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A review by obsidian_blue
Redshirts by John Scalzi
5.0
I am a sci-fi/fantasy nerd. I love the Stark Trek films (even though when you think about it half the things they do are not scientifically possible). And have watched everything from Doctor Who to Battlestar Gallatica. However, my secret shame is that I don't read a lot of sci-fi/fantasy novels with emphasis on the science fiction part (cue the horrified screams).
However, after being told by my friends that I needed to read this novel and also pick up a few books by this author (have Old Man's War on my To Be Read pile) I finally finished this novel.
Mr. Scalzi's fun take of anyone in a red-shirt (except for main characters) was expendable was cleverly done.
This book follows Ensign Andrew Dahlof and some of the crew of the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid. I really don't want to get too specific since I will end up spoiling for other readers out there (and I hate when reviews do that) and just say that this novel had some serious laugh out loud moments for me. The first chapter of the book literally took my breath away and from there I was engrossed. When we find out about the secret behind the Intrepid I did feel a bit of a letdown. After I read the secret I did feel letdown since I thought it would be one of those novels which throws a MacGuffin in at the last minute and try to wrap things up in a tidy bow and was all ready to write the entire book off.
However, I am glad I kept reading since the novel moved in an entirely different way which honestly moved me. This novel could have been just a slap-sticky sort of nonsense and a poke at the Star Trek and other like series but it really in the end was not. It was an interesting look at free-will, fate, and what makes "us" us.
The only reason why I gave this novel a 4.5 star out of 5 was just because I thought coda 1 ruined the momentum of the ending and the rest of the novel as a whole. I did love coda 2 and coda 3 just once again moved me to tears.
Would definitely recommend!
However, after being told by my friends that I needed to read this novel and also pick up a few books by this author (have Old Man's War on my To Be Read pile) I finally finished this novel.
Mr. Scalzi's fun take of anyone in a red-shirt (except for main characters) was expendable was cleverly done.
This book follows Ensign Andrew Dahlof and some of the crew of the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid. I really don't want to get too specific since I will end up spoiling for other readers out there (and I hate when reviews do that) and just say that this novel had some serious laugh out loud moments for me. The first chapter of the book literally took my breath away and from there I was engrossed. When we find out about the secret behind the Intrepid I did feel a bit of a letdown. After I read the secret I did feel letdown since I thought it would be one of those novels which throws a MacGuffin in at the last minute and try to wrap things up in a tidy bow and was all ready to write the entire book off.
However, I am glad I kept reading since the novel moved in an entirely different way which honestly moved me. This novel could have been just a slap-sticky sort of nonsense and a poke at the Star Trek and other like series but it really in the end was not. It was an interesting look at free-will, fate, and what makes "us" us.
The only reason why I gave this novel a 4.5 star out of 5 was just because I thought coda 1 ruined the momentum of the ending and the rest of the novel as a whole. I did love coda 2 and coda 3 just once again moved me to tears.
Would definitely recommend!