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Ragamuffin (Xenowealth #2)

by Tobias S. Buckell (Goodreads Author)

3.71 of 5 stars 3.71 · rating details · 379 ratings · 47 reviews

The Benevolent Satrapy rule an empire of forty-eight worlds, linked by thousands of wormholes strung throughout the galaxy. Human beings, while technically “free,” mostly skulk around the fringes of the Satrapy, struggling to get by. The secretive alien Satraps tightly restrict the technological development of the species under their control. Entire worlds have been placed...more

ebook, 320 pages

Published June 12th 2007 by Tor Books

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May 12, 2011 Paul Stotts rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Do you enjoy space opera with a little Caribbean flavor? Do wormholes and rum sound like the perfect mixture for a good time? If you are like me (and let’s hope you are not, that could be messy), you likely have no standard in which to answer these questions. I could count on one hand how many Caribbean-flavored space operas I’ve read, and still be sporting a closed fist at the end. Yes that’s right, zero Caribbean space operas for me. I suddenly feel so sheltered.

Luckily, Tobias Buckell decided...more Do you enjoy space opera with a little Caribbean flavor? Do wormholes and rum sound like the perfect mixture for a good time? If you are like me (and let’s hope you are not, that could be messy), you likely have no standard in which to answer these questions. I could count on one hand how many Caribbean-flavored space operas I’ve read, and still be sporting a closed fist at the end. Yes that’s right, zero Caribbean space operas for me. I suddenly feel so sheltered.

Luckily, Tobias Buckell decided to enlighten me and write “Ragamuffin”, a Caribbean-styled space opera extravaganza (minus the singing and dancing). I can honestly say it is the best one I’ve ever read, but that doesn’t add to this discussion. “Ragamuffin” takes place in the same universe Buckell created in his fine debut novel, “Crystal Rain”. However, it is not a straight sequel, but more of a standalone with a few recurring elements. The characters of John deBrun, Pepper and Jerome, introduced in “Crystal Rain”, return in “Ragamuffin”, but the story is not a direct continuation of the storyline from the previous novel.

The universe which is a collection of forty-eight worlds connected by a network of wormholes is ruled by the mysterious Benevolent Satrapy (not like we would expect them to name themselves the Malevolent Satrapy). The Satrapy employ the Hongguo as their military arm, using them to curb the development of technology. Humans are treated as a lower caste in the universe, relegated to a various collection of their own colonies and habitats. Nashara is on the run after killing a Gahe breeder at Pitt’s Cross. Barely escaping the planet, Nashara is trying to stay one step ahead of the Hongguo. She finally finds refuge on a Ragamuffin ship. The Ragamuffins are pirates and rebels that maintain their own free society near a dead wormhole. Eventually, Nashara and the crew of Ragmuffins will uncover the insidious plans of the Benevolent Satrapy and the Hongguo.

Meanwhile, John deBrun, Pepper and Jerome are living on Nanagada, when a wormhole above the planet reopens. The Teotl, the alien gods worshipped by the Azteca, have returned, and enlist John, Pepper and Jerome to help them. The Teotl’s survival is in jeopardy, and outside help is needed. Can the Ragamuffins help? Will Nanagadans save the Teotl? Will Nashara escape the Hongguo? And can the Ragamuffins survive the advancing Hongguo onslaught?

The uniqueness and creativity of Buckell’s universe cannot be understated. The universe is vividly imagined and developed. The story is more mature than “Crystal Rain”, as more complications evolve over the course of the novel, and the overall depth of story is more comprehensive. Short chapters of only a few pages keep the action moving for a fast-paced and enjoyable read. Buckell’s character development has also matured from his debut novel. The characters are not as flat, and harbor more complicated motivations for their actions. I still would like to see more world-building in Buckell’s novels; he has so many interesting ideas that I would love to see explored further. But at this point, Buckell appears satisfied in writing fast-paced enjoyable action novels. Still, this is a strong sophomore effort.

