins everything and lands upon quite possibly the most shitty nihilistic ending you could imagine. So the first 95% of the novel is a solid 3.5-4 and then the last minutes ruin everything and essentially destroy any goodwill the novel gained landing me on the 2.5... because that ending is 1.0 territory.
I would not recommend it. Stick to this author's other books but this one... just gets ruined.
I would not recommend it. Stick to this author's other books but this one... just gets ruined.
guybrushtmp's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book was giving Battlestar Galactica/Mass Effect vibes in the best way possible until the final chapter where it switched to Mass Effect 3 ending in the worst way possible. Definitely was a 4.5 stars until that ending.
The end feels like you are watching a season of a show that ends on a cliffhanger to find out it has been cancelled. Everyone says it is a standalone but I don't know if a follow-up could recover it.
What a sad way to end my year.
The end feels like you are watching a season of a show that ends on a cliffhanger to find out it has been cancelled. Everyone says it is a standalone but I don't know if a follow-up could recover it.
What a sad way to end my year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Gun violence, and Death
Moderate: Alcoholism
medea_jade's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.75
I LOVED this book!! I mean first off, this author just has a way with her characters. They click with me right away. I love them. They’re relatable and real and it’s so easy to feel like I know them. They are truly alive for me. And then there’s the fact that this books seemed to take some of my favourite elements from Battlestar Galactica, Halo, Mass Effect, and other sci fi and mash it all into one new thing while still feeling original and fresh. I often find books predictable. Combine lots of reading with autism and that’s bound to happen, but this kept me on my toes! Right up to the end. The end. Which fills me delicious rage. I almost threw the book across the room, but also I want to read it again NOW. I want there to be more. MOOOOOORRRRE
archergal's review
3.0
Say you're a soldier fighting a hive mind of robotic enemies, who are also able to take over your body if they capture you. The only way to escape is to die. Fortunately (or not, as we see as the story goes on) you can almost immediately re-spawn back into another body. And return to fight again.
I thought this was a little slow at the beginning. Then the action ramped up, and it got into some interesting (and slightly alarming) issues of what it is t0 be human when you can be sent back again and again and again. And then you get what's basically a sentient AI implanted in your skull, who MAY have your best interests at heart.
I got this book because I thought it was a powered suit/mecha sort of book. (I have a small weakness for mecha and kaiju stories.) It isn't quite that, but it's close enough. And this kind of book owes a lot (IMHO) to the Murderbot books, in attitude more than anything else. Not complaining about that though.
But that ending made me unhappy. I guess the author's setting up for a sequel, but jeezopete. :( :(
I thought this was a little slow at the beginning. Then the action ramped up, and it got into some interesting (and slightly alarming) issues of what it is t0 be human when you can be sent back again and again and again. And then you get what's basically a sentient AI implanted in your skull, who MAY have your best interests at heart.
I got this book because I thought it was a powered suit/mecha sort of book. (I have a small weakness for mecha and kaiju stories.) It isn't quite that, but it's close enough. And this kind of book owes a lot (IMHO) to the Murderbot books, in attitude more than anything else. Not complaining about that though.
But that ending made me unhappy. I guess the author's setting up for a sequel, but jeezopete. :( :(
catmisae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75