Last Word:
“Ragamuffin” is a solid step forward for Tobias Buckell. Showing a maturing sense of story and character development, Buckell has written a tremendously engaging space opera with a slew of turns and twists along the way. If Buckell continues to show the same rate of improvement, his future looks extremely bright.
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Aug 07, 2008 Brownbetty rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I found myself wishing someone would make Ragamuffin into a movie. Or rather, a mini-series, because making it a movie would require remove about three quarters of the plot, but I think most of it could fit into a mini-series. It's got a very cinematic quality. Nashara, the protagonist, does not indulge in a lot of introspection. When faced with problems, she generally responds with the extremely precise application of violence, or perhaps more accurately, forcefully applied kinetic energy.

It co...more I found myself wishing someone would make Ragamuffin into a movie. Or rather, a mini-series, because making it a movie would require remove about three quarters of the plot, but I think most of it could fit into a mini-series. It's got a very cinematic quality. Nashara, the protagonist, does not indulge in a lot of introspection. When faced with problems, she generally responds with the extremely precise application of violence, or perhaps more accurately, forcefully applied kinetic energy.

It could be a bit like the BSG mini-series: a cast of about a dozen, spanning several planets, rebellion, aliens with foreign agendas, humans with sketchy ethics, and the future of the human race in the balance.

I don't usually read books and think "someone should make this into a movie!" I once read, and google is unhelpful in determining the source, a quote the effect of "Having one's book made into a movie is like having one's oxen made into bullion cubes." This seems about right to me; generally speaking, I like the book better than any movie made of it. And anyway, movies are very limiting: they have something like ninety minutes to capture 500 pages, and inevitably, much is lost. All the quite bits, the bits that aren't really about plot, just about story, the slow building of characters, all that is sacrificed to get in a coherent plot squeezed into the timeframe.

Ragamuffin, however, is missing a lot of that in the first place: at one point, Nashara locks herself in the cabin of a spaceship with a captain she mistrusts, and holds her at gunpoint for a week while they travel through space. If I had written that scene, it would take three chapters, and be fraught with sublimated sexual tension even if they never said a word; Buckell deals with the intervening week in a paragraph.

That isn't necessarily a criticism, since obviously I didn't write the book, so I can't exactly complain that it's different than I would have done, but I prefer slightly more in the way of exploring interpersonal dynamics of relationships. But I think it would make a rip-roaring offering on the SF channel.

Of course, trying to put this book on screen would mutilate it beyond recognition since almost no characters in the book are white. There's no way that would survive the transition.

(Re: the cover, it's actually a recognizable scene from the book, and Nashara is easily recognizable! (I do feel it was unnecessary to both portray her with D-cups and leave her jumpsuit unzipped to the navel.))(less)

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Jul 10, 2008 Joy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 21c, 50books-poc-2008, caribbean, science-fiction, chromatic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 04, 2011 Harry Rutherford rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ragamuffin is my book from Grenada for the Read The World challenge. It’s a science fiction novel about a universe where humans share space with various other species and can travel from world to world via wormholes. Some of them come from a world which was settled by people from the Caribbean, hence the title and a certain amount of West Indian-inflected dialogue.

It was quite entertaining, I guess; I’m not really much of an SF fan. I read a lot at one stage because my brother used to read them,...more

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Dec 29, 2010 Clifton Hill rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Buckell's sophomore effort is a mixed bag, with a medley of characters that span the cosmos. You will be wowed on this journey. And then you will be confused. There is a lot going on here.

Maybe I missed the inter-galactic bus here by jumping in at book 2 (Crystal Rain is the predecessor), but I don't think so. The book lacks clear labeling as to being a sequel, and it is apparent in its writing that the author wished for this to stand on its own.

As a whole, it starts strong, alternates in qualit...more Buckell's sophomore effort is a mixed bag, with a medley of characters that span the cosmos. You will be wowed on this journey. And then you will be confused. There is a lot going on here.

Maybe I missed the inter-galactic bus here by jumping in at book 2 (Crystal Rain is the predecessor), but I don't think so. The book lacks clear labeling as to being a sequel, and it is apparent in its writing that the author wished for this to stand on its own.

As a whole, it starts strong, alternates in quality and then tries to bring it together at the end but veers wide of perfect wormhole-center.

Despite problems, I see the appeal of Buckell's storytelling: The technology is well conceived and utilized in a setting that is real and gritty. World-building is high quality and interesting in a universe with humanity under the yoke of alien masters. Under the tentacled-heel they rebel, and Buckell explores how these outliers of humanity survive. The rough-edged Ragamuffins refuse to submit, while the brainwashed enforcers of the Benevolent Satrapy--the Hongguo--up the anté in a battle that quickly escalates and reaches a head (in what I can only call too convenient in timing to fully swallow).

My biggest qualm is character, though it is clear from some chapters that Buckell can get inside their head like the cybernetic implants that abound in his story. Other times, he loses sight of their personality to serve an element of story.

Nashara is a self-centered bad ass and the central character. But then she becomes a total softy for a girl that serves no purpose. For someone that has read the story, you may call me heartless; but what point does that entire storyline serve, other than to show the Satrap's disregard for life--believe me, I was already well aware. Buckell could have still docked the ship and retrieved the much needed fuel (bloody battle and all) without any need of getting the girl or her brother. Maybe he wanted to show Nashara's humanity. But what made Nashara most human was her willingness to sacrifice herself (and others--remember, she's a bad ass) for a people she had no way of knowing still existed.

Then there is the grammar. I am no expert and feel grammar is my weakest point, but there ARE mistakes. It wouldn't have bothered me as much, except for the Carribean dialogue that compounded it all. The author pays homage to the dialect with an amount of fervor that doesn't do the story justice. The odd word order, in a substantial portion of the dialogue, just ripped me out of the story. But that's me. I like a flavor of a dialect in my stories, not an entire dish and certainly not the whole meal.

When it came to the final conflict, there was a snag that had the Ragamuffins up against the very edge, the clock laughing at them and humanity's future on the brink. I should have been chattering my teeth in dreadful anticipation of who would live or die and if anyone would survive the day at all, but you know what? I didn't. This was THE climactic scene, but what ruined it was that it was rushed through and not given the chance to breathe and be its own. It just felt like a rehashing of events that had already occurred. I didn't feel present in those scenes. There was no sense of urgency. No peril. So, as a climax to the book: it failed.

For moments of goodness and technology that intrigued I give this a halting 3 stars. Given time and proper page space I think Buckell can turn out a much better read. I'll read another, have no doubt, but for now it's on to something else.

Visit my blog: http://www.CliftonH.com for more reviews, to comment on this one, or for samples of my own writing in the fantasy genre.(less)

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Jul 02, 2010 Lila rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Ragamuffin captured my attention from the first page, and unlike Crystal Rain, which took a while to get into, never let go.

Buckell's aliens are great. They're very nonhuman, a threat even to the physically and cybernetically enhanced humans. There are species mentioned but not seen, as well, so I'm looking forward even more to future books in this universe.

The book starts out on a different world than Crystal Rain, with a different character, Nashara. She's interesting to follow and the story s...more

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Mar 24, 2010 Sandi rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, 2010, library-books-read

When I read Crystal Rain in 2008, I thought it was one of the freshest science fiction novels I had read in a long time. It was an exciting adventure story taking place in a well-developed culture. It explored the idea of what would happen if a human colony got cut off from all the other human colonies. I liked it so much, that I did put Ragamuffin on my mental to-look-for list. I finally checked a copy out of the library and sat down to read it. Sadly, I was quite disappointed.

You know how a b...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi

Just as fast paced and exciting as book 1. However, if you're expecting the story to pick up anywhere near where Crystal Rain left off, you're in for a shock. The story starts in a completely different place (literally) and introduces us to the (much) larger universe. Then about one-third of the way through it takes a sharp left turn and brings us back to familiar characters and locations. And it all works better than I thought it would! The cover art is fantastic, as is the scene it depicts.

The...more

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Jul 31, 2010 Ryun rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tobias S. Buckell knows what he’s doing. His first novel, CRYSTAL RAIN, was one of the best science fiction books of 2006, and its follow-up, RAGAMUFFIN, is now on the short list for 2007.

The descendants of Caribbean islanders are the heroes of Buckell’s novels, and yes, Buckell grew up in the Caribbean, but that isn’t what makes RAGAMUFFIN good. What does is his razor-sharp focus on the story he wants to tell, and his dogged determination to tell that story despite the glimmerings of a million...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Jesse Whitehead rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tobias Buckell is one of the hidden secrets of the universe. He writes science fiction space opera that is so packed with action and technology that it crackles like a bowl of rice crispies. The adventure and tension never let up from the first page through to the last. What hides behind the veneer of wild action and fascinating aliens is the fact that it’s also really good science fiction.

Buckell doesn’t spend much time on the morality of his characters, he lets us make up our own minds on that...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Althea Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Aw, darn. I didn't realize till looking here on goodreads that this is #2 in a series. I even own #1, sitting somewhere in the TBR boxes. So - I have to admit that perhaps some of my issues with the book might be cleared up by having read the first book first.

It's space opera.
It is an action book. It goes at a mile-a-minute, and something totally new is happening every 3 pages. There is no pausing for explanation, introspection, or anything else.

It's in 3 parts.
The first part deals solely with...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Geoffrey Plauche rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, space-opera, reviewed

As I mentioned in my review of Crystal Rain , I enjoyed reading Tobias Buckell's debut novel, but I enjoyed reading the sequel, Ragamuffin (Tor, 2008), even more. This may be because Buckell has grown as a writer or it may be because Ragamuffin is more a traditional galaxy-spanning space opera, one of my favorite subgenres. But another reason is that there are more prominent libertarian themes in Ragamuffin than there were in Crystal Rain, enough that it was a finalist for the 2008 Prometheus A ...more

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Feb 17, 2011 Guy Gonzalez rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I typically like my sci-fi and fantasy on the lighter side, and wasn't expecting Ragamuffin to be way more hardcore than Crystal Rain, but it is. By far. And yet, as with its predecessor, Buckell's characters, setting and pacing make it work.

The first half of the book pulls the curtains way back to reveal a sprawling universe that was only hinted at previously, and adds a number of engaging new characters to the mix, while the second half returns to Nanagada and immediately disrupts the relative...more

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Jan 20, 2010 Margaret rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-and-science-fiction, poc-50-book-challenge, authors-ab

Nashara is on the run. She wants to get back to New Anegada, if she can, and she needs to escape from the Hongguo who are on her trail. She carries inside her a powerful weapon which could save her, but perhaps at a huge cost, both to her and to the balance of order of the galaxy. Complicating her escape and her decision about the use of her weapon is her discovery that the ruling aliens of the Benevolent Satrapy are planning to wipe out all humans.

Although I really appreciated the kick-ass fema...more

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Dec 27, 2009 Roxane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: space opera fans, readers looking for something fresh and original

Shelves: racial-issues, science-fiction, caribbean, space-opera

There are not many authors out there who can write entertaining fast-paced space opera stories, tightly built political intrigues and introduce diversity in their cast of characters. Tobias Buckell is one such authors and does it all effortlessly it seems. Ragamuffin is smart, fast, serious science fiction but no info dumps. It's refreshing and highly recommended.

Book one, Crystal Rain, hit home because it took place in a Caribbean setting that reminded of my childhood. Book two, Ragamuffin, re...more

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Jun 18, 2008 Wealhtheow rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Ronon Dex

Shelves: cyberpunk, sci-fi, pocmaincharacters

Caribbean pirates IN SPACE! Battling hordes of aliens! With internet viruses in place of wombs! Woah!
And yet, not. The first half is rip-roaringly excellent, and can be found in pdf form here: http://www.tobiasbuckell.com/sampler/...
It begins with Nashara, a mysterious and lethal woman, trying to get out of the human ghetto before anyone discovers the dead body she's leaving behind. It's gritty, it's believable, and it's chilling. Through a mixture of ruthlessness, self-control and superhuman a...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Clarissa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sf

I didn't lik this one as much as the first one; I started to wonder if anyone was worth sympathizing with. I grew up on a steady diet of Asian classics, anime, and cyberpunk, so it's not like I require unambiguously good heroes and mustache-twirling villains, but I felt uncomfortable with the violence of all sides here. It's well written overall, and the world is well constructed. At some point I'll probably pick up the third one to see if I'll keep going ot not.

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Nov 18, 2012 Joe Davoust rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great book despite having to work through a sometimes disjointed story line. I was confused about where it was going until we finally met characters from the prequel, Crystal Rain, in Chapter 23. And it wasn't until Chapter 44 that new characters from this book actually began mingling with characters from the first book.
The story is a wonderful mix of worm holes, space ships, aliens, Aztec warriors, and Caribbean freedom fighters. All of them used to portray a battle for the survival of humanit...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Roger Eschbacher rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Buckell's sophomore novel and the second book in a trilogy (Crystal Rain/Ragamuffin/Sly Mongoose), "Ragamuffin" is an action-packed read, perfect for those who love detailed world-building, deft storytelling, and interesting characters (Me!). In this book, the human race continues its struggles to survive, battling old foes, the fierce Teotl, and new ones, the secretive Satraps -- an enemy so omnipotent, they have the Teotl on the run.

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Sep 08, 2009 Colin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: speculativefiction, youngadultlit, fiction

I liked this, but not as much as his other two. I had a hard time following the battle scenes, I just couldn't visualize it for some reason. In general, I'm not into such "hard" sci-fi as Buckell writes, but he has a good character-driven side to balance out the "battles in space" aspect that makes his books appealing to me. In that vein, I did really like the main character, she was kick ass. And I liked that the character of Pepper is a constant throughout all three books but that they all sta...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Daniel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

This is really more of a 3.5 stars book for me, but I'll give it the extra half star for the fun factor. I enjoyed this novel, and it's widened scope compared to Crystal Rain gives the book an expansive feel that the previous one lacked.

I blasted through this one pretty quickly, and dug it a lot, but the ending left me feeling a little flat.

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Jun 15, 2011 Joy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't usually read books that are this hard SF, but I really enjoyed Crystal Rain, so, of course, I had to read (listen to actually) the next book in the series. It has a really great opening, builds and then really grabs at the halfway mark. Nashara was my favorite character, but I was also glad to see John, Pepper and Jerome from the last book. My only concern is that we didn't hear at all from a major female character from Crystal Rain and I'm not sure what her fate was. The ending also lef...more

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Dec 15, 2011 A. Non rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Buckell has this knack for creating memorable worlds - this book includes a tube shaped world manufactured city in which people live on the inside, and if I remember correctly, introduces the "lamina" that projects information on anything the wearer/user sees.

I remember the imagery more than the plot, but it has been a couple of years.

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Feb 28, 2012 Moe rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book Buckell really amps it up in this sequel to Crystal Rain high adventure from beginning to end! I have to say that the cover art by Todd Lockwood is truly kick ass and even though I'm reading this in ebook format I'm reminded of the days when I'd spend hours in the bookstore browsing the sci-fi/fantasy shelves sometimes choosing a book just because the cover art was captivating enough to make me wonder what the story was behind it.

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Apr 08, 2010 Justus rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The setting has a lot of potential but the book didn't excite me much, which I think has a lot to do with the character that drives most of the story. The characters from the previous book are essentially non-existent, making this only loosely a "sequel".

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Feb 10, 2009 Garret Reece rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Like the previous book, this book is a good sci fi action romp, but like the previous book, feels very oddly paced and emotionally flat. I read it, and didn't dislike it as much as its prequel, but I'm not sure about much else about it.

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Sep 25, 2009 Nate rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the distant future, some decked-out aliens have suppressed human technology (apparently including spell-checkers), but they haven't managed to suppress characters who are totally hard core.

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May 12, 2009 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Crystal Rain was good. This was better: a really excellent followup, with all the excellent command of character, aliens, and all-around sf wonderful weirdness, and far less of the plot lags. I ate it rather quickly. :)

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Feb 27, 2009 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Full review at my blog!

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Feb 18, 2009 Ken rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://nethspace.blogspot.com/2008/04...

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